Diary

August 31, 2005 - Wednesday

Had a brief talk with Professor Kimura in the elevator on my way home. He is so busy so you have to take all the chances you have to talk with him.

August 30, 2005 - Tuesday

First day back at the office after the conference. Almost no people there. By 11 am we were only three people present. All of us Europeans.

August 29, 2005 - Monday

Did not go to the office today. In the morning I unpacked and worked a little at home. Had pasta for lunch and then went to Roppongi Hills to meet the CEO of db4objects. I had helped him arrange with a translator for his business meeting and IT journal interview in the morning, and db4objects road-show event in the afternoon.

After the road-show we had a dinner together with his Japanese business partner. They talked a little bit of business but it was interesting to hear. But most of the time we just talked about anything and db4objects. We had sushi in Akasaka, by the way.

August 28, 2005 - Sunday

... And suddenly it was the next day. Sunrise came fast behind drawn curtains. On our approach to Tokyo I could spot Fuji-san. It peaked up out of the clouds.

Landing. Immigrations. Got the bag. Customs. And Narita Express back to Tokyo. Chie picked me up at the same place as she dropped me off at one week earlier. It was almost like she had been that all the time, or as if I had just walked into the station for a few minutes and then back.

In the evening we went to Shiraishi to have dinner. It was great as usual. Sashimi and other Japanese dishes. And this time they had anin-tofu.

When the dinner was finished we rolled back home. On our round tummies. Full of delicious food.

At home I dropped dead in the bed. Tired from the trip and from all the food.

August 27, 2005 - Saturday

The whole day was either preparing to leave the hotel and traveling back to Tokyo. The bus that picked me up was 10-15 minutes late, but that could be expected. It is after all a country with a lot of inheritance from in-shalla countries.

One English guy did not seem to like the fact that we were 10-15 minutes late. He was worried that he would miss the flight, which he pointed out whenever they stopped to pick up more people by pointing at his wristwatch. He complained quite a lot to the poor young Turkish guy from the travel agent that had arranged the conference.

I thought he had a flight at least 30 minutes earlier than me. But it turned out that he was on the same flight at I was. one final word about this... He had worried in vain.

In Istanbul the flight to Tokyo was delayed by one hour. So instead of 3 hours waiting time I now had 4 hours to kill. Some of the time I killed by having dinner. The rest I just walked around, shopped some wine and some other things. Then boarding and take off. Sunset from the plane...

August 26, 2005 - Friday

After breakfast I walked from the hotel to the old town about 3 km away. I had the morning off from the conference. I choose to walk along the Mediterranean sea. It was green parks at least half of the way. And no people at 8:30 am.

The old town was a mix of really old buildings that looked like they could collapse at any moment and quite newly renovated buildings. It was a pleasant area and now and then you could see the old wall surrounding the old town.

Soon after entering the old town shops became more frequent. Mostly carpet shops, jewelry shops, china, and souvenir shops. It was fun walking around and look at all the things.

In some places you could see two old men sitting and playing backgammon. Some sat just drinking tea. All seemed friendly. Even the shop owners seemed friendly and not like in Morocco or Lebanon. I don't mean that they are unfriendly in Morocco or Lebanon but they are really pushy about selling. Here they asked if I liked anything and when I told them I was just looking they told me to have a nice day or something similar, smiled and left me alone.

Another thing that differed between the old town here and, for instance, the old town in Fez, Morocco, was the width of the streets. In Fez they were so narrow that in some places only one donkey (or two humans) at a time could pass. In Antalya the streets were wide enough for cars.

Around noon the started to call for prayers from all minarets. I flash-backed to Lebanon. This calling was what often woke me up at dawn in Lebanon.

Just after the calling for prayer it was time for me to walk back to the hotel and get ready for the afternoon conference sessions. Not much to mention more than that you could tell it was casual Friday. A French professor even had a tennis t-shirt and shorts while doing a presentation. To tell the truth, it was not a real conference the two last days but workshops so it was more casual because of that too.

August 25, 2005 - Thursday

James Spader sat down next to me today. For 5 minutes. Then he left. I guess I was not fun enough or, less likely, that the session was not fun enough (here you should put some strange characters like ;-) but the characters for ironic).

After the conference day (ended at 6 pm) I had a walk around. Walked along the sea. Or should I write above the sea. Because Antalya has a 30 meter steep rocky coastline.

After a while I got hungry so I stopped and had a pizza. I've been told that Turkish pizza was delicious. It was. But I think it was an Italian pizza. And a Turkish pizza chef.

August 24, 2005 - Wednesday

Today was very much like yesterday. Except today I did not have to make a presentation. Instead I could relax and listen to the different presentations. During the first session I went to the wrong room. So the presentations were totally not for me. So I did the best of the situation... Did some work on my laptop.

Then I attended a session where an Italian professor looking just like James Spader was doing a presentation. He looked just like him but sounded like a female. Still, his presentation was interesting.

After the conference day I went to the gym. It feels quite good to get a workout after just sitting and listening all day long. When I was finished with the gym I went home to prepare for the dinner. But I got so tired I decided to stay home. I went to bed already at 9 pm.

August 23, 2005 - Tuesday

Skipped the early session and prepared for my presentation. I really don't like talking in front of a lot of people. It makes me nervous for some reason. So I like to prepare well and try to relax. It usually helps minimizing the blackouts during a presentation.

I went to the conference just before the first session ended. When it ended I loaded my presentation to the provided PC and went out to have an OJ and some fruits.

At 10:30, just after the coffee break I started my presentation that went quite well. I tend to talk less and faster when I am nervous so I managed to do it in 20 minutes compared to around 25 minutes when I had practiced. The guidelines for the conference is to keep presentations to 20 minutes and 10 minutes discussion afterwards. But most tend to speak up to 25 minutes and more.

However, even though my presentation was short I got enough questions to fill out the remaining 10 minutes. So I think it was good/lucky to be nervous and keep it short to allow for all the questions. And questions feel much better, more comfortable because you know what the questioner wants from you so you can adapt what you are saying to what they are interested in.

Afterwards, Professor Kimura told me I did well. So I guess I did... Well, well.But mostly I am just happy to have it done. Now I can concentrate on what others are saying in their presentations.

Participating in conferences like this is actually some kind of self-punishment, or self-abuse. I really hate it. But it feels so good afterwards are finished, or おわった時にいいかんじです.

By they way, the chairman got my title wrong so he introduced me as Professor Nielsen. So for about 30 minutes I was a professor. It did not feel any different from being my usual me.

The rest of the day I was visiting the design sessions. Some where quite interesting and other not so. Just as it usually is. Like watching TV I guess. Some shows are good and some are not, but they all kill the time.

After lunch I was approached by a guy addressing me as Dr. Nielsen. I have been a PhD for almost two years now but I have never gotten used to the title. It just feels awkward and strange. It is not me. That is how it feels.

I skipped the last session since there were absolutely no papers that I was interested in. Instead I went to the gym. Of course after getting out of my business suit. Yep, you heard right. All the days at the conference. I am wearing a business suit. The suit that I bought in Hawaii.

The gym was OK, but it is always a period of adaption when you get to new gyms. Different equipment and so on.

After gym and shower I went out for dinner. Found a kebab-like restaurant-like thing close to the hotel. Had an Izwir Emrit, or at least something that sounded similar. It anyway tasted good. Then I watched the sunset. And went to bed.

August 22, 2005 - Monday

Woke up 3:30 am. Could not go back to sleep. Watched some TV, BBC News. Until they started repeating themselves. Then I read for a while. Until it was time to have breakfast.

After breakfast I registered at the conference. Got my usual conference bag, that I will throw away, containing program and some guides for Antalya.

The main thing today was the opening session of the conference. After that some key note speakers. And after that some sessions of paper presentations.

In the evening they had a conference dinner. But I was too tired to participate. I went to the hotel instead where I prepared for my presentation tomorrow. Skipped dinner totally and went to bed around 9 pm. Just about when most of the others probably where only half way through the dinner.

August 21, 2005 - Sunday

Chie gave me a ride to the Shinagawa station in the morning. From there, the Narita Express to the Narita airport. Then the confusing task of finding where to check-in. My flight was a JAL flight but operated by Turkish Airlines. First I went to Turkish check-in and realized that I had to check-in at the JAL check-in... On the other side of the terminal.

Five minutes later I could check-in at the JAL and then concentrate on exchanging money. This turned out to be impossible. The rule in Japan seems to be that you cannot pay with a credit card. What I can recall this is possible in Sweden so I was really surprised.

Then I just had to find an ATM and withdraw some money. Easy! Well, not. In Japan ATMs are very tightly connected with the bank. So cards can only be used in ATMs by the issuing bank. Should not be a problem since my bank (UFJ) is one of the bigger ones. No way! No UFJ ATM in Terminal 2, I was told by a friendly girl at an information desk. But they have one in Terminal 1.

No time to go there so I have to manage with the Euro, USD, and Swiss whatever money I had. So I went through security and immigration and on to the gate.

At the gate I saw two guards standing close to a guy in chair. The guy was leaning forward, his elbows on his knees. Hands together. Hands together... Because they were cuffed together. Seemed like he was a Turkish guy that was being deported back to Turkey.

Makes you feel safe. At least you know who the bad guy is, huh?

Not much to say about the flight. It was boring. Watched movies. Read. Slept about 30 minutes. And then, finally, I arrived in Istanbul.

Then I had about two hours to get to my connecting flight. Plenty of time. But I had to pass immigration and it turned out that a ship load of Russians had arrived just before my flight and for some reason they took ages to pass the immigration.

When I finally got to the gate in the domestic terminal I only had to wait about 30-40 minutes before boarding. While I was boarding I saw many Formula-1 team caps sitting on the head of, mainly, young guys. I later found out that it had been a Formula-1 race in Istanbul that particular day. Now they were probably going to Antalya to enjoy the sun.

After arriving in Antalya I was waiting for y bag in vain. It never arrived. Many others were also waiting. A guy came and collected us. It turned out that we were all people that had checked our bags directly to Antalya via international flights. Now we had to be bussed to the international terminal in Antalya to access the bags.

Then I identified a group of people that looked like they were going to the same conference. We all walked slowly out of the terminal watching for our pick-up. But he or she was nowhere to be seen. Standing outside for a while he turned up. Then some more waiting for the bus. Then some more inefficiency on the bus. First they checked all our names. And then they had to do it again, directly afterwards when they collected the money for our trip.

Then they had to check which hotels to go to by asking who is going to this hotel? But I already saw that they had this information on the sheet of paper where they made notes of our payment. Just check who was on the bus and drive to those hotels. Even better, put the names in groups of hotels. You get a pretty low tolerance for stupid things when you haven't slept for a while and am tired of traveling. Sorry about that.

I got to the hotel just around midnight. A fell asleep at before my head hit th pillow.

August 20, 2005 - Saturday

Saturday. Fully booked. Tea ceremony in the afternoon. And directly afterwards back home and Raiders party. It was fun with a lot of good food and good friends.

We watched the first pre-season game between Raiders and San Francisco. Raiders lost but it sometimes looked good. And the new QB that was drafted this year played well. So that is good for the future. But basically, it is too early to say anything from the first game of the pre-season.

Don't have time to write so much about it since the day is over and I have to go to bed. I am going to Turkey for a conference tomorrow. We'll see if I can update the diary while I am there. I'll be back next Sunday and then I will at least add some pictures from today.

August 19, 2005 - Friday

Prepared for the conference next week. Packed for the Turkey trip when I got home.

Chie was preparing food for the Raiders party tomorrow. A lot of food. And a lot of fun. This week we watched a pre-season game between Bears and Dolphins. And the Raiders party... All indications that the season start is getting closer. Looking forward to it.

August 18, 2005 - Thursday

Preparing for the conference next week. Bought paint on my way home. Finished the paint, but also the paint job. Now it is almost impossible to see where the old AC was.

August 17, 2005 - Wednesday

Preparing for the conference next week. no painting tonight since the paint was finished.

August 16, 2005 - Tuesday

Earthquake. Quite far north of Tokyo. Magnitude 6.8. The shaking had just stopped when I wrote this.

We could feel it here in Tokyo too. Especially if you are on the 9th floor as my lab is. No injuries and damages in Tokyo, but some in and around Sendai.

August 15, 2005 - Monday

Back to work. Continued preparing my presentation for the conference in Turkey next week.

After work when I got home I started to paint the wall that has been hidden behind the old AC. That part has not been painted since the room was brown. So there was a brown rectangle on the wall.

August 14, 2005 - Sunday

Relaxed the whole day. Drove home to Tokyo in the evening. Not much traffic even though it was a Sunday night. Maybe because it is vacation for most people right now. Much like July in Sweden, but here it is only one week... Not four or more as in Sweden.

August 13, 2005 - Saturday

Went to Tokorozawa. Did not do much but forgot to bring the grill so no BBQ. Instead we had Chinese.

August 12, 2005 - Friday

Big day. Worked from home since I had to let the AC-installation workers in. At first they just uninstalled the old (about 30 years old) AC. Then it was... Well, hot and humid in the apartment.

It turned out to be the worst day in a long time to change the AC. It was the most humid day in many weeks. After half an hour or so I was soaked in sweat just by sitting at a table, thinking, and typing on my laptop.

Around 2 pm the new AC was installed and ready to be used. Quite some improvements they have made in 30 years. Smaller. More silent.

August 11, 2005 - Thursday

Work, work, work. Had a meeting with professor Kimura to discuss the slides for the CIRP GA 2005 conference in Turkey in 1.5 weeks.

Made some preparations for the installation of the new AC tomorrow. Like moving furniture to make room.

We also took some last pictures of the old AC. It's been a long and faithful friend of Chies... But now it was time for it to go, wherever old ACs go when they are no longer in service.

August 10, 2005 - Wednesday

Hot and humid today. Not as hot as some days ago, but more humid. Whatever you do you get wet. You just have to get used to it. Although it is hard. to get used to I mean.

August 9, 2005 - Tuesday

Got a visit from Sweden today. Astrid came. She is a doctoral student from my old department in Sweden and will be here for 3.5 months. At the Kimura lab.

August 8, 2005 - Monday

Nothing to report today. Just work as usual.

August 7, 2005 - Sunday

It is 1:07 am on Sunday morning and the building was shaking violently. I am writing this so I obviously survived. 4.7 this time. The 5.7 two weeks ago we missed because we were in Miyako-jima. The result that time was some broken things and a lot of stuffed animals on the floor. Maybe they jumped down from the shelf but I do not believe it. This time nothing broken.

Why am I writing this? Well, because if family or friends read about earthquakes in Tokyo or Japan it will always sound worse than it was. So this is a way of saying we are OK, no worries.

In the evening Chie and I went to Yokohama and the Nissan Stadium. This was where the final of the World Cup 2002 was held. Big stadium.

But tonight there was no soccer players there. No referees. Instead they had been replaced by about 70000 screaming girls from the age of 12 to 55 or so. It was S.M.A.P. time. The biggest boys group in Japan the last 10 years.

Well, it was 70000 girls... And me there. 3 and a half hour show. Most of the time all 70000 girls where screaming and waving and... Screaming. Kind of a controlled craziness since they still stayed in there seat. No pushing. Just screaming.

Most of them also had a S.M.A.P. thing that was blinking SMAP in different colors. This was more fun to watch than the show... I mean, when I looked around the stadium in the dark and all these colorful things were waving back and forth in harmony with the music. Quite amazing.

Anyway, my sensei's favorite is called Shingo. He came on a kind of wagon and stopped right before us. And spotted me in the crowed. I wonder why? One guy, foreign guy, among 70000 screaming girls. And about 2-3 heads taller than anybody else. I wonder why? I believe my sensei will be a little bit jealous.

After the show we were lucky. We got out of the stadium early. Caught a train before the big rush. And were back in Naka-Meguro in no time at all.

August 6, 2005 - Saturday

Saturday. Made a total clean-out of my closet today. It was really needed. So many things that I was not using. Threw some things out. And packed the rest so that I can bring it to the storage room.

In the afternoon Chie and I went to Roppongi Hills to shop and to meet Chie's mother. We had a reservation at a sushi restaurant in Ebisu.

As usual the dinner was great. The fish at this sushi restaurant is delicious. Quite expensive but worth all the pennies, or Yens.

Tonight I had shinko (kids of kohanda a relative to herring), chu-toro, aji, tako (octopus), ika (squid), iwashi, among others. At the end miso-soup.

Even though we had sushi I was so full. It was really nice to walk home after that. A little bit hot though. Even in the night.

But before we got home we stopped at Tokyu store to buy breakfast for tomorrow. Big day for many S.M.A.P. fans (and today too). They have a show in Yokohama. Chie and I are going.

Oooh, and on the way back from the Tokyu store we stopped in Naka-Meguro. They had a summer festival there. Dancing and music. Quite fun.

August 5, 2005 - Friday

When I am writing this today it is past 11 pm... Outside it is still more than 30 degrees Celsius. Phew!

August 4, 2005 - Thursday

Read about the trusted computing today. Quite scary. A few big companies wants to take fully control of our computers in the future. The whole thing smells bad and is a big risk for our integrity and freedom. And a big risk for abuse of those few in power.

The main reason they claim is to protect our computers form viruses and spam. It will not take care of those issues! The second thing, which I can understand, is to deal with the big piracy of software in China.

Of course the article I read was written by a no to trustworthy computing, but I believe a lot of what he wrote is more to the truth than what Microsoft and C/o in the TC community say. The whole thing is to make even more money by locking you even tighter into their proprietary file formats, which now will be coded and controlled even more by these companies.

The cost for migrating from one software vendor to another will increase. Open standards are no more. Open source softwares can say goodbye.

The potential scenarios are terrible. And I guess there is only one way of stopping them. We as customers must say NO. Go the open source way instead. Buy products that do not lock you in, and that support open standards. And support organizations such as EFF, or Public Knowledge.

August 3, 2005 - Wednesday

There are almost no students at the University now. They are all gone on summer holiday. So it is quite quiet when walking inside the campus. Except for the noisy bug in the trees... Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, fzzzzzzzzzzzzz. But it is Ok anyway.

In the evening Chie had an handy-worker at home to check take measures for a new air-conditioning system. She will get a cost estimate and then decide.

August 2, 2005 - Tuesday

After work Chie and I went Harajuku to meet Mina-san for dinner at Tonpo. Tonpo is a funny place. The Chinese food is great and the owners are always friendly to us. But you can really tell when hey don't like a customer.

Tonight a Japanese girl brought a huge American guy. At once you could tell that one of the owners did not like them... For some reason. So obvious that the Japanese girl also noted it and told the her American friend about it. It seemed like they only laughed about it though because they stayed for a whole dinner.

When they were about to leave someone said in Japanese that the American guy was a really big guy. The Japanese answered politely that he was a basketball player. And the owner said 'then he should not smoke' in a scornful way.

Quite funny if you are an observer. But I felt a little bit sorry for the big guy. But on the other hand... He was an American after all.

Anyway, the most important thing with the dinner was to get S.M.A.P. tickets from Mina-san. S.M.A.P. is the most popular pop group in Japan. We are going on a show in Yokohama on Sunday. At the Nissan stadium, where the World Cup final was held in 2002.

August 1, 2005 - Monday

First real work day after the trip to Miyako-jima, Friday was mostly a startup day. I rather had spent the day in Miyako-jima on a beach though. Not much happened, but you can tell that summer has now come to Tokyo.

There are some clear evidence of summer: i) it is hot but not so humid as during the rainy season, ii) the nosy bug has started to make noise again, and iii) not so many students at Todai.