Will

Congrats to all, looks like there's some good luck on the job front at the moment. I have my annual review at 10 today, if I'm not promoted (I already know I won't be) I'm going to be seriously fucked off.

I've been awake for an hour and it's only 5am. I hate readjustment.

Good luck with the spotty job, nightwolf. I've seen a few talks by Mr Ek and met him once, seems like he'd be an awesome guy to work for. Ashley, someone on one of the Japan forums was saying that uniqlo are very keen on doing their training in Japan, so I reckon you'd definitely have a good chance of making it over there for trips at least. Seems like the kind of place that if you pushed for it they would be open to making it happen long term. Maybe we will finally end up in the same place at the same time. Now that would be a lot of fun.

Well my week in London was very interesting (sorry I didn't manage to catch up with you, Ashley - good luck tomorrow) work seems to be heading in a good direction over the coming months. Most importantly, I've been told, 100%, that if I can get my Japanese up to a decent level it will be arranged for me to work in Tokyo. Quite the incentive I think.

I like the moped idea above. Since I got my scooter I've been loving it and my transport related out goings are basically nothing. £300 for a service? What the heck are you driving? Even the Lotus was only £230 a time.

Realizing that a girl you left for a job opportunity was maybe the only girl you ever truly loved :-( Can't really regret it as I know that had I not gone for it I'd have resented staying behind. But being with my very close friends tonight they make me see sense and I know this girl meant way more to me than I let her at the time. Unfortunately I burnt all bridges with her and she doesn't even want to acknowledge me anymore. Feel pretty shit right now which is something I very rarely do. Just wish there was some way to sort things out with her, unfortunately I don't think there is :-(

If we arrange drinks next week, will you bring Jodie too?

Yeah for sure, I was saying in the love thread I already have three girls lined up for "language exchange" when I'm back in SF. Work is definitely paying off on it, lots of Japanese people who are always very happy to chat with me. All in all it should come along nicely. Then I'll go and live the Japanese dream.

That's true, maybe tutoring hot undergrads would yield many good things. I would like to be able to do something through Sega but I would definitely need to be functional in Japanese. This way I can go over with very basic knowledge and learn as I go along. I won't apply for a while though, so who knows how much I can improve before then. I know I need a change though, and should things not go my way job wise going back to school seems like a fun/rewarding/useful thing to do.

Oh cool thanks for that. Yeah I think you're right on JET not allowing you to do anything else. I was looking at doing it with a private adult school outside of the education system, AEON is one I've looked at and seems to have decent write-ups. They don't allow you to work anywhere else but are ok with education. If I can get on an MBA I'd be tempted not to bother though and just do something more casual to give me a bit of spending money.

So I'm kind of thinking if I don't get a job in a startup I'd quite like to move to Japan. Initially I was thinking I'd go and just do the teaching thing, but now I'm considering doing that and also try to do an MBA while I'm over there. Only issue is the $50k price tag, though I think I can cover that with a student loan. Maybe I could sell Japanese nik-naks back to the west too? Does anyone have any links to ranking of universities? I'm looking at either Temple or Doshisha as they seem to be the only ones that offer the MBA in English.

I'm just saying when on business as that's the most regular time I drink alone. Just get out there, you're in Bournemouth for gods sake, plenty of holidaying girls for you to try your luck with.

When possible meet up with the business contacts, head out by yourself for a night. I've met loads of girls when away on business by going to a bar on my own. You just have to be proactive about it!

Just have a little drink before heading out at other times, nothing wrong with that if it gives you a bit of confidence. Blaming your friends is quite frankly ridiculous. Start doing things that put you in the situation of meeting people and actually accept that it's down to you how successful you are at the dating game. I'm amazed being self employed hasn't led to you meeting more people to be honest, not having the constraint of a 9-5 office should help, not hinder. Seems to me like your far to keen to look for excuses rather than sort out the situation.

Well I think today went well, had a great chat with three awesome guys from the very top level of the company. Even if nothing else comes from it I've seen a world that I definitely want to be a part of. I'll be working very very hard to get involved in a startup from now on.

Had a good bit of interest from Asian students on ok cupid after I put that I was learning Japanese on my profile. Got two dates lined up for when I'm back from London. One utterly stunning and one just very good looking, both are 20. Bit worried about the age but they seem cool from chatting. A language exchange site is also throwing up some good possibilities, though not quite as sexy. So my current top tip - take on a language and practice on hot girls.

Well hope that goes well, will definitely try and sort something for next week then.

Oh cool, anywhere near Euston? Think I'll have a little time to kill tonight before my train home. Also I'm in the city all next week if you fancy trying to grab a beer.

It could well be, hope that's ok for the space time continuum. Are you in London or our home area at the moment?

The trip home I thought might allow me to get to the meet last month has finally happened and I'm just about over the time difference. Currently staying with my parents but today I'm having a day trip back down to London to meet with some guys running a start up about a potential role later in the year when they're a little larger. I already know one of the VP's there and these guys are hugely respectful in the industry. Add on the fact I'd love to work for a startup and I'm pretty damn excited about seeing them. Fingers crossed then, I'm not hugely happy in my current role, so this is coming up at potentially just the right time. Hope I'm not too rusty at selling myself.

Yeah as Rez says, it's kind of split. The end of Cap is the start of the trailer but it's split by the credits. The whole film is pretty much a trailer for the Avengers though.

In both situations they analyze for a double-bump to see if you hit the car in front first or the person behind knocked you into them, then apportion blame dependent on the result. The crash I had still hasn't been settled as far as I'm aware. A woman pulled out into my lane and our front wheels hit. Somehow she's argued that I hit her from behind and they haven't just told her to get lost. Before moving to the US my insurance company told me not to worry about it and they would deal with it but I haven't heard a single thing since.

I don't really understand how you could possibly miss him being a cool guy, he's been like that since he very first appeared on the F1 scene. Loved him on top gear, I think he's certainly one of my favourite drivers. Glad Alonso won in Silverstone too, good to see the Ferrari finally do well. Hopefully they can keep it up for the rest of the season too.

I actually kind of agree with Jacques on the racing this year. For a fan it's great to see all of this on track action, but I can totally see why the 'artificial' racing would annoy someone like him. He's right about amazing overtakes too, I can't remember any this season. Silverstone should be interesting from the regulations point of view, it would be great if they shake it up a little.