Category: Natsuko’s Blog

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From Mistborn to 1984: A Journey into Dystopian Fantasy

After finishing the Mistborn series, I decided to try a different genre—dystopian fantasy. That’s how I stumbled upon “1984,” a novel by George Orwell. It’s about a society where one group, the Party, rules everything.

The Party is really crafty at holding on to power. They use many tactics, like spying on people, twisting words and facts, and giving out brutal punishments. They have a knack for controlling what everyone thinks and does. And the worst part? People lose what makes them unique. Their rights and their lives revolve around serving the Party.

This quote from a book has stuck in my head, and I can’t seem to forget it.

Freedom is slavery.

Love is hate.

Ignorance is strength.

In societies like these, keeping the group together means keeping the leader in power. Ultimately, the group’s life depends solely on the survival of the leader or a select group—basically, it’s all about domination. There’s not much room for thinkers or philosophers in such a society. The only slots are for the ruler, like the Lord Ruler in “Mistborn” and Big Brother in “1984”. Thinkers who don’t fit in either get “re-educated” in the Ministry of Love or transformed into less intellectual beings, like the Kandra in “Mistborn.”

I remembered a story a Cambodian boy told me about his parents escaping the Khmer Rouge in the late ’70s. It was much like stories from folks who left Russia and Poland in the ’90s. These stories gave me an odd feeling after reading “1984.” I was scared to check if these stories were real because they might be even more terrible than I thought.

When rulers like these take over, they usually justify their harsh actions. They claim it’s all for the greater good, to crush individuality and personal rights. It’s all about power, control, and setting up a new order or “saving the world.” Interestingly, the Lord Ruler in “Mistborn” was trying to save the world. But he could have done it better like Elend Venture attempted to in the series.

Despite the uncomfortable feeling, “1984” is a fascinating read. It’s scary how the survival of everyone depends entirely on the Party. It shows how absolute control is used to boss people around. But it’s definitely worth the read!”

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Journey into a World of Fantasy: Unveiling the Magic of “Mistborn”

Hello, fellow bookworms! We recently delved into the intriguing world of Brandon Sanderson’s “Mistborn” series. After exploring this dystopian universe, my curiosity has been piqued, and I’m excited to tell you about my next reading adventure.

Our journey into dystopian literature continues as I’ve picked out four other captivating books that present unique perspectives on dystopian worlds. These timeless classics have inspired readers worldwide and left indelible marks on the genre.

George Orwell’s “1984

Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.” Unlike “1984,”

Suzanne Collins’s “The Hunger Games.” – I know there’s a movie series, but I haven’t had the chance to see it yet.

Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,”

I plan to explore these books, comparing their dystopian elements with “Mistborn” and discussing what makes them so compelling. Stay tuned as I continue this literary journey together, discovering the depths of these iconic dystopian worlds. Who knows? I might even find my favorite book!

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Journey into a World of Fantasy: Unveiling the Magic of “Mistborn”

Every once in a while, we come across a piece of literature that leaves us wide-eyed with its unique world, captivating characters, and gripping storyline. For those who adore fantasy like me, the “Mistborn” series by Brandon Sanderson is one such marvel that will keep us riveted from beginning to end. Today, we dive into the magical universe of “Mistborn” and what makes it a compelling read for fans of fantasy novels.

“Mistborn: The Final Empire,” the first book in the series, instantly invited me into a world where the laws of nature are manipulated by gifted individuals who ingest and “burn” different types of metal, each granting them distinct supernatural powers. These individuals are known as the “Mistborn.” Set in a dystopian landscape ruled by the immortal Lord Ruler, the society of “Mistborn” is divided between the oppressed skaa (commoners) and the privileged nobility.

The protagonist, Vin, a young skaa girl, survives the brutal streets of Luthadel by relying on her quick wits and natural skepticism. Vin’s life takes a dramatic turn when she discovers she is a Mistborn, possessing an extraordinary range of powers. She is recruited by a charismatic revolutionary, Kelsier, a Mistborn who plans to overthrow the tyrannical Lord Ruler. As Vin learns to harness her abilities, she becomes a key player in the rebellion and an emblem of hope for the oppressed skaa.

What makes this book so enticing? Sanderson’s exceptional world-building is one of the most vital elements of the series. The meticulous design of the magic system, known as Allomancy, is utterly fascinating. It operates on defined principles and limitations, making it believable and intricate. Using metals as a source of magic is genuinely innovative and sets “Mistborn” apart from other fantasy novels.

Moreover, Sanderson has crafted a variety of engaging characters. Vin, our heroine, evolves from a wary, mistrustful street urchin to a brave, determined woman, inspiring readers with her journey. Other characters like Kelsier, with his magnetic personality and unwavering optimism, also leave a lasting impression.

The narrative is complex but smoothly paced, allowing me to immerse myself in the world of “Mistborn gradually.” It’s an epic tale of resilience and rebellion, interspersed with tension, exhilaration, and heartbreak. Sanderson’s writing style is lucid and engaging, making it an enjoyable read for teenagers and adults alike.

“Mistborn” is not just about magic and adventure; it also delves into themes like power, inequality, and the human spirit’s resilience against oppression. It made me reflect on these profound subjects, adding a deeper layer to my reading experience.

In conclusion, Brandon Sanderson’s “Mistborn” is an exciting adventure into a world teeming with mystery, magic, and compelling characters. The intriguing magic system, engaging plot, and complex themes make it a must-read for any fantasy fan. So, if you haven’t ventured into the world of “Mistborn” yet, grab a copy, cozy up in your favorite reading nook, and prepare yourself for an unforgettable journey.

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Do you listen to music or Lyric?

My husband mentioned that he would not hear any music because all his concentration goes to the lyrics of the music. Interestingly. I am the opposite. I hear music but not the lyrics. Don’t get me wrong. I care about the lyric of the song. When I hear a piece of music for the first time, my brain is busy creating the score from the music. Since I have played the piano since I was three years old, I have a near-perfect pitch. Whenever I hear music I like, I like to recreate the music with my piano.

I tried to concentrate on the lyrics many times; however, I could never focus solely on the song’s lyrics. Having a near-perfect pitch works as a double-edged sword. The ability is good if you want to copy a music piece you hear, but sometimes I feel that this ability can prevent me from enjoying the music. When I listen to beautiful music, the orchestra’s pitch or singing can distract me from enjoying the music. On the other hand, my husband can pick up the lyrics even when in a foreign language. He again has similar problems as I do, and he will never process the song’s tune at all.

Our brains respond to lyrics and tunes independently. According to Besson, Faïta, Peretz, Bonnel, & Requin (1998), syntax, the structural aspects of language, and music harmony create similar brain responses. In contrast, the brain response is very different from semantically inappropriate words. Brain responses are the same for both lyrics or tunes until semantically congruous or incongruous words either in or out of key. Therefore, this finding demonstrates that we process lyrics and tune independently.

I may be keener to the song’s keys, and therefore, my brain dominantly processes the songs’ tune rather than the lyrics. On the contrary, my husband is keener to the syntax of languages; consequently, he dominantly processes the lyrics.

 

What is more critical, lyric or music, to be a good listener? Melody or Rhythms are a deal-breaker for music. Victor Hugo stated, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” A lyric without melody or Rhythm is a poem. If someone asks me the same question, I cannot answer.

I care greatly about the lyric’s content to refine the music I just copied. The expression of the music can change 180 degrees with how you interpret it. To analyze songs better, I try to understand the song’s lyrics. If I copy a piece of music from a video game, I fully complete the video game before I start copying the music to understand the lyric better.

I am curious whether lyrics impact our emotion or well-meaning if we can process them simultaneously. I cannot pay attention to lyrics; however, I write much better with background music, influencing my writing ability. So, I assume it would be an excellent experience to process lyrics simultaneously.

 

When I was digging into the research regarding music lyrics, I found an interesting article written by Tricia Fox Ransom, a songwriter who is graduating with a master of applied positive psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She assumed that lyrics have a significant impact on well-being since she always felt the words of the music had a considerable influence on her state of mind. If her hypothesis were written, she could use the effects for better use, such as treating children with cancer or end-of-life care, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, etc. Before completing her capstone, she walked into the office of James Pennebaker, a leading researcher in language and emotional experience, to get his opinion. She was surprised that he did not think lyrics influence well-being. She admitted that she could not find any studies which confirmed her hypothesis. If Tricia’s hypothesis were correct, it would be fantastic.

Maybe lyrics do not affect well-being; however, they still add in-depth meaning to the music. I want to believe that we can communicate better with lyrics and music. When I listen to or read a poem, it makes me think about the words. On the other hand, listening to music makes me feel something. THE THEME NOW EXPRESSES A GREATER MEANING when I understand the song’s lyrics. Am I too susceptible to the music? I think that melody and lyrics have a symbiotic relationship, and they both gain enhanced emotional influences on us.

That is why I feel not ready to copy the music just listening to the song without understanding the song’s lyrics. To increase understanding further, I even complete the movies, games, books containing the music. This part of analyzing the contents of the lyric is preparation for creating a piano arrangement of the song. I did similar preparation for piano music I practice. When I was practicing Chopin’s Op. 10 No12., Revolutionary Etude, I spent days trying to obtain the music’s background to interpret the music better. I was trying to understand the composer’s message in the music.

 

It probably does not matter debating, which is more important for a song. There are people, like me, who dominantly process the melody over lyrics. On the other hand, people like my husband dominantly process lyrics over the melody. Research indicates that the brain could process the tune and words independently. Both lyrics and music are mediums of communication. Lyrics and music have a symbiotic relationship rather than a competitive relationship, and the ties even gain synergy. They help us to communicate messages better. They are practical tools to communicate with more significant emotional influences.

 

 

References

Besson, M., Faïta, F., Peretz, I., Bonnel, A.-M., & Requin, J. (1998). Singing in the Brain: Independence of Lyrics and Tunes. Psychological Science, 9(6), 494–498. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40063362

Ransom. T. F. (July 31, 2021). A Case for Lyrics and How They Impact Our Emotions. https://www.mappmagazine.com/articles/a-case-for-lyrics-and-how-they-impact-our-emotions

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Dealing with C-Tasks

When I was in my early 20’s, I was not great at doing micro-tasks, resulting in unwanted consequences. Because I was busy closing a quarter, I put aside renewing my car registration. On the due date, I was assigned a task that needed to be done that day, while I still needed to go to the registration office to renew my car registration. It generally took me 30 minutes to go to the registration office and renew my car registration. Unfortunately, the registration office had a technical problem on the day I went to the office, and it took me a few hours to complete the task. I had no choice but to wait while the office was fixing their technical problem because I had to renew the registration on that day. I ended up working overtime to recover my lost time.

C-tasks are tasks that do not add any value. Those tasks require little time to complete; however, they can cause unnecessary stress past the critical date. In the worst case, it can prevent you from achieving other tasks that lead to your important goals. For example, they may be paying bills and renewing your car registration. Since I received the renewal notice more than a month before the due date, I had more than one month to complete this simple task. It was because I procrastinated; I did not choose to complete the task on the day. On the day, I promised myself not to repeat the same mistake.

Even though c-tasks do not add value to your life, procrastinating causes unnecessary stress. A sense of urgency can trigger some level of the Fight or flight response, a physiological reaction against events threatening survival. The reaction begins in the amygdala, which triggers the secretion of cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol is a stress hormone that increases blood pressure and blood sugar level and suppresses the immune system. Adrenaline can prepare you to fight if something threatens your survival, but excessive adrenaline has adverse physical effects such as anxiety, high blood pressure, and heart rate increase. Therefore, Excessive stress can increase cardiovascular disease risk. According to Steptoe and Kivimaki (2012), patients who experience acute psychological stress have coronary heart disease. Patients who experience long-term stress increase coronary heart disease and mortality rate.

Excessive stress not only makes you miserable but also makes you unproductive. According to Halkos and Bousinakis (2010), as stress levels increase, productivity and satisfaction of individuals decrease. Although, tolerance levels can vary among individuals (pp. 415-416).

There is nothing wrong with having some sense of urgency or stress, as it makes me more focused, and I try not to sustain some sense of urgency on my essential tasks. On the other hand, I do not see any benefit of having a sense of urgency resulting from c-tasks because they add no value to me. As Halko and Bousinakis (2010) pointed out, people’s stress tolerance levels vary among individuals. If you think you have a higher stress tolerance than others, it would be better to utilize its capacity to add value to you. I cannot stop thinking that wasting my energy to complete c-tasks is Muda, waste. Therefore, I try to get rid of C-tasks before they become critical and stressful.

Managing C-Tasks

Managing tasks start with identifying and categorizing the importance of the tasks and when you need to complete them. Without knowing the importance of the tasks, you cannot correctly identify c-tasks. Therefore, I categorize my tasks by the importance of the task. The degree of importance is determined by how much value the task will provide me. For example, studying for an accounting designation was a high priority; thus, an important task. I categorize tasks such as bill payments or car registration renewal as C. They are essential tasks; however, they do not add value to my life.

A: A high-value activity (High impact on my Goals)

B: A medium value activities (Medium Impact to my Goals)

C: A low-value activity (Low impact on my goals)

Then, I categorize all my tasks depending on how urgent they are. A task categorized as a one is due within 0-3 days, and a task classified as 4 is a task that has a due date in more than a few weeks. There is a time that we may have an urgent task on the date the duties arise. For example, during tax season, I had many critical tasks when the clients brought me the necessary tax receipts at the last minute. There is nothing I can do to control the occurrence of the tasks. I try to keep a substantial percentage of my tasks in categories 3 and 4.

  1. Due within 0-3 days
  2. Due within a week
  3. Due within few weeks
  4. Have time more than a few weeks

When I create a to-do list, I pay a lot of attention to my time to complete the tasks—the more urgent the task is, the more stress we have. The stress level does not matter whether I complete tasks A, B, or C. For example, it would be the same to me whether I am submitting an essential report due today or renewing my license registration about to expire today.

A tiny Urgent Tasks

If a task takes less than 15 minutes to complete, I complete them immediately if I have the time. Thus, most tiny urgent tasks do not make it to my to-do list. If I am in the middle of other tasks while they arise, I put the list on my post-it notes and try to do them immediately between more significant tasks. The key is to eliminate these tiny urgent tasks as soon as possible without multi-tasking since multi-tasking never works for me.

Conclusion

I do not wholly deny having some degree of stress to be focused on. However, I feel that stress caused by tasks that are not critical to your value is a waste. Instead, I use the stress capacity to add value to myself to gain more satisfaction in my life. Therefore, I decided to identify c-tasks and manage them. Ever since I started controlling c-tasks in my early 20’s, I became more productive.

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References

Halkos, G. and Bousinakis, D. (2010), “The effect of stress and satisfaction on productivity”, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 59 No. 5, pp. 415-431. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410401011052869

Steptoe, A., Kivimäki, M. Stress and cardiovascular disease. Nat Rev Cardiol 9, 360–370 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2012.45

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Cooking a Recipe From a Game World

 

It is kind of late, but a happy new year! Since I must work the past three weekends to complete our year-end, I took time off writing blogs. Our year-end has not been completed yet since we still have the field audit and the submission of the consolidated reports. Although, we met the most significant part of the year-end preparation work. So, I restarted our blog for the year.

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I decided to do a cooking project with my husband for the first project. We got a cookbook, The Elder Scrolls – the official cookbook, as a Christmas gift from our father. The exciting part of the book was all the recipes are from Skyrim, Morrowind, and across Tamriel, the video games, the elder’s scroll. It has been almost a decade since my husband or I played the game last time, but we still have fond memories of the game.

 

Both my husband and I liked to play role-playing video games. I used to play final fantasy, Dragon quest, the elder scrolls, Baldur’s gate, etc. I enjoy any games that involve crafting. The inventory system of the games became much better as the technologies evolved, and the crafting system in the games became more complex. We now have crafting games with survival components, such as Minecraft or Ark.

 

It can be time-consuming; however, I enjoy cooking in video games. In the back of my mind, I desire to achieve self-sufficiency or independence, which state I will never attain without sacrificing many activities I enjoy doing. I can experience that state in virtual worlds without sacrificing too much. It can be time-consuming; however, I enjoy cooking in a video game. In some games, you must gather ingredients from fishing, hunting, or farming.

 

I could quickly lose myself in-game worlds in some adventure games, such as the elder scrolls. I will be the game’s main protagonist, engage in various dangerous adventures and missions, and create my own stories. A role-playing game like the elder scroll attracts bookworms like me, seeking out worlds where I could become consumed.

 

In the developed countries I’ve lived in (Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United States), humans have advanced our lifestyle to states where we obtain most things from stores. Unless we engage in activities that risk our lives, we can live safely in secure environments. After all, we achieved these states in the last century or so. Instinctively, we still need to do something to survive despite what we do for a living. I often seek video games that can satisfy some of my hidden desires.

When I saw this book, the book gave me the idea that we can experience the game world with my husband. Of course, we will not hunt or farm for the ingredients, but it will be a fun activity we can do together.

 

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For the first project, we made “Potage Le Maginfique”. According to the book, this is a Breton dish. The reason I picked this dish was simple; I love eating soup. For the first attempt, we used the exact ingredients from the book.

 

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter

½ cup diced onion

1 or 2 garlic minced

1 cup diced and peeled medium carrots

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups beef broth

Salt and Pepper

 

  1. Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic.
  2. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir to be sure there are no clumps
  3. Add chicken and beef stock
  4. Cook until the carrots are soft
  5. Puree with an immersion blender

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I am not good at using an immersion blender for the volume of the soup, and I used a regular blender because I feel traditional blenders make the soup meet my preferred consistency.

We thought it was odd that the recipe did not call for Potatoes. I was worried that the soup would not be thick enough, only with carrots. We were wrong. The flour thickened the soup as if there were potatoes in the soup. We ate the soup with some small pieces of toast. The soup was delicious, and both my husband and I enjoyed the soup.

The difficulties level of the recipe is low for this soup. It took me approximately 30 minutes to cook the soup, and I used an Instant pot and used high pressure for 10 minutes. I used a blender to puree the soup to make the soup consistent throughout the batch.

 

Alternation

I consider alterations to this original recipe by using different ingredients such as pumpkin, butternut squash, and potatoes.

I will add cloves or nutmeg if I use pumpkin or butter squash. I may add parsley and chives if I use potatoes.

 

Nutrition information – Carrot

My mother encouraged me to eat carrots when I was a child because of their abundant beta-carotene. According to Joachim and Schloss (2008), a carrot contains more beta-carotene than any other vegetable, and it includes 28,100 International units in every 100g. Beta-carotene is important because our body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A. There is more beta-carotene in the carrot skins, and I usually leave the carrot skins on; however, the carrots need to be skinned for this soup. You will get more beta carotene from cooked carrots than raw carrots because cooking helps free the nutrients from the carrot’s cells (pp. 101-102).

Conclusion

We picked one of the most accessible receipts from the book for this project, and I found that soup has a slight sweetness from carrots. Because the recipe calls for flour, you can control soup thickness. I think you can use different ingredients such as pumpkins, butter squash, and potatoes, although you may want to use the other spices.

It is neat that someone put effort into reproducing a recipe book from a game. I could not devote as much time playing intense adventure or crafting games during the past few years, and I felt a little uneasy. This project brought me back to my past gaming experiences. Since both my husband and I enjoy playing games, the project was a neat activity we could do together. The cookbook will be an excellent book for anyone who wants to cook and play the elder scrolls.

 

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References

Joachim, J. and Schloss, A., 2008. The Science of Good Food. Robett Ross Inc.

Monroe-Cassel, C. 2019. The Elder Scrolls. PP 102-103. Insight Editions.

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A Gap Analysis to Start a New Year

I do several things around this time of the year; one is to think about my ideal self and my current self. One of the actions I do every year is a gap analysis, and I do this to see how well I am doing to attain my longer, yearly, mid-term goals (generally a few years) and 5-year goals. From the gap analysis, I update my product logs. Then, I try to do sprint projects for a specific product log. It is easy for me to lose the direction of leading myself if I do not compare them with my visions or longer-term goals. Therefore, gap analysis is a great tool.

A gap analysis reveals the size and types of issues we have by identifying the gaps between “as is” and “to be.” This analysis is commonly used in the business world. And I like to use these tools to analyze myself to build my strategies to narrow the gaps.

I like to do this analysis in the early morning because I generate more ideas early in the day. Take a letter-size (A4) page, and write them down. My process is as follows:

(1) Write down the list of ideal states.

You can write down anything you wish to be. Don’t worry about whether you can attain the ideal states or not. Yes, it is generally a good idea to avoid setting unattainable goals, and you want to be as open as possible. If it is not attainable, you should compromise by breaking them down into smaller goals before generating strategies to complete them. Never limit yourself from the start!

(2) Write down the list of current states.

Write down the list of current states relevant to your ideal states listed in the first process. It is crucial to be as honest as possible, and this process can be painful if you have not done gap analysis before. If you cannot see yourself objectively, you can ask your family members, loved ones, or friends.

(3) Identify Actions to attain the ideal states.

Now identify actions to attain the ideal states. If you want to lose weight, you must develop strategies to lose. The easiest way to achieve this goal is to create calories deficiencies by exercising or eating less. The more challenging the goal is, the more milestones you want to make to attain the goal. For example, if you’re going to lose 100lb, you should break down bigger goals into smaller goals such as six lb. per month.

Finally, I list the goals identified in processes one to three above. There are multiple ways to present your GAPs analysis; I prefer the format shown below:

 

Gap Analysis

Benefits of GAPs Analysis

The primary goal of GAPs analysis is to identify your ideal states and how far you are from these ideal states. Many people wish to reach certain conditions; however, they do not know precisely how to achieve their wishes. Therefore, A GAPs analysis is an excellent tool to create your action plans to achieve the goals.

Attainable Goals

People cannot achieve goals if they are unattainable. So, you will want to break down your goals into attainable pieces. Once you complete a GAPs analysis, go back to your ideal states. Some ideal states may take multiple years. For example, if you want to become an accountant but are still a freshman in a university, you have several years to accomplish the goals. You will need at least 150 credits in most states before completing CPA exams and one or two years of experience. Then, you may want to focus on achieving your university courses earning as good grades as possible. If you are an international student taking courses in a second language, you want to take classes in a specific order to sustain good grades. You can interview some CPAs from a nearby firm if you want to know anything more. If you need to lose many pounds, you must consider breaking it down into multiple milestones.

This year, I did this analysis on December 30th to plan my next year.

Ideal States

Family: Spend more time with my family

Health: Lose 15 lb.

Professional Skills: Learn more about Digital Transformation

Soft Skills: Better Listening skill & Negotiation (I recently did a DISC styles assessment, and I identified some of my problems)

Piano: Add Partita 2, Beethoven Sonata Ops 13. as my repertories

Painting: Improve my skills in drawing and watercolor painting

Blogs: Improve blogs, Fix bugs in my website

 

Current States

Family: Not able to spend as much time with my family members due to my busy schedule.

Health: I need to lose 15 lb. more to reach my ideal state

Professional Skills: gain more knowledge of digital transformation by taking courses, reading books, journals, and blogs. Learn application programming as I want to learn more about mobile technologies.

Soft Skills: I can read books, take courses, and reach out to executive consultants. I need to find specific strategies to improve my listening skills as I am unsure.

 

Actions

Family: Summer camp with my family members. Schedule my vacation dates ahead of time—better time management and delegating my tasks to take a vacation.

Health: Create calories deficit by exercising and calorie restrictions (approximately four months to achieve)

Professional Goals:

– Periodically read Open AI blogs

– Learn more about RPA courses offered online

– Take Coursera and Udemy courses on mobile programming

Soft Skills (listening skills): I can read books and courses and reach out to executive consultants. I need to find out the specific strategies to improve my listening skills as I am unsure.

Piano: Learn to play Partita 2, Beethoven Sonata Ops 13.

Painting: Improve my skills in drawing and watercolor painting by continuing 30 minutes per day drawing sessions and making at least one full-color painting per month

Blogs: Fix some blog websites (Contact form, Theme updates)

 

Once you have some idea of your action plans for the year, you need to make more specific goals. You want to make your particular goals are measurable so that you can monitor the results.

Gap analysis helps me identify my ideal states and how far I am from the ideal. I like to do gap analyses because then I know what I want to do the following year. With my action plan identified from this analysis, I will update my product logs and create sprint lists (projects) in my Notion software. This is how I spend my time around my new year, and this process helps me navigate my actions plan so that I am not all over the place.

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How to Prepare Yourself for Rapid Changes

I genuinely believe that we live in an exciting era of rapid change. I still remember when the internet first became available to ordinary people. In the 90’s I heard of internet technology used for military communication. By the 90 late ’90s, we could play first shooter games such as Team Fortress. It took us hours to download a simple picture. Now, we can send a High-quality photos through our mobile devices. When I was a child, it took me a long to research anything. By the time I was at the university, I could pull academic papers online. It was common to collaborate on our school projects during my university era over the internet. Who would believe that virtual meetings will become standard at our work?

 

The rapid environmental change excited me greatly, and my personality contributed to my reaction to some degree. I was not as resilient toward rapid changes when I was young. For the most part, I gained resilience toward rapid changes from training in handling differences and experience. To prepare yourself for rapid changes, you must recognize any threats or opportunities you can gain from the change.

 

Before going further, I want you to understand that it is common for people to feel stress from the rapid changes. Also, not everyone gets excited about changes, and some may feel great anxiety over the changes. Any changes are stressful to many people, and the change-related stress is due to our survival. According to Taylor (2012, June 12), our “fight or flight” reaction is activated via our sympathetic nervous system when we encounter a change. The rapid emotional, psychological, and physical change caused by our sympathetic nervous system releases adrenaline, making us aware of our environment and reacting to the environmental changes by quick decision-making.  Thus, this is an essential survival function for increasing our survivability. Unfortunately, the perceived “severity” of change can have too many negative impacts for some, resulting in anxiety. Thus, you may need to consult your physicians if you experience great anxiety from change.

 

Don’t spend your energy on changes that you cannot control. If you want to be resilient and prepared to change, you need to focus on things you can control by prioritizing the changes or mitigating and reducing the threats. That is how I deal with stress resulting from changes.

 

SWOT analysis is an excellent strategic planning tool to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT analysis is a situational assessment used to reveal your strategic position. Business organizations often use this analysis to make strategic decision-making processes. Strengths and Weaknesses are internal attributes, while opportunities and threats are external attributes. Strengths and Opportunities are helpful attributes to achieving the objectives, while weaknesses and threats are harmful attributes to attaining the goals.

Figure 1SWOT Analysis

We will never have time to analyze all changes. Therefore, you need to focus on changes that will turn into a trend, general changes in situations or behaviors, potentially impacting you.

I learned about robotic process automation (RPA) technology in the early 2000s. I spent many hours preparing analyses or reports for management or auditors, and I was pretty annoyed that we had too many manual processes. I thought any automation could eliminate human errors and preparation time. At the same time, this technology can eliminate some of our work as accountants. I should understand the technology to capitalize on the benefits from the technologies, and I could avoid any threats resulting from the technologies. When I learned about robotic process automation technology, I decided to learn about it.

 

Quick & Dirty Analysis

Strengths

–       I know a few programming languages (SQL, Visual Basic)

–       I have financial modeling & Accounting Skills

 

Opportunities

–       RPA is a potential trend to solve some of the existing problems I have

 

Weakness

–       Lack of knowledge

–       I do not have other programming languages such as Java or Python.

 

Threats

–       RPA can eliminate my work

Considering any change that can solve existing problems, we must turn to a trend to find excellent opportunities. To identify a trend with potential prospects, we must be aware of our existing problems, and you can find such issues by contemplating them.

 

I CONDUCT A QUICK PROBLEM-SOLVING ANALYSIS when I see an issue bothering me. For example, I do not have enough time to analyze the reports. I take a piece of letter-size paper to organize my thought on the issue. I think about the root cause of the problems. Then, I need to find potential solutions to the problem, and I spend only 1-2 minutes on them. This process helps to develop solutions to many existing problems. Sometimes, I may not have an exact answer to the issues; however, I am prepared for any opportunities to solve the problem. In some cases, you may find a potential technology, but you may not have an exact use for the technology.  I create mind maps for the new information for their possible usages.

You can find the issues that need to be solved online. I often like to read people’s reviews or questions online. For example, you can find technical questions by asking how to do things. Extreme users often complain about the missing functions from existing products. These reviews help us to identify unrecognized market needs. I keep some of those reviews because I may find solutions for the issues in the future.

 

In this era of rapid changes, we should prepare ourselves by analyzing and controlling everything we can control. Despite the stress from these changes, they can turn into great opportunities by identifying your strategic position through SWOT analyses. Finally, we must keep our antennae up to sense the existing issues to capitalize on opportunities from changes.

 

Reference

 

Taylor, J. June 12, 2012. Is Our Survival Instinct Failing Us? | Psychology Today. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-prime/201206/is-our-survival-instinct-failing-us

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How to Spend Time Between Busy Seasons

I had a hectic autumn phase since I was simultaneously involved in too many projects. We completed the 3rd quarter and interim audits, which ended my last busy phase. I managed to win the best award for Kaizen (continuous Improvement) for the group in 2021. We completed and sent out our Management representative letters a week before our due date. It was challenging; however, I felt accomplished having met all the requirements. My next busy season starts once the fiscal year-end is over. Since there are only two weeks left until our year-end, I intend to rest as much as possible. At the same time, I want to prepare for the upcoming year-end. I want to write about how I spend my time between my busy seasons.

 

Take Time to Reflect on My Last project.

 

Whenever I complete a project, I reflect on the project, and I am most interested in the parts where I can improve the process. I try not to forget the details I did well because I want to continue good operations.

 

When I find something I need to improve, I list them separately. I use an app called Notion to track the things required to improve to contemplate them in the future. I incubated these ideas for a while, and I thought about any possible solutions, which would end up on my quick notes for the day. Once I have more thoughts on improving the process, they become a sprint backlog for future projects. Some items are easy to complete as I need to document the change of the process. Some sprint logs can take a few weeks to complete, so I may have to make a schedule to tackle them.

 

It is essential to be careful of a few things when reviewing your work. To avoid biases, I try to create some quantifiable—measurement tools—for example, the percentage of the tasks completed on time.

 

Unfortunately, I also need to look at qualitative measurements. Sometimes, they can be obvious such as getting an award. Not all qualitative measures are apparent, and If I am not careful, I will end up in a trap of self-review biases. To acquire better qualitative feedback, I seek feedback from other people. Since self-review, it will be a good idea to seek input from various people. There is 360-degree feedback, a performance review tool where you obtain feedback from your superiors and colleagues, customers, or vendors. Internal and external auditors are good reviewers for past projects, and they often provide feedback on something I did not notice.

 

I recommend you write down feedback or things that bother you as soon as you think about them at any moment. Otherwise, you will forget most of them. When you spontaneously have many projects as I did for the past three months, you do not have time to contemplate those items right after completing a task. However, you have items to work on later. The most important thing is to reflect on what is good and bad about the last project to organize my thoughts about them.

 

The Best Time to Fill GAPS

 

A designated professional must complete some continuous education. Between projects is a good time for meeting continuing education requirements. I work on achieving them throughout all seasons, but I found it ineffective to try to learn while under great stress. Whenever I know something new, I think about how to apply it. For example, I took an Inventory audit class recently. I improved our accounting process and documentation process from what I learned. Whenever I am under tremendous stress, I cannot do the application process very well. So, I try to get more learning done between the busy seasons.

 

 

An excellent time for writing Business Cases or Seeding

 

I wrote a proposal or a business case for the next Kaizen (Continuous Project). If the project has a cost associated with it, the best time to submit a proposal for our organization is in July or August since we do the budget for the following year in October. Some projects require approvals from head office or the board, and I may need to spend some time to obtain the authorizations. In some cases, I will need to spend several months or a few years to convince them. Next time, I will talk about initiating these projects or business cases. I call the initiation of any projects “seeding.” If you want to implement a change in an organization, you will need to seed as much as possible.

 

Preparation of The Next Busy Season

 

The best time to prepare for the next busy season is between the busy seasons. I had only three weeks to spare this time, and I spent time planning for our upcoming year-end and the year-end audit. For example, I updated the contact information for audit confirmation letters since I knew we would send out audit confirmation letters to the group companies. I also arranged who would be responsible for checking and signing these confirmation letters internally.

 

I communicate with my external auditors and key personnel to ensure the due dates for each task for our upcoming year-end and financial audit. Working in finance management for years, I realized my priorities are not necessarily the same. The Japanese may call this “nemawashi,” which helps others be aware of their responsibilities to eliminate unnecessary confusion.

 

I also updated audit working paper files and internal to-do list for financial audit and year-end for the upcoming audit. We need to submit some analyses, and we can complete some before the actual fiscal year-end. I also updated our internal to-do list for the Financial Audit, and I decided when each task on the to-do list could be completed. I will need to send out reminders to people in some cases.

 

Take Vacation Time 

 

I take a vacation during my slow phase, and I plan to take a week’s break this Christmas to refresh and spend with my family. I could not spend the last couple of years with family, so this will be an excellent opportunity to do so.

 

 

Each item I wrote maybe a trivial thing; however, I consider it critical to prepare for busy seasons. When I was young, I did not consider reflecting on my last project, and I bet I lost many opportunities to improve my process. The slow phase is an excellent time to complete an impressive sprint list or complete the backlog before initiating a new project. Finally, do not forget to take a vacation because a block of time from work helps you replenish your energy. So, these are things I do in my slow phase, and I hope this blog helps some of you.

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How to Prepare Yourself to Find Opportunities

When I was in my early 20’s, I saw something amazing. I was assigned to calculate whether we met a covenant with a bank. A banker showed me an impressive excel worksheet. When the banker clicked a button icon, multiple tasks were automatically performed by the excel sheet. I was fascinated because I realized we could do many things with an excel sheet. On the day, I determined to learn not only using excel but also learn to program macros within excel. Few people could operate excel back then, so it allowed me to seek future possibilities. This event pushed me to research technology. I started studying programming, which led me to specialize in digital transformation within the finance field. Fortunately, I had many friends in the IT field to help me get into this field. I saw many potential opportunities in the area, and identifying the opportunities made me who I am now.

There are so many opportunities around us. I think a successful entrepreneur, company, and inventor actively seek potential opportunities from available information. For example, Mark Zuckerberg saw the opportunity to create social ties over the internet. Hiroyuki Nishimura, the founder of 2channel in 1999 (text board), saw the options to create a media platform to interact with anonymous users online.

Finding opportunities improves our lives in many ways. Entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg created an online social network platform. Finding a job is essential, but finding an opportunity helps you get into a specific position as I did. You may be able to solve potential problems. So, I see finding opportunities as a necessary factor to succeed.

 

Reading and Researching About a Potential Opportunity

To utilize potential opportunities, you must obtain information or knowledge about the possibilities. Without understanding the opportunities, you will not be able to use them properly. Thus, you must be willing to read and research the new information you obtained. I created a note on A4 (letter size) printing paper whenever I saw an interesting piece of new information. Then, I start digging into the details of the information.

There are many ways to gather information. I generally seek more information from books, technical magazines, online journals, blogs, or other online sources. I may take online courses from Coursera, Udemy, etc. There are so many online sources you can collect information and knowledge of new information.

When I create a note about new information, I write down what I want to know. Now you have a purpose for seeking the info. Then, I read and researched the further information I wanted to know.

 

See the Big Picture from an Opportunity

When I find new information, I list the potential opportunities from the new information. I create a mind map to identify possible options from the technology. If you find out the technology about the internet back in the ’90s, you list the items that come from the internet. The internet made many changes to our life. I imagined that Mark Zuckerberg saw social networks on the internet, and Jeff Bezos created an online store over the internet. Write down any possible future outcome from the new information you obtained. Then, you start to see some big picture from the new opportunities. Some further information can lead to multiple possibilities.

 

If you do not Act, you do not benefit from an Opportunity.

Many complain about losing opportunities because they did not grab them. I am no exemption for this case. I recognized I had let go of some opportunities because I acted too slow or disregarded potential opportunities. Many of us notice opportunities; however, we lose them by failing to act upon them. You have to be active to capitalize on the opportunities.

 

Make Yourself Ready for An Opportunity

My definition of opportunity is something that will solve my problems. Instead of looking for an opportunity to make me successful, I look to solve my potential issues or desires. Over 15 years ago, I saw my colleagues in the finance department working 60-70 hours per week to complete their reports. So, I developed an integrated excel template to solve that problem. Later, we introduced a Business Intelligence (BI) tool to replace the excel templates.

Every day, I create ten pages of notes. I write about issues I want to solve, new information, etc. Sometimes I sit with the problems for a while. The critical part of these notes is to organize your thoughts. So, I will be prepared when I see an opportunity to solve existing problems. It does not necessarily have to be new technology. Sometimes, I found a sudden contact to solve the current issue – I still call this finding my great opportunity. Please see the Zero thinking Memo Skill blog to learn about the notes I create.

I also think people perceived as successful often have a common trait. These successful people seek opportunities themselves, while many seek a job opportunity to get them somewhere.

 

I think an opportunity does not necessarily have to be an event that brings you a lot of money or things like that. Like I found 20 years ago, a little opportunity was an opportunity that I developed into something useful. If we actively look for opportunities, they can be found anywhere around us. The important thing is that you must prepare yourself to grab those opportunities and capitalize on the benefits from the opportunities.

To prepare yourself for potential opportunities, I highly recommend you make notes to organize your thoughts every day. This little exercise helps you see your existing issues that need to be solved and identify the new information you may use to solve your problems. Finally, you have to prepare to understand the new opportunities if you will grab and use them.