Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!

I'm seeing Christmas trees pop up in the office buildings in central Tokyo.  Here's what Izumi Gardens has on display:


On Christmas day in Tokyo, we'll go to work and some of us will get festive by eating KFC for dinner.  (Yup, KFC for Christmas dinner is a thing; read all about it on the Smithsonian blog here.)

Like last year, I will spend Christmas in Japan.  This is because the firm cut the amount of PTO that I'm allowed to take during my secondment year down to 10 days.  I have to save a few of those days in case I get sick and the rest will be spent on participating in my brother's wedding in the spring.  On the bright side, I expect the office to be slow.  No repeat of last year, when we were in the middle of an outrageously busy auction process for a M&A client that included a huge Christmas day deadline.

I have been in much better spirits lately.  I attribute this to my visit home, the excitement of the secondment, and getting to leave work before 9pm on a regular basis, which leaves time for workouts at the gym and a full nights rest--amazing stuff, that.  Still, I know it will be hard being alone on Christmas (and my birthday) so I need to plan something special for myself that week.

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