Louvre Pyramid in Tokyo

In the Louvre Pyramid-like gym (see picture), I swim a few times a week. That is the best way for me to disperse confusion and take back sound simpleness.

Why Do People Tell Lies?

Japan's Prime Minister Abe said that his patience has come to the limitation on the abduction issue of North Korea. Right, he is tired of their lies.

The most frequent lies that I have encountered is about ages. Somebody told me he is 48 several months after he stated he was 51. Well, did he have a time machine that makes him younger as he age? Another person had said he had got divorced 1.5 years ago. The same person now says he has been single again since 1997.

My friend who used to lecture me about her perfect marriage suddenly gave me a call and said she has been preparing for a divorce. According to her, his husband has been violent. I was stunned as he looked so nice and even a bit sheepish.

From my standpoint and background -- journalism, whose most important mission I believe is to seek the truth -- all this is astounding. I don't even know what makes a difference between the two statements -- 51 and 48, for example.

For me, it is not even the matter of age; it is a lie that honestly backs me off.

Perfect Combination

I finished reading Le Garde du coeur this morning. I tried going to France's Amazon to see what reviews it has gotten from the French-speaking audience. I couldn't find any reviews, but a recent version has a perfect combination -- Modigliani and Sagan!

They're the most favorite artists in painting and writing. I just think they're so sophisticated.

Same Old Fantasy

A bit tired, beautiful, successful career woman wavering between a young, impossibly good-looking, pure-hearted man and a middle-aged, sexy, elusive playboy type.

That's all about my all-time favorite novel entitled "Aimez-vous Brahms ?" by Françoise Sagan.

I don't know why I've been so attracted to this story for such a long time -- the past 12 years to be exact. Well, I am a bit tired, that's for sure. That is exactly why I went to the Body Shop's reflexology salon already twice for the past week.

But I don't think I've ever been caught between the two opposite types, though the two characters sound very attractive to me for different reasons. Well, that may be why I am so into the novel.

Anyhow, reading the novel in original is my objective of learning French, at least for now. By doing that, I'd like to architect a perfect fantasy in my mind.......

Simple Life

When I was browsing in an electronic appliances shop -- on the floor of 30 to 50 inch TV sets to be exact -- I somehow irresistibly felt that I needed a more simple life.

Over the weekend, I also looked around a few condominiums. But the more I did, the stronger I thought that I needed to study real estate. And to me, it seemed like a daunting task to find a nice condo that would not be damaged even when a big earthquake hit Tokyo. Plus, I learned that earthquake insurance covers only 10 million yen (about USD 83,000). So, what if a massive quake comes on the day I purchase a condo?

Well, I currently live in a small, but cozy, and best of all, safe apartment. Perhaps I should just read Sagan's novels here, and live in my fantasies.....