00:00
Welcome to Kevin's English Room Podcast!
Hey!
Class, class, class.
Oh, was that the A from, um, uh, uh,
(SINGING) I wanna make love in this club, in this club.
You know that--
No, it wasn't from that.
OK, sorry about that.
Sorry.
No, no, no, sorry about that.
I--
Awkward.
Yeah.
This is really awkward.
Um, yeah.
It's a-- yeah.
OK.
OK.
Let's-- can I move to the--
Yeah.
OK.
So, um--
Oh.
Uh--
Wow, that was awkward.
[LAUGHTER]
This is so awkward.
[LAUGHTER]
What was that song?
It's, uh, I think Usher by In the Club, I think.
It wasn't-- it's a really old music, like 2013 kind of music.
And it's, yeah.
It's awkward.
Yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
All right.
So we've got a message.
All right.
From, uh, Kokeshi-san.
Thank you, Kokeshi-san.
Do you know what it is, Kokeshi?
I think I know.
It's a rock.
Uh, what?
Not a rock?
It's a rock, right?
It's a rock.
OK, this is awkward.
[LAUGHTER]
What do you mean?
Can you explain what is Kokeshi?
I think it's a rock--
OK.
--made to look like a human being.
Ah, OK.
How am I wrong and how am I correct?
It's not a rock.
OK.
It's a wood.
It's a wood, yes.
But it's--
It's wood.
--this.
Painted with red and black and--
Right.
--something like that.
And the body part is like an enchu.
Yeah, and straight.
And the head is like an oval ball.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
Right.
I got what you're trying to say.
Yeah.
And there's usually in pairs of two.
Doesn't have to be--
Doesn't have to be two.
--pair, two, or--
Doesn't have to be pairs.
Yeah, you can buy it.
You can buy it individually or in groups.
Of course, yeah.
If you want, you can buy in pairs.
Yeah, of course, of course.
Of course, if you want to.
Right.
So that's Kokeshi.
All right.
So it's from Kokeshi-san.
Thank you, Kokeshi-san.
I didn't know.
I didn't know they had the ability to send texts.
You know, it's amazing.
Well, thank you, Kokeshi-san.
Mm-hmm.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
It was from your Instagram account?
No, no.
Oh, yeah, I think it was mine from my--
OK.
Oh, I don't remember.
OK?
Thank you.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Oh, no.
It was [SPEAKING JAPANESE]
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
That's a--
[LAUGHTER]
But you know, he put--
he or she put "san" on you, but not me.
[LAUGHTER]
Because you have the "chan" in there.
He's saying "Yamachan" and "Kevin-san."
03:01
Because you have the "chan" in there.
Who would put a "chan" and then a "san" after?
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
That was really weird.
Then why "Yamasan"?
Because we-- because I say "Yamachan."
That's why.
Yeah.
If I call you "Yama," then he would probably do "Yamasan."
Because me and Kake-chan always says "chan" with "Yamachan,"
and that's familiar, right?
Yeah.
But some people saying "Kake-san" and "Kevin-san"
and "Yamachan," why am I--
[LAUGHTER]
OK, OK, let's just put it this way.
Me, not understandable, right?
Because I'm always called "Kevin," right?
You guys always call me "Kevin."
And it feels a little bit disrespectful to call someone
with just no "san."
"Kevin."
You're right.
OK, let's just-- OK, let's take care of the "Kake-chan," right?
"Kake-chan."
Some people call "Kake-chan" "Kake-chan."
Yeah.
Some people do that.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And some people call you "Yamachan" and "Yamasan" too.
Yep.
Has anyone called you "Yamasan?"
In the real world?
No, like DMs.
"Yamasan."
Not that.
OK, so well, that's a sign of feeling really close, you know?
OK.
Having "san" in there just means that it--
A little far.
Creating that distance, right?
Having the "chan" in there just, you know, feel more closer.
Yeah, OK.
There you go.
That's what's happening right there.
So like, that's not something to be ashamed of or be disappointed at
or anything.
It's not something that they don't respect me or--
No, not at all.
Of course not.
I'm not a professional of Japanese culture.
No, no, no, no, no.
That's-- that is definitely--
No, definitely no.
Disrespectful things going on.
That has nothing to do with the respect here.
Because you put in "Kevin-san" and you have "chan."
No, that is not-- that is not what's happening.
So like, it's OK.
Don't worry about that.
Yeah, there you go.
I don't really care about that, so you can put anything in there.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Amazing.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Yes, I do.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Do you know the expression?
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
I'm assuming by contacts, like--
Yeah.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Right, right.
Yeah.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
06:02
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Thank you.
Keep it going, man.
Like, I mean, they're going to think it's weird.
And I can understand why that feels weird.
Because no one really does that.
But like, keep it going, man.
Like, if that makes you happy, then you're in control, man.
Like, I want you to--
damn!
Why are you so--
Damn, I am excited about this, man.
Why are you so excited about this topic?
Like, it's the energy.
OK.
I was like, she's got that.
Man, she's in control.
Yeah.
I want you to get a ledger sheet that's twice the size.
And kill it.
What am I talking about?
[LAUGHTER]
OK.
So how was you with the new war in Saudi?
Thank you for keeping track of the conversation here.
Well, for me, when I was the first--
I was about to say the company, but--
chemical company.
What I did usually was I--
option one, eat with my colleagues.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Eat with my colleagues.
Two, eat with my busho people.
Logistics.
Is that different from--
Oh, OK.
Colleague, I mean like--
Friends.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
First one is [SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Second one's colleagues from the same busho.
Third one is by myself.
In terms of frequency, I did the number three most often.
I ate alone, which was a happy time for me.
I listened to music.
So you went somewhere outside of the building.
I bought a bento, like a 500 yen or 600 yen bento.
There's this place where it sells lots of bento.
A lot of the stores get together and sell just bentos.
I buy them, and then I eat outside under the sun,
which is an amazing time.
At the riverside, huh?
Yeah, sometimes at the riverside,
sometimes with the tables.
But yeah, it depends on how I feel.
Amazing.
Love it.
Right.
Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Right, right, right.
How about you?
Oh, me, it was kind of same.
But actually, I was in Kyoto, and I didn't have a doki.
Like, I have one doki.
But it was only her.
So my option, option one is eat alone.
That's the 98% of my lunchtime.
That's what I prefer.
And option two was go outside with colleagues,
including all the boss people and all that.
09:03
That was fun, too, actually, having conversation with them.
So yeah, 98% was too much.
It was 90%.
90%, OK.
95%.
95%, yes.
Have to be accurate.
95%.
So when I was alone, I go to the restaurant by myself
and carried a book and eat, and after finish my eating,
I read with my coffee.
Oh, right.
OK.
Sounds weird to you.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
That's your thing, man.
Yeah, and also, I was in Kyoto, so there
are so many temples and shrines.
So sometimes I go to the temples.
How many hours of lunch are you taking?
That seems like two hour lunches.
No, but it's just like three minutes or five minutes
walk from my office.
Then you can find temples and things.
So it's just one hour lunch, but I can go to the place.
Even Kiyomizudera, it just takes 10, 15 minutes to go.
So--
That's great.
Yeah, I can go in back within the lunch break.
Yeah.
Or also sometimes I go to karaoke.
Really?
Actually, I finish my lunch within 15 minutes
at convenience store or just somewhere
don't care about the place.
And go to the nearest karaoke and try to practice my--
Really?
Yeah, I voice trained.
Can you get in that mode of practicing mode,
like when you know that you're going to have a--
go back to your work within 40 minutes?
Yeah.
You can do that?
Like there's only 30 minutes of using karaoke.
So that's perfect.
Like it's enough.
Can you shift your mind into that karaoke mode?
And then 30 minutes after you go back to that work mode?
Yeah.
Really?
Yeah.
Dang, I can't do that.
Oh, really?
Yeah, I can't do that.
That's what I've been doing.
I have to be in the work mode.
I have to be prepared.
I can't loosen myself.
So you can change, change, change, change the mind.
Yeah.
I won't be able to--
what do I do?
I probably won't be able to--
I found out that I didn't have anything to do.
I won't be able to work out during the--
I probably won't be able to do that.
So you have to be concentrated and do that.
Right.
I have to be in the world of that job.
I have to--
12:00
I can't do that.
It takes energy, I guess, to switch the world for me.
So like, yeah.
I guess that was probably the reason why it was stressful,
maybe.
Maybe.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, having conversation with your colleagues
doesn't make you change your mind.
It's still inside of that.
Right.
Colleague is the people who I'm working with.
So you're still kind of in the world of--
yeah.
It doesn't change my world.
OK.
Yeah.
Like for me, it's necessary to change my mind.
Really?
Well, you're going to talk about work, right?
You're going to talk about--
I mean, for me, it's necessary to have time
that I don't think about jobs, at least for the lunch break.
Read a book and into that different world.
I understand that.
And I need that too.
But going into karaoke is like a completely--
that's not-- it's not a relief.
It's not a disconnect from your work.
I understand that you need a disconnect.
But you're connecting to something new.
So that is too much for me.
Going into karaoke and singing is a heavy activity, you know?
Yeah.
Do you get what I'm saying?
Heavy activity?
Yeah.
I go into karaoke and train my little voice training.
Yeah.
And things like that.
Yeah.
New activity.
Right.
It's not just a disconnect from work.
It's a disconnect from your life.
But what do you do then to be disconnected from--
To think about--
fantasize, daydream, and enjoy the nature is a disconnect
for me.
So have free time.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
OK.
For me, that's the same thing.
It's the same thing for you.
Reading and everything.
It's the same energy.
Yeah.
Wow.
Right.
I'm assuming that was why you were able to do that.
I mean, that--
Yes.
There was a--
Yeah.
Right.
It was tough to me.
I don't do that.
Right.
Of course.
Yeah.
Interesting.
So she's maybe now taking lunch, huh?
Right.
Maybe right now she is.
And I love how she's enjoying her time with the white eye.
It's probably not called white eyes in English, but like--
shiro-ime, right?
I love how she's enjoying--
White eyes.
15:01
Sorry, I didn't even catch that.
It's probably not the right English.
I love how she's enjoying her time, even with the shiro-ime.
Even though she knows that she has a shiro-ime on her back,
she still values that she enjoys her own time.
Right.
And that is--
I love that energy.
Yeah.
I love that energy.
And I want her to continue doing that.
I want her to enjoy much more of it.
Yeah, the energy is so--
I do understand that.
Yeah, I do understand that.
Yeah.
I think we are in the same step about these things.
Yes.
Yeah, but when I was at kaisha-in,
even with my boss saying that let's go out and get lunch,
but I refused.
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
No, saying like this, but--
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
And go to the karaoke and enjoy my stay.
And go to the shrine and also--
that's important to keep your happiness.
Yes.
And try not to be bothered by other people.
I was in my office.
I felt my body started to like--
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Yeah, with the--
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
Right, all the personal homework.
I started working--
I started standing up.
In our first--
Yeah, I started to put a cardboard box
and then put the laptop on top of that.
And I stood up, right?
So there's partitions at the table.
But I can see all of their faces because I'm standing up.
I'm doing all the work while standing.
Because your face is much higher than the partitions.
So the culture of my chemical company
was like no one really communicates.
Even if you're in the same busho,
there is no [JAPANESE]
It's a [JAPANESE]
So like every man for himself kind of culture.
So if you want to do some shit things, do shit things
and get your ass kicked out of the office.
That's the kind of culture.
No one can really say things like--
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]
No one.
No one told me anything about it.
But I can feel it.
I can just sense that people are thinking,
that new guy is out of his mind.
What the fuck is he doing?
I can already feel it.
But my body, the health of my body was so much more important.
So I just kept on working.
Well, that's a great thing.
Let's keep going, man.
Yeah, man.
That's great.
Yeah.
Well, I didn't know that you did that.
Yeah, I did that.
I did that.
18:00
So the person in front of me was the one who suffered the most.
[LAUGHTER]
She said that, like, Kevin, when you stand up like that,
I feel like I'm being monitored 24/7.
You can see my computer screen, right, Kevin?
So I don't have any privacy with the partitions.
I'm like, I'm sorry.
Yeah, but it's only you who can control your healthy health
and happiness.
Yeah.
And I'm sure the time is way over 10 minutes.
I'm kind of scared of the time.
I think so, too.
18,000.
[LAUGHTER]
Thanks for listening, guys.
