??

once in a while there are things I find it strange and peculiar to Japanese culture.

I was with my boss on a train taking the seats when an old lady with a cane getting on. My boss noticed that lady as well.
If I were in Canada I wouldn't hesitate giving my seat to the lady and a person who would be with me would do the same thing too. But here in Japan, it isn't so easy to do that cause a boss would think like " If I offer my seat first, my subordinate would feel obliged thinking he had to that prior to me and he might keep apologizing" while the subordinate thinks like" if I give my seat first, my boss might think like I do that for the sake of my promotion or, it might make him feel timid realizing he didn't do first, so should I or he give our seat to her?"

It seems an absurd culture but it is a culture characterizing Japan.
Is this something called cooperativeness or just a trend being not standing out from others?
Hmmmm weird...fortunately I already play a role of " an americanized returnee who can't adapt much herself to this society", so just gave my seat while it was obvious my boss felt a little timid. who cares.

nutty

a walnut given for my coming of age, 30! from far away over the ocean, Prague? sweeeet.
associating with nuts, there's gingko fever anywhere. 早朝にして既にこの人ごみ。anyways why is gingko called gingko and prague called prague?

a remedy when you get depressed(especially when you make mistake moneywise at work)....eating, eating and walking. suitable for fall.