It is interesting how much one learns of themselves by interacting with others. Yes, by interacting with people around you it helps you see yourself better and therefore you end up knowing yourself.

In the past several years I’ve worked with a person who has brought into focus the amount of influence my upbringing has affected my personality and character. I grew up in Japan. In fact, I spent most of the first 18 years of my life there, with the exception of three times when we lived in America for a year each time while on furlough. Well, the oriental influence on me is inescapable. And, this co-worker has been like a highly reflective mirror and given me a better view of myself and how I’ve been shaped by the oriental influences of my childhood.

One of the characteristics of oriental society is subtle communication. So, when I saw this photo posted on the Kyoto Daily Photo blog, I laughed out loud. It typifies how subtle the Japanese people can be, and by extension, how I am at times. The theme for the July 1st daily photo blog photos is “no.” The assignment is to take photos of signs that say “no” or “not permitted.” So, the photo of a walking path of large stepping stones with a single smaller stone sitting atop the first step means, “do not enter,” in the social language of Japan. That is a wonderful example of how small and subtle communication is in Japan — and while it’s subtle, I find it also to be crystal clear and almost obvious. But, that’s just because I think in those same terms.

So, thank you Bert for giving me a better view of myself and through that awareness, making this photograph that much more meaningful and amusing.

Disclaimer: The photo used in this post has nothing to do with the Kyoto Daily Photo blog. I wanted to use the stone path photo, but I didn’t have permission. Therefore, I found a good friend’s photo on the Wilmore Daily Photo blog site and used it without his permission. Hey, what is a friend going to do, sue me? Oh, oh! He seems to be tight with the local police. Maybe I should reconsider my attititude!

Most of you have heard about all of the technology work and call center work from Western countries moving to India over the past decade. But wait, there’s more! Outsourcing has moved to an all new level. Now you can outsource your programming homework to a person in India. (I sure hope my son is not reading this post.)

A recent Slashdot post pointed readers to this story about students who have been outsourcing their coding homework to people in India. I suppose it was just a matter of time. After all, school papers on all sorts of topics have been available for sale on the Internet for a long time, and a lot of global corporations have been outsourcing their software development to India, why not combine the two?

This is not much different than having your roommate do your homework (for a small fee). With the time differences you can literally send your homework assignment to your “homework buddy” in India before you go to bed and while you sleep the programming homework will be written so when you wake up, you are done!

How many more ways can a person cheat? As long as people are creative, there will always be some new trick. This is just a little more high-tech and international than most.

I wonder if someone in India can write my departmental annual report for me…

Like A River

It runs deep, the calm surface concealing what lies beneath.
Big and broad and visible to all but no one is able see.

There is no escape, caught in its grip, fighting the effect of retreat.
A child, impatient and persistent, intractably invading my sleep.

Ignore it I cannot, confront it I dare not, for fear it will consume me.
Pain is that river, a pain endlessly fed by all that I cannot speak.

_______________________________________________________

]]> http://matsu.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/poem-like-a-river/feed/ Matsu