Saturday, November 6, 2010

New Job!

Life can take surprising turns, and to make a long story short this past week I woke up Monday in one job not expecting anything new, and ended up starting yesterday with another, much better one. :D

That's why I haven't had the chance to update for a couple of days, with everything going on regarding that, but I hope to settle back into daily posting very soon.

Today's tidbit about Japan is that changing jobs, while becoming more common, isn't something you see a whole lot of compared to America. Traditionally, you worked for one company until you retired, and firings were rare. Rather than fire you, the company would move you into progressively smaller or more inconvenient arrangements (smaller rooms, far-away desks) and give you less and less work to do until you finally took the hint and quit on your own.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Common Motifs: Momiji - Fall Maple Leaves

Long time, no motifs!

Tonight's motif is momiji 紅葉, literally "red leaves", referring to leaves changing color in the fall. It can also refer to fall maple leaves specifically. Naturally, they're a fall motif and are easily identifiable by their shape. Below is a wedding maru obi featuring momiji mixed in with chrysanthemums, and a wedding uchikake sleeve.