When Japanese are next to me,,,,,

I have something I can not overcome in a restaurant which is not Japanese restaurant
in NY when I dine with Japanese people.

When some Japanese I don't know sit next to my table,
I become unable to talk.

This doesn't happen if I'm in a Japanese restaurant where
so many Japanese are dining.
This might not happen if I'm with more than 3 people.
And I am sure this doesn't happen if I'm in any restaurant
in some remote area where you don't expect not too many Japanese
like Africa.
(I remember I became very talkative when I met some Japanese on the street
during my trip in Niger a few years ago.)

This only happens in NYC.

The other day, My wife and I went to some Korean restaurant in Fort Lee, NJ.
(OK, so this happens in NJ , too.)
We were talking about our Japanese friend who used to live in NYC for 7 years and
went back for 2 years and half, and now is wondering if he'd come back to NYC.
He's a jazz saxophone player, by the way.
Whether he should stay in Japan or he should come back to NYC....
It's not an easy question.
What if I am in his position, what should I do?
Our conversation went on .......till we heard some Japanese language from
next table.

"It's been a while to be in this restaurant.....(in Japanese)...."

Oh..

They were 20-something Japanese young couple.
I was not trying to overhear their conversation but
my primary language just kept coming through my ears.

"I have to be myself in the USA........"

"I can't be myself if I'm in Japan. Japanese society doesn't allow me to be myself....."

Oh, Yeah?

My wife and I became silent , finished our meal, and paid and left quickly.
I don't know what made us stop our conversation.
Even I have live in the USA for long time, I just can't overcome this situation.
It's strange.

Life is getting easier.

Life is getting easier and easier.
Troublesome things in life are being got rid of.

Once upon a time,
I hated checking messages on my home phone out of
payphone to see if I might get a last minute gig offer
as I worried about running out of quarters in my wallet.

Cell phone !

I hated transposing keys for sax players.
I hated coping parts.

Finale !

I hated looking at maps and giving directions to a driver.

GPS!

What an invention!

I drove to Rochester to play for vibraphonist Joe Baione group
the other day and thanks to the GPS I recently bought
I could get there without getting lost.
This machine also shows the restaurant or gas station on the map
where you're driving so the chance is getting slim that my car stops to run
due to no gas in the tank or I starved to death on the way.


I think there's a business chance here.
Think about things that is troublesome in your life.
Then figure out to solve it. Make some device for it.


I am thinking if I could add more functions to the GPS
like it actually drives my car for 6 hours for me
or it begs my band leader to get the airplane ticket instead of 6 hours driving
to Rochester. (No offence , Joe......)

Photo: Joe Baione group at Rochester Jazz Festival, June 18th ,2009
Joe- vib, Marco-bass, Brian-drums , myself -piano

Test

I moved the blog site from here.
More English friendly here ?