Rihokora #35 - October 30, 2021 - Don't let your guard down

Nostalgic feelings are valuable

I have all these deadlines, but then, as it gets late, I fall asleep before I know it.  In the morning, I wake up to the annoying sound of the alarm, but I have no choice but to get up.  It's a good thing though to have this kind of lifestyle.

This year, winter came really suddenly, didn't it?  I always start my mornings with a warm drink before I start my daily activities.  One morning, as I was warming myself up with my drink, I looked back, thinking about how I once dreaded both nights and mornings.  I loved sleeping, but I didn't have a proper sleeping schedule, and that made me sad.

What was it like?  As soon as I went to bed, all my concerns would line up in front of my eyes.  Until the morning, I would be trying to brush away those concerns, and that went on and on.

This was a complicated issue, and there was no clear answer, or a magic solution that would solve everything.  Every person's situation is different.  That's why we have to approach such situations from various perspectives every day.  I am still getting to know myself.

Anyway, that is what I have been nostalgic about lately.

Don't let your guard down!  Unexpected dangers

Well, I saw on the news that most of the restrictions regarding hours of operation of restaurants are being lifted.  It's not something that really affects me, but I felt a sense of relief when I heard the news.  It was the kind of feeling you have when you return home and take off your belt to relax.  At the same time, I am worried that the current, improved situation (regarding covid) could easily get bad again, and I don't want that to happen.

Here's a story from a long time ago.  My elementary school building was quite old, and the facilities were not always in the best condition.  For example, there was one faucet, in a row of 5 or 6 that would discharge water in various directions, and after a while, everyone stopped using it.  But one day I thought, it should be ok by now, turned it on, and the water hit my blazer.  And this was in the winter.  So we shouldn't let our guard down.

I hope we will be able to get through this winter, without any complications, that everyone stays warm, and doesn't get sick, and of course stay hydrated.

p.s.  I went to a restaurant with my manager for the first hot pot of this winter, and we ordered motsunabe.  

What is everyone's favorite hot pot?

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2526

    

Riho comments on "Kuro Sekai" live stream on youtube

 The musical "Kuro Sekai" was presented live on youtube during a live stream on October 26 and October 27, and Riho who starred in both episodes last year made the following comments in an instastory:

I was working until late, but I managed to take a look at the broadcast, and I want to thank everyone who watched the screening of Kuro Sekai (Black World).  There are many people who love Lily in this series.  This made me very happy, as if I was Lily's mother.  Thank you so much for loving this character.  Like Lily, I have also felt the kindness people have shown.  And like her, I have also grown as a person.  It seems like a miracle that my first job after returning to the stage was this one.  Lily is that special to me.  I don't know if I will be the only one who will ever play Lily, but you never know, right?  I look forward to the next story in the series.

Ah... I also see a lot of Lily fanart online, which makes me quite happy.

Rihokora #34 - Oct. 16, 2021 - Small spaces are good

 A small change can change your life!?

I go out a lot to get work done because I can't concentrate at home, and I want to stop doing that as much as I do (getting dressed to go out is really time consuming).

The other day I placed a partition around my laptop, and it helped me concentrate on my work.  

I get tired of everything in my room being the same, so I often make rearrangements.  My desk isn't against the wall anymore, but in a position that allows me to see the entire room.  But doing that allows me to see the furniture and everything else.  Absorbing all that information becomes distracting, and the partition solved that problem for me.  

You can find really good ones online for less than 2 thousand yen.  There are many different types of course, so I would recommend that you get the style that suits you the most.  If you have difficulties studying or working at home, it could change your life, like it did to me.  I recommend it because it gives you a sense of privacy.

Having said that, I am currently writing this column in a coffeeshop lol

But that is what I am doing when I am at home nowadays.

The perfect companion to make my time at home more fulfilling

Because of this change, I have been spending time at my desk again, most of my time at home actually.  One of the things I do at my desk is watch movies and dramas on my computer, and I have watched a lot more than I did last month.

I've watched season 1 of the much talked about "Squid Game".  I began watching it in the middle of the night, but I was so curious about what would happen that I stayed up until late to watch more episodes.  To put it very briefly, it's a story about people with debts who fight to the death to become rich.  The characters are all interesting, and there are surprising moments.

The extreme conditions make the characters behave immorally, but it's hard to say how anyone would behave if they were in the same position.  There are some brutal scenes, so it may not be for everyone, but it's a very interesting drama.  I'm sure a lot of people will be wearing the characters' jerseys (jaji) on Halloween this year.

I am also watching "Friends" a lot, which makes me feel like I am studying again abroad.  I miss being in New York.  But it's ok, I have no plans to leave Japan at the moment.

It's finally getting colder, isn't it?  This is a good time to stay at home.  What kind of movies or dramas do you like to watch at home during this season?  I would love to know.  I may ask about it in my next instagram post, so give it some thought please.

p.s. I have been buying coffee beans lately (or receiving them as gifts), and I have been making hot coffee at home more often.  It makes me happy!!

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2470

Rihokora #33 - Oct. 2 - Preparing for the live shows

 Fatigue is somehow comforting

As you all know, I am a singer and dancer, and right now, I am preparing for next year's tour with the staff and writers, imagining and conceptualizing the songs, and what it will be like to perform them on stage.  While I want to emit a strong message through my work, there are still many things that I need to work out, and I am trying to finalize everything via trial and error.  As I am preparing, it may seem that I have been more quiet than usual, I guess.

Everyday, I try to summarize my ideas and thoughts, and share them with the people I work with, so that we can discuss them.  Doing this every day requires a lot of physical and mental effort, and I have been trying to keep a good balance between eating, sleeping, and exercising.  This process has been too exhausting for my brain lol

On the other hand, it is interesting, and rewarding to brainstorm with the people I work with.  Not only because I hear different opinions, but also because they will point out interesting things I said, even in cases where I thought I had made a rather simple remark.  I have the opportunity to look at things from a completely different angle, and this can give me a new perspective.

How can I describe this... It feels like solving a puzzle every day.

What is the reward for crossing a mountain? 

While thinking about things on your own can also be useful, I feel that discussing things in a team is a very important process.  I can gain new perspectives, as well as a better understanding of my own way of thinking.  I want to be openminded on all issues (note: Riho uses the expression "flexible as clay"), and I am grateful to my team for helping me find my "sensitivity" (kansei) within me.  We have given a lot of thought to this, and I hope we can deliver what we intend to do, on stage, in the best way possible.

I am writing this column on a day that I had a really exhausting meeting, and I am glad it was completed successfully.  To give you an idea of what I mean, I had to make a presentation to a large group of people.  I had to prepare, present it well, and then wait for everyone's reaction to it.  That's a situation that would make everyone nervous, right?

Today was one of those days for me.  The meeting went well, and I can finally relax.  Instead of alcohol I am having a fancy, non-alcoholic shandygaff.

 Thank you everyone for your hard work today.

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2433