The work year has only just begun and we shouldn't be quite as exhausted as we were at the end of December. Actually the first real week of work went quite well for me and gave me hope that things could continue like this. And as in previous years, the second week offers a bit of a change and starts with a public holiday. Seijin no Hi 成人の日, the day of coming of age, is always celebrated in Japan on the second Monday in January, and young people who have their 20th birthday between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the new year attend a ceremony called Seijin-shiki 成人式. Of course, there are also the typical speeches by the mayors or other office holders, who want to remind the young citizens of their responsibilities in their future lives.
It's somewhat similar to the Jugendweihe in Germany, but unlike the Seijin no Hi, it is held at the beginning of adolescence and not at the end. Jugendweihe marks the transition from child to adolescent is celebrated, where in Japan they celebrate the beginning of adulthood. In earlier years, the Japanese only came of age at the age of 20, but this age was officially lowered to 18.
You can now drive a car and vote at the age of 18, although the consumption of alcohol and tobacco is only permitted from the age of 20. The Land of the Rising Sun also has its contradictions, and if you look closely, you'll see quite a few.
However, for us, Monday was simply a day off, which we spent relaxing at home.
A long weekend is always nice and if the week doesn't really start until Tuesday, you've already got the first day behind you.
Even the rest of the week is a little different to usual. Because of some schedule changes I will have a bit more free time. It looks like I'll be able to sleep a little longer, which of course I won't turn down.
And let's see if I can use the extra time in a productive way. There are a few things that could really use my attention at the moment, so I should definitely allow myself some private office time. There's always something to organize and tidy up, and not just in my workspace, but especially digitally. That would really be something I should get to work on, and that's why I've scheduled it for the very near future.
But as the year ahead is still long and will still demand a lot of work and effort from us, it's also good that this week isn't quite so stressful. And as winter is taking it easy this week as well, I'll be taking things somewhat more slowly myself. Small steps will also lead to success, and I still have my eyes firmly set on that. And even if I seem to be daydreaming from time to time, I certainly won't lose sight of it.
