Kitcher's Café

New Blog

2018-10-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

Hello!

Kitcher's Café is now at The LKC! Please check out my new blog at www.thelkc.com

See you there,

~Lana

First Snow of 2017

2017-01-08T15:08:00.002-05:00

Week two of blogging in 2017. I already feel like I'm running a bit short on ideas (no wonder I haven't blogged in a while!) but I'll push through and see where this takes me. Instead of considering Sunday the end of the week, I think I'll need to change my mindset and start seeing it as the beginning of the new week. With Monday as the beginning, it starts the week off on the wrong foot. Monday blues at work, etc. But if we start it on a Sunday, we have the opportunity to start it off right. Fun activities on Sunday? Day of rest to launch the new week and feel reenergized?

That's another thing I should probably adopt - an actual day of rest. Other than during vacations, the 2017 person, at least the 2017 New Yorker, rarely allows time for rest, thus running on empty week after week. And if I were to adopt a day of rest, what would that mean for me? Do I allow myself to cook? Watch TV? What do I consider restful? Is there a difference between fun and restful? Should I choose fun things that only require little energy?

What does a day of rest mean for you? What do you do on those days? Or perhaps more importantly, what do you NOT do on those days?

We had our first real snow of the winter. Snow brings me joy, mostly because it allows for guilt-free laziness, but also for the physical affect it has on the world - peaceful and calming. Stores close, plans are canceled - you can sit at home and enjoy the snowfall, take walks, play, and feel at peace. Granted, having to work and function in the snow is a different story - I do not enjoy owning a car or having to get around in the snow when plans refuse to budge and work insists on staying open. (A heartfelt thanks to all of the workers that do not have a choice, namely hospitals and other necessity shops and operations. We appreciate all that you do!)

For the first snow I took a couple of photos. Believe it or not, it's difficult to take photos when it's actively snowing. Snow is wet, and cameras don't do well in water. These macro photos also would have been easier to take with a tripod... Next time. Either way, it was fun and I hope you enjoy these few.

Welcome to 2017!

2017-01-03T18:12:00.002-05:00

It looks like my last post was almost exactly one year ago. How did that happen? Has a full year passed already, right from underneath my nose?

Early in January, I was presented with a challenging situation at my place of work, which more or less consumed my life for six months. Finally the situation was "relieved," however I have continued to live in the pre-June consumption mind-set and routine. Well, I'm ready to pull myself out of it. I've taken time to think about my goals these first couple days of January, and put down on paper the different things that I want. What I want to accomplish, what kinds of habits I'd like to make, or beak. How do I want to live and what do I enjoy doing?

I started by putting all of these different thoughts onto a large piece of scrap paper in pencil. This helped make it feel less permanent, and more like sketching... paper I could throw away and pencil in case I'd like to erase or change my mind. To start, I just jotted it all down without worrying about how many there were, or if they were reasonable.

The second step was to then review all of these different ideas and narrow the focus. Of course I couldn't accomplish them all, so I took a practical look at which of them I most wanted to accomplish sooner rather than later, and why. After reviewing my top priorities, I was able to come up with specific goals (some habitual, some larger scale accomplishments), and create an action plan for how to achieve them. I'm also putting into effect some new tools in order to track my progress which, for a notebook junkie like me, makes the process fun.

Enter: Hobonichi Techo

Front of Hobonichi without cover

Daily pages of Hobonichi

I use daily pages for to do lists, quotes of inspiration, drawings, pasting items from travels, anything and everything.

Monthly pages of Hobonichi

I use this page for looking back at the month and the meetings or accomplishments I'd like to remember. I have a tendency to forget the awesome things I've done, and use this page to keep tabs on myself. Tim Ferriss has recommended a "jar of awesome" so I'll start with a "journal of awesome" this year.

At a glance monthly pages of Hobonichi 2017

I use this page for daily habits I'd like to form.

I'd also like to re-read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. I think it will be a helpful reminder about how to form habits, especially at this time of year when many people will forget all of their resolutions before even the end of January.

My 2017 New Year's Resolutions include:

1) Plan and execute our wedding before the end of 2017
2) Find a new place to live (not renting) before the end of 2017
3) Visit one new foreign country before the end of 2017
4) Complete 20~25 books by December 31, 2017 (approximately one book every two weeks)
5) Wake up by 6:30 am daily
6) Write down three things for which I am grateful every day (daily gratitude)
7) Exercise twice per week
8) Blog once per week

Not only do I plan to keep these resolutions in my Hobonichi and use the book to help me track my progress, but I will also post these goals somewhere in my house so that I will see them daily.

And to help bring some more art and creativity into my life, here are a few of my new images. You can expect to see a bit more macro this year as I attempt to learn how to use my new lens. I hope you enjoy them!

What are your goals this year?

All the best,
Lana

Disclaimers:
All photographs are my personal work. Please do not reuse them without permission or appropriate credits.

All links to Amazon products are affiliate links. If purchased through my blog, I will receive a small commission of sale. Thank you for your understanding, and for helping me build by online business!

Welcome to 2016!

2016-01-02T09:08:00.000-05:00

Hello! I hope this post finds you well. How did you find 2015 to be? How are you anticipating 2016 will go?

This past year I changed the nature of my New Year's Resolutions. Instead of making a long list of things I only half wanted to do, I made a very short list of things that I really wanted to do. My 2015 goals were:

1) See one new cultural institution, public park or cultural event each month.

2) Cook one new recipe (from a cookbook, online article, magazine, etc.) per month.

Although I'm not allowing myself to go back and scrutinize over whether or not I succeeded every single month, I feel very proud that I accomplished so much! On our wall calendar I was sure to write down the one new place and the one new meal each month (sometimes accomplishing far more than one) so that I could see my accomplishments as I progressed through the year. Simply setting these goals has enabled me to do more than I would have done otherwise.

Have you thought about where you want to go in 2016? What you want to do? Who you want to meet? Where you want to be?

As you probably know by now, I'm somewhat obsessed with planners and paper products. This year I'm using a daily "To Do" style for keeping track of my tasks. I purchased this one on Etsy, made by SHP Planners in Vancouver. The style was good for me to try to keep tasks contained to the day I wanted to do them, but also because this planner can start on any month of the year that you choose. (Who says the new you has to start on January 1st!?)

I also just read a good blog post by Nathalie Lussier. She has experimented with many different styles, and shared her advice with readers here on her website.

Do you have a favorite method for planning? A favorite book or calendar?

I hope that 2016 is off to a good start for you! Here's to the new year.

Cheers,

Lana

Early Fall - Nature and Flowers

2015-10-01T20:03:00.000-04:00

Here are a few of my recent photos from my adventures this fall. Some have asked what I use to take photographs. I bought a used Canon EOS Rebel T2i DSLR (rather older model) from an electronics shop in NYC called B & H. I still only have one lens and can't take all of the different kinds of photos I'd like, but it's a great start. It has enough control for manual shots if you're trying to learn, but also has a fine auto setting for the less experiences photographer like myself.

Having started photography on a completely manual Canon, I also try to take the photo I want straight out of the camera, without any post editing tools. Eventually I'd also like to learn how to use a program like photoshop, since there really is a lot more that you can do with it... but in the meantime I'll just stick with manual options and the trusty-old iPhoto that came with my computer.

I'm finding that I like macro shots more than anything, especially of nature. I'm not great at photographing people, perhaps because I get shy when I have to wait and keep the camera pointed at them for a long time in order to get the right angle, face, lighting, etc. For animals and flowers, it doesn't really matter how long you sit there. I also really like getting close shots of things that we don't always get to see, such as the spider underneath the flower (featured below). I had trouble focusing this one since the flower was swaying with the breeze, but I was quite happy with how it turned out.

I hope you enjoy them!

-Lana

All photographs are my personal work. Please do not reuse them without permission or appropriate credits.

"Home to New Yorkers"

"Flower and Friend"

"Three Ladies - We Are and We Are Not"

"Untitled"

"Untitled" - Fontanella Tea Garden in Mdina, Malta

"Peace Be With You"

"Halo"

"Red and Purple Peppers"

"The Weeping Willow"

"RamJam"

"Couples's's' Stone"

"Feeder"

The Zen of Fundraising - What will work?

2015-09-26T19:31:00.001-04:00

Why hello!

I decided it was time to write a little, even if it was a bit generic and... well, let's be honest, uninteresting.

Today I will write about two books, both being read for upcoming book clubs that I am in.

The first is called Daughters of the Samurai by Janice P. Nimura. We will read this at our upcoming JETAANY book club meeting in November. Although I haven't actually started reading it yet, I think that it will be quite good - more than half of our group voted on this one over our other choice. I'm waiting for the book to become available from the library on my kindle before I get started. I will let you know what I think once I have finished!

The second book on the list is called The Zen of Fundraising by Ken Burnett. Although I was a little put-off by the title, I'd say that it was worth the read. I am currently working at a non-profit doing fundraising in Individual Giving. I never thought I would end up here, and have no formal training for the position. One of my personal/professional development goals for the current fiscal year is to read a full-length book on fundraising, and this one was recommended in a webinar training that my boss and I participated in several months ago. I then convinced my boss to let me organize a departmental "book club" session so that we could discuss it as a team. Our team currently is just three (well, 2 1/2 since our intern is only part-time), however I think it will be fun to sit down and discuss some ideas that the book generates in a few weeks. I'm also thinking of trying to get us out of the office to do this in hopes that it will enable us to sit together and really discuss the issues, rather than just rush through the meeting and get to all of the other pending projects.

In general, the book is about how to ideally manage and fundraise for "your" non-profit. It is digestible, and doesn't go too far into over explaining the specifics. The point is to get you thinking about what can work for you. I jotted down a lot of advice from the book that I'd like to use in the marketing side of our operations. Many of his points however refer to non-profits that are raising money to help people in need, while our organization is a cultural arts institution. I wonder what the differences are like fundraising for these different causes?

Well, if you are inspired to read either of these books, please post about your experience below! I think "The Zen of Fundraising" was a bit misleading with the title, and not very indicative of the contents, but worth the time it will take to get through it if you are in this field. It was pretty short, and I think you could skim and still get some ideas for your own team. What were they for you perhaps? Did they work?

Hear from you all soon!

-Lana

Recent Trips around NYC

2015-06-24T21:06:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the World's Fair

Who are those goofballs?

And that one?

Moseying around The Cloisters

Columns from from Medieval Europe

My favorite place was the herb garden

Coney Island, first day of summer 2014

2014-06-22T19:37:00.000-04:00

Spring 2014

2014-04-27T14:33:00.002-04:00

Best sunrise

2014-02-27T20:30:00.002-05:00

The Chotchkies

2014-02-20T21:59:00.004-05:00

January 20, 2014

2014-01-20T22:06:00.004-05:00

Christmas Nutcrackers

2014-01-02T08:12:00.002-05:00

Gracie

2013-12-31T12:58:00.000-05:00

JETwit - Making the Most of Your Network

2013-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Originally written for JETwit.com: http://jetwit.com/wordpress/2013/12/04/kitchers-cafe-003-making-the-most-of-your-network/#more-33014

Kitcher’s Café, a new series by Lana Kitcher (Yamanashi-ken, 2010-12) is an assortment of articles, topics and commentary written for the JET Alumni community. Lana currently serves as the Business Development Associate at Bridges to Japan, a New York-based cross-cultural consulting firm founded by JET alum Jennifer Jakubowski (Hokkaido, 1995-97).

Dear recent JET returnees and current "job hunters,"

I was given the opportunity to speak at the JETAANY Career Forum in New York City a few weeks ago. Approximately 25 recent returnees (plus JET alumni going through a career transition) attended the event and were able to learn from the presenters, and also from one another, about how to successfully land a job in today's economy. We learned that it is important to keep strategies current as technology continues to change and as the methods of yesterday are not necessarily effective for our search today.

I would like to share with you some of the points from my presentation called "Making the Most of Your Network," in case some of you are also going through this transition now. When I first returned home from the JET Program I had a really difficult time figuring out how to start the job search. At that point my only full-time job had been teaching English in Japan, and I didn't know how to start looking for a new job from scratch. It took me until mid February to get a job, and I really wish someone had told me what I needed to hear earlier.

I thought I was supposed to be applying to job posts and boards online, giving out my resume, and collecting business cards and LinkedIn contacts. After several weeks of searching and no hits (nope, not one interview), I was starting to feel desperate and under-qualified. I kept hearing from people that they had found their jobs on craigslist, or had applied online and gotten an interview. But this method clearly wasn't working for me, and I needed to change my strategy.

From that point I started doing extensive research, reading books and talking with people. Someone once told me that if I wanted to meet someone, I should invite them to lunch and offer to pay for the meal. (Ever seen an episode of MadMen?) I tried this advice, and started talking to people that I could learn from. It was through these connections that I was actually able to start building a real network, finally turning my hopeless job search into a successful one.

When it comes down to it, people are doing the hiring. Having a good resume is important, but submitting it blindly to hundreds of job postings doesn't mean that anyone will ever actually read it. Why not meet the people who can get to know you? Maybe they will know someone who is hiring and they can recommend you. Maybe they are actually hiring themselves and decide through your pleasant interaction that you would be a good fit for their company. Companies want to hire people they know and trust. Maybe your meeting will lead nowhere (now), but if nothing else it could be a great conversation, or practice for when it will count.

At the presentation, I passed around these resources for participants to use. Please feel free to view or download and print them yourselves if you think they can be helpful to you.

1) Networking Tips Sheet - This has several bullet points of items that I wanted to highlight, or didn't have enough time to cover during the presentation - tips to keep in mind.

2) Networking Resources Reading List - This list includes books that I have read or have had recommended to me regarding networking. It may seem strange to read about job hunting and networking, but in the long run it may be worth the time investment. Most of the resources should be available at your local library if you do not want to purchase a copy.

3) Networking Practice - When meeting new people or attending networking events, it is important to remember information about the people you meet. It is also important to follow up with them afterward. If you note commonalities, it will give you more to connect on later. Consider using a worksheet like this to help keep track of new connections. For some, it may also be helpful to have a "goal" when attending events. I often tell myself that I need to meet at least three people by the end of the event. Since I am shy, this pushes me out of my comfort zone and allows me to strike up new conversations.

4) Making the Most of Your Network PowerPoint - It may not make a lot of sense alone, but I thought I would include it just in case you wanted to take a look.

If you are currently unemployed, I would recommend starting by meeting 2 to 3 people and attending one networking event each week. If you are pressed for money, schedule a few phone calls instead. Using technology such as e-mail, LinkedIn, and internet searches is a great way to start your research process, but the next step is to make those human connections. Find things that you have in common with that person. Do you share interests? How about alumni associations, previous jobs or locations? Do they do what you want to do? Ask them how they got there and what they might do differently if they could do it again. Learn from them and teach them about who you are without having to "sell yourself." They will learn about your experience and personality throughout the duration of the conversation and the relationship. Networking isn't about meeting as many people as you can as quickly as you can, but about creating human connections, and being able to sustain the relationships over time. How can you help them? How can you mutually benefit?

Words to redefine:

Informational Interview = Talking with people about what they do and how they got there. You're there to learn about them or their company.

Elevator Pitch = Knowing who you are and what direction you're thinking about going in. Don't try to fit your life story and qualifications into 30 seconds, but when the point comes and they ask you, "so what are you looking for?" you'll know the answer. There's nothing harder than trying to help someone who doesn't know what they want. Try some of the exercises from the book What Color Is Your Parachute to help you get there.

Networking = Meeting new people and sustaining relationships and connections over time. Teaching and learning, listening, helping, bridging.

So there you have it! If what you're doing isn't working, trying something new. Ask your friends and family what worked for them. I'll leave you with some advice that my friends told me:

“I met my boss at a meetup.com social event!”
“I attribute my success to LinkedIn, but not the job boards - just speaking with and reaching out to different people.”
“I started learning how to network when I stopped calling it “networking” and started calling it “meeting new people.”
“I found my current position by following the jobs posted on JETwit.”
“It’s very unlikely that someone will say no to a free meal, and if they say no – well, that’s the worst that could happen.”

If you have any additional hints and tips to share with fellow JET Alumni currently looking for employment, please share your ideas in the comments section below! We look forward from hearing from you and sharing our advice and experiences.

By the way, definitely utilize your JETAA and JETwit networks for your job search! There are new jobs posted weekly either by JETs, or by companies who love to hire JETs. Good luck!

JQ Magazine: Book Review - "Life in Japan: The First Year" by Victor Edison

2013-12-02T08:12:00.001-05:00

My latest article for JQ Magazine is out. Read my book review about "Life in Japan: The First Year,"by Victor Edison.

Original Link: http://jetaany.org/2013/11/30/jq-magazine-book-review-life-japan-year-2/
Date published: November 30, 2013

By Lana Kitcher (Yamanashi-ken, 2010-12) for JQ magazine. Lana is the business development associate for Bridges to Japan. To read more about Lana’s adventures in Japan and New York, visit her blog at Kitcher’s Café.

Victor Edison is a young man who remembers always having some Japanese influences present throughout his life. His family hosted a Japanese exchange student during his childhood, and he was fascinated by anime and manga from a young age. After graduation he found himself working a job he didn’t really want that wasn’t really going anywhere. A friend that was working in Japan at the time encouraged him to apply to be an English teacher and all he could respond to this was, “why not?”

Published by Nagoya-based Big Ugly Robot Press, Life in Japan: The First Year is a bilingual graphic novel written and drawn by Edison about his first year working for an English language school in Mie Prefecture. With little previous knowledge of the Japanese language or customs, he travels blindly to his new home armed only with his enthusiasm and determination to succeed, his ultimate goal to one day become a full-time artist.

His first choice was to work in Tokyo, simply because that was all he knew. After his interview with “Noba,” he soon learns that he has been offered a position in Mie, and accepts.

He starts work at an English conversation school located in a semi-rural area. While the majority of the clients were adults and young adults, the teachers often had to “teach” toddler classes as well. Because the school was located in a shopping mall, many parents would drop their kids off at the English school to fit in some uninterrupted shopping time. The teachers quickly learned that the child classes were thinly disguised babysitting sessions.

Although he often felt like he was drowning at work and struggling to keep up, when he started settling into a routine and feeling more comfortable he began taking a few trips to other locations around Japan. This gave him a new set of experiences, and new material for his comics. In addition to his traveling, he was able to start setting time aside for his art and language studies. Several of his art projects from his time in Japan can be found within the pages here.

Edison’s artistic talent captures Japan’s essence and his autobiographical account is honest and direct. JET alumni will be able to follow his story and find many of their own experiences and thoughts represented within his work. From his first encounter ordering a hamburger to his dissatisfaction with being a glorified babysitter, his tone and pace keeps the reader hooked throughout, allowing us to relive those vulnerable and turbulent first few months. He is also able to find humor in these experiences, which enable us to appreciate the moments and make a connection with the author. He is also able to write honestly and recount vividly, as we see in his visual representation.

Edison’s story is not only a great read for the former expatriate, but also for Japanese citizens that are wondering what it is like to be a foreigner in Japan. Although the Japanese translation can be distracting while reading, it allows insight into the foreign experience, which would otherwise be inaccessible to them.

By reading Life in Japan, it is possible to see that regardless of the program you work for, the age group you teach, or what you look like, many of the challenges that we face as teachers and foreigners in Japan are universal: we arrive with expectations that are quickly shaken, and we face times of uncertainty and growth. Regardless of the exact experience, we all leave Japan changed—usually in a good way—that refuses to allow us to forget the people, places, and encounters. Edison thought that teaching English in Japan would be different. He thought his coworkers would be more serious, or that he would have more free time for his art. If you just returned from Japan last week, or have been back for ten years, you’ll be able to find a chapter of this book that resonates with your own story.

Although he doesn’t mention it in great detail, it can be deduced (or learned through his blog) that Edison is still living in Japan today. He continues to follow his passion doing art, teaching English, and spending time with his family. Perhaps we will get to read about his latest adventures in his next book.

He starts off by trying to answer the question, “so what brought you to Japan?” Although he doesn’t have a concise answer by the end, he knows that it was worth it. This graphic novel is perfect for a friend who will soon be venturing to Japan to become an English teacher or alum looking for a humorous and accurate account of what it’s like to live and teach there.

There is a timeless quality to Japan that you can observe by reading works by different authors across history. Consider comparing Life in Japan to works by Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), in addition to my recent review on Laura Kriska’s book The Accidental Office Lady (1998). On the surface it may feel like Japan has transformed, but you will notice deep cultural roots that remain unchanged.

SLR Play day 8

2013-11-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

"The world in color"

You must receive written permission from LRK before using any original photography from this site.

SLR Play day 7

2013-11-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

"Founded on York"

You must receive written permission from LRK before using any original photography from this site.

SLR Play day 6

2013-11-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

"The simple things"

You must receive written permission from LRK before using any original photography from this site.

SLR Play day 5

2013-11-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

"What do you mean you don't have food?"

You must receive written permission from LRK before using any original photography from this site.

SLR Play day 4

2013-11-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

"Some like it hot"

SLR Play day 3

2013-11-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

"Serenity"

You must receive written permission from LRK before using any original photography from this site.

SLR Play day 2

2013-11-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

"Finding the joy in life"

You must receive written permission from LRK before using any original photography from this site.

SLR Play day 1

2013-11-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

This week I will not have enough time to post any written entries, but I wanted to share something with you even while I was unavailable.

I've been considering my next large purchase, and have given great thought to getting an SLR camera. I love photography, and used to have a real camera back when I was in high school. The shutter broke (and film became too expensive to develop), and I never replaced it. Now that I'm getting back into photography, maybe it's time?

Last week I was able to spend some time taking photos with a borrowed digital SLR, and will post one shot each day of this week. Hope you like them!

~L

"Watching over me"

You must receive written permission from LRK before using any original photography from this site.

Picture of the Day

2013-11-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

"P.S. 130"