Tokyo - October 19th, 2008 - Living in fear...

NOTES FROM RYAN... (The Walter Diaries)

Volume 5 - October 19th, 2008: Living in Fear...

One thing became immidiately apparent upon arrival in Japan. We were in eminent danger. Posted everywhere we went were white signs showing little green men running. Similar to the friendly little stick figures we've come to know as the universal sign of the mens room, these little green men did not seem as relaxed. In fact, very much the opposite.

The country was seemingly saturated with these things. It was quite clear that we needed to find out what they meant and fast. God knows our Japanese friends had carefully posted these signs around every corner with good purpose. As we left the airport and road the train into Tokyo, more and more signs passed and tensions rose. Mutual feelings were that we had made a monumental mistake by coming here until the grim realization became apparent to us.

How had we not thought of this before; Godzilla lives in Japan. I almost threw up when this epiphony exploded in my mind. These people are on high alert 24 hours a day fearing the great beast. It all made perfect sense. The green signs were obviously exit plans. We sumised, that similar to an Avnet fire drill, should the sleeping giant return we were to place our trash cans on any nearby tables or desks and flee. Obviously, this grim development was crushing to morale. Here we were on the first day of our trip and we were already dealing with a 2,000 ton fire-breathing lizard.

Amazingly we went on to have a great week in Japan. Eluding Godzilla was nothing short of miraculous, but having faced such a daunting trial has left me feeling confident that I will be able to overcome any trouble the world has in store for me going forward.

What's the moral of this story? This question must be answered by asking ourselves another question. Does Godzilla exist? YES. Can life go on or happiness be found in a world where the great monster roams free? Contrary to what many may say, YES it can. The Japanese are doing it every day. They've thrived in Tokyo for the past 30 years ever since the last Godzilla attack and what was once crushed, destroyed, and burned has now been rebuilt. Maybe we can take a page from their book and show the same courage and fortitude in our daily lives and struggles. There are always looming fears and obstacles around every corner. It is our job to keep keeping on. And while we're at it, maybe you guys can ask management why Avnet doesn't have any preparations set in place should Godzilla attack.