1.Netflix. I finished watching all seasons of Schitt’s Creek, and I have started to watch Dead to Me with Christina Applegate. I’ve been enjoying it.

2. New venture. I’m working on a new venture, which has been energizing. I will share soon. Shout out to family and friends who have been listening to me talk about it, have responded to my many questions, and who have given me very useful feedback.

3. My book. Many of you already know that my first book (co-authored with my colleague and friend) was published in January. It has been exciting to share it with others, and it has already brought some rewarding work opportunities. I feel very lucky. My university wrote this article about it.

4. Train travel. I realized recently that the distance from Tokyo to Kyoto is about the same as it is from Toronto to Montreal. Why am I telling you this? Well, just so I can complain about Canada’s transportation system. Trains in Japan run constantly, and while I was there, I didn’t book anything in advance. I wasn’t at all worried about missing a train, getting stranded, or not getting where I needed to go at any time during my trip. I used one train card. It was so incredibly easy and stress free. People of all ages took the train with ease. Boarding was organized and signage made things so easy for foreigners (like me) who don’t speak Japanese. The high-speed train took about 3 hours. In Canada, on the other hand, there are just a couple of trains to/from Toronto to Montreal each day, and if you don’t book in advance, there’s a good chance the train you want will be sold out. There are barely any escalators and elevators, so you have to lug your luggage up too many stairs. And there are signs like “Great Hall” when what you really need is “Exit” and “Ticket Counter.” The train from Toronto to Montreal is about 5 hours. Instead of expanding highways (I’ve heard HWY 401 is going to be expanded), I’d so much rather my tax money go to building an effective and efficient train system. Rant over (for now).

5. Birthdays. It’s my Dad’s birthday today. He’s like me in that we love our birthdays, and we especially love attention on our birthdays! I was happy to have breakfast with him this morning, and we chatted with family and friends from Italy via FaceTime. What a great Friday treat!

Have a great weekend, everyone!