Reading: N.Iwasaki "What If a Female Manager of a High School Baseball Team Read Drucker's "Management"?

This book was super-bestseller in Japan in 2010 and still being sold pretty good this year ..
I spent about 1,000 yen and several hours for it and for me it was wasting of money and time - cheesy story with typical for Japanese TV drama plot elements and awful language of author -

high school student could write better...So again disappointed in Japanese "bestsellers"..

Next book I am reading is "The Great Gatsby", so I hope I will spend more productive time.

Movie: "Throne of Blood" (1957) Akira Kurosawa

I am continuing watching Kurosawa movies - this time it is "Throne of Blood" (original title is "Kumo-no-su jo:" "Spider Web Castle") . Director of "Seven Samurai" used the plot of William Shakespeare tragedy "Macbeth" for depicting feudal Japan.. It is interesting to watch how well-known story found its interpretation in such exotic setting as Japan..Here you find lady Macbeth in Japanese version but cruel no less than original one, and all range of Shakespear`s tragedy emotions which you probably can not expect from Japanese people usually considered dispassion...
And again Toshiro Mifune as main hero and amazing camera work with panoramic scenes - despite film is black-and white you feel it full of color.
P.S. I liked how heroes speak old Japanese! Cool and very passionate

Reading: Jesse James Garrett "The Elements of User Experience"

Yeah.....this was unforgettable New Year as I happened to lost my id, mobile phone, moved into new apartment (and still have no Internet connection here) and honestly just didn`t prepare myself to celebration ... All I had to do is eating, watching movies, reading, sleeping ....

As for movie I borrowed "Mad Men" TV drama from TSUTAYA and it was really brilliant movie - stylish, with wonderful camera work, reconstruction of America of 60s in mere detail (interior, costumes) and just amazing actors and story line - human drama and movie about company and career-making at the same time, historical TV show - so much in it - I just had been watching one disc after another and slept for 3 hours a day...

And reading.. yes... I finally received this book from Amazon - my co-workers recommended to read it introducing it as "the basis of basis of User Interface"...

I read . And should say it was so light and enjoying reading I could never expected from Web and IT related book ..

When people talk about Web Design, Home Page making process they usually imagine all these cool buttons, images, flash staffs... But this surface components are no more than final stage of site developing works - before it there is new site strategy formulating, researching of what your users need (and who they are..your users) and what your company objectives are in this site.. Drawing structure document and wire frame - description of layout of all parts, and all steps (or "planes" as Mr. Garrett call them) ..

All these are developed from the User Experience point of view - the problem is not to put into the site as many fancy options and cool images as possible but to chose only those which would match "your user" needs and your own needs... Jesse James Garrett introduces in his book model of 5 Planes of User Interface Experience and describes each plane in so clear language that is is really enjoy to read this book even for those who never dealt with IT industry and home-page making..After reading you just look at all these web-pages in different way

Movie: "12" (2007)

Remake of American classic "12 Angry Men" by Russian director and actor Nikita Mikhalkov.

Long before I wanted to watch this movie as in 2007 it created rather a stir in our country and was presented as kind of masterpiece of modern movie ( "About everyone and for everyone..."

- was written on film posters) ...

Hmm...Complicated feeling..Mikhalkov managed to invite for his film 12 brilliant actors who represent Russian movie today - Sergey Makovetsky, Sergey Garmash were especially good, famous comedy actor Yuri Stoyanov also appeared to be amazing big screen actor..Interesting suspense plot and dramatic monologues-confessions of each from 12 men and modern Russia that appears in these confessions with all its burning problems - poverty and interethnic conflicts, culture degradation and cruelty of people around....

But final of "12" was absolutely disappointing. Again I realised that I don`t like Mikhalkov because in each of his film he plays sort of hero who saves our poor country and show it the way to Redemption....This film ends in stupid Hollywood-worth final with symbolic icon staff, Mikhalkov hero appeared to be Saviour (again)....So, pathetic film by this director as usual - even best Russian actors didn`t save the situation

Russia around (3) Matryoshka again

Today I have been doing window shopping all day long in Loft in Yokohama, in Tokyo - as I am moving next week!! So looked for curtains, carpet and other stuff...and found these two cute matryoshka in Japanese men`s fashion store MARUI MAN.

Moustache Matryoshka
http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/arenot/501021906-11410.html

USB Flash-memory "Memoryoshka"
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/arne/0016a00377/

WOW! Russia

http://www.wowrussia.com/
Cool site- introduction of our country by Russian girl Elena Marus who was a student of British Higher School of Art and Design and who made this site as her graduate work. Cute design and very funny content!

Movie: "Salt" (2010)

"U are r-r-rashen spai" - it was catchy words I heard in Promotion trailer for this film in Japan...
Not so young Angleina - unhealthy thin here (remember the times - bomb shell in "Tomb Rider"), her crappy wigs through the movie, "Star Wars" -level absurdly UN-real plot

The only one thing I liked - she pronounced Russian expressions in soooo sexy soft voice....