Dear Readers,

Today I was checking the new pens that Ron-san has acquired. He was excited about one new pen, it is a Pilot Super from the 1950's with a maki-e deisgn. It is a taka maki-e crane in a swooping pose. The detail is quite brilliant. What I liked about the bird is its eyes. The look very serious. This is what makes the difference between a good pen and a masterpiece. It takes a very skilled artist to make a design that expresses emotion. In this bird I can feel his energy and fever as he swoops down.

Today we went to meet a collector at the Loisure Hotel here in Okinawa. I have never met a customer before in person so I was a little nervous about this. I wasn't sure what to expect. I know that most of our serious buyers are professionals. We have many lawyers and doctors who buy pens from us every week. However, after the Nigera buyer yesterday, I was not sure what the buyer today would look like.

It was fun for me to wear a business suit again. I do not think I have worn one since my last job interview.

The Buyer was a very nice man. He greeted us and bought us tea. I was a little surprised that he pushed my chair in for me. Japanese men never do anything like that. He and Ron-san started talking about pens. Their English was very fast. I tried to listen well, but I was quickly lost and I developed a serious headache. it was a large effort for me. I smilled a lot. This is what I do when I do not understand fully what is taking place.

The Buyer purchased two pens. One was a 1950's Pilot music pen. The other was a no-name 1930's maki-e pen with a lovely floral and hummingbird pattern. This made me a little sad because I liked that pen.

Today was a good lesson. My English is better than before, but I still have a lot to learn. I intend to study dilligently so I can paticipate more in the future.

Sincerely,

Meg