Life Update: Working From Home Is Basically Time Travel

I’m back! To be fair, it’s not really as though I can go anywhere else. Right now, I’m in the paperwork-heavy stage of work, which is sending me almost apoplectic with rage. If I get one more email requesting me to print, stamp (with my personal seal), and fax the following, I’m probably going to have to take a sledgehammer to my laptop.

Why do they think that having to print or fax anything in this day and age is acceptable?! My fax machine printer only prints around a dozen sheets of A4 before it runs of ink. It’s such an expensive hideous eyesore. And that’s the least of its failings.

In Japan, you “sign” documents not with your written signature but using your official hanko, a personal seal with your name which is stamped in red. If working remotely is possible, you’d need a printer to print out a hard copy to stamp and a colour fax machine so that the seal imprint can be transmitted in red. There are digital alternatives to the age-old seal system but it’s not widely used (and they have no legal standing).

My friend currently works remotely but she still needs to physically be in the office when there are documents to sign off. This seems to defeat the entire purpose of remote working but I’m beginning to think it’s not such a bad trade-off. If I don’t load the paper on the night of the full moon at precisely 11:59pm using a satin gloved hand, my fax machine printer tends to go all wonky and the copy is slanted down the page.

4 Comments

  1. Imuil

    Welcome “back”! Thank you for all the great contents on this website. Looking for more updates from you 🙂

  2. Paige

    Wow, I didn’t realize you were trilingual! What is the 3rd language you speak, along with English & Japanese?

  3. Jennifer

    Hi there! Missing your Skincare Snapshots. Wish there was a way I could glean what you are using more frequently! 🙂 Is there any chance we could get monthly (or whatever frequency you prefer) personal skincare updates from you or does it not significantly change that often?

Leave a Reply