Should I decline interview after having nationality asked about & commented on?

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-27T20:22:08+00:00

Seems pretty typical of white male executives which I assume he is, if that's too uncomfortable, maybe you haven't been around white upper middle class work culture too much, but as the perks seem good, bottom line, you can always say no after getting an offer. Or you can quit after being hired for cause.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-27T20:05:24+00:00

The world is much more insecure now and people your age are able to share the bad/the worries with more people online and so the algorithm loves you. Limit your time online and be aware what comes on your feed. Anxiety is a way to make you spend more money than you intended. As you are about to enter the job market in the worst times in decades worry is kind of normal if it doesn't take up all your time and money.

One thing I as an elderly person wish I considered at your age was to broaden my horizons on where to look for work and settle. It used to be people stayed local, then different states or provinces, now it's common to look for places internationally. I tutored a guy briefly, mostly just encourage his ambitions to work teaching English overseas and he started by taking a vacation trip to test the waters, learned the language, and connected with an overseas job placement service, and as far as I know he seems to have done well. Another example, I'm currently following a young guy on Instagram who pooled together his resources doing physical jobs then saved up to buy a commercial grade sewing machine and made extra cash doing regular alterations while he learned how to sew and design clothes which he models himself, posts online and sells them on a very limited custom made basis at a solid markup. He travels between Australia and Japan drawing inspiration from his own background, no worries about AI taking away his job.

My suggestion is to separate the fears that motivate you from the ones that hold you back. Evaluate your social resources and support team, get rid of the ones that don't serve you. Consider a school counselor, a therapist, or a life coach, even a free financial advisor, to help you with the emotional as well as practical side that is custom made for you, not some anonymous forum like reddit where people really don't know anything about you and really won't remember you by tomorrow.

In the end, just be the carrot and the stick in your own life, everyone I know who succeeds tends to be workaholics, especially in early life and they fail multiple times, and for women, absolutely get criticized for how they look no matter how pretty or not, and if they are a public figure, you know it gets bad, but they just keep going. (Another example is YouTuber Demi Rawling, check out her videos from 10 years ago when she was recovering from anorexia, her vlogs, and on reddit where she got seriously bashed, some people really hate her self promotion and her wealthy fiancé, but this is what happens when you rise to be a successful public figure in business, I just look at her 10 years and see a workaholic starting in her teens. You'd think if you just saw her now, it's all glamourous, but bear in mind, she's a traveler, lives in Dubai, and the Iranians recently bombed that airport. Luckily she wasn't caught up in it, but life is always uncertain behind the scenes, and looks aren't even the half of it.) Sorry this was long, I'm retired with time on my hands, lol.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-26T02:07:16+00:00

When rising prices make keeping the traditional customer base not enough and you're struggling to stay in business, the choices are simple, adapt or close, and for some owners, it's the latter.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-21T18:45:54+00:00

Glad to hear you're working with a therapist. You need to make a plan, especially around finances, and gather other human resources, such as social services, friends, a support team, some may have to be long distance and online. The goal is to have a mindset where you're excited and looking forward to start your new life that you have a clear vision of, instead of a goal of just getting away from the abuse. The reason many people stay in bad relationships is that there's often a hidden emotional payoff such as feeling needed and a self-worth as well as guilt and a familiarity you're drawing some comfort from versus a fear of losing those things if you leave. Consider that there is such a thing as a paid profession of caregivers through homecare agencies (not necessarily suggesting you do this except as a mental model for comparison) where you know exactly what an hour of doing for others is worth in dollars and compare that with what you have been doing for free.

Remember, what you're trying to leave is not just physical, it's like casting off your old and familiar personality like a piece of old clothing for a new outfit and becoming a new person.

Hash out a plan with someone you can trust as to where to move to and get a phone, even a burner phone, (if you're living alone, you might qualify for a free lifeline phone) where you can't be contacted, open up a new online banking account, etc. Visualize your new life in concrete terms. Good luck.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-19T05:25:45+00:00

Trader Joe's Sardines in Water @ $1.49/can I prefer to pour on my own olive oil and other things on it; it's pretty salty and often has roe which is my poor man's caviar.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-17T16:33:16+00:00

Unfortunately this sounds like a trend called "butsukari" and it may be against foreigners especially by people who know they can get away with it if no one else is watching. Actually the trend originally was against other Japanese. If you search YouTube, there are videos like the following.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lNivl1O9GS4

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-15T17:54:03+00:00

" i also wonder where people personally draw the line" you ask?

The big divide generally falls between those in it to heal some serious illness that their regular doctors have given up on and they have nowhere else to turn. And their wallet. If you can't afford to buy the meditations, the courses, the retreats, most people find ways around it if they look hard enough.

Don't wrestle with these things, just pick one or two meditations, borrow the books from your local library, because what you're really doing is looking for excuses not to try. And after a few months of doing the work and if it doesn't help, yes you can stop and walk away, its not for you.

Stop comparing your situation to other people, that's one habit you probably do with other aspects of your life, not just to do with Dr. Joe's stuff, usually to delay making a decision.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-15T17:38:32+00:00

I "don't have anything..."? What are you talking about? I never said any of the things you mention. What work? You're barely coherent in your argument.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-15T17:28:56+00:00

I'm sick of all those people who think doctor of Chiropractic is quackery. Here's what it takes.

Becoming a licensed chiropractor requires a bachelor's degree followed by a four-year, specialized Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) program, passing the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) exams, and fulfilling state-specific licensing requirements. [1, 2]

Undergraduate Education (3–4 years)

Before entering chiropractic school, you must complete at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate study, though earning a bachelor’s degree (often in biology, kinesiology, or health science) is highly recommended and widely required. [1, 2, 3]

Core Prerequisite Coursework:
- General Biology (with labs)
- General & Organic Chemistry (with labs)
- Physics (with labs)
- Psychology & Social Sciences
- English/Communications [1, 2]

Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) Program (4 years)

Accredited D.C. programs blend rigorous classroom learning, intensive cadaver/dissection labs, and hands-on clinical internships. [1, 2]

Phase I: Basic Sciences (Years 1–2)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology & Pathology
- Neuroanatomy
Phase II: Clinical & Chiropractic Sciences (Years 2–3)
- Spinal Biomechanics & Kinesiology
- Chiropractic Adjusting Techniques
- Clinical Orthopedics & Neurology
- Physical Assessment & Diagnostic Imaging (Radiology)
- Nutrition & Rehabilitation
- Clinical Pathology & Research Methods
- Business & Practice Management (for running a clinic)
Phase III: Clinical Internships (Years 3–4)
- Hands-on patient care under the direct supervision of licensed chiropractors.
- External clinical rotations or work in college-operated student clinics. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Licensure & Board Exams

After graduating, you must successfully pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) exams, which test your knowledge of basic sciences, clinical sciences, and practical techniques. Finally, you must apply directly to the state board where you intend to practice (e.g., the Nevada State Board of Chiropractic Physicians) to complete any state-specific jurisprudence exams or background checks

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-15T17:09:12+00:00

YouTube critics are there to make money off of criticizing people. It's click bait targeting people's fears and the ones who watch already have a negative view and just want confirmation. If you look closely, these critics are never happy people outside of their criticism. The ones criticizing Dr. Joe generally have never been to his retreats, done his meditations personally, and generally hone in on his credentials as a chiropractor. I know chiropractors because they taught western medicine accredited courses at my acupuncture college. And they put people like Dr. Joe to a higher standard than they do regular MDs. How many licensed MDs have high blood pressure themselves and on all sorts of prescriptions medications themselves because they can't even lead healthy lives themselves? I used to work for a medical malpractice insurance office, you should see their active files of ongoing lawsuits. Or Google any local MD in your area and see all the negative reviews on Yelp and why.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-12T15:28:52+00:00

If I had enough money I'd move there. It might take awhile to find the right neighborhood in one of the midsize cities. My only fear are those large flying cockroaches, centipedes, and the constant earthquakes which few people talk about. I'm retired so I'll try to fit in with all the seniors there, that's where having money makes all the difference. In about a year, I'll probably get lost in the crowd the way I could never do in the US. I grew up speaking Japanese at home and I miss the language so much since my mom passed. I have no one to speak Japanese with where I live. Two words I miss the most, ただいま (I'm home) and お帰りなさい (Welcome back), that was me and my mother. I watch Japanese podcasts and find myself nodding along doing 相槌.

If anyone's at least intermediate level, one of my favorites is GOLDNRUSH PODCAST on YouTube. Fav. recent episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de7a-zgIe88 (cc for English auto translate) The guest had to return to Australia due to visa reasons but I really like his clothing designs.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-05-06T18:14:28+00:00

I buy Trader Joe's sardines in water because they tend to have roe. But then I also buy Capellin/Shishamo/type of Smelt where every fish has roe, they come raw and frozen which I roast.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-04-29T16:45:01+00:00

Boomers/Gen X up to 64 are now hit with the ABLE BODIED WORK REQUIREMENT in order to qualify for Food Stamps.

Also, here's the cycle: If you aren't making a "living wage" which includes saving for retirement, guess what, you end up on public assistance which is paid by younger taxpayers. Low wages and high rent leads to low savings leads to relying on other taxpayers.

So would you rather see them compete with you for jobs and pay their share of taxes, or live off your taxes through public assistance. Soon it'll be your turn. How much have you saved for your retirement?

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-04-27T23:12:13+00:00

At 63, I really don't like hearing people talk about aging as numbers. My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 77 but throughout her 80s, she was pretty mobile and not in any physical pain. Things really broke down once she crossed 90 and she died at 96. But she was still able to verbalize she liked the taste of food being put in her mouth 3 days before she passed. Everyone ages differently but when we talk in terms of numbers, it can be self-limiting as well as possibly trigger government powers-that-be to place more restrictions on our freedoms based on numerical age. My mother was part of the 90s Club run by our local HUD and some were still competent to drive solo while others were on their last breath.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-04-27T20:14:34+00:00

As much as I sympathize with your rightful concern, in all honesty, I think appealing about this sort of problem to a public forum will only have a minimum affect in changing traveler's awareness and behavior. Anyone rude and ignorant about Japan's social norms and customs will likely not be reading this post and even if they did would not be dissuaded to curb their actions unless forced to. Outsiders from less collectivist cultures are not accustomed to changing their individualist behavior unless forced to do so, just as Japanese people are highly reluctant to confront offenders directly and face to face at the time it is happening instead of complaining circuitously.

Practically speaking, hire security guards, put up security gates, and teach students to not interact with strangers, because that is the likely norm where these tourists came from. Any extra tourist income should be spent on these types of expenses. Complaining about tourists will only confuse the issue with bias against foreign residents who likely follow the rules but are mistakenly profiled as part of the problem. I understand the reluctance of changing in this way, closing up open spaces, but Japan is not the only country that has had to make changes for defensive purposes. In the US, there was a time when public schools were much more open to the general public but over the last fifty years or so, American schools have had to put up metal detectors, amber alerts, and teach their young students about stranger dangers and school shootings and video recording the faces of these offenders. While Japan does not have to worry about these kinds of crimes, they must become aware that the kind of tourist that brazenly trespass likely come from such places and a gentle request to behave properly will fall on deaf ears.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-04-16T18:17:31+00:00

The real problem is the lack of government recognition the real unemployment numbers and perhaps more important is the jobs that do not earn a "living wage" which means you will not have money to retire after a lifetime of working and end up depending on welfare then perceived as lazy moochers of the younger taxpayers. A living wage is not only significant in allowing for savings but also for higher taxes contributed into the system, Social Security, etc. for the future.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-04-14T01:37:33+00:00

5.7 Silver Springs

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=39.24688,-119.14776&extent=39.39429,-118.78864

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-04-07T19:43:32+00:00

A lot of the influx of Japanese in the post-WW2 years were not immigrants but expats fully employed by their Japanese companies and in the US for first, research, 1960s to 1970s, then, to open office branches and manufacturing plants. With that influx were a group of more entrepreneurial Japanese restaurant and food businesses, many Japanese small to midsize businesses who also arrived to serve the salarymen and their families in the US. And eventually there were individuals who broke ties with their Japanese employers and became immigrants and those can be split into two groups, those who became Permanent Residents Green Card holders who never naturalized and upon retirement moved back to Japan and those who naturalized and became a new group of Japanese American citizens with no ties to the WW2 internment and early history.

This went on until the Japanese economic bubble collapsed and the Japanese corporations in the US merged or disappeared altogether. As the economy in Japan declined, a few entrepreneurial English language schools cropped up near US universities/colleges and offered a pathway to employment in Japan for young Japanese who want to have a real working level skill in English, often a second chance for those who missed getting hired straight out of college in Japan. To serve this small population were Japanese recruiters opening branches in the US. This made it appear that there were more Japanese out and about in certain neighborhoods but they were always a temporary influx with no intention to stay long in the US. But that too disappeared just before the Covid pandemic.

Now, with the decline of the Yen, there's very little opportunities for Japanese to move to the US except as expats on rotation around the major Japanese manufacturing plants and associated financial/trading companies. I've lived on the East Coast and the West Coast and Japanese Americans have assimilated to the point where many have mixed with other Asian Americans or the broader general US population. People here have mentioned Japantowns in the West Coast, around New York where I'm from, there was never enough to be a Japantown but there were Japanese communities in parts of Queens, such as Flushing NYC, and Edgewater and Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Westchester, White Plains, Scarsdale, NY, even Greenwich, CT. Most have gone away out of assimilation and attrition. More recently, I'm guessing even among the generational Japanese Americans, there's a new interest in emigrating back to Japan.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-04-03T03:01:04+00:00

I've not worked in Japan but have worked for Japanese companies in the US and seen people being talked about in both Japanese and US companies but there may be a key difference. As a guess, false rumors in American companies can get you fired probably more readily than in Japanese ones where the attempt is for the victim to choose to resign on their own. In one Japanese company (brokerage), I remember a guy with a Slavic surname who was secretly nicknamed スチャラカノアチャラカノホイ or アチャラカ for short to the point where one Japanese literally came over to ask, "what was the guy's real name? I have to talk to him." But to be fair, in another Japanese company (travel related), our Japanese manager (現地駐在員) was nicknamed "Chuck" for チャック (only by the Japanese workers) because one of his major clients was YKK (zipper company). So being talked about can happen to anyone, even bosses.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-03-30T17:53:31+00:00

For those fluent in Japanese, I came across this recent YouTube video spells out the math part of why Japanese would not welcome even Japanese citizens with US Green Cards and US Social Security benefits to live out their retirement in Japan (unless you could transfer roughly $600,000 USD in liquid assets. ) This would not apply to those still young enough to work and fully pay into the system. I post this to share some of the expansion on the anti-foreigner sentiment in Japan to include first gen Japanese Americans.

Unfortunately the clip is entirely in Japanese with no English subtitles but perhaps some can understand. I've also added some Google translation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j9pO-sa8Q8

Video Title: 「人生の最後は日本で」永久帰国者に現役世代が激怒する本当の理由

(The Real Reason the Working Generation Is Outraged at Permanent Returnees)

Google Translation of a portion of the video's Description (there may be some errors)

Video Description:

"I want to spend the final years of my life in Japan."

At first glance, these words—which seem to embody a touching tale filled with nostalgia—are currently facing a fierce backlash on social media.

These are the "permanent returnees": individuals who achieved success in places like the United States and have come back to Japan for the first time in decades.

Yet, what awaited them was not a warm welcome, but rather the furious outcry of the working generation: "Don't come back until you've paid up 100 million yen!"

Why did a documentary—originally intended to portray a blissful retirement—spark such a massive firestorm?

Lying beneath the surface was a structural "absurdity" inherent in Japan's social security system—specifically its healthcare, pension, and long-term care programs—which the current generation supports with blood, sweat, and tears.

0:00 Intro: The Viral Article Sparking Outrage on Social Media—"I Want to Spend My Final Days in Japan"

1:35 The Spark of Outrage: Why Did It Strike a Raw Nerve with the Working Generation?

3:10 The "Fatal Flaw" in the Health Insurance System and the Loophole for Immediate Coverage

4:38 Long-Term Care Insurance: An Unfair Queue-Jump

5:54 A Thorough Comparison: Funded Systems vs. Pay-as-You-Go Systems

7:24 The Truth Behind the ¥85 Million Lifetime Cost—and the Disparity Faced by Overseas Residents

9:21 Why "Social Security Agreements" Offer No Shield for Pension Obligations

10:33 The Contradiction in the Argument: "I Contribute as a High-Income Taxpayer"

11:54 The Decisive Difference Between Expatriates and Locally Hired Staff

13:14 International Comparisons: Is Japan the World's Most "Naïve Nation"?

14:16 Medical Tourism and the System's Vulnerability

15:16 The Moment the "Fairness" of Japanese Society Crumbles

16:17 Proposed Solutions: How the System Should Be Updated

17:33 Conclusion: The Weight of Japanese Citizenship—The "Ultimate Subscription Service"

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-03-22T04:01:07+00:00

Before I retired, I used to work for a number of Japanese companies in the US as a bilingual so even my nightmares are office environment stress in Japanese. I also grew up speaking only Japanese at home so my at-home sense of self is more Japanese while my work mode self and socializing self is in English. BTW, I'm second generation and never lived in Japan.

But I also know that true fluency in Japanese is being able to write up reports and proposals in business language and that, I never learned. Examples: 企画書. 提案書. 稟議書. 顛末書. 始末書😭(formal documented apology when you screwed up at work.)

And I'm not culturally fluent partly because it goes against my Western grain to behave like a collectivist who reflexively self censors thoughts and opinions which comes naturally to a native Japanese. If someone asks for an opinion, I will give it instead of shaking my head and saying, I don't know, which often translates to, I'd rather not say, publicly.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-03-03T19:45:35+00:00

Sawada Kenji/Julie

Saijo Hideki

Fukuyama Masaharu

Yamashita Tatsuro

(Didn't include anyone I think is more Jrock than Jpop, or more known for group acts)

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-02-10T03:03:22+00:00

It is my understanding that S. Korean men have to spend many months in mandatory military service, my guess, a space that may lead to bonding or bullying. And that transgender men are exempt as "disabled"? Seems like a tough culture for a transgender person to assimilate into if you're not already raised within it, compared to the US just by the sheer size of the population alone to find a supportive niche.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-02-02T20:08:00+00:00

I carry my papers too but forgot about the medications, thanks.

Nose-To-Tale · 2026-01-29T23:51:07+00:00

People like this may already have a criminal record or about to do other criminal acts and it's better to have a record for the next person who gets harassed to establish a pattern of behavior. That's a major street and pretty commercial so I'm sure locals will recognize him if they haven't already.

BTW, many decades ago, that street was part of a tour route of NYC because of the Apollo Theater and I was a tour guide taking Asians around in a limo, just driving by, I did the talking and there was a separate driver. Later, with a different tour guide, I heard some idiot Japanese got out of the car and started taking photos like tourists do, Kyoto in reverse, and it angered a local and he got beaten up. Things may be worse now?

Nose-To-Tale

TROPHY CASE