November, 2011 | Everybody Else Is Already Taken

DSC00988 300x225 ANAs New Inspiration of Japan Services

LA Social Media heavy hitters

Do you fly often? Being a Japanese living in Canada, I go back home probably every other year. And that 10-hour flight can really drain you. Comparing airline experience is a pretty common thing among my Japanese friends living here. And even though I don’t go to Japan so often, flying has become part of my lifestyle. I love flying, and I like to do it as much as possible if it takes me to places I’d love to visit.

So you can imagine my excitement when ANA(All Nippon Airways) asked me to be their Brand Ambassador for their latest cabin services, Inspiration of Japan(IOJ)!

I attended ANA’s VIP launch event on Novemer 9th in LA. They had mock-ups of each class-First, Business and Economy. You can see the detailed specs for each classes here, but here is the summary:

295923 10150383024921443 553826442 8867779 1192042926 n 300x225 ANAs New Inspiration of Japan Services

ANA Business Class -Inspiration of Japan

-ANA FIRST SQUARE : Features taller-than normal partitions that enhances personalized spaces, 180 degrees full flat seat,(Yes, you can actually lie down.) World’s largest-in-class 23 inch LCD widescreen, Ample storage

-ANA BUSINESS STAGGERED: Features perfectly staggered layout so that every seat has an aisle access, 180 degrees full flat seat, World’s largetst-in-class 17 inch widescreen

-Economy Class features “Fixed Back Shell” seat where the seat slides forward without disturbing the passenger behind you, and footrest!

All class seats are equipped with iPod connector and USB port so that you can enjoy your own music or use your laptop. Oh, and First and Business class are equipped with Washlets(Fancy Japanese style toilet)…..it’s SO Japanese, isn’t it? (Sorry, I had to mention this.)

I had a great time at the launch event. It was great to meet many social media friends from LA area. We got to try each class mock-ups and check them out…I was particularly excited with their new economy class, as that’s I’m most likely to use. Footrest and sliding seats are such a great idea..Hello!

My friend Neal Schaffer is my partner on this LA-Narita route of Inspiration of Japan.

DSC00990 300x225 ANAs New Inspiration of Japan Services

Neal and me

We are flying to Japan in February on the Business Class with Cali Lewis and John Pozadzides from GeekBeat TV! It’s going to be one heck of a trip….I CAN’T WAIT!

DSC00992 300x225 ANAs New Inspiration of Japan Services

Calvin Lee @Mayhemstudios and @Mikeuesugi

Inspiration of Japan services will start its Los Angeles – Narita route, operated with the Boeing 777-300ER on January 21, 2012.

For more information about ANA’s Inspiration of Japan services, check their website.

DSC00965 300x225 Whos going to do this for you?

One of the awesome people I met, Jacquline Carly

Already, I’ve been back from LA for well over a week. I attended BlogWorld and New Media Expo LA (BWELA) 2011 from Nov 3-5.

I had attended Blog World last year in Las Vegas, and although I made many new friends, I personally felt like I’ve “been there, done that.” It was fun, but not necessary to attend again, especially when I am not exactly in “the industry”.

However, my perception slowly changed over the last few months. I believe it’s thanks to Google Plus that I started to feel like I’m part of the industry, part of a community. (Interestingly enough, that is the topic Russel and I talked about in our last Getting Engaged episode, but seriously, I didn’t link them together until I started writing this post.)

I made many new virtual friends on G+. And many people I like and look up to were supposed to be at BWELA, I started to really wanting to attend the conference. Coincidentally, I had an event to attend in LA few days after BWELA, so I had to be in LA anyway. But being a single mom, it’s not easy coming up with the means. After looking into several options, I had quietly given up.

Couple of weeks have passed, and I was surprised to catch myself still being upset about not going. I had even entered contests to win a pass for BWELA. I didn’t win. I was like a little kid pouting.

One afternoon, I was reading in the bath. It was a nice sunny day, and for me, having a relaxing bath in the middle of the day is one of my favourite things to do. (I love it, it’s my thing, let it go.) I was reading Jonathan Field’s Uncertainty(Affiliate link).
And suddenly something hit me. “Why CAN’T I go? What is stopping me?”

Nobody had told me I couldn’t go. The person who said no to me was myself. I was blaming everything but myself for not being able to go.

I got out of the bath, and after a few emails and phone calls later, I was pretty much set up to go by the evening.

Yes, I had no guarantee I’d come back with something tangible like a new prospect or contract. Yes, it was financially risky for me to make a 8-day trip. All I knew was that I really wanted to go. Others might laugh at my desire to attend a mere conference, but it was obiously a big deal for me.

So I went. And what happened?

I got to see many of my favourite people. People who inspire me. To be inspired – is probably the most important thing for me. I’m always looking for an inspiration. (Especially, meeting this guy was the highlight of my trip.) I’ve learned a lot from all the sessions I’ve attended. And I made a whole a lot of new friends. It was absolutely amazing.

On a personal note, I also found somebody very special. But you need to buy me a drink to hear that story.

Lesson I learned from this entire experience is, that you need to make things happen for yourself. That nobody is going to do it for you.

I’ve decided to lean into uncertainty and let the world take me wherever it leads…and I am so glad I did.