Sleep-Deprived at a Web Conference

 After a small research meeting in Tokyo and a late dinner with colleagues, I returned home to Kamakura close to midnight.
Even when the train connections are smooth, Kamakura still feels far away at night.

I took a bath and fell asleep without difficulty. But around three in the morning, I woke up.

I remembered that the finals of the snowboarding and figure skating events were on, so I turned on the television. I drifted in and out of sleep, switching the TV on and off, never quite reaching deep rest. Morning arrived before I knew it.

Ironically, I missed most of the crucial moments in both events.

I would have liked to go back to sleep, but I had a web conference scheduled. So I stayed up and carried out my role as co-presenter and chair.

It was educational, as always. Still, with so little sleep, some parts did not quite settle into my mind.

I am sensitive to the cold and not particularly interested in winter sports. The Winter Olympics do not usually capture my attention. Yet once they begin, I find myself watching anyway.

There is something undeniably moving about young people giving their all.

At the web conference as well, younger colleagues were presenting. Watching them, I felt reassured about the future.

Even through sleepy eyes, it is encouraging to see the next generation steadily stepping forward.