Marketing Exec 1: Guys, we’re going to launch a Teriyaki pizza.
ME2: A what?
ME1: Teriyaki, it’s Japanese isn’t it?
ME2: Sweet! Have you thought about the advertising?
ME1: Yes… we want a nice oriental feel…
ME3: Like sliding paper screens?
ME4: And some nice bamboo sillhouettes?
ME1: Yes, that sort of thing.
ME2: Sweet! And can we draw* a Japanese letter on it too?
ME1: Definitely! Who knows any Japanese?
ME2&4: *tilt heads and suck teeth* swswswswswwwwwww…
ME3: Well Feng Shui is Japanese, isn’t it? And that has Japanese picture letters.
ME4: Oh yeah! *shows laptop with google image search* Look…
ME2: Sweet! I think the one on the right looks best.
ME4: I prefer the one on the left.
ME1: ME3? What about you?
ME3: Left.
ME1: Left it is. Yeah… that looks great!

(*’draw’ is a good verb to use instead of ‘write’ if you really want to wind Japanese people up about their writing)

Result:

“Give your pizza some wind! (cry of last desperate military charge)”

I am not one to laugh at others’ misfortune. Unless their misfortune is

a) caused by stupidity or lack of research
b) painful
and
c) permanent

I’m not sure exactly what this particular chap wanted his tattoo to say, maybe “World Peace” or “Love For Ever” or maybe he was going for “Strength of Many Men”.

You can clearly see from the closeup that what he got was 馬鹿外人 (baka gaijin) which means “Stupid Foreigner”.

Japanese-literate Tattoo Artist WIN!

D,

I won’t be able to make the networking meeting tonight – not through not wanting to. I was hoping to pop in for half an hour, but I have a meeting at 7pm and need to do some preparation for it. I hope the new venue is a suitable choice, and that a good number turn out. Hopefully see you soon,

Stu.

The reply…

Stu,

The meeting is next week (20th) is that any better for you?

D

D’oh! I swear that one day I will learn to read a diary.