The Parade of Coworkers (1) The Big Old Boss

In the next few posts I would like to introduce you to the few main players in my new Japanese life (ups, did I say "life"? I meant "job"!).

Let me introduce my first coworker, The Big Old Boss.

He has got white hair and has already retired once.

Btw. do you know what is an appropriate phrase in Japan to congratulate someone on their retirement?
"You must be very tired!"
I am kidding you not!

The Big Old Boss looks like an Old Chief of a Native American Tribe. When he was sixty five he had to retire from a national university and he moved to a private university, where he brought a lot of money and set up the "Institute of Advanced Science" in his scientific method.

He did postdocs in America and in Germany and is very "Westernized" in his ways, as my Previous Boss from UK describes him. He is very philosophical, and in the MBTI type he has a strong Feeling preference (this is from my observation, not any formal analysis). His English is top-notch. Beautiful, careful, eloquent, with extensive vocabulary. Speaking with him I feel understood, but I do not get many opportunities to do it.

Unfortunately he is not the best with expressing his scientific ideas in speech. He does not use precise enough language. He is the Big Ideas person. Not so much interested in details. And I have so many details right now that need sorting out. I guess he will feel my pain, but won’t be of much practical help.

He has been postponing any sort of meeting with me to discuss what I should be doing or issues that relate to the project since I came here a month ago. I get to change a few word with him at lunch time or after group meeting and he keeps saying he will have time for me soon. He is more interested in solving my struggles with everyday Japanese life and with this he had been quite helpful.

He is very passionate about his science and I am greatly impressed by his in-depth knowledge of not only one, but several topics that are related to his research.

Maybe his view is a little skewed towards basic science of his discipline. He largely neglects biology, such as genetics or systems biology, and I have seen him trying to criticize a presentation on a subject which he could not understand, he did not want to give up on his unfounded criticism (note to myself: can be stubborn). But overall, a great man!

Note: If he is not away at the conference somewhere, or just finishing a grant application for the deadline, he is busy anyway.