From: kuno@gssm.otsuka.tsukuba.ac.jp (Yasushi Kuno)
Subject: Looking for a Japanese Pen-Pal
Followup-To: fj.misc
Organization: GSSM Otsuka, Univ. of TSUKUBA, Tokyo, Japan
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 04:41:42 GMT

$B5WLn$G$9!#(J

  $B@hF|!";d$N$H$3$m$X!VF|K\?M$N(J(e-mail$B$G$N(J)$BJ8DLAj<j$r5a$a$F$$$k$s(J
$B$G$9$1$I(J...$B!W$H$$$&%a!<%k$,Mh$^$7$?!#;d$O?=$7Lu$J$$$1$I$A$g$C$H(J
$B1sN8$5$;$FD:$-$?$$$1$l$I!"(Jfj$B$GC5$7$?$iJ8DL$7$F$b$$$$$H$$$&?M$,$$(J
$B$k$+$bCN$l$J$$!"$H$*JV;v$7$^$7$?$i!"$<$R$=$&$7$FM_$7$$!"<+J,$N%a!<(J
$B%k$r%]%9%H$7$FM_$7$$!"$H$$$&$3$H$G$7$?$N$G!"$3$3$K%]%9%H$5$;$FD:(J
$B$-$^$9!#;d$+$i$b$*4j$$$7$^$9!#$I$J$?$+H`(J(Richard$B$5$s(J)$B$K%a!<%k$r(J
$B:9$7>e$2$F$_$F$$$?$@$1$^$9$+!#(J

		$B7k9=LLGr$=$&$G$b$"$j$^$9$1$I$M!#(J	    $B5WLn(J

P.S. $B$I$N%0%k!<%W$,$$$$$+LB$C$?$N$G(Jfj.net-people$B$H(Jfj.misc$B$K$7$F!"(J
     Followup-To: fj.misc$B$K$7$F$"$j$^$9!#(J

------------------
Return-Path: rwruther@vela.acs.oakland.edu
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1992 15:24:10 -0400
From: Richard Rutherford <rwruther@vela.acs.oakland.edu>
Message-Id: <199209211924.AA22070@vela.acs.oakland.edu>
To: kuno@gssm.otsuka.tsukuba.ac.jp
Subject: email-pal

   I want to make a friend in Japan, I need to make a friend in Japan.

        My instructor at Oakland University, Michigan, has said that if
any individual in the class (IS 220, Japanese culture) can establish an
on going relationship with some person from Japan, this individual
qualifies for "extra credit". I expect to need "extra credit". If I
could get it, I would want extra "extra credit". But since there is only
"extra credit" I want to try to get that.

        I have asked the INSTRUCTOR if I could establish this friendship
over the net. She needed some convincing, but has said it is a right and
proper thing to do, and to go ahead with the next step. This is it.

        I am 46 years old. I have lived in Michigan, USA all my life. I
am going to school, BS in computer science by '94 I hope. I also hope to
know a friend in Japan by then. Naturally, I have information to
exchange about the local customs, what "we" do here after dinner for
instance. Just about any subject is fine with me. Hopefully, there will
be some counterpart in Japan that I can report about. But what I am
really looking forward to is the possibility of making a new friend,
someone I have never seen, from a country half way around the world.


                                Richard Rutherford
------------------
Return-Path: rwruther@vela.acs.oakland.edu
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1992 19:45:52 -0400
From: Richard Rutherford <rwruther@vela.acs.oakland.edu>
Message-Id: <199209242345.AA24068@vela.acs.oakland.edu>
To: kuno@gssm.otsuka.tsukuba.ac.jp

Dear Yasushi,
        Thank you for the prompt reply to my email plea. I appreciate
the responce very much.
        Yes, it is true that I am an older student, but I have
experience in life which can not be gained from memorizing text books
and this helps me a great deal.
        I would be delighted if you would post my previous posting to
your school's bboard, or fj.net-people. I will try to answer all who
care to reply.
        You have asked for more information, my profession, my
interests, and some idea of what information I am able to supply friends
in Japan.
         First of all, I am changing my profession, that is why I am
attending Oakland University. My previous work centered around repair of
industrial equipment, specifically three phase electric motors. I have
installed thousands of field windings in such motors. But the work was
physically demanding and I have required total spinal fusion because of
degeneration of my spinal discs. Therefore, I have decided to pursue a
career as an embedded systems programmer, specifically for real time
process control.
        My interests include, music, UNIX, and mechanical fabrication. I
have been in several bands, my current one has five members and we play
electric Chicago style blues music. I play guitar, bass, and keyboards.
(Not all at the same time!) I amuse myself by learning the UNIX system,
I have a computer at home and it has a modem. I dial in to Vela, one of
the computers at Oakland University, through Merit. Merit is a local
computer which allows dial out to other computers without long distance
phone charges. And, I enjoy creating electronic-mechanical devices. I
have built a functional tracking solar collector, a serial to parallel
converter, and I also alter guitar amplifiers.
        I would be able to exchange information about the subjects above
with someone who has similar interests, as well as inform him/her about
daily news, and events, from the standpoint of an actual American... not
through the world news media! I can also offer personal opinions and
insights about popular culture, geography, politics, ... the list is
endless. I am curious about how an individual in Japan
interacts with his/her environment, and can reply with details about my
own. How does one sees ones self in relation to the group. Is Shinto,
Buddhism, Christianity, practiced simultaneously by an individual, as my
instructor relates? (It is not common to profess to more than one
"faith" in the Unite States.) I have many questions such as these that
are generated, then answered by my professor according to an educated
American's views of Japan/Japanese. I would like to hear answers and
comments from a Japanese directly!
        I hope by this experience to have made a friend in Japan that I
can exchange email with regularly, one that will enjoy corresponding in
this modern way. Thank you again for your help.


                                Richard Rutherford
------------------

Newsgroups: fj.net-people