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Yes. I have started counting down the days knowing that full bloom is still weeks away. It’s hard to avoid when shops have stocked their shelves with tempting ‘sakura’ items. Various goods range from tumblers and stationery, to teas, sweets and yes…even beer!

I look forward to cherry blossoms every year and enjoy picnics under the trees with my family and friends watching the lovely petals flutter down. I also love what it evokes – saying goodbye to the end of life’s many cycles and welcoming the beginning of new things to come. It’s beautiful.

There are a couple of famous songs I like listening to around this time of year. I really like Kobukuro’s Sakura song. The lyrics are melancholic, but the singer’s voice and the music is really moving. Ikimonogakari’s Sakura song is another one I like. It’s not as sad as Kobukuro’s song, but more reminiscent about events that have passed, and hopeful about the promises that we hold on to.

Do you have a favorite song about cherry blossoms?

What do you think about robots?

Recently Disney revealed that it is researching the possibility of using artificial intelligence in it’s theme parks. One of the main purposes of this is for children to engage more in storytelling. It is the current practice in theme parks such as Disney to employ people to dress in costumes of popular Disney characters and interact with visitors. It is certainly a practice which can enhance both a child’s and an adult’s experience at the park.

Do you think that this kind of development would increase the “magic” of Disney? Or, do you think that the addition of robots is a little disconcerting? What other jobs do you think robots will be doing in the future?

It’s no surprise to anyone that we are living in a digital age, where a large percentage of what we consume is located on our computers, phones and other devices. Technology has advanced before our eyes and has become ubiquitous to the point of hourly use. This has most noticeably affected our entertainment: movies and TV shows are now streamed from online services, music files are purchased and downloaded, text from books can be “flipped through” on devices like the Kindle etc. Since I grew up with shelves full of game cartridges, CDs, books of all sizes and many other cherished physical artefacts, I now struggle with my mixed feelings towards purchasing digital versions even though I recognise the convenience of doing so.