my friend Irene says

Hi Ayuko,

As I was reading through the concerns in the second screenshot, I kept thinking, “That doesn’t sound like Ayuko… nope, not that one either…”all the way to the end. It’s honestly amazing to realise just how many milestones you’ve reached, many of which I had no idea about. It only made me admire you more.

You even don’t need a resume or data to prove your worth. Any employer would be lucky to have you. Why? Because you have such a genuine curiosity about everything. You’re open-minded, thoughtful, and culturally aware. You’re always ready to learn, no matter the topic, and you don’t just skim the surface, you dive deep. You put in the time, the research, the effort, and it shows. You become an expert fast, not just because you’re smart (though you are!), but because you work for it.

As someone who’s done 376 sessions with you over the past three years, I’ve seen your consistency and your calm determination. You don’t just achieve things because you’re talented, you do it through persistence, focus, and strong time and task management.

I vouch for you, wholeheartedly.

Best regards,

Irene

my friend Rebekah says

(Rebekah Kouy-Ghadosh https://kouyghadosh.com/)

Living in San Francisco, being tech savvy is almost a requirement. Although Ayuko lives in Japan, I feel like her technical knowledge and prowess would fit right in with all of the denizens here I encounter. I feel almost guilty at how little Japanese I know since she is the one to carry the conversation in perfect English. Beyond a technical understanding, she is an absolute gem of a human. She is thoughtful, kind, and funny. I am envious of her discipline and ability to be in the present while thinking ahead. Consider yourself lucky to have crossed paths with her. I know I am.

my friend YW says

Title: remote work superpowers

Ayuko has been my long-time accountability partner on an international platform. we’ve logged more than 534 sessions together over the years. I always feel supported when working with her; she is genuinely one of the nicest people I know. I can count on her to show up on time and follow through on whatever she has planned. Organized, cheerful, and reliable, she does some cool things: she loves reading, her English is excellent (also reading, writing in English), and she’s active on Duolingo, competitively learning German, French, and Italian. Her tech skills are great—she once decluttered and sold items on Mercari and seemed very good at it. Often on her computer writing, she’s clearly tech-savvy. Ayuko is also culturally sensitive and respectful of others’ backgrounds; she sometimes shares interesting places for me to visit in Japan. The accountability site draws users from around the world, and only open-minded people stick with it for long because of the diversity of backgrounds. When it comes to remote reliability, there’s no doubt: Ayuko is always on time and never late. I’d gladly keep working with her—she’s reliable, a great collaborator, and a good listener. Sometimes I get emotional and share personal stories or travel experiences; she always listens (hopefully she enjoys them, lol). I don’t know every detail of her life, but I do know how organized she is. She often buys plants or flowers and spreads good vibes to everyone.

today’s special

something new: a logic puzzle (making, not solving)
something read: “What My Bones Know” by Stephanie Foo and “The Healing Power of Storytelling” by Annie Brewster, a little bit of