"I see," I say. And then I say, "I see." And a few more times as well.

"I see. I see. I see."

"You say, 'I see,' too much," says my wife, who has been eavesdropping as I spoke with my boss via telephone — a brief conversation spiced with multiple "I see"s, which is my translation of the Japanese expression, "naruhodo." As in: