I can understand why plums are often included in still life paintings. They are very beautiful.
Tokyo summers are dreadful. June brings rain, then July and August follow with their hot and humid glory.
There are plenty of distractions to keep people's spirits up. The cool blue and white patterned cotton of summer kimono; paper fans emblazoned with advertising and handed out on busy streetcorners; the delicate tinkling of glass windchimes. Nature is reproduced on the stuff of daily life--dishes, towels, clothing, linens.
Morning glories have their own summer fetivals. It's cool enough to enjoy an early morning flower festival. Thousands of pots of flowers turning their faces to the sun is a sight to see.
And at night, fireworks turn the sky into a garden of fire. There are a dozen fireworks festivals scattered around Tokyo this year. Some will attract 850,000 people. Sitting among them, it is amazing to hear the crowd fall silent as the show begins. The collective gasp at the first explosion echoes across the banks of the river.
So it's hot, but pretty. Japanese tempers never flare, like mine does. The only cranky Japanese person I've ever witnessed was 2 years old. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Trash day BASENAME: trash_day STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 07/24/2000 06:56:04 AM ----- BODY: Trash day and I'm up early to walk it down the block to the pickup point. All the neighbors put their trash in the same place (a big pile near a stone wall by the grocery store) and the little garbage truck comes to collect it. The trucks are cute--they are bright blue with the boxy, curved shape of a garbage truck but the size of a large pickup. Tokyo streets are very narrow; an American garbage truck would rip the walls off houses here.
We separate our gomi (garbage) into categories which are picked up on different days. Here in Sendagi, burnable trash is Monday and Thursday mornings. Non-burnables are Wednesday. Saturday is recyclables--glass, cans & newspaper. PET bottles and plastic shopping bags have drop-offs at convenience stores. If you have daigomi (big garbage) you have to call to make special arrangements.
There's not much of a resale economy here, though that is changing somewhat now that the economy has had a run of slow years. Back in the "Bubble Years" of the late 80's and early 90s, people had tons of disposable income and their slightly used or out-of-date material goods became disposable, too. Non-burnable trash days sparked urban legends (some true, no doubt). Stereo equipment, furniture, small electronics, kitchen appliances all in good working order, but no longer the fasionable color or model, would end up on the trash pile--a garbage picker's paradise. When we first arrived, I rescued some childrens books, but that's the best coup I've made on trash day. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Househunting in one syllable BASENAME: househunting_in_one_syllable STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 07/25/2000 09:16:24 AM ----- BODY: Yesterday I spent 4 monosyllabic hours in a car with my realtor.
Perhaps that is a slight exaggeration; I do know a words of more than one syllable which I proved by repeating them. hiroi...akarui...kitanai...semai...
We visited five places yesterday. One won't be vacated until the end of July, so we just peeked at the outside. Of the other four, none really lit my fire. They were all OK in their way and horribly ordinary.
I like extraordinary living spaces. I also like places that are old and a little bit run-down. Already broken in. Buildings with character.
I videoed each place, to help me remember what each was like. After one or two showings, it gets hard to remember details. Which one had the chartruese bathroom? One of them had a dishwasher, right? Was there a phone jack in the bedroom? Tod viewed the tape and concurred--there's no match for us here.
So it's back to the drawing board--again. I will search at i-Size and at Chintai to see if there is anything new on the market. But I think the places I would like will come to me through word of mouth or serendipity, not from an Internet search engine.
If there's a Housing Fairy, I hope she leaves me a key under my pillow tonight. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Six month split BASENAME: six_month_split STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 07/26/2000 07:43:05 AM ----- BODY: Since I first read about them in classic novels, I've envied the jet-setters who split their year between two countries. Whether they were doing New York & Paris in the 1890s, or LA & New York in the 1990s, there's something about that ability to be settled, yet have change, that is extremely appealing.
And what an ideal solution for my "where am I going to live" dilemma. I can live in two places! Spend the summer in Chicago with Tod, then move to Tokyo for the winter. Maybe Tod would even come with...
Honestly, I think this may be the best solution we're going to see. Four years of discussion have yielded nothing like a single compromise city. Or even a shared country. Why not decide to make the best of both favorite places?
Being normal people, not characters in an Edith Wharton novel or members of the Screen Actor's Guild, we need to continue making a living. That will be challenging. Time to build up my international reputation as a writer; make a huge success of my book; take up the lecture circuit. Something.
There has to be a way to make this happen. Short of becoming lottery winners, I mean. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Another day, another realtor BASENAME: another_day_another_realtor STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 07/27/2000 08:40:46 AM ----- BODY: Another day, another realtor
The day before yesterday, I got an unexpected phone call from Yoshii-san at Relocation House who had faxed me a floorplan a couple of weeks ago. I had made an inquiry about a house through one of the realty databases on the Internet and now Yoshii-san was following up to see if I was interested in seeing the place. I couldn't recall exactly which plan it was, and I couldn't quickly lay my hands on it (the pile of faxes on my desk is about three centimeters deep). It was easier to arrange an appointment with him than to try to explain my predicament. Goodness knows I've seen plenty of bad houses; if this was among them, it wouldn't matter.
Luckily for me, it wasn't bad at all. In fact, this out-of-the-blue place turned out to be surprisingly nice. It has reached the top of my list, in fact. Admittedly, that's not saying much, but this place was good. It had a nice blend of Western and Japanese tastes, it was large enough, bright and sunny. It isn't quite as excellent as the current house, but I could live there happily enough.
There are a few more places to visit in the next week or so. After that, I'm hoping that I will be able to make a decision and get this move out of the way. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Semi shigure BASENAME: semi_shigure STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 07/28/2000 08:14:25 AM ----- BODY: "Semi shigure" describes the shower of cicada song that fills the air in midsummer. It is a perfect 5 syllables, just right for haiku.
Haiku, in case you've forgotten from your 8th grade English composition class, is a three line poem with a 5-7-5 syllable pattern. The poem must include words to invoke time, particularly a season. The words are often the names of plants or animals that are associatated with a certain time of year.
Oogoe de
Ame ga futeiru
Semi shigure
That's one of my own haiku which loosely translated means "Rain is falling with a loud voice, cicada showers." Haiku are difficult to write. The best ones are oblique; mine are always too direct. I claim it has to do with my lack of vocabulary, but my English ones are too direct as well. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Screaming sirens BASENAME: screaming_sirens STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 07/29/2000 06:36:44 AM ----- BODY: Over the past few days, we seem to have entered siren season. There have been an excessive number of screaming sirens rushing past our house.
It started on Thursday when a cavalry of fire trucks flew past, decelerated and parked themselves across the street from Ban Ban Bazaar, a dry goods shop a block down the road. With the good timing that comes of procrastination, I had some dry goods on my shopping list, so I went out to buy them and to spectate with the crowd of neighbors. No idea what was going on, though. There was no smoke, no fire; I couldn't even tell which building the firemen were interested in. They were milling around as aimlessly as the onlookers.
Later that afternoon and every day since at least one each of police, ambulance and fire trucks have rifled past at top speed and top volume. Sirens aren't enough in Japan, the drivers also have a loudspeaker system that they use to continuously ask the drivers and pedestrians to move out of the way. It's always very polite, of course, when you can understand the rapid, overamplified speech. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Substitution of ingredients BASENAME: substitution_of_ingredients STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food CATEGORY: Food DATE: 07/31/2000 07:01:11 AM ----- BODY: Substitution of ingredients is a fine art.
My collection of cookbooks contains a number of books purchased at the source. Thai cookbooks from Thailand; Singaporean food information direct from Singapore. The recipes they contain are completely authentic, down to odd local measures, seasonal vegetables with unpronouncable names, and spices that exist only in a two kilometer radius of the author's home. Trying to cook from them here in Japan is a challenge.
Last night we had friends over for a barbecue. Tod settled on satay, spiced beef on skewerd served with a chili-peanut sauce. I made gado-gado and compressed rice patties to accompany it. It was delicious, but not quite the same as when we made it in Singapore.
Shopping for exotic groceries here is a multi-step process. In Pittsburgh, I might spend a morning in the Strip, asking for something at all the oriental groceries there. But here, not only do I have to try to find blacan, a hard block of dried shrimp paste used in the gado-gado sauce, but I have to translate it into Japanese. How does it sound? What kanji might be used on the label--shrimp, dry, black, sauce, spice, foul-smelling? I haven't yet found the Tokyo equivalent of Pittsburgh's wide-ranging food wholesale district so my searching is confined to local markets or else takes me zigzagging across the entire city.
I suppose it could be worse. I have a few cookbooks in my collection that offer Asian recipes from an American perspective. They are quite amusing. "Asian barbeque sauce" combines tomatoes, green peppers and pineapple. I've never seen that in any part of Asia I've visited. The authors have obviously rewritten recipes to suit American tastes and ingredients. Ironically, I can't find their substitutions in Tokyo. I'll stick with the originals. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Commuting in Tokyo BASENAME: commuting_in_tokyo STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/01/2000 07:17:30 AM ----- BODY: Commuting in Tokyo can be a major part of a person's day.
From door to desk, the commute to Tod's office is about 25 minutes. 6 minutes to the subway + 5 minutes to wait for the train + a 9 minute ride + 4 minutes to the office. We think this is a reasonable commute, but we pay the price in high rent.
Others prefer a lower rent with a longer commute. If we were to live 60 minutes away, we could rent a comparable house for around 60,000 yen ($600) less than what we pay now. Is the shorter commute worth 2,000 yen a day? I think so.
Yesterday I met a woman whose objective isn't time or rent, but living outside Tokyo. She lives in Fujisawa, about 50 kilometers southwest of the city. It's pretty in Fujisawa--lots of trees and greenery. But it is a long, expensive trip in to work--from Fujisawa to Otemachi is no less than 70 minutes on the train. One-way train fare is 1,100 yen.
People generally do not drive themselves to work. Perhaps for a special event--leaving for holiday right after work, or bringing something heavy or bulky into the office--but commuters take trains here. If you're riding in a car to work, you are probably being chauffered. There are plenty of big black sedans toting around the chairmen and presidents of large corporations. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Business cards BASENAME: business_cards STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/02/2000 07:11:57 AM ----- BODY: Above and beyond the simple task of providing names and addresses, the business card is an invaluable resource in Japan.
For business transactions the card, called a meishi in Japanese, lets you know exactly who you are dealing with. A junior associate, the section leader, the big boss? This is an important clue to your relative worth as a client.
Business cards are used in personal transactions, too. I have dozens of cards from friends and acquaintances. The best cards are those with people's personal e-mail and phone numbers handwritten on them. That is a good clue that the owner of the card welcomes you to contact him or her.
Meishi also help remind me where I've shopped and eaten. The little Italian bistro in Nakameguro, the Greek restaurant in Shibuya. The pigment store near Nezu station.
When I'm researching an article about an area of Tokyo or any aspect of Japan, I end up with a pile of meishi related to my research.
The cards you collect are your network. A good group of cards can help you to find a solution to anything in a hurry. But you'll only find the cards you need if they are neatly organized.
I used to have all my cards in a pile in my desk drawer. But the pile grew into an unwieldy mess. Fortunately, it was easily tidied. The stationery industry has an entire class of business card holders--binders of various sizes & shapes with pockets to slide the cards into. Personally, I prefer a card file to a card binder because it's easier to move things around in a card file. Re-alphabetising my binder is a pain in the patoot! But I do have a binder and I will need another one soon; my collection of cards never stops growing. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Critics wanted BASENAME: critics_wanted STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing CATEGORY: Books and Writing DATE: 08/03/2000 08:39:43 AM ----- BODY: Critics wanted.
My book of essays about life in Japan is nearly completed. The first draft is finished and I'm rewriting and editing it into somehting I think is in top form. But I've been looking at it too closely for too long. I need some feedback from you.
Would you like to read an essay or two (about 1500 words each) and send me your comments? Be brutal, nitpick, tell me what doesn't make sense, point out my grammatical errors and inconsistencies! Is the writing interesting or is this ideal bedtime reading?
I'll send you an essay by e-mail if you e-mail me at kristen@lm.com. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: al fresco dinner BASENAME: al_fresco_dinner STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/04/2000 06:31:46 AM ----- BODY: "Let's have dinner al fresco. We can sit outside at T.Y. Harbor," I suggested.
So as the sun cast a fuschia lining on a grey cloud, we sat at the intersection of the Tennozu & Takahama Canals, sipping freshly brewed microbeer and nibbling California cuisine.
We watched the sun set; the sky shaded into deep indigo and an orange crescent moon rose over the bridge. On the canals, low barges lit with paper lanterns cruised past with cargoes of revellers.
Starlings circled a nearby apartment complex, tight whorls of lightning fast flight, before settling in a tree and raising a din. We were far enough removed to enjoy the chirping, but the tenants of the apartments were turning up their TVs.
When dark became profound, we found our way to a nearby train station. The route was new to us, but a steady stream of people, like ants following their trail home, flowed over bridges, through intersections, into office buildings, up escalators and finally through a long, covered walkway that passed over construction sites and around buildings to end at the station. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Chibikko, baby hotelier BASENAME: chibikko_baby_hotelier STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/05/2000 07:31:01 AM ----- BODY: "Our next guest is only 3 years old," the bubbly woman TV announcer cooed.
[cut to TV crew approaching door of resort hotel]
"Irrashaimase!" two women in komono bow to their guests in greeting.
"Irrashaimase!" a tiny voice joins in, a half a beat too late.
[camera tilts down to see Chibikko-chan, dressed in a bright yellow kimono, bowing to the arriving guests just like her mother and gransmother]
Chibikko is astonishingly well trained. She helps out all over her family's hotel--cheerfully greeting guests, which she says is her favorite task, turning slippers towards the door in the onsen's lobby and pressing the elevator buttons. She knows all the right polite phrases to say, even bowing and saysing "Go-yukuri kudasai" (Please enjoy yourself) as the elevator doors close.
In the dining room, she carefully carries trays of green tea and hot hand towels to diners. Her step is sure and she places the tray on the table exactly the right way, setting it down on the table, then sliding it into position in front of the customer.
For the benefit of the TV audience, she was sent on an errand. She took a nine minute walk alone (except for the camera crew who followed her) to the local farmer's stand. She bought two onions and asked for a receipt. The farmer tried to slip a little gift--a cucumber--into her bag, but she plucked it out and saying "No, thank you." Then she walked home, trailed by the camera crew, to give her grandmother the onions. Reward? A pat on the head. Good girl. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Over 6 feet BASENAME: over_6_feet STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/06/2000 10:05:59 AM ----- BODY: They towered head and shoulders above the crowd. Half a dozen of them loped across a crowded intersection as I watched. They looked like off-the-scale plots on a scatter graph.
Who were these Goliaths?
I ran into them again at the train station. Six men, each well over 6 feet tall, not one under 200 lbs of beefy muscle. They were huge men by any standards but simply astonishing in this land of the 5'6" male.
But who were they?
I realised I was staring when one of them caught my eye. Damn, busted! But as I smiled and turned away, I saw the clue that put it all together for me. On a t-shirt the size of a pup tent, I read "Atlanta Falcons Training Camp."
They were American pro football players. The American Bowl game, between the Falcons & the Dallas Cowboys is this morning (scheduled for convenient prime time, live broadcast to the US).
I'm not the only one who noticed the difference in size. Jamal Anderson, running back for the Falcons, quipped to a Japanese TV reporter, "In Japan, I'm bigger than Godzilla." You've got to wonder whether he was talking about size or popularity? ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Redelivery BASENAME: redelivery STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/07/2000 06:19:22 AM ----- BODY: Another form in the mailbox.
I never seem to be home when packages arrive, so I often see the mailman's special slip telling me he'll be back. This one was a little different, though. It was from the Kuroneko takuhaibin (courier) service.
Essentially, these forms are the same. They tell what time they tried to deliver and give instruction on how to arrange redelivery. But the courier services, who offer speedy delivery, allow you to phone the courier's cellphone to arrange a convenient time directly.
Printed in very careful handwriting underneath the courier's phone number, was "I don't speak English."
The courier made a follow up call and left a message on my machine. In addition to giving the basic information about my package in Japanese, he added " I dontu speeku Engrish. I'm sorri."
So this morning I must call the terrified courier and persuade him, in Japanese, to deliver my box. I hope I manage to be an acceptable ambassador for my English-speaking clan. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Gang shoot-out? BASENAME: gang_shoot-out STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/08/2000 06:51:08 AM ----- BODY:
HEADLINE: 2 killed in Tokyo gang shoot-out
Are?!? Shoot-out? Guns are illegal in this country! What shocking news. I read on to discover that the shoot-out was one way. The other combatants were armed with swords.
A dozen sword-wielding yakuza went to settle the score over a business issue with the crazy people who drive the loudspeaker trucks. I always knew those creepy black trucks were bad news.
Converted buses, painted top-to-toe in black with rightist slogans painted on in white and flags flying, roam around Tokyo. The people inside shout epithets through the loudspeakers.
"Return the Kuril Islands!"
"Foreigners, Go Home!"
"America is the Evil Empire!"
And now it turns out they have guns in addition to their wacky rightist sentiments. Yikes! Oddly enough, I am not at all bothered by the yakuza with swords and knives. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Conbini run BASENAME: conbini_run STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/09/2000 06:37:12 AM ----- BODY: "I wonder if they recognise us?" Tod wondered about the clerks at our local 7-11.
Of course they do, we go in there every night and buy the same thing. Two cups of Kudamono Daisuki. We call it Frozen Fruits.
Kudamono Daisuki means "I love fruit" and it is a wonderful dessert made of slices of apple and orange plus whole strawberries. Each bit of frozen fruit is coated in a millimeter of fruit ice. It's just the thing for a hot summer evening.
So this season, when we ask one another "do you want dessert?" it invariably means Frozen Fruits and a trip to the 7-11. Of course the clerks recognise us!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Plums
BASENAME: plums
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 08/10/2000 06:57:16 AM
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BODY:
I can understand why plums are often included in still life paintings. They are very beautiful.
For the next few weeks, plums will grace the tables of our local fruit store and our dining table. These plums are not the shiny, tight-skinned, full-to-bursting black globes I used to eat in the US.
These are yellow-green with blushes of pink, coated in a layer of fine white dust. Others are the color of a bruise, spreading purple with flesh tones underneath and the same layer of white powder that vanishes under your fingertips.
These are the plums of 17th century Dutch painters who paid such particular attention to detail--the fly on the pear, the lizard on the wall, the frost on the plum.
They are the plums of my dinner. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: ne, ne, ne BASENAME: ne_ne_ne STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/11/2000 06:24:45 AM ----- BODY: I don't know who dreamed up the idea that Japanese needs to be softened when spoken, but I'd like to box his ears.
It's fine to write "Atsui desu," it's hot. But if you're saying that, or almost anything else that expresses an opinon, you must add "ne" at the end. "Atsui desu, ne...." Draw out the "ne" for added squishy fun.
Heaven forbid you ever express your desires without adding the bells and whistles. "Atarashiku kutsu kaitai desu," I want to buy new shoes, becomes the spoken "Atarashiku kutsu kaitai-n desu ga..."
I forget. In my excited rush to communicate, I form a sentence and blurt it out. I coo "The kitten is very cute" without the "ne." People look at me askance. Apparently, leaving off "ne" is the verbal equivalent of TYPING WITH THE CAPS LOCK ON, ne... ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Long distance communication doesn't BASENAME: long_distance_communication_doesnt STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: 1 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 08/12/2000 07:24:55 AM ----- BODY: Long distance communication doesn't always use the Trans-Atlantic cable.
I often dream at night. Vivid technicolor visions with sounds and lght. Sometimes good, sometimes scary. Sometimes just bizarre. Last night's dream featured my friend, Mike, who is getting married soon. I dreamed that were were standing in my kitchen here in Tokyo, talking about the wedding.
When the sun shone in my window and I woke up, I brewed some coffee and downloaded my e-mail. Voila, a long missive from Mike, talking about the wedding. Same topics covered in dream and mail.
This isn't the first time this has happened. Perhaps my brain is polling my inbox through the night and getting topics for dreams out of the things people write to me.
Jung would love this. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: The Kanda River BASENAME: the_kanda_river STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 08/13/2000 09:04:09 AM ----- BODY: The Kanda River is not a big river nor is it terribly important as rivers go. But it is the closest river to home and last night when I wanted to see some water (other than in the bathtub), that's where I headed.
Tokyo, being on a bay as it is, has an astounding number of waterways wending their way towards the ocean. Over the years as the city grew, many of them were redirected, diverted or otherwise tamed with human intervention. Today Tokyo is crisscrossed with a network of walled-in streams, creeks and rivers.
Where the expressway turns south toward the city, the river continues east. A tributary, so completely subdued that it looks like the exit of a parking garage, empties into the river.
I wonder if Tokyo uncovered all its rivers whether people would start taking boats to work, like in Bangkok and Venice?
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TITLE: Press holidays
BASENAME: press_holidays
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/14/2000 06:19:26 AM
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Press holidays in Tokyo mean no newspapers.
I begrudgingly admire the Japanese newspaper union. They negotiated an interesting contract. On the second Sunday of every other month, everyone in the newspaper industry takes a holiday. That means there are no newspapers whatsoever on the second Monday of every other month.
For me, it simply means that I read something else at lunchtime and that I get my news online. But what about the thousands of newspaper vendors who hawk papers and snacks at train stations? I hope they do a brisk business in gum and breath mints today.
Another population that feels a serious impact from the lack of newspapers is the TV show hosts. Most mornings they spend hours dissecting the headlines. They even clip articles and tape them to posterboard, highlighting key passages. The cameramen gleefully zoom in to extreme close-ups to let the audience read along as the host talks and the (invariably) young, beautiful, female assistant chimes in with "So desu ne..." for effect.
It's a shame the TV-hosts-and mint-seller's union hasn't negotiated as well as the newspaper union. The second Monday of every other month should be a holiday for them.
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What do we do without newspapers?
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TITLE: Two earthquakes
BASENAME: two_earthquakes
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/15/2000 06:50:14 AM
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Two earthquakes in 12 hours.
Yesterday afternoon everything in my office trembled then lept up as if frightened. Things quickly settled back down except for me. I logged into the Tenki quake page to see what I'd just experienced.
So not a big earthquake, but nearby. Chiba is Tokyo's eastern neighbor.
At 3:55 this moring, I was shaken awake. In my groggy state, it felt like another vertical movement of about the same intensity as the afternoon quake. Since it stopped quickly, I went back to sleep and checked Tenki in the morning.
Once again, pretty small but close. Ibaraki is Tokyo's northern neighbor.
Perhaps there will be one to the west today. There have been earthquakes to our south for weeks; the Izu islands have an active volcano at the moment.
Earthquakes all around Tokyo are good, I have to remind myself. If the pressure is released in small bits, there's less chance for the "Big One" which is so long overdue. Still, it makes me think this would be a good time to take a holiday from the city...
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TITLE: Obon
BASENAME: obon
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/16/2000 07:04:55 AM
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Ah, quiet. It's Obon! During this mid-August week most small businesses close and many larger companies take a holiday, too. Over the weekend, 50% of Tokyo residents evacuated. Traffic jams on every highway leading out kept people stuck on the roads for hours longer than usual. Every Sinkansen was full to capacity and non-reserved express trains were even fuller.
But now that everyone's left, I've been able to get a seat on the train every day. Yesterday during the evening commute, a man was practicing his golf swing in the aisle.
Obon is the time when people head back to their hometowns. Visit with the parents, gorge on Mom's cooking, dance at the bon odori festival to entertain and appease the ancestral spirits, then it's back on the train (or into the car) rushing back to the city to work.
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TITLE: Japanese e-mail
BASENAME: japanese_e-mail
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/17/2000 09:10:35 AM
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It's taken two years, but I've finally found a way to send e-mail in Japanese.
This is a minor triumph in my life as I belong to some groups that have a mixed membership of English and Japanese speakers. Now I can send messages that everyone can understand (if they can parse my bad Japanese grammar, that is).
"Why don't you get an account at Yahoo Japan?" my friend suggested. Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Twenty minutes later, I was all signed up on Yahoo Japan and it works like a charm.
If you'd like some e-mail in Japanese, just let me know...
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TITLE: Earthquake
BASENAME: earthquake
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/18/2000 06:39:42 AM
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It wasn't a big earthquake, just enough to wake Tod up a bit. I wake up for all sorts of things Tod sleeps right through, so if I wake up it's not a good indication of severity. If Tod rolls over, then the earthquake was worth waking up for.
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TITLE: Mizuhiki
BASENAME: mizuhiki
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/19/2000 07:40:32 AM
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When I was a little girl, I learned a craft called "paper quilling" that involved curling long thin strips of colored paper around a pin to form spirals then joining them to make patterns and pictures.
The Japanese have one-upped paper quilling. The art of paper knotwork, called mizuhiki, is extraordinary. These paper cords were originally used to decorate gifts for the Emperor; later they became integral to a samurai's hairdo. Today we're back to using decorative mizuhiki on gift envelopes and new year gifts.
The knots, always in two or more colors, range from simple but perfect bows to swooping double butterflies and woven cranes.
Even the least expensive gift envelope has mizuhiki drawn on because the colors and patterns form a code. Red and white cords are for happy occasions; blue and black cords are for sorrowful ones. The sort of knot, the direction of the ends and the combination of colors tell the recipient exactly how much gift money is in the envelope!
Stationery stores stock a wide range of gift envelopes, each mizuhiki outdoing the last for beauty and elegance. When I recently asked a clerk which envelope would be appropriate for a wedding, she pointed to a section that contained about 300! Spoiled for choice, indeed...
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AUTHOR: claire bryant
EMAIL: pncbryant@carolina.net
IP: 206.100.51.182
URL:
DATE: 06/08/2003 09:32:06 PM
I'm looking for directions for something besides the good luck knot...any ideas?
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TITLE: Summer fireworks
BASENAME: summer_fireworks
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/20/2000 07:11:05 AM
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Summer fireworks festivals in Japan are spectacular. Last night, we watched Tamagawa challenge its rival, Kawasaki City, to a duel on the inky black battlefield of the sky.
Nine of us lined up on Elizabeth Andoh's narrow balcony to watch and keep score. Tamagawa's show was to our right; Kawasaki was across town to our left. We watched like spectators at a fiery tennis match. For an hour, both fired off rocket after rocket with hardly a break; the variety of patterns was astonishing.
"Oooh, look at that--it's a smiley face!" Tammy exclaimed.
"I thought it was a sombrero..." her husband admitted. "There's another one. OK, it's a smiley face."
"Over there, look! That's sakura," Atsunori pointed to Kawasaki's riot of tight, brilliant white and pale pink bursts.
After a half an hour, we were all ready for the big finale. Kawasaki let loose an amazing volley of bright colored spheres, overlapping to form an exotic mountainscape. Surely that was the end for them. Then another rocket burst high in the sky on their side and the show continued. Not yet...
Tamagawa tricked us the same way. What would have been taken as the grand ending in any American fireworks display was simply a crescendo for Tamagawa.
Sixty minutes after the first beautiful explosion, the finales really arrived. Too amazing to describe, they lit the entire river valley. We turned and filed back into the house and just as I was slipping off my slippers, Kawasaki let out a final battle cry.
Who won? We did.
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TITLE: Tidbits
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/21/2000 06:45:12 AM
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Tidbits from today's paper:
I have managed to get our trip to Italy sorted out almost completely online. Flights from my favorite travel agent here in Japan were booked via e-mail. I've got the train information I need for land transfers; hotels are sending me information and confirmations. I even found a fascinating walking tour in Rome.
Sure I could have gone to a travel agent directly and had them book all my accomodations and things, but using the Internet allowed me to choose among very interesting small hotels. And since I contact the hotels I've selected directly, I have a personal contact when I arrive in Italy, not just a confirmation slip.
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TITLE: Who's there?
BASENAME: whos_there
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/23/2000 06:51:56 AM
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Knock, Knock.
I kid you not. The man who lives on the 2nd floor of the house next door is from Canada. This comes as a bit of a shock, I will say. In six months here, we've never seen him even once.
He came to see us last night while we were sitting out on the deck. He had just read my name on a post to a local mailing list, put two and two together, and even read these web pages. When he saw the page for the Marble House, he knew who we were. So he came down to say hello.
So we have a new neighbor--or rather an old one. Alan's lived here for 13 years! Very, very quietly...
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TITLE: Kanji studies
BASENAME: kanji_studies
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/24/2000 07:20:11 AM
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Monbusho, the Japan's Ministry of Education, maintains a list of kanji that must be learned in each grade from 1st through 12th. By the time you graduate from high school, you have over 1800 under your belt.
Kanji are tricky. Some like tree or dog mean something when standing alone on a page. Others have no strong meaning--they must be combined with other kanji to form words. Even those which stand on their own take on new shades of meaning in combination with others.
Kanji usually have multiple "readings" or ways to pronounce them, so the kanji that stands for 'left' can be pronounced |hidari| or |sa| and combined with other kanji to form words like hidarigawa (left side) or sasetsu (left turn).
Which recently lead to Tod & I heatedly discussing whether the Monbusho's kanji lists are spelling or vocabulary. I argued for vocabulary since kanji carries meaning even when it's not in combination. Tod stood for the other side--saying that the lists are only for learning how to read and write the kanji, not for their meaning.
Of course we realise that the proper answer is "These are neither spelling nor vocabulary" because Japanese doesn't work the same way as English.
But two different sources have confirmed that Tod is more correct with his defense of spelling. Children are not drilled in the meaning of the kanji they are learning--they are expected to be able to write them. Meaning comes later on, especially with the more complicated kanji learned in the upper grades.
Which might explain why I'm having such a tough time memorizing kanji.
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TITLE: Mom-cycle
BASENAME: mom-cycle
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 08/25/2000 08:06:42 AM
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The Mom-cycle. Practical transportation or inhuman child torture?
Tokyo is a city full of bikes. People operate them with varying levels of skill, but most cyclists are either daredevils whizzing between people and cars, or roadhogs taking over as much sidewalk as possible. Always a hazard to pedestrians, bicycles are sometimes a hazard to their riders in a more subtle way.
The Mom-cycle is a bike outfitted with a shopping-cart style seat over the back wheel. For larger families, the front basket is replaced with a seat, too. Mom pedals; white-knuckled kids grip the seat while she mounts up and swerves around the street. She can't see the terror in the eyes of the child behind her.
I give Mom-cycles a wide berth. Daredevil Moms zip through traffic; but most Moms are less steady. I've never seen one fall over, but judging from the fear in kids' eyes, I suspect they occasionally do.
Honestly, I think this must cause some serious mental stress to everyone involved. It certainly makes me tense!
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TITLE: Webgrrl
BASENAME: webgrrl
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 08/26/2000 06:20:08 AM
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If they knew back at the New York HQ how much time I've given over to Japan Webgrrls this week, I might say they'd selected wisely. In addition to teaching an HTML for Webgrrls seminar on Web Publishing, I'm organizing the Japan chapter's 4th anniverary event, e-Lifestyles. Lucky for me, it's lots of fun.
But I wonder why my book proposal doesn't get finished...
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TITLE: Bento
BASENAME: bento
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 08/27/2000 08:15:42 AM
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Bento, Japanese box lunches, come in a hundred varieties. Every convenience store competes on the quality and variety of its bento. And it works, I always get my bento lunch at the Family Mart; the 7-11's bento aren't nearly as good.
But conbini bento, even the best of them are prepared in advance, trucked around the city and heated while -you-wait in a microwave. They are handy and even tasty but they lack a certain freshness. Fortunately, convenience stores are not the only places that stock bento. A higher grade of bento can be found in department stores and in tiny, local bento shops.
Last night, Tod selected some bento from a hole in the wall shop, literally a window on the street near Sendagi Station. They were made to order while Tod waited. And what a feast for the eye and the stomach...
Inside each container was a rectangle of rice topped with a red pickled plum, as is common to most bento. Two circles of deep-fried chicken perched atop a bed of spaghetti. Nimono, simmered foods, held court in one section of the box, with a speckled slice of sesame tofu, a fancy twist of gummy dragon's tooth starch and a cut of gobu reigning. Two slices of breaded, deep-fried fish, a spoonful of creamy potato salad and a foil cup of akajiso pickles rounded out the meal.
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TITLE: Ahead
BASENAME: ahead
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/28/2000 07:07:03 AM
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In many respects, Japan is far ahead of the US. Of course Japan gets all its own, best technology first. New game machines, computer models, audio innvations, are released months ahead of the US market.
But Japan's ahead in other ways, too. It is the only country I know where you can buy and consume alcohol on the street. Vending machines sell beer in sizes ranging from petite 250 ml cans to whopping huge two liter, aluminum jugs that sport handles for pouring. Some vending machines offer sake, whiskey & even wine (albeit rather awful wine).
And in Japan, should you find yourself blotto from overconsumption of liquor, which for the Japanese can mean just a couple of beers since there's a genetic intolerance for alcohol here, friends will make sure you head safely in the direction of home. If you've been on a lonely binge, a friendly policeman will help you off the curb and into a cab home. He doesn't write a citation, deliver a homily on temperance, or behave angrily. He just scoops and delivers.
"To serve and protect" takes on a whole new meaning here...
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TITLE: House found
BASENAME: house_found
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/29/2000 06:47:29 AM
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We've been househunting for two and a half months, since the fateful day in June when our landlord told us he had to sell the house we live in now. I've looked at scores of floorplans and visited about two dozen house in person.
We've finally found one to move to. The funny thing is, neither Tod nor I really likes it. It's brand new. It's smaller than our current place. It has no garden, no deck, no outdoor space. Not much character. We'll no longer have a shared office room. Networking this house is going to be a challenge. There aren't many electrical outlets.
But it has a two advantages. It's about three blocks from where we live now, around the corner from the sento, so we'll be in the same neighborhood. And the bigger advantage: taking this place means that I don't have to keep looking, which is a gigantic relief.
So why do I feel slightly sick about this decision?
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TITLE: Mt. Oyama
BASENAME: mt_oyama
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/30/2000 07:15:24 AM
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Miyakejima, one of the Izu islands stretching south from Tokyo, has been experiencing earthquakes and eruptions for months. This morning's paper shows sulfurous clouds billowing over the landscape while residents look on.
After a series of minor eruptions over the last two weeks, the volcanic soothsayers are saying the volcano is due for a major erruption and people are being put on "full alert" as if waking up in the middle of the night to no electricity and 8 cm of volcanic ash doesn't alert you to danger!
Schoolchildren have been moved into dormitories in western Tokyo; the elderly and infirm have been removed from the island by helicopter. But plenty of residents remain in their villages at the base of the volcano. What are they waiting for?
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TITLE: Gaze Aversion
BASENAME: gaze_aversion
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/31/2000 07:16:22 AM
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How to Make People Avert Their Gaze in Tokyo
Being presented with a consistent user interface on applications is a boon when confronted with menus and files in a language that is unfamiliar.
Sit me at any computer running Japanese MacOS or Windows and I can stumble my way through getting an Internet connection up and running. Even in Japanese applications I've never used before, I can open a document, make changes and save it.
Of course when I make an error I must struggle to read and obey the message box.
"Hmmmm. What does this say? 'Tadaima...kanji kanji wo kanji-masen.' Looks like we have a problem," I am forced to admit. I select whichever option is highlighted as the default and try another tack.
Without a consistent interface, there would be no hope of bilingual computing for me. So thank you very much, Jobs, Wozniak, & Gates!
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TITLE: Disaster Prevention Day
BASENAME: disaster_prevention_day
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/02/2000 10:00:11 AM
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The first of September is Disaster Prevention Day. In a country where volcanoes erupt and a major earthquake is decades overdue, perhaps preventing disaster is impossible. But preparing for it is not.
The well-prepared household has 8 liters of water on hand for each member of the family, dried food enough for three days, a first aid kit, flashlights, emergency blankets and other assorted supplies. They are boxed together and stored near an exit, with smaller kits of water and rations kept near each bed.
On Disaster Prevention Day, officials and citizens band together to enact a mock disaster. Everyone gets to practice with fire extinguishers, banadaging wounds, carrying litters of injured patients. This year 5.5 million people around Japan participated in these events.
So if a disaster occurs, since we can't prevent one, we can at least be prepared.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Taiko drumming
BASENAME: taiko_drumming
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/03/2000 08:04:18 AM
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During dinner, we heard the sound of taiko drums. That meant that they were dancing the traditional festival odori dances at the Hakusangaoka matsuri festival. I grabbed my video camera and we headed down the street to record the event.
Odori are danced in a circle around a raised stage and drummers. The motions are fluid--arms up to one side, sway to the other side, out in font, clap twice; step back, forward, forward, turn--and pretty easy to follow even when you don't know them as long as you keep your eye on someone who knows the dance.
I know one dance and parts of some of the others. When they played the music for "my" dance, I was busy filming some little kids in yukata. A few songs later, several rather effeminate men tried to persuade me to dance, but the video camera was my albatross. I could imagine it flying across the crowd and landing in a crumpled heap.
So I didn't dance, but I was consoled later on when the taiko sensei invited me to play with his sticks. He showed me how to hold them to strike an imaginary drum and how to twirl them. Tod was encouraged to play the brass gong during one of the songs, though he didn't keep the rhythm quite the same as the original song...
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TITLE: Autumnf ashion
BASENAME: autumnf_ashion
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/04/2000 08:02:24 AM
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Autumn is coming to Japan. I can tell by the change in clothing.
Even though the last two days have been extremely hot (nearly 38 degrees), women are wearing fall outfits with long sleeves and all. Greys, blacks, fashionable browns, plums and burgundies are all on the streets now.
Which isn't to say that everyone watched the calendar change to September and immediately unearthed their sweaters and wool pants. I, for example, have persisted in wearing tank tops and gauze. But in a few weeks, I'll be among the remaining few. I'll start getting funny looks on the subway if I wear my sandals into October.
I guess it's time to take all those sweaters to the cleaners...
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TITLE: Mama trudges
BASENAME: mama_trudges
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DATE: 09/05/2000 06:55:45 AM
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Mama trudges up the hill with the Mom cycle. Son, decked out in toddlers' playclothes and a hat, sits in the basket behind.
"Mama, mite!" he points enthusiastically across the street at nothing.
"Eh?" Mama continues to watch the ground she rolls across.
His hands flail more wildly in the same direction. "Koko, koko..."
"Doko koko?" Mama says as she looks up and smiles at him.
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TITLE: Tachiyomi
BASENAME: tachiyomi
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/06/2000 06:14:56 AM
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Patrons of bookstores in Japan have a long-standing tradition called tachiyomi. Literally translated, it means "standing reading."
In practical terms, this means that the aisles of Japanese bookstores are crowded with people reading books. In a recent visit to Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookstore chain, I counted half a dozen people in the foreign book section alone, reading the merchandise. They weren't skimming over the table of contents to see if the book was suitable before purchasing. They were reading page after page after page.
I was the only person in the section who walked away towards the checkout counter.
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TITLE: Crazy proprietor
BASENAME: crazy_proprietor
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DATE: 09/07/2000 07:06:55 AM
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"Crazy proprietor?!?" was Brendan's greeting to us as he cracked open two Red Hooks and handed us a menu at Pizzakaya last night.
Brendan, the refined and dignified proprietor of our favorite Tokyo pizza establishment, had read my Gallery Show entry on this website. I did indeed refer to his as "the crazy proprietor." But I meant it in the nicest way...
We have dinner at Pizzakaya every Wednesday after our Japanese lesson. The California-style pizza helps to wash away the memories of verb conjugations. Perhaps that's why my Japanese does not improve.
Brendan, if you're reading this, next week we're going for soba after class. :-)
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TITLE: Moving shop
BASENAME: moving_shop
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/08/2000 06:38:28 AM
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On Wednesday morning, we lived across the street from the Bunmeido Book Store. By Wednesday night, we didn't.
A few weeks back, workmen started picking apart the building. First all the bricks around the bottom floor disappeared, then big hydraulic jacks were put in place to shore up the walls. I guessed they were either raising the building to add another story or installing an earthquake safety system.
But on Wednesday night when we arrived home after Japanese class and pizza, the building was gone! Vanished. The interior tile floor was still there, but nothing else. Not even any rubble.
How mysterious. I was in my office at home all day and never heard or saw a thing. How can you silently demolish a building?
On Thursday night, Tod came home from work and called me to the front door. "You're not going to belive this," he said."Look out there...they moved Bunmeido!"
Sure enough, there it stands on the end of a patch of vacant lots two doors down from where it was on Wednesday morning. Astonishing.
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TITLE: Door-to-door sales
BASENAME: door-to-door_sales
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DATE: 09/09/2000 07:00:46 AM
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"Sumimasen! Sumimasen!" a high pictched voice called urgently from outside my front door. I rushed to answer it.
A young, slightly moon-faced girl wearing a white shirt, blue skirt and a name badge stood on my steps. Behind her, a middle aged man dressed in a yellow shirt and khaki pants watched.
"Konban ha" she started and she launched into a sixty second prepared speech delivered in a songlike, reedy voice completely with hand motions. It was such an interesting performance that I marvelled at it without concentrating on the content. So when she got to the end of the pitch, I had little idea what she had just told me.
The flyer she handed over had photographs of the aged and infirm in wheelchairs and doing crafts, so I made a quick guess. Old people's charity. What was she selling? Cleaning cloths.
I dug for the money in my purse and the girl accosted me with questions, some in English, some in Japanese. I'm from America. I am 34 years old. I am married. Yes, this is a tattoo.
I haven't yet learned to end these sessions gracefully. There must be some magic phrase that lets everyone know it's over. As it was, I handed her the money, she wrote out a receipt for me and I thanked her. Then she thanked me even more politely and asked me some more questions, punctuated with exclamations of awe. I countered with a cheery "Otsukare sama deshita" and closed the door.
As the latch clicked shut I hear her and her companion calling out yet another thank you. I have no doubt that they were bowing.
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DATE: 09/10/2000 09:20:07 AM
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Tsukiji is the wholesale market for fish. It's a great place to go for sushi. You can't get fish much fresher than at the market that supplies the city's restaurants!
We had lunch at Kura Maguro a kaiten zushi restaurant in Tsukiji that serves mainly tuna (called maguro in Japanese). Yum!
At a kaiten zushi shop, the sushi chef stands in the middle of a work island, surrounded by his ingredients. He assembles the sushi, sits it on a saucer-sized plate, then puts the plate on a conveyor belt that rings the island. Customers sit on the other side of the conveyor belt and pluck off the plates that interest them.
When you've eaten your fill, a waitress comes over and counts your stack of dishes. They are color coded according to price. At Kura Maguro, the sushi ranged from 100 yen green plates (cucumber rolls) to 600 yen golden plates (ground raw tuna topping a roll of rice and nori).
Kura Maguro's selection is limited to tuna prepared five different ways, egg custard, cucumber rolls and sweet shrimp. The limited selection made choosing easy and since maguro is one of my favorite sushi fish ("Easy on the palate," a friend commented), I was content.
Can hardly wait to return.
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TITLE: Cash not Credit
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DATE: 09/11/2000 06:46:04 AM
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Consumers in Japan don't use checks to pay for things. In fact, checks don't exists; banks don't offer checking accounts.
Retail purchases are made by cash or credit card. The concept of a debit card is beginning to catch on now.
For bills and other transactions, payment is made either via a bank transfer or a postal account. For a bank transfer you go to your favorite ATM or branch office armed with the other party's banking information. You specify how much to transfer from your account into theirs, and voila! Bills paid.
At the post office, you can pay with cash that gets deposited into the seller's postal account (the Japanese post office is also a bank). This works well if you are a short term resident who doesn't have a bank account or if you want to make a somewhat anonymous payment.
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TITLE: Beer coupons
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DATE: 09/12/2000 07:36:44 AM
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Yesterday on the train, five business men stepped on at Yoga station. As they settled into their seats the oldest one, who carried the nicest briefcase and was probably the "satchou" or section chief, handed his companions a thick wad of coupons.
On top of the pile was a beer coupon.
Beer coupons are nifty. They aren't discount coupons, they're gift coupons that you redeem for a liter or a six pack (or some other denomination). Given as incentives, prizes or gifts, I watch people using them in our local 7-11 all the time.
There are other sorts of gift coupons, too. I have one for a liter of Kikkoman soy sauce!
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TITLE: Typhoon season
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/13/2000 06:06:39 AM
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Typhoons are the Pacific version of hurricanes. This week we've been seeing rain caused by the arms of Typhoon 14. It's parked at the western end of Japan and it's predicted to head north towards Korea instead of east to Tokyo.
Still, it's a lot of windy rain.
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DATE: 09/14/2000 07:45:03 AM
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The Tokyo Regional Immigration Office is a hulking concrete building designed to intimidate people. The entrance underneath a long, shadowy portico sets the tone for what's inside.
Colored stripes on the floor help to herd immigrants to the proper room for their application type. We followed the pink strip to Number 6: Business Visas. The room is cheerless. Concrete walls are painted white and decorated with sample applications and warning notices. Rows of brown leatherette chairs face a TV bolted to the ceiling. Windows behind the counter look out onto the roof of the next building. The air is filled with the sound of the "take a number" machine and quiet conversations among the applicants.
The room is full of fear, too. Some of the immigrants are concerned about their visas--will they be accepted or will they be tossed out of Japan on the next plane. It happens. Most people waiting in the Room 6: Business Visas are bored, resigned, or impatient but the tension of it all gets to you, even when you have no cause to worry about your visa application.
Fortunately our wait was relatively short and our tension dissolved when we were handed new, three year visas. Not only are we allowed to stay here until October 2003, but we won't have to visit the immigration office again!
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TITLE: Maps
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DATE: 09/15/2000 06:51:38 AM
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You cannot live in Tokyo without a map.
Tokyo addresses are organized in descending order by To, Ku, neighborhood, Chome, block and finally building number. For example, here is the address of the Diet:
If you have an address and a map, you can find any place in the city. If you have an address and a vague idea where your destination is, you may find yourself wandering for hours.
When someone invites you to her house, she either gives you a map or offer to meet you at the station. When you go out to dinner with a group from work, you get a map to the restaurant. Maps are even printed on store flyers and business cards!
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DATE: 09/16/2000 07:15:56 AM
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Mikoshi are portable shrines set on poles.
Once or twice a year, Shinto shrines bring out their mikoshi and parade them through the streets. Dozens of men carry the heavy wooden beams that support the small, ornately decorated shrines. The bearers wear short coats and white shorts. They bind their heads with towels or scarves and don white, split-toed socks. As they carry their mikoshi, they shout and jostle for position. It's very lively.
Some mikoshi are accompanied by a large, festive cart with a taiko drum. Others have a more sedate procession of traditionally garbed priests waving stalks of bamboo as a blessing over the onlookers.
Now the moon viewing parties mainly mean lots of pretty candies imprinted with full moon and rice patterns on display in stores.
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TITLE: Autumn fruits are appearing
BASENAME: autumn_fruits_are_appearing
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 09/18/2000 06:21:31 AM
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Autumn fruits are appearing on the market shelves. That means nashi, among others.
Nashi is very crisp. The skin snaps when you bite into it, and its white flesh yields in juicy, grainy bits. It is flavored like a pear but shaped like an apple. Its color is brownish-gold, a quintessential fall shade. It ranks high among fruits we like to have at hand.
In America, nashi are called "asian pears" or "apple pears." There are many varieties of nashi here in Japan, but I think American choices are limited to one or two. Regardless, I recommend giving them a try.
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TITLE: Sirens tore down our
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DATE: 09/19/2000 06:02:48 AM
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Sirens tore down our street, then stopped before they receded into the distance. I peeked through the curtains, but coudn't see where they had halted. But I did see many of our neighbors heading in the direction the trucks had gone.
Seven giant firetrucks were parked on the street, a hose trailing over the ground from one truck, down the street and around the corner. The fire was down a narrow street where the trucks couldn't travel.
Tokyo is full of little streets and I imagine there are lots of instances where firetrucks can't get to their targets. But why did they bring three ladder trucks? They were over prepared.
The firemen themselves wore uniforms right out of a movie: soot-stained yellow suits with reflective bands; matching hats with a veil hanging down over the neck and ears; plus all sorts of accessories including oxygen tanks, masks and fire axes. They were quite impressive.
But, as it turns out, this was only a minor fire. By the time we arrived to gape with the other onlookers, the firemen were coming back up the alley towards their trucks. They carried their equipment, an empty stretcher, extra hoses. A scent of smoke wafted through the air, but it quickly dissipated. And so did the crowd.
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TITLE: Hiroshima reader
BASENAME: hiroshima_reader
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/20/2000 06:33:53 AM
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"Kristen, guess what," a friend from Perot Systems started. "We were on a little island near Hiroshima this weekend, and I saw someone reading one of your articles in Tokyo Classified."
It's neat to find out that my work is being read.
When people ask me what I do, I tell them I'm a writer. Inevitably they as what sort of writer or where I've been published. It's nice to reel off a list that includes a magazine people have heard of and maybe even read. At least in Japan.
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TITLE: We've found a new
BASENAME: weve_found_a_new
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/21/2000 07:01:53 AM
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We've found a new place to live. It took almost three months to find a suitable replacement for the wonderful house we live in now, but we will be out of the current house before the deadline the owner imposed. He's selling, so we're moving.
The new house is built in the crook of a forked intersection and on a hill. It is oddly-shaped with lots of levels inside to accomodate the lay of the land. It's large, bright and airy and I think we will enjoy living there.
It also has a two-car garage but we have no cars. So if you know anyone in Tokyo looking for a place to rent for their car, have them give me a call.
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TITLE: The weather is cooling,
BASENAME: the_weather_is_cooling
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DATE: 09/22/2000 06:15:04 AM
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The weather is cooling, finally. For the last two days I've had the aircon off and all the windows open. We get a nice breeze through the house and the fresh air enhances the grassy scent of our tatami floors.
But I'd forgotten how noisy our street is--particularly at 5 am when delivery trucks start making their rounds. With the bedroom window open, I could hear every truck, all the scooters, the paperboy. But the chilly draught from the window was so comfortable. I snuggled into the covers for another ten minutes' snooze...
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TITLE: 3:00 am
BASENAME: 300_am
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DATE: 09/23/2000 07:39:16 AM
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3:00 am. The strains of "La Cucaracha" invade my dream...and grow louder.
The song is so loud I suddenly realise it is not part of my dream. I look out the window in time to see three motorcycles, tricked out with the glow of blue and violet neon and a sound system loud enough to wake the dead (and certainly me), racing down the street with a police car chasing them. The police cruiser had its light on, but and mercifuylly spared us the siren.
I've heard of these motorcycle gangs, the bosozoku. They drive around the city at night making lots of noise and raising rabble. But usually in seedier areas--Shinjuku, Otsuka, Ikebukuro. I hope their trip through our neighborhood was the result of a wrong turn; I hate La Cucaracha.
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TITLE: Shellfish
BASENAME: shellfish
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DATE: 09/24/2000 06:58:48 AM
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When ordering a dish with shellfish in Japan, be prepapred to see the shells and to participate in the removal of meat from animal.
Last night at dinner in an Italian restaurant, we ordered a crab and tomato pasta. The presentation was lovely--liguine piled on a plate and topped with a half a crab shell. The bright orange of the shell and the red of the tomato sauce were really pretty. When I reached in to dish some onto Tod's plate, I hit something hard and crunchy. A leg. There were threee legs and a claw nestled in there. Tod got them. I ate my pasta unadorned.
Our second course was scampi impanata. The portion was two 8 inch long shrimp, split open and breaded with garlic crumbs. The shrimp still had their eyes, antennaes, and all of their legs which were decorative splayed.
I really don't like knowing who I'm having for dinner.
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TITLE: Geinojin
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DATE: 09/25/2000 06:09:04 AM
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"Geinojin ha koko ni kitta, ne..."
"Sou desu ka? Kowaisou?"
The word "kowaisou" means frightening or scary. Beware not to confuse this with "kawaisou" which means pathetic, or kawaii which is cute. I guess the star could have been any of the above!
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TITLE: Census
BASENAME: census
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/26/2000 06:06:32 AM
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Japan is having a census this year and we are being counted.
Last evening, a census enumerator showed up on our doorstep with a form for us. It's a one-page, computer-readable sheet with a small booklet of instructions in Japanese. There is also a separate multi-language translation.
The translated directions ensure us that the information in the census will not be shared with Immigration, the tax authority, or the police. I doubt that assurance is in the original!
Census day is October 1, the same day we are moving, so we won't be here for our enumerator to collect our form. When Tod explained and asked if we could mail it back, the poor woman ran off to find us an envelope. She returned five minutes later with exactly what we needed.
So we're ready to be counted. Next time you see statistics about the number of foreigners in Japan, think of us!
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TITLE: Seasonality
BASENAME: seasonality
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DATE: 09/27/2000 06:56:23 AM
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I love the seasonality of Japan because it's based on seasons. Sounds silly, but...
In America there are periods and cycles for clothing, decorations and food. But often they are based on a holiday: Christmas decorations; turkey dinner and all its trimmings for Thanksgiving; Easter bonnets. Some things have no season at all. You can buy blueberries in January in any major US city.
In Japan, the cycles are by season. In summer we see dragonflies adorning things, flavored ices, peaches, and yukata (cotton kimono) with uchiwa (fans) in hand. Autumn brings lots of rustic wooden decorations, simmered foods, nashi, and long pants.
Holidays don't add much to the mix here. Excepting the New Year, most other holidays are either quietly religious--the Autumnal Equinox is a time to tend graves--or civil holidays with little pomp or ceremony to mark them. Nobody decorates for "Health-Sports Day." We just take a day off.
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TITLE: Dragonfly
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DATE: 09/28/2000 06:09:42 AM
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A glint of light caught my eye.
A red-bodied dragonfly angled its wings to soak in the warmth of the morning. The gossamer wings reflected the light of the sun.
I moved closer to look at him. As I approached, he raised his long, crimson body and turned his head toward me to assess the danger. His giant eyes framed a cat's smile.
He didn't fly away. He turned his head back and settled himself, readjusting his wings to meet the sun. I wished I had wings for sunbathing, too.
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TITLE: Crisp fall day
BASENAME: crisp_fall_day
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DATE: 09/29/2000 06:27:53 AM
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Yesterday's crisp fall day inspired us to have lunch in the Imperial Palace north garden. It is an oasis of nature in the middle of the business district.
As we sat on a bench eating our lunch, we could see Tod's office building, but the wind through the trees scrubbed the air clean of city sounds and smells.
It is a quiet time of year for gardens, summer flowers are mainly done and we are another month away from leaves turning color. But sitting among the trees and sculpted shrubs with large expanses of green on every side helped to put me back into balance.
Stress just melts away when you're sitting on a park bench, eating a sandwhich and listening to the sounds of crickets.
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TITLE: Nutrition guidelines
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DATE: 09/30/2000 06:10:06 AM
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Nutrition guidelines vary from country to country. Japan recommends that you eat 30 different foods a day. It doesn't matter what--they figure if you get 30 different things into you, you're probably eating well.
What a challenge! Yesterday I managed 20 different things. I would have fared worse if I had not selected the mix sandwich for lunch. I improved my score with five different small half sandwiches: tuna, egg salad, ham, potato salad and tomato.
I don't know the exact guidelines, so I'm not sure about some points. How much counts? If there's a teaspoon of shredded carrot on top of my salad, is that one of thirty? What about condiments and sauces?
Regardless, these guidelines are an encouragement to eat a traditional Japanese diet, which is full of small dishes of foods made with many ingredients! I'll never get to 30 eating pasta and bread.
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TITLE: Today is census day.
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DATE: 10/01/2000 06:26:26 AM
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Today is census day.
For Japan's first census (1920), bells and sirens sounded at midnight on the appointed day. Where ever you where then, that's what you were to put on your census form. Apparently a lot of nighclubs and brothels closed early that day!
Today, we only have to mark our home address as of midnight.
There was a lot of marketing to promote the original census. Epigrams set to shamisen music were used to promote the new census.
Ah, those earnest, playful Taisho-era Japanese ad men. Their campaign worked. 56 million people were counted that year. 75 years later the population of Japan stood at 126 million.
The current census is expected to show the trend of an aging population. And more foreigners than ever...
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TITLE: Workday Sounds
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DATE: 10/02/2000 10:45:30 PM
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Our new neighborhood is a symphony of workday sounds.
Along the street there are two construction sites, one at the front of the house and one across from my office window. I think the workmen may be trying for a gold medal in Syncopated Hammering.
Opposite the front door is a small printing company. The whirring and clunking of the press is nearly drowned out by the noise from the dump trucks hauling dirt away from yet another construction site over the hill.
I've been assured that the construction will end in December. I can only hope that they aren't building a jet engine laboratory!
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TITLE: Registration
BASENAME: registration
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DATE: 10/03/2000 06:01:08 AM
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In Tokyo, everyone is registered with the city office.
Now that we've moved, we have to visit the Bunkyo-ku office and let them know our new address. It's fun to watch the clerks pull out the very thick, detailed city maps and note the change for our house. Our "green cards" will also be amended with the new address.
The registration helps the city keep track of people in emergencies, something you definitely want in an earthquake-prone place that's way overdue for the Big One.
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TITLE: Trash collection
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DATE: 10/04/2000 05:47:18 AM
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Finding the trash collection point in our new neighborhood was an adventure.
Shimizu-san, a neighbor, paid a call on me yesterday afternoon to welcome me to the neighborhood. Or maybe she was a spy for her friend, Matsuino-san, who used to live here.
But I put her to the test when I asked if she knew where I should put my trash.
First she looked around the street for the city's color-coded trash sign. I could have told her she would not find one.
As we stood in the middle of the street, discussing the options, a woman preparing to mount her bicycle spoke to us. She suggested that the utility pole near our garage was an acceptable place. But it has no sign and Shimizu-san was doubtful.
So were were off to the mansion up the hill. Shimizu-san was sure there was a trash point there. But was it where Matsuino-san had put her trash? We asked the caretaker of the building.
"Do you speak Japanese?" he asked me right off. His wife, in the background, encouraged him with a hearty "Gambatte!" when I explained I spoke a little but was studying and getting better.
The trash collection point at the mansion is ours to use, but we must put our burnable trash out precisely on time at 8:30 in the morning on Monday and Thursdays. Too early make the neighborhood ugly. Recyclables are on Wednesdays and landfill day is Saturday.
I owe a debt to Shimizu-san for helping me find out what I needed. She lives "over there" up the hill. I hope I'll see her again soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Alfredo
EMAIL: alfredoluengas@hotmail.com
IP: 200.66.151.68
URL:
DATE: 02/12/2003 03:36:19 PM
Hi,,,I have one question,,,I don´t know if you could help me,, I heard about your trash system, I don´t know in which part of Japan, maybe in Tokyo, but in the streats there are a trash can that you put the trash in it, and there is a system under the streats that take all the trash from all the city, and put in in a recolection place, could you tell me more about this system or if there is any web page about it,,I´ll appreciate it.
Thank you for your time
Alfredo Luengas (Mexico City)
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TITLE: Bank tranfer
BASENAME: bank_tranfer
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/05/2000 10:55:20 AM
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On the Narita Express, 60 seconds from the airport station, Tod's cell phone rings. It's Susan Tani calling to give us the billing information for Sunday's move. "Can you pay promptly?" she asks.
We want to pay, but we're on our way out of Japan for two weeks. What can we do?
On the way from the train to Departures, Tod spies a Citibank ATM. We can transfer the payment from our account to the Tani's.
Tod's a wiz at furikome (electronic bank transfers) and his fingers blaze through the touch screens, inputting bank and branch, account number, name and memo. He's finished and we're on our way in 60 seconds.
If only the rest of the trip were so quick!
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TITLE: Shoppping in America
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CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/06/2000 10:31:29 AM
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Shoppping in America is really fun.
We've travelled back to the States for a family wedding and I spent my afternoon in a mall.
Ostensibily, we were buying things for the bride but I had a bit of a spree, too. I couldn't help it. Everything fits and it's all so inexpensive. I bought shoes today--a pair of clogs and some dress boots--and paid just a little more than what I'd pay for a single pair in Tokyo (assuming I could find ones to fit my long feet).
It's tempting to snatch up all sorts of bargain goodies. But I have only one small suitcaes with me, so I must show some restraint!
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TITLE: Phone call
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/07/2000 11:59:51 AM
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Sometimes a phone call is the most wonderful thing.
During this short jaunt to the US, I'm keeping busy helping with wedding preparations--always a lot of last minute details--so I don't have a chance to catch up with friends. But I called one today and chatted for a few minutes. Hearing a voice I love at the other end of the line was a treat.
E-mail is nice, chat is immediate, webcams are visual, but a phone call delivers so much nuance that's missing from Internet communication.
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TITLE: I miss rice
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CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/08/2000 11:52:52 AM
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I miss rice.
I can understand why Japanese people seek out Japanese restaurants when they travel abroad. I am so sick of American food. Please, some miso soup and tsukemono!
Alas, it is not to be. I leave America tomorrow for Italy. In fact, for the next week postings will be erratic. I'll be in Italy and although there are plenty of cafes and coffee bars (I'm looking forward to that heavenly Italian espresso), I don't know how many of them have Internet access.
So pop in to check. I'll post if I can.
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TITLE: Layers of Rome
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CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/11/2000 06:22:47 PM
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Rome is amazing.
Layer upon layer of history. We came across an aquaduct last night whose ancient water line was at street level. It's supporting arches were excavated to a depth of about 10 meters below the street.
Everywhere we turn there are more old things to see. Churches, temples, scavenged columns, Bernini churches and sculptures, Baroque and Rennaissance buildings side by side. History really comes alove here. It's bewildering but beautiful.
Rome is also a city for coffee lovers. We've already been into three bars this morning (coffee bars, not pubs) for caffe--a single shot of espresso. A mere 1,200 lira (about 60 cents) gives us enough caffeine to help counter the weird jet lag we're experiencing.
This afternoon we visit the Vatican. Tomorrow we're off to Florence.
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TITLE: Anniversary
BASENAME: anniversary
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DATE: 10/14/2000 04:42:50 AM
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Today is a full moon, Friday the 13th, and our 11th wedding anniversary.
Normally on our anniversary, we visit the place where we were married--Pittsburgh's South Side--to stroll the streets, windowshop the antique stores and dine at Dairy Queen, just as we did on the day we eloped. This year, we strolled over the Ponte Vecchio and gawked at the jewelry, and ate gelato on a hilltop overlooking Florence.
"Level UP!" as they say in Tokyo.
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TITLE: Travel weary
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DATE: 10/14/2000 07:07:40 PM
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How can I be here in Italy and have nothing to say?
I'm not sure, but I think jetlag has finally hit me. I could curl up under the table and sleep now (it's 11 am here). My powers of observation are limited to Internet points and caffe bars. Please, more caffeine and a 'Net connection.
Of course this is an art mecca and there are hundreds of famous paintings and statues within a 500 meter radius of my seat at this Internet station. Sure, there's plenty of glorious architecture just waiting to be viewed. But I'll skip it all for a nap and a book.
Don't let anyone fool you; travel is tiring. Caffe espresso, anyone?
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TITLE: Ah, home
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/18/2000 06:49:48 PM
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Ah, home.
The familiar sounds and smells of Tokyo welcomed me back home this evening. The musical train announcements, the sound of bicycles swerving to avoid pedestrians, the scents of oden and ramen wafting over the smell of car exhaust.
It's good to be home.
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TITLE: 4:00 am, Tokyo
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/19/2000 04:48:57 AM
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At 4:00 am, Tokyo is very quiet.
The hum of my computers drowns out the distant sounds of sparse traffic. Birds are asleep; school children are asleep. The construction sites all around me are still.
The sun is waiting in the wings for his cue to come onstage. The sky is inky; streetlights dot the roads with circles of blue white light.
And I am up writing and working in this cool, quiet morning. Soon enough, the trash trucks will cruise by, commuters will parade past the house on their way to the station, and the world will wake up. But I'll have several hours of work tucked in under my belt. Maybe I can take a nap this afternoon.
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TITLE: Chanko nabe
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 10/20/2000 05:48:42 AM
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Chanko nabe is what makes sumo wrestlers fat.
Last night, too tired to cook at home, we had dinner at Kushikyu, a chain of restaurants that focuses on food to eat while swilling beer and whiskey. (I think of Kushikyu as the Denny's of the drinking set)
They were having a special on chanko nabe, so we indulged. Chanko nabe's a hearty soup of meat, fish and vegetables. Sumo wrestlers eat it in huge quantities. I shared a bowl with Tod last night. Recipes vary from kitchen to kitchen, of course, but I liked ours.
Large chunks of chicken, fish, and tofu swam in a clear chicken broth along with spinach, cabbage, onion and several varieties of mushrooms. Thick, wheaty udon noodles rounded out the dish.
I can see why sumo stars can eat this every day. It's delicious, like Mom's chicken soup on steroids. I could have eaten two bowls myself.
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TITLE: Japan Webgrrls 4th Anniversary
BASENAME: japan_webgrrls_4th_anniversary
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/21/2000 07:35:02 AM
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Today, one day only. Japan Webgrrls 4th Anniversary event, e-Lifestyles
This is the volunteer project that's eaten up all my spare time this fall. In fact, it's eaten all my sleep, too, at least last night. We'll have a video premiere, "e-Lifestyles" demonstrations, speakers and a keynote presentation. Plus refreshments, and really great door prizes.
Registrations are accepted at the door. We open at 2:30 and run through 8 pm tonight. Even if you're not interested in computing, it might be worth the 3,000 yen entry fee to see me trying to hide my jet-lag/video production lack of sleep with makeup and coffee.
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TITLE: Our phone has started
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DATE: 10/22/2000 12:21:24 PM
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Our phone has started talking to us.
We tried to configure our ISDN terminal adapter to do what we wanted--route our two phone numbers to separate phones. Doesn't seem like a big challenge. But we still don't have it right. All of our phones ring no matter which number is dialled.
The phone displays caller ID now, when the caller doesn't send ID, it shouts something at us in Japanese. I think it's saying "Unidentified caller! Beware!"
That's awfully clever, but why can't we get it to ring the right phone?
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TITLE: Thank goodness for our
BASENAME: thank_goodness_for_our
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DATE: 10/23/2000 03:26:34 AM
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Thank goodness for our electronic Japanese dictionary.
We carry our Canon Wordtank everywhere. Last night at dinner with friends it came in handy several times. What's the Japanese word for "brisket"? Kantan means simple, but so does tonboku. Which one is better? How do you say "nuclear physics" in Japanese?
All these hurdles came up during dinner and the Wordtank leapt them, if not gracefully, at least with some ease.
BTW, brisket is mune nikku.
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TITLE: Expats come and go.
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DATE: 10/24/2000 07:25:11 AM
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Expats come and go. That's a way of life here. You have to make friends fast because they might be gone in a couple of months.
But when expatriates leave, they have "sayonara sales" to sell off the furniture, appliances and other items they don't want to ship back. So we get good prices on slightly used items.
Several friends have left this year and we've acquired books, a Dreamcast, plants and kitchen goods including a lifetime supply of Jell-o pudding.
Pat, who worked at the bank, is returning to America next week. We are the proud second owners of her dressers and bookcases, a heater and a lamp. She threw in some bonus goods, too. Now we have more hangers than we have closet space.
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AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 61.211.76.42
URL:
DATE: 01/18/2003 01:56:46 PM
Dear Sir/Madam,
are you interested in buying a stairmaster 4600 ( 1 year 5 months old ) for 300,000 Yen O.N.O.? ( retail over 550.000 Yen)
I am selling one as re locating to France.
Thank you and best wishes
Peter Tomlinson
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TITLE: The cupboard's been bare
BASENAME: the_cupboards_been_bare
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/25/2000 09:30:54 AM
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The cupboard's been bare since we moved in, so yesterday afternoon I shopped along one of my nearby arcades.
I bought one item at each of four or five stores. The old ladies who ran the tiny shops were pretty calm about a foreigner coming to buy katsuobushi, kombu and mikan. But when I pointed to some homemade nuka-zuke, a sort of Japanese pickle, and asked if I could put them in a plastic bag, the shopkeeper launched into a happy tirade.
"Oh, you like nuka-zuke? They are very delicious. We make these ourselves. I didn't know that foreigners like nuka-zuke. How many did you want?" she said as she reached for a bag.
So this morning's breakfast will be pickles and onigiri, rice sandwiches, made from last night's rice and seaweed paper. Mmmmm. Honest.
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TITLE: A week after arriving
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DATE: 10/26/2000 08:51:51 AM
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A week after arriving home from Italy, my brain is still swaddled in in the wooly feel of jetlag.
This morning I slept until 8:10. I had to get the trash to the pickup point by 8:30. So I leapt out of bed, quickly gathered all the trashcans and other garbage and made a run for it.
The trash truck was a few minutes late, thank goodness.
I must find something that will cut through this wooliness. Melatonin is illegal in Japan, so I hope coffee will do the trick...
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TITLE: The sun rose early
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DATE: 10/27/2000 08:24:18 AM
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The sun rose early this morning. Maybe I just went to bed too late.
The entire country is one time zone--pretty impressive for a land that spans 20 degrees of longitude. That's about the same as New York to St. Louis.
Hokkaido has it worst. Not only are they at the eastern edge of Japan, but they're pretty far north, too. The sun rose there at 5:43 this morning and they'll see sunset at 4:15 this afternoon. On the other side of Japan, Okinawa's day started almost an hour later at 6:34.
Tokyo saw the sun at 5:56. Our daylight ends just before 5 this evening.
Tonight, knowing that the sun rises at six, I will go to bed earlier. 10 pm would give me eight hours of darkness.
(You can find out what time your sun rises at Heavens-Above)
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TITLE: Last night after dinner,
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DATE: 10/28/2000 10:21:39 AM
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Last night after dinner, Tod & I stopped for coffee and dessert at a coffee shop that captured our eye.
The sign was decorated with a mosaic of elephants, and carved wooden elephants lined the display case. The name of the shop is "Zou no ko" which means Elephant Child.
One middle-aged man tended the 30 seat restaurant. Hand-lettered signs tacked up on the walls gave the menu and prices. We opted for a 700 yen cake set.
"Your choice of cake, " he said, gesturing to the glass case at the front of the restaurant. We selected our cakes while he started the coffee.
He used a vacuum pot, a contraption that looks like it came straight from a chemistry lab. Over a gas flame, a round glass pot of water comes to a boil. Snugly fit inside its rim is a tall, cylindrical container with the ground coffee. A pipe connects the two and allows steam to reach the coffee grounds. When the grounds are wet and the lower pot is almost empty, the flame is cut and the finished coffee flows back down into the lower chamber which turns into a serving vessel.
Coffee made this way is really wonderful and Zou no Ko did it well. Yet another handy neighborhood amenity.
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AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 216.120.143.35
URL:
DATE: 05/18/2004 10:39:32 PM
no pictures
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TITLE: Lunch is a treat
BASENAME: lunch_is_a_treat
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 10/29/2000 10:42:42 AM
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Lunch is a treat. I found a great little bento shop nearby.
Bento, the traditional Japanese box lunch, is one of my favorite meals. Half the box is rice; the other half is bits and dollops of vegetables, tofu, meats, fish and other dishes.
The bento shop in our neighbohood has a unique feature. You get to select your own dollops and bits from their display of dishes. When Tod & I went yesterday, there were easily 2 dozen things to choose among.
After much deliberation, I selected shitake mushrooms simmered in a sweet broth, spinach and tofu cooked in a smoky broth, cabbage cooked with carrots and a wiener. The woman who put our beno together thoughtfully added a small bonus--two spheres of konnyaku (devil's tongue starch) flanked my weiner. Very cute.
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TITLE: The phone ringing in
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DATE: 10/30/2000 06:05:11 AM
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The phone ringing in the night is a demon screaming.
As a kid, my parents drilled into me that people don't call in the middle of the night unless its bad news. I don't think that we ever had one of those calls when I was a kid--news of a death in the family, or a similar tragedy--but the tenet was still in effect.
So now when the phone rings at an odd hour I expect the worst. So far, it's always been a night-owl friend calling to say hello or someone miscalculating the time difference. "Oh, it's 3 am there? I thought it was 9...sorry!"
But this morning at 5:40 the phone rang and I didn't get to it in time. Our current configuration of phones is such that our answering machine isn't working anymore. So I don't know who it was or what it was about.
My morbid imagination has played through all of the scenarios. But the demon's still screaming in my head, taunting me.
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TITLE: Halloween doesn't get a
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DATE: 10/31/2000 06:18:22 AM
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Halloween doesn't get a lot of notice in Japan.
Like most Western, Christian holidays, Halloween in Japan is more of a marketing idea than a day of fun or celebration. Only this one hasn't caught on the way Valentine's Day has.
I've seen very few jack o'lanterns, ghosts or witches in stores. I know of one shop that caters to foreigners and young Japanese; it has decorations and costumes. There is not a single bit of Halloween candy to be found.
Tonight at 9 pm, a group of crazy, costumed foreigners will gather to ride the Yamanote line, the train line that makes a loop around Tokyo. The train copmpny frowns on this gathering, but when the conductor chases the costumed revellers off, they just reboard another train. I think the train officials have begun turning a blind eye; the other passengers certainly do!
Wouldn't you, if a six foot-tall goblin was standing in front of you on the train?
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TITLE: Out running errands, I
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DATE: 11/01/2000 08:14:16 AM
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Out running errands, I paused at the corner of a tiny street to let a small bus pass through.
The driver bowed to me as he eased the bus through the intersection. Inside the bus was one very aged woman wearing a brown sweater and a young woman in a red vest and skirt, a pink blouse and a pillbox hat. The bus attendant nodded and smiled at me as they glided by.
The bus was decorated with a cheery rainbow and flowers under the windows. Although I couldn't read the writing on its side, I think this must be the municiple "yorouin" bus from the Bunkyo-ku Home for the Aged nearby.
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TITLE: I've always known bowling
BASENAME: ive_always_known_bowling
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/02/2000 06:24:17 AM
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I've always known bowling wasn't my game. Now I have a prize to prove it.
Last night, I attended Perot Systems' annual bowling party. My job was to film the event to include it in their year-end video. But I was also assisgned to play on a team!
Of the three people listed on our roster, only Egon really bowled. I was filming and though I did bowl the second game, I bowled one ball in the first. Our other teammate was so late he missed 7 frames of the first game. Poor Egon looked exhasted.
His skill, combined with my own, won me the "Semi Worst Striker" award; a tin of tea and jar of jam. I think maybe that's a hint that I need to stay at home and curl up with a good book...
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TITLE: Today is a national
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DATE: 11/03/2000 08:42:02 AM
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Today is a national holiday--Culture Day.
Recently a friend and I were discussing the soul of Japan. We have different views. She seems to believe that the soul of Japan is missing; the uninspired, boxy concrete architecture and lack of outdoor spaces in Tokyo indicate a country with no culture; no heart.
But I look at all of the things people do--study flower arranging and tea-ceremony, hone their bodies and minds with marital arts, cultivate plants and flowers into bonsai--and I see plenty of soul. But it's the sort of spirit that you can't get to know superficially.
To know the soul of Japan requires some effort, I think. Learning the language helps as does getting to know people. Studying a craft or a skill along with others who are interested is another way. The soul of Japan is changing, as it has changed over the centuries. But it hasn't disappeared.
And there's even a national holiday to remind us.
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TITLE: Central heating is something
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/04/2000 11:54:33 AM
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Central heating is something you don't think about too much unless you're an American living in Japan.
I will grant that winters don't get bitterly cold in Tokyo. Temperatures dip below freezing on the coldest nights but during the day, they hover around 40. But living in a house whose ambient temperature matches the outdoors is not too pleasant.
Knowing the Japanese penchant for "high touch" luxuries, I'd imagine that central heating would be a posh and desired feature in a home. But it's not. People heat their rooms individually with gas-powered space heaters. Every room has a gas outlet.
We have three gas heaters for our 1800 square foot house. One is secured to the wall in the dining room; another lives in our office. The third moves room to room with us. The kitchen has "floor heat," an electrical pad underneath the linoleum, and one bathroom has a small blower at floor level.
Walking into a warm room is a luxury I never imagined until I lived here.
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TITLE: Chrysanthemums are the flowers
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DATE: 11/05/2000 07:32:45 AM
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Chrysanthemums are the flowers of autumn.
They are also the symbol of the Imperial family and every autumn for hundreds of years, chrysanthemums, called kiku in Japanese, have been highlighted at festivals.
Kiku are trained into plants I'd never guess were chrysanthemums: tiny bonsai with roots growing over rocks; massive two meter wide bushes with hundreds of flowers per stem; flower heads a foot wide on a single stalk a meter tall.
The colors most popular at these shows are pale yellow, white and lavender, not the golds, russets and burgundies I associate with mums back home. But for all the differences in color, shape and size, chrysanthemums still mean autumn to me.
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TITLE: At the Inokashira zoo,
BASENAME: at_the_inokashira_zoo
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DATE: 11/06/2000 06:25:40 AM
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At the Inokashira zoo, we saw an old elephant and some squirrels.
The elephant was born in Thailand in 1947 and came to the zoo when she was 2 and a half. Japan's school children named her Hanako. At the advanced age of 53, she has no teeth (I guess elephant dentures are out of the question) her food is chopped up into small bits for her by the zookeepers. To amuse herself, Hanako paces her concrete playground incessantly and lifts her tail to emit bellows of gas. Visitors squeal though whether in delight or disgust I'm not sure.
The squirrels were much cuter. In Japanese they are called "risu" which is written with the kanji characters for chestnut and rat. Japanese squirrels are reddish grey and have tufted ears and bushy tails. About two dozen of them live the high life in the squirrel version of an aviary. The Inokashira zoo created a caged, wooded environment where people can enter and the squirrels run free. The little critters eat directly from children's hands and scurry overhead and underfoot. This was the most popular area of the zoo. Sad to say, it's difficult to find squirrels running wild in Tokyo; even the parks don't seem to have much wildlife except for crows.
The zoo has other animals, of course. The unique Japanese tanuki, lots of beautiful Japanese birds, some wild boar and a handful of imported treasures. But for me, the highlights were Hanako and the squirrels.
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TITLE: Last night as I
BASENAME: last_night_as_i
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/07/2000 07:26:37 AM
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Last night as I shivered under a blanket waiting for the bed to warm up, I leafed through a department store "white sale" catalog. And I discovered more than one way to stay warm indoors.
How about a hot carpet? It's like an electric blanket for the floor. If you prefer the look of bare wooden floors, you can pick up a hot carpet topped with wood instead of wool. Prices range from 12,000 yen (about $120) for the polypropele and wool rugs, to 49,800 yen for the wooden one.
If a chilly bathroom is your problem, I think the electric toilet seat topper might be what you need. It's vinyl for easy cleaning, and U shapped to fit every toilet--just tape it into place and plug it in. 4,980 yen.
Because I was still shivering under the covers, the devices for warming feet caught my eye. In fact, there are two designed specifically for the bed. One looks like short sleeping bag wired for warmth; the other is a more standard electric pad. At only 8,980, I think one of the foot bags might spare Tod from my cold feet on his side of the bed. And that would make both of us happy.
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TITLE: I've lost my voice.
BASENAME: ive_lost_my_voice
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DATE: 11/08/2000 07:04:27 AM
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I've lost my voice.
When a writer says that, it could mean a nasty bout with writer's block. But that's not what I mean. I've lost my ability to speak. Everything I say comes out sounding like a 14 year old boy trying to make a good impression. When it comes out at all.
I've never had laryngitis before. Aside from the pain, it's kind of amusing. I have to find creative ways not to speak. Tod gets a break from my incessant prattle. And I have a really good excuse for drinking lots of tea with honey and lemon.
But please don't call me today. I won't be answering the phone
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DATE: 11/09/2000 07:48:40 AM
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Being on the other side of the world, yesterday's U.S. presidential election coverage was conveniently timed. I checked the results on CNN.com and Reuters at lunchtime and then throughout the afternoon.
As I watched Florida fall to Gore, then Bush, then neither, I wondered why polling isn't computerised. I do my banking, investing and shopping online. Why can't I cast a vote online, too?
Real-time election results beamed directly from the Internet to the news services would be too easy. No confusion or recounts. No drama. Voting utopia?
I think we'll see online voting when Harry Browne is elected President.
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TITLE: Some families discuss politics
BASENAME: some_families_discuss_politics
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DATE: 11/10/2000 07:47:11 AM
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Some families discuss politics or sports or movies. We talk about talking, reading and writing.
I don't think we can have dinner without discussing Japanese grammar. Last night, Tod read aloud from Anthony Burgess' "Language Maid Plane" about the structure of Asian languages while I brought our meal to the table.
The night before that, having dinner with friends at Pizzakaya, Tod & Mike joked about making up nonsense words in Japanese by conjugating verbs in pattern phrases. For example, Ohayou gozaimasu which is used as a morning greeting but literally means something like 'it is honorably early' could be conjugated into Ohayou gozaimasen which is the negative. Native speakers don't say that, of course, and they look at you funny if you try it as both Tod & Mike can attest.
And two nights ago, I had a Webgrrls meeting at the house. Tod and Hiromi discussed whether the passive causative verb form (i.e. to have been made to do something) was common. Hiromi's answer, "No, not really."
Sometimes I think sports and movies might be more entertaining...
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TITLE: Yesterday, Matsuzakaya, one of
BASENAME: yesterday_matsuzakaya_one_of
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DATE: 11/11/2000 08:08:14 AM
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Yesterday, Matsuzakaya, one of Tokyo's venerable department stores, delivered a Winter Gift catalog to our house. In the packet were enticements to us--a free ticket to Matsuzakaya's next art show and a washcloth.
But the catalog itself was the showpiece with 16 pages of boxed gifts. 550 variations on a theme, really. Let me explain.
The gifts are arranged in price points with 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen being the most common. In the 3,000 yen category, here are some samples of what you might give (or receive):
The 5,000 and 10,000 yen gifts are more of the same. 5 pairs of sock. 24 bars of soap. Two slightly larger hams.
There is a half page in the catalog labeled "Unique Gift." While I wouldn't call their suggestions unique, a board game, a clock, potpourri, a Pinocchio puppet and a travel pillow are strikingly individual after the 500 boxes on the preceeding pages.
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TITLE: Soy can be transmuted
BASENAME: soy_can_be_transmuted
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DATE: 11/12/2000 07:53:45 AM
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Soy can be transmuted into dozens of edibles.
You're probably familiar with soy sauce, soymilk, tofu and beansprouts. Maybe you've eaten miso soup; miso is fermented soy bean paste.
But there are some stranger items. Have you ever seen frozen-then-dried tofu? It looks like pumice and reconstitutes into a spongy block. How about tofu skins? They are like pudding skin--skimmed off the soymilk as its being processed into tofu. The curds of soy, what's left over when you press the soymilk out of soybeans, is very fibrous and flavorless but cooks into a delicious side dish that's popular in Japan.
Soy is even used for fertilizer, but that's another story...
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TITLE: Ah, another Monday. The
BASENAME: ah_another_monday_the
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DATE: 11/13/2000 06:11:30 AM
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Ah, another Monday. The sleeping men will be out again at lunchtime.
Since the weather turned nippy a few weeks ago, I've observed an odd custom at lunchtime. Working men with vehicles--delivery drivers, plumbers, construction workers, salesmen--park their cars and trucks on my street and take a nap.
Sometimes there are two or there men sharing a vehicle. One may be sleeping with his head tucked into his shoulder and his feet on teh dashboard while the other reads a newspaper and the third leans slack-faced against the backseat.
It was disconcerting the first time I walked past a long row of delivery vans and saw their uniformed owners napping. Were they all dead? No, no. At 1:00, they started their engines and drove away for their afternoon's work. Now I'm used to them and I tiptoe by quietly on my way to lunch. Wouldn't want to wake them...
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TITLE: Recently, Tod asked me
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DATE: 11/14/2000 08:01:07 AM
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Recently, Tod asked me to bake his favorite cookies, a special ginger snap. Since our new house has an oven, I was happy to agree.
But there is no molasses in any of our local shops. No problem, in a day or two, Tod found a gourmet grocery on the 'Net and had some delivered to us.
Dried, ground ginger proved to be a challenge, too. And baking soda. It's funny what things are difficult to purchase. But we found them, eventually, in another gourmet grocery store we popped into.
My recipe is American, so it uses American measures. But my tools are all metric, so I had to convert--an American cup is 237 ml; a teaspoon is about 5 cc. Tod's quote on that episode: "I worry when Kristen uses math in the kitchen."
The oven, which is new to the house, is American and its dial is calibrated in Farenheit degrees. But it doesn't seem to be accurate or perhaps it is extremely slow to pre-heat. The 350 degree oven wasn't hot enough. The 400 degree oven was too hot.
The cookies came out OK despite all the adjustments. But next time I make the recipe, I'm going to the gourmet grocery to buy some American measuring cups and an oven thermometer.
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TITLE: "Hello? Hello?" I hear
BASENAME: hello_hello_i_hear
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DATE: 11/15/2000 06:58:52 AM
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"Hello? Hello?" I hear a young voice calling behind me and getting closer. I stop and turned. Looks like another session of English practice.
Two high school girls, dressed in short skirts and tall boots, come to talk to me. "We are doing a project for our class," they read from a sheet of paper. "May we ask you some questions? Is video OK?" they ask as they wiggle their camera for emphasis.
Now I am on the stage of diplomacy. I am an ambassador for all English speaking people, ready to answer their questions with a cheery smile. "OK." I answer (best to use simple English in these situations). "Tell me about your project..." I ask.
Girl number one, who has been doing the talking, looks fearful. This is not on her list of questions and answers. She looks greatly relieved when I tell her in Japanese that it's OK to speak her own language. The story spills right out. They have a foreign teacher and...
Eventually, I am stationed in front of a KFC near the subway exit and the interview begins. Do I like music? (yes) Have I ever tried karaoke? (no) Do I prefer Western or Japanese music? (difficult question, I like both) Who is my favorite musician? (my husband) Oh, is his famous? (no, he's not)
Soon enough the trial is over and I'm captured on tape. The assignment is to find two foreigners to talk to and I am their second. They look quite relieved to be done.
So am I.
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TITLE: Although 94% the Japanese
BASENAME: although_94_the_japanese
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DATE: 11/16/2000 07:16:54 AM
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Although 94% the Japanese are Buddhist or Shinto, Christmas is gaining ground.
Shops are decorated with Merry Xmas banners, displays of lights, and wreaths. Some are having sales, others plan special events of singing or illumination. Takashimaya in Shinjuku has a huge display of lighted figures outside their store. Departments stores have sections devoted to Christmas merchandise and wrappings. I bet that if I looked in the right store, I could find an artificial tree for sale.
Even the 100 yen shops, the Japanese equivalent of the dollar store, are getting into the act. Every one I've seen in the past two weeks has tinsel garland and fake greenery for sale.
I don't remember this much Christmas activity in 1998. Of course Christmas is an enormous commercial success in other countries, so why not Japan, too?
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TITLE: My desk is a
BASENAME: my_desk_is_a
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DATE: 11/17/2000 08:32:21 AM
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My desk is a disaster of piles. Everything I use gets put on top of whatever else I've just used.
An archeological dig (currently out of fashion in Japan after the revelation that a well-known archeologist faked the findings at two of his digs) of the pile to my left reveals:
To that end, I went shopping yesterday. I came home with sheets and a calendar, not quite what was on my list. But that's not all. I came home humming Christmas songs.
Every store I visited played them. Seibu LOFT had Japanese Christmas carols playing, perky upbeat tunes composed especially for happy shopping times. I didn't know if was possible to rhyme Japanses words with "Santa Claus" but they managed it.
Tokyu Hands played "The Rat Pack Celebrates Christmas." Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis, Jr. all crooned from the loudspeakers. Loud was the key word.
I hate Christmas carols in shops. I like a nice Christmas carol playing on my stereo while I bake holiday goodies or wrap packages. I love to sing carols. But I don't like being forced to listen to them while I shop for curtains.
But they worked their magic on my yesterday; those store carols influenced my purchasing. The sheets I bought I bought are pine green.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: With the new year
BASENAME: with_the_new_year
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DATE: 11/19/2000 08:12:44 AM
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With the new year approaching, we're starting to see snakes everywhere. Not real snakes, but decorative snakes adorning everything from greeting cards to flower vases. In six weeks we will begin the Year of the Snake.
Having often eaten in American Chinese restaurants, I'm pretty familiar with the animal years. Year of the Horse, that's me. My sister and husband are both Year of the Rooster. But these twelve horary signs printed on restaurant placemats have another set of signs attached--the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water).
The elemental cycle has a yin/yang aspect to it. This year is a "yang metal" and we are enjoying the very auspicious Year of the Golden Dragon. Next year's element is a "yin metal". Since yin usually has a negative connotation, maybe we're about to enter the Year of the Tin Snake.
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TITLE: When my sister and
BASENAME: when_my_sister_and
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DATE: 11/20/2000 07:39:11 AM
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When my sister and I were kids, we would rate the restrooms at every restaurant we visited. It kept us occupied while our parents enjoyed an after-dinner coffee. Soon this hobby spread to other public bathrooms and we even considered writing a book. (At the time that was a joke, but these days, it would probably sell...)
Yesterday I visited the bathroom to beat them all. While it wasn't luxurious, it was interestingly designed.
The entrance started at a tall, curved wall that circled in to hug three inner rooms, also circular. Those circles each contained 10 sinks and mirrors. A fourth circular room clung to the outside of the curve. Each circle was color-coded--coordinating sinks, counters and walls in shades of green, red, blue and cream.
Beyond the circular vanity areas, was the entrance to the toilets. They were arranged in four square rooms (color coded again) with three walls of stalls per room--a total of 84 toilets! In the center of each room was another circular bank of sinks, this time with a low frosted glass wall and no mirrors. The sinks were tiny, just for handwashing, but they also matched the color theme--forest green in the green room, navy in the blue room, scarlet in the red room.
This was one of the most efficient and well designed women's rooms I've ever visited. With so many toilets, I can not imagine there would ever be much waiting but if there were lines, there was plenty of room to accomodate them.
Where was this amazing complex of bodily functions? At Venus Fort, a huge shopping mall on Tokyo Bay. The mall is great, too, but this bathroom is the ultimate public restroom.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Prime Minister of
BASENAME: the_prime_minister_of
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DATE: 11/21/2000 07:41:59 AM
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The Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshiro Mori, survived a vote of no-confidence last night. I'm rather surprised.
Mori replaced PM Obuchi when Obuchi suffered a fatal stroke earlier this year. The selection was controversial at the time, as Mori had little experience in international diplomacy. His tenure as PM has been described by the press as "full of gaffes." Still, he was able to win an election in July to retain his seat as PM but his popularity has dropped below 20% recently.
Over the past six weeks members of his own politial party, the LDP, have been increasingly aggressive about getting Mori out of the PM seat. His main opponent, Kato, led the drive to a no-confidence vote last night. But at the last minute, Kato abstained from voting. The LDP threatened to oust anyone who voted against Mori; perhaps that kept Kato in rein.
Mori is a goofball whose name is often associated with "gaffe." He referred to Japan as a "divine nation," a phrase that hasn't been publically uttered since before the war (back then, Shinto was the state religion, the Emperor was a god and Japan was divine). His command of English isn't strong and he's made some embarrassing mistakes when speaking to world leaders.
Is Mori a good PM? Who knows. He certainly keeps the political scene lively.
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TITLE: Without maps I'd never
BASENAME: without_maps_id_never
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DATE: 11/22/2000 08:23:48 AM
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Without maps I'd never find my way in this city. Tokyo's is so big and I get around it quite a bit, so it's difficult for me to keep track of where things are even when I've been there a few times.
"Meet you at TUC in Omotesando? OK, I know where that is." And I do know, but which exit is it when I get to the station? There are a dozen exits at Omotesando. No problem, the address is in the phonebook and I can get a map online at Mapion. How long will it take to get there? Hmmm...Kasuga to Omotesando is 24 minutes according to Ekisupato.
So I'm all set for today's meeting across town. Now if I can just decide what to wear...
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AUTHOR: Peter
EMAIL: mansoupe@yahoo.com
IP: 219.110.131.19
URL:
DATE: 03/28/2003 11:02:47 PM
Kristen, this is the second time I am searching for something and come across something you've written :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2003 10:15:43 AM
Hah! That's becasue I'm the all seeing, all knowing Kristen. Or great minds think alike. Something like that. :-)
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TITLE: A double dose of
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STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/23/2000 07:55:09 AM
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A double dose of holidays today.
In America, it is Thanksgiving. Turkey dinner, football games and parades.
In Japan, it is Labor Thanksgiving Day. No special traditions, though I suppose we should be thankful for our employment, perhaps celebrating by joining a labor union.
No matter, it's a day off for most people and they will go shopping or enjoy some leisure. I'll be working on a database project so it doens't make much difference to me.
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TITLE: I spent my high
BASENAME: i_spent_my_high
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DATE: 11/24/2000 08:03:19 AM
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I spent my high school years going to auctions with my mother, looking for vintage linens and clothing for her shop. Auctions were a lot of fun. I loved to bid on the boxes of odds n' ends.
LOT #46: pots, pans and assorted items. Minimum bid, $1.
It was a thrill to win that auction; to open the box and find treasure under the dented old pots--a stack of 1970s rock LPs.
Online auctions aren't quite the same. There's not much mystery--people don't sell odd lots. Bids can be made coolly and logically without the influence of other bidders' body language and tension. I have never looked at an eBay auction and thought "No, I will not bid more than $50 for this lamp. Oh, wait, she just bid $70. Maybe I can stretch to $80"
Yet winning an auction on eBay is great fun. And when it's on item that is simply not available in Japan, something you wanted to buy but could not, and you get the auction at a really good price, it's even better. This morning, Tod is the winning bidder on a McCormack pre-amp for our stereo system.
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TITLE: There's a new, huge
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DATE: 11/25/2000 07:30:19 AM
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There's a new, huge apartment building on the main drag in our neighborhood. It's the largest building on the street--taking up an entire block and 20 stories. It's a really posh place, called L'Age.
For the last two months, the construction workers have been fixing up the sidewalks and the landscaping and it's beginning to look less like a construction site and more like a residence. Although I don't think anyone's moved in yet, the first floor shops are beginning to open up. Yesterday a new gourmet grocery introduced itself to our neighborhood.
I decided to join the curious crowds at lunchtime on the first day of "soft open" (I guess this is what happens before Grand Open) and see what the new shop, Queen's Isetan, is all about. It's about trendy vegetables, a meat-carving station and foreign foods. Rather hipster and upscale, but I'm not complaining.
Queen's Isetan is going to save me a lot of running across town. I used to have to go half an hour by train to get American ingredients like molasses and ground ginger. Now I just have to go around the corner and across the street.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Banking online is a
BASENAME: banking_online_is_a
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/26/2000 08:46:03 AM
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Banking online is a brilliant idea. We do it all the time because it gives us ready access to our American accounts. We even have an account at a bank we've never been to in person.
But it has its drawbacks. My banker is a web page (well, a whole bunch of web pages). And my banker is irritating me. I can't open a new account or a CD online because I don't have an American address--I can't choose a state from the pull-down menu and my Japanese postal code is 7 digits long--nor do I have a driver's license. Yet I already have accounts at this bank. Opening another one shouldn't be a problem.
I pointed this out to them in a letter and they replied with a form letter that doesn't address my problem. Argh! Customer Dis-Service strikes again. Now it's time for another round of letter writing and then perhaps a change of banks.
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AUTHOR: MethCrack
EMAIL:
IP: 206.157.65.167
URL:
DATE: 06/12/2003 11:41:29 PM
I opened an account with Shinsei. The paperwork was a fraction of Shittybank's and they actually asked me how I wanted my official signature instead of telling me I had to bring some stupid hanko. Also, if you are American, Shittybank demands to know your SSN or they will deduct 20% of interest earned on the account automatically, Bank Gestapos.
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TITLE: There is a restaurant
BASENAME: there_is_a_restaurant
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/27/2000 09:16:10 AM
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There is a restaurant chain here in Tokyo called Kushikyu (which is a wordplay too difficult to describe in English) that serves "foods without a country." Their menu features fusion cuisine--rice ball croquettes, kim chee stew--that are ultimately uniquely Japanese. It's always a treat to see what specials they are cooking up this week.
Not only does the menu have strange combinations of flavors, it contains a joke. It's teh first joke I've ever seen in Japan and I was stung by not quite getting it.
The word toriaezu means "that's all for now" and is often used in restaurants when you've ordered your drinks and appetizers, but will order an entree later. Tori means chicken. And To is the number ten. When I read the weekly specials I see:
10. Tori aezu
I figure that #10 is a chicken dish with a cute name. So we ask the waitress, "What's this tori aezu?" And she patiently explains that it is a joke. The laugh was on me, for sure.
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TITLE: From 1960 to today,
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/28/2000 07:34:18 AM
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From 1960 to today, Japan's population has increased 130%. Its energy consumption has increased 550%.
Looking around my house, I can see how that happened a little bit at a time as each new convenience and luxury was introduced. In the kitchen, I have an electric water pot that is on 24 hours a day, even though I only use hot water from it once or twice a day. Another half dozen small appliances are stored in the cupboard and wait their turn on the counter.
In the bathroom, the toilet seat is heated and it includes a motorized bidet. To flush this toilet, I must press a remote control on the wall. I'm sure that take some power. The vanity mirror is heated, too. There is a small fan heater under the sink to keep toes warm. Two exhaust fans blow air through the room.
Our living room has 22 lightbulbs installed in two chandeliers and eight downlights.
Except for computers, which we have in overabundance, I think we own a minimum of gadgets. But when I look around carefully, I realise that I'm wrong. We have a lot of things that make our life easier, warmer or happier. And many of them use power.
I think its time to switch off some things now...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: When I was a
BASENAME: when_i_was_a
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/29/2000 06:12:45 AM
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When I was a kid, I sat on the floor a lot. Maybe I was preparing for life in Japan.
In the traditional Japanese home, furniture is low to the ground. Windows are near the floor; everything is grounded. You've probably seen the classic, low dining table with cushions scattered around it. Maybe you've slept on a futon laid out on the floor.
The introduction of Western furniture and modern lifestyles has influenced the design of furniture and there are some interesting hybrids. While low writing desks have been used for centuries, low computer tables with keyboard draw and a shelf above are relatively new on the scene. So is the low armchair; imagine you favorite lounge chair and take off the legs and several inches of the bottom. Add a swiveling base and a side pocket for your collection of remote controls and you're hitting the heights of hybrid furniture fashion.
When I shop for furniture, I try to stick with one style or the other though I will mix up styles with impunity. In my living room I have a normal sofa and chair plus a pile of zabuton, the traditional floor cushions. But no low chairs
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The postman rings pretty
BASENAME: the_postman_rings_pretty
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/30/2000 06:56:14 AM
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The postman rings pretty many times.
Two days ago I found a notice from the postman in my mailbox. He had tried to deliver a package while I was out. The form gave me many options: specify a date and time for them to redeliver; have the package delivered to a different address (residence or business); or pick up the package at the main post office. It even provided a map.
I lost the slip in the rubble on my desk and didn't fill it out right away. My bad. Yesterday, there were two slips in the box. Postman-san tried to deliver at 13:14 and again at 14:20. One slip was marked Ma-ku-ri-n, an approximation of our name in Japanese, but the other was marked Matsuo, the people who lived here before. I was stumped. Do we have one package, or two? Maybe we have three!
This morning, Tod grabbed the newspaper from the mailbox and discovered that a package had been stuffed inside sometime last night. The postman must have been tired of carrying is around.
We tucked the redelivery slips in the box for the postman anyway. If we have three packages, I guess he'll bring us two more. If we have only one, I hope he will ignore them. Or maybe he'll go out and find us two.
(P.S. Thanks for the candy, Jenn.)
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TITLE: When I was a
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DATE: 12/01/2000 06:44:23 AM
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When I was a kid, I loved joke shops, the sort of places that sold fart cushions and plastic ice cubes with embedded bugs. One of the jokes I never tried was the toothpaste that makes the victim's teeth turn black.
Now that I live in Japan, I don't have to be subvert. Binotomo "Nasu Detrifice Jet Black" is an actual product on the shelves and is a pricey, high-end toothpaste at that. It's one of the more disturbing toothpastes I've ever tried.
The package is pretty. A black label sports a jaunty purple eggplant and white lettering spells out the name and tag line: "To keep your teeth in perfect condition use this detrifice night and morning."
I managed perfect condition only one morning. Taking off the cap, I squeezed a dab onto my toothbrush. The product lives up to its name. It's black. It's also salty and slightly gritty, like chalk, with a very slight flavor of vegetable. It's so slight that I can't tell you what vegetable though I'd guess eggplant (nasu is eggplant).
But the most disturbing ascept is that it creates copious black foam. I looked like a rabid dog from Mars. Mornings are bad enough as it is, I hardly need to feel like an alien canine, so I put the toothpaste into the cabinet for an emergency. Or a really good joke.
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TITLE: On this crisp, sunny
BASENAME: on_this_crisp_sunny
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DATE: 12/02/2000 07:18:45 AM
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On this crisp, sunny morning, the woman across the way is hanging out her laundry.
Her first action is to wipe the city grime from the laundry poles. She lifts the pole down at one end and her hand sweeps along its length. This looks more like ballet than a household chore.
In the laundry room, the housewife clipped sock and undergarments to the plastic relative of an octopus. These are now hung on the ends of one of the poles.
Then the real fun begins. She pulls the freshly laundered clothes from a basket with a flick of her wrist. With well-practiced grace and speed, she threads pants and shirts onto the poles. Shirts, crucified for cleanliness, are given a little tug to bring them into line. Pants skewered from waist to ankle are smoothed before she turns to the next item in the basket.
Now she walks through the rows of poles, inspecting her work and adding blue and pink plastic clothespins to shirt collars and readjusting anything that's come out of plumb. Then it's back inside and downstairs to make breakfast.
Me? I'm going to go have some coffee and throw some clothes in the dryer.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: We hosted a holiday
BASENAME: we_hosted_a_holiday
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DATE: 12/03/2000 07:22:09 AM
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We hosted a holiday party for some of Tod's coworkers.
17 guests represented 7 nationalities: Australian, Irish, British, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and American. Quite international.
Yuki, a Japanese woman who works on the NT team, confided in me. "When I am married and have a house, I want to have a home party like this."
Interesting. She referred to the party as a "home party." Japanese parties normally take place in restaurants or hotels because houses are often rather small and not designed for parties. We were hosting an anomaly that merits a special name.
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TITLE: "Um, I think we
BASENAME: um_i_think_we
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DATE: 12/04/2000 04:24:15 AM
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"Um, I think we have a gas leak," Tod called from the bedroom.
Sure enough, the room was filled with the odor of natural gas. (Do you know that that stinky scent is added to the gas to make sure that when there is a problem, you can smell it?) Time to call the gas company.
An hour later, two gas men armed with tools and a huge flashlight arrived and got to work. To check for a leak in the line, they pumped air into the pipe with the gas company's version of a sphygmomenometer. The dial didn't drop once the air was in so there was no leak in the line.
They took apart and greased up the valve. A lack of grease was the culprit. Finished.
Earlier in the day we had discovered an outlet that didn't work. Tod asked them if they could take a look at it before they left.
We all sat around the gas outlet in the living room peering in at it. They took it apart and found a cracked knob. They patched up the knob, put a dab of silicon compound on the valve and now we can heat the living room.
Tod & I watched as they worked and they talked to us, warming up to our slow Japanese, but happy to tell us some safety things and to talk about their tools. By the end of their visit, they had offered to look for a new knob to replace the one that was cracked and broken. Kameoka-san will call next week to let us know. "Service," he said.
He wasn't kidding. Great service from Tokyo Gas.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: ,Lever 2000, a brand
BASENAME: lever_2000_a_brand
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DATE: 12/05/2000 09:46:34 AM
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,Lever 2000, a brand of American "family body wash," claims on its bottle that it has Over 70 Uses.
Intrigued, I called the Lever Consumer Hotline (1-800-598-5005) to find out more.
"Hello, Kathleen," I began after the introductions. "I have a bottle of your body wash and it says there are over 70 uses. Do you have a list you can send me?"
"Oh, I'm afraid not," she replied. "Just as we say the soap is "For all your 2000 Parts" even though people really don't have 2000 parts, we don't really have a list of uses. It's only for marketing."
I am disappointed but also determined. There must be 70 uses, I just have to think of them.
When our friend John had some trouble with his security system yesterday, he grabbed the phone. A chat with a technician got the problem solved in a few minutes. I guess there are some advantages to living in your homeland--ease of language being key among them!
Lever 2000 Uses sent in by clever readers:
6. Dish washing soap What else can we do with Lever 2000? Send your ideas to kristen@lm.com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Snow! Tokyo doesn't get
BASENAME: snow_tokyo_doesnt_get
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DATE: 12/09/2000 08:51:57 AM
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Snow!
Tokyo doesn't get much snow. Whether it's the normal climate or global warming or the city's "heat island effect" I'm not sure, but my last few winters have been nearly snowless.
So a trip to Chicago in winter is a treat. When it began snowing here, I was delighted. By morning we had about 5 centimeters on the ground. Not a blizzard by any means, but it made a respectable white covering on cars, rooves and roads.
Most of the snow has been trodden into a brown mush, but on the curb outside a shop, someone managed a snowman complete with a carrot nose.
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TITLE: More Lever 2000 uses:
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DATE: 12/09/2000 09:37:45 AM
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More Lever 2000 uses:
12. dog shampoo
19. Killing ants We had an earthquake (just a tiny one) right after we got home. Japan is welcoming us back. Even though our holiday was terrific, it's nice to be home. We have bento for dinner tonight. Mmmmm.
Still more uses for Lever 2000:
24. Liquid filler for a London Scene Snow Globe We're more than a third of the way through the list now! If you think of more uses, please e-mail me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: When we arrived home
BASENAME: when_we_arrived_home
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/12/2000 07:27:58 AM
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When we arrived home last night, the new houses across the street were under wraps. Big blue tarps stretched across them to hide them from view. That's a normal practice during construction since buildings in Tokyo are so close together, the tarps keep construction grime off the neighbors.
But in this case, I think that maybe they were trying to hide something other than dust and dirt.
By this morning, wind had loosened some of the tarps and I could peek through to see the buildings underneath. In our absence, workers have begun to apply the finishing touches to the buildings, including stucco on the outer walls.
The buildings are citrus colored. One is lemon yellow, the other is bright orange.
Luckily these houses are outside my kitchen window so I will arrange a tableau of real citrus fruits on the windowsill to coordinate the picture. An orange house...
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TITLE: A long time ago,
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DATE: 12/13/2000 06:55:20 AM
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A long time ago, I discovered I was allergic to cola drinks. Now I discover I'm sensitive to urban wariness, too.
Back then, I tried an elimination diet to confirm my allergies. I stopped eating all the foods I was allergic to, then one by one reintroduced them to my diet. This helped me to find out not only whether I was allergic but also what symptoms were associated with each food.
Coke gives me a headache. I was astonished to find that out. After all, I'd been drinking it almost every day for years and never noticed the nagging back-of-the-head pain. I was just contantly cranky and irritable.
Being alert on the streets of Chicago also gives me a headache. I get the same cranky irritibility when I have to spend my time on the street being alert for possible dangers.
"Who's that across the street? Is there enough distance between me and that car that's been circling the block? Is that group of men on the corner a threat to me? How can I avoid them? Is there an escape route? What if...?"
This internal dialogue flashes through my mind quickly, expertly and without conscious effort. I can converse with my companions, even laugh, but I'm on edge.
Edginess is not a feeling I enjoy. And here in Japan, even in Tokyo where the train companies are planning women-only carriages to avoid unwanted groping during the drunken holiday season, I never feel the pain of urban wariness.
I don't drink Coke anymore. Should I avoid US cities, too?
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TITLE: A new subway line
BASENAME: a_new_subway_line
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DATE: 12/14/2000 06:55:12 AM
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A new subway line opened this week. The Oedo line makes a loop around the city, connecting points that have previously been on the fringes of other subway lines.
Our station, Kasuga, is one of the Oedo line stops. In fact, the new station bridges three lines here which means we can walk underground from our closest station entrance all the way to Tokyo Dome a kilometer away.
The new subway is giving an economic boost to the neighborhoods it passes through and making some big changes. In Kasuga, we're seeing new residential towers just completed, including the one that houses our new gourmet grocery. Tsukushima, a quiet, blue-collar neighborhood on the other side of town, is being remade into a district of luxury apartment buildings.
Whether all this is good in the long run, I don't know. A lot of traditional areas here and in Tsukushima are being destroyed to make way for the new. But the Oedo line is here to stay and it means a quicker trip to a number of places for me. Self interest rules the day (again).
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TITLE: I'm running earlier than
BASENAME: im_running_earlier_than
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DATE: 12/15/2000 05:51:50 AM
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I'm running earlier than usual this year, but I don't think I'm going to make it.
For Christmas the past two years, gift shopping & shipping has been a last-minute, mad rush. Nearly everyone on my gift list received similar items (yukata in 98, "winter gift" in 99). They were shipped via overnight mail just a few days before the holiday.
This year I've shopped online (but I'm not telling where) and supplemented with small stocking stuffers.
I wrapped the stocking gifts yesterday and packaged them up for shipping. Now they are ready to send to America and I'll take them to the post office this morning. That gives them ten days to arrive. Will they beat the deadline?
Maybe, but it's cutting it close. Next year, I'm sending my packages in November.
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TITLE: Yesterday was a beautiful
BASENAME: yesterday_was_a_beautiful
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DATE: 12/16/2000 07:21:15 AM
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Yesterday was a beautiful winter day. The sky was blue, the sun shining and the air was warm.
I was out running errands (mailing those Christmas packages) and decided not to head back to the office with a take-out lunch. Instead, I found myself at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden with a picnic.
I sat on a bench under the bare trees looking across at the huge glass greenhouse. A few Japanese maples still held their leaves, adding scarlet accents to the scene. I love the view of the bright blue sky through the lacy, red leaves.
After sharing my lunch with some well-fed cats, I went off in search of nice smelling plants. My first stop was three huge cinnamon camphor trees that stand at one end of the specimen garden. They are beautiful, with millions of small glossy leaves and the scent of cinnamon when you touch their bark. I spotted a beetle and breathed in the air for a few minutes, then I picked up a fallen twig to give to Tod and headed to the medicinal herbals garden.
Everything at Koishikawa is labelled in Latin and Japanese so sometimes I have to identify the medicinal plants by smell. I grew a handful of them in my own garden years ago. To see and smell them again brings back lots of memories. Lemon verbena, oregano, wormwood. At this time of year, only the perennials are left in this garden; the annuals have been lifted and their beds raked over for winter.
I made my way back to the office a little later than usual, but full of fresh air and renewed vigor. A good exchange, I think.
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TITLE: When the doorbell rang,
BASENAME: when_the_doorbell_rang
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DATE: 12/17/2000 08:36:21 AM
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When the doorbell rang, Tod was in the kitchen making coffee so I ran down to answer it. Maybe it was one of those packages we keep missing.
It was a high school student, dressed in his school uniform of navy blue pants and a matching military style jacket. He explained that he was conducting a survey. Would I be interested in participating?
"Language practice," I thought. I agreed to help him.
We stood together outside to do the survey, leaning on the mailbox so that I could fill in the answers. He read each question aloud to me, running his finger along the page so I could follow, and helped me with the words I didn't know. I ducked inside to get my electronic dictionary to help me with the more complicated concepts.
I have taken countless surveys in America (I find surveys to be quite fun) but I never realised how complicated they can be. If you answer "very good" to 5a, it doesn't make sense to choose "very bad" for 6b. I'm sure that there were some questions that I didn't quite understand because at least one of my answers elicited a quiet response of surprise from my questioner.
It took 20 minutes to get through the 13 pages of the survey. The topic? Steamed buns.
At the end of my labours, I was rewarded with a book token. I think I'll go buy a cookbook.
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TITLE: Today is a day
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DATE: 12/18/2000 07:25:05 AM
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Today is a day when I have nothing to say.
I spent all of yesterday at my desk completing a project for a client. Tod & I ate leftovers for breakfast and dinner and pretty much sat in the office and typed all day long.
I didn't even make it as far as the mailbox to get the newspaper. This morning there will be two waiting for me.
But I won't be home to read them. Today is a day of running around to other people's places. Which is why this is so short. I must gather my things together and head out.
I hope I'll have some adventures today so that I can entertain you more properly tomorrow!
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TITLE: What is it with
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DATE: 12/19/2000 07:33:36 AM
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What is it with foreigners and candy?
Yesterday on the train a middle-aged Japanese woman, atypically fat and garishly dressed, sat next to me. My first thought upon seeing her unconventional appearance was "Oh, no, she's going to try to talk to me."
I was spared that torture, but as she rose to disembark a few stops down the line, she pressed some throat lozenge candies into my hand and moved toward the door. I started to protest, but decided it was easier just to thank her.
"You're not going to eat them, are you?" Tod asked later. Of course I am not. Mom taught me not to take candy from strangers.
When we went to dinner last night, we paid, donned our coats and left the restaurant. As we turned from the door, the waitress burst out behind us. "Excuse me!" she called to us as she handed us...two lollipops. "Ame. Candy." she beamed.
So I'm not sure what makes us look like we welcome candy. Perhaps foreigners have a repuation I'm not aware of. But I wonder, does that waitress qualify as a stranger? The lollipop is appealing.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My friend Brendan, the
BASENAME: my_friend_brendan_the
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DATE: 12/20/2000 07:21:17 AM
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My friend Brendan, the crazy proprietor (he hates it when I call him that) of Pizzakaya , recently finished looking over the entire 361 pages of my book manuscript. (Thank you, Brendan!) Now I'm going over it again, marking in more changes of my own and thinking about his comments.
In addition to the expected corrections of awkward and incorrect language use, Brendan gave some real thought to the structure of the book and to what worked and didn't work in my stories. His insight is really valuable and I've taken to heart some ideas that will make the book more enjoyable and interesting to read.
I have a lot of rewriting to do now, but I think it will improve the book immensely. My goal is to have the MS done and a book proposal to send out to agents/publishers by the end of January.
Being a writer is like being an actor. It's not necessarily your talent that carries you. Who you know, people who are willing to promote you, recommend you, and use your work. are the ones who count in my career now. I'm developing connections with a few mentors and friendly editors, so with some luck my book will eventually see the light of day on a bookstore shelf. Perhaps before the end of the next millennium. (That's 3001, by the way.)
I hope it's sooner. I need the royalty checks. :-)
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TITLE: Earlier this month, we
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DATE: 12/21/2000 07:12:56 AM
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Earlier this month, we received three yellow cards from the post office in quick succession, all of them telling us that we had foreign packages to be delivered and asking us for instructions: redeliver? When? Where?
When a package arrived the next day and the postman hadn't taken the redelivery slips I'd filled in, I figured he'd had gone a bit overboard on the notices and we only had one package after all. I had it now and all was well.
Well, we really did have three more packages! And yesterday, Tod & I went to the post office to fetch them.
Our slip, one with a dire handwritten notice that the packages would be mailed back on the 20th if we didn't come and get them, directed us to the yu-yu window of the main post office. (The Japanese word for postal service is yubin, so "yu" shows up in a lot of the promotional words.) The man at the yu-yu window took our slip, asked for ID, then dashed into the back room. Moments later we were presented with three rather large boxes from Tod's parents.
And a dilemma. There were no taxis to be had outside the post office. The nearest subway station was a ten minute walk. But we estimated that we could walk to our house in about 15 minutes, providing we didn't get lost on the way. We decided to walk home carrying our boxes.
"It's this direction, more or less," Tod announced and we headed off towards the west. Although it is a maze of twisty streets just like every neighborhood in Tokyo, ours is actually very easy to navigate as long as you keep some of the taller landmarks in sight--the new apartment building and the city office. From those two, we were able to triangulate our position and with the help of a map we walked past, we made it home without getting lost at all.
And we solved the puzzle of the three delivery slips. At last.
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TITLE: The Lovely building is
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DATE: 12/22/2000 07:08:56 AM
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The Lovely building is no more.
Down on Hauksan Dori, the major thoroughfare near our house, stood a building that made me smile every time I walked by. It had a certain style, a panache that the buildings surrounding it lacked.
Seven stories high, it fit in with its neighbors. Except for one feature. Running down the center of the building from the top floor to the entrance was a giant tile mosaic. The background was pale green & pink, turned dirty from years of traffic. In the center a daisy with stem, leaves and all, was interpreted in realistic white, yellow and dark green. Near the bottom, picked out a 1950s advertising script in gold tiles slightly tarnished with age, was the word Lovely.
Shortly after we moved into the neighborhood the Lovely building was surrounded by scaffolding. I had hopes that they were renovating and cleaning the mosaic.
But earlier this week the scaffolding came down to reveal a giant hole. The Lovely building is gone. I'm sure they will build something new in its place, but I'm sure it won't be as Lovely.
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TITLE: At one of the
BASENAME: at_one_of_the
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/23/2000 09:01:02 AM
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At one of the busier stations on the line, there was a minor disruption in the carriage I was sitting in. Someone spoke in a loud, sharp tone, a disembodied voice carrying over the general hubbub of the crowded train. A few heads turned, curious to see who it was, but bodies blocked the view and soon enough, the loud language stopped.
A few stops later, the train cleared out to reveal an older woman lying down on the bench seat on the other end of my carriage. Her umbrella and cane were propped against the handrail, her shoes neatly tucked under the seat and her head rested on a bundle. She looked tidy but a bit incongruous. Most people who sleep on the train do it sitting up, heads bobbing, chin falling to shoulder as they sit squashed between other passengers.
A few more stops passed and I was nearing my destination. The old woman was still resting as I tucked my book into my bag. When I heard the loud voice from earlier in the journey, I looked up. It was the resting woman, holding up her hands in the air. She lay on the seat calling out "Sumimasen!" "Excuse me!"
She needed a hand to help her rise. Nobody moved. She called again. Nobody moved. Finally, a young college student, dressed in a duffle coat & hand knitted scarf got up and offered his arm. She thanked the young man with a deep, seated bow and a string of humble and polite words.
Then the old woman began spitting invectives at the two uniformed high school boys across from her. "Baka!" she shouted. That was the only word I understood in her tirade, but it means "stupid-idiot" and is very rude. She was telling off these kids for not respecting their elders, I guess. They just sat there, impassive.
I got off at the next stop, with the feisty woman still muttering curses at the boys as she put on her shoes and arranged herself.
Train tickets don't usually include the price of entertainment. What a show!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: It's Christmas Eve, a
BASENAME: its_christmas_eve_a
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DATE: 12/24/2000 09:09:55 AM
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It's Christmas Eve, a big date night here in Japan.
Couples have made reservations months in advance for dinner and a room at swank hotels. For the younger set, a Christmas Eve date means Kentucky Fried Chicken & an hour or two at a love hotel.
A Ginza Printemps department store survey said that women expect somewhat less for Christmas this year, with the average gift receiver anticipating about $300 worth of presents. Last year, they calculated something closer to $500 per gal. 57% of the women surveyed hoped for jewelry.
For those whose Christmas dates yielded a marriage and family, it's the day to bring home the Christmas cake and go look at the displays of lights in Ginza or out in the ritzy Western suburbs.
Will I have a date for Christmas Eve? Of course. But at the moment, he's still sleeping and doesn't know what's in store for him. (Probably KFC & a love hotel...)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: We spent our Christmas
BASENAME: we_spent_our_christmas
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 12/25/2000 06:57:03 AM
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We spent our Christmas Eve getting into the spirit of the season.
A visit to the Japan Toy Museum gave us a dose of playthings. They have 8,000 toys on display. Arranged by era and type we saw traditional wooden toys, dozens of post-war tin toys, kitchy 60's era spaceship and robot toys (with "Mysterious Action and Glowing Lights"), and collector Barbies. As usual, we spent more time there, looking at the toys, talking about them and trying out the displays, than any two visitors combined. When we left, the curator gave us a Toy Museum poster.
Next we walked to Kappabashi, the restaurant supply district, to look at grownup toys. I love the displays of pots & pans and arcane kitchen gadgets. Tod was patient while I browsed the pottery shops but in the end all I walked away with were some gingerbread man cookie cutters. We came home and made cookie dough to the music of George Winton's December album. Very Christams-y.
Today I'll bake Christmas cookies, then deliver them to Tod & his coworkers this afternoon. I wonder if I can find a Mrs. Santa suit somewhere?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Christmas: cookies; creativity; and
BASENAME: christmas_cookies_creativity_and
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/26/2000 08:09:02 AM
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Christmas: cookies; creativity; and caffeine.
I spent my Christmas morning baking an army of gingerbread men and citrus wreaths. They were beautiful and lots of fun to decorate. Each gingerbread person had a distinct personality and the accessories to prove it.
My day's plan was to bake cookies, arrange the gifts shipped from family and then in the late afternoon, deliver cookies to Tod's office and spirit Tod away to go Chirstmas shopping. When I checked in with Tod at noon, he told me that he might have to work til 7 as his colleague's daughter was ill. Oh. no! No shopping! I hadn't bought any gifts in advance.
Since I knew what I wanted to get, but didn't think I'd find it in the neighborhood shops, I decided that I'd surprise Tod with a Christmas tree of some sort. But as it was Christmas day, all the shops had replaced Xmas decorations with New Year ones. so I went the creative route and created a paper and copper wire sculpture in the middle of the living room.
Banners of shoji paper formed a conical tent from ceiling to floor; a meter-high cone of paper, lit from inside, stood in the center of the tent as the tree. I decorated the tree with spirals of copper wire hanging from the apex and a circle of spirals at the bottom. Held together with tape and office supplies, it was a little makeshift, but it had the desired effect--Tod's eyes went waide and he was surprised.
As it turned out, Tod's coworker came in to relieve Tod at five, so we did go shopping after all. I brought a huge basket full of cookies in, and Tod passed them around. There were 90 cookies when the basket arrived and four remaining when we left to go shopping. A hungry office!
When we arrived home after shopping, we ordered a pizza (delivered 30 minutes later by a man in a Santa suit) and settled in to unwrap presents. As we went along, we discovered a theme: caffeine
The Zous, our stuffed elephants, gave Tod a traditional Italian, all-metal coffee/espresso maker. I followed up with a coffee grinder and espresso beans. Tod, trying to guess the contents of a gift from my parents, guessed that it was coffee beans; it turned out to be one of his favorite snacks, corn nuts. Tod's parents really did send coffee beans. And they sent a steam-expressed espresso/cappucino maker. Our "coffee life" is very happy.
By the time we finished unwrapping the gifts it was 11 o'clock. After our long, busy day, sleep was very welcome. Merry Christmas!
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TITLE: It rarely gets very
BASENAME: it_rarely_gets_very
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DATE: 12/27/2000 07:28:01 AM
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It rarely gets very cold here in Tokyo, but I am glad I have a pair of gloves.
Yesterday's high was about 10 (50 F) but the temperature dropped quickly in the evening and the wind was blowing. I'm sure it didn't dip below freezing but people on the streets last night were bundled up as if Omotesando were the South Pole.
Shoppers and people heading home from work hurried along to the station wearing hats, scarves tightly wrapped, gloves, and heavy coats zipped all the way up. Everyone looked chilly and very serious about keeping warm. I pulled on my knit gloves and zipped my jacket partway so that it wouldn't blow open in the wind.
As I made my own way to the station (with a wind-assisted push) I remembered that yesterday's low in Tokyo was the high temperature in Chicago earlier this month. The wind seemed a lot warmer after that.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: There are four days
BASENAME: there_are_four_days
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/28/2000 07:32:31 AM
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There are four days left to complete the year-end cleaning.
Before the new year comes, everyone in Japan cleans the slate--and the house, their accounts, broken relationships, and all the other loose ends that are dangling. It's a great system, giving everyone a fresh start for the new year but it sure is a lot of work.
I have so many loose ends to attend to...there's a movie a borrowed from a friend, the shower really needs some scrubbing in the grimy corners, there's money to be invested before the 31st, and I'm not even thinking about the fingerprints on the glass doors. All those things I ignored, put off, or actively avoided during the year have four days to be resolved so I have some good karma in 2001.
If I were really Japanese, instead of merely following along with local customs, I'd also be cooking osechi ryori, the lucky new year foods. More about food tomorrow, I must go find the window cleaner.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Everyday tongue twister
BASENAME: everyday_tongue_twister
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/29/2000 07:29:09 AM
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Although there's no phrase for "tongue twister" in Japanese, the language has quite a few words that are challenging to say.
Japanese has 5 vowel sounds (plus a few dipthongs) ah (a), ee (i), oo (u), eh (e), & oh (o). Paired with the 11 consonant sounds, this means pronunciation is very regular. Ko is always ko. Bu is bu.
But it means you have to be careful in the words you say. A slip of the tongue can cause you to lose all meaning. For example, kabu means turnip but kaba is hippopotamus. I'm sure I've gone to the produce section and asked a question that made me sound like I was on safari.
But the words I have most trouble with are the long strings of similar syllables. In class this week, I encountered mitsukerarerusou desu. I've been practicing it for the past couple of days and it still comes haltingly from my lips. Mitsu-ka... rats. Mitsu-ke-rrrrrrra-re-ru.
What does mitsukerarerusou desu mean? "It is said that you can find" Fortunately that doesn't come up in conversation too often.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yesterday was the last
BASENAME: yesterday_was_the_last
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/30/2000 08:57:37 AM
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Yesterday was the last business day of the year and most employees spent their afternoon cleaning.
At the printer's across the street, they washed and buffed the delivery trucks and the forklift. In restaurants, wait staff dusted picture frames and scrubbed all the corners that are normally overlooked. In the subways, uniformed cleaning staff halted esclators and scraped out the grooves of the stair treads.
I was not quite possessed with the fervor year-end cleaning though I have done a fairly good job with other loose ends. Cleaning will happen today as I bleach the kitchen counters, finish removing fingerprints from windows, and mop all the floors. Maybe I'll even break down the cardboard boxes in the garage so they can be recycled next week.
I'd better go don my cleaning uniform--an apron and rubber gloves. I usually skip the high heels and pearls but you can call me Mrs Cleaver, anyway.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Click. Click. Click-click. The
BASENAME: click_click_click-click_the
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/31/2000 08:09:47 AM
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Click. Click. Click-click.
The rhythm of wooden sticks has echoed through our neighborhood for the last few evenings as "fire patrols" make their year-end rounds.
Groups of four to eight men (and a rare woman) from the neighborhood walk through the streets, looking at each building to make sure none is on fire. The leader clacks his sticks and the others respond with a chant. "Yo-ii-yo-ii-yo!"
It's a tradition dating back to the days when Tokyo was mainly built of wood. Today's fire patrols vary widely in form and style. But whether they are a handful of tipsy old men carrying paper lanterns, or a platoon of uniformed neighbors, the gold braid on their caps glittering in the beam of their flashlights, they all pound out the same staccato beat.
Because we live at a confluence of streets and neighborhoods, there have been several groups walking past each night. I've enjoyed watching them. I think it would be fun to join in with them. Maybe next year.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: At 1:00 am, there
BASENAME: at_100_am_there
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/01/2001 10:06:56 AM
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At 1:00 am, there were hundreds of people at the temple. Stalls along the walkways hawked daruma dolls, wooden arrows, and all sorts of good luck charms. Food sellers were doing a brisk business with fried noodles, "baby custard" doughnuts, and warm sake.
It seemed as if all the residents of Sugamo had turned out at Togenuki-jizo temple to ring in the new year with a coin in the donation box and a prayer for a successful year ahead. I did the same, offering up wishes for good health and a good year.
My prayers made, I turned away from the temple and headed for the main attraction at Togenuki-jizo, a meter tall Jizo statue that's said to cure illnesses.
Tod, Brendan and I stood in line to have a chance to visit Jizo. When I reached the head of the queue, I tossed some coins into the box, picked up a washcloth and a dipper of water then gave Jizo a bath.
I poured water on the head, hands, and shoulders of the statue hoping for good health in all those parts. I gave Jizo an extra splash on the nose for Susan, Brendan's wife who was at home with the kids (and a head cold). Then I used the washcloth to pat Jizo dry.
As the next people in line began to bathe Jizo, we left to buy a wooden arrow to bring us luck this year, then headed home on the one night of the year that trains run all night.
Happy 21st century. Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu.
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AUTHOR: Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal
EMAIL: mitesh@fan.org.np
IP: 202.79.60.14
URL: http://www.fan.org.np
DATE: 04/25/2003 02:22:32 AM
FIREFIGHTERS VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION OF NEPAL (FAN)
G.P.O.BOX NO. 19383, Kathmandu, Nepal
Dear Sir/Madam,
It is to inform you that, as a result of the efficient membership and co-ordination, our organization ‘Firefighters volunteers Association of Nepal (FAN)’ presents a documentary “Information on disaster “Several events are initiated within it. In the present context of our country several disasters (like land slides, floods, earthquake, soil erosion, gully erosion, inundation, scouring etc) are taking place. It’s the matter to be understood that small investment before the disasters may lead to protection for the huge loss.
The main objective of this documentary is to arise public awareness among the people about the disaster; it’s prevention and control. This documentary is a result of our efforts and ideas. The amount collected after the demonstration of this documentary will be collected in the fund of FAN and will be invested for the welfare of those people who are unknown about this changing world and it’s development. If we succeed in this effort, we will be encouraged for making other investigating documentaries. We have prepared this documentary in Nepali language to demonstrate in national level whereas in English for international level. We deserves its demonstration in the exhibitions, conferences and meetings where it can make it’s own identity. Launching of this documentary is as a milestone in the field of controlling disasters.
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) opens a homepage and E-mail for enhancing the information discourse to and information exchange with our organization.
The address of homepage and E-mail are.
1.web site address: http://www.fan.org.np
2.E-mail address: info@fan.org.np
3.E-mail address: kkchapagain@fan.org.np
4 E-mail address: mitesh @fan.org.np
We hope we will be encouraged, co-operation.
Yours sincerely
…………………..
Kewal Kumar Chapagain,
President
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal
(FAN)
G.P.O.Box-19383,Kathmandu,Nepal
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal
EMAIL: mitesh@fan.org.np
IP: 202.79.60.14
URL: http://www.fan.org.np
DATE: 04/25/2003 02:24:26 AM
FIREFIGHTERS VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION OF NEPAL (FAN)
G.P.O.BOX NO. 19383, Kathmandu, Nepal
Dear Sir/Madam,
It is to inform you that, as a result of the efficient membership and co-ordination, our organization ‘Firefighters volunteers Association of Nepal (FAN)’ presents a documentary “Information on disaster “Several events are initiated within it. In the present context of our country several disasters (like land slides, floods, earthquake, soil erosion, gully erosion, inundation, scouring etc) are taking place. It’s the matter to be understood that small investment before the disasters may lead to protection for the huge loss.
The main objective of this documentary is to arise public awareness among the people about the disaster; it’s prevention and control. This documentary is a result of our efforts and ideas. The amount collected after the demonstration of this documentary will be collected in the fund of FAN and will be invested for the welfare of those people who are unknown about this changing world and it’s development. If we succeed in this effort, we will be encouraged for making other investigating documentaries. We have prepared this documentary in Nepali language to demonstrate in national level whereas in English for international level. We deserves its demonstration in the exhibitions, conferences and meetings where it can make it’s own identity. Launching of this documentary is as a milestone in the field of controlling disasters.
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) opens a homepage and E-mail for enhancing the information discourse to and information exchange with our organization.
The address of homepage and E-mail are.
1.web site address: http://www.fan.org.np
2.E-mail address: info@fan.org.np
3.E-mail address: kkchapagain@fan.org.np
4 E-mail address: mitesh @fan.org.np
We hope we will be encouraged, co-operation.
Yours sincerely
…………………..
Kewal Kumar Chapagain,
President
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal
(FAN)
G.P.O.Box-19383,Kathmandu,Nepal
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Japanese have a
BASENAME: the_japanese_have_a
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/02/2001 07:55:06 AM
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The Japanese have a very nifty tradition for new year's greetings.
People mail postcards (called nenga hagaki) to one another. The post office sells pre-franked cards with cartoon charaters or other scenes and lottery numbers printed on them. The lottery is drawn in mid-January and these cards are very popular--a greeting and a potential gift all in one. 576,908 lottery post cards were sent this year.
When you deposit your new year postcards into a specially marked "new years mail" slot on any street corner post box, the post office sorts the cards by address and holds them until new year's day, when they are delivered in a bunch to pretty much every house in the nation. Everyone waits with anticipation for the mail that day. Me included.
The first year we lived in Japan we got one card (from our realtor); last year we received three from friends. This year we didn't have any. What a disappointment. Maybe we'll do better next year.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: When I rolled out
BASENAME: when_i_rolled_out
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/03/2001 08:47:52 AM
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When I rolled out of bed just now to start my day (OK, I admit that I've been awake for a few hours but lying abed and finishing a book I started yesterday), Tod sleepily asked me to turn up the heat.
The front panel of the heater was blinking. That's an indication to me that there is no gas. No wonder it was chilly in the room.
In this earthquake-prone country there are all sorts of safety features built into the infrastructure. One of them is that when the gas meter feels a jolt, it shuts itself off. Much of the destruction in earthquake disasters is caused by fires, so it makes sense to cut the flow of combustibles.
But we didn't have an earthquake last night. I double checked on the Internet. Not a tremor or a tremble. Rock solid. Maybe a heavy truck rumbled past on the street. They sometimes confuse the meter.
Regardless of the cause, I must go out and reset the meter. There are instructions permanently attached, but it's pretty easy. Look for the blinking red lamp, press the button until it stops blinking and then wait three minutes.
I'm already looking forward to a warm room and a hot shower.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fukubukuro are grab bags
BASENAME: fukubukuro_are_grab_bags
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/04/2001 07:59:19 AM
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Fukubukuro are grab bags for grown-ups.
The name means lucky (fuku) bag (bukuro) and it is just that. For a set amount of money, you select a sealed shopping bag full of merchandise. You get at least as much as you paid for and if you are lucky, you get more.
I decided to search for a fukubukuro for myself. Matsuzakaya, an old-fashioned department store, was my target shopping experience. Outside the store, three men beat an uneven rhythm on a giant taiko drum as they whipped the passersby into a frenzy and hawked the last three 10,000 yen fukubukuro. I wasn't quite ready to part with that much money ($100) so I slipped inside to look for more modest surprises.
I amassed a number of small household purchases, but no lucky bag. I left disappointed. At the train station, I had a change of heart and dashed back to Matsuzakaya for a jewelry grab bag.
I decided on a 5,000 yen bag of Monet jewelry. It was a good choice. My bag contained three necklaces, a pair of earring and a bracelet worth at least 20,000 according to the price tags. I'll wear all the necklaces. As for the bracelet and earrings, well, maybe I'll find a use for them.
Fukubukuro are fun. Perhaps next year I'll try for a luxury fukubukuro in the 1,000,000 yen range ($10,000). I could find myself with a new car or a vacation.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I got lost in
BASENAME: i_got_lost_in
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/05/2001 10:08:34 AM
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I got lost in my own train station yesterday.
When the Odeo subway line opened last month, Kasuga station was enlarged to include access to the new line. In fact, the Oedo line forms a perpendicular bridge between the parallel Kasuga and Korakuen stations.
So when I got off the Odeo line yesterday on my way back from Shinjuku, I headed for the nearest Up escalator to get to ground level and home. I put my pass card through the wicket to exit and continued walking through the maze of hallways and ever-ascending escalators, following the signs pointing towards the exit I wanted to use.
Six or seven minutes later (it's a very deep subway line), I spied sky. And another set of exit wickets. Huh? I'd gone through the exit procedure several levels below.
Daunted, but wishing to be truly exited, I tried passing my card through the wicket. *Ding Dong* You are not a winner. Please see the attendant.
I struggled to pull up the right vocabulary to explain my predicament. I had apparently gone though some "tranfer only" exit point and had a further 50 yen decucted from my pass card. I was expected to ride another line only I had no intention of doing that. So the the attendant returned my 50 yen and I was allowed to leave.
Next time I'm in that part of the station, I'll have to be more careful.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Last night after dinner,
BASENAME: last_night_after_dinner_1
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/06/2001 07:38:55 AM
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Last night after dinner, our dining companion took us down the street and around the corner. "Here it is," he said.
We were standing in front of BoPeep, a tiny walk-in closet of a shop. With just room enough for a single file of customers, the store was crammed floor to ceiling with drug paraphenalia and lifestyle goods: pipes, paraphanalia, gardening books and pro-hemp stickers. What surprised me was the legal-in-Japan mood-altering drugs.
Along wih "herb joints," salvia extract, and morning glory seeds, magic mushrooms imported from Mexico, Thailand and Hawaii filled a display case. BoPeep's lone employee, a youthful man with clear, smooth skin embellished with a few sparse beard hairs, explained to us in a mix of Japanese and English that the Mexican and Thai mushrooms were for laughing fun and the Hawaiian ones were stronger, psychadelic.
The traffic in and out of the store was brisk in the ten minutes we were there. A pair of young women wearing the latest conservative fashions pored over the mushrooms. A couple wearing brand-new bell bottoms and knit rasta caps bought some, too. A burly African man came in, checked the prices, and left.
We weren't there very long but the place, like many Western shops in Tokyo, was a cute, clean and fun reproduction of its US counterpart. Completely charming.
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AUTHOR: buy salvia seeds
EMAIL: z@hotmail.com
IP: 204.60.207.105
URL: http://www.stargeek.com/buy_salvia_seeds.html
DATE: 10/22/2003 04:32:15 PM
here's a great place to Buy Salvia Seeds
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo's firefighters are well
BASENAME: tokyos_firefighters_are_well
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/07/2001 01:34:19 PM
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Tokyo's firefighters are well prepared for fires and other emergencies, and they proved it to the public yesterday at their annual New Years Fire Review.
In a program organized down to the minute (10:51 March of Firefighters; 10:59 Parade of Fire Apparatus), the city's fire service strutted their stuff. From commendations to stunts to a fire drill, they really put on a show.
"Wow, that was much better than I imagined," Tod gushed after it was all over. "What was your favorite part?"
Although I thought I'd be most impressed with the Edo-era ladder acrobatics which have been performed every new year for the last several hundred years, I have to say I liked the fire drill best.
The firemen ignited some tall concrete structures, using plenty of smoke bombs for good effect, then zoomed around in big red pumpers and ladder trucks to extinguish the blazes. Ambulances carted away the rescued "victims." Helicopters hovered overhead, dropping firemen in on the scene and airlifting people from rooftops. They even flew by and discharged water over the buildings, showering the crowd watching from the bleachers. It was exciting to see all the equipment in use, and oddly comforting as well.
Afterwards, as we examined the interior of an ambulance and smiled at toddlers having their pictures taken with the firemen, we purchased a fukubukuro (lucky bag) from the Tokyo Emergency First Aid Association Toward Excellent Service. Inside we found a some useful first aid supplies, a Bystander's First Aid manual, a kerchief printed with CPR instructions, and an entire box of latex gloves.
Maybe I'm not as prepared as the Tokyo firefighters, but I'm ready now for any minor first aid emergencies or proctology exams.
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AUTHOR: Chapagain Kewal Kumar
EMAIL: kkchapagain@fan.org.np
IP: 202.79.60.14
URL: http://www.fan.org.np
DATE: 04/13/2003 01:48:39 AM
Dear Sir/madam
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is the only
non-governmental organization working on Fire prepares, distribution of fire
engine and ambulance and rescue operation on other disaster. It is a
register organization according to present Nepalese legal provisions.
The Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is preparing to expend
its activities in Nepal and also looks forward to make close and
collaborative with your good Organization.
Wishing that you took initialization to exceeded co-operations with
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN).
Thank you.
...........................................................................................................................................................
Dear sir /madam
FAN is a non profit Organization 2000A.D.Nepal is a very poorest undevelopment and difficult cantry .Our Association have many Problem about Fire service and other Disasters. Our cantry have onely tharyfive city Fire service available and they have old traning syistams,old vaikal has not good candition.Therefore FAN need your national and international soport and sagestion. FAN has been made by docamantry (Information on disaster)in our cantest.We want to presets the dacamantry in your Organization. Please veries suggetion and saport and exchange onather idias.
Yours sencearly
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN)
President
………………
Chapagain; Kewal Kumar
G.P.O. BOX-19383
Kathmandu, Nepal
E-mail:- kkchapagain@fan.org.np
Web:- fan.org.np
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Chapagain Kewal Kumar
EMAIL: kkchapagain@fan.org.np
IP: 202.79.60.14
URL: http://www.fan.org.np
DATE: 04/13/2003 01:50:31 AM
Dear Sir/madam
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is the only
non-governmental organization working on Fire prepares, distribution of fire
engine and ambulance and rescue operation on other disaster. It is a
register organization according to present Nepalese legal provisions.
The Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is preparing to expend
its activities in Nepal and also looks forward to make close and
collaborative with your good Organization.
Wishing that you took initialization to exceeded co-operations with
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN).
Thank you.
...........................................................................................................................................................
Dear sir /madam
FAN is a non profit Organization 2000A.D.Nepal is a very poorest undevelopment and difficult cantry .Our Association have many Problem about Fire service and other Disasters. Our cantry have onely tharyfive city Fire service available and they have old traning syistams,old vaikal has not good candition.Therefore FAN need your national and international soport and sagestion. FAN has been made by docamantry (Information on disaster)in our cantest.We want to presets the dacamantry in your Organization. Please veries suggetion and saport and exchange onather idias.
Yours sencearly
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN)
President
………………
Chapagain; Kewal Kumar
G.P.O. BOX-19383
Kathmandu, Nepal
E-mail:- kkchapagain@fan.org.np
Web:- fan.org.np
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Chapagain Kewal Kumar
EMAIL: kkchapagain@fan.org.np
IP: 202.79.60.14
URL: http://www.fan.org.np
DATE: 04/13/2003 01:50:38 AM
Dear Sir/madam
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is the only
non-governmental organization working on Fire prepares, distribution of fire
engine and ambulance and rescue operation on other disaster. It is a
register organization according to present Nepalese legal provisions.
The Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is preparing to expend
its activities in Nepal and also looks forward to make close and
collaborative with your good Organization.
Wishing that you took initialization to exceeded co-operations with
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN).
Thank you.
...........................................................................................................................................................
Dear sir /madam
FAN is a non profit Organization 2000A.D.Nepal is a very poorest undevelopment and difficult cantry .Our Association have many Problem about Fire service and other Disasters. Our cantry have onely tharyfive city Fire service available and they have old traning syistams,old vaikal has not good candition.Therefore FAN need your national and international soport and sagestion. FAN has been made by docamantry (Information on disaster)in our cantest.We want to presets the dacamantry in your Organization. Please veries suggetion and saport and exchange onather idias.
Yours sencearly
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN)
President
………………
Chapagain; Kewal Kumar
G.P.O. BOX-19383
Kathmandu, Nepal
E-mail:- kkchapagain@fan.org.np
Web:- fan.org.np
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.79.60.14
URL:
DATE: 04/13/2003 01:52:14 AM
Dear Sir/madam
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is the only
non-governmental organization working on Fire prepares, distribution of fire
engine and ambulance and rescue operation on other disaster. It is a
register organization according to present Nepalese legal provisions.
The Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN) is preparing to expend
its activities in Nepal and also looks forward to make close and
collaborative with your good Organization.
Wishing that you took initialization to exceeded co-operations with
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN).
Thank you.
...........................................................................................................................................................
Dear sir /madam
FAN is a non profit Organization 2000A.D.Nepal is a very poorest undevelopment and difficult cantry .Our Association have many Problem about Fire service and other Disasters. Our cantry have onely tharyfive city Fire service available and they have old traning syistams,old vaikal has not good candition.Therefore FAN need your national and international soport and sagestion. FAN has been made by docamantry (Information on disaster)in our cantest.We want to presets the dacamantry in your Organization. Please veries suggetion and saport and exchange onather idias.
Yours sencearly
Firefighters volunteer Association of Nepal (FAN)
President
………………
Chapagain; Kewal Kumar
G.P.O. BOX-19383
Kathmandu, Nepal
E-mail:- kkchapagain@fan.org.np
Web:- fan.org.np
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ff;lkafl;kjasdfljksdf
EMAIL:
IP: 202.138.120.38
URL:
DATE: 04/18/2004 12:56:38 AM
i am totally bginings to start typing nonsesnes from now, here go i ,,
dream i had long ago with wonderful going in high plane down over ocean , fight on ground climb stair to temple, fight, then fly i wonderful over ground all time run on ground and fly go top on building very down , fly very high , on top of mountain now, see sun , planet and suddenly very very far in deep space i call sky, then somthing happened i dont know what, very veyr , and then i top of house in very high mountain all water all deeep straight down , how climb i down i thought, very very then suddenly i try down and then down i reach very good.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: As we walked outside
BASENAME: as_we_walked_outside
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/08/2001 11:32:12 AM
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As we walked outside last night, I felt the air and commented, "It's going to snow tonight, I think."
A few hours later, my weather sense was proven true. We had a nice little snowfall of about an inch or so. Rooves and trees were coated white; roads were slushy.
By this morning the snow had turned to sleet and then to rain. Most of it is gone now, except for little patches hidden in shadows.
But it was beautiful while it lasted.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The government of Japan
BASENAME: the_government_of_japan
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/09/2001 07:21:02 AM
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The government of Japan recently reorganized itself. It streamlined 23 federal agencies into 13.
Some of the changes made sense. The Education Ministry and the Science and Technology Ministry were combined. Similarly Heath & Welfare and Labor were married. Those all sort of go together with similar goals and probably some overlapping programs.
But some changes did not make sense to me. The Hokkaido Development Agency became part of the new Construction and Transport Ministry while the Okinawa Development Agency joined the Cabinet Office. Why aren't they together? Maybe because the head of the Okinawa Development Agency is former Prime Minister Hashimoto. I'll bet Hokkaido Development's leader is just some guy.
They heralded this in the press as sweeping realignment to correct top-down decision making and to make operations simplers and more transparent. I have a feeling that it really isn't going to make anything easier or clearer than before. No jobs were lost, no policies changed, only office building were shuffled and renamed. So if you knew where to go last week, it might not be there anymore.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese OTC cold medicines
BASENAME: japanese_otc_cold_medicines
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/10/2001 08:12:53 AM
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Japanese OTC cold medicines are a little bit intimidating.
The rules are different here so Japanese medications are not always the same as the ones I'm familiar with.. Certain cough medicine ingredients that I've taken in America are illegal here, but codeine is easily obtained in cold preparations.
The packages try to make it easy to figure out what's what. I suppose that's so sick and groggy natives don't have to think too hard, but it's helpful for the functional illiterate, too. Illustrations of cartoon people with red circles around their ailing parts, or beautifully shaded 3-D anatomical illustrations with arrows and flowcharts keep the unwary from buying stomach medicine when a headache remedy is in order.
But that doesn't help much when you get to the ingredient list. Can you decipher these?
Did you figure them out? I think the first two are dihydro-codeine and methyl-ephedrine. The other two have me stumped.
I took it anyway. I think it helped.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Corporate stupidity is mind
BASENAME: corporate_stupidity_is_mind
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/11/2001 07:59:40 AM
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Corporate stupidity is mind boggling.
I am writing a newsletter and one of my contacts doesn't want to publish the names of the management team. I won't quote her most recent e-mail, but she's worried that things will change.
Things always change. Why not give some information now and deal with the changes in the next issue? That's why there are future issues.
Sometimes, mainly when I look at my bank balance, I wonder if leaving my corporate job was a good idea. But then I have a client like this who reminds me of all the pain and irriation I experienced back then. 12 hours days doing nothing important but everything with urgency. Lunches taken at my desk because I was too busy to eat a proper meal.
I smile at my brilliant decision and pour another cup of tea.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Trival Difference #428 There's
BASENAME: trival_difference_428_theres
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/12/2001 06:58:46 AM
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Trival Difference #428
There's never enough toast on lazy weekend mornings. Loaves of white bread in Japan are about half the length of American loaves. During the week, this is convenient since we always finish the bread before it turns stale.
By careful purchasing, I can maximise our toast. Loaves are normally pre-cut into 6 slices per loaf. Sometimes I've been able to find 8-slice loaves, which are the normal sized slices in the US. Thicker bread, a 5-slice loaf, makes great French toast but it's gone so quickly. There are 4-slice loaves, but the slices are so thick, I've never figured out what to do with them.
Some weekends, I plan ahead and buy two loaves.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Something strange is happening
BASENAME: something_strange_is_happening
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/13/2001 07:37:46 AM
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Something strange is happening in the world of broadcast news.
Live announcers are slowly being replaced by virtual actors and synthesized voices. Last spring, Ananova hit the scene. She reads the news for the UK's Press Association. Shortly after Ananova began broadcasting, Sprint introduced Chase Walker, an interactive news announcer, to appear via their ION broadband Internet service. We're all familiar with Clippit, the annoying Microsoft paperclip who only heralds bad news. Last month, a new face appeared on the web in France. Eve Solal is looking for a job in TV.
And so technology advances. Yesterday, Toshiba announced a breakthrough in speech synthesis. Their new system can imitate the voice of any person and instantly converts typed text into voices with a range of intonations.
Perhaps someday we'll be loyal fans of a computer-generated newsreader. Walter Cronkite, you're out of fashion.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I'm on my way
BASENAME: im_on_my_way
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/14/2001 08:49:32 AM
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I'm on my way to joining a gym.
I've always found gyms to be a bit intimidating--inscrutable weight machines and ultra-fit training partners. But I'm getting weaker and pudgier by the day, so it's time to take action. A couple of aerobics classes each week, maybe a swim and a little weight training thrown in once in a while will help me to combat my desk-bound lifestyle.
Last night, Tod & I passed the Sports Club Tokyo Dome on our way home. "Come on, I'll help you get an application," Tod offered. He knows that I will probably put this off for another few months just to avoid having to get information in Japanese. He made it look easy and a few minutes later, we were out the door with brochures and a sheet of information in English, too.
I think the results of my photo-booth session look like an Aphex Twin album cover. I have no excuses.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I think its time
BASENAME: i_think_its_time
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/15/2001 08:14:08 AM
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I've been using Premiere for the last jillion years. It's what I learned first, way back when it was at the top of its class. But technology changed and Premiere hasn't kept up entirely.
I can't get it to properly control my camera when it captures. For example, I want a bunch of 1 second clips for a project I'm working on. Things start out OK, and Premiere chugs along, telling my camera to rewind, fast forward and play as needed, but after a while the time starts to drift. Instead of getting a clip that contains 1:14 to 1:15, I've got 1:15 to 1:16. Which isn't the right second!
I have 120 of these short clips to grab, and about half of them are wrong. I've worked around the problem for now. But I think maybe I need to investigate my other options.
There are a lot of new digital video editing programs available now, from the very simple iMovie to the more full-featured Final Cut Pro or Edit.DV There's even a new version of Premiere. But I don't relish this investigation. Switching software makes me very cranky. So if I write like a frustrated woman for the next few weeks, its because I am one.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Well, there goes the
BASENAME: well_there_goes_the
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/16/2001 06:49:24 AM
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Well, there goes the neighborhood.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police are increasing the number of cells available in local jails, according to an article in yesterday's paper. Due to more stringent laws and tighter control over stalking and molestation, jail cells are full of detainees who must be questioned about their crimes. Questioning takes an average of 34 days during which time the criminal must be housed in a jail.
The number of people in the city jails has increased 2.5 times in the last ten years to approximately 2,4000 daily. The proportion of "foreign nationals" has increased from 10% to 25% of the jailed. That doesn't reflect the population at all--approximately 1% of Japan's residents are foreigners. Perhaps we are as bad and ill-mannered as some Japanese seem to think.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese lunch boxes are
BASENAME: japanese_lunch_boxes_are
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/17/2001 10:49:53 AM
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Japanese lunch boxes are really cute.
When you bring lunch from home, it's likely to be some of last night's rice, topped with flakes of salmon or with pickled vegetables. Depending on what you had for dinner the previous night, you may include some bits of stewed meat or vegetables, or even a bit of fried chicken. You'll add in a cup of instant miso soup because no meal is complete without rice and soup.
So you can imagine that the standard, roomy, American lunch boxes might not work so well. Bento boxes are made expecially for the sorts of bits and peices of food that go into them. You can buy very fancy ones made of lacquer and decorated with gold leaf. There are also less costly plastic versions of these elegant boxes.
But what I've seen in the office lunchroom is more kin to the character lunchboxes I carried to school as a kid but considerably smaller. Imagine a cross between a 2-cup sized tupperware and a gift box and you have the right idea.
Inside is a pull out tray divided for the tidbits of vegetable, fish, meat and pickles and a lower compartment for rice. For diners with larger appetites, three-layer boxes are also available.
There are no pictures of these on the web that I can find, so if you'd like to see one, you'll have to come to Japan and visit any store that sells household goods.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sarah
EMAIL:
IP: 67.31.158.244
URL:
DATE: 06/14/2003 07:14:24 AM
At www.jlink.com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sarah
EMAIL:
IP: 67.31.158.244
URL:
DATE: 06/14/2003 07:14:50 AM
At www.jlist.com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Being sick gives me
BASENAME: being_sick_gives_me
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/18/2001 08:48:18 AM
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Being sick gives me a chance to catch up on my reading.
For the last two afternoons (and probably again today), I laid my feverish body on a futon in front of the heater, covered myself with a feather duvet and read until I fell asleep. I've made it through one really bad military thriller and have almost finished an interesting book called "A Return to Modesty" which espouses that sexual modesty and "waiting until after marriage" is not the weird, bad thing people think, but is advantageous in the extreme. (It's a little too late for me, but the ideas are interesting nonetheless.)
I'm hoping that my ill body decides to feel better today. I really hate being so out of it. And, believe it or not, I'm getting tired of reading.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Helping kids with their
BASENAME: helping_kids_with_their
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/19/2001 08:24:14 AM
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Helping kids with their homework is fun.
I found a request in my e-mail this morning from the daughter of a friend in Pittsburgh. "What is the weather like in Japan in January? Will you write back
and tell me tonight?"
So I prepared a very brief summary of Japan's weather. Because Japan is oriented on a north-south axis, the weather varies from snowy to tropical. I described the snow in Sapporo, the rains in Okinawa and Tokyo's mild, clear skies.
Tomorrow, my answer will be read aloud to a 2nd grade science class. I hope I did a good job.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I wear my pink
BASENAME: i_wear_my_pink
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/20/2001 09:12:43 AM
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I wear my pink pajamas in the summer when it's hot; I learned that silly song at a Girl Scout summer camp but it's been running through my head recently. With all the earthquakes, or potential earthquakes, here, it's probably unwise to "jump between the covers with nothing on at all."
I wonder what people normally wear to bed in Tokyo.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Not many people were
BASENAME: not_many_people_were
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/21/2001 11:55:35 AM
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BODY:
Not many people were biking this morning.
One who did attempt the hill near our house skidded and wiped out on the crunchy ice and sleet that fell last night. Her maroon bag toppled out of the black wire basket of the bike, and her possessions slid over the road.
She carefully picked up strewn business cards, a walkman, and cosmetics. Then, checking her dark pantyhose for tears and readjusting her skirt and coat, she picked up her bike and walked it the rest of the way down the hill.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Thank goodness for genki
BASENAME: thank_goodness_for_genki
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/22/2001 07:02:33 AM
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Thank goodness for genki drinks.
Japanese don't take their vitamins in pills the way Americans do. Here we have vitamin candy and health (genki) drinks.
For the past week or more I've been drinking a couple of "C 1000 Vitamin Lemon" drinks every day. The tiny, 140 ml bottle contains a bright yellow, sweet and salty, lemon flavoured vitamin mix with enough vitamin C to chase away the worst of colds. Only it hasn't been working in my case. I'm supplementing with hot toddies and a vaporiser.
Other genki drinks offer ginseng and special herbs for men, most have a ton of caffeine which is probably the real secret of their popularity.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mark Denscombe
EMAIL: mark100denscombe@hotmail.com
IP: 213.86.103.157
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2003 01:47:50 AM
Hi Kristen.
I'm based in London and having just returned from Tokyo, was blown away by how effective the Genki drinks were. I think you'll find it's not just Vit C!! Can you tell me who manufactures these drinks, so I can tell friends to send some back.
Many thanks
Mark
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2003 04:32:55 AM
There are dozens of brands, and they all have different ingredients. So unless you know exactly which ones you want, your friends might be sending you the wrong ones.
That said, Sato makes some, as does Takara. If your firends are in Japan, they'll know where to get them and which ones are popular.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I make videos as
BASENAME: i_make_videos_as
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/23/2001 09:05:32 AM
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BODY:
I make videos as part of my living. Sometimes I have the most amazing luck with timing music and video.
The video I'm working on now is a fast-paced review of last year's accomplishments for a company. It's bright, with quick cuts, lots of color and a rap soundtrack.
I was asked to incorporate a clip of the company president--a "Hello, and thanks for all your hard work" talking head. Not exactly in keeping with the rest of the video, but the client gets what he wants, so I figured out where to put it, turned down the level of the rap during that section and when the president is finished speaking, the music goes back up.
Just in time for the rapper to say 'Yo, man. You heard what he said." Not planned, but completely brilliant. It stays.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Soy is used for
BASENAME: soy_is_used_for
STATUS: Publish
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CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/24/2001 08:36:10 AM
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BODY:
Soy is used for a lot more things in Japan that in America. Every part of the bean is used, and very little is wasted.
Take o-kara for example. This is the fibrous part of the bean that is left behind when it's pressed for tofu. It's a damp, crumbly, pretty tasteless substance. But it's a great digestion aid, so it is transformed into foods.
Unohana is the most common dish made with o-kara. The crumbly fiber is mixed with a cooked vegetables, soy sauce and other flavorings. I think the result tastes a little bit like turkey stuffing, though that may just be a result of my vivid imagination and the fact that I haven't eaten turkey stuffing in a few years.
My breakfast this morning is an o-kara doughnut. It looks moist, like a tofu donut. It's fried a crispy brown and still looks a little greasy. It's very plain, no chocolate icing, not even any sprinkled sugar on top. The taste is similar to its appearance. Moist, greasy and very plain. But not unpleasant.
I feel healthier already.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japan deregulated its phone
BASENAME: japan_deregulated_its_phone
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/25/2001 09:45:34 AM
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Japan deregulated its phone services and now we are seeing the rate wars beginning.
NTT East has routed all local phone traffic in Tokyo until now. They've been charging 10 yen for a three minute call. But their new competitors are charging only 8.8 yen for three minues and one has gone to 8.7 yen. NTT dropped its rates to 8.8 yen.
A new company is rocking the boat in the long distance seas. Fusion offers flat rate long distance: 20 yen for a three minute call anywhere in Japan. Everyone else charges by distance, so a call 20 km away might be 10 yen, but one to Sapporo might cost 50 yen. Fusion can save you a lot of money if you frequently call far away.
So far, this all looks very good for consumers. But it is confusing to find the lowest rates and the best calling plans. Perhaps what you win is discounted calls is sucked up by the time it takes to do the research.
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TITLE: Jonathan's is the Denny's
BASENAME: jonathans_is_the_dennys
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DATE: 01/26/2001 07:24:38 AM
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Jonathan's is the Denny's restaurant of Japan.
Jonathan's decor screams "family restaurant." The walls are pink textured wallpaper with a stained wood chair rail. Watercolor paintings and mirrors add spots of color. Brass poles and frosted glass offer privacy between sections. Potted plants in baskets hang from the ceiling. You've been in here before.
But open up the menu and you know you're not in an American restaurant. Some sample dishes:
The meal portions are large so I've never managed to have dessert at Jonathan's but the photos of the ice cream desserts are very tempting. I'm not sure whether I would be able to decide between the vanilla soft serve on a bed of cornflakes or the prune parfait. Mmmmm.
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TITLE: The movie theatre experience
BASENAME: the_movie_theatre_experience
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DATE: 01/27/2001 09:52:38 AM
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The movie theatre experience in Japan is a mixed bag.
Ticket prices are outrageously high. We spent 1800 yen per ticket (That's about $17) to go see 13 Days last night.
Popcorn, my favorite movie treat, is disappointing. It's not freshly made and it tastes like its wrapping. But the concession stand sells ice cream and beer as a compensation. Most people bring their own snacks including burgers and fries.
Despite the high prices and bad popcorn, people flock to the movies. So if you are seeing a popular film, you'd better plan to get there early to stand in line. Seats fill up quickly. If you want a prime seat in the middle section of the theatre, you must pay a "reserved seat" premium, which brings the ticket price to 3000 yen per ticket.
The seats themselves are very comfortable, overstuffed chairs with drink holders. They are, along with the excellent sound systems, one of the better features of the theatres.
If you're late for the movie, it's OK. Movies are preceeded by ads and trailers. Last night's film had 20 minutes of trailers before the feature began. Except for the seating problem, there's no penalty for tardiness.
We don't see too many films here. We save movie-going for our overseas trips.
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AUTHOR: Mark
EMAIL: yuckellmuff@ameritech.net
IP: 64.109.111.254
URL:
DATE: 06/01/2003 01:21:32 AM
I am a 17 year old and will be traveling to Japan in early July of 2003. I will be staying with a host family for about two weeks. I need some great ideas for gifts.
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TITLE: I've never seen so
BASENAME: ive_never_seen_so
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 01/28/2001 07:45:49 AM
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I've never seen so much snow in Tokyo.
"We're going to have a big snowfall tonight," my friend Kristen mentioned on Friday at lunch. How intriguing. It rarely snows here.
She was right. It began snowing late on Friday night and continued all of Saturday. By Saturday evening, five inches blanketed the ground.
Public services suffered. Japan's postal service doesn't deliver "in rain, sleet or even snow." The garbage collectors didn't even attempt to make their rounds. Fortunately, the subways were still running, though there were delays on trains at ground level.
Tokyo doesn't seem to have any snowplows, but trucks and buses have wheel chains for traction. The streets quickly turned to cold, grey slush. Sidewalks didn't fare much better. Not many people have snowshovels.
But they do have umbrellas which they carry to ward off falling snow. Unlike a tightrope walker's parasol, an umbrella in a snowstorm doesn't do much for balance. Umbrellas may be useful in a light snow, but they are dangerous when everyone is slipping around.
I'm not even going to mention people driving up the hill past our house.
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TITLE: We celebrated the lunar
BASENAME: we_celebrated_the_lunar
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DATE: 01/29/2001 08:52:46 AM
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We celebrated the lunar new year by trudging through the slush to Tokyo Daihanten, a dim sum restaurant in Shinjuku.
It was a great holiday treat. I love stopping the carts as they trundle through the restaurant with their loads of steamed buns, shumai, gyoza, shrimp cakes, fried daikon patties and spring rolls. A few rounds of dim sum (called "yum cha" in Japanese) with some tea and a soup makes a filling meal.
As we were finishing up, the Chinese chef came over to ask (in English) if we had enjoyed our food. We got to chatting and found out that he had lived in Chicago's Chinatown for three years. Small world. When he asked us which place we liked best among Chicago, Tokyo and Hong Kong, he shared his view:
"Hong Kong to eat, America to live, Japan for the salary." True wisdom.
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TITLE: Keio, one of Tokyo's
BASENAME: keio_one_of_tokyos
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DATE: 01/30/2001 07:33:51 AM
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Keio, one of Tokyo's suburban train companies, recently instituted late-night, "women only" train carriages in an attempt to give women a safe haven from Tokyo's infamous gropers.
This isn't the first time segregated cars have been run through Tokyo. In 1912, a rash of groping prompted women-only cars, and after WWII there were "women and children" cars on some train lines. These cars were discontinued in the 1970s.
Keio surveyed its riders and over 1600 women were in favor of "women only" cars for late night use. But after only a few weeks in service, Keio is rethinking its policy. Why? They received five dozen messages from men complaining that the practice is sexist. Will disgruntled men win out over women's safety and peace of mind? Time will tell.
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TITLE: 1999 and 2000 registered
BASENAME: 1999_and_2000_registered
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DATE: 01/31/2001 11:07:34 AM
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1999 and 2000 registered record high unemployment levels: 4.7%.
Restructuring and bankruptcies as a result of the economic decline had over a million people out of work last year. Jobs are hard to find for those who've been "involuntarily unemployed." Sogo, a major department chain, let go 179 people. Only four of them have found new jobs.
While Japan is bemoaning its high unemployment, America is celebrating record lows. Last year's average was only 4%. Not much difference between the two countries, is there? To put it into perspective, in 1992, Japan's unemployment was about 2.5% while America's was 7.5%.
Japan's economy is not improving much and the trend towards higher unemployment doesn't seem to be changing. Certainly the government will want to do something to "fix" the problems.
In Singapore three years ago, the goverment stopped granting visas to foreign workers and encouraged employers to hire Singaporean nationals. Will Japan choose to do the same? I guess we'll wait and see.
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TITLE: Last night, I had
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DATE: 02/01/2001 09:11:26 AM
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Last night, I had dinner at the Tokyo American Club.
Since escaping America, we've mocked the American Club as a bastion for bored, bridge-playing, ex-pat wives/socialites. And to be honest, I don't think we're entirely wrong. The building sends off "Let's impress everyone with our money" vibes.
The lobby is a vast expanse of carpet and seating areas, like a hotel. The ballroom where our dinner was served is decorated with a half dozen crystal chandeliers and walls draped in burgundy velvet and tasseled gold cord.
Dinner, a luxurious, six course affair with the usual bewildering array of flatware, was presented on TAC monogramed china by waiters who knew how to serve properly. The poor guy with the lobster thermidor was having a challenging time balancing the halved lobsters on his serving forks. Fortunately nobody at our table ended up with food on his lap (though there were a few close calls).
I certainly shouldn't mock the atmosphere too much. If it weren't for me being driven to do productive, creative work, I suppose I could be a bridge-playing, socialite wife. I knew what to do with all my forks and utensils.
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TITLE: The heading on the
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DATE: 02/02/2001 08:30:46 AM
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The heading on the catalog page is "Light Jeaning Style" Eh?
The photos show a mixture of denim skirts, snap front shirts and knit tops. Casual wear. Jeaning style.
Jeans are popular in Japan, as they are worldwide. Best Jeans, a Japanese manufacturer, holds a Best Jeanist contest each year. 2001 will be the 18th annual opportunity to vote for the people you think look best in their jeans. Kimura Takuya, a member of the boy band SMAP, has won for the past five years running and is not longer on the ballot.
All this Japanese jeaning style makes my frayed and faded old jeans seem even tattier than they are.
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TITLE: Most accidents at home
BASENAME: most_accidents_at_home
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DATE: 02/03/2001 08:30:35 AM
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Most accidents at home occur in the bathroom. Not true in my case, as most of my accidents involve kitchen knives or boiling water. But last night, I scored one for the bathroom.
Upon getting out of the bath, I fainted and fell back in. What a surprise to come to all askew in the tub with an ache in my jaw. "Did I fall asleep in the tub?" I didn't even remember getting out.
I straightened myself out and stepped out of the tub. It wasn't until I saw a splash of blood on the floor that I realised I hadn't simply been napping.
By examining the evidence, and my minor injuries, I pieced together the scenario. I got out of the tub, felt a little woozy and leaned against the door of the bath. Usually any bath-induced wooziness passes in a moment, but not this time. I fainted and slid along the wall, striking the windowframe with my elbow, hand, and jaw before collapsing into the tub.
I was lucky. I didn't hit my head. I didn't go under the water. I wasn't even unconscious for very long. My cuts and bruises are irritating but not too serious. No harm done and a lesson learned. Sit when you feel faint.
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TITLE: Dan Quayle, former vice
BASENAME: dan_quayle_former_vice
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DATE: 02/04/2001 08:15:21 AM
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Dan Quayle, former vice president and malaprop master, could be the next US Ambassador to Japan.
According to a newspaper article published yesterday the Republican party wants to give Quayle an "important post" such as a key diplomatic position. This is, apparently, to help soothe Quayle's ego since the party didn't support his bid for President.
He has expressed interest in Japan by making frequent requests to the Embassy here for information. How clever. If I ask questions at the Embassy, can I be Ambassador?
His verbal blunders are legend. A favorite is "I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn't study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people." Please, Mr. Quayle, don't try to learn Japanese.
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TITLE: There are 31 Burger
BASENAME: there_are_31_burger
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 02/05/2001 07:15:47 AM
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There are 31 Burger Kings in Tokyo.
Japan Tobacco owns 25 of them. But they want to get out of the hamburger business (which bled off several billion yen in the last five years) and plan to sell the outlets to Lotteria, another fast food chain, who will convert them to Lotterias.
Soon, Americans who want a treat from home will have to seek out one of the seven remaining Burger Kings. That will be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Or we could settle for McDonalds. There are plenty of them.
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TITLE: Well, it's been Spring
BASENAME: well_its_been_spring
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DATE: 02/06/2001 08:05:48 AM
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Well, it's been Spring in Japan for two days and I don't see any difference from winter yet.
The last day of winter was February 3, Setsubun. To celebrate the end of the season, you go to your local temple, and throw a handful of dried soy beans while chanting "In with the good luck, out with the devils."
More exciting than Punxsutawney Phil looking for his shadow.
So now it's Spring. Soon the plum trees will begin to blossom. When I see them, then I'll know Spring has really arrived. Until then, I'll turn up the heat and find some warm, fuzzy socks.
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TITLE: 10:30 pm. Three small,
BASENAME: 1030_pm_three_small
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DATE: 02/07/2001 08:06:38 AM
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10:30 pm. Three small, unmarked utility vans pull up outside our house. They are crammed with construction equipment.
The doors burst open and five young men dressed in work clothes and yellow safety vests pile out. Orange traffic cones, lights and equipment carts fly from the back of one of the vans while two of the men energetically set them up right in front of our garage door.
This is strange. Construction workers are not energetic. They don't fling things around. They never look like they are having fun.
I open the window on the third floor and lean out to get a better view. What are they doing down there by our garage, anyway?
One of the men spots me watching. I smile. He waves. One of the other young men who is dressed in a bright orange, down-filled jacket, looks up at me. He says "Hello." Now it's English practice time. Where are you from? I love you. Are you married? Where is your husband? I'm sorry. Bye-bye.
All the while, the other four are arranging cones, writing on chalkboards and taking photos. That's a normal construction practice here--construction crews document everything with a digital camera--but not usually so merrily and rarely at 10:30 at night.
Within tem minutes of their arrival everything was packed back into the vans, including the men, and they were on their way. Off to photograph someone else's garage, perhaps?
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TITLE: Stupid Japanese puns. A
BASENAME: stupid_japanese_puns_a
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DATE: 02/08/2001 07:29:16 AM
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Stupid Japanese puns.
A hanglider is planning to fly off a cliff. What time should he leave? With a rice cracker (senbei) in hand: Ichi mai, demo senbei desu. Indian curry and Thai curry are popular here, but most popular is Japanese curry, an odd melange of spices that blends flavors from all world curries into one dish. So a trip to the Yokohama Curry Museum with some friends yesterday promised to be a treat. Maybe I'd finally learn why the Japanese adopted every spice on the rack for their curry.
The reality of this newly opened museum was less exciting than I'd hoped. We took an elevator (operated by a young Japanesde woman costumed in a sari) to the 7th floor of the "PIA Station Amusement Theme Park."
Alighting from the elevator, we were greeted by anothe sari-uniformed woman in a darkly panelled and dimly lit lobby decorated with cartoon elephants carved in stone. Three Japanese curry restaurants occupy the lower level, with four Indian and Thai curry restaurants are above. There's a huge ship in the middle of the building with restaurants inside and on the upper deck. The museum aspect of the Curry Museum was relegated to small displays scattered among the snaking lines waiting for entrance to the restaurants. There are shops selling curry spices and other curry memorabilia to distract you while you wait, too.
When we discovered that the shortest wait for seating was 60 minutes, we decided to skip the experience, the shopping, and the lines. We'd go eat elsewhere. We walked down seven flights, as the elevator that brings you up does not work in reverse. Going down the stairs increases the chance that you will stop to play a video game or try some pachinko before you leave. But we abstained and escaped.
There's a Yokohama Ramen Museum that I hear is much better than the Curry Museum.
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AUTHOR: Kushagra Mehra
EMAIL: kumehra@yahoo.com
IP: 203.221.29.30
URL:
DATE: 11/09/2003 06:07:59 PM
I have just arrived back in melbourne from Japan and my experince was so thrilling that I am planning to go back again soon.
I visited the Yokohama Curry Museum. It was simply great. And it's correct that the most famous curry is Japanese curry as it has this special flavour which makes it unique. The one thing i like about japanese curry is that it is not filled with chilli powder which is a major ingredient in making Indian Curries Hot. However, I love indian curries but at the same time Japanse curries are no less favourites.
But I had a great time in the curry museum tasting different kinds of curries. And I would recommend anyone who goes to Yokohama that visiting curry museum is a must.
I would love to go to the Ramen Museum in my next visit. But, I would have to do some research on it coz i have no idea where it is. Please tell me if you have any information about it.
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AUTHOR: Elizabeth
EMAIL:
IP: 209.211.143.175
URL:
DATE: 09/22/2004 06:03:49 AM
The Curry Museum is a very cool place to visit.....if you like curry! Be sure to also go to the Rengabiru (Red Brick Building) down the street and around the corner. Another great place to spend time and money.....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: There's nothing like personal
BASENAME: theres_nothing_like_personal
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 02/10/2001 08:42:39 AM
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There's nothing like personal mail to brighten a day. I received two letters on the same day.
One arrived in my mailbox from Chicago. It is written in glowing orange ink on drawing paper pulled from a sketchbook. A "hello" from a friend who took a few minutes to think of me. I had just missed my train and I read it standing on the train platform while I waited for the next one. My irritation at being late vanished as I read.
The other letter appeared in my e-mail box. A friend from grade school, who I hadn't heard from in 16 years, ran across my e-mail address and decided to write. What fun to see where our lives have taken us after our childhood adventures. She's living near where we grew up and devoted to her kids, one of whom will turn 9 on Monday. That's the same age as us when we met in 1976.
If you want to make me smile, send me a letter.
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TITLE: Ever been inside a
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DATE: 02/11/2001 08:17:05 AM
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Ever been inside a baseball stadium full of trade show exhibitors?
From the entrance at the top of the stadium, I saw a sea of black heads moving like water, currents eddying around islands of booths. The huge space, from home plate to outfield, was arranged to exhibit tableware.
The Tableware Festival had it all: plates, bowls, forks, spoons, chopsticks, lacquerware, candles, placemats & linens, everything that goes on a table was shown or sold. Famous interior designers mocked up tiny dining rooms, a contest of professional and amateur tableware makers hinted at the future of plates. Huge displays of regional Japanese ceramics filled sparsely decorated but extrememly crowded booths.
The attendees were primarily middle-aged women. Many of them dressed up for this event; how they tottered around Tokyo Dome in high heels all afternoon is beyond me. There were a few younger women and a sprinkling of old men. Aside from Tod, who accompanied me, and the event staff, there were no young or middle aged men. Quite a change from summer days at Tokyo Dome when the Yomiuri Giants host home games in the stadium.
I wonder what the next unusual Tokyo Dome event will be?
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TITLE: "Can you read the
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DATE: 02/12/2001 10:33:11 AM
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"Can you read the kanji written on the big stone?" read the metal plaque in the playpark near our house. "It says 'Ootsugi'."
The big stone, taller than I am, is a chunk of rock whittled into a rustic monument. Three kanji characters are carved into its face. The metal plaque near the stone is set at child's height. There is an old photograph etched into the plaque that shows a semicircle of people flanking the stone; an enormous tree stands in background.
The rest of the plaque (written for the benefit of children playing in the park, but at a reading level that makes it comprehensible for me, too) tells the story of the enormous tree. The stone and the photograph date from around 1900, I think. The tree was weakened in a wind storm, and eventually cut down in the 1950s, but the community planted four new trees of the same type in the park.
Discovering snippets of our local lore makes Tokyo a much more engaging city. Not merely concrete buildings and subways; we have a community and a history, too.
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TITLE: This week's big news
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DATE: 02/13/2001 07:20:43 AM
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This week's big news in the foreign community: a disappearance turned into a grisly murder when Lucie Blackman's severed body and cement-entombed head were found on Friday.
Lucie was a young British woman working in a hostess bar in Roppongi. She disappeared in July last year after phoning a friend to say she was going to the seaside with a client from the bar.
The client is suspected to be a man named Obara who is currently being held on suspicion of drugging and raping a half dozen women, and killing one. Lucie's body was found 200 metres from one of Obara's seaside condominums. He was seen there, shortly after Lucie's disappearance, with some cememt and a muddy shovel.
Strong circumstantial evidence points to Obara, but he denies any involvement. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
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DATE: 02/14/2001 07:17:24 AM
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For the past two weeks, every shop in Tokyo has displayed its Valentine wares in anticipation of today, the national chocolate gift-fest.
Women all over the country will present the men in their lives--husbands, boyfriends, bosses, coworkers--with elaborately wrapped chocolates. I've not seen any lace covered, heart-shaped boxes, but everything else is available: gold paper roses on a hexagonal black box; red foil paper decorated with white hearts; even pink Hello Kitty shaped containers of shiny plastic. Fashion designers offer chocolate for the season in their signature colors and elevated prices.
Note that women give to men, not vice versa. That's just the way it is. Ironically, common wisdom holds that men don't eat chocolate. I'm not sure what happens to all the fancy, expensive boxes they receive. Shoved in a desk drawer, perhaps.
There is some reciprocation. On March 14th, men celebrate White Day by returning white chocolate (or white panties, depending on the level of friendship involved) to the women who gave them Valentine's chocolate. A few years ago at work, I gave five or six Valentine's chocolates, but received only one White Day gift in return. Candies, not panties.
I'm off to buy some chocolate to improve my chances for new underwear this year. Happy Valentine's Day.
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TITLE: Two dictionaries, three textbooks
BASENAME: two_dictionaries_three_textbooks
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/15/2001 07:49:31 AM
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Two dictionaries, three textbooks and a pile of papers and notes took up most of the surface of my desk yesterday.
I spent six hours writing the draft of my entry for this year's speech contest. My language school, OLJ Academy, hosts an annual contest for its students. This will be my third year presenting a speech in Japanese.
With each passing year, my ability in Japanese improves, so my speeches must become more complicated. At the same time, I recall what it was like the first year, when I had very little understanding because the advanced students were using words and grammar way above my head. I try to write my speeches using words most students will understand and concepts that can be illustrated. Even if the words are incomprehensible, there are pretty pictures to view.
For this year's speech, Tod Now, how do I say "I started out early this morning and have been hopping ever since?"
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TITLE: We were our own
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DATE: 02/16/2001 07:25:42 AM
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We were our own miniature parade and side show. Susan, Laura, Katie, Tod & I went to dinner together last night.
Susan is a lanky redhead; Katie & Laura are her blonde daughters. Laura, in her stroller, was the float in our parade. As we waited for the light to change at an intersection, she chatted animatedly with me and her mother. Passersby smiled at her. One man gawked outright.
Tod and Katie stopped to read a sign advertising tuna for sale. Katie, who is in the first grade, helped Tod with some of the kanji. The gawking bystander laughed when she read the sign aloud to Tod.
We certainly do stand out from a crowd, even without red rubber noses and extra big shoes.
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TITLE: One group, a dozen
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DATE: 02/17/2001 08:46:35 AM
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One group, a dozen ideas.
Digital Eve Japan is the reincarnation of the Japan Webgrrls group. Our affiliation changed, but the goal remains the same: women sharing their information technology knowledge and skills.
Last night's launch party attracted an interesting mix of people: a music talent manager, a nurse who is also a database developer, a graduate student studying successful women in IT, a pronunciation instructor, an architect, an English teacher, a web developer, an editor, and a recruiter who read about Webgrrls in 1999 and just found the article again this week.
As we discussed the topics we'd like to have covered this year, so many interesting ideas surfaced. Everyone has a different take on what the group can be based on her personal reasons for joining. Looks like we'll have a chance to cover everything from presentations to "how to control your control panels."
It's going to be a fun year.
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TITLE: Finally, I've seen a
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DATE: 02/18/2001 08:20:41 AM
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Finally, I've seen a plum blossom. Now I know spring has arrived.
We wound our way through a labyrinth of alleys towards our dinner destination yesterday and there it stood, shining bright pink under the glow of a streetlamp. What a delicate and beautiful herald of the new season.
Today we're going to take the train to Atami, about 40 minutes south of Tokyo on the Shinkansen, to stroll through a garden with 860 ume (plum) trees in bloom.
I'll bundle up well; the trees speak spring, but this morning's chilly air screams winter.
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TITLE: Who knew there could
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DATE: 02/19/2001 07:20:32 AM
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Who knew there could be so many foodstuffs made from plum?
We sampled and sniffed delicate plum tea, sweet plum wine, pink plum flavored steamed buns, bitter pickled plums, sour plum-flavored sesame seeds, plum-infused garlic, bright fuschia plum scented daikon pickles.
The foods, combined with the blooming plum trees, two enka (Japanese lounge music) singers, and vendors hawking clever bird-shaped whistles carved from bamboo, silk plum blossoms and lucky charms, made the Atami Baien's 57th annual Ume Matsuri an interesting place to spend a sunny afternoon.
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TITLE: Fabric stores are truly
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DATE: 02/20/2001 06:46:03 AM
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Fabric stores are truly international places.
The range of products represents the textile production centers of the world: lace from Belgium, cotton gauze from India, wools from New Zealand, shijira from Japan, gingham from America.
But even more universally, the shoppers, looking inward, quietly calculate yardage or compare colors in their mind's eye. Some go so far as to gesticulate as they imagine their work in 3D. And the children in tow hold bundles of fabric, or cling to toys as they plead with their mothers to leave.
But, like sewing mothers the world over, these Japanese women will temporarily ignore their children's whines in order to obtain that final bit of trim or to find the right shade of pink for the new pillow covers.
It's a small world when you have a needle and thread.
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AUTHOR: davids eritie
EMAIL: serenewears@yahoo.com
IP: 192.116.98.92
URL: http://yahoo
DATE: 09/22/2003 08:15:53 PM
HELLO,
PLEASE I WANT TO ORDER FOR SOME ITEMS FROM YOUR STORE SO I WANT TO IF
YOU SHIPP TO LAGOS NIGERIA
PLEASE I WILL BE PAYING WITH MY CREDIT CARD .
HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU FAST.
THANKS BEST REGARDS
DAVIDS ERRITIE
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: setima
EMAIL: setima62@yahoo.com
IP: 62.128.175.10
URL:
DATE: 11/17/2003 07:53:26 PM
HELLO,
PLEASE I WANT TO ORDER FOR SOME ITEMS FROM YOUR STORE SO I WANT TO IF
YOU SHIPP TO LAGOS NIGERIA
PLEASE I WILL BE PAYING WITH MY CREDIT CARD .
HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU FAST.
THANKS BEST REGARDS
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.154
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2003 08:00:51 PM
Wow, now isnt that weird!
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AUTHOR: Susan
EMAIL:
IP: 65.29.44.31
URL:
DATE: 11/19/2003 01:36:49 PM
maybe they want to "overpay" and then request a refund by IPMO - scammers!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Susan
EMAIL:
IP: 65.29.44.31
URL:
DATE: 11/19/2003 01:37:20 PM
maybe they want to "overpay" and then request a refund by IPMO - scammers!!
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TITLE: Grocery store lunch options
BASENAME: grocery_store_lunch_options
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 02/21/2001 07:50:40 AM
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Grocery store lunch options you'd never find in America:
Yesterday in Omotesando, a ritzy part of town, I was seized with the desire to have my hair cut. I looked for a salon and found one called "Voice" that looked interesting. I walked in and asked if I could get my hair cut.
The salon's only two employees--a man with spiky orange hair and a woman with long braids (I said it looked interesting, didn't I?)-- greeted me. There were no customers. However, they asked me to make an appointment and turned me away.
So I didn't get a haircut. Tomorrow, I'll make an appointment somewhere closer to home.
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TITLE: MacWorld on a press
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DATE: 02/23/2001 07:02:19 AM
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MacWorld on a press pass isn't too much different from MacWorld without one.
The biggest benefit was that I sat up front during Steve Jobs' keynote speech yesterday. He announced some new iMac colors (Flower Power and Blue Dalmation) along with lowered prices, new video and more Japanese font support. His 105 minute keynote address was a good show, as Apple events always are. A mix of video, live demonstrations and rousing marketing speeches kept the attention of over a thousand people.
On Saturday, I will return to finish up my research for some articles I'm writing. I need to cruise the trade floor to see some of the local vendors and Japanese software vendors. There's some innovative stuff out there--my job is to find it!
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TITLE: I arrived a minute
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DATE: 02/24/2001 10:28:13 AM
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I arrived a minute or two before my 11 am appointment. I walked out the door at 1:30. A huge transformation occurred in the interval. I was coiffed, caffeinated and calmed.
First, a consulation with Dan Suzuki, my stylist. Although this salon, Watanabe Hair Dressing, has a reputation for really cool, artsy styles, we agreed on a cut that is easy to care for. After a delightful herbal shampoo, Dan cut off about eight inches of damaged hair. He smiled quietly to himself as the locks hit the floor.
Then a conditioning treatment. My hair was painted with goop and I sat under a steamer for twenty minutes, drinking tea and reading the latest issue of Elle UK. The conditioner was rinsed off and I was treated to a head, neck and shoulder massage. Ten minutes of bliss, really.
My hair's never looked this good. It's smooth and shiny and much shorter. My next appointment's already set.
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TITLE: Carrefour has a parking
BASENAME: carrefour_has_a_parking
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DATE: 02/25/2001 06:56:30 AM
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Carrefour has a parking lot. A big parking lot. Full of cars.
Carrefour is an international chain of super-size discount department stores based in France. Think "Kmart" and you're on the right track. One recently opened in Makuhari, across from the convention center where MacWorld was held.
Big stores and malls in Japan are normally vertical and crammed next to other stores that rise vertically on crowded streets. But not Carrefour. It sprawls over an area that might fit a hundred houses.
And then there is the parking lot. It is probably no larger than the parking lot of any Amerian discount superstore, but I don't think I've ever seen so much wide open space dedicated to cars here in Japan.
The parking lot was full. I estimate that 85% of the people shopping at Carrefour drove there. I've always wondered where Japan's cars go when they aren't congesting the roads and highways. Apparently they go to Carrefour.
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TITLE: Each year our language
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DATE: 02/26/2001 09:22:09 AM
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Each year our language school hosts a torture session. They call it a speech contest. I'm not sure which is worse torture--preparing and delivering a speech, or sitting through two and a half hours of others' speeches.
This year, Tod & I combined forces to present a skit about two frogs setting out to see the world. I painted backdrops and constructed frog heads of foam and fabric. We memorized our lines and practiced our blocking. It was fun.
And it earned us a prize. Our certificate reads "minna no kyoumi wo hiku ii spichi" which means "a good speech which drew everyone's interest."
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TITLE: First Kitchen, a Japanese
BASENAME: first_kitchen_a_japanese
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DATE: 02/27/2001 07:54:18 AM
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First Kitchen, a Japanese fast food chain, serves up the strangest side dish: french fries with flavourings. The hot fries are dropped into a paper bag, sprinkled with dried seasonings and mixed up Shake N Bake style.
This season's flavours:
Those of you who know me personally may think I already am one. I've been working with computers for the last ten years, after all. I know a lot of things. But I've never thought of myself as an expert. Experts are the sort of people who know tons about programming and care about things like gigaflops. They wear glasses held together with tape.
Well, I don't know much about programming and I don't wear glasses. However I'm a voice in computing. All the knowledge I've gained in the last ten years is spilling out now. I've got a list of technology article ideas a half a page long. I lead a women's IT group. I spend too much time at my computer (which is how you get to be an expert, I imagine).
Was this what I wanted from my life?
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TITLE: Last night, I had
BASENAME: last_night_i_had_1
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DATE: 03/01/2001 07:39:21 AM
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Last night, I had an experience I haven't had in years. I got a ride home.
Brendan, the crazy proprietor of Pizzakaya, had driven out to Chiba for supplies before going to the restaurant for work. When we arrived for our usual Wednesday night pizza fest, he told me and Tod that he'd give us a ride home.
So I found myself sitting in the backseat of a 1991 Diamante, riding along streets I've often walked. Brendan braked to a stop at to our door and we hopped out. How very luxurious!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japan's Prime Minster, Yoshiro
BASENAME: japans_prime_minster_yoshiro
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DATE: 03/02/2001 07:16:08 AM
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Japan's Prime Minster, Yoshiro Mori, is not much longer for his post. The press have been speculating on the date that he will face a no-confidence vote (his second since he took office last April) and be asked to step down. Some members of his own party have recommended that he quit the post voluntarily.
Mori's response? "It is a mandate from Heaven for me to make efforts day by day."
Dangerous words in a country whose Emperor used to be a god. After WWII, state-sponsored religion was abolished, so lawmakers and leaders avoid mentioning it. But not Mori. Last year he called Japan a Divine Nation. The press is having a field day.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Today is Hina Matsuri,
BASENAME: today_is_hina_matsuri
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 03/03/2001 01:14:31 PM
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It used to be a holiday for girls, with a Boy's Day coming along later in the spring. But these days, Boy's Day is now Children's Day and Hina Matsuri is just a minor blip on the calendar.
Girls arrange dolls representing the emperor's court from the Heian period (794-1192). There are always plenty of princesses in fancy kimono. Maybe you'd like to try folding your own origami Hina Matsuri Emperor?
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TITLE: I'm not sure what
BASENAME: im_not_sure_what
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DATE: 03/04/2001 09:05:34 AM
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I'm not sure what I'd do without the online Travel Expert. It's a scaled down version of Japanese software that tells me how to get from point A to point B.
Today I want to know how to get from home (Kasuga) to a town in Hyogo Prefecture, several hundred miles away. I used my Japanese atlas to find the town, then checked for the nearest train station (Teramae). Plugging the stations into Travel Expert, I find out how to get to Teramae:
Duration 4hour 55min (Boarding199min, Walk2min, others94min) The route takes me to Haneda airport, then flies to Osaka. From there, it's a bus and two trains to Teramae. A final bus from Teramae will get me exactly where I want to go.
Or if I prefer not to fly, I can take the Shinkansen to Himeji and another train to Teramae. Since I want to visit Himeji Castle, that's probably the route I will take. It's less expensive, too. Only 15,210 yen (one-way).
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TITLE: If you've been thinking
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DATE: 03/05/2001 06:38:41 AM
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If you've been thinking of visiting Japan, this might be a good time. The dollar is over 119 yen, the highest it's been since July 1999.
The dollar hit bottom at about 101 yen in December 1999 after a drastic overnight drop from 108 to 104 in September. We saw people at the bank selling huge handfuls of 10,000 yen notes and buying dollars for cheap.
After that major sell, the dollar was below 110 for fourteen months. But by the end of 2000, we saw the price come back up to 110. Yesterday it was 119.23 with fancial experts predicting 120 soon.
I'm a lazy currency converter, I think of 100 yen = 1 dollar. So when it's really 120 yen = 1 dollar, it's like a 20% discount on everything. So if you were thinking of coming to Japan, this is a good time--Japan's on sale!
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TITLE: i-mode penetration
BASENAME: i-mode_penetration
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/06/2001 06:56:06 AM
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Japan's population is about 125 million people. 20 million of them carry DoCoMo's i-mode mobile phones.
i-mode allows its users to send e-mail and text messages, read news, access web pages, even play games on the color displays of the tiny mobile handsets. You can also make travel reservations, do your banking, find a restauant, get a map, and program your own ringing sound.
Of course the phone takes messages, keeps track of who called and when, allows you to set up "speed dial" lists (that you can activate by saying the name of the person you want to call), and all the normal functions of a phone.
I'm one of the shrinking group that does not carry a cell phone. I'm still waiting for an interface that integrates all the digital gadgets (phone, PDA, Internet, camera, music playera) into one device that is easy to use and impossible to lose. Like a chip implanted in my head. I think I have a while to wait.
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20 million i-mode users
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A battle is brewing
BASENAME: a_battle_is_brewing
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 03/07/2001 07:27:54 AM
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A battle is brewing on the business front.
Japan's domestic towel makers are urging the government to place import restrictions on foreign towels that they claim are erroding their marketbase. But the Japan Chain Stores Association says they must import towels to provide convenience to consumers.
I've used Japanese-made towels. They're not especially remarkable. Bath towels are tiny and scratchy; kitchen towels are thin. But cleaning rags are excellent--fat and stitched together for extra strength. Maybe the towel association is concerned about scrawnier Tawainese towels being imported and sold for cheap.
Hear my plea, Japanese lawmakers--please don't stop importing plush, American, terry bath sheets. I'm a luxury junkie when it comes to drying off.
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TITLE: From time to time,
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DATE: 03/08/2001 06:38:47 AM
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From time to time, the Daily Yomiuri runs its own recommendations on how to improve the country. This week they are running a seven-part series on the front page: Arresting Deflation.
The introductory paragraph of the first in the series contained some remarkable language--more fit for the editorial page than the front page. "With no one at the helm, Japan appears to be drifting," "fresh and capable persons to carry out policies," and my favorite "a crisis of pernicious deflation."
The Daily Yomiuri is not too happy with the way the government is handling the latest economic downturn.
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TITLE: Way back, when I
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DATE: 03/09/2001 07:22:17 AM
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Last night, to celebrate my minor triumph in porting database software to a new system, Tod brought me a gift of candy. He presented them to me when he got home from work.
Soon, we'll add ourselves to that statistic and cut down on our 36,000 yen/month phone bills. DSL, which gives 24x7 high-speed internet access is only 6,000 yen a month. Much cheaper than the 10 yen/5 minute phone connection we use now.
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TITLE: Travel is the worst.
BASENAME: travel_is_the_worst
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DATE: 03/12/2001 03:38:04 AM
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Travel is the worst. Holidays are the best. At the moment, I'm getting over through over the rigors of travelling from there to here.
Train to Narita. Wait in the lounge. Red eye to Honolulu. Short hop to Maui. Arrival 9:30 am. Friends are due to arrive at 2:12. We've forgotten their flight number. Meet the 2:12 flight. No friends. Wrong flight? Try another likely flight. No friends. 4:00. Panic.
We don't have the phone number for the place we're renting. But I know I can find it online. No Internet terminal at the airport. Phone book. Taxi to Kinko's. Minutes online: 7. Call house rental place. No friends. Back to airport. The woman at the customer paging desk is getting to know us.
Call house again; friends have called so we leave number of payphone. Phone rings--Donna's returning a page and do we need a booty call? More waiting. Phone rings. It's them! Time? 6:15. Hours in airport: nearly 9.
Kahului airport is nice, but I'm glad to be sitting here in the beautiful, cliffside house.
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TITLE: Maui has a gaping
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DATE: 03/13/2001 03:29:48 AM
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Maui has a gaping hole in its service economy. There are no Internet cafes on the island. I see an opportunity. Would relocating to a tropical island be torture?
I don't think so.
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TITLE: Our cliffside ocean view
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DATE: 03/14/2001 02:51:20 AM
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Our cliffside ocean view offers hours of lazy fascination. With a pair of binoculars, we have spied on passing ships, waves, sea birds, even cows in a pasture on a nearby hillside. Rainbows do not magnify well.
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TITLE: Whales!
BASENAME: whales
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 03/15/2001 04:03:23 AM
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Whales! Yesterday morning, I swore I saw a black fin arcing up out of the water, but I was the only one who saw it. Later in the afternoon, I spotted another. Once again, I was the only one.
But I wasn't halucinating. Within the hour we were standing at the railling of the lower deck of our house, cheering on the three small, black whales who were flapping their tails and spouting water. They were playing in the inlet 100 meters from where we stood. What a sight!
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TITLE: Flock of Parrots
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DATE: 03/16/2001 05:33:27 AM
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Flock of Parrots. Great name for an 80's pop/Jimmy Buffet cover band. Also an actual sight and sound at our Hawaiian retreat.
Parrots are noisy squawkers when they fly but they sure are pretty. Their green plumage with red and pink on the head and yellow beaks makes quite a spectacle as they wing across the cliffside in a gang of 20 birds.
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DATE: 03/17/2001 02:19:31 AM
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It rains often here. Every evening, the clouds roll in from the south and we have a nice downpour while we cook dinner. Then the clouds break up and the sky is full of stars. Every other day, we see more clouds than sun.
But this is good. Not only does it fill the catchment that provides water for the house, but it offers opportunities to see rainbows (so far I've spotted four) and even a moonbow.
I thought moonbows were legend but they are real. A pale shining arc of light comes from nowhere and leads to heaven. There are no colors, just soft white light. Incredibly lovely.
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DATE: 03/18/2001 02:15:19 AM
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Our watery view is punctuated by creatures that like to leap. Yesterday morning a school of fish came jumping along. Again this morning. The fish are sleek and pale grey and are accompanied by a bright blue spot that swims along with them.
We've been debating what the spot is attached to. I think it's a blue fish. John thinks it's the underbelly of a shark or a dolphin. No way to tell for sure, yet, but we'll keep watching.
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DATE: 03/19/2001 03:51:15 AM
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The mysterious boat comes by every morning.
It cruises past quickly at a distance about 3/4 of the way to the horizon. There's no sense of scale--it could be a twenty person yacht or a radio-controlled toy. Our binoculars bring it into clear focus but there is nothing to see that indicates how big it is. No people are visible and only waves surround it. How big are those waves, anyway?
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TITLE: Uluhe
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DATE: 03/20/2001 02:36:29 AM
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Uluhe is an indigenous groundcover that has the most unusual growth pattern.
It unfurls, fernlike, into two leaves. Each of those spreads two additional leaves and so on until it reaches its end where the leaves branch out to form a pointy-ended fern shape.
These plants cover everything that isn't forested. Roadsides, clearings, recovering lava flows. They tangle into impenetrable brambles and their dead leaves create a fire hazard when the weather turns dry. Forestry services consider them a nusiance but I think they are pretty.
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DATE: 03/21/2001 04:10:49 AM
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No tropical holiday is complete without plenty of fruity drinks. Every afternoon, we fill our daily quota of blended fruit ice and rum.
We've made the classics, most remarkably pina coladas with a coconut from a tree on the property, and we've invented some of our own. As the sun set yesterday we sipped cantaloupe, pinapple and orange juice spiked with vodka.
This evening? Probably something with the papayas we picked from our tree and the bananas that are ripening in the basket on the counter. Mmmmm. Happy Equinox!
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DATE: 03/22/2001 02:42:32 AM
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To celebrate the equinox, we drove to the top of Haleakala, Maui's 10,023 foot volcano.
Above the clouds, we saw the landscape change from lush tropical greenery to sparse shrubs and rocks. An endemic plant, the silversword, which looks like a cross between an aloe and an artemsia, captured our fancy. It grows for twenty years before flowering and dying. 70 years ago it was near extinction but it has made a comeback, with several thousand plants growing in the harsh environment of the mountaintop.
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DATE: 03/23/2001 01:58:24 AM
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We trekked through a forest of dense bamboo, splashed across a chilly, knee-deep stream, and clambered over rocks to reach the waterfall.
We weren't the only visitors to hike in. Eight well tanned, mud smeared naked people were perched on the boulders surrounding the swimming hole. We watched as they stretched arms to the sun, then dived from their perches into the water below.
Now if that's not extremely intimidating to a pasty-white, pudgy girl, I don't know what is. I left my swimsuit on when I waded into the pond and swam over to the waterfall. Climbing the rock face to stand in the waterfall and then ducking in under the veil of the falls, I sureptitiously and enviously watched the naked people cavorting.
The trail was a bit rough, but the view was worth it.
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DATE: 03/24/2001 07:45:49 AM
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Sea kayaking is great fun. This morning, we joined a kayak/snorkel trip with South Pacific Kayak. Our guide, Lee, paddled with extreme grace making us look like the clumsy amateurs we are. Tod & I paddled right into a big wave.
We headed out to the Coral Gardens to snorkel. After the big wave, the sea was very calm and paddling for half an hour was easy. With goggles and fins on, I hopped overboard and spotted a ray, several interesting corals and hundreds of colorful fish.
But even more impressive were the whales we watched as we paddled back in. They were at a distance but leaping friskly with lots of flukes flying and huge splashes. These humpback whales, Lee informed us, come to Hawaii to calve. When the babies are big enough to take a trip, they head to Alaska to feed (they don't eat here). A mother humpback can lose up to 3500 lbs of body mass here in Hawaii. What a shame I'm not a humpback!
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TITLE: Maui no ka io
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DATE: 03/25/2001 03:28:50 AM
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The Hawaiian language is integrated into everyday speech here. Aloha replaces hello and goodbye. Mahalo (thank you) springs up on signs--Mahalo for not smoking--and in announcements--Passenger Smith please pick up the blue courtesy phone, mahalo. Kapu (private) enhances the no tresspassing signs posted on fences. In the real estate listings, I discovered that an ohana is a cottage.
But the phrase I like most is Maui no ka io--Maui is the best. So true.
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DATE: 03/26/2001 04:41:07 PM
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After two weeks of relatively frugal vacationing on Maui, Tod & I treated ourselves to one blow-out night in Waikiki before boarding the plane back to Tokyo. We stayed at a hotel called W. After showering with all the hotel beauty products, we wrapped ourselves up in fluffy hotel robes and ordered what turned out to be the most fabulous room service meal I've ever eaten. We set ourselves up for a wake-up call and a taxi to the airport in morning, then curled up in bed and watched a movie.
This morning, there was a limo waiting for us. Not just a fancy four-door car, but a stretch limo with seats for seven, tasteless white piping on the black leather interior, and empty cut glass liquor flasks sitting on the shelves that ran under the dark tinted windows. I've never been in such an over-the-top vehicle. It was great fun to pretend I was a rock star.
So the vacation is over; we're home again in Tokyo and life is back to normal. For now.
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TITLE: Jet lag nap
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
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DATE: 03/27/2001 06:32:25 AM
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I made a serious error last night. After arriving home from Hawaii, I let myself take a nap at about 6 pm, when I felt too tired to keep my eyes open. The nap lasted until 3 am (which is 8 am in Hawaii, the perfect time to get up). Oops.
Normally I force myself to stay awake until 10 pm at my arrival destination and that helps me to get a good night's sleep and to wake up at the right time the next day. Because of last night's nap, I'll spend the next day or two feeling groggy, making stupid mistakes or forgetting things I'm supposed to be doing. When I do, please blame it on my jet lag.
On second thought, maybe that nap wasn't such a bad idea after all.
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TITLE: Japanese holidays
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/28/2001 04:34:35 AM
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Japanese lawmakers are angling for more long weekends.
This year saw the change of two holidays (Coming of Age Day in January and Health-Sports Day in October) from fixed dates to floating Mondays to create long weekends. This is great for overworked salarymen and a boost for the economy as many people turn these three-day weekends into travel excursions.
In 2002, a new bill in the Diet proposes, two more holidays will change to Mondays to create long weekends in July (Marine Day is currently on July 20) and September (Respect for the Aged Day is now September 15).
In total, Japan chalks up 16 national holidays, two more than the US. America has 14 federal holidays but some of them, like Flag Day and Inauguration Day, are still work days for most people. There are only ten "day off" national holidays in the US.
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TITLE: Visitors
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DATE: 03/29/2001 08:22:14 AM
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Friends who used to live here in Tokyo have returned for a visit.
Seth & Tara quit their jobs last June and have been travelling the world. They arrived last night from Fiji via Aukland (where Seth had a emergency room sonogram to rule out a possible deep vein thrombosis problem!).
Today they are settling into thier accommodations at "the Palace," checking e-mail, looking up phone numbers of friends and teachers, and most critically deciding which of their favorite restaurants to revisit.
I'm sure that someday this will be Tod & me.
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TITLE: Electric Work
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/30/2001 07:59:35 AM
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"Hey, come quick. There's a man walking on the power lines outside the window," Tara urged from the office.
Sure enough, there he was. He and his companion were dressed in the uniforms of the electric company and were walking along the power lines, inexplicably unbundling the wires that were spiralled together.
Tara stuck her head out the window for a photo op. The lineman looked up, smiled and held his hand up in the V for victory gesture thatis commonly used for photos here. His coworker, standing closer to the utility pole, laughed.
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TITLE: Playing hookey
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DATE: 03/31/2001 09:01:25 AM
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Seth, Tara and I went to Ginza for lunch at a favorite Indian restaurant then walked through the Sony Building. We gawked at the latest computers and electronic gadgets then went on to sit in Hibiya Park and enjoy the blossoming cherries.
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TITLE: It snowed yesterday, cancelling
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DATE: 04/01/2001 06:42:29 AM
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It snowed yesterday, cancelling our plans for hanami, a cherry blossom viewing party, at Koishikawa Botanical Garden.
But the unseasonably chilly weather taught me two new Japanese phrases. "Hana bie" means chilly spring weather (hana is flower and bie is chill), and "botan yuki" describes yesterday's big-flake spring snow (botan is a peony; yuki means snow).
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DATE: 04/02/2001 10:42:04 AM
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Lithe bodies dressed in black vests with glowing neon medalions above black leather hotpants and accessorised with green glowing bracelets and black sunglasses rushed onto the stage and gyrated wildly, stirring the crowd into a frenzy of consumer lust at the Tokyo Game Show 2001.
Wow, those X Box girls were hot. It's a shame that the product they represented, a new video game console from Microsoft, isn't as exciting. It's just a black box with a big green X on it. It plays games. The trade show excitement is left behind when you bring the real thing home. Phooey.
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TITLE: It doesn't matter how
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DATE: 04/03/2001 06:58:17 AM
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It doesn't matter how drunken people are here, they still maintain courtesy.
We were sitting in a ramen shop waiting for our dinner. A group of three or four boozy businessmen had arrived before us and were enjoying their Nth bottle of beer, telling jokes and laughing loudly.
Their big bowls of steaming ramen arrived. Instead of tucking in and slurping their dinner down immediately, they waited until everyone had been served, paused a beat, then chanted itadakimasu, "We gratefully partake," before beginning.
If that's not civilised, I don't know what is.
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TITLE: Flowers, flowers everywhere. Nothing
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DATE: 04/04/2001 06:52:23 AM
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Japanese businesses are keen on service. The florist's delivery man was exceptionally . He handed me the huge bouquet of pink lilies and alstroeameria, wrapped in lavender paper and wrapped with a fuschia ribbon, then he turned the flowers so that I could read the card, which was carefully handwritten in block letters. "Yomemasu ka?" he asked. Can you read it? I told him that I could, that it was my birthday and these were from my little sister. He grinned. I wonder if he wrote the card out himself?
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DATE: 04/05/2001 07:17:39 AM
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Yesterday, I visited the Yahoo! Cafe in Harajuku, one of Tokyo's trendy neighborhoods. The two story buildling houses a Starbucks on the first floor and an Internet cafe upstairs. It's free to use, as Yahoo has cleverly gotten the sponsorship of major computer manufacturers and Internet service providers.
Each computer is donated by its maker and the Internet service is provided by competing vendors. YOu can try out the latest Sony laptop using NTT's ISDN, or IBM's notebook with DSL from Tokyo Metallic. I suppose if you were patient enough, you could could try them all and make purchasing decisions about which service provider was speediest and which laptop you wanted to buy.
I only sat at one Compaq laptop for about 20 minutes to check my mail and then I was off to continue my errands. But now I'm registered to use the cafe and I will return for a longer session later.
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TITLE: Maybe some people would
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DATE: 04/06/2001 06:57:45 AM
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Maybe some people would have turned away but I was fascinated by the dead pigeon lying on the busy sidewalk.
It lay upside down. Pale underfeathers on the outstretched wings sought the fading daylight. In a macabre twist on the "dead pigeon" theme, its head and upper torso were missing. There was no blood or gore; it looked like badly butchered meat with wings and feathers.
Geeks at work in the 'hood?
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TITLE: "Short, frequent breaks," is
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DATE: 04/07/2001 06:37:24 AM
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"Short, frequent breaks," is the mantra of anyone who's suffered from respetitive stress injuries (RSI).
Of course, I never listened and now I'm paying for that inattention. My hands and wrists burn from too much typing and mousing. This condition can lead to all sorts of nasty remedies including casts and surgery, so I'm trying to nip it in the bud.
My desk is outfitted with rolled up towels to position my hands properly; my computer beeps ever 30 minutes to remind me to take a break. A friend taught me some of her therapy stretches and shared hints on heating and icing my overworked tendons.
So now I'm listening. Short, frequent breaks! Ah, the computer's beeping. Gotta go.
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TITLE: A friend from Tod's
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DATE: 04/08/2001 08:25:12 AM
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A friend from Tod's office organised a late-season hanami party at a Komaba park in Meguro-ku, about 40 minutes on the subway from our house.
It was a beautiful day. Cherry blossoms fluttered from the trees; breezes caused a flurry of floral snow. Our picnic spread represented all our nationalities--American, Canadian, Indian, British, Dutch, Middle Eastern--but was soon dotted with uniform, unintentional, pink garnishes.
The only disappointment of the day came at 4:20 when announcement to park visitors gave a ten-minute closing warning. We unwillingly packed up our picnic and headed home.
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TITLE: I have a lot
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DATE: 04/09/2001 07:38:35 AM
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I have a lot of photographs.
I was searching through them yesterday for pictures I could scan to use for a client's website. There are hundreds of photos from all over Japan. Some of them are really good views of Japanese cultural artifacts; others are silly snapshots of Tod.
My filing system is dated and I noticed that I haven't been taking as many pictures as I used to. I need to go on some photo safaris to build up my stock.
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TITLE: Japanese TV continues to
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DATE: 04/10/2001 07:34:00 AM
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Japanese TV continues to amuse me. Last night I watched a show that focused on poor people. After identifying a target, in this case a man and wife with a small restaurant in Yokohama, the cameras moved in an filmed every aspect of their lives: the lack of customers, their high food costs, their single-room dwelling behind the restaurant.
Jump to the studio. The host polls a panel of three showbiz personalities: what does this man need? He needs to learn to cook chicken. They pack the man off to Kyoto to learn some new dishes.
The cameras follow him as he learns (and fails to learn) from the harsh chicken task-master. Many tears are shed. Pained looks of failure and frustration. But in the end he learns the new menu for his shop.
With the help of the TV program's budget, the shop undergoes a facelift and holds a grand opening. The new menu is a success.
Cut back to the studio. A vote. Does the poor man have to repay the TV program for the cooking lessons and the remodelling? The studio audience and the panel decide. Unanimous vote: No. The man beams and bows low in gratitude.
American shows never mess with people like that. But they ought to; it's very entertaining.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: azeem
EMAIL: saliq_bin@hotmail.com
IP: 202.141.239.5
URL: http://hjtgdfhjk
DATE: 04/21/2003 08:27:07 PM
hi this is azeem nasir from pakistan and I want to mack one progeram in japan and I need camra and camra mane in japan so I need address in japan prodaction house
bye
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: azeem
EMAIL: saliq_bin@hotmail.com
IP: 202.141.239.5
URL: http://hjtgdfhjk
DATE: 04/21/2003 08:29:31 PM
hi this is azeem nasir from pakistan and I want to mack one progeram in japan and I need camra and camra mane in japan so I need address in japan prodaction house
bye
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My hands continue to
BASENAME: my_hands_continue_to
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/11/2001 07:17:07 AM
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My hands continue to ache and I find myself in front of the TV too much.
Last night's entertainment involved two sets of celebrities competing to guess what someone in a restaurant ordered. They watched the person order from a menu that each team also had in front of them ("Ah, I think it's on page 4!"), then the order went to the kitchen.
As one chef prepared the order ("Oh, look, slices of garlic and eggplant...is that chili?"), another chef prepared a most disgusting dish for the losing team. One round he deep fried eggrolls filled with pork, smoked fish, honey and wasabi then topped them with chocolate sauce; the next round it was a sticky mass of ground beef, jam, fermented soybeans, tabasco, and vitamin drink. He aimed to make the losers spit out their punishment.
It was funny to watch the contestants desperately guess what the real dish was. When the evil chef presented his dish, the losers tasted it first, with proclamations of "MASZUI!" (disgusting!) but curiousity always got the best of the winners and they tried it, too.
I wonder if it's possible to play a home version of this? I can imagine it as a kids' party game...
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DATE: 04/12/2001 09:27:50 AM
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There is a man standing in the gutter across the street. He has a basket of plastic pipe fittings at his feet and he is looking perplexed.
For the past week, a white van with long pipes strapped to the roof has appeared at 8:30 am and parked outside my office window. Two men, one youthful with fashionably frosted hair and an older man who is probably the boss, have alighted, taken out tools and proceeded to perform mysterious work on the hillside drainage systems of the houses across the way.
Today they are peering up at the elbow joints that peek out from the wall. Judging from the things they've taken out of the truck, they plan to build a channel from the elbows to a streetside grating if they can figure out which fittings to use.
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TITLE: Today has double significance
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DATE: 04/13/2001 08:46:12 AM
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Today has double significance in America but none in Japan. Friday the 13th and Good Friday don't hold any special meaning here.
Today is "San Rinbou" according to the Japanese calendar on my fridge. I have no idea what that is. Rinbou doesn't appear in any of my dictionaries, so I think I'll just concentrate on trying to stay out of the path of black cats and from under ladders today.
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TITLE: Around the corner from
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DATE: 04/14/2001 07:12:03 AM
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Around the corner from the house is a public bath. Seth & Tod were having a poker night (no girls allowed), so Tara and I went to soak in the hot tubs of the sento.
The price of admission is 400 yen. After stripping your clothes into a wicker basket, you take your soap and shampoo into a big open room with taps and low showers lining the walls. There is room for two dozen women to wash.
The baths are hot and full of fun accessories. Not rubber ducks, but air jets, medicinal waters, even an electric bath that I dipped a hand into. The water tingled the way I imagine it would with a hairdryer in the bathtub. Definitely not my idea of a relaxing bath. One middle aged woman sat in that bath for at least ten minutes with no ill effects, but why?
Tara and I bathed until we were boiled like lobsters, then got out, dressed in loose clothing and drank cool green tea until our skin lightened to a healthy shade of pink. We walked limply home and flopped into bed while the boys played poker downstairs.
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TITLE: Sometimes there are too
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DATE: 04/15/2001 07:49:26 AM
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Sometimes there are too many choices.
Tara & I walked to the local Mister Donut to pick up a breakfast treat while Tod & Seth slept. We know what sorts of donuts they like, so when we started to select our dozen, it was with them in mind: French crullers, custard cream, cinnamon, glazed plus a few chocolate ones and picks from the more esoteric types. We weren't even close to done, but we already had 14 donuts--at least two breakfasts' worth. We called a halt.
The most unusual donuts we purchased? Frankfurter Roll (a 'pig in a blanket') and Curry. I think we were carried away by choices.
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TITLE: Our office room is
BASENAME: our_office_room_is
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DATE: 04/16/2001 06:50:35 AM
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Our office room is undergoing a transformation.
The balcony is sprouting a small garden suspended in oblong pots from the railing. Tara and I spent yesterday afternoon planting marigolds, pansies, and other orange blooms then fixing them to the railing with metal brackets. Tara washed the balcony floor and discovered a leak in the drain. I brought up one of our wooden chairs.
Meanwhile, Tod was putting together a metal rack for his computers. Now his four computers, two laptops, six external disk drives and even the printer are neatly stacked on shelves, with powerstrips wired to the rack at convenient intervals.
Everything's clean. It must be Spring.
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TITLE: My friend Elizabeth came
BASENAME: my_friend_elizabeth_came
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DATE: 04/17/2001 06:05:24 AM
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My friend Elizabeth came through with an explanation of Sanrinbou, which I wrote about on April 13th. Elizabeth's lived here for 35 years--she knows everything!
"SAN RINBOU... written with the characters for
"three" (SAN), "next door" (tonari, also pronounced RIN) and "dead"
(shinu, also pronounced BOU). part of a larger, very complicated system
of superstitions. especially bad news for building houses (thought that 3
houses to rt, left, front, back would all burn down to the ground if
built on such a day."
It sounds a little bit like my mother's cursed lasagne--every time she makes lasagne, the neighborhood suffers a catastrophe, usually a house on fire.
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TITLE: We turned our balcony
BASENAME: we_turned_our_balcony
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DATE: 04/18/2001 07:46:09 AM
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A pair of pigeons flies around our house from ledge to ledge trying to find a comfortable place to roost. I am doing my best to discourage them. Waving the curtains at them scares them off for a few minutes. Opening a window and shouting at them works better. Flailing my arms adds an extra dimension to the hostilities and amuses my neighbors. Tod recommended a pellet gun but I'm not prepared for all-out war. Yet.
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TITLE: My pile of business
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DATE: 04/19/2001 08:11:41 AM
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My pile of business cards, an essential tool for business and social relations in Japan, is starting to overflow. I am having trouble locating the ones I need. It's time to reorganize them.
I have two books with clear plastic pockets that are full of meishi already. I find this system to be tidy, but not altogether practical. One book is mainly contacts from my volunteer organization; the other is business contacts. But sometimes they overlap and my filing system doesn't have any place for the dozens of cards I pick up from restaurants. There has to be a better way.
Some people might suggest that I need to buy a little device that scans business cards and stores them electronically. But I disagree. What I really need is a Rolodex.
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TITLE: 4:14 am. Squawk. Squawk.
BASENAME: 414_am_squawk_squawk
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DATE: 04/20/2001 07:10:39 AM
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4:14 am. Squawk. Squawk. Squaaaaawk. Squawk. Squawk. Cheep! Squawk. Squawk. Cheep! Squawk. Squawk. Cheep! Squawk. Squawk. Cheep! Squawk. Squawk. Cheep! Squawk. Squawk. Cheep! Squawk. Squaaaawk. Cheep! Cheep!
A baby bird sitting outside my bedroom window (but in close proximity to my ears) was having a pre-dawn singing lesson. He did well. His father sat nearby and sang intricate melodies. The baby bird bleated back awkwardly until his first real note, a little peep in F#, popped out. Then he set up a steady rhythm of squawks and cheeps as he flew off to wake other innocent slumberers.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My friend, Lil, is
BASENAME: my_friend_lil_is
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DATE: 04/21/2001 08:19:38 AM
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My friend, Lil, is in the hospital with appendicitis. I went to see her yesterday. What an eye-opener.
Patients are required to supply their own towels, drinking water, and even tissues. There are no complimentary hospital gowns to wear while your friends bring you your proper pjs; Lil had to trundle herself and her IV drip down to the shop in the 2nd floor to buy a Japanese robe to wear.
Although she was diagnosed with appendicitis on Thursday (after being admitted on Tuesday), her operation isn't scheduled until Monday. If she were in America, she would already be home--the average length of stay for an appendectomy in the US is 3 days. I suspect that Japan's national medical insurance system rewards hospitals with more money for longer stays.
Good for business; bad for patients.
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TITLE: If you've ever been
BASENAME: if_youve_ever_been
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DATE: 04/22/2001 09:23:57 AM
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If you've ever been in a busy train station in Tokyo, you'll understand my problem.
I have to direct a half a dozen people to a meeting place in a two-level station that services three different train companies and innumerable lines. I can't simply say "Let's meet at the ticket window." The directions to the meeting point are starting to get pretty long:
"We'll meet at the Seibu Ikebukuro line ticket machines on the first floor, near the Seibu Higashi (east) entrance to Ikebukuro Station. If you're coming to Ikebukuro via the Yamanote line, other JR lines or the subway, note that there is a Seibu ticket area on the lower level--this is the wrong one. Please come upstairs!"
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TITLE: 7:12 pm. Two cups
BASENAME: 712_pm_two_cups
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 04/23/2001 09:56:13 AM
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7:12 pm. Two cups of coffee.
Wow, does coffee in the morning effect me the same way? I guess it must, but it's not nearly as noticable.
Although you may think of Japan as a place where everyone drinks green tea (and they do), coffee is extremely popular perhaps for the space and atomsphere as much as for the beverage. Coffee shops give people a place to relax outside their cramped quarters. You find kissaten and cafes in every shopping area and in many residential neighborhoods--they substitute for the "neighborhood bar" of blue-collar America.
Now that I can see how potent a drug caffeine is, I'll take it easier on the night time brew. Ironically, I have a DigitalEve meeting at the Yahoo! Cafe tonight. Just one cup, for me, thanks.
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TITLE: Travel planning makes me
BASENAME: travel_planning_makes_me
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DATE: 04/24/2001 09:15:04 AM
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Travel planning makes me growl.
My trips overseas are never simple. I wish I could just fly from point A to point B and be done with it. But it never works that way. Too many things to do, people to see.
June is coming fast and we're off to a family reunion in Cape May, NJ. That means a flight into the US. Then a domestic flight to Philadelphia. Then a bus to Cape May, I think. On the way back, we'll stop in Pittsburgh for a quick "hello" with the rest of the family. I'm trying to decide whether I can manage a day or two in Chicago on the way in or out...Tod can't. Is it fair for me to go without him?
None of this makes ticketing easy. But I mast face this grim task and get my tickets sorted out so I can enjoy my summer vacation.
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TITLE: Looks like we know
BASENAME: looks_like_we_know
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DATE: 04/25/2001 07:05:12 AM
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Looks like we know who the new prime minister will be.
Junichiro Koizumi won the primary elections in the race for leader of the LDP, Japan's ruling political party. His "Change the LDP, Change Japan" campaign won over the party's voters. The country is ready for a change.
Koizumi certain represents a change in personalities (just consider his fashion sense: he wears brown suits and his hair is unruly) but will he be able to change the LDP? It's a sluggish monolith of a party plagues by financial scandals. It won't be easy to change.
Koizumi's appointment as PM be finalised until tomorrow, when the Diet (Japan's parliment) casts its votes, but the leader of the ruling party is always voted in as Prime Minister, so there's no guessing here.
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TITLE: Have you read "Memoirs
BASENAME: have_you_read_memoirs
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DATE: 04/26/2001 09:05:33 AM
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Have you read "Memoirs of a Geisha" yet?
It's the fictionalised biography of a geisha in Kyoto before WWII. The book offers a glimpse into a lifestyle that is slowly fading away. It's well-written and extremely entertaining.
But the author, Arthur Golden, is being sued by his primary source--a retired geisha now living in New York. I guess she's been there long enough to meet some lawyers. She charges that he used personal information he wasn't allowed to reveal. She wants a cut of the profit for the pain of being identified as the geisha who life is the seed of the story.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Note to self: spend
BASENAME: note_to_self_spend
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DATE: 04/27/2001 09:54:10 AM
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Note to self: spend more time with the old relatives.
Too many questions about the family become permanent mysteries when the generations change. My great-aunt, Sr. Louise Burroughs, died earlier this week. She and I had an e-mail correspondence going for over a year and she was always intersting to hear from. Aunt Lou was not a doddering old lady with photos of grandchildren; she dissected current events, described the beauty of snow on shubbery, and went to a Japanese restaurant after we'd discussed Japanese food.
She may have been the only person who could identify a sculpture that her father posed for in the late 19th century--it was described to me as a Peter Pan sculpture installed in a park in Chicago--and now that Aunt Lou isn't here to give me confirmation, I'll continue the research to try to find it but I'll never be completely sure.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 43,000 yesterday. 46,000 today.
BASENAME: 43000_yesterday_46000_today
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DATE: 04/28/2001 06:27:59 AM
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43,000 yesterday. 46,000 today.
That's how many people are leaving leaving Japan via Narita Airport. Why? It's the beginning of Golden Week--4 national holidays in a seven day span. This week, a few precious vaation days can be stretched into a 9 day holiday. And about 10% of Tokyo's population leaves not only the city, but the entire country. Even more take trips to visit famous sightseeing locations in Japan or to spend time with far-flung relatives.
However, the smart bet is to stay in Tokyo and enjoy the quiet. I'll get a seat on every train this week!
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TITLE: You never know what
BASENAME: you_never_know_what
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DATE: 04/29/2001 10:42:09 AM
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Walk past the sento near our house, and when the street curves to the left keep walking straight ahead into an alley. The alley continues for half a kilometer, gradually narrowing into a passage barely wide enough for an open umbrella. At the very end of the corridor is a bit of netting strung up to prevent unobservant bicyclists from hitting the wall a few meters beyond. Just before the netting is a small city playpark with swings and jungle gyms. Since there's no way to reach the park other than the alleyway, I imagine that only local kids play there.
This is not the sort of road that was planned. It grew as people put up houses. And I imagine that it's been around since Tokyo's early days--several hundred years ago.
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TITLE: We invited friends for
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DATE: 05/01/2001 10:18:04 AM
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Getting rid of the used cooking oil has always been a problem. Dumping it down the drain's not ideal. Putting it into the trash can invariably causes a huge leaky mess. But there's a product on the market here that solves the problem.
The name of the product is Katameru Tenpuru. Katameru means "to harden." It feels lke sawdust but it's made of seaweed. You pour it into the hot oil, stir and let it cool. It turns your leftover greasy mess into a solid mass that can be lifted from the pan and put into a trashbag.
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TITLE: Actual samples from the
BASENAME: actual_samples_from_the
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DATE: 05/02/2001 08:32:12 AM
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Actual samples from the Japanese test in front of me.
Form a sentence with the following words: How do you answer that?! Please collect water in the bathtub to store in for an emergency. My hobby is collecting water; I store it in my bathtub.
Here's another: We must soon be deciding what time to begin class so that it is decided. The teacher is deciding that the time to begin the class is decided.
Form this sentence: [fail utterly test ~ing Kristen]
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Communications Museum "TeiPaku"
BASENAME: the_communications_museum_teipaku
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DATE: 05/03/2001 09:39:06 AM
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The Communications Museum "TeiPaku" (theme park) is pretty unassuming from the outside. It's in big building in the middle of the financial district, on a corner near Tod's office. It's signage is ugly. We've given it short shrift for three years.
But yesterday, we decided to stop in after lunch. What a pleasant surprise. It was larger than I expected--three generous floors of interactive exhibits--and lots of fun. We sent bad Morse code; our best tries were EXCELLBENT and YOVVVURVLE. We talked on the picture phones and pressed the tone generators to make touch tone beeps.
But best was the telex. It was set up to let you print out your own strip of coded words. My strip is above. What does it say? KU-RI-SU-TE-N, of course.
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TITLE: I'm feeling weighed down
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DATE: 05/04/2001 08:17:26 AM
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I'm feeling weighed down by all my possessions.
Piles of books, papers and pamphlets that I've been saving for research are trash now. The detritus of several projects--spare brackets, hardware and boxes. Gone. Dust under the computer is about to be vacuumed away.
I'm tempted to pull out drawers, throw away clothes, pitch everything that hasn't been worn or touched in the last six months. Is it nailed down? It stays. Otherwise, bye bye clutter.
Isn't it a little late to have Spring Cleaning fever?
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TITLE: I'd never encountered a
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DATE: 05/05/2001 11:03:33 AM
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I'd never encountered a massage chair until I came to Japan.
In stores, the demonstration chairs are a good place to locate husbands who've strayed from the family shopping expedition. The basic format of a massage chair is a recliner with wheels inside that roll, tap and vibrate up and down your back. It sounds painful, but usually isn't.
Not all chairs are created equal. There's one in my local bath house that looks like a torture device--covered in peeling, carmel-colored vinyl, the coin slot is bunged up, and you can see the tracks the rollers inside have made over the years. I've never tried it.
Last night I met a massage chair to love. It gave an amazing massage--not only the back and neck but the legs and "oshiri" too. Some of the movements felt like a live masseuse was working on me. We were at a party and throughout the course of the evening, everyone gave the chair a try. It was funny to watch the bodies flexing and vibrating in the chair as they were kneaded into relaxation.
There might be a new piece of furniture in my house soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sandy
EMAIL: hellosandy@iinet.net.au
IP: 203.59.10.10
URL:
DATE: 02/23/2003 03:31:46 AM
Can you please tell me what the make of the chair was?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 63.162.134.219
URL:
DATE: 09/28/2003 04:51:40 PM
Can you please tell me where you encountered this chair as well? I have a client who had a similar experience in Japan, and now wants to buy the chair, only neither of us can find it!
I would appreciate a response as soon as you can get it to me. Thanks so much!
M Thomas
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL: mai_design@hotpop.com
IP: 63.162.134.219
URL:
DATE: 09/28/2003 04:52:04 PM
Can you please tell me where you encountered this chair as well? I have a client who had a similar experience in Japan, and now wants to buy the chair, only neither of us can find it!
I would appreciate a response as soon as you can get it to me. Thanks so much!
M Thomas
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/28/2003 07:45:37 PM
There are many manufacturers and most of the big electronics department stores--the ones that carry appliances and small furniture--also carry massage chairs. Yamagiwa has them, as do quite a few of the shops in Akihabara. Some of the department stores carry them, as well. If you're not in Japan I have no idea where you could buy them.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: NEWS FLASH Our nephew,
BASENAME: news_flash_our_nephew
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 05/05/2001 11:12:19 AM
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NEWS FLASH Our nephew, Seth Adams, was born at 1:26 pm on May 4th (Tod's birthday, too). He weighs in at 8 lbs, 12 oz. Maureen and Seth are both doing fine.
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TITLE: I really, truly hate
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DATE: 05/06/2001 09:33:34 AM
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I really, truly hate job hunting.
After two years of freelancing, I've generated a decent body of work but I haven't added much to the family coffers. On top of fiscal irresponsibility, my focus is beginning to drift; I spend days writing nothing at all. I think it's time to return to the 9-5 world for a while.
My resume is updated; I've already had a conversation with my former employer and I'm looking for interesting opportunities in corporate communications, technical writing, instructional multimedia design, or writing of any sort.
If you hear of anything promising, please let me know.
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TITLE: In theory this should
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DATE: 05/07/2001 07:24:41 AM
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In theory this should be a breeze. Install FreeBSD Unix on an old computer, add a web server, a database and some other bells and whistles to get it running for DigitalEve Japan. We've done this before.
In practice it's turning out to be a major hassle. Not even counting that it took two days to download the latest version of the OS and burn it onto a CD, this project has not gone smoothly. The machine, which works beautifully under WindowsNT, will not properly reboot in Unix which renders it useless as a remote server. So it's back to the drawing board. Either we get another computer or we try another version of Unix.
Maybe building Unix servers is worse than job hunting.
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DATE: 05/08/2001 07:07:10 AM
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My short note to the DigitalEve Japan mailing list asking about job placement firms elicited 10 responses, including a personal referral to a recruiter, an appointment with another, a request for my resume, and scads of information about where to look for job leads online and offline.
With all this support and goodwill, maybe job hunting won't be so dreadful after all. Thanks, Devas.
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DATE: 05/09/2001 07:06:01 AM
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Tsuyu, the rainy season, began in Okinawa two days ago. From the state of the weather in Tokyo, I think it's begun here as well.
Even though it isn't really due here for another few weeks, the rain clouds rolled in and we suffered a classic tsuyu rain yesterday--slow, misty drizzle all day. This is the sort of rain that chills bones and finds its way up under your umbrella.
One odd upside to yesterday's weather is that I left my old umbrella locked in an umbrella rack outside the Communications Museum last week. Instead of retreiving it, I spent a foolishly large sum of money on a lovely olive green one with tone-on-tone giraffes embroidered on the edges and a bananaleaf patterned handle. So stylish. I hope I manage to keep it through tsuyu.
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DATE: 05/10/2001 07:21:10 AM
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Outside our front door is a tiny triangle of garden.
When we moved in in October, it wasn't terribly impressive--lots of unruly woody branches with green leaves. However, it evolved into a flowering wonderland this spring. First apple blossoms, then brilliant azaleas. Now we have huge red roses. The buds of pink spray roses are just beginning to peek open.
Summer will come and the flowers will die off, but they have certainly made my springtime more vivid and enjoyable.
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DATE: 05/11/2001 07:17:23 AM
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With windows thrown open to let in the spring breezes, I'm discovering that my neighborhood smells like food.
This morning, tonari-sama is cooking sausage and eggs. The other evening, I smelled curry. My own kitchen is as bare as Old Mother Hubbard's, so these scents are tantalizing.
Oddly enough, I never smell Japanese foods, only Western cooking.
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DATE: 05/12/2001 09:30:09 AM
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I should not have answered the doorbell. I am not prepared to rebuff relgious zealots in Japanese.
They were sweet those two young women with pamphlets. "We are Spiritual Volunteers," they said in English as they handed me a pamphlet in Japanese. I should have turned and fled. My problem is that I am stupid and curious.
Stupid because I didn't quite understand them. Most of the conversation was in Japanese with some English thrown in for good measure. I only know how to be polite in basic social situations. Being prostelytised to isn't covered in my Japanese lessons.
Curiousity always gets me into trouble. I want to understand what's going on around me. They offered to bring me a brochure in English. I agreed. After I took my Japanese brochure inside with me, I found a URL (http://www.mahikari.or.jp) and checked it out.
They turned up again yesterday to give me my brochure, but after having read their web page, I decided to lay low. They left a note in my mail box written in English on notepaper seasonally decorated with frogs and tadpoles.
Dear MCQUILLIN. Yikes! Time to look up the words for "I'm not all that interested, sorry."
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DATE: 05/13/2001 06:37:40 AM
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In the heart of our residential neighborhood, a hotel is disguised as an apartment building.
We've walked by it several times and commented on the French restaurant in the first floor. It's a bit unusual for an apartment building to house a restaurant, but Tokyo is full of surprises.
Last night, we decided to eat there. The food was astonishingly good: tomato and red pepper terrine, rabbit tart with fresh dill, seafood-stuffed fish with lemon-lime cream sauce, roast duck, and a heavenly orange-cassis sorbet served in an orange rind on a bed of spearmint jelly.
But more amazing than the food was the revelation that this building is a hotel. We walked into the lobby and located the restaurant without noticing. It wasn't until Tod read a sign in the washroom that he was clued in. As we left, we picked up a brochure. There are 60 rooms with rates between 8,800 and 16,000 yen/night. Now when we have guests that overflow the capacity of our house, we know where to send them.
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DATE: 05/14/2001 07:03:04 AM
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At about 11, I dragged Tod from his slumber to see the market. He broke his fast with a serving of yakisoba (fried noodles). I went into the schoolyard and joined the little children playing with the creatures in the Fureai Dobutsuen (Friendly Animal Zoo).
The garage sale portion of the festival, Koishikawa Free Market, took over the margins of each street (there are no sidewalks here) as neighbors cleared out their houses by selling old clothes, housewares, and trinkets. Each doodad covered tarp and table was a living archeology dig--all the junk dug up from the bottoms of closets.
Next year I think I'll join the Free Market with English books and computer parts.
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DATE: 05/15/2001 08:01:11 AM
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Japan's new foreign minister, Makiko Tanaka, is getting herself into trouble. She's outspoken, fluent in English and not your average Japanese bureaucrat. She's been called "feisty," a "maverick" and she really is a breath of fresh air, even if she is offending people right and left by cancelling appointments with foreign dignitaries and making bold comments.
"The nail that sticks up is hammered down" is a saying applied to peole in Japan. Anyone who is different is shunned or forced to conform with the group. Yesterady in the Diet, Tanaka got chastised by her fellow LDP members. She defended herself, but this might be the first step in hammering her down. I hope she can find the right path between her current undiplomatic state and the old, stodgy party line.
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DATE: 05/16/2001 07:35:00 AM
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Yesterday a new bank opened in Tokyo. With bank mergers happening all the time, a new bank isn't a surprise.
But this bank is a little bit different; it's owned by a retail company that runs Japan's 7-11 convenience stores. The new bank, IYBank, has no branches, only ATMs.
I can imagine the business planning that went into this venture. A bunch of conbini clerks standing around wishing that their shop had an ATM (most in Japan don't) and filling in a bunch of Suggestion Cards. Management reads them, and a new bank is born.
How do you start a bank, anyway? Where does the money come from...overinflated prices on chewing gum?
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DATE: 05/17/2001 08:17:41 AM
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Last week, Tod "graduated" out of his work team's shift schedule and is now allowed to work whatever hours he pleases. From here on in, he'll be concentrating on Unix engineering instead of system administration and doing it later in the day.
However, when delivering the happy news, nobody warned him that there would be one final week of early shift for him, as his teammates hadn't reorganized the schedule before the end of last week. On Monday, his phone rang at 7:20 am. "Where are you?" the rest of the early shift asked. Argh!
Only one more morning of early shift left, then Tod will be happy to arrive at work at 10 am every day!
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DATE: 05/18/2001 07:10:44 AM
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Today I will tackle a small new challenge. I need to send 500 DigitalEve Postcard Competition flyers to one of our members who is attending the DesignFesta tomorrow. She's promised to hand tham out and talk up our group.
The challenge is getting them to her by courier. I should be able to take my package to any convenience store and have it delivered anywhere in the city. But I've never done it before. The prospect seems scary, but I know that as soon as I've completed the Japanese forms once, it will be as easy as pie. (How easy is pie, anyway?)
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DATE: 05/19/2001 07:02:42 AM
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This lack of parks in Tokyo means that people have nowhere to sit when they go outside for lunch. Office towers provide some unique options, including this "urban forest" at Otemachi First Square, where Tod works. A triangle of eight trees on a side, paved over with granite between the trees, is a cool and shady place to sit and relax during a break. Most people perch along the edge, but a few brave souls climb inside to claim a little patch.
Lunchtime passes too quickly when you're sitting under the trees.
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DATE: 05/20/2001 09:54:07 AM
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I waited until too late on Friday to try to courier the Postcard Competition flyers, so I went out to DesignFesta to deliver them in person. What fun!
Terri, my contact there, was 90 minutes late, so I wandered around handing out flyers to women artists who were exhibiting postcards and prints--they seemed likely entrants for our competition.
1,500 booths filled the huge exhibition hall. Artists of every type showed and sold their works. The energy in the place was amazing and the talent ranged from knock-your-socks-off impressive to really pretty bad.
I was very happy to have a limited amount of money with me; otherwise I would have been the proud and happy owner of several interesting pieces of clothing, some pottery, stacks of postcards and definitely a few bits of silver jewelry. I covet all those things that Tod doesn't care about too much. As it was, I limited myself to a hand-dyed t-shirt printed with dragonflies.
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DATE: 05/21/2001 07:31:45 AM
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Thinking about it, this is the best of summer. In a few weeks, we'll have more rain than sun and after that the weather is hot and humid until mid-September. So even if the calendar doesn't agree, I declare summer to be here.
Last night Tod opened this year's grilling season. We burned last year's lucky arrow (a few months late) then cooked up some rosemary-garlic marinated chicken breasts. Accompanied with a grilled onion, oven fried potatoes and a tomato-mozzarella salad, we couldn't have asked for a nicer Sunday dinner.
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DATE: 05/22/2001 07:04:56 AM
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Yesterday just before dinner, Tod's cell phone rang. "I got spammed on my phone," he said, looking at the message and turning the phone towards me and our friend, Brendan.
Tod's NTT i-mode phone allows people to send e-mail and text messages (like a pager, remember those?), as well as voice mail and regular phone calls.
This message was all in Japanese. I read the first few kanji then gave up and handed it to Brendan who read the full thing. "It's a phone sex service," he declared. "Ra-bu Me-ru. Love Mail."
Today NTT announced that they will hook up with AOL to offer online e-mail. More spam to come.
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DATE: 05/23/2001 07:43:32 AM
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As for the sport itself, I know only the fundamentals. I expect I'll learn more today. During this tourney, Takanohana has remained completely unbeaten and Chiyotaikai has only one loss. With five days remaining, either of them could come out the winner. It should be a fun and exciting day.
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DATE: 05/24/2001 09:03:48 AM
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But even better than the generous quantities of food was the spectacle of these huge, strong, and graceful athletes, pushing and shoving one another around the dohyo (the sacred ring where the action takes place. No women allowed.) We arrived at the end of the lower levels of wrestlers, and watched the middle ranking juryo (literally it means "10 together" but there are more than ten matches) followed by the maku-uchi--the top wrestlers.
Much of the nuance of sumo is incomprehensible to me. There are 82 ways to win a match--mainly variations on pushing, lifting, twisting or dropping your opponent over the ring or to the ground. The judge, who is dressed in a traditional costume that gets more complicated as the ranks rise, has quite a challenging job to determine who wins. He watches carefully but there are also five "line judges" posted around the ring. The five judges can dispute a call. And they did yesterday, coming up on the dohyo and examining footprints and marks on the sand-covered surface. They changed the judge's call. In the old days, the judge would commit harikiri (ritual suicide) when he was wrong. These days, that's not part of the game.
Commerical sponsorship for sports dates back a long time. Although the sumo stadium isn't named "Sony Stadium", matches are sponosred by companies who offer extra prizes and have they banners walked around the ring. Wrestlers are sponsored, too, and the lovely aprons that they wear are actually advertisements for their sponsors. One wrestler, who is from St. Louis, is sponsored by Budweiser. His apron shows the Clydesdale horses.
`Why should it?' muttered the Hatter. `Does YOUR watch tell you what year it is?'
`Of course not,' Alice replied very readily: `but that's because it stays the same year for such a long time together.'
Which is just the case with MINE,' said the Hatter.
Never enough time. When's tea?
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DATE: 05/26/2001 07:32:24 AM
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I love to barter deals with other women business owners. For example, yesterday I made a deal with a local art school owner. I'll give her 17 hours of computer tutorial--teaching her how to update her website and set up a mailing list--and she'll let me take her 5-day Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain workshop.
Bartering is much more rewarding than money, but it rarely pays the rent. So I'm still looking for a "real job" with a steady income. Know of anything interesting?
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DATE: 05/27/2001 03:36:09 PM
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Yesterday, Tod gave a Database Design seminar. It was fun, but tiring for both of us.
Today's been a sleepy day but I really do have things to do. Maybe it's the wet weather; maybe I'm just procrastinating. Whatever it is, I'd better get myself in gear and do some work.
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DATE: 05/28/2001 10:33:18 AM
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I'm happily out of touch with American culture. When I get a hint of what awaits me on repatriation, I am stunned and revolted.
Here's an excerpt from a liabilty waiver that US chapters of a non-profit organization have to sign for every event they attend:
"I have read or had read
to me this Agreement and had an opportunity to have my questions
answered. I have not been induced to grant this release by any
representation or assurance by the organization or on its behalf. I hereby
warrant that I am of full age and have the right to contract in my own
name. I am fully familiar with the contents of this release. I
understand the meaning and effect of this release, and intending
to be legally bound, have signed the release."
Doesn't this sound like a paranoid lawyer read too much case law regarding waivers? Would you sign this? I'd would just walk away. Argh, it makes me sick.
I remember permission slips from when I was in grade school and in the Girl Scouts, but I don't recall anything as silly as this in any non-profit organization I've ever been a part of.
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DATE: 05/29/2001 08:40:45 AM
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Crown Princess Masako is having a baby and the nation's lawmakers are having a cow.
The princess is married to the heir to the Imperial throne. The country has waited (somewhat impatiently) for her to produce an heir. If she and her husband welcome a boy into the world, the young prince will be second in line to the throne. If they deliver a girl, Japan has no direct successor to the crown prince.
Even though there were several ruling Empresses in ancient history, as the law stands now only men may inherit the crown of Japan. However that may change. The Diet will soon decide whether to change the Imperial Household Law to allow females to succeed to the throne.
If we see a woman on the Chrysanthemum Throne, will women fare better in society in general? It's an interesting question and I hope we get to discover its answer.
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DATE: 05/30/2001 10:06:45 AM
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Apparently their work is being inspected today. Two men from the Tokyo Waterworks department are walking along the retaining wall where the pipes are installed. They are examining a big patch of bright green the moss that grows where the water spills over the wall. I suspect they are not pleased.
They are armed with a Polaroid camera, a checklist on a clipboard, and a measuring tape. They are busy measuring moss, distances and poking around. They seem completely oblivious to the traffic that skirts around them as they crouch low to peer into drains.
I wonder what their report will say?
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DATE: 05/31/2001 07:47:22 AM
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Talk about a bad time to look for a job. The international financial institutions where I'm most likely to find employment are freezing hires until the markets improve and on top of that Japan's unemployment rate is rising.
Tod swears this doesn't affect me, and maybe he's right. I'm pretty much a fringe employee anyway. But if a company has to make a choice between a native Japanese and me, I think they'd select the native. Then the unemployment rate decreases by one.
I'm awfully glad I am not responsible for paying the rent.
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DATE: 06/01/2001 07:42:02 AM
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Nothing list a new trash can to brighten up a kitchen.
Sounds like a silly thing, but we have to separate our waste into five categories, so we have a lot of trash cans. Or rather, we should have had. Actually, we had a lot of paper shopping bags.
Now we have a nice collection of 25 liter trash cans with lids. My kitchen looks so organized, so clean. Next, I'll get the spice rack tidied up.
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DATE: 06/02/2001 09:12:21 AM
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Among my circle of geeky friends, Slashdot is a news portal of choice. And last night, we had the opportunity to meet Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda, the brains behind the operation.
His blend of pop culture verities, experience, laughter, and cynicism brought to mind a few friends and colleagues from the Telerama days: Doug, Alan, Peter, and of course, Tod. We were just like CmdrTaco, only without the fame and fortune. There's a certain enthusiasm of youth that some have at 25. The lucky ones hold on to it.
Case in point. Last night at midnight, I attended a conference call. (Don't even get me started on the "joys" of global telecomm and its use at wicked hours) Most of the particpants were Americans who were annoyingly upbeat, but foolishly nitpicking and didn't listen to one another. Also, too many had the extremely irritating habit of turning scentences into questions? As in "I'm palnning an event? And we want to make t-shirts? Is it OK to use the logo?"
But I'm not always down on the US and its citizens. Also last night, but a little earlier, I attended a friend's birthday party and met quite a few new people, including Adam from V-2 who has recently arrived in Tokyo. He was great. His interesting sentences were declaratives.
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DATE: 06/04/2001 09:17:14 AM
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Since I was a teenager, I've wanted to see the Royal Shakespeare Company perform live. Small dream accomplished.
The touring company is playing The Tempest at the Tokyo Globe and it's an excellent production. They've blended music with Prospero's magic to create something really powerful. The stage itself was fantastic--a sinuous rolling wave, raked sharply upwards at the back to provide a place to spirits to fly, the shipwrecked to swim to shore, and the firey, stormy elements to be seen.
It hardly needs to be said that the actors were incredibly good. It's always a treat to see Shakespeare come to life. The plays are better enjoyed as performance than in script.
Was The Tempest as captivating as the BBC-produced Nicholas Nickleby that I fell in love with in high school? Almost. But it wasn't nearly as long.
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/05/2001 07:35:36 AM
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If you're well travelled, you know that packing for a trip is an art. Maximise the combinations of clothes, minimize the space, and you have yourself a well-packed bag. Fortunately for me, my entire wardrobe follows that rule (everything is black or goes with black) so packing's not too challenging.
Until you consider where the gifts are going to fit. Today I'll be taking my backpack and cramming it full of gifts to give to friends and family. And sliding in (I hope) a pair of shorts, two t-shirts and a skirt. That plus what I wear on the plane is all I'm taking. Since I'm going to the land of clothes that fit, I'll buy anything else that I might need. A pair of shoes, a bathing suit, and new underpants are definitely on the shopping list.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A year ago my
BASENAME: a_year_ago_my
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/06/2001 07:27:48 AM
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A year ago my sister, a poet from Pennsylvania, came to visit me. We talked about how experiences, like a roast hot out of the oven, need a while to settle before we dig into them. They want time to grow inside the cocoon of self before taking fight. Pick your metaphor. We have to wait before we can express our experiences.
Her first poem about Japan, Music of Washing, emerged from its chrysalis this week. When I read the title, I thought it might be about the Japanese laundry machine that she liked. But it isn't.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: It's 7:45 in the
BASENAME: its_745_in_the
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/07/2001 10:00:56 PM
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It's 7:45 in the morning. Tod & John are out getting wood to start a fire. I'm not sure why--perhaps for atmosphere, or maybe someone's going to cook breakfast over it. Kris is about to start a summer job as a camp councillor, so I suppose this could be for her benefit.
All I know is that it's June (what date is it?), and although the day is cloudy and cool, it's not really fire weather.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yesterday morning's fire was
BASENAME: yesterday_mornings_fire_was
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/08/2001 08:47:15 PM
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Yesterday morning's fire was more appropriate than I imagined.
We spent the day marvelling over the blizzard of cottonwood snow that blew from two local trees. The soft, fluffy seeds fell from the sky, drifted across sidewalks, collected in the gutters, stuck in our hair.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Grilled leg of lamb.
BASENAME: grilled_leg_of_lamb
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/09/2001 10:28:56 PM
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Grilled leg of lamb. Pierogies and blintzes. Falafel and hummus. Coming to Chicago is always an excuse for feasting on things that are hard to get in Tokyo.
And the prices can't be compared. Our leg of lamb was $18 from a local slaughterhouse. (I'm sure it would be $18/lb in Tokyo). Our filling Polish dinner was $32 for four of us. The same thing in Tokyo? It's not possible--we've never found a Polish restaurant in Japan.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: We combined fire and
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/10/2001 08:46:43 PM
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We combined fire and cottonwood last night after Tod discovered that it burns beautifully. With lighters in hand, we walked the neighborhood looking for patches and drifts of the white, fluffy seeds.
Touching flame to an edge caused the seeds to catch fire in a wavefront like a fuse burning down. Fire consumed them so quickly that nothing under them was even singed. We stopped when we realised that we were filling then neighborhood with smoke. But it was fun while it lasted.
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TITLE: [sigh of relief] I
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/13/2001 12:15:56 PM
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[sigh of relief] I went for several days without e-mail. No blog. No chat. OK, I know I'm on holiday and supposed to be relaxing, but there's only so much offline time a girl can take.
Suffering from computer DTs, I phoned Apple to find out where to buy an iBook in the Jersey Shore area. However, there was none to be had nearby so we drove from Cape May to Dover--a hundred miles away--to buy a new laptop. A ferry, a speeding ticket and a terrible lunch later, I had a shiny, white iBook in hand.
My whole family is here in Cape May--including my uncle, aunt & cousins from California--and we're enjoying the sea air and NJ asparagus. So far four people have checked their e-mail. I'm glad I'm not the only addict in the family. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: "Making movies" is what
BASENAME: making_movies_is_what
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/14/2001 10:05:28 PM
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"Making movies" is what you're doing when you think through how a situation will play out--a romantic dinner, a confrontation with a colleague, a trip to the dentist.
I was making movies when I thought of a way to mark the recent passage of several relatives whose funerals I had missed: my sister and I would light incense on the beach and spend a few quiet moments staring out to sea, remembering. Just a quiet passage of time to reflect.
Of course, things never turn out as planned. I brought five fat bunches of temple incense from Tokyo and that was the end of the director's cut. Six of us gathered on the beach, struggling with bad lighters and the wind to get the incense lit. A few sticks caught, then blew out. Dad burned his thumb. We probably looked like a group of bumbling terrorists.
In the end, we passed around one partially burning bundle, blackened at the edges and emitting a faint trail of smoke, while we each said a few words. I was unprepared to speak, but got my turn first, "Our time will come, too." Mom cried; Uncle George made us laugh; Jenn trembled; Emily voiced a wry observation; and Dad spoke briefly before we all laughed again and headed off to continue our day.
So it wasn't the movie I'd planned, but it turned out OK anyway.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Get any far-flung, multi-generational
BASENAME: get_any_far-flung_multi-generational
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/15/2001 09:43:24 PM
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Get any far-flung, multi-generational family together and you're going to get new words introduced into the collective vocabulary. A daughter's use of "right" or a cousin's use of "quite."
But my family coins new phrases wholesale. Here are some of the ones we've come up with this week:
It's been an interesting week getting to know my family again. Both of my cousins, who were kids when we last met, are adults now. My niece is growing by leaps and bounds. The rest of us are getting older, too, but it's better not to think too much about that. Jenn and I were silly sisters together, falling right back into the playful patterns of our childhood. But I still resent that she's taller than me.
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TITLE: Everyone says that Seth,
BASENAME: everyone_says_that_seth
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/18/2001 12:11:06 AM
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Everyone says that Seth, our six week old nephew, is a good tempered baby.
He must know that a baby skeptic (me) is in the house because he wailed for 45 minutes straight last night, putting his good behaviour in serious doubt. Just as I suspected. ;-)
However, his crying didn't seem to damped the enthusiasm of the adults around him. They held him in every imaginable position, on his back, on his stomach, upright (though not upside down) while bouncing, rocking and jiggling him to placate his screaming. Eventually, he fell asleep lying on his grandfather's stomach.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: This year's Father's Day
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/19/2001 12:50:08 AM
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This year's Father's Day Death March was the best ever.
Since the fateful Father's Day hike about ten years ago (It was long, hot and very wearying), we've carried on a tradition of a fruitless and terrible trip as selected by Tod's father. We've driven for hours to walk for ten minutes in a grassy ghost town, we've visited oil fields, ridden steam trains, and even found the southwest corner of Pennsylvania.
But now that he's a grandfather, Pete's mellowed. This year we went bowling only a few miles from the house. Justin (the newest father in the family) won with a score of 145 and Pete came in second at 116. My score? A pitiful 74.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My maternal grandmother, Romayne,
BASENAME: my_maternal_grandmother_romayne
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/19/2001 08:28:08 PM
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My maternal grandmother, Romayne, had a fondness for shoes. Her closet was full of shoes to match every outfit. I've never thought I inherited that same love of shoes as closet is full of practical styles in black.
But yesterday I realised my heritage. I was shopping for yet another pair of black leather shoes at a store that can only be described as a supermarket of shoes. Aisle after aisle displayed sandals disguised as confections, fruity pumps, meaty oxfords, and of course, my practical staples.
They looked tasty enough to eat and I walked away with four pairs. Two were what I'd anticipated. But two were in the spirit of Romayne--bright salmon mules and burgundy sandals.
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TITLE: Delays and cancellations made
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/20/2001 11:46:35 PM
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Delays and cancellations made our trip home an extra-long day. Our 10:10 flight from Pittsburgh had a mechanical failure which forced us to switch to a later flight so we missed our connection in Chicago. The next plane out of Chicago to Tokyo also had a mechanical failure--we waited for five hours while they flew in a replacement.
I was happy that we had Star Alliance Gold status (access to the Red Carpet Club and business center) and the new laptop (access to our e-mail and chat with friends) to keep us amused while we waited. The bloody mary didn't hurt, either. :-)
Now we're home, showered, and downloading e-mail before we retire for the evening. I'm looking forward to some tasty Japanese food for lunch tomorrow.
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TITLE: When we arrived home
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/21/2001 07:46:21 AM
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When we arrived home last night, I grabbed all the mail out of our mailbox and reviewed it.
Half of the volume of mail was flyers for real estate companies, movers, telephone cards and food delivery services. I dumped those in the trash, then sorted the remainder: two tax notices, a bill, a contract, a magazine, and an entry for DigitalEve Japan's postcard contest.
I guess that's about right for two weeks. I wish I received more interesting mail.
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TITLE: Well, the pipe inspectors
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/22/2001 05:34:26 AM
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Most of the work was done while we were gone, but a man driving an unmarked van was putting on finishing touches today. Quite a production!
When it's all said and done, I think the moss was pretty and the grey PVC pipes quite ugly. They should have left it as it was.
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TITLE: When I'm jetlagged, I
BASENAME: when_im_jetlagged_i
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/23/2001 05:50:47 AM
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When I'm jetlagged, I eat strangely.
First of all, my mind and body are out of synch by about four hours. I went to sleep last night at 1 am and rose at 5 this morning with my mind so full of ideas and plans that it forced my body to move.
So here I am, four hours of sleep behind me, ready to start a new day (the first day of a two day DigitalEve web retreat that I am helping to teach/lead) and I am famished. I crave protein. No namby-pamby tofu and beans for me, please. I want meat. Give me a big juicy steak or a hamburger. Or maybe a horse.
Sadly, there is no meat in the house and the only restaurants open at this hour are not serving meat-rich dishes. I'll have to settle for toast and coffee. Lunch will come along in another 7 hours and I'll get some protein then.
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TITLE: Whew, am I tired.
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/24/2001 07:31:19 PM
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Whew, am I tired. The web retreat was a great success, but lots of energy!
Still in jetlag mode, my body demanded large quanitities of food all weekend. Fortunately, we ate extremely well during a feast at the resort last night, two hearty lunches, and a wonderful Japanese breakfast.
After dinner but before we went to bathe in the hot spring, we enjoyed playing with fireworks outside the hotel. A five year old boy was lighting some and his parents shared with us.
The workshop portions of the weekend went well, too. But for me, the onsen and the food were the highlights. The rest was more like work.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Usability and User Interfaces
BASENAME: usability_and_user_interfaces
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 06/24/2001 09:14:17 PM
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Download the PDF, includes exercises (401 K)
What are “usability” and “user interface”?
Usability is the ease-of-use factor—how simple is it for your audience to do the things they need to do on your site? Can they find the information they want, buy a product, search, and send feedback to you? The clearer and simpler your site is to use, the better your usability and the more satisfied your audience will be.
User interface is what your audience sees —your logo, recurring graphics, theme colors—and the tools they use to interact with your site—navigation buttons, search boxes, and even their own browser. User interface is everything except for content (and even that’s debatable).
Designing for Usability
Usability encompasses a few main aspects: I'm not sure when summer snuck up on us, it must have happened while we were away. Humidity hits 90%, skies look grey, I turn red, blotchy and cranky. Summer is not my favorite season. I will just have to bide my time until October when things cool down again.
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TITLE: Yesterday we received visitors.
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/26/2001 07:41:37 AM
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Yesterday we received visitors. But not in the formal Victorian/Edwardian sense of posting hours during which visiting is acceptable. This was much more casual.
Simon, a friend of Tod's who is staying with us for a few days, called at 2:30 to say he'd arrive around 3:00. I had to leave at 2:45, so I left the door unlocked for him when I left. Did it feel strange to leave the house open to someone I'd never met? A little bit but Tod vouched for him so I knew it was OK.
Our second visitor was Erin. She's masterminding the redesign of the DigitalEve Japan site. On Thursday she's off for a three month holiday, so we were finishing up all the loose ends of the design before she goes.
Because Tod, Simon and I were holed up in the 3rd floor office with the aircon on and the door shut, Erin was greeted by a note on the door downstairs. "Come in. We're on the third floor."
I know first impressions are important, but yesterday was too hot to bother.
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TITLE: This morning I've been
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/27/2001 08:30:46 AM
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This morning I've been preparing for the judging portion of DigitalEve Japan's postcard design competition.
For the past six weeks, we've been advertising our contest (grand prize is 30,000 yen (about $300)) but have received only three entries. The deadline is Saturday June 30th so I'm hoping that we'll have a last minute flurry of entries. That's why I'm preparing the judging portion now.
Would you like send a last-minute entry to the contest? The theme is "Women - Japan - Technology" and the submission details give all the specifics you'll need to know. Everyone is invited to enter and who knows, you could win a prize! If you have any questions, you can e-mail me.
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TITLE: It's summertime and the
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/28/2001 06:33:03 AM
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It's summertime and the sewers are stinky.
Smelly sewers are one of the hallmarks of summer in Tokyo. I don't really notice them at any other time of year, but from tsuuyu (the rainy season) until autumn, I catch a noseful of noisome bouquet at almost every corner.
Some drains are worse than others. In past summers, I've found myself crossing streets to avoid particularly foul areas. The fetid stink has only begun to surface here in our new neighborhood, so I haven't yet learned the bad patches. But within weeks, I'll be crossing the streets as needed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Best new web resource
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/29/2001 08:52:31 AM
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Best new web resource of the day: Google Image Search.
Google's already my favorite search engine (and has been since it was in beta several years back) and now it has an image search, too. While you won't find high-res artworks (like you do at Corbis or Getty), I've already discovered that it's a treasure trove of local maps of obscure places. And if you search for 'mcquillin' you will find a photo of me.
It's always fun to find a useful new tool on the 'Net. It's even better when it satisfies my narcissism.
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TITLE: I'm too used to
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/30/2001 08:44:07 AM
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I'm too used to waiting.
It began (as I recall) with a boyfriend in 1986 who was always running late. I learned to bring a book. I started watching people.
15 years later in Tokyo, I still find myself waiting. Yesterday it was an hour's wait for an out-of-town visitor I had promised to meet at 2. I arrived a little early and watch the tides of people washing out of trains and through the wickets. Businessmen, well-heeled housewives, and a curious phenomenon.
Teenaged girls in groups of two or more came and went from the station wearing the same t-shirt. "629" (the date?) was emblazoned on the front, along with "Big Egg Show performer" in orange script. Some of them wore yellow and black polka dotted hats--four of them had enormous, egg shaped headpieces made of yellow and black spotted fur. It was mysterious, but later I found out there was a J-Pop band called Yuzu playing at Tokyo Dome (aka "Big Egg")
At 2:55, I tired of watching and waiting and headed back to my office to work. During an evening phone call, I found out that my guest arrived at the station at 3:00, having gotten lost in the neighborhood of her ryokan.
Maybe I should have waited a little longer...
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TITLE: Geez, we eat a
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/01/2001 08:06:32 AM
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Geez, we eat a lot of salt.
I was shocked when I finished up the last of the salt in the bin (we don't even use shakers anymore) and rummaged around in the cabinet to find some more. There wasn't any. In the course of three years here, we have consumed two liters of salt. I'm sure we didn't use that much salt in 8 years of married life in America.
Where does it all go? Pickles, mainly, and food preparation. Salad dressings, miso soup, marinades, sauces. An infrequent bout of baking. And lots and lots of brined pickles.
Visiting America, I find I salt my foods now. I never used to. My soduim tolerance is increasing. Bring on that salt-broth ramen, please!
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TITLE: Because of the recent
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/02/2001 07:58:20 AM
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"Come look at this! It bows when you press a button," he called to me.
He failed to mention the novelty of having a cartoon of a uniformed Japanese Office Lady pointing at the time and temperature. It was her bowing that he noticed.
She's cute. I wish she did the dishes, too.
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TITLE: On the way to
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/03/2001 07:58:32 AM
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On the way to my 1st grade student's house, I passed a wonderful French patisserie. The window display of a chouchon (pig) cake caught my eye. It was so cute; I was very tempted to buy it and share it with Katie during her lesson. But it was 3,500 yen and pretty large, so I held back.
Tokyo is strangely populated ethnic food places. Fashions in food launch a thousand new restaurants all offering variations on a theme. A few years ago it was Indian curry. Then Italian pasta. The trend now seems to be bagels.
When the fashion changes, many of the mediocre restaurants redecorate their menus hoping to catch the next trend, while the superlative shops keep serving up their finest. Which is why you can find a real patisserie in Sugamo, or an excellent Indian curry shop on the back streets of Nakameguro. I'm still looking for a really good bagel.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tod gave me a
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/04/2001 07:14:14 AM
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Tod gave me a present of books. He often orders books from Powell's in Portland and he loves their delivery. They come in big, grey postal sacks.
There's no bookstore quite like Powell's here in Tokyo--not for English books, certainly (the paucity of English books in this city is really depressing), but not for Japanese books either. So we buy our books online and have them shipped overseas to us.
What did I receive in this batch? Edward Tufte's The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, a book all about the theories behind graphics and charts, very interesting reading, an O'Reilly book on Web Navigation to add to my collection, and a few novels to share.
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TITLE: Prime Minister Koizumi must
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/05/2001 08:43:06 AM
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Prime Minister Koizumi must be happy. An interview revealed that he always wanted to be a rock star. Well, he is popular enough to be one. His Cabinet's approval rating is a record-breaking 88%.
What I can't figure out is why. They don't seem to be doing much of anything differently, though Foreign Minister Tanaka has an amusing big mouth (often full of foot) and not a lot of diplomatic skills.
Koizumi is making his world tour: golfing with President Bush; chatting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair; and shaking hands with Jacques Chirac in France. Beautiful photo opportunities. Maybe Koizumi is a bit like Ronald Reagan--the leading man with a good supporting cast--because the government today really does seem like theatre rather than solid national leadership. Maybe I'm just not reading the right newspapers.
Hmmmm, can I get thrown out of Japan for vague criticism of the government? Nah...
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TITLE: It's 8 am and
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STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/06/2001 08:10:13 AM
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It's 8 am and I am happy to have my new laptop, Ferry, who I purchased in Dover last month. Her umbilical cord (an Ethernet cable) stretches across the bed, down the hall and into the office to give me Internet access.
I also have a cold. A miserable summertime one, probably brought on by life-saving air conditioning on extremely hot days. Ironic that the life enhancing coolers always make me sick. Which is worse: sweating in 36 degree heat or suffering a head cold?
Since I don't have any client appointments (but plenty of work to do) I will poke around in bed today, nursing my cold and working with Ferry bridging the gap between my upraised knees and my stomach. Fortunately, her mouse buttons are placed far enough away from the edge of her case that my fat rolls do not activate them.
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TITLE: My sister, Jenn, is
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DATE: 07/07/2001 09:12:21 AM
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My sister, Jenn, is three years younger than I am. It's a good gap in ages, and we've always been friends. But my competitive nature makes us rivals, too.
Jenn's list of one-upsmanship (from my perspective)
And now she's published the first book. Questioning Walls Open, a collection of her poetry. came out this week. My book is still in MS form, sitting on a shelf, taunting me to revise and submit it. Perhaps this is the incentive I need. Jenn's not going to be the only sister to publish a book.
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TITLE: Tod tested me yesterday.
BASENAME: tod_tested_me_yesterday
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DATE: 07/08/2001 09:56:40 AM
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Tod tested me yesterday. He spent the entire day reconfiguring glass,the keystone in our household computer network. That meant no Internet access for the whole day. I fell asleep at midnight wondering what I had missed.
When I woke up this morning, there was a note on my monitor:
What had I missed? Not too much. Some DigitalEve messages. A client canceling an appointment for Monday. Half a dozen spam e-mails. Nothing of life-changing consequence. I really shouldn't spend so much time tied to my computer.
What did I do while I was offline? I read two and a half books.
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TITLE: Last night we grilled
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DATE: 07/09/2001 07:46:12 AM
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Last night we grilled burgers and lit sparklers on the patio. Perhaps it was an unconscious nod to American Independence Day, though I didn't think of that until just now. At the time it seemed perfectly Japanese.
Fireworks are legal in Tokyo (and all over Japan, as far as I know) and it's really fun to light them off. The packaging all shows cartoon toddlers lighting them over open flames (at least on the packages of handheld fireworks) and since we don't know exactly what any of them are, it's always a bit of a mystery to discover what each one is going to do. The element of danger makes it even more fun.
Last night we had road flares on sticks. They were intensely bright--painful to look at--and burned from green to pink to yellow before dousing themselves. The people walking past our house probably thought we were nuts as we did not have the obligatory toddler lighting them. But then, we're foreigners which makes us toddlers on our own, in a way.
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TITLE: I always feel a
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DATE: 07/09/2001 01:06:43 PM
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I always feel a little bit nervous when I have to leave my passport somewhere.
Yesterday, I went to apply for our visas to China. The Chinese embassy's consular section is very nice. Clean, well-lit, open space with plenty of writing desks and even glue sticks for attaching your photo to the application form. Not too many signs in English, but enough to get me where I needed to be and into the right line.
While I waited (only five minutes), I watched a woman with a huge pile of maroon colored Japanese passports sitting at a special desk in the waiting area, sorting documents and photos before submitting them. She must work for a tour company.
When it was my turn, I handed over the forms and passports and received a yellow reciept--one copy of a triplicate form. The white sheet was pasted to the applications and the pink copy was rubberbanded around our passports which the clerk then tossed into a bin on the floor.
I go back on Thursday to pick everything up. I won't lose my yellow slip. I hope they don't lose my passport.
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DATE: 07/11/2001 08:28:45 AM
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Today I'm going to the doctor to complain about some strange headaches I've been having. I really don't like the medical profession and this visit makes me nervous and tense, but the headaches are stronger than my aversion and fear.
I'm chickening out though, and not going to a local Japanese clinic. Why? If I have to describe my pain, I don't think I can do it in Japanese. I can say "My head hurts" but that will only get me "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning."
So I'm off to an American doctors' clinic where everyone speaks English and my Japanese insurance is not accepted. Which is OK, because I can't find my Japanese insurance card...
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DATE: 07/12/2001 07:58:40 AM
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My husband is a delight to wake up.
He's not a morning person. I get up early and work until his alarm goes off, then make coffee and deliver a mug to his bedside. If he's conscious enough to talk, I spend a few minutes chatting with him. On the weekends, I read him articles from the newspaper but weekday mornings are usually filled with talk of the day's plans, weather, and his late-night computing triumphs. Afterwards, I go off to continue working and he falls back asleep (sometimes).
It's a pretty nice way to start the day together.
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TITLE: The Sony Building, in
BASENAME: the_sony_building_in
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DATE: 07/13/2001 07:46:58 AM
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The Sony Building, in Ginza, is a showcase of Sony's products. Each floor has a different category--televisions, computers, cameras, stereos, games--with sample products you can try, games to play and more uniformed showroom attendants than you can shake a stick at.
I spent 20 minutes playing with the "location free" Airboard, a portable TV/Internet terminal. It was fun and easy to use, but I'm not going to run out and buy one (retail price $1,300).
Also in the Sony Building: a game where you control a mosquito who must bite a girl who is sleeping. If you wake her up, she goes into Battle Mode and tries to swat you! Very amusing, though we never figured out the controls well enough to bite the girl.
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AUTHOR: Tim
EMAIL: TStafford@UCLAlumni.net
IP: 61.204.236.102
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2003 10:24:20 AM
Good morning,
Currently I am living in Japan. I am planning on visiting the SOny building this Monday and was wondering if you knew the times it was open? Do you know if it is open on Saturady or Sunday too? Thanks
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TITLE: We went to see
BASENAME: we_went_to_see
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DATE: 07/14/2001 07:21:08 AM
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Slightly disappointed, we walked through the Mitama matsuri, arriving just in time to watch a troop of men pushing a giant, lighted float through towering walls of stacked lanterns towards the shrine.
The matsuri had dozens of food stalls, vending everything from ikayaki (grilled squid) to candied apples. We shared some Doraemon-shaped cakes, but ended up eating dinner out.
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TITLE: Mini-digger SKR-301
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/15/2001 10:14:20 AM
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Sadly, it is a Sunday morning....one that I had hoped to sleep through. Construction crews begin their work on the dot at 9 am. This timing is so consistent that I suspect it must be mandated by law. Because it is challenging to rest when the SKR-301 is dancing and digging underneath the bedroom window, I'm in the office, checking e-mail and working on a Sunday--I swore I wouldn't. Maybe I'll have better luck next week.
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TITLE: I tried really hard
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DATE: 07/16/2001 07:14:05 AM
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I tried really hard not to work yesterday and to enjoy a day of rest away from my computer.
That is hard work.
It was too hot (another 35 degree scorcher) to go outside for long. Everyone else in the house was engaged in solitary pursuits, like working on web pages or watching movies. I bounced around the house, trying to amuse myself. Ate a marshmallow. Made some iced coffee. Finished a book and took a nap.
I did spend time at the computer--even worked for an hour or so--but it was extremely reduced from my usual 12 hours. I think my day would have been more satisfying if I had just given up and worked like I usually do.
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TITLE: The city changes its
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DATE: 07/17/2001 09:14:45 AM
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The city changes its clothes at dinnertime.
Hakusan Dori, the four lane boulevard that runs through our section of town is pretty sterile during the day; the high-speed traffic doesn't encourage many small shops and long stretches are lined with office buildings and shuttered shops.
But in the evening, the metal shutters of the shops open to reveal lively and interesting restaurants and bars. Although we've lived here for nine months, until last night we'd never walked up Hakusan Dori in the evening. Now we have a new range of restaurants to choose from!
Last night, we tried One's Drive, a hamburger joint. I tried a sauerkraut dog, but the sauerkraut was Japanese-style pickled cabbage. Tasty, but not sauerkraut!
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TITLE: If I had to
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DATE: 07/18/2001 06:58:37 AM
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If I had to name one thing I hate about living in Japan, today I'd name bilingual computing.
My Macs are generally pretty good at allowing me to display and type Japanese. But my e-mail program gives me trouble with encoding--I can receive Japanese e-mail, but I cannot send it. And after my recent upgrade to OS 9.1, everything is falling apart. Photoshop 6 lets me do Japanese on one machine, but on the other machine it does not. Why? I'm not sure. I'll have to track it down. A rat's nest of similar problems has plagued me this week.
I should be accustomed to bilingual computing by now; in addition to my own machines I have plenty of friends and clients with Japanese machines and English applications (or vice versa) but I never seem to get the hang of it. Sort of like Thursdays.
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TITLE: Peterb is in town
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DATE: 07/19/2001 07:22:10 AM
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In a way, that's very comforting. It's nice to have a solid foundation of personality that remains immutable despite changing circumstances. On the other hand, why haven't I changed in the last five years?! I guess I have, but perhaps only subtly. Speaking Japanese doesn't count.
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AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 205.201.10.78
URL: http://peterb.telerama.com/weblog
DATE: 02/26/2004 12:01:01 AM
amusingly, just a few months after you posted this entry I started changing radically and haven't stopped yet. Go figure.
-peterb
PS: it was time.
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TITLE: For the first time
BASENAME: for_the_first_time
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 07/20/2001 08:45:56 AM
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For the first time in three years, Japan's trains let us down.
We were on our way to a party in Kisarazu, Chiba prefecture (the "state" to the east of Tokyo). It's about an hour and a half away by train, or only an hour if you catch the Sazanami express train.
Kisarazu is "in the middle of nowhere" and trains stop running at about 10:30, so this would be an early party for us. We planned to arrive around 8, spend two hours then head home in time to make all our connections.
But yesterday evening, the trains from Tokyo were running 90 minutes late, due to signal problems. Our plan to catch the 6:30 Sazanami was thwarted. The next train was due to leave at 7:00, but when it didn't turn up by 7:20, we bailed and called in our apologies.
So we missed the party and disappointed our friends all because the trains were late.
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TITLE: Everyone around me is
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DATE: 07/21/2001 09:25:54 AM
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Everyone around me is publishing books.
Caroline Pover, a friend of a friend, launched her new book last night. Her apartment was packed with friends, contributors, stacks of the book and lots of champagne.
Being A Broad in Japan is a sourcebook for foreign women living in Japan that grew out of Caroline's magazine and women's network. It's packed with practical information and interviews with scores of people. Leafing through, I recognise many names and even a few of the anonymous contributors are familiar. I have no doubt that this book will be a hit.
Perhaps it is time for me to dust off my own MS and get it published.
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TITLE: When I was a
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DATE: 07/22/2001 08:53:50 AM
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Yesterday I was shopping with a friend and saw a shimmering purple dress. It was in my size and on sale so I tried it on. It fit and looked quite lovely but I didn't decide to purchase it until I read the materials and care tag:
This is cloth-of-gold, just like queens wore. Of course, mine's not really gold but the idea is the same. Now I need a pair of dancing slippers and a crown and I'll set.
P.S. Today marks the 1st anniversary of this 'blog. Time flies.
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TITLE: Summer is time for
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DATE: 07/23/2001 07:51:35 AM
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Summer is time for grilling and Tod has fired up the barbeque three times in the past week. But last night we were hungry and didn't feel like cooking for ourselves. Where did we end up?
A Korean barbeque restaurant for indoor grilling!
Kenbu Yakiniku is a catch--great food, an interesting atmosphere (half industrial, half neighborhood hole-in-the-wall) and it's so close to our house that there's not enough time to start sweating between our door and theirs. Perfect summer grilling.
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TITLE: Sitting on the arm
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DATE: 07/24/2001 08:48:10 AM
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Sitting on the arm of a friend's sofa last night, watching two little girls put "hair toys" into my husband's too-long hair, I had an insight on writing the description of that scene. Glittering hearts; hysterical laughter; amused patience.
But I slept and my insight faded and though I can still vividly picture the scene, this morning I can't do it justice. And I didn't even get a photo.
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TITLE: Japanese hospitals are medicine
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DATE: 07/25/2001 07:28:58 AM
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Japanese hospitals are medicine machines that quickly move patients through a set path from Reception to Accounting. The NTT Kanto Medical Center is no different, but it is newly renovated and offers a comfortable environment. I was there yesterday for an appointment.
I wasn't the only foreigner there, but I was one of perhaps two. My funny name confounded the nurses. I was escorted around the hospital from place to place. Registration took me to the Consulting area. From Consulting I was ushered to MRI. I probably could have found these places myself. Everything is labelled in English, it turns out, but people were kindly pandering to my confusion.
Dr. Arasaki speaks fluent English and put me at ease. I enjoyed watching him use his computer to create my chart as he examined me. And looking at the pictures of my brain was really stunning. I'll be going back, but next time it won't be so scary.
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TITLE: Seth & Tara came
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DATE: 07/26/2001 07:53:38 AM
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The box is wrapped in pink sprigged gift paper just like all Japanese omiyage boxes, and in addition to the logo stickers and "fresh by" date, it bears a translation of "The taste of Aunt Stella's" which begins sutera obasan kara.... The English on the box reads: A nice treat: we got upgraded to a "Cyberroom" at the Crowne Plaza so I'll keep up with 'Blog & mail for a few more days.
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TITLE: Last night we strolled
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DATE: 07/28/2001 08:11:35 AM
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Last night we strolled down Wangfujing, a broad boulevard closed off to traffic. As the evening settled in, crowds of people came out to enjoy the bands and the beer at outdoor festival tables. We dined on food from stalls (avoiding the skewered crickets, scorpions and pupae) at a special night market and had fun in a pharmacy. So much Chinese medicine. An attendant in a green nurse uniform tried to persuade Seth that some natural Viagra would be a good purchase. We ended up with Oreos instead.
You know how you almost always forget something when you pack? This trip, mine is something I rely on a lot more than I expected--a tablet and pen. We scoured the shopping street for a notebook but to no avail. My notes in Beijing will be taken on hotel stationery. Already the details of last night's fun are fading, so I'd better commit them to paper before they are gone...
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TITLE: We rode three hours
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DATE: 07/29/2001 09:46:13 AM
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We rode three hours out of Beijing yesterday to see the Great Wall. There are nearer places, but we wanted to see the Simatai section, described as "not touristy" and affording the best views.
On the drive there, we passed through the northeastern suburbs of Beijing. Towards the airport are the lastest developments. First tall, tall highrise apartments owned by the government and inhabited by the "common people" as our driver, Mr. Lee, informed us. A little further along, we started to see billboards for places like Dragon Villas and "Lomond Lake villas: North American Demeanor, rich and strong" detached houses costing from $1,500 - $9,500 US dollars a month for about 500sq meters. (To see some Beijing real estate, visit www.merryland.com.cn ) Mr. Lee says "The common people say this is the new Forbidden City."
The Simatai Wall had great views. Neverending scenery bifurcated by the Wall. Words can't describe it. I spent a lot of time taking photos and saying, "Wow. Sooo beautiful."
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TITLE: Arriving at Wansheng Theater
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DATE: 07/30/2001 08:01:15 AM
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Arriving at Wansheng Theater was a Neil Stephenson novel come to life.
Our taxi driver pulled up in front of an old, peeling-grey, three story building. Its windows were boarded over and outside the second floor unlit neon letters spelled out "Welcome to our ACROBATICS SHOW" A middle aged man in a dingy polo shirt and sandals waved us around to the back of the building. At the end of the alley, a red neon sign glowed ENTRA CE.
Inside, the William Gibson-inspired setting continued. But it wasn't faked, this is where Gibson & Stephenson get their ideas. Everything was plush but run down. Two attendants showed us to our seats, four boxy armchairs, then served us bottled water and a tiny tray of cookies featuring an Oreo in the center.
The acrobats were delightful. They performed seven or eight acts featuring lithe contortions, balancing objects, spinning plates, winding ribbons. Several times, I had to wonder aloud, "Did she just do what I think she did?" as a woman moved from one improbable position to another by a even less probable route. Her head passed through her hips, I swear...
Maybe Chinese acrobats are Replicants.
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TITLE: Beijing is a city
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DATE: 07/31/2001 08:09:18 AM
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Beijing is a city of fluid movements: tai chi in the shadow of the Temple of Heaven; ballroom dancing in a park; pedestrians sauntering down a shopping arcade. Traffic moves with the moment. On broad avenues bicycles, donkey carts and trolley buses share the raod with taxis and pedestrians. Nobody hurries, especially not the big blue government construction trucks that haul dirt and mysterious loads under tarps.
Private car ownership in Beijing is only 10% but in a city of 13 million, that's still a lot of cars. The air is brown from pollution and walking around on a cloudy morning, before the sun can burn off the haze, induces headaches. It is one extremely unpleasant aspect of Beijing (and Xian, we're discovering this morning) that the government plans to correct before the 2008 Olympics.
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TITLE: In eleven days we
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DATE: 08/06/2001 11:31:33 PM
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But my favorite snapshot, the one that best sums up my travel experience, isn't one by me. It's one of me (pretty narcissistic, eh?). I was standing at the bow of the ship trying to frame the beauty of the Qutang Gorge when Tara framed me instead. This is how I looked most of the time: eye pressed to lens, mouth squished to one side in concentration, hair unruly.
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DATE: 08/07/2001 08:49:16 AM
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Vacations are great. Coming home to hundreds of messages, minor crises, and changing deadlines isn't so fun.
OIne of the joys of freelancing is a flexible and lighter workload. But returning from this vacation, I am as swamped with stuff to do as if I were a wage slave. I'm a slave, but no wages. My To Do list is already 10 items long and I haven't made it all the way through the archive of e-mail. I know there will be a few more surprises hiding in there.
So forgive the brevity of today's writing. I have some stuff to take care of. 11...12...
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DATE: 08/08/2001 07:20:02 AM
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Last night as walked home, Meziane Mejdoud wobbled by on a bicycle and stopped to talk to us.
He's quite a character. Originally from Algeria, he's lived in Japan for twenty years ("vingt ans" is what he said, actually, since we conducted our conversation in English, French and Japanese). He owns a home in Sengoku, just a few kilometers north of us. He's married to a local woman, but he doesn't seem to speak much Japanese.
He was extremely nice, if a bit off balance, and told us that if we ever felt Foreigner's Stress (he voiced it like a tragic disease), we should come visit his home to relax. I've filed his name and phone number in my card file and we'll see if I ever feel stressed enough to take him up on the offer.
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DATE: 08/09/2001 07:55:20 AM
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The house is quiet this morning. Our houseguests, Seth & Tara left for America yesterday.
They are repatriating after six years abroad but their experience returning was less than delighful. Rude cabin attendants on the American carrier, two metal detectors at the airport, and no apologies from the staff when no rental cars or hotel rooms were available.
Reverse culture shock is the pits.
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DATE: 08/10/2001 07:55:30 AM
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We played in the hotel on the night that Tod wasn't feeling well then again the morning before we flew back to Tokyo. And we had a final game together the night before Seth & Tara left Tokyo. Tod's installed two different mahjong games on the computer and is staying up late at night to practice.
Really good mahjong players move the tiles so quickly they are only barely taking turns. For us, play is pretty slow and careful. I'm sure we'll speed up once we learn the strategy.
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DATE: 08/11/2001 09:29:04 AM
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At this time of year, mid-August, the city is abandoned. Kids are on summer vacation and families are heading off to visit their parents and relatives in their hometowns.
So many of Tokyo's residents are originally from somewhere else that Obon matsuri, the midsummer festivals to honor the spirits of ancestors, are held a month earlier in the city than in the country. That way everyone can celebrate here and in their hometowns.
The exodus of people means that streets are a little less crowded than usual. Local trains, too. It's not quite as dramatic as the New Year holiday, but the effect is noticable. It's a nice time to be in Tokyo.
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DATE: 08/12/2001 09:25:27 AM
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Eastern Japan is experiencing a drought.
Our exceptionally hot summer followed a very dry rainy season. Although the dams and reservoirs were full six weeks ago, one of the primary reservoirs is down to half its former level. Tokyo has cut its water intake by 10%. They say that this cut won't have any effect on citizens' daily lives (only agriculture and industry will have to cut back) but in 1996, during the last drought, they slowly increased the cuts to 30% and everyone was asked to conserve.
September brings typhoons and plenty of rain, so I hope that we can last out the next few weeks and see the water levels improved soon.
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DATE: 08/13/2001 08:34:35 AM
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How do I spell relief? SHIATSU.
Having a shiatsu massage transforms me. Before the session, I am made of macrame--a serties of knotted muscles. During the massage I am a lump of dough being made into thumbprint cookies. Mizuno-san uses his thumbs to press out all of my aches and pains. He closes his eyes while he works so he can feel what's under his thumb (me!).
After the massage, I am a limp noodle. My knees wobble and I crave water. But I feel good.
Mizuno-san warned me as I left yesterday that I'd hurt today. He was right. All the lactic acid released during the massage is coursing around my body now. Yet another reason not to take holidays--I shouldn't go so long between sessions.
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DATE: 08/14/2001 07:41:05 AM
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You probably won't read about this in American news. PM Koizumi made a very controversial official visit to Yasukuni Shrine yesterday.
Why is visiting a shrine controversial? In this case, it's because the shrine honors war dead who are interred there, including some infamous war criminals. China and Korea have been protesting this visit for weeks. Upon hearing that it had been accomplished, 20 Korean gangsters cut off their fingers (or so it was reported). These strong emotions stem from Japanese atrocities over fifty years ago.
Koizumi had planned to visit on the 15th, the anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender, but instead slipped in on the 13th. He doesn't seem to wish to upset his neighbor nations, but he certainly has.
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DATE: 08/15/2001 07:57:37 AM
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I'm fighting a losing battle with fruit flies.
Some eggshells left in sink this weekend lured them in. Now, despite cleaning carefully, I can't seem to stop their offensive in my kitchen.
Although they have the upper hand now, I'll rally to a win when the weather changes. I live longer than they do in the cold. Then again, insects rule the earth; in the long run, fruit flies will win.
But not in my kitchen.
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DATE: 08/16/2001 08:55:20 AM
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The fruit flies read yesterday's blog and sent in reinforcements. A platoon of mosquitoes has attacked me and late last night something (maybe a spider) bit Tod on the head and raised a lump the size of a marble.
But I struck back this morning by carrying a whole mess of fruit flies from the battlefield to the curb. Ha!
Tomorrow: "Bold! Brave! Blistering! Poison in a spray can!"
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TITLE: ring "Kristen McQuillin" "Moshi
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DATE: 08/17/2001 08:08:54 AM
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ring
"Kristen McQuillin"
Starting a telephone conversation is like vocally negotiating a modem connection. "I'm 56K, what are you? I'm 28.8. Well, I'm 56K, can't you speak at 56K?" NTT was not going to even try English with me yesterday. I think I could have kept volleying Hello at them for hours. But they are coming to install coppper for our ADSL line today so I'm not complaining.
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DATE: 08/18/2001 10:18:29 AM
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I tagged along to the Tokyo Linux Users Group nomikai last night with Tod, mainly because he said our friend Ben would be there. Tod & Ben met on irc a while back and connected in person for the first time on Wednesday. Ben's a total hoot--he's got more energy than any three people and is hyper-intelligent. (He's also 13 years younger than me. Yikes!)
So at the TLUG party, instead of talking to the Linux geeks where my conversation is limited to topical technology subjects instead of source code, I played ChuChu Rocket on Ben's GameBoy Advance and watched Invader Zim on his laptop. It wasn't very sociable but it was more entertaining than listening to Steve on a tirade about xemacs.
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TITLE: We are experiencing a
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DATE: 08/19/2001 09:26:23 AM
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We are experiencing a delightful change in the weather--the vanguard of autumn. After a day of leaden clouds and drizzle, today is clear and cooler.
We slept in the path of a cool night breeze and even as I type this now, there is fresh air sweeping over me. I couldn't ask for much more. Except, perhaps, a mug of coffee and another pillow for this lazy Sunday morning.
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TITLE: The Bunkyo ward newsletter
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DATE: 08/20/2001 08:38:35 AM
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The Bunkyo ward newsletter arrived today. Tucked inside was an extra sheet, the Nishikata Dayori, that reports all of the local association's activities. Here's a sampling of what's going on in our neighborhood:
"The Nishikata Meeting Hall Reconstruction Team met on July 8th. The names of the team members were introduced in the last issue of Nishikata Dayori."
"The Used Paper Recycle results for July were 12,010 kg (newspapers 9,220 kg; magazines 2,790 kg). Thank you, everyone. The next recyle day is 8/10, as usual, on the second Friday of every month."
There's also a report on the budget of the town festival car (parade float), which is 3,304,700 yen (about $30,000). Donations accepted through 8/31 and thank you to our generous sponsors.
The news concludes with a long list of contact names and telephone numbers in case you want to join the association. It's tempting to join and be part of the local community but my ability to communicate is still so limited that I'm not sure I'd be much use to anyone.
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TITLE: Typhoon 11. Phooey. Why
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DATE: 08/21/2001 07:30:49 AM
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Typhoon 11. Phooey. Why won't Japan anthropomorphise major storms like everyone else? I want to see Typhoon Ichiro or Typhoon Mariko.
Throughout most of watery Asia, typhoons have names. The tropical cyclone names lend personality to natural disaster. Ironically, Japan contributed to the "Western North Pacific" names, but they don't use them.
Japan's contributions: Tenbin (balance/scales), Usagi (rabbit), Kanmuri (crown), Koppu (cup), Tokage (lizard), Yagi (goat), Kaziki (marlin), Kuzira (whale), Kompasu (compass), & Washi (paper).
I grudgingly admit that sequential numbering does make it easier to track a series of storms within a given year, and I'll be more suprised to hear about Typhoon 26 ("Wow, so many this year!") than Typhoon Zelda, but you have to admit that numbers aren't nearly as catchy.
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TITLE: NTT Kanto Medical Center
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DATE: 08/22/2001 08:53:16 AM
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NTT Kanto Medical Center is cutting edge and when I went there last month, I didn't think it was at all strange to be visiting a hospital owned by a telephone company (NTT is Nippon Telephone & Telegraph, Japan's Bell Telephone). It didn't even cross my mind.
But when a friend described his recent problems with midwest US telephone provider Ameritech (crossing phone lines, no response to service requests, untrained workers), I wondered what I would do if I were visiting "Ameritech General Hospital." Turn tail and run, I think.
So when I went back to the NTT hospital yesterday, I observed carefully. Except for the payphones on every floor and the logo on the signs, there was no evidence of telco ownership. Operations were very efficient and I was even seen before my appointed time. Not a single crossed wire.
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TITLE: Yesterday, the "big, black
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DATE: 08/23/2001 08:09:03 AM
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Yesterday, the "big, black noise trucks" were out in full force.
The extremist political groups own huge black, windowless boxes on wheels. On top is a railed platform for speeches and the entire thing is rigged with powerful speakers. Painted with Japanese flags and slogans condemning foreigners, non-patriotic Japanese, Russian island-snatchers or other brands of political skullduggery, they are intimidating.
They travel around town slowly, blaring the Japanese national anthem (only recently officially recognised) and shouting slogans from the belly of the beast. They disrupt office workers in Otemachi regularly and sometimes cruise through residential neighborhoods.
Yesterday, I think they parked somewhere nearby and held a rally. For over an hour, waves of angry call-and-response washed through the canyon of buildings in my neighborhood. The words were indistinct, but the emotion came through loud and clear. It was scary. I stayed inside.
No doubt they are terrorising some other neighborhood today.
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DATE: 08/24/2001 08:43:33 AM
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Years ago, I wondered what the world would look like if radio and TV waves were visible--beams of colored light, say, or threads showing the path from their source. Radio and tv bathe us in invisible sound and images but we don't think about them because we can't see them.
But now we've glimpsed them and our neighborhood will never look the same.
We just wanted to see if we could reach our own network from the park nearby (we can, barely) but as we left, we caught another network in our scanner. Surprised, we decided to "war walk" up and down the street a bit and found half a dozen wireless networks: DEPB500, ant1, AirportNetworking227766, airmac, AirportNetworking 231e45, & kikuna.
It's good to know the neighbors, even if they appear only as a green dot on a graph.
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DATE: 08/26/2001 08:45:41 AM
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Adam lives in a swanky bachelor pad.
On the outside, the decor is industrial--all concrete and metal with lighted pipeworks exposed behind glass doors. The interior architecture is minimalist with white, silver and dark grey the only colors. Adam selected individual pieces of interesting furniture and smart artworks. Excepting his books, everything fits the cool, white theme.
It's beautiful and tasteful, but to be honest it's pretty sterile.
But I realised the value of the space and its decor last night. I was delighted to see partygoers in riotous colors filling the rooms and even climbing the roof to sit and dangle legs onto the revellers below.
A simple, white room makes a perfect background for people.
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DATE: 08/27/2001 07:26:22 AM
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We are almost out of coffee.
Normal people would just run to the grocery store and buy some more. But we have to have whole beans, dark-roasted and oily. Our grocery store doesn't carry these, so we purchase our coffee at a coffeeshop. A coffeeshop which is never open when we need more coffee.
Tod rummaged around in the cabinet and found an emergency ration, actually some very fine beans we'd negelected. When I ground them this morning, they smelled like dry leaves.
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DATE: 08/28/2001 08:02:06 AM
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When we first came to Japan five years ago, I thought that Japan's crime was quaint and retro, a restrospective of 1950s America: people with knives robbing stores; domestic violence; bribery; extortion; government scandals and coverups.
But now it all seems terrible and truly violent. 8 children slaughtered at a school in Ikeda, a girl held captive for 11 years, a family of four stabbed to death in their home, a hostage held at knifepoint. Plus the neverending bribery, extortion and scandal. Crime reports seem more frequent and too often have grimmer endings.
What's changed? Is Japan entering a period of rage? Or have I become more aware of what's been around me all along?
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TITLE: Japanese medical insurance system
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DATE: 08/29/2001 08:45:34 AM
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Japanese medical insurance system is government-funded. I'm finally getting to use my taxes!
I pay 30% of the cost; tax money covers the rest. In the quest to figure out my headaches, I've had an MRI, an MR angiogram, an eye exam, and two consultations with my doctor. My cash outlay to date is only 19,500 yen (about $156). Good value for services rendered.
I enjoy paying the hospital. When my appointment is over, I approach a bank of squat machines that look a little bit like ATMs. I slot my pale green hospital ID card into the machine and it tells me how much I owe. I feed in my money and receive a printed receipt. How modern!
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TITLE: Add another volunteer project
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DATE: 08/30/2001 09:04:38 AM
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Add another volunteer project to my To Do list.
Yanesen Magazine is a neighborhood publication that focuses on the historical aspects of the old shitamachi area in Bunkyo-ku. They have published in Japanese since 1984 and produced a scant few issues in English.
I have a copy of the 1992 English edtion of Yanesen (loaned by a friend in 1999 and still not returned) that I treasure for its hand drawn map of local points of interest and its articles on local arcana that commerical magazines would never think to print.
Earlier this month, a Sendagi neighbor, who introduced herself after reading this weblog, invited me to write for the upcoming Yanesen English edition. Of course I said yes. The details for the issue are being ironed out now and I am looking forward to being involved.
When it's done, I will return the cherished 1992 edition along with interest--a copy of the latest edition.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: daniel puiu
EMAIL: dannaxx@yahoo.com
IP: 217.156.94.168
URL:
DATE: 02/27/2003 11:06:14 PM
I m looking for a job like volunteer in japan
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TITLE: "Dorobou-mawari," Oyama-sensei said as
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DATE: 08/31/2001 08:25:21 AM
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"Dorobou-mawari," Oyama-sensei said as she gestured with an anti-clockwise motion. We were going to take turns answering our homework questions. But the term dorobou-mawari confused us, despite the gesture. We know both words: 'robber' & 'going around' but why did she say that? Oyama-sensei explained.
"Back when people wore kimono, they tucked their wallets in the fold above their sash where the kimono overlapped. Robbers could easily slide a hand in to pick this "pocket" if they approached from the correct direction."
We continued with our class from there, but I'm still not clear. Kimono are worn left over right, making an opening on the right. If dorobou-mawari is anti-clockwise, then the robber would come from the left and not reach the wallet...
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DATE: 09/01/2001 08:41:17 AM
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Shinano, a new restaurant near Kasuga station, serves the best tonkatsu in the neighborhood.
Brightly lit and freshly decorated with traditional tables in blonde wood and hanging lamps with white washi shades, the focus of this eatery is the quality of their meat.
Tokatsu is crispy breaded, deep fried pork cutlet. Shinano starts off with a base of tenderised pork--I heard the chef pounding tomorrow's servings as we ate a late dinner--and adds a perfect breading. The outside is flaky, light and fried to a crisp golden brown. Inside, the pork was buttery in texture with no extra fat and not a bit of sinew or gristle. Chewing optional.
Spicy Chinese mustard or a thick worchestershire-based barbecue sauce adds extra flavor. Traditional side dishes accompanied the filet katsu dinner: steamed white rice; a pile of shrededed raw cabbage; brine-pickled cabbage, cucumbers and eggplant; and a rich miso soup with tofu, mushrooms and mistuba.
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DATE: 09/02/2001 09:42:17 AM
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Today is Sunday, September 2nd. On the lunar calendar, it's 7/15 and the feast of the dead, Bon. Today is also "lottery day" (takarakuji no hi).
In the ancient calendar today is a dragon day (the seahorse is known as "dragon's child") and its element is earth with a positive pole (tsuchi no e).
The proverb at the bottom says "Shouji ni kodawari daiji wo wasureruna" which means "Don't sweat the small stuff."
I guess it didn't take all day to explain, after all.
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DATE: 09/03/2001 08:06:48 AM
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Ah, I didn't win in the Kamo-Mail lottery. Kamo-Mail is a summer greeting postcard sold by the post office and sent mainly by business to their customers. We received one from Inoue-san, our realtor.
The postcard is imprinted with a 6 digit number and yesterday (lottery day, remember?) the winning numbers were announced. Very cleverly, they announce one 5 digit number, four 4 digit numbers, and two 2 digit ones which is an easy way to get multiple prize winners without having to draw thousands of numbers.
What are the prizes? For the 5 digit winners, there's a digital camera, a handheld TV, a personal organizer. Other winners get post office gift certificates or commemorative stamp sets.
But not me. 256019 was not a winner. However, i do have a pretty postcard and something to write about today. :-)
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TITLE: The weekly classified in
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/04/2001 08:34:49 AM
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The weekly classified in Tokyo are often strange. In addition to the lonely hearts ads, the transient foreign population has an abundance of sayonara sales to sell off everything in an apartment before moving from Japan, and plenty of individual appliances, computers and furniture for sale.
But most interesting ads are in the Help Wanted section. It's not what you might expect:
Chilean man seeks magazines with Madonna on the cover. I want to trade for collectibles.
Maria Yumeno. She is an actress and a model. If somebody knows how to meet her, please tell me because I am really interested.
Yesterday afternoon, two cars collided at the intersection outside our house. Hearing the thump and crunch of metal, I leaped from my desk and threw open the window. A man was stepping from his crumpled red Lexus. On the other side of the street, a white car ejected a tall man in a tan suit. I craned my neck and called down to make sure everyone was OK, but they ignored me.
Surely someone else watched this little drama. I guess I'm the only one who is obvious about it.
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DATE: 09/06/2001 07:22:16 AM
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Last night I heard crickets chirping and realised that autumn is upon us. The late-summer hum of cicadas is over. Where did they go? They must have vanished during the rain.
The whole world feels a little bit cooler as the crickets' syncopated beat breaks up the silence.
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TITLE: Another autumn treat--wonderful menus
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DATE: 09/07/2001 07:13:13 AM
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I'd never eaten so many different kinds at once and it was a great opportunity to compare flavors. Earthy shiitake and woody maitake are my favorites. Thin, white enoki are too stringy and they taste like fruit juice; Tod loves them, but I'll pass. Shimeji have a slight wine vinegar flavor that doesn't stand well alone but blends nicely in simmered dishes. Matsutake are extremely expensive--running 800 - 2,000 yen for a pair of Snickers-sized specimens. They taste like butter, but they are tough and fibrous. White button mushrooms (just called "mushroom" here, since all the others have specific names) are really juicy and very mild in flavor.
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DATE: 09/08/2001 12:17:49 AM
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But look at me revealed by magnets and radio waves--what a horrifying mug with those googly eyeballs! I'm ready for Haloween any time.
The MRI image in the middle above reveals a miniature, snow-capped Mt. Fuji tucked into the center of my head (perched on top of an egg and waiting to explode, I think).
Over on the right that big white circle is my brain stem and my nose is pointing to the top of the image. Look carefully to see my ears and a shoulder, too.
The pictures on the left are from an MR angiogram and show my blood vessels. Those big white lines down the back of my neck are veins. The little white spot (just below the H which stands for 'head') is the main plughole where all the blood is collected and sent down into the veins to return to the heart.
The lower picture is a closeup of more veins. What a complicated tangle. Obviously, kittens have been running amok in there. Or maybe I'm really a 1973 SuperBeetle...I think this looks like the wiring diagram from "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive." Which one connects to the lights?
Check out the unusual spelling of my name: kurisutenn makuuirinn. Romanized katakana loses something in the translation. No wonder everybody in the hospital just calls me "Kristen."
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DATE: 09/09/2001 09:24:11 AM
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A team of men and a big flatbed truck appeared at the local park in the morning. They opened the shed and took out a large assortment of things: a red and yellow striped beach umbrella, wooden planks, folding trestles, trash bins, rice making equipment, bamboo screens, large signs, boxes of miscellaneous supplies. It all looked a bit derelict and not at all as I expected.
Why did I imagine that disaster supplies would be tidy, futuristic packages? Most of what I saw come from the shed wasn't even wrapped to keep the dust out. One of the older men sprayed around the edges of the shed with a fumigant. No doubt this man is our neighborhood disaster representative and I will I read about him in the next issue of Nishikata Dayori.
By the time I returned from running errands, the shed was repacked and the truck loaded with refuse. The men were moving one final item onto the truck--a stair-stepper exercise machine. I guess that's not too handy in a disaster.
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DATE: 09/10/2001 08:53:25 AM
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The weather outside is frightful. The air is heavy with humidity and heat. Typhoon 15 is heading towards Tokyo, so far only a steady rain without any wind.
Today is a good day to stay inside but my schedule isn't going to allow me to do that--I have things to do! So I will grab an umbrella and hope that the typhoon doesn't kick up too much wind or stop the trains.
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DATE: 09/11/2001 08:42:06 AM
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Food for thought today. Why does the Japanese government say nothing is wrong when Japan's first case of mad cow disease has been found?
Last month, a cow in Chiba Prefecture mysteriously fell over and could not stand again. It was slaughtered and sent for testing. Results were positive for BSE, mad cow disease.
Mad cow (BSE) is infectious. Cows get it by eating feed made with bone meal. Humans get it by eating infected cows. The incubation period for mad cow is two to eight years and it is always fatal.
But despite this first confirmed case, the government denies that there is a problem. In June, they supressed a report published by the UN saying that Japan is at high risk for an outbreak because of the sort of feed they use. Apparently, the farm ministry began testing for BSE in April. They know something's going on but their communication with the public is disingenuous. What are they hiding?
No more beef or milk for me, thank you.
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DATE: 09/12/2001 03:12:04 AM
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During the Gulf War, I was part of an IRC-based news network. Dozens of us each took a radio station, TV station or other source and parroted back what they were reporting. People from all over the world participated, sharing news as it was reported.
I never thought I'd be doing this again but when I learned of the US terrorism just minutes after it happened, I started a new channel on IRC (irc.undernet.net, #moderated_news) and invited people to join me in reporting. There are over 100 people typing and reading news from around the world.
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TITLE: Yesterday, Tokyoites were grim
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DATE: 09/13/2001 09:57:55 AM
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Yesterday, Tokyoites were grim as news poured in from the US. The first question from everyone I saw yesterday was "Your family and friends are safe?" It was a relief to be able to answer 'Yes." As far as I know, everyone I know has escaped harm.
Mobile news vans were parked in the financial district, reporting from the headquarters of major banks. Hundreds of Japanese citizens worked in the World Trade Center at Japanese branch offices. As of this morning, most had been accounted for, but there were still 17 missing. The news stations show graphics of the buildings marking the floors they worked on and list each name along with the person's name, age, and in some cases photos.
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DATE: 09/14/2001 09:10:32 AM
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I tried to find something else to write about today but there really isn't anything else being reported. So here's an update on the Japanese perspective:
buji: safe, untouched
I love the food vendors who cruise the streets of Tokyo. The gyoza truck, with its delicious menu of potstickers, began making the rounds of our neightborhood this week. I smile when I see the little white van with its traditional red paper lanterns hanging from the open hatch in the back of the van. Inside the van, the gyoza man is decked out in a white paper hat and a white apron as he fries gyoza on a hot grill. The menu is limited to a few kinds of gyoza--pork, vegetable, burdock, and curry--and everything costs 500 yen per dozen.
You can't miss the food vendors as they drive around town. Like Good Humor trucks in the US, these kitchens on wheels announce themselves loudly. The gyoza truck's pre-recorded chant has the tone and rhythm of a Edo-era hawker and it sings (literally) the praises of gyoza. Oishiiiiii gyoooOO-zaaaaaaa.
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DATE: 09/17/2001 08:02:23 AM
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The dreams have started. The first few nights after the terrorist attack held blissful, dreamless sleep. Last night, current events crept in.
But the dreams weren't nightmares, exactly. In one dream, I was training as a spy. Part of the course was learning to compose coded messages in poetry while swimming. In another dream, there was a relief benefit concert. The Bee Gees were on stage.
I woke briefly then, as Tod came to bed. "Why are the Bee Gees playing a benefit concert in my dream?" I mumbled to him. His answer was succinct. "Stayin' Alive."
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TITLE: In times of uncertainty,
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DATE: 09/18/2001 08:58:33 AM
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In times of uncertainty, there's nothing like an earthquake to keep you on your toes. Or in my case, in bed with my head under the covers.
The one that shook Tokyo at 4:30 this morning was a 4.4 with an epicenter in Tokyo Bay. It was strong enough to rattle windows and to wake me up. The house shook for about 30 seconds. No damage done and I fell back asleep within minutes just a little more shaken than before the earthquake.
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DATE: 09/19/2001 08:36:17 AM
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A few weeks back, we were waiting for a friend at Myogadani station. She was late and we had time to examine the bronze relief map of the station. It showed the layout of the exterior and interior, marking all of the key points: ticket vending machines, wickets, stairs, toilets. Everything was labelled in Braille and Japanese and popular spots were worn to a shine.
I closed my eyes and ran fingers along the stairs and other prominant features, but I'm hopeless. Even when I know what I'm touching, my fingers are insensate. If I were blind, I think I'd spend a lot of time tripping and falling down.
For the touch-impaired, the map features a talking legend. When you press the button for "toilet", it tells you (in an embarrassingly loud, clear voice) how to get there: thru the wickets, then straight ahead about 10 meters. Ticket machines: behind you about four meters away.
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TITLE: Japan really, really wants
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DATE: 09/20/2001 10:00:14 AM
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Japan really, really wants to be a leader in the field of IT. They have a vague, lofty goal of being "the most advanced IT nation in the world." Whatever that means.
The government is implementing policies to improve infrastructure and education. And they are sponsoring INPAKU Internet Fair 2001 but it is completely inscrutable to me. I think it's supposed to be like a World's Fair, but online.
A series of funny ads for the newly opened .jp namespace made me laugh. Apparently, changing .co.jp to just .jp makes it easier to have a homepage and easier to remember. Listen to these realAudio files from the radio campaign: "If I had my own homepage, I could show off my bonsai tree to the whole world." "I remember the name of the campaign, but I'll never remember the long web address."
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DATE: 09/21/2001 07:11:17 AM
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Our neighborhood hums like an air conditioner.
Maybe it's the ever-present trickle of water in the storm drains, or the distant traffic from the main road nearby, but I've been fooled twice in the past twelve hours.
The shades in the dining room window were dancing during dinner. I heard the aircon, but the fins weren't open to distribute the breeze. The power button was switched to off. Tod had to tell me that he opened the window before I understood.
This morning I heard the buzzing aircon as I lazed in bed but the breeze was coming from the wrong side of the room. Tod had opened a window to Nature's chilly night air.
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TITLE: Tokyo Transportation SeriesOedo subway.
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DATE: 09/22/2001 09:04:23 AM
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Tokyo Transportation Series Most of the items were children's clothing and toys but a few enterprising moms had snuck in some household goods. A woman called to me as I passed by her booth. She pointed at some magazines--old issues of Bon Appetit in English. Surely these must be what I was looking for?
As it turned out, they were. For a hundred yen, I couldn't refuse and she threw in a matching set of "Year of the Snake" tea cups. I'm not sure I'll use the cups, but the little girl who was trying to sell them looked very happy when I took them.
I was suckered in at another booth by a rather worn set of lacquered food boxes. Red inside, matte gold on the outside worked with a 1970s style motif of shiny gold and red flowering branches, the three layers fit inside a lazy susan stand with a handle. Truly, you would be hard pressed to imagine anything less tasteful but they are kitchy classic and 100 yen is a bargain compared to the 10,000 yen price tags on new lacquered bento boxes.
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DATE: 09/24/2001 09:19:50 AM
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My house is full of unnecessary junk and I can't stand seeing the clutter any longer. I hate cringing when I open up my full-to-overflowing closets. Now is the time for a big dumptruck. I'm tossing it all. I don't care if it wastes money or if I ditch stuff that has sentimental value.
It's amazing the things I keep. Do I really need the half-empty can of spray snow? I suppose I might use it someday, but probably not. How about the gift of chinese tea that sat unopened in a closet for two years? I am being unrealistic by keeping a dress that looks great if I lose a pound or two.
Bye bye material goods!
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DATE: 09/25/2001 07:15:26 AM
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I don't often post lists of links, but I've been enjoying the webpages of friends & family recently. Want to meet some of the people who influence me?
First, my cat died. Eliot, who has lived with my parents since I moved abroad, was 16. I used to swear he was really an enchanted human cursed to wear a cat body. It may be overly sentimental to call an animal a friend, but El surely was a personable, faithful companion to everyone who loved him.
Second, I was told I have thyroid tumors. Yesterday I had a biopsy and although the tumors are unlikely to be malignant, these two little lumps in my neck simply do not belong there. I'll have to monitor them indefinitely; the doctor said I require two biopsies a year but I intend to bargain him down to once a year and then "forget" to schedule my appointment on alternate years. Needle biopsies are unpleasant.
Third,...? I have my fingers crossed to ward off anything truly devastating. You might want to cross yours, too.
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DATE: 09/28/2001 10:44:27 AM
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OK, enough of being a nabob of negativity. Here are three good things that have happened this week:
The Tuesday night DigitalEve steering committee meeting was extremely productive. We mapped out our long range goals for the next five years. 1,000 members, here we come!
Last night's Women in IT panel discussion, which I moderated, was a big success. The five panelists presented the state of women in the IT field in Japan. It wasn't an entirely positive message, but it held hope for improvement. The audience was interested and much larger than I expected. There were members of the press attending; I think this was a PR coup for DigitalEve.
An unexpected e-mail made me smile. Cynthia was my boss and my friend when I lived in Pittsburgh but our bad habits and busy lives keep us from corresponding regularly. Hearing from her makes me feel "natsukashii" (nostalgic).
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DATE: 09/29/2001 08:45:14 AM
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This is not the sort of performance art you would see in the US. Anyone this unclothed would be arrested for public indeceny. But here, well...a policeman rode by on his bicycle and checked his watch. Maybe public performers have a time limit.
The performance was the sort that makes me wonder "What are they trying to say?" My interpretation: ghosts move slowly and sometimes fall down in agony. Despite the autumn weather, I wasn't feeling very creative that afternoon.
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DATE: 09/30/2001 10:30:58 AM
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If you are ever in the business of setting up a non-profit organization in Japan, here are four ways to do it:
October 1st is Coffee Day, and it's Sake Day, too. The national associations of these two beverages claim this day to celebrate their products.
On Coffee Day I'm enjoying a steaming mug of coffee made with Doutor espresso beans. These beans make bad espresso, but good strong coffee. If I had known today was a coffee celebration, I'd have saved some of the home-roasted Sumatran that my friend Brendan gave me but I finished it on Saturday morning.
Today is also Sake Day, as enforced by the 19th century law that sake production begin on October 1st. I have no plans to brew my own, but perhaps I will indulge in a glass at dinner tonight.
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DATE: 10/02/2001 09:41:10 AM
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In the days immediately after September 11th, the local news reported that quantities (varying from 6 to 29) of people with links to bin Laden slipped through Immigration and entered Japan.
Since then, there's been no news of them. In Germany and the UK there are reports of detentions, questionings, and arrests of suspects or suspicious persons. But here...nothing. Where did those 6 - 29 people go once they arrived here? Are they plotting some insanity or are they innocently climbing Mt. Fuji?
A quote vaguely attributed to "an Irish journalist" claims that there is a "29 year old Japanese woman named Masumi" in the bin Laden organization. The quote was published in the Shukan Shincho, a somewhat-reputable weekly tabloid.
Are the police (Japan has no FBI or CIA, only a police force) looking for these people? If so, they are doing it very quietly.
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DATE: 10/03/2001 08:04:37 AM
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Tokyo Transportation Series
When I was making coffee at 8:10 this morning, a woman outside the house signaled an unseen companion "5-5-5-5" with a flash of her hands.
The thumping began 20 minutes later. Emergency vehicle sirens started screaming down the main thoroughfare about 15 minutes after that. Now it's 9 and the noise continues but thus far Godzilla (who sounds like someone thumping a very large metal bin) seems to be walking in place a few blocks away from here. I hope he heads in the other direction.
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TITLE: "If you neglect your
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DATE: 10/05/2001 10:11:51 AM
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"If you neglect your art for one day, it will neglect you for two" is a Chinese proverb that's been dogging me.
A shopping trip with a friend turned into an exploration of galleries in Yanaka an old-fashioned neighborhood in Taito-ku. By accident and good fortune we met Jim Hathaway who paints sumi-e, traditional Japanese ink painting. He's lived in Japan for twelve years and after we had viewed his work, he invited us to stop for a cup of tea. Jim's down-to-earth and I really enjoyed hearing about the art community of Yanaka. It's much more vibrant than I'd ever guessed.
Seeing all of the art at Jim's and other galleries makes me realise how long I've been neglecting my art. I want to drag out my printmaking tools and carve some blocks. But I have too many computer-based projects going on right now. Maybe next week...
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DATE: 10/06/2001 07:59:58 AM
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Erin, who designed the graphics and layout for DigitalEve Japan's new website, came over to visit after an extended holiday in Greece. She and I fell into our designing habits and played together for six hours reworking the front page of the DEJ site so that it better matches the look of the rest of the content.
We laughed as we made suggestions simultaneously. A stereo outcry of "Polka dots!" had us staring at one another. Like any good collaborative effort, it was chance for us both to learn and to gt a fresh perspective. What we created is nothing like what either of us would have done alone.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I never thought I'd
BASENAME: i_never_thought_id
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/07/2001 11:39:42 AM
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I pressed two of my old machines into service, plus the two I normally work on. Lil edited English text on Tod's PC laptop. Tod sat at his usual place, somewhat stunned by the number of people in our office space. And me? I didn't have a computer to use, so I poured drinks, took pictures and offered limited help with translation.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Today is Health Sports
BASENAME: today_is_health_sports
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/08/2001 08:01:40 AM
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Those Olympic games put Japan back on the world stage after WWII and the government made a big splash to show off. A huge amount of city planning and construction took place beforehand: the city highway system, Shinkansen, and many stadia still stand as testament to the growth spurt. Part of the Olympic village in Omotesando is used as a series of shops and galleries, but there are constant threats to pull down those charming but dilapidated old buildings.
Japanese holidays are pretty mellow. The Emperor or Prime Minister will visit a stadium, make a speech or play a round of golf in public to mark the day. Everyone else just enjoys a long weekend. In fact, Health Sports Day used to fall on the actual anniversary of the opening ceremony, 10 October, but recent changes in the laws rescheduled it for the second Monday.
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TITLE: Should anyone be fooled
BASENAME: should_anyone_be_fooled
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/09/2001 07:48:47 AM
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Should anyone be fooled into thinking that I am an IT expert (as described in a recent article about DigitalEve Japan in the Daily Yomiuri, Bringing Women into IT), think again. I can't program my way out of a paper bag.
Even simple tasks confound me. I just tried to change a font in a PHP script and broke the entire thing. "Parse error on line 69" isn't giving me the clue I need to fix the problem I created. Fortunately, I have been using our version control system, so I can undo my changes.
P.S. To get out of a paper bag, it's best to use a knife. Programming doesn't have quite the right edge.
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TITLE: I broke my thermometer.
BASENAME: i_broke_my_thermometer
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/10/2001 04:23:49 PM
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I broke my thermometer. I was shaking it down and cracked it against my foot (don't think too hard about how the thermometer and my foot managed to collide, ok?). Glass everywhere, and little balls of mercury, too.
Its replacement has a feature that ensures I can't repeat that disaster. The thermometer case is a long plastic tube with a screw-on cap. A cord slips through about a third of the way down its length. By twisting the cord tight and then pulling hard, the case spins and cetrifgual force will push the mercury down.
Very clever and much safer...as long as the cap's in place and the cord doesn't break.
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TITLE: It's bath weather. Now
BASENAME: its_bath_weather_now
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DATE: 10/11/2001 11:08:45 AM
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It's bath weather.
Now that the temperature is dropping and nights are chilly, the bath calls to me. Nothing is more relaxing than sitting in a tub full of hot, hot water scented with hinoki (Japanese cedar) or yuzu (a citrus fruit).
Our bath employs sophisticated technology. The press of a button fills it to the desired level and temperature. It keeps itself warm for a while, then turns itself off to save energy. You can easily reheat the water without refilling the bath by pressing the button marked 'atsuku".
Since we follow the Japanese habit of getting into the bath only after washing off, the water stays clean and we can share a single tub. In fact, the bath I drew last night was Tod's this morning and I will pop into it again, too, before draining it this morning.
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TITLE: Today I'm off to
BASENAME: today_im_off_to
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/12/2001 08:30:52 AM
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Today I'm off to cover the Tokyo Game Show Autumn 2001. 53 vendors will exhibit hundreds of new video games and related products.
Doors open at 9 am for the press. The hardcore gaming magazines are already on site, writing articles out of their press kits. The Gamespot website has articles online that were updated at 7:30 this morning.
Not being quite so hardcore, I will arrive in time to watch the flood of people coming in for the public opening at 1:00. I'm dragging two friends/gaming fiends along to provide some much needed perspective and extra energy for game playing.
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TITLE: The "soft unchi" character
BASENAME: the_soft_unchi_character
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/13/2001 08:29:08 AM
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The "soft unchi" character seemed to be a big hit at the Game Show yesterday.
The demo of Graffiti Kingdom was playing on a huge video screen in the exhibition hall. As dozens of onlookers gawked, what looked like a blob of dark brown soft-serve ice cream appeared.
Except dark brown soft-serve is the anime iconification of poop (unchi in Japanese). It's very cute and popular, too. I've seen teenage girls with "soft unchi" keychains.
As the demo voiceover intoned "Is it soft unchi? No, it's an ice cream cone!" the cone came into view and the dessert came to life with facial features and limbs.
Needless to say, chocolate is not a popular ice cream flavor in Japan.
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TITLE: Two days in a
BASENAME: two_days_in_a
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DATE: 10/14/2001 10:30:18 AM
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Two days in a row I've been to some of Tokyo's atypical spaces. Yesterday it was Daiba, an island of shopping malls and entertainment complexes. The day before it was the convention center, actually east of Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture. It is another planned complex with hotels, office buildings, and the convention center halls.
Both of these places seem foreign--their vastness seems American. Yet of course they are Japanese. Modern Japan continually rebuilds itself using whatever adaptation of international style is practical and attractive.
The Tokyo I'm used to, the one I love, is cramped, crowded and run down. It's full of neon, workers shouting greetings and people stopping in the middle of the street to make a phone call. Not practical or attractive at all. But charming and captivating in its way.
Maybe Daiba and the convention center on the outskirts of the city, are the vanguard of future inner city planning. I hope not.
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TITLE: The neighbor's new puppy
BASENAME: the_neighbors_new_puppy
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/15/2001 07:13:46 AM
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The neighbor's new puppy woke me up this morning. In truth, he woke me throughout the night. The poor thing has been outside barking since yesterday afternoon. Nobody slept well last night.
Barking dogs are quite unusual in Tokyo, though there are plenty of dogs. I guess they must be trained to stay quiet and that's good since houses are so packed in that a dog barking nearby sounds like it's in your living room.
I'll bet that the puppy's owners get the cold shoulder from the neighborhood for a while. Maybe that will encourage them to send their dog to obedience school.
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TITLE: Tokyo Transportation Series Rowers
BASENAME: tokyo_transportation_series_rowers
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/16/2001 08:06:01 AM
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Tokyo Transportation Series
The trouble is that sometimes they always seem full of regular customers who maybe aren't too comfortable with strangers--especially foreigners. Even though Tod speaks passable Japanese and I limp along, we are not the easiest people to talk to.
But every time we screw up our courage and go into one, we walk away wondering why we hadn't tried it before. Last night we stopped into a yakitori places that I've been wanting to try for almost a year.
And it was a great experience. The owner greeted us warmly and after asking a few questions, engaged the other customers in our lives by repeating back exactly what we had told her even though they certainly must have overheard since they were sitting within a foot of us. "These customers live in Nishikata. They have lived in Tokyo for three years. Aren't they skillful with their chopsticks?" That brought others into the conversation and we managed to chat for about half an hour with a man and his wife on topics other than our chopstick skill.
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TITLE: How is it possible
BASENAME: how_is_it_possible
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DATE: 10/18/2001 07:21:19 AM
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How is it possible that in a country where clothes don't fit me, I've accumulated so many over the past three years?
I cleaned out my closet--really cleaned it out--and got rid of three 70 litre ("lawn & leaf" sized) trash bags of worn, torn & stained clothing. Some of the discards were from Tod's wardrobe, but even so, three bags seems like an awful lot to come out of one closet. And I still have more than enough clothes to wear.
Maybe I should go be merciless with my shoes, too.
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TITLE: The Count Basie Orchestra
BASENAME: the_count_basie_orchestra
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/19/2001 07:47:46 AM
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The Count Basie Orchestra played to 1800 people at the Bunkyo Civic Hall last night. It was a fantastic show. The band was so "on" that it was like listening to a recording. They've been playing together a long time and they seemed to have fun doing it: lots of banter between the drummer and bassist; smiles from the brass players; general goofiness between songs.
I wonder what it's like to be a musician in front of a Japanese audience.
The Japanese audience (in the entire audience, we spotted 6 foreigners including us) applauded enthusiastically at all the right places, but nobody shouted, whooped or whistled. I tapped my toes until I was almost dancing in my seat, but the woman to my right was in better control of herself. She tapped a tiny bit, once or twice.
Most astonishing was the rhythmic clapping. In the US, when the band gets the audience clapping in time with the music, it breaks down after a dozen bars or so as people get tired or start missing the beat. Here, it lasted through the entire song. Even after everyone applauded the soloist, they returned to clapping a 2-4 beat.
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TITLE: Tokyo Transportation Series Family
BASENAME: tokyo_transportation_series_family
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/20/2001 08:32:02 AM
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Tokyo Transportation Series
For about a month, I've been having weird Internet problems. I first noticed them around the time of the terrorist attacks and I chalked it up to extra-heavy Net use. But as the Net returned to normal, my problems continued.
Tod spent the day researching IP arcana and eventually found the answer. As it turns out, it was a conflict between settings on our home network and our ISP's specialty equipment. Changing a single setting from 1492 to 1454 fixed everything.
Hip, hip hooray! Hip, hip hooray! Hip, hip hooray!
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TITLE: The interior of Zakuro,
BASENAME: the_interior_of_zakuro
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/22/2001 08:18:04 AM
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The interior of Zakuro, an Iranian restaurant near Nishi Nippori, is completely covered in carpets--stacks of Persian carpets fill an alcove; a thick layer of them blankets the floor. Even the walls sport carpets worked with figures of women and tigers.
Iranian foods are similar to other Middle Eastern cuisines but with several different spices, including a flaky, bitter, burgundy powder for grilled meat. I couldn't identify it beyond perhaps the dried skin of a fruit. Curried and stewed dishes, basmati rice, flatbread, nuts and pickles rounded out our meal.
But the experience to remember was fruit flavored tabacco in hooka pipes. I tried it and enjoyed the sweet apple scented smoke. Tod had cherry tobacco which was also delicious. The headache and sore throat afterwards (I'm not a smoker) wasn't so fun, but the initial experience was memorable.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: SAEID ALI MOHAMMADI
EMAIL: saeid394@yahoo.com
IP: 195.146.60.2
URL:
DATE: 06/01/2003 06:08:12 PM
Hello ,
I am a 50 year old, working IRAN and intrested to immigratee to JAPAN.
Please send me ACCEPTANCE .
I would like to work in your Restaurant as a Cleaning .
Income : Any amount .
regards
SAEID ALIMOHAMMADI
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Trina
EMAIL: trina_kvech@hotmail.com
IP: 67.0.216.178
URL:
DATE: 07/01/2003 11:49:22 AM
found this site by looking up hooka bars.
just came back from S. Cal. and was wondering
how popular a hooka bar is. Flavored tabacco
@ $10 a chunk. People sitting around sharing
a pipe.
Do you know anything about this, is it asian or
an eastern tradition.
Thanks
Have a good day.
Trina
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 07/01/2003 03:29:07 PM
Hmmmm. Hooka bars? Not commonly found here in Tokyo. I'd say you might be better off looking towards the Middle East, Mediterranean or maybe India.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Diagnosis: migraine. After four
BASENAME: diagnosis_migraine_after_four
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/23/2001 12:16:06 PM
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Diagnosis: migraine.
After four months of tests and appointments, my doctor has pronounced that my headaches will not kill me or cripple me and that since they don't stop me from doing what I need to do, I should just learn to live with them.
"Take two aspirin and call me in the morning..."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I'd been anticipating dinner
BASENAME: id_been_anticipating_dinner
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/24/2001 07:48:26 AM
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I'd been anticipating dinner at the Irish House for more than a week. It's an Irish pub in Shimbashi with all the right beers and a wonderful menu of potato-based foods. Potato bread, champ (mashed potatoes with bacon), stew. Mouthwatering just to think about it.
Think about it is all I can do now. We hadn't been there in a long time. As we flipped through the newly designed menu, we discovered there were no Irish foods! No champ, no mushroom bread, no stew. The bartender confirmed it; "Japanese tastes, well....Irish food wasn't so popular"
I looked around and realised that there weren't as many Irish nationals in the place as there used to be. We ordered pints of Guinness and some appetizers--ravioli with yogurt sauce, shiitake garlic toast, and a mini plate of fish and chips. It just wasn't the same, so we ate quickly and left.
Tonight, I will have to make mashed potatoes for dinner.
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TITLE: I discovered that I
BASENAME: i_discovered_that_i
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DATE: 10/25/2001 09:25:04 AM
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I discovered that I can touch type.
That probably sounds odd coming from a woman who's spent a significant chunk of the past ten years at a keyboard. My shameful admission is that I always watch my fingers. Not so much to find the keys, I guess, as to will the words to come out of my head and onto the blank page.
Yesterday, as I was concentrating simultaneously on two things on my screen, I suddenly realised I'd typed an entire paragraph without once looking at my hands. What a revelation. My style and fingering leaves something to be desired (my jr. high typing teacher would cringe) but it gets the job done.
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TITLE: A couple of weeks
BASENAME: a_couple_of_weeks
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/26/2001 07:59:54 AM
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A couple of weeks ago I resumed SITO again after a five year absence. SITO is an online art community. I've been playing in the Gridcosm where eight artists share a grid and try to create a cohesive image.
After last night's chat with friends in the US, I've got two new projects going--a writing project and another to make prints--so my Gridcosm activity is going to have to slow down a little bit.
Collaborations are very satifying. I discover other people's ideas imbedded in me like shards of glass after an accident. I can pick them out or leave them in and let them heal into me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japan's consumer price index
BASENAME: japans_consumer_price_index
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/27/2001 10:45:35 AM
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Japan's consumer price index fell again in September--the 24th month in a row that prices have dropped. It was just 0.8% lower that last September but every little bit helps a shopper's wallet. Despite lower prices, Japan's consumers aren't buying as much. We all purchased 2.9% less stuff in September.
Dropping prices are bad for business and combined with a drop in overall purchases, members of the government are pressuring the Bank of Japan to plan inflation targets to increase prices. So far the BOJ has said no; they don't seem to like to tinker with the economy too much.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Alireza
EMAIL: alireza824@hotmail.com
IP: 195.96.144.43
URL: http://www.gcrad.com
DATE: 01/20/2003 11:58:59 PM
Dear Sir
I do need to have CPI data seris of Japan Since 1970 till now.
Yhank you andI am looking for your reponse.
Yors sincerely
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: benjawan
EMAIL: gui_ben@hotmail.com
IP: 161.200.255.163
URL:
DATE: 05/03/2003 02:31:07 PM
kindly request by monthly
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: benjawan
EMAIL: gui_ben@hotmail.com
IP: 161.200.255.163
URL:
DATE: 05/03/2003 02:34:07 PM
kindly request by monthly
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 05/03/2003 03:22:38 PM
Folks, this website is not a valid statistical resource. I'm always surprised when you think I can supply anything other than commentary.
Please try some of the Japanese government websites or JIN for your research needs. http://jin.jcic.or.jp/stat/index.html is a good place to start.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Astrid's Chinese Opera Costume
BASENAME: astrids_chinese_opera_costume
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/28/2001 06:48:52 PM
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Astrid's Chinese Opera Costume party had the best costumes of any I've ever attended--so much red and gold silk and excellent make-up.
I was a Chinese acrobat crowned with a three-tiered layer of glitter- and sequin-enhanced wine glasses. I think I wore the most talked-about headpiece at the party--at the very least, it made me stand out above the crowd. Three different men poured champagne in the glasses and drank from them which required some acrobatic bending on my part. I drank from my own handheld props.
Tod was decked out in a gorgeous red and gold satin brocade coat and a black hat with a button on top and a queue of yarn hanging from the back. Very scholarly and beautiful, too. I've already claimed his costume pieces for my daily wardrobe.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On the 29th of
BASENAME: on_the_29th_of
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/29/2001 07:23:08 AM
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On the 29th of every month, our local yakiniku (Korean barbeque restaurant), has a 29% discount. It took me a while to figure out why.
The date in Japanese is "ni-ju kyu nichi" (2 tens 9 day). If you read the numbers without the place value, it is "ni kyu" which is very close to "niku" which means meat. The perfect opportunity for a restaurant featuring meat to offer a special discount.
This is the first niku day I've remembered in advance of dinner. But I'm not comfortable with the government's reassurances that there is no more BSE in the local livestock. I think I'll skip the discount dining this month.
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TITLE: If you peeked into
BASENAME: if_you_peeked_into
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DATE: 10/30/2001 10:10:01 AM
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If you peeked into my genkan, you might think a dozen people lived in my house.
The genkan is the entryway, recessed a bit, where you remove your shoes before stepping up into the house. It's a relic from farming days when shoes and boots were muddy and keeping them at the door kept the house clean. These days, Japanese dwellings still have a genkan and a shoe closet where the entire shoe wardrobe is stored.
But my shoe closet is empty and my shoes are all over the genkan. I'll blame it on the changing seasons; it's warm one day, cold the next. I've worn just about all of my shoes over the past week. Now they are spread all over the genkan, crowding the margin between outside and inside.
Are they anxious to leave or to come in?
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TITLE: Tod surprised me with
BASENAME: tod_surprised_me_with
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/31/2001 09:25:49 AM
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Tod surprised me with a present of books. Actually, it wasn't a surprise; he let the cat out of the bag a while ago. But he didn't tell me what books he had ordered from
Powell's our favorite online book retailer.
First he handed over Geoffrey Sampson's Writing Systems, a dense tome, thankfully brief, on the development of writing symbols to represent our spoken languages. That will be good bedtime reading though not guaranteed to put me to sleep.
Then, with a big grin on his face, Tod pulled out an old, jacketless hardcover book. Imprinted in fading black ink on its green fabric binding were the words "Origins, a short etymological dictionary of modern English" We proceeded to spend the next hour looking up words and discovering connections we never dreamed of.
Did you know that 'suave' and 'sweet' have the same root? That 'boot' (as in "Buy three oranges and you'll get an apple to boot") means rememdy or improvement (which might explain the name of the British pharmacy chains, Boots) and has the same background as 'better'?
Ah, words. Maybe I should have taken Latin in school.
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TITLE: My desk is host
BASENAME: my_desk_is_host
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/01/2001 08:03:01 AM
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My desk is host to two towering stacks of papers & books. There are pens, notebooks and office supplies scattered evenly across it. An empty take-out cup has a place of honor near the mouse. My empty coffee mug rests on a coaster nearby. 14,910 yen is divided into two heaps. My arms occupy the only clear space--a swath terminating at the the keyboard.
Two days ago my workspace was completely barren. What happened?
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TITLE: I love reading. Curling
BASENAME: i_love_reading_curling
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/02/2001 10:11:55 AM
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I love reading. Curling up with a novel at the end of a long day is a great way to escape the stresses of work. Nothing beats a good reference work when I need some assistance--even the Internet isn't as reassuring as my trusty dictionary. Nonfiction challenges me to learn, sometimes in areas I've never explored.
And I like to read aloud. Speaking the written word is slower but forces me to focus on every word and to hear the author's cadence and rhythm. Every morning I read to Tod, usually highlights from the morning paper. I like to think that hearing me helps him to wake up. On some weekend evenings, I recreate old fashioned drawing room entertainment by reading from a novel. Every once in a while I read aloud when I'm alone, or simply to entertain my wool-headed Zous.
It occurs to me that if I got some training, I could read aloud for a living.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: "Good morning, what's for
BASENAME: good_morning_whats_for
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/03/2001 10:59:15 AM
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"Good morning, what's for dinner?" is a favorite greeting on my online hanggout. My compatriot in Chicago is just about to start cooking when I wake up. Sometimes we trade menu ideas. Once in while we discover he's about to eat the same dish I had the night before. Weird food synchronicity.
This morning, we discussed short ribs.
K> I have some short ribs to do tonight I have one in mind in particular. Pittsburgh's water and sewer authority has screwed up again. Instead of maling bills regularly, they wait for a year then visit the house to paste a termination notice on the door.
When this happened in July 1999, I thought it was my error. Perhaps I hadn't given them an up-to-date address; I'd moved to Chicago, then Japan, then back to Chicago (briefly) before returning to Pittsburgh. But looking back, I think they had the right address all along.
Because it happened again. Last known bill, June 2000. Termination notice, November 2001. Total amount due, $650.
Argh!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: There's an entire field
BASENAME: theres_an_entire_field
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/05/2001 10:18:31 AM
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There's an entire field of study for human-computer interactions. I wonder if they study the odd ESP that lets computers know when I'm too busy to fix them. I swear my computers choose to break down when they can cause me the most headaches.
I am leading a two day digital video retreat this coming weekend and I've just had to remove memmory from my laptop to keep it from crashing when it boots. That makes this already sluggish machine even slower. I need to rethink my teaching strategy to compensate for the longer times to compile the videos. Argh.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nothing strikes fear into
BASENAME: nothing_strikes_fear_into
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/06/2001 10:42:23 AM
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Nothing strikes fear into my heart like having to transport my computers around town. This fear is compounded when they are going by delivery service. It's further intensified when I've just conducted the transaction to ship them in Japanese.
I believe that someone from Pelican will arrive at my doorstep on Thursday afternoon to pick up three boxes which I will have packed myself. They will put them on a truck and drive to Saitama Prefecture about 60km away, to delivery them on Friday afternoon. I plan to pay in advance so I hope that's what they expect, too.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo Transportation Series City
BASENAME: tokyo_transportation_series_city
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/07/2001 07:55:49 AM
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Tokyo Transportation Series
Was I burgled? No. I made this mess while preparing to ship my computer equipment to Saitama where I'm leading a digital video workshop this weekend. My equipment, cables, and class materials are packed neatly in boxes and waiting for pickup.
My office begs to be straightened up. I will oblige it as soon as I've had another cup of coffee.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: One stop away on
BASENAME: one_stop_away_on
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/09/2001 08:20:08 AM
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One stop away on the Oedo line there are two neighborhoods--Iidabashi & Kagurazaka--that I need to explore.
A lively crowd passes through the area: well-heeled young women, grungy college students, and the ever-present salaryman with a few foreigners thrown in for spice. Enticing shops (one with a fantasic array of Japanese dishes) line the streets. It's old-fashioned and fashionable at the same time.
Although they are so close that I can get there in a 30 minute walk (or take a 2 minute train ride), I've never spent time there. But after dinner of delicious French crepes at Le Bretagne in Kagurazaka last night, I think I'll be going back. Not just to that restaurant but to the others that I spied on the short stroll from the station to Le Bretagne.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Little rituals that mark
BASENAME: little_rituals_that_mark
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DATE: 11/10/2001 06:56:53 AM
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Little rituals that mark the passage of time make life richer for me. This week, I bought us new house slippers. During the winter, the floors are too cold to walk on with bare feet or even in socks. We don't wear shoes in they house (they stay in genkan) so we, along with everyone else, wear slippers. Buying fresh ones is a tiny way to note that time flies by.
These aren't the sort of slippers that last a lifetime. They're fabric-covered scuffs with vinyl soles that last about a year. This winter, we each have a pair of furry plush slippers and non-furry pair with decorations. Mine have geometric patterns embroidered in gold; Tod's have 1950's advertising illustration-style applique of a man with an umbrella. They'll keep our feet warm just fine.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The leaves are turning
BASENAME: the_leaves_are_turning
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DATE: 11/11/2001 07:36:31 PM
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The leaves are turning red and gold in the hills west of Tokyo. Waking up this morning, I took a walk up a mountain road damp with recent rain. Yellow and brown leaves speckled the pavement like confetti.
It was idyllic. Pine and wet bark scented the air--a refreshing change for my smog-filled lungs. Only my footfalls and a rushing river in the valley below broke the silence. No cars roared by; there wasn't even the squeal of bicycle brakes. Not a single cell phone rang.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: "You have the nose
BASENAME: you_have_the_nose
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DATE: 11/12/2001 01:50:28 PM
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"You have the nose of a tyrant."
I'm not exactly sure what that means, but Tod swears it's a compliment.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: First sighting of Xmas
BASENAME: first_sighting_of_xmas
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DATE: 11/13/2001 10:05:29 AM
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First sighting of Xmas decorations in my neighborhood. Sprout Planning Co (a realty office) has a small wreath with blinking lights propped up on a bench outside thier front door.
Takashimaya Times Square in Shinjuku lit their elaborate holiday sculptures last week, but I haven't seen them yet. Apparently most of the big department stores are already decorated for the Christmas season (which isn't even a holiday in Japan) but I haven't been shopping in weeks. Maybe I'll make a special trip to see the deco.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sayaka found my website
BASENAME: sayaka_found_my_website
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/14/2001 03:25:08 PM
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Sayaka found my website about a year ago. A few months back, she invited me to help with a monthly magazine, Yanesen, that she's part of. Yesterday we met for the first time.
We were supposed to be working on articles for the magazine, but we finished in about 20 minutes then spend the better part of two hours enjoying cake and coffee while we talked about the state of the world, holidays, travel, and Japan.
I love getting a chance to meet people I've met online. Especially when they are neighbors!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: At lunchtime in Otemachi
BASENAME: at_lunchtime_in_otemachi
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DATE: 11/15/2001 11:36:34 AM
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At lunchtime in Otemachi yesterday, a war protest parade wound its way through the streets.
About a hundred people, lead by a van equipped with loudspeakers, carried banners announcing their affiliations (local organizations and businesses, I think) and signs with slogans. The only reasons I knew it was a war protest was that one of the signs read WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER in English. The slogans they chanted were too difficult to understand.
The parade was given one lane of traffic. The crossed the street when the signal changed. A police van followed along behind them to make sure they were safe from traffic behind them. It was an extremely orderly protest.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shrimp can leap. The
BASENAME: shrimp_can_leap_the
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DATE: 11/16/2001 08:15:08 AM
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Shrimp can leap.
The local fishmonger always displays his freshest wares outside on the sidewalk and extorts passersby to look at the crabs waving their arms or moving their googly eyes. It's a bit disconcerting and I usually avert my gaze as I wait at the intersection there.
But when an 8 inch long shrimp made a tall, graceful arc from one side of an ice-and-sawdust bin to the other, I had to go look. Wow, those things are really lively. They have a lot of legs (you know because you peel them off before dipping into the cocktail sauce) and those legs are quite powerful. The fishmonger was delighted that I came over to peer into the containers.
"Very fresh!" he said as he reached in and pulled out a very squirmy shirmp. Understatement of the day.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I've been noticing the
BASENAME: ive_been_noticing_the
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DATE: 11/17/2001 01:50:39 AM
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I've been noticing the crazy personalization that women make to their stuff: keychains by the score hanging off knapsacks; shiny bells and doodads on bookbags; a Loius Vitton handbag with a Pooh hanging from the strap.
But taking the cake today was the pink cell phone with an aftermarket antenna that blinks red when the phone rings, accessorised even further with a puff of white maribou and shiny, pink and red, heart-shaped gel stickers edging the full-color display. On the display--Lady and the Tramp. Nobody will mistake this one for their phone!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Takarazuka 1000 Days Theater
BASENAME: takarazuka_1000_days_theater
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/18/2001 08:52:34 AM
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It's a superstore. Huge stores devoted to a single retail brand are not at all common in Japan, and to have one in downtown Tokyo is mind-boggling. The store is airy and open: a wide, white atrium lets you look up through glass walls to silver ductwork on the third floor. Riding the escalators through the space gives an overview of two floors of Muji's popular "no brand" clothing and household goods, plus a full floor of software.
I felt like I was in a suburban American store, the sort that fring the shopping malls. The new store is just as theatrical as the Takarazuka shows.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I hung my head
BASENAME: i_hung_my_head
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/19/2001 10:47:25 AM
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I hung my head out the window for 90 minutes last night and was rewarded with about 80 sightings of Leonid meteors.
The best ones were jaw-dropping, luminous pink fireballs that streaked across the sky, leaving lime green smoke trails. I watched the smoke from one trail dissipate and I swore I could smell it. Tod's convinced it was the smokestack of the local bathouse, but why would the bathhouse be operating at 2 am?
Even the less spectacular meteors were noteworthy. Several of the shorter ones were turquoise like reflection of light in a cat's eye in the dark--and shaped like eye slits. Who was looking at us through them?
I even saw a non-Leonid meteor, a pale orange dotted line speeding south to north. Despite being delicately beautiful, it was dull in comparison with the Leonids.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fifty 16 year old
BASENAME: fifty_16_year_old
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/21/2001 08:29:36 AM
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Fifty 16 year old girls are an intimidating audience. Until you get them to laugh.
Yesterday, I went to a girls' school in Kamakura to present "IT Careers for Women" on behalf of DigitalEve. Three classes combined to form a sea of sailor-suited uniforms. Although I heard horror stories from friends who teach about the total non-responsiveness of some classes, these girls turned out to be a great audience.
Heera and I spent almost two hours with them, brainstorming "who helps to make a cell phone" and helping them to discover their Myers-Briggs type. There were a lot of extraverts in the class--thank goodness!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shichimencho is the word
BASENAME: shichimencho_is_the_word
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DATE: 11/22/2001 07:06:38 AM
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Shichimencho is the word for turkey in Japanese. Literally translated, it means 7-faced bird. Shichimencho is not a popular food in Japan; the meat is too dry for Japanese tastes. I think back to some of my own Thanksgiving meals and I have to agree.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Today is "Labour Thanksgiving
BASENAME: today_is_labour_thanksgiving
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DATE: 11/23/2001 03:58:55 PM
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Today is "Labour Thanksgiving Day" in Japan, a national holiday. What are we celebrating? Are we supposed to be thankful for having jobs? Perhaps so.
I'm (unthankfully) working today trying to juggle half a dozen deadlines with cleaning. So far, working has won. Nothing's been cleaned. Maybe tomorrow.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Every other month, the
BASENAME: every_other_month_the
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/24/2001 08:04:01 AM
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Every other month, the Daily Yomiuri hands out a little premium to its subscribers--this month we received a small cookbook titled "Dinner meets French Dishes: asian ingredients and herbs bring out the taste"
It's full of unique recipes. Would you like to try Miso Ratatouille, Green Onion Saute with Red Wine Sauce, or Squid & Potato Sandwiches (Fried)? I am not making these up; I can send you the recipes that chef Kazuhisa Tashiro has included in this illustrated booklet.
I swear I made this one when I was 7 years old.
Potato and Blueberry Jam Gratin Arrange half of the potatoes in a small gratin dish, spread with a teaspoon of jam. Top with the remaining potato slices, another spoonful of jam, and several pats of butter. Microwave for 1 minute or until the butter is melted. Sprinkle with black pepper.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Perhaps, if you've tried
BASENAME: perhaps_if_youve_tried
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/25/2001 11:09:16 AM
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Perhaps, if you've tried to pick up a phrase or two of Japanese for a trip, someone has told you a trick for remembering douitashimashite (you're welcome) as "Don't touch my moustache." Of course it doesn't sound like that but it's easy to remember. Japanese learners of English memorize similar nonsense to try to pronounce English.
Hotta imo ijiruna (Don't touch the dug potatoes) sounds a tiny bit like "What time is it now?"
San kyu beri matchi (3 9 berry town) is "Thank you very much."
Mai buraza hazureta (Every bra came undone) is the delight of schoolchildren who need to say "My brother has a letter."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Thank goodness for Jim
BASENAME: thank_goodness_for_jim
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/26/2001 08:53:50 AM
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Thank goodness for Jim Breen's online Japanese dictionary system WWWJDIC. It's got an ugly interface and a strange name, but it is the handiest thing out there for translating e-mail, web pages and even i-mode screens if you know some Japanese but aren't strong on kanji.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The news is full
BASENAME: the_news_is_full
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/27/2001 07:27:21 AM
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The Imperial Crown Prince & Princess are due to give birth to their first child any day now. If it is a boy, he will be in line for the throne. If the baby is a girl, probably not. The Japanese constitution (written with help from the US after WWII) specifies a man on the Imperial throne.
On the opposite end of the spectrum PM Koizumi's son, Kotaro, made his "talent debut" this week when he appeared in an advertisement for light beer.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Loose change adds up
BASENAME: loose_change_adds_up
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/28/2001 08:55:24 AM
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Loose change adds up fast around here. With coins worth up to 500 yen (about $4), the total in a change purse or a pocket can easily buy lunch or more.
Our stuffed elephants, the Zous, have been saving for a trip to America. They've found over 12,000 yen in spare change just lying around, though I think they rifle my pockets from time to time. (Why are our stuffed elephants saving for a vacation? The largest Zou refuses to go in the overhead bin and demands a seat. We told him he'd have to pay his own way. We lead a very rich fantasy life!)
Tod tries to remain "compliant" with his change-- he rarely has change that adds up to the next largest coin and he always spends all of his change. On the other end of the scale, I opened my wallet the other day to discover 2500 yen in coins mixed in with the grocery receipts.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: "Ohisashiburi, okaasan*!" I said
BASENAME: ohisashiburi_okaasan_i_said
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DATE: 11/29/2001 08:01:15 AM
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I had no idea that the style I'd pointed to in a magazine was going to look like this on me. It looked swoopier on the model. My hair embraces gravity. But I hope that with some "hard wax" styling products I can bring out the curvy lines of the magazine hair. My old blowdryer is going to be my new friend.
*Long time, no see, Mom!
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TITLE: Yesterday I bought a
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/30/2001 07:31:08 AM
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Yesterday I bought a copy of a book written by my shiatsu doctor. It's a thin volume, illustrated with cute drawings and it gives instructions on how to do your own shiatsu (which is called accupressure in the US).
Some of the suggestions are a little strange. Warm your ankles with a blowdryer before sleeping. Pound gently on the top of you head while eating breakfast.
On second throught, maybe warm ankles would be nice.
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AUTHOR: Matt
EMAIL:
IP: 213.113.125.89
URL:
DATE: 04/13/2003 10:13:50 PM
Shiatsu isn't accupressure. Not even in the US... =)
Shiatsu is just plain japanese massage. Just as with the western massage, you can ofcourse get a shiatsu, but shiatsu is done/given on a futon-like bed where the masseur (?) is using arms, elbows, knees and hands (sounds like a severe beating... =).
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A Japanese ice cream
BASENAME: a_japanese_ice_cream
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/01/2001 09:03:26 AM
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A Japanese ice cream parfait is a confectionery Frankenstein.
I remember parfaits from my childhood: a tall glass filled with layers of sweet sauce and ice cream, topped with whiped cream and a maraschino cherry. The waitress at Genetti's sometimes gave me an extra cherry which made me feel very special.
The Japanese go a bit further with their parfait artistry. Here's how to make an "Apple and Satsuma Imo Parfait"
In the bottom, place a few slices of banana in an apple flavoured syrup. Add vanilla ice cream, more syrup then another scoop of ice cream. Top that with a thick sprinkling of cornflakes, a dollop of marshmallow sauce, and another scoop of ice cream. Finally, pipe on some mashed sweet potatoes, dust with cinnamon, and add two rolled cookies.
But no maraschino cherry. I was disappointed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The scope of hairdressing
BASENAME: the_scope_of_hairdressing
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DATE: 12/02/2001 07:58:53 AM
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The scope of hairdressing products on the market is remarkable. Foam, wax, gel, spray, mousse...water.
Not just any water, this is Morning Water. The pictures on the spray bottle tell the story. A man in striped pajamas is in for a really bad hair day. His mop is sticking up all over and he's grimacing at the mirror. But Morning Water comes to the rescue! In the next frame he's got a suit and tie on and his hair is neatly combed. He looks ready for another day at the office.
Japanese habit is to bathe before bed. Bedhead would be a menace if it weren't for Morning Water.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Crown Princess of
BASENAME: the_crown_princess_of
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/03/2001 08:29:54 AM
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The Crown Princess of Japan delivered a baby girl on Saturday.
The economists predict an upswing in the economy due to this happy news. Baby goods manufacuturers are all excited for their prospects now that there is a new princess.
Maybe they expect a surge in the purchase of rattles as gifts for the new princess. The companies claim that the birth will help people appreciate their children more. Perhaps a mother will say to her toddler "Junko-chan, you're not a princess but I love you anyway. Here, have this nice toy as a consolation prize"
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TITLE: I'm off to buy
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DATE: 12/04/2001 09:33:43 AM
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I'm off to buy a color printer today.
I've been putting off this purchase for a long time. Black and white is fine for me, really. But I designed a holiday card that looks better in color and I have no time to get them professionally printed. So I have to do it myself.and that means a color printer.
Deciding which one will be a challenge. They all seem so similar--it's difficult to know which will be best. I'll pick one and learn to live with its quirks, I guess.
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TITLE: Tokyo is so full
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DATE: 12/05/2001 10:15:00 AM
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Tokyo is so full of things to do that it's difficult to decide on a plan with visitors. Pottery exhibits, shopping, food, historical places? It makes my head swim. Maybe I could just retreat into my computerised world of work...but then I'd miss all the fun.
But what will we do today? I'm not sure.
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TITLE: Japan's traffic fatalities reached
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DATE: 12/07/2001 09:34:37 AM
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Japan's traffic fatalities reached 8,000 on Wednesday. That's 11 days later than last year.
Last month, prefectural police taught a special makeover course to elderly women. The idea that women would be more aware of traffic when crossing the streets if they looked nice and felt confident about themselves seems a little wonky, but maybe it made a difference.
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TITLE: Walk signal blinks green.
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DATE: 12/08/2001 01:49:36 PM
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Walk signal blinks green. When I first visited Kappabashi a few years ago, nothing was familiar except the Western pots & pans. Now I can identify most of the goods--this squat glass jar with a tiny spoon is for Chinese mustard; the taller one is for sugar. This short cylinder is a toothpick holder but that one holds a tabasco bottle.
Everything has its specific and precise use. No restaurant would ever dream of using a Chinese mustard jar for sugar, or putting tothpicks in the tabasco jar holder!
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TITLE: I might be the
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DATE: 12/12/2001 06:04:44 PM
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I might be the cleanest woman in the world.
We went to Hakone and spent the night at Yamadaya at Souzan. They have the most beautiful baths--three different rotenburo (outdoor hot springs) plus two mineral baths inside. In addition our room (#501, named Kintoki after the mountain it faced) had its own cedar tub with a view overlooking the foothills of Mt. Fuji.
From the time we checked at 3:30 until we left this morning at 10, I bathed 4 times. So I might be the cleanest woman in teh world, but I'm not because Kris bathed just as many times as I did.
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TITLE: My digital camera is
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DATE: 12/14/2001 09:04:14 PM
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My digital camera is full of images that I promise I will share soon. Until then, you might want to take a look at some other people's photos of Japan: Reflections of Japan Mine will pale by comparison.
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TITLE: It's always a little
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DATE: 12/16/2001 07:36:18 AM
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It's always a little bit sad when guests leave. We've packed these two weeks with a thousand activities (though you wouldn't guess it from what I've written here lately) and from today, life goes back to its normal routines.
But the break from the usual grind was really nice. We did creative things like candlemaking and shibori dying. Travelled to Hakone and saw Mt. Fuji in all her glory. We ate some really fantastic meals at home and in restaurants around the city.
So there's plenty to tell about, right after I dig out from the pile of neglected work on my desk and in my e-mail box.
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TITLE: Yesterday morning, the Mita
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DATE: 12/18/2001 07:59:16 AM
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Delay Certificate This was the first time that we've ever experienced this. Some train lines are notorious for delays due to suicides, but we've managed to miss all of them. Once in a while a mouse or frog gets into a switch or an engine and the trains stop for repair. Heavy rains and snow also throw off the clockwork precision. No word on what caused yesterday's delay.
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TITLE: Two towers of brightly
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DATE: 12/19/2001 07:47:45 AM
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Two towers of brightly colored Christmas toys flank the entrance at Olympic, a local discount store.
On the left are the hot pink selections for girls: Hello Kitty kitchen set with a plastic stove and food; a Pengin pudding maker that steams real food; manicure kits with glitter stickers and fake nails.
On the right are the more subtle blues and greys of boys' toys: Shinkansen model trains; tanks that shoot fire; plastic sports equipment.
Strangely, I've seen more adults than children around these astonishing piles of fun. I stopped to play with an electronic doctor game ("Poor Mai has a stomach ache; what should she do?") and although I pushed the buttons for a good five minutes to get Mai to lie down and sleep it off, not a single child came around to look at the toys.
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TITLE: At 2 am, there's
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DATE: 12/20/2001 07:31:21 AM
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Last night the streets around the Imperial Palace, hub of central Tokyo traffic, were jammed with taxis and their slightly intoxicated passengers riding home from a nijikai (second party) after their company bonenkai (forget-the-year party). I was in a taxi on the way from a friend's house where I watched Memento.
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TITLE: Yuki, yuki, yuki. (That's
BASENAME: yuki_yuki_yuki_thats
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DATE: 12/21/2001 07:39:21 AM
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Yuki, yuki, yuki. (That's 'you-key,' the word for snow, not 'yucky.')
The weather report says 70% chance of snow today and a high of 5 degrees (that's 41 F). This is unusual for December--the weather is usually clear and mildly chilly until mid-January. Then we get some rain but rarely snow.
I'll bundle up in my chilly office today and drink lots of hot chocolate while I wait for the snow. How festive!
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TITLE: I found a turkey.
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DATE: 12/22/2001 11:23:21 AM
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I found a turkey. Frozen. Priced at 3800 yen; the store didn't even an attempt to pricing it by weight, but it works out to about $3 per pound, I think. Soon it will be thawing in my refrigerator waiting for Christmas dinner.
This will be the first traditional holiday meal I've cooked in many years. It is my second turkey ever. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy. Mmmmm. I have to buy a roasting pan.
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TITLE: The turkey is thawing
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DATE: 12/23/2001 08:04:42 AM
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The turkey is thawing in the living room. This is not, as you might imagine, a health hazard because the living room is only slightly above freezing.
Freezing cold rooms in wintertime are a normal feature of Japanese homes. Rooms are heated individually, not centrally and every room has a door so that you can shut it off from its chilly companions. Each room also has a nice draft so that the fumes from the gas heater (which gets its fuel from a gas outlet plumbed into the wall) don't asphixate you. It's a practical arrangement (though less frugal than you might think for a variety of reasons concerning lack of home insulation and the price of heaters) which makes me pine for the luxury of central heating.
Luckly, the turkey doesn't care.
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TITLE: We walked from the
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DATE: 12/24/2001 09:57:27 PM
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We walked from the Sun to Pluto this afternoon with Katie. Most people would have thought we were just walking down a street, but anyone who observed closely would have seen we were pacing off the astronomical units between planets and laying down planets to scale. Earth is a peppercorn; Jupiter is a chestnut; the Sun is a balloon.
It's an amazing way to get a real feel for the sizes and distances in our solar system. Mercury, Venus, and Earth are approximately one Japanese storefront apart. Mars is two away. Jupiter is almost to twenty shops down the street from Mars. I'll bet you didn't know that Uranus is halfway between the Sun and Pluto. Take the walk and find out for yourself.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Berate me as Scrooge
BASENAME: berate_me_as_scrooge
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DATE: 12/25/2001 07:57:28 AM
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Berate me as Scrooge or the Grinch, but holidays make me cringe. Even at a remove of 10,000 kilometers, there is pressure to follow traditions that don't apply here in Japan. I recall even more pressure to conform in the States, but maybe it was mitigated through commiseration --sharing the stories of cookie-baking marathons, rounds of holiday parties, and the panic of not finding the exact right gift.
I follow along with the year-end holidays because to skip them is to cause great offense to everyone who thinks that a cookie and some gift-wrapping mean that you care. I wish that caring didn't involve meeting everyone's expectations of what I should do. Regretfully, it does, so I send greeting cards and gifts. I'm cooking a holiday meal today.
Of course, I won't hate it and in a way I enjoy the bother and fuss (if only because it connects me to the trials of the rest of my family and friends back home), but I don't fundamentally like feeling forced to participate. Putting so much energy into holidays I don't care about celebrating takes energy away from those I prefer--the first snow of the year, the progress of the earth around the sun, spring flowers blooming. I get more satisfaction from seeing February's first peach blossoms than from an entire pile of Christmas presents.
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TITLE: Despite my aversion to
BASENAME: despite_my_aversion_to
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DATE: 12/26/2001 11:38:24 AM
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Despite my aversion to Christmas, I really love the day after. Growing up in my family, we vied for the coveted spot on the sofa to read all of the new books we'd just acquired from our literary friend, Santa. We called it Couch Day.
This year, it's Bed Day for me. I've tucked up with a copy of Fresh Styles for Web Designers, Javascript Design, a story written by my mother, and a book about Ireland. I will have to get out of bed to go to Japanese class in a few hours, but until then I'm going to read.
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TITLE: The end of year
BASENAME: the_end_of_year
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DATE: 12/27/2001 04:22:06 PM
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The end of year cleaning frenzy has begun. Everyone in Tokyo is tidying house before the new year begins. A friend once commented that the only time his kitchen was grease free was on the last day of the year when his wife finished the annual house cleaning.
The shops have every variety cleaning and tidying convenience--brooms, shelf paper, bleach. And plenty of new appliances including stoves, perhaps for those unfortunates who find the grease just won't come off.
As for my own cleaning, I'm focusing on getting rid of grease in the kitchen cabinets. Starting with a half-eaten bag of potato chips....yum.
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TITLE: Good grief, we have
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DATE: 12/28/2001 08:35:14 AM
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In addition to the standard electric drip maker I use to make our morning brew, we have a stovetop moka pot, an espresso maker, and a siphon pot. We also have a french press packed away in storage in the States. We like coffee.
And lately we've begun roasting our own beans. It's actually very easy to roast green coffee. Put it in a very hot oven and wait about ten minutes. The beans turn yellow, then brown. They make popping sounds, "first crack," the indication that you could take them out at any point from then. They get darker, eventually releasing oils, hitting second crack and getting shiny. Or burnt. Tod likes his coffee ultra dark. I like mine medium dark. We argue at the oven.
Roasting coffee throws off lots of smoke. But it's fun and really easy and I recommend it to anyone who likes a good cup of truly fresh coffee. What pot you brew it in is up to you. If you need supplies, Sweet Maria's carries everything for the home roaster.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Now through January 3rd
BASENAME: now_through_january_3rd
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 12/29/2001 08:36:45 AM
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Now through January 3rd is holiday time. We'll clean house and prepare auspicious foods for toshigama, the year gods, between now and Monday. Then we can kick back and enjoy the luxury of idleness for the first three days of the new year.
Except I think it won't work out quite like that in our house.
I'll sleep in all weekend, and fail to do the laundry. The carpets will remain unvacuumed while I go to the store on Monday to stock up on tinned soup and crackers to tide us over the days when all the stores are closed. On Tuesday we will run out of toilet paper. By Wednesday, Tod & I will be bickering over who has to go down into the unheated kitchen to brew more coffee.
Ah, holidays!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Here's a year-end writing
BASENAME: heres_a_year-end_writing
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DATE: 12/30/2001 10:17:08 AM
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Here's a year-end writing exercise for you. In 25 words exactly, describe your year. It's harder than you might think.
I've managed this:
Spent seven weeks on holiday in Maui, China, mainland US. Wrote lots, taught many, earned little. Saw the inside of my head. Didn't do enough.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tradition, faith, and superstition
BASENAME: tradition_faith_and_superstition
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DATE: 12/31/2001 08:09:27 AM
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Tradition, faith, and superstition send everyone to the temples and shrines at midnight tonight to make the first homage of the year. Clapping hands or ringing bells, you capture the attention of the enshrined spirit, then toss some change in the offerings box and bow. On the way out, you might make a purchase of a lucky arrow or a charm.
It's an enchanting time. The temple grounds bustle and everyone is happy. Some places have festival stalls lining the street so you can get a nibble of fried noodles or a baby custard doughnut on the way home.
But I am worried that I might be cursed.
The year before last, I visited a shrine famous for keeping households safe; during the year we moved twice. Last year, I visited a shrine popular for its curative properties then spent the year chasing headaches and thyroid tumors. Maybe both situations would have been worse if I hadn't gotten the lucky arrows, but they were so extraordinary to begin with...
I'm not taking any chances this year. No temples. No shrines.
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AUTHOR: jhgritsch
EMAIL: jhgritsch@yahoo.com
IP: 169.232.225.174
URL:
DATE: 03/07/2003 07:01:38 AM
My 10 year old son needs to write a paper on Japanese superstition. He needs to know what Japanese people will bring good luck, or bad luck.
Thanks
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: trdfhgfh
EMAIL: fsdf@hotmail.com
IP: 199.216.95.100
URL:
DATE: 05/15/2003 01:48:42 AM
u suck
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TITLE: Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!
BASENAME: akemashite_omedetou_gozaimasu
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 01/01/2002 03:01:32 PM
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Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!
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TITLE: Bunkyo-ku is famous for
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DATE: 01/02/2002 09:47:46 AM
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When we first visited it, there was an old stone monolith carved with some of Soseki's vital statistics. It was the stone equivalent to the historical markers that dot roadsides in the US. Informative. Not terribly imaginative. A record of something worth recalling.
Recently, the nearby university made the property, "Natsume Soseki's Cat's House" is how it's listed on a map, part of its campus. They tore down the old building and monument and erected a lovely, modern structure for classrooms. And the rebuilt the monument.
There's a new stone monolith with Soseki's biography. A delightful addition awaits the observant visitor. A grey slate wall runs along the side of the building. Perched on top of the wall, looking out over the neighborhood is a bronze cat sculpted in a lively pose. The perfect touch.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kakizome is the first
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DATE: 01/03/2002 10:44:11 AM
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Shodo (the art of calligraphy) artisans practice every day. The master calligrapher clears his mid, visualises the finished work, takes a deep breath, then begins drawing what he sees in his mind's eye. In China this summer, I watched men practicing with large brushes and water on the sidewalks at the Temple of Heaven. They moved slowly and gracefully like dancers.
Calligraphy isn't just for masters--over the winter holiday, many schoolchildren are assigned calligraphy homework. I wonder if they do it on January 2nd?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Oshogatsu is over. We
BASENAME: oshogatsu_is_over_we
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DATE: 01/04/2002 08:21:12 AM
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Oshogatsu is over. We now return to our regularly scheduled life.
I skipped the traditional festivities and just rested. It was six tranquil days for me. I made no temple visit, no trip shout "banzai!" to the Emperor. I didn't even buy a fukubukuro--a lucky grab bag.
New Years can be dangerous. Six people were injured in the stampede for fukubukuro at Tama Plaza Tokyu Shopping Center in Yokohama. Two people choked to death on mochi, a sticky rice cake said to ensure long life. Ironic, but it happens every year. TV shows demonstrate how to dislodge mochi--a vacuum cleaner is said to do the trick.
So I'm back to a normal schedule today. Except that I'm already running late; I'm overdue to take coffee to Tod...
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TITLE: I'm so caught up
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DATE: 01/05/2002 09:21:38 AM
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I'm so caught up in my work now it seems like there was never a holiday at all. I spent all day yesterday writing, producing web sites and catching up on my DigitalEve work. And I'm at it again today, see?
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TITLE: It's nice to know
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DATE: 01/06/2002 08:52:06 AM
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A friend called Aizawa filled in her commuter train pass form. A machine scanned the handwriting and printed the name on the pass. Her new name is Fizaku (the bottom line in the example). Close. Very close.
Fortunately, Fizaku is just a nonsense word in Japanese. Aizawa-san thinks it sounds sort of German.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yakudoshi is an unlucky
BASENAME: yakudoshi_is_an_unlucky
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 01/07/2002 09:34:35 AM
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That means this will be an inauspicious year for me. I should make regular trips to the shine and buy lots of amulets for protection. The year before and the year following your yakudoshi are also unlucky--the prelude and poscript to rotten, I guess.
I'm not so sure about the power of amulets, but I'll keep my fingers crossed this year. Just in case.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ging
EMAIL: gingv@mindspring.com
IP: 63.125.44.226
URL:
DATE: 02/05/2003 05:27:48 AM
Hi! I am just wondering... when one prepares a Yakudoshi party to ward off these unhappiness, do they include any particular type of food or decoration?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nanakusa-gayu is a rice
BASENAME: nanakusa-gayu_is_a_rice
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 01/08/2002 09:26:50 AM
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Nanakusa-gayu is a rice porridge with seven spring herbs. If you live in the country, you can pick the herbs (which are really just weeds) along the edges of fields and roads. Here in the city, we buy them in plastic containters at the supermarket.
The combination of herbs and rice is thought to cleanse the system after too much rich holiday food. And eating nanakusa-gayu on January 7th ensures health throughout the year. Or so they say. It was part of last night's dinner, so we will see how the year pans out.
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TITLE: "I was surrounded by
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DATE: 01/10/2002 12:40:05 AM
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"I was surrounded by monsters and they were scary," Mike was telling Katie. "But I took out my Henway and they all ran away."
Katie, who's in the second grade, was incredulous. "What's a Henway?" she asked.
"About six pounds," Mike answered.
Katie just looked confused. She doesn't always get the jokes she might if she had English-speaking schoolmates.
So Mike tried to explain that 'what's' can also mean 'how much does.' Then Tod told the joke, only he had a Penfor to scare away the monsters. The joke fell flat again. Humour is a subtle business, even when the jokes are bad.
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DATE: 01/11/2002 08:29:51 AM
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Kagami mochi is the double-decker offering of sticky rice made at the new year. By now, it's gone hard and cripy and after scraping off the mold which has no doubt accumulated, you must crack it with a hammer into small pieces. It's unlucky to use a knife. You can use the shattered fragments in soup, mix them in with rice or any number of dishes.
All of the holiday decorations--bamboo festoons, pine branches warding off evil--all get tossed onto a communal fire at a temple. Any bad luck caught in them is immolated , keeping your home and hearth safe and happy for the remainder of the year.
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TITLE: Japan's businesses are in
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DATE: 01/12/2002 09:11:33 PM
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Japan's businesses are in deep trouble despite the weakening of the yen which makes the import/export figures look better.
Yesterday MyCal, a national grocery and retail chain, closed its doors after a two-day 80% off sale. eBay Japan is considering how to manage compeition in the online auction market here. One idea is to sell itself to Yahoo Japan. Daiei, is considering selling off its baseball park/hotel complex in Fukuoka and maybe even its baseball team, the Hawks.
I've often been surprised that small mom-and-pop boutiques stay in business, but the little shopping streets in our neighborhood are going strong as ever. At least the ones that haven't been torn down to build megalith apartment complexes. I hope they can hang on through this bad patch.
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DATE: 01/13/2002 10:43:44 PM
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Sunday afternoon at the free market (aka flea market) in Shinjuku was fun. Sarah, Tod & I gawked at all sorts of old dishes, kimono, and pretty Tibetan style things, but spent most of our time poring over old maps.
Sara ended up with a 1930s hand-tinted map of Tokyo and two vivid reproductions of maps with Latin inscriptions. She bargained with the vendor and got the lot for about 8,000 yen. I found a unique map/postal rate chart from Meiji 44 (about 1912), It's difficult to describe but I love it. Sarah asked the man for a discount on my behalf since she'd just bought three maps and he gave me mine for only 1,500 yen. The frame will cost more than the map!
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DATE: 01/14/2002 11:33:28 PM
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Although I've never really wanted one before, I picked up a DoCoMo catalog today to look at the cell phones. There are 28 different handsets ranging from ones that can run Java applets to more basic models with greyscale displays. It costs between 3,000 and 45,000 yen to purchase the hardware.
Then come the calling plans. Plan A is 4,500 yen a month and calls are 20-40 yen/minute depending on the time of day. You get 600 yen's worth of calls for free each month. Or maybe you want to talk lots? You want the Hanashi Plan Big. 9,100 yen per month with 6,600 yen in free calls. Per minute you'll pay between 22-44 yen. On top of the half dozen different plans are a handful of discount schemes--family discount, business discount, volume plan, even a "thanks for being a customer for a long time discount" that you get automatically.
Needless to say, this makes choosing a cell phone quite a chore. And this is just one of four major cell phone services. I' haven't even looked at TuKa, Au or J-phone yet.
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DATE: 01/15/2002 11:07:02 PM
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It's a sweet little thing--a D211i. In addition to letting me make phone calls, I can surf the web, send e-mail (if I'm willing to enter text using the numeric keypad) and set alarms. I can even download songs for my ring tones, though I'm not sure why I'd want to, since my phone has ABBA's "Dancing Queen" built-in. Who needs more than that?
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TITLE: Spring might be creeping
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DATE: 01/16/2002 08:28:56 AM
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Spring might be creeping up on us already. The weather in the past few days has certainly made a turn in that direction. I can tell because it is colder inside the house than outside. It seems crazy that I shiver as I'm putting on my coat and shoes in the hall, then feel toasty when I step outside.
If this really is spring, the heating disparity will continue until late April. Then we'll experience a few wonderful week before the rainy season begins and the humid heat of summer settles in. I'm already looking forward to May!
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DATE: 01/17/2002 09:11:15 AM
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I love it when DigitalEve Japan gets good press. We all work so hard at creating an engaging, useful organization that articles like today's in the Japan Times' Techno Times section make me grin.
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TITLE: Traditional workman's clothing is
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DATE: 01/18/2002 12:57:30 PM
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You can buy them online at Tokyo Uniform along with Office Lady outfits, Japanese restaurant uniforms, and security guard armbands. If you want to look like a Tokyo worker, this is the perfect place to shop.
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AUTHOR: Kamui
EMAIL: rowen_kamui@yahoo.com
IP: 63.91.68.160
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2003 12:45:22 AM
HELP!! I need to buy a Japanese male school uniform, but I live in the U.S. Where can I find one?
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AUTHOR: Kamui
EMAIL: rowen_kamui@yahoo.com
IP: 63.91.68.160
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2003 12:45:40 AM
HELP!! I need to buy a Japanese male school uniform. Where can I find one?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Paying utility bills in
BASENAME: paying_utility_bills_in
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DATE: 01/19/2002 09:35:59 AM
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Paying utility bills in Japan is interesting. You take your bill, and the necessary cash, to the post office or to the convenience store and pay there. You can't mail a check since there are no checks in the Japanese banking system.
At the convenience store, the clerk scans the bar code on the bill and it's rung up as a sale on the register. You hand over the money, she hands you change and stamps your bill to show you've paid. It's as easy as buying a newspaper if considerably more expensive.
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TITLE: 602,089 students took their
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DATE: 01/20/2002 09:26:22 AM
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602,089 students took their university entrance examinations yesterday. This is the moment they've been working towards throughout their school years. They've studied, memorized and crammed their minds full of facts for these examinations.
Some of the hopefuls will make it into their college of choice and face a pretty easy road through university. It's generally recognised that university years are carefree and fun.Those who fail will spend coming year studying harder so they can to try again next year.
No doubt in the upcoming months while exams are being scored, there will be 6,020,890 nervously bitten fingernails.
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TITLE: I woke up extra
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DATE: 01/21/2002 09:34:22 AM
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I woke up extra early this morning. I wasn't sure why.
But as it turns out, I stirred at about the same time that our ADSL provider was cutting off our connection. They do this every few months to all their normal customers. Now we have a new IP address for the next couple of months.
For us, it's not a big deal--we have to restart the connection and update a few settings and then we can get on with what we usually do. For a business, changing an IP address suddenly and out of the blue is a disaster and by cutting the connection, the ADSL provider ensures that businesses pony up the exorbitant fees for continuous, static IP addresses. A clever strategy.
Anyway, waking up at the same time the connection was cut makes me wonder if I'm supernaturally in tune with my Internet connectivity.
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TITLE: Rebuilding Afganistan
BASENAME: rebuilding_afganistan
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/22/2002 09:23:21 AM
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Japan's government has pledged $500 million dollars to help rebuild Afganistan, 1/3 of the total pledges received at this week's meeting of Afganistan leaders and various nations here in Tokyo. Afghanistan would like to receive $15 billion in aid over the next ten years, and this meeting has given them 10% of their goal.
Japan isn't allowed to participate in wars, according to its postwar Constitution and is often seen (domestically and internationally) as a bit player on the world political stage as a result. Maybe they are trying to buy their way into a bigger role.
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TITLE: Kani Ryouri is Japanese
BASENAME: kani_ryouri_is_japanese
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DATE: 01/23/2002 03:57:29 PM
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Kani Ryouri is Japanese for "crab cuisine." There's a fantastic kani ryouri restaurant in Azabu Juban, about 20 minutes away. I'm sure it has a real name, but we call it the crab restaurant.
Their crab set lunch (1,200 yen) is a delight. It's hard to decide what's most delicious: crab sashimi served with tiny shreds of steamed sea vegetable; silken tofu topped with crab and a seasoned soy sauce; rice sprinkled with dried crab crumbles; creamy potato salad laced with crab; a deep-fried crab croquette. Of course there's miso soup, pickles, and tea, too. It's quite a treat for lunch.
If you're headed there, leave Azabu Juban station via Exit 4; walk about two blocks down the small shopping street on the left hand side of Wendy's. It has a rustic exterior and a small genkan to take of your shoes before stepping into the tatami-carpeted seating area. Sorry that I have no idea what the name is...
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TITLE: It's that time again
BASENAME: its_that_time_again
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DATE: 01/24/2002 03:45:14 PM
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It's that time again and a feeling of dread is building. Our Japanese teacher announced the school's upcoming (mandatory) speech contest.
This year's contest theme is "Nihongo ga jouzu ni natara..." which means "When I become skilled in Japanese..." I think my opening sentence is going to have to be "When I become skilled in Japanese, I will be an old lady." From there, I'm not sure where to go but I have about a month to decide.
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TITLE: Oops, they did it
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DATE: 01/25/2002 10:30:21 AM
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Oops, they did it again. Snow Brand's in the news for some rather unethical actions.
About 18 months ago, their milk products company failed to follow safety procedures (or even basic common sense) and recycled old milk into the new milk supply. Yuck! 10,000 people contracted food poisoning.
This time, their meat group tried to defraud the government by sending 13.8 tons of Australian beef to be destroyed in a federal buyback related to BSE containment. Only Japanese beef was eligible for the program--apparently the meat company intentionally mislabelled their Australian product in order to get the government funding. What were they thinking?
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TITLE: What's up with Japan's
BASENAME: whats_up_with_japans
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DATE: 01/26/2002 09:29:10 AM
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What's up with Japan's soft punishments for crimes against young women? This week there have been two remarkable examples.
In the first case, a man abducted a 9 year old girl and held her prisoner in a room of his home for more than nine years. It was reported in the courtroom that girl was fed only once a day, threatened with weapons, and beaten if she stepped outside the taped-down boundary her captor created. The presiding judge said, "The suffering of her family was very grave, and it is natural to impose a severe punishment," before he sentenced the man to 14 years in jail.
In the second, a man struck out and kicked his 3 year old daughter in the stomach when he discovered she'd eaten some dog food. She died the next day. The father was sentenced to 4 years in prison.
Does this point out that the Japanese justice system is too lenient overall? Or that women and girls are not valued? Or maybe it's a statement on something else entirely. I'm not sure but these two criminals got away with nothing more than a slap on the hand for some pretty dire crimes.
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TITLE: Well, we're officially househunting
BASENAME: well_were_officially_househunting
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DATE: 01/27/2002 09:52:50 PM
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Well, we're officially househunting again.
The current house is just too big, too cold and most importantly, too expensive. The rent here is equal to about 7 months of mortgage payments on our house in Pittsburgh. In our Bunkyo neightborhood, one Pittsburgh mortgage payment rents a 9x12 foot room with a galley kitchen and a bathroom. We're looking for a place to live in the range of "4 months of mortgage payments."
We're racking up our 5th home in 4 years here in Japan. I hope that the new one is perfect and we stay there for a while! I think our realtor, Inoue-san, is going to become rich on our commissions.
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TITLE: Foreigners who live in
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DATE: 01/28/2002 08:20:45 AM
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This is the view from my balcony. I overlook the entrance to another building's garage (on the left) and collection of low rooves and wires. In the middle distance is the tall new apartment building that has restaurants and our fancy supermarket. Off in the background, as far as you can see, are more tall buildings.
Some say this is ugly. I'm not so sure. Look at the subtle range of colors and the strong geometric shapes cutting the phot into sections. The way the distant buildings are hazy like mountains in classic Chinese paintings. The strong light angling down on a wall in the foreground. Granted, it's not an idyllic forest, but it has beauty.
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TITLE: Househunting is done. Here's
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DATE: 01/29/2002 01:42:52 PM
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The terrace looks out over the Japanese gardens of the downstairs neighbors. It's really beautiful and southern exposure means sunlight all day. The kitchen is small but efficient; the narrow room marked 9 will be our office, the bedroom (marked 5) is just big enough for our bed--I had to come home and measure before we could decide!
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TITLE: This morning I'm making
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DATE: 01/30/2002 08:53:03 AM
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This morning I'm making a list of all the things we need to sell or give away before we move. There's quite a bit of stuff to shed before we'll fit into the new, compact apartment.
Some of it we'll give away to friends. But I don't think I know anyone who wants a coffee table. Or a big bookcase. So I think those items are going to be auctioned on Yahoo! Japan Auctions . My challenge today is to figure out how to make it work. That means lots of reading and writing in Japanese.
My sensei will be so proud. I wonder if she'd like to buy a washing machine?
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TITLE: Last night in Japanese
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DATE: 01/31/2002 05:39:43 PM
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Last night in Japanese class, we encountered an example sentence that Tod & I agreed made us uncomfortable.
We were practicing with "teki," a suffix that's equivalent to -ish or -like. For each sentence using Nihonteki (Japan-ish or Japanese), we had to describe the qualities of the thing. For example, "This is a Japanese house." Then we described a Japanese style house. It has tatami floors, it is cold in winter, it has ranma and a pond with koi.
"He has a Japanese face" is the sentence that threw us for a loop. As "politically correct" Americans we're trained to not look at racial characteristics too closely! What makes a Japanese face Japanese? Sensei said that Japanese faces are more flat that Western ones--not "dekoboko" which means uneven or bumpy.
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TITLE: After living here for
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DATE: 02/01/2002 10:35:25 AM
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After living here for four years, I think I know Tokyo pretty well. It's vast, but I try to get around to see it.
Yet when I met my friend MJ for lunch yesterday, it was in a completely new part of town for me. Bakuro-yokoyama is a quiet area with a mix of high-rise office buildings and tiny shops specialising in kimono and traditional Japanese fabrics. It's not a special or extraordinary neighborhood, which may be why I'd never been there.
The funny thing is, it's less than fifteen minutes away from my house. So much for knowing Tokyo...
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TITLE: Today is 2-2-2. I'm
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DATE: 02/02/2002 07:51:25 AM
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And it's even better in Japan. In the Japanese tradition, the year is noted by the length of the emperor's reign. 2002 is is Heisei 14. We've been in Tokyo to celebrate 8-8-8, 10-10-10, 11-11-11 and 12-12-12. We were back in the States on 9-9-9.
There's a song by Morphine, French Fries with Pepper, that commemorates a series of 20th century dates. "On 9-9-99, I'll be sitting on the back porch, drinking red, singing 'Oh, French Fries with Pepper'." We did.
Time is wonderful. So is the way we note it.
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TITLE: Absinthe is a green
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DATE: 02/03/2002 11:57:52 AM
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I used to grow wormwood and thought about brewing some absinthe of my own from recipes I found on the Internet, but I never did. So until last night, I'd never had a chance to try it. It's impossible to purchase absinthe made from old recipes--their thujone levels are too high for today's regulations. But you can find it in a less potent form (in terms of thujone content) in the UK and EU. But not in the US, where it remains banned.
At Le Cafe in Harajuku, I tasted two different kinds. The better (by far) was Absinthe Hapsburg. At 72.5% alcohol it was definitely not for drinking straight. Traditionally, drinkers mixed the strong, bitter tonic with water and sugar. Modern recipes are already sweet, so mine was served with water and ice. It was delicious--anise with an herbal undertone.
I felt very worldly sitting in a Tokyo bar, with absinthe in my hand and playing the part of a writer all dressed in black. What a kick!
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AUTHOR: JD
EMAIL: gemdeluxe@yahoo.com
IP: 12.45.97.2
URL:
DATE: 08/05/2003 12:29:32 AM
So, do you know what the wormwood/thujon content of Hapsburg Super Deluxe Red Label is?
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TITLE: The meat department in
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DATE: 02/04/2002 07:34:51 AM
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But this begs a question. Which came first, the cuts of meat or Japanese cooking techniques?
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TITLE: Ah, Spring! We've just
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DATE: 02/05/2002 10:52:11 AM
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Ah, Spring! We've just entered the new season and even though the weather hasn't budged a bit from "chilly and grey" I know it will soon. The annual parade of flowering trees has begun. It culminates in the cherries blossoming in early April.
The plum trees bloom first. For me, that is the true mark of spring. Nothing is finer than catching their sweet, delicate perfume on a breeze and turning to see a profusion of bright pink petals at the ends of bare, dark branches. I spotted my first plum blossom of the year while househunting. I took that to be a good sign for a new beginning.
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TITLE: Before we move, I
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DATE: 02/06/2002 09:42:33 AM
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Before we move, I need to reduce the volume of stuff we own. Of course, we're having a sale of miscellaneous household furnishings but I'm also trying to pare down my professional life by organising my slides and clippings.
At the moment, my clippings are a huge stack of magazines where my work was published. I need to slice out the articles along with the cover and contents page of each. I'm sure I can get the 30 cm stack down to a small pile in the course of a day or so. This is a task I've been avoiding for almost three years.
My slides are going into sleeves after I mark each one with a subject and date. I've already finished 100 of them--only 200 more to go! Then I must tackle the unfiled photos and negatives.
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TITLE: Note to self: being
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DATE: 02/07/2002 11:31:03 AM
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Note to self: being organized is worth the pain of getting there.
I've enjoyed reliving many experiences by organizing my slides and photos. It is taking lots longer than I'd expected, but the results are fantastic. I can find all the images from my trips and photo expeditions quickly now. I hope I can keep them tidy...
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TITLE: Valentine's Day store window
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DATE: 02/08/2002 07:52:51 AM
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Dogs with oversized noses, based on in a series of popular photographs, sniff at a huge pile of chocolates. The dogs are wearing Mono Comme Ca T-shirts and the pile contains plenty of Mono Comme Ca's own Valentine's Day creation, the thin striped packages at center front.
I hope my Valentine doesn't take to heart "sniffed by dogs" as the key to gift purchases.
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AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/19/2003 09:19:48 AM
I have no idea. These were a fad a year ago. I haven't seen them in a long time.
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TITLE: This morning, I put
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DATE: 02/09/2002 12:10:55 PM
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Of course, I didn't stray far from my beloved computer. Is it ironic or prophetic that my first sketch in a year is of the Escape key?
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TITLE: I've just discovered that
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DATE: 02/10/2002 09:23:16 AM
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I've just discovered that Queen's Isetan, the big supermarket in our neighborhood, has online ordering and delivery.
This is good news. I've grown fond of some of QI's high quality items and our new apartment is about a 25 minute walk away. The nearest food shopping in our new neighborhood is Yunesuko; it's a small corner store with limited produce and fresh food selections.
But if QI delivers, I can have them bring me all of the specialty things I like. Pineapple!
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TITLE: Tod gave an interview
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DATE: 02/11/2002 08:07:48 AM
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The reporter, Kumi Yamada from Mainichi's MyCom web magazine, attended DigitalEve Japan's awards event to gather information for an article she is writing about us. Tod was the only man in the room and he won a prize for his participation on the Technology Team, so he was a obvious candidate for an interview.
Miki and Chiharu helped interpret when he and the reporter had difficulty communicating but he listened to the Japanese questions and responded in Japanese quite a bit.
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DATE: 02/12/2002 08:29:38 AM
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More online food options: Demae Kan shows only the restaurants that deliver to your address. Where we live now, we've access to Chinese, sushi, box lunches, Italian and pizza. In our new place, we lose the Italian, but pick up wine and "New York."
We tested out Demae Kan and had Chinese delivered last night. Our only delivery up 'til now has been pizza because Chinese food names are all written in kanji, so pronouncing the dishes over the phone is too challenging. But ordering it from a web page is no problem. I'd forgotten what a joy it is to have Chinese food brought to the door.
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AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL: kristen@kristen.com
IP: 66.156.71.108
URL: http://www.kristen.com
DATE: 01/08/2003 07:23:07 AM
i want food for dinner
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TITLE: Rattle. Rattttttttttllle. RRRaTTTTTtTTTtTTTTTtTtTle. Rattle.
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DATE: 02/13/2002 10:54:02 AM
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Rattle. Rattttttttttllle. RRRaTTTTTtTTTtTTTTTtTtTle. Rattle.
That was last night's earthquake. It wasn't centered here in Tokyo, but it was strong enough that all of our windows rattled loudly.
Earthquakes are quite awe-inspiring. And they make me nervous.
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DATE: 02/14/2002 11:35:57 PM
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I can go for days with nothing really interesting going on, then find myself in up to my ears in activity. This time it's not my procrastination doing me in--it's deadlines, work coming in from clients and a class on "Drawing on the Artist Within." Tomorrow, it's more of the same. Fun!
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TITLE: Yesterday in the Drawing
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DATE: 02/15/2002 07:51:28 AM
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Yesterday in the Drawing on the Artist Within class, we drew analogs of emotions, states of being, and personal characteristics. Without using symbols or drawing real objects, how do you draw anger? Soft? Mean? Naive?
Not only did we see the "language of line" but we all got to see a bit more of ourselves than we expected. My femininity was very bold and strong; my joy not so well developed. Maybe I need to work on that...
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TITLE: One man's junk is
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DATE: 02/16/2002 03:43:06 PM
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This morning, I decided that there were tidbits in the house that I wasn't willing to throw away or sell, yet I didn't want to keep them. So I put them in a box, made a sign in Japanese that reads "Used things FREE. Please take whatever you like" and sat it on the sidewalk outside the house.
It's been quite a popular stop for passersby. Almost all of the art supplies are gone, the sweater that was a tiny bit too small, the kitchen odds and ends. We got rid of some old hard drives, games, and toys. I've been out to refill the box several times.
I feel good to knowing that these things are going to be reused. Of course, anything that's left at the end of the day gets pitched. But I won't feel guilty.
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TITLE: The Duck! man came
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DATE: 02/17/2002 12:29:15 PM
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The Duck! man came yesterday to estimate the cost of our move. I had requested an English-speaker since my Japanese is just not up to the challenge of contract details. Hanaki-san was very nice and he and I spoke in a mix of English and Japanese until Tod arrived.
Tod's Japanese is good enough that he was able to conduct the entire meeting in Japanese, much to the dismay of Hanaki-san who had been sent especially to speak English with us and wanted to practice. He gave his home phone number to Tod so they can get together to talk again in English.
P.S. Remaining in the box last night: two cotton skirts, a plastic grater, six bilingual food magazines, and a small chalkboard. That means about 60 items were picked up during the day. Not a shred of guilt remains.
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TITLE: I woke this morning
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DATE: 02/18/2002 11:02:52 AM
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I woke this morning to the sound of helicopters. President Bush is in town. I imagine he's staying at the Imperial guest house and coptering from place to place in the city.
This morning, he visited Meiji Shrine and later today he meets with the Prime Minister. Later tonight, they are all going out to eat at a yakitori restaurant. The PM, President, Mrs. Bush, the US Ambassador to Japan and the Japanese Cabinet Secretary and his wife are all expected to attend.
I can only imagine what that will be like. Will they get roaring drunk like everyone else who dines on yakitori?
I suspect they won't be eating at one of the yatai (outdoor food stalls) that dot the city. Maybe they'll go to Nanbantei in Ginza--one of our favorite fancy yakitori places. Can't wait to see the photos in the papers tomorrow.
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TITLE: True Mongolian food is
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DATE: 02/19/2002 07:17:05 AM
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True Mongolian food is mainly meat, milik and flour. These ingredients are most accessible to the nomadic tribes of Mongolia.
Our dinner at Shilingol, a small restaurant in Sengoku, was mainly lamb and milk products. We started with a salty milk tea and fried bread, then dug into the only vegetable for the meal--shredded potatoes with garlic. Mainly we ate meat: spicy lamb shish kebab; steamed buns filled with seasoned mutton; lamb on the bone; lamb and seasonings wrapped in flatbread; slices of salty dried lamb.
At 8:00 one of the cooks came out and played traditional Mongolian tunes on a long-necked, square bodied string instrument called a morin khuur. The music was multiharmonic and dissonent but quite beautiful and complex.
We rounded out our dinner with deep fried dough served with a milk glaze for dipping--Mongolian doughnuts.
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TITLE: We've been measuring the
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DATE: 02/20/2002 07:37:33 AM
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Where are we going to put the piano? Is it better to have the sofa facing the window or the wall? What about the pesky file cabinet? Do we really have to take the doors off the bedroom closets to make room for the bed?
With my diagrams, I can move all the furniture around and even make things disappear without having to resort to real-life hauling and shoving. On second thought, the exercise might do me good.
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TITLE: Today is wall washing
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DATE: 02/21/2002 01:43:21 PM
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Today is wall washing and curtain laundering day. I'm making slow progress but progress nonetheless. Bookshelves and nightstands are on their way out the door this afternoon to a women who is furnishing a new apartment. This reveals a shocking number of dustbunnies
I'm tired.
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TITLE: I shouldn't read the
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DATE: 02/22/2002 09:55:09 AM
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I shouldn't read the articles about blogging in the popular press. They make me question whether my blog is worthwhile. Self doubt creeps in when I encounter things like this:
"When people begin to think that they are nothing more than a cog in the wheel of society, they look for any way to differentiate themselves. The Web log proves they are different. Just read it. You'll see," writes John Dvorak in an article for PC Magazine.
A blogger with an attitude, Dennis Mahoney, write of things that should be banned from blogs: the use of "I think" as a prefix; digital camera photos of everday objects; discussions of content.
Hmmm.
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TITLE: Today's pre-moving activities did
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DATE: 02/23/2002 08:30:59 PM
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Today's pre-moving activities did not go as smoothly as planned.
After delivering our freshly washed curtains to the new apartment and discovering that they weren't actually very clean after all, we decided to hang them up anyway. The new windows are considerably shorter than the old ones. The curtains trail the ground like a bridal veil. But they will look nice once I've rewashed and trimmed them to size.
We determined from our measurements that the bedroom closet doors must be removed if our bed is going to fit. Unfortunately, we can't seem to get the doors out of their tracks. Tomorrow we'll return with a wrench and greater determination.
Our packing activities haven't even begun for the day. Looks like we have a late night ahead of us.
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TITLE: The final items to
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DATE: 02/25/2002 10:16:18 AM
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The final items to dispose of before moving were some small tables and lamps. The stone-topped coffee tables we acquired when we first landed in Japan were a favorite of Tod's. He really didn't want to part with them, but the interior plan of the new apartment proved that there's no room for them.
I hoped to put them outside for anyone to take, like we did with our give-away boxes. But Tod really wanted to make sure they went to a good home. So we compromised. We put them outside with a sign that said "Tables, 1000 yen each. Please ring bell."
The new owner of the tables, Daigo-san, is a man in his forties. He was dressed in an outfit that woud have looked at home on a country estate--sweater vest, navy plaid shirt, camel coloured trousers. He was smoking a pipe and walking his beautiful standard poodle when he rang the bell. What a character! I hope he enjoys the tables.
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TITLE: Hikkoshimashita. We've moved. The
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DATE: 02/26/2002 11:44:15 PM
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Hikkoshimashita. We've moved.
The past few days, I've been running around wearing a kitchen timer around my neck. It helps me to stay focussed by allowing me to work in 15 minute chunks. It's pretty astonishing what you can do in 15 minutes. This advice came from FlyLady, woman and a website that's difficult to describe but worthwhile reading.
I'm taking my timer off now and going to bed. Moving stories tomorrow.
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DATE: 02/27/2002 08:25:42 AM
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They're passing every two minutes right now--I'd have to say this is rush hour.
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DATE: 02/28/2002 09:04:14 AM
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Whew. I found the garage key.
The garage key was in a desk drawer. Without a car, we never needed the key and it was put away for safekeeping. Of course, it was also half forgotten. Vague memories of "drawer" dredged up the right location after a few tries.
This morning, I return to the old house one last time to hand back all the keys and participate in a house inspection. I'm a bit nervous about this. Can I explain (in Japanese) that the living room air conditioner never worked but we didn't bother to complain? That the fancy toilet seat's bidet function was broken when we moved in? How do I ask them to please dispose of the three things we left behind (a broken monitor, a mildewed suitcase and an old tatami carpet)? Time to do some quick vocabulary acquisition!
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CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 02/28/2002 02:55:58 PM
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Friends and Favorites Contributions & Projects Promotion
Powered by Movable Type The Shimamuras have friends in Chicago so they visit the US from time to time and speak some English. Our conversation was a crazy mix of English and Japanese as they helped me select three trees, arranged same-day delivery, and promised to call when their spring shipment of herbs arrives next month. When the trees were delivered, I discovered that Mrs. Shimamura had handwritten watering instructions for the Phoenix Royal Fan palm in English and they had repotted them all into terracotta colored pots. With service like that, they will definitely see me at their shop again.
The plants make a huge improvement to the patio. I can already picture myself sipping morning coffee at the table when the weather warms a bit.
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DATE: 03/02/2002 08:53:25 AM
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The room has southern exposure and a wall of glass curtained with horizontally striped cotton sheers (just out of sight on the left of the photo). A green area rug ties together the indoors and the plants on the two verandas outside. It also bridges the tones between the dark furniture and the cream walls.
We have two stacks of zabuton floor cushions to pull up around the low dining table, but the carpeted floor is so soft, we hardly need the extra pillows. The dining table doubles as our coffee table and fruit stand.
I already find myself gravitating to this room for breaks. In the mornings, I stretch and gently exercise here. At dinnertime, we play quiet music while we eat. It's a very civilised place.
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TITLE: Today is Hina Matsuri,
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DATE: 03/03/2002 08:32:57 AM
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These beautiful dolls are the Imperial court of the Heian period (794-1192) and the day is celebrated to bless daughters. Displaying the dolls began in the Edo period (1603 - 1898) when courtly customs seeped out to the commoners.
The elaborate displays I photographed were in a bank in Marunouchi. The include the full arrangements or five tiers with the Emperor and Empress sitting before a gold screen at the top. Below them are three ladies-in-waiting, five court musicians, three ministers with food bearers, and on the bottom row a cherry tree and an orange tree flank the guards
The artistry in these dolls is impressive. They are dressed in silks, with coiffed hair and beautifully painted faces.
Home displays might only include a pair of dolls--the emperor and empress--and they may not be so traditional. I've seen Hello Kitty and her boyfriend, Daniel, dressed up in imperial kimono for Hina Matsuri.
Of course, you really have to take the whole thing with a grain of salt. A superstition says that if you don't put away your Hina dolls on 3/3, your daughters will be difficult to marry off!
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DATE: 03/04/2002 08:24:07 AM
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The day we moved in, I tripped a breaker when I plugged in and turned on a lamp in the living room. When Tod moved the lamp to another outlet to test it, the lamp shorted out and exploded, severing the electric cable and singeing the brand new carpet. Yikes!
Tokyu Hands had just what we needed--a new cord and switch. Tod soldered the new cord into place and the lamp is as good a new.
In our bedroom, we have no room for nightstands. One side of the bed is against the wall, the other nearly touches the radiator. So our old bedside lamps were given away and we bought new ones yesterday. A stand lamp and matching table lamp, in curvy metal and halogen grace our bedroom. These are the ideal reading lamps and they have dimmers so Tod can read without keeping me awake.
Do you notice in the photo those curtains at the end of the bed? That is where the closet doors used to be. Now the closet doors are stored in the pantry closet and we use these canvas covers to hide the clothes!
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DATE: 03/05/2002 08:24:46 AM
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I like the glass-fronted dish cabinet above the sink. It's nice to see the colors of the dishes together.
Japanese kitchens have been, in my experience, universally unattractive. This one is a mix of unmatched beiges with decorative tiles featuring some sort of brown wildflower. The previous kitchen had dark wood cabinets, white formica flecked with gold, and red vinyl bricks. Before that we cooked in a Brady Bunch green kitchen.
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DATE: 03/06/2002 08:49:15 AM
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Gaia is a wonderful natural foods store. Ironically, we found it on our way to Kua Ai'na, a hamburger restaurant near Shin-Ochanomizu.
Tod calls it the "deadhead yaoya" because of the music they play, but I think of it as another one of the "crazy food stores" we've enjoyed since our friends introduced us to not-cheese, not-milk, and not-meat a dozen years ago.
In addition to the requisite not-products, they carry excellent bread, all sorts of grains, legumes and cereals, and plenty of vegetables and fruits. I found mikan blossom honey, carob cookies and herb teas. Tod says there's wonderful soap in the basement.
I bought millet, bread and mikan and already anticipate going for hamburgers again soon. Which place is an excuse to visit the other, I'm not sure.
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DATE: 03/07/2002 10:38:32 AM
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Brendan's trying to look less crazy than usual. He was featured in this February's Journal, a publication of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. The article was good, but the accompanying photo makes him look like a certified madman. I'm happy to prove with this snapshot that he isn't a madman, just a nut.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Maison Commode
BASENAME: maison_commode
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DATE: 03/08/2002 08:56:16 AM
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You've really got to wonder what possessed the owner to choose this name. No matter whether someone intended 'commode" to mean a chest of drawers or a toilet, this doesn't conjure up a pleasant living space!
Was it a joke? Probably not, as "commode" means convenient in French. Convenience is a favorite concept in Japan; you see it in plenty of nonsensical ad copy. Heartful convenience life. Your convenient life. Let's convenient.
Convenient or not, Maison Commode has the look of a bathroom fixture, with its rounded corners and metal trim. The cracks around the windows are an added asthetic bonus. I wonder where the toilet paper goes?
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A bathroom-inspired apartment building
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TITLE: This is the most
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DATE: 03/09/2002 09:56:42 AM
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This room is long and narrow. Tod's portion includes the closets and the area near the door. I've got the other section, somewhat larger, over by the patio door. There are wires and cables everywhere--a small problem that we must fix. I hate cables.
We located the hot water pot on our computer rack between the scanner and fax. Clever? Maybe, but there is no room for it in the kitchen, so it had to go here. It's very convenient for a quick cup of tea, but I worry a bit about spills. Our server and my tape drive sit directly below the hot water.
If you've ever wondered what my workspace looks like, here's a peek. Files, phone, monitor on a cardboard box, cardfile, well-thumbed dictionaries, coaster, lamp & lots of writing implements. And a chair with a blanket. I love my office.
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TITLE: When I'm not in
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DATE: 03/10/2002 10:33:13 AM
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Today we're teaming up with Tokyo PC User's Group for a computer troubleshooting session. We've invited members of both groups to come ask questions about hardware and to get assistance with memory upgrades. I'm not sure what to expect, but I know it will be fun to mingle and be geeky.
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TITLE: It's tax time here
BASENAME: its_tax_time_here
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DATE: 03/11/2002 10:13:48 AM
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It's tax time here in Japan. National, city, and metropolitan taxes are due on Friday. Do I have any of mine done? No.
Last Friday, I went to our ward office to pick up forms but got so confused that I left with one form but no instructions. Trust me, you can't do this two page tax filing without instructions. So this morning, I will return for instructions and head over to the national tax office (just down the street) for the other set of paperwork I need.
I don't earn a lot of money, so my taxes should be fairly straightforward. But figuring out the instructions, which are in Japanese, will be a bit of a trial. Today I get the paperwork. Tomorrow I read the instructions. Wednesday I fill in the forms, and Thursday I will file. And if my plan goes awry, I have until Friday to get it back on track.
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TITLE: A million yen sounds
BASENAME: a_million_yen_sounds
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DATE: 03/12/2002 10:57:10 AM
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A million yen sounds like a lot, but doesn't go far when you're doing taxes.
My gross income was just over a million yen which makes my taxable income about 450,000. Subtracting out the deduction of 380,000, I should be taxed on only 70,000 yen of my income. (That's about $500).
I've already paid about 100,000 yen in taxes, so if I understand these forms and calculations correctly I think I'll be getting a refund from the national government.
Note to self: don't plan to get rich as a writer.
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TITLE: Just around the corner
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DATE: 03/13/2002 11:23:48 AM
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He lived to 94 years old and was full of aphorisms: Laughter is the gate to happiness; a laugh rejuvenates, a frown ages; pressing the human body stimulates the fountains of love. What a great guy.
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TITLE: We broke the toilet
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DATE: 03/14/2002 05:41:38 PM
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We broke the toilet seat. Maybe it was already broken and we just noticed it. Or perhaps (most likely) it was about to break and our big, gaijin butts were the straw that broke the camel's back and cracked the plastic seat.
Having just moved into this new building, I figured I'd better ask the managers what to do. So I went downstairs to the front desk and learned a new word, benza, which means toilet seat. Takada-san came up, took a look and said they'd fix it. Just please wait a while.
So now I'm waiting. And trying to figure out how I can work benza into a conversation so that I remember it forever.
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TITLE: Almost blooming
BASENAME: almost_blooming
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DATE: 03/15/2002 01:23:14 PM
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The sakura are almost ready to bloom. The buds are huge and swollen but not quite popping out yet. Wednesday or Thursday next week, I'd guess. That's about ten days earlier than usual. I'm looking forward to walking under the pink clouds of trees that give up their petals within a few days of blooming. Looks like Spring is really here.
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TITLE: Documented work
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DATE: 03/16/2002 07:58:08 AM
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The sign notes the date and location as well as cryptic notes. This one says ikegaki karikomi nezumimochi 4/m in chalk. Ikegaki karikomi means "hedge trimming" But as far as I can tell, nezumimochi is not a real word. Nezumi means mouse or rat. Mochi is a sticky rice cake. Perhaps it is a gardener's codeword for a style of cutting.
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TITLE: Library cards
BASENAME: library_cards
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DATE: 03/17/2002 10:02:23 AM
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We took a long walk yesterday and discovered a small library not too far from our house. We stopped in and marvelled at all the books: a huge children's collection, cookbooks and magazines on the first floor; music, novels and non-fiction on the second floor. Mainly in Japanese, of course.
We decided that we'd get library cards. The librarian was a little bit flustered when we wrote our names in English. But with the help of her colleague, she got us sorted out and presented us with cards that allow us to take books from any of Bunkyo's twelve libraries.
Having a library card makes me feel really settled in.
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TITLE: Blossoming
BASENAME: blossoming
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DATE: 03/18/2002 07:21:14 AM
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Our long walk took us along the Kanda river near Edogawabashi. The park there is lined with cherry trees that hang over the water. So beautiful!
The trees should be in full bloom later this week. I wonder if the season will last until next weekend; once they start to blossom the trees get it over with pretty quickly. The local sakura matsuri are all scheduled for early April--about 2 weeks from now--I think the trees will be green by then!
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TITLE: Poop dick?
BASENAME: poop_dick
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DATE: 03/19/2002 08:51:52 AM
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"Does that say 'poop dick'?" Tod asked incredulously as he read the Japanese sign above the street. I sounded it out, then discovered a second sign with English to confirm it.
What were the owners thinking?
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TITLE: Dwelling names
BASENAME: dwelling_names
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DATE: 03/20/2002 10:17:13 AM
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This is a pretty typical Tokyo apartment building--six blocky stories of yellow brick, dark brown trim, and not a mountain in sight.
I would like to own apartment buildings to that I can give them names. I'd try to base them on some realities of Japanese dwellings.
Tonight, we'll feast on our traditional Spring dish--grilled mushroom sandwiches with handmade herbed mayonnaise. I hope Tod remembers to buy a new grill today...
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TITLE: I just finished day
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DATE: 03/22/2002 10:16:15 PM
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I just finished day 2 of a five day drawing class at Right Brain Research and my brain is switched over into R-mode; the logical left side is almost shut down. I see the shapes of everything--it makes it difficult to type because I notice the spaces between the keys and the pattern of letters on the screen.
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TITLE: Bunkyo weather
BASENAME: bunkyo_weather
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/23/2002 07:18:36 AM
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If you're ever curious about the weather in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, you can check out Yahoo Japan's Bunkyo pinpoint weather page.
I love this page because it's so granular. Forecast, temperature, anticipated precipitation, and wind are shown in three hour increments. It's updated four times a day and it's almost always correct. I'm looking forward to a warm, sunny afternoon though it's cloudy and grey right now.
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TITLE: PM house needs name
BASENAME: pm_house_needs_name
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/24/2002 07:10:00 AM
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There's a naming contest going on. The Prime Minister's new residence needs a name.
"It would be good if it will have a name like the White House in the United States. Let's look for one," Yasuo Fukudama, chief cabinet secretary, said on Wednesday.
What great timing. I might suggest something from my list the other day....
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TITLE: Drawing jetlag
BASENAME: drawing_jetlag
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DATE: 03/25/2002 10:45:23 PM
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Last Thursday, Kristin told the drawing class, "The day after the workshop ends, you'll feel really jet lagged. Like you've been on a long trip."
I thought that was an exaggeration but she might be right. I feel like I've just stepped off a 12 hour flight. I'm tired after all this right brain drawing. Tomorrow I'll show you what I've done. For now...sleeeeep!
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TITLE: Before/after drawings
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DATE: 03/26/2002 01:06:31 PM
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romaine lettuce
Sheza- Sarada
leaf lettuce
The highlight of the preview was the Robot Parade on the MegaStage. All of the press corps photographers crammed in to get video and stills of the popular robots. I managed to wedge myself right in the front between TBS (a TokyoTV station) and Kyodo (a Japanese news wire). My tiny digital camera looked pretty silly compared to the professional equipment surrounding me, but I truly did not care. I got a few good shots, so I'm happy.
The Robodex staff are dressed in white; they look like nurses. In more than one case, they needed to assist their mechanical charges. One robot shed parts as he moved down the catwalk and had to be pushed back home. Another of the robots wouldn't wake up when called. Oops. They aren't as reliable as they need to be, yet, but they'll get there eventually.
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TITLE: Family birthday clusters
BASENAME: family_birthday_clusters
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/29/2002 08:30:27 AM
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Why do family birthdays seem to cluster together? Are there genetic cycles of fertility? My niece, Helen, turned ten on Wednesday; today is my sister's birthday; mine is in three days. My in-laws have birthdays mainly in late autumn except for my husband and our nephew who share a birthday in early May. It's odd.
It works out nicely, though. Aside from being convenient for gifts and cards (I never forget these birthdays!), it can be fun, too. When I was 9 and Jenn was 6 we shared a birthday party. My friends sat on the side of the cake that showed 9; hers were seated so they could see 6. I don't think we can do that number trick again, but maybe someday we'll share another party.
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AUTHOR: Angie
EMAIL: psycochic86@yahoo.com
IP: 216.214.203.241
URL:
DATE: 01/14/2003 10:06:46 AM
I think it's just a coincidence in your family. I know the birthdays in my family are not like that, along with many others I know. I highly doubt it has to do with anything scientifically. After all it's up to the couple when(around when) to have their child.
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TITLE: Rich man, poor man
BASENAME: rich_man_poor_man
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 03/30/2002 09:16:03 AM
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Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief. Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief.
What do I want to be when I grow up? I must be going through a career crisis at the moment. Yesterday I spent 7 hours programming and documenting 21 lines of PHP code. It was fun, but difficult. Last week, I had a feature article published in Metropolis to supplement the twice monthly technology columns I write for them. I have leanings toward doing more digital film and submitting something to AtomFilms. And I might get to teach kids' art classes this spring for RBR.
Does any of this fit together? Where are my skills and preferences taking me? Could I earn a real living from any of this?
The Magic 8-ball says "Reply Hazy, Try Again."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sushi
BASENAME: sushi
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 03/31/2002 10:04:55 AM
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Last night, a middle aged man and his cheery, white haired mother sat at the end of the counter near us. As they left, the elderly sushi chef called out to the woman, "Grandma, I work the early shift on Tuesdays and Wednesdays." They were of similar age--was he hoping she'd meet him when he got off work?
Around the bend of the counter, a couple in their early twenties ordered ala carte. The fashionably dressed, neatly coiffed woman looked slightly ill at ease as her date slouched over and ate with gusto while proclaiming opinions about the food. I'd say these two are not well suited to each other.
But the man and woman next to me certainly were. They ate quietly, sharing their selections and ordering things I'd never seen before: a literal pile of sashimi tidbits; a soft, pale beige eel served with ginger and sesame seeds; a gorgeous crab lag twice as long as the plate it rested on. They knew what they were ordering and enjoyed every morsel.
I enjoyed my steamed shrimp sushi and pickled gourd rolls as I people watched.
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AUTHOR: Ron Valle
EMAIL: rvalle@japanvortex.com
IP: 219.109.192.74
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2003 01:47:37 PM
Hello, I enjoyed your writings. I was hoping you could give me directions to the Edokko Sushi shop @ Kanda.
Thanks
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2003 01:58:39 PM
For anyone wishing to go, the details are:
Edokko Sushi (honten), (03) 3258-1217, 3-22-5 Uchikanda, 11:00-22:00, closed Sun.
Edokko Sushi (naka), (03) 3258-6139, 3-19-10 Uchikanda, 11:00-22:00, closed Sun.
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TITLE: pi-pi-pi-pi
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STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 04/01/2002 07:22:06 AM
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>>pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi<<
"What's that noise?" I groggily asked Tod as he groped for its source in the dark.
"Uh...." he fumbled then found it. "It's my keitai alarm. Happy Birthday! Hahaha, I set that months ago."
We celebrated with a midnight snack of ice cream then fell back asleep.
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TITLE: Random names
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DATE: 04/02/2002 07:22:24 AM
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Most buildings in Koishikawa are similar in their size and tenancy and even the distribution isn't too unusual. Once again, I'm left wondering why they selected this name.
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TITLE: Civic view
BASENAME: civic_view
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DATE: 04/03/2002 09:00:04 AM
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The view from the top of the Bunkyo Civic Center is really beautiful. It's the highest building around and has a semicircular viewing lounge and restaurant on the 25th floor. We dined there last night and got a bird's eye view of our neighborhood and the metropolis.
To the west, the Shinjuku skyscrapers huddled together like very tall sheep, herded by the brilliant neon of the sleezy Kabukicho nightclubs. To the north, a vast, seemingly infinite expanse of low residential neighborhoods twinkled. The huge Ferris wheel at Odaiba peeked out between the business district skyscrapers in Otemachi and at 8:30 we watched the fireworks from Tokyo Disneyland, way off in Chiba.
We also spied another "tall restaurant" and made plans to thread our way through the city, eating in upper floor restaurants we can see from the one we're currently in. We have some spectacular views in store for us.
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TITLE: Cogaru Club
BASENAME: cogaru_club
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/04/2002 07:38:21 AM
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What's Cogaru? According to Jeffrey's Japanese-English Dictionary she is an "obsessively trend-conscious teen-age girls who may offer themselves for enjou kousai [ aka "compensated dating"] with older men in order to finance their lifestyle."
This leaflet appeared in my mailbox last night. In addition to listing off the sexual treats in store for the customer, the ad claims that they are a specialist in slim schoolgirls. Home and hotel meetings. Low price, but we have good figures, manners, service, and confidence. Credit cards ok.
I've edited out the phone number. No girl needs a Louis Vitton purse that badly.
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TITLE: Shortly before I was
BASENAME: shortly_before_i_was
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/05/2002 08:35:44 AM
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Shortly before I was assigned to review it as part of the Peer to Peer Review Project, Kaye Ellis ended For Always. What a pity; Kaye is a promising writer. Her prose is clear and expressive with a strong voice that carries emotion. She has a natural gift that many 'blog writers lack.
In the mere seven posts available (apparently there are no archives), Kaye conveys a lot of information. A tribute to her grandmother, descriptions of her friends' searching for solace, and her own desire for job and art are balanced with frivolous musings about shopping and painting toenails. It leaves me wishing I had more to study. Kaye addresses her friends directly from time to time, noting tardy replies to e-mails or sending congratulations on new cars so I imagine she never planned for a wider audience to read this.
The design of the site is simple, but striking. The color palette echoes the dramatic cloud-spotted sky and Caribbean sea photograph she selected for the background image. A line of script along the horizon reads "and we'll dance on gilded wings where the sky meets the sea." White vertical boxes separate the periodic entries from a rash of buttons pointing mainly to friends' blogs and Orlando Bloom fan sites.
Perhaps Kaye will return someday when she feels the time is ripe and she is ready to reveal herself again.
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TITLE: I'm off to London
BASENAME: im_off_to_london
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
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DATE: 04/06/2002 06:03:37 AM
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I'm off to London this morning. The car to the airport is due to arrive in just over an hour. I'm ready, but now begins the race to get Tod up, dressed and out the door on time. He has coffee at his bedside, but I'm afraid it isn't working yet. In a few minutes I will break out the heavy artillery--English muffins.
I'm looking forward to escaping Tokyo for a little bit but it's odd to realise I'm traveling to a foreign country where I won't have to struggle with the language. I wonder if I'll speak Japanese by accident?
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TITLE: Home again, home again.
BASENAME: home_again_home_again
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/14/2002 03:52:17 PM
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London has really great sandwiches; British women all wear cosmetics; the Tube is ridiculously expensive; salaries are not commensurate with the cost of living in London; the ham in Buckingham (and Hampstead, Nottingham, West Ham) is from the Old English word for home; the growl of a Lancaster bomber flying over the city is ominous; multiculturalism and the class system exist side-by-side; candy vending machines are evil temptations; nobody else gardens like the British; police have a sense of humour and humanity unmatched elsewhere.
And I did speak Japanese. On purpose. Once.
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TITLE: Comparisons
BASENAME: comparisons
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CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/15/2002 02:41:21 PM
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Getting away from Tokyo gives me a chance to make comparisons when I return.
For example,Tokyo has much better subways and trains. London's Tube is small, dirty, and subject to lots of delays as old switching equipment fails regularly. The Tokyo subway system is efficient, clean and relatively inexpensive. But London's trains aren't as crowded as Tokyo's.
Water pressure in Tokyo is better than in London. Apparently, the London mains have fine pressure, but buildings don't use the mains--they put water in tanks on the roof and use that. So the pressure is pretty poor, especially in upper storey flats. This may not mean much to the casual vistor, but living without good water pressure makes showering and dishwashing lothesome chores.
Food is a draw. Althought British food has a reputation for being bland and fatty (and it's a well-earned reputation), London has a great variety of restaurants from around Europe. Japan has better native cuisine, but it's hard to find Polish or Greek food here.
Overall, with only a week's experiences, I certainly prefer Tokyo to London.
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TITLE: Connectivity
BASENAME: connectivity
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 04/16/2002 10:15:25 AM
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Our February phone bill arrived (26,121 yen). I must stay offline more. Right after I do some research on ADSL providers.
When we moved we had to switch our Internet connection over to the new apartment. Only it wasn't as simple as that. We had to reapply for ADSL service which meant a 4-8 week wait. When the company finally contacted us to arrange installation, we discovered they'd changed their policy and no longer offered the service we needed.
So now we're back to searching for a provider that will sell us what we want--24x7 high-speed 'Net connection that allows us to telnet into our machine at home. Ideally, not at a corporate rate which is about 10 times higher than residential rates. I'm sure there must be a service like this, but the trick is wading through the Japanese sites to find it.
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TITLE: Standing reading
BASENAME: standing_reading
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/17/2002 03:34:20 PM
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Thank goodness for tachiyomi. Literally "standing reading" it what everyone does in bookstores here. It's perfectly acceptable to stand at the shelves and read books and magazines. It's a great way to kill time.
I had some time to kill when Ben called to say he'd be an hour late meeting for lunch. He was having a rough day--cleaning, closing bank accounts, shipping boxes, final packing--as it turned out we didn't have time for lunch. Ben had to catch the Narita Express to the airport becasue he's moving back to California today. Another foreign friend bids a fond sayonara.
It's always hard to say goodbye. Maybe I should take a cue from those long-timers who only befriend foreigners with permanent residency.
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TITLE: Octogenarian croquet
BASENAME: octogenarian_croquet
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/18/2002 01:03:03 PM
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"Two tourists engrossed in their guidebooks and heading for the birthplace of Jesus Christ unwittingly wandered into the centre of a war zone on Tuesday.
"The Japanese couple were amazed to find that Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity was at the centre of a 16-day old siege between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen.
"Palestinian residents of Bethlehem looked on in disbelief as Yuji Makano and his girlfriend Mina Takahashi walked through the debris towards the church seemingly oblivious to the evidence of war."
TheJapanese couple explained that they'd been travelling for six months and hadn't kept up on the news. Hello? Bullet holes! Tanks! Journalists in flak jackets! Look around you, world travellers. Geeez.
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TITLE: Bono, I
BASENAME: bono_i
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/20/2002 12:20:42 PM
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My likeness to the rock star has been discussed before and I'm not entirely convinced. What do you think? I like Bono's style so I'm not complaining. It could be much worse. With my shaggy hair, Yoshi might have nicknamed me "buffalo."
There's no Japanese word for American bison type buffalo, but there is suigyu, which translates literally to water cow and means water buffalo. I prefer Bono to suigyu anyday.
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TITLE: Scary shellfish
BASENAME: scary_shellfish
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CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 04/21/2002 09:29:17 AM
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There are lots of esoteric things, too. Like this 7,000 yen ($53) ostrich egg. They had six of them and two seem to have been sold.
It might be better for self-defense. "Get back or I'll show you my giant shellfish! Any closer and I'll make you eat it!" For only 1,500 yen ($12), it's better than mace.
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TITLE: Scary shellfish ID
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 04/22/2002 10:56:46 AM
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Yesterday's scary shellfish is a geoduck, a giant burrowing clam. Pronounced gooey-duck, it digs three feet deep into sand and lives there for up to 150 years. Wow. The Washington State Department of Ecology has great information about geoducks, and if you're interested in cooking one, here is a recipe.
Thanks very much to Lisa Kim and Kristen Elsby for clearing up my mystery.
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TITLE: Bomb threat
BASENAME: bomb_threat
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/23/2002 09:30:39 AM
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Yesterday morning a bomb threat claimed the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Nomura Securities, and Tokyo Station would be blown up. They're still standing today; apparently it was a hoax. But here's an interesting point:
800 people were evacuated from the TSE while the police spent 30 minutes looking for bombs. Nomura's office building and the train station were not evacuated or disrupted in any way (though one must assume the police did check for bombs there). Why evacuate one and not the other two?
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TITLE: Feather duster
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/24/2002 11:02:11 AM
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The interface for entering your own musical ring tone is full-featured but tedious. I can make a five-part melody by keying in every note, the rests, sharps and flats in what seems like an andless series of button presses. But I want a ring, not a symphony, so I've devised a clever hack. I start the music interface and type in some words.
Without caring at all what the notes will be, I type in names or phrases. I've done this several times now, an they turn out surprisingly well, especially when I add a touch of harmony by using two voices of my 5-part allowance. My phone sings out "Answer me, answer me" like a calm, tinkling brook. I'm hardly startled at all anymore.
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TITLE: Five Dees
BASENAME: five_dees
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CATEGORY: Audio
DATE: 04/26/2002 09:00:08 AM
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On InterFM last night, the Five Deez were promoting their Japan tour & new album.
They are a four man rap frenzy. They were taking callers' names and mixing them into raps live on the air. The rhymes were brilliant. My favorites were for Tachiro--touch n'go & Casio. Quick thinking!
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TITLE: New product season
BASENAME: new_product_season
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/27/2002 10:14:19 AM
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In the late spring, all of the summer products start appearing on the shelves of conbini around town. Many of these new items are simply variations on a theme, taking a twist to accomodate whatever lifestyle fad is current. Last year it was blueberries and cranberries--drinks, chocolates, yogurt, ice cream, pastries. This year, it's too soon to tell what the theme is.
We must try the new things while we can--most of them will be one-hit retail wonders. Just like the sadly missed Jet, a gin-flavoured tonic soda from summer of 1996.
Its claims of "heart and body maintenance" really don't hold any weight when I see the "non-calorie, non-fat" notes at the bottom of the bottle. Combine that with the polka-dotted label and we can tell this is marketed to women despite the man wearing the leotard and bathrobe in the ads on the product website.
Concept-san (Mr. Concept) gets right in your face with its experimental nature, doesn't it? It's a notch up on flavor, a fantasia of grapefruit and sweet peach nectar that's not awful as it sounds. The label design is a carefully planned "we couldn't be bothered to make this pretty, because it's just a concept" look that probably cost Asahi a huge amount of money.
In addition to the usual panoply of vitamins and minerals, Concept-san includes citrate, malate and succinate which are meaningless without more detail but sound very important.
After trying them both, the verdict. WELL: will not buy again. Concept-san: might buy if feeling whimsically pseudo-scientific.
Coming soon: new summer candies.
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TITLE: Karaoke
BASENAME: karaoke
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/28/2002 01:26:53 AM
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I have a shameful admission. I've just lost my karaoke cherry.
I've lived in Japan for nearly four years and escaped the painful embarrassment of singing in a karaoke room until tonight. MJ & Yoshi, who are completely undeniable, suggested it at the end of dinner and we said yes.
It turned out to be a lot more fun that I expected. My voice sucks after years of disuse and I couldn't remember the tune to Army of Me for the life of me, but so what? Enough beer and I made my way through MJ's karaoke classic pick--Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack? Yikes! Worse yet, I remembered all the words...). Tod rapped Puff the Magic Dragon with lyrics so hysterical that our laughter drowned out his words. Yoshi sang Japanese pop and Seattle grunge with his usal elan. MJ is so cool she could sing anything and make it sound right.
So I'll be back to the karaoke room. Soon, I hope, and with plenty of beer.
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TITLE: Today is Greenery Day,
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/29/2002 10:18:18 AM
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This is the oldest park in Tokyo and was laid out by a Chinese landscaper for the Tokugawa clan in 1629. It's full of water and bridges, minature mountains, shrines and all of the wonderful variety of plants and trees that make Japanese gardens so enjoyable.
The name, Korakuen, comes from a Chinese poem and means "a pleasure afterward." The poem, as translated in the garden's brochure, is oddly discouraging. Be the first to take the world's trouble to heart, be the last to enjoy the world's pleasure. Doesn't that mean you'll be the one to shoulder the world's troubles the longest?
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AUTHOR: Cate
EMAIL:
IP: 195.92.67.70
URL:
DATE: 04/22/2003 05:56:54 PM
Maybe the second part of the line means you should enjoy the earth longer than anyone else, maybe take more pleasure from the earth than others, rather than be the last person allowed to enjoy all it has to offer?
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AUTHOR: ZoeLavonne
EMAIL:
IP: 66.119.33.135
URL:
DATE: 04/30/2003 12:06:13 AM
I think it means that if you are full of worry and fear about the world problems (or just the problems in your own life), you won't see or enjoy the beauty of the world that is all around you. In other words, if the first thing you see is the problems, then the last things you'll see is the beauty. Look for all the good things first, then the bad doesn't seem so bad. It will give you a different perspective on things.
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TITLE: All around the Yamanote
BASENAME: all_around_the_yamanote
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/30/2002 08:37:38 AM
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Despite the ads, I'd never seen the product anywhere. I expected to find it near the packaged sliced hams and sausages in the grocery cooler, but it wasn't there. That's because it was on the shelves with the SPAM and Vienna sausages.
It's surprisingly good for canned meat. It has the texture of shredded corned beef and tastes just like corned beef from the deli. It made a filling breakfast, fried up, topped with some melted cheese and egg, and served between slices of toast.
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TITLE: Good god, time flies.
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DATE: 05/01/2002 08:35:29 AM
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Good god, time flies. Is it really the first of May already? Seems like yesterday was oshogatsu.
Lately start of every month has been creating a bit of a panic in me. What have I done with my time? Did I accomplish anything last month? What am I going to do this month? What are my goals? Where am I going?
Choose "(d) don't know" for all of the above.
Ah well, I may be directionless and floundering, but I have a clean house, numerous interesting, wild, and silly friends, and I eat well.
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TITLE: Yoshi meets Shinzou
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DATE: 05/02/2002 08:19:05 AM
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Yoshi is balancing his wedding gift on his head. Aren't they cute?
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TITLE: Taste testing sweets
BASENAME: taste_testing_sweets
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/03/2002 09:44:52 AM
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This "sugar milk" flavored Petit Toast (118 yen for a 40 g cup) has the identity of a breakfast food but I'm not fooled. The toast nuggets are about an inch square and lightly coated with a sugar glaze on one side. They are pretty bland, which is a disappointment made more bitter by how cute and inviting the package is. Petit Toast also comes in "consomme" flavor, which I suspect would easily subsitute for a salad crouton.
The joys of Collon are not to be missed. I have a secret fondness for (vanilla) Cream Collon that dates back to my first trip to Japan. How can you lose with a creamy center, the texture of fluffy bakery icing, nestled inside a roll of
crispy wafer? Mango Citrus Collon (98 yen for a 60 g box) should be a winner but the flavor is too sharply acidic and lingers on the tongue with a tingling aftertaste. But I might be biased--I don't think mango goes well with the coffee I'm using to cleanse my palate.
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TITLE: Today is Tod's birthday
BASENAME: today_is_tods_birthday
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/04/2002 09:51:02 AM
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Today is Tod's birthday (his 33rd, though he swears he's only 31) and we have many festivities planned--mainly involving food.
First up, an American breakfast with eggs, bacon and toast to celebrate and to fortify for the day ahead. Then a cake to be decorated and other birthday surprises to be taken care of. Perhaps we'll take a walk after lunch, or watch a movie. Friends are coming for dinner; they're making lasagne, so I just have to do the appetizers, salad and bread before they arrive.
I think I'll go start the bacon...
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TITLE: Advance summer
BASENAME: advance_summer
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/05/2002 11:38:11 AM
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Today the weather is forecast to reach 28 degrees (82 F). It seems like a good day to break open the box of summer clothes. Although it's too early in the season for shorts, there are a few favorites that I'm looking forward to unearthing.
But it's also time to shop for there are two dresses that I've worn so frequently in the past three summers that they need to be replaced. I packed them and moved them to the new apartment exactly so I could find their replacements this summer. Shopping online is a bother and a half, but I know the clothes will fit when I buy at J.Jill and Eddie Bauer.
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TITLE: Japan's international affairs
BASENAME: japans_international_affairs
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/06/2002 08:56:47 AM
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As some examples, everyone complains when Koizumi visits Yasukuni Shrine, where the war dead are entombed. Diplomatic letters fly across the sea from the neighbors and complaints are strongly made and relations are strained.
The North Korean spy ship that sunk in Chinese waters after being fired on by Japan on the high seas might be raised--if China smiles upon Japan and says yes. But North Korea is pissed off that Japan would dare accuse them of spying (though the US military confirmed that the ship started out from North Korea). Who will China support?
I don't recall the US's neighbors being so tetchy about things.
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TITLE: Japan Gensuikyo
BASENAME: japan_gensuikyo
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/07/2002 08:35:47 AM
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Japan Gensuikyo is a national anti-atom bomb, anti-nuclear organization that was founded in 1944. They do grassroots awareness and fundraising for vicitms of nuclear war, nuclear testing, and disasters like Chernobyl. They call these people hibakusha.
Yesterday, they began their annual march from Tokyo to Hiroshima. They take a rather long route--curving around the country to spread the word--with plans to arrive in Hiroshima on August 4th, just before the anniversary of the bombing and in time for the 2002 World Conference against A & H Bombs.
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TITLE: Translating interview
BASENAME: translating_interview
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/08/2002 10:40:50 AM
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Translation is slow and painstaking work. Not my favorite, but I'm faced with an e-mail full of Japanese answers to my English interview questions.
It's easy enough to get the general meaning of text by reading for the nouns and verbs. but the nuances are in all of the joining phrases and particles. Using ga instead of wo casts the entire sentence in a different light. Conjugations are key, too. "Can not know" and "do not know" are close but not exactly the same, are they?
I need to quote this interviewee for my current article but in English, not in Japanese. So I'm sitting here with my dictionaries, grammar books and online translation aids trying to get the shades of meaning right. I will never be a professional translator, that's very clear!
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TITLE: Latte Disguised
BASENAME: latte_disguised
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/09/2002 08:01:33 AM
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Suntory's gone all out with its LonLon campaign website devoted to silly Flash games, clips from the TV commercials, a contest to win a keitai strap and some very kawaii LonLon wallpaper.
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TITLE: Custom birthday gift
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/10/2002 08:06:54 AM
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My mother's creativity comes through again in this pair of diminutive books. Inside are six tiny beer bottles and a china elephant. The end papers are decorated with elephants and beer steins, and the covers are made of mulberry paper. Would you guess that Mom's a master of theatrical props?
The gift box also contained two pairs of shorts. Mom's whimsy is tempered with praticality.
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TITLE: Stepped Down
BASENAME: stepped_down
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/11/2002 11:12:10 AM
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Today I breathe a sigh of relief. Last night, I stepped down co-leader of DigitalEve Japan.
I'm so proud of what the group has apccomplished during the last fifteen months. We've grown hugely from 90 members to almost 450. We hold events at least twice a month, publish a newsletter, manage a library of technical books, and have a fledgling mentoring program. It's really heartening to see women in IT coming together to share their experience and knowledge.
I was touched by all the compliments and thanks I got last night from members old and new. The steering commitee presented me a huge bouquet of flowers and I was applauded. It was a nice send-off.
But stepping down doesn't mean I'm abandoning DE-J. In fact, I'm not even leaving the "inner circle" of team leaders. I'll be leading the technology team. From now, I can focus my effort on the techn side of DE-J, instead of the general management of the group. MJ, our web content coordinator, is anxious to start hounding me to upgrade web stuff. And I'm ready and raring to go. The tech team looks like it will expand by a few members and we'll really get a lot of work done in the next few months, I hope!
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TITLE: While Snow
BASENAME: while_snow
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/12/2002 09:24:54 AM
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It's a classic place that could be 50 years old, or five. An L-shaped dining bar surrounds the tiny kitchen which is screened from view by a cabinet full of dishes and foods. Handwritten paper strips hang over the bar; each one bears a different menu item and price. Bottles of soy and other sauces, little jars of toothpicks, and napkins stand evenly spaced along the upper edge of the counter.
To the left of the counter, several low tables rest on a tatami dias under two paper-shaded windows. The room is dim and comfortable. And although White Snow's deserted on this Saturday afternon, we know they do a steady trade in the evenings--there are two dozen "keep bottles" on the shelves, mainly sake and a few whiskey, each with a date and its owners name written in indelible marker on the bottle.
Speaking of the gods of media, if you haven't read Neil Gaiman's American Gods, I urge you to try it. It's a dark, funny, and thought-provoking story of old vs new. A book certainly worth your time.
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TITLE: Cat in peril
BASENAME: cat_in_peril
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/13/2002 09:16:10 AM
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5 am. A cat is crying outside. Its wails echo through the neighborhood.
My dark, sleepy mind conjures a sad scenario--a young cat, abandoned by its owners, stuck in the gully where the Marunouchi line runs, unable to climb out. The trains haven't begun for the day. I imagine phoning 119 to report this. Then wonder if they would help. What would I say? I think of words in Japanese. They don't really make much sense.
The wailing become hoarse as the cat continues to seek help.
I rise from my bed and step out onto the balcony. The source of the crying is a block or two away, and low. Maybe on the tracks. Maybe on the streets above the tracks. But I am not dressed for the morning's grey drizzle and I step back inside and close the door.
Should I have gone to save the cat? Later, after coffee and a shower, the trains are bringing commuters from the suburbs. I don't hear the cat again.
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TITLE: BSE again
BASENAME: bse_again
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/14/2002 07:45:51 AM
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Just when I was starting to think it might be safe again, another Hokkaido cow tested positive for BSE. It's been five or six months since the last known mad cow. Good thing I'm not overly fond of beef.
But I was looking forward to some yummy yakiniku on our grill this summer. Oh well, my Korean barbecue can wait. Maybe next year...
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TITLE: My head hurts
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/15/2002 08:10:15 AM
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Today I'm going to complain about the symptoms of migraine, since that's pretty much all I can focus on this morning. I am nauseated, everything sounds too loud, and light is much brighter than it ought to be. On top of that, I feel stupid and slow.
Don't ask me to remember anything important, to speak fluently in any language, to move gracefully, or to concentrate on a task for more than 45 seconds.
Fortunately, I have shiatsu scheduled for this morning and no deadlines today. I think I'll go lie down now.
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TITLE: Tropical tastes
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/16/2002 09:44:43 AM
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This is a cleverly designed device. It's a torch head that fits onto a standard "gas bombe" canister. That makes is very convenient for refueling since you can buy canisters of compressed gas at every convenience store. The torch uses it up pretty quickly (about 35 minutes of wicked-hot flaming per can) but if you're just lighting a fire, it lasts for quite a few grilling sessions.
No doubt the blowtorch could be used for other things, but so far it's just our grill-lighter. Maybe I'll experiment this weekend with some creme brulee or lampwork beads.
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TITLE: Tax office efficiency
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/18/2002 06:26:51 AM
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Yesterday I went to the tax office; I needed to pick up a copy of a form I'd failed to fill in at tax time.
I pondered for a moment over which office to enter--the none of the complicated kanji combinations on the directory in the lobby exactly matched the one on my letter--and finally decided to choose the office closest to the front door. It was a good choice.
A young man leaped up to help me and handed me the form I needed. As I moved towards the end of the counter to fill it in, he gestured me to the center of the counter, saying there was more room there. Then he proceeded to find me a sheet of carbon paper and clipped it between duplicate forms.
After I'd finished filling in the form, he looked it over, then reached down to a closed file box at his feet and pulled out my tax return. He checked everything over, made copies and told me that my refund would be transferred to my bank account in June or July.
Now that's good service.
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TITLE: Caution, subtitles
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/19/2002 09:33:02 AM
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In video stores in Japan, foreign movies make up the bulk of films for rent. And they come in two varieties: dubbed in Japanese and subtitled in Japanese. Which means the unwary English speaker sometimes ends up with a subtitled movie where the original language isn't English.
As an example, we rented Jackie Chan's Accidental Spy. It incorporates Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Turkish, English, and French. Fortunately, the key plot points are given in English by a reporter who seems to turn up exclusively to do so. And it's not necessary to follow the plot in a Jackie Chan movie--it's the action sequences that are the fun, anyway.
I'm usually pretty careful to check the "country of origin" on the tape, since that's the only clue about which language the film's in. Accidental Spy fooled me completely--it had the English title (instead of the Chinese one) and I didn't check!
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TITLE: Children's procession
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DATE: 05/20/2002 08:41:47 AM
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As it turns out, the drumming came to us. We left the building, we saw a parade of children and parents pulling a little shrine at the end of our street. They were just turning the corner and heading towards us.
Realising my camera was still upstairs, I dropped my bags, grabbed my keys and dashed. I sprinted up the stairs, ran into the office without taking off my shoes (I'll have to clean the carpets extra well today!), and made it back downstairs just in time to snap a couple of pictures. The kids looked like they were having a good time, especially the girls beating the drum. The fathers who were doing the bulk of the pushing and pulling looked a little tired--it was warm yesterday and they'd just come up a hill!
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TITLE: Denzuin
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/21/2002 11:41:48 AM
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Ack! It's 11:45 in the morning and haven't blogged yet today. I've been caught up in writing an article and answering e-mail. Now I have to leave to go wave a dead chicken at MJ's computer so forgive me if all I give you today is a photo series. This is Denzuin, an old and famous temple near our house where Tokugawa Iseyasu is entombed.
Yesterday's chicken-waving session with MJ didn't yield any useful results and today I'm in my office fighting with Premiere 6. It doesn't work with OS X at all, so I have to boot into OS 9 and run it there. It works, but what a pain.
I can't wait til all my apps are OS X native. Maybe then I'll blog on time again.
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TITLE: Food news
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/23/2002 09:29:00 AM
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Two articles in today's news:
Police raid firm in Mister Donut case The juxtaposition generates amusing ideas about what the Food Agency is doing. Covert food ops, no doubt.
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TITLE: Astronomy links
BASENAME: astronomy_links
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 05/24/2002 07:43:20 AM
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Living in a city, I don't get to see the night sky, so I content myself with NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day and take delight in reports like today's about an image of the universe (pictured here) just 300,000 years after the Big Bang (that's about 15 billion years ago) from the Cosmic Background Imager.
Maybe someday I'll be a space tourist. Until then, I've heard that there's good stargazing along some of Japan's coasts.
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TITLE: Get me out of here
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/25/2002 08:42:10 AM
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In the first two years we lived here, we often went for hikes or short trips on the weekends. We travelled all over Japan on these little jaunts.
But the last two years have been more settled--on the weekends we have social engagements, work commitments, volunteering activities, meetings. So we don't just go away any more.
But I miss travelling and seeing new things. There are so many places in Japan that I haven't been and many that I'd like to revisit. I must start planning now...
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TITLE: My kitchen sings
BASENAME: my_kitchen_sings
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/26/2002 09:01:22 AM
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My kitchen sings a symphony of morningtime domesticity.
The watery swish and thump of the washer sets the tempo for an 18 minute concerto. The coffemakers clucks and chirps melodiously. The psst of spray cleaner on the countertop, whisper of sponge, and the legato smoothness of water from the tap join in the chorus. The tinkle of last night's late night glassware set in the drainer accompanies the mellow clunk of ceramic mugs ready for the finale.
Just before the washer ends the program with a shrill warning beep, the coffemaker gives its highly anticipated solo performance in a last, throaty boil and the mugs beat a one-two timpani as they are set down for filling.
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TITLE: Sapporo Lion Ginza
BASENAME: sapporo_lion_ginza
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/27/2002 08:28:50 AM
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From the street, it's pretty unremarkable, just another Sapporo Lion beer hall with a display of plastic food in a big, modern building.
But stepping inside this place was a surprise. This beer hall was designed and built by Eizou Sugawara in 1934. It's gorgeous. It's an art deco cavern. At the far end, a tall bar made of German marble and flanked by five foot tall planters (no plants anymore, but the historic photos showed them brimming with foliage) is the hub of action. On the wall behind the bar a mosiaic of glass tiles depcits half-nude women harvesting wheat. Grapes hang above them and in the distance is a brewhouse.
The ceiling of the room is stone. Once white, it's been aged to a patchy, nicotine brown. But the discoloration doesn't diminish its beauty. The stone weeps in intricate layers of angular forms downwards, forming pointed archways and capping the green-tiled columns that support the ceiling.
The walls are covered in brown tile, with large glass mosaic still lifes between each column. It was apparently extremely challenging work to create the glass and the art; the restaurant's own description said it was done through trial and error. The experiment was successful--the mosaics are charming.
The lighting is delightful. Two rows of large, frosted glass globes etched with overlapping circles run down the center of the room. Attached to the angled part of each column, just above where the stone meets the tile, is a light fixture of extreme beauty. Six frosted glass globes--some white, others pale blue, rose or green--hang from a wooden armature that looks like a double cross. The hanging pieces are made of wooden cubes and plum-sized colored glass beads. It's a shining example of Arts & Crafts style.
The floors are tiled in blocks of colors that look like throw rugs. Pale green, bright blue, brick red, black and white dominate and all are pockmarcked and cracked. But considering that this building rode out the war and numerous earthquakes, a cracked floor is almost expected.
I'm kicking myself for not having my camera with me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Unveiling mediatinker
BASENAME: unveiling_mediatinker
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 05/28/2002 01:30:38 PM
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It's been well over a year since I registered my domain but haven't worked on a site for it...the shoemaker's children and all that. Today I've completed my professional website, to complement my personal site and this one.
I'm pleased to unveil media tinker. It needs some additional tweaking, but it's "done enough" for you to take a look. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
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TITLE: Container gardening
BASENAME: container_gardening
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/29/2002 09:02:35 AM
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It gets my attention every day. I water it, pluck dead blossoms and harvest herbs for dinner. It pays me back by bringing a smile to my face when I brush my hands across the scented plants.
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TITLE: 2002 FIFA World Cup
BASENAME: 2002_fifa_world_cup
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/30/2002 09:48:30 AM
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The 2002 FIFA World Cup starts tomorrow. The papers are full of articles about hooligans and what's being done to avoid trouble. Extra police are on alert, of course.
To support that, pachinko parlor owners have agreed not to install any new machines during the World Cup because the law states that police must be on hand for such installations, so this frees up a few patrolmen for Cup duties. How quirky!
In a positive spirit, one town council printed up a pamphlet for shopkeepers with tips and phrases to help them greet visitors (including "England are a great team" spelled out in katakana.) I've noticed more signs and directions for visitors--little "Welcome to Tokyo!" stickers on the train doors, and a multi-lingual poster explaining the guide symbols in the subway system.
There's a special "hooligans" list that Immigration authorities are using to check all incoming visitors. Two British men on the list were turned back from Turkey earlier this week; yesterday another one, arriving from London with 175 game tickets was deported. A few men from Mexico were arrested for attempting to steal someone's wallet.
The general press is full of stuff like this--but not too much info on the upcoming matches, the rivalry between teams, or why this is at all important in the world of sport. And not a word of what's going on in Korea, where the tournament is being co-hosted. Maybe I'm just not reading enough of the Sports section.
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TITLE: Desk Inventory
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/31/2002 10:51:09 AM
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I should be polishing an article that's due, but I'm distracted by the number of things on my desk. Here's an inventory:
The DigitalEve Japan steering commitee got together last night at Pizza Express, a British pizza chain, in Harajuku. We arrived at seven and had the restaurant to ourselves for about half an hour. The staff turned on the huge TV and we watched the opening ceremonies in Korea. We all cooed over "Kimutaku," one of the aging SMAP boys who was commenting on the ceremonies and Misa taught us a new word--menkui--a woman who likes attractive men.
As we ate and chatted, the other customers poured in and soon we were surrounded by 30-something foreign men, all dressed in football jerseys. As the volume of their conversations increased, we finished up our meal and scooted out just before the France-Senegal match began.
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TITLE: Early summer fashion report.
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/02/2002 09:52:58 AM
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Early summer fashion report. Gleaned from the streets of Omotesando
The box also explains that there are 12 different figures and each comes with a Hamster Facts card. The rice crackers are shaped like sunflower seeds and are made of 100% mochi rice, in case you should mistakenly think they are actual sunflower seeds.
My figurine is Roborovski's Hamster. I bet he's annoyed that I ended up with it. What a silly snack.
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TITLE: Tree trimming
BASENAME: tree_trimming
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/04/2002 08:31:04 AM
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Tree trimming in our back yard. From forest to manicured garden in a day. The veranda has become our extra, outdoor room--we eat breakfast and dinner out there, carry our laptops out to work and generally spend as much time as possible there. We've got charcoal arriving on Friday, so we'll be set to grill this weekend. Soon enough it will be tsuyu and we'll be soggy with the rain.
Last night we tried a Mexican restaurant in Ochanomizu and on the way home, paused on a bridge over the Kanda River to take this photo looking towards the train station and Akihabara. It was about 9 pm--look at all the people on the train platform! They are heading home after spending dinnertime at sports bars watching Japan's first game in the World Cup (it was a 2-2 draw against Belgium).
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TITLE: Traditional gate
BASENAME: traditional_gate
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/06/2002 09:00:09 AM
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So far, I've managed to accomplish several things: visiting the gynecologist and mailing Seth's VCR to Vancouver count among the prominent items crossed off the list. Yesterday I came a big step closer to "get more exercise."
There is a jazz dance studio about a block from my house. I noticed their sign the other day, but didn't have time to read it to see if they teach adults. When I went back with more time, the studio was closed and the sign wasn't out. But last night it was out and it said they do teach adults. In fact, they welcomed visitors into the studio. Of course, I almost didn't go in. "Oh, I'm kinda tired. I should get home. I'll check it out another day," ran through my mind. But I screwed up my courage and resolve and went up.
I stuck my head in the door to see five women in red t-shirts and black leggings taking a break. When I appeared, they looked a bit shocked. There was a flurry of "please come in" with noises in the background about "Where's sensei?" and " Does anyone speak English?"
They offered me a chair in the corner, handed me some info on the school, and went back to practicing. I had butted into the advanced class rehearsing for their happyokai (recital). I watched in delight for about a half an hour, chatted with the teacher about beginner classes and my dance background. I'm all set to start in ten days.
The school seems very relaxed and Misae-sensei was kind and patient with my stumbling Japanese. The dancers laughed with me when I explained that I was getting fat. I love dancing, though I'm not skilled, and these classes are just what I need to get into better shape.
So here's a challenge for you. Pick something on your "I'll get around to that soon" list and do it. I can promise you that you'll feel a weight lift.
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TITLE: Outdoor furniture
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/08/2002 10:55:36 AM
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I designed and built a simple table with a shelf and a door panel that's hinged along the bottom. The charcoal, blowtorch and other things are hidden behind the door. The upper shelves can be used for trays of food.
Working on this brought back lots of memories of doing woodwork with my father. He had a little shop in the basement and from the time I was 12 or so, I had my own tools. We built bookshelves, mainly, and also my childhood desk which was 8 feet long and 12 feet high. My bedroom had high ceilings and an excessive quantity of books!
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TITLE: Sunny backdrop
BASENAME: sunny_backdrop
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CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/09/2002 02:48:52 PM
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What a beautiful day. It's sunny, warm and not too humid. The perfect backdrop for a do-nothing Sunday. I've been reading, napping, and watching movies. I think I'll go for a walk soon and pick up some veggies to grill tonight.
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TITLE: Zousan.com
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STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 06/10/2002 07:08:15 AM
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They keep looking at the webstats to see if anyone has visited it, so if you have a minute, take a look and make them happy.
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TITLE: 23:56 on Kasuga Dori
BASENAME: 2356_on_kasuga_dori
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/11/2002 09:23:28 AM
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Kasuga Dori, the main street through our section of town, is lined with glowing red cones. They have been doing improvements to the undergrown conduits for over two years.
The end is in sight. Last night, they were snaking pedestrian traffic through corridors of cones and barriers so that the workers could lay bricks into the sidewalk. When they are finished and the trees are replanted, the area will be transformed.
But it looks so pretty at night. I think I'll miss it.
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TITLE: Otama-jakushi
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/12/2002 08:53:38 AM
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I cling to the small wonders of nature in my overly paved environment.
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TITLE: Construction flagmen
BASENAME: construction_flagmen
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/13/2002 07:56:42 AM
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Mechanical flagmen are pretty common, but they don't seem to take jobs from the human ones. Walking through this construction zone near Roppongi last night, there were six men pointing the way along the already well marked paths around the site.
The flesh-and-blood flagmen bow and ask you to be careful as you walk. They apologise for the inconvenience they're causing. Quite a contrast from the wolf whistles you'd get in the States...
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TITLE: Zousan.com wins
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STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 06/14/2002 08:14:33 AM
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I can't decide whether I'm thrilled or humiliated.
In the past 13 days, the Zous website has had 824 visits. Mine got only 166.That explains the possible humiliation.
On the other hand, I'm excited because zousan.com was mentioned on KininaruWeb, a Japanese site that shares links to interesting sites. The comment that accompanied the link was "No deep meaning, but very cute." That garnered about 250 hits.
I'm puzzled about where the other 550 visitors came from. I've got maybe 100 steady readers here, and I doubt you've visited the site five times each! The mystery may be solved over time because we're tracking the referring URL in our logs as of yesterday.
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TITLE: Bunkyo-ku merchants
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/15/2002 08:44:35 AM
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Last night, I filled up my first card. As a reward for spending 35,000 yen at the ward's independent stores, I get 500 yen off an upcoming purchase. It's not much of a prize really, but it's nice to get to know the local shopkeepers.
It took me 20 weeks to fill the card; that means I should see my next one filled in early October.
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TITLE: Soba gluttony
BASENAME: soba_gluttony
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 06/16/2002 08:45:11 AM
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Gluttony isn't so bad when it's all based on soba.
We tried a restaurant in Asagaya last night on the recommendaiton of a friend. We splurged on the 4,000 yen "all soba" course and were presented with eight courses, all involving buckwheat. Everything was astonishingly good and as each course arrived we declared it better than the last.
Three dishes really stood out. Soba miso is a unique presentation of soba grains mixed with salty-sweet miso paste, spread on a small wooden paddle and lightly grilled. It was accompanied by translucent slices of daikon and cucumber. We scraped bits of the miso off the paddles and wrapped a slice of daikon around it. Mmmmm.
My favorite was soba sashimi. There was no fish involved at all. Instead, it was triangular sheets of soba noodles served cold with a pile of shaved gobo (burdock root) and wakame (a sea vegetable). The dipping sauce was soy and wasabi and there was a sweet soy sauce as well.
If you want to go, the restaurant is tucked behind the Suginami City office at Minami-Asagaya 1-15-18.
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TITLE: 50 man parade
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/17/2002 10:04:07 AM
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Mariko Harada was only slightly taken aback by my strange question. She asked what park I lived near and promisd to check and call back. A few minutes later, I had an answer. Our park plays Yuuyake Koyake, a folksong about the evening sunset.
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TITLE: World Cup quarterfinals
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/19/2002 08:57:59 AM
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Well, the World Cup is quickly drawing to a conclusion. After a flurry of qualification games, the "round of sixteen is over and we're down to eight games remaining. I'm surprised at how much I've been paying attention. It's sort of fun, even if I don't understand the esoteric rules of big-league soccer.
The quarterfinals begin on Friday. Japan is out after losing yesterday 0-1 to Turkey. Although they lost, Japan should be proud that they made it so far; they've never been out of the qualifying rounds before. Yeah, Japan!
Korea won over Italy in double overtime 2-1 last night. It was an upset and the Italians looked so disappointed. But the Korean team was jubilant. How well will they stand up against Spain in the quarterfinals? I guess we'll have to wait until Saturday to see.
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/20/2002 08:10:40 PM
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My lucky husband got a ticket to tomorrow's US-Germany World Cup game in Ulsan, Korea. What a great chance! He's got a full day ahead of him with two flights, a reservation for a seat at a pub to watch the afternoon's game (England-Brazil) being played in Japan, then a taxi to the stadium for the match.
I'll be watching on TV, hoping to see his face in the crowd. Tune in at 20:30 JST and see if you can find him. :-)
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TITLE: Marunouchi beauty
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DATE: 06/21/2002 09:34:38 AM
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I love this tiny section of track. It takes about five seconds to traverse it, but the view is beautiful and on a sunny day, the sudden switch from darkness to light and back again is refreshing.
Tod called me from Korea to say he'd arrived safely and was watching the England-Brazil game at an Irish pub called "O'Kim's" before the evening's match but I didn't see him on TV later that night. I watched all the crowd shots carefully, but the cameramen seemed to like the scantily clad women and fans with full-face paint. I guess Tod's pedestrian American flag just wasn't worthy. I hope he had a good time.
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TITLE: Late Night Delinquency
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/23/2002 12:08:43 PM
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"I am seriously wigged out," Tod wrote to a friend on IRC at 3:20 this morning."Kristen and her friend MJ went out to the convenience store about an hour and 20 minutes ago (it is a 5 minute walk) and they are not back yet. There is no sign of them anywhere. I went to the convenience store and asked if they had been there...the guy remembered seeing them but offered no clues.They were just going for some cigarettes and breakfast foods. They were wearing their pajamas! They decided to go on a 'pajama run' to get smokes for MJ."
I was very contrite when we returned and found Tod still awake and so worried. He & MJ had egg on toast then I fell asleep and MJ went home. A silly drama with a happy ending.
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TITLE: With Africa Against povery
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 06/24/2002 08:10:12 AM
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All of the footballers in Africa (along with some FIFA executives and the heads of several African nations) signed a huge, 7 meter long banner in support of increased aid to the poor in Africa. The banner is now on display in downtown Tokyo outside Nakata.net Cafe for the duration of the World Cup and will be shipped to UN headquarters later this year.
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TITLE: Move or quit?
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CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/25/2002 11:23:50 AM
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If presented with a dilemma--follow your job to Singapore or become unemployed in Japan--what would you choose?
We've decided on unemployment. In about 30 days, the door closes on the current chapter of Tod's wage earning. It's a little bit scary, but it presents a million possibilities for new directions and challenges so it's exciting, too.
In the past, we've leapfrogged over one another when we change jobs. So I guess it's my turn to go earn bread! Anyone interested in hiring a writer/filmmaker, please e-mail me. :-)
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TITLE: Take that, smokers
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/26/2002 08:39:49 AM
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Japan is one of the most smoker-friendly places I've ever lived. So many people smoke here I forget sometimes what it's like to breathe non-smoky air. But one of Tokyo's wards just passed a new ordinance against smokers--the first one of its kind in the country.
As of October 1, Chiyoda-ku is banning smoking outdoors in busy places, like outside Akihabara and Ochanomizu stations. There will be a 20,000 yen fine for smoking in those areas. I don't know if the idea is to clean the air or minimize the litter of cigarette butts, but either way, it will make Chiyoda-ku a nicer place to be.
Chiyoda, Yes we love!
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TITLE: No more loanwords
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/27/2002 08:19:04 AM
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The education ministry is setting up a committee "to propose ways to prevent too many imported words from entering the Japanese language."
Spoken Japanese is a mishmash of Japanese and 'loan words' from English, French, German, Dutch & other languages. Rendered in katakana, often both the pronunciation and the meaning change from the original.
Are loan words necessary? There are plenty of Japanese words that are being forced out of service in favor of 'cooler' loan words. In those cases, loan words aren't necessary and only confuse things. But some words, such as computer terms, are new in every language. Why not use a common jargon in those cases?
The French have been fighting this same losing battle for decades. Maybe the education ministry should go have a chat with the people who tried to ban "le weekend."
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TITLE: Brand name fever
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DATE: 06/28/2002 08:55:09 AM
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On the other hand, there was a two-hour long line to get into the "super brand discount fair." Once inside, shoppers made a beeline for the booth that was selling expensive handbags. Here they are, crammed in ranks against a counter, looking at wallets under glass and the bags on display behind the counter. Even in discount stores, items as lowly as house slippers have "brand names" emblazoned on them--Lewis Vittal, Polo Pony, and other copycats.
I don't like perpetuating myths, but maybe brand name fever is truth.
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TITLE: Taxi phobia
BASENAME: taxi_phobia
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/29/2002 11:42:24 AM
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I have a phobia about taxis. Not being terribly fond of cars in general, I don't like trusting a stranger to drive me around town.
Maybe you can imagine how I was feeling when I was deposited at Ikebukuro at 1:15 am on the last train around the Yamanote line. I had a difficult decision: walk for an hour to get home along a route that's not too familiar to me, or hop into a taxi and be home in 10 minutes. I chose quick petrification over lengthy hiking.
Lots of other people wanted taxis, too, so it was about 20 minutes before I managed to flag one down. Thankfully, my driver was skilled and we even conversed in Japanese about the crowds after the last train, the weather, and my occupation.
I felt triumphant when I arrived home. I still hate taxis, but every positive experience makes the phobia a little less difficult.
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AUTHOR: Gracie
EMAIL:
IP: 199.74.93.220
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 12:02:06 PM
I am writing to tell you that you are not alone. I have this same odd, not completely explainable phobia of taxis. At times, like you, I have needed to confront this fear. Anyway, just wanted to say you have company in your fear.
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AUTHOR: Gracie
EMAIL:
IP: 199.74.93.220
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 12:02:09 PM
I am writing to tell you that you are not alone. I have this same odd, not completely explainable phobia of taxis. At times, like you, I have needed to confront this fear. Anyway, just wanted to say you have company in your fear.
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AUTHOR: Gracie
EMAIL:
IP: 199.74.93.220
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 12:02:21 PM
I am writing to tell you that you are not alone. I have this same odd, not completely explainable phobia of taxis. At times, like you, I have needed to confront this fear. Anyway, just wanted to say you have company in your fear.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gracie
EMAIL:
IP: 199.74.93.220
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 12:02:51 PM
I am writing to tell you that you are not alone. I have this same odd, not completely explainable phobia of taxis. At times, like you, I have needed to confront this fear. Anyway, just wanted to say you have company in your fear.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gracie
EMAIL:
IP: 199.74.93.220
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 12:03:14 PM
I am writing to tell you that you are not alone. I have this same odd, not completely explainable phobia of taxis. At times, like you, I have needed to confront this fear. Anyway, just wanted to say you have company in your fear.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gracie
EMAIL:
IP: 199.74.93.220
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 12:03:15 PM
I am writing to tell you that you are not alone. I have this same odd, not completely explainable phobia of taxis. At times, like you, I have needed to confront this fear. Anyway, just wanted to say you have company in your fear.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Countdown
BASENAME: countdown
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/30/2002 04:47:01 PM
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Shortly after Tod & I arrived in Japan, we saw a big billboard with a digital display counting down the number of days remaining until the 2002 World Cup. It was a lot of days in the future, why should anyone care?
In Shibuya this week, I noted a sign counting down the days to the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture. It's 1000 days from now. So what? When it rolls around, will we head out to Aichi to see it? Will we be caught up in the excitement of a big, international event in our backyard?
I'm not sure. But I've got to go prepare snacks now. The World Cup final kicks off in a little while.
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TITLE: Half-year
BASENAME: half-year
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/01/2002 08:13:14 AM
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Today marks the nominal half-way point of the year. It's even observed as a holiday in China and Thailand. In reality, the halfway point is July 2nd (the 183rd day of the year) but let's stick with the easy-to-remember start of July.
It seems like a fine reason to celebrate. What should I do to mark the occasion? Bake half a cake, maybe.
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TITLE: Adding comments
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STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 07/02/2002 08:12:15 AM
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To celebrate the half-year, I've added comments to my weblog. Thanks to enetation, you can talk back to my posts. I'm not sure if this is wise or foolish. Why don't you tell me? Click down there...
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TITLE: Julianne live
BASENAME: julianne_live
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/03/2002 08:49:17 AM
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Although I've heard her music recorded, I've never heard her live, so Tod & I met at the hotel after work and listened to a set. Julianne's music mixes ambient and ethnic influences with jazz. She plays piano and sings. Tod loved it--he even heard bits of things he's been experimenting with when he plays.
Julianne plays at the Artist's Cafe again on 7/16. If you'd like to join us, drop a note.
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TITLE: Naming hills
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/04/2002 08:19:11 AM
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Tokyo has a lot of hills with names.
Streets generally don't have names, but the hills do: Andozaka, Tomisaka, Dangozaka. A few of them are well-known for their neighborhoods or train stations--Kagurazaka, Nogizaka, Akasaka--and there are plenty that loan their names to busy intersections, but many are only etched onto historical signs dotting the local landscape. Who ever heard to Shichimencho-saka? Just the few people who've stopped to read the marker.
Some are named after notable Tokyo citizens; some names come from historical activities or local fauna. But it doesn't explain why hills have names and status, yet streets do not.
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TITLE: Rant on housing
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/05/2002 08:05:20 AM
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//rant on//
The Japanese real estate system is exceedingly frustrating. With Tod soon unemployed, we'll need to change our housing lease. Currently it is in the company name; now it will need to be in our name. That shouldn't be such a big deal since we have ample funds to cover the rent through the end of the contract.
But it looks like this is going to be a headache of massive proportions. The landlord doesn't like unemployed tenants. They'd prefer to deal with employer-held contracts. I'm not sure what they can do if we continue paying the rent...kick us out? On what grounds?
In addition to that issue, there's the trouble of a guarantor. Personal leases require a guarantor who is willing to disclose all of their financial details to the realtor and to vouch for us. It's like having Dad co-sign your first mortgage.
Guarantors aren't just for foreigners or first time renters. All renters who have leases in their names have guarantors. At what point are the Japanese allowed to become fiscally responsible adults? Maybe never.
//rant off//
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TITLE: Another all-night billiards session
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DATE: 07/06/2002 09:52:52 AM
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Another all-night billiards session.
This one is indelibly etched in my mind because I managed to sink all my balls and the eight ball before Tod dropped a single one of his. I won and Tod was subject to MJ's Aussie pub rules. He had to "drop trou" and run a lap around the pool table!
Fortunately, by 3 am the crowd in the pool hall had thinned but I think Tod made quite an impression. Maybe not as much as MJ did--they asked her name as we left at 4:30...
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TITLE: Zoupi
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CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/07/2002 08:49:55 AM
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How is it that Zoupi gets a holiday but I don't? I'm not sure, but at least his airfare was affordable--only 870 yen to Belgium via first class airmail.
We priced air travel for an August vacation for us humans. A round trip to the States with a few stops along the way came in at a whopping 198,000 yen (about $1,650) per person. Work committments forced us to cancel our trip, but maybe that's not so bad--it will cost half as much in September or October.
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TITLE: Son't say oriental
BASENAME: sont_say_oriental
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/08/2002 10:10:29 AM
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Yes, 'oriental' is outdated when referring to people from Japan, China, Korea and the scads of other Asian countries. Most people who keep up with these things use Asian instead. But is it necessary to pass a law to ban an unfashionable word? What words are next in line for being outlawed? Dude. Hottie. 'Rents.
If you really want to change vocabulary, you must manipulate the media or infiltrate popular culture. Make the use of 'oriental' embarrassing, painful, or otherwise personally disadvantageous and it will slowly disappear. Introduce Asian as the latest buzzword and it will spring to everyone's lips. "That cafe is so Asian; I could spend hours relaxing there!"
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TITLE: It's stopped raining
BASENAME: its_stopped_raining
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/09/2002 09:11:43 AM
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It's stopped raining. Yesterday's weather was hot and humid--typical Tokyo summer. We're due to have thundersorms over the next couple of days, but that's not a typical rainy season all-day drizzle. Looks like tsuuyu is over. If so, that was a very short rainy season.
Farmers rely on a long tsuuyu to keep the rice wet while the grains start to form. Not enough rain early on and the crop could falter or fail, driving up the price of rice in the shops. Rice is already expensive; a 2 Kg bag runs about 1,000 yen. That's about $1.85/lb compared to $0.80/lb in the US. Now in the US it's not a big deal since rice is a side dish but here in Japan rice is the main dish and everything else is a side dish!. So expensive rice is bad for the family budget.
Bring on those thunderstorms...
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/10/2002 08:48:23 AM
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"You have the capacity to learn from mistakes. You'll learn a lot today."
Thanks, Slashdot, for posting those words of wisdom and encouragement at the bottom of your page. I've been working on some video projects that are simple in concept, but tedious and frustrating in execution. My equipment is just not behaving.
Like I told MJ yesterday, for any big project involving tech you have to book in an extra two weeks for twiddling and tweaking software and going out to buy new hardware to make it all work. During this project I've lost a scan converter to the cruel, laughing gods of hardware and am stunned by the inadequacies of the DV editing software I've been using for the past 8 years. It's time to make some changes...I'm ready to learn a lot today.
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DATE: 07/11/2002 09:33:52 AM
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Floating parties on ships like these are a summer tradition dating back centuries. Poetry readings and courtly music have been replaced by karaoke, but the spirit is the same. It was fun to dress up in yukata.
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CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 07/13/2002 02:26:32 PM
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I forgotten how challenging it is to get a good balance of white space, graphic interest and all the contact details into a 91mm x 55 mm rectangle. But I think I like this design. Next time you see me, ask for a card.
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TITLE: The flow of holidays
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/14/2002 10:20:00 AM
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There are two holiday traditions in July. Tanabata is my favorite because it celebrates stars, love, and wishes and features fancy decorations. Obon is a festival for the dead. It's celebrated twice, in mid-July (traditional) and in mid-August (modern), so that people in Tokyo can go visit their hometowns and fete their ancestors as well as feasting the generations that grew up in the metropolis.
There is an actual national holiday coming up, Marine Day on the 20th, but nobody really seems to celebrate it. That's one of the things I love about Japan, nobody waits for the national holidays to celebrate.
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TITLE: Linguistic Deductions
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/15/2002 08:51:42 AM
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"Remain Heart is a funny name for a restaurant," I said as we approached this sign at Iidabashi station.
"Maybe they meant remain heartful," Tod suggested. In katakana English, heartful seems to mean 'loving and caring.'
"Maybe. But why is the picture a brain with a heart in it?"
"That's not a brain. It's a lettuce."
"Do you think they meant 'Romaine Heart'?"
"Aha, hearts of Romaine! Of course."
next week: deciphering the menu. stay tuned...
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TITLE: Healthy drinks
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CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 07/16/2002 09:36:29 AM
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The apple-sweet potato drink was a happy surprise. It was bright magenta and tasted like a really good autumn dessert. Sweet potatoes contain SOD, a super anti-oxidant, and this drink has 1,000 IU (way more than the recommended daily dose) so my skin should be glowing with fresh health very soon.
The soy-sesame-rice drink was not good. Enough said.
Two cans of mixed juices appealed to the artist in me: Orange Yellow Fruits and Vegetables, and Yellow Substantial Fruits and Vegetables. They were mainly the same juice, one with celery and one with pumpkin. Tasty and easy to drink. Perhaps the most striking thing about them was the English on the label:
. Contains various micronutrients and well balanced roughage. A pack of flavory juice just squeezed from fresh vegetables and fruits.
I should drink "flavory juice" every day.
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Flavory juices
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 4 years in Japan
BASENAME: 4_years_in_japan
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/17/2002 08:33:11 AM
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Today is the first day of our 5th year in Japan.
Fabulous has its downside, too. As we were walking home, a fat pimply man stepped in front of us, turned around and started walking backwards so that he could look me over top to toe. I glared at him and after a few steps, he turned away. The incident wasn't threatening, but it was a bit unusual. Maybe that's a taste of what it's like to be famous.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Collectible plates
BASENAME: collectible_plates
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/18/2002 08:24:04 AM
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Last night at Hakunincho Yataimura, a food court featuring really decent Asian cuisine in Okubo, we asked for extra dishes. What did they bring? A dozen "Cherished Moments Last Forever, Mother's Day 1981" plates. Two of us turned them over to see where they came from and laughed aloud to read "Made in Japan exclusively for Avon."
After dinner, I checked on the 'Net to see what I could dig up on Avon plates. They sell for $10 to $20 on the collectibles market and apparently for next to nothing out of some "ChEAp DIshEz" box on the street in Kappabashi.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Focus
BASENAME: focus
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/19/2002 05:24:45 PM
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Do you ever get so intensely focussed on something that you forget everything else? I can do that if I'm creating just about anything--writing, filming, drawing, photographing. Today I managed to lose the entire day while rebranding a client's website. I'm about halfway there now...I'll try to surface here with some interesting Japan tidbits tomorrow.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Underground
BASENAME: underground
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/20/2002 12:34:58 PM
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I've been reading Underground by Haruki Murakami. It's a work of non-fiction about the 1995 Tokyo Sarin Attack. Murakami interviewed people who were vicitms and members of the cult that perpetrated the attack and compiled them into a very compelling read.
The attacks occurred well before I came to Japan and I never really learned much about what had happened. Needless to say, my eyes are opened. A dozen people died and five thousand were injured by the poisonous nerve gas released on five trains during rush hour. The subway lines and many of the stations involved are on my daily routes around town.
Riding the subway the past few days and thinking about what happened seven years ago, I've been more aware of how vulnerable we all are to terrorism even here in this relatively safe country. You might think those musings are a little late, considering all the press that terrorism has been getting in the past ten months. Maybe so, but reading about the attacks from the view of individuals has given me new things to think about.
One big point is that it's not entirely wise to rely on agencies and services to save you in a crisis. Not that you can be prepared for every possible situation, but a broad knowledge of how to handle various disaster scenarios is probably good preparation. I realise that I lack a great deal of that knowledge. For example, I don't even know precisely where the nearest hospital is...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Matsuri dressup
BASENAME: matsuri_dressup
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/21/2002 10:11:05 AM
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Houzuki are old-fashioned summer flowers and every year there are stalls set up at shrines around the city to sell them and asagao which we know as morning glories. I remember houzuki growing in a neighbor's garden when I was a kid. So they are natsukashii even for me.
Flower and furin weren't all we took away. Two nice men took our photo as a souvenir and the staff at the register gave us a pen and a handkerchief printed with the festival flowers. It was quite a shower of presents. Maybe because it was the end of the day and they were getting ready to pack everything up or because we were the only customers. Maybe because even in this huge city our foreign faces are a novelty.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I found an inchworm
BASENAME: i_found_an_inchworm
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/23/2002 12:28:43 PM
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I found an inchworm creeping up the spearmint in my garden yesterday. Last week there was a slug slithering alongnear the thyme. A month ago, a caterpillar grew huge on my basil and parsley. Spiders love the bush basil.
I seem to be harboring a nice little ecosystem of plants and bugs. Quite surprising, really for a 2nd floor container garden. I've never seen a slug or an inchworm in Tokyo before.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Aircon fan
BASENAME: aircon_fan
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/24/2002 08:25:01 AM
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I am not a big fan of air conditioning. I feel trapped when I have it on. I don't want to leave my cool, dry room so I stay inside. Going outside--even to the veranda--is an expedition to the tropics. I've stopped running errands because it's too hot. Yesterday I felt a big sense of accomplishment when I walked for 6 minutes to the post office. That's pathetic!
Until the past few years, I'd never relied on air conditioning. I used fans in the summer. Or escaped into a cool oasis at work or shopping. That was encouragement to leave the house and I never minded returning home afterwards because home is always great, even when it's too warm.
Today, I am experimenting with the veranda door open and no aircon. I lack a fan, which makes a difference, but I'll try to keep the experiment going as long as I can today. And maybe later I'll go to the bank...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: London hours
BASENAME: london_hours
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/25/2002 11:48:18 AM
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Tod has been "working London hours" for the past week. Because he needs to communicate with his colleagues in London, he stays up late working at home til 2 or 3 am, then gets up at 10, works a little more from home and heads into the office at about noon or 1 pm. He heads home for a dinner break at around 7, and spends the rest of the night working.
He is a night person so this is an ideal schedule for him. I'm quite the opposite. Give me a morning and I'll get things done. By the time Tod's waking up, I've accomplished plenty on my To Do list but by 3:00, I usually want to stop.
When he started this (he's always up late working, but now the office let's him arrive late, so he sleeps late, too), I didn't think it would really make any difference to my schedule, since we don't interact too much during the day anyway. But it does. I seem to be staying up later myself, though I get up at my usual time. I need to adjust myself to this new routine, though I don't know exactly how...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Stamp rally
BASENAME: stamp_rally
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/26/2002 09:48:59 AM
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The game is to collect all the stamps in a special-purpose rally book. 2002 is the Corocoro Comic All-Star series featuring famous Japanese cartoon characters like Doraemon and the Pocket Monsters. In Hibiya station, I found this stamp--Kongo-kun, a former TBS anime character who now features in a Konami game called Muscle Ranking. I've never heard of him, but I suppose he's an all-star to the elementary schoolkids this stamp rally is meant to entertain.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Albrecht Durer's eyes
BASENAME: albrecht_durers_eyes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/27/2002 09:06:33 AM
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Anisocoria (the medical term for uneven pupil size) appears in about 20% of the US population. In my case, it appeared suddenly about a year ago and I think it's migraine-related. I wonder if Durer had a headache?
For more pictures of and by Durer, visit the Artchive. Take a look at his earlier self-portraits and check the eyes on the portrait of his father. Interesting.
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AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 192.25.240.225
URL:
DATE: 02/04/2003 10:46:06 AM
the left side of his face is in shadow, could this cause his pupil on that side enlarge to let in more light????
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AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 192.25.240.225
URL:
DATE: 02/04/2003 10:46:13 AM
the left side of his face is in shadow, could this cause his pupil on that side enlarge to let in more light????
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AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL:
IP: 151.201.119.201
URL:
DATE: 02/04/2003 10:09:00 PM
Normally the pupils stay even (in relation to one another) no matter what light is cast on each eye individually. Try it in a mirror to see for yourself.
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AUTHOR: Justin G.
EMAIL: jay.dro15@netzero.com
IP: 206.214.64.109
URL:
DATE: 04/18/2003 12:14:32 PM
My eyes are also like the ones in the picture. My left pupil is bigger than the pupil in my right eye. I just came out of no where? Dose anyone know why it might haved happened? Is it harmful in any way? Thank you for you help.
Thanx,
Justin G.
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AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: 3burnett@powerweb.net
IP: 64.118.40.88
URL:
DATE: 05/27/2003 05:18:09 AM
the migraine thought is interesting...my son was put on 100mg zoloft about a week ago and this seems to suddenly happened to him. he does have migraine headache episodes.
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AUTHOR: Jenifer
EMAIL:
IP: 65.24.216.194
URL:
DATE: 01/15/2004 06:25:44 AM
I also have experienced uneven pupils while on
zoloft. It seems to happen more at night
which makes sense because I take my zoloft in the
evening. Since coming down in my dosage now
50 mg I have not noticed the uneven pupils.
Jenifer
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AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 03/10/2004 12:13:59 PM
I first noticed my right pupil quite larger than the other about three weeks after having started taking Effexor XR. I did get a fairly bad tension headache in the muscles that go from my neck to the sides of my face and above my eyes that same evening. The next day the difference was slight, then in the afternoon the right one dilated a lot and sort of pulsed a bit when I looked in the mirror under bright light (as before), but no headache came. Fortunately. My doctor decided that it was due to the venlafaxine and switched me to Lexapro, but I'm wondering if it will cause the same effect, since you all have it from Zoloft, which doesn't affect norepinephrine as does Effexor. Also, I really liked the results I was getting from Effexor and hated to have to switch. If it is harmless, as one person's physician said, perhaps I can switch back. Any thoughts? THanks! It's a strange relief to find others with this uneven pupil dilation- misery loves company, I guess! ;) Seriously, I guess it's a good sign that none of us have been diagnosed with a tumor or some such! Knock on wood... :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Me
EMAIL:
IP: 218.214.57.152
URL:
DATE: 04/02/2004 12:55:16 PM
Maybe he just slipped while he was painting?
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AUTHOR: BOB Forman
EMAIL:
IP: 207.228.47.1
URL:
DATE: 04/03/2004 02:45:51 AM
This is so stupid. He was a bad artist. HE should draw the eyes the same. All people's eyes are the same. I Think he was drunk when he drew this. Look at his hand. It looks like there could be a bottle there. He was drunk and probarly also high. He was the first man to invent crack.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Frank
EMAIL:
IP: 207.228.47.1
URL:
DATE: 04/03/2004 02:46:47 AM
I agree with bob, Durer SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kathleen
EMAIL: kathleen@innovativefinancial.cc
IP: 65.33.216.229
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2004 09:22:08 AM
my son is now one (1) he has had uneven pupil dilation since birth. It is usually followed by irratic behavior like he's in pain (i.e. headache or migrain). I'm scared it could be something serious.... i'm supposed to watch for infant glacoma ?!?! but nothing else has surfaced.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kathleen
EMAIL: kathleen@innovativefinancial.cc
IP: 65.33.216.229
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2004 09:22:52 AM
my son is now one (1) he has had uneven pupil dilation since birth. It is usually followed by irratic behavior like he's in pain (i.e. headache or migrain). I'm scared it could be something serious.... i'm supposed to watch for infant glacoma ?!?! but nothing else has surfaced.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 05/04/2004 12:21:45 PM
I agree with Bob, Durer invented crack!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: cristine
EMAIL:
IP: 68.107.248.105
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2004 02:17:13 PM
Durer is phenomenal, so shut yer face ye non believers. i've noticed this uneven pupil dilation for the past year after having severe ocular migraines in my right eye only. It also occurs as do the migraines when I've consumed a lot of caffeine and used eye drops with an antihistamine (pheniramine maleate). The use of the eyedrops could however be a reaction to the dilation. I'm vegan and don't drink alcohol so hormone pumped dairy and meat products are out of the question. It is rather frightening to suddenly discover such an uneven stare.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bil
EMAIL:
IP: 132.234.251.211
URL:
DATE: 05/27/2004 12:28:37 PM
I also have uneven pupil dilation, however it happens sporadically, one to three times a week, particularly after I have been in dim light. I do not take Zoloft or suffer from migranes. I do take a daily antihistamine however and wondered whether any others may also have been taking antihistamines??
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Keelia
EMAIL: hiethrun@yahoo.com
IP: 66.69.192.193
URL:
DATE: 06/06/2004 01:14:08 AM
I too have uneven dilation. I've noticed it for a few years. I do have migraines and my opthamologist suggested that when they are unevenly dilated that I could be experiencing an asymptomatic migraine. Sometimes I also see sparkly lights...another migraine related thing. I don't take medication. The wierd thing I've noticed is that it isn't always the same eye. Sometimes it's my right and sometimes it's my left eye. It's as if the wiring isn't quite right ; )
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mark
EMAIL:
IP: 137.111.13.34
URL:
DATE: 06/06/2004 08:49:05 PM
For about a year now I have experienced on/off uneven pupil dilation similar to that mentioned by other people. I do not have migraines, take any drugs etc. I am 20 and lead a normal life and this seemingly came out of the blue.
Man.. it makes me so self-concious.. always worried that someone will spot it. Like the rest of you, it's on/off and worse in dim light.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL: greg5y@hotmail.com
IP: 194.145.135.117
URL:
DATE: 06/07/2004 07:44:18 PM
I also have uneven pupil dilation, my girlfriend noticed it about 3 weeks ago, its a strange sensation, if i'm staring at someone i find it kinda hard to focus, although there is no blurring or anything, I just know that something is not right. I d'ont suffer from migranes i am not on any medication, although as i noticed above i drink a lot of tea so mabye there is a caffine link, quite relieved to see that other people have the same thing, I am 28 by the way and live in the Republic of Ireland
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rebecca
EMAIL:
IP: 205.188.116.77
URL:
DATE: 06/20/2004 12:05:47 PM
For the past week I have been getting bad headaches along with blurred vision. Last night I noticed a big difference in my pupils. My left was much larger that my right. I went straight to the ER because I wasnt sure what was happening and it was very scary. My head was hurting so bad I could hardly keep my eyes open. They done CT scans and ruled out tumors, meningitis, and stroke. I do have a sinus infection that they found. Was said that it could be triggering migraines and they interfere with the vascular system which in turn could cause the uneven dialition. As I sat there and waited my headach went away and my pupils were back to normal. Im glad to know that Im not the only one with this problem and that it can be very scary to see. I am 28 years old and otherwise healthy. SO hopefuly when the infection goes away this strane eye behavior will go along with it as well as the migraines.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laura
EMAIL:
IP: 206.113.40.33
URL:
DATE: 06/21/2004 09:02:59 AM
I am 26 and have never been on any type of anti-anxiety or antidepression medicine. Last week my doctor started me on Lexapro and my right eye was noticibly more dialated than my left eye. He switched me to Zoloft three days ago and the dilation continues, but not as noticibly. Thus far, I liked the Lexapro better than the Zoloft. If the dialation is "harmless" I may ask him to switch me back. This seems to be a more common side effect of the medicine than the drug companies believe...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 06/23/2004 06:50:26 PM
yeah, but Durer still invented crack.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: melissa
EMAIL:
IP: 152.163.252.163
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2004 02:50:06 AM
my 3 month old grandson's pupil are not the same either. can't find awhole lot about it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Thwarted
BASENAME: thwarted
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/28/2002 10:37:54 AM
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August is holiday month. And many (most!) Japanese take a summer holiday this month. Consequently all the trains are booked up and planes cost twice as much as usual. It's maddening for spur-of-the-moment travellers.
I want to go to Onomichi, a beautiful little town on the northern shore of the Seto Inland Sea. I was there for a just one day a few years back and it captured my heart. It is my very favorite city in Japan: quiet, lovely, & friendly. I've been wanting to return for a long time.
I'm not sure how I can make this work. It might come down to buying two $500 round trip plane tickets (plus a bus and a train), or maybe two $350 Shinkansen tickets. Seems rather extravagant for a one-day trip, though. Maybe we'll just go to Saitama, instead. Train fare's $10 and there's a nice onsen only an hour away.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fame and infamy
BASENAME: fame_and_infamy
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/29/2002 10:07:09 AM
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Does wanting to be famous preclude you from ever being famous?
I'm not sure. There are lots of people who hunger for fame and many of them try extremely hard, only to fail. Maybe only those who don't seek fame become famous? How do famous people get that way? Skill and talent don't take you all that far, though you need them to get noticed. After that, I suspect it's who you know and the choices you make. That's true for just about everything, though...
I'm among a small group of women friends who would like to be well-known in our various fields. Some of us want to be renowned for being talented, some hope for fame as a way to bring them a flow of interesting things to do. Maybe a few of us wouldn't mind fortune, either. I have no doubt whatsoever that at least one of us is going to make it big.
I guess I'll just do what I do, know who I know, be who I am, and see what happens. It could be me that you read about in the news and see on TV in the future. Keep your fingers crossed...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Urban hiking
BASENAME: urban_hiking
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/30/2002 08:42:39 AM
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If you see a broken frame (above this page), please empty your browser cache and/or reset your bookmark to point to http://www.lm.com/~kristen/blog/blogger.html. Other problems with this page? Please comment below.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Doitsu no terebi
BASENAME: doitsu_no_terebi
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/01/2002 07:31:52 AM
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Yesterday we interviewed Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan; Yu Miri, a Japanese-Korean author; Jonathan Watt, a correspondent for the Guardian; and Ramesh Kapoor, who founded the popular Samrat Indian restaurants in Tokyo. In this photo, Wilson Ruiz, the creative director, consults with Fred Gattys, fimmaker. What are they shooting? The neon facade of a Roppongi karaoke bar.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On the grass at the Dome
BASENAME: on_the_grass_at_the_dome
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/02/2002 07:37:03 AM
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We attracted some attention from the press. I guess it isn't every day that a foreign film crew invades the regular reporters' turf. I fielded a bunch of questions about who we are and what we're doing. In fact, one of the sports writers phoned me later to ask my opinions on soccer. But that conversation was in Japanese, so if you see really, really stupid quotes from me ("Oh, yeah, Kahn's great.") in the Tokyo Sports , please be kind.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Resident registration
BASENAME: resident_registration
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/03/2002 07:42:02 AM
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On Monday, a national "resident registration" system launches. Japan's citizens will be assigned an 11 digit number associated with their name, date of birth and other vital statistics, similar to the US's Social Security Number.
But not every citizen will be enumerated. Two communities in Tokyo, Suginami and Kokubunji, and several other towns around the country, will not participate until better personal privacy legislation is enacted; Yokohama's mayor is making this national registration voluntary for his constituents. This is a hot issue; PM Koizumi received threatening protest letters full of shotgun ammunition.
I don't know the mechanics of the registration process; I wonder if individual citizens will refrain from signing up? All foreign residents are required to carry an alien registration card, so I'm already a number in a Japanese database somewhere. If I had a choice, I wouldn't sign up.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Stamina in Kabukicho
BASENAME: stamina_in_kabukicho
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/04/2002 09:28:31 AM
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Overall, being a production assistant was a great experience. I met tons of people with whom I hope to keep up personally and professionally, and went to locations I wouldn't normally. It was exhausting but exhilarating. Today seems so quiet in comparison.
I took plenty of photos while we worked. If you'd like to see some of the places I've been this week, take a few minutes to sit through the Global Cities: Tokyo slideshow.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: SMAP's soda
BASENAME: smaps_soda
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/07/2002 01:45:56 PM
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What's the flavor of SMAP? Its a cola/orange baby aspirin/gum fantasia. I haven't had a cola drink in years and the contents of the can took me by surprise. I've become accustomed to white cans with blue writing bearing grapefruit flavored sports drinks!
It's quite tasty and refreshing but I won't finish it because as MJR knows from a notorious flight from Portland to Pittsburgh, "Coke makes Kristen cranky" and I have too much to do to be cranky today.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Zoupi in Belgium
BASENAME: zoupi_in_belgium
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/08/2002 03:10:24 PM
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I can't believe my stuffed elephant is having a summer holiday and I'm not! But I'll get my turn eventually. If not soon, then in the autumn when we go to Ireland for my sister's poetry workshop.
Since there's no summer vacation for me, this wretched season could end itself any day, thank you. We're having a 35 degree heat wave this week. I wilt in heat, just like my plants. I've started the countdown to October, when the weather will be nice again--53 days.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: iMovie crashed my Mac
BASENAME: imovie_crashed_my_mac
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 08/09/2002 06:02:52 PM
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I have a video editing project with no particular deadline, though I've put it off long enough that now I want it over so I can spend time procrastinating on other projects. For the past two months, I've been working on it, getting frustrated with my preferred software which is not OS X ready, and putting it aside. So when it turned up on my To Do list today, I thought I'd try out iMovie, Apple's consumer-level DV software. My project doesn't require too much fancy stuff and iMovie should deliver the basic titling and cross dissolves I need.
Well, it does all that, but not very smoothly on my machine. About three hours into my work, it decided it didn't have enough memory and quit. Now my 450 MHz G4 computer is kitted out with 512 MB of RAM, enough for every other application I've ever run. Either iMovie is bad at memory management or I need to add RAM. Of course, since the average lifespan of computers is 3 years and my computer is 2.5 years old, perhaps it's time to start thinking about a future purchase.
Maybe there will be a 1 GHz dual-processor G4 for my birthday 8 months from now... (Do you think that's enough of an advance hint?)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Polyceman
BASENAME: polyceman
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/11/2002 04:18:59 PM
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I remember the first time I saw the Perseids. I was at a drive-in with a friend during a university break. The movie was too stupid to capture my attention, so I was scanning the sky for constellations. Tim thought I was nuts when I distracted him from the on-screen action to look at the meteors.
It was a good display that year; I saw about 20 in the remaining hour of the movie. I hope I catch a few this year. I like being reminded of my place in the universe--a tiny speck of animate carbon on a pebble orbiting a spark of fire.
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TITLE: US Immigration
BASENAME: us_immigration
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/13/2002 11:10:17 AM
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I am not sure what to think about America's changing immigration policies. Beginning next month, aliens entering from "high risk" countries are to be fingerprinted at their port of entry. If they remain in the US longer than 30 days, they must register at an INS office and check in annually.
Here in Japan, all resident aliens register with their town office and must renew their registration if they move or after 5 years. When we arrived, fingerprinting was required but was dropped about two years ago. I don't mind being registered with my ward because every alien is treated equally. And, after all, I'm a guest here and I have no rights, really. However, if I were being subjected to a policy that applied only because I am a (insert characteristic here), I would be annoyed.
Which is why I think the new policy of US Immigration and the DOJ is a little creepy--no, it's a lot creepy. They are targetting just the people that are fashionably suspicious.
Sadly, that's always been the case--the US's immigration policies are historically reactionary. Anarchist killed our President--no more anarchists allowed! Chinese laborers took over gold panning and railroad jobs--Asians are restricted from becoming citizens.
Where does it end? What's coming next?
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TITLE: Hanabi
BASENAME: hanabi
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/14/2002 12:52:55 PM
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Usually my fireworks viewing is on someone's balcony or among the crush of people gathered, so having a seat and the perfect view was a nice treat. It was interesting, too, to realise that each flight of explosives was sponsored and to see the commercials placed between each group. The sponsor was announced while a video clip or animation flashed on the big screen of the baseball stadium where we sat and a laser show picked out the sponsor's logo. Then the next set of fireworks started.
Everyone in the crowd was surprised when the stage lights went on andTakefuji Yen Shop dancers appeared live on stage. Yen Shop, a loan company, is known for its ads featuring leotard-clad jazz dancers. I've no idea what jazz dance has to do with loans, but the girls on stage were great dancers and fun to watch. And the Takefuji fireworks were pretty good, too.
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TITLE: Obon approaches
BASENAME: obon_approaches
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/15/2002 07:15:01 AM
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Obon holidays are upon us and the city is emptying out. Everyone's going back to their hometowns, vacationing overseas, or at least not going to work. Businesses and restaurants are closed. Yesterday's trains were virtually empty; I got a seat on 3 out of 4 I rode.
I remember my first bon odori 6 years ago. I stumbled upon it accidentally and stood there watching and grinning until an old man handed me a fan and dragged me into the circle. I was quite a spectacle but not because of my dancing skill--I was the only foreigner there.
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TITLE: Flourless chocolate cake
BASENAME: flourless_chocolate_cake
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 08/16/2002 10:25:31 AM
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I have 12 servings of an extremely rich, flourless chocolate cake sitting in my fridge. MJ will take it home with her this morning (it's the remainder of her birthday cake) but not before I scarf down a slice along with some nice strong coffee.
I'm already anticipating the sugar-caffeine rush. I'm feeling a bit sluggish this morning (too much late-night billiards again) and I hope it will kick me into gear. Or maybe it will send me into shock and I'll just go have a nap...
Last night's birthday extravaganza was an all-American calorie fest. Before the cake, we had mashed potatoes, salad and Kentucky Fried Chicken. KFC has recently switched to domestic Japanese chickens. Signs in the store announce the change and apologise--domestic chickens are smaller than imported chickens. The store manager gave Tod an extra piece for our party. I guess Tod looks like a hungry guy with a big appetite.
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TITLE: Japanese TV is silly
BASENAME: japanese_tv_is_silly
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/17/2002 05:57:10 PM
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Japanese TV is silly. This afternoon I watched as two young male TV talents met the lovely spokeswoman for the upcoming Pan Pacific Swimming Championship. They challenged her to a high-stakes Jenga game. If she lost, she had to go out on a date with one of the guys. To add to the hilarity, each Jenga block had a truth-or-dare style stunt to perform. "Do a 3 second promo for the Pan-Pashi (Pan Pacific) in a baby voice" "What's your favorite sport for a date?"
Since reading about square watermelons last summer, we've been keeping an eye out at all the fancy fruit mongers. Last night, we finally found one--at the supermarket down the street.
It was about 30 cm on a side with rounded corners. They put the young watermelon into a glass box while it's growing to give it a refrigerator-friendly shape. The cost for custom form factor? 9800 yen (about $80).
There were other specialty watermelons on display. One was the size and color of a pumpkin, orange with darker orange watermelon stripes. A very striking watermelon was a completely matte black beachball and a bargain at 5800 yen. A Jumbo Suika was quite large by Japanese standards, though not much bigger than a good-sized American watermelon. It was wrapped in woven straw with a braided handle for easy carrying. Price: 9000 yen. One melon came packed in a wooden cage--I guess they were worried that it might escape.
For those on a budget, 1/8 wedges of watermelon selling for a budget 600 yen. Or a mere 398 yen would buy half a dozen chunks of fruit in a plastic cup complete with toothpick.
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AUTHOR: vijay
EMAIL: vijay_gaikwad@hotmail.com
IP: 210.210.60.64
URL:
DATE: 08/30/2003 04:17:21 PM
it was excellent to see these watermelon fruits in square, could you please guide me the exact shape of box and wether acrylic sheets instead of glass would give good results
thanks
vijay
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AUTHOR: Claire
EMAIL: chicabear@hotmail.com
IP: 4.61.157.247
URL:
DATE: 11/16/2003 06:30:22 PM
How can i buy one?
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TITLE: Delayed daytrip
BASENAME: delayed_daytrip
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 08/19/2002 09:30:29 AM
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For several months, I've been hoping to get out of town to take a walk in the woods. On Friday night, Tod asked me to pick a good trip from our Day Walks Near Tokyo book. I was delighted. We'd go on Sunday.
But yesterday morning the edge of a typhoon tormented us with rain, so we decided on a more urban adventure--Yokohama's Chinatown. After eating lunch, we headed out, but neither of us was really up for it. Halfway to the station, I looked at Tod and made him confess that he didn't really want to go and was just doing it to please me (what a sweetie). But I was tired and didn't want to go, either!
So instead we walked to the video store, rented some movies, bought snacks for dinner and went home. Not quite the day we'd envisioned, but it was nice to relax.
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TITLE: Hosting a FOAF
BASENAME: hosting_a_foaf
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 08/20/2002 10:46:10 AM
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There's a stranger sleeping on my living room floor. Mike Lee went the same school as one of our friends. He was passing through Tokyo and needed a place to stay. Our living room seemed the logical choice.
It's good to meet and host people you don't know but who have some sort of connection to you. You never know exactly what you'll get but it's always interesting and an opportunity to learn things. Last night, Mike was talking about his (now defunct) business venture and introduced me to the concept of Extreme Programming. It's lots of best practices rolled into one philosphy and rigorously followed. I'm looking forward to learning more about it; I think it will be useful to some of the projects I'm working on.
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TITLE: Confirmations
BASENAME: confirmations
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 08/21/2002 12:34:05 PM
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I should have made this phone call weeks ago. Maybe even months ago. But I'm loathe to make it at all.
I'm scheduled for my annual thyroid biopsy in mid-September. Yuck. Last year a few weeks before the biopsy, I had a ultrasound scan and bloodwork done. But this time, I don't have appointments for a scan or bloodwork, just the biopsy. Did the doctor decide I don't need those? Did he just forget to schedule them? Should I have made those appointments on my own?
I don't know so I have to call the hospital and find out. In Japanese. I'm not sure what's worse, having a big needle jabbed into my throat or having to figure out how to ask if I need extra appointments.
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TITLE: Nippon Scam
BASENAME: nippon_scam
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/22/2002 09:17:31 AM
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Nippon Ham, meat packager and owner of the baseball team the Nippon Ham Fighters, is in the news this week for scamming the government. They bought 5 tons of cheap, imported beef and passed it off as domestic during the mad cow beef buyback program.
So what's their penalty? They've announced that the founder/chairman & his son, the company president, will be demoted to "honorary chairman" and "senior managing director" and will not receive any pay until the business situation improves (meat sales are way down after the mad cow outbreak). Three offices will be closed and the company is setting up an auditing department.
But there seem to be no outside sanctions. The Agriculture Ministry is going to examine the Nippon Ham offices now that the company has admitted its fraud. I wonder what that examination will yield. Probably nothing.
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AUTHOR: choi poop
EMAIL: chopoo@yahoo.com
IP: 66.99.219.2
URL: http://poop.com
DATE: 03/15/2003 03:58:57 PM
I love ham! the Nippon Ham Fighters are my favorite baseball team. I follow regularly.
Thank you
ham in seattle
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Another mad cow
BASENAME: another_mad_cow
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/23/2002 01:02:11 PM
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Another mad cow. This one is #5. It was noticed during the Agriculture Ministry's testing process this week so it hasn't been sold or served. They didn't say it wouldn't get mixed into cowfeed, though. That happened with one of the other mad cows earlier this year. I was really hoping to have some tasty sukiyaki this autumn, but maybe next year.
In another food chain scandal news, Snow Brand Milk (caught recycling old milk into new products that caused food poisoning) has partnered with several other milk producers to form a new company that will market its product as "Megmilk."
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TITLE: Kitano Jinja festival
BASENAME: kitano_jinja_festival
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/24/2002 08:43:04 PM
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By 8 pm, the lanterns leading up the stone stairs to the shrine cast a soft red light on the scene. Things were winding down and some of the food stalls were closed but the beer stand was going strong with a very long line. Kids were catching cicadas with a net and squealing as loudly as the bugs; teenagers were shoving one another in play fights. Moms, seated on wooden benches under pergolas of bamboo and bare bulbs watched the kids and nibbled on yakisoba. Every available seat was taken and there wasn't much room to stand so we made a quick circuit, skipped the beer and walked back home.
We saw fireworks peeking above the skyline to the west--one of the nearby towns is having their hanabitaikai tonight. I stood on the veranda and watched the sky glow pink and green as booms echoed against the mountains and sprinkles of lights popped over the sillhouette of buildings.
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TITLE: Yokohama daytrip
BASENAME: yokohama_daytrip
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/25/2002 10:32:08 PM
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I literally dragged Tod out of bed this afternoon at 1 (he's quite heavy!), got him into the shower and out of the house by 2. We went to Yokohama.
So much has changed since the last time we trekked down there. Before there was lots of construction around Sakuragicho station but MInato Mirai 21, the harbor area, is all built now with bridges and walkways connecting shopping/restaurant/entertainment areas. We cruised Landmark Plaza on several small shopping missions and only ended up with a few things we didn't expect--mainly books, which can never truly be considered an unexpected purchase.
Our main goal was to go to Chinatown for dinner. Although we were tuckered out from being in the shopping center. we summoned the energy to walk the 2 kilometers to Chinatown. It was worth it. At Tung Fat, we feasted on dim sum, char siu and chahan washed down with jasmine tea. Afterwards we picked up some Chinese sweets then headed home. The sweets and my new book await, so I'll cut this short...
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TITLE: People on roofs
BASENAME: people_on_roofs
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/26/2002 01:10:43 PM
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People do weird things on roofs in Tokyo. Across the tracks, on top of an office building, a man is practicing the trumpet. He comes out to play at lunchtime once or twice a week. He's not too bad, though he's not really playing more than scales and phrases. On a nearby apartment building, Tod tells me, a man practices swordfighting late at night. I've never seen him at it.
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AUTHOR: ghgh
EMAIL: mmdsfjd@dcwm.com.u
IP: 203.27.231.2
URL: http://hgfh.dsfsd.c,m
DATE: 01/23/2003 06:32:59 PM
its good
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Heat island nation
BASENAME: heat_island_nation
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/27/2002 01:04:03 PM
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Every summer we hear about the "heat island" effect of too many buildings, air conditioners, cars, heat-absorbing asphalt and other inconveniences of the modern environment. The average summer temperature has increased 3 degrees Celcius in the past ten years. Tokyo's supposed to have some rules about roof gardens and open/planted land per square foot of new building. A small measure of concern for a big problem, right?
Wrong. In some of the areas of Tokyo currently undergoing huge building projects, the rules have been amended. It looks like you can "swap" square footage in one building location with another to allow you to have fewer green spaces in a commercial area. So I guess you count one 100,000 sq ft building as only 50,000 (so you need to include only 1/2 as much garden) but add 50,000 to some other building you're putting up where it's more convenient to have open green space.
So much for small measures.
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TITLE: Struggling with kanji
BASENAME: struggling_with_kanji
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/28/2002 01:29:52 PM
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Oyama sensei is on holiday in Canada this week. We'll have a substitute teacher tonight. But instead of a regular lesson, Oyama sensei left us a page-long composistion to translate. We'll discuss it in class tonight.
I've finished deciphering the first three sentences. This makes me realise how few kanji I actually know--there's a lot of dictionary work for me this afternoon. I have four hours to complete the rest.
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TITLE: Aimee Mann
BASENAME: aimee_mann
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
DATE: 08/29/2002 11:02:45 AM
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Lost in Space is independently produced and brilliant, classic Aimee Mann. She has an amazing vocal range,and writes dark, thoughtful lyrics with catchy tunes. I'm listening to the songs online now and will go buy it today.
Way back when I was in college, she was in a pop band called 'Til Tuesday. I still know all the words to all their songs, even though the band broke up a million years ago. I remember sitting at the sewing machine in my mother's bedroom during a summer holiday, making clothes for school and wobbily singing along.
Her work is part of my life's soundtrack.
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TITLE: Sketching storyboards
BASENAME: sketching_storyboards
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/30/2002 09:38:29 AM
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Despite the low quality of the drawing, the sketches help me to see where the action takes place. Even though I know what I think I want--the script is typed up and I've noted the general composition of each shot--actually drawing it helps to fix the details. I can do this shot at Iidabashi station, near the entrance facing the street. Then if I turn the camera towards the station for another scene later on, I have two "locations" but only one trip to the station.
I hope to get the pre-production planning done by next week so I can start shooting in early September.
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TITLE: The storyboards are done
BASENAME: the_storyboards_are_done
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/31/2002 04:32:34 PM
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The storyboards are done and most of the locations are figured out. Now I have to confirm a few minor points, get in touch with some people, call in favors, and get a haircut. Then I can start filming...
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TITLE: RSS and weblogs
BASENAME: rss_and_weblogs
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 09/01/2002 12:12:02 PM
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Every morning, I spend between an hour and 2 hours checking in on friend's weblogs and reading news. Lately, I've been thinking that this activity takes up too much of my time.
NetNewsWire keeps track of new headlines on news sites and new posts in weblogs. This would be a huge time saver. But...
It uses a protocol called RSS which is an XML-like content syndication language. Since few of my friends' sites nor many of the major news sites (BBC, CNN, Yahoo) use RSS, I really don't get the biggest benefit from using NetNewsWire. For the sites that are using it, it's really fantastic.
Maybe I'll rework my site to use RSS. But can I persuade Dan, Jenn, & both of the MJs to do it, too?
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TITLE: Surreality x 3
BASENAME: surreality_x_3
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/02/2002 12:58:49 AM
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To the left is how I imagined long, fake nails would look and feel--smooth, polished, elegant. To the right is how they actually make me feel.
In the first photo I am trying not to burst out laughing because I have just reglued the 7 nails that fell off as I ate dinner and used the toilet. It is not easy to unzip pants with long nails... I have a new found respect for women who survive with talons attached to their hands.
Today I will put on makeup for the camera and brave the late summer heat to film in Ginza. I have to go prepare my bag of tricks & all the equipment. More tomorrow...
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TITLE: Current projects
BASENAME: current_projects
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/04/2002 09:29:03 AM
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I've added a new page to my mediatinker site: Current Projects. I'll try to keep it up to date with the things I'm working on.
Describing my projects to an unfamiliar audience makes me realise that I'm doing some pretty interesting stuff. When I'm actually doing the work, it doesn't seem so interesting and sometimes it's frustrating. Yesterday's video shoot was a semi-success. We got a lot of scenes done, but a bad microphone connection (or RF interference) makes most of them unusable; we'll have to reshoot all of it after I fix or replace the wireless microphones. Or perhaps I can learn to lip sync voice overs...
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TITLE: A sleepy commuter
BASENAME: a_sleepy_commuter
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/05/2002 02:05:14 PM
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I've read everything we have, excepting Tod's programming reference books which just don't hold my attention. So it's time to get some new books, but no new books in before we get some old books out. Check out the list at Being A Broad's Sayonara Sale bulletin board. Bye bye, books!
Other stuff has been accumulating at a steady rate, even though I try hard to live by the "one in, one out" rule. I have some new clothes this week, but I haven't gotten rid of any yet, so I must do that today.
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TITLE: Candy nostalgia
BASENAME: candy_nostalgia
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 09/07/2002 01:37:32 PM
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When Zoupi returned from Belgium, he brought some original Belgian Frisk mints with him. They're blue! And they have sorbitol in them, the stuff that gives Velamints their slippery texture (and laxative properties).
Penguin has a new flavor of their caffeinated mints--chocolate mint. Tod imports cases of the regular, cinnamon red and decaffeinated "lights" and sells them at the office. I guess he'll be offering a new variety after the next order.
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TITLE: Printing digital photos
BASENAME: printing_digital_photos
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/08/2002 09:36:40 AM
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These are at a big electronics store, but our local Family Mart convenience store has one, too. Ah, technology.
Personally, I like to work with my images before I print them--touching them up in Photoshop usually improves them. I print mine on photo paper with my ink jet printer. Not archival quality, but who archives birthday snapshots? Someday they're going to be found in a box full of photos and somebody's going to wonder " Who are these people? Maybe Great-Aunt Kristen still remembers."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hiccough cure
BASENAME: hiccough_cure
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/09/2002 12:33:59 AM
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How do you cure hiccups in Japanese? By answering a simple question: What is tofu made of?
Daizu.
This evening at dinner, it worked better than holding my breath, drinking out of the wrong side of the glass or being frightened. Soy beans have magical powers...
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AUTHOR: Sandra A.
EMAIL: alexa18pr@aol.com
IP: 152.163.189.201
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2003 01:23:25 AM
How do you cure the hiccough?
I have a problem, my father has this hiccough since two years, How I can solve that??
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nurse Cianni
EMAIL:
IP: 12.219.191.86
URL:
DATE: 04/20/2003 12:38:04 AM
Chronic hiccoughs can be indicative of an underlying disease. Stomach disorders, pancreatitis, bowel disease, even bladder irritation. Your father should see a doctor.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mandar
EMAIL: mandar2003@rediffmail.com
IP: 203.129.236.132
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2003 10:31:59 PM
What should be done to have a hiccoughs?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mandar
EMAIL: mandar2003@rediffmail.com
IP: 203.129.236.132
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2003 10:32:22 PM
What should be done to have a hiccoughs?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mandar
EMAIL: mandar2003@rediffmail.com
IP: 203.129.236.132
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2003 10:32:28 PM
What should be done to have a hiccoughs?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bloodlust for mosquitos
BASENAME: bloodlust_for_mosquitos
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/10/2002 11:24:06 AM
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I'm not the sort to kill insects but mosquitos are an exception. I despise them. The damp weather has caused a boom in the population and they are finding their way inside. That's not too hard since we have no window or door screens in this building.
When I see one, I attack before it can bite me. In fact, I think I just jammed a finger slamming it into the ceiling during an assault. However, the foe was vanquished so I'll enjoy a bit of pain with my triumph. One less mossie to bite me. The world is made safe--or at least my office is.
(Props to mjd-s for the supa-graphic!)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Subliterate goofiness
BASENAME: subliterate_goofiness
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/11/2002 05:05:12 PM
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Today has been one of those days where my head has gone all funny. I woke up with a migraine; I forgot to put water in the coffee maker; referred to a woman as a man on a mailing list; at an afternoon meeting I don't think I managed more than one coherent sentence. Now I'm off to Japnese class where I am sure that I will babble like a subliterate goof. Never mind that last one, that's normal.
Ah, well. I'll come home after and go to bed early. Perhaps tomorrow my head will be working right again.
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My head is all funny.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Irritating patriotism
BASENAME: irritating_patriotism
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 09/12/2002 08:18:01 PM
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Is it safe to read news yet? I stopped a few days before "the anniversary of the tragic event" and I do not relish seeing any nationalist, patriotic aftermath. Would someone check to see if all the flag-waving, teary-eyed reportage is over?
Love, Today I will work on animations. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do, but I need to make train routes somehow interesting. Little trains zipping around them? Maybe something simpler...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Holy 1950s
BASENAME: holy_1950s
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/14/2002 07:26:53 PM
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Tod & I went to Ikebukuro to check out the Gyoza Stadium, a pot-sticker theme park operated by game giant Namco. For 3,500 yen you get all-day, all-you-can eat gyoza in a dozen different styles from around Japan. Unfrotunately, the wait was 2 hours to get in, so we opted to eat elsewhere. We'll go on a less crowded day.
We also sought new rings. In addition to our wedding rings, we wear matching bands to seal our friendship. These have varied over the years because they are usuallly inexpensive bits of stone or pressed silver that Tod somehow breaks. A couple of weeks back he snapped the silver one we've worn for the last few years. I don't feel right wearing one if he isn't and my hand felt bare so now we're sporting simple milled silver rings that we found in a tiny litle shop near the movie theatre where we went to watch Star Wars Episode 2 (at long last).
On the way home we did the unthinkable. After stopping at a convenience store for our dinner, we nibbled chicken nuggets and drank beer as we walked home. How naughty!
Who knows what's we'll get up to today? Putting on makeup on the subway? Littering? No doubt we'll be up to no good now that we've broken the taboo of eating while walking.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Abductions
BASENAME: abductions
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/17/2002 10:52:02 AM
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Prime Minister Koizumi is in North Korea today, attending a summit with tetchy neighbors.
The hot topic at the summit--abductions. Japan claims that North Korea abducted a dozen or so Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 80s. NK has sometimes completely denied this; at other times they have launched "missing person" searches in cooperation with the Japanese Red Cross.
What isn't said is why NK would want to abduct Japanese citizens in the first place? Did these people have specialised knowledge NK needed? Was it just to cause terror and piss off Japan? Digging around on the 'Net as not brought the answers to the surface.
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AUTHOR: Veera
EMAIL: alathuliv@hotmail.com
IP: 195.148.208.15
URL: http://-
DATE: 09/26/2002 07:54:51 PM
I read this book by a North Korean woman, a former spy. It was supposedly a true story, and in it she told that they had native Japanese teach them the lingo. The teachers were kidnapped for this purpose.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Six month reprieve
BASENAME: six_month_reprieve
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/18/2002 02:45:43 PM
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I like the cover art. I did the tray inserts first with all the details of what's on the CD. The covers, which are simple, highly pixelated pictures of the instructors (me & MJ), were much harder to do. My favorite part of the cover and tray is the silly callout box. "4 illustrated lessons! 33 minutes of video! 15 exercises! 8 Internet links!"
I think the contents of the CD are good, too. We've covered a lot of ground. I really like the Dreamweaver one, which I taught to a live audience in May. I've refined what I covered then, adding some more detail and explanations. It's a useful tutorial on templates, style sheets and other handy features of Dreamweaver. MJ's audio CD presents a broad overview of digital sound for beginners then walks through creating MP3s and listening to Internet radio.
If you'd like to order either of these, please drop me an e-mail. I'll send you more details.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The film progresses
BASENAME: the_film_progresses
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/20/2002 04:19:56 PM
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More film in the can. On this sunny day, we hit Ginza again and got another 20 minutes of footage this morning. We're heading out in a few minutes to get some of the grocery shopping sequences.
When I'm home at my desk, thinking about this project, I hate it. Filming is tiring. Nothing ever goes quite right. I always flub my lines; the makeup is uncomfortable. Why am I doing this?
But when I get out there with the camera and equipment, I actually enjoy it. It's fun to solve problems on the fly or figure out the best angle to shoot from without getting in the way of traffic. If we set up the tripod and take a moment to get ourselves arranged, we always draw a crowd. Sadly, nobody applauds when I'm done.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cha-chan, a cat
BASENAME: cha-chan_a_cat
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/21/2002 11:13:53 PM
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After teaching a digital photography workshop with 23 participants, and after a delightful dinner at a restaurant on Sotobori Moat, the outermost of the Imperial Palace defences, I met a cat.
Cha-chan was sitting on a makeshift plywood and crate shelf outside an old house. I couldn't help petting her. Fat and friendly, I held out my hand and she tested me out with a gentle bite. I passed muster by not flinching and was allowed to pet her.
Her owner, an older woman who never gave her name, came out to talk to us. "Cha-chan runs away from scary strangers and dogs," she said. I guess since Cha-chan didn't run away from us, we weren't scary. I'm pretty sure I'm not a dog (no comments from the peanut gallery, please).
Obaasan chatted with us for ten minutes before we said goodnight and left. I think this was the nicest, longest conversation I've ever had with a stranger here. This old woman was lonely and not too concerned that we were foreign or didn't always understand what she was saying. Cha-chan liked us and that was good enough for her.
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Cat-mediated interactions with a lonely old woman.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 207.8.92.2
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/index.html
DATE: 09/26/2002 10:08:20 PM
I always enjoy your posts, but this is a particularly touching story.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Toss, toss, toss
BASENAME: toss_toss_toss
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/22/2002 10:51:07 PM
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I was feeling edgy and distracted until I decided to start throwing things away this afternoon. I pulled 140 litres of useless, outdated and no longer desired kipple out of the kitchen, genkan, and pantry closets, 70 litres from my office and I'm about to start in on the bedroom. I'm not sure how all this junk accumulates, but it does.
I definitely do feel better with less stuff. I would love to pare down to only the things I use at least once a month. It's not possible, since there are too many seasonal and archival things, but it's a good goal.
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210 litres of kipple removed. Where does it all come from?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Am I a scientific American?
BASENAME: am_i_a_scientific_american
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 09/23/2002 02:38:13 PM
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My life is public. I write here daily and I've been contributing my ideas, words and images to newsgroups, Internet bulletin boards, publications and websites for more than ten years. So when you do a web search for "Kristen McQuillin" you'll find a lot of references.
But today I found one that surprised me. I was playing with KartOO, a search engine that draws relational diagrams and I clicked through to this article at Scientific American. They borrowed images I'd drawn for a 1997 grad school project on the history of zero. What a surprise--they never even asked. I took the original project off the web a while back, but my images lived on. I discovered my History of Zero project cited in two other places so I've just dug out the files, updated them and put them back on my site.
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What a surprise; drawings I did 5 years ago appeared on Scientific American in Feb 2000.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ben Wong
EMAIL: ben_wong@mailandnews.com
IP: 203.100.132.50
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2002 07:01:33 PM
1st time I've ever heard of Kartoo - very cool search engine. Quite accurate too (I just checked it out).
I've been wondering what happened to the daily blog - nearly wanted to write and check that everything was ok... ;-) Check in quite often, to get a refresher taste of Tokyo life...
Thanks,
Ben.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2002 09:09:25 PM
I see you were credited for the top picture, thats kinda cool. Though probably better if they would have checked with you.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Movable weblog
BASENAME: movable_weblog
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 09/24/2002 02:52:37 PM
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BODY:
I'm finally getting my act together and installing Moveable Type on my server. Now I can control all aspects of my weblog with finer control and no more worries about Blogger problems.
Of course, that means I have a lot to learn and things look a little wonky at the moment. So if you'll forgive my errors and fumblings, I should have everything back to normal (or better!) shortly.
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Bring the weblog experience under my own control.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kurt
EMAIL: kurt@easterwood.org
IP: 218.47.193.104
URL: http://www.easterwood.org/hmmn/
DATE: 09/28/2002 08:01:42 PM
Kristen--
great to see you on MT, partly because now you have an RSS feed and so I can keep up with your blog easier using it. Glad too you were able to import (hopefully NOT by hand!) all your archives. With the next MT release (supposed to be this month though it hasn't appeared yet), it will have a search feature included, which would be great for a blog like yours with so much content tucked away in those archives!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sun-dried laundry
BASENAME: sun-dried_laundry
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/25/2002 03:02:39 PM
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BODY:
Although almost everyone in Tokyo has a washing machine, very few people seem to have dryers. Laundry is usually hung outside to dry.
In apartment buildings, that means hanging your undies out on the balcony and draping futons over the railing or out windows. Sunny days look a little bit like a bazaar with clothes flapping in the high rise breezes. Several buildings in our neighborhood have communal space for laundry on the roof--they're completely caged in to keep things from blowing into the streets below.
I have a dryer but I still like to dry things outside. I'm amazed at how quickly towels dry in the sun. Half the time of doing them in the dryer. Sheets are dry in 30 minutes on a breezy day. And despite the polluted Tokyo air, things dried outside smell fresh.
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Sun and wind dry clothes more quickly than the dryer.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.98.123
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2002 10:39:49 AM
Hanging my laundry is like therpy to me. It gives my great comfort to see my laundry blowing in the breeze!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 09/26/2002 12:10:32 PM
Smell fresh - except in the months of June, July and most of winter...washing can be a pain when you don't have a dryer...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.225.30
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2002 01:55:31 PM
I LOVE sundrying sheets and towels especially. Nothing better than that fresh smell getting into bed at night. :- )
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayakant@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 202.220.171.104
URL:
DATE: 09/27/2002 05:47:00 PM
I miss my gas dryer that I left in my home in Bunkyo. Sun drying is not bad, though, here in Kyushu as long as it dosen't rain like today.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Autumn Cuisine
BASENAME: autumn_cuisine
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 09/26/2002 04:34:22 PM
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The convenience stores are stocking oden now. These stewed bits of fish paste sausages, daikon, whole eggs, and tofu-based dainties will stink up the stores in a matter of weeks. There's a certain scent--bitter, acrid, fishy--that punctuates winter-time conbini visits.
At the supermarkets, end cap displays are laden with pottery nabe, portable gas ranges, and gas canisters. There are nashi, grapes and mikan in every fruit aisle. Chestnuts are everywhere and expensive matsutake mushrooms are carefully displayed in wooden boxes. And there are all the makings of oden, which is much better done at home than from the conbini.
Within a week or so, the vending machines will convert to hot drinks and soups. I'm looking forward to a crisp day and a nice hot cocoa to warm my hands.
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AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: stuff@immell.com
IP: 209.148.246.231
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2002 10:03:21 PM
One of Tara's favorite things during the winter was to get a oh-so-hot can of corn soup from a vending machine. The can warmed her hands and the soup warmed her tummy.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cataloging tapes
BASENAME: cataloging_tapes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/27/2002 01:22:42 PM
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I hate cataloging tapes. For me, it is the worst part of any video project. Yet it's vital, not only as a way to produce lists of what to sntach off the tape, but also production proofing. Did we get the shot we think we got? I have about two hours of tape to go through today. It's already 1:30 and I've put it off this long, but I need to get it done before 6 tongiht. So I'd better get the tape in, the logbook out and review, review, review.
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Hours of footage fun.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Parks and Tours
BASENAME: parks_and_tours
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/28/2002 08:00:32 PM
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This morning, I spent some time typing up tour itinerary ideas for a visiting acquaintance. This is the third time I've done this in the last few months, so I figured I'd use today's write-up as the basis for a web page. There are so many other ideas, that it's taking me longer to put together than I expected. But I will have a list of my favorite spots to vist online soon.
But I did re-discover a nice resource on Tokyo's Metropolitan Parks that I'd lost track of a while back.
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Where to go? What to see?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.33.24.60
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2003 05:19:59 PM
this site dosen't have anything I'm looking for
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.33.24.60
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2003 05:20:02 PM
this site dosen't have anything I'm looking for
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.33.24.60
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2003 05:20:06 PM
this site dosen't have anything I'm looking for
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.33.24.60
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2003 05:20:08 PM
this site dosen't have anything I'm looking for
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2003 11:05:50 PM
it's nice to hear that and 4 times, too!
If you looked a little deeper, you would have found the web page that I did eventually create. It might have given you the detailsyou wanted. http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/survival/survival.html
I'd gladly mail the URL to you, but you didn't leave any contact info....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: No quakes
BASENAME: no_quakes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/29/2002 01:13:09 PM
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It's been an awfully long time since I felt an earthquake...there's been a few in other parts of Japan but nothing in Tokyo for well over a month.
I get nervous when I don't feel the earth wiggle a bit. If the pressure builds up for too long, there's a bigger chance that things will topple when it finally does give.
Wonder if people who've always lived on fault lines feel this way? Am I especially sensitive because I've only been in the danger zone for four years? Earthquakes are starting to feature in my dreams; I hope I feel the earth move (just a little) soon.
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Lack of earthquakes makes Kristen a nervous girl.
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AUTHOR: gomichld
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 09/30/2002 11:21:13 AM
Well we just had one hon - feeling better now?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/30/2002 03:38:11 PM
I was underground on the subway when it happened--I didn't even feel it. But I knew if I wrote about the lack of them, we'd have one. Works every time.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Cha
EMAIL: jjcha@hotmail.com
IP: 199.108.76.18
URL: http://www.jjcha.net
DATE: 10/01/2002 04:06:17 AM
Being a native of the San Francisco bay area, I noticed how in Tokyo we would get a small quake every couple of weeks. I too would notice if we hadn't had one for over a month.
Anyway, I noticed because in California we usually get a significant earthquake maybe once or twice a decade, but compared to Tokyo, we wouldn't get those tiny reminder tremors that we lived in an earthquake zone.
I always wondered if this just meant Tokyo is more earthquake prone than San Francisco, to both big and small quakes, or if the small quakes had something to do with releaving stress to prevent bigger ones.
Somehow it seems appropriate - Americans like things bigger but fewer in between, while in Japan things are smaller but it seems so much more crowded.
-Jason
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 209.74.9.160
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 10/01/2002 10:07:25 AM
How about I just visit and use the loo? "Jenn's Movement," remember?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coffee maven
BASENAME: coffee_maven
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 09/30/2002 03:36:07 PM
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Now that the weather's cooler, we're roasting coffee again. There's nothing as good as a cup of java from freshly roasted beans.
Today looks like it's going to be a big coffee day. I started with two mugs this morning, then some during a meeting and when I arrived back here a few minutes ago, Tod had just made another pot. Tonight, I'll be filming at 2 am, so there's bound to be coffee involved then, too.
If I'm extra jittery tomorow, I'll know why.
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Some days I don't get enough coffee. Today, I'm going to need extra. And maybe I've already had too much.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 209.74.8.85
URL: http://www.jkaucher.addr.com
DATE: 09/30/2002 10:53:03 PM
Big coffee day for me too! Two cups already. Maybe more later. Watch the teeth turn yellow before your very eyes...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Gratitude and haircuts
BASENAME: gratitude_and_haircuts
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 10/01/2002 11:14:58 AM
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BODY:
Props to Yoshi who is now featured in two sections of the video project. In addition to letting me bump into him on the street six times during retakes a few weeks ago, he let me and MJ film him ringing up my purchases at 7:00 this morning. I wonder if anyone (aside from you) will notice that he's an extra twice over?
The filming schedule is harried this week because I'm getting my hair cut on Thursday evening. So every shot that features me will be taken before then. And if I forget one or we have a production disaster, I'll just have to be creative with the editing and voice overs. The pressure to do it right is actually quite exhilarating.
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Yoshi's a star. I'm about to end any options for retakes.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rain, wind, sun
BASENAME: rain_wind_sun
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/02/2002 08:17:14 AM
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At 7:00 am the sky was cloudy and by afternoon it looked like we were in for a good, long rain. It was pouring buckets when Tod called at 5:00 saying everyone was being sent home early because of the typhoon.
The rain slowed at about 7:30 and we went out for dinner. The wind was blowing nicely and everything smelled fresh and clean. By the time we finished eating, we finally had our typhoon. We walked home through gusty winds and driving rain. Typhoon 21 was a bad one, the strongest in 60 years. Two people died during the storm, a ship ran aground, 270 flights were cancelled, and there was a blackout of almost 12,000 homes in Kanto.
Despite the dangers, there's something delightful about bad weather. On the way home, I smiled, ran and danced in the rain. I laughed as I wrung my skirt out before going into the convenience store. After arriving home completely soaked to the skin, we put on cozy pajamas and laid in bed with our laptops.
This morning the sky is clear and blue.
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From typhoon to blue skies
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AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/02/2002 06:34:08 PM
Actually four people were killed and a girl is still missing in Kanagawa.
It was big enough to make international newpapers - OS the typhoon was referred to as "Higos".
Surpised I didn't get phonecalls from all the rellies wondering if I'd been blown away...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/03/2002 03:33:22 AM
Make that 5 - they found her...
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AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/03/2002 09:48:58 AM
How sad.
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TITLE: Household forensics
BASENAME: household_forensics
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 10/03/2002 09:36:17 AM
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Because there are big chunks of time when Tod is awake while I'm sleeping, every morning I look around the house to see what's changed. Sometimes I get a very clear picture of what's gone on while I rested.
For example, if I peek into the sink and find a wooden bowl dusted with a bit of salt, I know Tod had a snack while he was working. If I check in the rubbish bin, I'll probably see the packaging for his favorite pepper-coated popcorn.
Earlier this week, I was out of the house for nearly 24 hours. When I came in the next morning, I saw Tod's sneakers at the door. Not his usual work shoes. He was in bed in a t-shirt. Not his usual pajamas. His laptop was near the bed. I concluded (correctly) that he hadn't gone into the office the day before.
This morning's clues have me confused. Two square zabuton floor pillows are on the sofa. Tod must have been lying down in the living room and using them to prop up his head. The pocket door between the kitchen and hall is partly closed.
I wonder what was going on last night?
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Playing detective with clues in the house
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AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 204.210.228.173
URL:
DATE: 10/03/2002 12:18:29 PM
And you call yourself a scientist.... Yet you ignore the largest variables in the house. How can you possibly figure out such things when the zous are in the house? They may be trying to simply confuse you.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reflections of previous generations
BASENAME: reflections_of_previous_generations
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
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DATE: 10/04/2002 08:29:02 AM
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I think these are both Hasarius adansoni (Adanson's House Jumper Spider) of opposite sexes. These "house jumpers" eat mosquitos so I hope they stick around a while.
Japan has some amazing spiders. These little guys aren't too impressive, but check out Common Spiders in Japan to see a gallery of spiders with good photos.
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My spider friend has a nemesis or maybe a girlfriend.
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AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/15/2002 12:32:57 PM
What a pansy looking couple of spiders...wouldn't frighten a fly even!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Cha
EMAIL: jjcha@hotmail.com
IP: 67.116.52.174
URL: http://www.jjcha.net
DATE: 11/15/2002 01:09:51 PM
Hey Kristen,
Dunno what's up with IE6 - everyone seems to be having problems with how it formats their page. Anyway, thought you might want to know that in IE6 (maybe 5 as well?) it's not only pushing your sidebar to the bottom of the page, but it's also chopping the text between the two pictures.
Here's a screengrab:
http://www.jjcha.net/kuri.jpg
Looks fine in Mozilla though...
-Jason
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: SEKINE Mikio
EMAIL: sekine@cyberoz.net
IP: 61.202.84.241
URL: http://www.cyberoz.net/city/sekine/zukax.htm
DATE: 01/14/2003 10:45:12 PM
Hi! Kristen,
Just writing to say hi! 8-)
Thank you for introducing my web page
on the Internet, "Common spiders in Japan".
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: S.L. Herman
EMAIL: tokyo@broadcast.net
IP: 203.216.49.114
URL: http://tvtokyo.com/steve.html
DATE: 08/30/2003 03:35:30 PM
Yes, indeed almost positive it is a Hasarius Adansoni (Haetori) -- I have a similar one in my house. Your jumping spider also appears to be a male, by the way, if I know anything about spiders (which is very little).
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TITLE: Ika meshi
BASENAME: ika_meshi
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 11/16/2002 10:01:09 PM
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"Whole squids are kinda squicky," says Tod after we attended a fish cooking class at A Taste of Culture.
We started with very fresh whole squid, cleaned them, stuffed them with their own legs and some rice, then simmered them for an hour. They turned a lovely red color and softened into the most delicious, chewy treat.
But cleaning squid is not for the squeamish. Today's class wasn't too much of a problem for me, as I had ample practice when I worked in an Italian restaurant ten years ago. As lowest prep cook on the totem pole, I got to clean at least five jillion partially frozen, still defrosting squid for calamari.
But poor Tod got stuck with a rather large squid that was quite attached to its innards. The ink sac broke, the guts refused to drop out, the legs were recalcitrant--but he somehow managed to pull the cartilege quill out before the rest came free.
Elizabeth sent us home after class with our completed "ika meshi" squids plus a spare, uncooked squid, so tomorrow I'll make a spicy Indonesian squid sautee for dinner. Mmmmm.
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Squid, Japanese-style, is just as hard to clean as squid for calamari.
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TITLE: Annotated office
BASENAME: annotated_office
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 11/17/2002 09:40:48 AM
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Following the chain from Arsenic, I'm giving a tour of my office this morning.
1. The equipment rack. Topped by an unused PowerMac 7300, the docking station for Tod's laptop, speakers and some CD blanks. I'd rather have some plants here...
2. The partially broken fax machine and the working printer. Below you can see a hint of our server and my G4 tower.
3. My desk, complete with the ever-present green coffee cup. My LCD monitor sits on a cardboard box to prevent me from slouching too much. My chair sports a fleece throw to keep my legs warm.
4. The video camera. It's sitting there because I still haven't finished capturing the video I shot in September. I've got about 2 hours of tape to go.
5. The veranda. I have the blinds closed in an attempt to make the photo less glare-y. I love the veranda; it's an extension of the office. That's my treasured Royal Fan palm in the left hand corner.
6. The tea station. In the afternoons, when I've finished the coffee, I make pots of tea with this hot water pot. My office is so narrow that it's within arm's reach. Very convenient but I have to be careful when I water the philodendron as it has a tendency to leak all over the tea station.
7. Art supplies. Neatly packed in tin and aluminum boxes, I have paper, paints, brushes and printing supplies. I hardly ever use them anymore, though the small red and black canvas on top of this rack is my summer painting project. I think I will paint over it for winter.
8. The Zous. They are sitting on my credenza where they like to kibitz while I work. They have not yet solved the IE 6 alignment problem, but maybe I'll set them to work on it today. Sama says he'd rather go to the zoo...
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Come tour my office.
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AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.42.182
URL:
DATE: 11/17/2002 12:22:10 PM
Hi Kris, Thanks for a view of your office, Looks cozy and I LOVE the veranda. Where will the plants live in the winter? Is the new apartment warmer in winter than the last one?
--J
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: justin
EMAIL: vakabiel@adelphia.net
IP: 208.170.243.26
URL: http://www.mindtrance.net
DATE: 11/18/2002 06:13:30 AM
rockin' office :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2002 08:36:49 AM
Winters are warm enough in Tokyo that the plants will stay outside; it rarely falls below freezing. So far, this apartment seems warmer than the last house, which was a giant draft with walls.
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TITLE: Ho Ho Ho
BASENAME: ho_ho_ho
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/18/2002 04:30:14 PM
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#content {
position:absolute;
margin-right:20px;
margin-left:225px;
margin-bottom:20px;
}
#links {
padding:15px;
width:200px;
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float:left;
postion:relative;
width:70%;
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padding:15px;
} Life can be confusing as a functional illiterate; let me help you figure
things out fast. Puzzles of Daily Life is a 14 minute video shot on location
in train stations, shops, and on the streets--the perfect thing to give
you a glimpse of sights and sounds of real-life Tokyo. Clips from Hello Tokyo In less than 15 minutes, you'll discover how to:
Order Hello Tokyo Region-free NTSC DVD-R media* in jewel case packaging. Prices include shipping via regular mail and tax. Pay with PayPal by clicking below. To order the DVD in a tall case or to place large orders for resale, please e-mail kristen@mediatinker.com
for more information. *DVD-R media may not work in all players; please consult your owner's manual. Indispensible Phrases Restaurants and Food Shopping Entertainment Getting Around Credits Kristen McQuillin, July 1997 (revised January 2004) Once upon a time there was no zero. Of course people knew if they had
nothing, but there was no mathematical notation for it. Zero was independently
invented only three times. The first recorded zero is attributed to the Babylonians
in the 3rd century BC. A long period followed when no one else used a zero
place holder. But then the Mayans, halfway around the world
in Central America, independently invented zero in the fourth century CE.
The final independent invention of zero in India was long
debated by scholars, but seems to be set around the middle of the fifth
century. It spread to Cambodia around the end of the 7th century. From India
it moved into China and then to the Islamic countries. Zero finally reached
western Europe in the 12th century. Before you continue reading the history of zero, please be sure you understand
these underlying concepts : Number vs
Numeral; Invent vs Discover & Place
Value Notation The Babylonians were the first culture to invent the place value system.
They had a sexigesimal number system, that is, they counted in 60s, as we
count in tens. When you count minutes in an hour or measure circles you
are thinking in sexigesimal. Of course the Babylonians didn't use our numerals. They wrote in cuneiform,
a writing system optimized for writing in damp clay tablets. They used two
symbols to represent all the numbers from 1 to 59. The wedge was used for
a one and the crescent equalled a 10. By grouping them together, they created
symbols for all 59 numbers.
Beginning at 60, we see a place value. The number 61 would be written
with one wedge to the left (1 sixty), and one to the right (1 one).
And here's the challenge that leads to the invention of zero. How do you
indicate that there's nothing in a particular place? How would you show
the number 3604? 3604 is 1 "60 squared" + 4 ones but nothing in
the sixties column. Well, scribes started leaving a blank space. But not
all of them did that and even when they did sometimes it was a pretty small
space--it was difficult to tell it was there. So one very bright scribe
put in a symbol that already existed as a separator in literature, a sort
of sideways, superscript, double wedge. Now it was easy to distinguish whether
you meant 3604 or 64:
Babylonian mathematicians used the separator (effectively
the first zero) in the middle position only. The person doing the calculations
knew what order of magnitude he was working with and didn't add any separators
at the end of his notations. However, the astronomers started
using the zero placeholder in at the end and at the beginning of notations.
This allowed them to note fractional degrees and minutes of arc and made
their computations more accurate.
Despite the invention of zero as a placeholder, the Babylonians
never quite discovered zero as a number. On an accounting tablet recording
the distribution of grain there is a notation at the end of a column of
numbers that reads "The grain is exhausted." Another example from the same
era is a description subtracting 20 from 20: "twenty minus twenty...you
see."
Although we have evidence of zero from tablets in the Selucid
era (4th to 1st C BC), it is possible that the zero was invented before
that time. Many of the Seleucid era tablets are copies of much older documents.
We'll never know for certain, so we place the Babylonia zero around the
3rd century BC. They had a very complex calendar system and needed a placeholder in their
elaborate date system. This lead to their invention of zero--600 years and
12,000 miles removed from the Babylonians.
The Mayans had several calendars. There was a 365 day civil year, a 260
day religious year and, key to their invention of zero, the complicated
Long Count calendar which measured time from the start of the Mayan civilization
(August 12, 3113 B.C.) and completes a full cycle on December 21, 2012.
Mayan Long Count Units kin day unial month 20 days tun year 360 days (18 months) katun 20 tuns 7200 days (20 years) baktun 20 katuns 144,000 days (400 years) pictun 20 baktuns 2,880,000 days (8,000 years) calabtun 20 pictuns 57,600,000 days (160,000 years) kinchiltun 20 calabtuns 1,152,000,000 days (3,200,000 years) alautun 20 kinchiltuns 23,040,000,000 days (64 million years) It is the formal Long Count calendar that brought about the zero. The Mayan
numerals were very complex in formal use--painted or carved heads or even
full figures were used to represent numbers. When using these ornate carvings
on a stelae, or stone tablet, the Mayans had a rather rigid graphic layout;
each period of time had a space and all the spaces needed to be filled in.
So a date that was 8 baktuns, 14 katuns, 3 tuns, 0 unials and 12 kins had
to have one figure for each place. The zero was often represented by a shell
shape.
Despite the use of zero in the place value system, it was never used for
calculations. Once again, this stems back to the calendar. You may have
noticed in the chart above that a 360 day year is 18 months (20 days to
a month). This irregularity messed up an otherwise tidy vegisimal (base
20) system:
Decimal 10 is (1 x 10) + (0 x 1) = 10 Decimal 100 is (1 x 10exp2) + (0 x 10) + (0 x 1) = 100 Decimal 1000 is (1 x 10exp3) + (0 x 10exp2) + (0 x 10) + (0 x 1) = 1000 The reason the date of the Hindu zero is in question is because of how
it came to be.
Most existing ancient Indian mathematical texts are really copies that
are at most a few hundred years old. And these copies are copies of copies
of copies passed through the ages. But the transcriptions are error free...can
you imagine copying a math book without making any errors? Were the Hindus
very good proofreaders? They had a trick.
Math problems were written in verse and could be easily memorised, chanted,
or sung. Each word in the verse corresponded to a number. For example,
viya dambar akasasa sunya yama rama veda Indian place notation moved from left to right with ones place coming first.
So the phrase above translates to 4,230,000. Using a vocabulary of symbolic words to note zero is known from the 458
AD cosmology text Lokavibhaga. But as a more traditional numeral--a
dot or an open circle--there is no record until 628, though it is recorded
as if well-understood at that time so it's likely zero as a symbol was used
before 628.
Which it probably was, considering that 30 years
previously, an inscription of a date using a zero symbol in the Hindu manner
was made in Cambodia.
A striking note about the Hindu zero is that, unlike the Babylonian and
Mayan zero, the Hindu zero symbol came to be understood as meaning "nothing."
This is probably because of the use of number words that preceded the symbolic
zero. The Hindus influenced the numeration of nearby locales, and introduced
the zero to the Chinese and to the Arabs who developed the modern day shape
of numerals and passed them, along with zero, to the Europeans in the 12th
century.
Although China independently invented place value, they didn't make the
leap to zero until it was introduced to them by a Buddhist astronomer (by
way of India) in 718.
Although it seems strange to image a place value system with no place holder
for "nothing," it makes perfect sense when you see the Chinese method for
writing and calculating numbers.
The Chinese used a counting board to do their mat, and an additive system
to write their numbers. There was a symbol for 1 and a symbol for five and
these symbols were added together to form symbols for other numbers up to
9. The numbers were actually rods arranged on a counting board which ran
from left to right. Any missing places were left blank on the counting board.
After the introduction of the zero symbol, the counting board could be retired.
Numbers could be written on paper without the need of little rods and counting
boards.
Arab countries in the MIddle East also got their zero from Indian scholars.
Arab mathemeticians created a new form of writing numbers--the Arabic numberals
we still use today. When Europe and the MIddle East began trade on a large
scale, Europe adopted Arabic numerals and abandoned counting boards.
"It must have required many ages to discover that a brace of pheasants
and a couple of days were in both instances the number two." Bertrand Russell
A number is a quantity, an abstraction of a collection
of things; a numeral is a man-made symbol that represents
the number.
Numbers (quantity) are always the same value, no matter
what symbol or word is used to represent them. Uno, bindu, ichi, 1, single,
solitary. All of these symbols represent the concept we know as "one." The
quanity does not change, even when the symbol is different.
Zero is a special case. Constance Reid, in From Zero to Infinity
shows the difference between number and numeral with a set of simple math
problems. It is easy to use zero when it is a symbol, but not always so
easy to calculate with zero the number. What are the answers to the following
math problems?
Zero as Symbol Zero as Number 1 + 10 = 1 + 0 = 10 - 1 = 0 - 1 = 1 x 10 = 1 x 0 = 10 / 1 = 0 / 1= [Answers. symbol column: 11, 9, 10, 10. number column: 1,
-1, 0, 0]
invent (v.) think up or mentally fabricate, esp a new device or
contrivance. The numeral zero (symbol) was invented. Place value notation uses numerals in different positions to represent
different numbers. You may recall learning about the "tens" place and the
"ones" place in elementary school; this is place value notation.
Our system uses place value notation; for example, 32 means "three tens
and two ones."
Tens Ones 3 2 Place value notation is how zero was invented. It was a symbolic placeholder
for an empty place (for example 302 or 3200). Previous to the invention
of zero, either number might have been written as 32, leaving the reader
to figure out the number from context. Zero was a big improvement for accurate
accounting!
In most systems that use place value notation, the places are the exponents
of the base. In our decimal (base 10) system we have places for: 1, 10,
10 squared (100), 10 cubed (1000) and so on. In a sexigesimal (base 60)
system, the places are 1, 60, 60 squared (3600), etc. In a base 20 system:
1, 20, 20 squared (400), 20 cubed (800), and so on.
Value "Four hundred and twelve" in Base 10 &
Base 60 DECIMAL 10 squared place Tens place Ones place SEXIGESIMAL 60 squared place Sixties place Ones place Numerals 4-1-2 in Place Value Notation DECIMAL 10 squared place Tens place Ones place SEXIGESIMAL 60 squared place Sixties place Ones place WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush, as commander-in-chief, is not restricted by U.S. and international laws barring torture, Bush administration lawyers stated in a March 2003 memorandum.
The 56-page memo to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld cited the president's "complete authority over the conduct of war," overriding international treaties such as a global treaty banning torture, the Geneva Conventions and a U.S. federal law against torture.
"In order to respect the president's inherent constitutional authority to manage a military campaign ... (the prohibition against torture) must be construed as inapplicable to interrogations undertaken pursuant to his commander-in-chief authority," stated the memo, obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.
Source: Reuters
8-14, 16:33
Magnitude: 4.3
Location: Northwestern Chiba Prefecture
8-15, 3:55
Magnitude: 4.3
Location: Southern Ibaraki Prefecture
Well, I was right about those earthquakes. The two on Tuesday & Wednesday paved the way for one whose epicenter was in Tokyo proper.
8-18, 4:53
Oddly enough, nobody outside Tokyo felt it, according to Tenki's map. Usually the effects of a quake spread a little further out. Maybe all of Tokyo's buildings absorbed it.
Magnitude: 4.0
Location: Tokyo 23 Wards
It's a slow news day.
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TITLE: Travel plans
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 08/22/2000 07:08:23 AM
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Making travel plans is always a bit of a pain, but using the Internet for research and contact makes it a little bit less difficult.
Who's there?
Our next-door neighbor.
Our next-door neighbor who?
Alan. He's Canadian.
Being Webgrrl of the Week is probably more about whether you fill in the interview form at all, than how well you complete it. Still, I managed to be given the honor this week.
Yikes! Mt. Oyama's erupted (again).
If you do any of the above, people will pretend you are invisible. Guaranteed.
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TITLE: Computers in another language
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/01/2000 08:05:13 AM
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Computers in another language.
Typhoon season is upon us. From August's hot and muggy weather, we've reached September's torrential rains.
Tokyo-to
Chiyoda-ku, Nagatacho 1-7-1
"An entertainment star came in here" the young convenience store clerk giggled nervously to a customer.
"Really? Was it scary?" the customer asked.
It was my watch I was after. Now that I've found it, everything is going back on the pile in the opposite order. :-)
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TITLE: We're hosting an office
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DATE: 11/18/2000 07:08:18 AM
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We're hosting an office party in two weeks, so now I have incentive to find curtains for the living room and a place to store CDs.
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TITLE: When I have a
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DATE: 12/06/2000 09:34:50 PM
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When I have a problem getting an appliance or bit of equipment to work, I grab the manual and a translation dictionary and spend hours translating.
7. Finger paint (with the addition of food coloring)
8. Very temporary nail polish
9. Lip gloss for a masochist
10. Bubble solution ingredient
11. Fish euthanasia agent
12. ...
13. laundry prewash/stain remover
14. lava lamp ingredient
15. temporary glue for paper holiday decorations on windows
16. "wash your mouth out with soap"
17. eyeglasses cleaner
18. wanking lubrication
19. ...
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TITLE: And yet more uses
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DATE: 12/10/2000 05:54:43 AM
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And yet more uses for Lever 2000:
20. Etch name on dirty surfaces
21. Terrorize Lever Consumer Hotline
22. Amuse friends by thinking of uses
23. Weighing down pickle pots
24. ...
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TITLE: ANA's fleet of Boeing
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DATE: 12/11/2000 06:31:11 PM
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ANA's fleet of Boeing 777s has a really nifty feature--the cockpit camera. Passengers can see the view out the front window as the plane takes off and lands. In flight, the camera angle switches to a straight down view of the landscapes below the plane. Even confirmed aisle-sitters like me get a great window view.
25. Artificial Snot
26. Tight ring remover
But you can buy more refined or personalised postcards at stationery stores or even make your own. We made ours this year using small squares of colored paper and rubber stamps to greet the Year of the Snake.
To join you need money (quite a bit of it) and a passport-sized photo. Tod is apparently quite ready to see me in the gym because he spotted an instant photo booth as we walked along. "Have your photos done. Then you'll be ready to join at any time."
But they will do the trick and since I'll stand out like a very pale, very tall, sore thumb in the gym no matter what I do, I guess my ID really doesn't make any difference.
I think its time to re-evaluate video editing software.
The oblong box is contoured like an old-fashioned cedar lunch container. Its hard plastic outer shell fits together like a gift box and is decorated on top with cartoon characters or photos of animals. Some have silly sayings in English: "Heart is the time of lunch. Let's enjoy relaxing health together."
I wear my flannel nightie in the winter when it's not.
But sometimes in the springtime and sometimes in the fall,
I jump between the covers with nothing on at all!
Ichi ji han gurai da.
(Say the above quickly. Translation: About 1:30.)
"Ichi mai" means "one thing," "sen" is "1,000." Translation: One thing, but it's a senbei. Doesn't make much sense outside Japan, I guess.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Yokohama Curry Museum
BASENAME: the_yokohama_curry_museum
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/09/2001 08:13:31 AM
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The Yokohama Curry Museum is quite a concept.
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TITLE: Although the city hosts
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/22/2001 05:59:29 AM
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Although the city hosts six jillion "hair and make" salons, I do not belive it is possible to get a spur-of-the moment hair cut in Tokyo.
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TITLE: I think I'm becoming
BASENAME: i_think_im_becoming
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DATE: 02/28/2001 06:58:23 AM
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I think I'm becoming a computer expert.
Today is Hina Matsuri, the doll festival.
Total 23,980 yen
Distance 668.4 km
Transfer 5 times
Tod's i-mode phone (model P209i) weighs only 55 grams (about an ounce and a half)--less than a candy bar weighs. But that's not good enough for me...
Way back, when I was trying to learn to program in C, Tod had some licorice candies with "GP" embossed on them. I decided they were the Good Programmer candies and I awarded them to myself when I finished a chapter. I quickly grew frustrated with C, gave up and eventually threw away the Good Programmer candies.
"Since this is volunteer work, I though you might appreciate some Kash and Fees. And because you're still learning, I think this Assist might be useful. You are my Sweetie, so I'm also giving you some Kisses."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The number of digital
BASENAME: the_number_of_digital
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/10/2001 07:38:23 AM
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The number of digital subscriber lines (DSL)
reached 34,372 at the end of February, more than 10
times last October's figure of some 3,000, thanks to
lower rates and the shorter duration of installation work,
the telecom ministry said Friday.
(from Japan Today)
There's nothing like getting up early and working until lunchtime then playing hookey for the rest of the afternoon.
Flowers, flowers everywhere. Nothing like a birthday celebration to fill the office with the sweet scent of blossoms.
We turned our balcony into a nice place to sit outside and enjoy the flower-scented air. Now I hear the heavy "flap, flap flap" of a pigeon struggling up from the railing to the roof.
12:44 am. Hyperactive would-be sleeper realises her mistake.
You never know what you'll see as you walk along Japan's shopping avenues. Here's Colonel Sanders dressed up as a samurai hawking his latest chicken confection--Twisters. What's a Twister? It's a chicken burrito. Why is a samurai/colonel advertising chicken burritos? You got me there.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Some of Tokyo's streets
BASENAME: some_of_tokyos_streets
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/30/2001 08:08:07 AM
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Some of Tokyo's streets and alleys have been around for a long time.
We invited friends for dinner and planned a Chinese meal. Chinese food, in case you've never cooked it before, requires a fair amount of deep frying. Even Kung Pao chicken and pepper steak are deep fried briefly before being stir fried. But tops on our menu last night was shrimp toast which needs a lot of deep frying and plenty of oil.
[tameru (to store), ofuro (bathtub), mizu (water), tamaru (to collect)]
[hajimaru (to begin), kimaru (to be decided), jugyou (a class), jikan (time), kimeru (to decide), ~teiru (~ing)]
I'm M-- Fujimori.
In the afternoon we visited your home
but couldn't meet you.
We would like to meet you
and we want you to know our
Spiritual Volunteer activity.
We will visit your home tomorrow.
If you wouldn't convenient please
call me. Tel. 03-xxxx-xxxx
good-bye.
from M-- Fujimori.
M-- Miyata.
The 13th Annual Bunkyo-ku Aozora (Blue Sky) Garage Sale took up three streets and a schoolyard.
Each resident of my fine city has only 3 square meters of park to call his own. In comparison, Parisians have 12 sqm; Los Angeles residents have 18 and New Yorkers have a full 29 thanks to Central Park. If you are a lucky resident of Australia's capital, Canberra, you have 77 sq meters of park to stretch out in!
For the last week or so, I've been trying to hurry summer along. I've taken my warm-weather clothes out of storage; I'm walking more; meals have migrated outdoors. The weather (when the rain lets up) has been lovely, with warm days and cool nights.
After three years in Japan, I'm finally going to a sumo match. And we're going in style. Our friends, the Andohs, have a box courtesy of Takashimaya, where Atsunori works. Elizabeth proimises us that we'll be fed until we're stuffed! "Come hungry and bring a backpack for the food to take home," she advised.
Sumo was all I'd hoped and more. Elizabeth was certainly right about the food. I don't need to cook dinner for at least two nights. The caterer delivered yakitori, sandwiches, soramame (huge steamed beans like limas), bento lunch boxes, beer, sake, wine, and ice cream. Plus a bag full of omiyage (gifts) to take home at the end. Tod will deliver anmitsu (fruit with sweet beans), rice crackers, dango and more to the office today as a way of thanking everyone who covered for him while he took the afternoon off.
It's difficult to explain the rankings and the process by which one obtains a higher ranking but to reach the highest rank, yokozuna, you must not only be a terrific wrestler, but a man of good character. That's something that American sports franchises might want to consider. There are currently two yokozuna: Musashimaru and Takanohana. Takanohana is unbeaten in this Summer tournament.
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TITLE: Alice had been looking
BASENAME: alice_had_been_looking
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/25/2001 08:49:14 AM
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Alice had been looking over his shoulder with some curiosity. `What a funny watch!' she remarked. `It tells the day of the month, and doesn't tell what o'clock it is!'
Remember the guys who were setting up drainage pipes last month?
Geek celebrities. It's weird how in any field there are those who are well-known and respected practiioners of their craft. But in the Internet world, the widespread sharing of communication allows some to become celebrities and household names.
Tod was enthusiastic when Rob handed over his business card. He didn't quite do a victory dance on the spot but he had to restrain himself, I think. I got permission to scan it for "the 'blog" today but Tod will take it back and preserve it in his card file. I have two binders full of cards that I use all the time, but I don't think I have any famous people filed in there. At least none that I care about.
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AUTHOR: Diane Hungate
EMAIL: diane@haqa.co.uk
IP: 217.149.104.166
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2003 12:07:42 PM
Doug and Kristen,
Hi...Diane (Traini) Hungate here....one of the first Telerama subscribers (dtraini@telerama.com). Still in London....now living in Sandhurst, Berkshire. Would so love to hear from you as you had such an influence in my future. :) Please drop me a line at diane@haqa.co.uk. And Thanks for a wonderful life!
Sincerely,
Diane (Traini) Hungate
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AUTHOR: Diane Hungate
EMAIL: diane@haqa.co.uk
IP: 217.149.104.166
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2003 12:07:51 PM
Doug and Kristen,
Hi...Diane (Traini) Hungate here....one of the first Telerama subscribers (dtraini@telerama.com). Still in London....now living in Sandhurst, Berkshire. Would so love to hear from you as you had such an influence in my future. :) Please drop me a line at diane@haqa.co.uk. And Thanks for a wonderful life!
Sincerely,
Diane (Traini) Hungate
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TITLE: I'm often surprised how
BASENAME: im_often_surprised_how
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/03/2001 08:53:17 AM
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I'm often surprised how American culture and habits sometimes rub me the wrong way. Other times I cuddle up comfortably with them.
Well, the pipe inspectors must have sent in their scathing report. The drainage system across the street has been reworked into a maze of waterways. Not only are there new, complicated joints connecting all of the branches, but they dug up the street to create two new access ports into the underground gutter!
Universal Access
When you plan your site, you might be lucky and know exactly who your audience is; but most of the time you won’t. Universal access takes into consideration that users have different screen sizes, browsers, and abilities.
To make your site viewable to the widest audience, think about these things:
Ease of Navigation
There are a number of ways to make your site easy to navigate.
Attractive Design
Even the most perfectly well organized site will fail if it doesn't look nice. Aesthetics are a matter of personal taste balanced with the prevalent idea of beauty, but there are a few things that you can do to ensure your site will look nice:
Loading time
Have you ever waited for a long time for a web page to load? I’m the sort of person who either gives up after a few seconds and clicks Stop or lets it load in the background while I do other things—usually forgetting that I wanted the page at all.
What makes pages load slowly? Some of the issues are out of your control, like bandwidth and network congestions, but there are some things you can do to make sure your pages are zippy.
User Interface Planning
It’s important to plan what you’re going to do before you begin development. Good planning allows you to be consistent when you add more content and information in later stages. And if you’re working with a team to do your site, planning ensures that everyone is following the same ideas.
Planning Stage 1: Content
Content is how you deliver the message of your website, so it’s key to have a clear focus. What are you trying to say to your audience? Can you sum up the “mission” of your website in two sentences?
Examples
“digitalevejapan.org publishes information about DigitalEve Japan’s events, projects and membership. The website is bilingual and includes interactive registration for events.”
“Kristen’s Japan keeps friends, family and the curious reader entertained with daily snippets from my life. In addition, longer, illustrated essays give an in-depth picture of aspects of living in Japan.”
“MediaTinker.com showcases the products and services of our company. Pricing and contact information are available as well as tutorials by our staff and links to business partners.”
Planning Stage 2: Structure
Organizing the structure of your website is a two-fold process. You must consider your audience’s needs first. What do you think will be most important to them?
Keep in mind that what a user needs is probably not the same as the structure of your organization. If we arranged the DigitalEve Japan website based on the steering committee, our members would have a difficult time finding out about our workshops. Here’s what might be, compared to what currently is:
DE-J Steering Committee Organization
Co-Leaders' page
Treasurer’s page
PR page
Sponsorship page
Web Content page
Audience-based Web Organization
News & Home
About Us
Join Us
Events
Contact Us
If you are planning a corporate or organizational website, you may want to conduct focus groups or interview some of your users to find out what they think is important or useful. You might be surprised at what they suggest.
Once you have an idea in your head, you should put it on paper. Not only does this help you fill any gaps you may have forgotten, but it gives everyone involved in the construction of the site a guide to follow.
There are many ways to sketch out this plan. You can use a simple list, as above. A flowchart can be helpful if you need to lead the audience through steps, such as registering or purchasing something online. Another technique that is helpful at the beginning stages, especially when you have a lot of information to organize, is mind mapping.
Planning Stage 3: Navigation
Navigation is the final key point in your user interface. This is how your audience will move around in your site and it includes all the clues they will have too show them where they are (and where they can go).
Here are some standard navigation techniques; you can incorporate as many as makes sense for your site:
Incorporating navigation “clues” can help your audience identify where they are in your site:
Organizing navigation should be a priority when you start designing your site. Take a look at sites you like and especially ones you think are easy to navigate then copy the best ideas to use on your own site. Remember that even though unique design can help your site stand apart from other sites, confusing the users with bad navigation means nobody’s going to stay very long to read what you have to say.
Points to consider
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References
Designing Web Usability. Jakob Nielsen
Although Nielsen takes a stark and unappealing approach to graphical design, much of what’s described in this book is solid, practical information about creating a highly usable website. Just don’t believe him when he talks about anything involving graphics.
Designing Web Graphics 3. Lynda Weinman
Lynda has been working with and writing about web design for many years and this book is the most referenced one on my shelf. She discusses planning, aesthetics and execution of web graphics.
The Design of Everyday Things. Donald Norman
Although this slim volume doesn’t talk about the web at all, it is an excellent introduction to why it’s important to make things (anything at all) user-friendly.
Envisioning Information. Edward Tufte
This is one of three definitive references by Tufte. In this one, he shows different techniques to present information visually. If you’re planning to add charts, graphs or other information-rich graphics to your website, reports or other publications, this book will give you a solid understanding of the basics.
Originally presented at the Digital Eve Japan Women’s Web Retreat
June 23-24, 2001
Alishan Conference Center
Koma, Saitama
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Handouts and lecture notes from a presentation workshop for Digital Eve Japan
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My computers' fans buzz
BASENAME: my_computers_fans_buzz
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/25/2001 06:52:23 AM
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My computers' fans buzz frantically trying to cool off. Already this morning the thermometer registers 28 (82 F) degrees with a forecast of 33 (92 F). The office seems to amplify the temperature outside, so I know it will be stifling in here today. Today would be a good day to switch on the aircon.
Because of the recent heat, Tod's been busy replacing batteries in the aircon remotes. Yesterday he did the second unit in the dining room.
TO BRING UP LINK, PRESS ENTER ON GLASS --TOD
We went to see the lanterns floating on the moat at the Imperial Palace, but we arrived to late to see them launched. They were very pretty in the twilight from the height of the moat walls, but the best view must have been with those who had rented boats and were rowing among them.
9:01 am. The extremely cute, bright turquoise mini-digger (model SKR-301) is doing a balletic dance from its flatbed truck to the ground. The skilled operator uses the digging head as a fulcrum to slide the machine off the raked bed of the truck without bouncing it off the asphalt.
Peterb is in town from Pittsburgh. We haven't seen him in five years, and all of us have been busy in the intervening years--marriage, mortgage, moving--but I think that neither he nor we have changed much.
When I was a little girl, I read a lot of fairy tales, fantasy and historical fiction. I was fascinated with the things people wore and the descriptions of women embroidering all the time. What a lot of work for clothes that we take for granted these days.
69% cotton
31% metal
Dry Clean Only 
Seth & Tara came back from Akita in the north of Japan bearing a gift box of "Aunt Stella's Hand Made Cookies from the Heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country." It's the perfect blend of Amish & Japanese.
Warm heart communication by Aunt Stella.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I'm in China. Beijing
BASENAME: im_in_china_beijing
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/27/2001 05:36:53 PM
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I'm in China. Beijing reminds me a lot of Hong Hong, Kuala Lumpur & every Chinatown I've ever visited. There's a mix of high-tech billboards and people on bicycles. Old, weed-sprouting roofs on houses hidden behind grey, tile-topped walls. 1970s residential highrises with air conditioners on the outside of each window. Upscale boutiques. Teeming millions. Kanji that's not quite the same as back home.
In eleven days we covered plenty of territory in China: Beijing; Xi'an; Chongqing; Shanghai; and countless places I'd never heard of before. I captured it all in images. 252 slides on film and 181 digital photos, to be precise.
While we were in China, we learned to play mahjong. We enjoyed it so much that we all bought mahjong sets. Ours came from the Number 9 Department Store in Shanghai, just down the street from our hotel. Seth and Tara bought four sets after scouring the city for just the right ones.
"Moshi moshi..."
"Hello, this is Kristen McQuillin."
"Moshi moshi?"
"Kristen McQuillin."
"Moshi moshi?"
"Ergh. Moshi. Moshi."
"Ah! NTT desu. Ashita ni kimasu." [...]
Lately, we've been reading about "war driving" (more at The Register) and other methods of finding unsecured wireless networks. It's interesting to us for two reasons:
So we wondered if our US-sourced wireless equipment would find Japanese wireless networks. Last night, we had dinner at a British pub near Tod's office and tested it out. The pub is next door to an Internet cafe, and sure enough we found not one, but three unsecured wireless networks.
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TITLE: [OK, one final post
BASENAME: ok_one_final_post
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 08/25/2001 08:08:20 AM
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[OK, one final post about wireless networks and then it's back to the humanities.]
It could take all day to explain this calendar page.
Anyone pursuing art? My wall is still all white so I need someone's beautiful drawing, like beautiful oceans, maybe?
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TITLE: I must be the
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DATE: 09/05/2001 08:32:26 AM
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I must be the only busybody in the neighborhood. Or maybe I'm the only one at home during the day.
Within moments, cellphones were deployed as they reported the accident to the police, insurance companies and families. About twenty minutes later, the local policeman arrived by bicycle. He took their statements while I peeped.
Another autumn treat--wonderful menus of fall foods. Kushikyu, our local pub, held a Kinoko Matsuri (mushroom festival) yesterday. We ate seven different mushrooms prepared as kushiyaki (skewered and grilled).
Mom always said pretty on the inside is pretty on the outside. So now I know that she was right. Everything inside me is normal, my doctor tells me. And that's good news.
As we conclude Disaster Preparedness Week, our neighborhood supply shed has been cleaned out. In every train station, disaster maps are posted that show evacuation areas. Our first refuge is across the street in the tiny play park. From there we and the neighbors proceded to the large botanical garden if necessary.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Words of the Week
BASENAME: words_of_the_week
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/15/2001 12:30:33 AM
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Words I've learned this week:
chukei: live video
tero-jiken: terror event
minkanki: commercial airplane
fumei: unknown, no information
zenbun: full story
doujitahatsu: simultaneous occurance
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AUTHOR: annie
EMAIL: lilstops23@hotmail.com
IP: 12.217.24.217
URL:
DATE: 01/14/2003 11:15:05 AM
i was wondering if you could send me words and phrses like hello, my name is, how are you and things like that- if you can e-mail those thanks
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: xue chung
EMAIL: fruity345cs@hotmail.com
IP: 195.166.69.184
URL:
DATE: 01/17/2003 08:06:43 PM
hihi! mi want to learn japanese too!! these are the words i know...
hello: konichiwa
Good morning: ohayo gozaimasu
hai: yes
lie: no
How are you: ogenki desu ka
i am fine: hai, genki desu
what is your name: onamae wa nan desu ka
it's xue: xue desu
Arigato: thank you
sayonara: goodbye
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: eddie
EMAIL: eddien303@yahoo.com
IP: 66.73.161.194
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2003 02:44:42 PM
i honestly would like to learn some swear words (because you never know when you need them) and i like to tell people off without the not knowing what i am saying (makes them less mad).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: bobby
EMAIL: bobpoopalot@hotmail.com
IP: 81.135.75.118
URL: http://none
DATE: 07/04/2003 06:30:36 AM
i saw da muffin but wheres the chese i wanna know please fucking tell me
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Candy
EMAIL: cgue3@allstate.com
IP: 167.127.163.141
URL:
DATE: 08/28/2003 03:20:51 AM
Need to know about a certain symbol.
Ba-go-da.
House or temple. (Entrance to Dojo)
I can't draw it with this e-mail.
I need to know the whole meaning.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ME
EMAIL:
IP: 66.81.39.224
URL:
DATE: 09/23/2003 11:42:57 AM
Ichi=1 ni=2 san=3 shi=4 go=5 ruko-6 seechi=7 hachee=8
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: rooroo
EMAIL: shagy_love@hotmail.com
IP: 195.229.241.170
URL: http://errer
DATE: 04/01/2004 02:36:29 AM
yes/ that`s right
Ichi- One
Ni- Two
San- Three
Yon- Four
Go- Five
Roku- Six
Nana- Seven
Hachi- Eight
Kyuu- Nine
Juu- Ten
Juuichi- Eleven
Juuni- Twelve
Juusan- Thirteen
Nijuu- Twenty
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: yaoi
EMAIL: lanny12@hotmail.com
IP: 24.112.254.13
URL: http://www.yaoi2.blogspot.com/
DATE: 08/07/2004 04:46:49 PM
This blog is pretty interesting, will add a bookmark, thanks.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: "Gyo-zaaaaa! Gyo-ooOOoo-za!" I love
BASENAME: gyo-zaaaaa_gyo-oooooo-za_i_love
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/16/2001 08:42:31 PM
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"Gyo-zaaaaa! Gyo-ooOOoo-za!"
Oedo subway. 11:56 pm.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Today is the autumnal
BASENAME: today_is_the_autumnal
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/23/2001 01:25:32 PM
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Today is the autumnal equinox and everyone is in a festive mood. Yesterday children pulled minature shrines through the streets. Today, we've got a neighborhood rummage sale going on, a kids' bazaar.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo Transportation SeriesDerelict Bicycles
BASENAME: tokyo_transportation_seriesderelict_bicycles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/26/2001 06:51:18 AM
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Tokyo Transportation Series
Derelict Bicycles tagged for removal. 2:18 pm
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I'm waiting for the
BASENAME: im_waiting_for_the
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/27/2001 07:53:24 AM
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I'm waiting for the third shoe to fall. You know how they say bad things always come in threes. Well, I've had two this week and no doubt #3 is on its way.
Autumn brings out the creativity in people. These men stripped off all their clothing (except for a tiny strip of loincloth), shaved their heads, painted their lithe bodies white, and danced a slow and twisting modern dance. A small band of musicians accompanied them.
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AUTHOR: Yoshihide Takeda
EMAIL: yotakeda@hotmail.com
IP: 210.139.224.192
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2003 10:20:26 AM
Hi,
I am thinking about starting an NPO in Japan. I am an American and I could set up an NPO in America and create a branch office here, but I was wondering whether you know about taxable donations to an organization like that?
Thanks,
Yoshi
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: What's your poison? Today
BASENAME: whats_your_poison_today
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/01/2001 09:34:24 AM
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What's your poison? Today could be your day.
Well-marked intersection in Bunkyo-ku
4:12 pm
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TITLE: Whump. pause. Whump. pause.
BASENAME: whump_pause_whump_pause
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/04/2001 09:01:03 AM
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Whump. pause. Whump. pause. Whump. Godzilla is romping through our neighborhood this morning.
Yesterday, my art was not neglected.
I never thought I'd see the day when all of the computers in my house were in active use. But yesterday, a team of four volunteer translators (Reiko, Kaori, Shino, & Nagusa) came over to work on the DigitalEve Japan website and every computer that could be used was.
Today is Health Sports Day, a national holiday to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
Rowers on Shinobazu Pond, Ueno Park. 2:40 pm
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TITLE: At the end of
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/17/2001 08:11:50 AM
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At the end of the day, tired & hungry, we often opt for whatever food is easy and quick either at home or in a familiar neighborhood restaurant. We avoid the more challenging experiences like seeking out new restaurants of questionable character--the izzakaya beer pubs, the little yakitori shops presided over by a middle aged Mama-san. They look interesting, but...
Family with Babycar, Ueno Zoo. 3:10 pm
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TITLE: Three cheers for Tod
BASENAME: three_cheers_for_tod
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/21/2001 07:27:57 PM
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Three cheers for Tod and his astonishing Internet knowledge.
K> haven't decided how to cook them yet.
N> broiled?
K> maybe. or perhaps simmered til they fall off the bone
N> poached in a tasty liquid
N> sear them first and poach in the deglazed goodness
K> that sounds great.
N> maybe I'll make that tomorrow :)
* N consults the Meat Bible
K> I can deglaze them with sake and flavor the liquid with soy and mirin
N> yum
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TITLE: Utility monopolies [insert rude
BASENAME: utility_monopolies_insert_rude
STATUS: Publish
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CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/04/2001 09:29:11 AM
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Utility monopolies [insert rude scatalogical verb here].
City bus (with advertisements) 4:14 pm
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TITLE: My office looks as
BASENAME: my_office_looks_as
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/08/2001 09:36:00 AM
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My office looks as though someone rifled it. My G4 computer is gone, along with its monitor and a CD burner. My backpack spills its contents in the corner; cables and cords tumble from open drawers. A carpet of papers, CDs and office supplies covers the floor.
Takarazuka 1000 Days Theater was the temporary home of the all-female musical theatre troupe, Takarazuka, while their permanent venue was being rebuilt. Their 1000 days are over, they've moved back to their original home, and the temporary building has a new use.
1 boiled potato, cut into 1 cm thick slices
2 teaspoons of blueberry jam
3-4 pats of butter
black pepper to taste
The news is full of national leaders' children.
"Ohisashiburi, okaasan*!" I said to my mirror. My mother, circa 1976, was looking back at me after my haircut. Wow.
Policeman calls "Abunai!"
But I sprint across.
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TITLE: Kappabashi is Tokyo's wholesale
BASENAME: kappabashi_is_tokyos_wholesale
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/11/2001 08:47:00 AM
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Kappabashi is Tokyo's wholesale restaurant supply district. A kilometer of shops line boths sides of a four lane street. Side streets shoot off with even more shops. All of them offer up specialty goods--pots and pans in this one, signs and menus in that one. Over here we have cast iron; across the street are the coffee-making supplies. Down the little side street is the best of the knife shops. This store sells bakery bags and twist ties. That one has plastic bento boxes.
Yesterday morning, the Mita line was running late. Tod arrived at Kasuga station to board a train for work, but had to wait on the platform for 30 minutes. When he finally made it to Otemachi station, a train employee gave him a note to hand to his employer to explain why he was late.
Regarding the train you were riding, the punch-cut to the right proves the delay.
Otemachi Stationmaster.
At 2 am, there's nothing but taxis on the streets. The trains stop running at midnight and late-night revellers catch cabs to get home. The taxi drivers must make a fortune with their 50% late-night surcharge.
Good grief, we have four coffee making devices.
Bunkyo-ku is famous for its universities and literary sons. Natsume Soseki, a 19th century novelist is pictured on the 1000 yen note and the site of the house where he wrote I Am A Cat is not too far from our own.
Kakizome is the first calligraphy of the new year. It's traditionally done on January 2nd and the department stores and shops around Tokyo prepare for this day with enormous displays of writing tools for sale--brushes of many sizes, inkstones with different shades of black ink, traditional papers, scrolls, and decorative plaques.
It's nice to know that foreigners aren't the only ones with bad handwriting.
Yakudoshi is an unlucky year for people of certain ages. Everyone has three yakudoshi during their lives. Women's come at 19, 33, and 37. Men are 25, 42 and 61. But the Shinto way of counting birthdays adds a year to your age, so the Western ages are 18, 32, 36, 24, 41, & 60.
I've always been a bit behind the times when it comes to adopting new technology. But today I joined the ranks of normal people when I purchased a cell phone.
Traditional workman's clothing is distinctive and very functional. Pants balloon at the knees then fall tight and straight to meet leather-bottomed split-toed socks called tabi A vest with pockets tops the outfit. What's really nifty is that these traditional uniforms are still in widespread use.
Foreigners who live in Tokyo are rarely lukewarm about it. They either love it or hate it. It's a beautiful place or an ugly place. It's wonderful or terrible.
Househunting is done. Here's where we're going to live, if the contract is successfully completed. It's on the 2nd floor of a 5 story building near the Marunouchi subway line at Korakuen station--about a fifteen minute walk southeast of where we live now.
Today is 2-2-2. I'm delighted to be living at the turn of a century because I'll be able to revel on dates like this for the next 10 years.
Absinthe is a green liquor made of wormwood and anise. It was originally a medicinal tonic, but gained popularlity in the Belle Epoque first among French soldiers, then artists and writers, and finally among the general populace across Europe. It was so popular that it was eventually banned because its active ingredient, thujone (from the wormwood), was said to cause hallucinations, illness, and even death.
The meat department in Japanese supermarkets offers a dazzling array of cuts because standard butchering techniques are unlike American ones. Chicken thighs are deboned. Beef is cut into extremely thin slices rather than roasts. Food is bite sized when it's served.
Valentine's Day store window display at Mono Comme Ca, Harajuku.
This morning, I put pencil to sketchbook for the first time in months. It's been almost a year since the last time I actively sat down to draw something. Too much time away from art ruins my eye-hand coordination!
Tod gave an interview in Japanese. 
Our purpose was to illustrate that there is a common "language of line." For example, Peacefulness is often portrayed by a horizontal form and/or waves. Femininity come out as crossed forms about 20% of the time. Anger seems to take two forms--either balled up or slashing.
One man's junk is another man's treasure.
We've been measuring the new apartment. Now we have scale diagrams of all the rooms and of all our furniture. I'm not a very good interior planner but I have great tools.
I love the sound of trains. The Marunouchi line, an electric subway, makes a brief above ground appearance near our new apartment. Every few minutes, I hear the muted roar of trains going by. I haven't yet learned to distinguish their direction, but I will. And I suspect that I'll be able to tell what time of day it is by their frequency.
Yamanote29
WeeklyDV: Scramble
26 Things
Mirror Project
Pinhole Day 2003
Neighborhood Project
SiTO
Communimage
Illustrated Essays
On the way back from the house inspection (whch the realtor declared "good"), I stopped at the local plant shop on Hakusan Dori to buy some trees for the veranda. What a delightful experience.
Welcome to my living room. I think this might be one of my favorite rooms, ever. The photo doesn't do it justice because I lack a wide angle lens for my digital camera.
Today is Hina Matsuri, the Doll's Festival.
Yesterday we addressed some lighting issues.
There's not too much to say about our new kitchen. There's not too much of it! It's a small galley with the fridge and a washer/dryer against the opposite wall. There's not much room for excess, so our counters are bare and the extra appliances are in the pantry closet across the hall.
This is Brendan, the crazy proprietor of Pizzakaya (he hates it when I call him that). Behind him are Zahid and Juri, two of my favorite Pizzakaya staff.
Here is a place you don't want to live. Maison Commode.
This is the most loved room in our house--the office. There's no denying that it is the hub of our home. I spend most of my waking hours here. Tod is normally found at his desk (pictured to the left) or tinkering with his computers in the rack. At parties, guests usually migrate to the office.
When I'm not in my office, I'm often at DigitalEve Japan events. Here I am with Satsuki at the registration desk of yesterday's Photoshop workshop. The workshop was a great success from my point of view. I ran around and played classroom assistant while Cara Dailey did the teaching. She covered clipping paths, layers and masks; I learned a few new tricks and that always makes me happy.
Just around the corner and down the street from us is the Japan Shiatsu College. The founder of the school, Tokujiro Namikoshi, is also the the father of the shiatsu. Namikoshi is depicted in a larger than life bust in the front. He looks so happy. There's an interesting article about him written by Shirley Jackson.
Outdoor workers are often accompanied by a photographer to document their work. In a case like this, it would be difficult to tell in a few weeks' time if the work had been performed adequately, so photos tell the story and prove the work was done.
We have library cards.
My prediction was wrong. The sakura appeared on Saturday!
This is, hands down, the strangest store name I have ever encountered. It's a "recycle shop" which is called a second hand store or a thrift store in the US. I had a hard time remembering the English for recycle shop.
Intersecting interesting English with strange building names, we get Himalayan Hights. Check out that cool 1950s script typeface.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Happy Spring!
BASENAME: happy_spring
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/21/2002 07:14:52 AM
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Happy Spring! It's official. Today's the vernal equinox and we have a national holiday to celebrate.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Culinary standards
BASENAME: culinary_standards
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 03/27/2002 06:41:31 AM
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Differences in the culinary standard. We're a long way from Rome.
My pre-instruction self-portrait. I did this in about 30 minutes; it was gruelling.
My self-portrait drawn five days later. This one took around six hours but I hardly noticed the time passing.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Robodex 2002
BASENAME: robodex_2002
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/28/2002 08:33:25 AM
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Classic Caesar Salad
anchovy
croutons
freshly grated paremsan
egg
olive oil
vinegar or lemon
salt & pepper
corn
onions
croutons
creamy dressing
Yesterday, I headed out to Yokohama for the press preview of Robodex 2002, a robot convention that I'm reporting on. I wandered around snapping photos and taking in what was there. On Saturday I'll go back for some interviews and more photos.
My passion for sushi waxes and wanes. Over the past four years, it's been waning more than waxing which seems a bit odd since I live where sushi originates. There are a few places that I enjoy, even when all I get is vegetable makki and ebi. One of them is Edokko Sushi in Kanda. It's quite fantastic. The chefs are friendly and the patrons are characters from all walks of life.
Another entry in the Buildings with Strange Names series, Random Koishikawa houses a hardware store in the basement, a doctor on the first floor and offices on the upper floors. En Es Tee has offices on 2 and 4 but different company with a very long name in kanji (another sign for them reads "Human and Nature") is sandwiched in on 3.
Cogaru Club! Only 18,000 yen!
Home again, home again.
Octogenarians if they're a day, these croquet fiends have a little course of three wickets, all numbered with faded flags, and they laugh and cheer one another as they make their shots. Tod passes them in the park every morning on his way to work. Today I snuck a photo to share.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Stupid tourists
BASENAME: stupid_tourists
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/19/2002 09:35:51 AM
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OK, these folks are just reinforcing the stereotype of clueless Japanese tourists. In a report from the BBC, we discover:
I was tipped off yesterday by my friend that her husband's nickname for me (to differentiate me from her other foreign friends) is Bono.
The Santoku supermarket near our apartment caters to gourmets and the local French population. There are five different varieties of escargot (three frozen, two fresh), and a frozen meats section that has every hard-to-find meat we've ever craved: turkey, quail, duck, and even American bacon.
And then there's this. Despite the sign, we aren't sure what it is. It has a clam-like shell but the muscle that protrudes (and hangs over the edge of its styrofoam container) is the size of my forearm. Is this tasty?
While standing on the street in Minami Azabu, waiting for my DigitalEve mentoring group to arrive for a meeting last night, I fulfilled a small desire. I popped into a nearby household goods shop and scanned the aisles for cleaning supplies to find, in a box next to a bunch of mop heads and cotton wiping rags, what I was looking for. A proper feather duster. It's beautiful--a long thin bamboo handle with a bouquet of shiny black and green feathers blooming from the end.
I took it to the register and the shop owner shook her head. Then she said she'd find me a brand new one in the stockroom. She dashed off and returned with a shiny new duster. I carried it to my meeting where it drew some curious looks and had to be unveiled.
Not only does it look lovely and start conversations, it works great, too. When I got home at midnight, I feather dusted the entire house in about five minutes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Junaid Kamdar
EMAIL: hazrat@sat.net.pk
IP: 202.133.79.4
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2003 06:01:09 PM
Dear Sir/Madam,
M/s. Hazrat Traders is the largest exporter of
Cotton Bleached Jersey Knit Wipers (Used for cleaning purposes).
Looking forward for your favourable and workable reply soon.
Best Regards ,
Junaid Kamdar.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Junaid Kamdar
EMAIL: hazrat@sat.net.pk
IP: 202.133.79.4
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2003 06:02:11 PM
Dear Sir/Madam,
M/s. Hazrat Traders is the largest exporter of
Cotton Bleached Jersey Knit Wipers (Used for cleaning purposes).
Looking forward for your favourable and workable reply soon.
Best Regards ,
Junaid Kamdar.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Junaid Kamdar
EMAIL: hazrat@sat.net.pk
IP: 202.133.79.4
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2003 06:02:18 PM
Dear Sir/Madam,
M/s. Hazrat Traders is the largest exporter of
Cotton Bleached Jersey Knit Wipers (Used for cleaning purposes).
Looking forward for your favourable and workable reply soon.
Best Regards ,
Junaid Kamdar.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ringtones
BASENAME: ringtones
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 04/25/2002 08:37:20 AM
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Every time a phone rings, I jump. For as long as I can recall, the blare of the telephone has startled me. I'm often on edge in trains, on the streets, in shops and during meals out and about in Tokyo, because other people's keitai are always ringing. To keep myself from leaping when my own mobile rings, have volume set low and I've programmed my own ring.
It's new product season.
These are two new sports drinks. WELL is full of vitamins and good stuff but no so full of flavor. It tastes like watered-down grapefruit without the bite.
Today is Greenery Day, the first of the official Golden Week holidays. We got a jump on it by strolling through Koishikawa Korakuen this weekend.
And it's a short ten minute walk from our apartment. What a treasure. From inside the garden, you can view the local skyline--Tokyo Dome sports complex hovers like a giant cloud above the tops of the trees and the Tokyo Dome Hotel tower shows its profile.
All around the Yamanote line, alert riders will notice old-fashioned metal signs advertising Nozaki's Corned Beef. The ads look like they've been there a long, long time.
This is Yoshi. He's a 22 year old musician who recently married my wild friend, MJ. He also spent yesterday afternoon building me a bookcase while she and I chatted and made dinner. What a great guy.
Taste testing two new sweets may not be the healthiest way to begin a new day, but it is entertaining.
Japan's international political affairs seem quite parochial. North Korea, South Korea and China get into snits about various slights in ways they would never fuss with othercountries.
You know Latte, Sony's cute white Aibo pet. Meet LonLon--Latte dressed as a panda to promote Suntory's oolong tea.
<kuri> devin, my mother would like a hint about what to get you for your BD.
<devin> oh, ok... um...
<lyd> elephant beer steins
<Nemix> elephants would be good as a beer stein.
<lyd> filled with Stein's elephant beer
<devin> hmmm
<devin> a pair of shorts
<devin> or a book
<lyd> or a short pair of books
<kuri> the ultimate gift being a pair of short books about beer and elephants.
<lyd> heh
<devin> yeah!
<devin> by a man named stein
In a tiny alley bordering Kausuga 2-20, is the White Snow restaurant. The noren was out as we walked past at lunchtime yesterday, so we slid open the wooden door, ducked under the curtain and tried our luck. What a delight.
At the end of the counter where we sat is the altar of popular cuture. A television rests loudly on a high shelf where most patrons can keep up with the televised national obessesions of food shows (daytime) and baseball (evening). It broadcast a "wide" show of talk and variety while we ate. Below the TV are several shelves of knicknacks, books and magazines. And who is making an offering at this altar? It's Happy, the ever-cheerful dwarf of legend. He's got a bucket of red silk roses in his arms and looks thrilled to offer them to the gods of media.
I think we're in for a tropical summer. First, Mango Colon. Now the candy shelves are crammed with tropical fruit flavored goodies:
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TITLE: Tod's new toy
BASENAME: tods_new_toy
STATUS: Publish
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CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/17/2002 08:10:19 AM
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Tod's new toy--a blowtorch. It's the perfect partner for our grill. Although it looks like he might be about to scorch the swordfish he's cooking for our dinner, really the blowtorch is just for lighting the charcoal.
As we prepared to leave the house yesterday morning, we heard drumming echoing around the neighborhood. "Hey, let's go find that!" I said. I'm always interested in local festivals.
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TITLE: Slogging blogging
BASENAME: slogging_blogging
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/22/2002 03:47:47 PM
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What's happened to my schedule? It's a quarter to 4 in the afternoon and I'm just now realising I didn't blog this morning. Maybe all the computer troubles around me are throwing me off kilter.
Gov't to abolish Food Agency
I've always been fascinated by things in the night sky; when I was a little girl I wanted to be an astronaut. I memorized sky charts and read all the classic science fiction epics.
I'm itching to get out of Tokyo for a daytrip.
The joys of container gardening are not to be overlooked. On my tiny balcony, I've got a healthy dose of nature. And most of it is edible: mint, rosemary, sage, basil, marjoram, thyme, parsely, bay. What's not edible is flowering: daisy, lavender, marigold, impatiens, pinks, petunia.
I think that before I can get down to completing this article, I must tidy my workspace!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Richman Liao
EMAIL: sales@buffabrasives.com
IP: 211.75.220.206
URL: http://www.buffabrasives.com
DATE: 05/27/2003 05:43:33 PM
Deer Sir :
Buff Abrasives Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of non-woven abrasives in Taiwan. We can supply you high quality and competitive abrasive products what you need, including paper abrasives, cloth abrasives and non-woven abrasives. Please give us and you a chance to cooperate with you and save your cost. Tkanks
Best Regards
Richman Liao
Buff Abrasives Co., Ltd.
Tel. +886-4-22549123
Fax. +886-4-24629161
E-mail : sales@buffabrasives.com
Web Site : www.buffabrasives.com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Richman Liao
EMAIL: sales@buffabrasives.com
IP: 211.75.220.206
URL: http://www.buffabrasives.com
DATE: 05/27/2003 05:43:39 PM
Deer Sir :
Buff Abrasives Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of non-woven abrasives in Taiwan. We can supply you high quality and competitive abrasive products what you need, including paper abrasives, cloth abrasives and non-woven abrasives. Please give us and you a chance to cooperate with you and save your cost. Tkanks
Best Regards
Richman Liao
Buff Abrasives Co., Ltd.
Tel. +886-4-22549123
Fax. +886-4-24629161
E-mail : sales@buffabrasives.com
Web Site : www.buffabrasives.com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: g.p.kamath
EMAIL: kamath@vsnl.com
IP: 219.65.136.161
URL:
DATE: 12/20/2003 02:17:17 AM
we have a requirement of following type ofnon woven abrasive products;
1.hand pads-6x9"-20000pcs fine.alumin oxide
2.jumbo rolls. silicon carbide fine.100cmx10mtrs.20rolls
3.unitised wheels 5ply 240grit -500pcs
we are interested in purchaseing regularly. pls quote with your terms early-
fibre abrasives,
19.maruthiblock, 17th main extn,
srinagar, bangalore-560050
india.
phone.91-80-6755480
fax.6756321
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: DE-J meeting
BASENAME: de-j_meeting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/01/2002 08:05:26 AM
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I'm not sure what we were thinking, but it is not a good plan to have a meeting in a British restaurant on the opening night of the World Cup.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hamster's Lunch
BASENAME: hamsters_lunch
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/03/2002 08:24:24 AM
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Hamster's Lunch. "Seed shape rice cracker and hamster figures will provide you a enjoyable tea time."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Someone flipped a switch
BASENAME: someone_flipped_a_switch
STATUS: Publish
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CONVERT BREAKS: 1
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/05/2002 07:31:32 AM
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Someone flipped a switch and turned summer on. The weather is sunny and hot during the day with just enough humidity to feel sticky. The evenings are wonderfully warm. There's no excuse not to spend lots of time outdoors.
This traditional gate belongs to a private house on my street. It's usually closed but I caught it open yesterday afternoon. What a lovely landscape inside.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Un-procrastinating
BASENAME: un-procrastinating
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/07/2002 09:40:43 AM
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I've been on a personal crusade to take care of things that I've been putting off. I'll bet you have some of these pesky tasks on your mental "To Do" list.
Yesterday's task: build a container for the grill accessories. There's nothing worse than a soggy cardboard box full of charcoal and tools scattered all over the veranda.
The Zous are very excited. Their domain, zousan.com, went live yesterday. They have photos, personal favorites, and even a song. They are already considering upgrades, like a weblog and a guest book.
23:56 on the way home from a meeting and dinner.
otama-jakushi is the Japanese word for tadpole. We've been watching these grow in the Tokyo War Memorial Park near Korakuen station. Their heads are bulging out now and if you look carefully, you can see the budding legs (not in this photo, though, sorry!).
The park was also the site of my first dragonfly (tanbo)sighting of the season, across the tiled plaza hovering near another manmade pond.
What on earth are these construction workers doing? They are taping a battery powered, blinking light stick to the hand of their colleague--the mechanical flagman whose head and helmet are visible in the upper right corner of the frame. I guess his must have burned out; he's not really able to just grab himself a new one.
Bunkyo-ku merchants have banded together to create a point card system. Pink banners with cartoon figures of bees declare "I (heart) Bunkyoker" let you know which shops give points.
Soba tofu squares were topped with grated cucumber. The taste was very rich and earthy and the texture a little bit firmer than soy-based tofu-- the wheat gluten was well developed and heading towards gummy. It was a simple, subtle and surprisingly filling dish.
50 men parading a mikoshi through Ginza.
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TITLE: Incidental music
BASENAME: incidental_music
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
DATE: 06/18/2002 07:30:02 AM
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Japan is full of incidental music. Train stations on the Yamanote line have signature tunes, busy crosswalks play music, and all around the city at 5 o'clock, songs play on the public address system. I phoned the ward office to find out the name of the tune that's played in our neighborhood.
The Marunouchi line is a subway, but it peeks above ground several times along its route. Here is a view of the track between Ochanomizu and Awajicho where the train crosses a bridge over the Kanda River.
Middle of the Night Delinquency
We did go to the conbini in our PJs and planned to come right home, but the all-night billiards hall beckoned. We played five games (MJ won all but one) and before we realised it, the sun was rising to the sound of birdsong. Poor Tod was home fretting about where we could have gone in our pajamas.
"I could imagine them going to an all-night ramen place or something under normal circumstances... but not in pajamas. Most places around here are closed at this hour. The pajama run was a 'well come on with me before you go to sleep' kind of thing but maybe they figured I would be asleep and not worry about them. MJ is kind of a wild child, brings our Kristen's party side."
A couple of weeks ago, I accepted a pro bono job to make a virtual banner to accompany the "With Africa Against Poverty" campaign that the United Nations Development Programme is running.
I've never been sure whether to believe the idea that Japanese are excessively fond of brand names. None of the Japanese women I know display flashy, expensive belongings that are outside their means. If they have them, they don't flaunt them. Since showing off is the main purpose of brand name goods, I think they don't have them.
Julianne is a musician I know through DigitalEve. Last night she played at the Artist's Cafe, a bar/restaurant on the 43rd floor of Tokyo Dome Hotel.
Yesterday's fun all involved Zoupi. (You can meet him at Zousan.com) After completing his photoshoot for "Where's Zoupi?", he packed up and headed off to Belgium where he'll be vacationing and enjoying a homestay in Heverlee.
Washington state in the northwest US has passed a law banning the use of the word Oriental. "There is a need to make clear that the term 'Asian' is preferred terminology, and that this more modern and nonpejorative term must be used to replace outdated terminology," the law says.
Typhoon Chataan blew through yesterday (so much for too little rain) and by 2:30 this morning, it was extraordinarily windy. We battened down the hatches and went to sleep. This morning the sky is bright and clear except for an appalling haze of pollution around the horizon.
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TITLE: Yakatabune
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/12/2002 09:11:32 AM
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Yakatabune! Dining on Tokyo Bay.
Since we moved in February, I've not had any personal meishi (business cards), but while shopping the other day, I found some very interesting translucent stock that will work in my inkjet printer. So today I'm designing some new cards.
After four years, I am converted to the flow of Japanese holidays and seasons. In my imagination, summer is indigo and white, with kingyo, morning glories, glass chimes, cool somen noodles, and mosquito coils in pig-shaped pottery jars. (Check out Hide Itoh's excellent collection of summer icons at pixture.com)
Linguistic Deductions
An entire endcap display at our supermarket is devoted to healthy juices. There's quite a variety and I was captivated by the interesting combinations. Soy-sesame-brown rice. Apple-sweet potato. And myriad fruit and vegetable mixes. Even at 200 yen a pop, I had to get some.
In other words, we celebrated our 4th Japan anniversary yesterday. We had dinner at a posh restaurant with a view and I dressed up because it was a good excuse. Dressing up is fun and far too infrequent. I suppose if I were always jetting off to film premieres and other fancy dress events, I'd learn to hate it, but as it is, I like doing my hair, swiping on some lipstick and feeling fabulous.
I'm going to tell you a secret. Those saccharine little collectible plates you've been giving your mom every year on Mother's Day? They may not be worth much.
8:45 pm. Two girls heading off for an ice cream from the Family Mart after the asagao festival at Denzuin.
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TITLE: Houzuki festival
BASENAME: houzuki_festival
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/22/2002 08:19:15 AM
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Who knew buying a plant could be such a festive event? We walked down to the Bunkyo-ku Asagao and Houzuki Festival at Konyaku-Enma shrine to get a Chinese lantern plant (houzuki) and were greeted by a dozen festival staff. They were so friendly and quite surprised when Tod conversed in Japanese.
In addition to the plant, we received a furin. These delicate glass windchimes are painted on the inside with summery patterns; ours has purple flowers and a blue stripe. The tinkle of glass in the summer breeze is ice in a cold drink.
To brighten up the summer school holidays, Metron's Stamp Rally 2002 is underway through 8/18. In 44 subway stations around Tokyo, you'll find a rubber stamp chained to a small table, an ink pad secured to the table and a pile of paper slips for stamping.
Albrecht Durer had nice eyes. But look closely. In this self-portrait (age 28) painted in 1500, his pupils are quite uneven. This fascinates me because I also have uneven pupils.
When I desperately want to get out of this hot, humid city I seem to choose the time it's most difficult to do so.
This band of elderly urban adventurers has just been to visit the graves of prominent historical figures at Denzuin. After crossing the street with their guide waving his flag to point the way, they are heading to the station to conclude the tour. The guide looks back and waits for stragglers who have moved into "casual chatting" mode after spending too much time in "paying attention to important sights" mode.
Kristen's Guide to Identifying City Sightseeing Tours
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TITLE: Man studying piano score
BASENAME: man_studying_piano_score
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/31/2002 09:13:14 AM
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Man studying piano score on the Namboku line between Nagatacho and Kasuga.
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AUTHOR: Denny
EMAIL: Plsm_Y_Den_19@Yahoo.com
IP: 202.159.4.141
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2003 12:19:05 PM
Hallo,
I'am in Indonesia, I like's to learn more about Chritian Piano song. So I hope u can send me some complite piano score of Christian song
Thanks,
Denny
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Thomas
EMAIL: tea56m@yahoo.com
IP: 63.239.57.135
URL:
DATE: 05/03/2003 01:47:07 PM
I'd like to ask you some piano/midi questions please.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ryu
EMAIL:
IP: 12.208.36.81
URL:
DATE: 06/04/2003 03:26:06 PM
I like Havarti. Please teach me the 'Purple Velvet Subway Bench' song.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: I'm updating the site
BASENAME: im_updating_the_site
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 07/31/2002 10:42:17 AM
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I'm updating the site today to consolidate all of my pages (except for this weblog) at mediatinker.com
For the next five days, I'm on the crew of Global Cities as they shoot the sixth and final show in the series. It's a hectic schedule, but fun.
Yesterday one of our filming locations was Tokyo Dome. We captured the Yomiuri Giants' batting practice and pre-game activities.
I have no idea how these guys shoot for 14 hours without stopping or eating. In this photo, taken yesterday at 17:30, I'm exhausted, sunburned, sweaty and starving after traversing Harajuku, Omotesando and Shin-Okubo from 10:00. They are taking shot after shot of Kabukicho's neon-covered porn shops & pachinko parlors. I'm cranky and at the point where I fail to see how 40 minutes of Kabukicho is going to tell their story, but whatever...I just want to eat...
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TITLE: Sugamo filming
BASENAME: sugamo_filming
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/05/2002 08:33:59 AM
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Yesterday was a fun day of shooting at Togenuki Jizo in Sugamo, "Grandma's Harajuku." I'm too rushed to write more, but I'll be back tomorrow.
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TITLE: The Global Cities Tokyo
BASENAME: the_global_cities_tokyo
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/06/2002 06:37:50 PM
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The Global Cities Tokyo team (me, Fred, Chiharu, and Wilson) are smiling because the film is "in the can." We wrapped up last night at about 11 pm; Wilson and Fred are on their way back to Frankfurt today. At the end of the night as we said our thanks and goodbyes, it really felt like the closing night of a theatre production. Fred gave me his Kraffftwerk company jacket; Wilson told me I was as good an assistant as his son. Pretty gratifying...
Pop superstars SMAP's latest album cover art has been turned into a promotional soda with a discount price--just 105 yen instead of 120.
Zoupi is still enjoying his vacation in Belgium. He's travelled all over and amassed an extensive photo album. Here he is in Brussels with Manneken Pis, the famous fountain that inspired the funny Suntory Dakara commercials. (Click on the videotape, then navigate the menu to choose MPG or animated gifs--you don't really need to understand the Japanese to see the humor).
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TITLE: Perseids
BASENAME: perseids
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/12/2002 10:15:05 AM
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Tonight we should be able to see the Perseid meteor shower if today's bank of heavy clouds goes away and light pollution doesn't spoil the show.
Last night, Tod & I (and the UBS staff outing) had arena seats for the Jingu Hanabi Taikai. In addition to two spectacular 25 minute firework displays, there were concerts featuring famous musicians we don't know but the 30-something crowd went wild, so I guess we should have. Then again, the crowd were also excited about the sing-along version of YMCA, so maybe it's best that we don't know who these musicians are.
I should try to find a festival with some bon odori. I love those Japanese folk dances. Circling a small, square stage decorated with paper lanterns & red and white striped fabric, dancers in yukata shuffle along in a big circle, waving their arms, twirling fans, clapping and spinning. The music is a steady beat of taiko drums with shamisen and flute picking out a melody. Sometimes there is a dish-shaped bell ringing a counterpoint.
Following the game (the spokewoman lost), I changed the channel and watched a food travel show. A portly, but very genki woman enthused about the famous uni (sea urchins) of eastern Hokkaido. I find uni extremely revolting. The yellow-brown color of baby poop, it is a mass of slightly gritty eggs. Blech. But the woman was funny to watch. As she checked into the ryokan where she would stay and have her dinner, she asked several times about the uni. "Do you have it with your dinners here?" She was assured that there would be plenty of uni. When dinner arrived, she had uni in abundance--raw, steamed, over rice. She was so excited that she couldn't even manage "Oishii!" after her first bite. A squeal of delight was her only utterance. It was subtitled, ala the 1960s Batman TV show, naturally.
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TITLE: Square watermelon
BASENAME: square_watermelon
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 08/18/2002 12:15:55 PM
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We found the holy grail of watermelons. Of course, I didn't have my camera...
For two weeks, a tinsel draped signboard at the end of our street has reminded us about the Kitano Jinja matsuri around the corner from us. Saturday 8/24, 5-9 pm. Rain or Shine. The main selling point was "Dad, we'll have beer at good prices!"
Aimee Mann has a new album out. She's one of my favorite singers (along with Sam Phillips, Holly Cole and a few others).
This morning I am sketching storyboards for a video project I'm planning. By the end of the day I will have drawn 137 frames. My sketches are cartoonish and probably not illustrative to anyone except me. How is anyone going to know that the green line on a grey background with three white boxes above is a train? Those red and black blobs are me, can you tell?
Surreality 1: MJ & I met with a would-be actress who was representing a production company. She took us to a temple to meet with the producer. We sat in the middle of a gorgeous tatami room surrounded by worshippers chanting. The producer didn't appear. We booked out of there before we could be initiated into whatever weird cult this might be...
Surreality 2: I had MJ's in-law's over for dinner. And her husband and his brother and their bandmate and their bandmates's bandmate. Excepting MJ, none of them speaks much English. The conversation was pretty wild. We all laughed a lot at one another. (L to R: Kazu ("sexless drummer"), Shingo (rockabilly bassist), Masaki, Mum & Auntie)
Surreality 3: While trying to identify a multi-legged insect (does this bug look familar to you?), discovered that the male platypus is venomous.
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TITLE: Shiny blue talons
BASENAME: shiny_blue_talons
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/03/2002 09:54:10 AM
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Yesterday MJ & I prepared for today's start of shooting by touching up my hair and playing with girlie accessories
This sleepy commuter was completely crashed out on the Mita line last night. When I snapped his photo, the flash went off but he only stirred a bit then settled back into his snooze. I wonder if he got off at his station?
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TITLE: Tidying bookshelves
BASENAME: tidying_bookshelves
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/06/2002 12:36:55 PM
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It's a cool and rainy day; typhoon 16 is to our south, battering Okinawa, and typhoon 17 is heading our way from the east. The perfect day to stay at home and clear out some of our books and other junk.
Glico is marketing Tic Tacs in Japan now. I hadn't realised I'd missed them until I tasted their imitation vanilla coating. Ah, childhood memories....
These are digital camera print kiosks. For 50 yen a print, you get your images printed directly from your camera's storage media--Compact Flash, Smart Media, Memory Stick, PC Card, even floppy.
Bloodlust for mosquitos.
Your Cynical Friend
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TITLE: Road (construction) rage
BASENAME: road_construction_rage
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/13/2002 10:08:02 AM
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Plans for filming yesterday were thwarted by road construction. My valiant camerawoman got no sleep because of all-night construction near her house. So we put off our reshoot in Ginza until the MJ gets some sleep and we have another sunny day. Tomorrow we'll shoot the grocery store and cooking scenes. It's coming together slowly, slowly.
Don't I look like Mrs. Cleaver in my jewelry and apron? I'm showing off cleaning products for the video. These all have pictures on them, which are helpful for the functional illiterate who wants a tidy room.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: It's a long holiday
BASENAME: its_a_long_holiday
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/16/2002 12:02:50 PM
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It's a long holiday weekend here. Yesterday, I stayed away from the computer for most of the day.
Why is this girl smiling? Because she didn't have to be stabbed in the neck this morning.
The thyroid echogram pictured shows her lovely benign tumor. It hasn't changed in 6 months and that stability means no needle aspirations. Next check: March 19th 2003.
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No needle aspiration for me today. Whew.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: DE-J Workshops on CD
BASENAME: de-j_workshops_on_cd
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/19/2002 10:59:56 AM
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They're done! The DigitalEve Japan workshop CDs that I've been working on since May are finally complete. I finished the cover art last night and we'll be taking advance orders for them on Saturday at my Digital Photography workshop. But only if the Steering Committee decides on a price...probably somewhere around 2000 yen.
My last big style change reminded me of my mother circa 1976. The latest one is my grandmother, Romayne, at age 6.
In one of our family albums, there is a black and white photo of Romayne with a hairstyle very similar to my new one. She's standing outside wearing a patterned dress and chunky lace up shoes. Maybe it was the first day of school or a birthday. I suspect her sister cut her hair with the aid of a bowl. Mine didn't involve any bowls.
I wonder if after my next style I will look like my great-grandmother?
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I've jumped back 70 years in time.
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AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: imcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.42.106
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2002 11:19:54 AM
Well, I like the haircut. Is it a Japanese style? Whether or not you like it, it will grow out so quickly that you will hardly know it was ever cut! --J
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2002 11:32:32 AM
I like this cut--I think I make a pretty cute 1920s six year old.
This is the first time I've ever tried to look like a movie character. Can you guess what movie? It's not a bad resemblance (the hair, not hte rest of me).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 10/05/2002 07:38:54 AM
Amelie?
I like it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Doris
EMAIL: atsuiinu@earthlink.net
IP: 199.46.200.230
URL:
DATE: 10/05/2002 08:22:06 AM
I like it!
It's pretty mod. It fits you well.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/05/2002 10:46:58 PM
Bob guessed correctly; it's Amelie. I think in the US it was released as "Amelie of Monmartre."
Now that I think of it, I look a bit like Yoshimoto Nara's angry little girl drawings or the lead character in Letta Leaves Home.
So I guess the haircut is French, Japanese, or Swedish. Nobody else in Tokyo seems to be wearing this style--today three women in Shibuya stared and pointed at me!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.19
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 10/06/2002 04:33:14 AM
I like it too!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 209.74.2.19
URL:
DATE: 10/07/2002 05:24:05 AM
Adorable! Yes, you look like a foreign film star.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liz
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.190
URL:
DATE: 10/07/2002 10:11:35 AM
Yep I think that's my favorite haircut of yours. I wish i could see it in person.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 209.74.2.216
URL:
DATE: 10/10/2002 06:40:55 AM
You look like Madeline, only with shorter hair.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Romayne, aged 10?
BASENAME: romayne_aged_10
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/05/2002 08:29:07 AM
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I'm not sure how old she is in this photo, but this is my grandmother. She was born in 1916 and grew up outside Philadephia and in New Jersey.
Sometimes I wish I had my costume reference books with me. I can't date the picture from the clothing, because although the big collar with plaid trim is from the 20s, its quite possibly a hand-me-down. Romayne was second youngest in a family of 14!
Thanks, Mom, for finding this photo and scanning it.
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Proving a family resemblance.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve
EMAIL: Steve610@ntlworld.com
IP: 62.254.32.7
URL: http://freespace.virgin.net/stelig.6/index.html
DATE: 10/28/2002 07:17:32 AM
I have a sister named Romayne who was born in Sri Lanka in 1958. She was named after a daughter of a Singhalese friend of the family. We lived there from 1956 to 1959. I just did a search today and was surprised to see the name on so many different websites. I would be interested to know how you came by this name.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bits and parts
BASENAME: bits_and_parts
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 10/06/2002 10:05:00 AM
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I've alawys loved walking through the warrens of Akihabara where stalls sell all of the bits and parts for building your own electronic gadgets. I've often thought that it would be fun to turn some of the pretty, blinky shiny things into art.
Well, I finally have a project idea that combines art and tech. Now I need to figure out how to wire minature TFT monitors together to work with a single video camera. Then I can put together a parts list and actually shop in the warrens, instead of browsing.
The first trick will be getting enough electronics clue to be able to detail the plans. Anyone have a favorite reference on how to build your own array of video monitors?
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Mixing art and technology
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Looking in my closet
BASENAME: looking_in_my_closet
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/07/2002 10:46:26 AM
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I'm a minimalist when it comes to clothing. I don't have a huge closet full of things I don't wear and I'm ruthless about culling things I don't like or items that I've worn out.
Because I do actually wear my clothes out. And looking through my closet the last few days, when the changing weather has had me digging out fall things, makes me realise I pretty much need to chuck all my stuff and start over. My pants are stained and fraying; my skirts have holes in them. My tops are faded, and fraying at the cuffs. Excepting a few things I bought this year, I dress like a ragamuffin.
So I think today I will go shopping. I'll head to Marui Model--the shop for large sized ladies. The sometimes have attractive things and sometimes just dowdy old tents.
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EXCERPT:
I want to toss it all and start over
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/07/2002 10:52:19 AM
You're heading out before Tod wakes up aren't you?
:p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/07/2002 08:15:12 PM
Nah, he's privvy to my shopping expeditions.
Today at 0101 Model it was dowdy old tent day. The "Clover Shop" at Isetan was a little better, and actually had some very attractive dresses and a sweet little fur coat (with very short sleeves).
But all the things I really like only come in size 9 (Japanese which is about a size 6 US).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 10/08/2002 02:44:04 AM
I'll ship over whatever you'd like from fun places like Old Navy, you know, things that may fit you a little better :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The right shade
BASENAME: the_right_shade
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/08/2002 06:01:01 PM
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BODY:
Cosmetics companies have it tough. They all have to create subtly different shades of the same few colors: pink, red, orange.
Of course, its worse when you have to decide which one looks best on you. I've had some successes since I cut my hair and decided to "level up" on my look (I sure do feel less dowdy and middle aged than I did a week ago!).
Yesterday I found dark, dark burgundy shade from France that smells like berries and make me look like a 1920s film star. And from Japan, a more moderate rosy pink that's more in line with my natural lip color.
Unfortunately I have to make a decision to either look great or get kissed. Tod does not appreciate lip prints on his cheeks. Hmmmm.
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EXCERPT:
Lipstick is a tricky business.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 199.224.91.55
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2002 11:06:26 AM
Go for the kiss. That makes you look great too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 210.133.70.20
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2002 03:46:23 PM
Simple solution: look great *and* perfect the art of air kissing!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 210.133.70.20
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2002 03:47:22 PM
Simple solution: look great *and* perfect the art of air kissing!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 210.133.70.20
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2002 03:48:53 PM
Simple solution: look great *and* perfect the art of air kissing!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/09/2002 11:19:56 PM
I think lil is trying to tell us something...
I make sure that the Boy is heavily inflicted with lipstick marks whenever I trowel on a bit - unfortunately he's worked out a way to pay me back...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Endocrine disruption
BASENAME: endocrine_disruption
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/09/2002 12:33:30 PM
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BODY:
According to an investigative panel presented earlier this week, as much as 80% of Japan's food supply may contain Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), a suspected endocrine disrupter.
DEHP is used to make plastics flexible and it's a big component of vinyl and some food packaging. In low levels, it's not likely to harm you too much, because the body can break it down pretty quickly. But high level, long term exposure in rat studies did nasty thing to the poor rats, like kidney damage and reproduction problems.
Of course, rats aren't human. Should we worry? Maybe not about this specific problem, but the combined chemicals and manmade things in our environment have got to have an affect on us.
I've always had a suppressed urge to run away to the countryside and live more in harmony with nature,eating grains I grew, using energy from renewable sources, raising animals for food and clothing but I'm not sure I could give up my computer. Articles and reports like this make me think about it more seriously.
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EXCERPT:
80% of food in Japan is suspect.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.42.106
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2002 08:23:52 PM
I couldn't agree more. Only I am not so sure I could survive in the countryside and I would be very lonely and would have to travel miles and miles to earn money, thus further polluting the pristine country environment. Backyard garden? Do it yourself chicken farming? What to do?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2002 10:51:56 PM
Lonely I can manage. I just need a computer and high-speed Internet access...
If I could have those, I could live just about anywhere that had decent weather. Maybe a nice tropical island. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/09/2002 11:18:15 PM
*wonders how you plant chickens*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 204.210.228.173
URL:
DATE: 10/10/2002 07:50:41 AM
Hawaii. Hawaii. Hawaii. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/10/2002 01:27:18 PM
Plant chickens feet first.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liz
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.190
URL:
DATE: 10/13/2002 04:48:32 AM
Sheep!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: David
EMAIL: david_rina@hotmail.com
IP: 66.98.94.248
URL:
DATE: 10/16/2002 08:04:55 AM
I lived in a big city then moved to a carebbean island (which is what most people dream of doing when they retire)first on the seaside, then in the countryside, and let me tell you, no matter what people say, the modern man CAN'T live in the past, if you think "you like piña coladas and get cought in the rain" think again, you don't.
After 6 years there I spoke to dozens of people living there for a while (5 to 12 years) all of which would have killed to get back in the civilized world, only that the latter goes on FAST and after a while you are cut out, your skills expired and you don't have nothing to offer in the big city, hence you are trapped in the past.
If anyone is thinking of leaving the big city to go in the countryside I would think about it 6 to 100 times before doing it...
As for me I would rather eat plastic in Tokyo than eat healthy foods in "Los Pollos"...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 1010
BASENAME: 1010
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/10/2002 06:06:12 PM
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BODY:
At university (which I say instead of 'in college' in deference to my non-American friends for whom 'college' is a two-year technical skills course), my crazy thespic friends, Karen Klick in particular, were fascinated by a science fiction puppet animation called Thunderbirds.
By the time we were watching, Thunderbirds was 20 years old and the puppetry and effects looked extremely cheesy. But it was fun and every October 10th (and sometimes twice a day) I remember the code for "acknowledged" that the International Rescue team used: tenten.
Now that I think about it, I suspect Karen liked the show so much becasue she bears a distinct resemblance to the sexy blond secret agent, Lady Penelope.
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EXCERPT:
Acknowledged.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Regulars
BASENAME: regulars
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/11/2002 09:00:00 AM
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BODY:
No matter where in the world you live, it's a good feeling to be become 'regulars' at a favorite restaruant.
Our restaurant is Ampresso, an Italian place with fabulous food only 5 minutes' walk from our house. When I walked in last night, the staff commented on the haircut.
If that weren't enough to assure me that we are valued customers, Satoru Ito, the owner and head chef, shared his recipe for a delicious sauce that goes with tuna carpaccio. He drew it in pictures with English and Japanese captions then explained it all to us step-by-step. Plus he gave us a litre of the special soy sauce from Kyushu we'll need to make the sauce. I guess we'll be making a lot of tuna carpaccio!
After dinner, Ito-san treated us to cake and coffee. Could you ask for anything better? What a nice guy!
Ito-san, who loves to fish and lived in Italy for a while, has a website. It's mainly in Japanese but there are lots of pictures and some of his Ampresso recipes.
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EXCERPT:
We're getting recipes from the local eatery.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/11/2002 01:02:45 AM
The sauce for that tuna dish? Hurry up and come back as soon as you can and invite the Boy and I over for dinner!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/11/2002 04:44:47 AM
Heh. You know we will. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayakant@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 202.220.171.104
URL:
DATE: 10/11/2002 03:47:44 PM
I'd love to go that shop if I were still in Tokyo!
Our family started fishing since we came to Oita, and very often we go.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Trip of Trials
BASENAME: trip_of_trials
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/12/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
We're off to Ireland for a week-long poetry workshop taught by my sister and her colleague, Jack McGuigan.
The trip to London was one of physical challenges. I bruised a toe while making the bed before we left. On the plane, the people sitting behind me dropped their bag on my head instead of putting it into the bin. Later in the flight, the drunken woman in front of me tipped her ice into my shoe, then, not realising that the stuff under her seat was not hers, she tried it on.
Once we arrived in London, we had a better time. Our friends Moritz and Franziska hosted us for the night. We had a wonderful paella. Their daughter loved her omiyage--a brand new Zou, of course--and may have loved Zoupi even more. I had to hide him before we left the next morning.
Our flight to Cork was uneventful but after we arrived, we learned that the bus to Anam Cara was overbooked--we didn't have a seat. A flurry of questions and phone calls had us on a bus to Glengariff (where's that!?) and Jenn & Jack drove out to pick us up at "the pub down the road from where the bus drops you--it has a man's name Johhny D's, maybe?" It was John Barry's and we were very grateful to have a pint after the long trip!
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EXCERPT:
Hit on the head, ice in a shoe, what more can go wrong?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Memories
BASENAME: memories
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/13/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
After introductions, (brief since 2/3 of the people in this workshop are my immediate family) we jump write into reading and writing poetry. Today's lesson is memories.
After writing out 25 sentences beginning with "I remember" we choose one to expand into free written prose recalling as much detail as possible. And from there we craft a poem. My sentence is "I remember carving a reduction print in my chilly studio with tea to warm my hands." And here's my poem:
Errors in Alignment
Blank sheets glow on the drawing table
Dare me to begin; I print in reduction.
Alone in my studio, time is a canvas.
Cream of wheat smells like wallpaper paste
The steam warms my hands as I work.
Heat's off again, ice forms on the glass.
Knife squeaks and rattles as it scratches down the surface,
Curves and lines pushed deeper by cold fingers.
Mirroring what I've patterned, how many mistakes?
Curves of linoleum yield to a soft breath
Grey inside and out, canvas's remainders.
Time passes, I tilt and balance on wobbly legs.
Pepper's prickle cracks the chill.
I break in my bruise-colored kitchen
Push back winter at the stove as the water boils.
-- KMcQ
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A memory poem wrenched from an astonishing lack of memories.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Meta 4
BASENAME: meta_4
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/14/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
This morning we focused on metaphor. Here's an easy way to create interesting metaphors. Make columns for object, abstract and adjective. Put five words in each category. Mix as desired.
So we could have a brilliant finger of dream or luck's dangling book. Interesting.
Our poetic assignments for the day were to use metaphor to describe a person and to write an ode to an object. Here's my ode.
Ode to my earrings
Treasures of Tanzania with a ten dollar price tag
Now threaded through my ears, you were born
Frozen soil of an exotic homeland,
Streaky plums rimmed with ice.
You are a cloudy sky pierced by lightning.
Pinging against my neck, you've become
Ghostly leaves of a petrified tree,
Fluttering kites of stone and silver.
You are shiny black scales of an ancient fish.
In muffled chimes, you confide your secrets
The cargo route of cardamom,
A tarot card signifying temptation.
You are antenna tuned to world history.
--
KMcQ
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EXCERPT:
Worry's babbling page
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Descriptive words
BASENAME: descriptive_words
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/15/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
This morning we began our day by making lists of words that we think are beatuiful, annoying, and terrifying/dangerous. Could be the word itself, or the thing the word stands for.
We read our lists aloud and were encouraged to jot down any words that we heard that struck us. Theft of words is allowed in poetry. For the rest of the week, we discovered words from our lists in one another's poems. It was neat.
Our assignment for today was to think of an old object that was worthless but dear to us and to describe it in detail, and to use metaphor at the end to show that it was important.
Mohair Sweater
Golden hair matted over crimson knitting
Unstitched rows repaired with clumsy knots
See-through elbows let in breezes
Buttons waggle in frayed holes.
It warms only my imagination
But I still buy clothes to match it.
--KMcQ
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EXCERPT:
Stealing is authorised
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 5 senses minus 2
BASENAME: 5_senses_minus_2
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/16/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Today's work session got us to use senses and dreams to help give our poetry fresh images. But my headcold has bolluxed smell and taste, so my poems are missing something today.
This afternoon we went out to The Arches, a series of natural stone bridges at the coast. Very pretty and scary to walk across them!
We were to use the environment as a inspiration for a poem. I turned my back on the arches and the ocean and wrote about something inland. This isn't finished, in fact, I'm not at all happy with it, but here's what I wrote:
Hills of Beara
Hounds gnaw on bones, waiting so still, so long
Abandoned by masters, transformed by time
They've greened a half-barren velvet.
Stone dogs ignore the progress of ways
Tangled through their grey paws
And gaze at the vast, lapping water dish.
--KMcQ
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Trying to remember smells and tastes
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tadaima!
BASENAME: tadaima
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/20/2002 06:48:52 PM
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BODY:
A ten day vacation away from Japan is 40% travel. I've just ended a 25 hour door-to-door travel day and am looking forward to a long bath, dinner and a good night's sleep.
Once I'm rested and caught up, I'll fill in the missing entries (Oct 12-19) with all my Ireland exploits & the poetry I wrote at the workshop.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Stay tuned for poetic justice.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 204.210.228.173
URL:
DATE: 10/21/2002 11:49:26 AM
Good to have you back. Looking forward to hearing about Ireland.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.99.72
URL:
DATE: 10/22/2002 09:02:44 AM
Can't wait to hear all about your trip. Have a safe journey.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to beat jet lag
BASENAME: how_to_beat_jet_lag
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/21/2002 10:04:19 AM
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BODY:
I don't feel jet lagged at all today. I slept for 12 hours and woke up with my headcold still raging. Maybe I am jetlagged, but I can't tell becasue of the coughing.
To kill time until I could go to bed again, I took Ferry, my laptop, to have her broken CD-R/DVD drive replaced. Now I'm upgrading her to Mac OS X. Tomorrow I'll install applications. The fun never ends.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Catch a cold and upgrade a computer.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Media hype
BASENAME: media_hype
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/22/2002 11:09:35 AM
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BODY:
Arriving back in Japan, I checked the local news. The top headline:
Soga observes crested ibises on Sadogashima Island
"OK, what's this all about," I wondered. Is Soga a minister I've never heard of? A famous ornithologist? Are the crested ibises of Sadogashima more important than other ibises?
Then I read the story:
Sunday, October 20, 2002 at 18:00 JST
MANO -- Hitomi Soga, one of the five Japanese nationals on their first homecoming since being abducted to North Korea in 1978, enjoyed observing crested ibises Sunday on Sadogashima Island, Niigata Prefecture.
Soga, 43, and her supporters visited the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center in the village of Niibo. (Kyodo News)
Geeez, it's just the Japanese media making the most of the North Korean abductees. There are tons of stories about them--will this couple register their marriage and three children in their hometown? This woman visited the site of her abduction. One abductee's father said his son was told by the North Koreans that he was useless and should go home to Japan--but later retracted that comment. One abductee is married to an American defector.
With all this trivia about a dozen people filling the news channels, I wonder what else is going on in the country? What is the government (through their tightly controlled news kisha) hiding with all this "news" about what these dozen people are doing on their visits to their hometowns and the sites of their abductions?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Soga observes crested ibises on Sadogashima Island. Who cares?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 204.210.228.173
URL:
DATE: 10/22/2002 09:29:56 PM
I'll trade you those headlines for the US papers. Main headlines now that Bush isn't Jonesing for Iraq are about a sniper in Maryland. And then secondary stories are all politics since the upcoming election is very soon. Real news that might be relevant to local everyday life is buried on page b6.
Yes, I'll take ibis gazing any day.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Why does the US dictate NTT's fees?
BASENAME: why_does_the_us_dictate_ntts_fees
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/23/2002 01:28:23 PM
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BODY:
TOKYO --The telecom ministry said Tuesday Japan intends to hold talks with the United States in Washington on Monday over a U.S. demand to have Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) cut hookup fees charged on non-NTT carriers.
"We would like to hold talks in Washington early next week," Kaoru Kanazawa, vice minister of the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, told a news conference.
I guess the US-based international long distance carriers complained. Or maybe the US doesn't want its telecom companies to get any big ideas about higher hookup fees. Who knows? I don't and I'm really confused about why the US government thinks it can make requests like this--they don't even own any telephone companies anymore.
But I shouldn't complain. I've benefited from their last intervention with NTT. Internet access in Japan is superfast and very cheap because the US bitched about NTT rates being prohibitive to broad acceptance of the 'Net by regular folk. So now I pay monthly fees of only 3,700 yen to NTT and 2,300 to my ISP for 8 Mb ASDL! Cheaper than in the US, and faster, too.
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EXCERPT:
Aren't they being a little too bossy here?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 10/24/2002 11:32:04 AM
Wait a minute? 8mb? Damn! I feel good with my 768k adsl here, and that's an average speed. I'd love to have 8mb.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Headcold
BASENAME: headcold
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/24/2002 12:21:30 PM
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BODY:
I caught a cold while I was in Ireland--maybe I carried it with me from Japan, I don't know. I wrote it a poem to appease it, which didn't work very well and since it's still raging on, I thought I'd share the poem with you all.
Headcold
Crunchy lichen rimmed caves
Conceal a monster or machine
Blasting butter jonquils.
A trumpet in the distance--
Elephants? A flute's whine?
Dogs bark to be released
Into the wooly grey atmosphere
Of the rosy windowed world.
--KMcQ
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EXCERPT:
A wrote poem about my snotty nose.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/24/2002 02:58:28 PM
I like the first line - it definately conjured up the image of a snotty nose for me!
Lost me at the jonquills though hon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/24/2002 06:19:12 PM
take a peek into your tissue to find the butter jonquils. eeeeuw.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/24/2002 09:22:14 PM
*vivid image pops into head*
Oh...yuck!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Chuck
EMAIL: ladder143@aol.com
IP: 64.12.102.28
URL:
DATE: 02/16/2003 12:59:28 AM
Snot so good LOL ?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: No recovery at restaurants
BASENAME: no_recovery_at_restaurants
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 10/25/2002 11:16:21 AM
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BODY:
A report issued by the Japan Food Service Association says that restaurant sales from April through September slumped 6.6% compared to the same period a year ago. They blame it on people staying home for the World Cup and during the summer rainy season, but I don't buy that.
I think it's another indication that the economy is not recovering and that people are being more frugal.
To back me up, there are also these reports this week: air conditioner shipments were down 10.1% (blamed on the cool summer weather--felt sweltering as usual to me); Matsuzakaya department store announced its profits were 16.6% lower than last year; and Tokyo's consumer price index fell again for the 37th month in a row--down another 0.8%.
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EXCERPT:
Restaurant sales down 6.6%
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Not again...
BASENAME: not_again
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/26/2002 06:55:18 AM
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BODY:
I'm off to yet another DigitalEve event. This time it's a web retreat in Saitama. I'm assisting MJ with ten students hoping to learn Dreamweaver.
I swore that I wouldn't teach any more DE-J workshops. They take so much time to prepare. I figured that assisting with this one would be a breeze--just show up and help--but I've revised documentation, made photocopies, organized the travel details, provided the instructor's computer, and consulted on scheduling.
This time I double-swear: NO MORE WORKSHOPS.
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I'm doing another DE-J workshop
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Not so bad...
BASENAME: not_so_bad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/27/2002 09:40:51 PM
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BODY:
OK, I might have bitched about it yesterday morning, but the results were good. Our web retreat brought 9 women together to learn about web site creation. It was an interesting group with lots of different experiences (though many seemed to involve men wanking in public).
MJ & I had fun team teaching and our students all seemed to gain confidence. I expect to see some great sites soon. :-)
But I'm still not going to teach another workshop.
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The web retreat was a success
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 10/28/2002 12:15:03 PM
Yeah - i'm determined to "level-up" my own now...gotta practice what you preach ne!
Thanks again for all of your help hon!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fruit or meat?
BASENAME: fruit_or_meat
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 10/28/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
The first couple of years we lived in Japan, everyone on my holiday gift list got yukata, silly Japanese foods, washi books and other tidbits from the land of the rising sun. Then I realised that they probably didn't want them and the effort to purchase, pack and ship them really wasn't appreciated.
So now I send food from catalogs.
When I was a kid, I used to think that the food baskets from Harry & David and Omaha Steaks were extremely lame, though I admit to liking the little sausages. Now I realise how truly great these gifts are (at least for the gift giver). Everyone eats!
So if you're on my gift list, now's your chance to weigh in: fruit or meat for you this year?
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Cast your vote now before the holiday shopping begins.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 204.210.228.173
URL:
DATE: 10/30/2002 02:40:42 PM
Might I also suggest COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOkies?
Sites such as http://www.cherylco.com/ offer sweets at only slightly outrageous catalog prices. :) I hope you've been shopping for the zous - you know how hard they are to buy for and they probably won't settle for catalog items. Mitsokoshi fruit - maybe, but not much less.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 204.210.228.173
URL:
DATE: 10/30/2002 02:42:03 PM
Apologies - I believe the correct spelling is Mitsukoshi.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/30/2002 04:46:14 PM
Cookies, good idea. :-)
I've been looking for mail-order peanuts, but no luck so far.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cyberterrorist in the backyard
BASENAME: cyberterrorist_in_the_backyard
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/29/2002 10:57:47 PM
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In 1995, the Aum cult attacked Tokyo's subways with sarin nerve gas. Since then, they've regrouped, renamed themselves Aleph and have focused on computer technology.
In April of this year, the CIA listed Aum in a report to a US Senate committee on potential threats. "[Aum] is the terrorist group that places the highest level of importance on developing cyber skills." So what is Aum getting up to?
A year or so ago, there was an article about how a Japanese government IT project was being fulfilled by an Aum-connected contracting company. Oops.
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Aum/Aleph is branded a cyberterror threat by the CIA.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Updating Zousan.com
BASENAME: updating_zousancom
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 10/30/2002 04:57:18 PM
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BODY:
I'm procrastinating. For some reason, I just can't get myself started on the video editing. So instead, I'm fussing with The Zous' weblog
concrete
abstract
adjective
heart
head
finger
book
pagedream
luck
worry
joy
intelligencecold
brilliant
dangling
babbling
gritty
There's not much doing in Japan for Halloween, which suits me just fine. When I was a kid, I trick-or-treated mainly at houses where I knew the families; I loved creating my costume and the sugar buzz was nice, but the actual trick or treating wasn't all that thrilling.
Tod & I used to deliberately go out to dinner on Halloween to avoid the begging children back when we were in the States. All sorts of strange monsters appeared at our door--and I know there weren't that many kids in our neighborhood.
So tonight, in a similar spirit but uninterrupted by greedy rugrats, we had a nice dinner and I made Tod hunt for his trick-or-treat surprise. It was a pot of ornamental cabbages on the veranda. He's comments on ornamental cabbages (and dogwood trees) every time he sees them, so I figured he might like to have some of his own.
For our treat, we'll be sipping on hot cocoa in a few minutes.
(Thanks to Eric Bishop of Weston, PA, for amending my blackboard to read "Crappy Shalloweener" at a Halloween party circa 1982. That phrase is in my annual holiday vocabulary right alongside "bah, humbug." Love you, Eric!)
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Ah, the holiday season. Cringe.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 209.74.8.70
URL:
DATE: 11/01/2002 02:04:06 AM
Crappy Shalloweener! I still have the photos from that Shalloweener. Rock on!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: chuck
EMAIL: qwerty@starband.net
IP: 148.78.248.10
URL:
DATE: 11/01/2002 03:27:20 PM
Your post reminded me of a conversation I had with my Japanese friend Eiichi several years ago. I had asked, when he visited the US, whether the Japanese celebrated Halloween. He replied that a few years before someone was going to get rich importing pumpkins for Halloween and starting the latest fad. Then he said something like "but then, most Japanese are Buddhist but everyone sends Christmas cards." He concluded by saying "Japanese are strange."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ouch!
BASENAME: ouch
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 11/01/2002 03:22:13 AM
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Tod & I have just returned from a trip to our local ER. He gashed his hand while washing (and breaking) a glass before coming to bed. The cut wasn't horrible, but it was deep and bloody enough to require more than our home first aid kit to handle.
So I got dressed, we bundled into a taxi, explained our predicament and ended up at a nearby hospital which was quite challenging to enter. l'm glad this wasn't a serious emergency. All the gates were closed and when we followed the ambulance route, the entrance doors were closed there, too! A side door with a buzzer brought a guard who led us into a hall with a bank-teller window where a nurse and an orderly summoned the doctor on call.
It was the quietest emergency room I've ever seen. Everyone who needed to deal with us, from the doctor to the clerk who took our money, had to be summoned specially. The pharmacist got a wake-up call to get us antibiotics.
Now it's time for us to go to bed!
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Tod's classic glass experience sends us on a nighttime trip.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/01/2002 08:35:19 AM
oh poor baby! odaiji ni!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 11/01/2002 11:44:33 AM
Ouch...get well soon...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayaka.nakai@nifty.ne.jp
IP: 202.220.171.104
URL:
DATE: 11/01/2002 07:20:56 PM
What an accident!
and I am glad you two are back home safely from that "silent" hospital...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pete
EMAIL: pickypete@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.47.23
URL:
DATE: 11/02/2002 02:02:38 AM
How many stitches?
Pete
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/02/2002 09:57:00 AM
No stitches, but something that looked like strips of reinforced packing tape. Took the doctor maybe 5 minutes to clean and patch it up.
The cut is actually pretty small and not even too deep, but it's on the edge of the hand where the "heart line" starts and the hand bends so every time Tod moved his hand, it opened up again. Thus the ER visit.
Aside from wishing he were ambidextrous, Tod's fine now.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dangerous game
BASENAME: dangerous_game
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 11/02/2002 11:19:45 AM
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BODY:
It's fun and addicting. Bookworm is a solitaire word game using Scrabble tiles--like Boggle but not as noisy. :-)
It's very hard to stop playing. Good thing this is a long weekend.
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EXCERPT:
An online word game has eaten my morning.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/02/2002 02:24:49 PM
Well after you left last night the J-ster and I ended up playing for another 3 hours!
AM NOT GOING BACK THERE! (Although we made it to Master Librarian level...)
We also found out that you can use dirty words - and get big points for them!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.190
URL:
DATE: 11/03/2002 08:52:54 AM
The reason I can't stop playing is because I never win. It just keeps going on and on!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Culture Day
BASENAME: culture_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/03/2002 11:42:43 PM
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BODY:
I'm not sure what people are supposed to do on Culture Day. Go to museums, maybe.
We went to a seaside park, had a chilly picnic lunch and wandered around the embankment enjoying the breeze and the sunset. After dark, we abandoned our plan to ride the ferris wheel (an hour is entirely too long to wait for an amusement ride) and went to the arcade instead.
Tod tried his hand (but not both) at driving a city bus. He managed to pick up a few passengers before his time ran out but he wouldn't cut it as a Toei Bus driver. I tried the game, but kept crashing and driving in the wrong lane. Just like real life...
I did much better when I played a "walk the dog" simulation. I walked on a treadmill and held a leash while watching the antics of a video dog. The dog loved it when I ran with him. So did the people who were watching me. I was tired by the time we got to the "pet store."
So our culture day celebrated pop culture. As Tod jokes, let's get some petri dishes...
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A national holiday to celebrate culture.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Movie fest
BASENAME: movie_fest
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 11/04/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Trying to stay away from teh computer is a challenge for us. We spent our weekend trying to stay out of the office. Except for a three hour stint playing Bookworm (Tod kibbitzed and I did the typing), we did pretty well.
One way we passed the time was by watching endless movies: Monsters, Inc.; Rated X (called King of Porno in Japanese); Girl, Interrupted; Rear Window; A.I.
I really liked Rated X. Emilio Estevez directed this film about the Mitchell brothers, two entrepreneurial pornographic filmmakers. There was plenty of nudity & sex (always a plus) but the story focused on the relationship between the brothers. I loved the way the film incorporated porno cuts (bad edits), weird continuity and the canted and rotating camerawork that you sometimes see in porn films. Rated X is set over 30 years from the early 60s to the early 90s and the period sets and costumes were impressively acurate in detail.
The worst film of the bunch was A.I. Man, it was bizarre. Spielberg and Kubrick collaborated on this project for decades and it looks like they kept making concessions to one another. "OK, Stanley, you can keep your signature toilet scene but I have to have a cute, animated talking toy." The acting was choppy and sometimes unmotivated and the film would have been better off ending about 20 minutes before it did.
So the movies kept us off the computer most of the time, but we ended up checking IMDB after every one. I love reading the goofs and trivia...
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In an attempt to avoid computing, we watched five films.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 11/05/2002 10:25:30 PM
It's a strange opposite, you're watching American movies in Japan and lately I've been watching Japanese movies in America. Lately, we've caught Audition, Ring, and Battle Royale, all good movies.
There's a movie thats out, or coming out there called Returner that looks fun, your standard US-type action adventure film.
I share your frustration with AI. I think everyone kept looking at it saying "Ok, that's a Spielberg thing, that's a Kubrick thing." It made me sad to watch it though, as I knew that'd be the last thing we'd see from Kubrick ever. His 2001 is, IMHO, the best movie ever. That whole period of his films (The Killing, Dr. Strangelove, Lolita, 2001, Clockwork Orange) is a creative triumph. I'm on a new Kubrick kick lately as the BBC has been playing a Kubrick documentary all weekend.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Weird products
BASENAME: weird_products
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/05/2002 03:27:07 PM
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BODY:
November must be a time to launch strange products. Here are two products that hit the market on Friday.
Corrective eyewear for pets. Menicon introduced contact lenses for dogs & cats. What I want to know is how do you get the cat to sit still while you put them in?
A cigarette called Peace Acoustic. The Peace brand debuted in 1920 to celebrate the end of WWI. The latest addition to the family has 20 mg less tar than the original and a vanilla aftertaste. But why is it called Acoustic? Maybe it makes an interesting noise when you draw on it.
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that can you buy in the shops today.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Do Sports!
BASENAME: do_sports
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/06/2002 09:16:18 PM
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BODY:
I've never been one for machine-mediated fitness, but I joined a gym today and I'm actually excited about it. Do Sports Plaza is an impressive sports center--110 machines in the training gym, a swimming pool, three squash courts, plenty of fitness classes (hula and hip hop dance, tai chi, aerobics, etc) plus lots of free amenities like towels and shampoo. All for under 6,000 yen a month.
Best of all, my partner in crime (MJ, not Tod) is in this with me. We've vowed to go three times a week and because our training coach is so cute, I'm sure we will. After today's first workout, I already feel better. My body *wants* to be fit if I'll give it a chance.
So watch out. We'll be looking good in hot little skirts and tall boots before winter's over. And we'll be fleet of foot and harder to catch. ;-)
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If just joining the gym makes me this genki, imagine how I'll be in three months' time.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.236.240
URL:
DATE: 11/07/2002 09:26:14 AM
Geez, I think almost any woman looks good in "hot little skirts and tall boots". You should have said you two will look "even better!". ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/07/2002 12:01:04 PM
I dunno - I'm seriously doubting that "little" skirts can be hot...brrrrr
Might stick to my Uniqlo fleecies until spring...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A cosy blanket
BASENAME: a_cosy_blanket
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/07/2002 10:23:53 PM
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BODY:
This afternoon Mizuno-sensei noticed I was chilly while he was shiatsu-ing me so he pulled out a spare blanket and covered me up. What a gentle, cosy feeling I get when someone covers me with a blanket. Maybe Mom used to do that when I was a kid...
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EXCERPT:
Snuggling under a blanket in a chilly room.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 209.252.197.1
URL:
DATE: 11/08/2002 12:19:41 AM
She did. I like to be covered with a blanket, too. Must run in the family.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A wallet
BASENAME: a_wallet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/08/2002 08:51:34 PM
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BODY:
When the season changes, I fall into confusion about where to put my coins and bills. In the summer, they go into the zippered inner pocket of my purse. In the winter, I shove them into my coat pocket. But when the weather is variable, I don't have a consistent place to put things. So I cram my money in wherever and I end up losing it or fumbling around at cash registers.
So today I bought a wallet. I haven't owned a wallet in years and years. This one is a lovely dark red, vegetable tanned Italian leather with a nifty metal snap. It has space for bills, a zippered coin bit and lots of slots for the myriad point cards, train passes and ID I carry around with me. Pretty much everything you need in a wallet.
When I dug my money out of the three pockets it was in, I ended up with a huge handful of coins--2105 yen in 30 coins--plus the 8,000 yen I discoverd this morning in the pocket of my winter coat. I also unearthed from the same coat pocket the 20 pound note I *knew* I had but couldn't find before we went to Ireland via London last month. Well, now I have it for next time.
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I've been stuffing money in my pockets for years. No more.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Holiday horrors
BASENAME: holiday_horrors
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/09/2002 11:04:03 AM
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BODY:
Why does MJ look so horrified? Is it the giant glowing Godzilla towering over her in Shinjuku?
Or is it because it's only early November and stores around Tokyo are already putting up lavish, illuminated decorations for a holiday that isn't even recognised here?
Oh, wait. That's what horrifies me. MJ's probably just scared of Godzilla.
I hate commercial holidays. They aren't fun to participate in whether they are Western or Japanese. Bah, humbug.
Japan's economic bubble may have broken a decade ago, but holiday frenzy seems to have expanded as shops try to get people to spend their money. More holiday decorations put up earlier, more hype in the press, more promotional campaigns around Western holidays. Christmas Eve is date night when women hope for expensive showpiece jewelry from their partners. For Valentine's Day, women give chocolates; on March 14th, White Day, men distribute gifts to women. Mother's Day is all about pink carnations.
Japan has its own gift-giving traditions that are not linked to holidays. At the end of the year, you send gifts to people who did you a good turn--clients, friends, relatives. They may respond in kind with a gift of equal value. This is echoed with summer gifts, as well. For weddings, guests give money in specific denominations and the couple buys gifts for all their guests. For funerals, mourners receive a gift--often bath towels--in regard for their donations to the deceased's family.
Japan's official national holidays are so low key most people don't seem remember why we have the day off. Monday was Culture Day. There are no Culture Day decorations or presents. Later this month we celebrate Labor Thanksgiving Day. No big meals, no Labor Thanksgiving Day carols (that I know about, anyway), no rush to buy gifts.
I like making my own traditions as I please, so these holidays suit me just fine.
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Takashimaya Times Square's annual holiday illumination is burning bright.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.98.23
URL:
DATE: 11/10/2002 04:43:54 AM
I agree!! In the begining of Oct. we had Christmas stuff in the same isle as the Halloween stuff. UGH!!! The toy commercials and ads have started and Thanksgiving is still two weeks away. I try to teach my children the true meaning of the Christmas Holiday but with all the hype it is a hard sell.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Winter chill-chasers
BASENAME: winter_chill-chasers
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/10/2002 04:25:41 PM
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BODY:
The past week has been an early blast of winter--chilly wind, even a hint of snow in the air, though none's actually fallen. Everyone is predicting a cold one this year.
On the streets, the fashionable are wearing velvet blazers or light jackets and have wrapped incongruously thick and bulky scarves around their necks. I see this every winter and I wonder if there is a Japanese superstition about keeping your neck well bundled.
I don't have a scarf, but today I dug out my fuzzy slippers and tossed my lap blanket over my legs as I sat in the office. My fingers are chilly, but I'm not willing to turn on the heat so early in the season. After all, it's still 14 degrees (57F), hardly icy by anyone's standards.
The sun is setting now. Tonight I'll warm myself with some oden or maybe just lots of nice, steamy tea.
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EXCERPT:
The time has come for lap blankets and fuzzy slippers.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jeff
EMAIL: jeff@jefflawson.net
IP: 66.169.127.188
URL: http://www.jefflawson.net/nowhere
DATE: 11/11/2002 10:01:48 AM
It was cold and wet here in Dallas for almost all of October, but the sun finally returned come November. The temperature has actually topped out around 80 degrees F the past few days, although the changing leaves and crystal clear sky would fool you into thinking it was much cooler.
And I was just starting to get used to the chill.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New look (again)
BASENAME: new_look_again
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 11/11/2002 06:19:39 PM
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BODY:
After MJ & I discovered how to make SSI work, I had incentive to update design of mediatinker.com again. Now the most recent work and other blogs are listed on the index page and all of the subsections are more clearly tied into the site.
I like it but websites are never finished and no doubt there will be more improvements in the not-so-far future. Right after I get some of my paying work done!
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EXCERPT:
Another change..I am a media tinker, after all.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/11/2002 06:39:43 PM
pretty!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/11/2002 06:42:58 PM
BTW if you want the whole message to come up (on the main page) instead of a partial message then you gotta change it in the blog config - from "20" to - well a lot more. Then the whole message will come up (dunno whether you wanna do this or not but it was tricky to find)...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/11/2002 06:47:46 PM
If you leave out 'words="XX"' in the variable. Then no worries about limitations--it will show the entire entry.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 11/12/2002 03:17:15 AM
Hi,
Just thought I would give my unsolicited two cents :)
The white background with grey text is a bit hard for me to read...perhaps black text? On the other hand, the white background sets off the photos nicely.
Also, center-justified text is good for poems and such, but it is harder for western eyes to follow.
I love the new header graphic, quite stylish
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2002 08:11:27 AM
Centered text? Where? It's not specified in any of my CSS that way and I don't see any in Mozilla 1.1, IE 5 or Omniweb 4.1. Are you using an older browser, Bob?
Thanks for your 2 cents. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 11/12/2002 08:37:23 AM
Good Morning,
Ah, I see. In my browser all the text in your posts are center-justified.
I'm using Internet Explorer 6.0 w/Service Pack 1.
Take care.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 11/12/2002 09:17:56 AM
My text here too is center justified (IE6 and IE5), but other then that it looks great. (There's a div align=center right before the table that holds the actual text entry.)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2002 10:17:52 AM
OK, I removed that but added an align=center to the that contains the content table (I don't want the content squished up against the left edge of the main table).
It looks the same for me; any changes for those who saw centered text? Sorry I can't check myself--no Microsoft OSes in my house.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Au
EMAIL: thejson@usa.net
IP: 208.180.255.230
URL: http://www.jasonau.com
DATE: 11/12/2002 10:52:48 AM
Hi, nice update to your page. I am also seeing centered text for the blog using IE 6. Good work though.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2002 12:57:09 PM
Checked on a PC with IE 5.5--left justified text. Opera 6.01--left justified text. IE 6--screwed up centered text. Even NS 4.76 showed the text left justified (though the CSS was too complex in another part). It also looks OK on Mozilla and Opera under FreeBSD.
So if this works in every other browser I can test on, do you think IE 6 is broken? Or have I nested code in a way that is non-standard? I don't think so, but...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Afternoon midnight
BASENAME: afternoon_midnight
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/12/2002 06:55:55 PM
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BODY:
Sun set at 4:36 this afternoon. By the time we reach December, the sun will disappear at 4:28. We may as well live at the North Pole.
Every year at about this time, I'm suddenly surprised by the short days. I know it's nearly winter and I should expect it, but come on--4:28? There's still too much to do for the day to be over. Maybe it's because I'm a morning person, but after the sun sets my activities slow to a relaxed halt.
Still, we have it better than Chicago, where things got dark at 4:33 today, or London, where people were turning on lights after 4:16.
If you want to see what time the sun sets today, go to Time And Date.com and type your city's name in the Search box. They also have a nifty countdown that tell you how long until a date. It's 1234 days until my 40th birthday!
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EXCERPT:
Days are getting shorter and the sun is setting at lunchtime, I swear.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/13/2002 12:21:35 PM
and a millenium until you act your age :p
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mystery house
BASENAME: mystery_house
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/13/2002 10:30:33 PM
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BODY:
We found this arial view of our neighborhood on a flyer promoting an apartment building currently under construction.
That's our building, the orangish one in the lower right hand corner. 5 floors with 4 or 5 apartments per floor. Not a huge place, but not small, either.
The building marked with a big yellow question mark, surrounded by its own forested park, is a mystery. It seems way too big to be a private house but there is no sign outside except for a family name on a single mail drop in the wall.
Although there's a big entrance gate, we never see any traffic going in or out. Once in a while there is a car parked on the horseshoe drive. Maybe someday when I'm feeling extra brave, I'll stride up and knock on the door to find out what's up there.
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EXCERPT:
There's a huge mystery in our neighborhood.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mark
EMAIL: mark@zapology.co.uk
IP: 217.39.21.126
URL: http://www.zapology.co.uk/weblog/
DATE: 11/14/2002 06:21:14 AM
You better watch out maybe Oddjob will answer the door!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/14/2002 10:21:07 AM
Who is Oddjob? He sounds scary...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/14/2002 10:57:56 AM
Sounds like somewhere out of a Haruki Murakami novel...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mark
EMAIL: mark@zapology.co.uk
IP: 217.36.14.70
URL: http://www.zapology.co.uk/weblog/
DATE: 11/17/2002 02:36:05 AM
Oddjob? From the Bond movie Goldfinger!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fresh slippers
BASENAME: fresh_slippers
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/14/2002 03:09:25 PM
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BODY:
I have a distinct fondness for slippers with weird sayings on them so when I saw this pair at the "My Chamy" convenience store down the street, I had to have them.
Please don't think I'm the Imelda of slippers, really my collection is pretty small and they all are all replacements for old, worn out slippers. So far I've had:
Planet Well-known
The Tree-lined Avenue
Every cloud has a silver lining
Wonder what I'll find next season?
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EXCERPT:
New season, new slippers.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ken
EMAIL: keniltz@attbi.com
IP: 12.224.21.145
URL:
DATE: 11/15/2002 02:02:38 AM
No comment on the slippers. I do, however, like the look of your site after you made the recent changes. It is much easier to read.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/15/2002 12:12:22 PM
Thanks; I'm glad you like it. I like it, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/15/2002 12:31:17 PM
"Happy Leg. We give you loving heat for our pleasant!"
Actually I just made that up - but I think I have a new career ahead of me, don't you?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jumping Spider
BASENAME: jumping_spider
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/15/2002 12:02:30 PM
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BODY:
This little guy is my officemate. I call him Jumping Spider. Every morning he makes his way across the wall above my desk. He usually pauses around my monitor and I give him a cheery "good morning" then he's on his way again. I'm not sure what variety of spider he is, but he's fairly small and not very threatening. I like his little white legs.
But this morning, we both noticed an interloper on our wall. Ms. Big Brown Spider . She's maybe not that much larger than Jumping Spider, but she's bulkier. Jumping Spider ran in her direction and she retreated, but after JS turned away, Ms. Big took a second look. For a moment, I thought there might be a fight, but eventually they headed off in opposite directions.
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EXCERPT:
secret santas at arsenic
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mouse music
BASENAME: mouse_music
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/19/2002 04:41:14 PM
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BODY:
I had drifted off while reading, taking a nap because I'm feeling not 100% today, when I realised I was hearing music. Had I left the stereo on? No. Was the neighbor playing their good jazz music (their living room is one thin wall away from our bedroom)? No...
This was the Mickey Mouse Club theme song, tinkled out in loud, electronic tones. As I identified it, it morphed into the "yaki imo" truck's traditional Japanese wail. The sweet potato truck drove slowly through the neighborhood and I didn't hear any more mouse music.
I know our potato vendor doesn't deviate from his usual tape loop. Where was the other music coming from?
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EXCERPT:
A jarring awakening, or a dream...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 209.74.2.200
URL:
DATE: 11/19/2002 11:46:04 PM
Your subconscious, silly! :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Wall to where?
BASENAME: wall_to_where
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/20/2002 01:59:07 PM
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BODY:
This is a wall with a boarded up entrance to something.
The mysterious wall is about 20 meters away and at an angle to the support wall of the Korakuen (Marunouchi line) train station off the image to the left. It seems to be a retaining wall for the park above, but what's inside the arch? There are stairs leading down the hillside from the park to the now-weedy area that was once a garden, judging from the plants running wild down there.
My best guess about this is that before Tokyo Dome was built in 1988, back when this area had a different stadium dating from 1952, this was part of that complex. Maybe it was the entrance to the Baseball Hall of Fame, or a pedestrian walkway from somewhere... but the Marunouchi line opened in 1959 and the train station would have been in the way then, too, woudn't it?
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EXCERPT:
What was this wall?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kruemelmonster
EMAIL: dont@have.one
IP: 131.220.99.36
URL: http://...
DATE: 11/21/2002 01:12:25 AM
Ui,
havent you seen "Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi"???
And you have found the entrance.
http://bventertainment.go.com/movies/spiritedaway/index.html
mfg
Kruemelmonster
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liz
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.123
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2002 09:32:13 AM
For goodness sake if you have to investigate leave before dusk and Don't eat Anything!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/22/2002 10:37:50 AM
I'll be careful not to turn into a pig. I'd rather wash the gods and ride on Haku!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cause and effect
BASENAME: cause_and_effect
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 11/21/2002 11:36:38 AM
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BODY:
Yesterday, I posted a peevish, anti-US policy rant on a webboard I belong to. It was part of a longer thread on the Homeland Security Act and I was one of the dissenting voices. I'm sure very few people there read it; certainly noone replied.
It was one of the first times I've dissed the US government in a public forum, though if you see me face-to-face you probably already know how I feel about the current administration, the apathy of US citizens to the erosion of their privacy and freedoms, the cringing horror I feel when I think about someday returning, etc.
But in terms of what I can do to change things, I'd say "not too much." Run for office? Write letters to the editor? Be the editor? Spread dissent though my weblog? Ha. I wish I had the cunning.
Why is it just a tiny bit unnerving, then, that 15 hours after I posted my little rant, a good friend in the States was approached by an FBI agent? They went to lunch together. The agent said she was actually hoping to have lunch with one of my friend's colleagues who wasn't in. And she assured him that she's not investigating him yet (said with a grin and a wink).
But in the words of another friend, "Dude, the 'not yet' ploy is literally right out of the handbook, as is the 'I was looking for so-and-so, but...' gambit."
Food for conspiracy theory thoughts, I guess.
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EXCERPT:
I post a rant about the Homeland Security Act and my friend has lunch with an FBI agent.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 210.133.70.20
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2002 11:55:38 AM
Since I was the one who started the thread, I have to say that I was really surprised by the reaction to it. I thought *everyone* would be up in arms about the HSA. Instead, it was a "what do you expect...we have no privacy anyway...it doesn't affect ordinary Americans....and what do you care, you're not even American anyway" washout. I'm glad you dissent, Oaklid.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2002 12:02:11 PM
Yeah, it's pretty horrifying apathy. I just want to take every American I see and shake them until they realise what is happening. That's a typical "violent American" reaction but I'm so frustrated by this! I've heard US citizens referred to a "sheeple" who believe whatever they are told and go with the majority (sounds like Nihonjin, too) and that seems so true. But I'd think that Americans living outside the US would have a different perspective and be able to see more clearly what is happening "back home." Apparently not!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mong
EMAIL: mongbeany@hotmail.com
IP: 202.252.142.80
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2002 03:32:24 PM
Although I am not American (and as such i probably should mind my own business) I agree with you about the homeland security business, but forgive me if i am wrong, doesn`t this infringe upon your constitutional rights????
"confused ryugakusei"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/22/2002 01:51:46 AM
*checks under the futon*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mong
EMAIL: mongbeany@hotmail.com
IP: 202.252.128.108
URL:
DATE: 11/22/2002 11:07:45 PM
no im not under there ;p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL:
IP: 209.148.236.176
URL:
DATE: 11/24/2002 03:40:49 AM
Beyond whatever the current administration is doing, there was a recent isssue that I found interesting. At the midterm elections held just a couple of weeks ago, voter turnout was only about 40%. These elections generally would affect the local voter as much or maybe more than a presidential election as many local officials, governors, bond issues, etc. were up for decision. Yet, the majority, 6 out of 10 people (I'm possibily incorrect in assuming these are all registered voters) did not even bother to vote. Most people are only asked to vote once every 2 years, but for what reason did 6 out of 10 not go?
Not a single news story that I saw even mentioned this. It has become defacto that voter turnout will be low. Besides fixing the Florida voting scandal, it would be nice to see a national initiative to get more people to vote. Canada holds it's elections on the weekend. Would that help turnout?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 207.213.140.204
URL:
DATE: 11/26/2002 05:20:19 PM
I didn't vote because I couldn't stand to say yes to any of them. Even the libertarians are starting to sound scary to me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shopping guides
BASENAME: shopping_guides
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 11/22/2002 10:34:28 AM
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BODY:
Argh, I really hate online tools that claim to help you shop for gifts. "Pick the perfect present!" "Take the worry out of gift giving." Buy bullshit gifts for people you don't know well enough to shop for.
If you don't know what to get someone, it's probably because they are not in the category of friend, family or social circle that needs a gift. You'd be better off not buying them anything at all.
If you want to amuse yourself, go see what these tools suggest for you. Plug in your own age/status/style, and see what they suggest. I've noted their ridiculous suggestions for me after each.
CNN Holiday Shopping (fluffy slippers or diamond earrings)
Amazon Gift Wizard (martini shaker set)
Yahoo Gift Center (Zagat Restaurant expansion card for Palm Pilot)
Epicurious (martini gift set)
MySimon (Glamourous by Ralph Lauren)
Home Shopping Network Holiday Gift Guide (10 silverplate picture frames)
Style.com Holiday Gift Guide (suspended fireplace)
Sharper Image Guift Guides (corkscrew/foil cutter set)
Neiman Marcus (Burberry novacheck serape)
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EXCERPT:
Damn, these things irritate me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/22/2002 11:42:49 AM
What the hell is a suspended fireplace? One you were thinking about building but stopped?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 210.133.70.20
URL:
DATE: 11/22/2002 12:55:21 PM
Here are some *MUCH BETTER* gift ideas from SpaceStore (http://www.thespacestore.com/ulholspacgif.html). I want the International Space Station Journey (http://www.thespacestore.com/inspacstatjo.html). Know anyone with a spare cool $20 mill?
BTW, what the the MT href tags to hyperlink a word (not a URL)...I tried the usual way but it didn't work.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL: devin@spamcop.net
IP: 202.1.65.194
URL:
DATE: 11/22/2002 03:27:48 PM
Why did two different sites recommend a martini set for you? Did you reveal your lust for booze?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/22/2002 06:53:15 PM
There must be something about me and martinis. Betcha didn't know my middle name is "James Bond." Bet those martinis would be good consumed around the suspended fireplace
lil, regular tags do the trick for me in MT entries. Do you mean you want to use an thing? Should work; I dont think there's any restriction on HTML tags within MT entries.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Allison
EMAIL:
IP: 128.195.145.63
URL:
DATE: 11/23/2002 03:45:37 AM
Oooh, actually, any of those gifts sound good to me! And you really should have a Burberry something-or-other, since you live in Japan. Be assimilated!! :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Too many projects
BASENAME: too_many_projects
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/23/2002 02:12:41 PM
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BODY:
As year's end approaches, I am to getting a bit antsy (or is that ANSI?) because my "partially completed" project list is looking almost more impressive than my "completed" list.
In progress: 25,000 words of a novel, the video project, a few sections of zousan.com, a couple of collaborative projects and all the usual ongoing things that actually earn me money. The money-making projects will very soon reach the completed list.
As for the rest...they weigh on my mind. What to do first? Capture those remaining video clips and start editings? Pick up the novel again? Get cracking on the holiday cards?
Nah, I think I'll start another project. An idea that came out of my novel, actually, for some wearable technology. If I can get this done in the next couple of weeks, I will debut it at the round of holiday parties this year. :-)
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EXCERPT:
So I think I'll start a new one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/23/2002 10:50:04 PM
The video girlie!!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Budget constraints
BASENAME: budget_constraints
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/24/2002 10:12:33 AM
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BODY:
After discussing the prospect with Tod and sketching some designs, I went to Akihabara yesterday evening to look for parts. Two of the main components I need are 24,000 yen and 12,000 yen each--and I need them x 5. I could probably order one of the components online for considerably less than I found in in Akiba, but the other seems to be about 24,000 yen ($200) no matter where I look.
So not including the structural elements, wiring infrastructure, power supplies or tools to put this all together, I'm looking at a project that's going to run upwards of 180,000 yen. Add in the rest and it's going to be well over 200,000 yen (about $1600). For a project that is art, with no commercial potential, I'm not ready to invest 200,000 yen. That's almost half of a new dual-processor G4.
Maybe I'll have an unexpected windfall. Or I could try writing a grant to pay for this. I'll put "investigate grant options" right after "finish novel" on the old To Do list.
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EXCERPT:
Costed out the new project.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 11/26/2002 01:12:21 AM
Hey, how about a hint about this project...what is it?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese Mark Twain
BASENAME: japanese_mark_twain
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/25/2002 10:32:49 PM
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BODY:
I had a bunch of things to write about here today, but then Tod pointed me at this essay on quitting smoking by Kenji Tsuchiya, a member of the philosophy faculty at Ochanomizu University. It's so funny!
I don't smoke; Tod does. We were both in hysterics reading this. It's in English, translated from the Japanese. There are a couple of grammatical errors, but not enough to be distracting. Kenji is a funny guy. If you like this, I can recommend his other essays, including Did You Know the Origin of Christmas Pudding?.
Here's an excerpt from the Christmas Pudding essay that Tod & I absolutely related to and laughed over:
"Imagine someone is talking to you at the University. Even in a light chat, it is important, in order to promote friendship between Britain and Japan, to carry on the conversation without it being discovered that you don't understand what he says. Suppose you pick up just the words, "How long ?". Success is almost yours, with this small clue. You can easily infer by the direction of his eyes that he is not asking how long the corridor is. You can also infer that he is not asking how long one million miles divided by thirty nine thousand feet is, or how long the Onin-War in ancient Japan continued, using common sense that one usually does not ask such questions in the first part of coversation. By the process of elimination, you reach the conclusion that he is asking either how long you have been in Cambridge or how long you are going to stay in Cambridge. The rest is easy. You can give an answer which fits both of these questions, such as "I came here last September and shall be staying until next June"."
If you bellylaugh while reading this, you've probably lived in a country where you didn't speak the language very well.
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Funny essays by a Japanese philosophy professor.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/25/2002 11:39:30 PM
In Japan you can answer all questions with a knowing nod and "so, ne..."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cold night, warm nabe
BASENAME: cold_night_warm_nabe
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 11/26/2002 01:19:38 PM
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BODY:
Last night was one of those chilly, wet November nights that required chill-chasing, warm foods.
We had ours in the form of kimchee nabe and zousui. Nabe (nah-bay) is Japanese for cooking pot. But it also means a soup or stew cooked tableside. Not only is the food delicious, but the heat of the portable gas burner is cozy, too.
Our kimchee nabe had spicy Korean kimchee, slices of pork, carrot & onion plus shiitake and enoki mushrooms and plenty of hakusai (Chinese cabbage). When the hakusai turns translucent, it's ready to eat. We spooned the broth and bits into our little serving bowls, using our chopsticks to eat the meat and veg and slurping the broth directly from the bowl. taking more as we ate.
After we'd finished all of the morsels, we made zousui (zoe-swee), a rice porridge, with the remainder of the broth, plus some bean sprouts, greens and rice. It cooked for about 7 minutes until the rice had absorbed most of the broth, then we turned off the heat and added whisked egg to firm up the porridge. The rice is hot enough to cook the egg and even though I don't like eggs, I have to admit zousui's not the same without them.
By the time we finished our meal, we were toasty and content. Made it hard to do work after dinner and I didn't even attempt to fold the laundry. I really ought to go do that now.
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EXCERPT:
It's the season for tableside cooking.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 11/26/2002 10:23:45 PM
That sounds really good, especially in the cold weather. I could use a bowl of that, as the weather people tell us to get ready for a snowy, long Thanksgiving week.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mong
EMAIL:
IP: 202.252.142.80
URL:
DATE: 11/28/2002 04:38:54 PM
Being a ryugakusei i cant afford the vegetables for nabe here in japan :_(
mi rai ni okane mochi ni naritaiiiii ne
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Three discouraging comments
BASENAME: three_discouraging_comments
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/27/2002 06:30:47 PM
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BODY:
"At least you know you're cranky," my mother-in-law said to me this morning. This came up because I'd said that my family was full of long-lived and cranky women as I related the news of my grandmother, 88, who is just now having to abandon independent living for a more assisted situation. She fell down last week in her apartment and couldn't get back up. She was mostly uninjured, but spent an uncomfortable and frightening night on the floor.
Why is being cranky discouraging? Because my mother-in-law only seems to remember my state of mind 10 or 12 years ago when I was constantly cranky. She doesn't know me now that I'm usually pretty happy, if a bit curmudgeonly. I suspect that as far as she's concerned, I'll never shake that 20-something angst.
"It's a universal law that wives are sickly," was Tod's first discouraging comment of the day. That was in regard to my migraines, which made me succumb to a nap yesterday and to sleep until noon today. Blech. A colleague of his had to leave work early to drive his wife home from the hospital yesterday, so I guess all us wives are a poorly bunch.
That's discouraging because I do my best to not let it get in the way, but it does and I'm classified as 'sickly.' I try not to complain too much. Probably nobody but me knows that I've had a migraine of varying intensity for the past ten days.
Tod weighed in with the third discouraging comment of the day, "Don't take this personally, but journalists never get things right." That was in regard to an article I had drafted for the Perot newsletter about a project he's working on. I'd interviewed him over dinner last night and instead of taking notes, I was eating a salad as we talked. I didn't get the name of one component quite right and I failed to grasp exactly how his XML DTDs fit into the project.
It calls into question all the other articles I've written lately and that's discouraging. What did I get wrong that I couldn't fact check? Ah, well, it's OK; I got even with him by including his photo in the newsletter.
Bad things come in threes, right? Maybe today's three discouraging comments mean that tomorrow will be discouragement free. I can only hope.
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EXCERPT:
Sometimes you're not allowed to to look up.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/27/2002 08:05:25 PM
We are not all sickly!
*kicks Tod* :p
Chin up honey - tomorrow we'll go and push around heavy weights and feel better!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 199.224.74.163
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 11/27/2002 11:03:30 PM
Groar at migranes! (Oh, that was loud, sorry) *padsoffquietlyandshutsofflightsforyou*
Discouraging comments - you can choose to let them sink in or brush them off. I've noticed for me that some days it's easier to brush them off than others. Lifting weights is a good metaphor for it! "I'm going to lift some weights now" can be code for "I'm going to shrug off all the nonsense from today." If you're actually lifting weights you get the benefits doubled - low stress and good biceps.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mother-in-law
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.47.159
URL:
DATE: 11/28/2002 11:18:27 AM
Dear Kristen, I do remember the conversation in which you said you were cranky--I am so sorry if I actually said the discouraging words! Believe me, I would absolutely LOVE having you and Tod back close enough to know the "mostly happy" you! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a truly family day and you and Tod will be sorely missed at the table PLease accept my apology. We will eat some turkey in your honor! Love, Jean
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Thanksgiving
BASENAME: thanksgiving
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 11/28/2002 08:00:47 PM
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BODY:
Holy cow, it's Thanksgiving in the US. I forgot until a friend e-mailed me a happy thanksgiving message this morning.
Today at the gym, MJ was noting that there are no food-based holidays in Japan. Some of the holidays have special foods, but there are no gorge-yourself family banquets. Even the most elaborate holiday food in Japan--New Year's osechi--is pretty minimal and even healthy!
Tonight we're having take-away bento for dinner. Tod's on a deadline and I'm not inclined to cook.
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EXCERPT:
Thanksgiving dinner is bento tonight.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Night Walk with MJ
BASENAME: night_walk_with_mj
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/29/2002 11:59:59 AM
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BODY:
MJ mailed me these snapshots as she took them with her cell phone.
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EXCERPT:
Guest blogger MJ takes us on a walk with her J-phone sha-mail
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 11/30/2002 12:51:23 AM
well if people didn't think I was a complete fruitcake before...their suspicions will be confirmed...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tuning into something
BASENAME: tuning_into_something
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/30/2002 08:19:41 PM
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BODY:
Yesterday, MJ & I were discussing earthquake preparedness and our lack thereof; neither of us has quite the recommended supplies on hand. Today Jon Watts, who I know from the FCCJ, has an article in the Guardian about that exact topic.
Two days ago, Tod & I were discussing the medication that seems to pile on as you age. I, for one, would like to avoid that. One thing I absolutely won't take are post-menopausal hormones. What turns up today? An article on CNN citing a new study about hormone replacement therapy.
This evening, when asked what I'd like for dessert, I answered cheesecake sadly certain that there isn't much cheesecake in our neghborhood. But a trip to the conbini turned up slices of "New York Cheesecake" in the fridge case, and also cheesecake flavored Collon!
So I must be tuned into the cosmic something or other. My mind is catching the waves of the newswriters and marketing copywriters around me.; somehow I sense what's about to be published or become a trand. If that's the case, I'm looking forward to root beer and to pierogies real soon.
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EXCERPT:
I think about it and suddenly, there it is.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: microage97@yahoo.com
IP: 63.229.211.153
URL:
DATE: 12/07/2002 02:25:32 PM
Try to find any kind of real cheese in the jp grocery store. It is a sad state of affairs for the stuff they call cheese.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MIchael
EMAIL: Palikos@wp.pl
IP: 157.25.130.14
URL: http://18061984
DATE: 01/16/2003 05:59:24 PM
cool cool cool
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Let's eat less...or not
BASENAME: lets_eat_lessor_not
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 11/30/2002 08:30:10 PM
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BODY:
Semi-related to my recent discussion about taking too many (prescription) drugs as we get older, I read this on Reuters today:
"Studies in yeast, rodents and other organisms have found that drastically cutting calories extends life span, and researchers are striving to find out how that happens. The hope is that human drugs may be developed to mimic that effect, without having to eat less."
As a Tod laughed "In other news, scientists are busy researching how to spend even more money after you've used up all the money you had before."
Sure I am not the only one who thinks this is insane...
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EXCERPT:
Scientists need better things to do.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Feast of Films
BASENAME: feast_of_films
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/01/2002 08:24:58 PM
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BODY:
Every once in a while we'll rent a handful of films and watch them one after another. This weekend was Akira (newly released on DVD with a new million dollar soundtrack), Chocolat, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and Shawshank Redemption. Not a bad one in the bunch.
So there was planty of input this weekend, but not much output. Must get back to a productive schedule tomorrow!
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EXCERPT:
We glutted ourselves on passive entertainment.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mystery weasel
BASENAME: mystery_weasel
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/02/2002 12:29:33 AM
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BODY:
At about 10:30 this evening, walking home from returning the rented DVDs, I spotted what I thought was a big grey cat slinking up the stairs at the apartment building next to ours.
Only it wasn't a cat at all. But I don't know what it was. I've been searching on the 'net to no avail. It's not a weasel/stoat, tanuki, raccoon, or ferret, as far as I can tell. It might have been a Japanese badger, but from the photos I've found, the tail is different...can anyone identify this animal? I didn't have my camera with me (drat!) but here's a description:
length: approx 1 meter (including tail)
legs: short, black, no defined joints or hips
tail: pretty bushy, grey with black at end. length is about as long as the body
fur: sort of fluffy, grey/brown with black legs, tail end. lighter markings on ears and top of head
ears: small, pointy, dark
head: about as wide as body, triangular, whitish stripe down the middle towards nose
What the heck is a wild animal doing in my paved-over neighborhood??
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EXCERPT:
What the hell what that?!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.9.178
URL:
DATE: 12/02/2002 11:06:11 PM
That pointy nose with the stripe makes it sound like a badger to me! I don't know about Japanese badgers though.
I like your title here - "Mystery Weasel." It's fun to say. Heehee!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/02/2002 11:22:53 PM
I think it sounds like a game show!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Abby
EMAIL: abilayne@pacificcoast.net
IP: 61.118.152.34
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2002 01:39:54 PM
Hi! I just got linked to your site, so I thought I'd take a peek. I have a thought on your mystery weasel. Have you ever heard of an animal called a nutria? I heard they are some resident rodents in Tokyo, but they are rather elusive, not usually seen in the day. Maybe you can check the net to compare with what you saw!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Clean curtains
BASENAME: clean_curtains
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/03/2002 10:06:16 AM
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BODY:
My grandmother frequently laundered her curtains. Every couple of months she's strip the windows, wash the curtains wipe the windows and rehang the curtains. As a kid, this mystified me. As a young adult, I considered it an old-fashioned housekeeping practice, one that was meant for women who stayed at home without a career. I grew up in a house that didn't launder its curtains every three months. In a tidy house is curtain washing really necessary?
Yes. Yes, it is. When we moved last February, I washed the floor to ceiling (very high ceiling) sheers that I had custom made for the old house. They had 18 months of accumulated dust on them. They smelled bad. It took two washes to get them clean. I rehemmed them, put them in our new living room and forgot to wash them.
Something reminded me yesterday and I stripped the windows and washed the curtains. What a difference. Not only are the curtains cream-colored again (instead of a slightly dingy grey) but the living room smells fresher. My grandmother had the right idea, didn't she?
These days, I balance a life of career and homemaking. My office is ten steps from the laundry (it's true, I just checked) so it's easy to keep up on washing. I take breaks from writing or image editing to clean windows or sweep the veranda. It's a balance that I like. Now I just need to put "wash curtains" in my To Do list a little more often. Early March should be about right...
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EXCERPT:
My grandmother had the right idea.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.96.132
URL:
DATE: 12/03/2002 10:57:28 AM
A good reminder for me is when I see the spider webs hanging off of them!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 12/03/2002 06:01:06 PM
Them buggers are dust collectors aren't they? And you know how dusty Tokyo is...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 207.8.92.2
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/index.html
DATE: 12/05/2002 03:30:55 AM
What a coincidence. I was going to wash mine, too. I do it once a year, before the holidays. You've inspired me to follow through. But now the couch looks twice as dingy. Guess I better stop blogging and wash those slipcovers, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: microage97@yahoo.com
IP: 63.229.211.153
URL:
DATE: 12/07/2002 02:21:13 PM
My mom washed theirs once after about a year. Unfortunatily they smoke a lote and the water turned yellow and nasty and the curtians fell apart. :-(
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: microage97@yahoo.com
IP: 63.229.211.153
URL:
DATE: 12/07/2002 02:21:34 PM
My mom washed theirs once after about a year. Unfortunatily they smoke a lote and the water turned yellow and nasty and the curtians fell apart. :-(
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Articles Online
BASENAME: articles_online
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/03/2002 10:00:31 PM
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BODY:
MJ is soon to launch an online resource for Japanese and foreign web designers, programmers, print designers, information architects and other design and development professionals in Tokyo.
In addition to being an online resume database, there will be a collection of article son the in and outs of doing business as a designer. I spent my afternon drafting the inaugural piece, 650 words on four key responsibilities that clients and designers need to consider when project planning. I'll follow this up with some handy checklists for web project specifications and content.
So now that I've written the articles, MJ better get herself gear and get the site launched! (Right after this week's rush jobs, our trips to the gym and a little bit of sleep, naturally)
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EXCERPT:
Spent the afternoon writing articles for a new website.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 12/04/2002 10:36:36 AM
Yes Ma'am!
*salutes, charges off*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.171.104
URL:
DATE: 12/08/2002 02:20:44 PM
That sounds cool. Since I know a bunch of designers working on web in Japan, they may want to be connected. Let us know when it is on line.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Community board
BASENAME: community_board
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/04/2002 11:59:59 AM
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BODY:
I've told several people about the badger sighting and they have been incredulous.
"But they are mountain animals..."
"Maybe it was a tanuki?"
So I decided to seek the opinion and comments of my neighbors. I tacked a notice on the community bulletin board.
It says "Sunday 12/1 around 10:30 at Kawaguchi Apartments, I think I saw an Anaguma. Is it someone's pet? Am I going crazy? Have you see it? If so, please e-mail me."
I included a picture of a Japanese badger (not the one I saw) and my picture so everyone will know that I am a crazy badger-sighting woman.
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EXCERPT:
Towards identifying the mystery weasel.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.45.107
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2002 11:45:25 AM
Hi Kristen, This is so interesting about the badger sighting! I will be interested to know if any of your neighbors reapond to your posting.--J
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 12/06/2002 12:42:13 AM
Going crazy?
*laughs*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Swan Lake
BASENAME: swan_lake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/05/2002 11:49:03 PM
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BODY:
When I was a girl, I had an illustrated book of ballet stories. It was one of those oversized books that was challenging to read in bed because it was heavy and awkward and hard to keep open, but I did it--numerous times. I remember the beautiful paintings that illustrated each of the classics: Coppelia, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty.
So when Tod got us tickets to see the Shanghai Ballet performing Swan Lake, I was delighted. But I should have suggested that Tod read the story ahead of time.
During the intermission I asked if he understood what was going on and he wove a fantastical tale of a king who couldn't dance and a madman with a crossbow chasing after a bunch of ballerinas in white skirts. Extremely entertaining, but not quite right...he didn't even realise that the dancers in white were the swans.
He also believes that Tchaikovsky wrote the theme music for the Death Star in Star Wars.
I think we need to incorporate more cultural events into our schedule.
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EXCERPT:
White swans, death stars and a crossbow.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 12/06/2002 12:43:48 AM
Are you suggesting that Tchaikovsky didn't write it?!?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.8.158
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2002 02:09:46 AM
Hahahaha! I think Tod is a breath of fresh air during cultural events. Death Star! Heeheehee!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Alex
EMAIL:
IP: 63.202.128.111
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2002 08:17:26 AM
That's the funniest thing I've heard all day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.171.104
URL:
DATE: 12/08/2002 02:23:46 PM
Gash! Am I laughing far away in Oita.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: PickyPete
EMAIL: pickypete@verizonmail.com
IP: 151.201.119.78
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2002 08:59:10 PM
That's our Tod. Did I ever tell you about the time...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Year-end social season
BASENAME: year-end_social_season
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/06/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Tonight was the first of this season's bonenkai (forget-the-year parties) that mark the end of the year. This was the UBS party, a grand affair in the ballroom of the Westin hotel in Ebisu.
The theme was Las Vegas Night and in addition to a huge buffet spread, a magic show and a very good live jazz band, there was a casino with the proceeds going to charity. I won about 200 dollars in chips playing roulette, then handed them to the woman next to me to play with--gambling doesn't hold my interest.
UBS' charities (UNICEF Japan & the Children's Cancer Society) will be receiving a nice donation. A signed Manchester United jersey was auctioned for 350,000 yen (about $3,000) and one of the evening's prize winners auctioned his "trip to two to Las Vegas" prize for 150,000 yen.
Most people opted to keep their raffle prizes which ranged from a bottle of champage to a DVD player to two round-trip tickets to London. At one of the UBS parties a few year back, when the economy was surging, one lucky winner got an entire year's paid vacation.
I suspect that this was the most elaborate of the year-end parties we'll attend this year. Next Friday is the DigitalEve party which will be fun, but on a much smaller scale.
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EXCERPT:
Let the bonenkai begin!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Holiday fuss completed
BASENAME: holiday_fuss_completed
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/07/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
The gifts were ordered days ago; now we've finished the cards, except for stamps & mailing. Holiday obligations are now officially out of the way.
There's still osouji, the Japanese end of year cleaning marathon, to complete, but that will wait until closer to the end of the month. I have a very short list of things to take care of this year. Fix the squeaking hinge on the pantry door; clean out and wipe down the kitchen cabinets; tidy up the container garden; and give the veranda furniture a good scrubbing. Piece of cake.
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EXCERPT:
Gifts, cards ticked off. Next: cleaning.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Relax day
BASENAME: relax_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/08/2002 08:51:12 PM
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BODY:
Can't be bothered to form sentences. Woke at 10:00. Made eggs benedict at noon; read The Zope Book for a while. Took a nap on the sofa while Tod finished reading The Diagnosis. Woke up and made a small batch of cookies at 4:00. Took a bath; put pajamas back on. Had a nap from 6:30 - 8:30.
Now waiting for vegetable curry and croquettes to be delivered. With all the napping today, I expect to stay up late again, so maybe will get a head start on tomorrow's work and rescue this day from being a truly "do nothing" day. Or not.
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EXCERPT:
A day of doing nothing.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.236.55
URL:
DATE: 12/09/2002 09:37:02 AM
Eggs for breakfast, fresh dough...er.. cookies, curry and karoke (delivered too).... what an excellent lazy day menu. Hopefully the zous didn't rampage too much.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blizzard!
BASENAME: blizzard
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/09/2002 09:22:48 AM
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BODY:
Wow! It's snowing!
Real snow from the sky, not imitation snow.
It looks so peaceful and there's almost 2 inches of very wet snow.
Tod woke me up at 2:15 this morning to show me the snow. It snows so rarely in this heat island that it's quite an event when we get some. I had no idea it would still be snowing this morning. The blanket of snow on gardens and rooftops looks lovely.
It won't last long (it will turn to rain this afternoon) so I'm going back outside to enjoy it.
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EXCERPT:
It's snowing in Tokyo
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone,jp
DATE: 12/09/2002 12:21:59 PM
You usotsuki you - I bet that you are just sitting at your desk watching it with a steaming cup of coffee... :P
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mock Tribunal to Try Bush
BASENAME: mock_tribunal_to_try_bush
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/10/2002 01:47:03 PM
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BODY:
(Sorry for simply copying this interesting wire story here; it explains better than my paraphrasing might.)
TOKYO (Kyodo News) A group of citizens in Japan said Monday they will launch a mock tribunal to try U.S. President George W Bush on war crime charges over military attacks on Afghanistan last year in retaliation for last year's Sept 11 attacks on the United States.
The organizing committee for the "International Criminal Tribunal for Afghanistan" will hold public hearings in some locations in Japan, beginning with one in Tokyo next Sunday, before handing down a "ruling" on Dec 13 and 14 next year, the group said.
The group, co-chaired by Akira Maeda, professor of international criminal law at the Tokyo University of Art and Design, said it will deliver the ruling to the White House.
It said it has visited Afghanistan three times to look into war damage there.
Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, who organized a similar tribunal in New York in 1992 against then U.S. President George Bush over the 1991 Persian Gulf War, is a special adviser to the upcoming tribunal, they said.
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EXCERPT:
Bush is in trouble now
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.119.78
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2002 09:41:06 PM
I am grateful to these courageous people for speaking out against war of any kind. We are living in frightening times.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: PickyPete
EMAIL: pickypete@verizonmail.com
IP: 151.201.119.78
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2002 09:03:20 PM
It's much more serious than war crimes. In his shortsighted effort to make his oil cronies rich with the spoils of an Iraqi war, he's risking setting off WWIII between all Muslim and Christian states. We need to stop this guy.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Website renewal
BASENAME: website_renewal
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/11/2002 10:18:27 PM
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BODY:
Since early October, I've been project managing a big website redevelopment. The launch date is mid-January and today I spent six hours with the developers going over myriad details. Could we change the layout to highlight the event name, instead of the name of the person posting the event announcement? Will this module work this way or that way when it's finished? What happened to this thing we asked for two months ago?
It was interesting and we covered a lot of ground. But it was exhausting. The programmer speaks little English; I speak little Japanese. Our interpreter is extremely personable and works his ass off for us, but isn't as technically skilled as we are. So it was sometimes difficult to make my points understood--through interpretation of language and technical concept!
I know that the results of this project are going to be excellent. I can hardly wait for the unveiling in January.
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EXCERPT:
Six hours later and it's all more questions
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Justin Hall
EMAIL: justin@bud.com
IP: 219.103.217.9
URL: http://www.links.net/
DATE: 12/12/2002 09:54:18 AM
Neither can I! Congratulations Kristen - from what I read you've been working very hard bridging cultures and companies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenicNOSPAM.arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 12/13/2002 05:40:14 AM
Its difficult sometimes to manage projects in the same language let alone across different ones.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Customs saw my Xmas presents
BASENAME: customs_saw_my_xmas_presents
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/12/2002 11:34:56 PM
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BODY:
"Sweaters" is what the shipping form claimed was in the box my mother sent to us for Christmas.
The shipping box has been opened, examined, resealed with kraft tape emblazoned with Japan Post in big red letters. It was shipped on to us with a duty fee payable.
I've never had a parcel containing gifts opened and examined. Maybe we've just been lucky; maybe the Customs office is cracking down to make up a budget deficit. Perhaps they have a thing against sweaters. Who knows? It's a pretty decent racket the Customs Office has going. Here's what the customs form says:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Classification:
JERSEYS, PULLOVERS, CARDIGANS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES 6110.92-2
Rate of Duty: 11.50% (of assessed value)
Consumption Tax: 4.00% (of a different assesed amount)
Area Consumption Tax: 25% (of a very small assessed value)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And the post office charges 200 yen to handle the Customs duty payment! I truly do not mind paying the duty, but it's a bit of a surprise out of the blue like that. I expect duty on commercial shipments--shoes in particular always get slapped with a hefty extra fee--but on a private gift from Mom? Outrageous...good thing I picked up freebie a Customs Office pen at a community fair a few years back.
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EXCERPT:
A gift box from my mom got the eye from Japan Customs
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 12/13/2002 12:28:20 PM
It's outrageous! You should have picked up 10 boxes of complimentary pens!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lisa Kim
EMAIL: chivasbud@yahoo.com
IP: 12.211.73.124
URL:
DATE: 12/14/2002 10:18:49 AM
When I was living in France, my boyfriend sent me my camera and declared it as a "gift." I was assessed a customs fee of $200+. His error was in not declaring the camera to be "personal effects." If he had done so, the fee would not have been assessed. You may want to look further into the matter since you'll probably receive more gifts from family and friends living abroad.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rika Tanda
EMAIL:
IP: 24.208.176.24
URL:
DATE: 04/19/2003 08:49:19 AM
I agree with you. It is outrageous. I just sent to our nephew and niece their college/high-school entrance gifts. Their mother had to pay custom duty for the gift we sent. My husband felt terrible. he even said maybe we should not send anything anymore if reciever have to pay fees for their gift.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bonen-, Niji- & Sanji- Kais
BASENAME: bonen-_niji-_sanji-_kais
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/14/2002 03:15:54 PM
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BODY:
Last night's DigitalEve Japan bonenkai was great fun. We enjoyed a yummy Italian buffet at Trunk in Omotesando and it was fun to catch up with some of hte members I haven't seen in a while.
After the party, a handful of us decided on a short nijikai (second party) and walked up to Harajuku to have a drink at the Pink Cow, an eclectic house turned into a bar. We met some interesting people (a guy who programs for Sega and a voice recognition geek) there and the owner, Tracey, offered to let DE-J use the space for meetings.
When we left at midnight, MJ invited me over for a pajama party. We stayed up 'til 6 am chatting about everything from pets to parents at our own private sanjikai (third party). We fell asleep before Yoshi came home at 8:30, but I got up, said good moring and left around 9.
I'm not so much of a party person, but this was a fun evening. I'm exhausted now, though!
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EXCERPT:
Party on and on and on...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Perfectionism is wasteful
BASENAME: perfectionism_is_wasteful
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 12/14/2002 08:46:43 PM
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BODY:
Since we switched to Zoot ADSL months and months ago, I haven't been able to send mail to anyone at GOL.com, a popular Tokyo ISP. GOL blocks all mail from our provider as spam. It's really irritating, as I have a half-dozen correspondents and clients with addresses at GOL. Everytime I need to contact them, I have to do it through a web interface with an account I don't use much anymore.
Tod's been promising for months to look into it; he got as far as getting some information and advice from a knowledgable friend about a month ago. But he hasn't yet contacted Zoot to ask them to fix the problem. I've complained about this often enough now that he has spent almost 3 hours this evening looking for the perfect words to express the problem and its solution in Japanese because Zoot doesn't have English support.
For some reason, this insistence on perfection is really irritating me. I would (and actually offered to) bang out the mail in 30 minutes, looking up a few words and using a lot of katakana for the technical terms. Mine might not be perfect and it would certainly lack nuance and politeness, but it would get the job done.
But that's not Tod's style. So he's meticulously looking up words and phrases while I've been reading a book waiting for him to finish. Only I'm almost finished with the book and he isn't anywhere near done with the e-mail....
So much for a pleasant Saturday night.
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EXCERPT:
is it really necessary to make communication perfect when requesting technical support?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.235.37
URL:
DATE: 12/15/2002 02:48:05 AM
Tara and I call that the "Get it done" vs. "Do it right" philosophy. Although it can be frustrating at times, it generally works well in concert.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nightmare
BASENAME: nightmare
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/15/2002 12:19:32 PM
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BODY:
I must be feeling pretty stressed. Last night was a night of mares. I don’t remember the 1st one at all, but woke up shaking and drenched in sweat. Then I fell back to sleep and dreamed:
Nightmare 2
Time: present
Place: Erie, PA
After corresponding with my friend, Mike, I go to visit him in Erie. He takes me to see his Aunt Karen who is dying. Mike has described in e-mail and over the phone that she’s opted for this really weird procedure/manner of death. He’s disturbed by it, but she and the family agree that it’s the right thing.
She is kept in a gas station on a low scooterboard and she’s draped with a sheet. Bits of her body are removed, put into customers’ cars and driven around until they have incinerated. Then they are returned to the station.
Karen is still very much alive, though missing her legs. Some of her torso has been taken. She is weak and very thin, but she is able to recognize Mike through her sheet drape and reaches out to him. She doesn’t notice me at all and I can’t see her except for a hand which comes out from under the sheet.
We leave but later return to find three men squatting on the garage floor, sorting through some of Karen’s incinerated bits that have been returned. The remains seem to be mainly bolts, screws, nuts and bits of forged and cast metal. The men arrange them in piles, then put them into grungy old cardboard boxes. They don’t say what happens to them.
I’m fascinated and stay to help them while Mike goes to look for Karen. She’s been moved to a small room off to one side of the garage. I can’t see what she and Mike are doing, but I can hear her talking.
She is telling Mike that she and the rest of the family know all about Mike’s college days and his indiscretions. She lists off a handful of incidents that make him sound perhaps gay (dying his hair, staying the night in a friend’s room and giggling the next day) and then a bunch of things he’d done with girlfriends. He is unbelieving that she and his parents could possibly know all this, but she’s giving him the details, so obviously she does. The conversation gets darker and weirder and she is starting to accuse Mike of being a force of evil for doing things like being a DJ and acting in plays. She ends by singing a section of a song with an 80s feel (which was familiar in the dream, but I cannot recall it now). The person in the lyrics sounds like it could be Mike, and the song somehow emphasizes Karen’s point about evil.
At that point, I run in to rescue Mike from this awful situation. Karen is lying on a cot and is no longer draped with a sheet. Her hair is long and graying blonde, but thin and falling out as if she’s malnourished. She skin is loose and translucent, hanging off her body in folds. Her face is sunken, her body is frail but she has a dull gleam in her eyes.
When I come into the room, she shrieks and reaches out forcefully with her one remaining arm to grab me. I pull back before she can touch me. She accuses me of being an evil influence who’s ruined Mike and scourged the planet. Her arm is flailing and she continues to reach for me. Somehow I move nearer without her grabbing me and I take hold of her head—palming the top of it like a basketball.
How I know to do this is unclear (it is a dream, after all) but while holding her head, I start to pull my hand away. My hand leaves her head slowly, with a force resisting it. I wrench a white, maggoty homunculus from her head. It looks vaguely like a stubby sock money, actually, but it’s really pissed.
Mike recognizes it and calls it The Decomposer. Without the homunculus, Aunt Karen is now dead. I drop the horrible thing.
We run out to the parking area toward Mike’s family’s dark green SUV. It’s not quite like any SUV I’ve ever seen—the bottom is dripping with black rubber loops and trailers, like the truck had been dipped in a swamp and congealed.
The remote beeps but it won’t unlock the car to let us in. This vehicle is on the side of good; I have been deemed evil and it won’t behave if I’m around. All the while we struggle to get into the truck and leave, The Decomposer is chasing us.
Somehow we trick the car into opening and we get in. There’s a third person with us--maybe Mike’s sister or his wife. It's a woman, but I’m not sure who; perhaps she was waiting in the truck for us. The truck won’t start—it bucks and stutters trying to shake me out. Again, it is somehow fooled and it starts. We drive off with The Decomposer following us and howling.
-end of dream-
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EXCERPT:
My fears are bubbling to the surface
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@nospamarsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 12/15/2002 03:28:06 PM
Wow. I'm seriously scared.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/15/2002 09:13:34 PM
Yeah, creepy dream. The other one after this (Nightmare 3) was equally disturbing, but didn't has a strong a plot.
I'm really hoping for a more restful night tonight.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: perri
EMAIL: scottie_dog555@hotmail.com
IP: 24.237.149.13
URL:
DATE: 04/17/2003 12:59:35 PM
u guyz r fucked up in da head and to use my friends name in the stupid gay ass site u guyz r fuckin scary
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Millenario
BASENAME: millenario
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/16/2002 10:42:35 AM
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BODY:
Preparations are afoot for many of Tokyo's year end activities. These workers are putting together the Millenario, a light display for Christmas and the new year.
The Millenario is a series of illuminated latticework arches across one of the streets in Marunouchi. It runs for several blocks and is a big attraction, with thousands of visitors every night. It started in 1999/2000 and has been popular ever since. This year they asked a famous designer to do the latticework. I can't tell, though. It looks a lot like last year's. I guess there's only so much you can do with lattice, or maybe my design sense isn't subtle enough.
It's beautiful from a distance. The perspective looking down the street is amazing; it looks like a tunnel of fairy lights. Walking through it is a bit of a let-down. It doesn't *do* anything. Arch after arch, all the same. No changes as you go further. No movement, except for the other people around you. It's not a close up sort of thing.
But watching the workers put up the sections of arch was fun. They had a small crane and a lot of very tall ladders. There were many more people on the ground standing around holding clipboards than there were guys actually doing the work. A few of the clipboard people were directing cars when the crane and ladders got in the way. Otherwise, I really couldn't tell you what they were doing. Smoking. Looking up. Comparing notes?
Marunouchi is a surprisingly nice part of town now. When we first arrived, it was just a lot of big, older office buildings on squarely laid out streets. Everything looked the same to me and I sometimes got lost trying to find the office I worked in! Now the area has been redeveloped. It's full of big newer office buildings, but they've claimed one street for shopping boutiques and restaurants. The Maru Building anchors it all. But that's a blog for another day.
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EXCERPT:
Seasonal preparations with cranes and lattice.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Party games
BASENAME: party_games
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/17/2002 08:25:53 AM
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BODY:
At kids' parties, games make the event fun. So why don't more adult parties have games? Maybe we're too worried about cracking our facade of cool? But laughing and being goofy is better than any facade.
I decided that at our bonenkai, we'd have games. So last night, 16 normally serious grownups played Wink and Exchange.
Brad, our winker, killed me first and I did a dramatic scream-and-fall-to-floor death. It's been a while since I've done that and I'm out of practice--I bounced my head off the marble floor. Ouch! Poor Brad had a hard time killing people; the reflections on his glasses obscured some of his winks. Eventually, he was found out by Zahid, who won a box of chocolates for his persipacity.
After dinner we played Exchange. I had purchased a lot of the gifts at the 100 yen shop--soap, pencils, a box of crackers--plus a few nicer things like gift certificates from Tower Records and a train pass. I had fun wrapping them. I must say that taken as a whole, they looked great!
The hot gift was a box wrapped in a pink foil bag tied at the top with a wide silver ribbon. It changed hands seven times. Inside? A box of Kleenex. There was a lot of laughter when everyone opened their gifts and saw what they had and figured out what they had traded away.
So since everyone seemed to have fun and to enjoy the games, I say more games at parties. When else do you get to play like that?
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EXCERPT:
To game or not to game, that is the question...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 209.252.197.66
URL:
DATE: 12/17/2002 10:16:57 PM
I second the motion for more games at adult parties. Nothing like acting goofy to make an event memorable.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New Style of Shopping
BASENAME: new_style_of_shopping
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/18/2002 02:01:50 PM
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BODY:
Leafing through "Trendy" magazine yesterday, I was fascinated by a long article titeld New Stype of Shopping. It featured (and compared) all the recently opened shopping theme parks around Japan.
Japan doesn't have too many American-style shopping malls. There's not much room in the cities for fields of parking lots surrounding a low, broad building full of shops and anchored by a big-name store or grocery. There are a few of these, but they tend to be out in the further suburbs. This is in contrast with American cities; Chicago has numerous shopping mall complexes in the urban centers.
What we have here are more like Chicago's Water Tower Place or Pittburgh's Fifth Avenue Place, a collection of stores stacked up on many floors of a single office-tower sized building.
I mentioned the Marunouchi Building the other day. Nicknamed Maru Biru, it sits just across the street outside Tokyo Station on the site of Japan's first skyscraper (which was also called the Marunouchi Building). It's got two floors dedicated to restaurants which are booked out months in advance. There are shops of all types on 6 floors, offering everythign from clothing to an Xbox gaming parlour. There are distintively high-end chain retailers and a few boutiques. The architecture is amazing--even jaded Tokyoites stand in the atrium and stare up at the glass elevators and exposed beamwork.
Newly opened this month is Caretta Shiodome. It's another skyscraping shopping mall whose tagline is "Enjoy the taste of lesiure." With "sky restaurants" on the 46th and 47th floors, a theatre and restaurants on the lower floors, and a shopping concourse in the basement floors, they may be giving Maru Biru a run for its money. I haven't been there yet but will put it on my To Do list.
There are so many similar shopping places: Takashimaya Times Square, Sunshine City, several new complexes along the Yokohama waterfront. I think the "Trendy" article got it right--these shopping plazas and others like them are theme parks.
What amazes me is that Japan is still in a recession. How can these very upscale locations survive? Maybe they pander to the good old days of the Bubble when everyone had more money than they could spend. Back then regular people could afford to splash out on fancy food, designer handbags and clothes with labels. Perhaps the last few years of less money, uncertain job prospects and making do with two-year old toasters has finally got everyone ready to backlash. I suppose if consumers are spending money in places like Maru Biru and Caretta Shiodome, then the economic outlook will improve...for the importers and brand name retailers, anyway.
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EXCERPT:
Shopping theme parks instead of shopping malls
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Less time, more details
BASENAME: less_time_more_details
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/19/2002 12:15:24 PM
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BODY:
The longer we work on the FCCJ project, the more details unfold and issues spring up. Our deadline for completing the coding is the end of this month. Our aim is to launch the site on 28 January.
The To Do list gets longer as the time grows shorter on every project, of course, but this time I'm not doing everything myself. There's a team of four of us. My job is mainly to test things as they are done, to find/report problems and to communicate between FCCJ & the development team at Blue Beagle.
I feel so fussy, though. A lot of the items on the To Do list are picky little details. Let's face it, I want things the way I like them. I'll have to maintain and support the system and its content after launch and I want to ensure I can do it confidently.
Yesterday's drama-in-minature was changing the color of an outlined box style. The true blue currently there doesn't match the palette of teal colors in the rest of the site. Picky point, right? It took four mails to convince the designer. What she doesn't realise is that I can go fix the CSS later myself if I don't like what she's done.
Today? Who knows...
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EXCERPT:
The drama of project deadlines and detail work
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.117.117
URL:
DATE: 12/19/2002 09:42:29 PM
I agree, that blue has to go!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@spam.arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 12/20/2002 11:52:25 AM
Looks good - I agree with the blue but I like the image on the top...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Turmeric tonic
BASENAME: turmeric_tonic
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 12/20/2002 05:32:51 PM
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BODY:
At this time of year, half of Tokyo's population is suffering from bonenkai hangovers. Unlike American holidays, where overeating is the festive indulgence, here in Japan we have overdrinking--nomisugiru.
There is an entire industry of hangover cures. Genki drinks full of caffeine and nicotine, mineral and ionic drinks to replensish lost liquids and salts, and scads of vitamin and herb supplements.
One remedy which I am ready to swear by is ucon, turmeric in English. Last night at the Kajiro's bonenkai, I had entirely too much 80 proof sake. Fortunately for me, I won a bag of Ucon Kuro Tou, brown sugar and turmeric candy. It is the weirdest stuff--very sweet but bitter, and the texture is like fudge that's crystalized--but a few chunks of it last night kept me from feeling too horrible today.
I handed it around at the party, and everyone was chiming in about ucon's tonic properties. Good for the liver. Keeps you healthy. I added "nomisugitara..." (when you drink too much...) and everyone laughed.
Like cough drops, Ucon Kuro Tou's medicine that's actually pretty tasty in its weird way. So I'm munching on some now as I type this. My liver will soon be singing my praises or asking for beer.
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EXCERPT:
Not just for Indian curries.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 12/20/2002 05:36:17 PM
eh stick with the ol' hair of the dog matey...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.171.104
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2002 02:26:10 PM
Well, may I call you an OYAJI Woman, who ricover with Genki-drinks to drink again!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2002 09:40:58 PM
Hehehe. I understand that most people consider anyone over 30 an oyaji (or obasan) so I guess I am!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rainy weather
BASENAME: rainy_weather
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/21/2002 04:57:26 PM
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BODY:
Today Tokyo is grey, wet and cold. It's the sort of day that makes me long for a fireplace, an interesting book and a bottle of really nice wine.
Instead of cuddling by a fire, Tod & I braved the rain and went grocery shopping. Not that we had a huge choice, really. I suppose I could have managed to cook a meal from the pantry but it wouldn't have had any vegetables.
Now we are well stocked with food for the rest of the long weekend (Monday is the Emperor's birthday) so if the misreable weather continues, we can build a blanket tent in the living room, read by flashlight, and make short forays for salad and soup.
But if the weather is nice tomorrow, we're taking the Zous to the zoo.
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EXCERPT:
Cold weather grocery run
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran Hill
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 209.252.197.18
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2002 09:38:29 PM
Will the trip to the zoo also be a photo-op for the Zous? If so, please share.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: PickyPete
EMAIL: pickypete@verizonmail.com
IP: 151.201.119.163
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2002 11:48:22 PM
I was looking for a reason to take Monday off. The Emperor's birthday. That'll do.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nipponjin with scissors
BASENAME: nipponjin_with_scissors
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/22/2002 09:53:22 AM
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BODY:
Last week I made a tactical error in the sartorial department. I decided to not go all the way across town to my usual stylist for a haircut, but to try a beauty shop in my own neighborhood.
I took the photos of my Amelie cut that MJ snapped. I explained that I just wanted my hair cut a little shorter. I ended up with...not the same thing and about 2 months of regrowth before I think I'll be happy with my hair again. I might hand MJ the scissors next time we get together and see if she can do something to fix it. It can't get too much worse, really.
The trouble started when trying to make small talk, I asked the hairdresser--a 20-something man with dyed yellow hair and a nose pierce--whether Japanese hair and foriegn hair are similar. His answer was pretty standard (No, Japanese hair is thick and springy) but the word he used for Japanese really took me by surprise.
Nipponjin. This is the way is used to be said in Japan's expansionist, Korea-is-really-our-colony-and-so-is-China history. Before the war, Japan was commonly called Nippon and its people were Nipponese or Nipponjin (hence the wartime word for the Japanese enemy, Nips).
But after the war, as a concession to peace, the country renamed itself to the softer Nihon and its citizens became Nihonjin. So when I said Nihonjin and Mr. Hairdresser answered with Nipponjin, I really didn't know what to think. Is he a nationalist? Am I having my hair cut by someone who hates foreigners? Does he drive those loud black trucks on his days off--the ones that cruise around town blaring the national anthem and shouting for foreigners to go home?
So with that dread in mind, I sat back and tried to enjoy my haircutting experience. It was OK until he attacked my head with the thinning shears. Some thinning is OK, but he really went at it. I think he was trying to cut away all of the waviness--which simply cannot be done to my hair.
Now I have sections that stick stright down, really short bits underneath (I found one last night that's about one centimeter long) and one nice wave in the front that flies off into the air like a wing. There used to be other hair that supported it, but it was all thinned away. My head looks like a badly waving flag.
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EXCERPT:
A flag-waving haircut
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.117.96
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2002 01:42:54 PM
Hey Kris, remember that time you got your head shaved and you wore that little crocheted skullcap? Might not be a bad idea to start over. Or have someone else do a repair job. I completely sympathize. I have found very few people who can cut my hair and when I find one I hang to them for as long as possible. I know you know that time will do the real repair (and you hair DOES grow fast) but oh the agony of waiting!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tara
EMAIL: tara@immell.com
IP: 209.148.236.128
URL: http://www.immell.com
DATE: 12/22/2002 04:14:13 PM
I think a side-by-side comparison of the Amelie cut you showed the hairdresser and the cut you have now might be called for - like you and your 10-year old grandma's do (great-grandma?) ... but only if you're showing yourself in public after the thinning shear tragedy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 209.74.9.2
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2002 11:13:55 PM
I got my hair cut yesterday too! *shiver* I called every stylist in town and all were busy (everyone has to look nice for Santa!). I finally decided on Malcom's, a "no appointment necessary" salon.
I've had stylists do that same infernal thinning thing to my hair too. Ugh! Good thing for us that our hair grows quickly.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Zous at the zoo
BASENAME: zous_at_the_zoo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/23/2002 01:59:44 PM
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BODY:
"This is an art project; we are not taking our stuffed animals on an outing to the zoo," Tod & I agreed as we left our building with the Zous in hand.
It really did feel like performance art.
It's pretty amazing the reactions you get with a stroller full of stuffed elephants. Adults were generally enchanted. They smiled and pointed. "Kawaiiiiii!" Older men and women were more likely to talk to us. Security guards cracked smiles. Middle-aged matrons laughed aloud. The whisper of a trendy young woman to her friends got them all to turn their heads subtly to peek. Mothers with children sometimes saw us before the kids did, and directed their kids to look. One very brave, stylishly dressed college boy petted Zousama even though his girlfriend disapproved.
Little kids had mixed reactions. Some were a little scared and clutched at their parents' legs; some warmed up to the idea after a few seconds and snuck another look and a smile. Others came toddling over to play with the Zous right away. Sometimes the Zous were a more interesting attraction than the animals in the cages.
Some people saw the Zous, but not us, then glanced up to see who was holding the stroller. Whether they stopped smiling because we were watching them watch us, or because we were foreigners and they were surprised by that, I don't know.
Tod estimated that the bemused to amused ratio was about 30:70.
The Zous have their own version of the day at the zoo on their blog and in pictures.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
What happens when you take stuffed animals to the zoo?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pete
EMAIL: pickypete@verizonmail.com
IP: 151.201.115.62
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2002 08:23:18 PM
Now you've done it! You've got a reaction out of the staid Japanese. Like your hair too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Alex
EMAIL:
IP: 63.202.128.75
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2002 03:17:27 AM
That sounds HILARIOUS! But next time, remember to write the URL to your website on a poster board so you can advertise them, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2002 01:50:28 PM
I had their meishi with me, but I didn't hand any of them out...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Cha
EMAIL: jjcha@hotmail.com
IP: 199.108.76.18
URL: http://www.jjcha.net
DATE: 12/25/2002 05:13:45 PM
Kuri-san,
FYI: Regarding trackback - the way it works isn't that you "a href" link back to the trackback url in the html, like you did in this post. Instead, you would link the usual permalink in your text. When you go to save your MT entry, in the "URLS to ping" section, you put the trackback url. That will ping the trackback url and get everything going.
Hope this helps!
-Jason
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/26/2002 03:18:06 PM
Thanks for the pointer, Jason. Trackback has confused me for months; thought I'd give it a go here. I've fixed the link and the Zous are happy to see a trackback on their site now. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sunday dinner
BASENAME: sunday_dinner
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/24/2002 10:58:15 AM
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BODY:
After sleeping in a bit and taking are of household chores, it was about 2:30 yesterday afternoon when I got around to thinking about breakfast. Even with our odd schedule, 2:30 is pretty late. So I decided to skip breakfast and lunch and head straight for dinner.
At 3:30 we were sitting down to a nice crispy rosti, fresh green peas, chicken smothered in carmelised onions, and a salad. By 4:30 dinner was done and the kitchen cleaned. It was like a Sunday dinner at Grandmoms' house.*
(* in case you are wondering, the apostrophe is in the correct place there--my grandmothers shared an apartment for over 20 years.)
Normally, Tod & I dine at a Continental hour--somewhere between 8:00 and 10:00 pm. After dinner, my energy has ebbed and the day is over for me. I might do a little work on my back-burner projects, catch up on personal e-mail, play on the 'Net, or I might just rest.
So when we decided to go out after dinner yesterday to buy a new coffee maker, it seemed like a midnight excursion. But it was only 6:00. We shopped, rented two movies, returned home before 8 and spent the rest of the night on caffeinated entertainment. And went to bed at about 1:30!
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EXCERPT:
A meal at the wrong time makes the day strange
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Merry...
BASENAME: merry
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/25/2002 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
We varied a bit from our usual Christmas routine of work-shop-pizza. This year I cooked dinner. Nothing terribly difficult, a nice beef stroganoff paired with a variation on a beet and goat cheese salad from Epicurious and our favorite Tintara Shiraz. They were delicious; definitely recipes I'll make again.
As usual, I sent Tod to work with a tray full of cookies, then collected him from the office at about 5:30. We headed off to Shinjuku to do our Christmas shopping then came home by about 8:30, wrapped presents and dined.
When Tod leaves for work, there is no evidence of the holiday. When he arrives home, the living room is unveiled in all its do-it-yourself Christmas glory. For the past few years, I've been making the holiday tree out of found objects; this year I planned ahead a bit and bought some shiny things. This year's tree was made of three bamboo poles, some glitter-coated plastic snowflakes, beads, and two spotlights.
As you can see, there are a lot of presents under the tree. We received a 25 pound box from Tod's parents on Christmas Eve. I always feel like there's way too much for us and I want to share with others. Our haul of Christmas goodies includes books, music, warm clothes, toys, 18 pounds of candy (all from that 25 pound box!), and my favorite present--a technicolor fur collar from Tod. The books and candy will get shared around with friends but I'm not passing around my furry bit. :-)
After putting away all the newly unwrapped gifts, we finished off the festivities at midnight with a slice of Christmas cake in bed. It's a simple sponge cake filled with peaches and whipped cream and top with more whipped cream and strawberries--surprisingly light and delicious.
I was exhausted from my busy day of cooking, decorating and shopping. After the cake, I dropped off to sleep in about 46 seconds. I hardly even managed two pages of my new novel...
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EXCERPT:
Running around to be festive
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 12/26/2002 08:50:33 AM
woo hoo! you got furry bits!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Another present
BASENAME: another_present
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/26/2002 07:45:57 PM
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BODY:
This one is a headcold. Compliments (I suspect) of an anonymous conbini patron by way of Yoshi and MJ.
My nose and eyes started to itch about about the same time I tried on my fur collar. I worried that maybe I was allergic or maybe it was the highly-scented soap we had just unwrapped. But no, MJ and Yoshi are both sick with the same symptoms.
On an unrelated note, here are some photo from last week's bonenkai. First, here's MJ, me & Misa looking pretty together.
And later on, after much consuption of sake, we were all ordered to do something silly for the camera. This is how Tod, MJ & I posed. We did not consult about licking MJ--but what else would you do to a woman doing a back bend into your lap? Nooooo, don't answer that!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
One final holiday gift--something to sneeze at.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.154
URL:
DATE: 12/27/2002 01:39:59 PM
wow
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: SEth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.237.244
URL:
DATE: 12/27/2002 04:38:22 PM
"-but what else would you do to a woman doing a back bend into your lap? Nooooo, don't answer that!"
Awwww... you never let us answer the fun ones! ;) Hope you had a good holiday.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blog spam
BASENAME: blog_spam
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 12/27/2002 09:16:11 AM
-----
BODY:
I have Moveable Type mail me new comments from my weblog. It's a very convenient feature, since I don't get too many comments (hint, hint).
Late last night, I received an e-mailed comment that linked to the Nipponjin with scissors entry froma few days ago. It is spam from a manufacturer.
"[...]we are willing seriously to establish our bilateral trade relations with you as well as with your esteemed company for a long time. And also want to cooperate with you at all steps."
First step towards bilateral cooperation: do not spam me!
Was this done by a clueless drone who is paid to paste form letters into anything vaguely scissors-related? Or is it a nefarious tool to seek out keywords on webpages and then fill in forms it finds attached to those pages? There was a spate of automated comments spam in late October; here's an interesting article on Dive Into Mark about solutions.
I guess I'll know if my spammer was human or automated if this post (also containing the word "scissors") gets spammed.
Watch this space...
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EXCERPT:
New spam tool or clueless marketing?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pete
EMAIL: pickypete@verizonmail.com
IP: 151.201.121.134
URL:
DATE: 12/27/2002 11:10:04 PM
Even if you are paranoid, they still might be out to get you.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sadiq Yusuf
EMAIL: s_yusuf_1@phantomemail.com
IP: 218.16.87.61
URL: http://www.firstatlanticbank.com
DATE: 05/01/2003 07:47:22 AM
Mr. Sadiq Yusuf
First Atlantic Bank PLC
4/6 Adetokunbo Ademola Street
P. O. Box 75369
Victoria Island, Lagos-Nigeria
Tel: +234-1-2622472 to 6; Tel: 234-1-2622497
website: www.firstatlanticbank.com
Dear friend,
This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have
not yet met. The message could be strange but real if you pay some
attention to it. I could have notified you about it at least for the sake
of your integrity. Please accept my sincere apologies. In bringing this
message of goodwill to you, I have to say that I have no intentions of
causing you any pains.
I am Mr. Sadiq Yusuf, Branch Manager, First Atlantic of Nigeria. I
managed to get your contact details through the Internet myself. Time is
of the importance and I am desperately looking for a person to assist me
in this confidential business. A British oil consultant/contractor with
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Claude Brian Best made a
numbered time (Fixed) Deposit on January 6, 1999, valued at
US$25,000,000.00 (Twenty- five Million Dollars), for twelve (12) calendar
months in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his
forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder
and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Claude Brian Best died from an
automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died
without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Claude
Brian Best did not declare any kin or relations in all his official
documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$25,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being
rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will
ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian Law, at the
expiration of 4 (four) years, the money will revert to the ownership of
the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand
in as the next of kin to Mr. Claude Brian Best so that the fruits of this
old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government
officials. This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your
full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary
documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin.
We shall employ the service of two lawyers for drafting and notarization
of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and letter of
probate/administration in your favor for the transfer. A bank account in
any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate the
transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money
will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me
and 40% for you.
There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be
done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please
reply immediately via the private email address below;
s_yusuf_1@phantomemail.com
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and
relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.
Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall
require your assistance to invest my share in your country.
Awaiting your urgent reply via my email address.
Thanks and regards.
Mr. Sadiq Yusuf.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paolo Roat
EMAIL: paolo.roat@tin.it
IP: 80.181.105.50
URL: http://www.translation-server.com
DATE: 08/14/2003 10:12:06 PM
I'm looking for data on blog spamming. I can see that the letter above is spamming (actually it is probably a scam: http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/, I receive 5-6 email a day like that). But do you know exactly what blog spamming is an where can I find the exact guidelines. I've been looking the the whole Internet but could not find the exact data.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: JIM
EMAIL:
IP: 4.3.72.173
URL:
DATE: 03/05/2004 12:48:23 PM
I LIKE THIS SITE
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: JIM
EMAIL:
IP: 4.3.72.173
URL: http://SEND ME MILLIONS OF NIGERIAN BIG MONEY OFFERS
DATE: 03/05/2004 12:59:56 PM
HI,THIS IS JIM.THIS MESSEGE IS BEING POSTED ON THURSDAY MARCH 5,2004.THIS MESSEGE IS FOR SADIQ YUSUF.YOU SAID CONTACT YOU BY E-MAIL.I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SEND E-MAIL.SO I HOPE YOU SEE MY MESSEGE ON THIS INTERNET SITE IN A FEW DAYS,OR WHENEVER.CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME THE OFFER YOU WROTE ABOVE.IM INTERESTED IN IT.MY FULL AND CORRECT ADDRESS IS 3630 S.SEPULVEDA BLVD.=1-145 LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA 90034 U.S.A.PLEASE SEND ME THE OFFER THE MINUTE YOU READ MY MESSEGE.I HOPE YOU SEE MY MESSEGE.AND PLEASE GIVE OTHER NIGERIANS WHO OFFER BIG MONEY,MY MAILING ADDRESS.TELL THEM TO SEND ME HUNDREDS OF THEIR OFFERS EACH WEEK,ALL YEAR ROUND.THANK YOU.ONCE AGAIN MY MAILING ADDRESS IS 3630 S.SEPULVEDA BLVD.=1-145 LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA 90034 U.S.A.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: tick tick tick-tick
BASENAME: tick_tick_tick-tick
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/28/2002 09:07:21 AM
-----
BODY:
Two nights ago, the neighborhood fire patrols started their year-end rounds. These are our neighbors out there carrying lanterns and wooden sticks. They walk around the neighborhood in pairs or small groups checking for fires. Back in the days when Tokyo was all wooden, I guess this had some meaning. Now it's just a tradition for the new year holidays. A festive addition to the season.
I love the sound and rhythm of the sticks they beat together to signal all is well. Wood makes a hollow, ringing tick sound that echos against the concrete buildings. It's an unmistakable sound and always brings a smile to my face.
Some of the patrols keep a faster rhythm than others. Some are very lax with their timing, others are precise, but they all follow the same basic pattern. TICK (...2...3..) TICK (...2...3..1...) TICK-TICK (...1...2...3...)
Someday I'm going to figure out how to join our neighborhood association so that I can go out on fire patrol, too.
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EXCERPT:
The fire patrol is making its rounds again
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Justin
EMAIL: jmajeroni@stargate.net
IP: 208.170.243.26
URL: http://www.mindtrance.net
DATE: 12/28/2002 09:31:09 AM
Tod and Kuri - Thank you so much for the subscription to wired! I just now got the card telling me about it. Much love and best wishes for the new year. peace
Justin
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.154
URL:
DATE: 12/29/2002 02:55:44 AM
I think the traditionalism of Japan is the most appealing aspect. Our here in California there are things like the boat parade or *my personal kitchy favorite* Santa visiting each neighborhood on the back of a fire truck surrounded by police cars. But these are newish. I can't think of anything that goes back hundreds of years. I remember visiting Old Town Albequerque and being blown away that I could touch a building built in the 18th century. To the rest of the world- that's new.
p.s. I think Johnny Depp - definitely.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Captured
BASENAME: captured
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/29/2002 06:30:45 PM
-----
BODY:
Finished! I finally got through all of the tapes from September and captured the clips I need for Puzzles of Daily Life.
Now I get to edit. As much as I hate logging and capturing tapes, I love to edit. So I should be able to get this project done in the next couple of weeks, if my voice recovers from teh cold. I have to record the voice overs still. And there is some B-roll footage to take, but only a few minutes worth, if that.
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EXCERPT:
Finally, capturing the video is off my To Do list
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Furry bits
BASENAME: furry_bits
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/30/2002 10:15:56 AM
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BODY:
Here's me with my favorite Christmas present--a psychedelic fur collar.
Fur's really popular in Japan right now. Every women's clothing shop carries fur trimmed scarves, gloves, shoes, and even fur handbags. I saw fur-covered high-heeled boots on a woman on the train the other day, and a mink vest in a shop window. Coats mainly have fur trim (rather than being fully fur), but sheepskin coats (suede on the outside, fur in the inside) are very popular.
Although the trendy excess is a bit ridiculous, I'm happy that fur has lost its moral taint. It's warm and cozy to wear. There's nothing like petting your clothes to make you feel calm. Would I like to have a fur coat? Yep, absolutely! Persian lamb, maybe...
I think its strange that many people feel guilty when they wear fur but they don't feel guilty about eating meat and wearing leather. Although I can understand not wanting to wear endangered species, I don't think that's so much of a problem in the fur trade any more. Most animals are ranched for fur, the same way they are for meat. So I wonder why people who eat meat feel bad about wearing fur?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Me and the psychedelic fur
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.98.64
URL:
DATE: 12/30/2002 12:17:00 PM
Cool!! I would love the fur covered high-heeled boots.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.235.199
URL:
DATE: 12/31/2002 04:56:44 AM
Well, I'm pretty anti fur but a heavy meat eater and I'll tell you how I see the differences.
I don't eat anything usually slaughtered young such as veal. I don't eat endangered species such as sea turtles. I generally also try to seek out free-range eggs and chicken and other items that mean the animals have been treated with at least some respect. Items such as beef cattle have almost every part of the animal used (and in some cases with disastrous results such as mad cow disease).
Try doing some research into how animals are raised just for fur. I freely admit that there are some animals for meat productions that are just as bad, but generally the animal is just slaughtered for it's fur and generally kept in bad conditions. The methods of death in order to protect the fur are quite horrible and I won't go into them here. And unless it is a big cat, usually the carcasses aren't used for anything else and just thrown away.
I find the death of animals for fashion, for a whimsey that may only be worn a few times and then shucked because the trends have changed to be deplorable. At least consumption is a need. I don't mind leather coats nor sheepskin articles. But wearing fur encourages not just death of the fur-farmed animals, but those endangered ones as well. Since fashion is always a bit about one upmanship, the woman who has the spotted leopard skin (endangered) will be a bit above the woman with just the common fox or mink. Why isn't faux fur enough?
I look at fur wearing people in the same way that I view the people killing the rhinos for their supposedly aphrodesiactic horns - locked into a anacronistic cultural view without respect towards the impact on the environment and the animals. To kill them for vanity alone just offends me as a horrible waste.
The worst I ever saw was at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. At the big cat exhibit a woman was wearing a full length fur made of some cat skin. The exhibit went to great lengths to show the declining cat populations and that fur harvesting was one of the reasons. She just didn't get it.
Wearing fur encourages the destruction of natural populations of endangered animals. The guy who can smuggle that spotted leopard fur out of China has just fed his family for a year or more. As much as I deplore the poachers, I understand why they do it. Fur wearing people only encourage this.
And that's what I have to say on that matter. ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.237.123
URL:
DATE: 01/01/2003 01:04:44 AM
Well, I have to congratulate you on roaming from the wearing of fur to war to coffee to taking a stance against those who would rob you of basic housing needs.
So it seems that your argument is that there's just too much bad in the world that we should simply apathetically accept all of it. Since choosing to take a stand on one issue would be invalidated by another action in an unrelated arena don't make a stand at all. Frozen into consumerism and rationalization by the ability to relate any transgression to another? ;)
This comes from a woman who's sig decried those who would so easily let go of some basic personal rights in lieu of security?
You are right. The injustices in the world can be overpowering. I don't know about the workers somewhere who made my pencil or the woods that were deforested to make it. Who knows what impact mining the rare metals in my TV or computer had on the environment or the people who mined it. But I do know that I can choose small issues to make a difference. I try to save water. I turn off lights when I'm not using them. I don't eat veal. I recycle. Are most of these actions probably negated somewhere sometime by my own hypocrical actions? Yeah, probably, but at least I tried and maybe created a balance rather than an imbalance.
Fake fur is available. It's just fashion. So many wild animals were killed for clothing that the whimsical Shibuya girls will wear a few times this year and then discard for next season's or winter's style. Not buying real fur is such a small sacrifice to shut down an industry that uses leg traps, drowning traps and raises animals in suffering isn't it?
Choosing small battles in the big war can make a difference.
For a reasonably rational presentation of the issue you can check out: http://worldanimal.net/fur-trade.html
For a rabid (pun intended) look at the anti-fur movement go to the zealots at PETA: http://www.peta.org/cmp/skins.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 64.12.101.156
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2003 04:12:16 PM
whats the diff between leather and fur leather is made out of shark and thats an animal
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: cat_lover
EMAIL:
IP: 209.86.107.169
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2003 07:23:33 AM
I've been wrestling with the idea of buying a new shearling coat. I'm trying to soulsearch and see where my personal line is.
Yes, I eat meat. Chicken and fish (non endangered) but pause when it comes to "exotic" proteins.
Yes, I wear leather - shoes, purses, and clothing.
Yes, I feel guilty about wearing animal fur.
So what happened? I'm buying pre-owned shearling and telling myself at least I'm not adding to the burden.
Yes, it does make reselling of furs profitable and proliferates an industry. But at least sheep are being totally used - its not like killing an animal we don't use in its entirety e.g. mink, fox, big cats.
But I'm still wrestling with myself, and wearing it. Just like I think about, but haven't given up meat.
So what's the answer? I think the world is progressing every day, and each of us, in our own way, needs to contribute a small something to make that happen.
What's my contribution? I try to aid endangered species, contribute to the World Wildlife Fund and rescue cats (the domestic kind).
How about you ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: furcoatman
EMAIL: furcoatman@yahoo.com
IP: 24.118.219.133
URL:
DATE: 08/27/2003 04:49:35 PM
congratulations! i love your fox fur collar and think you should have EVERY right to choose to wear and enjoy fur. if people were less hypocrites and would just mind their own business maybe they could be a lot happier. it is interesting where these anti-fur people draw the line. oh i eat fish, but i don't drink milk. i eat chicken but i don't eat lamb or wear leather. i eat eggs but i would never harm a fly, but i might have an abortion if having a baby would infringe on my freedoms. keep it to yourself, and quite telling others how to live.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anisa Joy Kuren
EMAIL:
IP: 62.134.124.231
URL:
DATE: 06/11/2004 01:40:31 AM
Fur is worn by only vain, ignorant and selfish people. I don't eat meat and I am against wearing fur. Wearing fur is obviously cruel. If you want to look fashionable, fur isn't the right thing for that image. You are going in the wrong direction for fashion. What fur being worn by humans shows, is that the people who wear fur are only vain and cruel. We are animals, and I believe that no one is higher than anyone/anything. Fur isn't right. If people continue to wear fur, every animal on this planet (that includes us) will become endangered, or even extinct. Everything on this planet is interconnected. Pay attention to the environment in which we live. If you wear fur, you are putting everything in danger. Think about other living creatures who have as many rights as us. Fur isn't smart or cool it is cruel. Stop showing and displaying your selfishness and ignorance by wearing fur!!!!!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 25 words exactly
BASENAME: 25_words_exactly
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/31/2002 08:27:07 AM
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BODY:
For the last day of 2002, a repeat from last year--a writing assignment. Describe your year in exactly 25 words. Can you do it? Here's mine:
Celebrating four years in Japan, I exercised my right brain and my poetic voice. I filmed then procrastinated. I waited for the axe to fall.
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EXCERPT:
What did you do this year?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net.spam
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 12/31/2002 03:17:19 PM
Cool. I posted mine here Happy new year, everyone.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net.spam
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 12/31/2002 03:18:43 PM
Sorry, here's the link: http://www.arsenic.net/archives/000082.php#000082
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 12/31/2002 04:57:05 PM
Up, down, turn around, love, marriage, acheiving one goal and then moving on to achieve others, finding my feet and my place, friends, fun, stress and relief.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zoupi
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.zousan.com/belgium.html
DATE: 12/31/2002 06:44:25 PM
I went to Belgium and met Niko and Manneken Pis. Played with Julia in London. Got a great new website; went to a photography workshop.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zousama
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.zousan.com/atthezoo.html
DATE: 12/31/2002 06:50:00 PM
A good year. Finally got out of the house and met Princess Aiko's elephants at Ueno Zoo! In the house, I rampaged and ate peanuts.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zoukun
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/31/2002 07:08:24 PM
Zoupi brought Maneken Pis cards from Belgium and I've won at clock solitaire 1,212 times in a row. Kristen taught me to chat on IRC.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zousan
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.zousan.com/postoffice.html
DATE: 12/31/2002 07:11:47 PM
I am the Postmaster of my own domain! Kristen gave me lots of hugs; I went to the zoo and a bonenkai. I wore hats.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: melanie
EMAIL: epilus@yahoo.com
IP: 24.128.148.143
URL:
DATE: 01/01/2003 01:03:51 AM
Celebrated first year of marriage..new baby boy,worked,slept, ate. Virginia beach. New car,new job. Realized needed more me time ..maybe next year!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cynthia
EMAIL:
IP: 151.201.124.152
URL:
DATE: 01/02/2003 07:41:57 AM
Travel, work. Atlanta, Minneapolis, San Francisco, the Rocky Mountains and more. Having too much fun? Broken bones for Hannah and kindergarten for Emma. Endings and beginnings.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 65.59.70.29
URL:
DATE: 01/02/2003 09:01:57 AM
I heard truth, loved more, fostered kittens, harvested food, grew flowers, propped plays, discovered a Beara treasure, celebrated words, smiled and hugged an ailing Mom.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: #108
BASENAME: 108
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/01/2003 01:35:21 AM
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BODY:
We're just back from our local shrine (Daikokuten) where we rattled the bell and had some tasty tonjiru, and Denzuin temple, where we stood in line and rang out Sin #108--the last one of the pantheon of human sins and sorrows.
Tod declared #108 as "being mad at you" but I interpreted in a broader sense of "peevish." Because, really, I know what "being mad at you" is all about. ;-)
Afterwards we enjoyed sake and notariety as "local foreigners" before heading home to unleash a light stick on the lawn. (Tie a lightstick to a string, activate it, cut a hole in it, swing it around, enjoy the new constellations.)
Now, there seems to be a coffee in my hand and a movie waiting in the other room. Wow!
Happy New Year.
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EXCERPT:
Happy new year!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: jkaucher@epix.net
IP: 199.224.91.235
URL:
DATE: 01/01/2003 04:05:47 AM
Black sheep, have you any wool?
Isn't #108 "Choosing the wrong side?" Heehee.
Happy New Year!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/01/2003 11:09:52 AM
After we rang out #108, a group of four people came dashing up to the bell platform and were ushered up by the attendants before the long line of non-numerated people could get started.
Apparently #90 had gone missing earlier. I guess that #90 must be "being late."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 207.8.92.2
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/index.html
DATE: 01/04/2003 12:16:45 AM
Happy New Year to you both. This is a great New Year's card!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Entourage + IMAP
BASENAME: entourage_imap
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 01/02/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
I thought I'd take advantage of a lull during the holiday break to reconfigure the way my mail works. Tod's been wanting to do this for months and since I'll be travelling for almost a month starting in the next few weeks, it makes sense to use IMAP--where all the mail is stored on the server, giving me access to the exact same set up from my desktop or laptop or any other computer I care to use.
Except that I use Entourage as my mail client. It's a Microsoft product that I've really been satisfied with--up until now. Entourage and IMPA do not play nicely. It took hours to figure out simple things like moving my folders over to the server. I currently have 1327 messages in my "work" folder. I should have about 800. And to add insult to injury, it's really, really lsow. The I in IMAP stands for Instant but not if you're using Entourage.
Argh!!!
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EXCERPT:
In a word: don't.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/03/2003 02:16:19 AM
maybe the "i" is for irritating...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@spamArsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL: http://www.arsenic.ent
DATE: 01/03/2003 02:36:58 AM
Eew Microsoft. I've been using the Mail.app that comes with OSX for a few weeks now and I really like it, it should do IMAP, unless of course you dont like Mail... :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/03/2003 10:05:20 PM
I don't like the way Mail handles attachments - and when you get as many as I do it's not a good thing.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/03/2003 10:36:15 PM
Mail.app kicked ass in 1993 and it's still OK, but I don't like iCal, iAddressBook or whatever Apple calls it. I've grown so fond of Entourage's well-designed integrated interface for scheduling and contacts as well as mail. Unfortunatley, it's all superficial. Underneath, Entourage is a typical Microsoft disaster particularly when it come to processing IMAP.
Lucky for me, devin has agreed to install a new IMAP server for us. One that reportedly works better with the big E. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tancred
EMAIL:
IP: 210.8.232.4
URL: http://tancred.net
DATE: 01/06/2003 09:43:43 PM
Call me old fashioned but pine really is a great way to read mail. Apart from when I am in Japan.
I could not find a net cafe type thing in Japan that had port 23 open! Even my friend who had a dialup account with gol (I think that was it) could not telnet or ssh. It was rather a pain.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bolshoi Circus
BASENAME: bolshoi_circus
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/03/2003 04:52:48 PM
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BODY:
At noon today, seeing the cold, snowy weather outside, I figured we might want to put off our plan to hike around Koto-ku to see the seven lucky gods. I shouted down the hall to Tod "Let's go to the circus! If we hurry, we can make the 13:00 show..."
And so we did. It's really convenient living so close to Tokyo Dome. We arrived just as they were finishing up taking souvenir pictures with the elephant.
The Bolshoi Circus, is the Japan-travelling branch of the Russian National Circusand will be in town through the middle of February. They have all the classic acts--a trained bear riding a motorcycle, dancers, magic, acrobats, trapeze artists, tightrope walking, clowns, elephants spinning hoops, a woman juggling birds, bicycle acrobatics, and horse stunt riding.
Tod had never been to a circus; I haven't been since I was a kid. It was really, really fun. And much warmer than walking around Koto-ku. :-)
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EXCERPT:
A wintery afternoon of performance
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zousama
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/03/2003 10:38:42 PM
You went to the circus without me? I wanted to talk to these performers--maybe they could teach me some tricks. I like hoops, you know.
Don't tell me you had peanuts...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: Lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 66.215.85.135
URL:
DATE: 01/05/2003 07:24:39 AM
Juggling birds? How did the birds feel about that?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/05/2003 03:37:39 PM
The birds kept flying back to her hands when she tossed them, so I guess they must have liked it. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sweet showmanship
BASENAME: sweet_showmanship
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/04/2003 05:40:28 PM
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BODY:
Have you ever wondered what it's like to shop in a bustling, old-fashioned Tokyo shopping district?
The Shimaura Discount Chocolate Shop webpage will give you a taste (including a very loud WAV file) of what it's like to stand in front of their stall in the alleys of Ameyoko near Ueno station.
Frenetic showmen, they work as a team--one man on a platform, surrounded by candy, takes handsful of chocolate bars, boxed candies and seasonal treats and holds them aloft then thrusts them into a plastic bag held up overhead by his assistant on teh ground. 4000 yen's worth of candy for only 1000 yen! Not a bad deal. It's chocolate that's almost reach it's sell-by date or overruns of special promotions.
They've been featured on TV and in print and for good reason. They not only give you candy, they give you a performance, too.
We stumbled across Shimaura a few years ago at the New Year and visited it again this week. You might like to see it for yourself if you're in town, or virtually if you're not.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Ameyoko ame vendors.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pilgrimage
BASENAME: pilgrimage
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/05/2003 02:57:34 PM
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BODY:
While on a pilgrimage tour to see the 7 Lucky Gods yesterday (read all about it below), we were distracted by a festival in a nearby temple.
Among the food stalls serving up everything from mashed potatoes with butter to whole grilled fish on a stick, there were games. I was drawn in by the Kaiten Darts game and had to play. For 500 yen, I got three darts. The target was given a good spin and I threw my darts hoping to hit the thin red line that indicated Big Prize. My first dart hit a yellow prize section; the second dart hit home in the zannen "too bad" section and the last dart bounced off the surface of the spinning board.
Even though I didn't hit the Big Prize section, I did win a prize that I will have fun playing with.
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EXTENDED BODY:
In the first week of the new year, it's traditional to make a visit to a temple. The first visit of the year even has a special name, hatsumode. Posters in the train stations and articles in the newspapers give suggestions on which temples to visit. Some of the more popular temples are listed with the number of visitors during the new year so you can decide whether you want to brave the crowds.
Another tradition is to make a pilgrimage (meguri) to seven shrines of the shichifukujin--the Seven Lucky Gods. This year, I decided to try a shichifukujin meguri in Koto-ku. Thanks to the Exploring Old Tokyo page which lists the addresses, I was able to cobble together a map and find my way to all seven. Of course, I dragged Tod along, too.
All of the lucky gods offer prosperity, but each one also has a special aspect he or she watches over. 
Jurojin carries the secret to longevity in a scroll. He usually wears a scholar's cap and has a long white beard and a staff.
At this shrine, there was a long line of people carrying big white envelopes that said "Fukugawa Shichifukujin Meguri" on them. We got in line there and paid our respects to Jurojin by bowing and clapping. I think he most appreciated the coins we tossed into his offerings box.
We looked around for the place that was selling the envelopes, but couldn't find it. There were plenty of trinkets and things on sale, so we settled for an omikuji, a fortune, and some amazake, sweetened sake with rice floating in it. The amazake wasn't quite ready, so the vendor gave us each a mikan, mandarin orange, to eat while we waited. We considered having a cup at each shrine--sort of a spiritual pub crawl--but ended up with one here and one at the last shrine.
My omikuji was #47 - chuu kichi, middle luck. You can get a range from great misfortune (dai kyou) to great luck (dai kichi) so middle luck isn't too bad. Tod got dai kichi - great luck.
After finishing our amazake, we headed toward the next shrine. Along the way, I realised I really didn't need my map. The route 
was marked with bright orange banners! The map was helpful anyway, to give an idea of the distance, but it was possible to put it away and just follow the banners.
They lead us to a small inari jinga on the corner of a small street. This is where Hoteiis enshrined. Officially, Hotei embodies happiness (and prosperity) but I think of him as the god of hospitality. Whether that's because his name looks like 'hotel' or because there is a company in Tokyo called Hotei Wines, I'm not sure.
Hotei is usually shown sitting down, fat and laughing. He is the model for the "laughing Buddha" that is so popular in the US. Hotei is the Japanese name of the eccentric Zen priest, Pu Tai, who wandered around China with a cloth sack over one shoulder. Hotei is sometimes shown with a cloth sack containing riches.
There were no omikuji to be had here, so after offering our respects, we headed back to the street and followed the banners.
Bishamonten scares the crap out of me. He's the protector of righteousness. He wears armor, carries weapons, and has a fearsome glare in his eyes. Does righteousness really have to be so scary?
I lost a little of my fear when I fell into line behind the woman in the red coat. It's covered with Japlish on the back: Dog*O*Shop; Come on a DOS walk with me; DOS is our important friend. It was hard not to giggle.
But then it was our turn to pay our respects. Bishamonten standing inside the shrine was staring down at me, daring me to be unrighteous. I smiled, bowed and drop him a hefty donation before fleeing down the stairs. Wrath of god, indeed.
I bought an omikuji and was delighted to discover that this one came with a special treat. Wrapped up in a slip of gold-flecked paper was a tiny Bishamonten charm. He doesn't look quite so frightening when he's scaled down to 2 centimeters, so I'll put him on my desk and hope he draws in some righteousness for me this year. The omikuji was #30, another chuu kichi. Tod picked up a kichi, but with a kanji we didn't know. When he looked it up later, it means lowest. So lucky, but not too lucky.
At midnight on New Year's Eve, we visited Daikokuten in our own neighborhood. Now were were going for a second visit. I'm not sure if that brings us more attention and luck, but I hope so. Daikokuten looks after food. Back in India, he fights evil but here in Japan, he watches over the kitchen and harvests
Daikokuten is easy to recognise. He's one of three short, fat guys in the pantheon of lucky gods and he's the only one who carries a mallet. It's a magical wish-granting mallet. In his other hand he usually has a bag of riches and he's almost always standing on top of rice bales.
In front of us in line was a woman with two terriers. Sort of a compliment of the DOS coat woman from the previous shrine. The dogs were nattily dressed in little sweaters with sports motifs. One was Baseball with bats and balls and doggy bones, and the other was sports of all kinds. I don't understand the desire to put dogs in sweaters, but it's very popular here. Fodder for another essay,
perhaps.
Daikokuten's shrine was full of foodstuffs. And the omikuji system was a little different here. I worry that I did it wrong. At the other places, you went off to the side to purchase your omikuji. There was a bin or a basket for your 100 yen coin, and you pulled a slip out. But here, the omikuji were right along side the offering box. Since we'd each tossed in 100 yen, we took an omikuji, but I wonder if we weren't supposed to put in an extra 100 yen...
My omikuji was #23 - kichi - luck, which is the same as chuu kichi. On New Year's Eve, I got a han kichi - half luck. So maybe combined I'll get 3/4 luck in the kitchen this year. Tod's two omikuji from Daikokuten were kichi and dai kichi. If you're coming over for dinner, be sure Tod's manning the kitchen.
When we left Daikokuten's shrine, we couldn't find the route flags to lead us. So I pulled out the map and noted that the closest shrine was about 6 blocks away and around the corner. But where was everyone else? Earlier we'd noticed that the other pilgrims seemed to be following the route in the opposite direction from us. They were coming from the shrines we were going to. Now we were all alone. Peculiar.
As we crossed over one of Koto-ku's many canal's we discovered our error--the flags were on the next bridge over! We detoured along a canal-side path to the other bridge and rejoined the proper route. Maybe that was a little silly, since we were about a block from the next shrine when we did that, but the marked path lead through the town's scenic areas. May as well make our pilgrimage pretty as well as prosperous.
After our detour, we ended up here to visit Fukurokuju.
This pretty octagonal shrine, like some of the other shichifukujin shrines, is just a small side area that's part of a much larger temple or shrine. Buddhist temples have no problem mixing in Shinto shrines as part of their grounds, though I've never noticed Shinto shrines with Buddhist fixtures. Three of the lucky gods we visited were at Buddhist temples and four were at Shinto shrines. Fukurokuju is enshrined at a Buddhist temple, as were Daikokuten and scary Bishamonten. I don't know if these deities are specifically Buddhist or Shinto or whether they are claimed by both or neither.
Religion in Japan is not easily delineated for the layman. I'm sure if you are a priest or a faithful follower it is all clear and obvious. I'm at the level of ignorance where I can confidently say that Buddhist ceremonies are for sad occasions, Shinto for happy ones. And I know that Shinto shrines have torii gates and the pretty bead rosaries are Buddhist. Beyond that, I'm guessing.
Fukurokuju carries a scroll containing the world's wisdom. He's also associated with longevity, like Jurojin. They are both depicted as old men with flowing white beards, but Fukurokuju is bald and has a very tall forehead. An egghead deity!
Although his name, Fukurokuju, has kanji that mean "luck amount longevity" I think it's interesting that the sound of the name, fuku-roku-ju could also mean "lucky 60." The 12 year, 5 element cycle of the zodiac (2003 is the year of the metal sheep) means that it takes 60 years to go around once. When you reach your 60th birthday, you've seen it all--and have achieved wisdom and long life.
Although there were no omikuji to be had here, we later picked up an all-purpose shichifukujin omikuji from a big Buddhist temple that wasn't part of our meguri. These special omikuji came with gold-plated charms and mine was Fukurokuju. The omikuji was just shou kichi, little luck, so maybe I'll only be a little bit wise this year. As long as I'm not a little more of a wiseass than usual, I guess I'll take what I can get.
Next we were on our way to the shrine we detoured away from earlier. Benzaiten, also known as Benten, is one of my favorite of the shichifukujin because she is the only goddess among them. I wholeheartedly support women in power. Not only is she the only woman, but she's also patron of the arts and sciences, literature, and virtue.
Inside her shrine she sat leafed in gold and looking lovely playing her biwa (a Japanese lute not the biwa fruit that's known as kumquat in English). Her interior decorator had gone overboard with flowers, gold lotuses, cushions in rich colors and offerings of fruit, sake and rice. Benten has a cozy home at this shrine. Very inviting. I might have crawled in and played the lute myself except for the long line of other people wishing to pay their respects. And my lack of lute-playing ability...
My omikuji was #47 again (just like Jurojin) -- chuu kichi. I also purchased a little gold Benzaiten charm to go with Bishamonten and Fukurokuju. Tod got dai kichi from Benten, so he'll be prospering in the arts and sciences this year.
I hoped to get a photo of me at this shrine but this nice man offered to take a picture of Tod and me together. However, my camera is not friendly to others and he didn't actually get the shot. So instead, I took a picture of him. He was funny and did the classic "V for victory" that everyone does in photos here.
If you've been counting your way through this essay, then you know we're up to the last god on our pilgrimage. He is Ebisu--the same name as the Yamanote line station. Ebisu guards over occupations and is also a deity of rice paddies and fishing. He's easy to spot because he carries a fish and instead of a staff, he's got a fishing pole. For a god of careers, he's got a surprising leisure theme going on. At least in this day and age...
We actually took a wrong turn on the way there, despite the banners and our map, and ended up at the Buddhist temple next door to Ebisu's shrine. We were distracted by the festival at the temple--rows of brightly colored stalls selling food and games--and completely missed the signs across the street saying "Ebisu this way."
But we went into a temple that was lovely and very rich and that's where we got our all-purpose shichifukujin omikuji. Mine came with a Fukurokuju charm, as I mentioned. Tod's charm was Jurojin and his omikuji was han kichi. But there was no shrine to Ebisu in sight, so I consulted the map and realised my error. We walked back through the festival, I played a game of spinning darts and we crossed the street to our final destination.
Ebisu's shrine is newly rebuilt. We were reaching the end of the worshipping day (temples and shrines close at 5 pm) and not so many other people were around so I got a nice clear picture of it. Where Benten's shrine was cluttered with all sorts of decorations, Ebisu's was spare and tidy. Extremely calming.
I finally got a dai kichi omikuji so I am looking forward to a very lucky year in my work. Tod's was only small luck.
In addition to our omikuji, we bought birthday fortunes in bright red packets. These are horoscopes and they're really long, so I've only read a little bit of mine. As these things always do, the profile part says I'm a bossy leader who thinks only of herself. So true. The other part, my horoscope for the year, is divided into four sections (wishes, relationship, money and career) but I can't read enough of it without the dictionary at hand.
So if you've been keeping track, it looks like I'm in for a pretty steady middle luck year but Tod's going to have a wild ride with big luck in some areas and little luck in others. Neitherof us got any kyou (misfortune) omikuji. Whew.
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EXCERPT:
Visiting the seven lucky gods
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/05/2003 04:51:46 PM
*decides not to come over for a while*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rin Takahashi
EMAIL: heo_rin_takahashi@yahoo.com.au
IP: 202.158.96.5
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2003 11:01:05 AM
e go na bath a ra!!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blind date
BASENAME: blind_date
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/06/2003 11:20:08 PM
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BODY:
Today I met a "longtime reader" of this weblog named Jenn--not my sister but another 2-nn Jenn. She's in town briefly and thought it would be nifty to meet up.
The act of meeting an acquaintance from the virtual world reminded me a little bit of the "old days" back in the early 90s when Chat Thing (the ddial system that got me hooked on computer-mediated communication) and Telerama (the ISP that grew out of Chat Thing) would hold get-togethers for our users. They were sort of like group blind dates. You never knew who you'd be meeting. That erudite writer you enjoyed debating with could be a 14 year old schoolgirl or a 50 year old geek.
Jenn was neither 14 nor 50, though she is a girl and a geek who started programming in 1979. I enjoyed discussing shared interests with her and her friend Denise at the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Afterwards, they went off in search of a moderately powerful hand mixer. If they find one, I'm in line for some of Jenn's family-recipe brownies. Mmmmmm!
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Meeting another woman with a past.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mahmoud
EMAIL: heidarbaba2002@yahoo.com
IP: 161.112.232.5
URL: http://england
DATE: 06/16/2003 09:45:19 PM
I'm a man looking for a good looking and good temper japanies female.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2003 09:03:08 AM
Hmmmm. You might start by actually reading the content in places where you post. This is not a dating service, is it?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Watching my language
BASENAME: watching_my_language
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/07/2003 05:10:43 PM
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BODY:
My language is a champon [mixture] of English and Japanese. When I'm speaking English, I throw in maybe 10% Japanese words or use Japanese constructions. If I speak Japanese, there are always English words in the mix.
It must be very confusing to anyone who doesn't speak both languages. I'll have to be careful when I leave Japan. Fortunately, everyone around me here does the same thing--mixes up languages at will.
Our vague utterances are always Japanese:
un - Yep
daijoubu? - OK? Are you OK? It that OK?
tadaima - Honey, I'm home.
iyada - No way, I won't!
ie ie - No, no, no, no
hai - Yes
Sometimes what comes out of my mouth sounds like English, but it really isn't. Most of the time, I'm not even aware that I'm not really speaking shizen na Eigo [natural English]. Here are some samples:
Must toilet! - I urgently need to use the restroom.
Let's do sports - Let's go to the gym.
She really levelled up - She improved dramatically.
I'm losing my English - I am losing my ability to speak and write fluently in English.
I would really like to keep my English, so I'd better level up on my use of shizen na Eigo.
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EXCERPT:
Speaking in mixed company
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/07/2003 08:29:09 PM
We really gotta learn to do good English ne! Let's bad English quit!
Don't worry - when you go back to an English speaking country you can be re-educated.
BTW you'de better close the italic tag on this entry - it's affected all of your other entries.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 207.8.92.2
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 01/08/2003 11:48:50 PM
It will be part of you forever...a secret language that you and Tod (and the zous) share. Some things are better expressed in Japanese; either there's no English equivalent (genki) or it sounds overly formal or intrusive or just odd in English.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Chuck
EMAIL: qwerty@starband.net
IP: 148.78.248.10
URL:
DATE: 01/09/2003 04:41:15 PM
I read your entry with a smile. I have spent about four weeks in Japan over a the last eight years. Not much time. But when I returned from both trips, after about two weeks in Japan, I was speaking concatenated English, and some of my American friends said I was speaking with a bit of an accent.
On my first trip to Japan I was the only native Englisih speaker around; so I learned a lot of Japanese English. Back here in the US I have been complimented for my understanding of Japanese English, translating for the tour guide, who orders the meals for her charges in English.
But most Americans can't hear English overlaid with a foreign accent.
chuck
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/14/2003 08:35:12 AM
Back in the US after just three months in Japan, I helped out a woman and her daughter who were trying to order iced tea in a cafe in San Francisco. I understood them perfectly--eye-su tchee reh-mon--but the boy behind the counter didn't get it at all. So I "translated" into American English--ayez tee wuth lehmun--and they got their order. Pretty embarrassing for everyone, really. Except the cafe worker who just had no clue to be embarrassed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Smelly street
BASENAME: smelly_street
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/08/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
The sewage department has been busy on our street this week--the entire neighborhood smells like benzene. Or maybe it's some other aromatic hydrocarbon but whatever it is, I'm glad that I'm inside where I can't smell it.
The workers are out there, unprotected. Nobody I've seen is wearing a filter or mask. Won't long exposure to something so strongly scented cause them harm? Just walking along the street past the construction area, I was really happy to go a little faster than usual.
I'm not even sure what they are doing. Two days ago, they were airing out the manholes with fans and aluminum ductwork; yesterday they had a camera on an optic fiber--sewage endoscopy?
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The sewage workers are constructing again
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Follow-ups
BASENAME: follow-ups
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/09/2003 09:45:52 PM
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BODY:
I've been busy working on the FCCJ project, so I haven't had much time to do anything else. However, here's a batch of updates on previous posts.
- Jenn found the mixer and we met this morning at the Maru Biru for a brownie drop. Mmmmm. They are really good!
- Nobody else has seen the anaguma. After a big rainstorm, I took down the soggy poster.
- My IMAP & Entourage problems continue and seem to be getting worse as I make futile attempts to fix things. If I don't reply to your mail, it's probably because some broken process ate it.
- I won 200 yen in the Hatsu Yume (First Dream of the Year) lottery. That's enough to buy another lottery ticket, but I promised half to the Zous for their travels.
- The "Nipponjin with scissors" entry has been spammed twice more by companies.
- I've been going to the gym regularly and amd getting (slowly but perceptibly) more fit. Today I swam laps for the first time in five years.
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EXCERPT:
Tying up the loose ends
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: matty
EMAIL: n/a@na.cn
IP: 194.145.132.164
URL: http://n/a
DATE: 01/10/2003 10:44:52 AM
long time reader, first time caller.
keep up the gym work, and the good work.
take care
-from ireland.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coffee situation
BASENAME: coffee_situation
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 01/10/2003 01:38:18 PM
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BODY:
Shortly before the end of the year, we replaced our coffee maker. The old one was starting to act up--probably due to four maintenance-free years of service--and we decided that it was probably easier and cheaper to replavce it than to try to fix it.
So we bought a new Phillips 12-cup coffee maker. Compared to our old 6-cup model, it's gigantic. Tod says I don't have to brew a full pot, but how can I not? Coffee is great stuff. I've gone from a modest one and a half mugs of coffee every day to 3 whole mugs. I'm just a little hyper now. O so productive!
We also picked up a thermal carafe. Directly after the coffee's brewed I pour it into the carafe and it's still hot (and more importantly not burned) when Tod wakes up several hours later.
So our home coffee life is improved and I'm getting more done than usual.
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New pot, more coffee
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rice porridge
BASENAME: rice_porridge
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/11/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
With a stomach bug going around my friends in the US right now, I thought I'd post a recipe for the Japanese equivalent of chicken soup--okayu (o-kah-you). It's a very simple rice porridge. It makes a great breakfast even if you're not sick.
::With raw rice
270 ml/1.25 cups short grained rice
3 l/ 3 quarts water
1/3 t salt
- Bring water to boil, add rice and salt. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. The rice should be very soft and the water mostly but not entirely absorbed. Think "watery oatmeal."
::With cooked rice
190 ml/.75 cup short grained rice (cooked)
1.3 l/5.5 cups water
1/3 t salt
- Bring the water to a boil, add salt and rice, cook for about 15 minutes. The rice should be very soft and the water mostly but not entirely absorbed. Think "watery oatmeal."
If you want a flavored broth, you can add some miso to the water as it cooks, or use chicken stock. You can add spinach or other vegetables and okayu's always nice garnished with an umeboshi, scallions, bean sprouts, grated ginger, bits of cooked meat or fish, or strips of fried tofu. For some bland protein, pour in a beaten egg to form egg threads.
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Simple soup for a sick stomach
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.202.125
URL:
DATE: 01/16/2003 04:12:01 AM
OK... here goes.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Philly cheesesteak continuum
BASENAME: philly_cheesesteak_continuum
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 01/12/2003 01:48:03 PM
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Years ago we devised a scale to evaluate a foodstuff compared to its original. We called it the Philly Cheesesteak Continuum because there is only one place to get a true Philly Cheesesteak (a long sandwich of Amoroso's crusty bread filled with fried beef, optional onions, and topped with cheese)--Philadelphia where this sandwich was invented in 1930.
The farther you get from Philadelphia, the less true to the original. Somewhere North of Camden, NJ, they stop using fresh steak and use Steak-Um frozen beef slices. In Chicago they call it the Italian Beef and though you can see a resemblance to the Philly Cheesesteak, they use seasoned beef, hot and sweet peppers and no cheese. Maybe in California they use whole grain bread, organic beef and soy cheese. On the moon, it's probably rocks and dust topped with green cheese.
All of this backstory is to explain the weird breakfast I had today. I stopped into a Vie de France cafe for a quick bite before running errands this morning. Vie de France has all kinds of lovely pastries pretending to be French, but we all know there are no bean jam doughnuts in France. They also carry savory baked goods like Vienna sausage rolls and curry doughnuts. This alone puts them pretty far along the continuum from French cafes.
But today's piece de weirdness was the Fish Dog I found among the savory baked goods. The Fish Dog is a split bun filled with fingers of crispy, breaded, fried fish topped with creamed mushrooms and cheese, then broiled to brown the cheese. It was quite tasty, but if I were to notch it down a level in quality, I'd end up with a white-trash American delight: a hot dog bun with fish sticks, cream of mushroom soup and pizza cheese.
If the Fish Dog was meant to be kin to a hot dog, it is far, far down the continuum. Then again, Fish Dog might be a Vie de France original--at the start of the continuum-- and all others are simply imitations.
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EXCERPT:
The Philly Cheesesteak Continuum
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth and Tara
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.249.8
URL:
DATE: 01/13/2003 01:46:20 AM
Very funny continuum. But I have to say the breakfast pizza from downstairs at UOB was yuuuuuummmmy. Not quite biscuits and sausage gravy, but very few things are. :) Sure beats (IMHO) fish eyes staring at me at breakfast.
Tara says "I thought Steak-Ums (tm) were the originally Philly Cheesesteak. I grew up in Chicago."
Two other items that seem to have the distance factor involved: New York Bagels and Chicago Style Pizza.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: donkeymon
EMAIL:
IP: 61.213.106.88
URL: http://www.donkeymon.net/donkeymon
DATE: 01/13/2003 11:45:12 PM
As usual, you speak the truth. I often try to order a standard food item such as the Philly Cheese Steak whenever I try a new restaurant as a way of judging it's over all quality. But this has become all but impossible since I moved to Japan. Have you been able to find a decent cheesesteak here? There is a TGI Friday's in Ginza that sells something that they call a Philly Cheese Steak, but it isn't even close. I am a little desperate. I may open my own restaurant.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/14/2003 08:26:42 AM
Donkeyman, I have not yet found a good Philly Cheesesteak in Tokyo. There's no bread in this entire city that's got that great crusty outside and soft inside. We've come close cooking them at home, but it's not the same. Tasty, but not a real cheesesteak.
Seth, I certainly agree with the bagels and pizza!
Don't even get me started on pierogies...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: josh
EMAIL: jlee@viligent.net
IP: 66.47.219.236
URL: http://viligent.net
DATE: 05/17/2003 09:16:13 AM
the Philly Cheesesteak Continuum is the distant cousin of the Chicago Style Continuum i would say. this speaks for all things Chicago Style-- hot dogs, deep dish pizza, italian beef sandwiches (which are an original, not some poor imitation of a philly cheesesteak, i might add)... i grew up in the Windy City and have become displaced to the West Coast (LA) which is devoid of any cullinary style whatsoever (unless you can count sushi and health smoothies, which i don't), and this is about as far away as one can be in terms of distance from anything resembling a chi-dawg.
frank 'n fries, oh, how i crave thee...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Video soundscape
BASENAME: video_soundscape
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 01/13/2003 11:08:55 AM
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BODY:
Yesterday, I spent hours auditioning royalty-free music for the video. Choosing the right music is critical to the tone and feel of the project and it's one of the hardest things about the artistic process for me.
You may not ever have listened to royalty-free music on purpose, but I'll bet you've heard it. The background music of training videos, corporate ads, commercials, and TV news programs is the sort of music that can be found in royalty-free collections. Lots of this music is really terrible!
So why use royalty-free? Because getting the rights to songs people would recognise is expensive, time-consuming and complicated. I'm cheap, impatient and lazy. For the cost of a meal, I can download a royalty-free track; for a couple hundred dollars I can buy an entire collection of royalty-free music. Once I've bought it, I can use it as often as I want without paying another yen.
Although inexpensive sometimes means bad, there are some talented musicians working in the field: 
Today I spent the day at St. Nick & Mary Elementary. I'm exhausted but the kids were so much fun.
They were a bit wigged out by the nori and I was surprised that they didn't really like the green tea (sweetened, even). We learn some soroban basics; took pictures with the digital camera; tried writing our names with katakana. I told them stories and we wrote kanji. It was a day full of Japan and Japanese things. I hope they had a good time; I definitely did.
I had lunch in the cafeteria--hamburger, fries, overcooked beans and canned apricots. School lunches have not changed in the last 20 years.
Will today's activities help me get over jet-lag? Probaly not. I'm feeling that dead tired drag right now. My brin is melting and my body is cold to the core. Must go have some more of the leftover green tea, I think.
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EXCERPT:
A cure for jetlag?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/22/2003 08:41:05 AM
otsukare sensei!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Not suitable for cars
BASENAME: not_suitable_for_cars
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/23/2003 11:16:52 AM
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BODY:
Riding in a car makes me [select some: nervous, tense, panicky, morbid, frantic]. Today's 20 minute trip from Jenn's house to a cafe in the next town over had me doing deep breathing to stay calm. Nothing to do with my sister's perfectly safe driving style, this is all me.
The signs along the highway didn't really do much to relax me:
AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS
HIGH CRASH AREA
SLOW DOWN
SAVE A LIFE
I miss Tokyo. Where are the trains here? Funny thing is, I know where they are--in a Scranton museum called Steamtown. :-(
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I really hate being in cars
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jessie
EMAIL:
IP: 61.125.228.84
URL: http://www.tokyowriter.com/blog
DATE: 01/23/2003 01:41:13 PM
Tokyo misses you too...! But are you really sure you miss the trains? I mean, the crowds, the bad breath, the drunk ojiisan, need I continue? In the UK (where I'm from) we have relatively empty trains, but they like sitting motionless in tunnels most of the time. Not sure which I prefer really!
Anyway, like your site. I've added a link to you on my site. Feel free to do the same :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Act 34
BASENAME: act_34
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/24/2003 04:50:17 AM
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BODY:
Jenn is doing a poet-in-residence program at Heights Terrace Elementary in the Hazleton Area school district where I when to school. Tomorrow she has two long sessions with 4th graders and I was going to go in and help her do renga, Japanese chained poetry, with them.
Only I don't have an Act 34 clearance so I'm not allowed. Act 34's basically a certificate from the police saying you don't have a criminal record. I had one a long time ago when I was doing my student teaching and when I was certififed to teach here in PA, but it's long expired.
I can understand Act 34 clearances for classroom teachers who have regular contact with the kids, but for guests? I suppose the public schools don't let uncleared parents come in to volunteer. And they must not invite businessmen to speak or have famous people give presentations. That's madness.
Yet another reason to dislike the US. My list is growing...
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I would have gone to another school, but I'm not a trusted adult.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gus
EMAIL:
IP: 208.185.161.233
URL:
DATE: 01/25/2003 02:43:11 AM
I realize when someone dislikes the US, everything one sees is viewed thru. those glasses. However, using PA's Act 34 (which is limited to that state) as an excuse to dislike the entire US seems a bit much. Additionally, as an expat who lived in Japan for some time, I feel that for useless bureacuratic rules and regulations, Japan has the US beat by many miles.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.235.3
URL:
DATE: 01/25/2003 07:25:55 AM
I find many reasons to both say good things and bad things about almost any country, including the US. Nice that as Americans we have the freedom to do so, although probably big brother is listening. Anyway, one of the reasons for 34 probably is due to the love of lawsuits in the U.S. A stranger in the classroom, no matter the educational benefit, poses a legal liability that could cripple the school budget.
Glad I was a kid in the 70's. John Glenn came to speak to our elementary school. :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Book store
BASENAME: book_store
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/25/2003 02:09:56 PM
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BODY:
OK, for all you who say I shouldn't hate the US for its inflexible rules, irresponsible people, fatness, lack of privacy, horrifying overuse of cars, and the 45 other things that are on my "Why America SUCKS" list--there is one thing that I like about the US. It has good bookstores.
I was in an enormous Barnes & Noble today that kept me entertained for nearly three hours. I bought 2 novels, two technical books, and a picture book for under $100. And I had lunch there, too.
Unfortunately, what should have been a bit of relaxation with my sandwich and latte was marred by the very loud (#6), mindless chatter and bickering of the cafe employees.
(And a side note: why is it so hard to find gloves in late January? I could have had flip flops and short sleeved t-shirts at three stores, but only one had any gloves--in two colors and two styles.)
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So many books!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: living vicariously
EMAIL: alive@mac.com
IP: 165.121.126.7
URL:
DATE: 01/26/2003 05:00:30 AM
Kuri, If all your problems are that you had to put up with yakamashi bookstore employees ruining your attempt for a relaxing lunch and that you couldn't find any gloves that you fancied....woman, I'll trade you lives any day!
: )
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/26/2003 10:40:49 AM
Cool more books for me to borrow when you get back! I hink you need t spend a couple more days in the bookstore - even with arguing employees...
Honey I think the problem may lie in that you've forgooten to be assertive. Exercise your American right to complain to management about things you are unhappy with :-)
Hell I do when I'm OS...especially Stateside...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2003 02:46:45 AM
You're definitly right about trying to find winter items now in stores. Here's the retail calendar as I've seen it lately. As soon as the last firework has fired on the 4th of July, the Halloween stuff comes out. At 6pm on Halloween night it all disappears and out comes the Christmas stuff. On Dec. 25, the spring stuff and Easter stuff comes out. As soon As Easter is over, the summer stuff comes out, and the whole cycle begins anew. We wanted to get another pair of boot type things for Evan last night and while the boots were gone, they did have buckets for sand. NEvermind its 10 degrees F and four feet of snow outside.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tanveer
EMAIL: tfli@brain.net.pk
IP: 80.247.154.51
URL: http://www.topflight.gq.nu
DATE: 04/25/2003 05:12:20 PM
TOP FLIGHT LEATHER IND.
Sialkot - Pakistan.
Ph: +92-432-259931-32
Fax +92-432-559932
Dear Purchase Manager,
We are very pleased to know that you are big dealer of cycling acc.
and selling your products around Europe , we are interested to send you
some samples of
CYCLE GLOVES, HALF FINGER GLOVES,
in different attar active material from
GOATSKIN, SHEEP SKIN LEATHER, COW HIDE LEATHER , BACK PRINTED DESIGNED
LYCRA, NETED BACK IN BLACK , BLUE COLOR ,
What is your opinion to work with us, we confirm about production since 1975
and able to quote you very good prices in each articles, We are enclosing some styles
of our cycle gloves with this mail, Please confirm your views
BEST REGARDS
M. MUNIR
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M. Shabbir Siddique
EMAIL: jashanw@gjr.paknet.com.pk
IP: 80.247.154.51
URL: http://www.jashanwalk.com
DATE: 07/03/2003 07:41:35 PM
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to our firm history with work procedure.
In the market of Pakistan, we are one of the Largest exporters of leather work safety gloves such as Driver gloves, goatskin Driver gloves cowgrain Driver gloves Sheepskin Driver gloves goatskin &cowhide tig mig Welding gloves, Split Leather Driver gloves Leather Palm gloves, Dressgloves, cycle gloves, Motorcycle summer & winter gloves etc since 1987.
We are using very good quality Sheepskin, Goatskin, Bufflo leather, Cow grain leather & cow split leather in our gloves. We manufacturing complete leather in our tannery.
In our stitching units, we have 200 sewing machines with 17 hydraulic presses. All the gloves are cutting on presses, not by hand cutting. Our all staff members are capable for work, and we have skilled workers for the production of gloves. Our cubic content is the largest one and we made 150,000 pairs of gloves per month.
Our work method is consent to the European standard norms. We are working in the accordance of ISO 9002 certification. The quality standard and working process maneuver are unbeatable and so strong, that's the reason why our entire customers extents are satisfied with us. We can work an according to your desirable demands OR you may ask samples of our models, so that you can comprehend about what we are offering you?
For more details, please contact us without any hesitation.
Waiting to see your positive retort.
Thanks & best regards,
M. Shabbir
(Managing Partner)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M.Shakeel
EMAIL: shakeel@sialkopak.com
IP: 80.247.154.51
URL: http://http//www.sialkopak.com
DATE: 12/19/2003 03:39:38 PM
Dear Sir,
I just take an enlightened look on your company website and found many of your products styles those are reguarlary produce in our company. We are mustly working in such products for our European clients and they all satisfied with our enhancement quality standard.
I would like to let you brief, that our company
Sialko Pak Sports has been becoming a professional leading manufacturer in leather gloves & work wear items situated in Sialkot since 1983 and improving, even innovating our best product and new models to meet entire satisfaction by through our unbeatable services and policy.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On thin ice
BASENAME: on_thin_ice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/26/2003 01:32:59 PM
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BODY:
Today we went ice skating.
I haven't been on skates in ten years but after two slow and clumsy laps around the rink, I was doing pretty well. I skated for about an hour without falling down once. Even after the zamboni machine smoothed off the ice.
A blister sidelined me, but I was consoled with hot chocolate. Now that's a good winter afternoon!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Skating adventures
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2003 02:43:41 AM
Be careful on your drive to Erie, it's been very cold up here, with a little snow the last day or so :) If you can't make it, i know you were at least going to call, right?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.79
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2003 01:06:46 PM
I'll be in Pittsburgh from the 1st - 7th. Why don't you bring the family on down for a visit?
And my muscles are fine after skating. I guess going to the gym has made me more fit. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kitchen redeco
BASENAME: kitchen_redeco
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/27/2003 08:46:05 AM
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BODY:
Friday, 3 pm. Nice kitchen.
Sunday, 6 pm. Wow kitchen!
It's amazing what some paint and energy will do for a room.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
The pictures tell the story.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.202.68
URL:
DATE: 01/28/2003 03:54:06 AM
Wow! Will you come do my kitchen? Keep in mind that it IS my birthday :)
Oh rats. Not in Japan it isn't.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dad
EMAIL: philiprhil@aol.com
IP: 205.188.208.108
URL:
DATE: 01/28/2003 08:18:42 AM
Where did the food go?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kane
EMAIL: kaneblues@yahoo.com
IP: 66.8.198.8
URL: http://www.kaneblues.com/
DATE: 01/28/2003 01:31:52 PM
Very clean and inviting look. Has somewhat of a retro feel to it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.74
URL:
DATE: 01/28/2003 11:49:56 PM
Zoupi ate all the food.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.8.243
URL:
DATE: 01/29/2003 05:24:12 AM
So THAT'S who drank all the port! Naughty zou.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: FCCJ Launched
BASENAME: fccj_launched
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 01/28/2003 06:20:16 AM
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BODY:
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan website launched about an hour ago.
Still struggling with one issue--e-mailing all the members to let them know their user IDs is not working as advertised--but I hope to have it resolved soon.
In the meantime, enjoy the site and feel free to give your opinion in the comments here.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A four-month project completed.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/28/2003 07:09:58 AM
looks like you won most of your design arguments :-)
Just one point - if you go to a blog it's really hard to read the posted by information:
Posted by nantoka on Jan 24, 2003 (31 reads)
On Mozilla it's supa-mega small...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 01/28/2003 10:16:05 PM
I sound like a pot and kettle, since I use Flash on my employers website (www.allegheny.edu) but the Flash seemed to be there just to be there, it didn't offer much in terms of user experience except taking up a large chunk of screen real estate, above the fold if you will. The colors are nice and i like the headlines and events. Everything looks good on IE but the Flash slows way down in Safari.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.74
URL:
DATE: 01/28/2003 11:44:38 PM
Yeah, the Flash is just there without regard for anything other than looking pretty. But that was part of the wish list from the Club and they are happy with it, so...
I do need to go in and change that itty-bitty font stuff. Now that the site is entirely mine, I can. The developers didn't appreciate my fiddling with their code (and they got cranky when I requested little style changes--there was no winning on details with this project sometimes).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sako
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com
DATE: 01/30/2003 02:58:26 PM
As serendipity would have it, I noticed this post just a few days after making a link to the FCCJ map on the old version of the site. At the time, I was thinking to myself, "Sheesh, the FCCJ really needs to hire someone to make the site look nicer..."
I'm glad to see that they did! (And I'm also glad I noticed this post, which allowed me to update the link. It now points to a much more appealing site.)
Nice work!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Eating Japanese
BASENAME: eating_japanese
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 01/29/2003 03:02:27 AM
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BODY:
Last night, Jenn, Helen & I went to a Japanese restaurant that opened just a few weeks ago. It is a teppanyaki restaurant--called hibachi in this neck of the woods--the sort of place I've never been to in Japan. I'm sure they exist, but maybe only for an expense account budget.
I felt strangely out of place and homesick. The restaurant was pretending to be Japanese and it was close, but it wasn't quite right. The decor was inspired by Japan, but the wainscotting and dentil molding didn't quite work. There was entirely too much space between tables. The food was delicious, but it wasn't Japanese, though it had a Japanese style. The quantity alone pegged it as not Japanese--my meal was piled high on platter the size of an LP.
On top of that, I was the only person in the restaurant who could speak Japanese. I found this out because our waiter asked me if I'd lived in Japan (maybe he overheard me telling Helen about Japanese things or wondered why I asked him what brand the sake was) and confided that all the staff were Chinese.
One week down, three weeks 'til I can go home. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying my trip. It's great to see everyone and I'm amused by America. But I miss home. Tod, darling, could you please bring me some mochi, senbei, and Lemon Water in your suitcase? Onegai shimasu
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EXCERPT:
Faux Japanese makes me homesick.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tom hoober
EMAIL: hoober@infi.net
IP: 64.41.22.71
URL:
DATE: 02/08/2003 07:43:35 AM
Dear Kristen, Was shopping for a guide on Japan and met Philip. He suggested I look you up.
I'm leaving for Tokyo Saturday, 8th and will be there until Wed, 19th. I'm adventurous but know no Japanese except Konichiwa, etc. Could you recommend some fellow Americans in Tokyo to contact. Name and tel number could work if you think it might. Sorry you and your husband are in Pittsburg/Chicago while I'm in Tokyo.
Anyway, Philip suggested this.
Sincerely, Tom Hoober, Lancaster, PA,717-397-3266. If you call you'll probably get my wife, Judy. Just another option to connect with someone over there.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Death's manicure
BASENAME: deaths_manicure
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/30/2003 11:37:51 PM
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BODY:
My grandmother is dying. At 88, she lived independently until a fall in early November sent her in and out of hospital and nursing home in a downward spiral. She's getting near the end now and each day bring some new twist in the spiral. Jenn said I wouldn't recognise her when I went to visit.
Of course, I did know her. She still has her own light in her eyes, though it's dimmer than I recall. I'd like to think she recognised me, too. Maybe. Perhaps not. She wasn't talking, just moaning in a frustrated, painful way until she fell asleep.
Her hands are restrained because she plucks at her tubes and wires. Her left hand is swollen and purple; the skin of her right palm is red and cracked. But her nail are, as always, beautifully done.
When I was about 11, she gave me a manicure kit covered in magenta suede that snapped closed with a gold fixture like a change purse. Inside were slots filled with files, tweezers and inscrutable implements with plastic mother-of-pearl handles. "A lady always keeps her nails neat," she told me, looking pointedly at my ragged chewed fingers. I figured out how to use all of those tools, but looking down at my hands now (a tiny hint of green paint under my right index finger, dry cuticles glaring white in every corner, cracked and ugly edges from nibbling) I wish I had inherited her strong, gorgeous nails.
They say the the nails continue to grow after death. But it's not true, just an old wive's tale.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Despite illness, her nails look great.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 01/31/2003 01:58:58 AM
I'm sorry honey. Be strong.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.8.74
URL:
DATE: 02/03/2003 01:31:34 AM
Last time I visited with her, I took out her manicure kit and filed her nails. She dozed while I filed, and I leaned into to her and told her what beautiful nails she has. I wish I had inherited them too. Better though to have inherited her strong spirit, which I think we both did.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Abdul Ghafoor
EMAIL: thousand@thousandsimpex.com
IP: 80.247.154.51
URL: http://www.thousandsimpex.com
DATE: 05/07/2003 08:36:33 PM
Dear Customers,
We would like to introduce to you with our company M/s. THOUSANDS IMPEX as a manufacturers and exporters of quality Barber Scissors, Manicure & Pedicure Implements.
Thousands Impex Establish in 1989, at Norgate Street Sialkot-1 Pakistan. From starting in 1989 to 2003 we get very reputation and get very good comments from customers about our products and on time delivery. We are working on standared of C GMP, CE Mark, EN46000 and ISO-9002.
We have installed every machinery in our factory to make quality products. We have hard worker technician and they look after the quality control. I Mr. Abdul Ghafoor, Chief Executive of this Company and I Personally can make products by my own hand and I also look after the quality control. At the moment many companies from all over the world have contracted with us as distributors. We are supplying our quality products to USA, Canada, Mexico, Italy, France, Germany, Greece, UK, Australia, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.
Kindly go through the literature and let us know your valued comments about our above small introductory letter. Can you be our distributor in your Country.
Feel free to contact with us for more detail. We can send to you our products Catalogue, Prices and Samples on your request.
Waiting your favorable reply by return.
Sincerely yours,
Abdul Ghafoor
Chief Executive
Thousands Impex
P.O. Box, 2215,
Norgate Street,
Sialkot-1 Pakistan.
Tel. +92-432-590628
Mobile +92-300-6123517
Fax. +92-432-588780
Web. www.thousandsimpex.com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Drug ads
BASENAME: drug_ads
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/31/2003 09:32:22 PM
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BODY:
Part of the daily routine at my parents' is watching Jeopardy on TV, so I've been hanging out questioning the answers along with them. I'm really bad at it. "The author of this 17th century novel wrote about his scurvy." I'm amazed the the contestants know the answers.
I'm more astonished by the ads that air during Jeopardy. 80% of them are for prescription medications. "Ask your doctor if Premoxolipicidil is right for you." Dorothy Hammill plays crack the whip with a passel of kids while talking about arthritic joint pain; old men walk dogs while voice overs explain that their life is improved by a specific brand of anti-depressant; smiling women show off their soft-focus children and good blood pressure thanks to some drug or another.
These are not over-the-counter medications. They are probably not used by more than a very small percentage of the population. Take high blood pressure as an example. The CDC says that 25% of Americans experience it during their lives, but most can control it through exercise and diet. Why advertise something that the general population doesn't need? It's not like advertising a new toy or a food that's unnecessary but might become a fad. This medication has to be prescribed. Do these ads have a good return for the drug manufacturers?
"Oh, my diagnosis is arthritic joint pain? Can I take the same stuff as Dorothy Hammill, please? I love those ads!"
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Why so many prescription drug ads?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: monday
EMAIL: maubane@lycos.com
IP: 81.23.204.68
URL: http://ur
DATE: 03/14/2003 01:14:11 AM
i love this sit
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Action and thinking
BASENAME: action_and_thinking
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/01/2003 07:45:07 PM
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BODY:
Why is that although the news says Americans support Bush and America's aggressive war dance, nobody I've spoken to here thinks this coming war is a good idea. Except maybe my father, who is cryptic about military things in general.
There have been anti-war protests and demonstrations but I think they are ineffective. We can complain all we like, but generals, advisors and others in power are not influenced directly by thousands of rallying citizens. The masses are too easily dismissed, even when they have a good point. If you don't agree, think for a minute of how you disdain groups you don't belong to--football fans, country music listeners, Republicans, cat lovers, customers at the store where you work, clueless computer users...
So what can we do? Think ahead and act now before it's too late. How do we prevent a future conflict? Change attitudes--our own, our friends, and most importantly, those of the people in power. Become the people in power.
The only way to change attitudes is to think carefully and form new opinions. So here is a question to start with: Is "the American way of life" better than the lifestyle in a country you've never been to and only know though media reports? Why? Should "American values" be globally adopted? Do we have the right to impose our lifestyle on others?
Discuss this over dinner with your friends tonight. See what happens.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
In the bigger picture, what do you do?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike Griffin
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.105.120
URL:
DATE: 02/02/2003 02:01:58 AM
Kristen,
The polls I've read show an increasing unease with the idea of going to war against Iraq. And more oppose a war than support it if we're doing it alone.
Mass demonstrations *are* effective. It's not the generals who make these decisions, but the president and the congress. They pay attention to the size of crowds, and perhaps more importantly, who is in the crowd. In the Vietnam era, the antiwar demonstrations ended the war. When mainstream Americans started turning out in large numbers, policy makers changed direction. The reason? People who march also *vote*.
Is this about whether "American values" should be adopted around the world? Is anyone proposing to force our lifestyle on others? I certainly hope not, because that is the "clash of civilizations" that we've so far avoided post 9/11.
I think the question is, can we disarm Iraq peacefully? Blix and el Baradei and others believe we can, Bush seems to disagree.
Michael
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sako Eaton
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com
DATE: 02/03/2003 03:54:10 PM
An interesting thing about the protests is that they are happening now, before the war starts. The protests about Vietnam didn't start until the war was well under way.
Judging from the Bush administration's determination to wage war as soon as possible, these protests may be in vain, but the public sentiment behind them is not. It is particularly important for those people who oppose the war to vote in the next presidential election--and to encourage others to do so as well. There is no way the powers that be can ignore being voted out of office!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.105.120
URL:
DATE: 02/03/2003 11:15:10 PM
Kristen,
For an alternative to mass marching to stop the war, have a look at http://bodyandsoul.blogspot.com/2003_02_01_bodyandsoul_archive.html#88441890.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 02/04/2003 05:53:20 AM
Kristen,
I think that mass demonstrations do actually work. The problem here is that the majority of the people are behind the president on this issue. My situation is the opposite of yours - the only person of my acquaintance that is opposed to war (and indeed opposed to all forms of violence) is my Mother. Most of the people I know are in favor of forcibly disarming Saddam. The issue of unilateralism is moot....the majority of Europe is with us as well as key allies in the middle east.
I am all for thinking ahead and considering the long-term consequences of our actions. However, you can't always avoid a fight...sometimes the fight finds you.
As far as globally adopting the "American way of life", that is not a simple yes or no answer. For example, I think the people of Iraq could certainly do better with a government elected by the people and with a constitution that codifies basic human rights, but the more vulgar aspects of American life (excessive media influence, fast food, et al), they could certainly do without.
Just my two cents.
Bob
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.172.151
URL:
DATE: 02/05/2003 10:44:59 AM
Do the American people support the impending war? Well, yes and no.
In all the polls, we say 'yes' to the question, Do you support a war to disarm Iraq? The support seems to be in the 57-67% range.
But (except for the Washington Post / ABC New poll), only about 1/3 say yes to that if the UN does not support it, and strong majorities favor giving the inspectors more time.
Bush's speech does seem to have strengthened his support, but widespread skepticism remains.
A good summary of recent polls is at http://www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm and the details of the Post poll are posted at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/vault/stories/data020203.htm.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: World events in transit
BASENAME: world_events_in_transit
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/02/2003 11:59:59 PM
-----
BODY:
While I was on the train to Pittsburgh, the space shuttle Columbia failed to land. This news was delivered to me by my in-laws when they picked me up at the station.
Had I been at home, I would have known minutes after it happened and probably would have had as much information as anyone could as the story unfolded. As it is, I have only heard the news through 3rd parties and haven't even checked for myself.
I'm obviously on vacation now.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Missing the news
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Josh
EMAIL: quibx@yahoo.com
IP: 129.55.200.20
URL: http://www.quibx.com
DATE: 02/06/2003 11:54:04 PM
That's an interesting way to phrase it...
"failed to land"
He didn't drown, he failed to breathe.
He didnt jump, he just failed to stop before hitting the pavement.
;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Setsubun
BASENAME: setsubun
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/03/2003 09:48:02 PM
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BODY:
I'm missing the first day of spring in Japan.
Today is Setsubun. All around the country, people are throwing dried soy beans to scare away demons and bring good luck for the beginning of the lunar year. (It's not actually done on the lunar new year anymore but close enough, I suppose.)
When I return to Japan, the plum trees that herald spring will be in full bloom. I'm looking forward to seeing them and feeling the mild weather. I'm getting a little bit tired of Pennsylvania winter...
Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Spring comes early in Japan
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.235.64
URL:
DATE: 02/04/2003 01:00:27 AM
There are some type of trees on our street that are already blooming that look like pink cherry blossoms.
There are very few things that could possibly match the trees in Japan in full bloom with the blossoms gently drifting down like soft snow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/04/2003 08:31:01 AM
Spring!? Ha ha ha - it's so coooooold!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Like father
BASENAME: like_father
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 02/04/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Related? Maybe.....
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EXTENDED BODY:
-----
EXCERPT:
Tod & his dad have the same mannerisms.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/05/2003 02:07:59 PM
Wow...it looks almost like a trick with mirrors...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mom's mac
BASENAME: moms_mac
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 02/05/2003 12:31:40 PM
-----
BODY:
Jean's got herself a new iBook (do you think there was any influence from me and Tod? Nah...) and Tod is giving her some tutoring. She's really happy to have wireless 'Net access in the living room. :-)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
New iBook, new things to learn
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Photo shoot
BASENAME: photo_shoot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/06/2003 09:59:55 PM
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BODY:
On Tuesday night, we had a photo shoot with a photographer friend of Jean's. Now we have lots of family portraits in various groupings. I like this one of us and the Zous.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Picture pretty
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.94.22
URL:
DATE: 02/06/2003 10:15:43 PM
I might print this out on photo paper to replace the older one I have of you in the hall. The zous look great! (You guys aren't too bad either...)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 02/07/2003 01:27:08 AM
That's a nice picture...nothing is better then a nice black and white portrait.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 207.208.60.134
URL:
DATE: 02/07/2003 12:55:24 PM
I love it I want one
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.202.107
URL:
DATE: 02/08/2003 07:01:56 PM
Wow: Gorgeous, all of you!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hello, things!
BASENAME: hello_things
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 02/07/2003 08:42:49 AM
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BODY:
Five years ago when we left the US, we packed up our stuff for storage. We only expected to be gone for six months, so we weren't too picky about sorting through it.
Today, we went through almost 50 boxes of our things at the warehouse. 11 went back into storage; 10 boxes of dishes, towels and other kitchen stuff went to Maureen, and 26 boxes of random things (books, a printer, more books, clothes) went to charity. Doesn't add up to 50 does it? That's because the rest was trash. :-)
There sure was a lot of natsukashii in all those boxes, but I'm happy that our things are being put to use by someone who needs them.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Less stuff, better life for others.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/07/2003 07:38:58 PM
Isn't time you guys came home yet? :P
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.202.107
URL:
DATE: 02/08/2003 07:03:38 PM
Did you find any strange recordings from the 80s?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL:
IP: 207.208.60.134
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2003 06:21:38 AM
I can hardly wait to get back. This is entirely too much time in this country. I want to come home now!
We shipped back a box of CDs and though I didn't look through them, I'll bet there are some weird old ones in there.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dinner with old friends
BASENAME: dinner_with_old_friends
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/07/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
It seems like a long time ago that I worked with Cynthia (she was my boss's boss when I left Duquesne University in January 1998) but she's the person I most want to catch up with when I'm in town. There's a long list of others, but Cynthia is one of the few who manages to get on the agenda while I'm here. No matter how long we've been apart, it's like we've only been away a week or two. I don't have too many friends like that anymore.
Tonight we had dinner with her family and Jason (another old DU coworker) and his family. What a treat. Not only did we get a wonderful meal and more than enough wine, but we had great conversation and as we lurched drunkenly into our taxi Cynthia's husband, Jeremy, handed us the CD we'd been listening to over our last glass of cognac.
And note this, Tokyoites: a 12 mile (20 km) taxi ride to the suburbs cost under $25 (3000 yen). What a bargain. :-)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Dinner and a cheap taxi ride.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cynthia
EMAIL:
IP: 151.201.124.117
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2003 12:44:43 PM
And we had a wonderful time, too, Kristen! I will send you the photos. It makes me think about Emerson's reflections on friends: "When they are real, they are not glass threads or frostwork, but the solidest things we know."
I am so glad you came to visit. Next year in Tokyo?
Cynthia
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cynthia
EMAIL:
IP: 151.201.124.117
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2003 12:44:53 PM
And we had a wonderful time, too, Kristen! I will send you the photos. It makes me think about Emerson's reflections on friends: "When they are real, they are not glass threads or frostwork, but the solidest things we know."
I am so glad you came to visit. Next year in Tokyo?
Cynthia
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cold-ass
BASENAME: cold-ass
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/08/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
We've reached the last leg of the trip. Now we're in Chicago and it's really cold here: 9 F (-16 C). By the time we'd taken the unheated train into the city and waited on the corner of a windy street for the lights to change, I was so cold my hands were blue and my body was shaking.
I do not like winter anymore.* It used to be my favorite season but what was I thinking? Give me autumn or spring, please. Maybe short term extremes--a week of cold and a nice juicy snowstorm--would be OK.
*I will recognise these advantages to winter: roaring fires, hot chocolate, cuddling under the covers on a chilly morning.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
It's 9. That's -16 for all us metric people.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/09/2003 01:54:31 PM
The weather is fab in Tokyo today - you can even go outside without a coat on!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 207.213.140.204
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2003 02:45:45 PM
Too bad you don't have time to see Los Angeles while you're here. One good thing is the weather.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cosmos
EMAIL: giladasmac@hotmail.com
IP: 80.58.36.107
URL: http://Hello
DATE: 04/11/2003 08:40:50 PM
I want information, i'm from Barcelona and i want this information.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Divided
BASENAME: divided
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/09/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
I live three lives.
In Tokyo, I've got an efficient, logical life with lots of work, friendly mates, and productivity. I love the city. I relish being outside my culture. And the challenges of living here keep things interesting. I am very comfortable and happy here.
In Chicago, my "life" is deep relationships. I have friends who are so close to me that I can walk around naked in front of them and they don't point and laugh. When I cry, they know just what to do to make me feel better. We love one another.
Online, I have some integration between the two. Weblog, chat, e-mail, and lots of communication tools that I use to try to link the other two lives. My virtual world is almost as real, and certainly as important to me, as the other two physical places.
But being here in Chicago, I realise that I actually miss my friends more than I usually let myself admit because it makes me sad and I hate to be sad. I wish there were a way to have my friends all move to Japan (or move Japan to my friends). Age old dilemma, isn't it?
Wishes are pointless. Actions are better. Must find a good action to take. Any ideas?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Which is more important...
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Disaster plan
BASENAME: disaster_plan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/10/2003 10:17:34 AM
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BODY:
Since the US increased its terrorist alert to "orange" level, there's been lots of news about what to do in the event of a terrorist attack.
One thing that's being sugested is to have an action plan for the family in the event of an attack. Identify meeting points; know your local emergency evacuation points for schools and so on; keep a kit of emergency rations and blankets handy.
It really seems like they stole the earthquake disaster plans from Japan and stuck "terrorist attack" in them in place of "natural disaster."
So where do you meet your people in the event of a disaster?
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EXCERPT:
Natural or manmade...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Joshua Aaron Day
EMAIL: lord_cormac_tobin@yahoo.com
IP: 65.177.73.45
URL: http://joshua_a_day.tripod.com
DATE: 02/11/2003 10:54:17 AM
Honestly I'm surprised they don't expect us to duck and cover under our desks, they wanna bring the 1950's back so badly. My plan is to not be afraid. I won't let the terrorists instill fear in me and I certaintly won't let the United States Government instill fear in me. I will continue to do things as I had always done them.
I have been wanting to fly badly since September 12, 2001 but need a place to go and a reason to be there.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL: why.is.this.required@all.man
IP: 207.208.60.134
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/bleach/
DATE: 02/11/2003 11:36:32 PM
Duck Tape
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Abstruse!
BASENAME: abstruse
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/11/2003 12:52:31 PM
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BODY:
I'm no longer ignorant. I'm not even obtuse. I'm abstruse.
Plus, I'm...ah...cute.
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EXCERPT:
Betelgeuse, chartreuse, deduce, effuse.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lou
EMAIL: louis@clotman.com
IP: 129.33.49.251
URL: http://www.clotman.com
DATE: 02/11/2003 01:15:20 PM
very nice site design. Very clean and minimalist.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/11/2003 05:45:51 PM
You are an open book baby!
But if you wanna play mysterious for a while then I'll play along too :p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kane
EMAIL: kaneblues@yahoo.com
IP: 66.8.198.8
URL: http://www.kaneblues.com/
DATE: 02/12/2003 01:46:31 AM
Cuteness can make up for a lot of things.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Marn
EMAIL: maureen.adams@lycos.com
IP: 65.58.151.11
URL:
DATE: 02/12/2003 01:55:59 AM
K- I never thought of you as "cute" per se but after spending some time with you recently, I'd have to say that you are, indeed, cute. AND, you have a cute husband and a cute sister-in-law and a decidedly cute nephew. Alas, many cuties are also abstruse.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liz
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 198.81.20.169
URL:
DATE: 02/12/2003 10:19:05 AM
I also thought you were an enigma. Cute yes, but more like a polar bear than a puppy (i.e. watch out for those claws!)
"But hey can she organize a wedding!" -Liz's Mom
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.27
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 06:48:15 AM
Hey! I used that word in a poem! It's delicious.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jisa-wacky
BASENAME: jisa-wacky
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/12/2003 01:33:10 PM
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BODY:
My computer says it's 5:28 on Thursday morning. The clock on the stove across the room says 2:28 in the afternoon on Wednesday. Kris is climbing the stairs to the apartment--coming home early from work. John is telecommuting on a conference call in the other room. Tod is working on a programming project. I am in my pajamas having just finished some work of my own.
Time is topsy-turvey. I think I blogged for Tuesday on Monday night, when it was already Tuesday in Tokyo. Have I blogged for today yet?
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EXCERPT:
Holidays mess up my sense of time.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL: this@should.not.be.required
IP: 63.148.28.182
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/bleach/
DATE: 02/14/2003 04:09:32 AM
Saigetsu hito o matazu.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Distal Zou
EMAIL: devin@spamcop.net
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2003 02:05:03 AM
> Saigetsu hito o matazu.
hmmm....
Saigetsu is a pretty uncommon word I think, but I think it means "years" like how many years old a person is. Hito is person, and 'matazu' is either the short form of 'matazure' which means 'sore crotch' (don't ask me why japanese has a special word for this) or an old fashioned way of saying 'without waiting'.
So it's either saying 'the old guy has crotch rash' or maybe 'the years are not waiting for the person'.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shopping
BASENAME: shopping
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/13/2003 06:36:23 PM
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BODY:
MJ told me to come home with a new wardrobe. I haven't succeeded but I did have fun trying things on at Norstrom today.
Kris and I always get carried away when we shop together. Today we tried on matching velvet dresses that went beautifully with our red hair and pale skin. They were exquisite, but after putting them on, we decided that a photo souvenir was enough.
But I did get two pair of shoes, several funky tops, and a pair of pants. So even though it's not a full wardrobe, it is a much-needed renewal. And I might even share with a certain Aussie redhead I know. Now that I think about it, there were three of those dresses...
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Redheaded twins in the dressing room.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/14/2003 11:40:48 AM
You guys look fab! I can't believe you didn't get them!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 207.213.140.204
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2003 05:37:57 PM
droool
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Me, American?
BASENAME: me_american
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/14/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
A friend once said that travelling abroad is the way to learn to love America. He said he felt more in tune with the US when he was away, and more able to see what makes him American and what makes America great.
I suspect that he just didn't like the toilets in France amd was feeling homesick for Charmin.
Living abroad has helped me recognise what makes me American, that is true. But I find that they are not traits that I think are particularly good. Here's what I see in myself.
I can think of other traits that i think stem from my American upbringing, but I'm too lazy to write them out now. No matter what I write, it doesn't negate the American-ness of my existence. But I unlike my friend, I can't see that these traits make me or my homeland great.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I wish I weren't...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 133.9.4.12
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 02/16/2003 07:12:50 PM
When going abroad you have two options. You can use the opportunity to confront, question, and grow out of your inherent American ethnocentrism or you can choose to view the world through that singular American view-point and actually re-enforce your perspective that there is only one truly great way, the American way. It's a shame when people pick the second, they're missing so much :(
I think that it's good your self-conscious about the qualities you listed, I see them often in myself and try to adjust. Again, it's a great chance to grow as a person ;). But the key is you have to be honest with yourself and analyze your actions. A lot of people aren't brave enough to do that.
Btw I read your blog pretty frequently, but first post.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.237.72
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2003 10:31:53 AM
I'd agree with all of the traits as American with the possible exception of laziness. I find Americans much more willing to put in long hours at work, at sport and other endeavors than many other nationalities.
I think your thoughts are very interesting and possibly due to something I'm calling the reverse ex-pat syndrome (or choose whatever cutesy name you'd like for it). When we're expats living in a foreign land, we struggle to define ourselves. One of those ways is via nationality and the common traits of our nationality are often shown to be very different than the place we are living. Thus, we look for ways to get rid of those qualities, to de-accentuate them, in order to live more harmoniously in our place. That begins to transfer into, "These qualities are bad." This is especially true when one sees extreme examples in tourists and the negative is accentuated.
After being abroad for so long, those very traits that previously defined us, that we toned down, are thrown in our faces again. Of course it is natural to see that negative rather than positive.
Now that we've been back in North America for over a year, I no longer have that strong need to see that defining characteristics of North Americans. I've just slipped back into society and can see a bit of the otherside too. I fully agree that there is much to hold up the stereotype of the poorly dressed, fat, culturally uneducated American. But there is also an amazing generosity, a passion for freedoms (even if the government doesn't seem to share it) and ideals that is here.
I could go on, but the basic point is made.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 133.9.4.13
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 02/17/2003 12:04:50 PM
I think the key is balance. No cultural way of living is right or wrong. Just different solutions to the same problems. I don't think the American way is right, nor do I think it's wrong. It's just one solution.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lisa
EMAIL:
IP: 12.211.73.124
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2003 08:37:11 PM
"... but I have a large quantity of things to say. Usually mundane, uninformed and purposeless."
I always thought that was just an extroverted quality in general.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 6:00
BASENAME: 600
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/15/2003 06:12:27 AM
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BODY:
I don't sleep well before I travel. Even though I'm mostly packed and ready to go at 9:30 for our 12:40 flight, I'm still wide awake and ready for action at 6:00 this morning.
It's really quiet here as I sit on the sofa bathed in the blue light of my laptop and the the city-orange glow of the still dark morning. I can hear the fridge whining and the server in the laundry room is doing something with its disks. John just coughed and I hear his feet padding down the hall to the bathroom. My keypresses are explosions.
To pass the time until everyone else gets up, I will blog, check my mail, maybe read news until the sun comes up. It's really nice to be alone for a few minutes.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A few moments alone in the quiet.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: GMT +9 again
BASENAME: gmt_9_again
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/16/2003 09:27:44 PM
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BODY:
Finally back in the right time zone--all my clocks and timepieces agree with the local time. My kitchen clock and my system clock are in agreement. I don't have to add 3 and switch day for night. Unfortunately my body clock is just plain confused.
There is nothing nicer than coming home. I knew I was missing Japan, but I didn't realise how much until we got off the train and I saw the neon and crowds and bustle of Ueno. Ah, home!
Of course, now I will miss all of my family and friends, but since most of them have agreed to come visit "soon" I won't miss them for too long.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Ah, home!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.105.15
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2003 09:14:21 AM
Glad you're home and safe. And, BTW, you won't miss *all* your friends. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.237.72
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2003 10:36:40 AM
Welcome Home.
I know that there was just something wonderful about getting my chocolate covered almonds and slipping into a comfy seat on the Narita Express to home.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2003 12:45:05 PM
Good point, I won't miss all of my firends since I'm coming back to some of them. I'll miss all my US-based friends, though. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Spring
BASENAME: spring
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/17/2003 12:41:51 PM
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BODY:
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful weather!
It's 12 degrees (54 F) and sunny. The air feels mild and smells like Spring; there are plum blossoms everywhere. I have the doors and windows open to air out the house. What a joyful day.
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EXCERPT:
A lovely day
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL: this@should.not.be.required
IP: 63.148.28.182
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/bleach/
DATE: 02/17/2003 10:34:40 PM
This morning my hand froze to my aluminum gear shift knob, again. I have not had to actually put things into the refrigerator all week, the kitchen itself is quite cold enough.
I sort of remember what flowers look like, a little. Thanks for the picture.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 205.238.247.114
URL:
DATE: 02/19/2003 08:37:56 PM
My neighbor shoveled the snow from around his car onto MY sidewalk. A couple of weeks ago I think I might have seen the beginnings of trees budding. Now they are all snow covered! I could go for some 54 degree weather. Enjoy the blooms.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 205.238.247.114
URL:
DATE: 02/19/2003 08:38:54 PM
My neighbor shoveled the snow from around his car onto MY sidewalk. A couple of weeks ago I think I might have seen the beginnings of trees budding. Now they are all snow covered! I could go for some 54 degree weather. Enjoy the blooms.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 205.238.247.114
URL:
DATE: 02/19/2003 08:40:16 PM
So important I had to say it twice! Vincent Twice, Vincent Twice!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Destruction
BASENAME: destruction
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/18/2003 08:13:11 AM
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BODY:
March 2002
February 2003
It's pretty cool to see the equipment cracking off walls and pushing them over. Concrete kicks up a lot of dust. I have no idea what will be going up in place of this very large apartment block. Maybe just another very large apartment block.
Stay tuned for further photos of the destruction and reconstruction.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Building going down
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 3:16 am
BASENAME: 316_am
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/19/2003 04:06:08 AM
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BODY:
I seem to be anti-adjusting to the time here.
When you travel to Japan from the US, jetlag tends to make you wake up extra early. That's one of the reasons Tsukiji Fish Market is in all the travel guides--it's one of the few things to do before 10 am in this city.
So when I woke at 5:30 on Monday I was expecting it. But yesterday I got up at 5 and here I am, writing this at 4:06 in the morning--50 minutes after I woke up.
I'd hoped to go back to sleep, but my brain is working and sleep's not going to happen. I think I'll make some coffee now. And take a nap this afternoon.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I'm awake. How about you?
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My list
BASENAME: my_list
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/20/2003 11:31:41 AM
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BODY:
I learned at my mother's knee that a list is a great way to focus on what needs to be done. Since my brain is not too happy about focussing at the moment, the list I made this morning at 4:30 is guiding me gently through the day.
I'm surprised at what I've managed to accomplish despite the continuing jetlag.
So far this morning I've ticked off: clean kitchen, change lightbulb in shower, rewrite FCCJ password instructions, put away laundry, and hand wash sweaters. Later on today I will get to "do Japanese taxes" or else I'll take a nap.
I've also given the Zous a hand with their website by uploading some new postcards and launching their latest venture--Zousan t-shirts
Next on the list: sort through closet and dresser. I brought home new clothes, so I need to make room. It's a one-for-one deal in this house. New in, old out. Please excuse me while I go get a garbage bag.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Mundane tasks enumerated
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sleeplessness
BASENAME: sleeplessness
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/21/2003 05:05:13 AM
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BODY:
OK, this is getting ridiculous. It's 5:00 in the morning. But I haven't just awakened. I've been up all night. A short nap in the afternoon turned into a 7 hour rest and I woke at 23:00 ready to go for another day.
So I've spent my night-for-day doing taxes, catching up with some reading, and drawing. The drawing has been fun; it's been a while since I've spent time with paper and ink. I often forget how much I enjoy drawing.
But I know that tomorrow I have things planned and I need to be at least vaguely rested. Can I sleep again soon? Maybe before the sun rises...hurry up, tired feelings.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Accidental all-nighter
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2003 06:15:21 AM
That's a nice collar!
Maybe have a drink or two around bedtime, that may knock you out. I recommend nyQuill, but I don't know if you have it there. I can ship you some if you like!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2003 06:32:05 AM
I've got some very nice scotch whch is more to my taste than nyquill, but thanks for the offer. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.236.54
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2003 07:07:26 PM
Being up so late is a wonderful excuse to play that music that sound best in the dark, to enjoy the atmosphere or even just listen to the night sounds. It also is a great time to call people across the world just to chat. :)
Pleasant dreams whether they be day or night.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 207.213.140.194
URL:
DATE: 02/22/2003 02:37:58 AM
I know you're going for the insomniac look but those pictures have a smoky sensuality that puts me in the mind of Billie Holiday. I think the fur collar has something to do with it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ume
BASENAME: ume
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/22/2003 06:44:40 AM
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BODY:
Yesterday I walked over to Korakuen, the traditional Japanese garden not too far from home.
I strolled through the plum orchard and breathed in the delicious sweet scent of the blossoms. All the trees smelled different; every shade of pink keyed to a different olfactory tune. The breeze smelled like perfume. Mmmmm.
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EXCERPT:
The breeze smelled like perfume.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.98.135
URL:
DATE: 02/22/2003 06:56:49 AM
As I sit here in a foot of snow, I am sooo jealous!!! Take another long walk for me will you?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.171.104
URL:
DATE: 02/22/2003 09:16:10 AM
welcome back. It is nice to have you back again. Gee, Tokyo seems much warmer than Kyushu. We still have snow flackes and icy cold winds. We gotta jump in to Onsen to warm ourselves up. wanna come join us?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/22/2003 10:59:15 AM
It's chilly and grey here today.A hot bath sounds pretty tempting. But I'm hoping for sunny weather again tomorrow and a walk then, for sure!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.239
URL:
DATE: 02/25/2003 03:17:03 AM
Oh! Perfumed breezes. I hope we have a few of those soon. Right now we're getting more slow floating flakes.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Two Aussies
BASENAME: two_aussies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/23/2003 01:00:14 AM
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BODY:
Today, two "business" meetings. The first with an Australian woman; the second with an Aussie man. Two people from the same country but how different can you get?
Tracey and I are both members of the same DigitalEve SIG. In fact, we are the only members. We had hoped some others would join us but not today. So we sat, enjoyed cake and coffee and talked about our businesses. How can we improve what we're doing and how can we help one another? In this meeting, support was the name of the game.
Meeting number two was ostensibly a social dinner. But talk turned to work and from there, it was a game of Let's Guess the Motives Behind this Conversation. Why was I being buttered up? Why did certain topics come up? What was I giving away? "You can only go so far with questioning everything the guy says," Tod commented later. So true. It was a stimulating conversation with a million different (possible) interpretations. Which one is correct remains to be seen.
So the moral of the story. Don't judge a book by its passport.
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EXCERPT:
Two meetings, two feelings
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Aussie Gal
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 02/24/2003 05:36:01 PM
Had a great time on Saturday and yesterday - thank you Kristen.. Now am at day 2 of time managment plan.. how you going? Tracey
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/26/2003 07:55:36 AM
After my initial lapse, I've been doing really well. I've met my goal every day so far. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Warm sauce
BASENAME: warm_sauce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/24/2003 06:23:51 PM
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BODY:
Tonight, due to lack of shopping motivation (it's windy, wet and snowing out there!), we're eating a pantry favorite--pasta putanesca. It's a standby that's warm, filling and made entirely out of stuff in the pantry. No fresh ingredients required.
Here's how I make it, in case you're looking for something to cook tonight.
Kristen's Putanesca
1 can whole Italian (plum) tomatoes
4 or 5 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 teaspoon capers, smashed up a bit
2 tablespoons black olives, sliced or chopped
2 tablespoons green olives, sliced or chopped
minced garlic (as much as you like, the more the better in my opinion!)
1 teaspoon olive oil
red pepper flakes to taste
Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and anchovies. Cook until the anchovies are a soft paste. Drop in the olives and capers then add the tomatoes, squeezing them through your fingers to break them up. (Fun!) Pour in the remaining liquid from the tomato can. Allow to cook until the liquid is reduced, but not too thick. In the classic tradition, the sauce should be the consistency to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Red pepper flakes add some zing--especially important if you didn't use much garlic. Put them in while the liquid is reducing. Sometimes I leave them out. The recipe is very forgivin so you can vary the quantities of just about everything above to suit your tastes.
Serve over pasta of your choice--penne is good, or a nice thick spaghetti. Make enough for me and Tod to be bloated, or for four people to eat normal amounts accompanied with salad and bread. If you have salad and bread in the pantry. ;-)
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EXCERPT:
Recipe!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim
EMAIL: jim@mmdc.net
IP: 219.18.132.15
URL: http://www.wirefarm.com
DATE: 03/04/2003 01:12:41 AM
Hi Kristen -
Made your sauce tonight, sort of...(Couldn't find capers, added onions, doubled the anchovies, added a bit of wine to the sauce.) Anyway, it was my first puttanesca, per se and your blog entry was my inspiration - thanks!
I have a picture of the end result.
Come join us next time!
--Jim
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim
EMAIL: jim@mmdc.net
IP: 219.18.132.15
URL: http://www.wirefarm.com/
DATE: 03/04/2003 01:36:59 AM
Oops - picture and entry at: http://www.wirefarm.com/archives/000061.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Laundry day
BASENAME: laundry_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 02/25/2003 10:18:17 AM
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BODY:
Today is a sunny contrast to yesterday's windy, snowy weather. Everyone has their things hanging out to dry--umbrellas, futon, washing of all sorts.
I've done my sheets and they are now blowing about in the breeze off my veranda. They'll take next to no time to dry, even though the sun is going in and out behind the clouds. I do hope they don't blow off into the neighbor's garden or onto the train tracks below. Should probably go pin them down with the giant plastic clamps I use.
When I hung them, I made a tactical error. I didn't notice the layer of grime on the railing until after I'd laid the sheets over it. I should have figured it would be there. Normally, I clean the railings weekly, but it's been over a month and they are pretty gritty. I forgot to do them yesterday when I did the rest of the dusting.
My sheets are going to have little lines of dirt on them. Oh, well.
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Clean, except for some stripes...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Launch squid
BASENAME: launch_squid
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 02/26/2003 07:53:25 AM
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BODY:
It's good to have geeky friends.
Dave and I have been playing with SquidCam a video conferencing program. It's a kissing cousin to the webcam tools I used back in the mid 90s.
Is it any better? Well, I can connect my real video camera to it, so the adjustments are a bit easier to make, and in these days of high bandwidth, we can send pretty decent video resolution at an acceptable framerate but at the expense of audio. If we want to hear one another clearly, we have to drop the video quality down, as pictured above.
So it's far from perfect. But it does let me hang out with Dave while he eats dinner and watches DVDs. And that's pretty fun. Launch squid!
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EXCERPT:
Video conferencing on the desktop.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/26/2003 12:12:18 PM
Do you wear your furry bits every day!?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/26/2003 01:06:15 PM
Just about. I love the furry bits. They are warm and pretty.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 02/26/2003 10:28:10 PM
Thats cool! Let's schedule a time convienent to both sides of the world and meet up. i've got a video camera, OS X and broadband too :) I can show you Evan up close and personal :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL: this@should.not.be.required
IP: 63.148.28.59
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/bleach/
DATE: 02/28/2003 05:14:31 AM
Yipe. All the possible moments of perfect lighting and somewhat more reasonable posture, and you pick *this* to capture?
On the other hand, there *is* something to be said for lurking in the shadows...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Taxes
BASENAME: taxes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/27/2003 01:04:49 PM
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BODY:
Expatriate Americans really get bent over when it comes to taxes. We pay income tax twice--once to Japan and once to America. There are only two nations in the entire world that make their citizens abroad pay tax: the US and Libya.
Japanese taxes are due on March 17th. I've got my forms and the instructions in English and have been trying to figure out exactly how to fill in the forms. I've completed the one that tallies my small business earnings and expense. That was easy.
But looking at the main form, I can't figure out where to put this total. There are two sections where this might go: Amount of Earnings and Amount of Income. But it's not clear which number I should use where. Check out this explanation:
How to Complete Form B
Write each amount entered in the 'statement of earnings and expenses' or 'financial statement for blue return' in the following blocks of the first page of the return here: amount of earnings, etc. 'business (sales or agriculture)' [blocks a and i], 'amount of income (business (sales etc. 1 or agriculture 2)' [blocks 1, 2].
Government instructions are the same the world over...confusing! I will try to figure this out this afternoon so that I can then get started on my American taxes. Argh!
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EXCERPT:
Math is hard.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.172.253
URL:
DATE: 02/27/2003 02:06:02 PM
Yes, we pay twice, but deductions and credits reduce the total tax bill to something less than we would have paid on the same income had we been living in the US. (Not sure if Libya has a similar arrangement.)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/27/2003 06:10:44 PM
Ugh..I gotta deal with those instructions too - next time I'm getting an accountant dammit!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mac
EMAIL:
IP: 213.202.162.229
URL: http://macdaraconroy.com/
DATE: 03/01/2003 08:26:22 PM
oh, you poor poor people. what you need is a PAYE system, much less stressful, and you only have do your own taxes if you run your own business.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 207.213.140.194
URL:
DATE: 03/02/2003 05:26:59 PM
With the way the U.S. has been behaving lately and on top of that taxing you to help pay for its actions... have you ever considered becoming a Japanese citizen?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Taro Toporific
EMAIL: johniebigbootie@yahoo.com
IP: 216.127.82.99
URL: http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/portal.php?page=1
DATE: 03/05/2003 02:33:17 PM
Oh, to have such "terrible" problems!
USAmericans have the first $70,000/y of their income earned overseas excluded from taxes. So you are saying you earn so much over $70,000-- say more than $100,000/y---that you need to start worrying about the tax burden. With the HUGE housing and living deductions living overseas, generally US taxes aren't burden until your earning well over $150,000. Sheesh.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 05/09/2003 01:40:24 PM
The $80,000 foreign income exclusion and the housing allowance are in jeopardy. The Senate Finance Committee has passed a repeal of thoe provisions in order to keep the net tax cut they are pushing through under $350 billion. See http://nytimes.com/2003/05/09/politics/09TAX.html
If this repeal succeeds, taxes will rise steeply for Americans living abroad. There is strong business oppostion to the repeal, but it wouldn't hurt to drop your Senators and Representative a line.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Searlas
EMAIL: cmdewolf@yahoo.com
IP: 131.113.231.130
URL:
DATE: 05/10/2003 02:27:52 PM
Having lived most of my life in Asia and Europe, I have held onto my U.S. passport mostly out of inertia. I already pay heavy Japanese taxes and have no intention to fall victim to the bandits in Washington. I am a social conservative and a believer in small government; as such, I supported George W. Bush, even though I know he has, at best, the equivalent of an eighth-grade education. I do *not* support neo-imperialism and the various ideologues and corporate criminals who now back him. If the law changes, I'm simply going to renounce my citizenship. NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coffee colored carpet
BASENAME: coffee_colored_carpet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 02/28/2003 07:50:28 AM
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BODY:
You've probably seen my carpet peeking out in photos on this site. Like here in this picture of my office from November.
It's the most impractical pale beige color. What I really need is something the color of coffee. Because this carpet which started out pristine when we moved in a year ago is now mottled with little coffee splashes.
Despite attempts to clean them up, those coffee blips and blops have worked their way into the carpet and show up as tiny circular shadows. Coffee pastilles, pale cocoa sprinkles on cappucino foam. Scars of clumsy morning walks through the hall.
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EXCERPT:
The ideal vs reality
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kat
EMAIL: kat@uberspiffy.com
IP: 129.252.107.246
URL: http://uberspiffy.com
DATE: 02/28/2003 08:47:23 AM
Minor html mistake there, Kristen. :)
By the way, there's this nifty carpet cleaner called Spot Magic that will get out relatively everything (even blood) without a lot of work, too. Spray it on the spot. Let it sit for 60 seconds, then rub at it with a damp cloth. Takes all of 1.5 minutes to remove it.
My family has 2 dogs, a cat, and 3 avid coffee drinkers, so spot remover is a commodity.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 02/28/2003 12:25:27 PM
I hate carpet. Go flooring!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL: this@should.not.be.required
IP: 63.148.28.151
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/bleach/
DATE: 03/01/2003 01:53:01 AM
"Natures Miracle" is also a kick ass spot remover if we are trading housekeeping tiips.
"Carpet sucks" if we are sharing interior design opinions. I dream of the day when every piece of furniture I own is on casters, rolling freely across vast hardwood floors. If they would only perfect that wireless Tesla-style power... In the meantime I figure I will set the place up with a conductive ceiling like bumper-cars.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pickup line
BASENAME: pickup_line
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/01/2003 12:31:31 PM
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BODY:
Standing on the Sobu line platform yesterday afternoon, I was approached by a middle-aged (but not all that much older than me) salaryman sporting a punch-perm and wearing a dark grey suit, a blue polyester tie, a pale blue shirt and some sort of office ID on a neckstrap. Pretty bog-standard salaryman. We had the following conversation in Japanese.
Him: Do you understand Japanese?
Me: Yes, a little bit.
Him: (not hearing me) Huh?
Me: A little.
Him: Are you French?
Me: No.
Him: Are you American?
Me: Yes.
Him: (glancing at my hands). Ah, you are married.
Me: Yes, I am.
Him: Is your husband Japanese?
Me: No, he's American.
Him: Would you like to come to a hotel with me?
Me: I don't understand your Japanese. I'm sorry.
What this man thought I was likely to answer is beyond me. I thought about punching him, but he apologised and walked away before I could let my violent American tendencies reach the surface.
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EXCERPT:
Get to the point as quickly as possible.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/01/2003 02:25:34 PM
I can't get over the forwardness of some of these middle-aged salarymen. This has happened to every girl I know - and the success rate = 0
Do they honestly believe that soemone is going to answer yes to a question like that?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.247.45
URL:
DATE: 03/02/2003 01:24:25 AM
Yet once again you are unable to contain your natural beauty and charm and men are drawn uncontrollably to you. ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 03/02/2003 05:18:58 PM
What a perril you had!
This happened to me twice or so when I was still "young." One was Japanese Salalyman, but the other was a Isram business man.
I must think, this kind of men exist everywhere.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 207.213.140.194
URL:
DATE: 03/02/2003 05:30:32 PM
What's a punch-perm?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 61.213.75.126
URL: http://www.esthet.org
DATE: 03/02/2003 11:23:48 PM
I've *never* had a drunk Japanese salaryman proposition me in the four years I've lived in Tokyo...*looking down at self*...Is there something wrong with me? :-P
Of course the answer would still be a resounding "NO"!
Laga - a punch-perm is an excessively tightly curled short-haired perm, commonly found on middle-aged men (oyaji-san) who exhibit a profound lack of style and good taste.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 03/04/2003 02:33:35 AM
I worked in Japan for about 2 months in 1986. Several times during that stay I was propositioned by (ususally married) women in what I thought were odd places: a bookstore, on the train platform, in a shopping "mall". All of them spoke english and initiated the conversation. This surprised me as I did not expect japanese women to be this forward. Has anyone else had this sort of experience?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sako
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com/
DATE: 03/04/2003 07:09:59 PM
You really should've punched him (or at least ridiculed him mercilessly in front of everyone within shouting distance), Kristen! ;-)
Bob asked an interesting question, though: How often are foreign men propositioned by Japanese women?
Thinking back to an event that happened a couple of years ago, I remember one instance where a colleague of mine asked a rather forward, open-ended question that was almost certainly a pass.
After an office shinnenkai, when the obligatory karaoke and other nijikai activities were winding down, she offered to give me a ride home. Happy to not have to take the train during the post-holiday shinnenkai season, I gratefully accepted.
"So...where would you like to go from here?" she asked once we were alone in her car. Her pause, and the flirtatious look on her face, seemed to strongly imply an invitation to go somewhere other than my apartment.
"Uhm...home, I think," was my somewhat-dumbfounded response. (After all, home is where I had been expecting her to take me!)
"Right. That would be best," she responded, apparently crestfallen.
In that context, with our friendly relationship at work as a backdrop, I would be more inclined to tolerate (but not accept, mind you) a one-time, oblique invitation like that, but a blunt one from a total stranger on a train platform? No.
What in the world are such people thinking?
I suppose a logic similar to that of most spammers could be at work: Even if the success rate of such an approach is miniscule, a response rate that is favorable even 0.001% of the time could yield a payoff, eventually, if attempted often enough.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL: hgeorge@rose.ocn.ne.jp
IP: 61.113.197.132
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/stellastarstruck
DATE: 03/05/2003 12:59:16 AM
I told my Japanese husband your story over lunch and he was a little surprised about it.
Then I used "Punch Perm's" pick up line on him in a drugstore but I didn't have any success.
I've never been hit on to go to a hotel. I usually get hit on for English practice. Here in the boonies there aren't many foreigners so it used to happen to me often.
Glad I've never been propositioned like that. Sorry it happened to you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: HeLG3N-3X
EMAIL:
IP: 151.205.182.209
URL:
DATE: 03/09/2003 12:21:31 PM
PUNCH PERMS RULE! ROTFLMAO!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: HeLG3N-3X
EMAIL:
IP: 151.205.182.209
URL:
DATE: 03/09/2003 12:21:52 PM
PUNCH PERMS RULE! ROTFLMAO!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Salad invention
BASENAME: salad_invention
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/02/2003 12:01:01 AM
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BODY:
We like salad. Here's one we made up, going back and forth with ingredient suggestions, as we were shopping.
Cress and Walnut Salad
1 bunch cress, trimmed
1 stalk celery, cut into 3 cm x 1 cm sticks
1/2 c walnuts, crushed
30 g (1 oz) feta cheese, in 1 cm cubes
1 large orange
2 T olive oil
1 T white wine vengar
salt & pepper to taste
Juice the orange; add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Reserve the larger bits of the crushed walnuts and add the small fragments to the dressing. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
Toss together the cress, celery and larger chunks of walnuts. Top with feta and spoon dressing over all. Makes four small salads.
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EXCERPT:
Cress, walnuts, celery and orange. Mmmmm.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL: blah@blah.bah
IP: 12.222.113.105
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/bleach/
DATE: 03/02/2003 11:56:30 PM
Hey... that's a nice salad you've got there.
Would you like to go to a hotel with me?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Aoyama cemetery
BASENAME: aoyama_cemetery
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/03/2003 09:12:01 AM
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BODY:
I have a thing for cemeteries. Walking among the headstone, thinking of the people memorialised there; wondering what they were like; why their families keep up their plots (or not). And, of course, there's always a bit of a sexual element running through my head at the same time. After all, sex is what brings all of us together, it may be the only thing we all have in common.
All cemeteries are enjoyable, but Japanese cemeteries in particular are peaceful and orderly. Each plot is for a full family; there are rarely monuments to individuals. Some sections are quite severe; others, like this one, are beautifully landscaped.
From Aoyama Cemetery, where I took these photos yesterday, you can see the huge Roppongi Hills complex in the background. It's new construction that's nearly finished now. The pictures doesn't really do it justice in terms of its amazing size. Towers over everything in the vicinity.
I like the contrast of old and dead with the new, vibrant Tokyo in the background.
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EXCERPT:
Old, new, dead, living
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/03/2003 01:24:47 PM
I have a thing for cemeteries as well. In Japan it is just for the quiet atmosphere (far from the madding crowd) but especially when travelling in English speaking countries where the headstones can be fascinating... T
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/03/2003 03:20:14 PM
My Mum has a thing for cemeteries...almost every school holidays we would find ourselves stomping around in a dusty old one somewhere in the outback...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 219.166.48.235
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 03/03/2003 07:33:54 PM
i love cemeteries too, that s one of my best memories from scotland (spent a month touring around it some year ago). they were so green and quiet, we used to rest in them during the day.
regarding roppongi hills, i ve been wanting to go and check out the building for the past few weeks, you ve decided me. i love the second pic, the building is like a cgi model pasted in the background. really nice contrast of for/back-grounds.
can t wait for wednesday.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/03/2003 10:07:43 PM
Paul, what happens on Wednesday?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/03/2003 10:11:43 PM
I can't email you!! Everything has bouced for the last week.. (sorry to use your blog!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Cha
EMAIL: jjcha@hotmail.com
IP: 218.110.139.116
URL: http://www.jjcha.net
DATE: 03/03/2003 11:20:22 PM
Kuri-san,
Dang I was going to post on that graveyard!! My cab this morning went through it, and I thought when the weather's nicer, it wouldn't be a bad place to spend a quiet afternoon. I know - kind of weird hanging out at a graveyard, but you'll notice that there are plenty of blossoming trees which should be beautiful once spring comes.
Tokyo really is a small place.
-Jason
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 219.166.48.235
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 03/04/2003 12:20:35 PM
Oups, was so into it that I forgot the context. I said that cos I just asked my boss if I could go for a stroll/photo-stroll in Roppongi Hills area on wednesday. I have one of those great jobs where we are expected to stay up to date with the latest in design/media/archi/whatever and you just tell them what you want to see and they pay for it. hehehe. Love HONDA R&D.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: chuck
EMAIL: qwerty@starband.ent
IP: 148.78.243.51
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2003 03:56:08 PM
Kristen, I love this place. I've been stopping regularly for a while, not writing much.
The pictures and comments about cemeteries bring to mind the shrine? memorial? for dead children that is along the walk from the Shiba Park Hotel to the Tokyo Tower. ( How's that for directions from a gaigin?) The people in my group when we were there in 2000 were fascinated and saddened at the same time.
In 1994 one of my hosts in the Yamagata region stopped at a cemetery and explained the Japanese burial customs. I had seen one cemetery that was surrounded by rice paddy on three sides, and a highway on the fourth. Later in 2000 another host who had recently lost his sister showed me his family plot and a lot more about the temples and the shrines.
Strange thing... Today is the first anniversary of the death of my nephew, who died a couple of months past his sixteenth birthday. It has been a heavy, sad day.
That you would be writing about cemeteries on this day is an interesting "coincidence." It is really amazing how we are spoken to when we stop to listen.
Your photos are really peaceful. The weight of my sadness has lifted a bit, and I am remembering my playful, bright nephew.
I sit here with tears on my face and am somehow homesick for a place I have only visited a couple of times. Thanks for your blog and the photos.
chuck
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Al
EMAIL: peruvian_ninja@yahoo.com
IP: 200.37.12.171
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2003 03:27:38 PM
That's a great picture of the Aoyama cemetery.
I'm a peruvian architecture student who's doing a thesis project on Urban cemeteries, and i'm just beginning to look into Japanese ones.
So may i ask a question? How deep in the city is exactly this cemetery? Was it a peripherical one which was eventually assimilated by the growing city, or was it conceived inside Tokyo itself? If anyone could shed some light into this issue, id' be really grateful. so thanks ^_^
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Empress Aiko
BASENAME: empress_aiko
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/04/2003 09:31:11 AM
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BODY:
The Times reports that the Japanese government is looking into the possiblity that the Crown Prince's daughter will someday reign. Aiko, who turned one on December 1st, is causing quite a controversy.
Japan hasn't had a woman on the throne since 1770 and the Imperial Household Law specifies an Emperor, never an Empress. Personally, I think that's just because MacArthur and his cronies were mysoginists who couldn't even imagine that a woman might be in charge. Let's face it, they had a big influence on the current constitution whether or not anyone actually admits that.
So I suppose Japan's going to have to alter the law to replace "Emperor" with "Emperor or Empress" and "he" with "he or she." It doesn't really seem like it should be that big a deal, but government officials are worried that making any change will rile up the People and they will demand dissolution of the monarchy entirely.
Japan's Imperial family seems pretty mild and is part of the charm of Japan for me. America needs a monarchy. I think I'd make a good monarch--sort of like the Red Queen.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A girl on the Japanese throne?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2003 03:52:00 PM
Yeah!! Kristen as a Monarch - I'd support that!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/04/2003 11:23:22 PM
But America has Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston now...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: donkeymon
EMAIL:
IP: 61.125.219.167
URL: http://www.donkeymon.net/donkeymon
DATE: 03/07/2003 01:16:39 AM
2 days ago I was waiting for a friend in a JR station out here in Saitama and a lady walked up to me and started a conversation in the normal way: "Where are you from?" But then, instead of telling me how bad her English is but how she loves to talk to foreigners, she told me that (the 1-year-old) Princess Aiko is a criminal and should have some sort of incomprehensible and presumably bad thing done to her through the use of a device resembling a piano with 6 or 7 keys which she had sketched out on a sheet of paper, seemingly while in the midst of a fever dream. I must admit to haing been completely at a loss for words in any language and just standing there staring and saying "etoooo, etooo" until she walked away.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: TP music
BASENAME: tp_music
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 03/05/2003 07:00:14 AM
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BODY:
Maybe this is a new career twist for me. Yesterday I worked on two songs about toilet paper.
Toilet Paper Song [604K, MP3]
It is uninstrumented; lyrics and melody by me. It's a little thin and at 38 seconds, it's really short. Anyone care to provide some accompaniment? :-)
The other toilet paper song is a collaboration and not ready for general listening, but as soon as we finish it, I'll put it up here for you to enjoy.
Stay tuned to Radio Kristen.
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EXCERPT:
Music for the soul and bum.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 03/05/2003 09:42:51 AM
i'll be uploading the DKM redux of your song tonight :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/05/2003 10:08:27 AM
Whoooo yeah!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 03/05/2003 01:07:28 PM
Posted: 46 seconds of TP inspiration.
Toilet Paper Song (DKM redux)
http://www.arsenic.net/tpDKMredux.mp3
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/05/2003 01:44:01 PM
Kewl, such pretty, tinkly music (or should that be "tinkling music"). Thanks, Mike!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 133.9.4.12
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 03/05/2003 01:53:11 PM
Yes!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sunrise music
EMAIL:
IP: 211.120.78.97
URL: http://www.sunrisemusic.net
DATE: 03/10/2003 01:18:41 PM
Kristen, you have such a lovely voice! You never told us!
I like Mike's accompaniment. When are you going to overdub the vocals onto it? It's gonna sound great.
J
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.9.175
URL:
DATE: 03/12/2003 07:49:34 AM
The tune sounds like an Irish ballad!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: miso
EMAIL: miso_baniso{@}yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.98.101.10
URL: http://miso_baniso.at.infoseek.co.jp/
DATE: 01/20/2004 07:28:02 AM
hellow mediatinker.com.
i often read your blog for learning english.(^^)
i remixed and uploaded.
http://miso_baniso.at.infoseek.co.jp/50/to.html
is this all right?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tibetan connection
BASENAME: tibetan_connection
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 03/06/2003 10:01:01 AM
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BODY:
Nima is my travel agent.
He's also Tibetan--one of 40 Tibetan exiles in Tokyo. That's a pretty small community--a slim .00033% of Tokyo's population. When the Dalai Lama comes through Tokyo on his travels, all of the Tibetans know it and go to see him.
Talking with Nima over dinner last night, I discovered that he lived in Pittsburgh for a while when he was a kid. His sister still lives there. She runs an Indian/Nepalese store in Oakland and a few years back she had a restaurant called Himalayan Tibetan Restaurant.
I ate there quite a few times. In fact, it was from pamphlets there that I first learned about Tibet, its plight and the movements to save Tibet. And, of course, its food.
Who'd ever think that I'd do business with the brother of the Tibetan woman who owned a restaurant I'd eaten in 6,000 miles away and ten years ago?
Discoving quirky connections among people makes me grin from ear to ear. I love being an expatriate in this truly small world.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Another "small world" experience
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/06/2003 09:33:50 PM
This place called the world is so small...
(gomichild posing as kuri)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Music video
BASENAME: music_video
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 03/07/2003 12:42:53 PM
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BODY:
Donna Burke. (Quicktime. 3.9 MB)
Music is in the air. Today I edited together a short medley of live concert footage for a friend-of-a-friend.
Unfortunately, the footage was shot by (choose one)
A) an amateur
B) an epileptic
C) a drunken monkey
D) all of the above
That's not very charitable, I know, and if the videographer reads my blog I'm sure I've just hurt his or her feelings. But I will take this moment to strongly suggest to all videographers: USE A TRIPOD.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A medley of live footage.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.121.127
URL:
DATE: 03/07/2003 09:59:57 PM
Good Lord, was that the edited version?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/07/2003 10:10:09 PM
I still reckon we coulda worked in "that portrait shot"....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/07/2003 10:13:49 PM
Yep, this is the edited version.
It is merely very difficult to watch.The raw tape was torture.
Imagine a 35 minute set of shaky camera work, along with about four minutes where the camera operator turned the video camera sideways into "portrait" orientation. Donna looked like she was walking on a wall! I'm not sure what was going through this poor person's head; maybe he had never watched TV before...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2003 11:44:06 AM
Yikes!
I think you should make a video for the Toilet Paper Song!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.246
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2003 12:11:39 AM
Drunk monkey! *giggle*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Let's breakfast pizza
BASENAME: lets_breakfast_pizza
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 03/08/2003 10:40:54 AM
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BODY:
This product caught my eye the other day. I must have been hungry for junk food. Or maybe it was fond memories of morning-after pizza for breakfast that drove me to buy it.
Pizza was always best if it had been unrefrigerated overnight, which gave it sort of an "aged" flavor and dehydrated the cut edges of the crust so they turned inwards towards the center of the slice. The cheese separated from the crust a bit, giving the sauce a bit of air and extra viscosity. Mmmmm.
But these Morning Pizza treats were refrigerated and well sealed in plastic. No food poisoning roulette this morning. I decided to eat one myself and save one for Tod.
After popping one into the toaster oven, I reminisced about another morning pizza--"breakfast pizza" from back in the days when I worked at UBS.
Downstairs in the arcade of the building was a little bakery that had all kinds of pastries. My friend and colleague, Seth, and I used to procrasinate from our morning tasks and go down to get breakfast pizza--an oblong piece of dough slathered with toppings and backed. My favoriate was the potato salad one. But there were also breakfast pizzas with corn and vegetables, with shrimp, and even one that was sort of cheese pizza-ish. I can still taste the onion one--slightly sweet but savory at the same time. Greasy and fattening but a good antidote for office stress and too much coffee.
Unfortunately, the Morning Pizza cannot hold a candle to breakfast pizza. This was a pretty indifferent, bland bit of bread with a thin coat of orangish sauce, some rubbery cheese, and a thin slice of salami on top. Next time, I'll make my own or head over to Otemachi for the real stuff
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Pizza for breakfast? Absolutely!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/08/2003 01:57:23 PM
Yuck - how could you eat that kinda stuff for breakfast!?
*wanders off into the kitchen to break her fast with leftover KFC*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.248.224
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2003 05:20:25 PM
Oh.... wasn't that a wonderful way to take a break and get a tasty, fattening breakfast (all very nicely wrapped for the long travel up the elevator)? The closest I've come here are Eggos with butter and cream cheese, but it's just not the same.....
I wonder why so many of my memories of Japan are associated with food... ;)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dad's walk
BASENAME: dads_walk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/09/2003 10:59:21 AM
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BODY:
On Sunday mornings when I was a kid, my father would go out for doughnuts, juice, and a big, thick Sunday newspaper. When he came back, Jenn and I would feast while lying on the floor reading the comics.
That seemed like a good way to spend this lazy Sunday morning so I ran out to recreate my childhood. But on the walk down to the doughnut shop, I had a change of perspective.
I'd stuffed some money in my pocket and grabbed Tod's keys but went without my cell phone, breaking my usual complement of "keitai, cash and keys." Maybe that should be "wireless, wallet and wards" for non-Japanese speakers.
Anyway, I was free of communication devices for the first time in quite a while. I hadn't realised the subtle, unconscious foreboding that I have when my keitai is near. "Is my phone going to ring?" "Will I hear it?" "Has anyone called me?"
As I walked along, enjoying the outrageously blue skies and crisp wind, I wondered if Dad's Sunday morning walks were similarly unencumbered. He knew that the family was back home waiting for treats, just as I knew Tod was looking forward to doughnuts, but was otherwise at liberty to be alone for a while.
That's the kind of liberty I like.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
It's not the doughnuts anymore...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.236.254
URL:
DATE: 03/09/2003 05:26:10 PM
Plus, there's a certain feeling about being out on a Sunday morning. Things are a big quieter and if it's sunny out, a bit more stark it seems. Glad yours was a good one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: mjd-s@souzouzone.jp
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/09/2003 10:52:46 PM
I called you....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.246
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2003 12:09:42 AM
Yes! Get rid of that cellphone for awhile. I remember those doughnuts and the papers too. This Sunday I had a doughnut and poetry. The doughnut made me sick. The poetry made me happy. :-)
Remember Dad's walk across the lake?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Double entry blogkeeping
BASENAME: double_entry_blogkeeping
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/09/2003 09:17:20 PM
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BODY:
Spurred on by a toilet paper remix sent in by a stranger (Josh, I love it; may I post it?), I visited his site and went surfing from there. Random surfing is a rarely indulged luxury/guilty pleasure (but my blog was in Josh's list along side Neil Gaiman's, so I automatically validate his list and love Josh!) and here are two gems I found:
Girls Are Pretty. Every day is a celebration. This is some of the wittiest writing I've read in ages (but see P.P.S. below).
Leslie Harpold and her weblog. Gotta love anyone who's got "all wrongs reserved" on her site. Click around to find the hidden treasures.
And the amazing Pepys' Diary. I've read this one before (online and in print). I wonder what his aim was? He was an audience of one but did he have ideas of grandeur? Can't really say "delusions of grandeur" since his diary has been published for many generations. How many of us bloggers hope for the same? Old Samuel didn't really have a more remarkable life than we do, but he was one of the few diarists whose records survived.
P.S. Tod just refered to me as his "long suffering wife" on #perl and someone one there asked "chronic?". Yes. Brilliant. Chronic wife.
P.P.S. Have been feeling ill all day and now Tod is plying me with whiskey tea and gin tonic. Making no sense, but amusing self wildly. Sorry...
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Just some links to interesting blogs.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 12.222.113.105
URL:
DATE: 03/10/2003 01:49:08 AM
"...on #perl and someone one there asked "chronic?". Yes. Brilliant. Chronic wife."
Are you certain they weren't just inquiring whether smoking a blunt was the coping mechanism, yo?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creepy Namjatown
BASENAME: creepy_namjatown
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/10/2003 04:32:56 PM
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BODY:
A few months ago Namjatown, Namco's indoor amusement park, opened a new attraction called the Gyoza Stadium, featuring a dozen different kinds of Chinese dumplings. We love gyoza and have been looking forward to visiting the Gyoza Stadium. We tried to get in on a weekend just a few weeks after it opened but there was a three hour wait and we were too hungry.
But yesterday afternoon there was no wait, so we paid 300 admission and stepped in.
Namjatown is divided into five sections, differently themed. We didn't even consider the other parts and headed straight for the gyoza section.
It gave me the creeps. Decorated like a downtown Tokyo neighborhood in the 1960s, it was a maze of alleys and turnings.
This map shows part of the layout. The blood red parts are the gyoza stands. The blue bit is an a mosquito-themed ride where you go around spraying mossies while riding a giant pig-shaped mosquito coil holder. All the little lanes in between are filled with nostalgic signs and antiques. And little benches where you can sit and eat the gyoza.
In addition to the gyoza, there are several other attractions. There's a public bath "converted into a studio, to participate in a quiz show" according to the brochure. There is a little shrine and a pilgrimage; this cat is supposed to be Bishamonten, one of the 7 Lucky Gods. Or you might want to search for clues to a detective game.
All I wanted to do was to eat some gyoza, but the atmosphere was so dark and claustrophobic that I couldn't do it. By the time we navigated to the gyoza stands, I was entirely too wigged out by the noir lighting, the well-faked cracked cement streets, the falling down building facades (they were in fine repair, just made to look like they were old and falling down) that I had to go without standing in line for gyoza.
It was a scary carnival funhouse. Is this how Tokyo views its recent past?
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EXCERPT:
Creepy amusement park
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.235.219
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2003 12:03:28 PM
It sounds great. But I still find it hard to imagine almost any situation not to eat gyoza!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On the road to beauty
BASENAME: on_the_road_to_beauty
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/11/2003 06:43:17 PM
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BODY:
The sewage department was working on my street today. As I went out this morning, they had their equipment splayed across the street and a sign up that said "Pedestrian passageway." The sign was embellished with a close-up photo of flowers; I think these were camillias.
Lots of construction signs in Tokyo are decorated this way and it's ironic, since there's not all that much foliage around and sometimes the flower photo is the only nature in evidence. But it's a cheerful (if futile) attempt to make a construction mess a little more tolerable.
I was on my way out this morning to get my hair cut. I hauled across town to the stylist I like (I'm not going to repeat my December mistake again) and spent three hours being cut, colored and coiffed.
Beauty under construction. They really should put a sign with flower photos in front of me while they do their thing. I can't watch Dan as he works; I stick my head in a fashion magazine the whole time because if I look up, I see this middle-aged woman with crow's feet, a sagging chin and circles under her eyes staring back at me.
I'm not sure what it is with Watanabe's mirrors but they reveal in too, too vivid detail the mortal, aging side of me that I try to deny. I noticed that this was the case with everyone there. We all looked...weary. Moth-eaten and friable. I think I'll blame it on the lights.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Me and the sewer getting pretty.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 63.214.198.211
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2003 09:28:09 PM
Next time you get coiffed, take some bastard amber and pink gels for those lights.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2003 09:41:37 PM
Good idea on the gels, Mom. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.219
URL:
DATE: 03/13/2003 11:04:43 PM
Yesterday while making a K-Mart run for swim goggles with Helen, we passed through the mirror aisle. I asked Helen, "Who is that OLD woman looking at me in the mirror?" She said "Huh?" then got it and laughed.
My theory: beauty parlors, stores with makeup and bikinis all have bad lighting to convince you that you need to buy their miracle products. Pfffbt on them.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.237.13
URL:
DATE: 03/14/2003 01:56:22 PM
If it's a new doo, then post a pic! Some of us will never think of you as even a middle aged woman. Take that as you may :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bike parking
BASENAME: bike_parking
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/12/2003 08:22:24 AM
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BODY:
Side street bike parking. Ikebukuro. March 9, 2003.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Put 'em here.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/12/2003 04:11:00 PM
I just released (bailed out) my poor old mama-chari from the impound lot from being parked in a place just like this..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Marilyn Books
EMAIL: mbooks@miyazaki-mu.ac.jp
IP: 202.25.99.87
URL:
DATE: 03/13/2003 10:08:16 PM
Hi, Kristen,
I'll be up in Tokyo and at the blog workshop. I hope to see you. Of course, yours was the first thing I looked at. Good on you.
What's in the box? I don't get it.
Marliyn
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 207.213.140.194
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2003 11:25:55 AM
Gwyneth Paltrow's head? No seriously- what is that thing?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/19/2003 09:45:01 PM
That black thing is parking marker make of a truck tire turned inside out and sat on two small car tires. Very weird.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Quick Japanese pickles
BASENAME: quick_japanese_pickles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/13/2003 05:23:33 PM
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Starting today and continuing until I get tired of it: Recipe Thursdays at Media Tinker. Food's another thing I tinker with. Maybe you'll enjoy trying some of the things I like to cook.
To start off this series, I'm going to give you one of my favorite foods: pickles! I've always been a sucker for pickles (ask my mother about my childhood naughtiness of sneaking things off the relish plate before our big family dinners) and Japanese pickles are the best. We're not talking garlic dills or sweet gherkins here; Japan's pickles come in a wide range of vegetables and pickling methods. Even fish is pickled.
I took a pickling class at a few years ago and it was one of the most enjoyable and useful classes I've attended. I can make all sorts of Japanese pickles now.
The easiest one is a "quick pickle" made of cabbage, cucumber and carrot. It's a great way to use up the odds and ends of your salad things and it's very flexible in terms of time and ingredients. Go ahead an experiment a bit!
Quick Japanese Pickles
1/4 Chinese cabbage, sliced thin (round head cabbage works, too)
1 Japanese cucumber (the narrow kind), sliced into thin rounds
1/2 carrot, sliced into thin rounds
Salt - about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon for every cup of sliced vegetables
2 inch slice of dried kombu (seaweed)
Optional seasoning herb: myoga, shiso, dried red pepper, basil, lemon peel, black pepper, basil
Mix the sliced vegetables together with the salt in a large bowl. Allow to sit for five minutes, then gently press the wilting vegetables to release the water and bitterness. The vegetables will feel wet and will reduce in volume. Drain the liquid (often slightly foamy and tan colored) from the bowl.
Now you need to put the kombu underneath and weigh down the vegetables for at least an hour. I have a nifty "pickle press" with a spring loaded lid and another with a screw-down plunger, but you can use a bowl with a plate on top and cans stacked on the plate. I've done it that way plenty of times and it works fine.
You can leave the pickles pressing for as long as a full day, so you can start your pickles in the morning before work, or even right after tonight's dinner. I ususally forget to do them until just before I want to eat them, so mine usually only get an hour of pressing. More pressing makes them more...limply crisp.
If you want to add a seasoning herb, do it about 15 minutes before you serve the pickles. Toss the sliced/chopped/cracked herb in with the pickels and put the weights back on. You're going for subtle here, a little goes a long way with these pickles, I've found.
To serve, rinse the pickles in cold water, squeezing tightly in your hands to drain and make a little mound of pickle on the plate. A drizzle of soy sauce is nice but not necessary.
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Introducing recipe Thursdays...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sandrine
EMAIL: mailings@sandrinec.com
IP: 67.154.231.204
URL:
DATE: 07/19/2004 11:21:32 PM
Hello,
I am trying to find a recipe for burdock pickles (gobo tsukemono) - can you please provide me with one or tell me where I could find one?
THanks.
Sandrine
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: White day
BASENAME: white_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/14/2003 09:38:40 AM
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BODY:
When you see signs in the US for "White Day" it usually means that sheets and towels are on sale.
In Japan, White Day is a different sort of marketing dementia. Today, men all over the country will be giving chocolates and cookies to their secretaries, female coworkers, girlfriends and maybe even their wives. It's payback for Valentine's Day when they received chocolates they didn't want from women who felt obliged to give them. Feel the love? I sure do.
For weeks--pretty much since February 15th--conbini, depato and other stores around town have displayed White Day presents: boxes of sweets and stuffed toys gift wrapped in every hue of paper except red or pink (After all, we must differentiate this holiday from Valentine's Day somehow). Dark green and navy blue seem to be popular this year and teddy bears bearing chocolate are a hot seller.
I'd rather have sheets.
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A sheet sale?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/14/2003 10:58:38 AM
Hee hee I got what I wanted...twice...
*winks*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Suzanne
EMAIL: SuzanneMcGeeNY@yahoo.com
IP: 141.155.163.89
URL:
DATE: 03/14/2003 12:48:42 PM
And the time the Japanese do give out things that look like sheets and towels is as condolence gifts when someone dies, if I recall correctly? Of course, they're too thick to use as sheets and not absorbent enough to use as towels.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/14/2003 10:50:11 PM
OK, new White Day tradition. Tod surprises me with a box of "nama choco" and I drop a melty one on the carpet. Hilarity ensues.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dog shop
BASENAME: dog_shop
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 1
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/15/2003 03:38:58 PM
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2nd floor puppy mill shop. Ikebukuro. ("Wan" is "woof" in Japanese)
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Happy da wan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.94.246
URL:
DATE: 03/15/2003 09:46:45 PM
I don't recall seeing many dogs in Japan. Do many people have them?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.114
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2003 05:34:32 AM
A puppy mill like in the U.S.? Is animal cruelty as bad in Japan as it is here?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2003 12:40:59 PM
Rich people own dogs because they are extremely expensive to purchase! At this place, there were pups for about $2,000 each.
I don't think owners are cruel, but I've little doubt that some breeders cut corners. The photos of the dogs on the sign outside this shop made me sad. None of the puppies looked healthy or old enough to be sold.
The dog shop closer to my house has healthy-looking puppies for about the same price. So I don't think that all dog shops are bringing in pups from mills.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2003 05:34:56 PM
A friend bought a puppy last year and for the first week she kept him in a special box purchased from the pet store. It had one small "bedroom" and another room for the wee-mat etc. The brand name on the box was "wan-LDK" (hint for people who don't live in Japan - a 1LDK is a one bedroom apartment with a lounge, dining and kitchen.) I thought it was such a cute idea for a new puppy.. but then I am easily amused..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Karen
EMAIL:
IP: 205.188.116.65
URL:
DATE: 10/18/2004 09:04:31 AM
When I was in Japan, I saw very few dogs , none running loose, and those who had owners were on leashes. I also saw small breed puppies for sale at Pet stores in Kobe, and the cubicles they were displayed in were small, and sparse. I felt badly for these little dogs, since many wlll never be normal emotionally after being kept in these conditions. They were also quite expensive as has already been mentioned, which is another detriment toward their being adopted.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Toilet paper inspirations
BASENAME: toilet_paper_inspirations
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 03/16/2003 12:23:32 PM
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After I posted my toilet paper song, I received three creative musical inspirations from friends and strangers.
DKM Redux (1 Mb MP3).
Mike is from Arsenic.net and an old friend from Pittsburgh.
Toilet Paper remix (1.5 Mb MP3).
Josh is from Quibx and reads my site from Boston.
Pumice Warning Song (3.8 Mb Wav).
Jennifer runs Wordpainting near Wilkes-Barre, PA and has been my sister for a number of years. Helen (yelping "ouch" at the end) is my very cool niece.
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3 more musical bits
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Visitor's guide
BASENAME: visitors_guide
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 03/17/2003 09:40:46 PM
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Four years ago, I wrote a single sheet of info for friends who where visiting from the States. That sheet expanded into a ten page booklet for our visitors and recently became the basic script for the video, with some further additions.
Well, finally, I've turned it into a web page. It's imperfect, wanting more pictures and additional details. The stylesheet is broken (bad MT!). But it's a start. What do you think of the Tokyo Visitor's Survival Guide?
I'll fix the problems and address your comments and suggestions tomorrow; I'm off to bed with a pot of tea and a box of tissues to ease my stuffy head.
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One sheet into ten pages into a video into a webpage.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 207.8.92.2
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 03/18/2003 12:23:10 PM
Nicely done! Clear, concise, and informative.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kaj
EMAIL: kahjin@msn.com
IP: 219.93.214.27
URL:
DATE: 03/18/2003 01:31:06 PM
Brilliant stuff. How I wished you had made this a year earlier; would have saved loads by avoiding cabs back then :D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/18/2003 05:01:43 PM
Sensational..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Josh
EMAIL: quibx@yahoo.com
IP: 129.55.200.20
URL: http://www.quibx.com
DATE: 03/20/2003 11:25:20 PM
Thats awesome. What I really need is an english-language train station map for the subway!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://dd.t4ac.com
DATE: 04/17/2003 11:48:43 AM
Great job! This is fantastic.
Josh, if you haven't found and English language train map, my company printed a bunch as part of a flyer a while back, and I have a whole lot of copies. I could get you one. It is also of a different style than most maps, intended to make it easy for you to find your way from one place to another, rather than having to search the whole map.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ultimatum on the table
BASENAME: ultimatum_on_the_table
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 03/18/2003 04:15:54 PM
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BODY:
I don't often write about politics because mine are wooly at best and extending to wacky. But I have a question that maybe you can help me think through.
Bush issued a 48 hour "get out of Iraq or else" ultimatum to Saddam Hussein today. Bush must think that Hussein's not going to leave because Hussein's repeatedly said he's not going to be exiled. So it's a pretty sure thing that this ulimatum will be ignored.
But what if Hussein, his family and his ministers and generals did go? Then what?
Where would they go? Set up a government in exile in the mountains of Afganistan, maybe? Team up with the other members of the "Axis of Evil" in a remote, hidden headquarters?
What would they do? Gather followers? Build some weapons?Wage a guerrilla war? Form a terrorist cell? (guerrilla vs. terrorst vs. freedom fighter is a blurry line)
Does anyone think that by accepting exile, Hussein's core philosophies and tactics are going to change? It's not like he's going go to Elba and wither away or find a happy like on Niijima, the exiles' island south of Tokyo.
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What if it were accepted?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/18/2003 05:50:00 PM
Niijima is a fab place! I'd exile there any day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.174.62
URL:
DATE: 03/18/2003 05:54:43 PM
Think "peaceful regime change" -- he surrenders power and leaves with his sons, the US moves in and does what it would have done after winning the war, just without all that messy bombing and shooting.
Saddam would still be Saddam, but without all the resources that enable him to do what he does: territory, the aparatus of a state, the military, vast oil wealth, etc. Those would exceed his baggage limit of two checked suitcases and a carry-on, duly screened, etc.
He might attempt to make life difficult for the occupiers, do what he can to sic terrorists on various targets, or attempt to reclaim power later after regrouping. Those threats would be considerably reduced after he has fled with a few necessities.
Don't spend too much energy trying to work this out, because it isn't going to happen. I think Saddam has already said as much.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel maser
EMAIL: axelmaser@gmx.de
IP: 217.187.69.109
URL:
DATE: 03/19/2003 01:58:08 AM
hi kristen ,
you might find these links interesting :
http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml
http://www.geocities.com/alanjpakula/triplecrown.html
http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/english/
if what goes around comes around or nemesis prevails like we old europeans like to say there are some rough times ahead for the mall upon the hill . i hope you and tod will be spared . bfn axel
ps: i trust you know salon.com .
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.69.162
URL:
DATE: 03/19/2003 07:41:22 AM
in case anyone thinks i watched one x-file to many after visiting ab0ve links : http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/nightline/DailyNews/pnac_030310.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Okinawa travel planning
BASENAME: okinawa_travel_planning
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/19/2003 08:36:07 PM
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BODY:
I got it into my head that I'd like to go to Okinawa for my birthday as a nice tropical treat. I know domestic travel is usually cheapest if done on a package tour or plan that includes hotel and flight, so I went to the local JTB office and grapped some pamphlets.
Well, they aren't pamphlets as much as 40-60 pages of messed-up layout and advertising.
From these slick brochures, I cannot tell which island and hotel combo has the right atmosphere. I just want a quiet place with great food and some beach activities. Maybe snorkelling or sea kayaking--something a little physical to burn off the fruity drinks, awamori and tasty dinners.
Wanna leaf through the ANA's Okinawa Sky Holiday brochure with me?
Let's start with the basics. Here on page 2 we're already discovering that you can get better flight times by paying extra money. Leave Tokyo earlier on the first day and return home later on your last day. Only 1,500 - 3,000 yen/person. Is that per flight or does it cover round trip? I'll bet it's per flight but I can't tell without looking up some kanji.
Flipping forward past the bus time tables and rental car details, we find this ad on page 22. At the Renaissance Resort, you can get the resort's most popular attraction, a Dolphin Encounter, for 7,800 yen for 40-60 minutes. I'm not exactly sure what this includes, but the fine print has an awful lot of dekimasen in it. Never a good sign.
Hotels in Japan all seem to have twin beds. Even if you pay an extra 15,000 yen/night at the Busena Terrace, you don't get a big bed, just a large 43 square meter room with bath, toilet, big balcony, welcome fruits and the Stepford wives in the lounge. Let's move on to another page, shall we?
Page 25 of 58. What fun! Free dress up in Okinawan-style traditional costumes. Good for women, men and children's use. Please bring your own camera. This is point 6 at the Laguna Garden Hotel. Some of the other points include 50% off rental cycles; 10 game corner tokens, and discount coupons at the American Village amusement area. This is obviously a family resort. Run away!
None of the places feature their food, though they all offer optional dinner plans through the ANA Sky Holiday service. 2,500 yen/person gets you a choice of Chinese, a Japanese buffet, or an Okinawan buffet at the Rizzan Sea Park Hotel. This is a bit pricey and limited in scope as other hotels offer 5 choices for 1,500 yen. So maybe the food is better here.
All of the previous resorts were on the main island, about 80 minutes' bus ride north of the airport at Naha. If you go out to some of the other islands, you get to do more sedate activities. This ox cart photo is featured in every brochure page listing Yufujima, a speck that doesn't even seem to have a hotel. You have to go there special to ride the ox cart. Hmmmm. Pass me another Tanqueray and tonic, please.
To go on the Free Plan ("free" meaning you don't have to go on all the pineapple plantation tours and have set menu dinners during your holiday), not including optional dinners, upgrades or any activities, I will have to shell out between 53,000 and 67,000 per person. Am I willing to spend that much to discover that I've guessed wrong about the resort's ambiance?
I think I'll plan to stay home for my birthday this year.
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Which place? What price?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dan
EMAIL: d_hartley6@hotmail.com
IP: 61.120.161.203
URL:
DATE: 03/19/2003 11:31:25 PM
The JAL Private Resort at Okuma (www.jalokuma.co.jp) is worth considering. It has guest cottages in a big garden (infinitely more relaxing than rooms in a big block), a private beach, and decent restaurants. The only drawback is a long drive (about three hours if I remember correctly) up the island from Naha Airport.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: yuki
EMAIL:
IP: 202.226.160.21
URL: http://www.livejournal.com/users/pineapplemonade/
DATE: 03/21/2003 11:05:48 PM
My field trip to Okinawa is probably going to be cancelled, because there are American base there. =/ Sucks. Be careful!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayaka.nakai@nifty.ne.jp
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2003 06:53:24 PM
I and my younger one were planing same trip this March, and we were exactry in same situation as you are.
Hey, instead, why don't you visit us in Oita.
We have good sea food, nice seasides, and plenty of Onsen! It's quite cheep if you pick up the flight&Hotel plan. I can pick a good one, and guide you real local points.
Really think about it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Equinox grilling
BASENAME: equinox_grilling
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/20/2003 07:28:31 AM
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BODY:
Since tomorrow is the spring equinox, Recipe Thursday focuses on food to celebrate the equal length of night and day. In our house, that means the official start of grilling season--even when it's really too cold outside to do it.
Grilled Mushroom and Pepper Sandwiches with Herbed Mayonnaise
for grilling
mushrooms, portabello or shiitake
red bell peppers, sliced into wedges
olive oil
basalmic vinegar
salt and pepper
crusty rolls, or lengths of French bread
Destem the mushrooms and brush any dirt off. Do not wash mushrooms in water. If you're using large portabellos, cut them into quarters so they fit on your bread. Brush the mushrooms and peppers with oil, vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to sit at least 15 minutes and up to 8 hours, covered in the fridge.
Before grilling, dampen the mushrooms with oil again, if necessary. You may want to arrange the vegetables on a mesh rack to keep them from falling through the grill.
Split the rolls and toast them on the grill just before serving. Slather with herbed mayonnaise (below) and tuck in the grilled vegetables.
for mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 - 2 cups salad oil
scant 1/4 c vinegar or lemon juice, chillled
1/4 c fresh taragon, chopped
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
crushed black pepper, to taste
Whisk (or use an electric mixer on low speed) the egg yolks and salt until pale yellow and a little frothy. While still whisking, slowly pour a thin stream of oil into the eggs. Beat faster as the mixture emulsifies (turns creamy). It should be starting to look like mayonnaise now, but don't stop beating yet. Add the vinegar or lemon juice slowly while beating--taste to get the right level of tang. Finally add in the chopped herbs and black pepper. Refrigerate and use within a week.
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Mushroom and red pepper sandwiches with herbed mayonnaise.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/20/2003 11:07:54 AM
Sounds yum - is this on the menu for tomorrow?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.96.52
URL:
DATE: 03/21/2003 03:36:24 AM
I love Recipe Thursday, as the family chef I am always looking for somthing new and exciting to try!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/21/2003 07:09:24 AM
P.S. If the mayonnaise fails to emulsify (like mine did last night) you can use commercial mayo and doctor it with herbs.Sort of cheating, but just as tasty.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Happy spring!
BASENAME: happy_spring_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/21/2003 12:50:01 PM
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BODY:
Today's the spring equinox, a national holiday in Japan and my favorite holiday of the year. It's the only one I've managed to celebrate consistently for the last seven years. Every year--grilled mushroom and pepper sandwiches.
You might not think that's such a big deal, but I've lived in three different countries in the course of the last seven springs. Few other holidays are consistent from nation to nation but the Sun is faithful. Every year we have a Spring Equinox and the other three solar holidays, too, and I never forget them.
To celebrate, I wanted some flowers for our table so Tod & I walked to the flower shop that's recently opened up the street. They don't seem to have a name, but they do have a great selection and the lady who runs it is really nice to me, unlike Hana Ban on the corner where they never make suggestions, offer the same three flowers (roses, orchids and mums) every week, and always seem like they'd rather not wait on me.
Tulips were what I craved and I found seven different kinds at the nameless flower shop. After a 30 second inner debate on the luxury of buying a lot of tulips, I picked up the entire display jug, sat it on the counter and said "Zembu de."
"All of these pink ones?" she said, pointing at the four pure pink ones that were bundled together.
"Well, all of them!" I gestured a bit more broadly at the whole jug full.
"Arigatou gozaimasu!!" she beamed. She got a big sale and I got a discount. 17 tulips for the price of 15. I love that flower shop and the living room looks a lot more festive now.
Happy spring!
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17 tulips in a vase
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.200
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2003 04:33:46 AM
So ah *ahem* is that an organ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2003 10:01:50 AM
It's Tod piano. But if you turn the dial on the SC-88, it can sound like an organ. Or a viola, or a tympani or about 200 other instruments.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2003 10:02:52 AM
But the joke only works if it's turned to organ...I'll have to go twiddle the knobs a bit now. ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: We hate liver
BASENAME: we_hate_liver
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 03/22/2003 09:57:08 AM
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BODY:
Through an unscientific survey of friends, I have concluded that my entire generation uniformly hates liver. Yet our parents like it, and so did their parents.
Isn't that strange?
"Maybe not so strange," Tod posited. Liver's full of iron, vitamins A & D, the entire panthoen of B, plus bits of elegantly named components that give us bright eyes and glossy coats.
Our parents and grandparents liked liver because their bodies craved that nutrition. That's the same reason some people eat clay and dirt.
But my body doesn't crave liver or dirt because my vitamins and minerals come via supplements. And not just vitamin pills. I get my vitamins thanks to food manufacturers (and they do it becasue of the military, according to this January 2003 John Hopkins University report.)
Maybe liver's looking better than it used to.
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But we love fortified foods
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: K
EMAIL: kinga74@poczta.onet.pl
IP: 81.77.65.165
URL: http://www.kinuk.blogspot.com
DATE: 03/22/2003 08:04:17 PM
Not sure if I fit into your generation, but I probably do (I'm 29) but I do like liver. Don't want to spoil it for you or anything. But I do like liver...nicely fried with sauteed onions...yum. :o)
K
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 207.8.92.2
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 03/22/2003 11:13:45 PM
I never liked liver, not even the smell of it, until I had some at a posh restaurant in London a couple of years ago. Then I began to crave it. Fortunately, we can get good liver here (from cattle raised without steroids).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 63.214.218.139
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2003 11:44:03 PM
certain of your generation, as I recall, cried, gagged and caused minor family crises when forced to eat liver.
In the name of drama, long live liver!
M
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.200
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2003 03:38:58 AM
Mmm yes. At Meson Sabika in Naperville Illinois they sometimes serve up calves liver with carmelized red onions and raspberry vinaigrette. It's wonderful!
Once my mother and a friend passed a homeless man on their way out of a downtown restaurant. He said he was hungry and my mom gave up her leftovers.
"How could you do that?" Asked the friend.
"He was hungry." My mother replied.
"Yes," Said the friend, "But you had liver!"
As much as I enjoy a well-prepared liver dish, the one thing I can't get over is that I'm eating a waste filter.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/24/2003 02:54:50 AM
Liver is yucky :p
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Right brain weave
BASENAME: right_brain_weave
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/23/2003 09:00:54 PM
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BODY:
Shinjuku station is a huge, crazy maze. There are three subways, dozens of buses and five or more train lines all converging. It is always full of people. This is not a place for the faint of heart.
The best way to navigate through the station is to turn off the logical left brain and let the right one squeeze through the crowds. With the spatial right brain in control, you won't run into anyone, you'll find the place you need to be without stressing and, maybe best of all, you'll notice all sorts of things you don't expect.
Memories of my walk through the station are a collage of magazine pictures and video clips: the laminated cardboard Dumbo on a young girl's keitai; the shadow of a three day beard on a black man; the tilted head of a rushing traveller; the reflection of the overhead lights in someone's sunglasses; the sound of the TVs flickering in a display; the herky-jerky movement of a suitcase with a bad wheel; the whir of the blenders at the Snap'py juice stand; the scent of hot dogs in the Food Pocket; the subtle texture of the plastic wickets at the Oedo line; the warmth of Tod's hand in mine (he hates getting lost in the station).
I have no idea how I got from point A to point B, but I did. Just like I always do. Follow me.
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EXCERPT:
Details and your destination, too
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Josh
EMAIL: quibx@yahoo.com
IP: 24.128.158.82
URL: http://www.quibx.com
DATE: 03/24/2003 11:22:21 AM
That is my greatest fear in Japan - the train stations. Most of my trip will be self-guided, so I better learn them quick!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Happy birthday, Tokyo
BASENAME: happy_birthday_tokyo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/24/2003 06:27:44 PM
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BODY:
400 years ago today, Edo (now known as Tokyo) was founded by the wily shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tokugawa was planning to build his own seat of power away from Kyoto. He succeeded beyond his wildest expectations. The balance of power shifted to this new "eastern capital" and it grew (and burned down) faster than expected.
There's a good overview of the city's ancient history at Metropolis this week.
Happy birthday, Tokyo!
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EXCERPT:
400 years young.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sausages masquerade
BASENAME: sausages_masquerade
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 03/25/2003 09:42:26 PM
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BODY:
Meet the winners in the 2003 Sausage Masquerade! These lovelies beat out their competition, earning a place in tonight's frying pan.
Winner, most elegant costume: All-around-meat. Bacon wrapped, black pepper sausages. You could pretend it's a filet mignon, or just add pancakes, toast, juice and a big bowl of cereal for a complete, balanced breakfast.
Winner, best disguise: Sausage legs. Finely ground meat paste, spiked with cheese and pierced with a chicken bone. The new other white meat?? Or, perhaps, Fred and Barney's Corndog-on-a-Stick.
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EXCERPT:
Cheese-in sausage on a bone
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/25/2003 11:00:50 PM
Hungry now.... thanks for reminding me it is time to stop work and feed myself.. T
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/25/2003 11:03:41 PM
Hungry now.... thanks for reminding me it is time to stop work and feed myself.. T
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 03/26/2003 02:57:37 AM
Anything wrapped in bacon is good in my book :)
Speaking of which, I can't remember what we had that was wrapped in bacon at the yakitori restaurant in Ginza...it was some vegetable, I think. Do you remember?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Distal Zou
EMAIL: devin@spamcop.net
IP: 202.1.65.194
URL:
DATE: 03/26/2003 04:57:47 PM
Mike --
That would be asparamaki! Bacon wrapped asparagus.
They also do bacon wrapped mushrooms, tomatoes, even cheese (the elvis-maki).
It's awesome.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Countdown to houseguests
BASENAME: countdown_to_houseguests
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 03/26/2003 10:31:11 PM
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BODY:
In four days, friends from US will arrive to stay with us for a two week holiday. I'm really looking forward to their visit.
But even though my house is pretty much neat, clean and well organised for daily life, it's a different story when company's coming. Today I made a list of what I need to do before Sunday afternoon, when we haul out to Narita to pick them up:
Tod will tell me I'm being silly, but who wants to sleep on musty linens, trip over baggage in the halls or have to run errands for spare toilet paper in the middle of a vacation?
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EXCERPT:
Next 88 hours: big errand days!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 216.37.167.202
URL:
DATE: 03/27/2003 05:13:19 AM
Alright, how did Tod get a coffee stain on the bathroom wall?? Heehee!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/27/2003 09:08:30 AM
Well, it wasn't an earthquake.
I'm not entirely sure but judging from the forensic evidence on the wall, he'd balanced his coffee cup on the toilet roll holder, then bumped it with his elbow when he stood up. Or something like that....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/27/2003 03:52:50 PM
All chores sound perfectly sensible to me.. but perhaps you need to add a coffee cup holder to the back of the loo door?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/28/2003 11:53:29 AM
Tod thinks that is a brilliant idea, Tracey. I'm a littel dubious, but I suppose the door will be easier to clean than the walls!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/28/2003 01:09:14 PM
You should be able to pick up one the 1-yen shop or an auto shop.. or you could put up a little shelf - Tokyo hands have a nice selection.. I do know how boys like their toilet comforts.. (*_*)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Birthday cake
BASENAME: birthday_cake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/27/2003 09:05:52 AM
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BODY:
There are three birthdays within a week in my family. In honor of this festive occasion, Recipe Thursday features cake. I love dense cakes with fruit in between the layers, so that's what we're serving up today. Don't forget the candles!
3-Layer Birthday Cake
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
4 egg yolks, beaten
4 egg whites
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350F/175c. Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans. Cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar in a large bowl, then add beaten egg yolks. Sift dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternating with milk. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then add 1 cup sugar. Fold into cake batter. Pour into pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Decorating options
Kristen's favorite: Between the layers, spread your favorite "all fruit" jam. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar.
Elegant: Roll out marzipan or almond paste for between the layers. Coat with chocolate glaze and top with whole almonds.
Fresh: Arrange sliced strawberries and whipped cream between the layers; top with piped whipped cream and whole strawberries--eat immediately.
Dainty: Spread lemon-flavored buttercream between the layers. Ice with rose-flavored buttercream and top with fresh or candied flowers.
Zou's choice: Spread the layers with buttercream icing and peanut butter. Ice the top and sides with chocolate buttercream and decorate with peanut brittle.
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EXCERPT:
A versatile cake to dress as you like.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.102.103
URL:
DATE: 03/27/2003 11:18:14 AM
I will be baking a cake for my Grandparents 60th Anniv. on Sat. I think I will try this recipe, it sounds wonderful!! Thanks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 133.9.4.13
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 03/27/2003 01:43:49 PM
What the heck, it's everybodies birthday lately...I had three friends with birthdays yesterday, and it was my moms birthday three days before....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/27/2003 01:50:55 PM
Heidi - 60 years! That's fantastic. Wish them a very happy anniversary for me. :-)
Ian - Maybe it's to do with so many June weddings?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/27/2003 03:47:10 PM
What does one do if one is sans-oven? *sigh* the joys of Japanese apartment life!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.94.69
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 03/28/2003 03:44:49 AM
Alright, I did the jam layer for H's bd cake last night. It was enjoyed by all. My cake? Duncan Hines Moist. The recipe goes like this: Tear top off box. Rip open bag. Empty bag contents into mixing bowl. Add 2 eggs, 1 1/3 c. of water. Mix. Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake. Keep away from cats while cooling.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: TSK tsk tsk
BASENAME: tsk_tsk_tsk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/28/2003 11:28:54 AM
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BODY:
Our health insurance is through a company called TSK that specialises in insurance for employees of computer-related companies. It works in conjunction with National Health, but I'm not exactly sure how, though I know that every hospital that accepts National Health takes this insurance, too.
But it's more than just covering doctor's bills. TSK sends out a magazine every now and again that lists all of their services. Healthy, Sports & Resort Life Magazine Toco Toco came this week and it's full of curious things.
The first section of the magazine is devoted to statistics, policies and health checks. TSK has 4,065 companies registered and insures 156,876 people.
Insurance companies run their own clinics. TSK has 3 in Tokyo, where the insured can go for an annual physical. This includes a chest x-ray, ultrasound and bloodwork. Men over 35 get a bonus-- a prostate check. I know how much all the Perot guys look forward to turning 35. If you're over 50, you can have an elective MRI every three years.
When you're finished with your check-up, perhaps you'll be feeling a little peckish. In the same buildings as the clinics, the insurance company has restaurants.
Prices for meals are discounted for TSK members--the dinner course shown here is 3,000 yen for members, 5,000 yen for others. Weddings and party banquets also catered and conference rooms are available for half-day or full-day functions.
If you're hoping for some relaxation, why not spend a few days at a TSK "TosLove" resort? There are four of them, all offering bathing and pools, meals, and relaxing environments outside Tokyo for only 5,000 per night (including breakfast and dinner). I think the one at Tateyama sounds best because there's a horse riding club nearby for only 900 yen, and a place to try making your own pottery. The other resorts also have attractions, like a ropeway, a water park and all of Hakone's sights.
But if TosLove's resorts aren't your style, TSK offers discounts at hotels and resorts all around the country as well as package tours to Guam, Hawaii and domestic locations. There's a place in Sapporo where you can spend the night for 1,000 yen. Fancy a night at the swanky Hotel Okura--only 5,000 yen including breakfast. Usually rooms at the Okura are 30,000 and up per night. Of course, there's a small catch. You have to apply through TSK at least two months in advance for all these places. But if you're planning a holiday, instead of just winging it like I ususally end up doing, this is a great bargain.
TSK's benefits don't end there, though. If you want day tickets to the gym or golf courses, those are available, too. As are tour events, like a "bus hike" to go fishing in the countryside, or a trip to Universal Studios Japan. Just plan ahead and get in line...
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EXCERPT:
Insurance benefits go all the way.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@REMOVEME.t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://dd.t4ac.com
DATE: 03/28/2003 06:26:39 PM
I used to get that magazine when I was working for an Internet company here, and I never knew what it was and where it was coming from. I never really bothered to look at it. Thank you for shedding some light on that!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Boycott coalition products
BASENAME: boycott_coalition_products
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 03/29/2003 08:14:13 AM
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BODY:
I've been feeling pretty helpless lately. The war is hard to swallow. What can I do?
Protests do nothing to sway the madmen who are running the show. They couldn't care less if a 100,000 people wave banners peacefully or play dead in the streets.
I have no Congressmen to appeal to, and even if I did, Congress gave up its power regarding wars to the president after 9/11, if not before, but that's another blog.
I could write articles (well-reaasoned or ranting) about how wrong the war is, how it hurts the stability or the entire world, how foolish I think Bush is. How America is going down the tubes. But there are scads of them out there all being read by people who agree. It's like preaching to the choir.
But I can do something.
I will boycott American and coalition products.
Maybe a boycott will gain the attention of the corporations that usually wield so much power. Perhaps they can pressure the coalition into stopping the war.
At first, I thought this might be a no-pain gesture for me, since I live in another country anyway. Then I started to think about it, and there's more American, Britsh and Australian stuff in my life than I expected. So no more American junk food, no British tea or Australian cookies. No Autralian wines. No properly-sized American clothes. No new computer hardware or software. No English-language books or movies.
We could sell off our American-based investments. Not that it would make much of a difference to the market, but it might feel good. There are other places to put our money.
I could take it a step farther and stop using what American things I already own--but that would mean no computers. And I'd be going around more or less naked. Since I like being dressed in public and I like working, I have to think more about that before acting.
But it's an empty gesture if I'm the only one doing it.
If lots of people take a small stand against American and coalition economics, then there's some power there. On the other hand, it's probably futile. But it makes me feel a little better and a touch more powerful, so I'm going to do it anyway.
And I'm not the only one. There are quite a few similar boycotts going on around the world. They take a lot of different forms--boycotts of big brands only, not watching TV, boycotting oil companies and defense contractors, avoiding American entertainment and fast food.
Boycott Brand America 33,000 people
Boycott lists from an Aussie peace group
Consumers Against War in Germany
Boycott Bush
I think this is a gesture that you can make at a level of self-sacrifice that feels right to you. Care to join me?
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EXCERPT:
It's very nearly the least I can do...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.150.53
URL:
DATE: 03/29/2003 09:11:21 AM
Writing to your congressman and senator, who have the power to cut off funding for the war, is futile, but boycotting Apple and selling your UK shares is not? Why?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 03/29/2003 09:56:27 AM
Considering the huge numbers of people, including many farmers, and the fact that most workers unions in Australia have spoken out against the war I will continue to support them by buying Australian products. They already have to foot the bill for this war - why penalize them twice?
Besides give up Australian wine?
*shudders*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/29/2003 10:00:12 AM
I don't have a congressman or a senator to write to. I don't live in a state or maintain an abode anywhere in the US. As an expatriate, I don't have Congressional representation.
Personally, I think Congress is a bunch of knee-jerk fools. So maybe a massive letter-writing campaign from the citizens would prompt some response. After all, they passed the US PATRIOT act in October 2002 to give their power to the President when he was screaming "war on terror." Maybe they'll take away his funding if the citizens scream "no war."
Go on and try it. It can't hurt.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Cha
EMAIL: jjcha@hotmail.com
IP: 199.108.76.18
URL: http://www.jjcha.net
DATE: 03/29/2003 01:47:49 PM
Kuri-san,
Can't say I'm optimistic about it having much of an effect, but at least for tomorrow (already hit Starbucks today) I'm with you.
-Jason
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 218.176.164.7
URL: http://www.fvap.gov/legal.html
DATE: 03/30/2003 12:47:21 AM
Hi Kristen:
It's a horrible feeling to believe that this insanity can't be stopped: the war is the latest in a long list of bush blunders. I just joined Democrats Abroad Japan feeling the same way. When I asked John McCreery about activism and voting (he heads DAJ and is vice-chair of Democrats Abroad), here, paraphrased, is his response to my question (about all 3million(!) of us US expats using our power via voting):
"First, the Democratic Party treats Democrats Abroad as if we are a state. That's why we get to elect delegates to the National Convention and DNC. We don't have Congressional representation as Democrats Abroad.
What each of us does have, however, is a Representative and two Senators in the state in which we register to vote. So the quick answer is, "If you register to vote, you do have people in Congress to whom you can address your concerns." And, although it may seem so, Congress is not a single big blob. There are 537 individual Representatives and Senators. After the 2002 elections, Republicans hold the majority in both houses, so they are the ones making most of the news. On almost every issue, however, there are individuals who cross over and vote with the other side of the aisle. It was, for example, three Republicans crossing over in the Senate that cut Bush's tax cut in half in the Senate version of the bill."
I'm still learning what's possible with a political process I had just about given up on. Going to demos, writing in and signing petitions are all things I've been doing, and boycotting can join that list, but I want to see real, lasting, truly positive change for the future, so it seems voting is the way to go. The repugs have been able to do what they do 'cause so many people haven't turned up to vote them out of office (of course, part of their wins are due to machinations with the voting process itself, as we saw in 2000, so that's another issue), and so many conservative fundaments make sure their moral outrage is heard via voting. It's way past time for wiser heads to prevail, in my opinion!
I had some trouble linking, so I attached the expat voter assistance guide as my URL.
Not sure whether or not I'm voting for Dean, because it's too early to tell. But I had to agree when I saw his speech at the California convention: "I want my America back!"
Best,
Terri
PS: really enjoy your blog, btw.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 152.163.189.201
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2003 06:02:39 AM
There are more than three countries doing this... and perphaps you should boycott all things japanese as they have expressed their support to the USA.
I think that its blogs like Cerebral Soup with a brother on the line that remind me that these aren't metal soldiers on a map.
But stability isn't menaced. Its never existed. We are constantly on the brink of the unknown even more so now that we are in the age of nuclear warfare. There are very few places on this earth that have a stability they can worry about losing. Maybe what we're really saying is "don't menace MY daily, comfortable stability".
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.200
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2003 11:57:58 AM
Regardless of whether or not a boycott would work, what I'm wondering is: If the coalition forces pull out of Iraq without removing Saddam Hussein from power what will happen? I agree no country has the right to decide whether the government of another country is good or bad, let alone go in and remove them from power, but I think most people agree Hussein's government is guilty of terrible atrocities against it's own people. Now that we've stepped in it shouldn't we clean it up?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2003 12:06:07 PM
MIchael, I didn't really lay out the details of how and what I'm boycotting, mainly because I haven't decided entirely yet. The obvious culprits are, of course, businesses that support the war and businesses that have the ear of the government (through lobbies, donations, and campaign contributions). Those are fairly well documented. Beyond that, I haven't decided quite how to proceed. One thing I will do is make consious choices and communicate them to the businesses whose products I've avoided. Becasue there's no point in making a stand in this way if you don't let people know about it.
I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.150.53
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2003 01:13:18 PM
Boycott Haliburton! Demand that captains of industry lobby congress and the president to change the policy! No soft money for warmongers!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.150.53
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2003 08:06:20 PM
Tracey, I understand your point about frustration very well. I have been protesting wars since Vietnam (as a child marching with my parents), and I've signed moveon.org petitions, attended rallies and stood in a candelight vigil in the rain to try to stop this one. It is a difficult thing to do, partly because our leaders are determined to proceed, but also because public opinion is divided, and we don't (yet) have a clear majority opposed to the war, at least in the US. So I completely understand the desire to find more effective means of protest.
I'm just not sure a broadly focused boycott is at all effective. By not buying a new computer, you undermine the profitability of Apple (say), but then what? Is it realistic to expect Apple to become an active opponent of the war? It seems to me that most US companies are not involved in the war in any real sense, incuding the ones who supported Republican candidates (they did so not to hasten an attack on Iraq, but for other reasons that were in theit corporate interest). I suspect very few companies are lobbying for this war, and most of them are out of reach of a consumer boycott.
A boycott is not free-of-charge to the boycotters. To avoid proscribed products, you need to pay more for something that is not exactly what you need. One must also consider the "collateral damage" of boycotts -- reduced revenues and profits lead to layoffs and a stagnant economy, which affects innocent civilians, and hits poor people harder than those with money in the bank.
Everyone is free to do what they want, of course. My only point is that it is wise to develop a view of how a set of actions will be effective before choosing them over other things you might do with your time and money.
Finally, saying "marching, signing petitions, writing letters and voting are all futile" is a particularly self-fulling form of cynicism. If everyone took that view, we would have no peace movement at all, and the warmongers would win in a cakewalk.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 04/01/2003 01:50:23 AM
Here is helpful list of countries in the coalition. Boycott away!
Afghanistan Angola Albania Australia Azerbaijan Bulgaria Colombia Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Georgia Honduras Hungary Iceland Italy Japan Kuwait Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Marshall Islands Micronesia Mongolia Netherlands Nicaragua Philippines Poland Portugal Romania Rwanda Singapore Slovakia Solomon Islands South Korea Spain Turkey Uganda United Kingdom United States Uzbekistan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.182
URL:
DATE: 06/12/2003 03:12:10 PM
Speaking of people posting very late in regards to old blog entries... I thought this page from the Guardian's Notes and Queries might interest you: http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-24585,00.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: If it's not one gift, it's another
BASENAME: if_its_not_one_gift_its_another
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 03/30/2003 11:58:39 AM
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BODY:
Last night at dinner, Tod told me that we was going to surprise me with a new computer for my birthday--the dual 1.4MHz G4 I had been eyeing. "But if you're boycotting, I guess that's not really..." he trailed off, disappointed.
But I was ready with an alternate gift. A sewing machine. Not only can I easily buy a really good European or Japanese brand (Bernina, Elna, Husquavarna Viking, Pfaff, Toyota, Juki) but a sewing machine means I can avoid shopping for clothes. I will make trousers that are the right length in colors and styles I like. Sleeves that actually hit at my wrist. Joy!
Now the big decision is whether to get a regular sewing machine or to buy a serger. A serger means I can easily work with knits and knits make me happy because they don't need to be ironed. But a regular sewing machine is a better all-around choice and I can still use it on knits, just not as cleanly.
I am so looking forward to drafting patterns again. It's been a while. I'd better pick up a french curve while I'm getting the sewing machine.
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EXCERPT:
Boycotted birthday present
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.150.53
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2003 07:28:42 PM
Forgoing a cool new computer is an impressive sacrifice and (combined with your weblog) makes a strong statement about your feelings on the war.
Another way you can make a statement is by Adding your name to the half-million who have signed the global citizens' declaration at http://www.moveon.org/declaration/.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rusty Duncan
EMAIL: rd@xxlerate.com
IP: 66.133.176.78
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2003 12:47:39 AM
If the sewing machine you are looking is Japanesse made you will have to pass on it. Japan is a part of the colition of the willing also. While they are not providing troops at this time (due to their constitution) they will be providing troops after the war is over. Remember the colition of the willing is 49 countries so far. Must boycott all the members of the colition not just the belligerents.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.150.53
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2003 01:27:23 AM
Rusty,
Are you boycotting all Japanese products in addition to all those from the actual belligerents?
One can boycott or not boycott anyone she wants. She could participate in a boycott of all US/UK/Aus products, or some, or just US products. Right?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 216.107.58.44
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2003 01:50:48 AM
All this talk about sewing and making clothes brought back a childhood memory, I remember going into your Mom's sewing room and making little dolls from yarn and clothes out of scraps. They were so cool. I think Shyanne and I will try making some this week. I wonder if she will think they are as fun as we did? Happy sewing, send pictures!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2003 04:38:35 PM
Have seen a great fabric shop in Shibuya!! I used to make all of my clothes in my poor student days.. given how hard it is to get clothes to fit here, I may ask to borrow it one day.. have never learn how to draft patterns.. am very impressed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2003 04:44:02 PM
Have individual companies (such as Apple) publicised their position on the war in the face of possible boycotts? If government cafeterias can change the menus...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Milton Trajano / Brazil
EMAIL:
IP: 200.158.24.199
URL: http://www.miltontrajano.com
DATE: 03/31/2003 09:17:50 PM
As a Mac lover, I'd like to send you compliments for your coherence, Kristen. Fortunately, I got my 1GHZ PowerBook before the war began.
;)
But seriously, we all hope this war ends rapidly. It's unconceivable that one man can decide about the lives of so many.
PS-Is your toilet paper made in USA ?
:)
PPS-Love your website !
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 68.162.136.181
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2003 09:29:42 PM
You can boycott anyone you want, after all its your protest! I admire your resolve to stand up for what you believe. And maybe its time to rekindle some old talents. Who knows, maybe there are enough Americans there who feel the same way you do--why not found Stitchery Eve? You go girl!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hanami reservations
BASENAME: hanami_reservations
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/31/2003 10:57:13 PM
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BODY:
The cherry trees exploded into full bloom over the weekend. The city is absolutely gorgeous with pale pink flowers overhead. We went for a walk this evening under the trees near Myogadani. There were revelers picnicking with various levels of preparations. One family had obviously just been to the convenience store--their tarp was chock full of Pocky and potato chips. Another party of business suited salarymen had brought along folding tables and a barbecue grill. One of them was sauteeing onions in a pan.
Tomorrow. we're going out to party under the trees in Inokashira Park. We'll be taking along our "konro" gas burner and cooking up a stew, or maybe we'll take yakitori. I guess it will depend on what looks good at the grocery store tomorrow morning. The menu's not set yet, but I'm sure it will include plenty of beer and sake.
Right now, Kris is baking me a birthday cake for the party. John and Tod said they'd do it, but they are outside playing with the laser pointer instead. They got frustrated over measuring butter. Tod whipped out a calculator...a bigger production than necessary, I think.
Anyway, back to the hanamiPeople pack in for their hanami parties, and it's a tradition for the junior members of a company to stake out a good spot and sit all day, wiating for their colleagues to show up after work. But along this street, there was another way to reserve--taping a message on the sidewalk.
Here, you can see that Isuzu (probably a company, but maybe a family) is holding this spot for Saturday the 5th. They've marked it out in letters a meter high--there's no missing it. And in case you do, they've left additional details marked in permanent ink on the border of the tape. Isuzu - 4/5- 12:00 ~ We know they are planning to start at noon and they have no plan to finish. I'm sure by the time 9 pm rolls around, they'll be falling over drunk and singing silly songs.
And here, in a close up, the Itou Company is reserving the same space for Wednesday night.
The entire 10 block length of prime space under the trees has already been divided up with similar duct taped boundaries and multiple signs bearing dates, times and company names. Regular people who hope to party under the trees are going to have to arrive early in the morning!
This system would definitely not work in the US. There would be ripped signs, carefully moved duct tape and fisticuffs. I wonder if there will be any confrontations here? I doubt it. Personally, I found the week-in-advance reservation of a space rather irritating. How dare they not follow the "first-come, first-served" rule? But maybe that's just me.
I hope we find space at the park tomorrow. I'd be very disappointed if the entire place was neatly divided into sections that had all been claimed.
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EXCERPT:
Saving space for a picnic
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 209.148.248.239
URL:
DATE: 04/02/2003 03:57:14 PM
Hiya,
I remember the second year we went to the fireworks in Yokohama, it seemed as though almost all of the space was taped and reserved in the same way you've described. Even though we were there 6 hours! before to get a good spot, there were very few areas left not taken. It hadn't been that way the previous year. Hmm....
I personally liked the first come first served concept a bit better. Seems a bit fairer than the person who shows up a week ahead of time with tape and a sign.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lisa
EMAIL: appey222@msn.com
IP: 65.103.155.124
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2003 08:46:06 AM
I bought a Konro Hibachi, or barbecue, which ever you call it, at a garage sale. I don't know how to use it, it looks like it takes briquettes. Do you have any info on a Mitsubishi Konro? Please let me know if you have time. Thanks so much!
Lisa
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Party hat
BASENAME: party_hat
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/01/2003 12:25:46 AM
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BODY:
All the fun begins when you put on the party hat.
(Putting your hand in the bucket helps, too.)
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EXCERPT:
Me, aged 2.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.200
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2003 04:07:23 AM
While it isn't your birthday here until tomorrow...
Happy Birthday to you!
love,
-LIZ
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.54
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2003 04:08:49 AM
Happy Birthday!
But doesn't the song go "There's a HOLE in the bucket..."? :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 216.107.58.221
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2003 06:50:41 AM
Happy Birthday!! Cute picture!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/01/2003 10:16:13 AM
happy birfday!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2003 04:45:13 PM
????????????????????????
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2003 05:30:29 PM
ooppss encoding error.. serves me right for trying to be a smarty pants with Japanese.. It was otanjoubino oiwaino kotabawo omedetou gozaimasu...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 68.68.203.4
URL:
DATE: 04/02/2003 03:00:21 AM
Happy Birthday To You
In America, too
You look like a chipmunk
And that haircut, whoo!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bullseye
BASENAME: bullseye
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/02/2003 07:49:45 PM
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BODY:
Here's me working with my new sewing machine!
It's a Janome 2860, last year's model in Janome's range of basic mechanical machines. Janome also makes computerized sewing machines with RS-232 and USB ports, touch screen displays and super-complicated interfaces that can embroier you a Winnie the Pooh at the touch of a button, but I don't need that. I love my 2860; it's everything I need to sew a huge range of stuff and it was on sale. :-)
It has a very clever needle threader, an overlock stitch that I've already fallen in love with, and a blind hemming foot that works well. (The last one I had was a nightmare.) Something that new to me is a free arm for sewing cuffs and such with out having to turn them inside out. What a blessing.
Now I just need to decide what to sew first.
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EXCERPT:
My new sewing machine is Japanese
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/02/2003 11:39:28 PM
*starts to put her orders in*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Josh
EMAIL: quibx@yahoo.com
IP: 129.55.200.20
URL: http://www.quibx.com
DATE: 04/03/2003 04:37:24 AM
Can you fix my pants?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.106.231
URL:
DATE: 04/03/2003 08:16:04 PM
Not *this* Janome, I hope!
http://www.janome.com/index.php
"Show your support for our country and the men and women who risk their lives to keep us free."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Basil tapenade
BASENAME: basil_tapenade
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/03/2003 07:11:06 AM
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BODY:
This is one of my favorite party foods. I don't know if I like it becasue it tastes so good or because it's one of those rare grey foods. Serve it spread on rounds of toasted (or not) french bread. It's best made the day before so the flavors mellow a bit.
Basil Tapenade
1 cup pitted black olives
1 cup fresh basil
4 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Blend everything except the mayo in a food processor (I use my Bamix blender). The consistency should be even and spreadable, but a little bit lumpy. Add in the mayonnaise by hand. Allow to sit for at least few hours before serving.
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EXCERPT:
A black olive spread.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ham fighters
BASENAME: ham_fighters
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/04/2003 11:10:12 PM
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BODY:
The Nippon Ham Fighters lost tonight. But it wasn't due to a lack of cheering by us.
Baseball teams in Japan are not known by their hometown, as in the US, but by their sponsor. Nippon Ham owns the Fighters. But Nippon Ham Fighters? It's so tempting to call them the "Ham Fighters."
Tonight, maybe 'ham fisted' would have been a better moniker. They dropped the game 5-1 to the Daiei Hawks.
But let's be totally honest. Baseball in Japan is not about the game. It's about the Beer Girls. These hard-working hotties run up and down the aisles in satin shorts selling beer, whiskey and confections.
Here, Tod's happily paying 800 yen for another cup of Ebisu draft beer. The beer girls are cute.
I enjoy drinking too much beer and shouting at the players. It's a lot of fun. I'm sure the people around me, all the salarymen in their suits and ties (direct from the office), are disturbed by my loud gaijin catcalls. But I'm having fun.
They're having fun, too. They make notes in little notebooks, go off to the smoking area frequently, and order lots of beer from the beer girls. The beer girls smile no matter what. It's amazing.
After the Ham Fighters' pathetic showing, we decided they must be the Chicago Cubs of the Japan league (or whatever the Japanese baseball consortium calls itself) and we had to have shirts. Here, John and I are modelling our new baseball jerseys. We've almost managed to get close enough for the shirts to spell out "Nippon Ham" across us.
I've never owned a sports jersey before, though I wore my friend Mike's hockey jerseys from time to time "back in the day." I'm not sure how to accessorise a baseball jersey...
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EXCERPT:
Beer girls and baseball jerseys.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: byron
EMAIL: lordblyron@wmconnect.com
IP: 198.81.26.40
URL:
DATE: 03/10/2004 06:24:28 PM
I am an american baseball fan (go Dodgers) and I am learning about japan's baseball teams. I have picked the Nippon Ham Fighters as my favorite (its the name). Your article was fun... thanks
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rainy day activities
BASENAME: rainy_day_activities
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 04/05/2003 02:30:57 PM
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BODY:
Wet Tokyo with visitors isn't too much fun. It's pouring rain and chilly today. We opted to stay in this morning and read books, order in a bento lunch and just relax.
What are we reading?
John: Kiln People by David Brin. Souls can be copied and imprinted onto clay bodies, effectively allowing you to make disposable clones to do all your boring work and mankind's dangerous jobs. A detective story within a detective story to discover what makes a person a person.
Kris: Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. Murakami is a contemporary Japanese author whose work is a blend of Tom Robbins and Kurt Vonnegut. This is my favorite of his books--weird occult dreamscapes set to jazz with a mystery to solve as well.
Tod: Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde. Witty British novel and a sequel to The Eyre Affair, about a literary detective, Thursday Next, and her exploits with the LiteraTecs and JurisFiction. It's full of things that made me laugh aloud. Can you beat a book that has Miss Havisham and the Cheshire Cat in the same room?
Me: The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson. What if the Chinese took over the world after the plague in the Middle Ages? Told as a series of stories following a group of souls' reincarnations progressing through time. An interesting premise but slow reading.
In contrast to today's slothy agenda, we hope that tomorrow's forecast sunny weather will let us go out to Mt. Takao for a walk.
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EXCERPT:
Recommended reading
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Scenes from Takao
BASENAME: scenes_from_takao
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/06/2003 09:36:48 PM
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BODY:
A sacred cypress.
Hunting for spot-bellied tree shrews.
Fence details.
Self-portrait with sun.
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EXCERPT:
Photos of a pretty hike
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.200
URL:
DATE: 04/07/2003 02:42:54 AM
How cool: you look like the next manga star!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fabrication
BASENAME: fabrication
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/07/2003 09:17:21 PM
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BODY:
Shopping for fabric makes my head spin.
There are some excellent shops in Tokyo and my favorite is Kinkado in Ikebukuro.
Traditional Japanese textures and colors are lovely and Kinkado stocks scads of Western colors, too, but it is so hard to choose. I'm lucky to have a wealth of gorgeous fabrics to work with but it takes hours to look at everything and come to a decision.
I used to have a big trunk full of fabric from projects I wanted to do but never started, or started but didn't finish. I am not letting that happen again. I've decided that I am not going to buy more than what I need for one project at a time, so I can't allow myself to be indecisive. One fabric, the notions to complete the project and that's all. Even if there's beautiful wool on sale or flannel that would be perfect for pajamas next winter.
After two hours of shopping today, I ended up with biege cotton printed with brush-style Japanese writing that I'll make into casual pants for summer. It's in the wash now and I'll cut it tomorrow.
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EXCERPT:
Shopping for materials.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.74.123
URL:
DATE: 04/08/2003 01:11:46 AM
What will your new pants say?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/08/2003 06:36:45 PM
They say...
Summer winter mountain water bamboo color onsen rain mountain grass water spring stop ground think thousand write fun face
and a bunch of other random kanji that don't really go together.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Private post
BASENAME: private_post
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/08/2003 06:22:43 PM
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BODY:
The postal services in Japan were privatised on the April 1. All the post offices changed their logos, took down the cute seasonal decorations and the postal workers look slightly more grumpy. Other than that, not too much seems to have changed.
But now that mail delivery is a commercial venture, the parcel services are keen to get a piece of the action. Kuroneko Mail will take your 50 gram letter for 80 yen. It costs 90 yen at Japan Post. Sagawa, another parcel delivery company, also runs mail services.
But Japan Post is fighting back. Starting later this month, they're planning a package delivery service, EXPACK 500. It will cost only 500 yen within the central business areas of Tokyo.
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EXCERPT:
Mail or takkyubin?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/08/2003 07:49:03 PM
I think AM PM are about to launch a competitive Tokyo based package service as well - I think it was 600 yen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: S. Patrick Eaton
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com
DATE: 04/10/2003 09:38:06 AM
I think it is a shame that the postal service has been privatized. There are some things that should always remain public: postal services, law enforcement (including the judiciary, prison systems, etc.), schools, and quite a few other things as well.
It's great that it might cost a few yen less to mail a package from Point A to Point B, but free market competition is not the answer to every problem. I really don't think it should have been applied in this case.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Weird war
BASENAME: weird_war
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/09/2003 05:53:18 PM
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BODY:
From a report on news.com.au
"The Iraqis could use Western journalists as hostages, Defence force spokesman Brigadier Mike Hannan has said. "
Doesn't that sound as though the Brigadier is giving permission to use Western journalists as hostages? "Well, they could use the journalists, or we could let them use the supply seargants. Either way, we think that these populations make good hostages."
Journalists really have been getting themselves in harm's way which is either extremely admirable or quite stupid. 21 journalists have died in this conflict. I don't know how many are out there overall, but it can't be that many can it?
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EXCERPT:
Expendable journalists?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/09/2003 06:13:36 PM
Dying so they can feed our insatiable appetite for instant news. I have stopped watching the blow-by-blow's with my popcorn on the sofa and am reading the newspaper or the net.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jeff
EMAIL: jeff@jefflawson.net
IP: 68.113.199.163
URL: http://www.jefflawson.net/nowhere
DATE: 04/10/2003 01:19:45 AM
If I remember correctly, there's close to 300 in Iraq proper, both embedded and independent. Given that many of the independents have placed themselves in the middle of combat situations even though they don't have combat training (or the extra protection of being embedded in a military unit), I'm not really surprised that several have been killed or injured.
As for the Brigadier's statement, I interpreted it more as a suggestion that Iraq might be willing to use the Western journalists as human shields rather than giving permission. In other words, and observation as opposed to a suggestion. In fact, I suspect Iraq was doing some of that to begin with, amassing the whole lot in one location in Baghdad, surrounded by legitimate military targets. The shelling of the Palestine Hotel and subsequent death of a few journalists is indeed unfortunate, but they really were in a bad location.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Traditional Japanese Music
EMAIL: colinford@telus.net
IP: 207.6.242.174
URL:
DATE: 04/10/2003 03:05:45 AM
Hi there:
I am trying to track down some royalty free Japanese instramental music, 14 / 15 th century, or there abouts. Any thoughts anyone. Please send an email.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 04/11/2003 01:17:03 PM
Well, this being a war and all, it seems unlikely that either side will wait for a suggestion or permission from the other before using a certain tactic.
As for admirable vs. stupid, I'd vote for admirable -- journalists in a war zone serve a vital function, far beyond entertainment, in providing independent information about what is going on. You wouldn't want all your war news to come from the Pentagon, would you?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 04/11/2003 01:31:17 PM
According to the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59837-2003Apr8.html), the three reporters killed in the US attack on the Palestine Hotel brought the total to 12 out of the 300 reporting from Iraq.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sea bass with mango chutney
BASENAME: sea_bass_with_mango_chutney
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/10/2003 07:18:07 AM
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BODY:
Recipe Thursday presents fish with a tropical flavor because it's mango season here in Tokyo. Tod invented this recipe two years ago and we've been making variations on it ever since.
Sea Bass with Mango Chutney
serves 4
4 sea bass (suzuki) fillets
1 onion, minced
2 small mangoes, chopped
1.5 cups (300 g) pineapple, chopped
1 inch (3 cm) fresh ginger, grated
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons green peppercorns in liquid
2.5 cups water
In wide saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil. Add onion and ginger. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add mango and pineapple and simmer for 15 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep the sauce wet. Add red pepper, then lay the fish fillets on top. Cook until the fish is flaky, turning once. Toss in peppercorns and serve.
Variations: leave the pineapple out; substitute toasted pinenuts for peppercorns; substitute snow peas for red pepper; increase red pepper. For a drier sauce, sautee the vegetables and fruit instead of cooking in water.
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EXCERPT:
Tropical flavors for spring
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/10/2003 11:42:06 AM
I don't believe you've ever cooked this one for me...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/10/2003 04:37:23 PM
Do mangos grow anywhere in Japan? Okinawa?
*missing her back yard Bowen mango tree from Brisbane*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dr.Evil
EMAIL: root@allevil.com
IP: 218.224.231.211
URL:
DATE: 04/11/2003 05:00:41 PM
"Are they *ill-tempered* sea bass?"
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ikaho onsen
BASENAME: ikaho_onsen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/11/2003 05:15:36 PM
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BODY:
Yesterday's get-away to Ikaho in Gunma prefecture was a refreshing escape from the city. We climbed up to the top of one of the local peaks. There were signs warning us of bears and wild boars, but we didn't see any.
Ikaho is an onsen resort town, so it's fine to wear your yukata out on the street. The main corridor is a long flight of stairs lined with shops and ryokan.
We stayed at Kishigon ryokan which has been run by the same family since the town was founded in 1576. The current matron is an Aoyama University graduate who speaks fluent English. Look carefully and you'll see my name on the sign greeting the day's guests.
The food at the hotel was amazing. These are fish and skewered potatoes that we grilled at our table. We were served 36 dishes for dinner--truly a feast.
After climbing a mountain, eating dinner and enjoying three onsen baths, we were ready to collaspe on the lovely futon. Ah, sleep!
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EXCERPT:
In the countryside
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/11/2003 05:39:20 PM
Hate you guys...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.200
URL:
DATE: 04/12/2003 01:00:46 AM
Miss you guys...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Vitamin stockings
BASENAME: vitamin_stockings
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/12/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
I couldn't resist these pantyhose when I saw them in the store. They are enriched with amino acid and vitamin C. We dressed up to go out to dinner tonight and I slipped them on.
Do I feel any genkier? No, though the drinks I had with dinner went right to my head. Maybe vitamin C and amino acid is an alcohol catalyst.
I wondered if these health-impregnated pantyhose would give me a rash, but my legs seem to be unblemished.
The package shows that you can wash them and the vitamins stay in becasue they are "pro vitamins." Amateurs always come out in the wash.
There are several ranges of pantyhose like these--some are fortified with specific vitamins, others claim to give you relaxation or superpowers or the ability to get through a difficult work day. All of them are aimed at female office workers. I wonder if we'll soon see an equivalent product for men? Maybe vitamin Y-fronts.
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EXCERPT:
More enriched goodness.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.65.76
URL:
DATE: 04/13/2003 05:53:32 PM
superpowers - you got to be kidding . ROFL ,great
btw what superpowers exactly ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kurt
EMAIL: kurt@easterwood.org
IP: 218.224.172.107
URL: http://www.easterwood.org/hmmn/
DATE: 04/14/2003 03:12:25 PM
oh lord, amino acid and vitamin c enriched pantyhose, you've got to be kidding! I thought Sugamo's Red Underwear (http://www.easterwood.org/hmmn/archives/000286.html) was over the top, but this....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 04/16/2003 01:07:31 AM
Off Topic Alert:
While we are on the subject of health, do you think hand washing is the reason Japan has not been overrun with SARS? The Japanese are, after all, notoriously clean. Any thoughts?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bounce
BASENAME: bounce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 04/13/2003 06:12:11 PM
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BODY:
I love a nice bridge.
Bounce. 56K version (190 KB Quicktime)
Bounce. Broadband version (742 KB Quicktime)
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EXCERPT:
Tsuri-bashi on Mt. Takao
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: iM
EMAIL: wine@gol.com
IP: 165.76.144.150
URL: http://www.somethingfromjapan.com/dereksworld/index.php
DATE: 04/14/2003 11:05:18 AM
I hate those bridges! Just watching you bounce up and down like that made my stomach all queasy! Actually, it is a heights issue with me. Okay, okay not so much heights, but the lack of a solid piece of ground beneath my feet.
Heights. Brrrr.
iMovie?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2003 11:41:01 AM
iMovie and I do not get along at all. I edited the clip with Premiere and Cleaner5. My friend shot it on his Canon digicam.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2003 03:23:12 PM
Don't you look so cute!! This is something I would do too..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: iM
EMAIL: wine@gol.com
IP: 165.76.144.150
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2003 06:28:53 PM
Ah, Premiere. Just out of curiosity, what train line do you live on? I live on the Oume Line.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Witold Riedel
EMAIL: witold@zuper.com
IP: 24.199.66.204
URL: http://www.witoldriedel.com
DATE: 04/17/2003 11:21:14 AM
The move made me smile again and again and again. : )
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Erased evidence
BASENAME: erased_evidence
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 04/14/2003 07:02:14 AM
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BODY:
I hosted guests for two weeks but the holiday's over. I now return to my regularly scheduled life.
After we waved goodbye at the train station yesterday morning, I came home and cleaned. The sheets and towels are washed, the futons aired, inevitable clutter is put away. Everything is dusted, shined and tidy. Tod meticulously vacuumed the apartment.
Evidence of guests has been erased.
Except for one final hint. My To Do list is populated with all the things I didn't do for the past half month. Three big projects and a few smaller bits all have sub-tasks and looming deadlines. It seems pretty daunting, but I'll get through it if I drink enough coffee.
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EXCERPT:
Guests, what guests?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Gaikokujintourokusho
BASENAME: gaikokujintourokusho
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/15/2003 06:15:00 PM
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BODY:
It's hard to believe, but I've been living in Japan for long enough to have my gaikokujintourokusho, foreigner registration card, expire. Today I went to have it renewed. That's a once-every-five-years event. I feel like a long-time resident now...getting there, anyway.
So sayonara to the old tourokusho with my smudgy fingerprint. They don't subject us untrustworthy foreigners to the criminal-feeling inky finger anymore. I wonder what will go in that space?
I'm looking forward to being able to read the new one--the ink on the old one was starting to get rubbed off. Every time I had to copy down my registration number I had to think hard about whether it was a 3 or a 5 that I was looking at.
My original purple card was issued in Meguro-ku where we lived when we first arrived in Japan. My new card from Bunkyo-ku will be another color, I believe. I saw someone picking theirs up today and it was sort of salmon-pink colored. It's a fitting color for this ward, more subtle and refined than the brash violet of funky, urban Meguro-ku.
I am happily saying goodbye to the bad photo circa 1998 from when my hair was growing out and I had to pull it back to keep it out of my eyes.
But now I'll have this one instead. Just as bad, but different. I'm not so crazy about seeing my face aged five years but I like this haircut better, even though it's a little too long right now and looks like a lopsided helmet.
Five years in Tokyo has made me look my age, at least in this picture. Maybe when I'm moving around and smiling I look a little younger. I hope so.
But what can I expect? ID photos are rarely attractive and I don't make any effort to look great. It's too much fun to whip out the old IDs at drunken get-togethers and compare to see which is least like the person it belongs to.
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EXCERPT:
Time to re-register my foreign person.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2003 06:29:37 PM
Shinjuku-ku office has the "Ugly" machine - it is notorious for taking hideous ID photos. Unfortunately no-one told me this when I ran in at 4:45pm one day to get my torokushou.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/16/2003 10:55:02 AM
I actually don't mind the pic on mine...but you were very brave to post yours!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/16/2003 12:38:15 PM
I've posted bad ID photos before. See http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/archives/006433.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gary
EMAIL: gary@gol.com
IP: 165.76.40.14
URL: http://www.garyandmegumi.com/blog/
DATE: 04/21/2003 02:24:37 PM
Kristen,
I remember a feeling of slight disappointment at having to renew my card. Firstly, I initially planned to be here for 2 years, not 5, and secondly, I liked the way I looked at 23 a little better than the way I looked at 28!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Luck falls down
BASENAME: luck_falls_down
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/16/2003 12:25:43 PM
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BODY:
Tod is looking very thoughtful as he waits for a plate of fried rice at a restaruant in Suidobashi.
Above his head, hanging over the door, is a small tapestry embroidered with the kanji for "luck." It caught my eye because it's hanging upside down.
"Oh, yeah. Luck falls from heaven," Tod explained. "So you hang the kanji upside down."
Just like putting a lucky horseshoe over the door with the opening at the top so the luck doesn't fall out.
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EXCERPT:
Kanji superstitions
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kurt
EMAIL: kurt@easterwood.org
IP: 219.165.166.150
URL: http://www.easterwood.org/hmmn/
DATE: 04/16/2003 03:10:56 PM
is that actually true, about the upside down kanji, or was he just employing sophistry?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/16/2003 03:16:54 PM
Actually true according to the knowledgable friend who relayed the information to Tod. Of course, that friend may have been pulling Tod's leg.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sepia
EMAIL: sepiasheaven@white-star.com
IP: 202.158.31.34
URL:
DATE: 04/18/2003 01:09:40 AM
Actually, it IS true. I'm Chinese and if you visit some Chinese homes, particularly during Chinese New Year, the good-luck type characters will be hung upside down. Although, if it is a proper piece of calligraphy scroll, it probably will be hung normally.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: donkeymon
EMAIL:
IP: 61.213.102.65
URL: http://www.donkeymon.net/donkeymon
DATE: 04/18/2003 06:07:25 PM
I have heard a different story about the origin of this custom, also from Chinese. According to my Chinese friend, the word for "upside down" in Chinese has the same sound as the word for "stick" so the hope is that by hanging fuku upside down, luck will stick to you.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Boxing Stadium Roast Chicken
BASENAME: boxing_stadium_roast_chicken
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 04/17/2003 01:10:41 AM
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BODY:
Tucked inside a box shipped back from the US, two cookbooks. In honor of this windfall, I present a recipe from "Cooking Thai Food in American Kitchens" by Malulee Pinsuvana. I've never made anything from this 1976 cookbook, but I bought it in Thailand and it's in Thai and English, so how bad can it be?
Ms. Pinsuvana describes the dish, "Roast chicken, Northeastern style is a speciality found in a row of restaurants behind the famous Rajdumnern Boxing stadium where all Tourists go to see Thai boxing matches. It is so identified that when you refer to this dish you call it "Boxing Stadium roast chicken," just as famous as Kentucky fried chicken, I suppose."
Cabbage Salad, Roast Chicken
Roasted Chicken
1 young chicken, cut into 4 pieces
3 cloves garlic
1 slice ginger root
1 teaspoon minced corriander root
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
Pound together the garlic, ginger, pepper, salt and corriander root. Add oil and marinate chicken for 1-2 hours. Bake in a 375 F oven for 30-40 minutes. Serve with cabbage salad.
Cabbage Salad
1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
2 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup carrots, finely grated
1 teaspoon lime peel
1 Tblsp dry shrimp, crushed
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 Tblsp lime juice
2-3 hot chili peppers, crushed
Mix vegetables together, season with garlic salt, lime peel and sugar. Top with crushed chili and dry shrimp.
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EXCERPT:
Thai chicken for Americans circa 1976
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.74.235
URL:
DATE: 04/17/2003 08:34:27 PM
It's from the 70's and doesn't include Jell-O!
I have everything but the coriander for the chicken. Maybe I'll make it tonight. Sounds yummy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/
DATE: 04/20/2003 05:41:06 PM
Corriander root can be difficult to find; apparently it's only used in Thai cooking.
If you're lucky, you'll find cilantro (corriander plant) with a bit of root still attached. If not, you can use the lower stem end of the cilantro as a substitute.
The cabbage salad that goes with this recipe is delicious: very lime-y and light.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 99 luftCDs
BASENAME: 99_luftcds
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 04/18/2003 09:35:10 AM
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BODY:
The cookbooks weren't the only precious things in the box we shipped. We've reunited our CD collection.
We unearthed the last 99 CDs (give or take a dozen) while visiting the US in February. These were the CDs I had with me in Pittsburgh before we moved to Singapore in 1998. Tod shipped his CDs from Chicago, but I preferred to have my computer for my allotted weight.
As Tod unpacked and presented the long-lost music, we both exclaimed our surprise. We haven't seen these things in over five years. Some we thought we had with us. Others we'd both forgotten about completely.
"Oh, yeah, I missed that one. How did we go so long without hearing it?"
"Hey what's this? Did you buy this one?"
"Do we have two copies of that?"
Surprisingly, there are only three CDs that we have duplicates of: G.Love & Special Sauce, Red Hot + Rio, and Squirrel Nut Zippers' Hot!. Free to a good home, just ask.
Here, Tod's examining stack of CDs that includes Holst's The Planets and Sting's Nothing Like the Sun. Our tastes are eccletic. We range from rap to chanting monks, from blues to punk. I like female vocalists; Tod likes jazz; we both like electronica and hip-hop. Most anyone who comes for dinner can find something they like to listen to. And even more so now.
We were up til 2 am, listening and singing along to old favorites (gomen to the neighbors!) and shelving them in alphabetical order. Our collection numbers about 500. Sort of old-fashioned in these days of MP3s, isn't it?
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EXCERPT:
A CD collection, reunited
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Milton Trajano / Brazil
EMAIL: mtrajano@mac.com
IP: 200.158.24.49
URL: http://www.miltontrajano.com
DATE: 04/28/2003 11:46:48 AM
Me !!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cartesian Coordinates
BASENAME: cartesian_coordinates
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 04/19/2003 08:07:00 AM
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BODY:
Cartesian Coordinates. hi-bandwidth (5 MB Quicktime)
Cartesian Coordinates. lo-bandwidth (1.2 MB Quicktime)
Cartesian Coordinates is four minute film class project I shot and edited in 1997 on 8mm.
But 8mm projectors were as uncommon then as now, so I transferred it to VHS by projecting it onto a translucent screen and taping from behind. I flipped the reversed image in Premiere and sent it out to tape.
When the old tape arrived in the box this week, I recorded it into the DV camera, then captured it to my computer and compressed it. The result is extremely high-contrast and grainy, but still more-or-less watchable. Stay for the credits!
Dan stars as a tired worker putting away one last overhead projector before going home. What happens late at night in the halls of the building?
The weekend we shot this project, friends drove in from out of state and half of my university staff came to help wrangle carts for the animated sections. We didn't get a lot of sleep, the campus police kept us on our toes (even though I did have permission to be there,) and despite my careful preparations and measurements in the building, we had a few glitches with camera angles.
But in the end the film did well in class though my instructor thought I should have directed Dan to move faster. He didn't know that wouldn't have worked; I couldn't keep up with the camera! I guess now I could speed things up a bit digitally and add some sound...stay tuned.
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EXCERPT:
An old project goes film - digital - analog - digital.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/19/2003 09:03:44 AM
AH-ha! So this was the big surprise!
Hee hee...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 66.67.241.62
URL:
DATE: 04/19/2003 01:55:03 PM
Ha! Thats cool, I totally remember that weekend too! I'm glad I made the final cut, if only at the end...
I think I showed you my film from the same class, I don't know where it is now though...somewhere in a box in my parents house, they've moved twice since I showed it to you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/21/2003 11:29:56 AM
Link breaks in my browser? Have had no problems with the other videos so I mustn't have the plug-in. What format?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: em the strange
EMAIL: germain_art@yahoo.ca
IP: 203.216.97.91
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 10:54:47 AM
hi, i would really like to see the video but i can not access to the site?(i keep getting the forbitten accs. message site) I am editing a video for my work(architectural firm) with Premiere to DVD but I am wondering why image quality is poor-they look like moving jpeg file.(I check the my orignal one it is all same) I check all the quick time video from other sites all of seems like moving jpeg file. Aren`t there any way to fix the quality of the images?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cha cha
BASENAME: cha_cha
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/20/2003 09:21:13 AM
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BODY:
Spotted in Kanda: nostalgic advertising. The coffee shop doesn't seem to be there anymore but the sign lives on.
I think it's from the early 60s, judging from the building its painted on, the typeface, drawing style, and the name--cha cha hit its peak as a dance fad in the late 50s. And the name's a pun. Cha means 'tea' in Japanese. But with the dog pictured, I wonder if this Cha Cha was the owner's pet?
Just below the sign is a koban, a neighborhood police station, complete with policeman on display with his patrol bike:
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EXCERPT:
Old advertising and a policeman.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kaye Ellis / Charlotte
EMAIL: budding_capitalist_youth@hotmail.com
IP: 65.30.31.246
URL: http://brutalhoney.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/20/2003 11:19:22 PM
hi... ah... this is, um, kind of funny, do you remember the pepys project? you reviewed my weblog. forever ago. i'm beginning to suspect that i might've done this already... written to say "thank you" for all of the nice things you said. but that's okay, right? i mean... gratitude is gratitude, i think. but... err, yeah, thanks. it meant a lot to me, it really did. warm fuzzy feelings, you know? rock on.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Andrew Abb
EMAIL: aabb@bekkoame.ne.jp
IP: 211.18.149.81
URL: http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~aabb/plus9.html
DATE: 04/21/2003 08:33:42 PM
Hi... Years ago their was a coffee shop called 'Boring' in Shinsaibashi, Osaka City. I kid you not. Boring Coffee Shop. I snagged a bunch of matchbooks from the place and gave them away to friends on one of my trips home. Cheers,
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creative problem solving
BASENAME: creative_problem_solving
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 04/21/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Tonight I attended a creative problem solving workshop at Right Brain Research. Kenji Konishi showed us his three step technique for breaking through tough problems. And it worked!
My problem is an inability to finish my own projects. Client work, no problem. I always get that done on deadline. But my personal stuff tends to languish. Maybe I get bored or distracted or frustrated. Whatever it is, I'd like to get rid of this backlog of half-done videos, books, and other things.
So how did I come up with a solution? Well, after brainstorming a bunch of possible ways to finish my projects (everything from 'bribe myself' to 'hire an assistant'), I randomly selected two and tried to combine them. That was hard! How do you combine "stop sleeping" with "collaborate by breaking project into dependent tasks"? I did it, as you'll see.
I did this a combination step few times and entered the results on a mind map--a drawing of the main theme and ideas branching off, with sub-ideas and so on.
Then, once I was satisfied with my mind map, I wrote out a story using the mind map as a guide. While writing the story, all of the unrelated ideas on the map seemed to come together into an actual workable solution.
And the solution? Plan a pajama party where all the guests come ready to work on a project of the hostess' choosing (which would, of course, be one of my unfinished projects!). Divide everyone into teams and set them a task. Maybe it would be "create the title frames for the video" or "edit the soundtrack." Something that could reasonably be accomplished before everyone falls asleep. Before going to bed, we'd put all the pieces together to complete the project.
In the morning, after a nice breakfast, everyone brings out their own unfinshed project and gets to trade with someone. So MJ might have a Flash navigation she is having trouble with and Miki might be frustrated by setting up a postcard server. They trade, set a deadline to get the work done and voila! Hurdles overcome, new ideas and techniques shared and it's fun, too.
Now I just have to find enough willing people with similar skill sets. Anybody interested in a video editing sleepover??
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EXCERPT:
A fresh perspective makes the difference
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/22/2003 10:57:39 AM
*checks her mail for suspicious looking invitations*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://dd.t4ac.com
DATE: 04/22/2003 03:01:40 PM
You, Kristen are cool!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://dd.t4ac.com
DATE: 04/22/2003 03:03:09 PM
but some padding on your pictures would be nice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/22/2003 04:58:36 PM
I'm in!! But I know next to nothing about video editing.. but I can do the cooking and make coffee for everybody else!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Vidiot
EMAIL: vidiot@telescreen.org
IP: 64.236.180.94
URL:
DATE: 04/28/2003 04:00:00 AM
Would love to help you with the video editing -- alas, I'm in NYC and am just a humble fan of your blog.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Election time
BASENAME: election_time
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/22/2003 07:31:12 AM
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BODY:
This Sunday, Tokyo wards elect their mayors and Diet representitives. Forty five men and women are running for the Diet. Only two men are hoping to be Bunkyo's mayor. Election signboards like this one are placed at intersections and other public property.
But campaigns aren't entirely neat and tidy. People also paste posters to their garden walls and other surfaces. Things get pretty colorful around election time.
They get noisy, too. Many of the candidates have loudspeakers mounted on little vans and they drive around the city waving out the windows and thanking everyone for their support. They stop at train stations to get out and give speeches that none of the harried commuters listen to.
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Posters everywhere.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/22/2003 11:00:16 AM
grrr my eardrums were nearly bleeding yesterday when I popped into kichijoji to pick up some groceries...and to think my neighbours commplain about the noise i make!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/22/2003 02:22:26 PM
But they are just repeating their own names over and over. Or just saying thank you, thank you, thank you. Can't hear any policies - but then I guess their constituents don' t have anything to hold them to.. oh the joys of Japanese politics.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: iM
EMAIL: wine@gol.com
IP: 165.76.165.111
URL: http://www.somethingfromjapan.com/dereksworld/index.php
DATE: 04/22/2003 08:11:37 PM
I mp3ed one of the locals. http://www.somethingfromjapan.com/dereksworld/audio/noisepollution.mp3
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mfop and mailing lists
BASENAME: mfop_and_mailing_lists
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 04/23/2003 12:26:19 PM
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BODY:
Moblogging, sending entries to your weblog via your mobile phone, is all the rage in Tokyo right now. With camera-equipped phones it's easy to capture the essence of an event and post about it "live." Or maybe just bore the pants off your readers while you amuse yourself taking photos on the train.
Regardless of what content you offer, you need a gateway to take the mail from your phone and get it into your weblog. Kevin Cameron wrote one called Mfop - Moblogging for Other People.
At last week's Webloggers meetup, Kevin asked if I'd do him up a button that people could use to link their Mfop sites back to his.
I'd just finished a quickie logo/button for Stuart Woodward's Japan Bloggers mailing list and was in the spotlight as the Queen of Ten Minute Logos.
For Mfop, I created the button using one of Kevin's awesome bird photos, and threw in a page logo and design ideas as a bonus. Kevin implemented the design to match another one of his pages and now Mfop is looking pretty stylish.
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EXCERPT:
Two logos and some design inspiration.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 141.158.102.71
URL:
DATE: 04/23/2003 08:29:49 PM
Kristen, this is so cool! You are so clever and the world just keeps getting smaller and more techy all the time. I am glad you keep yourself right in the midst of it! Good for you!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Crazy Bread
BASENAME: crazy_bread
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/24/2003 11:16:03 AM
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BODY:
This recipe comes via the next door neighbor of an ex-boyfriend. I never met his neighbor, but her recipe is one of my stand-bys. It's nearly a meal in itself but I usually serve it with soup or a salad.
This recipe thrives on almost any adjustment you want to make to the recipe: double the garlic, reduce the butter, use whatever cheese you have on hand. But do be generous with the parsley, especially if you opt for more butter or cheese!
Crazy Bread
1 loaf French bread
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 cup shredded cheese
Slice the loaf in half lengthwise. Melt the butter and stir in garlic. Spread garlic butter on bread. Pile on the parsley, sprinkle with lemon juice and top with cheese. Broil until the cheese bubbles and browns. Cut into slices and serve.
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EXCERPT:
Cheesy, lemony garlic bread for Recipe Thursday.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: K
EMAIL: kinga74@poczta.onet.pl
IP: 81.77.166.149
URL: http://www.kinuk.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/25/2003 02:02:02 AM
Delicious! I made it today and it complemented the fiance's garlic prawns perfectly. Thanks for that! It was fab. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.97.204
URL:
DATE: 04/25/2003 10:10:33 AM
Yum!!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Angie La La
EMAIL: sarcastic _rubber_duckie@hotmail.com
IP: 195.92.67.76
URL:
DATE: 06/14/2003 03:13:34 AM
umm... I may sound kinda silly but can I ask wot crazy bread is?
Thanks
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 10 ingredients
BASENAME: 10_ingredients
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 04/25/2003 03:57:17 PM
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BODY:
As I wrote in a previous entry, Japan's nutritional guidelines specify 30 different foods a day.
If you eat a traditional Japanese diet, this isn't too hard to do. A classic Japanese meal is a variety of small servings: a simmered dish with carrot, diakon, taro, konnyaku; grilled fish served with ginger; pickled cabbage and cucumbers, a slice or two of sashimi, a salad of hijiki and beans; miso soup with clams; and of course, rice. Right there, you've got 14 foods out of the way!
But if you eat a more Western diet, getting up to 30 is really a challenge. Western portions are bigger and there are fewer dishes per meal. Steak, potato, cooked vegetable, bread, butter. That's only 5...maybe six if you eat the parsley garnish.
But the companies that make bento for convenience stores have hit upon a great idea. The "10 Things" food. It started out with salads. Today I bought a "10 Things" sandwich. It was pretty good for a conbini sando.
What was in it?
So that, combined with my fruits-and-vegetable juice (7 vegetables and 4 fruits), a container of yogurt and some raisins brings me up to 23 foods for today. 24 if coffee counts as a food.
All I need to do to reach the quota is remember to eat the garnish at dinner tonight...
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Ten foods in one sandwich.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.203.138
URL:
DATE: 04/25/2003 10:44:18 PM
Ever the skeptical one, I wonder why eating many different things is somehow better than a cognition-based approach involving informed choice. (Not that I'm questioning your sandou at all, it sounds like "10 healthy things"!)
I'm also curious where you found that advice attributed to "Japan," and whether you can point us to an English version on the web.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 04/26/2003 12:34:32 AM
There's a good summary of the topic (in Japanese) at About.co.jp - http://allabout.co.jp/health/healthfood/closeup/CU20030118A/
It explains that this was a guideline set by the old MInistry of Health and Welfare in 1985 which was concerned that the increasing popularity of fast food and processed foods was unbalancing people's diets. But in 2000, the Ministry revised its guidelines, removing the reference to 30 foods, and replacing it with "many foods."
You can view the Ministry's leaflet (in Japanese) here: http://www1.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/1203/h0323-1_a_11.html
Also, a brief summary of the 1985 guidelines in English that cites "Florencio, C.A. Dietary Guidelines in Asia-Pacific. ASEAN-New Zealand IILP, Philippines, 1997." http://www.healthyeatingclub.com/info/articles/diet-guide/japan-dg.htm
Additionally there are at least a few books in Japanese that help you to properly portion your foods. One nutritionist gives very clear guidelines for estimating 100 gram portions of various foods. I've seen the book in Japanese, but not English and I can't remember the author's name. You should be able to find it in any bookstore, though it's got pictures of food and "100 grams" all over it.
Hope this is sufficient to ease your skepticism.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.8.229
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2003 08:48:21 PM
Milk solids? Like cottage cheese?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Video Saturdays
BASENAME: video_saturdays
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 04/26/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Since I can't really have a pajama party to finish Hello, Tokyo, I will resort to method number 2 (take that as you will) for getting this project finished: fear of public humiliation.
From now until it's done, you can expect to see a clip of work in progress every Saturday. To start off Video Saturdays, here's a rough cut of the restaurants portion of the Food segment.
Restaurants. (720K Quicktime)
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EXCERPT:
every week, a new clip
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 219.17.196.57
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 04/27/2003 10:56:58 AM
cool cool cool!
I like that, and I like the long hair too.
can't wait for next sat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/27/2003 11:52:11 AM
Woo hoo - starting to look great honey!
What fabulous camera panning work...:p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 04/27/2003 06:07:07 PM
Just great! and you look very sophisticated and cool. Oh, ofcourse you ARE sophisticated!
I am looking forward to see the next part.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 04/27/2003 06:07:16 PM
Just great! and you look very sophisticated and cool. Oh, ofcourse you ARE sophisticated!
I am looking forward to see the next part.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kat
EMAIL: kat@uberspiffy.com
IP: 129.252.107.246
URL: http://uberspiffy.com
DATE: 04/28/2003 07:43:54 PM
Actually, I will admit that after watching this, I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest. It's excellent. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 04/29/2003 04:31:13 AM
"I'll have a medium...*cut*"
A medium What? What did you order? :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 04/30/2003 08:26:27 AM
Three words: fab - u - lous!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 05/02/2003 03:07:48 AM
Kristen,
When this project is completed, how would I purchase a copy?
Regards,
Bob
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pinholes
BASENAME: pinholes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/27/2003 07:39:43 PM
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BODY:
Today is Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. Thanks to lil's excellent photoblog, esthet, I found out in time to sign up for a pinhole photography workshop here in Tokyo.
Last night was a talk by Edward Levinson, our instructor, and then we made our cameras. Today we took pictures and developed them.
Pinhole cameras are lensless, so they have no focus--or rather they have infinite focus. And becasue the apeture is small, they have great depth of field. Everything is in focus from close up to far away. Unless it moves...
We made our cameras from boxes and cans, painted black on the inside and taped to keep light out. We punched pinholes through aluminum, then attached the pinholes to the boxes with tape. Another bit of tape covered the hole.
That's all there is to it. You stick in some film or photographic paper, peel off the tape, count the seconds (or minutes) until you've properly exposed and then you put the tape back on. That's what we did all day today, interspersed with running up to the darkroom to develop out images.
It was my first time in a darkroom, believe it or not ,and I loved it. It's like magic to see the images develop. Photoshop is great but I learned to dodge for real!
Sometimes the negatives turned out better than the positives. I like the negative of this image, taken with Ed's three-hole camera. The lines from the shutter I sat in front ove overlap nicely. But the positive reveals entirely too much facial detail.
One photo I took (and one of Tod's, too) will be in the online event gallery which includes photos from all over the world. You can see the photos from our workshop in person in at Tokyo Photographic Culture Centre (Akasaka 3-9-1) from May 10 - early June.
(click the images here for larger versions)
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..are really made with a pin!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kurt
EMAIL: kurt@easterwood.org
IP: 218.47.196.43
URL: http://www.easterwood.org/hmmn/
DATE: 04/28/2003 12:23:14 AM
too much facial detail or not, I love that composite of the the negative and positive, wonderful! Reminds me of funhouse mirrors!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 211.120.76.105
URL: http://www.esthet.org/blog/
DATE: 04/28/2003 01:09:26 AM
Glad to hear you had a good time, Kristen. I'm rather jealous as I would have loved to have gone. Unfortunately FIVE (yes, that's right - five) converging deadlines for work projects that all need to completed on the same day in early June meant that I knew I would either have to work or be totally wiped out from the 14 hr days I've been working. Maybe next year!
[how about a 'photoblog' instead of a 'photobleg' ;-) ]
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.197
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 04/29/2003 03:48:49 AM
Cool!!! I want to try that. Love both of the photos. I'll check to see your photos on the gallery pages.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Right Brain Research
BASENAME: right_brain_research
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 04/28/2003 07:00:29 PM
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BODY:
This might be the longest-running web project I've worked on. Maybe I should say have worked "on-and-off" on.
Kristin Newton and I met to discuss revising her site in spring 2001. I started logging hours on the project in August 2001 but it only went live last week. Needless to say, the site underwent a number of setbacks and changes in plan over the course of two years. There's still content pending but at least it is up and running!
The site is for Right Brain Research, an art and creativity school here in Tokyo--where I've taken classes, including the workshop on creative problem solving last week. If you're looking for a way to jumpstart your brain or train your eyes and hands to draw, this is the place to come.
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EXCERPT:
Two years later, a site is born.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 04/28/2003 08:31:28 PM
I'd really like to start taking some art classes. I would like to take them here. I wonder if there are any school like this in Zushi. hmmm....
UltraBob
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Grandfather Philip
BASENAME: grandfather_philip
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 04/29/2003 05:20:26 PM
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BODY:
I'm not sure if it counts as work or a labor of love, but this week I set up a Moveable Type weblog for my father. He's a stained glass artist outside Philadephia, PA.
Although he didn't persue it as a profession, he always loved art and his hobbies were creative. When I was growing up he did some rather odd projects, like hand painting (with a brush and enamel paints)our Jeep-like truck camoflauge. We lived in the woods and it was a little scary to drive it during deer hunting season. He also built furniture, dollhouses and minatures and Dad still draws the family Christmas cards every year.
But after retiring from a job in chemical R&D, he took up stained glass. His ability to combine technical detail with design, color and light makes his work excellent. He gets commissions and wins awards, so I think we'll count that as a success!
For the weblog, I set up category archives to make it easy to browse just the glass images and included his funny retirement story in the sidebar. Dad will never really retire, but he does wear the hat...
Grandfather Philip's Stained Glass
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EXCERPT:
Another artist's website...my father.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike Griffin
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.105.178
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2003 06:22:10 PM
A labor of love. No question about it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 04/30/2003 02:22:42 AM
I like the 'Short Story' in the left column. It made me laugh out loud...which is somewhat hard to do :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.14.195.125
URL:
DATE: 04/30/2003 07:39:42 AM
What a great craftsman! You're lucky to have him as a father, he has a nice beard.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/05/2003 06:26:33 PM
Wonderful site Kristen, look slike your whole family are artisticly gifted! For some reason though the design was showing up way wider than my window in the Phoenix version of Mozilla. To see the whole post I had to scroll the sidemenu off screen. I fyou need details, just ask.
UltraBob
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Deleting comments
BASENAME: deleting_comments
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 04/30/2003 07:59:01 AM
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BODY:
When I opened my weblog for comments last July, I knew I'd get some stupid ones and feared I'd take a lot of criticism. Happily for me, the comments I get on fresh posts are generally positive.
But on older posts, ones that people have found via Googling, I get some extremely strange notes. I thought I'd leave them in situ just for kicks. But really, what's the point? Today I went through and culled out some of the lamest ones. Oddly enough, they centered around 3 posts.
Rebuilding Afghanistan had seven comments with weirdness like "We wish you a merry Christmas" and "hello, buddeee." Beginner's playground? A message drop for spies? I don't know. They are all gone now.
Nipponjin with Scissors collected 21 lengthy "comments" from Pakistani scissors manufacturers soliciting my business. And the post I made about this blog spam received a spam itself. Pffft.
Here's the one that irks me most. i-mode penetration gets frequent notes complaining that the reader thinks the site is useless, he can't find what he's are looking for, etc. One included 43 exclamation points to back up his frustration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Oh, I can't compete.)
Why does everyone hate that post? Because it mentions Japan's population and most of these commentators are misguided schoolchildren. One said I was wrong and she thought the population of Japan was 8 million. Maybe she confused Tokyo with Japan, but greater Tokyo has more than 12 million. Another even suggested that I update the population numbers for 2003. I guess she doesn't realise that Japan takes a census, but not annually.
Hey kids, get a clue--this is a weblog, not a valid source of information for your school reports. Check out the CIA World Factbook.
[Addendum, 9:39 am. As if on cue! To my July 6, 2001 post about resting in bed with my laptop, I just received this rather unusual comment: "I don't mean to be too forward, but hearing you talk about your fat rolls turns me on. Fat is so sexy. Tell me more please?" Should I delete this one or keep it? I'll let you decide...]
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What's up with the weird comments?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 04/30/2003 10:19:49 AM
I get the same thing on mine, on posts ranging as far back as september of last year. It's strange because I see the emails from MT saying there's a new comment, but usually their questions about Cherokee Red pop or 7up that don't get answered and are lost in the ether of old blog posts.
What would be great is if the software would turn off the addition of new comments, just allowing visitors to view comments only.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kuri
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 04/30/2003 10:36:49 AM
You can do that but on a post-by-post basis. When editing your entry, look for "Allow Comments" and change it to Closed.
I've done that for Nipponjin with Scissors, so I shouldn't see any more blog spam attached to that post.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 04/30/2003 10:47:52 AM
Ha ha ha - keep it - and look at it when you are having a "fat day" to make you feel better ;-)
Surprisingly enough I don't get many silly comments - but I do get the oddest searches - today's winner so far was a search for "pictures of toilets with a piece of paper drowning in them"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.14.195.220
URL:
DATE: 04/30/2003 05:20:36 PM
You in an apron. Tell me, what were you wearing underneath when you cooked that sea bass in mango chutney?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Eringi Risotto
BASENAME: eringi_risotto
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/01/2003 08:08:16 AM
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BODY:
Eringi are delicious mushrooms. They have a rich, meaty flavor that is complemented by butter. Native to China and the Mediterranean, they are relatively new to Japan.
According to the research Tod's done, they're called "Boletus of the Steppes" or "King Oyster Mushroom" in English, but I just can't image a grocery store in the US putting all that on a sign! If you see these mushrooms outside Japan, could you let me know what they're called?
This recipe makes enough for three people as a main dish served with a big green salad and bread, just as we enjoyed it on Monday.
Eringi Risotto
100 grams eringi (2-3 medium sized mushrooms), sliced
100 grams chicken, cooked & diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 leek (or onion of your choice) sliced
2 cups short grain rice (arborrio, Japanese, etc), unwashed
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock (hot)
3 Tblsp olive oil
4 Tblsp butter
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
(If you don't have any leftover cooked chicken handy, medium dice a chicken breast, dredge in flour, saute and set aside.)
In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil and 2 Tblsp butter (reserve the rest for later). Saute the eringi, leek and garlic until soft and the eringi turn a lovely caramel color. Add the rice and mix well to coat with oil. Cook slightly, but do not brown the rice. Splash in the wine to cool things down. Allow the wine to evaporate.
1/2 cup at a time, add the stock. Allow each addition to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next--it should take about 3 minutes per 1/2 cup of stock. This is the "risotto method" that gives the dish its name. When you get halfway through the stock, add the chicken. Check the rice for doneness after the 7th addition. The rice should be firm but not crunchy when it's done, so be ready to adjust with more or less stock as necessary.
Turn off the heat and mix in the remaining butter and the cheese. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve immediately.
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Mushroom and rice recipe. Mmmmm!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.98.50
URL:
DATE: 05/01/2003 10:44:00 AM
This sounds so wonderful!! I love anything with garlic and mushrooms. I have a similar receipe for mushroom soup although it is not as hardy. I can't wait to try this!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: terry eringi
EMAIL: teringi@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 02/06/2004 12:24:32 PM
After almost 50 years I have discovered something about my name!
Grandfather from Aguila, Italy-- but cannot find any Eringis except for family
Does anyone Know more
Thanks
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bill Myong
EMAIL: frank562@aol.com
IP: 66.98.178.227
URL: http://www.nicepages%2Eorg/
DATE: 08/02/2004 04:30:46 PM
You are very welcome to visit my website.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: LaQua
BASENAME: laqua
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/02/2003 10:40:28 AM
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BODY:
The newly opened LaQua looks like an amusement park, doesn't it?
Only from this angle. There are also 46 stores and 19 restaurants area, a fitness gym and a spa that includes baths filled with hot spring water they drilled for specially. Nestled between Tokyo Dome and the Bunkyo ward office, this is another of the city's new "urban destinations."
LaQua opened yesterday and I dragged Tod out to have a peek. We had lunch at Maharaja and afterwards I walked through the mall to see what it was all about. More of the same as everywhere else, really, but I will be able to reduce the number of trips to Shinjuku and Shibuya.
The rollercoaster, the Thunder Dolphin, makes a double loop around the roof and through the center of the hubless Ferris wheel at a breakneck 130 km/h. The entire building shakes when it goes past--in one store, a display of glasses toasted one another with chattering clinks every few minutes.
At 1,000 yen a ride, Tod calculated that they take in 480,000 yen an hour on a busy day. That works out to about 15 million USD a year if they are at full capacity on 300 days.
I'll bet the ward office civil servants are already weary of the people screaming past their windows every 3 minutes.
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EXCERPT:
My neighborhood becomes an urban destination
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Geoffrey
EMAIL: admin@geoffrey-allen.com
IP: 24.218.251.74
URL: http://www.geoffrey-allen.com
DATE: 05/02/2003 10:49:19 AM
Wow, sounds like fun.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shopping 2'49"
BASENAME: shopping_249
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 05/03/2003 09:18:46 AM
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BODY:
It's very much a work in progress this week but "in progress" is better than nothing. I think Video Saturday deadlines will get this project done. Thanks for all the nice comments and support. You've renewed my enthusiasm that this video is worthwhile.
I managed to drop four minutes of video onto the timeline this week and I recorded placeholder voiceovers while sitting at my desk one morning. I don't think you can hear the trains rumbling past but I really need to be more careful of my aspirated Ps.
There's footage still to be shot (you'll see two blank sections), filters to apply to some of the clips, and timing adjustments all over the place! You're getting to see a scant three minutes, because I ran out of time to get the last 70 seconds presentable. So stay tuned for next week's edition...
For now, it's Shopping, Part 1. Quicktime, 1.9 MB. 2'49"
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EXCERPT:
Shopping hints from Tokyo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/03/2003 10:57:58 AM
I just love that shot of the little girl with her trolley!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: What's that smell?
BASENAME: whats_that_smell
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/04/2003 03:53:43 PM
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BODY:
It's Nepia's Japan no Kaori toilet paper. Just what is Japan's fragrance? According to the package it's No. 1 SAKURA fragrance.
I'm not fond of scented toilet paper. I mean really, who are you trying to fool? The smell of your tp's not going to make toilet odors more pleasant. But Japan no Kaori has an interesting fragrance. It's a floral, but not sweet. It's almost citrus. Very similar to cherry blossoms, just as advertised.
It's also pink, another strike against it. I'm generally a plain white toilet roll girl, myself.
So why did I buy it? Three reasons. 1) I am fascinated by the idea of marketing toilet paper as "Japan's frangrance." Such agreeable cultural connotations for a such a mundane commodity. 2) I hoped it might inspire me to finish the lyrics for the other toilet paper song. 3) I wanted to share this oddity and ask you what you think America's fragrance might be. New car? Plastics? Shopping mall?
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EXCERPT:
Unusual scented toilet paper...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stairs
EMAIL:
IP: 131.111.8.97
URL: http://stairs.happenchance.com
DATE: 05/04/2003 04:55:03 PM
Airport terminal Cinnabon stands!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 63.214.205.186
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2003 09:11:08 PM
In Lancaster Co., PA it's manure in three flavors; cow, pig and chicken. Not a great fragrance but a harbinger of great produce to come.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mallrat
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2003 10:25:52 PM
...I don't want to think about wiping my ass with a Cinnabon!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairsteven@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 05/04/2003 11:00:19 PM
Apparently the Japanese have also captured the American aroma.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.150.160
URL:
DATE: 05/05/2003 10:05:15 AM
I've been away too long to guess the American fragrance, but I could have sworn Japan's was cigarette smoke. Where did this sakura thing come from?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.182
URL:
DATE: 05/05/2003 10:29:08 AM
I think America's fragrance is found near those containers outside fast food restaurants that say, "Grease Only."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairsteven@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 05/06/2003 10:20:10 PM
Yeah. The aroma of fast-food grease, road works crews spreading tar, or fresh-cut suburban lawns.
Here's the link to the "American Aroma" I mentioned above.
http://www.zanthan.com/japan/archives/000473.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Emily
EMAIL: staremy@yahoo.com
IP: 63.150.12.84
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2003 05:55:26 AM
french fries. oh,sorry...freedom fries.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: noname
EMAIL:
IP: 66.81.133.14
URL:
DATE: 09/29/2004 09:38:04 AM
Wellllll... SAKURA would be the traditional fragrance of Japan, not the modern one, as their modern culture is similar to the american one...
so, we need a compairativly old american fragrance... I'm not really much interested in cow(boy/girl) things but how about horse sweat or leather?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Walk through Kasuga
BASENAME: walk_through_kasuga
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/05/2003 01:18:48 PM
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BODY:
Tod & I documented our part of town yesterday as part of Tod's birthday festivities. It was a lovely day for a walk and we had fun really paying attention to the details and quirky things that make our neighborhood different from others. I've posted the fruits of our labor on mediatinker.com so you can take a tour of Kasuga.
Soon, these will also be part of the Neighborhood Project run by UltraBob. You can get your neighborhood featured there--just send in your pictures and captions.
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EXCERPT:
A photo tour of the neighborhood
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://dd.t4ac.com
DATE: 05/05/2003 02:34:00 PM
Thanks for the submission and the plug Kristen! Was it Tod's birthday yesterday? It was my girlfriend's too. Happy Birthday Tod!
UltraBob
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stairs
EMAIL:
IP: 131.111.8.103
URL: http://stairs.happenchance.com
DATE: 05/05/2003 05:27:09 PM
That's a really lovely looking neighbourhoord you live in. What little time I spent in Tokyo, I really enjoyed; it must be a tremendous experience to have the chance to live there full time. I'm very happy to see that some people make the most of these opportunities, and share their pleasure no less! Many thanks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/06/2003 12:29:47 AM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOD-CHAN!!!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 05/06/2003 12:30:25 AM
"Someone has X'ed out the graffiti and written "baka" over it."
...what does "baka" mean?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/06/2003 12:36:34 AM
"Baka" means foolish or stupid.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.182
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2003 06:30:03 AM
All this time I was thinking Tod's birthday was the tenth. I was going to recommend you see Identity when it comes to Japan as that date is featured prominently. *SIGH* happy belated birthday to you, Tod!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 218.176.164.7
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2003 01:40:43 PM
Happy belated birthday, Todd!
Terri
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Darkroom fun
BASENAME: darkroom_fun
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/06/2003 12:48:41 AM
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BODY:
After seeing Tod grinning at the pinhole workshop last week, what better present could I get him for his birthday than the makings of a home darkroom?
We're now able to develop black and white paper negatives in our bathroom. It is a surprisingly simple set up. At least the basics are: a trio of trays, some tongs and a lot of chemicals. Plus a special red lightbulb that cost more than the developing chemicals combined. It's a good start, but I have a feeling that we're going to be accumulating photographic tools for a while.
We took eight exposures with our pinhole cameras and developed them. But instead of trying to make contact prints we scanned the images and inverted them in Photoshop. Worked like a charm, see below.
We will make physical prints, too, but since we don't have an enlarger (must add to list of tools to acquire, along with 'light meter'), we'll have to use my desk lamp and guess about the timing a bit. Chance makes for fun art, though, so I think we'll enjoy experimenting.
I like the darkroom because of the instant gratification. It's like magic to see the blank paper turn into an image. The stop bath and fixer are boring but necessary. I get really impatient during the washing and drying. I want to examine the images closely in the daylight. More importantly, I want to see them in positive. I can't tell from the negative if it's turned out well or not. It's a learned skill, I hope.
Two images from this afternoon:
From Tod's "deck railings" series. 30 second exposure on Fujibro KM2 photo paper. Inversed in Photoshop.
My own "not too badly ruined" series (one image). 2 minute exposure on Fujibro KM2 photo paper. Inversed in Photoshop.
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EXCERPT:
Anshistu, genzo-eki and 30 seconds.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 05/06/2003 01:23:24 AM
Wow, that is cool. Can I order a print of yours for my office?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2003 10:53:13 PM
It's a real piece of professional work!
I and my hus used to do a lot of print in our schooldays. Now we are heavy desital camera users, but this reminded me of the beauty we've forgotten.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dawn
BASENAME: dawn
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/07/2003 04:28:11 AM
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BODY:
Tod's just gone to bed after a late night of work and I've just gotten up. Even though I haven't had quite enough sleep, the mosquito buzzing loudly in my ear between attacks kept me from getting any more.
So here I am at 4:23 am, watching the sky lighten and wondering if there's any coffee in the thermos pot left over from yesterday. May as well make use of the morning. I'll do my work now and take a nap in the afternoon.
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EXCERPT:
Blame it on the mosquitoes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/07/2003 06:54:45 AM
I hate hearing mosquitoes buzzing around...but it's even worse when they stop buzzing...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lunius
EMAIL: lunius1@yahoo.com
IP: 68.0.251.114
URL: http://lunius.org
DATE: 05/07/2003 12:38:09 PM
I'm moving to tokyo within the year, know very little of japan other then it kicking ass and I find your site very hepful in giving a view of japan from a western perspective and your videos are helpful too, just letting you know your work is appreciated ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2003 01:16:14 PM
Are you still in your PJ's?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Soborodon
BASENAME: soborodon
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/08/2003 10:10:35 AM
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BODY:
Here's a very simple Japanese recipe that is pretty, too. A don is a bowl of rice with stuff on top--gyuudon is the beef bowl that you can find in shopping mall food courts in the US. Soborodon is chicken and egg.
The seasoning for both the chicken and the egg mixtures is a classic mix of sake, salt and soy sauce. Many recipes use this combination and along with dashi fish stock, it gives Japanese food a distinctive flavor.
Soborodon
(serves 2)
2 servings of cooked rice, hot (about 1.5 cups)
Chicken topping:
250 grams ground chicken
1 Tblsp sake (rice wine)
1 tsp sugar
1 Tblsp soy sauce
Egg topping:
3 eggs
2 Tblsp dashi or water
1 Tblsp sake (rice wine)
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp red pickled ginger, to garnish
Over low heat, cook the ground chicken with the sake and sugar, stirring well to break the chicken into tiny crumbs. When the chicken turns white, add the soy sauce and simmer for a few minutes, until the liquid is reduced to a tablespoon's worth.
Beat the eggs well with water, sake, sugar & soy sauce. Scramble the eggs over medium low heat. Again, you want a fine grained effect, so stir well to break them up. Cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated. [NOTE: If you don't eat eggs, you can substitute a cup of plain cooked corn or peas. Frozen works great and it's really fast.]
Divide the rice into two bowls. Spread half of the rice with chicken, the other half with egg. Garnish with a teaspoon of shredded pickled ginger right in the middle.
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EXCERPT:
A chicken and egg recipe.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dark summer
BASENAME: dark_summer
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/09/2003 08:31:24 AM
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BODY:
Looks like it's time to buy a UPS or two for the office.
Kyodo News - The Tokyo metropolitan area may face serious power shortages as early as the end of June due to the shutdown of nuclear reactors operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) over a defect cover-up scandal, TEPCO officials said Thursday.
Concerns about a possible power outage in the Kanto region centering on Tokyo have grown since TEPCO shut down all of its 17 reactors for safety checks on April 15 following the cover-up scandal that emerged last August.
If I promise not to run my aircon, can I keep power for my computers?
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EXCERPT:
Power shortages expected in Tokyo next month
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 05/09/2003 10:24:06 AM
Not bloody likely.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/09/2003 11:22:55 AM
Maybe we should buy a lot of bananas and prepare to hook our puters up...hmmm home power generators?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: The Distal Zou
EMAIL:
IP: 202.1.65.194
URL:
DATE: 05/09/2003 03:54:03 PM
Bananas?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: Microage97@yahoo.com
IP: 63.226.160.253
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 05/09/2003 09:56:04 PM
Get ready to melt! Well Tokyo isn't as hot as Osaka, but it will be killer.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Peter Payne
EMAIL: peter@jlist.com
IP: 220.97.206.143
URL: http://www.jlist.com
DATE: 05/09/2003 11:45:54 PM
Hi, I'd like to exchange links with you. My name is Peter Payne with J-List. I think it'd be interesting. Please email me if this is possible.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/16/2003 01:32:18 PM
I think I may break down and buy a UPS just to be safe. The computers and my time are just to valuable to lose to a random power outage. Are you really considering buying one? What are you looking at?
Adoringly yours,
UltraBob
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Progress but no video
BASENAME: progress_but_no_video
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 05/10/2003 12:33:22 AM
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BODY:
It was a busy week with paid work and photography fun so I didn't make much time to work on Hello Tokyo. But I did manage a little progress. I have photos of conbini to slot into the empty space you saw last week.
And in my fridge I have the carefully wrapped last harvest of the strawberry season and some terribly expensive out-of-season mikan. I will film them tomorrow, then eat them for breakfast. Mmmmm.
More to show next week, even if it's just the gaps filled in on what you saw before.
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EXCERPT:
A step sideways
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jasmine bloom
BASENAME: jasmine_bloom
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/11/2003 09:37:51 AM
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BODY:
Last spring I bought some greenery for the veranda of our new apartment. This rather dull-looking, waist-high shrub is an orange jasmine. The people at the shop told me it would bloom wonderfully scented flowers.
But last year, there were no blooms, just a collection of green leaves. We were disappointed.
Two days ago, the plant fulfilled its promise and produced a single blossom. It's not much to look at; about 2 cm long and hardly distinguishable from a leaf unless you look closely.
But it's so highly perfumed that this one tiny flower can be smelled from the far end of the veranda and even in the office when I leave the door open.
I truly hope that it makes flowers one at a time. The jasmine scent sort of clashes with the toilet paper...
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EXCERPT:
Another flowery smell.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/11/2003 05:25:12 PM
I love the smell--Sometimes it is too strong. In my house this year a GUMI tree (shrub) comes into bearing. The seeds are cute, and eaten -- it taste wild? and good. My daughters love them.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/12/2003 03:28:11 PM
There seems to be many toilet references in your blog - perhaps you need to have a category for toilets.. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.38
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 05/12/2003 08:55:45 PM
The lilac in the back is in full bloom. On overcast humid days you can smell it down the block! I cut a few blooms off the other day and thought of Grandmom Romayne.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Archiving
BASENAME: archiving
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 05/12/2003 08:58:55 AM
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BODY:
If you look to the column at the right, you may notice a change. I've moved the Archives off to their own page and added a list of the five most recent comments.
This has been a long time coming. For the past couple of months, since a discussion at the first Japan Bloggers' Party in February in fact, I've been thinking about the archives of this weblog.
But I have a quandary.
When I began my weblog, I just lumped all the entries together each month. Now that I've accumulated 35 months of writing, maybe monthly archives are not the best way to go.
When I converted to Moveable Type last year, I started categorising my posts. But even so, I'll make my 1,000th entry later this week and I have only 5 categories.
Some weblogs have scores of categories with just a few posts each. My topics range far and wide, so I've opted for just a few broad categories: Work Updates, Japan Commentary, Personal Reflections, The Wider World, and Food & Recipes.
Since I have to go through and categories the first two years of Blogger-created posts, I'm trying to think carefully about my categories. What other categories make sense for this weblog? Should I have a separate category for video, instead of putting it under Work Updates? Should I subdivide the Japan Commentary category into, I'm not sure...Japan Nature, Japan Society, In Tokyo?
What do you think? Have you ever looked back for things in the weblog? What would have made the experience better? What do you do on your weblog that you think is worthwhile for me to adopt?
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EXCERPT:
Blogging about blogging...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 05/12/2003 10:16:46 AM
I think one of the problems with categories is that with no ability to make subcategories of a major category, one could make just a hundred categories, leaving it up to the user to decide what topic a given thought would be under. I like date based archives, and maybe throwing MT's native search engine down there would help too in finding posts.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/16/2003 01:27:49 PM
A Maria Yumeno section would help a lot!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Heroins toy
BASENAME: heroins_toy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/13/2003 10:34:49 AM
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BODY:
Meet Selphie Tilmitt of Final Fantasy VIII. Schoolgirl with a weapon, or just another omocha from the convenience store? Attitude with a splash of "Engrish," I say.
Does Bandai need an English copy editor?
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EXCERPT:
Who proofreads this stuff?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/13/2003 11:40:40 AM
Of course it does - but the Engrish is part of the fun of it all.
Gyah I can't believe I used to deal with this omocha every day....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 05/13/2003 01:02:10 PM
I've always suspected Bandai of being a front for the drug trade!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Panawave
BASENAME: panawave
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/14/2003 11:01:42 PM
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BODY:
50 members of a cult group have been driving their dying leader around the countryside of Japan for the last three years, looking for a place that is free of electromagnetic waves. The Panawave Laboratory members say that their cancer-ridden leader, Yuko Chino, 69, feels worse in the presence of EM radiation.
They stop along country roads and break out their supplies--meters and meters of white fabric, which they use to drape trees, guardrails and the vans they drive. Apparently, white reflects the waves. Everyone wears white and they use mirroed shields to hold back the police who come to move them off the public thoroughfares.
Harmless kooks, more or less. Except that they are also doomsday cultists. Panawave believes that the world will end this Friday, when an EM surge realigns Earth's axis, or Planet X appears on the horizon, or some such drivel depending on which account you read.
Here are a few for you to sample:
Profile of cult leader Yuko Chino (Daily Mainichi),
Photo essay on the Panawave cult(Daily Mainichi),
An overview of the recent Panawave attention (The Independent),
City council gives cult a year to close shop even though the world ends in two days (via Japan Today),
and the Panawave Laboratory home page (in Japanese).
I have plans for Saturday, so the Earth had better not end on Friday!
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EXCERPT:
The weird white cult
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/15/2003 12:00:59 AM
Copycat!!!! :p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/15/2003 07:24:51 AM
Honest, I didn't read your post first. I was in class when you wriote it. I wrote mine in hasty desperation after I got back from a late dinner!
Very funny that we both did it the same sort of way with links at the bottom (not my normal MO or yours). Proving that I really AM your shadow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/15/2003 10:52:47 AM
*gets scared*
I knew you were out all day and couldn't post - heh heh!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 12.15.208.179
URL: http://www.randyrants.com
DATE: 05/16/2003 03:41:58 AM
I find it ironic, too, that this group now says May 22 is "the day"... who knew that a prophecy could get mis-calculated? :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 05/24/2003 09:16:38 AM
Wow...we're still here! Any comment from the Panawave folks?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Toast
BASENAME: toast
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/15/2003 08:01:38 AM
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BODY:
You might think that a recipe for toast is like a recipe for boiled water, right? But here I present you 5 ways for making your toast more interesting.
I make mine in a toaster oven but you could try a broiler if you have a slotted toaster.
Ham Cheese Pickle Toast
1 slice bread
1 slice ham
1 tsp sliced pickles (or relish)
1 slice cheese
Layer the pickles between ham and cheese, with cheese on top. Toast until cheese is bubbly. Make two, put them cheese-side together and you have a warm, not-too-greasy sandwich.
Garlic Anchovy Toast
1 slice bread, slightly stale works best
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 anchovy fillet
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 Tblsp grated Parmesan
black pepper to taste
Mince the garlic and anchovy, then mix with oil. Spread oil mixture over bread. Top with cheese. Toast until the cheese is lightly brown, but before the garlic burns. Season to taste with cracked balck pepper. A nice accompaniment to soup or pasta.
Toast with Lettuce
1 slice bread
2 leaves lettuce
1 Tblsp mayonnaise
salt to taste
The poor (dieting) man's BLT. This tastes best if you have good lettuce, but even iceberg will work. Make the toast the usual way. Spread with mayo and top with lettuce. Sprinkle with salt.
Orange Toast
1 slice bread
2-3 slices orange
1 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp brown sugar
Peel an orange and slice into very thin round slices. Butter the bread, cover with orange slices and sprinkle with sugar. Toast until the sugar is bubbly.
Last Toast of the Evening
1 slice bread
1 Tblsp butter
1 tsp Vegemite
beer, as desired
Before beginning, drink a lot of beer; Vegemite is only good after too much. When you are ready to retire for the night, make toast the regular way being very careful not to burn yourself. Slather on butter and Vegemite. Munch before passing out.
For more toast recipes and other toast fun, see Dr. Toast's Amazing World of Toast
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Who'd have thunk...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/15/2003 08:29:46 AM
Oranbe Toast?? I'll try it. Thank you for introducing recope. It gives a lot of help me because I'm a mother.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/15/2003 01:14:49 PM
For the record: the Cook at Cerebral Soup stole my garlic toast recipe....and edited my comments on her post. What a ratbag. PFFFT.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/15/2003 01:27:55 PM
What goes around comes around babycakes :p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/15/2003 01:29:25 PM
BTW just WHO taught you about vegemite toast and it's restorative properties?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/15/2003 03:03:13 PM
Vegemite is the BEST!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: dandyism@hellokitty.com
IP: 218.224.191.22
URL: http://dandyism.blogspot.com
DATE: 05/16/2003 10:20:09 AM
Mmm...I tried the ham cheese pickle toast yesterday, as I am a big fan of bubbly toasted cheese. It was really good! Thank you.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sewing books
BASENAME: sewing_books
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/16/2003 08:19:40 AM
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BODY:
I really hate patterns. From the time in 8th grade when I was sewing letter-shaped pillows in Home Ec, I found all those tissue paper notches annoying. And the super-detailed instructions might be good for some people or when you're learning a new construction technique, but... Align reverse side to front side at notch, pin. Turn 1/2 inch. Sew to notch, reinforcing seam with double row of stitches. Yuck!
Here in Japan, none of the patterns are in my size, so I'm spared this trauma. I have experience drafting patterns, though it's been a long time and my skills are rusty. What I need is inspiration. What do current fashions look like?
Enter the fashion book. I've fallen in love with these and already own three of them.
Each book has a front section with photos of the designs on models. Then each item has a one or two page spread that shows you how to place the pieces on the fabric, a numbered list of instructions, and details for any special construction points.
There are assumptions about your ability to sew. You must know how to cut a pattern, sew a seam, turn a hem, etc. These books are not really for true beginners, though they are not difficult things to sew if you have the basics under your belt. The instructions are sparse but there are illustrated sections to cover some techniques and I've learned a clever ironing tip from the "Men's Shirts" book.
The books also have pullout patterns--a single sheet with all of the pieces printed on top of one another. You are suppose to trace them out. Of course, they are not drafted for my shape, so I will have to redo them to fit my waist-hip ratio and my wide shoulders.
This page shows the skirt I made last week. It doesn't even have a pattern, just measurements for the various rectangles. The instructions include some detail on putting together the pocket, but other than that, it's 7 easy steps:
It was so easy, I made two. Summer wardrode is sorted. Have I mentioned that I now know the kanji for "fusible interfacing" in Japanese?
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No-nonsense sewing instructions.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/16/2003 08:52:20 AM
WOO! You are great, Sawing is one of my poorest things.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/16/2003 01:24:40 PM
Sawing is one of my strong points. Sewing however I was never really allowed to try much. I am really intrigued however with the idea of making my own clothes. I'm intrigues with about 5,000 ideas at the moment though, so I doubt I'll do it. Thanks for the site title, Johnny approved it and it went up. It is hilarious. If you don't see it when you first visit the page, just hit reload. (This will play hell with my page views count)
Keep on Truckin'
UltraBob
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/16/2003 04:28:02 PM
Thanks for the complements on my patterns Tracey, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no about the sewing circle.
;p
UltraBob
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.29
URL:
DATE: 05/16/2003 04:32:08 PM
It's pretty great to have someone else replying to comments on my site. Saves me tons of time. Thanks, UB!
P.S. Sewing circle is on, even if UB is too busy to make his own clothes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/16/2003 05:39:34 PM
Does UB have too much time on his hands? Idle hands are the devil's work!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/16/2003 06:33:58 PM
Pretty sure she was talking to me Kristen.
UltraBob
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/16/2003 06:44:19 PM
I mean, when you see my patterns it's pretty obvious really.
UltraBob
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.29
URL:
DATE: 05/16/2003 07:31:16 PM
Oooh, maybe you should write abook. I'm sure I'd buy "UltraBob's Fashion Sense for Women." Maybe I can do the cover design for you...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL: hgeorge@rose.ocn.ne.jp
IP: 61.113.197.209
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/stellastarstruck
DATE: 05/17/2003 01:25:09 AM
If you decide not to create your own patterns, you could buy a copy of Burda magazine. It comes in a few languages and has many patterns and sizes.
Of course, you still have to trace the patterns from the sheet in the middle, but.....!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 1000!
BASENAME: 1000
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 05/17/2003 11:59:13 PM
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BODY:
Today marks my 1,000th entry in this journal. I've reviewed the past 999 entries to bring you some of my favorite highlights, full of typos as always.
23 August 2000. Sometimes I'm surprised at who reads this weblog. We discovered our neighbor is a foreigner after he figured out he lived next door and came over to introduce himself.
1 December 2000. Black toothpaste is not a joke.
5 December 2000. There are not 2000 body parts, but maybe 2000 uses for Lever 2000 soap. This thread continued on December 6, 9, & 10 but only 23 uses so far.
12 April 2001. Neighborhood plumbing projects begins; is inspected (30 May), and corrected (22 June).
14 June 2001. Personal rituals gone awry on a summer holiday.
12 July 2001. A little portrait of domestic happiness.
23 June 2002. An all-nighter in the poolhall with MJ.
4 October 2002 & 5 October 2002. A Two-day haircut blog.
2 December 2002. The sighting of the mystery weasel and an announcement on the local noticeboard. (4 December )
I wonder what the next 1,000 posts will hold?
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A look back over the first 1000 posts.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sayaka
EMAIL: sayaka@mugi.com
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 05/18/2003 10:43:19 AM
Congratulations! It indeed is a great work. Not everyone can accomplish it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Emily
EMAIL: staremy@yahoo.com
IP: 63.150.12.71
URL:
DATE: 05/18/2003 11:58:41 AM
I still have that incense. Every now and then I burn a stick and think about being on the beach with everyone.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/18/2003 12:31:11 PM
Congratulations baby!!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Satski aka satsuki
EMAIL: bk649@aol.com
IP: 203.205.77.76
URL:
DATE: 05/18/2003 08:30:01 PM
Love the one for the Lever 2000 soap.
Always enjoying your blog.
You are such an interesting writer!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike r
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 05/19/2003 07:27:20 AM
Congrats on 1000 entries, that's a lot of work!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.21
URL:
DATE: 05/19/2003 07:41:17 AM
You still have the incense? Cool. That was such a tragi-comic morning, wasn't it?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Cha
EMAIL: jjcha@hotmail.com
IP: 199.108.76.18
URL: http://www.jjcha.net
DATE: 05/19/2003 12:58:07 PM
Kuri-san,
Congratulations on 1000!
I remember reading your archives when I found your blog in January 2001, and thinking to myself, hmm, life in Japan, it was pretty interesting, wasn't it...
And here we are.
Oh, I think you'd look less bored in that movie editing photo if there were some Zou's around!
Best regards,
-Jason
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Compressing
BASENAME: compressing
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 05/18/2003 05:24:06 PM
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BODY:
What a boring Sunday. I'd hoped to be outside today, but...
I'm inside at my computer, compressing videos. Such is the glamorous life of a media tinker.
Really, it's my own fault. I'm doing some subtitling work for an insurance company and the MPEG-1 files they gave me to work with have to be recompressed. This causes a loss of quality, similar to making a photocopy of a photocopy. The details start to blur and it's not as crisp and perfect as the original.
The client is aware of this; I did a test clip before I agreed to take on the job. In fact, I encouraged them to go back to the original post-production company. But maybe they wanted someone local or maybe I'm just very economical. I got the job.
But even though they think the test clip quality is OK, I'm not happy with it. So I spent Friday afternoon and most of yesterday tweaking and testing the encoding settings in Cleaner.
I even upgraded to Cleaner 6 to get access to 2-pass variable bit rate encoding. But the program is pretty buggy and I've had mixed results. Only 70% of the clips processed properly when I batched them overnight.
So I am fighting with Cleaner to get the last few done today. One sailed through with no errors. The other two...fail, fail. I've dropped back to Cleaner 5 to see if I can get them to encode without errors.
And that's why I look so bored. Encoding is a lot of waiting and hoping. The program's just signalled its completion with a cheery chime, so I'm off to see how it did. With fingers crossed...
[Update: 19:03. The last two clips are done and the CD is burning now. I'm ready to hand this off to the client tomorrow on schedule. Whew.]
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All I can do is wait and see.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/19/2003 11:37:24 AM
Sometimes such a boring time is needed, right?
I'm not young so boring time is my rest. New week starts! You must be busy! Have a good week!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/19/2003 03:38:53 PM
Did you ask for extra funds to cover the "boredom factor"? BTW is this who I think it is?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ashes
EMAIL:
IP: 213.224.83.46
URL:
DATE: 05/20/2003 07:19:27 AM
You just need to offload some of your data processing tasks like your customer database management to more suitable hardware.
An IBM S/390 mainframe, for example, now available at a low low price:
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/news/0305/16/njbt_10.html
A bit bulky, perhaps, but guaranteed to impress your clients :-) I'm sure Tod will de delighted to help you set it up at your place...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tsuuyu is Kabi Time
BASENAME: tsuuyu_is_kabi_time
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/19/2003 11:22:56 PM
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BODY:
I don't care what the Japan Meteorological Agency says, I declare today the start of tsuuyu, the rainy season.
Officially, it won't begin until early June. Doesn't matter that we've have wet tsuuyu-like weather for the past week. It's not actually 'til June. And it ends in July. That's the traditiaon and weather patterns be damned.
It really makes no difference when it's official. The extended wet weather means that it's time to drag out all the mould-preventative and dehumidifying things.
Containers full of dessicant, DryPet brand, will sit on shelves in my pantry for the next two months. Sachets of the same stuff need to go into the dresser drawers. I must to stock up on kabi-killa, mould killer, for the bathroom.
No matter what you do, no matter how much dessicant you put in strategic locations or how careful you are with cleaning, the damp and humidity make it a challenge to keep dry. Follow tsuuyu with the sticky summer and there's no way to avoid mould. But battling it keeps it to a minimum, and I'm ready to get armed for the fight.
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Mold, I know you're coming.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 05/20/2003 08:46:26 AM
I'm not sure the tradition is all that rigid. My nihongo-sensei explained that the end of tsuuyu as expected in mid-July, but once about ten years ago tsuuyu lasted all summer. (We were talking about the verb "akeru".)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/20/2003 09:25:32 AM
Yes, I'm also ready to get armed for TSUYU. Though I moved this prefecture from TOKYO more than ten years ago, for me winter is also difficult to adjust. And in spring and fall I have trouble in pollen allergy.--- but I love JAPAN that has four complete different seasons.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve
EMAIL:
IP: 61.213.252.127
URL: http://swhinjapan.pitas.com/
DATE: 05/20/2003 05:31:56 PM
I live in the sticks of western Japan, and I go through a boatload of dessicant each year. Last fall I saw an interesting use for it on TV (Itoukei no shokutaku) that I have yet to try. Apparently, once the dessicant becomes fully saturated, you can use it to make ice cream! I dont recall all the details, but the liquid from the used containers, when added to ice, acts as a super cooler. Kinda like the salt we used as kids. So, when kabi season is over, celebrate with an ice cream party!
*Dont drink the liquid, that probably is not too good for you!
:oP0>m
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: More web updates
BASENAME: more_web_updates
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 05/20/2003 10:32:18 AM
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BODY:
My 1000th entry inspired me to keep on cleaning up and changing things around here.
There's a new tabbed layout at the top of the page. It's part of my "move to CSS layout, old browsers be damned" campaign. The tabs are done in CSS, but I can't take much credit; I'm standing on the shoulders of Dive into Mark's Pure CSS Tabs.
And I've finally decided on my categories. I've got 19 of them now (sorry, Tracey, no toilet category) and old posts are slowly making their way into the correct categories. If you click on the category displayed at the end of each entry, you'll jump to the archive of everything in that category. Thanks, Kurt, for the suggestion.
Also, my RSS feeds are corrected and should work with all the RSS readers. That prompting to upgrade from the broken MT2.5 templates came via Gabriel at snydic8 this morning. They want to list the Zous, so I did us both. Maybe mediatinker will get picked up as well. (5/21: it did!)
I've also added a section to the navigation at the right that points to some of the stuff I've done and interesting projects I've contributed to. May as well promote myself to my 650 daily visitors. OK, I do realise that a lot of those 650 visits are by RSS readers and robots, but still...
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RSS corrections, CSS layout, and new fun
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 05/21/2003 12:07:19 AM
650/day? Wow, nice. I thought my 375/day was pretty decent :) Keep up the good work. CSS is hard, and takes a while to get right, but makes for easier upkeep in the future, I think.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Recipe Thursday Ideas
BASENAME: recipe_thursday_ideas
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
DATE: 05/21/2003 08:09:08 AM
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BODY:
Yoshi's Chahan
Old recipes from Metropark/Usenet
Stuffed eggplant (chicken, pepper, onion, corriander, mushroom, cayenne)
Mongolian food
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Googling in Japanese
BASENAME: googling_in_japanese
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 05/21/2003 11:26:10 AM
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BODY:
An interesting conversation is going on over at the DigitalEve Japan discussion list about searching in Japanese vs English. One poster commented that searching for red Pajero at images.google.com and images.google.co.jp doesn't bring up the same results. Later she revealed that she was searching for it in Japanese on the Japanese Google, and in English on the English Google.
Which is not the same search at all. Why not?
Well, as I explained on the list, if you search for aka pajero and for akai pajero (with aka/akai in kanji and pajero in katakana) you get different results: 11 for aka pajero and 3 for akai pajero. If you spell out aka or akai in hiragana you get 0 results.
Yet all four variations are definitely the same idea of "red Pajero" that any Japanese reader would understand.
This must give Japanese search engine developers nightmares. I didn't even start on the variations of spaces between words or not. Generally, there are not spaces between words in Japanese. I usually search with spaces between words, though.
If you search for red Pajero in English on either images.google.co.jp or images.google.com you get 49 hits. Quite a few more than searching in Japanese.
So there are two issues involved:
1. There's more than one way to write "red Pajero" in Japanese.
2. There are more results in English than in Japanese.
Regarding 1, you must try all variations to find all results. No way around it.
As for 2, I'm not sure whether there are more hits on this search in English than in Japanese becasue there are simply more pages on the web in English, or whether Japanese webmasters tend to name their images and pages in English or romaji even on otherwise Japanese pages.
Does anyone know the breakdown of English pages to Japanese pages? I assume a whole lot more English than Japanese, but I don't know where to dredge up the actual numbers.
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One item; at least five ways to search for it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/index.html
DATE: 05/21/2003 01:52:35 PM
It's interesting!! I tried the serch in HIRAGANA on yahoo, actually only two hits. Ok next time, I'll try in KATAKANA.--- anyway english is more difficult to me--- because I'm a Japanese.!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/21/2003 02:28:25 PM
You've been spotted and mentioned on the FG site for this post. You may get a few more hits today.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stuart Woodward
EMAIL: stuart@gol.com
IP: 211.2.219.102
URL: http://www.stuartwoodward.com
DATE: 05/22/2003 10:46:06 AM
From a technical point Japanese is especially difficult to index as the word that you are searching for may be written in:
Kanji
Kanji + Hiragana mix
Hiragana
Full Width Katakana (Zenkaku)
Half Width Katakana (Hankaku)
and possibly Romaji
Some Japanese magazines used to do a comparsion of the numbers of results for popular searches which were searched for in different ways on various search engines. By doing this you can sometimes understand the underlying way the indexer works which is different for each engine. Some engines may be better than others for one of the above group of wrting methods.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blueberry Coffee Cake
BASENAME: blueberry_coffee_cake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/22/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
Perfect for a weekend brunch and super-simple to put together. As pictured, I made it with blueberries and walnuts, but it's simple enough for a variety of berry and nut substitutions. Can hardly wait for cranberry season...
Berry-topped Coffee Cake
cake
1.5 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
topping
1 Tblsp butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar (brown works best)
1 Tblsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts or almonds, crushed
1 cup berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc)
Butter a 9" round pan. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare the cake batter: Mix dry ingredients. Add liquids, beating well to form a smooth batter. Pour into pan. Create a crumb mixture with the butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add in nuts and stir to coat with crumbs. Spread berries evenly over cake batter, then sprinkle with crumbs and nuts. Bake for about 30 minutes.
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Easy, tasty impressive breakfast treat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL: philiprhil@aol.com
IP: 152.163.253.100
URL:
DATE: 05/22/2003 11:09:07 PM
Sounds yummie!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: shannon
EMAIL: shannon_walbran@yahoo.com
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://shannon.informage.net
DATE: 05/24/2003 09:19:50 PM
Dear Kristen,
I tried this recipe and it worked out very well, thanks for the idea!
Shannon
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.15.144.2
URL:
DATE: 05/26/2003 01:03:17 AM
Will you be my Mum?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tiny Frogs
BASENAME: tiny_frogs
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/23/2003 04:05:17 PM
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BODY:
Last spring, we discovered tadpoles, otamajakushi, in a nearby park. We watched them develop and took delight in stopping on our way by to peek at them. In Tokyo, you have to enjoy the little details of nature when you can find them.
Needless to say, we were surprised and disappointed when they vanished. It was shortly after they started to bud legs, but before they were fully developed into frogs. Maybe a cat ate them or perhaps schoolboys had carried them off in jars. We didn't know.
So this year, we've been watching the new crop with interest but expecting another vanishing act. Only they didn't vanish. Instead, we caught them in the act of escaping the pond.
Dozens of miniature frogs, no bigger than a garbanzo bean, struggled out of the water yesterday afternoon. They weren't hopping, exactly. They were more like froggy toddlers trying to keep their balance without toppling back into the pond.
They lined up along the border between the water and the land. Waiting for something, but what?
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EXCERPT:
So this is what happened to the otamajakushi last year...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/23/2003 06:59:14 PM
My guess is the Pana-wave people, but I could be wrong.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.33
URL: http://wordpainting.com
DATE: 05/23/2003 09:47:00 PM
Remember looking for tadpoles in the valley? I just had to explain the concept of tadpoles turning into frogs to a group of 4th graders. I was astounded that none of them had ever seen a tadpole.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve
EMAIL:
IP: 61.208.183.235
URL: http://swhinjapan.pitas.com/
DATE: 05/23/2003 11:35:48 PM
What about snakes? I spent part of my afternoon chasing snakes away from the frogs in my backyard. They hear the frogs singing and come for lunch. My guess is that you will probably lose more of your frogs to snakes than little kids with jars.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: The Distal Zou
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/24/2003 03:01:55 AM
Snakes may be a problem in some places, but only MJ has ever seen a snake in central Tokyo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2003 02:13:57 PM
Oh,friends, I must tell you there are plenty of snakes in cetral Tokyo. I dind't know about it untill I experienced a guided tour in Ueno Zoo. Someone asked the Zoo keeper at the Reptile pabilion, "Where do you get common snakes you just said you feed these cobra snakes from?"
And the keeper said, "There and here, everywhere in the Ueno Park. They are easy to catch."
There must be plenty of them.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Hector Sierra
EMAIL: hectorsi@yahoo.com
IP: 219.103.219.176
URL: http://www.artwit.org
DATE: 05/31/2003 06:39:53 PM
I loved the tiny frogs! They inspired me a poem that I immediately added to a book of haiku I am working on:
Life of the pond
The frogs are swimming back
Tadpoles frogward
What can be more Japanese than haiku poems about frogs? Please, enjoy some samples:
A bonsai pond
A tiny frog jumps in
Blip!
An old pond
The frog: "to jump or not to jump"
That is the haiku
- I can croak
- I can croak better
The frogs
"Croak croak" "Kheiro-kheiro"
The frogs too speak
Different languages
Cold winter day
The pond is iced
The frogs croaked
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: More shopping video
BASENAME: more_shopping_video
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 05/24/2003 10:41:09 AM
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BODY:
OK, it's back to tasks completed on the Hello Tokyo project. This week, I've added in those missing fruit and convenience store bits from the previous edition of Video Saturday and I've added short segments on department stores and my favorite goofy shopping venue--the 100 yen shop.
This is still a rough edit, but it is coming along. Next week, I'm aiming to have another segment slapped together--entertainment.
For this download, I'm trying out a different compression program and format. Please tell me if you have any trouble with this MPEG-4 file.
Shopping. 3'30" (5.3 MB MP4)
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EXCERPT:
Missing sections inserted plus 40 seconds of new footage
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/24/2003 12:42:06 PM
wowo baby it's really starting to take shape!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: niko
EMAIL: nikoneefs@hotmail.com
IP: 213.46.162.166
URL: http://www.zousan.com/piphotos/belgium/belgium.html
DATE: 05/25/2003 06:55:41 AM
Looks great! And the new MPEG-4 file format is a keeper.;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nikita
EMAIL: joann@jellykiss.com
IP: 24.165.172.111
URL: http://www.jellykiss.com/blog
DATE: 05/25/2003 11:13:49 AM
Wow, it's really informative!! Can't wait to see the finished clip!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 218.176.164.3
URL: http://www.newcore.jp/TPF
DATE: 05/25/2003 02:46:57 PM
Hey, this is really informative and genki, can't wait to see the end result!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/26/2003 12:38:47 PM
Sensational!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stairs
EMAIL:
IP: 131.111.8.101
URL: http://stairs.happenchance.com
DATE: 05/28/2003 03:50:48 AM
mp4 worked perfectly for me; you are my walking envy-maker! Look forward to the rest :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: todd
EMAIL: todd@deepermotive.com
IP: 68.97.94.204
URL: http://www.deepermotive.com
DATE: 06/02/2003 12:15:09 PM
I'm moving to Japan in September (don't know where yet exactly) and just wanted to tell you 'thanks' for the blog, the site, and the video. Great stuff.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Futile quest
BASENAME: futile_quest
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/25/2003 09:21:13 AM
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BODY:
Last summer's trendy drink was tea. There were at least a dozen new brands of cold tea in the convenience stores. Boutique teas--Chinese specialties, green teas, oolong tea--all unsweetened and refreshing on a summer day. This one, Rin, is a Chinese green tea scented with jasmine and herbs.
It's Tod's very favorite tea, ever. He loves it so much that he drinks two 2-liter bottles a week to keep him going through his long nights at work. The local liquor shop, Kashiwaya, faithfully stocked Rin for him all winter even though it's a summertime drink.
When they ran out of Rin last week, the clerks at Kashiwaya were very sympathetic, but there's nothing they can do; they can't get it anymore.
Asahi has stopped production and seems to be selling off their stock--their Rin webpage shows a dearth of container sizes. Tea is no longer the fashionable (and profitable) thirst quencher.
So my quest, and yours if you should choose, is to find the remaining 2-liter bottles of Rin. There must be some out there, gathering dust in the back corners of mom-and-pop liquor shops. If you see any, would you please let me know where they are?
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EXCERPT:
Have you seen this tea?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/25/2003 09:56:11 AM
These days lots of kind of tea are in the market. My elder daughter is a little bit clazy about "ココカラ" (pet-bottle)from SUNTORY. If you find it, please try.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.105
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 05/25/2003 11:22:57 AM
There are other jasmine teas on the market that I really enjoy. He only likes this brand? There are a lot of jasmine flowers growing along the Kamo River here in Kyoto between Gojo and Shijo streets. They are very fragrant in spring.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2003 01:10:16 PM
Meiko: I've tried "kokokara" and it's quite tasty. I like the name, too. So much wordplay in it!
Nils: it's not just jasmine. There's something else in it-- almost cinnamon spicy. I'm not fond of straight jasmine tea, but I really enjoy Rin. Enjoyed. :-(
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sako
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com
DATE: 05/28/2003 03:01:25 PM
After reading this entry, I happened to notice that the convenience store in our company seems to have plenty of the 500 ml bottles, but no 2-liters, I'm afraid.
I hadn't tried Rin before, but bought a bottle just now to see what it was like. I can see (taste?) why you felt it was worth blogging about. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Maria Falco
EMAIL: mfalco8221@aol.com
IP: 64.12.96.44
URL:
DATE: 07/31/2003 05:57:23 AM
I bought this tea 3 weeks ago and it was fabulous. The Store is called Maruwa in San Francisco and they stock it you can call about it and have them shipped.
Gambatte!!
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: CMS trials
BASENAME: cms_trials
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 05/26/2003 10:19:26 AM
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BODY:
I'm becoming familiar with various content management systems (CMS) for websites. FCCJ uses Xoops, DigitalEve is experimenting with Zope, and WWJ is setting up a PHP-Nuke site.
All three do basically the same thing. They allow the administrator to post content, create user accounts, and manage forums. On top of that, you can install modules and add-ons to do other things--create polls, mange a FAQ, support weblog-like journals, display RSS feeds. You name it and someone has probably written a module to do it.
But all three have their own specialised jargon to describe what they do and myriad quirks in the way they handle even the basic functions. None of it is as straightforward as it should be.
My challenge today is to figure out the subtle differences between the various PHP-Nuke "blocks." How does Content differ from Articles differ from News? Sections relates to them in what way? What the heck is Ephemerids?
Once I've sorted that out to my satisfaction, I need to figure out how to display excerpts of articles on the front page, but to restrict access to the rest of the content to people who have registered on the site. Luckily for me, I have an entire community of Nuke developers to support me. I just have to figure out how to speak their language!
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EXCERPT:
So many ways to do the same things
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Posing for Photos
BASENAME: posing_for_photos
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/27/2003 11:26:31 AM
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BODY:
I don't know for sure, but I suspect that Japanese women have some sort of special training in "posing for cameras."
We all know about the V sign that everyone, young and old, makes for the camera, but there's another common pose struck only by fashionable women. It's a modelesque chin-down-pouty-smile-eyes-focussed-on-lens-legs-poised pose that I can't believe is entirely unlearned.
Yet they do it gracefully and without consideration for the surroundings. I've seen women arranging themselves this way in front of landmarks, in clubs, in purikura photo booths, on the street with friends. It doesn't seem to matter what they are wearing or who is holding the camera. The ones who are best at it go on to become event models at technology and automobile conventions.
Perhaps there is a special schoolday in the 6th grade or so, when boys and girls are taken into separate rooms and the "facts of life" are explained. Same as when I was a schoolgirl, but in Japan the girls get an extra lesson in modelling. We missed out on that in my elementary school, so all I can do is look slightly goofy in photos.
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Are all Japanese women wannabe models?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: dandyism@hellokitty.com
IP: 218.224.191.22
URL: http://dandyism.blogspot.com
DATE: 05/27/2003 04:23:02 PM
Can I just say that the posing gives me the heebie-jeebies? It does. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why. Maybe it's because it seems like blatant vanity rather than, you know, false modesty. Heh.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Giovanni
EMAIL: giovanni.bertani@exsense.com
IP: 217.133.146.72
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2003 07:16:22 PM
Anyway is really funny the first time you use a camera in Japan... ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sako
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com
DATE: 06/11/2003 03:41:45 PM
I was reminded of this post just now when a translation assignment came to my desk. The assignment is a PowerPoint presentation aimed at would-be digital photographers. It includes precisely the kind of advice you mentioned above: Head tilted slightly, chin down, legs crossed, etc.
So you were right, they are coached.
(Aside: Am I alone in thinking that there should be a law against Japanese people using PowerPoint without a computer-literacy credential of some sort?)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 09/01/2003 11:31:14 PM
I have visited an Amerian National park this summer, and I saw many young girls making "fancy smiles" in front of cameras. They were dramatically identical. Are they coached, too?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Crime map
BASENAME: crime_map
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/28/2003 08:48:00 AM
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BODY:
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police publish an annual map of crimes in the city. It's fascinating to see where the hubs of bad behaviour are. I'm happy to say that Bunkyo-ku seems to be the safest inner-city section. Shinjuku, on the other hand, is a dangerous place.
Click the map above for a larger version, or visit the police site for even better detail in Japanese.
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or safety amp depending on how you see it.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/28/2003 06:51:27 PM
My ku looks to be a hotspot for all things crime related!! It is not me - honest!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/28/2003 06:56:44 PM
Do you live in BUNKYO-KU? My husband used to live there when he was a boy. My parent lives in SUGINAMI-KU. AND I LOVE KICHIJYOUJI.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/29/2003 02:05:37 AM
I wonder if the places I live/d in become red before or after I moved there...
Thanks babe that was v. interesting!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/29/2003 02:06:57 AM
By the way Tracey dragged me into the backstreets of Shinjujku for drinks tonight - if only I'd read your post earlier...I should have know :P
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.109.235
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2003 08:09:15 AM
Is any part of Tokyo dangerous? Relative to other parts of the city, some have worse crime stats than others, but do you avoid certain neighborhoods at night because they are actually unsafe?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ken
EMAIL:
IP: 61.24.158.143
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2003 04:41:57 PM
There isn't a dangerous spot in all of Japan.
...
No really, there isn't.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yoshi's Chahan
BASENAME: yoshis_chahan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/29/2003 08:56:46 AM
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BODY:
Fried rice is one of my comfort foods but until Yoshi showed me his technique for chahan, I was never able to get it to taste right when I made it at home. So today's Recipe Thursday is not a recipe as much as a tsukurikata, a way of making.
Yoshi has one secret ingredient that I will share with you: Ajinomoto's Chuka Aji, "Chinese flavor." It's a mix of salt, pork extract, vegetable extract, oil, oyster sauce, and MSG. It looks a little bit like fish food, but it makes the fried rice taste right. And because it's a dry ingredient, it doesn't add any moisture to the frying.
Fried rice is a good way to use up leftovers. I try to use at least three times as much rice as other ingredients. The extra bits are for flavor and show, but rice is the star of the show.
This goes very quickly, so be sure to have all the ingredients ready before you begin. Total cooking time is about 5 minutes in the pan.
Yoshi's Fried Rice
for one serving:
1 1/2 cup cold cooked rice
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 Tblspn onion, chopped
1 egg, well beaten
oil for frying
Chuka Aji
soy sauce
1/2 cup other ingredients: chopped pork, chicken, salmon, carrots, spinach, peas, mushrooms, etc.
Heat the pan until it is very hot. Medium hot will ruin your fried rice. HOT!
Coat pan with oil and don't be stingy--oil is good and the rice soaks it up. Fry the garlic and onion for about 15 seconds, then add your "other ingredients" and fry until just starting to get done, maybe 45 seconds.
Push everything over to the side and tilt the pan so the oil puddles in one corner. Add the egg and scramble. You want to incorporate the oil into the egg to keep it moist. Cook until solid but still soft--the egg will continue to cook as you go.
Now, put the pan back down and add the rice. Using a strong wooden spoon or paddle mix the oil and ingredients into the rice thoroughly. Lumps are not acceptable so be vigorous--this is good exercise. Attack that rice!
Sprinkle generously with Chuka Aji and keep stirring. The rice should be making crackling sounds now. The egg and other ingredients are browned. Splash with soy sauce to color the rice a pale brown. Mix well one final time and serve.
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EXCERPT:
The perfect fried rice technique.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 05/29/2003 02:10:51 PM
*doesn't bother to read as she has it made for her*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2003 02:59:44 PM
I always make the scrambled egg first coz that's what is says on the back of the packet!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2003 03:00:34 PM
This was sounds better...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yoshi
EMAIL:
IP: 213.224.83.38
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2003 08:24:48 PM
For even better results, I suggest to either use warm rice
that has just been cooked, of if you are using some cold
leftover rice, to microwave it first so that it's hot before
pouring it in the pan :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 05/30/2003 11:13:53 AM
Warm rice, really? I thought that using chilled rice was part of the magic!
Thanks, Yoshi. Your new tip will make my chahan experience easier--I hardly ever have leftover rice, so I usually make fresh rice and chill it. Not any more...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: james@consumptive.org
IP: 210.20.71.93
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2003 11:35:10 PM
ooh -- tried out the chuka aji tonight. wow. restaurant style for sure. thanks for the secret.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 218.230.131.220
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2003 10:42:56 AM
*Belatedly*
I would like to share with you sometime my home receipe for vegetable fried rice. :-)) Might not be as good as Yoshi's chahan, but its very original. :0)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Destruction completed
BASENAME: destruction_completed
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/30/2003 10:52:57 AM
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BODY:
As promised on February 18, here is the complete series of photos of neighborhood destruction. Each week revealed a new vista of buildings in the background. The blue tarped construction in the later photos is a new Daikyo Lions Square luxury apartment complex going up next door to the destroyed building.
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EXCERPT:
One building gone, another one going up
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL: philiprhil@aol.com
IP: 64.12.96.44
URL:
DATE: 05/30/2003 08:15:55 PM
Isn't progress wonderful?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Video workspace
BASENAME: video_workspace
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 05/31/2003 02:22:29 AM
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BODY:
I've gotten work done on the entertainment section but not enough to show you. I need to do the voice overs but the circumstances were poor this week, even for sloppy ones. The destruction and construction are awfully noisy!
So instead, here's an image of my video editing environment. I use Premiere 6.5 on Mac OS X.
The entertainment section I'm working on now has 28 clips listed in the Project bin over on the left. To the right is the monitor where the video plays as I work with it. and to the right of that are some control panels for effects.
Down at the bottom is the most important section--the timeline. This is where I connect the clips, trim them, put them in order, add transitions, and get them just right. The yellow and pale green strips are the video clips in timeline and the powder blue box is a transition from one clip the other other. The jaggedy teal bit below is the audio waveform.
Editing is a lot of fun. I wish I had more time for it.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
What does my work-in-progress look like?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2003 06:35:53 AM
I know its come up before, but I really like working in Final Cut Pro. I've been doing some editing in it this week, and its just really nice and smooth. I'll grab a screencap. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.n4et
IP: 141.195.50.36
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2003 06:43:29 AM
Hi, its me again. Here's a screen grab, just to show the differences/similarities. Im not saying one is better then the other...
http://webpub.allegheny.edu/employee/m/mrichwal/fcp.jpg
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL: lagaratica@yahoo.com
IP: 68.68.204.247
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2003 03:12:26 PM
pretty girl!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shannon
EMAIL: shannon_walbran@yahoo.com
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://shannon.informage.net
DATE: 05/31/2003 07:19:05 PM
Hi Kristen,
I really enjoy editing too, especially when the deadline isn't looming. Mostly I work in Final Cut Pro 3. I'm looking forward to seeing your next clips.
Who films you, and have you ever been prevented from shooting, like in a grocery store?
Shannon
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2003 07:33:44 PM
For this project, MJ was my camerawoman. Some of the interiors I did on my own.
We only had one incident. It was while filming the toilet paper story from last week's shopping section. We positioned ourselves in the back aisle of the second rate supermarket in my neighborhood. We did maybe three handheld takes in 5 minutes. When we were leaving the store, a middle-aged employee came up and asked us if everything was ok.
We played dumb and told him everything was fine. He just pointed at the camera and say we couldn't do that. We played up the stupid foregn woman thing and said we were sorry and left. We had out shots. I didn't care much.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Silver Halide
EMAIL: a@g.cl
IP: 213.224.83.38
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2003 09:17:11 PM
Have you been following the Starbucks saga over at Prof. Lessig's blog? :-)
http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/lessig/blog/archives/2003_05.shtml#001223
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: reed
EMAIL:
IP: 128.138.177.10
URL: http://littlebee.gq.nu
DATE: 06/03/2003 02:36:25 PM
Heh heh -- Adobe's sliding! I love 5.1, can't get my brain around anything but Avid anymore. Felt compelled to side with you. Assuming the Final Cut crowd is... crowding. Heh.
"Who is this guy? Why is he blogging my blog?"
* politely steps back * * love the videos! *
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: reed
EMAIL:
IP: 128.138.177.10
URL: http://littlebee.gq.nu
DATE: 06/03/2003 02:36:54 PM
Heh heh -- Adobe's sliding! I love 5.1, can't get my brain around anything but Avid anymore. Felt compelled to side with you. Assuming the Final Cut crowd is... crowding. Heh.
"Who is this guy? Why is he blogging my blog?"
* politely steps back * * love the videos! *
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: reed
EMAIL:
IP: 128.138.177.10
URL: http://littlebee.gq.nu
DATE: 06/03/2003 02:38:01 PM
Heh heh -- Adobe getting crowded out! I love 5.1, can't get my brain around anything but that and Avid anymore. Felt compelled to side with you. Assuming the Final Cut crowd is... crowding. One more time! Crowding! (Yay!)
"Who is this guy? Why is he blogging my blog?"
* dives into shadows * * love the videos! *
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: reed
EMAIL:
IP: 128.138.177.10
URL:
DATE: 06/03/2003 02:39:24 PM
good lord. whoops! sorry.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Floppy quest
BASENAME: floppy_quest
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/01/2003 11:54:55 PM
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BODY:
"Do you have any spare floppies I could borrow?" Tod asked me 30 minutes ago.
"Uh. No. My computers don't even have floppy drives. Maybe there's an old one in the drawer?" I suggested.
"Already looked."
"Ah. Well, probably the conbini then."
So we walked over to the local 7-11. It's really amazing what you'll find there. Towards the end of the first aisle, between the ball point pens and the cell phone chargers, is the blank media section. MiniDiscs in single, 3- or 5- packs. CD-R and CD-RW. Video tapes of all sorts--VHS (three brands), Hi-8 and miniDV.
And, yes, floppy disks. A three pack of Maxell for 270 yen. Whew.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Old fashioned media
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.94.134
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/02/2003 06:46:00 AM
Ha! Cleaning out the office yesterday I ran across an entire BAG of floppies. I can't use them. Want me to ship them? They are brand new.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/02/2003 08:35:13 AM
Yes, these days many PC goods are equiped in convenience stores.--BUT-- a certain kind of icecream was removed at my neighbor convenicences store, that my elder dauhgter loves. Probabbly the one couldn't caught on. The name is 'SOU'.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.ent
IP: 63.160.35.18
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2003 10:44:06 AM
How weird - we had the same conversation today...my brother-in-law's girlfriend was looking at an iBook and said how come it doesnt' have a floppy drive, and the rest of us couldn't remember the last time we used a floppy. with CD-r's, FTP and email, I cant remember the last time i used one.
p.s. I'm sure you knew this, but on IE6 on the PC the new CSS buttons don't sit above the mediatinker banner.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: iM
EMAIL: wine@gol.com
IP: 165.76.207.72
URL: http://www.somethingfromjapan.com/dereksworld/index.php
DATE: 06/02/2003 01:02:28 PM
Buy him a USB thumb drive. http://www.tekgear.com/product.cfm?sku=0024
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pedro
EMAIL: mansoupe@yahoo.com
IP: 219.110.131.19
URL:
DATE: 06/04/2003 10:23:30 PM
I use floppies all the time... in fact I have about a million in my drawer at work. Stop by and I'll pass some to you ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My livingroom, studio
BASENAME: my_livingroom_studio
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/02/2003 09:43:31 PM
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BODY:
It never fails to amaze me how odd the perspective is from the camera. What seems perfectly acceptable to our eyes is too far away and too spread out when viewed through the lens.
So to prepare for a video shoot we were doing yesterday afternoon, I squished the table and chairs as close together as possible. The plant is arranged so that it peeks into the frame; the wooden sculpture is just fully in the frame. The top of the palm extends out.
Pretty much everything in my living room has been moved to the corner of the room. And thought it looks strange to the naked eye, it seems totally normal on tape.
Despite the careful positioning of objects and furniture, I'm not happy with the way the footage turned out. Once we added the people, the framing was OK, but not great. Next time, I'm arranging it all another way. I'm glad my furniture is lightweight.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
My living room rearranged as a studio. Just add talent.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: shannon
EMAIL: shannon_walbran@yahoo.com
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://shannon.informage.net
DATE: 06/03/2003 02:21:16 AM
Framing is so different from what we expect, isn't it? Your black couches must make a very good background, though. Sorry to hear the footage didn't turn out the way you wanted, and hope it goes better next time. Could the people sit next to each other on the larger sofa?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/03/2003 09:06:51 AM
Arranging rooms makes us refreshed, don't you thing so? Anyway what a nice room! Yoru room is very organized.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yeah, right
EMAIL: whatever@whatever.com
IP: 217.211.202.198
URL: http://Yeah, right
DATE: 06/04/2003 06:12:56 AM
What a loooooser...
That's a hotelroom...
I sleept in one of them att narita...
Loooooooser.
What a fuckup.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yeah, right
EMAIL: whatever@whatever.com
IP: 217.211.202.198
URL: http://Yeah, right
DATE: 06/04/2003 06:13:07 AM
What a loooooser...
That's a hotelroom...
I sleept in one of them att narita...
Loooooooser.
What a fuckup.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yeah, right
EMAIL: whatever@whatever.com
IP: 217.211.202.198
URL: http://Yeah, right
DATE: 06/04/2003 06:13:09 AM
What a loooooser...
That's a hotelroom...
I sleept in one of them att narita...
Loooooooser.
What a fuckup.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yeah, right
EMAIL: whatever@whatever.com
IP: 217.211.202.198
URL: http://Yeah, right
DATE: 06/04/2003 06:13:11 AM
What a loooooser...
That's a hotelroom...
I sleept in one of them att narita...
Loooooooser.
What a fuckup.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yeah, right
EMAIL: whatever@whatever.com
IP: 217.211.202.198
URL: http://Yeah, right
DATE: 06/04/2003 06:13:14 AM
What a loooooser...
That's a hotelroom...
I sleept in one of them att narita...
Loooooooser.
What a fuckup.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: yuki
EMAIL:
IP: 202.226.160.21
URL: http://www.livejournal.com/users/pineapplemonade/
DATE: 06/08/2003 09:08:59 PM
I have that "thinking man" object too! =D Got one in Bali and another in Thailand. They are really cool!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cut & Sewn
BASENAME: cut_sewn
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/03/2003 11:59:59 AM
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BODY:
Since getting a sewing machine, I've been paying a lot more attention to what people are wearing. This summer's hot trend in shirts weems to be something they are calling "cut and sewn." As if most clothes aren't...?
"Cut and sewn" are knit tops made of lightweight t-shirt fabric. They're gathered along some of the seamed edges--I guess that's why they have to be cut and sewn, rather than merely flat expanses of fabric.
I observed a "cut and sewn" on the train yesterday that was really over the top.
Done up in a pale grey heather t-shirt knit that was so thin it was nearly see-through, it had 3/4 length raglan sleeves (the kind on zoupi's t-shirt), gathered at the crest of the shoulder. But that's not all. It also had a V neckline and an empire waist gathered front and back along the seams. And it was finished with a sporty pastel rainbow ribbing at the cuffs and tunic length hem.
The woman was wearing it with a salmon-pink wool suit skirt and strappy high heels. Repeat after me: fashion victim.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Fashion for the unfashionable.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Good fuel: coffee and the fear of failure
BASENAME: good_fuel_coffee_and_the_fear_of_failure
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 06/04/2003 12:57:07 PM
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BODY:
When confronted with a mental challenge, my first instinct is to say no and run away. I don't think I'm entirely unique in that respect but it's something I really should stop doing.
"Oh, no, I can't do that. Beyond my ability. Maybe we can acheive a similar result in a different way that I already feel comfortable doing," I think to myself. Or maybe I just panic internally.
On the outside, my clients hear a lot of "I'm not sure, I don't know, and that's not as easy as you might think" as I scribble notes about what they want and how I might acheive it. It can't be a pleasant or confidence-inspiring meeting technique but I always promise that I will do my best.
Which is invariably better than I think it's going to be.
After a meeting with WWJ yesterday, I was in full panic mode. They wanted generally reasonable changes to the functionality of their site, completely within their business model. But they all involved custom coding the PHP. I'm a crap coder. How was I going to do any of this?! Yikes.
But fueled with coffee after dinner, I did most of it before I went to bed at 3. And I was up at 7:30 hacking away at PHP-Nuke again.
I've added access restrictions to the content, created a new block to display the top viewed articles, added teaser text to article listings, separated out content by categories and generally made innumerable little changes. Today I am working on the look and feel of the site. I will get this all done!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Didn't know I could do all that...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/04/2003 01:06:42 PM
Reminds me of the childrens nursery rhyme.. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can".
Your modesty is adorable but don't underestimate your own abilities and talents - people like me and WWJ don't!! :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 06/04/2003 04:20:22 PM
Go girl!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: shannon
EMAIL: shannon_walbran@yahoo.com
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL:
DATE: 06/04/2003 10:51:14 PM
I congratulate you on taking leaps. For a writer, photographer, and video editor, knowing how to code anything at all is a major achievement! Besides, you're also doing one of my favorite one-two punches: under-promise and over-deliver. Way to go!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 218.176.164.3
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2003 08:07:41 AM
I well know that spang of anxiety, and give you massive props for moving past it and making things happen beyond your own expectations.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nick
EMAIL: warped104@AOl.com
IP: 12.105.79.66
URL:
DATE: 06/14/2003 03:02:14 AM
nice weblog. it's great that people respond to you with words of encouragement. We all need to help each other out. And nice work overcoming your fears of limitations. YOU CAN DO IT!
oh, and listen to RADIOHEAD.
"Radiohead gets in your head."
-Rezwan Ferdaus
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nick
EMAIL: warped104@AOl.com
IP: 12.105.79.66
URL:
DATE: 06/14/2003 03:02:46 AM
nice weblog. it's great that people respond to you with words of encouragement. We all need to help each other out. And nice work overcoming your fears of personal limitations. YOU CAN DO IT!
oh, and listen to RADIOHEAD.
"Radiohead gets in your head."
-Rezwan Ferdaus
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dhahi Rice
BASENAME: dhahi_rice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/05/2003 08:23:51 AM
-----
BODY:
If I had to choose one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, I think it would be Indian. So many styles and flavours! Such delicious, rich spices. Even thinking about Indian food it makes my mouth water.
The other night at Ajanta, we tried a dish we'd never even heard of before--dhahi rice. Chilled rice is mixed with yogurt, cottage cheese and spices. The perfect foil to a spicy chicken chettinadu.
Dhahi Rice
1 cup rice
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup cottage cheese (small curd)
1/2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp black mustard seed
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
pinch asafetida powder
2 green chiles, split and deseeded
Salt to taste
Wash the rice and soak for 30 minutes, then bring to boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice breaks between your fingers but is not hard inside. Drain, then spread to cool.
In the ghee, toast the mustard seed and fenugreek until they pop. Mix with the yogurt and cottage cheese. Add the asafetida powder and salt to taste.
Stir yogurt mixture into cooled rice. The consistency should be similar to oatmeal with milk. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more yogurt or some milk. Top with the chiles and serve.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Recipe Thursday: rice with yogurt and cheese
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.182
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2003 12:41:51 PM
Wow I can't wait to try that. I thought if I had to pick one cuisine it'd be Ethiopian but then I remembered Lassi. Do the Ethiopians make a yogurt drink?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 218.230.131.220
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2003 01:45:08 PM
Sounds delicious, but impossible for someone like me with zero culinary skills. :-((
I am curious how you managed to get the recipe from the Ajanta chef. :0)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kavitha
EMAIL:
IP: 203.216.51.164
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2003 08:14:43 PM
actually, dahi rice is an everyday dish in Southern India, where I come from. I have never seen or heard of it being made with cottage cheese though.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 06/06/2003 01:09:14 PM
This recipe is my reverse-engineering of the Ajanta recipe, not actually from the Ajanta chefs. It definitely had a distinct flavour and texture of cottage cheese, though maybe that's a concession to the Japanese palate. :-)
Kavitha, what is your recipe for dhahi rice?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: What you hang on to
BASENAME: what_you_hang_on_to
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/06/2003 12:54:05 PM
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BODY:
I am a keen believer in tossing out kipple so I don't have a lot of keepsakes hanging around in drawers, boxes and closets or collecting dust on shelves. I think that makes looking back at my historical record a revealing exercise. The things I own, I've made an effort to keep.
In a box in my parents' attic, there is a tiny silver bird figurine that was a gift from a college comrade. Some photos & the complete series of The Wizard of Oz. That single box contains other things from my childhood but except for the above listed, the rest is forgotten, its meaning lost, and could be thrown away now. So of my first twenty years, I had one significant friend and some reading material.
Having recently pared down my stuff in storage, I pitched out the old love letters, the awards and commendations from jobs long past, and souvenirs of forgotten events. Now I have little more than family photos and my drawings, paintings and prints. I nearly tossed the art, but Tod stopped me and I'm glad he did. That art's not just a relic, it's the true record of me.
The past six years have produced four significant items. Ganesha, overcomer of obstacles, found me in Bangkok. I have a rock from Ireland with a hole worn through it--perfect for focussing on things. A bit of lava I picked up while climbing Mt. Fuji reminds me of what I can do if I try. And a shell Tod found in Hawaii reminds me of beauty, warmth, and love.
Not everything I keep is good or uplifting. I have a disturbing ability to hang on to horrible e-mails: an exchange with someone I apologised to who then demanded an accounting of my actions; a correspondence that was a huge misunderstanding with a formerly close and now regretably distant friend; a draft (unsent) of a frustrated and angry message to a colleague. Why do I keep that stuff? Maybe to remind me of my failings...
What do you hang onto?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Keepsakes, reminders and mementos
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Chris Boshuizen
EMAIL: chrisb@student.usyd.edu.au
IP: 129.78.64.5
URL: http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~chrisb
DATE: 06/06/2003 01:31:42 PM
Oh, and I forgot. Email. Its a problem because it's easy to store. I have *every* email I have ever recieved, or sent. I backup onto CD, and rebuild the 'archive' everytime I format my PC, or get a new one.
I bought a cable for my mobile phone, and now I am storing my SMS messages too. Does this count as unnecessary 'hanging on'?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 06/06/2003 01:32:35 PM
belly button lint mostly
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Luis
EMAIL:
IP: 61.206.118.202
URL: http://www.blogd.com
DATE: 06/06/2003 02:00:11 PM
I have a Fuji rock very similar to the one you displayed--I even identified it before reading your post, it was so familiar (I've been up and down 3 times).
Apart from that, I save... um, everything, I think.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/06/2003 04:00:20 PM
I am such a bower bird.. I have a heap of stuff in storage at my parents house at home and I arrived with my photos, CD, clothes and tupperware (long story). I now have an apartment (albeit a small one) that is bulging at the seams from endless trips to antique markets and not enough wall space to hang my collection of postcards and other curios.. I think I need help for my retail therapy,, ^^
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sako
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com
DATE: 06/06/2003 05:16:15 PM
Like Chris, I find that I have a hard time getting rid of books, especially ones that I have purchased myself (second-hand books I can part with). Paperbacks sometimes leave my collection, but I believe I still have every hardcover book I've ever bought.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.5
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/06/2003 08:27:14 PM
I was just asking the kids about collections the other day. I hoarde all sorts of things - little stones, scraps of interesting paper, office supplies (the small things I like the most), H's crafts and drawings, photos, books. I have a small envelope of H's baby teeth. Right now, my car holds a toner cartridge box full of cut out words, a scooter, poems and cards.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.5
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/06/2003 08:31:14 PM
Oh yeah, and all the less meaningful collections were taken care of by the dog, remember? The ill-fated furry mouse collection, and trouble dolls.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 06/07/2003 01:44:00 AM
Movie ticket stubs. I have every stub from every movie I've seen since about 1980...and I see a lot of movies!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@hotmail.com
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 06/07/2003 02:55:43 AM
When I was growing up, I had a lot of friends through my church, and we sang in a choir together in high school. At the bottom of my email inbox is a three-year old letter from one of my choirmates about the death of another choirmate (who was himself married to one of our choir friends). We were never very close but I remember him as a happy, funny kid. I always thought his death was terribly unfair; he had a young daughter who will only know him through pictures.
I don't know why I've kept the email; it just seems irreverant and sad to toss it away...like it would be tossing Matt away.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 67.74.92.10
URL:
DATE: 06/07/2003 06:35:04 AM
I keep:
-photos (a three-generational collection)
-books
-children's art
-antique sweaters
-the writings of others (my Dad, my Great Uncle George, Jenn, Kris and a few assorted others)
-bank statements from the dark ages
-a 30 year-old cape
-anything that might be a great prop
-a box in the attic with a siver bird, a complete collection of "Oz" books and other assorted things
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shannon
EMAIL: shannon_walbran@yahoo.com
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://shannon.informage.net
DATE: 06/07/2003 09:16:50 PM
My journals and diaries. I've been writing in them since I was about 8 years old, and they're in boxes at my parents' house. During my last visit, I read a couple of early editions, and I thought, "Patterns!" Feelings I had when I was so young are very similar to those I have today - which both dismayed and comforted me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 216.107.58.203
URL:
DATE: 06/08/2003 11:36:53 AM
I would love to keep everything but with four kids and limited space I have to draw the line. Class pictures, year end report cards, art work special projects are saved each school year. Clothing that can be passed down to another sibling is saved. Clothing that can not be worn by the other kids is given to neighborhood kids or Good Will. I keep all photos!! Special cards, bank statements, paid receipts for several years, warranty information and instruction booklets for everything. I still have my high school scrapbook and I too have a box at my parents house filled with things of my childhood. I also have all my dolls and barbies. I thought some day I would have a girl who would love them as much as I did. Wrong, I have 3 boys and a girl who hates dolls. Oh my God, I guess I save everything!! No wonder why there is no room here.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.14.195.61
URL:
DATE: 06/09/2003 07:40:02 PM
Your rock from Ireland is probably actually a man-made tool from prehistoric times. It looks a bit like a rudimentary form of a cutting tool blade and would have been attached to a wooden or bone handle by those little holes, probably using animal ligaments. The sharp edges have been worn away by the tens of thousands of years that it took you to pick it up again.
I have found things similar and have studied prehistoric crafts a bit so I'm fairly confident that that's what it is, but I can't date it for you...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: karen lau
EMAIL:
IP: 66.215.18.123
URL:
DATE: 10/06/2004 12:16:06 PM
as i'm approaching a time in my life where i feel like i need to get rid of the excess in my life and keep what i really need to survive; there are 3 things that are really precious to me: laptop, bike and books. then there are my geo/building toys. as i feel like there's a calling for me to not have southern california own me, i'd like to shed and be as portable, light and mobile as i can. and i'd like to think that there is nothing i can't live without, because i had nothing when i was born.
the biggest thing i hang on to are the people i've connected with. in a passing moment. tangential. beautiful, real, fun. life. c'est la vie.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kiln Kristen
BASENAME: kiln_kristen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/07/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
There are simply not enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do right now. Or maybe there aren't enough of me.
But in fiction at least, the lack of me can be solved. David Brin hit on a good idea in Kiln People, about a society that is able to make duplicates of themselves that last for only a day. Your memories and skills are imprinted on the double and at the end of the day, after it's gone out to do your work or attend events you don't have time for, you download its memories into your own brain. Bam, two days of productivity for the price of one.
I think I need a half dozen kiln people.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
If only there were more of me.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 06/10/2003 03:38:35 AM
Cool! Where can I get one (or a few)? ;)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Writing in Ireland
BASENAME: writing_in_ireland
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 06/08/2003 10:36:46 PM
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BODY:
My sister, Jennifer, is a poet.
Last October she organized a poetry workshop in Ireland that I attended along with my entire immediate family.
It's on again for this October 11 - 18.
I highly recommend it. Not just because it features a talented poet that I used to play Barbies with...though that might have a little bit to do with it.
During our week's stay in Ireland, I learned huge amount of stuff--from practical writing tricks on how to create metaphor and write concrete descriptions to revelations of my personal inner strife that writing poetry seemed to bring to the surface.
And the rugged western coast of County Cork, Ireland, is a beautiful place. It's easy to see why people think Ireland is magical. Rainbows, beautiful skies, so much green. Just like they always say, only better. Not to mention the only-in-Ireland beers in the local pubs.
If you're looking for an interesting, educational and uplifting week's holiday this year, please take a look at the details for the 2003 Anam Cara Poetry Workshop.
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Reserve your seat now for the Anam Cara Poetry Workshop.
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AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/09/2003 08:40:25 AM
What a nice family! and what a wonderful photo! Did you take the photos of rainbows? I sometimes tried to do-- but not succeed yet.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ants in the Office
BASENAME: ants_in_the_office
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/09/2003 11:24:18 PM
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BODY:
This morning, I found a tiny ant crawling across my foot as I sat at my desk. When I went to put him back into the wild outdoors where all ants belong, I discovered his brethren carrying a dead beetle out of my house. It was like a military strike.
While dozens of scouts and support troops scurried around helping and searching, a small platoon had the beetle by its legs and was booking it across the carpet and then down the ethernet cable we have draped across the threshold. In five minutes, the beetle was hauled from beneath the heater, trucked across the veranda and slid under the palm.
In less than ten minutes every ant was out of the house. Their efficiency was extremely impressive. Do you think ants work with the same ants every day? Or do they get assigned to the tasks at random? Do ants get assignments??
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Ants all over the floor...but not for long.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 219.103.107.213
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 06/10/2003 12:20:09 AM
I've read that scientist believe that ants are basically one symbiotic being that is made up of many parts acting as a whole. Sure, there are various roles within a colony (warrior, builder, breeder, nurse, etc.) but they use pheremones and their antennae to send signals to each other to act in unison. It's really weird stuff to think about, especially when you consider there is more biomass in ants than practically in any other animal in the world. There are many books on this topic, but one fun read is Stephen Johnson's "Emergence." I'll bring it to the next blogger pub crawl if you're interested.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/10/2003 01:42:31 PM
I wonder if they can be trained to clean my apartment too??
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stuart Woodward
EMAIL: stuart@gol.com
IP: 211.2.219.102
URL: http://www.stuartwoodward.com
DATE: 06/10/2003 07:38:14 PM
How ant's get their food and how it's like blogging: http://www.microcontentnews.com/entries/20021220-2589.htm
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.8.96
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/11/2003 12:15:00 AM
So organized! Your rug looks like cottage cheese in that enormous scale.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: james@consumptive.org
IP: 210.20.71.93
URL:
DATE: 06/12/2003 12:30:02 AM
my father in law says that it goes like this with every ten ants: 4 work. 4 manage the workers. and 2 stand around. not sure how he knows this, but hes certain people are the same way. hes always asking me which category i am in.
i know this - ants are known to carry away and burry their dead.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 06/12/2003 02:06:28 PM
YOu are bigger than the ants, I bet you could have taken the beetle away, and the tasty morsel all to yourself. YOu didn't though, you let the ants keep their hard earned prize. You are such a benevolent god!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On the PHP Path
BASENAME: on_the_php_path
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 06/10/2003 10:15:08 PM
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My current web development project, a PHP-Nuke driven site, is coming together very quickly and very slowly at the same time.
Most of the site is sorted out and for a three-week turnaround, it's been going pretty smoothly. Launch is scheduled for June 15th. The clients are doing double time on getting the content ready while I code. If we pull a few more late nights, we should make it.
But I'm currently tackling an 1800 line chunk of hellish code that manages the user accounts. The client requested a customisation that the system isn't designed to do at all. So I'm rewriting the module. Well, not really rewriting as much as mangling. Which is why things seem to be going rather slowly right now. I keep getting stuck, digging around for answers, reversing, trying again, getting stuck a different way (which I consider excellent progress) asking Tod for help, fixing things, breaking them again, and repeat ad infinitum.
Eventually, I will come out on the other side of this with a deeper understanding of PHP and MySQL. Not that I really want it (I'd rather be making videos) but I guess you get what you get.
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PHP detante
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 06/12/2003 09:57:36 PM
I definitely can relate - I inherited several applications here at my job that were written, quite poorly I might add, in PHP, and looking at the code, I don't understand how they do work, its scary, they shouldn't work yet somehow they do. It only makes our jobs harder as we have to port code and improve it.
I miss coding in cold fusion, Its been a while since I did it, but since you started me on it at Duquesne, I've used it for a lot of things...so thanks :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kevin
EMAIL: kevin5@hotmail.com
IP: 170.148.92.44
URL: http://www.digitaldharma.org
DATE: 06/26/2003 06:28:33 AM
PHPNuke is known for being one big coding problem. Yes it 'works', but every fork so far starts off with the goal of junking the core and starting from scratch. The guy that made it basically learned as he went along and didn't have the people skills to work with a team. I suspect it will fall to the side to the much more robust TIKI or Mambo. To keep tabs on all these projects, I use http://www.opensourcecms.com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Entering Tsuyu
BASENAME: entering_tsuyu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/11/2003 11:59:59 PM
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Tsuyu, the rainy season, began on Monday. Oddly enough, it rained neither Monday nor today, so how did they know it was tsuyu?
They checked the calendar, then confirmed by looking at satellite photos of the cloud cover.
Himawari, Japan's weather satellite, was retired a few months ago. Now the Japanese weather agency has to rely on American satellites which don't give them 24 hour coverage over Japan. There's a plan to launch a new satellite - MTSAT - later this summer but it won't be in operation until the end of this year.
I suppose tsuyu proclamations don't have to be very precise but it sure would be nice to have good coverage for typhoons.
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Heralding the rainy season
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.8.141
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/12/2003 08:36:58 PM
It's tsuyu here in Northeast Pennsylvania. We have some heavy cloud cover hovering here for the past 3 weeks. Rain everyday! I have never felt so weather-affected. Harumph.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Colorful Lunches
BASENAME: colorful_lunches
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/12/2003 07:16:24 PM
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There is folk wisdom to help Japanese Moms pack healthy lunches. "Something from the mountains, something from the sea" is one guideline and another is to use a mix of colors and cooking styles: steamed broccoli, sauteed shitake mushrooms, pickled ginger, scrambled egg, batter-fried fish (meat-colored!) and, of course white rice.
So today's Recipe Thursday lays out a nice Japanese lunch. Maybe you can take this with you on your next picnic. These recipes are derived from "Colorful Obento" published by Toppan (in Japanese). I've tried to avoid the ones with esoteric Japanese ingredients...
All recipes are for 1 portion.
Sauteed Chicken Breast with Nori
80 gr cskinless chicken breast
2 tsp "aonori" (powdered, bright green seaweed)
1/2 tsp oil
pinch salt
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Sautee in oil, add salt. dust with aonori, coating pieces evenly. If you don't have aonori, you could try crushed dried basil or your favorite green herb.
Ebi Mayo
5-6 small shrimp, frozen
1 tsp onion, minced
1/2 tsp butter
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
Sautee the onion in butter until it softens, toss the shrimp in the pan to heat through. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper. When cool, mix with mayo.
Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
40 gr cauliflower (3-4 florettes)
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Steam the cauliflower. Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt. Drizzle the drained cauliflower with the sauce.
Green Beans with Black Sesame
20 gr green beans
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp crushed black sesame seeds
Steam the beans. Drain and toss with soy, sugar and sesame.
Red Cabbage Pickles
50 gr red cabbage, shredded
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vinegar
oil and soy sauce to taste
Mix the cabbage and salt, pressing firmly in your hands. allow to sit for five to ten minutes, until it starts to wilt. Rinse and pat dry. Top with vinegar, oil and soy sauce.
Rolled Omlette with Clams
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp canned clams
1 tsp sake
1/4 tsp oil
Mince the clams and mix them with the egg and sake. Over medium high heat, lightly oil a small frying pan. Spread he egg mixture evenly, and cook until done. Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly. Roll the omlette tightly and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Don't forget the rice!
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Yummy and healthy lunchbox foods
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/13/2003 11:09:22 AM
Thanks, I didn't know know the first one I have to make two lunch boxes for my duahgters, so the recipe is useful. Well, sauteed chiken wrapped with NORI also tastes good.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 4.61.139.65
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 06/16/2003 11:23:19 AM
What a nice lunch! Looking forward to trying this. Luckily there's a pretty good Asian market near my home, and the supermarket has a decent Asian section. I eat a low-carbohydrate diet, so I'll have to omit the rice and substitute Splenda for the sugar, but the rest of it sounds divine! I'll have to get a bento box. *grin*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Flying Whalebones
BASENAME: flying_whalebones
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/13/2003 11:59:59 PM
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The construction site across the way is using its crane to move roof trusses into place today.
They are huge iron arcs, charcoal ribs gracefully curving from end to end and narrowing to a point decorated with a white flag.
Twisting a little as they are hoisted up and across the building, they give the illusion of a giant Calder mobile.
What a shame when they are welded into place.
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Distraction outside my window.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Helen's Crafty Summer
BASENAME: helens_crafty_summer
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 06/14/2003 10:25:15 AM
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BODY:
I'm taking a break today. Today's words courtesy of Jennifer; art by Helen.
"Ah, summer is here and free time for Helen is expansive. Remember the last day of school? How you slipped the covers off books and played hangman with your best friend, all excited for that last bell to ring? Then you went home to the daily rhythms and schedule of your parents that had been in place all year without you really knowing it.
"From a kid's perspective, the best way to dovetail into that schedule is to whine. Whine a lot and loudly about how bored you are. Eating ice cream for lunch is good too, and don't forget hours of cartoons.
"Yesterday, Helen and I put our creative forces together to create a website that features some of her paperpunch art on various merchandise. The actual art will be available on the wordpainting site soon.(*) Until then, why not shop at Helen's Craft Shop http://www.cafepress.com/wordpainting and support a summer-slogged kid?
"Please spread the word! Helen's saving for something special for her guinea pigs."
(*) Helen's paperpunch art's for sale online at the Wordpainting Bookshop now; I got that done this morning. :-)
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Another shamless plug for a creative relative.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Love ramen
BASENAME: love_ramen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/15/2003 05:38:29 PM
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This ramen shop at LaQua, Ichiran, allows the diner to be almost entirely anonymous--just like a love hotel.
After selecting and paying for your meal at a ticket vending machine, you are handed a slip of paper and sent to your own private eating booth ion a row of similar booths.
The paper lets you choose the amount of garlic and spice in your ramen, how you want your noodles cooked and wheter you want slices of charshiu (Chinese pork) or not. After you circle your selections, you ring the bell and from the other side of the red curtain, hands come forth to take your ticket.
A perky voice behind the curtain, accompanied by a glimpse of apron-covered midsection, explains that they will make your ramen now and please wait a few minutes. An egg in a bowl appears. You can have this for just 100 yen, if you want it. An empty water glass is set on the counter next to your private tap.
In a few minutes, a steaming bowl of ramen is delivered. The egg, being unwanted, is removed. You are wished a pleasant meal and the bamboo curtain is lowered. Whether this is to keep you from watching the staff moving around mysteriously, or whether it's to spare them the sight of your slurping, I'm not sure.
It's quaint and different. The ramen is good with a Hakata-style broth. I can understand why there is always a queue to get in.
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An unusual noodle concept.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/16/2003 08:45:21 AM
Japanese people love "ramen", I think. Well what kind of taste do you like? salty taste? soy-sauce taste? or TONKOTSU (Hakata-style) taste?. I like symple soy-sauce taste.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 4.61.139.65
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 06/16/2003 11:16:53 AM
Haha! Clever and quirky. Reminds me of an old-time automat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2003 09:13:53 PM
Having had ramen here in the US (how did I get through college without them) and in Japan, I can say that the real version in Japan are much better then the pre-packaged style here in the US. The US ones dont even do it justice. The restuarant sounds neat..
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Homecooked
BASENAME: homecooked
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 06/16/2003 05:46:01 PM
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BODY:
Tod & I were talking over dinner the other night about why homecooked meals usually taste so much better than restaurant food.
Is it the fresh ingredients? I don't think so. Restaurants use fresh ingredients and so do I.
Is it the love and care put into a homecooked meal? Nice thought but I doubt it.
I think that what makes homecooked food taste so good is that we are in it. Minute flakes of our skin, eyelash mites, our exhalations. Maybe, if we used the tasting spoon twice, a bit of our saliva.
Sounds gross, doesn't it? But it makes sense.
Our pans are "seasoned" with the oils of things that have cooked in them, so residual flavors contribute to the overall flavor of our efforts in the kitchen. The curry from a week ago blends ever so subtly with tonight's cream sauce. Not that you'd notice but it's there.
Also, since pantry ingredients are stored where they can pick up the odors of cooking and the household in general, even these basics carry along a certain signature scent. My flour smells just like flour to me, but a bloodhound could probably tell my flour apart from my neighbor's.
For centuries, painters have mixed a bit of one pigment they are using with other colors in the same painting to produce colors with a harmonoius tint. It makes the tone of the painting hang together.
Why shouldn't that be true for food, too?
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It's the little things that make it better.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 06/16/2003 06:37:51 PM
Remind me never to accept an invitation to dinner at your place again :p
kuri-bits ewww...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/16/2003 08:16:04 PM
It is also about perception. When you are really hungry food tastes better. I always think that food always tastes better if somebody else has cooked it because I am worried what others will think of it. But when you are relaxed and at home with the people you care about and are giving yourself sustenance, then all the factors combine to heighten all your senses. Oh and the kuri-flakes are just a bonus.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.145
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/16/2003 11:50:43 PM
This morning, from the frying pan I was cooking fried apples in, the scent of onion from last night's vidalias. I think you're right - it's the combination of flavors that have layered, as well as the happy memories.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/17/2003 08:46:09 AM
IN my case what is important -- who cooks. Sometimes my daughters cook something -- it tastes so-so(or good), but I'm glad to watch them. Smometimes my husband cooks. it tastes good(or great), but the kicthen is a big mess. While we are eating, I'm always saying "who tidies up?" with a sigh.
Sorry just a housewife's moan.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2003 09:00:46 AM
We've got a rule here--the one who cooks doesn't have to clean up. Seems like a fair way to divide the task since we are both doing the eating. Usually I cook and Tod does the washing up but sometimes we switch. And if we both cook, we both clean up! I am lucky to have a very equitable husband.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.94.185
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/17/2003 11:11:58 PM
You ARE lucky to have such an equitable husband. Sometimes, I can wheedle H. into helping me wash up. Others, it's all me. When she cooks, I still clean, but at least I get a break from the cooking! She makes a mean "Bad hairdo" pasta.
When I have two girls in the house (H & her friend A.), they create restaurants and cooking shows (the latter making an absolute mess). Last week it was "D'Jah!, a quirky french-italian restaurant in my dining room. They served pasta, salad and a fruity dessert. We invited A's parents and her little sister and the girls cooked and served most everything.
We have so much in common when it comes to food and the consumption of it. Most of what is good in life comes from the camraderie shared at the table. I think this is universal.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Elusive Balance
BASENAME: elusive_balance
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/17/2003 02:07:36 PM
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BODY:
What's life, if not a huge pile of things on the To Do list?
I love to accomplish things and be productive but after sleeping most of yesterday to recover from meeting the deadline on my big PHP-Nuke project, I took a look at today's To Do list and wondered "Why? Why am I doing all this crap that stresses me out? I don't need to work. Tod pays the rent and feeds us."
On a typical day, I am at the computer by 7 am and keep going until I fall alseep at night. I juggle eating, errands and housework in with that, of course, but a 10-12 hour workday is pretty typical. If I'm not doing that, I feel like I'm slacking.
On top of that, the fact that a large amount of my "work" is non-paid projects I've initiated (like Hello Tokyo and the silliness at zousan.com) really blurs the boundaries between work and play so I just call it all work. The Zous are demanding bosses.
My trouble seems to be that I don't see a happy middle ground between working too much and not working at all. Black/white. All/nothing. Either I work so hard I exhaust myself and have to spend a full day sleeping or else I'd better get a membership at the local ladies-who-lunch club.
Help me with some suggestions. What do you do to balance your work and the rest of your life?
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All work and no play? All play and no work?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.15.144.17
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2003 06:17:32 PM
Make a career with the thing you love doing more than anything. If you can afford not to worry about bills, then if you like painting, do nothing else!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 06/17/2003 09:16:37 PM
You ask a hard question - I wish I had a great answer. It's hard to find time to do the things I like to do (music {pro tools has been sitting on my Powerbook alone for a month}, writing, web things) while I juggle a full-time job, commuting, Evan, and trying to find ten minutes to spend with my wife. A schedule may help, like save the fun things (the zous, etc) for a Friday, as a bit of a reward for doing the hard work during the week.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL: philiprhil@aol.com
IP: 205.188.208.134
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2003 10:55:16 PM
Always enjoy the moment! It doesn't matter work or play.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: todd
EMAIL: todd@deepermotive.com
IP: 68.97.66.203
URL: http://www.deepermotive.com
DATE: 06/18/2003 02:37:34 AM
I think mainly I make myself not feel guilty about taking time to do "in-between", fun stuff. Twice a week, a friend and I will play at open-mic nights, and on the weekend I'll rent or catch a movie. I've got a TON of other stuff to do -- I'm juggling 3 or 4 side projects currently -- but none of them are going to get done well if I don't get some down-time, me-time, whathaveyou.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/18/2003 07:04:22 PM
We really need to get together for a coffee... Balance is something that I would like to talk about too. Bottom line is "what makes you happy". But I think you are more balanced than you realise so be a friend to yourself by congratulating a job well done and bask in the glory for a few minutes before mapping out the next mountain to climb.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greggman
EMAIL:
IP: 219.3.158.21
URL: http://greggman.com
DATE: 06/19/2003 01:48:41 AM
Maybe the articles at dexterity.com will give you some ideas. Like this one
http://www.dexterity.com/articles/get-more-done.htm
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 216.37.167.57
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/19/2003 05:29:34 AM
Sitting at the computer for extended periods of time (like you and I do) is really draining. John's advice is pretty sound I think. So much of what I do is similar - play and work. If I schedule (or spontaneously) do something like swimming during the day, I'm able to face work better. Physical activity always helps my outlook at least.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Thunder Dolphin
BASENAME: thunder_dolphin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/18/2003 07:07:51 AM
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BODY:
The rollercoaster at LaQua climbs a track so high that you can see across the glacial white expanse of Tokyo Dome. Last night the sky was clear and the lights and neon from other parts of the city were so captivating that for a brief moment, I forgot was was about to happen.
It was after a baseball game, nearly closing time, and our companion Ben said, "C'mon, let's go ride!" What a brilliant idea. There was no line. We've seen waits of several hours with people snaking down the stairs and out into the hallway. But we waited the length of one loading and unloading and then it was our turn.
We piled into the back of the roller coaster. Ben and two other friends sat in the last car. Then us. Then a lot of little Japanese folk. After everyone was strapped in and checked, they were about to press the button to release the brake when there was some hand-waving at the front and an announcement.
"There will be a short delay for a safety check. Please wait a moment." And in the operator's booth, they started pulling out manuals. Hmmmm. Maybe they'd never had so many overweight gaijin sitting in the back before. How would that affect the ride? Too much power down the hills? Could we fly off the track on the curves?
After a few minutes, during which a sixth companion (who had bailed in fear) mocked us, they closed the manuals, pushed the big green button and we took off. Up the steep hill with the view and then...
Terror. The first drop plunges nearly straight down. I screamed. People aren't supposed to plunge straight down. I closed my eyes before we hit bottom.
But as soon as I felt the coaster curving up (ah! safe!), I opened them again to see our ward office passing by sideways. The ride was exhilarating and over way too soon.
But we'll go again. I'm happy to contribute to LaQua's money making machine.
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EXCERPT:
A nighttime coaster ride in central Tokyo.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/19/2003 08:15:48 AM
Sounds fun -- but my husbnad and I are too old to ride roller coasters. That's too bad.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/19/2003 02:22:38 PM
You are NEVER too old for rollercoasters or fireworks!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Garbanzo Salad
BASENAME: garbanzo_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/19/2003 07:34:54 PM
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BODY:
This is an easy dish for a hot summer night. Serve it with some bread, a green salad and a nice wine. No boiling, baking, frying, roasting or toasting required!
Garbanzo Salad
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 can water-packed tuna (small size)
1 stalk of celery, diced fine
1/4 red bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Drain the garbanzo beans and rinse thoroughly. Drain the tuna and mix with the beans. Drizzle with olive oil. Stir in the red pepper and celery. Flavor with garlic, salt and pepper. Lots of freshly cracked black pepper, please! Fine to serve immediately, but even better if you chill for 30 minutes or an hour.
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EXCERPT:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.99.151
URL:
DATE: 06/20/2003 04:28:50 AM
Thanks again for another great receipe!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/20/2003 08:22:41 AM
It looks easy to cook. Thanks. I'll try it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/20/2003 04:18:47 PM
I find it really hard to find chick peas and end up with white beans which are yummy too.. but I miss my chick peas.. do you have them in your local supermarket?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Liquid Diet
BASENAME: liquid_diet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/20/2003 11:22:49 PM
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BODY:
The hot and humid weather has depressed my appetite; I just don't find food appealing when I'm wilting.
But the idea of cold fruity drinks is appealing, so I went out and bought a blender. It's chrome simplicity is backed with a powerful motor and a lot of blade.
In the last 24 hours, every meal has incorporated some cold, liquidy treat: gaspacho, blueberry yogurt smoothie, kiwi-banana juice (with rum!), banana milkshake...
I'm looking forward to a mostly liquid diet this summer.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Can't eat, must drink instead.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/21/2003 08:36:35 AM
Do you know or have you eaten the yogurt called "KASUPIKAI YOGURT" (YOGURT form the Caspian sea?). It is easy to make, and tastes good and healthy diet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: deadsunrise
EMAIL: deadsunrise@deadsunrise.com
IP: 80.58.42.42
URL: http://www.deadsunrise.com
DATE: 06/22/2003 11:53:19 AM
you should write gazpacho with Z. its a spanish dish (drink ?¿ )that I don't like (vegetables are not my favorite food). There are a lot of recipes for gazpacho, how do you prepare it? not that I really care, I'm just drunk but reading a reference to a spanish dish (I'm spanish) on a blog writen by a gaijin in japan its kinda bizarre.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/23/2003 06:55:15 PM
Would love for your to post some of your fave blender recipes. Summer meals in a glass!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Summer Solstice
BASENAME: summer_solstice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/21/2003 08:20:39 AM
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BODY:
I am celebrating the summer solstice by taking a class on color theory. For five days of the next 10, I will be thinking about colors, making comparison charts and painting. It will be a nice break from all the left-brained programming I've been doing for the past couple of weeks.
Every year my summer solstice celebrations take a different form but they often seem to involve travel and/or being apart from Tod. Five years ago it was a business trip to Sydney. Last year Tod was in Korea at the World Cup and I had dinner alone. In 2001, we were stranded at O'Hare on our way back to Japan. I'll have to hope for the best on my way to class this morning...
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EXCERPT:
This year: color class
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 06/25/2003 01:38:59 PM
Where do you find these classes?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 06/25/2003 02:01:52 PM
This one is at RBR, an art school in Azabu Juban http://www.rbr-art.com
Great class, so far. I should scan my color-matching exercise painting and post it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/01/2003 01:30:41 AM
I think I need to sign up for some classes there. Unless you happen to know some good graphic design classes?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mosquito poison
BASENAME: mosquito_poison
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/22/2003 08:20:30 AM
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BODY:
I hate mosquitos that attack me at night when I'm defenseless.Swatting at them isn't very effective when I'm sleeping. Tod burns campfire-scented mosquito coils on the veranda while he works outside, but the smoke from them doesn't reach the bedroom.
So I decided to get some mosquito poison for the bedroom. I selected Earth No Mat, liquid DDT in an electric warmer.
DDT was synthesised in Germany in 1874 and hit its peak in the US in 1959 when 80 millions pounds of DDT were deployed. DDT was banned in the US in 1972 because it contaminates groundwater and soil and accumulates in wildlife (and presumably humans as well).
But DDT's used pretty much everywhere else as a general purpose insecticide, so why not jump on the bandwagon? Earth No Mat claims 500,000,000 units sold (World's Number 1!). Yes, I'm sure Rachel Carson is turning over in her grave. But she isn't plagued with Japanese mosquitos.
I don't know if I'll continue using the poison, though I have a 60 day supply. It seems unsporting to gas mosquitos and I am little bit worried about the effect of breathing in DDT, even in small quantities. I guess if I poison the mosquitos, the bedroom will also be free of jumping spiders, which makes me sad.
So I'll have to choose--avoid possible long term health and environmental effects or enjoy blissful mosquito-free sleep? Hmmmm....
(Thanks to all the comments, I'm not so worried about the poison. It's not The DDT, but a synthetic DDT.)
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EXCERPT:
To be selfish or welted? That is the question.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: deadsunrise
EMAIL: deadsunrise@deadsunrise.com
IP: 80.58.42.42
URL:
DATE: 06/22/2003 12:17:18 PM
enjoy blissful mosquito-free sleep. I do it with a similar insectide, I think that DDT is banned in spain too but I have one that works perfectly and i don't mind getting poisoned if I get rid of those little bastards.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.108.49
URL:
DATE: 06/22/2003 03:12:18 PM
One reason DDT was banned was the discovery that it destroys the eggshells of many birds. It was contributing to the endangerment of raptors such as the bald eagle.
I've found that taking care to close window and door screens goes a long way to solving the problem.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 06/22/2003 06:43:00 PM
Well, DDT is banned in Japan since 1970s, so it is not appropriate to call Earth No Mat DDT. Now Synthetic pyrethroid is the main stream.
Well, sensitive natural lovers would say No to any of this kind, but I think it much better not to have mosquitos. They are sometimes very dangerous infection carieers.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairsteven@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 06/22/2003 11:18:48 PM
DDT will build up in the fatty tissues of your body and increases your risk of breast cancer. If you ever plan on having and nursing children, DDT will also contaminate your breast milk and thus be passed on to your newborn increasing the chance of developmental problems.
How about some mosquito netting instead?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mosquitophobe
EMAIL: death@mosquitos.to
IP: 213.224.83.46
URL:
DATE: 06/23/2003 12:52:21 AM
As Sayaka commented above, DDT is banned in Japan, and your mosquito mat most certainly uses a synthetic pyrethrin derivative which is neurotoxic to insects, but is innocuously metabolized and excreted by mammals.
More info on pyrethroids:
http://www.inchem.org/documents/pds/pds/pest11_e.htm
Sleep peacefully, thus :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/24/2003 06:14:42 PM
I used to work in a lab that tested export beef for DDT. We had to keep our calibrated samples under strict conditions as it is nasty stuff that is cumulative.. but as you have found out, the mossie mat people are using creative marketing licence.. however, if something had DDT splashed around on the label, I would probably not buy it.. but then I love the good (?) marketing techniques of Japanese consumer companies..
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dad as Dumbledore
BASENAME: dad_as_dumbledore
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 06/23/2003 08:15:58 AM
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BODY:
Dad sent all the older kids to Slytherin. (Funny how the newspaper can't spell.)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Sorting kids at a bookstore.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gomichild
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 06/23/2003 09:46:51 AM
hee hee
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl@intergrafix.net
IP: 207.231.97.98
URL:
DATE: 06/24/2003 05:23:59 AM
How cool, I was in Barnes & Nobles today with the kids and we looked at all the pictures but I would have never guessed the Professor was you DAD!! How fun.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.74.208
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/24/2003 10:23:49 PM
I'd say that it's sadly typical that newspaper reporters can't spell. Remember the Sub-Standard Speaker? Need I say more?
Dad made the perfect Dumbledore.
Hey, that rhymed. I should be a poet or sumthin'.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Drab Fashion
BASENAME: drab_fashion
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/24/2003 08:16:57 AM
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BODY:
Summer clothes are not so bright and beautiful this year. Look around you on any train and you'll see mostly dark brown, navy blue, and black punctuated with tan and white. I've noticed a fair amount of a subdued blue-green, as well.
Two years ago, everyone was dressed in orange and fucshia. What happened? Is this a "sophisticated" summer season? Is the bad economy dulling fashion? Did the fabric factory have an excess of black dye in stock?
Maybe everyone is waiting until tsuyu is over before wearing their bright summer clothes.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Wintery colors for a warm season.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/24/2003 06:10:24 PM
I am wearing a fushia shirt today - but then I have always been a non-conformist.. (also the shirt is last years!!) ^^
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.74.208
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/24/2003 10:28:52 PM
It's supposed to be in the 90's today. I'm wearing one of those sundresses that isn't much of anything to speak of, and is a tangle to get into with all the little strings. It's colorful though - mint green background with little red, green and yellow flowers printed on it. I've had it for four years, and I don't care if it's out of fashion! It's cool.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/25/2003 08:46:50 AM
Actaully last summer color seemed to be "orange" , and this summer color -navy blue? Anyway after TSUYU, everyboday will start wearing bright color cloths. Today it is raining. a big sigh!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sushi as drug
BASENAME: sushi_as_drug
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/25/2003 10:29:35 AM
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BODY:
On the advice of two women I painted with last weekend, I am trying sushi as a medicine for migraine.
Sushi is not my favorite food, but if it makes me feel better I will chow down.
Today's breakfast is negi-toro maki (tuna and green onion rolls). I'll let you know if it works.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Migraine cure or old wives tale?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL: kj@antipixel.com
IP: 61.114.202.160
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/
DATE: 06/25/2003 11:54:01 AM
Katsuo is supposed to have magical healing properties, too, although related more to allergies. You never know though, it might help.
And shiso. Lots of shiso.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.94.14
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/26/2003 12:06:35 AM
You don't like sushi? I thought you did. I hope it works for you. *keepsfingerscrossed*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/26/2003 08:44:37 AM
If you can eat NATTO, I recommend having NATTO-maki, it is good for our health.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 06/26/2003 12:54:11 PM
The negi-toro maki didn't seem to help at all. But this morning, the migraine was much better and the accompanying fever was gone, too. Three days is more than enough for a migraine. Next time I'll try katsu and shiso (but maybe skip the natto; it's not my favorite)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: CEATEC poster girl
BASENAME: ceatec_poster_girl
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/26/2003 12:42:17 PM
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BODY:
CEATEC is an electronics show that will be held in October. Last week UltraBob, who is working on the CEATEC website, asked the JapanBloggers mailing list for two volunteers to model in a photo shoot for the CEATEC poster.
I caught him on chat and gave him a hard time about asking the Bloggers to model. We're really just a bunch of normal people, not the Beautiful People. Apparently I was the first female to mention it at all and he talked me into doing it. Hmmmm. I'm a little old to be a model, but sure. Experience points.
So this morning, I headed out to Ariake for the shoot. I caught a glimpse of the mock up--a lot of product shots collaged together. Some of the photos had people in them.
But if there is any shot with my face in it, I will be surprised. Maybe the art director agreed with my self assessment of 'aged model.' I believe I have a hand, shoulder, and unkempt hair in one shot, a blurry torso in another, maybe a hand playing with the car navi in another. Seth, the other model and also a Japan Blogger, was more prominently featured--he faces the camera and is even talking on a cell phone in one shot.
Since the focus was on the gear and not on us, the photographer's assistant carefully dusted and polished every bit of equipment that was photographed, but Seth and I didn't even get a glance. No instructions to comb our hair or adjust collars. It was a little bit strange, to be honest. When I photograph people, even when they aren't the primary subject, I do fuss with them a little bit...
Mostly Seth and I waited around and talked about tattoos, writing and the lack of good bagels in Tokyo. It was interesting to be on the other side of the camera, but as I am reminded every time I venture there, I really do prefer being behind the scenes.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A modeling session for a convention poster.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 06/26/2003 01:22:16 PM
I'm sure that your age had nothing to do with the shots they took. You look like you're in your early twenties. No one would be able to guess that you are actually 52!
I appreciate you doing that modelling gig. I just hope you can deal with all the fan mail. It's always a trial for me when I do a photoshoot or television appearance.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Color match
BASENAME: color_match
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/27/2003 06:00:36 AM
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BODY:
I spent last weekend painting color wheels and mixing colors to match fabric. Here's the result of 8 hours of work last Sunday. Not perfect but I learned a lot and used up all my yellow paint in the process.
Don't see much yellow, do you? But it's there. The browns and beiges are based on yellow and violet mixed together with varying amounts of white and red. The green leaf has yellow and red in it. Even the red-violet colors have yellow in them. But nowhere in this painting is there any blue--mainly because I had violet and alizarin crimson paint so I dind't have to mix those colors myself.
Today we're painting a monotone. I guess mine will be red, but not orange, chartreuse or dull purple, all of which contain my missing color. I think I'm going to run into trouble when we paint a still life tomorrow and Sunday.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Art class results
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL: philiprhil@aol.com
IP: 205.188.208.134
URL:
DATE: 06/27/2003 08:41:44 PM
I can loan you some yellow glass either in sheet form or frit. You can grind the frit really fine, mix it with gum arabic and water to make a paint. Maybe it would be easier to just go get some more yellow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/01/2003 01:26:58 AM
neat!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reflections
BASENAME: reflections
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/28/2003 07:06:56 AM
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BODY:
This is the photo I didn't submit to the Mirror Project. The one I sent in was added yesterday as number 16,449.
According to their website, "The Mirror Project is a growing community of like-minded individuals who have photographed themselves in all manner of reflective surfaces."
In blunt words, a bunch of narcissists and exhibitionists. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I've been reflecting lately about the nature of people with personal websites. Why do they have them? Why do they choose to reveal themselves (or not)? Why do they keep up the effort?
All I can do is answer for myself.
Why do I have a website? My first website was an experiment in 1994, when the web was new and we were still inventing Telerama. My site incorporated my resume, some recipes, and a reading list. It's morphed into this site over the years, but I've always aimed to use my site to educate. For now, that includes Hello Tokyo, course materials I've developed (like the DW4 workshop), and recipes.
Why do I reveal myself? My goal in life is to express an experience so that the audience understands it and relates to it. Perhaps this site remains an experiment because I find it interesting to see which posts resonate with comments--usually the ones where I reveal something about myself or ask questions. I have a thick skin, so people saying my site sucks or they think I'm useless really doesn't hurt (anymore).
Why keep up the effort? Because you can't build a body of work without expending effort and you don't earn a good reputation in your field without a body of work. I spend from 10 minutes to an hour every day writing, photographing and preparing entries. Maybe it's a compulsion or perhaps just a habit. Judging from my site stats, it's an effort my audience approves and from time to time an e-mail saying thanks buoys my spirit.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
An addition to the Mirror Project prompts some questions.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: 花と梨の木 (Orozco)
EMAIL: orozcao@hotmail.com
IP: 203.140.71.17
URL: http://www.buraburasuru.blogger.com.br
DATE: 06/28/2003 02:57:14 PM
Hello,
I am a brazilian living for the time being in Japan. Visited and enjoyed your homepage in a boring-rainny-nothing-to-do saturday afternoon in rural shiga-ken、while listening to The Smiths!
Cheers,
花と梨の木 (Orozco)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eric
EMAIL: ericehg@hotmail.com
IP: 66.93.83.112
URL:
DATE: 06/29/2003 03:49:15 AM
Hi! I wanted to let you know that I think you have a great web site and your 'Hello Tokyo' project is a fascinating concept so I look forward to your progress with every visit. Also, I know that being open on the web can be a gamble since everybody can see/read your life, but its a phase in a person's life that can allow them to grow and have new experiences I think. So the whole idea can be very rewarding and satisfying to the person doing it, such as yourself. Just keep up the great work and take care.
-Eric H.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 218.176.164.3
URL: http://www.newcore.jp/TWWDI
DATE: 06/30/2003 02:52:00 PM
well, I go to your site when I need comfort food for thought!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 06/30/2003 09:45:15 PM
I come here to read the excellent writing and like the frequent pictures of you :) lookin good
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arthur
EMAIL: a.hoogervorst@ns.NOSPAMsympatico.ca
IP: 156.34.80.253
URL: http://localhost
DATE: 06/30/2003 10:51:21 PM
I'm the first Blogshare investor for this blog. I have no idea why I did so, but I certainly don't regret it. Keep up the good work.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/01/2003 01:25:46 AM
My site sucks and I'm worthless.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 07/01/2003 03:40:25 PM
UB, it only sucks when UltraMom's not posting. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 07/01/2003 03:44:05 PM
What nice comments from everyone (except UB who is worthless). I wasn't fishing for compliments! I was trying to think through why I do this. After a while it becomes rote and I forget the main point of it all.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Double split complementary
BASENAME: double_split_complementary
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/29/2003 08:44:57 AM
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BODY:
I paint (badly) quickly.Yesterday, I finished all the exercises for the color class--one day ahead of schedule. It's sort of embarrassing.
If I could slow down, maybe I'd be able to observe more finely and paint better. Usually by the end of the day, when I'm tired and make more focussed, my technique is a little more refined than in the morning, but I'm never going to be a pro with paints.
The painting I did is a double split complementary, If you recall the color wheel, red and green are complementary colors. The "split" part means that you take the colors on either side of the complement--so instead of green, you use blue-green and yellow-green. And for red, it's red-orange and red-violet. Which does make for a vivid painting, but I'd never consciously worked with that color scheme before and wanted to try it out.
With that painting completed, I'm not sure what I'll be doing today, but I'll try to make it interesting. I could paint another still life, I suppose. I'm not a good realistic painter, so maybe I'll paint an abstract of yesterday's still life. That way I can focus on color without having to stress about making it look right. Because you can see how well I managed that yesterday. Pffft.
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EXCERPT:
Four colors, one harmony.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.234
URL:
DATE: 06/30/2003 02:48:34 AM
Hey it's a lot better than that painting my grandmother did that we can't bring ourselves to throw out. Although the similarity of compositions is eerie. By any chance did your teacher happen to hold classes in Chicago around 1950?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.9.49
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 06/30/2003 09:17:03 PM
H. is starting a sculpture class today. She takes forever to complete things, and I told the instructor that I wouldn't be upset if she didn't finish a whole piece by the end. Don't beat yourself up over how you work - just work. The results will improve with the practice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/01/2003 01:22:30 AM
Hey I have the same vase. It lives in Beaker's aquarium from time to time. Neat colors, and don't disparage your painting it makes us bad painters feel inferior, and I don't need any more complexes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 07/01/2003 03:47:48 PM
Ooooh, sculpture, that sounds like fun! I'll bet H is going to enjoy it.
My follow up to this painting was an abstraction of the flower arrangement. I like it a lot better, even though the technique isn't any better. Since it's not realistic, it isn't so important to have precision.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/02/2003 04:36:23 PM
better not have used Beaker's vase without permission again!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hunt for U101
BASENAME: hunt_for_u101
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/30/2003 11:22:00 AM
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BODY:
A friend in the US offered to send us some of our favorite Middle Eastern food if we'd go shopping for him. He wanted Sony's tiny laptop, the U101, which isn't sold outside Japan.
Well, as of Saturday, it isn't sold in Japan either.
Tod went to Bic Camera on Saturday afternoon, after he'd received the full shopping list of accessories (why buy a computer if you don't get a case, DVD drive and more memory!), but Bic Camera salespeople told him that Sony isn't making the U101 anymore and it's not available for sale.
On Sunday, checked kakaku.com, a website that shows prices all over Japan, then scoured Akihabara. No U101 at Yamagiwa (where he had seen it before), not at Llaox nor at any of a half dozen other stores. Finally he found one, the last one in all of Tokyo it seems, at a store so obscure that their shopping bags sport the name of a florist.
Tod definitely earned his finder's fee.
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EXCERPT:
Pulled from stock all at once.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 24.205.94.230
URL:
DATE: 06/30/2003 02:41:40 PM
Shishleek!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Web Surfer
EMAIL: sony@subversive.edu
IP: 213.224.83.38
URL:
DATE: 07/01/2003 01:59:59 AM
The fact that the U101 is next to impossible to find at outlets like Yamagiwa etc. usually means that the next version is going to be launched real soon and that the manufacturer has unloaded their current stock...
I wouldn't be surprised to hear pretty soon of an U102 announcement, with a faster CPU...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yee
EMAIL: yee379@bigfoot.com
IP: 217.155.200.10
URL:
DATE: 08/28/2003 02:01:46 PM
hey! i'm after to buy this too! i'm off to japan next week too... it will be a real shame if it's not available - are there still any places left in toyko that sell it? is the new one out yet???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL: stefan.jauer@telia.com
IP: 213.66.229.61
URL:
DATE: 10/31/2003 08:17:16 PM
Hi,
do you have the web adress of Llaox store, please!
Brgds
Stefan Jauer
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Making of Act II scene 2
BASENAME: making_of_act_ii_scene_2
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 07/01/2003 01:19:39 PM
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BODY:
When the Zous decided to put on a play, I was all for it. And Hamlet is a favorite, so I was really happy that Zoupi had selected it. But I had no idea what a huge production it would become. Costumes, set, endless rehearsals.
The real work started when we decided to put it on the web. There were many options for presenting it--Flash, video with subtitles or dubs, stop-motion animation, still photography, and animated gifs. I tried and abandoned at least half the options before settling on a simple still gallery.
Even that took hours of work to get finished; the photography was spotty and everything had to be double checked for continuity. The Zous were very impatient and I was sorry that it took so long. But as of today, you can enjoy Hamlet, Act II scene 2 as presented by The Zous.
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EXCERPT:
Sometimes simple is best.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel maser
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.64.151
URL:
DATE: 07/01/2003 02:19:53 PM
dear kristen ;
you are crazy but in a very loveable way . stay that way .
ps :is there any substance to the rumors that hollywood has cast an eye on the zous ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 07/01/2003 03:26:21 PM
I haven't heard the rumours yet, but I'll ask Zoukun, he seems to have an ear to the ground for those sorts of things.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 67.74.91.166
URL:
DATE: 07/01/2003 08:21:03 PM
Zoupi is a very believable Hamlet. I like his prop book! Your sense of whimsy delights me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 218.176.164.3
URL: http://www.newcore.jp/TWWDI
DATE: 07/01/2003 08:29:56 PM
delightfully wacky, bringing elephantism to the Bard...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.163
URL: http://www.wordpainting.com
DATE: 07/01/2003 09:41:09 PM
Methinks you are a nut, which is why the zous love you so.
Those are Dad's glass masks that the players are sporting, no? Love the costumes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@hotmail.com
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 07/02/2003 02:41:41 AM
Too Cute! Much more so than my English Lit teacher. :) Forget Cliff's Notes, there's Zousnotes! Tee hee!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2003 03:50:24 PM
Sensational.. I know this takes you a heap of time but your efforts bring a smile to those who share in the results.. thank you Kristen!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.37
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 07/03/2003 10:36:35 AM
We all love the Zous!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Virile or vile
BASENAME: virile_or_vile
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/02/2003 07:53:11 AM
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BODY:
On June 19th, five students from three of Japan's prestigious universities were arrested for gang raping a woman after getting her drunk at a bar.
Apparently these five and others had a party promotion business/student society with 20 members. Gang rape was one of their sidelines. There's a story in the Mainichi with details.
Last Thursday during a public debate on youth crime and the declining birth rate in Japan, a 57 year old Diet member, Seiichi Ota, said that the declining child population is due to Japanese men being afraid to commit to marriage. When asked by the moderator if that meant the university gang rapists did it because they lacked the courage to propose, Ota replied,
"Gang rape shows the people who do it are still virile, and that is okay. I think that might make them close to normal. I know I'll get in trouble for saying that, though."
Naturally, he did get into trouble. There was outrage from his party, the Prime Minister, and a lot of women legislators. He apologised publicly, so all will be forgiven soon and I'll bet he gets reelected.
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EXCERPT:
Idiotic statement from an aging politician
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/02/2003 08:56:25 AM
Even for me (I'm just onecitizen), Japanese political word looks strange. It means I'm a just housewife??
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 67.73.17.19
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2003 02:28:07 PM
Totally disgusting! Japanese society has a long way to go.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2003 03:48:52 PM
Political Correctness has not reached Japan, but from my observations of politically correct speech in "western" societies it has not stopped ignorance, it has just stopped people from people from verbalising it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.93.78
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2003 05:03:06 PM
Good point, Tracey. I always thought that Japanese didn't voice their opinions (the tateme/honme thing) unless they followed the majority opinion. Maybe it's different if you're a Japanese politician.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayatake@yahoo.com
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 07/06/2003 11:46:29 AM
You are right, Kristen. And I think every time they open their mouth, they seem to get in trouble.
The biggest trouble is, Japanese oldtimers have no respect in women. They only respect us as a part of household equipments.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kiwi Yogurt Drink
BASENAME: kiwi_yogurt_drink
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/03/2003 10:20:39 AM
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BODY:
Yogurt is a healthy way to start the day, and this blender drink goes down easy, even on hot and sticky summer mornings.
Kiwi Yogurt Breakfast Drink
2 kiwi, quartered
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 - 1/2 cup orange juice
10 ice cubes
Blend the kiwi, yogurt and ice cubes until the ice is well crushed. Add the juice a little at a time until you reach a consistency you like. Serve over ice.
Notes: Unripe kiwi are pretty bitter, so be sure you use ripe ones. You can use any soft fruit--peaches, berries, bananas--but then you can't call it Kiwi Yogurt Breakfast Drink.
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EXCERPT:
60 second breakfast recipe.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.145
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/03/2003 09:50:30 PM
Yum! If H. hadn't just eaten all the blueberries I picked off the bush yesterday, we'd make some right now!
Maybe we'll try it this afternoon after a trip to the grocery. Peaches are pretty good right now. Kiwis taste too much like bananas for me to like them.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lil
EMAIL: lil@esthet.org
IP: 219.121.62.250
URL: http://www.esthet.org/blog/
DATE: 07/04/2003 11:12:52 PM
You know, of course, that you will have ALL New Zealanders up in arms if you are serious about putting a kiwi, our NATIONAL BIRD, in the blender!!! :-P
I can't quite imagine what an unripe kiwi looks like....one without feathers??!!
Seriously though, in the Antipodes, we have to make the distinction between 'kiwis' (the bird) and 'kiwifruit' (which you *can* stick in the blender), or people just don't get what you're talking about.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/05/2003 10:05:50 AM
I originally had kiwifruit instead of kiwi, but I couldn't decide if it was one word or two . So I dropped the fruit bit. Everyone knows birds and yogurt don't mix!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ryna
EMAIL: bori_o@hotmail.com
IP: 202.241.78.236
URL:
DATE: 07/08/2003 09:34:51 AM
Kiwi has an enzyme that breaks down protein in yogurt. So, if you want to drink the kiwi-yogurt drink, you should drink it right after you mix them together. Otherwise...it will taste too bitter and gross.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Your Horoscope
BASENAME: your_horoscope
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 07/04/2003 04:28:16 PM
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BODY:
You were born in the year of the Mockingbird. Mockingbirds are impatient but willing to wait when necessary. Strong willed and talkative, you believe that you can be beautiful or smart but not both.
Special color: chartreuse.
Lucky number: 11,357.
Best mate: Turtles or Hornets
Today you will find yourself thinking about the future but don't let that stop you from living in the moment. Wiggle your toes in the sands of time!
If you don't like this summary of your personality and forecast of your future, try one of these other horoscopes:
Astrology.com
Horoscope.com
Yahoo! Astrology
Horoscope Universe
Astrocenter
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EXCERPT:
Your personal forecast for today and forever.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/04/2003 07:37:25 PM
Couldn't you have made it Turtles or Dragonflies?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.91.74
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/04/2003 09:56:35 PM
Where did you get this forecast? I like the style of it. Such a high lucky number! Sheesh!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 07/04/2003 11:56:42 PM
No dragonflies. I've had enough of those. So have you.
This forecast and profile are my own invention. Pretty accurate, huh? :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Company Night Out
BASENAME: company_night_out
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/05/2003 09:59:33 AM
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BODY:
Last night was a "knees-up" with the office clan. My knees stayed down, pretty much, and I headed home before last train while Tod and the boys went off for nijiikai and probably sanjikai at various bars and hostess clubs in Roppongi (he's still sleeping so I can't ask him).
The party was an increasingly rare occasion of corporate-fielded drunkenness. Back in the giddy Y2K days when I was working for Perot, there were drinking nights all the time--mostly informal but plenty of sponsored ones--as the myriad short-term expats drowned their sorrows. Now those folk are gone and the remaining gaijin are happily here for the long haul. Quite a contrast to the situation three or four years ago.
Last night's event was in honor of two high-ranking visitors, Robin and Brian, and seemed to be going on in the traditional style. Lots of beer, snacks, and loud conversation at an izakaya near the office until they kicked us out.
Next, a tipsy conference ensued outside the izakaya, as usual. The clever few faded away without saying goodbye while the rest debated about where to go next. Kylie and I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to our partners and so were subject to much sweet persuasion to come along which we ignored.
Our refusal was a great relief to Tod and Andy, I'm sure, who were not constrained by our presence. Having your wife tag along to the hostess club is such a wet blanket, even if she is enjoying herself and chatting up your coworkers. Wherever they went off to, they came home before three this morning, but I am sure that Brian was out all night--he will be getting on a plane to London about now, assuming he made it back to his hotel in time to get the shuttle to the airport.
So even though it's not as common as it once was, the office social scene still follow the same plan. Lots of drinking, escapes and escapades, and one person needing to catch a plane home.
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EXCERPT:
A reminder of the "good old days" at work.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayatake@yahoo.com
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 07/06/2003 11:52:12 AM
This is the finest piece of writing on Japanse way of company drinking. It is sometimes fun if its is not held every day.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Geta
BASENAME: geta
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/06/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
My Japanese sandals. (inset: inter-toe blister)
No other footwear is appropriate with yukata and kimono. Unfortunately, geta hurt. The price of fashion, I suppose.
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EXCERPT:
Everyone hates wearing these.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: davemarquis@mn.rr.com
IP: 24.123.119.254
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 07/07/2003 11:14:56 AM
I don't hate them! I really love to wear them and in fact they make me so tall! It make the japanese crowds nervous and they always make way, like here comes godilla.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ryna
EMAIL: bori_o@hotmail.com
IP: 202.241.78.236
URL:
DATE: 07/08/2003 09:30:01 AM
The pair of "geta" on the picture are for yukata, not for kimono. Then one for kimono is more neat and beautiful, sometimes with embroidery.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tanabata
BASENAME: tanabata
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/07/2003 11:02:59 AM
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BODY:
Today is Tanabata, a day honoring the legend of the stars Vega and Altair in the Milky Way. Really it's just a great excuse for a festival.
A sea of people came to Hiratsuka in Kanagawa Prefecture to wander the streets and look at the decorations.
But it's not all decorations. There are games, too. Catching bright rubber balls from a swiftly moving stream is very popular with little kids.
Older kids (including me) like the fish game. And MJ is the proud owner of two tiny turtles that she won by scooping them from the water with a monaka, like a cup-shaped ice cream cone that droops when it gets wet.
Mmmm, festival food. This is okonomiyaki a cross between pancake and omelet. My favorite is the choco-banana but I was too busy eating them to get any photos.
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EXCERPT:
Festival fun in Hiratsuka.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: davemarquis@mn.rr.com
IP: 24.123.119.254
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 07/07/2003 11:19:51 AM
Great pics! I love okonomiyaki. Osaka is famous for it and there are a lot of site down and grill your own at your table.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 07/07/2003 12:06:04 PM
That turtle game was hard (; ;) I'm lucky we got sympathy turtles for playing twice...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 07/08/2003 03:23:55 PM
My Chinese colleague told me that this was originally a Chinese legend, and they refer to 7 July as "Chinese Valentine's Day." In this version, it always rains on the 7th because the two lovers can only be together once each year, hence many tears cascade down.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/08/2003 03:46:46 PM
Wasn't one of the lovers a weaver? The milky way is their bridge? It is one of my favorite festivals..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nyota
EMAIL:
IP: 152.163.253.100
URL:
DATE: 07/09/2003 01:06:52 AM
I just finished reading about Tanabata and the Tanabata Song. I love the pics on your site...they make me feel as if I'm there. (^_^)/~~~
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Three tongue twisters
BASENAME: three_tongue_twisters
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/08/2003 10:52:10 AM
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BODY:
Sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi.
Plum and peach are both in the peach family.
This tongue twister turns around the word momo which means peach. Sumomo is a plum and all those extra mo are roughly equivalent to 'and' and 'also.'
Niwa no niwa ni wa, niwa no niwatori wa niwaka ni wani wo tabeta.
In Mr. Niwa's garden, two chickens suddenly ate a crocodile.
The key word here is niwa which means garden. Niwatori is a chicken, niwa means two chickens, niwaka ni means suddenly and wani is a crocodile. All the extra ni and wa are particles that emphasis the preceding words or give them a location, sort of like 'in the.'
There is another "niwa" tongue twister that I can't say:
Uraniwa niwa niwa niwa niwa niwa niwatori ga iru.
There are two chickens in the back yard and two in the front yard.
Uraniwa is the backyard. I can't figure out which of the niwa are 'two', 'in the' and 'garden.' Ack!
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EXCERPT:
Say these ten times fast...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: distal zou
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/08/2003 11:35:00 AM
"Uraniwa niwa niwa niwa niwa niwa niwatori ga iru."
I think it works like this: Uraniwa ni wa niwa, (in the back garden, two (birds)), niwa ni wa niwa (in the garden, two (birds)) niwadori ga iru. (chickens are there)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/08/2003 04:59:41 PM
Mizuno-san told me another one. "Tonari no kyaku wa yoko kaki kuu kyaku da." The customer next to me eats a lot of persimmons.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: xuanie
EMAIL:
IP: 202.156.2.83
URL: http://ucantseeme.blogspot.com
DATE: 07/08/2003 06:07:58 PM
hiya, im from singapore.. would like to know if u can help me with my project? i need some close up photos of japanese restaurants or eating place because im doing graphic design for a virtual japanese restaurant. n would like to know if u happen to have any material to help me?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 12.15.208.179
URL: http://www.randyrants.com
DATE: 07/08/2003 11:01:47 PM
You need to warn us guijin not to attempt to say such things without having a tongue splint handy... I think I broken myself! :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cool, cool summer
BASENAME: cool_cool_summer
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/09/2003 08:22:35 AM
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BODY:
It's been unseasonably chilly the past few weeks. I am grateful for the extended coolness.
The average high temperature for July 9th over the last 30 years is 28 degrees (82F) with a low of 21 degrees (72F). This year's going to drag the average down; JWA's forecast a high of 24 and a low of 20 (75/66F).
No doubt the mercury will creep up as July heads towards hot, sticky August. I hope that in the middle of the wilting season next month, I can look back and remember this cool morning when my feet felt chilly and I could see the steam rising off my coffee.
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EXCERPT:
Yesterday I wore a coat.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: David_Hooper@rsausa.com
IP: 167.82.191.50
URL:
DATE: 07/09/2003 08:09:30 PM
It's strange that the same thing has happened in the southern U.S. Record mild temperatures for the season.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: UltraSpread
BASENAME: ultraspread
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/10/2003 03:44:19 PM
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BODY:
A cream cheese and avocado spread from the kitchen of UltraBob and his UltraGirl in Zushi.
UltraSpread with Avocado
1/4 box of Philly cream cheese
1/2 tomato, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
cilantro, chopped
lemon juice
Cream all ingredients together until smooth and pale green, using lemon juice to adjust the consistency.
"Put it on some bread with other stuff and put it in your piehole. Make sounds of appreciation," says UltraBob. "Would be really good with a chicken sandwich."
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EXCERPT:
Guest chef, UltraBob, describes a sandwich spread.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/10/2003 03:36:13 PM
Yummo.. would it be as good with Philly light C.C.? Can you buy Philly light in Japan? (am on a diet)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/10/2003 05:21:56 PM
You mission should you choose to accept it is to find out the answers to those two questions, and post them here. ;)
Alternatively, you could probably use some light mayonaise since mayonaise seems to be a substitute for cheese here in japan. :p
Ultrabob
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reference kitten
BASENAME: reference_kitten
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/11/2003 09:59:09 AM
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BODY:
When I was a teenager with her first job, I developed a financial coping skill that I will share with you, though I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this. I think of buying, selling, earning, and saving in terms of an object I care about whose price I know.
At age sixteen, I used a $40 wool sweater as a reference. I earned about a sweater a day as a lifeguard during the summer.
As a college student, my reference was pizza. The $4.99 Corleone's large cheese special (with two 32 ounce Cokes) was usually out of my budget, but it made a fine comparison tool.
After we bought a house, my reference became our mortgage payment. The apartment the company rented for us when we first arrived in Japan was eight mortgage payments. Yikes!
My latest reference is a lovely Abssynian kitten for sale at "Dog and Cat Nana." He is priced at 120,000 yen--about a thousand dollars. So now I think of things in terms of kittens. "That job just earned me 1.5 kittens."
Economics via Kittens
1 kitten = 1000 vending machine drinks
1 kitten = 136 Zoupi
1 kitten = 120 rides on the LaQua rollercoaster
1 kitten = 50 CDs
1 kitten = 42 Zousan
1 kitten = 30 dinners at Ampresso
1 kitten = 10 pairs of jeans
1 kitten = 10 kg of Japanese beef
2.5 kittens = 1 month's rent
5.2 kittens = 1 G5 + cinema display
7.3 kittens = 1 1996 VW Beetle 1600i
350 kittens = 2LDK apartment at Lions Square
6,662,369,081 kittens = 1 US national debt
Money seems so much cuter and accessible now.
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EXCERPT:
One kitten = 1000 cans of coffee
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.233.8.193
URL:
DATE: 07/11/2003 02:42:53 PM
When can I meet the little darlin'? Is your furniture protected?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.233.8.193
URL:
DATE: 07/11/2003 02:42:54 PM
When can I meet the little darlin'? Is your furniture protected?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 07/11/2003 03:49:36 PM
It is just a reference kitten, not a pet for me. I stop and say hello to it once a week, but that's as close as I come to owning it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 07/11/2003 09:52:33 PM
883 kittens is a lot! Imagine trying to feed them all...and the litterboxes you'd need. I think you're definitely better off with Evan. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 07/11/2003 11:53:09 PM
I think he poops more then 800 cats on most days :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: J/E magazines
BASENAME: je_magazines
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/12/2003 07:20:00 AM
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BODY:
I met Sayaka when we were volunteering for a local magazine called Yanesen.
Actually, Sayaka found me through my weblog, figured out that I lived in the neighborhood and recruited me. I was happy to help, though I don't think the English edition we worked on together ever went to press.
Now Sayaka lives in Oita and publishes a weekly mail magazine for Japanese speakers wanting to improve their English. It's called "Sayaka and Kristen's Simple and Useful Lunchtime English."
Despite the prominence of my name in the title, I don't do anything. Sayaka uses entries from my weblog and other sources, deconstructs them, explains the weird things that I write, gives a brief lesson on vocabulary, idiom or a grammar point, then asks comprehension questions.
Tuesday's lesson is followed by the answers on Friday. On Fridays our names are reversed in the masthead--Kristen and Sayaka. That's Sayaka being very humble (though she does all the work and should take all the credit) but I think it's also quietly proving that I have all the answers. Hehehehe.
I've noticed that Sayaka is catching up with me. It used to be that the entries she selected were older ones, but this week's issue featured the one on shopping for the U101. I'd better write a few exclusives for the magazine, otherwise Sayaka's going to have to deconstruct and explain the kitten post!
If you're interested in paging through the back issues or subscribing (it's free), visit Macky, a Japanese e-zine clearinghouse.
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EXCERPT:
Kristen and Sayaka's Simple and Useful Lunchtime English
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayatake@yahoo.com
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2003 07:22:42 AM
Hei,kitten is cute. Can I use it?
(Next week, magazine will not be published. I and my kids are going to Glacier National Park, Montana for our summer vacation.)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2003 10:45:34 AM
Of course you can use Reference kitten. That will be a challenge to explain!
Have a great time in Montana.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 26 things
BASENAME: 26_things
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 07/13/2003 01:25:50 PM
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BODY:
For the past couple of days I've been playing a photography scavenger hunt called 26 Things. The idea is to take one creative photo of each of 26 themes then make a web gallery and mail the URL to the organizers on August 1st.
So far, I've captured six themes: food, water, colour, little things, and time.
But there are some tricky ones. A creative depiction of love? Footwear? A sunset? I'm not even sure where to begin getting creative with a sunset.
Sometimes I'm not sure which theme to assign to a photo. Take this one, for instance. Is it authority, transport, construction, or signage?
Maybe it's just badly spelled.
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EXCERPT:
July's photo project
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: matt
EMAIL: mromaine@removeme.va.rosenet.ne.jp
IP: 219.111.193.249
URL: http://www.audiolicious.com/weblog
DATE: 07/13/2003 08:49:59 PM
how about just "engrish", as in engrish.com :)
(damn, you don't allow imbedded html...fine: http://www.engrish.com)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2003 07:47:20 PM
Isn't it a combination of all 4?
Transport authority construction signage....
OR:
Transport authority construction consultancy signage....
all encapsulated into the one photo.. that is creative...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2003 10:44:38 AM
But I have to choose just one for the project...maybe I'll get creative with the categorizing and assign multiple categories by linking the photos together.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Menu design
BASENAME: menu_design
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 07/14/2003 01:14:23 PM
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BODY:
Way back when I started my career as a media tinker, I worked for a food service supplier. I spent my days designing sale flyers and advertising on early desktop publishing systems. Eventually, I left that job but food service design still comes into my life from time to time.
Recently, FCCJ asked me to redesign their menus. It's been ten yeas since I last did a menu layout, but I'm quite pleased with the results. This is the elegant dinner menu. There is also a more casual lunch menu that features an old fashioned typewriter theme--just right for a journalists' club.
If you're dining in the Pen and Quill from August when these menus make their debut, drop me a line and let me know what you think.
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EXCERPT:
It's been ten years, but I still have the touch...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Come as you are
BASENAME: come_as_you_are
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/15/2003 09:44:30 AM
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BODY:
The "come as you are" party is a surprise party for the guests. The idea is to catch people unaware and persuade them to come enjoy a casual party on the spur of the moment. No dressing up or preparing, just drop everything and join in the fun.
Washing hair? Wrap your head in a towel and come along. Napping? Rub the sleep from your eyes and put on some slippers. It was great hoots forty years ago when life had more rigid social conventions.
When I tried this for a birthday party in the 1970s, it failed. There wasn't much difference between school clothes, play clothes, and dress-up. Nobody turned up in their bathrobe or pajamas. No embarrassing outfits. Well, it was the 70s. Everyone wore an embarrassing outfit.
The 2003 Tokyo lifestyle is a little bit more formal. People dress to go out and rarely drop in on one another unannounced. Maybe a "come as you are" party would be successful now.
Let's imagine what would happen if I rang people for brunch on a Sunday morning:
Tod - stumbles from the bedroom bleary eyed and wearing his yukata.
MJ - has been up all night but can't tear herself away from work.
UltraBob - attempts to change the venue to Zushi because he has a deadline.
Mike G - arrives neatly dressed with an interesting CD to share.
Mike R - sets up a webcam from Erie.
Terri - needs a break, but has too much work to get done.
Peter - comes in his car with the whole family "as they are". Yes!
Kristen - arrives fashionably late in a gorgeous peignoir and lipstick.
Kristin - is teaching a painting class and can't make it
Sayaka - hops a train from Oita, arrives in time for leftovers.
Tracey - is sleepy but not in pajamas as she dressed right after waking up.
John - turns up for brunch on Tuesday--it's a long flight.
Kris - arrives with John and looks absolutely fabulous.
Dave - comes with John and Kris; brings a suitcase full of toys.
Jenn - wears nice travel clothes; spends her flight writing Ode to a Brunch
Helen - sports pale blue with glittery accents; thinks my food is weird.
Dan - dons green sweatpants with holes. Joins me in the kitchen on Tuesday.
The guest list goes on, but you get the idea. Lots of my friends are busy or not in Tokyo. And I wonder why I don't have many parties...
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EXCERPT:
A party concept that will never work out
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 07/15/2003 10:19:41 AM
You make us sound like a sad bunch of workaholics... (; ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2003 10:31:52 AM
Not sad. Empowered! Kicking web ass in the wee hours; fighting for survival in the cruel world; battling deadlines and rush jobs to defeat the landlord's demands. No time for wimpy brunches...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2003 03:14:00 PM
As sunday is the day of rest - or usually in recovery from the night before.. I am usually a scarey sight.. but yes I will be fully dressed.. (^o^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.2.125
URL:
DATE: 07/18/2003 08:24:57 PM
Oh sausages, how you are so meaty...
I love your casings...
Strike that. *scribbles*
Puff, cheese omelette against the light...
I had to laugh at your line about everyone wearing embarassing outfits in the 70's. I remember that party. Didn't Heidi come in a robe or something? We were wild partiers back then.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A love story
BASENAME: a_love_story
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/16/2003 12:23:08 PM
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BODY:
Today marks our arrival in Japan five years ago. We were coming for a three month assignment and here we still are. Happy as clams. Japan, and Tokyo in particular, is a great place to live.
There is a certain element of fantasy living in Tokyo.
Here I am, part of a tradition of expatriate artists. Granted that this isn't Paris in the 1930s and getting here doesn't involve steamer trunks and a month-long journey over water, but Tokyo in 2003 is kin to that history. There is a thriving community of expatriate artists here: writers, web folk, filmmakers, fine artists, musicians. I'm fortunate to know some of them and to collaborate with a few. Perhaps someday our connections and contributions to society will be noted as an artistic force in this era.
Reality is great, too.
I can live without a car and never feel the need to have one. The weather is mild and pleasant for 10 months of the year. The city bustles with activity and the mountains and seaside are only an hour's train ride away. Seafood is fresh; fruits are delicious; there are a zillion restaurants. Strangers are polite and the streets are safe.
Naturally, not everything is rosy. I've struggled.
Learning a new language is challenging and I progress very slowly. Tokyo is an expensive place to live. Expatriate friends come and go. I will never be welcomed into any part of Japanese society. Despite all these annoyances and more, I've learned to accept them and the benefits of living here outweigh the traumas.
Will we ever leave Japan? Probably so, but who knows when or for where? I hope not to go back to the US. I'd love to try Rome or Beijing. But for the foreseeable future I am perfectly content with Tokyo.
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EXCERPT:
Five years on, I still love Tokyo.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: David_Hooper@rsausa.com
IP: 167.82.191.50
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2003 08:22:21 PM
Lucky girl!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Josh
EMAIL: quibx@yahoo.com
IP: 129.55.200.20
URL: http://www.quibx.com
DATE: 07/16/2003 10:05:34 PM
Soooo Jealous.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2003 09:00:21 AM
You guys would do fine anywhere. That's the the real love story.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mie
EMAIL: mie@tokyotidbits.com
IP: 134.113.4.207
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2003 11:03:44 AM
Excellent summary of the pros and cons. Exactly my thoughts too. Even though I speak Japanese, I will still always be treated as an outsider which is tiring. But Tokyo is such a liveable city...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL: gregm@inter.net
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2003 11:31:53 AM
Nice summary! I get tired of people asking me "are you gonna stay here forever?" The implication is that somewehere else is de facto better than Japan. My theory is that every place (and most things in our life) are a series of compromises. The trick is to 1) accept this fact, and 2) find the balance among the myriad choices we have to make about our lives and circumstances. Japan offers up a lot, but not if you focus only on your sacrifices.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: davemarquis@mn.rr.com
IP: 24.123.119.254
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 07/17/2003 09:56:40 PM
Congrats and I am also jealous but happy you are loving it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: davemarquis@mn.rr.com
IP: 24.123.119.254
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 07/17/2003 09:57:07 PM
Congrats and I am also jealous but happy you are loving it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 131.252.231.145
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 07/18/2003 07:16:39 AM
I think one of the coolest things, though it's tiring, about living in Tokyo is living outside of Tokyo people. Like you said you'll never be accepted into Japanese society, but there's a certain lawlessness to that. And it takes a certain lawlessness of spirit for a person to live happily outside of mainstream society.
I think the result is really cool people live in that sub-community. It may be a refugee camp, but it's a refugee camp full of damned unique people with a certain strength of character.
So you're awesome, keep at it, and enjoy it well it lasts. I think it burns a lot of people out eventually.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 218.176.164.3
URL: http://www.newcore.jp/TWWDI
DATE: 07/19/2003 08:24:46 AM
truth is you and Todd are getting out of it the warmth, depth, intellgence, humor and quirk that you put into it, and I, too, believe that would happen anywhere, 'cause y'all take those traits with you!
but do stay a while: we have a wardrobe to make;-)!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Seafood Newburg
BASENAME: seafood_newburg
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/17/2003 12:26:06 PM
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BODY:
A simplified version of a French classic makes a rich, celebratory evening meal. Light the candles and uncork the wine!
Seafood Newburg
1/2 pint cream or half and half (one small carton)
3 Tblsp butter
1/2 cup onion or scallion, minced
8-10 button mushrooms, sliced
2 small fillets of fish, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 - 1 cup shrimp, fresh or frozen
1/4 - 1/2 cup crab, real or imitation
1/4 c peas, frozen
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
Sherry (optional)
2 slices of bread, toasted and cut into triangles
In a heavy frying pan, sautee the onion and mushrooms in butter. Add the seafood and allow to cook until about half done. Lower the heat and slowly stir in the cream. Season with salt, plenty of crushed black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. A splash of sherry is optional. Add the peas. Reduce cream until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Arrange toast triangles on the plate and ladle the newburg over them. Serves 2.
Note: The classic newburg is lobster with a more complicated cream sauce. You can use just about any sort of mild, white fish in this recipe and the ultra-simple cream sauce means you can bring this dish from raw ingredients to table in about 20 minutes.
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EXCERPT:
A simple classic in the creamy French tradition.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rescue
BASENAME: rescue
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/18/2003 10:57:22 AM
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BODY:
I rescued a butterfly.
It was struggling against the electric breezes in the hallway between the Oedo line and Mita line at Kasuga.
A sucker for struggling creatures, I bent down to help it. As I extended a hand to shield it from the breeze, it crawled onto my finger then clung on for three minutes while I carried it through the station to the nearest exit.
It kept its white wings, fringed in butter underneath, folded as we took the escalator up. Its darkly striped antennae held perfectly still during the journey but as we crested the top of the escalator, it gracefully uncurled a steel blue proboscis longer than its fuzzy pale green body. I couldn't feel it tasting my finger.
When we drew near the exit, I gave it a quiet word of encouragement, said goodbye then tried to sit it on the edge of a sign. It fluttered off, alighting briefly on the wickets before heading up the stairs to the fresh air.
Then I turned back and caught the train to work.
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EXCERPT:
A quiet moment gained by extending a helping hand.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: amy@elderberries.com
IP: 24.243.192.72
URL: http://www.elderberries.com
DATE: 07/17/2003 11:29:53 AM
Thank you for that - your post gave me a smile when I needed one. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.223.38
URL:
DATE: 07/18/2003 12:29:40 PM
What a great story! You will never forget your encounter with that butterfly. Such a simple, memorable event. Wow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/18/2003 06:56:03 PM
Another deposit in the good karma bank.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: amy
EMAIL: c_minor911@yahoo.com
IP: 203.149.1.101
URL: http://www.last-nite.net
DATE: 07/18/2003 10:46:33 PM
memorable...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 07/19/2003 07:27:28 AM
Lovely :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 131.252.231.188
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 07/19/2003 08:01:25 AM
You are superwoman.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 218.176.164.3
URL: http://www.newcore.jp/TWWDI
DATE: 07/19/2003 08:19:08 AM
you are a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
really.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ｍｉｅｋｏ
EMAIL:
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/19/2003 09:53:21 PM
Thank you. You made me hart-warmed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Day off
BASENAME: day_off
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/20/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
It's unusual for me to take a day off from blogging but as regular readers may have noticed, I didn't post yesterday and today's entry is quite late.
I had planned to have a Video Saturday entry prepared, but didn't get it done. I'm making quiet progress in the background on the Hello Tokyo project but there's nothing to show yet. Keep your eyes peeled next Saturday when I do hope to have something spectacular for you.
Yesterday I was also in a black temper. I'm not sure why but everything seemed bleak and impossible. It was the sort of self-pitying, self-indulgent mood where I see all humans as the gross organisms that we are--giants bags of water spending their time ingesting, digesting, reproducing--and question the point of my existence. Definitely not a good emotional space to be writing from.
So instead of inflicting any of that bile on you, I broke down to my dearest darling and then went to visit friends in Zushi where my mood lightened and I was (I hope) better company.
And tomorrow I will return to being a better entertainer. But for now, to bed!
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EXCERPT:
Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Four girls and a captor
BASENAME: four_girls_and_a_captor
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/21/2003 10:03:20 PM
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BODY:
In the news is the story of four 11 and 12 year old girls who were held captive in Akasaka from Sunday to Thursday last week.
I'm not sure whether the true substance of the story is about poor parenting, bad police work, the naivete of little girls, or whether it's just about a social deviant.
Kotaro Yoshisato, a 29 year old man from from Saitama just west of Tokyo, lured the girls to his condo in the city on the pretense of discussing part-time jobs at his fictitious shop, Petit Angel. In reality, he was looking for girls for his prostitution business. For the past few years, he's paid high school girls as talent scouts to find new, youthful recruits.
He'd met one of the four 6th graders previously and persuaded her to do "part time work" for him and offered her a bonus if she would bring her friends, too. When they all met him again last Sunday, he handcuffed the four to heavy objects, blindfolded them, then bound them hand and feet. On Wednesday night, he committed suicide by poisoning himself with carbon monoxide from a charcoal stove.
One of the girls escaped from her handcuffs on Thursday and went for help. The four sets of parents, all from a Tokyo suburb called Inagi, were very relieved to have their daughters home unscathed but you have to wonder why they let their the girls go into Shibuya unaccompanied.
On Friday, 3500 police officers and social welfare workers spent the day in the area around Shibuya station, reminding young people of the dangers of talking to strangers. According to Kyodo News, they talked to about 1500 kids--2/3 of them boys.
To add to the drama, Kotaro Yoshisato was investigated a few years ago on suspicion of selling illegal pornographic tapes featuring young women. But despite the evidence of sales flyers, a client list and 1000 video tapes, the investigation was dropped.
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In the news, little girls lured and handcuffed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yamanote29
BASENAME: yamanote29
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 07/22/2003 08:06:44 PM
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BODY:
To celebrate three years of blogging at Media Tinker, today I'm announcing a new project. You are invited to take a peek at this pre-release of this "celebration of the Yamanote Line."
Yamanote29
You are cordially encouraged to contribute photos, stories, video, or audio relating to the Yamanote line, its stations, rolling stock, people and neighborhoods. (See the Submission Guidelines for details.)
Your feedback on improvements is also welcome. I'll be seeding the site with more video and photos so that there will be a representative entry for each station before the official launch on August 15th.
Hope you enjoy what's there now...
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Calling all train geeks and Yamanote riders.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.105
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 07/22/2003 11:42:49 PM
Everyone has good ideas, the talent is in the execution. Well done! It seems to have a good chance of growing into a real resource and community dialog.
*renews vow to get back to work on Kyoto community site*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 206.152.99.44
URL:
DATE: 07/23/2003 07:10:11 AM
As former resident of Ota-ku (1976-1993) I seem to remember a book by Jean Pearce in the early 80s about the 29 Stages of the Yamanote Line. It inspired me to visit many (but not all) of the stations and their surroundings. Think your project is a great idea!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 07/23/2003 11:16:39 AM
If you have any photos of your Yamanote adventures, please do consider submitting them. The more the merrier! I'd love to have some non-contemporary pictures to show how things looked a few years back.
I realise that I haven't put a copyright statement in the submission guidelines, but of course all submissions remain property of the contributor.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: WWJ launches today
BASENAME: wwj_launches_today
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 07/23/2003 11:41:13 PM
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BODY:
WWJ isn't World Wrestling Japan, but Wireless Watch Japan, a wireless industry publication featuring news and exclusive video interviews with the movers and shakers in the Japanese mobile phone markets.
I helped to revamp their website by implementing a PHP-Nuke content management system integrating e-commerce and customizations in a tight 3-week turnaround.
Congratulations to WWJ on the relaunch of their site today.
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A new PHP-Nuke site with lots of customizations by me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 07/24/2003 05:11:40 AM
The site looks great, nice job!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shrimp Scampi Po'Boy
BASENAME: shrimp_scampi_poboy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/24/2003 05:09:54 PM
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BODY:
My uncle George introduced me to shrimp scampi when I was 12 and I've loved it ever since. Slap it in a crispy-chewy baguette and you've got a heavenly po'boy sandwich. I make mine heavy on the garlic, so feel free to adjust to your own tastes.
Shrimp Scampi Po'Boy
serves 2
1 long baguette or loaf of French bread
2 Tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion or scallion
4 cloves garlic, minced
250 g (1/2 lb) peeled, steamed shrimp
big splash white wine
1/8 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
garnish (optional): lettuce, tomato, red onion
hot sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Slice the round ends off the loaf, then cut two 15-20 cm (6-8 inch) pieces and slice them lengthwise for the sandwiches. Toast or not, as you desire.
Take the round ends make fresh bread crumbs by shopping or grating the ends, then toasting in the toaster oven or under the broiler. Be careful not to burn them.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and garlic, sauteeing until soft. Add shrimp and heat through. Splash with white wine. Stir in bread crumbs and optional cheese. Season to taste.
Pile the shrimp mixture on the bread and squash flat. The shrimp love to escape while you eat, so be prepared to chase them.
Your po'boy can be garnished with lettuce, tomato and thinly sliced red onion...or not, as you choose. Hot sauce optional but highly recommended.
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How to improve on shrimp and garlic? Add bread...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Abecedarium
BASENAME: abecedarium
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 07/25/2003 08:43:52 AM
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BODY:
Yesterday a friend introduced me to a clever poetic form, the abecedarium. It's just 26 words in alphabetical order.
They are great fun to develop and the last three words (x, y, z) present an interesting challenge. I went to bed last night thinking them up and woke up this morning early to write them down.
Fighting
Angry but calm.
Deflecting energy from gloved hands.
It's just karate love.
Me: No! Other people quarrel.
Really. Stop thumping; use valour.
We xoxo.
You zing.
Mysteries
Angels bring confusion.
Don't ever forget god's hand
Is juggling knives like man's nature.
Occultists properly question reality.
Saints travel unbroken vigils
without x-ing yesterday's zodiac.
Innumeracy
Algebra's big calculating drama:
Evaluate for G.
History is jute knotted like math notations.
Over previous quotients
Romans sought to undermine V with X.
Y ≠ Z
Go ahead, try one...your next poem is just twenty six words away.
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poetry in 26 words
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/25/2003 09:13:07 AM
Must … focus … on … work!
Vile temptress!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Title Sequence
BASENAME: title_sequence
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 07/26/2003 07:00:00 AM
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BODY:
At long last, another edition of Video Saturday.
This time, I've got the title sequence. The plan with Hello Tokyo is that it will be a series of videos on different aspects of life in Japan so this sequence will be reused in several videos. Getting the right pace and tone was important and not a little intimidating. But I'm very happy with the results.
The music is composed by Jeff, a Tokyo-based musician and producer, especially for Hello Tokyo. I love the bouncy guitar--the tune gets somewhat more complex as the piece goes on and I'll feature sections of as the video progresses.
Now that I have the title done, I can rethink the look of the rest of the video. I hope to incorporate the circles into section transitions and make the whole thing fresher and more fun.
Go on, take a peek...
Hello Tokyo title sequence. 0'46" (4.8 MB MP4)
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This clip forms the visual foundation for Hello Tokyo
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 07/26/2003 09:38:01 AM
Hey neato babe!
You managed to work in those cute kids past the temple as well (^^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL: nikoneefs@yahoo.com
IP: 213.46.162.166
URL: http://www.zousan.com/piphotos/belgium/belgium.html
DATE: 07/27/2003 08:15:50 AM
Looks great! I guess this part was a lot of work, but also more fun editing.
I hope you will release a DVD version...
Niko
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@hotmail.com
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 07/29/2003 02:47:54 AM
I can just see this on TLC someday. :) Very cool!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Summer critters
BASENAME: summer_critters
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/27/2003 10:43:47 AM
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I'm not sure what sort of beetle this is, but it's lovely, isn't it? I spotted it on the steps in a park near Kourakuen station.
The praying mantis appeared in the same location the day after the beetle. The toad, bufo japonicus formosus, also known as Azuma-Hiki Gaeru or Common Eastern Toad, also lives in the park. There are dozens of them and they like to hop around on rainy nights.
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Spotted in the park at Kourakuen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Abhimanyu Chirimar
EMAIL: abhi@vritti.net
IP: 219.65.198.33
URL: http://www.vritti.net/
DATE: 07/27/2003 03:56:53 PM
I really like the first two photos, howd u take them ? exifs?
I was in japan recently for 3-4 days on my way to canada and I think its a beautiful country, wish I was able to spend more time there.
check out my photos on photo.vritti.net
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kuri
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/27/2003 05:26:40 PM
All three photos were taking with my Fujifilm Finepix 4500. The insects were taken in macro mode; the toad was shot at night with the flash.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.148
URL:
DATE: 07/29/2003 12:35:21 AM
It's neat to know that there is still wildlife and a whole other ecosystem, especially in such a busy, developed place like Tokyo.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Under construction
BASENAME: under_construction
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/28/2003 12:28:35 AM
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BODY:
Every new apartment building that goes up in our neighborhood has a silly name and a website with Flash animations. Imagine the prices!* Or look for yourself...
Glorio
Qualia
PIAS (Personal & Intellectual Architecture Space)
Precise
Park Square
Atlas Tower
Viequ Court
Brient
Parterre
*These apartments range from 19,800,000 yen to 135,000,000 yen (about $166,500 to $1,134,500)
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EXCERPT:
A roster of new apartment buildings in the neighborhood
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 205.188.208.134
URL:
DATE: 07/28/2003 10:49:18 PM
I almost fell asleep waitng for them to load. Nice looking apartments!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Uchi mawari
BASENAME: uchi_mawari
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/29/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Yesterday between 3 and 7 pm, I travelled counter-clockwise around the Yamanote line to capture images for Yamanote29. I rode through all 29 stations and stopped at most of them, though for a few, I was so quick that I got back on the same train I jumped out of. Got my picture and a few bemused looks from the other passengers.
I decided to walk between Komagome and Sugamo, and between Shinjuku and Yoyogi. Those pairs are pretty close together and I made detours to two of my favorite places in the city: Rikugien, a 300 year old garden in Komagome, and the 45th floor observatory at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Lovely views at both places, but they couldn't be more different.
I skipped a few stations so that I'd end up back at Tokyo station in time to meet Tod for dinner, so I will have to go back for pictures at Harajuku, Shibuya, Ebisu and Meguro.
But I got plenty of photos to keep me busy--I filled up my digital camera's 64 Mb memory card. Slowly but surely the site is getting ready to launch. And I've already received two contributions. (Thanks, and keep them coming, please!)
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Riding the inside track.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/30/2003 01:51:05 PM
Do stories of picking up cute young boys count as suitable contributions? I know I have told the story a few times, but it was pretty funny.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Team work
BASENAME: team_work
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 07/30/2003 09:43:50 PM
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BODY:
Last night, I media tinkered for a friend who needed more hands and time than she had available. By taking on the content formatting tasks for a web project that's gone into overtime, I saved her and her team 13 hours. Time they used for tweaking the Flash files and hunting down the inevitable code gremlins while I formatted, copied and pasted English and Japanese text into their CMS.
It was refreshing to do a job that was so simple.
Don't forget that when you are running out of time and the To Do list is getting longer instead of shorter, there are helping hands right over here at Media Tinker.
(How's that for silly marketing copy? But it's true. I'm here. Use me.)
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An ad for Media Tinker.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 07/30/2003 09:48:00 PM
Thanks for the helping hand baby!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zoes@immell.com
IP: 64.180.47.159
URL:
DATE: 07/30/2003 11:33:15 PM
Use me?
;)
Sorry, couldn't resist the easy target.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Somen
BASENAME: somen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/31/2003 09:53:56 AM
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BODY:
Ushi no Hi, traditionally the hottest day of the year, has come and gone and the weather remains cooler than usual. But the thermometer and hygrometer are inching up into the hot and humid territory, so for today's Recipe Thursday, I'm going to head off the heat with a cool noodle recipe--somen.
Somen are very thin Japanese noodles made of wheat flour and just the thing for a hot summer day when you don't feel like eating.
Chilled Somen
serves 2
200 grams somen noodles (4 bundles)
water for boiling
broth
1 cup water
40 ml mirin
40 ml soy sauce
sprinkling of bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
garnish
grated ginger
white sesame seeds, toasted
very, very thinly sliced strips of: green onion; shiso (Japanese aromatic herb, similar in taste to cilantro or basil); myoga (young ginger)
To make the broth, boil the mirin and soy sauce together briefly, then add the water. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with katsuobushi and wait two minutes, then strain broth and chill.
To boil somen, there is a trick because they cook quickly (under 2 minutes) Put the somen into boiling water, then add enough just cold water to stop the boiling without reducing the temperature very much. Bring the water back to a boil and remove the somen. Wash well under cold water to remove excess starch. This method cooks the somen without making them mushy on the outside.
To serve, arrange the somen in bowls and gently pour the broth over top. Garnish. Alternatively, you can put the somen in bowls of ice and serve the broth on the side for dipping.
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Cool noodles for a hot day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 08/01/2003 08:53:09 AM
Where are you from??? I think you must be Japanese. You really enjoy seasonable ingrdients likde SHISO, and MYUGA. Do you know SHISO-juice? It is very good for our health.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: james@consumptive.org
IP: 210.20.71.93
URL:
DATE: 08/02/2003 02:33:06 PM
my father in laws family from an island off of kyushu likes some sliced up amazu rakkyo in their somen tsuyu. adds a bit of "stamina" to the meal.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Henna gaijin
BASENAME: henna_gaijin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/01/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Henna gaijin literally means '"strange foreigner" but it's got a somewhat more derogatory sense than just strange.
A henna gaijin is someone who has a deep knowledge of some Japanese arcana--the esoteric details of the tea ceremony or karate or Japanese food or kanji--but fails to understand the daily basics. In other words, someone who can create an exquisite flower arrangement in the ikebana-morimoto style, but who buys sushi to grill it.
I worry sometimes that the longer I stay here, the more I am becoming a henna gaijin. I am concerned when a Japanese person expresses astonishment at some bit of Japanese trivia that I know. "Oh really? I didn't know that!" sends shivers of dread down my spine.
But what can I do, really? I love to learn and it's details that interest me. Fortunately, I don't focus my study in any one area, but drink in whatever comes my way.
For example, did you know that most Japanese people didn't have surnames until the Meiji Restoration (1870)? Ironically, when they selected their new family names, they borrowed from the powerful shoguns that had recently been deposed.
Or that if you keep a bit of iron in your nuka pot (for pickling) the eggplants will keep their color? Iron is a mordant for cloth dye as well.
Or that the genkan entryway where you take off your shoes, was originally in farmhouses where the animals and people shared the same structure? It was a practical way to keep mud and dirt from getting into the living quarters and was much higher than the small step commonly found today.
I hope these bits of knowledge aren't enough to make me a henna giajin but all this talk of henna makes me think I need to dye my hair.
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OK, I'm getting strange(r).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arthur
EMAIL: ahooger@nospam.gmx.netnospam
IP: 156.34.84.152
URL: http://www.diaries.com/xsamplex
DATE: 08/02/2003 07:53:34 AM
You know as a stranger in a foreign country (Dutch in Canada) I think I know how it feels [although, I think Japanese culture is probably more strict].
I should writeup something about the clash of the cultures.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 209.74.8.136
URL:
DATE: 08/02/2003 09:05:18 PM
Just writing about that you aware of the phrase, and it's subtle meanings, is a deep knowledge of Japanese language. Do you buy sushi to grill it though? I doubt it. And what is so bad about being an inquisitive foreigner, who loves to learn? Quit beating yourself up over it, and have fun learning and sharing what you see.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.37.98
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 08/04/2003 10:43:42 AM
I'm an all around baka gaijin... :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.37.98
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 08/04/2003 10:44:11 AM
I'm an all around baka gaijin... :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: heibonna nihonjin
EMAIL:
IP: 210.170.250.5
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2003 01:34:51 PM
"The Japanese, traditionally shy of accepting a foreigner as one of their own, have taken to describing foreigners who demonstrate exceptional understanding of their ways as hen na gaijin. While literally translated as 'weird foreigner,' it is actually a way of expressing affection, and often admiration, for the individual. "
http://www.jinjapan.org/trends01/article/020806fea.html
What Rhodes said was true. We are glad to have another henna gaijin in Japan.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 26 Things
BASENAME: 26_things_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 08/02/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Today (oops, a day late!) I posted my entry for 26 Things, the international photography scavenger hunt. You might want look through my entry, 26 Things Around Tokyo, but it's equally fun to randomly choose another entry and see who did it and how it was made.
There's a huge variety of images for each of the 26 topics--each reflecting the photographer's personality and skill. What do my images say about me? I don't want to think about that too hard right now.
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EXCERPT:
a photography scavenger hunt
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.94.185
URL:
DATE: 08/03/2003 08:17:01 PM
I really love the photo of the rainsplash on the veranda, the toy fishing game, the boarding the subway. They are all excellent, really. The one of the number of deaths is sobering.
It would be interesting to do a series of photos that are numeric in content. Number of deaths, costs of things, time of day, etc.
You do beautiful work, and display it well, Kris. This is really lovely.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: racheal
EMAIL: rachealkhong@hotmail.com
IP: 210.186.130.245
URL: http://racheal.thewarmcompany.com
DATE: 08/04/2003 12:25:22 AM
your work is absolutely gorgeous!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 205.188.208.134
URL:
DATE: 08/04/2003 10:21:20 PM
Great photos! I see you saved the best for last.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: anon
EMAIL:
IP: 219.33.20.82
URL:
DATE: 08/08/2003 02:18:18 PM
Very nice photos. agree that the raindrop pic is simply excellent!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: SONK
EMAIL: viennamobs@yahoo.com
IP: 80.109.253.93
URL: http://www.geocities.com/viennamobs/
DATE: 09/11/2003 06:38:57 AM
*
* Kristen, I LOVE your site - and I MEAN it.
*
* Many thanks ;-))
*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: deus
EMAIL:
IP: 200.97.135.33
URL: http://oddidols.blogspot.com
DATE: 11/11/2003 09:51:44 PM
Pretty nice your pictures.
=)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hanabi taikai
BASENAME: hanabi_taikai
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 08/03/2003 11:24:10 AM
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BODY:
Summer fireworks festivals are a tradition dating back hundreds of years. Originally for the powerful elite, there were public fireworks along the banks of Sumidagawa in 1733.
These days summer fireworks are an excuse for everyone to get dressed up in their yukata and spend some time outdoors. Over the last 50 years, the weeks spanning mid-July and mid-August have become an increasingly loud and colorful time of year.
Last night, we picnicked on the embankment of Edogawa and watched competing fireworks companies shoot off 14,000 fireworks in 75 minutes. It was splendid. This video doesn't really capture the jaw-dropping majesty of the event, but it gives a taste of three moments during the spectacle.
Edogawa Hanabi 0'50" (2.8MB Quicktime)
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Fire flowers on video.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ｍｉｅｋｏ
EMAIL:
IP: 219.55.164.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 08/04/2003 09:30:09 AM
My mother-in-law also went to see fireworks at EDOGAWA. I heard this year they mainly dusplayed Japanese type fireworks called wa-hanabi, though these days the current type is Westan type.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ruining your eyes
BASENAME: ruining_your_eyes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 08/04/2003 09:56:04 AM
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BODY:
"Don't sit too close to the TV or you'll ruin your eyes." I don't know if mothers still say this, but it was a familiar comment when I was growing up, even in a household that didn't watch too much TV.
So why didn't I apply this good advice to working at the computer? Staring at a monitor for hours on end has the same effect and recently my eyes have been feeling the strain.
Now I'm on a campaign to rest my eyes. That means staying away from the computer, books and other activities that fix my focal length for a long duration. In essence, no reading input and no writing/coding/drawing output.
I'm sure this is going to be very good for me, but it's left me with long stretches of time I don't know what to do with.
So far, the house is clean, laundry done, and meals are sorted for the next two days. I'm planning to add more greenery to my summer-wilted garden; I'll go to two exhibits I've been meaning to see. I think I'll finally make up the shirt Tod thought he'd sew himself. Maybe I'll sew something for myself as well. I might have a nice big purge of kipple.
I might even consider going for an eye exam--maybe I finally need glasses.
But whatever I do, I'll have to keep work to a minimum this week. I feel like I'm suddenly retired and at loose ends. What do I do with all this time looming before me?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Filling time with non-computer activities.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 08/04/2003 03:00:22 PM
Hey I need a couple of long wrap around skirts...(^^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 08/04/2003 04:43:29 PM
I could do with a few outfits as well!! :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@zaidi.jp
IP: 216.236.222.197
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com/
DATE: 08/04/2003 08:44:11 PM
You might want to try some eye exercises. I read about them in a health magazine, though it didn't give much details and I'm not sure how effective they are.
These days, I have to stare at my laptop's tiny screen almost 12 hours a day so taking 15-20 minutes off just to roll my eys around and make funny faces seems to help a bit.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Josh
EMAIL: quibx@yahoo.com
IP: 129.55.200.20
URL: http://www.quibx.com
DATE: 08/04/2003 10:50:06 PM
Nice, with the kipple reference.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: No passing zone
BASENAME: no_passing_zone
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 08/05/2003 05:55:15 PM
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BODY:
Boys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses.
If I thought it was likely that any boys would make passes at me at my age, well, I just ended an era for myself. Today I went to get glasses.
Although they are "just for reading" I know this is a slippery slope. Once Mom was fitted for reading glasses, she never went without again.
To anyone shopping for megane in Tokyo, I can recommend Zoff. They are quick, professional and inexpensive. My new glasses were only 5,000 yen.
And best of all, the cute, 20-something optometrist spoke English. I was slightly worried about the examination in Japanese, so I was very happy when Hikage-san just jumped right in and spoke perfectly fluent English to me. He made the whole experience much easier.
But he didn't make a pass...
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Do I look like a librarian?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 08/05/2003 06:17:01 PM
CUTE!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@zaidi.jp
IP: 216.236.222.195
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com/
DATE: 08/05/2003 08:30:57 PM
Very cute.
Don't you know? That thing about girls with glasses is just a myth. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 08/05/2003 09:34:20 PM
i think you look good!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Atsuko
EMAIL: moonflower@ma.akari.ne.jp
IP: 61.215.248.217
URL:
DATE: 08/05/2003 09:55:29 PM
YES! You do look really good.
I do wear megane too though some guys actually like it... hehehe
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 08/06/2003 10:06:15 AM
Thanks, everyone. I'll wear my glasses proudly. But only while I'm reading. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: daniel
EMAIL: dmorales@fas.harvard.edu
IP: 65.82.228.153
URL: http://morales.digitalrice.com
DATE: 08/07/2003 09:31:39 AM
ya, glasses can be good. have you ever read dance dance dance by haruki murakami? one of the main females is always noted for her glasses. i've definitely made passes at girls with glasses (who are usually in some of my classes), but fine asses are also helpful. ;o)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cindy
EMAIL: cindy@squipper.com
IP: 66.108.205.204
URL: http://www.squipper.com/weblog
DATE: 08/13/2003 05:50:49 AM
I was always proud of my 20/20 vision, being able to look up at the sky, watch as a plane flew overhead, and identify the name of the airline. I can still do that, but read the date on a penny? Nope. I hated the fact that I couldn't do it any longer and needed eyeglasses for reading. I've recovered. And it's true that the 'boys don't make passes ...' saying is a myth.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: steve
EMAIL:
IP: 24.126.2.188
URL:
DATE: 10/10/2004 09:11:06 AM
Any clues on how to order Zoff Glasses in the USA?
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 1,001 comments
BASENAME: 1001_comments
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 08/06/2003 10:03:41 AM
-----
BODY:
Yesterday, Media Tinker rolled into the 2nd millennium of comments. Sajjad posted the final comment of the first thousand, and Jeremy's beautiful essay on nice frames was number 1,001.
I'm sorry that I don't have prizes to give out...
Enabling comments was a difficult decision. Did I want to open myself and my writing to potentially harsh criticism? Scary! As it turned out, most remarks are friendly and in those rare cases when they aren't, I'm more thick-skinned than I imagined.
Thanks to everyone who leaves comments. I always look forward to reading them. Very soon the comments will be more numerous than the entries.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Entering the 2nd millennium of commenting at Media Tinker.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.40
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 08/06/2003 10:18:17 AM
First Post!
;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.36
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 08/06/2003 10:18:20 AM
First Post!
;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.36
URL:
DATE: 08/06/2003 10:20:34 AM
Whoops. Sorry 'bout that double post Kristen.
*sheepishly slinks back to beta-code RSS reader and begins looking for something more robust*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: davemarquis@mn.rr.com
IP: 24.123.119.254
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 08/06/2003 09:24:28 PM
I love your site and I have been read through your ups and downs! Hey, we have gotten older together..... for what it's worth.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Balsamico Cucumber Pickles
BASENAME: balsamico_cucumber_pickles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/07/2003 10:01:36 AM
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BODY:
Cool article!!!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
From our favorite Italian restaurant.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@hotmail.com
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 08/08/2003 01:19:54 AM
Sounds like a lovely evening!
I'm going to try these pickles...they have to be better than what you can get already done up at Trader Joe's. ^_^
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Illustrated MT templates
BASENAME: illustrated_mt_templates
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/08/2003 07:08:39 PM
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BODY:
Tackling Movable Type templates and CSS for the first time can be daunting. The MT default templates contain four kinds of code: CSS, HTML, MT tags, and Javascript.
If you're new to all this, you're about to learn that it pays to make a careful study of the code. Once you understand the way it works together, it's pretty easy to modify your MT templates to display almost any design you want.
Understanding the Divisions
Let's start by taking a look at what the different sections are and what the code does. I've broken apart the default template in an illustrated way. This isn't exactly a Movable Type tutorial, but it does point out where the divs are and what the tags look like in code and rendered in the browser.
This diagram shows where the div sections of the MT index template begin and end. (Please click to open a larger version in a new window.)
Positioning with CSS
Want to move these three major sections to different locations on your page? Start by modifying the style sheet entries for #banner, #content, and #links.
Most of the positioning elements in this stylesheet are margins and padding. Note that when a margin or padding is specified with four values, the order is always TOP, RIGHT BOTTOM, LEFT. If only one value is specified, it applies to all four sides equally.
Almost anything on your page can have margins and/or padding added to it--images, forms, tables, paragraphs. Usually margin and padding are mixed in with the formatting elements that control color, fonts and so on. In the examples, I removed the formatting controls as they rarely cause confusion once you understand positioning.
Margins and padding are nearly interchangable. The main difference is that if you've specified a background color in your style, padding adds an edge of the background color, but margins do not.
There are several other positioning elements that are crucial to the overall layout of the MT default index page.
Position:absolute This is used by the #content element and it means that #content ignores where other things are on the page and puts itself where you specify based on margins of its "parent." In the default MT index template, the #content element is absolute in relation to the tag. It's 225 px from the left margin, which leaves room for the left-side links section.
Position:relative This is the opposite of position:absolute. Relative positioning lets you shift an element on the page in relation to the things around it.
Float:left Floats are a little confusing, but if you've ever wrapped text around an image in Word, PageMaker, or a similar program, you'll understand the basic concept. In CSS, anything can be floated--images, paragraphs, headings, divs. Float can create some surprising and bad layouts, partly because not all browsers (including IE6) support them well, so read up on float before you start using it. And be prepared to test in many browsers to make sure it looks OK.
Width:200 This is used in the #links style in the default template. It ensures that the links section doesn't overflow into the #content section (which is 225 pixels from the left margin)
One final note. The difference between # and .
#name -- ID -- used only once per document
.name -- CLASS -- used as many times as needed in the document
This is not everything there is to know about positioning. For more details, check out Eric A. Meyer's comprehensive (but a little daunting) CSS books. For up-to-date online help, Google for CSS positioning tutorial.
A Positioning Example
To move the "links" column to the right instead of the left (MT's default), you need to edit #content and #links in the style sheet. In #content you change the position to relative and add a float and a width. You also change the values for the margin. In #links, you remove the width and adjust padding:
Links on LEFT (the MT default)
Links on RIGHT (modified)
Formatting the Blog Entry
After you have the major divisions sorted, you can focus on formatting your blog entries. Changing the way the blog entry looks requires a mix of the style sheet, special MT tags and HTML.
There are three things you might want to do to format your blog entry:
All the sections of the entry (the date, title, body, extended entry link, posted, comments link, and trackback) follow a similar pattern: to change the text displayed take a look at the options for the MT tag and change the template; to change the way the text looks, change the CSS and to move the data around within the entry, cut and paste within the template HTML.
Let's take one section of the entry as an example:
Entry Date
To change the text of the date, you change the <MTEntryDate format="%x"> by substituting something else for the %x. All the date format codes are in the MT Manual.
To change the font and color of the date, you edit date in the style sheet.
date {
font-family:palatino, georgia, times new roman, serif;
font-size: large;
color: #333;
border-bottom:1px solid #999;
margin-bottom:10px;
font-weight:bold;
}
To change the location of the date within the entry, cut these lines from the HTML, and paste them where you want the date to appear. These lines must stay inside the MTEntry.
<MTDateHeader>
<h2 class="date">
<$MTEntryDate format="%x"$>
</h2>
</MTDateHeader>
More Study Examples
I took the screenshots from Jason Cha's Japan Blog, Philip Hill's Grandfather Philip, and my own Media Tinker weblog. Thanks to Bob McDonald, Rudolf Ammann, Gary Lawrence Murphy and Olivier Thereaux for their helpful suggestions.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Explaining the code and layout of the MT index template.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 12.15.208.179
URL: http://www.randyrants.com
DATE: 08/08/2003 10:44:32 PM
VERY much so for newbies to CSS. I ended up trashing the initial versions of the templates and starting with a table based layout, but it woulda been helpful to have known what the original templates looked like...
Of course, for me, that was many months ago :|
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Camilo
EMAIL: camilo@confusedkid.com
IP: 207.140.66.1
URL: http://www.confusedkid.com/primer/
DATE: 08/11/2003 10:04:37 PM
Not only I would appreciate it, my readers would be grateful for you for generations to come.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dirk
EMAIL:
IP: 68.6.59.186
URL:
DATE: 08/12/2003 12:31:31 PM
Wow, thanks. I'm surprised that no one else has taken the time to simplify and explain things like this. I sure appreciate it, because I'm not really a web developer but I'd love to customize my blog(s) before I deploy it (them).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jcwinnie
EMAIL: jonathan.w.smith@att.net
IP: 24.24.86.16
URL: http://jcwinnie.us/MT/weblog/
DATE: 08/15/2003 02:07:49 AM
You mean it doesn't have to be arcane!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Joy
EMAIL: the.girl@kinkish.org
IP: 24.84.149.79
URL: http://kinkish.org
DATE: 08/16/2003 06:52:53 AM
Great job!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: AgentVic
EMAIL:
IP: 171.75.104.118
URL:
DATE: 08/16/2003 08:23:35 AM
Great job!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yi Chen
EMAIL:
IP: 63.122.41.10
URL: http://www.yiphoto.com
DATE: 08/17/2003 01:41:42 AM
Saved me a lot of time to learn Movable Type.
I also love your work.
Thanks!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ken Buchanan
EMAIL: ken@segacom.com
IP: 65.230.1.118
URL: http://www.brantleyenterprise.com
DATE: 08/17/2003 02:08:21 AM
It's so refreshing to find instructions that do not assume we beginners know anything at all -- because quite ofter we don't. Other "how-to" pages are written for intermediate to advanced users. These tell you exactly what to do and exactly how to do it. Some programmer types can't write clearly in anything other than code. Oaklid can and does. Thank you!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Alexandra
EMAIL: blog@alexemde.de
IP: 217.228.229.90
URL: http://www.alexemde.de/blog
DATE: 08/20/2003 06:00:08 AM
many thanks for this clearly written tutorial - although i've been working with CSS for some time now, your work helped me to finally get my MT templates right.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: elise bauer
EMAIL: mail@elise.com
IP: 66.205.158.136
URL: http://www.elise.com
DATE: 08/26/2003 08:49:38 AM
Very helpful! I've had to figure so much of this out by myself. MT desperately needs a manual that is laid out simply like your instructions. Thanks!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tom Russo
EMAIL: tom@milennialliving.com
IP: 68.86.208.116
URL:
DATE: 08/28/2003 10:43:56 AM
Thank you Kristen. After reading your tutorial, I feel like the Red Sea has parted and I can now begin to understand what lies b4 me. Six Apart and the MT crew should really incorporate your explanatin into their manuals. It would save users like myself countless hours of trying to figure the code out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: stef
EMAIL: stef@stefmike.org
IP: 24.214.33.165
URL: http://stefmike.org/mt-blogs/daxiang
DATE: 09/02/2003 12:51:01 AM
thanks for sharing this information, it was really helpful!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kevin
EMAIL: kcstraightarrow@hotmail.com
IP: 12.230.197.189
URL: http://students.washington.edu/kgc
DATE: 09/04/2003 07:16:25 PM
u seriously need to go rewrite the MT instructions and get paid.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: William
EMAIL:
IP: 24.194.36.250
URL:
DATE: 09/05/2003 10:37:35 AM
great job!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: davidlee
EMAIL: dkersey@lemon-drop.org
IP: 65.215.241.97
URL: http://www.lemon-drop.org/blog
DATE: 09/19/2003 02:22:57 PM
Thanks bunches. The best explation of MT templates I have found so far. Been useing MT for just a few day and trying to understand who some of it works is just plain frustrating sometimes. This helps alot.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: catarina
EMAIL:
IP: 212.113.164.101
URL: http://www.arco-iris.weblog.com.pt
DATE: 09/29/2003 02:25:22 AM
Beauty's! I'm portuguese and I use movable type. Good bye. Great job ;D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: catarina
EMAIL:
IP: 212.113.164.101
URL: http://www.arco-iris.weblog.com.pt
DATE: 09/29/2003 02:25:27 AM
Beauty's! I'm portuguese and I use movable type. Good bye. Great job ;D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erik
EMAIL: bread@hopop.com
IP: 206.163.168.13
URL:
DATE: 10/03/2003 03:45:29 PM
Thanks for the help! Ill be back to read more.
Any tips on how to create a 3 column layout?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: katharine
EMAIL: dotts@iprimus.com.au
IP: 210.50.30.21
URL: http://www.wink.now.nu
DATE: 10/22/2003 08:30:14 PM
WOW I wish I had found this when I was setting up movable type for the first time. This is a great resource. I'll definitely be recommending MT newbies to this site!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Richard
EMAIL:
IP: 208.231.55.6
URL:
DATE: 11/04/2003 06:44:19 AM
Great Job!!! This makes the whole process so much cleaner.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: marc
EMAIL:
IP: 80.138.251.132
URL: http://blindtexte.org
DATE: 11/05/2003 11:45:21 AM
Saved me a lot of time.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rui Tavares
EMAIL: barnabe@yahoogroups.com
IP: 194.65.14.77
URL: http://barnabe.weblog.com.pt
DATE: 11/23/2003 01:01:08 PM
i've created a 3-column layout [ http://barnabe.weblog.com.pt ] but it seems to fail with some browsers (esp. IE5). what can be done?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: luc
EMAIL: luc@socialtech.ca
IP: 65.92.33.8
URL: http://www.socialtech.ca
DATE: 11/27/2003 02:55:33 AM
wow this is what i needed. thanks for the great advice! now i'm ready to format my blog
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: turgan
EMAIL: turgan@monomood.com
IP: 192.217.138.226
URL:
DATE: 12/19/2003 08:02:12 AM
this description helped me a lot in my template tweaks but i need toknow more aout the positioning. I would like to know more about how to use html tables to allign entry bodies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: BomBaH
EMAIL: bombah@bombah.info
IP: 200.213.210.57
URL: http://
DATE: 01/11/2004 03:11:32 PM
Thank you A LOT!
I wasn't understanding that crap of code until I see these wonderful tutorial!
Thank You! :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sesso
EMAIL: kittyforpitty@yahoo.com
IP: 80.116.177.164
URL: http://domini.altervista.org/sesso/
DATE: 01/14/2004 01:24:55 AM
" In the default MT index template, the #content element is absolute in relation to the tag. It's 225 px from the left margin, which leaves room for the left-side links section.
"
which is 225 px right ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dude
EMAIL: johnmarquess@btinternet.com
IP: 193.60.159.61
URL:
DATE: 01/16/2004 06:36:43 PM
awesome - i wont end up bald from pulling all my hair out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Patch
EMAIL: patch@patchworkprogression.com
IP: 65.27.175.210
URL: http://www.patchworkprogression.com
DATE: 01/18/2004 01:58:53 AM
Wow. This would have been immeasurably helpful when I was starting out. Simply excellent. The MT folks would be wise to hire you on for documentation. Again, great job.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: someone
EMAIL:
IP: 62.68.174.247
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2004 06:33:02 AM
Perfect
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: nhoi@cox.net
IP: 68.2.122.233
URL: http://www.fotovizion.com/weblog
DATE: 01/21/2004 09:02:07 PM
Please Help!
I'm learning a lot from your site. Your Illustration helps a great deal. I'm still having a problem though. I had been testing and jumping from different MT styles. I like to have everything centered on a page like thisone and like yours. I want to change my templates other than the MT default styles. Does your template only have 2 columns? Right now, all I'm using are the MT default styles. Also, I like my page to stay in one place when you colapse the browser. How would I do that? Thanks.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Getting Around
BASENAME: getting_around
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 08/09/2003 01:07:59 PM
-----
BODY:
Here's a first edit of the "getting around" section of Hello Tokyo. It conveys information and tells the story, but it's not yet elegant...or even close to being finished. I've taken the clips and put them into order--story-boarding with the video instead of paper. It's missing the overlays, music, transitions and voiceovers. Those will come later
Getting Around 3'24" (2.5 MB MPEG 4)
I will be putting Hello Tokyo on hiatus (again) while I make the switch from Adobe Premiere to Final Cut Pro. Unfortunately, I can't import my Premiere files to FCP, so I'll be starting over from scratch on the project.
It's not such a bad thing. I wanted to redo most of the editing to match the new music and the visual theme of the title sequence. I'll have a tailor-made reason to learn FCP inside out. I'm itching to get Hello Tokyo finished!
Apple's offering a $500 rebate if I buy before September 20th and mail them my Premiere install CD. That's an offer I can't refuse. Adobe's stopped making Premiere for the Mac, so I'll have to switch eventually. May as well do it now while it's not so expensive.
-----
EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Another Video Saturday installment followed by a hiatus.
-----
KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.14.128.60
URL:
DATE: 08/09/2003 07:29:34 PM
Oh, you've stopped boycotting?:P
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zoes@immell.com
IP: 64.180.47.159
URL:
DATE: 08/10/2003 01:58:18 AM
Congratulations on your bravery and practical decision. I know that for years there were Word Perfect users out there who refused to switch even for years when WP was rather dead because they had learned the key codes. It takes a brave and wise woman to accept a new product willingly. ;)
I hope the transition is a smooth one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zoes@immell.com
IP: 64.180.47.159
URL:
DATE: 08/10/2003 01:58:26 AM
Congratulations on your bravery and practical decision. I know that for years there were Word Perfect users out there who refused to switch even for years when WP was rather dead because they had learned the key codes. It takes a brave and wise woman to accept a new product willingly. ;)
I hope the transition is a smooth one.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.souzouzone.jp
DATE: 08/10/2003 09:19:45 AM
Oh bugger just when I'd got Premiere kinda worked out...does this mean I have to be a brave and practical girl too?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Change in weather
BASENAME: change_in_weather
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 08/10/2003 10:54:08 PM
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BODY:
Yesterday, typhoon #10 blew through Kanto. I was out in it. My 100 yen umbrella turned inside-out twice and bent slightly at the handle, but it kept me from getting entirely soaked, so it did good service.
Today it was perfectly clear and 35 degrees--the hottest day of summer so far. I know it doesn't compare to the horrible heat-wave in Europe, but 35 is plenty hot enough for me.
We holed ourselves up in the living room, turned on the aircon, and watched Princess Mononoke. Twice. First in Japanese with English subtitles, and then again with Neil Gaiman's really excellent dubbed script.
For our second feature we watched Forrest Gump.
LaQua's restaurants include "Bubba Gump Shrimp Company," an American restaurant chain featuring pallid, oversized portions and a Forrest Gump theme. The movie plays on screens throughout the restaurant; the menu is peppered with quotes from the movie; the drinks menu is attached to a ping pong paddle; and to get the attention of the waitstaff, you turn over a sign that says "Stop Forrest Stop." We tried it a few weeks back and Tod revealed that he'd never seen Forrest Gump. I suppose if we return, the theme will make a lot more sense to him.
Although it's a little late to matter, we both think Shawshank Redemption should have won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1995. Forrest Gump, which won, just doesn't compare.
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EXCERPT:
Movies on a hot day.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL:
IP: 219.96.152.192
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/stellastarstruck
DATE: 08/11/2003 01:41:14 AM
Isn't it amazing how The Shawshank Redemption just seems to get better with age? It's one of the top-selling DVDs, always in the top 20 according to Empire magazine. It was one of the first ones we bought for our collection.
But, I don't know if it will inspire a restaurant chain!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.14.186.236
URL:
DATE: 08/11/2003 04:52:58 AM
Reporting from the heat wave in Europe: 43°C yesterday in Toulouse, South of France... No ventilator, they have sold out until next year! Arrrrgh!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: todd
EMAIL: todd@deepermotive.com
IP: 205.162.234.254
URL:
DATE: 08/12/2003 12:07:53 AM
I knew the restaurants were out there, but I had no idea of the experience they offered. That sounds insufferable. The movie, while middling to good, can't compare to the book, which is just laugh out loud funny.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ode to a Custodian
BASENAME: ode_to_a_custodian
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/11/2003 03:41:57 PM
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BODY:
Mr. Janitor, I do not know your name.
You mumble Itterasshai!
Greeting me kindly as you polish the big brass gate.
I try to engage you in idle conversation
But chitchat and weather are unimportant
When it's trash day and there are fingerprints on the glass.
You sometimes bump lightly against my door
On Tuesdays, as you vacuum the hall.
Like a tree-fall in the forest, I hear you excuse yourself to no one.
Godliness is no match for cleanliness.
Today, I caught you wiping a city property--
The sign outside our building that tells how to put out the garbage.
After work, you change into a suit to go home.
I hardly know you without your blue coveralls.
But you recognize me and say hello as we pass in the street.
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EXCERPT:
Poetry for the overworked and underpaid.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 202.233.8.193
URL:
DATE: 08/11/2003 03:45:22 PM
How about translating it into Japanese and giving it to him?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 141.156.213.37
URL:
DATE: 08/11/2003 10:41:48 PM
yes, yes!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 08/11/2003 10:54:38 PM
Hey, easier said than done! What a test of my Japanese--and it's not even a terribly lyrical poem. Maybe I could rewrite it in a Japanese form, though...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 08/12/2003 02:43:57 PM
Go for a series of haiku..
or perhaps in the epic style of "The tale of Genji"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.154
URL:
DATE: 08/16/2003 03:27:56 PM
Loved that line 'Like a tree-fall in a forest, i hear you excuse yourself to noone.'
So true, so totally capturing my confusion!
I used to work as a cleaner for years, and coming in to teach at 8am, there are a few cleaners around, everytime, always the same people. I want to treat them respectfully, talk to them a bit, but its not done, and the low position they put themselves in in respect to me, the foreign sensei, makes me feel like i should feel low about having done this job in the past...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: SCO's Tantrums (a melodrama)
BASENAME: scos_tantrums_a_melodrama
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/12/2003 10:05:17 AM
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BODY:
Setting: a community of penguins working together
Time: present day
Linux is a computer operating system developed by a lot of volunteers--some of them are geeky boys and girls; others are big companies. IBM loves Linux and has devoted a lot of resources to it, including donating bits of code to make it better.
Linux is free, "open-source" software and it's distributed under a special license agreement called the GPL. The GPL says that you must pass the software along with its source (the human-readable code that allows anyone to make changes to it) and that you are not allowed to add any more restrictive license requirements than the GPL.
In other words, if you add something to Linux, you can't require anyone to put your logo on it and you can't start charging people to use the part that you created. You give it for free, or you don't give it at all.
Enter the villain, twisting his mustache.
SCO was an important player in the Unix world but have gone downhill somewhat since its glory days. In fact, a few years ago, they bought a small company that had a beef with Microsoft so they could sue Microsoft. SCO won.
Now SCO is back at the judge's bench. They claim that Linux incorporates some of the Unix code that they own the intellectual property (IP) right to. They say that code entered Linux via IBM's donation.
The Unix world is filled with people buying and selling rights to bits of code, so it's not a surprise that IBM had some of SCO's old code. IBM and SCO worked together on Project Minerva in 1999, but abandoned the project in 2001. SCO says IBM stole their ideas and recycled them into Linux.
The good guys speak up
Now if it's true that Linux includes SCO's code, it isn't really a big deal. The Linux volunteers could remove the SCO code and write new bits to do the same things. The IP infringement ends when the code is removed. Problem solved.
The plot thickens
But SCO isn't saying exactly what parts are theirs and that means they can't be removed. If they aren't removed, then the IP infringement is still on and SCO can go to court. In March they sued IBM. The suit began with 1 billion dollars and currently seeks 3 billion dollars in damages.
SCO is a small company at the end of its life. Maybe what it wants is to create a nuisance and get itself bought out. IBM wasn't taking the bait. They prepared to go to court. Now there are two countersuits against SCO.
The villain wrings his hands...
Perhaps SCO worried that IBM would win. Last week, SCO demanded $699 for every CPU running Linux and $32 for every device with Linux embedded, like your TiVo and internet phone. This fee licenses the SCO proprietary code; anyone who doesn't pay faces a lawsuit.
Naturally, they are looking for companies that have lots of Linux computers. And of the Fortune 500, one company has agreed to pay up. Terms are not disclosed, nor the company.
The barbershop quartet sings a funny song
Ironically, and a very key point, is that SCO is a founding member of UnitedLinux, a consortium of companies promoting and distributing Linux under the GPL.
They have been distributing the disputed code under the GPL for over a year. By demanding a licensing fee, SCO violates the GPL they agreed to follow. So, according to the GPL, they can't distribute Linux anymore. But neither can anyone else.
Choose your own ending
A) Someone finds and removes all the SCO code from Linux. (read here)
B) Investigators uncover a SCO-Microsoft conspiracy to discredit Linux (read here)
C) Linux dies of lawsuit-itis (read here)
D) SCO loses the lawsuits and goes bankrupt, giving their IP to IBM to cover costs.
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EXCERPT:
Scenes from a computer melodrama
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sako
EMAIL: spe@i-sako.com
IP: 202.211.49.2
URL: http://www.i-sako.com/
DATE: 08/12/2003 01:46:45 PM
Glad to see that I'm not the only gaijin blogger watching this case unfold.
I suspect that the case will eventually backfire on SCO, though I rather doubt that IBM will get the IP windfall described in ending D).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 08/12/2003 02:26:30 PM
Oh yes but the fun doesn't end here. This type of suit something that we will see more and more of.
There is an issue at present involving some fonts that have been shipped with Linux that were attained from a different machine and used for acedemic purposes. That is fine until somebody tries to sell a solution using said fonts which were covered under a device specific licence agreement. This will probably get settled by a very large payout which is just what the company is hoping for. Who wants a big court case?
There is all sorts of fireworks happening at present but of course I can't name names.. although I would really love to. (^_^)
p.s. It is not my company in case you were wondering.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL:
DATE: 08/12/2003 08:44:40 PM
What insane greed. I like Option A. Delete, delete.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Distal Zou
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2003 12:06:27 AM
Nice artwork!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arthur
EMAIL: a.hoogervorst@NOSPAM.ns.sympatico.ca
IP: 156.34.91.113
URL: http://www.diaries.com/xsamplex
DATE: 08/15/2003 12:06:26 AM
>Nice artwork!
James Joyce? :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: GMan
EMAIL:
IP: 219.3.158.21
URL: http://greggman.com
DATE: 08/15/2003 04:15:00 AM
I don't personally think (a) is a legally realistic option.
If you made Star Wars and later found out that the guy that wrote a segment of the movie stole that scene from someone else it would not be a simple matter of removing that scene and continuing because you could claim that Star Wars got it's success based in part on that scene. Removing the scene does not compensate the writer of that scene for his work that was used help make Star Wars a hit.
The same is true for Linux
As for SCO distributing Linux under the GPL you can read here how that's not an issue. Also there is how reviewers at MIT and other places have basically verified the code is SCO's. Now it's up to IBM to prove it's not.
This could be a big problem for Linux and Open Source in general because generally with commerical software there are indemnity clauses, at least between corporations, which say "you guarntee this code you are selling me, that you have the right to sell it to me and if it turns you later you were lying and we get sued for it you will take responsibility for the suit". With Open Source you don't get that, nobody signs anything, you just assume, hope and pray that some volunteer didn't steal the code from someone else.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: GMan
EMAIL:
IP: 219.3.158.21
URL: http://greggman.com
DATE: 08/15/2003 04:19:38 AM
Oops, here's the link
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/13/1055220751243.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: All-Japan Kitty
BASENAME: all-japan_kitty
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/13/2003 12:02:23 AM
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BODY:
Hello Kitty gets around. Usually you find these location-specific Hello Kitty omiyage only in their featured city, but a Sanrio shop in LaQua carries all of them in one place. No need to travel to get your Hello Kitty geegaw. Left to right: cans of chocolate creams (representing Kobe in a red dress), strawberry creams a the purple can, and two yellow cans of corn cream candies (Hokkiado).
If you're not fond of sweets, why not get some other treats? Up at the top, Kitty-chan's pictured on handkerchiefs in Kyoto and Kobe. On the second shelf, it's a variety of items from Kumamoto and other cities.
This shop has about 200 keychains and keitai straps with Kitty posing in traditional costume or with signature items from famous places: Mt Fuji balanced on her head; dressed like a Okayama bonodori dancer; sitting on a Okuwadani boiled egg.
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EXCERPT:
The mother-lode of Hello Kitty geegaws.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@hotmail.com
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 08/13/2003 01:40:02 AM
Kawaii! I'm a shameless Hello Kitty nut. ^_^
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 08/13/2003 12:11:41 PM
Is there a Katochan store along the same lines? I collect Katochan's from all over Japan. Nothing better than old Drifter's episodes on Japanese TV.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2003 07:27:50 PM
They even have "adult toys" in the kitty-chan theme.. I am not sure if it is official merchandise though..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 08/13/2003 08:46:24 PM
Hello Kitty has gotten way more popular here in the course of the past three years or so. It used to be you had to go to NYC to get your Kitty fix. Now you can find barrettes in the local drugstore or pillows and notebooks at K-Mart.
It's interesting to see the differences in marketing from area to area though. NYC still gets the cooler styles of HK. City Kitty waving from a taxi! Lots of HK in Hawaii, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 08/14/2003 08:32:19 AM
I remember as a kid that every Hallmark store had Sanrio stuff...but now I have to go to the anime store if I want the very latest in cute. ^_^
My mom says I am now very easy to shop for...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Peanut Noodles
BASENAME: peanut_noodles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/14/2003 09:40:52 AM
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BODY:
Here's a tasty way to dress up packaged ramen. It's cheap, filling and highly recommended when you are inviting the Zous for dinner.
Peanut Noodles
2 packets dried ramen noodles
2 Tblsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t dried red pepper flakes
1 onion, chopped
1/4 head green cabbage, chopped
1 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
Dressing 1 - Lemony
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemongrass or cilantro
1 fresh chili, chopped
Dressing 2 - Peanuty
1/4 cup peanut butter, room temperature
1/4 cup water
1 Tblsp vinegar
1 fresh chili, sliced into strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1" fresh ginger, grated
Cook the ramen noodles as directed on the package, omitting the dried soup flavoring. Drain.
Select a dressing. Whisk the ingredients together and set aside.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil and saute the garlic, red pepper, and onion until the onion begins to soften. Add the cabbage, cook another two or three minutes. Add the peanuts and cook for 1 minute longer. Toss the noodles in the pan, mixing well. Stir fry to heat through.
Pour the dressing over the noodles and vegetables.
Serves 2 or 3
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Dressed up ramen noodles, "ethnic style"
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL: nikoneefs@yahoo.com
IP: 213.46.162.166
URL: http://www.zousan.com/piphotos/belgium/belgium.html
DATE: 08/16/2003 09:24:19 AM
If Zoupi brings the peanuts, I'll take care of the ramen!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Carole
EMAIL:
IP: 65.134.10.224
URL: http://httP//greggman.com/blogs/carole
DATE: 08/19/2003 11:01:06 PM
Hi ... I am really new to blogging, but I am finding it to be a good avenue for me to write my thoughts and it does feel good! My son, Gregg, told me about your site and I have to say, WOW! He also said your goal was to have an entry each day ... where do you get the time? But, this statement did make me think that I would also put out a goal ... once a month is good for me.
I am interested in your Thursday recipes and will check them out. I love peanut flavoring as in Thai food and also cilantro; in fact, I just tried and love a cilantro pesto which I have used with linguini, as a spread on sandwiches, and on Italian or French bread topped with shredded Italian cheese, then toasted slightly. This is really good for appetizers and also to serve with dinner.
from Cape Coral, FL
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mamonaku...
BASENAME: mamonaku
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 08/15/2003 12:36:53 PM
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BODY:
Yamanote29 is officially online today.
I've been busy this morning promoting it to various rail clubs and websites around the world. If you know of an organization that might like ( or link) Yamanote29, let me know.
As of today, we have 40 entries illustrating scenes from the Yamanote line in photos, video, and words. Four people and one Zou have contributed so far...
Please consider sharing your favorite story or photo to the site. Submitting is easy and you can do it in English or Japanese. Right now, everything's in English but pictures speak in every language.
One outstanding task is translation. I'd like to do the submission guidelines in Japanese, but I need some help. Anyone willing to give me a hand?
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EXCERPT:
Yamanote29 now departing on Track 1
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 08/22/2003 01:10:28 PM
I have tried some translation of guidelines.
I will send it to you later.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Marunouchi inside-out
BASENAME: marunouchi_inside-out
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/16/2003 12:43:22 PM
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BODY:
The berm along this section of Marunouchi Nakadori is a green oasis in a new retail desert. Each season it is planted with with fresh sod and flowers to brighten up an otherwise drab block of corporate headquarters. This summer it features red peppers. No one even considers picking them.
Unlike the rest of Marunouchi, this particular block hasn't felt the touch of urban renewal. It maintains the cold granite face that the entire street had just five years ago--imposing architecture with minimal exterior signage, curtained street-level windows, and shops tucked into basement hallways. You had to be introduced to the neighborhood's great restaurants by your coworkers because it was unlikely that you'd find them on your own.
But times are changing and elsewhere along this corridor between Otemachi and Ginza, buildings are turning themselves inside out. They've removed their uninviting marble facades and replaced them with plate glass windows opening into high-end boutiques and restaurants--Prada, Kate Spade, Hermes and Emporio Armani all have shops here. There's a website to promote the area and help shoppers find their way: Marunouchi.com
I think this renewal was precipitated by the Marunouchi Building which opened last December after several years of construction. Perhaps "Maru Biru" made neighboring building owners realise there was as much profit in retail as in office space. The Mitsubishi Trust Building completed their renovations a few months back with a lot of tasty restaurants, including a posh Dean & Deluca, and there are three more huge construction projects along the street.
But I still like the block with the pepper plantings the best. It's the only non-retail stretch remaining in the neighborhood. I can breathe a little easier and relax the tight hold on my wallet as I go past.
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EXCERPT:
One remaining oasis in a new retail desert.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 08/17/2003 11:09:21 PM
Red peppers as ornament! How cool. I thought they were some sort of really unusual flower.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo's 400th birthday
BASENAME: tokyos_400th_birthday
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/17/2003 10:22:00 PM
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BODY:
Edo, the city that became Tokyo, was founded in 1603, so Tokyo is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year.
This afternoon, Tod & I visited the fabulous Edo-Tokyo Museum to learn a little bit more about the history of our city. It's been quite an interesting ride for the Edoko (children of Edo).
Tokugawa Ieyasu founded Edo after being sent here in 1590 from Kyoto, the capital of Japan, where he was a powerful nuisance. He built up his power base in Edo and took over. His descendants held on to power until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
But it wasn't easy. I learned dozens of facts and stories today, but I think I'll focus on two choice tidbits about the Edo era economy.
The Shogun's 5,000 retainers were paid three times a year--in rice. Near the granary in Kuramae where the payments were made, there were rice exchangers who traded rice for cash. When the price of rice dropped, the retainers couldn't afford to to keep up their households, and would promise their next season's payment to the exchangers. Needless to say, the economy wasn't very stable. Currency was devalued several times in the hopes of making things better.
The Tokyo economy ran on the gold standard; in Kyoto silver was the main currency. Currency exchanges in both cities traded silver for gold and vice versa. In a closed economy this worked fine. But when Commodore Perry's "Black Ships" appeared from the US and forced Japan to open its doors to free trade, the Westerners realised that gold in Japan was very cheap, snatched it up, and left Japan considerably richer.
Not long after that, the Meiji Restoration began and that was the end of the Shogunate and its economic woes.
Happy Birthday Tokyo!
To see what else is planned as 400 Years From Edo to Tokyo festivities see the official Event Calendar (Japanese). I'm particularly interested in "Tokyo Lifestyles," September 13 - November 16, at the Edo Tokyo Museum. I'll definitely be going; if you'd like to come along, let's plan a date.
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EXCERPT:
Getting friendly with the past at Edo-Tokyo Museum.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tourbooks for residents
BASENAME: tourbooks_for_residents
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/18/2003 12:17:20 PM
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BODY:
Tokyo is so big, so bustling and so very full of attractions that every overwhelmed citizen has a dilemma: Where to go when you're feeling bored or stuck in a rut? Luckily for us, there is a popular market for city guides. Every bookstore has a section devoted to them.
They are all in Japanese but you don't have to be completely literate to use them. As long as you take the time to decode the key points, they books are perfectly useful. The more you can read, the better, but it's not strictly necessary.
We picked up Tabearuki Navi Tokyo ("Trying the food at various restaurants Navigation Tokyo") published by Shobunsha. It lists "from old favorites to the new open, 500 delicious restaurants."
In typical fashion for Japanese non-fiction books, there is a huge amount of information squeezed into a small space. In each entry's 7x10 cm slot, a photograph dominates the left half, with a sample menu and prices as the caption. On the right, symbols indicate whether this is a good place for a date or dining alone, whether it's best for families, salarymen or women. There's information on the location and type of restaurant, as well as the average price for lunch and dinner. A short paragraph explains what makes the restaurant worthwhile. Below that, come all the necessary details: phone number, hours, address, how many seats, credit cards details and so on. The final row of symbols encodes whether they restaurant does parties, private rooms, has parking, smoking or take-away.
This is just one of scores of guides. Hanako women's magazine publishes a range of mook (magazine-books) directing trendy office ladies to the hottest eateries and boutiques; OZ magazine gets into the act with its OZ mini guides for Tokyo neighborhoods. Kodansha, Japan's largest publisher, has a bewildering number of monthly magazines focussing on new products for men and women, food, and city travel.
So next time you're bored and looking for something new to amuse yourself, go to the bookstore.
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EXCERPT:
A wealth of information packed into local guidebooks.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Moonlight glass
BASENAME: moonlight_glass
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/19/2003 02:39:03 PM
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BODY:
10 meter tall, opalescent glass light towers at Shiodome cast reflections on a rainy night.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Pretty urban landscape features
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com
DATE: 08/19/2003 08:50:49 PM
Those are beautiful. Like glowing paper towel tubes! Seriously, the whole piece makes me think of a steamboat. Or a honeycomb. I'll bet it's even better in person.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 08/20/2003 09:13:13 AM
The Shiodome complex is several large buildings linked together with public plazas. There's a fair amount of art installation (for Tokyo, anyway) and big expanses of tile, terrazzo, marble and other cold surfaces. I don't know if I like it or not, but it is interesting.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Denki yoho
BASENAME: denki_yoho
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/20/2003 08:45:17 AM
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BODY:
The electricity crunch that we were warned about earlier this year hasn't come to pass yet.
Tepco managed to get enough of its reactors back online to cover the city's power consumption, and their collective corporate prayer for a cool summer was certainly answered.
Oddly, though, this summer's power consumption is nearly as high as last year.
[click for a larger version]
This graph shows power use from 1986 (Showa 60) to 2003 (Heisei 14), noting the peak date of power use and the kilowatt hours/10,000. Our current peak was on August 1st. It was higher than everything except last year's all-time peak.
Maybe Tepco's denki yoho (electricity forecast) backfired. Everyday between 11:30 and noon, every radio and TV station announces how much power is available and what the expected peak is. Every time I've checked, the peak has always been well within the available power. I suppose that might make people care less.
The denki yoho is online, too.
Today's Forecast: http://www.tepco.co.jp/setsuden/corp-com/forecast/index-j.html
Today's Graph: http://www.tepco.co.jp/setsuden/corp-com/forecast/demand-j.html
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EXCERPT:
Forecasting electricity consumption.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: james@consumptive.org
IP: 210.20.71.93
URL:
DATE: 08/21/2003 12:29:09 AM
all that is a suprise to use -- we only turned the air-con on one afternoon this year. and the fan hasn't been working much either. maybe we are just tougher this time around.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: French Omelet
BASENAME: french_omelet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/21/2003 07:53:00 AM
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BODY:
Although I'm not fond of eating eggs, once in a while a properly cooked omelet really hits the spot. Carmel brown on the bottom, lots of savory fillings...mmmmm.
This recipe is more of a technique than a list of ingredients. You can put almost anything inside an omelet--cheese, vegetables, meats, fish, last night's fried rice--honestly, this is one of the tried and true McQuillin household tricks for using up leftovers.
French Omelet
for each omelet
2 eggs
2 Tblsp water
2 Tblsp butter
Fillings of your choice
1 fork or wooden spoon
1 slope-sided frying pan
Everything has to be ready in advance because start to finish, cooking an omelet takes about 2 minutes. So whisk the eggs and water together until they are evenly blended. Set aside. Prepare the fillings (chop, sautee, reheat, etc.). Set aside.
Heat the pan very hot. When it is on the verge of smoking, drop in the butter. Tilt the pan to spread the butter evenly across the bottom.
Pour in the eggs.
Immediately start stirring the eggs. You don't want to break the bottom surface too much, or you'll get scrambled eggs, but you do want to keep everything moving and push down any bubbles that form. When you break through, tilt the pan to let some of the raw egg fill the hole. I usually find myself shaking the pan, which helps to let the raw egg in around the outside edges. In about 60 seconds, the egg will have set; you can stop stirring and shaking.
The regular finish: place filling over one half of the omelet. Allow to sit for 30 seconds, then fold the other half over and slip or lift the omelet from the pan.
The fancy finish: Place the filling in a line across the center of the omelet, perpendicular to the handle of the pan. On the side of the pan with the handle, fold over 1/3 of the omelet. Then grab the handle with an underhand grip, slide the pan right up against the serving plate and roll the omelet out of the pan, completing the fold as you serve. Be careful not to burn yourself on the pan.
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EXCERPT:
The perfect omelet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 08/21/2003 08:58:17 PM
Nice illustration! I don't like eggs either, but omeletes are ok, because there's some control over the egginess.
If you like puffy omeletes, use a little milk instead of water in the eggs and don't flip anything in the pan. Turn on the broiler, and place the pan in the oven for a few minutes (handle sticking out, of course). When the eggs puff and the cheese bubbles, take it out and slide it onto your plate, folding as you go. Yum!
Omeletes are a big Hill Kaucher leftoverture solution too. This spring, I had a lot with fresh asparagus with the garden crop being so plentiful!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shaun
EMAIL:
IP: 212.123.198.146
URL:
DATE: 08/22/2003 05:36:50 PM
I take my eggs pretty seriously, but I'm self-taught so I might be doing things kind of wrong. I don't use any milk or water (I was really surprised to hear the water thing actually). I am not sure what the egg situation is in japan, but I am a total convert to free-range and / or organic eggs. Not because of all of the (very good) moral / biological reasons, but for a very selfish reason: they taste GREAT!!! Yum Yum. Ok, it's omlettes tomorrow morning. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fall fashion trends
BASENAME: fall_fashion_trends
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/22/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
I've noticed an unusual trend in fall fashion--there's a lot of Japanese influence in clothing.
I don't mean kimono are popular. It's more of a fusion. T-shirts have things written on them in Japanese and sumi-e style drawings. Parachute pants and tunic tops have patches of chirimen (a textured silk with vivid floral patterns) sewn onto them.
This is strange. Once every few years an American or European designer will use Japanese influences in his haute couture line, but I've never seen locally produced, casual clothing with such a strong and obvious Japanese twist.
I like it. But I wonder if the slogans on those Japanese t-shirts are as weird as the English ones are?
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EXCERPT:
Chirimen everywhere...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.42.89
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 08/23/2003 04:06:06 AM
Probably. In the USA there's writings like "Baby Girl" or "Pouty" and the like. There's also been a number of "80's T-Shirts" running around which is sorta funny because most of the 80's icons people are wearing were influenced by the Japanese as well: Transformers, Pac-Man, etc. There's also steady trend (been all summer and heading into fall now) of the slogans being put across the bum of women's shorts - like us guys need a reason to lear at a bottom :D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fred
EMAIL: asdh@asidu.com
IP: 81.129.123.118
URL:
DATE: 08/27/2003 09:42:54 PM
aintfallsautumn
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gary
EMAIL: gary@gol.com
IP: 165.76.40.14
URL: http://www.garyandmegumi.com/blog/
DATE: 08/29/2003 06:46:52 PM
When I went to England 3 summers ago, Japanese and Chinese writing on t-shirts and jeans was all the rage. Megumi said the Japanese stuff was really strange. So, yes, maybe it is almost as weird as the T-shirt slogans you see here.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fair warning
BASENAME: fair_warning
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 08/23/2003 12:32:36 AM
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BODY:
Tod's leaving for a last-minute business trip tomorrow. He'll be in Zurich for two weeks, in the wake of a big computer outage, interviewing developers and checking systems to make recommendations on ways to avoid similar situations in the future, but basically, he's going to go show off his mad tech mojo and flex his studly problem-solving skills.
I'd like to go along, but I'm not. An economy-class ticket to Zurich is 350,000 yen (about $3,000). It's a great opportunity to see Switzerland and venture out around Europe, but too expensive.
At first, I was disappointed. But now I am looking forward to two weeks of uninterrupted time to edit Hello Tokyo, drink too much coffee and be alone.
So if I'm not answering the phone, my e-mail, or the door, it's because I'm plugged into my video software. Gomen, ne. I'll still blog. Beginning on Sunday, I'll post a daily progress report of the video. I expect that I will have it done by September 7th, when Tod returns.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Non-communication
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 08/23/2003 12:40:11 AM
That sounds fun - Zurich sounds like a nice city...but two weeks alone sounds nice as well. I got news I'm heading back to Vermont in November for work for a week, I'm looking forward to that.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tomo
EMAIL:
IP: 219.109.88.178
URL:
DATE: 08/23/2003 04:20:23 PM
You can buy an economy-class ticket to Zurich from 160,000 yen at H.I.S.
http://www.his-j.com/
But staying in Japan and working on computer is a good choice too.
Strangely,Japan is cooler than Europa this year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jennm@bluewin.ch
IP: 81.62.167.247
URL:
DATE: 08/24/2003 11:19:40 PM
Have Tod drop me a note. I'd be pleased to show him the same hospitality you shared with me last Jan in Tokyo.
Oh, and it has been a blistering summer in Zurich.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/Input (1)
BASENAME: outputinput_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 08/24/2003 09:45:48 PM
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BODY:
Output
Two minutes after Tod walked out the door towards Zurich, I was at my computer working on Hello Tokyo. The first task at hand was to review what I've done so far. There are 8 sections in the video:
1. Title Sequence - Complete
2. Phrases - rough edits
3. Food - rough edits
4. Shopping - rough edits
5. Entertainment - rough edits
6. Getting Around - rough edits
7. Conclusion - shot, unedited
8. Credits - nothing done
So I'll work on the sections one at a time until I get them all done. I made good progress today, pretty much completing "Phrases."
- Recorded, captured and finessed voiceovers for Phrases
- Shot, captured and edited 3 bits of B-roll for Phrases
- Added in new voiceovers and B-roll
- Brought edits and transitions into line with Title Sequence styles
- Added music to Phrases
I need to let it sit for a day or two then review it carefully before I can really declare it done. No doubt there are a few jaggy edges to fiddle with, but it's 97% there now.
Input
And for the benefit of my sweetheart, who worries that I eat poorly when he's not around, I'll be lisiting my daily food input. Today's menu: 3 cups of coffee; slice of toast and cherry yogurt; 4 glasses of water; romaine and tomato salad; cold chili con carne with saltines.
Bonus Video
This is a rather graphic, creepy-crawly video I shot this afternoon at home. An army of ants battles a 3 cm long green beetle. (no noodle eating poodles in sight, though) The beetle, which seems to be a Scarabaeidae Anomala from Okinawa, retreated safely after 6 or seven minutes.
Beetle Battle 0'41" (4.4 MB MPEG 4)
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EXCERPT:
Video, video and dinner, too.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL:
DATE: 08/24/2003 10:33:53 PM
Poor beetle! It's really pretty. Wish we had that kind here.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.93.172
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2003 04:28:14 PM
hi , kristen
will hello tokyo come out on dvd too ?
would be nice since i don't own a vhs . by the way - i found this to be pretty convienient : http://convert.french-property.co.uk/
bfn keep up the weird work axel
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/Input (2)
BASENAME: outputinput_2
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/25/2003 11:32:55 PM
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BODY:
I re-edited the Food section today. It looks good, but it's very brief and really only touches on eating out.
I managed to get it donw so speedily that I opened up the Shopping section this afternoon. On review, I decided that I really ought th move all the bits about shopping for food and deciphering labels into the Food section following the eating out information. That will even out the times a bit and it just makes sense.
So I'll be staying up late tonight to rewrite the script, see where I can use stock footage I have on hand to fill the transitional gaps and to try to get the roughs done. There's still hot coffee in the thermos pot from this morning, so I'm all set.
Input
No need to worry about my nutrition or loneliness today. I met my social quota for the week by enjoying Indian lunch with MJ and running down to Zushi for UltraBob's homemade hummus at dinner.
P.S. Look up at the night sky to see Mars. It's that gorgeous, bright pink light. On Wednesday, it will be the nearest to Earth it can get--about 34 million miles--a once in 59,619 year event.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Edits, a change in direction and a planetary wonder.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/Input (3)
BASENAME: outputinput_3
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/26/2003 08:18:19 PM
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BODY:
Today's goal was to get the food section reorganized. I added an entirely new bit about deli food, as well as pulling the footage out of the shopping section, recording more b-roll and voiceovers. (Thank goodness for b-roll and voiceovers!)
Except for a little bit of missing footage that I will shoot tomorrow at dinnertime (I want to show a plate full of home-cooked food on the dinner table), I've reached today's goal. The food section expanded from 45 seconds to about 2'15". I think that's a much better length for such an important topic.
Tomorrow I will work on the newly shortened shopping section. MJ laughed and grimaced at all the shopping footage we shot last year, but it's really coming in handy now...it's in so many of these sections!
Hey, if anyone knows of a good short-run DVD duplicating service, please pass the details to me. I don't think I want to pay for 1,000 replicated DVDs (even though they would be better quality) because I'm not confident that my market is that big...
Input
Yogurt and muesli, 5 cups of coffee, a peanut butter sandwich, and "deli items" that I taped for the food section.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Food, DVD and more food.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: The Distal Zou
EMAIL:
IP: 62.12.138.44
URL:
DATE: 08/27/2003 02:37:09 AM
5 cups of coffee? Wow. How late were you up?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.21
URL:
DATE: 08/27/2003 10:46:04 AM
I was in bed with a book by 10:30 pm. Even with coffee, life is rather slow when I'm on my own.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fred
EMAIL: wjhs@djhv.com
IP: 81.129.123.118
URL:
DATE: 08/27/2003 09:45:20 PM
WhenIwaslittlemegrandadusedtocallitmoosle
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/Input (4)
BASENAME: outputinput_4
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/27/2003 09:53:01 PM
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BODY:
I made small steps today. I shot, captured and edited in the cooking footage, and did some voiceovers I don't like. I'm finding it challenging to get the right levels. Some of the video was shot outdoors, some of it indoors and doing voiceover recording directly to my hard drive instead of to tape just isn't getting me the same crisp sound.
I should stop being lazy and do it the hard(er) way--record to tape using the same wireless mic setup I used before, then capture and edit from there. More steps but better sound. Pffft.
I picked at the shopping section, too, getting things into a better order, but haven't tried to redo those voiceovers yet. The temporary ones I did for the rough edit are really bad. I have a terrible tendency to aspirate my Ps. Must practice sucking them in when I say them.
Maybe tomorrow, I'll do a marathon of voiceovers. Get them out of the way. I'd better write out what I want to say, so I can read directly from a script. That will make it much easier to get the right tone. If I work extemporaneously, I tend to forget where I'm going, which leaves weird little gaps as I try to think of the next word.
I will never work as on-screen talent again. Or not until I've gotten some "talent" lessons under my belt. Or at least have someone else to direct me!
Input
Leftovers from last night's deli shoot, 4 cups of coffee, a lemon water, some chocolate, and a dinner of swordfish on a bed of spinach and mushrooms. Wasn't as good as it could have been, because I put in too much wine. Wine evaporation looks great on-camera, though!
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EXCERPT:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/input (5)
BASENAME: outputinput_5
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/28/2003 11:40:23 PM
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BODY:
Closer, closer, closer. Today I went through the Getting Around, Entraintment and Conclusion/Credits sections and whipped them into shape with tighter transitions, music and overlays. I rewrote and re-recorded all the voiceovers, too. Plus I took a couple of final b-roll bits. It looks like I'm all poised to get this done in the next two days.
So the project will have taken just about a year from start to finish. And most of that was me sitting around twiddling my thumbs waiting to "find the time" to do the edits. (More like getting over the fear of doing it and maybe failing.)
Is it perfect? No. There are lots of things that I would fix if I could. But I can't, not without better equipment, sheer editing brilliance and an actress who delivers her lines more evenly. So I am going to be happy with what I have. If the production value isn't 110%, well at least it's done and I think it will be useful to people coming to Tokyo which was the whole point in the first place.
Input
toast, 4 cups of coffee, cheese-ham-pickle toast, girl scout cookies, 3 glasses of water, crab shumai, white rice, vegetable juice. Not a very healthy diet today...
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Imperfect but nearly done now...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/29/2003 08:34:04 AM
Plus we had some fun running around and shooting ne?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Doris
EMAIL:
IP: 67.73.17.58
URL:
DATE: 08/29/2003 09:43:33 AM
I don't know, Kristen, from what I've seen so far I think you're doing a great job!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 08/29/2003 03:26:45 PM
Girl Scout Cookies?? From where did you obtain these? They are the yummiest!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 220.97.196.118
URL:
DATE: 08/29/2003 09:03:01 PM
PS- I forgot to add my bribe. :-)) I will offer to cook for you from my mother's recipe book. Her recipes's are passed on by mouth and cannot be found in any magazine. They may not be delicious, but they are authentic. :-)) And I promise to send you many many Yamanote Line pictures once i dredge up the money to buy that digital camera i have been eyeing..., And i promise to clean your house or water your plants if you wish and scan all your pictures and any other menial tasks you may want done, if you will help me find that cheese board. I can also give very good foot and back massages. Do i have any hope? (*_*)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/input (6)
BASENAME: outputinput_6
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/29/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Done! Although there may be a few tweaks remaining, the fully edited 12'55" video is compiling even as I type this. I am ecstatic that the editing is finished. Next challenge, burn it onto DVD and get it duplicated/replicated. Oh, and find some people who are interested in buying it.
I celebrated by going out with MJ, Jo & someone named Kana. Kana was entirely too energetic and wore me out with incessant chatter about her love life and lifestyle in California. But I enjoyed Jo and MJ's somewhat calmer and more intellectual company. We went for karaoke (how intellectual is that?) and left just before midnight...I missed my subway connection at Nagatacho by 90 seconds and had to taxi home. (despite the 8/29 date on this post, it's really 1 am on Saturday the 30th)
Input
yogurt, 2 cups of coffee, 4 glasses of water, fried rice I made badly, garlic bread with gorgonzola sauce, some salads and stuff, 2 Campari sodas and a gin & tonic. Bad diet today, but I remember to take my vitamins. I will eat better tomorrow.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Done, sung and tired.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/30/2003 08:35:13 AM
oooops...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 08/30/2003 04:06:36 PM
Sorry I didn't make it.. I was at my desk until 7am this morning. I went home for a brief nap and was back at 1pm.. ggrr.. it continues!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/input (7)
BASENAME: outputinput_7
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/30/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Today, a break. The video needs a rest and so do I. I kicked back and did some paying work, read Wired and had dinner with my friend Mike. Plus I gave Tod the lowdown on things to do in Zurich this weekend: maybe he'll go to the Lindt factory, or take the planet walk around Uetliberg.
Input
Two slices of toast, 3 cups of coffee, tuna and crackers (one of my father's favorite snacks), vegetable juice, samosas, murgh lajeeg, vegetable korma, garlic naan, saffron rice, chai, two beers and two absinthe with water. Some chocolate. (Tod will know exactly where Mike & I went for dinner, I'll bet!)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
On the seventh day, rest.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Chocoholic
EMAIL: inv@l.id
IP: 213.224.83.33
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2003 09:40:49 PM
Tell your sweetie to bring you back some "namachoko" as omiyage from Switzerland :-)~
I heard that princess Masako offered a box of Stettler namachoko to the Crown Prince.
http://www.chocolaterie-stettler.ch/
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/input (8)
BASENAME: outputinput_8
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/31/2003 08:13:29 PM
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BODY:
The TV test: looking at your work as your viewers will see it.
TV uses an entirely different color space than computer monitors, so what you see is not always what you get when you're making digital video. On top of that, the TV screen is larger and magnifies minor problems.
Really, checking the output on a TV is something that I should have been doing all along. But I'm not an eXtreme Programmer sort when I'm doing video work. I'm "in for a penny, in for a pound", so I save the big test til the end. But this evening I dumped the whole project out to tape and played it back.
Did Hello Tokyo pass the test? Not entirely, but the problems are solvable. I need to retinker the clips I had filtered to compensate for uneven lighting--I think I compensated too much on a few of them. And I will adjust audio levels in one section, which may mean recording the voiceovers again.
Input
2 slices of genmai bread with butter and 2 with peanut butter, a banana, 2 cups of coffee, a chicken pie, salad and a beer.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
not ready for broadcast...
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/input (9)
BASENAME: outputinput_9
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/01/2003 04:53:04 PM
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BODY:
Today is Wish for More Disk Space Day. To fully render the project in uncompressed QuickTime so that I can pull it into Cleaner 6 to compress as MPG2 (using Cleaner's nice gamma adjustment and sound leveling features), I need 22 Gb of disk. I only have 19GB. Argh. I have three disks in varying degrees of fullness. Must figure out out whether there is any way to move things around and make just a little bit more space...
It is also Order Final Cut Pro 4 Before the Half-price Offer Runs Out Day. Since they won't ship to Japan, and Apple Japan doesn't sell the English version, I have to "game the system" and lie about where I live, have them mail it to my mother, and ask her to send it along to me.
And in the US, it is Labor Day. I'd completely forgotten.
Input
meusli with tofu milk, cheese toast, 2 cups of coffee, banana-peach smoothie, karaage, rice, simmered eggplant, salad, 2 glasses of water.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Foiled, fooled and fed
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.37
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 09/01/2003 05:39:30 PM
- I did the same thing with a copy of Windows XP Pro and Office XP Pro ($100 for both via a Microsoft employee discount!) Had them sent to my NYC address and had my mother bring them to Japan along with some mail and other knicknacks.
- I love email statements from creditcards! Paper statements suck!
- Once this long-delayed 15" Powerbook launches, I'm probably going to do the same thing. Buy it in the US and have a relative send it to me. I doubt that Apple Japan will have an English OS/English keyboard Powerbook at launchtime at the same pricing as in the US.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: andrew
EMAIL: xzzyx@hotmail.com
IP: 203.12.172.254
URL:
DATE: 09/01/2003 10:46:04 PM
Kristin,
I'm no FCP Pro guru, or Cleaner guru for that matter, but can't you save your movie as a QuickTime reference movie (i.e. don't flatten it), which will reference you're original media
(DV, I assume?) and Cleaner should be able to eat that directly, without you needing to render the movie in some uncompressed format.
If you do need to rerender it, there probably won't be a huge advantage in rendering it uncompressed, from what I understand there's not that much of a quality loss in an additional DV encode/decode.
If you need guru help the quicktime-talk list at lists.apple.com is helpful with questions like that.
Regards,
Andrew
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tape is so passé
EMAIL: inv@l.id
IP: 213.224.83.38
URL:
DATE: 09/02/2003 03:15:26 AM
If you desperately need to free up a few GBytes of disk space to complete a project, how about temporarily moving some of your stuff to DV tape?
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/10521
DV is *definitely not* a very reliable archive media, but if a "restore" attempt works, then it might be a quick way to free up these critical few GBytes at 22:00 when your local hardware dealer is closed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/02/2003 04:17:01 PM
Kristen, We have a QuickTime server with a HEAP of bandwidth if you are interested... Either for a short time or a longer "rental" period we can do a contra deal or something!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Output/input (10)
BASENAME: outputinput_10
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/02/2003 10:11:21 PM
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BODY:
Disk space is sorted. I went through and carefully checked, double-checked and then deleted all the unused clips. I deleted about 180 that I'd captured for consideration but didn't put into the final cut. There are 247 video, audio and still files in the project. That's 19 clips/minute. It's not as overwhelming as it sounds.
So that housekeeping has cleared up enough space to move things around and give me room to render and compress. I'm feeling much relieved now. Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions on the weblog, in e-mail, and offline.
I'm at the stage in the project where the computer is maxing out its usually overspec'ed and rock solid capabilities. I've rebooted iru three times today when I pushed just a little too hard. Twice I've corrupted the Premiere preview files and had to re-render. And once I had to boot into OS 9 so that I could run Disk Warrior to fix suru, the SCSI disk where the project lives.
Digital video is a demanding task for any computer and this old G4 450MHz has seen its day. I'm looking forward to buying myself a new G5 early next year.
Input
I'm tired of eating alone. Tod, dear, please come home. Today I had yogurt, 4 cups of coffee, three cookies and dinner at Ampresso.
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Reboot, delete, repair.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Enough already!
BASENAME: enough_already
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/03/2003 09:43:51 PM
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BODY:
No, it isn't finished, and my computer is being increasingly recalcitrant which make me doubt I'll ever get it done. Today was spent recovering from an overnight disaster that destroyed the entire project. I found a backup and sweated most of the day bringing it back to where it was last night at midnight. I've just gotten it squared away now and I'm ready to try to render again.
I'm sure we are all tired of all the dull and gruesome details of making Hello Tokyo, so consider this the final post in the saga. When it's done, I'll let you know.
And in other news:
I noticed yesterday that the Reference Kitten is now half price. That means my personal economy has just undergone a big devaluation...inflation...deflation? I don't know. If I understood economics I wouldn't calculate in kittens, would I? No matter what the right word is, everything costs twice as many kittens as it did last week. Except the reference kitten itself. I guess you can't sell a teenaged cat at kitten prices.
We had the most horrific thunderstorm this evening. The sky was red and there were five strikes that were near enough that I felt the electricity on my skin. I tried to sit out on the veranda to enjoy it, but it was too scary. After I turned off most of our valuable electronics, the Zous and I hunkered down in the living room and read aloud from The Complete Plain Words--guaranteed to calm the jumpiest elephant in half a page.
I captured some video of the cloud-to-cloud lightning and the moon peeking out as the storm moved away, but I won't have time to process it until Hello Tokyo is out of the way.
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And now for something completely different...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Banana Peach Fruity Drink
BASENAME: banana_peach_fruity_drink
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/04/2003 03:18:25 PM
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BODY:
A simple, refreshing fruity drink--perfect for a late summer afternoon. Works great with slightly overripe kudamono, so clean out your fruit basket today.
Banana Peach Fruity Drink
1 banana, peeled and broken into chunks
1 peach, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
1.5 cups apple juice
6 ice cubes
1 tot of rum (optional)
Put all the ingredients in the blender and puree. Adjust consistency with water, juice or more rum as desired. Pour over ice. Serves two.
This juice oxidizes (the banana turns brown), so it should be prepared just before serving.
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How to rescue leftover fruits....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A little present
BASENAME: a_little_present
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/05/2003 10:46:28 PM
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BODY:
A dark shop on a busy street. A window display of antique reproductions. On a table outside, a display of manicure kits.
Interior decorations and grooming supplies are an odd combination; I was intrigued. And I have a fondness for manicure kits, even though my ragged nails can't be trimmed or trained into shape. So I stepped inside. And what do you know? More manicure kits. I ended up buying the one pictured above made by 777 Three Seven in Korea.
What an array! It contains: (l-r) toenail clipper, fingernail clipper, nosehair scissors, cuticle clipper, tweezers, cuticle knife, cuticle pusher, v-shaped cuticle trimmer, an earspoon, cuticle scissors and a file.
I am armed and prepared to declare war on my cuticles!
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Grooming tools!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nisar Ahmad
EMAIL: sales@allensfuture.com
IP: 202.176.248.69
URL: http://www.allensfuture.com
DATE: 08/19/2004 01:16:45 PM
Dear Sir/Madam,
We hope that you and your family are well and doing business with success.
Our company Allen Surgical Co. (Pvt) Ltd. is the leading company in the region and has been manufacturing and distributing quality Salon products since 1970. Over the years, we have gained a worldwide reputation for EXCELLENCE within the industry.
We produce high-end Salon products, using advance and high-tech technologies under the supervision of highly skilled engineers who have been trained in Germany, all our products are manufactured using high quality stainless steel as the recommended ASTM and DIN standards, which are imported from USA, GERMANY, and FRANCE. We have joint venture with German manufacturing Companies in Tuttlingen and use their technology like Berger Scissors Machine for the uniform blade surface.
The key to our success is our quality assurance
Quality
With the tradition of uncompromising quality and adherence to the most stringent standards, Allen Surgical endorses the excellence of every product and the compliance with any international standards such as ISO 9001:2000.
Services
We don’t claim that we are the best, but we want you to give us a chance to perform an excellence service for your company. Doing business with Allen is hassle-free because customer’s satisfaction is our vocation.
Prices
In today’s demanding health care environment, investing in Allen instruments is a significant step towards controlling cost and improving patient care.
If you advise us, we can send you our latest printed Catalogue to have nice view about our products range. Please feel free to contact us regarding any required information.
Looking forward to your kind and favorable reply, we remain with
Best Regards,
Nisar Ahmed
Director Marketing & Sales
Allen Surgical Co. (Pvt) Ltd.
18-A, S.I.E. Sialkot – 51310
Pakistan
Tel No. 0092-432-555456, 552496
Fax No. 0092-432-551479, 559337
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tata Surgical (Pvt) Ltd
EMAIL: tata@brain.net.pk
IP: 63.109.248.91
URL: http://www.tata.com.pk
DATE: 09/11/2004 02:50:42 PM
Dear Sir/Madam,
Hoping that you must be doing well. We fetch your contact details through Internet.
We take the opportunity to apprise you with the resume of our concern.
TATA SURGICAL manufacturer standard quality of Surgical, Manicure & Pedicure Implements many decades.
We pay our full attention towards hammering, forging and polishing through our latest technology and modern machines methods to bring our products parallel to European international specifications by applying scientific and electronic systems. Our every Instrument is 100% guaranteed for Raw material, Rust and Workmanship. Our products can stand against any challenge for their durability and lustrous look.
We offer best and competitive prices. Check our good quality of products and see difference. Our service is very prompt and accurate. Delivery time commitment made between customer and us. Give us a chance to serve you. We hope you will never regret rather shall enjoy opening Business Account with us.
In the last we wish to submit you that we are willing seriously to establish our bilateral trade relations with your esteemed house for a long term basis .Further details about TATA SURGICAL and its product, please do visit our web site which is www.tata.com.pk
While we anxiously await a favourable reply from your end with enquiry, we wish you a wonderful day.
Yours Sincerely,
Imtiaz A. Mughal
(Chief Executive)
Tata Surgical (PVT) Ltd;
Commissioner Road, Mohammad Pura
Sialkot, Pakistan
Tel: 92-432-580421,596463
Fax: 92-432-592909
Web Site: www.tata.com.pk
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Drypoint
BASENAME: drypoint
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/06/2003 08:31:38 PM
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BODY:
Note to self: stick to pens, printing and computers when if comes to art. Pencil, charcoal, pastels--all those soft, blendy media--just don't do it for me. But put a pen in my hand or, better yet, let me make prints and I am a happy camper.
I attended a drypoint engraving workshop today (and will go again tomorrow) at Right Brain Research in Azabu-Juban. Ryu Kadosaka is an amazing illustrator and a fantastic teacher. I learned so much today that my head is completely full. As I was packing up to leave class, I tried to put my glasses in my wallet.
I'd never done drypoint before and it's fun. You use a needle-tipped instrument to draw on a copper plate, then ink the plate, rub off the excess ink and run the plate and paper through a press. It's quite simple, but there are so many variables: what sort of lines you scratch; whether or not (and to what extent) you scrape or burnish the lines; how you control the ink on the plate. You never know exactly what you'll end up with...
I did a print that I turned out much better than I thought it would. In fact, I like it a great deal and will give it to my father who is celebrating his 66th birthday today. The print needs to dry for a week so that it stays flat, (sorry, Dad!) but when It's done, I'll put a photo up.
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My hands are covered in ink.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Whole again
BASENAME: whole_again
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/07/2003 10:26:32 PM
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BODY:
Tod arrived home safely this morning; he rang me from Narita just before I left for day two of the printmaking workshop.
I'm exhausted from making art all day and Tod's tired from his travels, so we're going to sleep now. Zoupi will post about his Swiss adventures tomorrow, so don't forget to check zousan.com.
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Tired but happy
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Morning madness
BASENAME: morning_madness
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/08/2003 09:28:51 AM
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BODY:
I can see this week is going to be weird.
Tod, normally a sloth in the morning, was awake and waking me up at 6 am. We've already had coffee, replayed the Jimmy Carter speech for Zoupi, dressed and gone out for breakfast. Tod's at work and I have just received Final Cut Pro from the friendly UPS guy.
I'm overwhelmed. I think I'll go take a nap.
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Too much activity...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/08/2003 07:32:05 PM
Are you sure that you got the right Tod back??
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Exhilarating Effort
BASENAME: exhilarating_effort
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/09/2003 07:07:16 AM
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BODY:
Final Cut Pro 4 is packaged in a big, black box with a multi-hued eye staring out from the side. Ominous. Weight: 5 kg, at least, and it's all manuals. I'm terrified.
"I'd be halfway through the first book by now," said Tod as he hefted the box. "But I bet this will sit on your desk for a few weeks before you install it. I know you."
He may be right.
On the other hand, maybe I'll whiz through my To Do list and install FCP4 later today. Tod says it will be an "exhilarating effort" to get it up and running and to learn the program inside out.
We'll see...
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New FCP is taunting me
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.148
URL:
DATE: 09/09/2003 11:30:27 AM
Once you get it installed, I can't recommend the tutorial (the smaller book) that comes with it. It really teaches you quite a bit quickly, and really helped me get my head around the concepts of it. You're always welcome to come over and I can show it to you :)
On a sidenote, I'm going to Vermont again in November for an advanced Final Cut class. I hope its as beneficial as the intro was.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL: jeremy@antipixel.com
IP: 211.13.142.23
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/blog/
DATE: 09/09/2003 11:55:54 AM
I'd be throwing my to-do list right out the window and diving into FCP. That's what to-do lists are for, right? So you have something hefty to ditch when the new software arrives.
John Gruber of daringfireball.net once said something along the lines of "new releases of BBEdi are national holidays around here." I think we all know that feeling when it comes to our most beloved apps.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Foo Bar
EMAIL: inv@l.id
IP: 213.224.83.33
URL:
DATE: 09/12/2003 03:50:54 AM
An interesting hardware addition for FCP power users :-)
http://www.focal.co.jp/product/bellacorp/professional_fcp/index.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cow or coward?
BASENAME: cow_or_coward
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/10/2003 11:07:07 PM
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BODY:
The Cow Parade has reached Tokyo. To be specific, it's come to Marunouchi. There's a lot of bovine weirdness along the corridor between my office and Tod's.
One of Tod's colleagues is convinced that these cows are going to explode tomorrow. They are all hollow fiberglass statues and would make mighty good places to hide bombs.
Should I worry? I have to be at the office tomorrow...
Something else to fear: a scientist (crack or crank, I'm not sure) is predicting that there will be a magnitude 7 earthquake in Tokyo within the next week. Maybe it's a good time to get around to checking the earthquake supplies, even though I should have done that on 9/1, Disaster Preparedness Day.
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Frightening statuary
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 09/10/2003 11:25:11 PM
Public Art projects are cool. Two summers ago, we had GoFish! in Erie, where artists painted large fish. Next summer, its Frogs.
Here's a link in case the HTML above doesn't work: http://www.gofisherie.com/
The agency I worked for at the time had a cool fish: http://www.gofisherie.com/gofish__gumbo.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 09/12/2003 12:25:59 AM
Moovahlous! I like the acquarium. Is that an elephant on the posterior of the pink one?
The Mules of NEPA are suffering from some vandalism these days. Assinine.
You can view this year's Arts Alive Mule here: Beyond the View. My contribution is a line of poetry along the spine, which you can't see in the photo, of course!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 09/12/2003 12:27:33 AM
Sorry about the lack of link above. The mule is here: http://www.milesofmules.org/northern_mules/northern_mules2.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sean
EMAIL: sean@datamage.net
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://informage.net
DATE: 09/12/2003 04:28:11 AM
We had the cow parade here in Cape Town too, down at the waterfront near us. I must admit I never saw them in such sinister terms, but then here the cow is an ancient african symbol of prosperity and peace.
Keeping those quake provisions well stocked sounds like a worthwhile plan to me :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.36.88
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 09/12/2003 11:07:11 AM
We had these in one of our local cities - was fun for everyone! Although, I did have to do a triple take: coming out of work one day and there's an electric blue cow sitting there when it wasn't there in the morning :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jake
EMAIL: ads@nospam.com
IP: 68.51.68.42
URL: http://JakeRinard.com
DATE: 09/13/2003 07:49:23 AM
I saw these in Nashville, except they were catfish. All over the city. They were pretty neat.
http://JakeRinard.com
http://CrimsonLight.com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2003 01:53:56 PM
I think Chicago was the first American city to host Cows on Parade (borrowed the idea from sister-city Zurich if I'm remembering correctly) but noone thought about how the city's carriage horses would react the the overnight appearance of hundreds of fiberglass cows. Sassy reared and broke the fifth wheel off an antique carriage, Barbie grabbed a cow by the nose and his teeth marks remained on her snout all summer, Kali backed her carriage wheels up and over the front bumber of a taxi. The carriage companies had to get together and borrow a spare cow to set up in the ring at Noble Horse's barn so that all the city's horses could be turned out at leisure and get used to the strange bovine invasion.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayatake@yahoo.com
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2003 10:38:16 PM
I remember seeing them in NY2000. Quite fitted for old big apple, before 9.11. Now I am too far in Kyushu to see cows...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chicken Cordon Bleu
BASENAME: chicken_cordon_bleu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/11/2003 01:05:52 PM
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BODY:
This easy variation of a classic entree is sure to impress at a party or quiet dinner at home.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
serves 2-4
2 chicken breasts, with or without skin
3 slices of deli ham, chopped
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grate. I like Gruyere.
2 Tblsp white wine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
bread-crumbs
butter or oil for frying
wooden skewers or toothpicks
Mix the ham, cheese, garlic and wine. Lay the chicken breast flat, skin side down. With a very sharp knife, cut into the breast to make a pocket. You can do this from the side to make one big space, or make a slit down the middle, then open up smaller pockets to the right and left.
Stuff the pocket with the ham and cheese mixture. Close the pocket with a skewer or toothpicks and refrigerate the stuffed chicken for 30 minutes.
When the chicken is chilled, create a 3-pan "breading station". The shallow pan or bowl closest to your frying pan will have the crumbs, the middle pan will contain a beaten egg, and the pan farthest away contains the seasoned flour. Sit the chicken next to the flour.
Heat your frying pan to medium-hot and add 2 tablespoons of butter or oil.
To keep your hands from getting breaded as you work, you'll use the right hand to flour and crumb and the left hand to handle the chicken and dip into the egg wash.
Remove the skewer or toothpicks, and roll the chicken in the flour--use your right hand to dust the flour over the chicken. Next dip the chicken in the egg wash to coat thoroughly, and finally roll the egged chicken in the bread-crumbs. From there it goes straight into the pan. If you are doing a lot of breasts, you might want to sit them aside and add them to the pan at the same time.
Fry the chicken until done, turning frequently, for about 15-20 minutes. If the outside is getting too brown but the inside isn't cooked through, lower the heat and drop a lid on the pan.
To serve, you can place the chicken on the plate as is, or if you want to share one breast between two people, cut the breast into 1" slices to reveal the ham and cheese inside.
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Chicken stuffed with ham and cheese.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arthur
EMAIL: ahooger@nospam.gmx.netnospam
IP: 156.34.80.176
URL: http://localhost
DATE: 09/12/2003 12:30:54 AM
>With a very sharp knife, cut into the breast to
>make a pocket. You can do this from the side to
>make one big space, or make a slit down the middle
>then open up smaller pockets to the right and
>left.
[other method]
If you use chicken fillets, roll them out with a rollerpin and (after filling) fold them up using egg to 'glue the ends'. Dip in plain flour, then dip in beaten egg and then dip in (spiced) breadcrumbs. Let rest for half hour in freezer. Then dip again in beaten egg and once again in breadcrumbs. Let rest in fridge.
(two times dipping makes it a bit more crunchier, I have seen people using 'baking powder' too. But that's a different technique).
HTH.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 172.194.14.166
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2003 05:11:46 PM
I'm trying to figure out where the minced garlic fits into this recipe
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2003 05:21:42 PM
It's part of the filling: "Mix the ham, cheese, garlic and wine."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.172.54
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2003 09:35:19 PM
OK, I get the garlic. What about the ham?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo Flash Mob
BASENAME: tokyo_flash_mob
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/12/2003 07:51:41 PM
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BODY:
Looks like Tokyo's finally going to have a flash mob. This appeared in my Inbox last night:
There have been gatherings of strangers doing weird things in public in Tokyo and around Japan, like the Matrix events in June, and a group of people posing like comics covers. These are called "off" (presumably for off-line), but as far as I've been able to tell, there hasn't been anything called a flash mob here.
The idea of a flash mob, in case this Summer 2003 fad passed you by, is that someone sets a date, time and location for participants to gather (the "mob" bit) and do something silly for a very brief time, then disperse (the "flash" bit).
There's a bit of mystery, too, as the exact instructions aren't given out until minutes before the mob starts. People meet at published staging areas and get the final details there.
It's sort of performance art by strangers. Sounds like fun. Will I see you there? Details are forthcoming, the English website is http://www.geocities.com/alien_coruscater/mob.html
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September 26th, details to be announced
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.172.54
URL:
DATE: 09/12/2003 10:13:26 PM
Who's organising this?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/12/2003 10:35:30 PM
Dunno, that's a bit of a mystery, too. Word on the wire is that it might be Gen Kanai; he voiced an interest a while back on his weblog...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Be Prepared
EMAIL: inv@l.id
IP: 213.224.83.33
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2003 03:21:30 AM
There *might* be another "flash" event around September 17
http://www.geocities.co.jp/NatureLand/8896/arasuji.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Unix geeks ahoy!
BASENAME: unix_geeks_ahoy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 09/13/2003 11:55:45 PM
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BODY:
Tod gestures as he describes the Unix family tree with a very long diagram during a talk on FreeBSD for the Tokyo Linux Users' Group earlier today.
We followed up the technical talk with a nomikai where we discussed a wide range of non-tech topics, including kanji dissection and debate over whether Kansai or Tokyo style foods are better. Kitano-san made me call his pregnant wife to tell her he would be just a little bit late...
And then we all went off for a nijikai and enjoyed a rousing session of karaoke. Yuki is singing "Sk8tr Boi" while Baba tries to drown her out with "Linux Boi."
Tod, UltraBob and I managed a sanjikai at Corazon, our local pool hall. We discovered, to our dismay, that Corazon will close on the 23rd as their building is being torn down. More luxury apartments in the works, I suppose.
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EXCERPT:
FreeBSD at a Linux club?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sean
EMAIL: sean@datamage.net
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://informage.net
DATE: 09/14/2003 10:34:55 PM
That all looks like fun. Say hi to Tod. Was that extraordinarily long flowchart all his own work, modelled on ESRs work, or from somewhere else? Whichever way I'm sure all present at the meeting are now more clued up about Unix history than it appears anyone at the the company who should not be mentioned but merely SCOrned.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2003 05:19:59 PM
Oops, I forgot to add the link to the family tree--it's there now. :-)
There are also some photos of the presentation and fun afterwards on the TLUG website at http://www.tlug.jp/meetings/200309/index.php
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 09/16/2003 07:12:29 AM
Sitting for karaoke? When I come visit, can you and Tod and I do a rendition of Rock Lobster? No sitting for that!
You both look fabulous, btw.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Forcing creativity
BASENAME: forcing_creativity
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/14/2003 03:01:15 PM
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BODY:
Are you creative?
If I look around my spaces online and in real life, there's evidence that I am, and once in a while someone affirms it. But I don't usually feel creative. So to be more creative, I sometimes force myself to make more things, do things outside my usual realm, and build up my body of work.
And sometimes I set myself up for a public spectacle. On November 15th and 16th, I'll have a booth at Design Festa. What am I going to exhibit? No idea...yet. I'll choose a theme and work from there.
I'd really prefer to do this with others rather than solo, so here's an invitation:
COME BE CREATIVE WITH ME! Help me brainstorm theme ideas, and share my Design Festa booth. Add your music, video, art, photography or multimedia projects to my mix...
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EXCERPT:
Sometimes a stick or carrot does the trick...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.logolalia.com
DATE: 09/16/2003 07:15:19 AM
Looks like a great time! Wish I were closer.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: FCP double speak
BASENAME: fcp_double_speak
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/15/2003 09:48:50 PM
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BODY:
Final Cut Pro is stressing me out. It's so different from Premiere that my firmly embedded paradigms don't work and I can't figure out how to do anything. 1200+ pages of manuals don't make things any easier.
So I'm feeling a little negative and I need to turn my thinking to the positive. Rather than talking trash at FCP when it doesn't behave as expected, I've come up with some code word equivalents:
complicated = comprehensive
confusing = full-featured
exhausting = exhilarating
frustrating = challenging
impossible = inspiring
stressful = stimulating
I'm not as good at political correctness, obfuscation, and double speak as the US government or George Orwell but then they aren't trying to master Final Cut.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
When the going gets tough, the wordsmith does some editing.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Elderly fortitude
BASENAME: elderly_fortitude
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/16/2003 07:43:21 PM
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BODY:
At lunch today, an elderly man occupied the table next to mine. He dined in the company of his portable oxygen tank.
I've seen him around before, ambling along the sidewalk with his tank in tow. Narrow plastic tubes pass under his nose allowing easier breathing. His hands are bloated and unwieldy. Maybe he suffers from emphysema. He's sometimes accompanied by a woman I assume is his daughter and a little boy that must be his grandson. Today he was on his own.
After finishing the tuna-tomato pasta (we ordered the same thing), he had a cup of coffee. He fumbled with the tiny tab on the container of "coffee white" for a moment or two before using his teeth to hold it while his hand pulled the packaging open. Then he struggled with his medications--five blister-packed pills--and with some effort managed to push them open.
It's a bitch getting older. Nobody escapes the inevitable physical decline and we can't predict how gracefully we'll age. But this old man was out there living life. He's slowed down, but hasn't stopped. I hope I can say the same thing in 30 years.
Yesterday was "Respect for the Aged" day. 19% of Japan's population is over 65.
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EXCERPT:
One-act lunchtime drama
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL: http://www.loglalia.com
DATE: 09/17/2003 08:26:14 PM
Everyday should be Respect for the Aged day.
I grumbled when yet another building was razed in Kingston to make room for a Walgreen's. Then someone told me that 80% of the Wyoming Valley's population is over 65. Wow. I'm still mad about the Walgreens, (there's a drug store on every corner it seems!) but it made me more aware of how young I am in the scheme of the community, and what a tiny percentage I fill.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/21/2003 11:31:30 PM
Actually, according to the 2000 census, Wyoming County's elderly population is 13.2%
See the details here: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42131.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Quirks in abundance
BASENAME: quirks_in_abundance
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/17/2003 10:16:04 AM
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BODY:
FCP may have deflated me the other day, but I'm back on top. I've figured out how to do most of the basics I need to do to get Hello Tokyo edited again.
But there are a lot of little quirky things I haven't sorted out yet and I keep having to think hard to do the basics. Still, I've made big progress over where I was two days ago and I should have the title sequence, the most complex part of the project, edited by the weekend.
Now I have to remember to mail in that rebate before it's too late!!
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EXCERPT:
I'm starting to get the hang of FCP4
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: elderbob
EMAIL: elderbob@elderbob.com
IP: 66.136.95.1
URL: http://www.elderbob.com
DATE: 09/20/2003 03:25:39 PM
I understand what you mean about getting your mind around FCP. I took a first time video production class in the local university last year and for the first time in many years, I felt really dumb. At first, I thought it was my age...very depressing...I decided that at 56, I had become too old to learn...oh, horror. But then I looked around and saw a lot of computer savvy whiz kids having the same problems as me....Whew!!. FCP is a marvelous program but there is so much to understand that there is a tremendous learning code. I still consider myself a novice but I think I am getting the hang of it. I am still using the schools machines but after the first of the year I am going to put it on my home PC and use it more. I love using video and am dying to use it in more internet related aspects.
One more comment. I am also a glass worker like your grand-father. He does stained glass and I am a glass blower.
I enjoyed your site very much. You are obviously quite talented. Hang in there you will figure out how to FCP.
By the way, I came across your page in looking for a way to alther my brand new blog. I read your tutorial on templates. It's great. Blog programming is my next goal.
elderbob
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Elation
BASENAME: elation
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/18/2003 09:16:21 AM
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BODY:
There are a small handful of people in my life right now who make me stupidly happy. Every time we meet, I grin ear-to-ear and can't help rushing up to hug them. I babble incoherently in my excitement. If I were a puppy, I'd probably wet myself.
They aren't necessarily people I know very well and none of them has frequent contact with me. In some cases we've been close or worked together, now time and space have separated us. As it stands, I know only the surface of their experience.
The burst of joy comes precisely because our interaction is intermittent. With daily intercourse, I'd be drawn into the ups and downs of their lives and the jubilant magic would wear off. Keeping distance is what makes these people special but it would be awfully satisfying to shift to a solid friendship with any of them.
Is my elation requited? Probably not. I'm not bothered by it. I'm still grinning 18 hours after seeing Jon unexpectedly.
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EXCERPT:
People who make me smile despite myself.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: ISSN
BASENAME: issn
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 09/19/2003 12:02:15 AM
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BODY:
"All junk mail?" I asked as Tod pulled the papers from our box.
"Uh, no. You got something from the library."
"The library? Huh. Oh wait, it's the National Diet Library...this is Japan's Library of Congress...Oh! It's my ISSN!" I jumped up and down.
A few months ago, I applied to the Japanese registry for an International Standard Serial Number for mediatinker. I didn't hear back from them, so I wrote again a couple weeks back. They'd had a question about my application, which I answered and now I am the proud publisher of an internationally recognised serial.
Here is ISSN 1348-7752 at your service. You can use this number to refer to my weblog or to look it up the the international serial database.
I even have an official EAN-13 barcode for mediatinker (Tod generated it; he loves barcodes). It's not much benefit online, but if you ever wanted to take me to the checkout line with you...
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A bit of free bureaucracy
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: amy@elderberries.com
IP: 24.243.192.72
URL: http://elderberries.com
DATE: 09/19/2003 11:31:35 AM
Very nice... congrats!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 09/19/2003 03:14:25 PM
Any plans to tattoo it on your butt?
Lost in Translation opens here tomorrow. I'm wondering if seeing it will make me feel closer to you or miss you more.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 219.103.107.213
URL:
DATE: 09/20/2003 01:55:19 PM
Kristen, the geek in me wants to know more about your Happy Hacking keyboard. What's the secret there?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/20/2003 04:17:17 PM
Ah, the HHKB is a great little keyboard--little being the key point. It's got no arrow keys, no F1-F12 keys (though access to both via the regular keys) no numeric keypad and the control key is in the "right" place. Just using it, I am an ubergeek, ready to tackle PHP and CMS systems with a single keystroke--or a lot of keystrokes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 09/24/2003 04:55:32 AM
That's cool! I am filling out my application now.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: One down, 6 to go...
BASENAME: one_down_6_to_go
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 09/20/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Well, I've managed to recreate the title sequence in Final Cut.
Hello Tokyo title sequence. 0'46" (4.2 MB QT)
In terms of fancy editing, this is certainly the most challenging of the seven segments. It incorporates superimpose edits with image masks, super track fades, scrolling text and some other trickery. This version isn't exactly the same as the first one (check it out if you missed it) but it's acceptably similar.
Now I'm stuck into the next sequence, Phrases, and it's going relatively smoothly. One good thing about redoing the entire project is that I get to review and rethink my original edits. I'm paying closer attention to the audio sweetening this time. Tomorrow morning I will be creating a loop of "street noise" to play behind some of the voice overs.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
title sequence completed
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/21/2003 04:06:11 AM
I think the new one looked a lot better than the last one. Keep up the good work!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/21/2003 10:41:17 AM
I kept seeing spots appear in front of my eyes....(~^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sean
EMAIL: sean@datamage.net
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://informage.net
DATE: 09/21/2003 01:03:50 PM
Hey Kristen, just downloaded this on our third world ADSL. Yup, we got it, albeit 512kbps which is almost shameful in comparison with your 0th world action. And we have a 3GB/month cap!
Anyway didn't mean to rant on about broadband. This looks great, instantly I was transported back to how Tokyo felt, the mandatory convenience store shot was much appreciated. I'll make sure Shannon sees it as soon as her delayed flight back from Lagos kicks itself into gear.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 09/22/2003 11:23:17 AM
Well there was your earthquake!!! A little late tho...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Meet the washer
BASENAME: meet_the_washer
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/21/2003 07:29:32 PM
-----
BODY:
On Thursday, we got a new washing machine to replace our dryer.
Huh? New washing machine replaces old dryer? Yes! This Sanyo model AWD-A845Z, similar to the newly launched AWD-A860Z is a washer and dryer in one unit. You put the laundry in, press the course you want, and in 150 minutes, open the triple lids to reveal clean, dry clothes. It's really disconcerting. Call me old-fashioned, but things should come out of the washer wet.
It has a "no detergent" setting that cleans lightly soiled clothes by electrolysis (but only lightly soiled clothes), a blanket course, quick wash, heavy soil cleaning, dry clean mode, and 8 ways to use the dryer (combinations of low and high heat and various times and auto-sensors). Plus it will recycle your bath water. But we'd need a very long hose to do that, since the washing machine is in our kitchen.
Last year's price: 228,000 yen. Now on sale for 110,000 yen. Good bargain for our building owner and a great new machine for us.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
The latest addition to our domestic bliss.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 152.163.253.100
URL:
DATE: 09/21/2003 10:38:20 PM
Does it cook too?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/21/2003 11:00:48 PM
Hmmmm, there may be a "just add water, then shake and bake" recipe somewhere...I'll have to check. If so, I think this will cook as well as wash.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.36.117
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 09/22/2003 06:36:51 AM
Soooo it's like a US dishwasher, basically? Why the hell haven't us round eyes in the states figured this out yet! Our big "innovations" this year was the G5 Apple and a plastic paint can that has a twist top and spout.
Any idea if something like this could be hooked up to US power/water? :D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/22/2003 11:57:57 PM
There's an American oven that refrigerates its contents until the appointed cooking time, then bakes and holds. If the busy cook doesn't get home after a couple of hours, the oven goes back into fridge mode. That's pretty nifty for working families. Nothing like that here...
As for using this washer/dryer in the US, water hookup wouldn't be much of a problem, but the electricity is a little different here in Japan. 100/50. Japanese appliances will work in the US, but they tend to burn out before their usual lifecycle is over.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.36.117
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 09/23/2003 10:55:25 PM
Actually, I've heard (through my site) that there HAVE been machines like this in the US - they called them "Clothing Processors" about 10 years ago, which explains why no one has one here today. Bad marketing can kill off even the best of products.
As to the oven, yep, I've seen them in stores for a while now but it's still lost on me because if I went through the trouble to bake something I'm usually anxious to shove it in m'face :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 09/24/2003 04:34:08 AM
I wish I had that when I lived in Japan. I dreaded having to hang the laundry to dry outside on my balcony. I would always end up with a mosquito bite or two in the summer...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 09/24/2003 06:22:57 AM
How interesting! A friend of mine was just talking about the 'no detergent' thing on Sunday. I wasn't sure if her gadget-hound boyfriend believed her. Well, we can sure give him the '411' now! ^_^
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Halfway there
BASENAME: halfway_there
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/22/2003 10:21:01 PM
-----
BODY:
Every day I learn something new about FCP4. Last night, I read the manual aloud (to my ever-willing audience, Tod and Zousama)--Chapter 10: Audio Basics--and figured out some ways to approach my really grungy audio. This morning I put into practice what I read and, wow, it really made a difference.
This afternoon, I mastered the "Color Correction 3-way" filter. Another "wow, how useful!" moment.
I'm now 30 seconds shy of being halfway finished. I'll do these remaining seconds before I go to bed tonight because tomorrow I'm taking a day off to celebrate the autumnal equinox. After that, back to the editing grind. (Which isn't such a grind after all. I'm pleasantly surprised.)
My goal is to premiere Hello Tokyo at Design Festa on November 15th. Want to come see? I'll post more details soon.
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EXCERPT:
Quickly and surely, it's coming together.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: At the game
BASENAME: at_the_game
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/23/2003 11:29:40 PM
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BODY:
We went to a baseball game with a flock of friends and Zousama looked at me so sweetly as we left that I picked him up and brought him along.
But when we reached the entrance gate the guards were a bit bemused.
"Um, is there a Japanese speaker?" said the man doing the bag check as he scanned our group for Nihonjin. We assured him that we'd be OK if he spoke Japanese.
"So, well...." he started.
"Oh, it's like a pillow," MJ said enthusiastically patting Sama's back. But the guard looked dubious and glanced over at the more seriously dressed superior off to the side who nodded in a "go ahead, continue" fashion.
"Well, um...well...." he stammered. His cohort chimed in with "You see, the seats are narrow..."
At which point, Tod came forward with Zousama's ticket. We had an extra. He placed the ticket on Sama's back. "This is his ticket. Is that OK?"
The guards attending to us giggled. So did all their friends who'd come over from other gates to watch this spectacle. Elephant with a ticket? Well, let him in!
Sama had a great time at the game, as did the rest of us.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Zousama has a day out, thanks to some guards with a sense of humor.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2003 02:25:46 AM
Get, Foot, Set!
Did he get a hot dog too? Do they serve hot dogs? Probably not. What's the ball game fare there?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 09/24/2003 04:30:55 AM
That's a great story. I would have loved to hear the conversation!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 09/24/2003 06:32:23 AM
I'm taking a screenwriting class right now (the main focus is writing 'shorts') and it just struck me as how cute a short this would make! Zousama's people should call my people. ^_^
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2003 07:27:49 AM
Excellent story!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/24/2003 07:35:13 AM
I almost suceeded with that pillow ruse....
Thanks for the fun day guys (^^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2003 04:20:38 PM
I was there and while ZouSama didn't have a hotdog, I spotted him chugging on a beer on a few occassions.. It was a good thing the beer girls were not carding yesterday!!
Had a great time Kristen.. thanks to you and Tod.. Hi to everybody.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.153
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2003 09:24:37 PM
Im sorry i missed it! I hope you guys all go again sometime! And i was astounded to see Jessica in the photos, i have met that girl in so many different places with so many different people! Hopefully see you all there next time!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous.5.klugle@spamgourmet.com
IP: 207.6.180.248
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2003 12:34:58 AM
Personally, I think Zousama was just there for the peanuts and to watch the beer girls. And possibly to add to the cheers. Who was he trumpeting for?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Love poem
BASENAME: love_poem
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/24/2003 09:07:30 PM
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BODY:
Holding husband's hand
With my umbrella bobbing
Homewards through typhoon.
Quiet splashing steps,
Damp chilly feet; my heart grows
Warm from his fingers.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Just a moment of today.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: shannon
EMAIL:
IP: 196.25.253.13
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2003 09:11:19 PM
Sigh!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Counting fingers
BASENAME: counting_fingers
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/25/2003 11:54:30 AM
-----
BODY:
When you indicate the number 8 with your hands, how do you do it?
If you're American you probably hold up your hands like this:
Side by side, in front of your face. The left hand indicates five and the right hand shows the remaining three.
But in Japan, it's done like this:
With the hands held palms together. The hand behind shows five and the hand on top gives the rest.
I imagine that other places use this method as well, and it makes sense. The person looking at your hands only has to focus in one location and to check out the fingers on top to know the number. With the American method, I always end up scanning across the hands, taking in the face of the person holding them up, too. Not nearly so efficient.
A similar ease of use follows in the Japanese method for marking groups of 5. It uses the five strokes of the kanji for five. This is used all the time in restaurants:
At a glance, you can see the correct number. The American system of four vertical lines topped by a diagonal a slash across always forces me to double check wither it's three or four lines marked down and so on, though I have no problem when it's five or one. Maybe I'm just a little slow.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
When you're ordering beer, do as the locals do...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Charles
EMAIL: qwerty@starband.net
IP: 148.78.243.52
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2003 02:53:18 PM
So, how do you count with your fingers, American style, starting with closed fist, then opening one finger at a time? Or Japanese style, with open hand, closing it into a fist one finger at a time?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: adorable1
EMAIL: in_C_minor@hotmail.com
IP: 4.42.48.67
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2003 04:30:46 PM
I now understand why my japanese teacher used a really odd why of counting....
Wee, that's one Gajin Faux Paux I won't be making now.
teehee
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.195.244
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 09/25/2003 04:32:45 PM
Hm, I would use a full hand and three fingers from thumb to middle finger of the other hand. I think that would be the most common method here in germany.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2003 08:47:28 PM
Is it really 'tadashi' that's used for marking to five? I know the kanji for 5 is only 4 strokes, but it seemed to me that the order tickets showed 'go' as the completed kanji...But maybe 5 is too many beers to be mindful of details. I'll make someone else drink the other four beers next time and I'll take a closer look at the check. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.com
DATE: 09/26/2003 12:15:34 AM
Steve's right on this one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2003 03:19:18 AM
I hold up four fingers on my right hand and four on my left, tucking my thumbs into my palms. I don't know why. Eight is my favorite number though. Maybe I feel it should be equally distributed?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2003 06:23:13 AM
OK, I corrected the kanji in my illustration, so I won't be spreading any false information about Japanese counting and marking systems. Thanks, guys. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/nihongo/
DATE: 09/26/2003 09:49:50 AM
The stroke order is wrong, though. The little upright on the left is the fourth stroke and the big line across the bottom is the fifth stroke. We used to use this when keeping score during games in class.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@zaidi.jp
IP: 80.231.145.11
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com/
DATE: 09/26/2003 11:40:35 PM
I don't know if this is the norm elsewhere, but here in the sub-continent, we are used to counting using finger segments, in addition to whole fingers. i.e. 3 segments per finger (plus thumb) for a total of 15 per hand (use your thumb to point to each segment, starting from the pinky's tip).
When I first came to Jp and was attending a language exchange program, my Japanese teacher noticed that I counted this way and seemed astonished that you could also count this way.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: niji
EMAIL: niji@azamino.com
IP: 203.205.79.110
URL:
DATE: 09/27/2003 12:15:44 AM
strokes 4 and 5: order is reversed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Early morning
BASENAME: early_morning
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/26/2003 06:11:53 AM
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BODY:
4:20 am - Tod comes to bed.
4:35 am - I rise for a glass of water...
4:50 am - 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Hokkaido. It rocks our house gently for about 45 seconds
5:10 am - First train rumbles past.
5:51 - 5:59 am - Rainbow over the Toppan building. I can see both ends. (Click for larger images.)
6:11 am - Coffee's brewing...
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EXCERPT:
earthquake and rainbow
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2003 08:07:46 AM
cool! I'm glad to hear there were no deaths and few injuries. Do they have one of these websites for Japan? http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/shake/
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2003 08:12:16 AM
Yes, there is. http://tenki.jp/qua/quake_0.html shows the details for all the recent earthquakes.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creative perspectives
BASENAME: creative_perspectives
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 09/26/2003 09:54:34 AM
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BODY:
Following on the success of Recipe Thursday (which encouraged me to cook more often and make notes on what I was doing), and Video Saturdays (which helped me get back to my video projects), mediatinker will feature a column with ideas for sparking creativity and focussing your creative genius.
Most of the entries will be about changing the way you see or do things. Give your brain a different perspective on your world, and you'll make creative leaps more easily.
The Other Side
Changing my point of view and paying attention to what I see from the other side refreshes my mind, sweeps away the old thoughts, and sometimes sparks new ideas.
To change your perspective, take a walk on the other side of the street. You'll see the familiar neighborhood buildings and sidewalks from a different point of view. Don't forget to look around as you travel on the other side. What does your house look like from across the street?
I did this last week, and was pleased to note that the stark concrete wall I normally walk next to actually fits into the landscape nicely when seen from 10 meters away. And the tree at the corner that was heavily trimmed this spring has a very different shape than I thought.
Not a walker? Try parking in a difference place at the mall or parking down the street from your office. Exit your office through the service entrance. Catch a different bus. Walk to the opposite end of the train platform. Just put yourself slightly outside your usual place, no matter what that place is.
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EXCERPT:
Launching a new column with ideas to focus your creative genius
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/27/2003 05:33:38 PM
I find that sleeping with my head at the other end of the bed is another really good variation.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.105
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 10/03/2003 12:08:55 AM
Taking your advice, I rode home on the riverside trail on the opposite bank of the river this evening, and it was a totally different experience! There is no major road on that side, so I could smell the trees and flowers much better, and there was a whole different group of dog walkers/socializers, and a great view up the valley toward Ohara that I never noticed. definitely a good move.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mob mule and toilet girl
BASENAME: mob_mule_and_toilet_girl
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/27/2003 06:02:06 PM
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BODY:
Last night was the flash mob; 9 people played rock paper scissors in the middle of Tokyo station. With only nine, it wasn't much of a mob but it was all over in 2 minutes, so it definitely qualified on the "flash" part.
I had a small role in the game. At 19:32, I dropped off the instructions at Cow #20. There didn't seem to be too many people there, just three guys hanging around on one corner of the space near the Maru Biru. So I sort of held up the papers a little bit and without breaking stride, walked over to the cow, sat the clipped together slips on the ground near a hoof, and walked away. MJ and I were the only non-Japanese there; I bet it must have confused everyone to see a foreigner with the secret instructions.
MJ got some pictures of the mob; I had my camera but was having too much fun playing to take it out and document.
Competing with the mob fun for most memorable moment of the evening, were two funny toilet incidents after. At an izakaya in Yaesu, MJ fell in love with the toilet paper. "It has stuff written all over it; steal me a roll," she requested. I didn't manage a roll, but I did spirit away these two sheets:
Boss, the location of your part has changed, hasn't it?
As long as it's for a purpose, we'll walk for anything (SIGN: a good man)
Definitely odd toilet paper.
My other toilet experience was in a different izakaya (it was a busy night) under the tracks at Yurakucho station. The ladies room is tucked into a tiny space with a low slanted ceiling--less than five feet off the ground at the highest point. I was so distracted by bumping my head that I forgot to lock the door. The woman who opened it moments after I sat down was not more shocked than I was. How do you gracefully exit that situation? I did my best with hastukashii---atama wo ki otsukete! (embarrassing--watch your head!) as I ducked out.
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What was more fun, participating in the flash mob or visiting the bathrooms afterwards?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.195.244
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 09/28/2003 02:13:07 AM
My toilet paper is called "Happy End". Kinda weird name, I think. But nobody beats the japanese when it comes to weird stuff. Ah, got nothing to say anyway, just felt like writing a comment.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Natalia
EMAIL: kezia@yandex.ru
IP: 195.46.161.34
URL:
DATE: 06/01/2004 05:00:55 PM
Konnitiwa!! I'm a flashmobber from Russia. My greetings to our collogues from Japan!!
I speak Japanese a little:
Doodzo erosiku onegai simasu.
We are planning a global flash-mob action on June 19 or 20. Many countries all over the world are participating.
Are you with us??? It would be great if you join us!!
The discussion of the action is here http://www.fars.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=67&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New Tea Season
BASENAME: new_tea_season
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/28/2003 09:09:29 PM
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BODY:
The change of season heralds a change of products at the convenience stores. The Rose Pu Erh tea that Tod enjoyed this summer is gone, and we're casting around for some new drinks to take us through the winter.
Tod came home with some Ucon Cha yesterday. It's turmeric tea. I love Okinawan black sugar and turmeric candy and turmeric is a good tonic for the liver, so can you go wrong with turmeric tea? No, you cannot. It's really tasty. This brand is mild and subtly nut-pepper-ginger-citrus flavored.
Turmeric has been used in Indian cuisine as a flavoring and a food dye for 2500 years. It works great as a dye in modern times, too, it stains the plastic bottle yellow!
Tod also found a tumeric tea with ginnemu, a weedy mimosa that's used in the tropics to feed cattle. The ucon-ginnemu tea has a distinctive flavor. When he opened the bottle, it smelled a little bit like urine. I think I'll stick to the Ucon Cha.
Another tonic tea on the market contains guava. Guava is supposed to be good for your blood sugar levels. I don't understand that at all, but the tea has a minty-anise flavor that I enjoyed.
There are scads more new teas, mostly oolong and sencha variations. I'm sure we'll try them all over the next few weeks.
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EXCERPT:
Looking for the perfect tea--again.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 24.51.172.129
URL:
DATE: 09/29/2003 09:20:32 PM
I have that same dishtowel you're using as a backdrop.
Tea all weekend here, and this morning. It's chilly so I'm drinking the brit kind, done in the press. Milk? No way. Light cream only. I think that's a good tonic for the heart?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 09/30/2003 08:16:31 PM
I have fallen in love with tumeric. In addition to what you said, it is also good for (how can i put this nicely without losing the slightly rude connotations - both are true...) lubricating your body, eg between bones etc, helps prevent calcium deposits building up and restricting joint movement. And other things. Havent had any for a while tho, so i'd like to try that tea! I guess it is the big one in the middle that looks so orange...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Editing scenes
BASENAME: editing_scenes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/29/2003 06:53:34 PM
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BODY:
What I see when I am editing. AVI (556 Kb)
How my computer sees me.
How anyone else present might see me.
I am making good progress today, after nearly a week filled with other tasks and social events. By bedtime tonight I will have the entire shopping segment done and probably the entertainment section as well. That will leave only the hefty transportation segment and the credits to do. My goal is to have this wrapped up, mastered and in the hands of the duplication company before I go on vacation later this month.
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EXCERPT:
Me in my natural habitat.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Visa renewals
BASENAME: visa_renewals
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/30/2003 12:37:49 PM
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BODY:
Any foreigner who's lived here a while knows the nail-biting tension of having a visa renewed. We are all here by the good grace of the Japanese government and once every three years we must submit ourselves for inspection and a new seal of approval. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
So what's it like?
After collecting reference letters, employment contracts, tax documents, marriage certificates, and university diplomas, a trip to the Immigration office and several thousand yen worth of revenue stamps get the application in the queue. It vanishes into the fog of Japanese bureaucracy.
There is no way of knowing what is going on behind the scenes; only a sketch of the rules is written down for applicants. Do they check all those letters and contracts? Do they consider you by nationality, income, criminal record, age, or some sort of karmic merit system?
Who knows?
We sailed through the process this time. Whatever mysterious tests were applied to us, we passed. Our visa applications were filed on September 10 and we received the renewals yesterday. We've been granted another three years' stay in Japan. Our life continues, uninterrupted by any immediate international moves.
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EXCERPT:
All set for another three years.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jordi Bunster
EMAIL: jordi@bunster.org
IP: 65.205.144.2
URL: http://bunster.org
DATE: 10/01/2003 08:36:47 PM
I go trough the same rituals in US ... it is not different from what it is in many countries ...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL: Gregm@inter.net
IP: 165.76.43.194
URL:
DATE: 10/01/2003 09:10:09 PM
Well I, for one, am glad to hear that you won't be leaving. Although a sudden international move would have made for some really interesting posts.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 81.62.111.171
URL:
DATE: 10/01/2003 09:43:24 PM
Been there. I do this once a year here in Switzerland. Nothing like a little reminder every year about both how lucky we are and how quickly things could change!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/02/2003 03:57:29 PM
Is there any way to obtain the renewal forms without having to schlep out to the Immigration office, collect forms, schlep back with completed forms etc, get renewal notice, schlep out there a third time??
When the Shibuya office was open this wasn't an issue.. but now that it is out in the boon-docks...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 151.201.241.250
URL:
DATE: 10/05/2003 12:45:52 AM
Yes!!! Glad you'll still be there when Fran & I come next fall!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gary
EMAIL: gary@gol.com
IP: 165.76.40.14
URL: http://www.garyandmegumi.com/blog/
DATE: 10/10/2003 12:21:04 PM
Just came back from handing in my documents. Since I last went, their office has moved, I have got married, and I have changed jobs. I need to send them proof that I quit my last job, then I should be through safely for another 3 years. As you wrote, a very nerve-wracking experience, even though you know you have done NOTHING wrong.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Prize-winning books
BASENAME: prize-winning_books
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 10/01/2003 11:23:41 PM
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BODY:
Never judge a book by its cover. Good advice. But I think it's fair to judge a book by its prize.
Give me any Booker Prize winner and I'll enjoy it. The Bone People, Possession, True History of the Kelly Gang. You really can't go wrong with this list. These novels all have a very strong and individual voice. Quirky British books.
I've read the highest percentage of Nebula Award winners. A precocious child reader, I read all the kids' books in our small town library before I finished grade school. My parents turned me on to Agatha Christie and classic SF. I outgrew the mysteries, but still love science fiction.
So the Hugo award winners are also dear to my heart. These are the cream of the science fiction crop. Neal Stephenson's 1996 novel, The Diamond Age, ranks as one of my favorite books of all time. I've read it almost as often as I've read Alice in Wonderland (and I first read Alice when I was 8).
Pulitzer Prize novels are a mixed bag. With prizes given since 1918, thit's a very long list with a broad sweep--"fiction in book form by an American author and preferably dealing with American life." I hated The Shipping News, but it dominated the prize lists in 1993-94. On the other hand, who doesn't love A Confederacy of Dunces?
I've not read many of the titles awarded by PEN/Faulkner or the National Book Awards. Ha Jin's 1999 novel, Waiting, is on both and I found it a tiny bit slow but a worthwhile read.
On the other hand, I've never read a Nobel Prize novel that I liked but I'm sure that's my own fault. The prize is awarded to "the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency" and I ought to know that I prefer adventure to idealism.
I'm slogging my way through 2000 Nobel winner Gao Xingjian's "One Man's Bible" right now. It's really tedious, though I've read other novels about the Chinese cultural revolution that I've enjoyed very much so I suspect it isn't the topic but the approach.
As soon as I'm done with this stinker, I will reward myself with another Booker novel.
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EXCERPT:
Judge a book by its prizes? You bet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@prodigy.net
IP: 67.74.92.93
URL:
DATE: 10/02/2003 12:19:17 AM
I agree. That was a painful read.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL: jeremy@antipixel.com
IP: 211.13.140.95
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/blog/
DATE: 10/02/2003 12:38:24 AM
I tried to read Gao's "Soul Mountain" and gave up on it. A combination of not in the mood and not being able to figure out if my annoyance with it was due to him or his translator.
By the way, maybe "Quirky British books" should be "Quirky Commonwealth books" since the authors of "The Bone People" and "True History" are antipodean. ;-)
Watch out for Carey's new one, "My Life As a Fake" -- it's a ripper!
We find out this year's Nobel laureate tomorrow. I'm kind of hoping it's someone I've heard of this time.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sean
EMAIL: sean@datamage.net
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://informage.net
DATE: 10/02/2003 08:36:13 AM
I do that Booker prize thing too, always a winner, although my list is different: Oscar and Lucinda, Disgrace, God of Small Things and The Famished Road. I'm yet to read Life of Pi but sheer volume of recommendations is making it a must.
Oh and I've read The Diamond Age one or two times too ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/02/2003 03:54:49 PM
True History of the Kelly Gang was a sensational read!!
I have just finished one that you should like.. "The Dream of Scipio" by Iain Pears. Brilliant.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.95.122
URL:
DATE: 10/03/2003 11:50:45 PM
i am reading diamond age right now , before i red snow crash - i can't say i'm that impressed , it's ok but not out df the ball park .
i can't seem to lose the feeling that i read it all before - in bruce sterlings and william gibsons work , of wich i'm a huge fan and addict .
but if you like Neal Stephenson - he 's just publisheded a new book the first part of a baroque triology .
i agree that most of the recent nobel price winners were pretty boring - but i think that has lot to do with not all literature being meant to entertain and a lot being lost in translation - i once read thomas mann in english different book allthogether . how bad might it be to translate a book from a non indo-germanic language into english ?
anyway the best si-fi novel i ever red was schismatrix-plus
by bruce sterling if you haven't red it - do so .
btw you look mighty scholary with those glasses
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ana ma roopa
EMAIL: anamaroopa@eudoramail.com
IP: 210.210.50.95
URL:
DATE: 10/05/2003 11:43:59 PM
Bobby Shaftoe Lives! I made the t-shirt after the third time through Cryptonomicon, and yeah, its a guy book, but something about it really grabbed me. Yes to Bookers! Double yes to Ned Kelly. And Soul Mountain sat on my shelf for two years, and then I finally read it by just opening it anywhere and reading it like a cereal box at breakfast, and I think it is a book by a genius. And the vignettes still stick in my mind....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dave
EMAIL: dasdrs@web.de
IP: 141.89.97.213
URL: http://av.antville.org
DATE: 10/13/2003 07:35:32 PM
I just found your weblog searching for weblogs from Japan (a direct hit,then),
and now stumbled over your comments on Gao Xingjian's book, which
incidentally I have just read as well.
I must say that I disagree with your assessment, I think the book is truly brilliant.
Granted, it's not story driven, but his insight into his characters, and
his ability to evoke the feeling of trying to remember something that is lost
simply stunning.
Right, just my 2 cents.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rosemary potato wedges
BASENAME: rosemary_potato_wedges
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 10/02/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
I learned this one when I was working in an Italian restaurant while I went to culinary school. I was the lowly prep cook and the chef sang me love songs. A wretched place to work, but great food.
Rosemary Potato Wedges
potatoes cut into wedges (1 potato per person)
olive oil
rosemary
salt
fresh ground black pepper
garlic (optional)
It's difficult to give exact measures for this recipe, as potatoes vary in the amount of oil they will soak up. Put the potato wedges in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and toss until they are evenly coated. Sprinkle liberally with rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss again to distribute the seasonings.
On an oiled cookie sheet or in a shallow pan, spread the potatoes in a single layer. Roast uncovered in a 375F oven for about 45 minutes. Again, this varies with the thickness of your wedges and the type of potato you use but when they are soft all the way through, they are done. You may want to turn them while they cook, to get them crispy on both sides of the wedge.
This dish complements just about any simply prepared meat or fowl.
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An aromatic side dish.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Breakfast for dinner
BASENAME: breakfast_for_dinner
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/03/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
Tonight, put on your PJs and turn on the Cartoon Network. You're going to spark your silly side by having breakfast for dinner. In my household, a sit-down breakfast is usually only a weekend event. But if we pretend, we can have breakfast any evening.
Classic Breakfast: Pancakes, bacon, juice.
No-cook Breakfast: Cereal with milk, fruit slices, yogurt.
High Class Breakfast: Eggs Benedict, fresh fruit, mimosas.
British Breakfast: Fried egg, baked beans, toast, sausage, broiled tomato.
Be sure to yawn a lot, read the newspaper, or do whatever you like to do in the mornings. Best thing is, you don't have to go to work afterwards!
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Switch your meals around.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL: ian@domodomo.com
IP: 12.224.67.27
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 10/03/2003 04:07:03 PM
Yay creativity Thursday. I am doing this for real (though Friday night my time).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/03/2003 06:53:33 PM
I eat breakfast food for dinner on a regular basis.. laziness of a single girl.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Argh, Spam!
BASENAME: argh_spam
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 10/04/2003 10:33:00 AM
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BODY:
For the past few weeks, I've been trying to think of something clever to write about the spam email I receive. How it forms spontaneous, found poetry in my Trash folder, or how the From addresses are getting to be familiar like the names of long-forgotten friends.
But I am unable to say anything amusing or witty about this plague. I receive between 250 and 300 spams every 24 hours. My filters sometimes make mistakes, so I have to scroll through looking for real mail that's been marked as spam. This is extremely irritating.
A few years ago, one of my Tech Know columns was on stopping spam (Kill Spam in Metropolis issue 376). It was a good article, but plenty of what I wrote no longer applies. Those [insert expletive here] [insert additional expletive for good measure] spammers know a million ways to trick the system. I thought I had a pretty good arsenal, but in reality I know no ways to defeat them.
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Just a rant. I can't stand it anymore...
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AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.148
URL:
DATE: 10/06/2003 07:30:04 AM
I too share your concerns. As I get the catch-all emails for the college I work for, I see a ton of spam every day. I think though, with a combination of good filters and SpamAssassin on your mail server, you can at least filter it aside and out of sight.
Has there been any talk of anti-spam laws in Japan? We've had it come up on the national as well as the state level, though I don't know if they've been able to make any legal headway.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sunday afternoon computing
BASENAME: sunday_afternoon_computing
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 10/05/2003 02:38:20 PM
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Jim from Wirefarm and Tod geek out with laptops on the living room floor. Are they Apple poster children, or what?
Jim grew up in Dunmore, PA, about 40 miles from where I lived as a kid. He and I might be the only people in Tokyo who know what heyna means.
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In our household, even downtime involves computing...
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AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL:
DATE: 10/15/2003 03:44:50 AM
Cool! Did he go to Dunmore Elementary? :-) Dunmore is actually over 40 miles from the valley. It takes me about 40 minutes to get there from Wilkes-Barre. It's above Scranton.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Domestic travel
BASENAME: domestic_travel
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/06/2003 06:15:31 PM
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Soon Tod & I will be taking our autumn holiday. This year, we're staying in Japan and touring cities that begin with O--Oita, Onomichi and Osaka. We'll fly to Oita, then take trains on the way back towards Tokyo.
Having just paid for our tickets and hotels, and thinking that it was an awful lot of money for domestic travel, I was wondering what a comparable itinerary in the US would cost.
So using Pittsburgh as our starting point, I priced a trip to Chicago, Indianapolis and Cincinnati with 8 nights in hotels similar in quality to the places we'll stay in Japan.
If you convert the yen to dollars, then it's easier to see that our Japan holiday will cost about $750 more than a comparable trip in the US. Pretty crazy...but the experiences will be worth the money. I love getting away from Tokyo and seeing other parts of the country.
And of course, if we wanted to travel to the US, it would set us back a few thousand dollars, so in the end, it's less expensive to travel domestically for our holiday.
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A price comparison of Japanese and American domestic travel.
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AUTHOR: todd
EMAIL: todd@deepermotive.com
IP: 211.131.244.232
URL: http://www.deepermotive.com
DATE: 10/07/2003 05:38:34 PM
i've only been in tokyo for a month, but my plan from the beginning (and I'm going to stick to it, too, if i can) is eventually to take a weekend trip to somewhere outside of tokyo once a month. right now, I'm still dealing with moving expenses, blah, blah, blah. I'm jealous. Have fun!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Speed test: Google vs Shinkansen
BASENAME: speed_test_google_vs_shinkansen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/07/2003 12:00:01 AM
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Get yourself to Shinagawa station this week for an unusual intersection of computing and trains.
Google Japan is holding an event at the new Shinagawa shinkansen station until Friday. Go to the Virgin Cafe and take a quiz; if you get the correct answer, you'll win a Google prize. Everyone gets a Google keitai strap.
Now if only you could Google while on the shinkansen...then I'd pack my laptop for our holiday for sure.
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A week-long event at Shinagawa Station.
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AUTHOR: GMan
EMAIL:
IP: 210.230.189.219
URL: http://greggman.com
DATE: 10/10/2003 12:41:58 PM
Ummm, how about through the power lines :-p If they can do that at home they should be able to do it on the Shinkansen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kevin
EMAIL: kevin@kevincameron.net
IP: 219.18.88.132
URL: http://www.bastish.net
DATE: 10/15/2003 01:48:52 AM
If France can do it...
High-Speed Trains in France Get Wi-Fi
The TGV, the French high-speed train, will offer Wi-Fi access in the passenger cars on certain routes. Travelers can use their own laptops or rent one from a station.
http://wifinetnews.com/archives/002340.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mmmm, oden
BASENAME: mmmm_oden
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 10/08/2003 09:08:00 AM
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Japan (yen)
USA (dollars)
Airfare
60,600
344
Trains
56,740
362
Hotels
141,000
900
Total
258,340
1,606
My appetite for Japanese food, maybe food in general, gears up when the weather cools. Last week we had our first oden nabe of the season.
Oden is a soup made of protein-rich foods and root vegetables stewed in a salty clear broth. Most of the nuggets in our pot, which is sitting on a portable gas burner on the dining room table, are made of fish paste.
Fish paste sounds a little weird, but it's delicious. It's made of scraps of white fish, ground together and mixed with flavorings. It's economical and definitely peasant food. Of course, we buy ours at the grocery store just like most everyone in Tokyo.
One of my favorite items in oden is chikuwa. Fish paste is wrapped around a bamboo pole and toasted. Then the pole is removed, so you end up with something that looks a little bit like a hollow marshmallow.
This oden included all sorts of things wrapped in fish paste--quail eggs, shrimp, burdock root--and plenty of flavored fish pastes, too--crab, liver, burdock. Sometimes people add hot dogs, fried tofu or eggs to the pot. Daikon often makes an appearance along with strips of wakame seaweed tied in knots.
Oden nabe is one of my favorite wintertime dinners.
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Cold weather food.
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AUTHOR: GMan
EMAIL:
IP: 210.230.189.219
URL: http://greggman.com
DATE: 10/10/2003 12:38:34 PM
For more info on Oden...
http://greggman.com/japan/oden/oden.htm
(sorry for the shameless self promotion ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 10/16/2003 02:40:29 AM
Oden is one of my favorites too. I need the weather to drop about 20 degrees (F) here in Austin tho to enjoy it to it's fullest! :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Goma-miso dressing
BASENAME: goma-miso_dressing
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 10/09/2003 12:00:01 AM
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This salty-sweet and slightly nutty dressing is good with all sorts of vegetables--raw or cooked.
Goma-Miso Dressing
2 Tblsp toasted sesame seeds (goma)
2 Tblsp white miso
1 Tblsp sugar
2 Tblsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 t fresh lemon juice
1/2 t soy sauce
Grind the sesame seeds into a paste. Mix in the other ingredients. Serve as a dipping sauce or drizzle over salad or cooked vegetables.
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A Japanese style dressing.
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AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2003 04:53:07 PM
Is this what you use on top of grilled nasu? Yummy!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A dozen details
BASENAME: a_dozen_details
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/10/2003 07:08:23 AM
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Even though I try to keep my desk tidy, there are lots of things on it. Most of them don't merit a second glance; they are just the things I use every day.
To open my eyes, though, I'll take a close look. You follow along. Grab something from your desk now...what did you pick up? I'm holding my dictionary.
Here are a dozen questions to get you started. Of course you'll see more details than this, so don't stop here...
1. My dictionary weighs about the same as my half-full coffee mug. 2. If I flip through the pages quickly, it sounds like a bird in flight; if I hold it by the spine and flap it, it makes a flop-flop noise like someone running. 3. A light sniff smells sweet, probably from all the candy that I nibble at my desk. If I open it and take a good whiff of the pages, I'm transported back to my school library. 4. It is a little bit tacky on the covers, and the edges of the pages are soft and dry. 5. The cover is dark dark navy blue with white and yellow writing ad bright red, green and yellow designs. On the back cover there is a pale green and pink sample entry. 6. I've used it a lot, so the edges of the cover are burnished white and the corners are bent and curled back. The pages are turning darker at the edges and there's an accidental pen mark on the outside. The pages from vernier to vision are folded at the bottom corner; from amity to ante are folded down at the top. 7. The book is warm on the outside where I've been handling it, but the pages inside are cooler. 8. Its height is exactly the same as the length of my left hand from wrist-bone to the tip of my middle finger. 9. It stands to the left of the Japanese dictionaries and to the right of the Final Cut Pro manuals. Before I had the manuals on my desk, it was next to my wooden card file. 10. If I sit it spine down, it opens itself to page 564-564, pitch to plane. If I pitch the book across the room is decidedly un-plane lake. Not a bit aerodynamic. 11. I hesitate to actually eat my book, but I can imagine it would be slightly sweet and salty with a strong taste of acid from the cheap pulp paper it's printed on. 12. I only have on English dictionary, so this is just "the dictionary." But it calls itself "The OXFORD Paperback DICTIONARY & THESAURUS" which is entirely too long for daily use.
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Creative examination of any old object.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/10/2003 02:48:26 PM
I have an extremely messy desk. I don't think this is good and it really annoys my secretary. Have you any good strategies to keeping it tidy??? No matter what I seem to do it is messy in a week after a big purge. I don't see it as everything I do is with my computer so the papers just build up around me. When I don't have enough room to move my mouse I have a big clean and filing day.. I have always had this problem...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kris
EMAIL: kanfuso@nl.edu
IP: 69.17.21.147
URL:
DATE: 10/11/2003 10:15:31 AM
I talked to juli about this. I love it we are going to give it as homework later in the year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.195.244
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 10/11/2003 07:04:52 PM
I picked up an apple. There are always some apples in reach, because I'm kinda addicted to them. Well, better then sugar bloated sweets, I keep telling me. Though this addiction keeps getting out of hand, when I eat over a kilogram of apples per day. But back to the subject. The apple is quite small and green. I can nearly reach around it with my fingers. The sort is called "Golden Delicious". It smells like, well, an apple. =) It tasted sweet and was very juicy for this sort. The peel was shining, because I clean the apples before eating them. The next apple looks a lot like the one I just ate. If I push it, it rolls across the free space on my desk, near the edge.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Changing time zones
BASENAME: changing_time_zones
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/11/2003 07:31:05 AM
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BODY:
Our unusual household schedule works pretty well under normal circumstances. Tod works into the wee hours so that he can connect with colleagues in London; I rise early because I function best in the morning. We each get some quiet time alone to focus on our projects and we enjoy lunch and dinner together on most days.
But today we begin our holiday. Tourists in Japan are expected to rise early, see the sights before 5:00 when temples and museums shut their doors, then retire for drinks and dinner.
So in about 60 minutes, Tod will be wrenched back into the local time zone. I'll try to do it gently, with a hot mug of coffee and a kiss on the forehead, but it's going to be a rude awakening regardless. Tod will be sleepwalking until we reach Oita, and feeling jetlagged for a couple of days even though we're not leaving Japan.
We figured out that Tod lives on India time. Maybe next year, we'll travel there and I'll be the one making the adjustment.
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...without even leaving Japan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL:
DATE: 10/13/2003 09:36:23 PM
Hope Tod is awake enough now to enjoy the sights/sounds/smells/textures/tastes. I envy your travel. Color me green. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayaka@mugi.com
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 10/16/2003 08:18:56 PM
Kristen and Tod had enjoyed their time in with me Oita. (or at least I hope they did and I surely did.) Wonder where are they now.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 10/16/2003 08:19:30 PM
Kristen and Tod had enjoyed their time in with me Oita. (or at least I hope they did and I surely did.) Wonder where are they now.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.129.156.106
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 10/17/2003 08:44:24 AM
Did you visit OITA ? Did you visit YUBUIN?? Anyway now it is the best season to view changing leaves. Thoug NIKKO, it usually takes one hour by car from my house, this season it is very corwded. So last year I left home 5o'clock and alreday got home at 8 o'clock. It was a nice drive!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rice and rain
BASENAME: rice_and_rain
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/12/2003 11:59:59 PM
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Sayaka and her husband Masahi picked us up from the airport and chauffeured us around their prefecture for Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday. I could hardly believe their generosity. Although Sayaka and I have a very friendly correspondence, we've only met once. She really is a fantastic person.
Masahi works for the Oita department of agriculture and fisheries, so he is familiar with the loveliest parts of the countryside. We drove around the Kunisaki peninsula on Saturday afternoon. The color of rice as it matures for harvest is the most vivid yellow-green.
We stopped at several old temples and drove through countless tunnels and admired all of the farms and local produce. We even went past Usa, where legend has it that the clever Japanese had a lot of manufacturing plants in the 1950s. Instead of stamping their plastic toys "Made in Japan" they put "Made in Usa" before exporting them to America.
Sayaka came out to dinner with us and introduced us to several Oita specialties: toriten, tempura-style fried chicken; kabosu, a sour citrus fruit that's great in sauces or in drinks; and chicken sashimi. I was really surprised at how delicious raw chicken is...actually it's cooked tataki style, seared on the outside and raw in the middle, then sliced very thin. Mmmmm.
Sunday was a day of intermittent, intense downpours, but it didn't stop us from heading to the Oita coast. Masahi drove us to Saiki and then we boarded a ferry for the tiny island of Oonyujima. We drove around the island twice, stopping once for a terrific seafood curry lunch (We had to wait a while as we arrived two minutes after a group of 30 who had been on a fishing tour) and once for soft cream (soft-serve ice cream) while we waited for the ferry back to Saiki.
Sayaka and Masahi treated us royally. They came prepared with maps, guidebooks and pamphlets for everything in English. It was truly a treat to see so much of the countryside, though I'm afraid I was a terrible conversationalist during our rides. I was too entranced with gazing at and thinking about the passing landscape to devote much brain power to talking. If I had talked I would have been babbling all the things I was thinking--memories of other rural places, wondering about growing seasons, comparison of architecture. I think it was better for everyone that I kept all that in my head. :-)
Back in Oita city,Tod & I decided to go for a walk after dinner and while we were out, encountered a grandmother and her two grandchildren catching crabs along the castle moat. She showed us her technique: quickly press down on the back of the crab, then pick it up by the sides of the shell. I was too slow to get the pressing part, but she was really skilled at it and caught one for me that I got to hold. I'll bet she's been doing this since she was a kid. It was heartwarming to see her passing the torch to her granddaughter and grandson. And to us...
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Two days of countryside driving.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jigoku
BASENAME: jigoku
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/13/2003 11:59:59 PM
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We celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary by being buried in very hot sand. Suna yu is a sand bath, and there are several in Beppu, the famous hot spring town nearby Oita. I was eager to try this but Tod wasn't so sure. He agreed to come along and wait for me while I bathed. But when we arrived and he saw the charming seaside location he relented. It turned out that he liked it. Lying under a heavy pile of 41 degree sand is utterly relaxing. Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye (or 40 winks in my case), and then we had to wiggle our way out to make room for the next people.
After our sand bath, we walked up the hill to the jigoku. Jigoku means hell, and it's what the very hottest springs are called. There are 9 of them in Beppu. All are too hot to bathe in, and have been turned into tourist traps. But interesting ones...this one says "Danger, if you fall in the pond you will be boiled."
We visited three of the jigoku. At the first one, the steaming water turns white in contact with air; at the second the water was salty and claimed to prevent you from going to hell if you drank it (I had to think a long time about that, but took a tiny sip to taste it so I'll probably end up in purgatory); the third boiled like mad and threatened to splash anyone who got too close.
When we'd had our fill of Beppu's hot water, Tod treated me to a delicious and luxurious French dinner on the 21st floor restaurant of our hotel. There were five pairs of silverware bracketing our plates. We love to eat well, but don't often splash out on a ritzy meal like that. It was a treat. And the bottle of 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape was a very good wine to toast our long marriage.
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An anniversary in hell.
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AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 10/22/2003 10:58:40 PM
Of all the things I miss about living in Beppu, the thing I miss most is getting into hot water. An over-chlorinated hot tub at the health club isn't even in the same class of experience.
Being buried in hot sand is wonderful, especially if you feel tired and ache with a cold coming on.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Testudo no Hi
BASENAME: testudo_no_hi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/14/2003 11:59:59 PM
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It's Rail Transportation Day and the nation's railways are celebrating. We joined in the fun by taking trains from Oita to Onomichi.
First we travelled on the Sonic to Kokura. The Sonic has one of the nicest interiors I've ridden in. The seats are taupe leatherette, there's plenty of legroom and the windows are nice and big. Yesterday, we rode on the "Family Wonderland" version of the Sonic between Beppu and Oita, and the interior was done up in primary colors but just as posh.
At Kokura, we transferred to the Shinkansen. From here to Hiroshima, we rode on the sleek Nozomi. It announced when it was going 300 km/hr (186 mi/hr). The landscape flew past so quickly. We were in Hiroshima in no time. Actually, it was about 45 minutes but it seems like no time at all.
Our journey continued on another Shinkanesen, the Kodama. The Kodama trains are the slowest of the Shinkansens, and they stop at all of the stations. This one took us to Shin-Onomichi. We had Car 4 to ourselves for about half of the 45 minute trip.
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Traveling by rail on Rail Transportation Day.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mikangari
BASENAME: mikangari
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/15/2003 11:59:59 PM
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Today we went mikan hunting.
I'd seen a sign for mikangari when we were driving around Oita and it struck me a fun activity. The Seto area is known for its mikan farms, so upon arriving in Onomichi yesterday, we went to the tourist information center to ask. They gave us a map and some phone numbers for the mikan farms on Mukaishima, the island across the harbour.
This morning after breakfast, Tod called around to find one that was open, and we took the ferry over. It was a longish walk out of town to the mikan farm and we might have been the only people on the island who were walking. Everyone else had a car or a bicycle, but I was not going to spoil my holiday by riding a bike.
An older couple was sitting in a shed, weighing, trimming and taping bundles of aonegi, green onions. They were prepared for our arrival, but I don't think that a lot of Westerners arrive on foot at their farm to pick oranges. But we did and they were gracious. The woman handed us short, curved blade scissors and a plastic bag as the man explained that he'd take us up to the grove.
"It's 500 yen for all-you-can-eat, and 600 yen if you want to take them home in the bag." he told us. Then he straddled his bicycled and rode slowly up the lane, asking a million questions to Tod. The mikan grove was at the top of a hill overlooking the sea. It was fabulous.
After a quick lesson on how to select and cut the mikan, we were on our own. We spent a very happy half hour crawling under the diminutive trees hunting for the tastiest mikan. As they ripen, dark green gives way to brighter green and yellows, then becomes progressively redder until reaching a brilliant orange. Fortunately for us, partially ripe mikan are also delicious, if not quite as sweet, and we gathered a half a bag to carry back with us.
Instead of walking straight back to the ferry, we opted to make a loop around part of the island. It turned out to be a long dull walk, but enjoyable for the exercise and the chance to breathe fresh air. Tod kept hoping for a bus, but they only run four times a day, and there wasn't one when we needed it.
By late afternoon we were back in Onomichi, and visited the Motion Picture Museum, which features the films made locally. All of the tourist maps have the key roke, filming locations, marked on them but they are all for films we've never seen--old Japanese dramas and period pieces. The museum wasn't much, but it had photos from all the films and a display of old cameras and projectors. The museum's own theater (ironically, the only theatre in Onomichi) screened some clever short films made in a local contest, and a history of film in Onomichi. Made me wish I'd brought my video camera.
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Hunting for mandarin oranges
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2003 04:07:53 PM
Do Mikan's make yummy mikan-shu? I make my own ume-shu, but this year I want make something a bit different...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Viewing Onomichi
BASENAME: viewing_onomichi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/16/2003 11:59:59 PM
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Onomichi is one of my favorite places in Japan. It's just a little town, with a harbor on the Seto Inland Sea, a run down shopping arcade, and a hillside dotted with temples and monuments, but it speaks to me. I like the atmosphere of slow decline, the cracks in the tiles underfoot, the slow pace of life, the sea air.
And I love the view. We spent the greater part of the day gazing out from vantage points on the hillside--the ropeway to the hilltop, observation platform, the lobby of the art museum, an abandoned carnival, the literature museum, the street above an old pagoda--and catching glimpses between houses and trees as we walked back into the lower part of town. Then we sat at the quay and watched the ferries before retiring for dinner.
I think the view speaks for itself. Click to get a much larger version:
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EXCERPT:
Onomichi's views are the best.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 10/20/2003 08:09:34 PM
What a fabulous view, yes. You did a great job with splicing the photos together to capture it all, too.
Welcome home. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On to Osaka
BASENAME: on_to_osaka
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/17/2003 11:59:59 PM
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We made one last trip up the hillside in Onomichi, then boarded the Shinkansen for Osaka.
Upon arrival, we alighted the subway at Temmabashi station. As we looked at our map, trying to decide which station exit was closest to our hotel, a woman asked if we needed help.
She was not the last person to kindly offer assistance while we were in Osaka (something that rarely happens in Tokyo), but her directions were the most striking:
"Go up those stairs there, and turn right. Then another set of stairs and turn left and go into Matsuzakaya. Go up to the seventh floor and the hotel entrance is there. Or maybe it's the sixth floor..."
Hotel on the 7th floor of a department store? Well, why not. We lived above a shopping mall in Singapore. When we got to the seventh floor, we had to ask a sales girl where to go, but sure enough, back behind the children's books was the entrance to the hotel.
After checking in and asking the front desk staff to look up a phone number for us (I saw the concierge Googling and felt nostalgic for my computer), we went out wandering. Tod had the brilliant idea to go buy a gourmet guide book at the convenience store. We made very good use of it. We found an Indian restaurant for dinner and searched out lunch the next day with the book. Yeah for Tod! Yeah for Hanako restaurant navi books!
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Osaka people are really helpful.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 10/21/2003 02:17:52 AM
What a lovely picture! The green of the tree and the blue of the sky and the water are just perfect together.
Looks like you had quite an adventure! Thanks for taking us along for a 'virtual' vacation. ^_^
Oh, and happy anniversary!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Niko niko!
BASENAME: niko_niko
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/18/2003 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Today we finally met Niko, Zoupi's host in Belgium last summer. We met him for lunch and he spent the day doing silly things with us.
First we went to the Osaka Sewerage Science Museum. Sounds weird but we wanted to visit the last time we were in Osaka, but didn't make it. So of course it was on the top of our sightseeing list this time.
Zoupi liked this exhibit--it shows where the zoo sewage is.
What else is at the Sewerage Science Museum? Explanations of how Osaka treats its wastewater, examples of how it's reused after it's cleaned, and a lot of exhibits feature water--vortex spinners, rain simulators, wave motion generators and a quiz at the end.
Probably better than the museum was where we ended up afterwards. The train dropped us back in Umeda, the same area we'd had dinner the night before. Rather than head into the tick of things, we threaded our way into the back alleys behind a temple. And found a wonderful little izakaya presided over by this man:
His wife called him "Master" and he certainly was an excellent cook. We went in for oden, and ended up with a variety of foods, included the best goma-ae I've ever had. He served it over simmered greens and chilled green grapes. I regret not asking him for the recipe.
Here is some of the Osaka-style oden that I was eager to taste. It's a big block of tofu, simmered in a lightly seasoned broth and topped with a sheet of paper-thin seaweed. Yum! We also had simmered diakon served with grated yuzu, and a kyouimo a greyish, sticky potato I'd never had before.
I was having such a good time that I failed to take any photos of Niko. But he took one of us (in fact all the photos in this report are his) at our nijiikai. Tod is looking up the kanji on the waribashi wrapper. Tod looked up the kanji on everything during this trip--he even had to change the batteries in his electronic dictionary. He loves kanji and never passes up the opportunity to look them up. I try to be patient...can you tell in the picture?
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EXCERPT:
All day in Osaka
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.115.156.97
URL:
DATE: 10/21/2003 09:25:13 PM
It was so great to finally meet you all 3 together, I really had a great time!
See you again in Tokyo!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/22/2003 01:44:35 PM
Wouldn't he be better using his keitai to search on kanji?? So many more kanji available. (^^)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Winding up the holiday
BASENAME: winding_up_the_holiday
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/19/2003 07:24:46 PM
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BODY:
One final leisurely morning and a scenic boat ride around Osaka's waterways, then we were on the Hikari shinkansen and on our way home from our vacation.
We had a fabulous time touring the O cities. I haven't returned from a holiday this relaxed and happy in years. Why was it so good? I'm not sure, but here's a clue: unless you count the interactive museum displays, I didn't touch a computer for 8 days.
Of course, here I am freshly returned and already at the console, but even 2049 spam messages or the pile of work that awaits my attention can't dampen my happy mental state.
I tried to jot notes while I was on the road but my handwriting is wretched. Still, I will get the backlog of weblog entries done shortly, so look for photos and tales of Oita, Onomichi and Osaka.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.38.132
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 10/20/2003 06:28:10 AM
Zoupi!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.168.73
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2003 08:19:21 AM
Good great you have enjoyed it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 61.118.134.152
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 10/20/2003 08:23:15 AM
What kind of foods did you enjoy?? Did you eat OKONOMIYAKI in OSAKA? It is definitely different from in TOKYO.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 10/20/2003 09:12:56 AM
Welcome back - glad you had a nice trip!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 61.120.193.154
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2003 01:38:47 PM
What beautiful blogging you do without touching a computer!
(Plus what they said.)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Accounting the Os
BASENAME: accounting_the_os
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/20/2003 10:37:34 PM
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BODY:
October's holiday saw a lot of things that began with O. Here's a list by city.
Oita
Oasis Tower Hotel
Onsen
Ocean
On (a favor or kindness)
Oita-ben book from Sayaka
Onomichi
Outdoors
Orchard
Otera (temples)
Observation tower
Oven (a wood fired pizza one at La Porto)
Owls (marking theDokohaku tourist info)
Omelette
Osaka
Oden
Ouen (assistance) from strangers
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EXCERPT:
Just how many Os did we encounter on this trip?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Oh, nigari
BASENAME: oh_nigari
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/21/2003 10:12:32 AM
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BODY:
About a month ago, MJ visited her in-laws and got caught up in a new diet fad. Now she puts a few drops of nigari, liquid magnesium salts, into her Diet Coke. She claims that it has helped her drop several kilos.
Perhaps I should have been insulted by the implication, but I was surprised and pleased when Tod brought home a bottle of nigari yesterday. You can buy it in any grocery store--it's used to coagulate soymilk into tofu. He remembered our conversation about nigari from a few days ago, I guess.
Well, I did some poking around. Magnesium is a good mineral. It helps bind calcium to bones, it makes you regular (think "milk of magnesia"), helps your heart, and studies indicate that migraines might be caused by a magnesium deficiency.
So for the next few weeks, I'll try nigari in my coffee. The first sip confirms that it does change the taste, but it's not unpleasant. More like brewing a different kind of bean than taking medicine.
I am a little concerned that this is going to start some horrible chain of fad dieting--I shudder as I recall the difficulties I've had cooking for guests who were on no fat, no carbs, mostly rice crackers, only oat bran, no sauces, and exclusively protein diets over the years.
But perhaps a few drops of nigari is more like taking vitamins than eating an unusual diet. If I lose weight, find myself headache free and feel healthier, I'll report back.
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EXCERPT:
Am I slipping down the slope of fad food and diets?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 10/22/2003 12:02:12 AM
When I remember to take extra of magnesium and potassium as the heart dr. prescribed years ago, I feel much better overall. I tend to get less lightheaded and swimmy when I stand up too quickly. Guess it regulates blood pressure.
What do you need to lose kilos for??? Pffbt.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 61.118.134.186
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 10/22/2003 01:24:40 PM
NIGARI? Though I know how it is used, for me it is the first time to have it directly with drink -- it's interesting. I sometimes try KINAKO.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: greendrummeras
EMAIL:
IP: 213.78.159.163
URL: http://www.greendrummers.com
DATE: 01/10/2004 09:26:05 AM
Well I was looking everywehre for Nigari salts as it s supposed to remove warts in cows, so i m trying it on myself :-) hope it works
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: NK lobs missiles into sea
BASENAME: nk_lobs_missiles_into_sea
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/22/2003 01:41:04 PM
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BODY:
On Monday during the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Bangkok as leaders debated the fate of nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula, North Korea shot a test missile into the Sea of Japan. It was a surface to ship missile, apparently part of an annual military exercise, and came nowhere near Japan.
On Tuesday there was a report on NHK, based on US intelligence, of another test firing. You have to wonder how well defended we are here when you read a quote like this from the Defense Agency a couple of hours after the missile was launched, "We are aware of unconfirmed information of that nature. We are now trying to confirm it."
South Korea says there was no second missile, though everyone agrees the DPRK did fire one on Monday. I wonder what the truth is here?
Some reports on the subject:
Al Jazeerah - North Korea had right to test-fire missile: Putin
MSNBC - S.Korea says no evidence of 2nd North missile test
Tribnet - orth Korea rejects U.S. offer as 'laughing matter'
The Toronto Star - North Korea tests anti-ship missile as leaders meet
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EXCERPT:
Was it one or two? And why?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fannie Farmer Brownies
BASENAME: fannie_farmer_brownies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 10/23/2003 06:52:13 AM
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BODY:
Fannie Farmer was one of the first "scientific" cooks. Her landmark cookbook used precise measurements. When I make this recipe, she probably turns in her grave. I often stray from the strict measures and add various options and surprises. No matter what I do, they always turn out delicious.
Fannie Farmer Brownies
3 oz unsweetened chocolate (or 9 Tblsp cocoa + 3 Tblsp butter)
6 Tblsp butter
1.5 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/4 t salt
3/4 cup flour
1.5 t vanilla
(optional: 3/4 cup walnuts, chocolate chips, dried fruits or 1 t flavored liquor)
Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9" square pan. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Spread in the pan and bake 40 minutes, until dry on top and almost firm to the touch. Cool 15 minutes and cut.
For chewier brownies, double the recipe and bake in a 9x13" pan
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EXCERPT:
Chocolate treats!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 10/25/2003 10:16:15 AM
Isn't it funny how some people are full-on about measuring things in recipes and others are not?
I'm more of a walk-on-the-wild-side cook myself...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: BOB
EMAIL:
IP: 67.0.75.37
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2004 02:42:22 PM
no, it really isnt all that funny but oh well
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shift work
BASENAME: shift_work
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/24/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
Today's creative assignment: pick a day next week and shift your schedule by one hour.
You can shift forward or back--I'm a morning person so I'll get up and go to bed an hour earlier than usual. That means I can also get to work an hour earlier--leave an hour early, too! Take lunch at 1:00 instead of 2:00. Have an earlier dinner.
It may not seem like a big change, but you'll encounter a different world. Your commute will be more or less crowded. Maybe you'll get in on a timely lunch special you normally miss, or eat from the early-bird dinner menu. If you watch TV in the morning or evening, you'll see different shows. Maybe you'll see the sun rise--or catch the sunset from street level instead of inside your office.
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EXCERPT:
Change perspective by moving your time.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.195.244
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 10/24/2003 04:29:11 PM
Hm, I have to follow the schedule the university gives me. And at work I don't have a fixed, nor a regular schedule. So not much to change for me...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/25/2003 10:26:49 AM
Even if you can't change your school/work schedule, you can shift around the other aspects of your day--waking, sleeping and eating. Try it and see. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.195.244
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 10/25/2003 06:11:20 PM
Ah, that I will try. =)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The scent of clean
BASENAME: the_scent_of_clean
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/25/2003 10:20:34 AM
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BODY:
This week, we switched dishwashing liquids. Our usual brand was out of stock and Tod picked up an American brand that smelled like flower-scented petrochemicals. I'd forgotten that "fresh plastic" smell that so many American cleaning products have. Just thinking about it makes my nose twitch.
We replaced the "Ivory Ultra" with our regular brand the next day.
This got me thinking about all the chemicals in our life, in general, and the smell of cleaning products in particular. Japanese cleaners and soaps often smell like citrus. Underneath, I'm sure the chemical composition is just as harsh and manufactured, but it certainly smells better.
I went around the house sniffing soaps and potions. As I expected, a lot of them smelled like a fantasia of orange and tangerine - sort of like baby aspirin. I was a little bit surprised to see how many different products I have for such a small household.
Why is it that Japanese society equates clean with citrus and American culture thinks plastics smell clean?
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EXCERPT:
What is it with oranges and cleaning products?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Indian community
BASENAME: indian_community
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/26/2003 11:42:05 AM
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BODY:
Last night, Tod & I attended a party to celebrate the Indian festival of lights, Diwali (aka Deepavali). Murali, one of Tod's colleagues, planned the party for the Indian IT folks working at several of the investment firms.
The party started at 6; we arrived at 6:15 to find a nearly empty room. Nalnish greeted us with a chuckling explanation, "Everyone is running on Indian time and will be here an hour late!"
Sure enough, by 7, the room was full of people. Diwali is a happy celebration, though exactly what it celebrates depends on what part of India you're from. It really doesn't matter--Diwali is a excuse for fun.
A dozen children dressed in party finery ran around playing games, while two dozen men and women mingled or sat in laughing groups. Young mothers dressed in gorgeous sari, glamourous salwar kameez, and stunning gold jewelry collectively watched over the children, keeping them out of harm's way and ensuring that they all played fair.
We played musical chairs, bingo, and a challenging game of "Guess the Hindi Song." We feasted on curries, poori, biryani, carrot halva and sweets and then set off fireworks along the river.
It was, in many ways, a pretty typical family-oriented social event. But it was different, too. Not because of the curry dinner or the exotic silks and gems but because of the relationships.
It's difficult to write about this without sounding either sappy or like a clueless ethnologist. I envy the Indian community in Tokyo. It is a real society of families and friends.
Perhaps the practice of arranged marriages fosters a larger, tighter social network, since couples aren't burdened with the wrong-headed notion that their partner is the one and only person they will ever need to rely on. All of the couples seemed to care for one another, but they were equally connected to their friends.
By contrast, the "foreign community" that I belong to is mostly unmarried or childless couples like me and Tod. The bonds among our set are much looser than those I saw last night. Whether it's the lack of children or a general difference in culture, I don't know.
I like the idea of a very close group of friends, but I don't know if I'd like to live in one. I'm set in my ways and those ways include a lot of time alone. Distance. Sedentary separation. Focus on work. Momentary irritability when someone changes my schedule unexpectedly. Well, I exaggerate. I used to have a house where people just dropped by whenever. And I loved that...
Next weekend, there is a Diwali party in Futako-tamagawa where 2,000 people are expected to attend. Maybe I'll be among them as part of the larger, looser circle of the Indian community.
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The lone white Americans in a crowd of Indians.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 207.6.109.226
URL:
DATE: 10/30/2003 01:59:16 AM
Sounds like a great festival and yummmmy food. I think that one of the reasons the ex-pat community is so strong is due to the fact that there is that isolation. I agree that the Indian social support and structure must be wonderful, but like you, I wonder if I'm too set in my ways to have to also live up to the accompanying responsibilities.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Praying Mantis
BASENAME: praying_mantis
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/27/2003 01:21:53 PM
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BODY:
Brand
Mfg
Use
Scent
Joy
P&G
Dish detergent
Orange
Grease Cut Magic Clean
P&G
Kitchen cleaner
Citrus-y plastic
Glass Use
Savings
Glass cleaner
Flowers
Sink Mawari Cleaner
P&G
Steel sink cleaner
Orange
Attack
P&G
Laundry soap
Orange
Muse
P&G
Anti-bacterial hand soap
Orange with nutmeg
MyPet
P&G
All-purpose cleaner
Plastic
Ofuro Clean
Lion
Bathroom cleaner
Orange
Ofuro Polishing Clean
Lion
Tub cleaner
Orange
Toilet Magic Clean
P&G
Toilet cleaner
Minty
Kabi Killer
P&G
Mold/mildew remover
Bleach
While I was being winked at by this praying mantis, Jim & Yuka were documenting park outing more fully. Read all about our afternoon in the wilds of Kosihikawa Botanical Garden over at Wirefarm, and see the 1 minute video Yuka made. Yes, I am hugging a tree...at least there wasn't any footage of me whittling branches or chewing sticks.
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EXCERPT:
It winked at me, I swear it did...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 10/27/2003 11:48:34 PM
I love it when I find a praying mantis! Last time I saw one, it was at Grandmom's apartment. It had scaled the outside wall and was peering at us through her window. They are amazing creatures.
Watched the movie. Lovely images and music. Looks like it was beautiful day out. I would like to see footage of you chewing sticks! Was it birch? Yum!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.34.0
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 10/28/2003 10:35:08 AM
I love that they're so common in Japan. We have so few - and they're historically so valued by farmers - that they are protected by state law, in Connecticut (USA). I actually had to scoop one off a deck grill with a Dell catalog before lighting it - he was tucked up under the cover!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.195.244
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 10/29/2003 04:34:52 AM
Eek. I hate insects. I look very unmanly when something with more than four legs comes near me. I need at least a wall of glas between me and them and the knowledge that there's no way for them to get any closer.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chopstick studies
BASENAME: chopstick_studies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/28/2003 08:37:36 AM
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BODY:
Boston University School of Medicine researchers tested 2,500 Beijing residents over 60 years old to discover that the repetitive motion of using chopsticks causes degeneration of the joints and causes arthritis.
I'll bet that they got a lot of money to do that study. And what's the point? Nobody's going to stop using chopsticks. We all know already that repetitive motion of many sorts causes damage to joints and ligaments.
Maybe they'll come study my typical repetitive motions: typing, mousing, and flipping the bird at stupid researchers.
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EXCERPT:
Another stupid research program.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason
EMAIL: thejson@usa.net
IP: 208.180.235.172
URL: http://www.jasonau.com
DATE: 10/30/2003 10:13:41 AM
If you were on xanga, and I had eProps, I would give them to you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 63.84.187.2
URL:
DATE: 10/30/2003 08:33:48 PM
Greetings from Vientiane! Laos is beautiful, and the people are very nice.
I'm curious how they reached that conclusion. Doesn't everyone in Beijing use chopsticks? Who was the control group? Can you post a link to the study?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Raincheck
BASENAME: raincheck
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/29/2003 09:44:44 PM
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BODY:
One of the Japanese members of the Foreign Correspondents Club asked me to explain "raincheck" to him today. He sometimes pops into my office while I'm working and asks me to help him understand idiomatic English. I'm glad that I usually know the meaning and also the origin of the phrases he asks about.
A raincheck is a promise to deliver a service after a postponement. You might get a raincheck if the supermarket runs out of the toilet paper that's on sale. They give you a voucher that allows you to buy the toilet paper at the reduced price when it's in stock again. Or you might say "Can I take a raincheck?" if someone invites you out to dinner on a night that you are busy. This means that you hope they will invite you again on another night.
The original raincheck was a special ticket issued when a baseball game was cancelled due to bad weather. The raincheck allowed you to come to another game instead. Rainchecks have been around since 1884.
Assisting friends and colleagues with language is par for the course* around here. Tod explained "that old chestnut" to Ota-san today and even UltraBob recently needed some help translating muchi to ame (literally whip and candy) into "carrot and stick."
* yet another idiom--this time relating to golf.
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EXCERPT:
Water payments...?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.195.244
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 10/30/2003 05:09:46 AM
Ah, I always wondered what "raincheck" means, since I heard the so titled song by Van Morrison. I was too lazy to look it up in the dictionary. Nice to learn it that unexpectedly. =)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 10/30/2003 08:05:14 AM
Huh. That's interesting. I always thought the origin must have come from coats. You know, like coat check? Checking the raincoat or some such. Makes sense to me now.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tod's Soft Ginger Snaps
BASENAME: tods_soft_ginger_snaps
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 10/30/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
Just in time for Halloween or some early holiday baking, I'm offering you my recipe for the world's best ginger snaps.
This is a tried-and-true recipe handed down from Tod's mother, though I don't know where it came from before that. I've baked them a few times a year for the past 14 years. Absolutely scrumptious and easy to make.
Tod's Soft Ginger Snaps
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 t salt
Combine the shortening, egg, sugar and molasses. Add the remaining ingredients. Chill for 1 hour, then shape into 1" balls. Roll the balls in sugar and arrange on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little bit of cold water to help keep the cookies moist and to form cracks on top. Bake for a scant 8 minutes in a 350 degree oven. They come off the cookie sheet much more easily if you let them sit for a minute after they come out of the oven. Makes 6 dozen, but it's never enough...
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EXCERPT:
The world's best cookies, ever.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 10/30/2003 08:02:31 AM
6 dozen is never enough! These rock. I made them twice so far since you shared this recipe with me years ago. Why only twice? I have no idea. Maybe I'll make some this weekend...I have a lot of molasses in the pantry.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MIeko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.129.156.19
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 10/30/2003 08:30:50 AM
If you don't mind, please show the photo of this cake. IN Japan these days HALLOWEEN is becoming populer. Now this week I have been giving lessons to studends wealing ???? clothes and a hat. If you are interesed in it,please come to my bbs(not my diary).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim
EMAIL: jim@mmdc.net
IP: 211.120.15.253
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 10/31/2003 02:40:02 PM
Ohhhh. Man, they sound good...
I may be having them tonight with a big glass of cold milk...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/04/2003 10:51:33 PM
I made these last night. Actually, I made the dough the night previous and rolled out two batches and baked them last night. Helen said when she bit into one, "They're ok." Then she ate three more! She took some with her lunch today. Ha!
The trickiest part of these (for me) is keeping them uniform. I like when they come out all the same - little molasses soldiers.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Scented Day
BASENAME: scented_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/31/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
Scent is a very powerful sense--can't you conjure up a lot of memories by recalling the smell of fall leaves, pumpkin pie or wet wool sweaters? Today we'll tickle our noses and see if our creativity is enhanced.
I'm not much for wearing perfume, but I love fancy soap in the shower. So for me, a quick way to give myself a change of perspective is to put on some scent that lasts all day. Since I don't have any "real" perfume, I use essential oils.
I apply it to my hair, brushing a drop or two in thoroughly, so when I swing my head around, I catch a whiff of lavender or rosemary. It's more traditional to dab your perfume onto your wrists and other pulse points and that works beautifully , too. If you'd rather not wear the scent, but still want to try exciting your nose for the day, carry it with you on a handkerchief that you can sniff.
If you usually wear perfume, do something different today. Be daring! Try your sexy nighttime scent at the office, or trade scents with a friend. Pick up a sample of a new scent at your favorite department store or wear your husband's cologne.
Any man brave enough to wear his wife's perfume gets applause from me!
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EXCERPT:
Pulling the nose away from the grindstone...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.152
URL:
DATE: 11/05/2003 06:32:31 PM
I also recommend spraying some perfume or putting some oil on a tissue and slipping it in your bra as another way of wearing, but not wearing, a scent. The same tissue can be used under your pillow for sweet dreams.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Audio engineering
BASENAME: audio_engineering
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 11/01/2003 11:04:15 AM
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BODY:
Hello Tokyo's audio is the stuff of nightmares. It's a mix of narration recorded in my more-or-less quiet apartment and shots taken on the streets of Tokyo with all the usual traffic and background noises and in restaurants and shops with BGM and chatting customers. I spent days banging my head against my desk trying to make the hiss and hum disappear while keeping my voice intact. No matter what I tried, I ended up sounding like I was at the bottom of a well or in a large metal room.
MJ came over for half a day and got it sorted out for me. MJ is my hero.
She focussed intently on eliminating hiss, blips and imperfections. And it worked; the production is much better off now. She's offered to come over again to help out with mixing the levels and easing remaining sore points.
It's good to have a friend who's trained as an audio engineer, especially when she accepts cookies and lasagne in payment for her services. I think this is the iitomo rate; better ask her real rate if you want her help.
Have a peek at the video's first 2'44" - the title sequence and introduction as re-created in Final Cut and engineered by MJ. The full video will be premiered at Design Festa on November 15th & 16th; I'll post more details soon, but I hope you'll come to the event and say hello.
Hello Tokyo title sequence & introduction. 2'44" (6.8 MB MP4)
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EXCERPT:
At long last, another Video Saturday!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 11/01/2003 07:23:43 PM
gosh I just tweaked a little...it was worth it for those scrumpcious cookies!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erika
EMAIL: petitenephilim@aol.com
IP: 216.242.124.79
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 11/02/2003 02:13:12 PM
love the video :) i can't wait to see the finished product!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 11/04/2003 03:28:09 AM
This is so cool! Good job to both of you! ^_^
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/04/2003 04:55:52 PM
Great job guys.. is it possible to raise the volume a bit as I had it on max to hear Kristen speaking... the music volume was fine.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/04/2003 10:47:21 PM
What a triumph this is! I love the quirky design and the music. This is going to be an indispensible video for newcomers to Tokyo. You do good work.
I wish I could come to Design Festa to see it. Will you post the whole thing to see sometime, or can I get it somehow?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nekobukuro Cat's House
BASENAME: nekobukuro_cats_house
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/02/2003 09:47:15 AM
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BODY:
Nekobukuro is a mini theme park where 20 cats roam free so you can play with them. The walls are fitted out with shelves and boxes that the cats can jump to and walk around on. There's even an overhead plank that spans two rooms for quick escapes and pirate games.
When they are ready for catnaps, there's no shortage of places to conk out. In addition to shelves, there is all sorts of soft cat furniture. The cat-shaped TV plays videos of the Nekobukuro Idol Cats while Anpanman narrates with facts and jokes.
There are cats in every size, shape and color you can imagine. Rare breeds, like the wrinkly, hairless Sphinx and giagantic Maine coon, live behind glass but are rotated through the mix. While we were there a yowly little Tonkinese was out of her room and playing with visitors.
Some cats were disdainful or wary, others playful and happy to have a pat. I tried to engage one cat with a feather toy, but it wanted to chase string. Next time, I'll sneak in the laser pointer and see what happens.
This is a clever idea in a country where a kitten costs 120,000 yen and not too many apartments allow pets. I enjoyed interacting with the cats for a little while and the dozen other people, some with cameras and some on dates, seemed to be having fun, too.
Although the rooms are well ventilated, there's a faint scent of litter box. After after 15 minutes, my eyes were itchy. We hadn't really handled the cats as much as observed them, so we didn't need to use the cat-hair lint removers at the door.
Nekobukuro
Location: Tokyu Hands Ikebukuro, 8th floor.
Hours: 10:00 -20:00
Admission: 600 yen (1,000 yen "pair ticket")
See also: Cats Livin', Cat Park, Dog Forest, Dog Town, Ferret Friends at the same website.
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EXCERPT:
Wish you had a pet? Come wallow in them.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/03/2003 11:42:50 PM
Brilliant idea, well executed too. Do the cats get paid? The one you're petting looks like he needs his 10 minute break.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Name this Caterpillar
BASENAME: name_this_caterpillar
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/03/2003 09:57:07 AM
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BODY:
Can you identify this caterpillar? It was crawling along the sidewalk in a residential area of Beppu, Oita prefecture when I snapped its photo on October 13. It's quite pretty, but I've no idea what it is.
The bulbous, bright orange head is unusual so it should be easy enough to ID, but I can't find anything that looks like it or any references on the Internet.
I checked my usual references: What is This Caterpillar?, the USGS Caterpillars of Eastern Forests and closest to home, Fukuoka Butterflies (in Japanese) but I'm stumped.
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EXCERPT:
So what is this one?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fukurasuzume?
EMAIL:
IP: 210.170.170.228
URL:
DATE: 11/03/2003 11:55:34 AM
http://www.geocities.co.jp/NatureLand-Sky/1899/fukura.html
http://www.tenteki.org/kitamura/lepido/fukurasu/fukurasuzume.htm
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/03/2003 03:19:42 PM
Yes! That's it. Fukurasuzume.
That caterpillar turns into a huge 8-9 cm moth. I had a moth that size in my office in September, but Tod had the camera in Zurich, so no photos.
I wonder if it was a Fukurasuzume? It vanished overnight after leaving a long, drippy, tea-colored stain on my wall.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/03/2003 11:39:35 PM
That is beautiful. I love caterpillars and have to resist the urge to trap them and keep them in a jar. This one is like a firecracker! Not very camouflaged at all, unless it's hanging out on a wall at Nekobukuro!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sean
EMAIL: sean@datamage.net
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://informage.net
DATE: 11/09/2003 07:25:45 AM
It looks like a samurai caterpillar to me.
Which is funny because I saw these two 5 cm wide, 10 cm long chunky caterpillars in a small town in mid-South Africa which looked like they were made out of those tiny colourful Zulu beads (no photo unfortunately).
Why do caterpillars absorb their host cultures? Or is it rather the other way around?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Budgeting
BASENAME: budgeting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/04/2003 06:50:30 PM
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BODY:
It's been quite a while since I put together a plan for replacing computers based on their depreciation cycle. But that's how I spent part of my day today: chasing down inventories and filling in blanks, so that we can draw up a schedule and a budget.
This isn't a necessity but the FCCJ budget review is coming up in December and it would be smart to have a rational strategy rather than guessing how many things might break next year.
So I'm taking it upon myself to detail and review our equipment--about 100 workstations, servers and peripherals. Yoshida-san, the IT manager, and Mr. Yoda, the general manager, are helping me to gather all the necessary data. I'll analyze it, find out replacement costs, and make some recommendations for a five year plan to cycle through all of the hardware.
Although accounting's not my favorite task, I enjoy making plans. I get to exercise my brain in a different way and it's sort of fun, in a bean-counting way.
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EXCERPT:
A different kind of task.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.94.3
URL:
DATE: 11/04/2003 10:19:39 PM
Mr. Yoda, the general manager - what is his speech pattern like i wonder ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/04/2003 10:56:07 PM
When I first read this I thought, "Kris and Tod have over 100 computers????" Then I had another sip of coffee and re-read.
There's something very satifying about doing an inventory. As you said, it's not exciting work, but it fulfills some of that left brain lust for order.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/04/2003 11:09:04 PM
Ha! Not over a 100, but over 20, maybe, when you count all the peripherals, broken things, and networking bits. Entirely too many. Time to prune...maybe if I'm careful, Tod won't notice. It's harder to secretly remove his dead computers than it is to toss his ratty old underpants. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 11/06/2003 04:50:08 AM
Mr. Yoda. Cool!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Robbery in Kasuga
BASENAME: robbery_in_kasuga
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/05/2003 01:28:14 PM
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BODY:
It seems that two apartments in our neighborhood were robbed of about $1.5 million dollars of Edo-era gold coins, precious metals and cash. Was it in our building...?
Tod saw a film crew outside our mansion last night, one camera on a tripod pointing towards the front door and another panning across the building. This morning my friend Junko sent a mail asking after us, "I watched the news of a robbery in Bunkyo-ku last night and the apartment seemed to be where you live."
And those two clues sent me off in search of news of the robbery. I found an article at Asahi.com in Japanese that seems to point in the right direction. You can click the image for a larger version or read on for a rough translation.
I printed the article and took it downstairs to the front desk to ask if this happened in our building. The blue-jacketed gentlemen who watch over the doors were very interested in the article, but they didn't say it took place here. So I guess the robbery happened to some unlucky neighbor and not to the guy down the hall.
Here's what the newspaper wrote (more or less):
"170 million yen in Edo-era gold coins and other valuables were stolen from an apartment in Kasuga 2-chome, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo. Police are investigating.
"The Tomizaka Investigative Department stated that the 2nd floor apartment is owned by the 53 year old president of a Meguro real estate agency. On 10/31, he discovered that 65 million yen in cash, one Tenpo coin worth 7 million yen, 10 watches with a total value of 50 million yen and 42 million yen in gold as well as some foreign gold coins had been taken from his closet. The apartment directly above on the 3rd floor was also robbed of approximately 2.5 million yen in cash and precious metals.
"Police believe that the thief gained access to the apartment by using the building next door for support as he scaled the space between them and broke the window of the apartments." Asahi Shimbun 11/05
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EXCERPT:
Film crew and e-mail add up to a mystery.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/05/2003 07:54:34 PM
Who has that sort of money lying around an apartment?? Somebody either knew that it was there or it is an insurance job..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: echan@cam.org
IP: 192.75.88.231
URL:
DATE: 11/05/2003 10:12:22 PM
Other than how could they know there was all that money lying around, WHY was there such a huge amount like that lying around? I've read about how some people just don't trust the banks with their valuables, but is this still the case now? :-o
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Breading Station
BASENAME: breading_station
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/06/2003 09:31:39 AM
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BODY:
Last weekend, we went out and bought a small electric deep fryer. We both love fried foods (who doesn't?), but I'm scared of the hot oil. This fryer is a good compromise.
Our first deep-fried treat was button mushrooms. They were delicious--juicy in the center with a crisp cornmeal coating on the outside.
Whether you're using a deep fryer or a frying pan, good breading is key to crisp and tasty fried foods. So this week's recipe is a procedure for breading--it's called a breading station.
Breading Station
Pan 1: Flour seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper.
Pan 2: Egg with a splash of milk, whisked to an even consistency.
Pan 3: Crumbs, plain or seasoned. Be sure to avoid salting the crumbs as salt makes the hot oil spit.
Lightly flour the food to absorb excess moisture. Then coat the floured pieces in the egg wash. Pat on (or roll food in) the crumbs, gently shaking off any excess. Fry at the recommended temperature.
Notes
- Quantities will vary depending on how much food you are breading.
- Substitute cornmeal in Pan 3 for a hard cripsy shell.
- Use one hand for the dry pans and the other for the egg. This keeps your hands from getting too gummed up as you bread.
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EXCERPT:
Proper breading is key to good fried foods.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/06/2003 11:07:25 PM
I'm really skittish around hot oil too. I burned myself horribly frying zucchini once. It left a scar that lasted for years!
I don't fry much at all. If I had a fryer you could be sure I'd try mushrooms!
Enjoy your new gadget. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 11/07/2003 05:15:41 AM
I remember we were frying things on 9.9.99 and Tod almost caught the whole kitchen on fire. That was fun!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shhhh, listen
BASENAME: shhhh_listen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/07/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
Stop what you're doing now and listen to the world around you for two or three minutes. Go ahead and close your eyes; it's sometimes easier to focus on sounds when you're not distracted by seeing things. But it's fine to leave them open, too..
What do you hear? After a few moments, I'll bet you'll be surprised at all you can hear and describe just from the sounds. What makes the sounds unique? I hear a dog barking but what kind of dog is it? How far away? Is it happy or angry?
At first, I notice the humming of the computers next to my desk but after a few seconds, I realise that it's not just one sound. There's a high-pitched steady whine and a lower hum, plus a deep whirrring. It's man-made music in harmony. If plaid had a sound...
I'm listening carefully as I type this, so I also hear the sound of fingers against keyboard. Sometimes I strike the keys with my fingernails and there's a faint click paired with the sound of plastic pressing against plastic. The spacebar sounds hollower and louder than the other keys. My typing is erratic as I listen a little, type, listen a little more, type, then click with the mouse to correct a typo... The mouse is heavy and its battery door is a little bit loose, so it makes a heavy clap-rattle when I pick it up and move it.
Now the dryer is beeping. Five 1/2 second beeps in something a little flatter than B indicate that it's time to put the laundry away. When I don't get up to do it, it complains with a quick double-beep and I can hear the click of the Off switch opening the circuit.
The door to the veranda is ajar and all throughout my domestic harmonies, there's a descant of traffic noises from the elevated Shuto expressway. Swishes of cars and an occasional delivery truck rushing by a little bit faster than the cars. The traffic is moving smoothly right now. Someone on the local street guns their engine at the light and peels out. A pizza delivery scooter zips past--it sounds like a buzzing bee.
The Marunouchi line runs by every few minutes. First there's the clattering of wheels against tracks echoing in the tunnel, then as it gets nearer the rush of air going past the retaining walls grows louder until it's abreast of my ears, then there's a slight echo as it passes under the cross street. The sound fades away quickly as it heads towards Ikebukuro. A train passes in the other direction--the rumble is deeper and the wheels are squealing, it must be full of commuters.
I like giving my ears center stage of the senses. What did you hear?
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EXCERPT:
Are you hearing or listening?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: eri
EMAIL: petitenephilim@aol.com
IP: 216.242.124.79
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 11/07/2003 02:53:14 PM
I too am also typing while doing this little experiment. Doors slam shut and creak open as people sign on and off of instant messenger. I'm currently playing The Strokes' new CD more quietly than normal. Julian's voice seems like an aimless, relaxed wanderer. Cicadas still make their nightly racket outside- they're a sign of summer, which is clearly over- I wonder when they'll go away for the winter. It's quarter til one, and the chords from the grandfather clock chimes echo into my room. There's the occasional computer noise, but now Nikolai Fraiture's bass playing is particularly notable because it's a rather soothing drone.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.189.77
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 11/07/2003 05:09:05 PM
I hear the way too loud fan of the power supply of my new computer. From the other side the power supply of my router/server is jamming my ear with noise. As I'm turning slowly deaf because of a defect I can't even hear any details in this fan noise. Over this noise I can here water dropping from the tap in the kitchen. And then I could hear my neighbours doorbell. Seems, his door is open.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/08/2003 12:09:22 AM
Oooooong of computers like a group of technical monks, car door slam at the apartment lot next door, the szzzzzzzt of the neon sign short, dog bark, click of keys with springy reverb against the desktop, breath, heartbeat, dog again, chirp of birds from the powerline perches, the slow creaking ease of the house into its foundations, sighsputter of coffeepot.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@hotmail.com
IP: 4.61.139.65
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 11/08/2003 01:13:55 AM
Various rattles, plops and swishes as my mom takes clothes out of the dryer, the ticks and clicks of the house as it settles, the brrrmmm of the dryer as it starts, the slight ringing of my own ears (I've got a cold), the gritty noise of my mom's nail file.
Cool! ^_^
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Joking Uncle Marvin
BASENAME: joking_uncle_marvin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/08/2003 07:38:36 AM
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BODY:
My great-uncle Marvin, my mother's uncle, has embraced e-mail like no other 80-something. He loves to send me jokes (usually off-color). This morning's mail included this PG-rated one that made me laugh:
An old man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his potato garden but it was very difficult work as the ground was hard. His only son Fred, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
Dear Fred,
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.
Love, Dad
A few days later the old man received a letter from his son.
Dear Dad,
For heaven's sake Dad, don't dig up that garden, that's where I buried the bodies.
Love, Fred
At 4 am the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Dad,
Go ahead and plant the potatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love, Fred
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EXCERPT:
A joke to brighten your weekend.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.189.77
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 11/08/2003 04:38:19 PM
Haha, that's a good one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 4.61.139.65
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 11/09/2003 02:43:24 PM
Aww! That was great! ^_^
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Calliope waves goodbye to Persephone
BASENAME: calliope_waves_goodbye_to_persephone
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 11/08/2003 08:07:17 AM
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BODY:
My sister, Jennifer at Wild Mushrooms, tells an exceptional story about how nature and poetry collaborated spontaneously for a once-in-a-lifetime event during a class she was teaching.
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EXCERPT:
A second blog for a Saturday.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 11/10/2003 11:49:33 PM
A wonderful story--thanks for sharing. I'm going to pass it along,
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Counting cones
BASENAME: counting_cones
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/09/2003 12:40:07 PM
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BODY:
Inspired by a recent post on Wirefarm (and Kibo's amusing cones in action page), Tod & I counted traffic cones on our way from Iidabashi station to home.
It's about a 15 minute walk. I guessed we'd see 20-30; Tod estimated 100. We saw 95 cones. Next I counted the cones en route from our house to the coffee shop and grocery store at La Qua. A 10 minute walk--137 cones. They are everywhere...
They were hidden in bushes, tucked into dark alleys, defending bumpers of parked cars, saving parking places. Most of them are just sitting around, piled up next to buildings or guard rails, waiting to be useful.
I never really noticed them much, but now that I'm paying attention, I can't cast a glance anywhere without a bright orange witch's hat appearing.
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EXCERPT:
Orange traffic cones are taking over Tokyo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/10/2003 10:55:39 PM
Ha! I saw a funny one in Ephrata over the weekend. It was topping a fire hydrant.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Design Festa vol 18
BASENAME: design_festa_vol_18
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/10/2003 01:13:30 PM
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BODY:
I'm excited to be setting up my own booth at Design Festa vol 18 this weekend. Not only will I premiere Hello Tokyo and show some other videos, but I'll also unveil the videocrown, a multimedia artwork for people to interact with. And I will edit a new video based on footage I capture with the crown while I'm there.
I'll be reporting this week on how things are coming along as I countdown to Saturday. Completing the video, building my costume, preparing the laptop for editing, constructing signage--there's a lot left to do!
If you're planning to come to see Hello Tokyo, or just to revel in the creative overload of 2000 booths of artists, designers, and performers, you can to save 200 yen if you buy tickets in advance. Only 800 yen for a one-day pass via Ticket PIA (P-code 804-202) or Lawson Ticket (L-code 33337). Entrance is free for children aged 12 and under.
For more details, including directions for getting to Big Site (Ariake near Odaiba), check the Design Festa vol 18 website.
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EXCERPT:
Counting down to Design Festa...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/10/2003 10:58:21 PM
Have fun with your planning. Wish I could be there to see it - particulary "Videocrown." Is it anything like Nightcrown? ;-)
We'll both be busy! I'm working on the book launch this week.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.153
URL:
DATE: 11/11/2003 06:50:45 PM
But ill see you there on Sunday! Afternoon most likely tho... Do you know your booth address?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2003 12:48:22 PM
J-Ster, Shall we go together on a design festa daato? You Maddonna, me Britney esque?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2003 07:58:37 PM
Well now theres an offer i cant refuse! I actually have a date already but would be more than happy to make it a threesome!!!!! I have a party the night before so i was thinking of rocking up at Shinjuku Station at about lunchtime or thereabouts, and trekking over to Tokyo Big Site from there... How does that sound to you? Shall we try and make it a foursome? Im sure MJ will want to come after all. Ill get your kinki details from her!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: W00t!
BASENAME: w00t
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/11/2003 11:56:05 PM
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BODY:
It's done. Hello Tokyo is completely edited. No more tweaking for fussing allowed. This morning I finished off the last of the final touches and exported the project with chapter markers. I'll burn the DVD later this week and then send it off for duplication.
I hardly express how totally excited and relieved and elated I am right now. This project has been in the works since last summer and it's been a long, slow road to completion.
And naturally I'm a little nervous about the next phase: marketing and distribution. I hope to work with Caroline Pover at Alexandra Press on that aspect, so I'm sure it won't be as worrying as I think...
I must come up with some cover art tout suite!
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EXCERPT:
Dekimashita!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/12/2003 12:27:26 AM
Congratulations!!!
The cover design should be a joy to do. Enjoy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2003 01:01:13 AM
Congrats as well. This has been a long and involved project, and I can't wait to see the final results!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Razor
EMAIL: ladyrazorsharp@shadowspace.net
IP: 66.82.181.4
URL: http://www.shadowspace.net
DATE: 11/12/2003 02:38:03 AM
Congratulations! I agree, can't wait to see it! ^_^
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 11/12/2003 05:26:49 AM
yay!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 67.166.92.200
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 11/12/2003 06:22:54 AM
[reciprocates w00t]
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ian
EMAIL:
IP: 67.166.92.200
URL: http://www.domodomo.com
DATE: 11/12/2003 06:23:13 AM
[reciprocates w00t]
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.122.41.93
URL: http://www.zousan.com/piphotos/belgium/belgium.html
DATE: 11/12/2003 10:57:27 AM
Proficiat!!!
I wish I could be there at Design Festa to see it already...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2003 12:47:18 PM
I hope to see it in person on the weekend.. can I come as a goth too?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2003 08:02:47 PM
Yay, woohoo, lets all dress up!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2003 10:47:38 PM
Hooray, dress-up friends! I tried out a new eyeliner this evening and was surprised to find that I can get a nice effect by following my crow's feet. ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Videocrown
BASENAME: videocrown
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/12/2003 07:45:10 AM
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BODY:
Meet the videocrown.
It's constructed of perforated aluminum sheets, 6 strips of dichroic acrylic, 4 short brass tubes, and 38 bolts. A wireless video camera is fixed to the inner front with its lens peeping through one of the perforations.
As I wander around Design Festa, the video will be projected back to my booth.
I've just about finished my costume--a short black and maroon leatherette dress. I'll wear it with my Doc Martens boots and lots of eyeliner. I never did get over my goth phase, though it's pretty well hidden now. But costuming occasions bring it out again and I'm looking forward to playing dress up this weekend.
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EXCERPT:
A technological masterpiece?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.189.77
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 11/12/2003 04:31:31 PM
Heh. The typical angst-ridden video producer? ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: shannon
EMAIL: shannon_walbran@yahoo.com
IP: 198.54.202.2
URL: http://shannon.informage.net
DATE: 11/13/2003 01:01:36 AM
Kristen, I've been reading your blog religiously since meeting you, and I have to say you rarely fail to absolutely crack me up. I LOVE the crown!!
Have a wonderful time at the Festa.
Sincerely,
Shannon
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristin
EMAIL:
IP: 61.203.149.152
URL: http:///>
DATE: 11/13/2003 11:48:01 PM
Hi Kristen!
You'll be the star of Design Festa!! Do you have glass slippers too??? Have a great time!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Recipe for Disaster
BASENAME: recipe_for_disaster
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/13/2003 10:52:58 PM
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BODY:
In the theater world, a bad dress rehearsal indicates a great opening night. If that translates to the theater of dressing up and being silly at Design Festa, I'm in for a fantastic show.
Today was one mishap, misadventure and misstep after another: loaned equipment was unloaned, schedules buckled, nothing worked quite the way I'd hoped and some things didn't work at all. It seems like half of what I'd planned for Design Festa fell apart today.
I felt the crushing weight of defeat mashing my mood into the ground. Tod told me I looked nice and I replied that his compliment was a consolation prize, a year's worth of Creamettes macaroni to the losing contestant.
But I'm kinda sorta back on track with a more flexible plan for the weekend and even though the nuts and bolts continue to loosen and drop off from my carefully laid plans, I'll deal with it.
I wonder how many other DF participants are going through the same thing right now?
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EXCERPT:
Nothing's working right and I'm cranky.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.115.156.97
URL: http://www.zousan.com/piphotos/belgium/belgium.html
DATE: 11/14/2003 12:06:10 AM
Unamuno assured me you will be doing great and that he envies Zoupi a lot, as we are sure Zoupi will be there carrying his own little crown!
Break a leg and more importantly： have a lot of fun there!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL: gkanai@earthlink.net
IP: 210.191.156.200
URL:
DATE: 11/14/2003 07:28:15 AM
I wish you better luck for this weekend. I'm off to NYC so I won't be able to visit but I'm sure it will all work out in the end.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL:
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 11/14/2003 09:34:27 AM
Looking forward to seeing you at Big Site. Do you have a booth number? If not we'll listen for the "buzz" and climb over the crowds in front of your booth and instantly know where you are.
good luck!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/14/2003 10:00:59 AM
I'm at Booth C-429. For best results, come on Sunday. Saturday may be a bit of a wash...I'll be there but sans projector.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 221.114.211.222
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 11/14/2003 10:31:35 AM
Good luck with all Kristen, i can t make it cos i ll be at my very expensive driving lessons, but i m sure it ll all fall into place,
great job with the DVD though, can t wait to see it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 219.215.68.22
URL: http://www.newcore.jp/TWWDI
DATE: 11/15/2003 12:27:14 PM
Good luck hon, can't make it cause I will be in Chiba working this weekend, so I'll look forward to your video report...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: You're Invited
BASENAME: youre_invited
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/14/2003 09:49:01 AM
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BODY:
Sometimes it's easier and more fun to be creative if there are other people involved. You can expand on one another's ideas--a creativity jam session.
So this week, I suggest that you plan a creative get-together. It doesn't have to be an elaborate event or a formal party, but invite some friends over to do something creative together. Cooking dinner, making music, writing a story, reading a play aloud, sculpting your poodle, designing a website. Something that a group of people can pitch in their ideas and end up with one final product.
If you're in Tokyo, please mark your calendar for my creative get-together.
We'll make nengajo, New Year's cards, on Sunday, December 7th in the afternoon. I'll have postcard stock and lots of pens, paint, paper, glue and tidbits available. Afterwards, let's cook dinner together.
If you want to come along to play, e-mail me for more details. Plan to bring your favorite art supplies for making postcards, and/or an ingredient for dinner.
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EXCERPT:
Playing with postcards.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/16/2003 10:27:07 PM
Sign me up, but I have to participate remotely. H. and I will work on some - same day. We have plenty of supplies here, and we'll send you a card if they come out well! Great idea.
Btw, are you collecting these "perspectives" for a book? Sure would make a wonderful collection. I am always looking for books that have fresh ideas, and I know I'm not the only one. There are plenty out on the market, but I'm sure with your resources you can make yours stand out from the rest. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/17/2003 09:43:56 PM
That is the day of the JLPT.. bot sure what time it finishes. but I can crawl over after that and teach you how I make inari-zushi!! Yummy!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Design Festa: Booth C-429
BASENAME: design_festa_booth_c-429
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/15/2003 07:56:21 AM
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BODY:
Just a quick note as I get ready to run off to Design Festa. I'll be at Booth C-429 today and tomorrow (11 am -7 pm). Please stop by and say hello.
I'll bring back some photos tonight...
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EXCERPT:
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/15/2003 10:36:53 PM
Hope it went well! I love the crown, and the whole idea for the outfit. Can't wait to see the photos!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: From Booth C-429
BASENAME: from_booth_c-429
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/16/2003 08:22:41 AM
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BODY:
Here I am, sitting at the iBook, editing a video of the days events.
My booth is sandwiched between customised motorcycles and an art school project that both get a lot more attention than mine. I guess that might be because I'm sitting at a computer and although I do look up and smile from time to time, a woman at a computer is not all that compelling.
But when I put on the videocrown, passersby stopped to figure out where the video was coming from. Sometimes I told them, taking off the crown and showing them the camera. Sometimes I got them to guess. Lots of laughter and smiles and a few interesting conversations.
UltraBob burned 10 DVD-R of the video for me and brought them in the afternoon. Zoupi helped me sell them.
This morning, I happily filled in the other eye of my daruma--"finish video" is now an accomplished goal!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL: gkanai@earthlink.net
IP: 66.65.150.196
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 11/16/2003 02:50:04 PM
Glad it seems to be going well and I am sorry that I cannot stop by as I am visiting friends and family in NYC.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.115.156.97
URL: http://www.zousan.com/piphotos/belgium/belgium.html
DATE: 11/17/2003 05:56:12 AM
A limited edition, endorsed by Zoupi, aaaah....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 11/17/2003 10:55:08 AM
It was a fun day and a fun event, and good to see you there! Congratulations on surviving, and on your new hat!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: DF recap
BASENAME: df_recap
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 11/17/2003 01:21:07 PM
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BODY:
Design Festa vol 18. 0'50" (5.4 MB MP4)
The weekend was exhausting but exhilarating, too. I sold 3 DVDs, was interviewed three times, and met a lot of people, including a handful of filmmakers and a bunch of new supporters with great marketing ideas and connections.
I learned how to explain my film in one sentence in Japanese: Nihongo wo hanasenai hito no Tokyo no setsumei bideo desu (It's a video that explains Tokyo to people who don't speak Japanese.) But my pitch is a little bit different in English, "This video gives advice on living in Tokyo to newcomers who don't read or speak Japanese." If I continue beyond that, I find myself quoting lines from the video; it's sort of funny.
Thanks to all the friends who stopped by my booth: Julianne, Gregman, Tracey (who watched the booth while I ran off to buy a hat!), Jo, Lisa, Kate, Greg & Yasu, who was so inspired that he's planning a booth for his photography at the next Design Festa. UltraBob gets big credit for burning my DVDs and lending an ear when I needed to vent. Tod deserves a tasty carrot for being my favorite pack mule.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.51
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 11/20/2003 07:34:23 PM
Congratulations on selling the DVD. And thanks for the free video workshop download. It's quite useful for me. I'm about to buy a digital videocam, because I've got it in my head that with a background as a newspaper reporter and editor, I could do some stories on all the interesting characters around town.
The camcorder I'm planning to buy, probably this week, is supposedly the smallest 3CCD consumer model, Panasonic PV-GS70 (aka NV-GS70), which has a Leica lens. I tried it in a few stores, and the 3CCD seemed to make a big difference in picture quality. I've now reached the limit of my video know-how.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Next Projects
BASENAME: next_projects
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/18/2003 10:36:00 PM
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BODY:
Well, no reason to take a breather on the film front; now that Hello Tokyo's done, I've got two fun things lined up.
First is an entry in the Gershwin Showcase for the Vail Film Festival. I've got the idea and I know the music I want. Now I need to write the script and find a cast and crew to shoot it. Anyone want to help? I'm looking for a 30-something salaryman and a housewife for my cast.
The second project is much more involved. John Locke, an indie filmmaker (Sursum Films) sent me a mail on Sunday describing a project he's developing--sort of a serial drama involving a group of creative people. We'd talked about it a few weeks back and I hoped to get involved in the production and post-production.
Sunday's communique included more details and a draft of the first episode, plus this:
"...now here's the pitch. Would you like to not only participate in the production aspects, but also play the role of "Filmmaker"? I think you'd be great at it...and the role will tie in exactly what you do--someone who uses the internet to communicate, is creative, is an indie filmmaker, and who also has a network of creative friends and is motivated to do something. (How's that for YOU in a nutshell?)."
With a pitch like that, how could I say no? The draft script even named the filmmaker Kristen. Expect to see me on-screen as well as appearing in the production credits. I hope "Filmmaker" doesn't have too many lines; I'm crap at memorising. MJ can attest to that.
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EXCERPT:
A contest and a serial--let's go!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/18/2003 10:43:37 PM
Get up and move while you recite your lines. You'll be surprised at how quickly you memorize them once you start blocking scenes too. Congrats on the cool new project!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 11/19/2003 10:41:02 AM
We'll have to line up cue cards I reckon - otherwise your brain will explode (~^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: bob@akatombo.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.akatombo.com
DATE: 11/21/2003 03:39:48 PM
I want to be the housewife!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Exceptional people
BASENAME: exceptional_people
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/19/2003 12:49:11 PM
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BODY:
Every foreigner you find happily living in Japan is an exceptional person. Not everyone is likable, but they are definitely out of the ordinary.
Living abroad requires a sense of adventure, a willingness to learn, and either a flexible open mind, or a seriously strong sense of self. Most gaijin living here are also intelligent--dummies need not apply for international assignments. Anyone who comes to Japan without those attributes seems to find their way home as quickly as possible.
Because everyone is interesting, I find myself surrounded by a cast of characters ready-made to populate a comedy: the glamour queen; the frantic freelancer; the party animal; the downtrodden sensei; the struggling artist; an insane business owner; the boy next door; some privileged expats; and the Japanophile.
So when you read in the credits of my first feature, "the characters in this film are fictional and do not represent any person living or dead," please know that it's only partly truthful...
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EXCERPT:
Well, everyone is, but some more so than other.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey Northcott
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/19/2003 01:45:02 PM
Quote: "the glamour queen; the frantic freelancer; the party animal; the downtrodden sensei; the struggling artist; an insane business owner; the boy next door; some privileged expats; and the Japanophile. "
Do we get prizes for guessing to whom you are referring in the above? Can people be in more than one category?
But I agree that it is a very mixed crowd with a definite bias toward the intelligent... Also, there is just something special that happens when a person has the guts to remove themselves from their comfort zone and moves to another country.. but then for lucky people like me, their comfort zone followed them here!! (^^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 11/19/2003 01:52:57 PM
There's definitely overlap for people and categories. But not prizes for guessing--it's too easy.
When I drafted the list, I looked back at it and thought "Oh my, those are all MJ!" so I added a few more characters. She shouldn't have all the fun.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 11/20/2003 03:08:12 AM
And there are also those unhappy characters that spend their time in Japan complaining that Japan is Japan and not where ever they're from. One tries to avoid them. They don't last long. They certainly aren't exceptional. But they always seem to be around. Sometimes they provide comic counterpoint, but usually they're just annoying.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 11/20/2003 05:15:45 PM
hmmmmmm
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: iM
EMAIL: derek@somethingfromjapan.com
IP: 165.76.176.125
URL: http://www.somethingfromjapan.com/dereksworld/index.php
DATE: 11/20/2003 11:03:31 PM
OMG, I was not aware that "downtrodden sensei" was a character type! This has made my day. All that's needed now is a t-shirt with an appropriate logo and fancy typeface.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fish with Soy-Butter Sauce
BASENAME: fish_with_soy-butter_sauce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/20/2003 08:52:42 AM
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Lettuce Club is a food magazine for housewives. It's full of recipes focusing on seasonal foods or economical cooking. Today's recipe comes from a recent issue that had a pull out section on fish.
Fish with Soy-Butter Sauce
serves 4
4 filets fresh fish
4 potatoes
1 tomato (sliced for garnish)
1 bunch cress (trimmed for garnish)
1/2 tsp parsley, minced
30 g butter
salt
pepper
flour
oil
Sauce:
3 Tblsp water
2 Tblsp soy sauce
2 Tblsp men-tsuyu*
1 Tblsp lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
pinch powdered ginger
Peel potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces. Boil until done. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sit aside.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper, and dust with flour. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a fry pan and cook the fish on both sides. Reduce heat to medium, and add the sauce to the pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes to coat the fish. Remove fish from pan and plate.
Add butter and parsley to the sauce and cook until the butter is melted. Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish each plate with potatoes, tomato wedges and cress.
*men-tsuyu is a strong, salty soup stock made with dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar for noodles. It's available in bottles in Japan, but if you can't find it, try substituting a 2:1:1 mixture of soy, water and mirin (sweet rice wine).
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Pan-fried fish in a salty sauce.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 11/21/2003 01:47:29 AM
My wife orders a couple magazines from Japan (we live in Austin now) including Orange Page. My son and I eat like kings everynight! :) I will ask her about Lettuce Club.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 11/21/2003 07:26:26 AM
Hehe. She actually has been getting Lettuce Club instead of Orange page for a couple months now... :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sing a song
BASENAME: sing_a_song
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/21/2003 07:30:48 AM
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BODY:
Nothing loosens up the spirit & gets ideas flowing like singing.
It doesn't matter whether you can carry a tune, shatter crystal or have a tin ear, singing increases the oxygen in you blood, and gives both hemispheres of the brain a nice workout, plus it's just plain fun.
So stand up, move around, and belt out a song. Sing loud. Scare the cat, wake up the neighbors. Startle your coworkers in the breakroom. Make your spouse/parents/children wince, or better yet, get them in join in.
Don't sing along with the radio, though--this is YOUR song.
Style it! Sing in a funny voice: do a jazz standard in a punk style, sing a theme song as an aria, rap a hymn, give a lullaby a Latin beat. Or choreograph some movements; you can even use your hairbrush as a microphone.
Not sure what to sing? How about your national anthem? A Christmas carol? The toilet paper song? The Zousan song? So many possibilities...you might have to sing a few.
Afterwards, notice how great you feel?
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Use your voice.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shopping Guides 2003
BASENAME: shopping_guides_2003
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 11/22/2003 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
When it comes to Christmas, I'm not a stingy scrooge but I don't like all the pressure to buy things for people. I enjoy giving gifts, but I don't appreciate all the fake sentimentality and hidden guilt that marketers bring to the proceedings. My gift list shrinks every year.
But it's time to think about this year's presents. I used to make all of my presents, but living 5,000 miles from everyone who receives them means online shopping is a lot easier than shipping stuff from Japan.
But even online shopping is full of pitfalls. Every website you go to has a gift guide for 2003 the suggests ridiculous options. Last year I amused myself by seeing what the gift-selection guides suggested.
Here's the cream of this year's stupid gift ideas.
Saxxy Synthesiser Kazoo (Sharper Image)
Amazon Gift Wizard (martini shaker set)
Yahoo Gift Center (Zagat Restaurant expansion card for Palm Pilot)
Epicurious (martini gift set)
MySimon (Glamourous by Ralph Lauren)
Home Shopping Network Holiday Gift Guide (10 silverplate picture frames)
Style.com Holiday Gift Guide (suspended fireplace)
Sharper Image Guift Guides (electric tweezer/shaver)
Neiman Marcus (fox fur jacket)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Winter blossoms
BASENAME: winter_blossoms
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/22/2003 01:42:29 PM
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BODY:
Between the black asphalt of Kasuga-dori and the wide brick pedestrian walkway, lies a verge planted with large flowering shrubs--Japanese camellias--that begin to bloom around this time of year. The vivid pink blossoms against dark green foliage herald the coming holidays more insistently than any Xmas illumination.
In the flower shops, cyclamens echo the camillias' palette while the floral newcomers, poinsettias, clash with their deep red leaves.
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Even in unseasonably warm weather, these flowers bring winter to mind.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cones in action
BASENAME: cones_in_action
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/23/2003 10:13:58 AM
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BODY:
Construction in our neighborhood has pedestrians routed into the street. The traffic cones are out in full force doing their duty.
Cones try to protect the construction workers from nosy, photo snapping onlookers, but not very well.
The cone supervisor realigns his charges.
Even cones need a break.
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Traffic cones at work in Tokyo.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Greeted in Shibuya
BASENAME: greeted_in_shibuya
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 11/24/2003 12:54:53 AM
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BODY:
Heading down the stairs towards the Hanzomon line at Shibuya, I hear a voice call "Excuse me?" and I turn.
"Are you, uh, Kristine?" asks a young man with short dark hair.
"Kristen. Yes, that's me," I reply, trying to place this stranger in my cast of characters...I run through all the faces I recall, but no match.
"I recognised you from your weblog."
"Really? Freaky!! Wow."
I am nothing if not utterly cool and collected with a huge vocabulary at my disposal when greeted unexpectedly by fans.
Ben, visiting from Gifu-ken, and his friend Yuki were charming and well-spoken. They brightened an already good day. I hope they enjoyed their evening out.
I wonder if other people recognise me from my weblog but don't shout out. Have you ever seen me on the street and not said hello?
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Strangers greet me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL:
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 11/25/2003 12:56:00 PM
I once saw a woman who looked a lot like you coming out of a Love Hotel with a guy who did not look a lot like your husband. It was dark so I couldn't be sure. I didn't say anything. But the next time, I'll be sure to say hello.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ben
EMAIL:
IP: 134.180.230.98
URL: http://www.livejournal.com/users/tanuki86/
DATE: 11/26/2003 06:03:47 PM
I am amazed at the clarity of your memory! That is exactly how it went. It was very interesting to run into someone previously only known though the flotsam of cyerspace.
I only wish there was someway to make a stunted encounter, such as that one, less awkward. I am sure most people shy away from those situations.
I came across your blog almost a year ago when I was researching about Japan, before moving here. Certainly one of my top five favorites.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: yuki
EMAIL: zettozee@hotmail.com
IP: 202.226.160.18
URL: http://pineapplemonade.livejournal.com
DATE: 11/26/2003 06:55:17 PM
It was certainly very cool!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kinki
EMAIL: kinki@35degrees.com
IP: 219.165.59.58
URL: http://www.35degrees.com
DATE: 11/28/2003 02:42:41 PM
Ha! The exact thing happened to me at the Design Festa. The girl who recognised me had actually written a comment on a blog like, months and months ago. Very weird. Flattering to be told, "I love your blog", but weird nonetheless...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: hersch
EMAIL: htylercc@sbcglobal.net
IP: 67.123.220.60
URL: http://livejournal.com/~hersch
DATE: 12/02/2003 03:52:03 AM
i'm friends with yuki! how rad is thaT!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Midnight ramen
BASENAME: midnight_ramen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/25/2003 08:01:58 AM
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BODY:
Late-night snacking in Shinjuku.
Where to dine when the trains stop running? Street-side stalls ply their trade into the wee hours. Ramen is Tokyo's favorite apres-bar sustenance.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.129.156.124
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 11/26/2003 08:52:38 AM
ODEN of ODEN-stand is also yummy!! Don't you think so?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Multipurpose cleaner
BASENAME: multipurpose_cleaner
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/26/2003 12:45:02 PM
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BODY:
As seen in Yokohama Chinatown.
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Jokester in charge of the signs...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/26/2003 02:57:44 PM
Armpit??? huh?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.189.77
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 11/26/2003 04:35:06 PM
Especially with "Wok" and "Bathtub" listed above it...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.153
URL:
DATE: 11/26/2003 06:27:11 PM
Ouch! Mind you, the hair is getting kinda long, and if it was a brush in that sense, well that would be ok, wouldnt it?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve
EMAIL:
IP: 61.208.183.235
URL: http://www.sasane.com/blog
DATE: 11/26/2003 08:24:00 PM
These things do wonders with pots and pans, but I never knew that you could use them in the bathroom as well.
I guess next time I will have to try them on the soles of my feet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 11/26/2003 10:11:30 PM
Ow. "Armpit" is unexpected after "wok" and "bathtub." You'd have to have some tough skin!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Scallion and Bean Sprout Pajong
BASENAME: scallion_and_bean_sprout_pajong
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/27/2003 08:38:59 AM
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BODY:
Today, a Korean recipe from "365 Days' Diet Foods" sent in by alert reader, UltraBob. Pajong is a savory pancake served with a fiery dipping sauce. It makes an exotic side dish to grilled meat or chicken.
Scallion and Bean Sprout Pajong
serves 2
1/2 bundle scallions (nira)
5 cm leek
1/4 carrot
60g bean sprouts
3 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp water
1 tsp sesame oil
Sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp toubanjan (Korean chili paste)
Cut the scallions to lengths of 5cm, cut the leek along the grain, and cut the carrot thin.
In a bowl, mix the flour and water. Combine the scallions, leek and carrots with the bean sprouts and gently stir into the batter.
In the frying pan, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Spread the vegetables in a thin layer to fill the pan and fry both sides until lightly browned. Remove from pan and cut into wedges.
Whisk the sauce ingredients together and serve as a dipping sauce.
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Flavors from Korea.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 11/27/2003 09:01:33 AM
Oh I forgot to mention, I don't know if Pajong is the right word or not. It was written in Katakana so I just guessed.
Also, you've got a mite to many opening parenthesis there matey.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.152
URL:
DATE: 11/27/2003 06:51:12 PM
Yes! Yes! Ive been wanting to know how to make this for ages! Never knew what to call it so never knew what to search for!!!
Thank you!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: In the dark
BASENAME: in_the_dark
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/28/2003 10:08:41 AM
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BODY:
Tonight when you go to bed, after you turn out the light but before you fall asleep, sit in the dark for a few minutes and take notice of your surroundings. Examine all your senses before you conk out and then see if it brings you creative dreams.
As your eyes adjust to the dark, listen to the world. It's quieter, sure, but what sound there is seems more vivid. Is there traffic in the street outside? Can you hear yourself breathe?
What can you taste? The last swig of beer at the bar? Your lover's lipstick? The toothpaste you used to brush your teeth?
By now your eyes are probably adjusted to the dark. Do you recognize your furniture? How does it look different in the half-light? Look at the silhouette of your hands. Does each finger have the same shape?
Feel around. Are the sheets smooth or textured? What do the buttons on your pajamas feel like? Can you tell what's under the bed? (Beware of monsters.)
Now it's time to drift off to dreamland. As you snuggle under the covers, take a long deep breath. What scents waft through your night? Potpourri? Unwashed pillowcases? Books?
(This exercise is a good way to calm your mind and put yourself back to sleep after waking up from a nightmare...)
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Roll call of senses in the night
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Christmas Campaigns
BASENAME: christmas_campaigns
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/29/2003 10:16:28 AM
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BODY:
Japan is not immune to holiday shopping madness. In fact, it might be worse, as Christmas isn't for kids, but for couples.
Christmas Eve is a big date night and you are a certain loser if you don't have a date that involves presenting an expensive gift, eating roast chicken and going to a love hotel. Choose your own order but all of the above are required for a successful holiday.
So the shops go wild with luxury gifts. And to attract the right demographic, they sure do come up with some wacky campaign names. Here are some I've seen around Tokyo this week:
Hearty Xmas (at Metro M shopping mall)
Lovely Xmas (at Junior Station 109)
Happy Merry Xmas 2003 in LaQua (at LaQua, of course)
and my favorite...
Xmas Hero at 109, a boutique mall for trendy Shibuya youth.
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Marketing gone mad
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erika
EMAIL: petitenephilim@aol.com
IP: 205.188.209.103
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 11/30/2003 08:20:16 AM
heh... anyone who buys me a christmas present from shibuya 109 can call themself my hero! it's an awesome store; my bargain 900 yen sunglasses from shibuya 109 have proven more durable than any designer pair i've ever had (and subsequently broken).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.132
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 11/30/2003 06:49:16 PM
Actaully 109 is very populer for young people thoug I love KICHIKYOUJI town. Anyway Xmas is coming and more traditionaly family event OSYOUGATSU is coming. Xmas is fun, and OSYOUGATSU made me tired, though I can meet my relatives on New year's day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Y+T_V
EMAIL: s@s.com
IP: 205.228.101.59
URL: http://
DATE: 12/01/2003 11:42:00 AM
What? No mention of the Flash mob?
:)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 3 blocks in Ginza
BASENAME: 3_blocks_in_ginza
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/30/2003 06:57:42 PM
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BODY:
The Apple Store opened in Ginza today. The lines stretched for three and a half long blocks--a three and a half hour wait. I just gawked at the people standing in line.
UltraBob came all the way from Zushi just to stand in line. He looks very happy here (near the end of the line) at 1:30 pm. I wonder what time he got into the store?
Leslie has the right idea--capture the crowds from outside the line.
The crowds were extremely well behaved and the guards were mostly for directing traffic to the end of the line and allowing people into the store in batches. You can see a few burly American bouncers in the background. I've no idea why they might have been needed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Windows 4 ever
EMAIL: bill@gates.com
IP: 154.33.67.188
URL:
DATE: 12/01/2003 09:56:36 PM
I've just found a 9Mbyte MPEG4-format 60-second
clip showing the new Apple Store in Ginza. Steve
Jobs was apparently in town the day before the
opening.
http://net.atn.ne.jp/member/ATN029/
You'd probably be better off doing a "save to disk"
of the asginza.mp4 file, and open it with Quicktime
Player instead of clicking on it and waiting ages
for it to open in a web browser window...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: reoch
EMAIL:
IP: 4.3.108.101
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2003 10:03:32 AM
Why the big demand for an apple computer in japan? Never seen a line that long for any apple stores in the US...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Print to web to PDF
BASENAME: print_to_web_to_pdf
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/01/2003 06:51:44 PM
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Fifteen years ago, I was a print designer. I created utterly glamourous things like wholesale food flyers and 2-color advertising for clients who really liked red and black. I cut my teeth on Windows 3.1, Corel Draw, and PageMaker. I knew WordPerfect inside out.
I didn't have a lot of room to be innovative, so I made a point to be technically skilled. Before the days of computer-assisted image resizing I could use a proportion wheel in my sleep. Printers liked working with me because I understood how to format graphics for print and I always gave them files that output correctly.
Then came the web. It was a whole new paradigm in preparing graphics. Where print wants lots of pixels and consequently big files, putting images on the web means low resolution and smaller file sizes. I figured it out quickly and soon I was doing most of my design and graphics preparation for Internet publications.
This month I find myself working on a project that's smack dab in the middle of print and web. I'm doing the layout for a book that will be presented as a PDF on CD-ROM. It's neither print nor web, but something in between.
Considering that it might possibly be printed out by the readers, I've created margins to allow for single sided printing with hole-punching and to accommodate either A4 or US Letter paper.
But it's more likely that this will be read from the computer so the images, mainly b/w photos scanned from various news sources, are 72 dpi screen resolution.
Acrobat encourages you to 'downsample' images during the PDF conversion to make the file size of the finished document smaller, so I've taken matters into my own hands. I want to control the results as much as possible. With nearly 500 pages and over 350 images in a single PDF, I've got stay sharp and find ways to reduce the file size so that it can be opened in a reasonable amount of time.
Oh, by the way, the colors for this book? Red and black. Some things never change.
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Some things change, others don't.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: todd
EMAIL: todd@deepermotive.com
IP: 17.255.252.6
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2003 10:25:09 AM
good luck with it. I just finished two similar projects -- CDROMs presented as PDFs -- and while I think it's a great, certainly affordable way to distribute your content, working with PDFs can be a real pain if you're not careful. More than once, I doubled my workload because wasn't paying attention and had to recreate all the PDFs. Something that may be of help is the ability to apply a template to a PDF, great for adding navigation elements. Let me know if you have any questions and good luck. Sounds interesting.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Seeking, well, a lot of people
BASENAME: seeking_well_a_lot_of_people
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/02/2003 02:19:51 PM
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BODY:
The new serial drama production (still unnamed!) is looking for people to fill positions on-screen and off-screen. Are you interested in any of these, or know someone who might be?
* Music Coordinator: scouts local music, categorizes it, obtains rights or agreements with local bands. Someone bilingual with a wide knowledge of music is best.
* Sound Engineer: Handles the audio mix and sound quality of the production.
* Foley artist/editor: Sound effects.
* Camera operator: experienced in a variety of styles; ideally with Canon XL-1.
* Makeup artist: puts on the pancake.
* Hair stylist: keeps the tresses tamed.
* Production assistants: angels who do a little bit of everything--from calling the cast for shoots to standing in for a missing crew member to dressing the set to carrying equipment to running off for more batteries. PA is one of my favorite things to do on a shoot--it's never boring. The more PAs the merrier.
* Location coordinator: finds places to shoot; helps obtain permission, arranges schedules, etc.
* Cast: some roles are filled, but we're looking for people in their 20s or early 30s: a foreign man (Aussie, Brit, Kiwi); a stunning Japanese woman; a French woman; and a variety of foreign and Japanese men and women. Bilingual is great, but not necessary.
* Other: just want to help out somehow? Let us know what can do. There are scads of odd jobs and things that aren't listed here!
Production will run February through June (probably). We're planning a production meeting for everyone who is interested next weekend. Please e-mail for details.
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Calling anyone interested in film stuff...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stephanie Brandt
EMAIL: gorilladust1@gorilladust.com
IP: 220.104.55.182
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2003 11:53:25 AM
Hey there! My husband and I are both Americans living in Oyama about an hour and a half north of Tokyo. We have both recently crossed over into our 30's.
We would be interested in helping out either as cast or in other capacities ex PAs. I also have some experience styling hair. Where are you filming?
My husband, Adrian, has had experience acting, and writing.
We would love to hear from you.
Adrian and Stephanie
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: hye
EMAIL: hye@linuxmail.org
IP: 220.98.186.199
URL:
DATE: 12/07/2003 01:04:58 PM
Hi, I am pretty interested in that project too... Unfortunately I just saw your page today, so I missed the meeting... But if you need some extra cast or so, just tell me :) Have a bit of acting and modeling experience. I am a 23 yrs old transguy (FtM, pre-OP).
Ja mata, hYe
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 219.166.48.235
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 12/11/2003 08:06:58 PM
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/business_finance/gorilla.html
might need that?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Adam Donais
EMAIL: crashninja@lycos.com
IP: 207.109.179.46
URL:
DATE: 02/24/2004 08:55:22 AM
I would be interested in being a production assistant. I am also interested in helping out in anyway i can.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Subway ad copy
BASENAME: subway_ad_copy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/03/2003 12:54:21 PM
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BODY:
Although there are plenty of international fast food chains in Japan, many of them are locally controlled. And sometimes that leads to ad copy you'd never see in their home country. Here's an example from a Subway sandwich wrapper.
"Subway the dominant sandwich shop in the US is now available in over 74 countries. Here in Japan, we serve Subway sandwiches as a new style of Native Diet. This simply means that Subway sandwiches are the Natural Ideal style of eating Vegetables. We hope to spread this form of Native Diet to create a healthy living for both humans and the environment."
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Just a little strange.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.148
URL:
DATE: 12/03/2003 03:35:34 PM
At least you haven't been (yet) subjected to Subway's Jared...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 160.79.246.76
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 12/03/2003 11:39:04 PM
Amazing to think that such a small company from my own state could cause such a global impact. But I agree: at least you haven't been subjected to Jared yet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL:
DATE: 12/03/2003 11:51:20 PM
Spreading the form of native diet? That like lyrics from a Talking Heads song.
No spreading of Jared. In fact, the whole point is that Jared doesn't spread. ;-) You are blessed, indeed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Joshua Aaron Day
EMAIL: cormacjosh@earthlink.net
IP: 65.177.73.108
URL: http://yes
DATE: 12/04/2003 07:28:52 AM
This is so funny ! Silly ads...one of the reasons I love Japan.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: berek
EMAIL: berek@berek.net
IP: 61.21.17.83
URL: http://berek.net
DATE: 12/04/2003 12:08:26 PM
hahaha, yeah ... japan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/04/2003 03:03:23 PM
pardon my ignorance.. what is Jared?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/04/2003 11:29:01 PM
Jared is the "everyman" spokesperson for Subway. He appears in all their ads as the guy who actually lost weight eating Subway sandwiches. In the first ads I think they actually showed his "before" pants. He lost a lot of weight, but I have a hard time believing that it was the sandwiches that whittled down all those pants sizes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 64.252.32.133
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 12/05/2003 10:08:04 AM
...and he appears in almost every US Subway commercial. He's also referenced in the Austin Powers in Goldmember (by Fat Bastard). Almost as popular in the states as this flippin South Beach Diet that's making the rounds!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL: helenfridell@t.vodafone.ne.jp
IP: 210.231.5.205
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2003 12:40:44 PM
Ahhh. Jared. We even got Jared in Australia. And then came all his friends who has also lost a trillion pound on the "subway diet".
Have to pay respects to subway though, for being the only venue in Japan who can actually make a salad sandwich.
Someone needs to inform the Japanese Board of Nutrition that lettuce and cream-cheese do not constitute salad.
Nor does lettuce, seaweed and corn for that matter.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese-style Chicken Burger
BASENAME: japanese-style_chicken_burger
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/04/2003 10:21:02 AM
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This is another one from Lettuce Club--the "Pork and Chicken: 100 Yen Entrees" issue. The recipe below comes to 46 yen per serving according to their calculations, but I'm not sure where they're buying their meat--250 grams of ground chicken for 95 yen...not in my supermarket.
Japanese-style Chicken Burger
serves 4
250 g (1/2 lb) ground chicken
50 g lotus root, minced (about a 1/4 cup, I think)
2 dried shiitake, reconstituted and minced
2 tsp ginger juice
2 tsp sake
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 tsp salt
8 cm (3 in) green onion, sliced into thin shreds
1/4 red pepper, sliced into thin shreds
1 Tblsp oil for frying
4 Tblsp mayonnaise
pinch wasabi paste
Combine the chicken, lotus, shiitake, ginger, sake, sugar, sesame oil and cornstarch. Heat oil in fry pan and add meat mixture. Press into one large burger, about 20 cm (8 in) across and fry on both sides until done. Cut into 8 wedges and serve on a platter. Top with onion and pepper and serve with wasabi-spiked mayonnaise as a dipping sauce.
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An interesting take on chicken burgers.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 203.141.144.234
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 12/04/2003 04:30:26 PM
damn that is exactly what i feel like eating...what time you coming over to cook?
(~^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 62.109.68.136
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 12/04/2003 05:46:39 PM
Mmhh, sounds good. What's cornstarch? Ah, Maisstärke. Could've guessed the corn/Mais... I'll try this one. Sounds really good. Wasabi must've been given to man by some god. No human can come up with something this great.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rules, rules, rules
BASENAME: rules_rules_rules
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/05/2003 08:58:58 AM
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When you're faced with a trivial but impossible decision put a creative spin on it.
Make up arbitrary rules. Then stick with them.
"I'll buy a book that has san-serif type on the cover, is thicker than 3 cm, and is written by a woman."
"On my day off I'll take the train to the first destination that has four syllables and no S in its name."
"I'll buy 3 things at the grocery store for dinner: one that's under 200 yen, something with purple on the label, and whatever is to the left of the tomatoes."
Setting a framework for yourself, no matter how silly, forces you to find creative solutions within the restrictions. What has a purple label and goes with escarole?
Or it might expose you to something you've never seen or tried before--a book on glazing your own windows, or the delights of Ichigaya.
I sometimes play game this with friends when we're out wandering around and nobody wants to make a decision about where to eat. Everyone gets a to make one rule and has one veto if the restaurant is too dodgy or undesirable.
"We'll eat at the next place we see that has a green sign, beer on the menu, and a waitress wearing an apron."
It's amazing how quickly you find a place that fits all the requirements.
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Weird rules spin your creativity.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2003 12:16:20 AM
I love it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2003 12:16:33 AM
I love it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/07/2003 10:59:17 PM
That rocks. I'm using it with Helen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 64.180.223.213
URL:
DATE: 12/08/2003 10:25:37 AM
Hiya!
I still remember us using this method when the 4 of us were looking for a place to eat, near Roman's place I think. Do you remember the place where we all had to duck very low to get through the door. I don't think we would have ever picked that place normally. I had my first kobe beef that night and I remember it being a great night except that my Bell's Palsy was starting to manifest and I was scared silly about it. But I do remember a great dinner and conversation nonetheless. I like the refinement of each person picking a rule and one veto only per person.
I'm going to try applying this rule more often. It could be fun.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Takamado Hime-sama
BASENAME: takamado_hime-sama
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/06/2003 12:31:59 AM
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I've never talked to a real princess before.
But tonight at the Australian Embassy's Ancient Future reception for Patricia Piccinini's "We Are Family" exhibit at Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Shinagawa (how's that for an introduction?), I had a conversation with Princess Takamado, the sister-in-law of the Japanese Emperor.
She gave an eloquent toast in Japanese and English (delivered with a lovely Cambridge accent) talking about her late husband's definition of art--it must be beautiful, not merely freedom of expression as art was originally made as a gift to God.
It brought tears to my eyes. I had to say hello. But she was being monopolized by a guy wearing a backpack, and I have not learned the gentle art of butting in. So MJ's embassy contact, Katherine, helped us out and sidled over. The backpacker vanished and then a woman slipped in with a bouquet of pink and yellow tulips (in December ?!) and had her photo taken. And then we talked with the Princess.
It wasn't a very long conversation; perhaps six or seven minutes. First it was about the art exhibit, then we moved on to the Princess' involvement in judging speech contests and how men usually won, even though 75% or more of the contestants are women. Why? Because women don't deliver their speeches as well. She said that women trying to tell jokes made everyone slightly uncomfortable. (Interesting.)
Princess Takamado is gracious, graceful, and well-spoken. I'm very happy to have conversed briefly with her. Even though she'll never know who I am, I'll take her as a role model. I feel special for having spoken to a real, live princess.
Granted, this is all reflected glory...but...but...I talked to a princess! Not bad for a girl with hands perfectly shaped to use a plow.
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I had a chat with a princess.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.94.239
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2003 07:20:59 PM
"Not bad for a girl with hands perfectly shaped to use a plow."
talk about competitive advantage . );-)
and btw HAPPY NIKOLAUS everybody
axel
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.94.239
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2003 07:23:15 PM
"Not bad for a girl with hands perfectly shaped to use a plow."
talk about competitive advantage . );-)
and btw HAPPY NIKOLAUS everybody
axel
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arthur
EMAIL: ahooger@nospam.gmx.net
IP: 156.34.89.190
URL: http://hoogervorst.dyndns.org/~arthur/weblog/
DATE: 12/07/2003 02:12:01 AM
...and btw HAPPY NIKOLAUS everybody...
You mean Sinterklaas? I haven't seen that guy for ages.
(http://www-astro.physics.ox.ac.uk/~erik/sint/sint.html)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.93.144
URL:
DATE: 12/08/2003 05:05:17 AM
sinterklaas is what they call him in the netherlands - in the german speaking countries he's called nikolaus or st.nikolaus .
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nengajo party
BASENAME: nengajo_party
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/07/2003 08:10:24 PM
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BODY:
Today was the Creative Perspectives get -together. We spent our afternoon making nengajo, Japanese holiday cards.
Jo is carving her first-ever stamp. She's going to use it on the beautiful marbled paper she made today.
Bob spent most of the day sketching monkeys. His final product is a print block with a lot of character.
Greg brought lots of art toys and Jo took charge of dinner--a completely scrumptious polenta pizza! Tod was the kanji-master (of course) and I sketched variations on a theme until I got the design I wanted. If I have your address, you'll get a copy. If not, send me your address.
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Scenes from the creative
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/07/2003 10:56:59 PM
Cool! Helen likes Bob's monkey idea. Today is our card party. I get the feeling there will be a lot of glitter, giggling and cookies compared to the classy print blocks and polenta at your party! I'll try to take photos.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 12/08/2003 10:57:49 AM
I am so proud! I showed my students my finished nengajo with the stamps on them, and they could read it without me telling them what it was! Thanks Todd for kanji, and both of you for all the materials. Now all i have to do is write on them and p-p-p-post them (yeow, that means going to the dreaded post office!)....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 210.155.211.144
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 12/08/2003 04:50:28 PM
The title is COOL, You enojoy making NENGAJYOU. My image is -- we have to make NENGAJOU! IN NIKKO there is a famous three monkeys' carving. do you kno it--see no evil, hear no evil, nor speak any evil.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/08/2003 11:33:53 PM
Did you miss me???
I am so sorry to have missed all the fun yesterday.. but I was busy with the JLPT.. I think I did quite well as it was easier than I thought it would be..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.153
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2003 05:04:46 PM
Yes, we did miss you! And well done on the test! If you thought it was easyish, then you must have been well prepared!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mail management
BASENAME: mail_management
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/08/2003 09:36:52 PM
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BODY:
I used to be completely on top of my e-mail. I would read a message and reply without delay--usually before reading the next message. It is a very efficient system.
But for some reason, I'm no longer doing that. I've been slacking by reading mail and waiting to reply until...I'm not sure when. Now I have an Inbox full of mail that needs a response.
All these unanswered mails are weighing me down. So tonight I'm on a mission to answer 50 mails....here I go...
Update: midnight. I've replied to 21 messages and slightly rearranged my mailboxes and filtering rules. I'm going call it a night and be happy that I got nearly halfway to my goal in one session. I'll keep at it tomorrow. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Clara Bray
EMAIL: SilksandTreasures@msn.com
IP: 167.78.77.166
URL: http://none
DATE: 12/09/2003 04:27:14 AM
I was wondering if you could help me locate a company that makes the tiny all glass wind chimes we use to be able to get back in the 60's. They are very small but have lots of 1/2 inch wide by about 2 1/2 to 3 or so inches long thin glass in a circle with in a circle. They have the best tinking sound. They are not really for out side but people use to put them on their patio's. Thank you for any help you might be able to give me. Clara Bray
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/09/2003 02:33:42 PM
???? What was the above comment about???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL:
DATE: 12/09/2003 10:31:26 PM
Maybe she thinks she's the media "tinkler"?
Heehee.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Clara Bray
EMAIL: SilksandTreasures@msn.com
IP: 167.78.77.166
URL: http://none
DATE: 12/09/2003 10:36:31 PM
Sorry for the error I was under the impression that you could help me find the wind chimes I was looking for in Japan, since your site came up in my serch for glass wind chimes in Japan.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The production book
BASENAME: the_production_book
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/09/2003 10:09:46 PM
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BODY:
Each of my major projects has its own ring binder to help me keep organized.
Something about putting together a new one fills me with happiness. Maybe shopping for the supplies reminds me of every new school year in my childhood--crisp sheets of blue-ruled filler paper, tabbed dividers, the selection of binders. Do I need a new ruler? New pens, definitely.
Or maybe its the hope and promise that all new endeavors bring. Heading into unexplored possibilities is thrilling. So many interesting experiences ahead and obstacles to be overcome. Ideas will overflow these pages, I'm sure.
My Hello Tokyo production book was once shiny and new. Now it's a well loved, battered, and filthy collection of notes, scribbles and memories of frustrations and triumphs.
Today, the production book for "the project that will not be named" is pristine like freshly fallen snow. Tomorrow, I'll start making tracks in it.
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A new project merits a new notebook.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kat
EMAIL: kat@neoziggurat.com
IP: 129.252.105.161
URL: http://neoziggurat.com/blog/
DATE: 12/10/2003 03:00:29 AM
The joy of neatly putting things away into a nice, fresh binder is certainly related to the glee of buying new stationary, pens, and any other office accessory.
I'm in college now, burning myself out with work, and I still get excited when the semester starts. New school supplies! Hurrah~
It could be the geek-factor. It could be my obsessive-compulsive tendencies towards being organized and clean. Starting off organized seems to help bring things into focus... right before the chaos hits and things fall apart.
By the way, the accompanying picture is very striking for me (for whatever reason). If I had the time, I'd probably be reorganizing my desktop right now. I'm sure I'll end up doing just that when I get back at the end of the day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.53.128
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2003 12:10:51 PM
As long as you keep that coffee mug filled, the rest will take care of itself.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2003 03:10:34 PM
Embarking on a new adventure (full of promise and challenge) to whereever it might lead is always thrilling..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/10/2003 10:38:04 PM
Make tracks, then fall back into it and make an angel.
You are SO tidy! *eyespilesonherowndesk*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Terri
EMAIL: terri_macmillan@newcore.jp
IP: 219.215.68.15
URL: http://www.newcore.jp/TWWDI
DATE: 12/17/2003 11:54:18 AM
yeah, she is tidy, isn't she? I'm jealous. My room suffers from everything-itis.
But, I'm going to go to the gym now, instead of stopping everything to try to clean up.
darnit:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dave
EMAIL: Nosher150@bigfoot.com
IP: 195.8.76.119
URL: http://www.ainscough.net/mfwl
DATE: 12/19/2003 09:34:46 AM
What've you got on your bookshelf? Could do with one of those Blade-Runner multi-zoomy-inny things here...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/19/2003 09:49:39 AM
Just next to the three project notebooks is a copy of Eric Meyer's Cascading Style Sheets, then a little pink book called CVS Pocket References, and a small notebook and the master copy of the Hello Tokyo DVD. Out of sight on the other side of my monitor are the Final Cut Pro manuals, an English dictionary, two J/E dictionaries and two Japanese grammar dictionaries. That just what's on my desk...the library in the closet has a whole lot more...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: ISBN application
BASENAME: isbn_application
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/10/2003 11:25:51 AM
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BODY:
This morning I am filling in the ISBN and JAN-code applications for Hello Tokyo. I've been putting this off because the forms look so intimidating. Actually, they're pretty simple and it's mainly filling in names and addresses.
But there are some slightly confusing areas:
Current stockpile amount: ___ items
As I'm just applying for an ISBN now and it makes no sense to print a book before you have the ISBN, my inventory is 0. I wonder how many applications have a number other than 0 in this blank? ISBNs aren't required in Japan, so maybe some publishers apply after the fact.
And on the JAN code form, it asks you to enter your ISBN publisher code...only I haven't got one yet since I'm just applying now, so what do I put? The instructions don't really cover that but they do say to submit the forms together.
Maybe I should have a Japanese native reader help me out just a bit on these points. I don't want to have to apply again; it's not cheap.
Ah, bureaucracy.
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Filling in Japanese forms is...fun?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kenchin
BASENAME: kenchin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/11/2003 09:17:32 AM
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BODY:
Kenchin is a soup of root vegetables and tofu. It's absolutely delicious on a cold winter day.
The burdock root, gives an earthy flavor; the taro is soft and sticky; and the konyaku is nice and chewy. It might be challenging to find these ingredients in a typical US grocery store, but an Asian market should have them.
Kenchin
serves 4
1/2 block firm tofu (momen dofu)
2 pieces thin fried tofu (abura age)
1/2 burdock root (gobo)
3 small taro potatoes (satoimo)
1/2 carrot
1 leek (naga negi)
8 fresh shiitake
2/3 block konyaku
10 cm dried seaweed (kombu)
salad oil
50 ml soy sauce
20 ml sake
5 c water
With the back of a knife, scrape the burdock root into shreds (like sharpening a pencil). Cut the taro into quarters. Put the burdock and potatoes into cool water to release tehir bittnerness (drain them just before adding to the pot). Cut the carrot and leek into 1 inch pieces. Quarter the shiitake. Boil the konyaku for 3 minutes then cut into bite sized pieces. Slice the fried tofu in half lengthwise, then cut 1 inch slices.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Add the leek and fried tofu and saute briefly. Remove from the pot. Add the vegetables to coat with oil. Then add 5 cups of cold water and the kombu and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
Add soy sauce and sake. Return the leek and fried tofu to the pot. Cut the firm tofu into large bite-sized pieces and add it in. When the leek is soft, remove from heat. Serve with rice and pickles.
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Root vegetable soup perfect for warming up after winter fun.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.160
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 12/13/2003 12:35:14 PM
Do you like KENCHIN? some of foreingers I know don't like it very much. Anyway, I'm happy to hear that. I sometimes add small pieces of MOCHI (cut MOCHI into pieces) at the last. It's dellicious.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Passnet cards
BASENAME: passnet_cards
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
DATE: 12/11/2003 11:24:18 AM
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When your Passnet card has less than a full ticket's worth of value, you can slot it into the ticket machine and make up the difference in coins to buy a ticket.
You can use up to two Passnet cards at a time this way.
For example, you need 190 yen ticket and have a Passnet card with 40 yen left on it and one with 60 yen on it.
Insert one passnet card, then the other. The ticket machine will register 100 yen. Add 90 yen in coins, and the machine will give you a 190 yen ticket, plus your two Passnet cards (now completely empty).
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dictionary of Japanese Food
BASENAME: dictionary_of_japanese_food
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
DATE: 12/11/2003 04:29:31 PM
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BODY:
I heartily recommend the Richard Hosking's "A Dictionary of Japanese Food" as a key reference book in your library. It describes hundreds of raw ingredients, meals and traditional kitchen equipment. Illustrated with simple line drawings, it's a book I still turn to after nearly 6 years in Japan.
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A handy reference for the kitchen.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Favorite letters
BASENAME: favorite_letters
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/12/2003 09:15:00 AM
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Today's perspective comes from a conversation with UltraBob yesterday.
What are your favorite three letters, and why? Answer in as much detail as you can.
Here are mine:
Q: As a little girl, I loved writing the curvy 2 shape of a cursive capital Q. It confused me that numbers and letters could look so much alike. (Maybe this is why I still sometimes exchange e and 6 when I'm calculating.) As an adult, I appreciate the typographic Q with its flourish-y tail. Did I marry a man with Q in his name on purpose...?
V: A practical, versatile letter, especially as a fridge magnet. Turn V on its side to show you have values more or less of various things. Flip it upside down for a variation on A. Its vocabulary isn't vast but it can act as a drill in a pinch.
K: A stable letter. No matter which way you turn it, you can't knock it over. Yet it's also sort of bristly--if I throw a K at you, you're likely to get scratched. I also like the closed feeling in my throat when I say it: k k k k k. Get going fast enough and it sounds like a machine gun. K isn't merely my initial, it exemplifies my personal attributes. How could it not be a favorite?
Bob's fond of R and I'm sure he'll let you know why...
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What are yours?
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AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 12/15/2003 04:35:31 PM
Damn, sorry for posting my reply to this on the Casting Call entry! Dunno how that happened!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Casting Call
BASENAME: casting_call
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/13/2003 12:37:34 PM
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NEW DATE: Saturday, January 10, 2004
For more info: casting@mediatinker.com
New serial drama seeks Japanese and foreign actors. The auditions will consist of two cold readings; you do not need to prepare a monologue. Headshots and resumes are appreciated, but not necessary. In addition to the roles listed below, we need people of all backgrounds and ages for smaller parts and as extras.
Production is planned for weekends from mid-February through mid-April. Not all characters will be required for all shooting days.
Actress “Yoko”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Bilingual E/J
“Yoko” is a stunningly beautiful actress with lots of talent, however, she's also a kind, sincere, humble person. Although she knows she is beautiful and is confident in her acting ability, she is very shy off-camera, and a bit insecure and awkward when interacting in the "real world." She is genuinely a kind-hearted person who is torn between following her acting career and pleasing her parents.
Actress “Tomoko”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Bilingual E/J
“Tomoko” is a beautiful and feisty actress who hasn’t achieved the success she wants. She's known as a busybody who knows everyone’s business and gossips behind everyone’s back—therefore, she's a troublemaker.
Actress “Junko”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Japanese or bilingual
“Junko” is a quiet, insecure, and introverted young woman who works behind the scenes. She is sort of plain and the outgoing actors and actresses forget to invite her along to social events. Junko speaks but she has emotional depth. She's quick to try to please, but her eyes reveal sadness.
Actress “Miki”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Japanese or bilingual
“Miki” is a young actress who is always late for rehearsals and meetings. Although she is a fine actress, she is a prima dona who reacts badly to criticism.
Actress “Anna”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: European or British
Language: English or bilingual
“Anna” is a photographer who has been in Japan for just a few months. She has an outgoing personality and is trying hard to make friends and get her career going.
Actor “Sean”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: UK, Australian, or NZ
Language: English or bilingual
“Sean” is a comic artist and English teacher. He is the comic relief in the show, (ala Kramer), offering wisdom in a friendly manner.
Please pass this information to anyone you think might be interested
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Looking for Japanese and foreign actresses and actors.
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AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.153
URL:
DATE: 12/13/2003 03:51:23 PM
Hmmmm.
I always liked 'S', the way you could keep it going all the way down the page, theres no definate finish point to it, it can vary so much and yet still be recogisable. Of course, it is no fun to type, only fun to write. But the sound is good too...
I kinda like 'M' for the same reason, when you write it, its just an 'n' that didnt know when to stop! My 'M's can range from one bump to three when im writing.
I also like writing 'e' so much that i use it for my ampersand, thats another one that goes on and on....
(Hmmm, as im writing, im realising that i like letters that dont end... i wonder what this means?)
And i sympathise with your number/letter confusion, i have similar problems with this kind of thing: 6ix, 3hree, 5ive, 7even. And the worst part is that when i go back and check, i cant see the mistake...!
(and when you're typing, what do you think about the whole {'i'= boku, 'I'= ore} thing?)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sidewalk
BASENAME: sidewalk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/14/2003 05:10:24 PM
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Because of all the construction in our neighborhood, the past year has seen the local sidewalks dug up and patched over three or four times. But it has finally drawn to a close.
For the past few weeks, the curb-layers were building new edging and yesterday the bricks were delivered. They worked hard this weekend and have already finished two blocks.
I love Bunkyo-ku's red brick sidewalks and I'm happy to see them again. I'm also pleased that I won't be tripping over uneven lumps of asphalt anymore.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Picking at chicken
BASENAME: picking_at_chicken
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 12/15/2003 09:50:58 PM
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There is something about picking meat off a chicken carcass that fires my imagination.
I feel connected to the frugality of my grandmothers' era. They grew up during the Depression and every morsel of food was precious. I imagine what it must have been like for them. Were they hungry? How often did they get a chicken for dinner? What did their mothers do in the kitchen? Probably the same thing I'm doing now: slipping on an apron; washing my hands; abandoning the knife to use my fingers.
Every time, I'm surprised at how much meat remains on the chicken after it's been carved at the dinner table. Last night we had roast chicken dinner; today's lunch menu featured open-faced chicken sandwiches. Tonight I am making croquettes, and there's still enough for chicken curry and a rich soup.
As I dig between the bones, searching for hidden pockets of meat, my thoughts drift towards other people who once needed this bountiful chicken: the starving Armenians my mother told me about when I didn't finish my dinner in the 1970s; the Ethiopians I bought charity albums to help in the 80s; the little girl in rural Thailand who I sponsored when I was a teenager. I wonder what happened to them?
They would have liked my chicken croquettes.
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A wandering mind in the kitchen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 12/16/2003 09:37:25 PM
Those starving Armenians would have enjoyed the liver, too.
It is amazing how much chicken is left when you think there is none. The cats always gather at my feet when I bring out a chicken carcass. They know!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 12/16/2003 10:33:23 PM
The starving Armenians would have enjoyed the dreaded beef liver, I'm sure.
It is amazing how much meat is left on a chicken when you think there is none. The cats always gather at my feet when I bring out a chicken carcass. They know!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 160.79.246.76
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 12/17/2003 03:20:11 AM
mmmm. There's something to be said for boneless cutlets.
No deep meaning here - just sharing what I just finished for lunch.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Train route website
BASENAME: train_route_website
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
DATE: 12/16/2003 08:00:37 AM
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I'm quite sure that I couldn't manage without Jorudan's train route detail website. Type in your starting and ending station and it tells you where to change, how long the ride will be, and how much it costs. Doesn't matter whether you're going across town or across the country--this is one great resource.
In English: http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/e-norikeyin.html
In Japanese: http://www.jorudan.co.jp/norikae/norimap.html
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AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.36
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 12/16/2003 10:51:30 AM
Kuri-san, you can actually input romaji into the train-scheduler-thingy at yahoo.co.jp as well. It returns only Japanese but I suppose it is good for one's kanji learning?
http://transit.yahoo.co.jp/
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Map gift
BASENAME: map_gift
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/16/2003 10:05:33 AM
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Yesterday afternoon as Tod was leaving for work, he found a white tube outside our door and handed it to me
"Dunno what it is, but everyone seems to have them," he said, scanning up and down the hallway.
I pulled off the packaging to reveal the 2004 Metro Network Map. It's a large, detailed map of the subway system with exits and underground passageways marked. We held it up to the wall in the genkan and followed streets and trains until my arm felt numb and Tod was definitely late for work.
But we're not sure why we received this. Maybe Eidan is giving them to all the people who live along the exposed portion of the Marunouchi line? They were doing some work out there recently; maybe this is a little "pardon our dust" present.
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A train map appears mysteriously at our doorstep.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim OConnell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 211.120.15.253
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 12/19/2003 11:48:26 AM
I've been looking for one of those this year - the one I have is from 2000 or so and doesn't even have the Oedo line on it yet.
They are tremendously handy - we keep ours on the inside of the laundry room door and consult with it often. (I think you've seen it. :-))
They used to be 200 yen, but have gone up to 350, I think. Still a great bargain.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Season's greetings
BASENAME: seasons_greetings
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/17/2003 11:41:22 PM
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Printing and design companies use their to holiday greeting cards say "thanks for your business this year" while also shouting "Hey, look! We can do foil and die cuts, too!"
I've always looked forward to them. So I was pleased as punch when I received one from Paradigm, the company that does FCCJ's monthly magazine. It's sweet--a lovely range of non-traditional holiday colors and a die cut that works into each picture and culminates in Paradigm's signature dots.
And it reminds me that I'd better get some mediatinker nengajo done this week!
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Printer's cards are always the best.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/20/2003 05:23:11 AM
Very cool. Purple and red together are great.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Frugal Chicken Soup
BASENAME: frugal_chicken_soup
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/18/2003 05:35:15 PM
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After roasting a chicken and enjoying the meat and leftovers, you have the best thing for making soup--the carcass. You'll get another meal's worth of chicken because simmering loosens the meat from the skin and bones.
And as for the rest, almost anything is good in chicken soup. Make soup on a day that you have bits of leftover vegetables. This is not the sort of soup you go buy new ingredients for...Today I have a 1/3 cauliflower and a broccoli stem so that's what's in mine.
Frugal Chicken Soup
1 chicken carcass
6 cups cold water
1 bay leaf
1 large potato
1/2 carrot
1/4 onion
1 to 2 cups of other vegetables--broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomato, corn, etc.
1/4 cup egg noodles (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
Put the chicken carcass in a medium sized pot. if the chicken is too big, cut it along the lower part of the breast and fold it to fit. Cover with 6 cups cold water and add the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook slowly for about an hour without boiling.
When the water is golden yellow with a nice layer of bright gold fat, carefully drain the stock into another pot. Put the bones aside to cool.
Peel and chop the potato, carrot, onion and other vegetables into bite-sized pieces. They should be approximately the same size to ensure even cooking. I usually make them 1 cm (1/2 in) or smaller. Add to the stock.
When the bones are cool enough to handle, pick off any remaining meat. Check the neck, under the thighs, around the joints. Avoid the liver and other innards; they taste nasty in soup. Chops the meat into small bits and add to the soup. Add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of white pepper.
Cover the pot and simmer the soup over low heat at least until the vegetables are soft (20-30 minutes) and as long beyond that as you like. Skim the impurities from the surface as needed and be sure to watch for evaporation if you simmer for hours and hours.
About 20 minutes before serving, add the egg noodles. Season the soup with salt and pepper at the table.
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Yummy and simple soup from leftovers.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/19/2003 12:05:32 AM
I make soup like this so often. It's warming and yummy.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: From the floor
BASENAME: from_the_floor
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/19/2003 09:32:57 AM
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If you'll just stretch out on the floor for a moment, please. Yes, that's it...on your stomach, arms & legs relaxed. Rest your chin on the floor. Good, good.
You have become a child, a Borrower, a puppy.
What do you see? The carpet looks different from down here, doesn't it? Take a close look. It's a lot rougher and uneven from this angle. Look at the way the furniture meets the floor. What would it be like to walk on it if you were only a few inches tall? The door's an awfully long way away. And all those crumbs as obstacles...time to vacuum, I think.
But first, roll over onto your back. Let your eyes follow the nearest wall to the ceiling. What seems so close when we're standing looks miles away when we're down here. Does your furniture take on a new perspective? Put reality aside and imagine what might be on the surfaces you can't see now. There must be a cookie jar on the credenza, if only you could reach it.
Of course, when you stand up there's no cookie jar, the ceiling regains its usual stature and you will forget about the crumbs. But carry the memories of your perspective from the floor with you today and see if you can use them as you work or play.
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You are a child, a Borrower, a puppy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kathleen
EMAIL: kathymacau@yahoo.com
IP: 202.72.131.230
URL: http://www.eachday.net/memories/kath_mccrory
DATE: 12/20/2003 01:53:40 AM
You have just reminded me to read 'The Borrowers'. I saw a few episodes on the ABC a few years ago and have been meaning to get reaquainted with them for ages. Thank you.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: So much packaging
BASENAME: so_much_packaging
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
DATE: 12/19/2003 11:46:03 AM
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Something many new arrivals comment on is the amount of useless packaging in Japan.
- A box of chocolates sealed in cellophane contains a plastic tray. The tray holds 12 individually wrapped candies.
-Your newly purchased boutique sweaters are individually wrapped in tissue and sealed before being wrapped in paper with the store's logo and slipped into a shopping bag, which on a rainy day might be covered in a protective plastic bag.
What's up with all the packaging? It's cultural.
Japan is full of layers--from the layers of kimono that cover the body to the layers of politeness that wrap the language. Contemporary packaging rises from gift giving traditions.
Ages ago, gifts to the shogun and emperor were elaborately and beautifully presented. Wrapping symbolic stated, "I have covered this object from my sight. I no longer own it; I give it to you."
The act of unwrapping the package made it the receiver's property. Each layer could be savored for its shape, color and texture. And the more layers, the more beauty to enjoy and anticipation of the gift inside.
Therefore, overpackaged chocolates evoke luxury.
A very scholarly paper explains it in detail: Wrapped gifts: Ritual prestations and social obligations in contemporary Japan
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Why is everything wrapped so many times?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: OmiyaChemist
EMAIL:
IP: 219.160.159.106
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2003 05:07:33 PM
Yes, indeed it is cultural. But it goes a long way in demonstrating the insincerity of the environmental Kyoto protocol, though don't you think?
If the wrappers were made of cotton, wool, or other natural and/or organic fiber textiles it would be a different story. But, what we see at work here are plastic polymers galore.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Iranian groceries
BASENAME: iranian_groceries
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/20/2003 10:26:45 PM
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"Look, a rice shop," I said to Tod as we walked up Sotobori Dori from Akihabara towards Ochanomizu.
"And they sell CDs...huh?"
"Hey, wait a second, that's Basmati rice!" I pulled the door open. Inside the modest store was a treasure trove of Iranian food: dried beans; tinned halal stews; saffron candy; nuts, pickles, and olives.
The owner offered us each a fresh date sprinkled with coconut to enjoy while we browsed. Heaven!
I left with a bottle of rosewater for making sweets, a jar of jam that is labeled in Arabic with the picture of a mysterious fruit, a box of dried herbs, and a bottle of pomegranate molasses--now I can make mohomara!
We returned after dinner to acquire some weightier purchases--a leg of lamb and a 5 kg bag of basmati rice. Guess what we're having for dinner on the Emperor's birthday this Tuesday?
If you'd like to visit Darya Shop, you'll find it at 2-1-4 Soto-kanda, Chiyoda-ku on Sotobori-dori, just down the hill from Marunouchi line Ochanomizu station (on the same side of the street as the river). The phone number is 03-3251-5387 and it's open from noon - 10 pm, except Mondays.
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A surprise in Ochanomizu.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2003 03:19:12 PM
Sounds sensational!! Will be heading down there after I get back from hols.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@zaidi.jp
IP: 203.82.48.6
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com/
DATE: 12/23/2003 12:31:07 AM
You might also like to try Aladdin, the Iranian restaurant near Roppongi Hills. In addition to the great food, you can buy things like Pomegranite juice. Another place I sometimes shopped at was Al-Falah Super Market in Ikebukuro. At the end of a somewhat seedy area and a bit difficult to find, it has a nice selection of spices and food stuffs.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dirk
EMAIL: dirk@unicircuits.com
IP: 218.45.64.142
URL: http://www.unicircuits.com
DATE: 02/05/2004 08:26:42 PM
Hey, thanks for the hint. I went down there today and got a bag of basmati rice I had been looking for for ages.
Dirk
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ali
EMAIL: a_basti_78@yahoo.com
IP: 219.164.156.154
URL:
DATE: 02/08/2004 05:26:53 PM
Iranian script is different with, Arabic. Its name is Persian or Farsi.
Ali
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Monoprints
BASENAME: monoprints
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 12/21/2003 11:59:59 AM
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Through a collusion of time and circumstance, we arrived at the solstice with no holiday cards and a big empty atelier available to us at the kuyakusho (the ward office). So we did what any normal people would do, and we hauled our art supplies down the road and made cards.
We intended to print a bunch of cards using the block we designed at the nengajo party, but ended up doing monoprints which were a lot more fun.
Tod surveys the 86 cards we made in our enthusiasm. I think that we have enough cards for next year, too.
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Finally, holiday cards
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 12/22/2003 11:57:30 AM
Tod seems to have gotten a haircut.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Auditions
BASENAME: auditions
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/22/2003 09:05:06 AM
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UPDATED SCHEDULE AND DETAILS
Saturday January 10, 2004
For more info: casting@mediatinker.com
New serial drama seeks Japanese and foreign actors. The auditions will consist of two cold readings; you do not need to prepare a monologue. Headshots and resumes are appreciated, but not necessary. In addition to the roles listed below, we need people of all backgrounds and ages for smaller parts and as extras.
Production is planned for weekends from mid-February through mid-April. Not all characters will be required for all shooting days.
Actress “Yoko”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Japanese or bilingual E/J
“Yoko” is a stunningly beautiful actress with lots of talent, however, she's also a kind, sincere, humble person. Although she knows she is beautiful and is confident in her acting ability, she is very shy off-camera, and a bit insecure and awkward when interacting in the "real world." She is genuinely a kind-hearted person who is torn between following her acting career and pleasing her parents.
Actress “Tomoko”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Bilingual E/J
“Tomoko” is a beautiful and feisty actress who hasn’t achieved the success she wants. She's known as a busybody who knows everyone’s business and gossips behind everyone’s back—therefore, she's a troublemaker.
Actress “Junko”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Japanese or bilingual
“Junko” is a quiet, insecure, and introverted young woman who works behind the scenes. She is sort of plain and the outgoing actors and actresses forget to invite her along to social events. Junko speaks but she has emotional depth. She's quick to try to please, but her eyes reveal sadness.
Actress “Miki”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: Japanese
Language: Japanese or bilingual
“Miki” is a young actress who is always late for rehearsals and meetings. Although she is a fine actress, she is a prima dona who reacts badly to criticism.
Actress “Anna”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: European or British
Language: English or bilingual
“Anna” is a photographer who has been in Japan for just a few months. She has an outgoing personality and is trying hard to make friends and get her career going.
Actor “Sean”
Age: 20s-30s
Nationality: UK, Australian, or NZ
Language: English or bilingual
“Sean” is a comic artist and English teacher. He is the comic relief in the show, (ala Kramer), offering wisdom in a friendly manner.
Please pass this information to anyone you think might be interested
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date changed...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 12/22/2003 11:59:12 AM
I notice Americans aren't welcome in your production. I am thouroughly offended, upset, outraged, etc.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2003 03:22:34 PM
UB- you can always offer to be one of the extra's.. are you able to look casual? Or you can do what I plan to do and carry the gaffer tape and make sandwiches..
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bathroom Book
BASENAME: bathroom_book
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/23/2003 10:24:12 AM
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Ladies room with orchids. Tung Fat, Yokohama
Cleanliness: 8 - apparently frequently tidied
Scent: 6 - Completely neutral
Decor: 9 - fresh flowers and elegant marble
Fixtures: 6 - nothing extraordinary
Consumables: 5 - average paper; lotion(?) in an unlabeled plastic bottle
OVERALL: 6.8 - clean and nicely decorated, but not a place you'll linger.
My sister and I became restaurant bathroom connoisseurs during the interminable duration between our last bite of dessert and our parents' last cigarette.
During fortnightly dinners out, Jenn and I would escape Mom & Dad's chitchat and examine the fixtures, cleanliness, industrial-grade toilet paper and bottled scents of the ladies' room. Each bathroom received a rating. Sometimes we took notes, sometimes we merely reported back to the dinner table. We vowed that one day, we'd write a book.
Exactly when this began, I'm not sure. I suspect my mother innocently asked "How was the bathroom?". For an 8 and 11 year old, that would have been enough. All I can say is thank goodness we didn't have a camera or the book would be a reality full of entries like the one above.
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EXCERPT:
The origins of the bathroom book, plus a sample entry.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2003 06:54:56 PM
Bathrooms - I love checking out bathrooms!! I guess it started as a kid too.
During our family trek around Europe in the mid 1970's in a campervan (like a small Winnebego - sp?) it was always my job to run in and check the bathrooms at various hotels and camp sites to determine if it was an acceptable place for us to stop.
Also, when travelling through China it is essential to know where all of the 5star hotels are in order to run in and use their facilities. For anybody who has been travelling in China they would understand the need for this as the public toilets leave quite a bit to be desired.
my fave bathrooms are the ones with chaise's...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 64.12.96.74
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2003 11:00:46 PM
Glad to see that you've kept up the bathroom rating tradition. What is the 3D art behind the orchids?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2003 11:34:05 PM
The art is a gilded wood carving in Chinese style (Tung Fat's a great dim sum place in Chinatown). I think it was sort of "garden of eden" inspired, though. I'll have to take a closer look next time I'm there.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Citrus Ornament
BASENAME: citrus_ornament
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/24/2003 12:50:49 PM
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BODY:
A ripe fruit hangs like a Christmas ornament in my neighbor's garden.
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EXCERPT:
Unexpected holiday cheer
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Onion Toasts
BASENAME: onion_toasts
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/25/2003 12:38:01 AM
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BODY:
This classic 1950's American appetizer is always a big hit at parties and it's very simple. It tastes a bit like French Onion Soup. “Party rye” is not available in Japan; I use whole-grain German rye and cut it onto quarters.
Onions Toasts
makes 12 appetizers
150 g onion, chopped (sweet onions like Vidalia work best)
120 ml mayonnaise
12 slices party rye bread (or 3 slices German rye, cut into 1/4ths)
50 g freshly grated parmesan cheese
Mix the onion and mayonnaise together. Broil the bread on one side until lightly toasted. Turn the toast over and spread with the onion mixture. Sprinkle with a generous topping of parmesan and a dash of ground black pepper.
Broil again until the cheese on top is lightly brown. They take only a minute or two, so be careful not to burn them. Serve these while still warm.
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Appetizers perfect for an casual holiday party.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.138
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 12/25/2003 09:41:44 AM
It sounds tasty.-- for this week we have been eating cakes --- We get a little git tired of it. I try to make it. I'm always looking foward to seeing your recipe. Merry Christmas.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cartoon yourself
BASENAME: cartoon_yourself
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/26/2003 12:17:37 PM
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BODY:
Let's pick up a pen and draw today. We're going to cartoon ourselves from two perspectives.
Don't worry, this isn't about your drawing skill. There's no "right" way to draw a cartoon, so let yourself have fun with it and do your best. If you get stuck, think of all the different styles you've seen: Peanuts, The Far Side, Calvin and Hobbes, South Park, Japanese anime and manga.
First Perspective: Yourself in Real Life
Cartoon yourself in your "natural environment." What do you do most of the time? If someone walked in to your house, what would they find your doing? Maybe you like to sleep or read or play video games. Or perhaps you're always at the office wearing a suit, so you live in a corporate environment.
Try to draw the details of what you look like, what you wear, the things around you. It's OK to exaggerate! Maybe you can include some action, or make a multi-panel story.
My Real Life: sitting at the computer in my pajamas, hair going everywhere and coffee nearby. This is me pretty much every day...including right now.
Second Perspective: Yourself in Your Dreams
Next forget reality and cartoon yourself doing something you wish you could do. Singing in front of 50,000 people? Winning the lottery? Bringing peace to the world? The sky's the limit, here.
But remember to include details to show where you are and what you're doing.
My Dream Life: manning a mission to Mars. Growing up, I wanted to be an astronaut or an astronomer, but my eyes aren't good enough and my math stinks! But in my dreams, I am in flight, trying on my space suit. So fashionable...
Want to share your cartoons? Post a URL in the comments. I can't wait to see what you've drawn!
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EXCERPT:
Real life and dream life
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Quince drink
BASENAME: quince_drink
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/27/2003 09:35:51 PM
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BODY:
Today at the combini, I spied this new drink: Nodojiman. I'm mystified by the name. Nodo is throat, but Jiman mean "boasting" so I have a feeling that I'm missing something here...there are musical notes on the label and the character on the label is a uvula, so maybe it's a pun I don't understand.
Anyway, Nodojiman is a slightly fizzy, sweet, quince flavoured drink. It tastes a lot like nodo ame, what we'd call cough drops, but nodo ame literally translates to "throat candy."
I thought that the back of the Nodojiman label was really funny. For your dry throat, your dry heart, your dry life..."
Quince has magical properties to cure sore throats. Called karin in Japanese, it's a key ingredient in all of the Japanese cough drops and has long been used as an herbal remedy. But I don't know if it can cure your dry life.
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EXCERPT:
A drink for winter colds
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.90
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 12/28/2003 02:16:23 AM
You got the meaning of the individual words right. What you missed is that the name of the Japanese Gong Show is Nodojiman. I guess it is kind of play on words saying that it will make your throat smooth and beautiful.
sore deha oyasumi
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hello Tokyo
BASENAME: hello_tokyo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 0
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 12/28/2003 09:47:09 AM
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BODY:
Puzzles of Daily Life
title sequence
Hello Tokyo
0'46" .mov (6.2 MB)
chapter 1
Figuring Out a Few Words
1'58" .mp4 (1.2 MB)
chapter 4
Entertainment
1'12" .mp4 (923 KB)
Appearances
& Media
Design
Festa vol 18 interview
Design
Festa 18 video interview
Tokyo Visitor's Survival Guide
Just visiting?
Here's some general information on how to navigate
Tokyo's restaurants and attractions.
Interesting
places to visit in Tokyo.
Hello Tokyo Resources
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EXCERPT:
Links, resources and a video for newcomers to Tokyo
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Untitled
BASENAME: untitled
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/28/2003 10:59:22 PM
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BODY:
Three hours, four brains, 257 ideas. But still no title for the new project.
I'm sure we will come up with one but nothing we've conjured so far is quite right. We do have two or three acceptable, but not brilliant, "runners-up" if we really get stuck.
So, help me out. What would you call a show about a group of creative people (foreigners and Japanese) in Tokyo? The story follows their relationships as they move around the city and pursue their creative interests: making music, acting, dancing, taking photographs, drawing, being beautiful, getting famous.
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OK, I'm asking you...what would you call it?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.53.128
URL:
DATE: 12/29/2003 04:02:38 AM
Sounds like Real World:Japan. How about "Artisans Gone WIld"?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 12/29/2003 09:27:34 AM
Small in Japan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: s naka
EMAIL: boma@da2.so-net.ne.jp
IP: 218.221.102.88
URL: http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/boma/langex/bomalanguageexchange.htm
DATE: 12/29/2003 07:58:32 PM
Tokyo Nanakorobi Yoki
BTW, who would be the target audience, Japanese or English speaking people?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 160.79.246.76
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 12/29/2003 11:15:22 PM
"Tokyo Collage"?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.51
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 12/31/2003 12:34:59 PM
Ideas in Motion
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jacques
EMAIL:
IP: 195.92.168.177
URL: http://www.practise.co.uk
DATE: 01/01/2004 09:48:28 PM
Tokyo Show (and Tell)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: hye
EMAIL:
IP: 221.191.128.62
URL:
DATE: 01/04/2004 11:44:43 PM
El Dorado Tokyo
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Warm Winter
BASENAME: warm_winter
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/29/2003 11:50:52 PM
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BODY:
It's been so mild this winter that we've gone without heat until just lately. In fact, the heat's not on now, at ten minutes to midnight on December 29th. Amazing.
Tokyo winters are never terribly cold (compared to Chicago or Pittsburgh, that is) but this one seems warmer than average. Could be my imagination, but November into early December seemed warmer and wetter than usual. We're finally getting typical crisp, clear December days but it seems like they came a few weeks later than usual.
Weather's a little tricky to recall. I could be just misremembering past years. But according to this nifty page from the Japan Meteorological Agency I'm not off base. http://www.data.kishou.go.jp/normal-e/mrep_e.html
December's data's not in yet (of course) but I be it will be warmer and wetter than usual.
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EXCERPT:
No heat on, and no need for it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.53.128
URL:
DATE: 12/30/2003 03:00:54 AM
"... it will be warmer and wetter than usual."
Sounds ideal.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Beware of Almanacs
BASENAME: beware_of_almanacs
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/30/2003 01:01:47 PM
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BODY:
The US is going crazy. Shouldn't this be in The Onion, and not on CNN where I found it this morning?
FBI urges police to watch for people carrying almanacs
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs, cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning.
In a bulletin sent Christmas Eve to about 18,000 police organizations, the FBI said terrorists may use almanacs "to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning."
It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for anyone carrying almanacs, especially if the books are annotated in suspicious ways.
"The practice of researching potential targets is consistent with known methods of al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations that seek to maximize the likelihood of operational success through careful planning," the FBI wrote.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the bulletin this week and verified its authenticity.
Next week: FBI alerts police to maps, phone books, encyclopedias, all non-fiction books, and people carrying library cards. Special caution urged with people who can read and write.
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This is simply madness.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: e
EMAIL:
IP: 216.242.124.79
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 12/30/2003 03:39:19 PM
two words:
ben franklin.
poor benny boy is probably rolling over in his grave right now.
this guy wrote an almanac, and are we supposed to consider him a terrorist? hmm, maybe not the best diplomat this country has ever seen, but after all, he was a radical and a founding father, but certainly not a terrorist- or at least how our government chooses to define it, for that matter.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.90
URL:
DATE: 12/30/2003 05:46:37 PM
yes, and stay away from people that can read and write !
it' all secular humanisim and witchcraft.
happy new year america from old europe
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jason Cha
EMAIL: jjcha@hotmail.com
IP: 220.211.126.247
URL: http://www.jjcha.net
DATE: 12/30/2003 10:05:28 PM
And certainly watch out for people with blogs. Who knows what sort of subversive things they're planning.
-Jason
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 64.12.96.74
URL:
DATE: 12/30/2003 11:46:42 PM
Holy paranoia, Batman! I was just perusing some vintage Almanacs at an antiques store yesterday. I wonder if that makes me suspect.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/31/2003 03:51:30 AM
Coming soon from Reuters:
FBI surrounds middle school library in a huge almanac roundup.
"I was just looking up the capital of Wyoming, when they stormed in through the double doors. Everyone was screaming," said a young student. "I mean, weren't the local police just in here not too long ago teaching us what to do in the event of a gunman in the school? Now the FBI barges in and takes all our reference materials. I wasn't sure whether to get under the desk, go to the hallway and face the wall or wait for the next announcement on the loudspeaker."
Sweet wheezing lord. What's next?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: SouthamericanBoy
EMAIL:
IP: 24.232.118.23
URL:
DATE: 12/31/2003 01:17:33 PM
Who is winning the war then?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liz
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 01/01/2004 06:57:43 AM
I'm just glad I'm no longer studying for College Bowl tournaments. My strange notations would have got me arrested as a suspected enemy combatant for sure!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.57.66
URL:
DATE: 01/09/2004 01:06:20 PM
Information is bad, m'kay?
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/101801/news.godfrey.shtml
lyd
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Another 25 words
BASENAME: another_25_words
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/31/2003 10:18:37 AM
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BODY:
A mediatinker tradition, one final writing exercise before midnight: recap your year in exactly 25 words.
2003 Doggerel
Hello Tokyo finally done
Neon Chopstix now begun.
'Twas mostly work but also fun.
Hosted friends from far away.
Another visa for three years' stay.
And previous entries:2002 and 2001
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EXCERPT:
Can you do it?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 12/31/2003 04:46:31 PM
New business, new friends, old habits, didn’t organize well but made progress anyway, learned lots, forgot lots, resolution meter stands at 50%. How about you?
http://www.dynamicduo.info/week_2003_12_28.shtml#000329
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 12/31/2003 10:34:11 PM
Loved, cried, ate, wrote, erased, shared, laughed, swam, skated, bowled, slept, worried, played, published, planned, paid, pushed aside pride, asked, advised, volunteered, read, signed, answered.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kurisu
EMAIL:
IP: 140.237.60.5
URL:
DATE: 01/09/2004 03:55:54 AM
Sorry- no addition to the year in 25 words. I just had to write to say how natsukashii this has made me in a couple ways. I live in Cincinnati now and am searching for a realtor with the last name Benza and I came across this site when Googling to find her (BTW, if I find her, I'll be sure to let her know her last name is slang for toilet seat). My wife and I lived in Tokyo for 18 months while I was on an expat assignment (3-98 ~ 10-99), after which we moved to Pittsburgh (Cranberry Twp, actually). I've spent over an hour skimming this blog and it's great! Enjoy the new year and I'll be sure to check back from time to time!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Toasted Mochi
BASENAME: toasted_mochi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/01/2004 10:25:01 AM
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BODY:
Mochi, cakes made of pounded rice, is an important part of the Japanese New Year. There are mochi-making parties at the end of December and everyone eats mochi in their soup on new year's day. Many people have "kagami mochi"--two round balls of mochi topped with an orange--as a holiday decoration that is cracked apart and eaten in early January. But you don't have to pound your own mochi, it's sold in precut blocks or small rounds. Here is a simple and filling snack of mochi.
Toasted Mochi
serves 1
1 cake mochi, round or rectangle
1 tsp soy sauce
1 strip nori (seaweed paper)
Brush the mochi with soy sauce. Arrange on aluminum foil in the toaster oven. Toast until lightly browned and puffy. Remove from toaster oven. Heat the nori in the toaster oven for a few seconds. Wrap the mochi in nori and enjoy.
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EXCERPT:
Simple rice and seaweed snack.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 207.216.4.205
URL:
DATE: 01/02/2004 05:45:05 PM
I don't know if you remember the story, but in 1999 Tara and I rushed home from the integration work and got there at maybe 10 minutes before midnight. We sat down and attempted (but didn't entirely succeed) counting down to New Year's in Japanese. Then we opened up the plastic "rice snowman" and took out the small rice cakes inside. They were a bit heavy, but since it was a tradition, we tried one each. I say tried because we simply weren't able to eat them. We knawed at them a bit and chalked it up to a strange tradition - not the first. As Tara mentioned this to Kondo-san at work, he stayed quiet for a minute but his eyes got very big. "Oh, no, Tara-san. You are supposed to cook those!" :)
Happy New Year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 01/02/2004 06:21:26 PM
be careful - mochi has already killed 3 people this year...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/02/2004 10:27:05 PM
Helen and I asked for mochi at the little restaurant we went to last night for our New Year's gyoza. They didn't have it, so we had green tea ice cream instead. Yum!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: LK
EMAIL: l.kaleveld@ecu.edu.au
IP: 139.230.245.20
URL:
DATE: 01/29/2004 01:27:00 PM
I am sticky beaking into your life for a bit, I hope you don't mind. I want to say hello to ease any feelings of voyerism! Although aren't we all getting quite used to that now?
My boyfriend and I applied to go on the JET program to Japan. The interviews are soon.
I am reading your website, to catch the overspill of excitement at going to Japan. It sometimes happens when i am at work, with a spare minute, and internet access
Best wishes
LK
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: More more more
BASENAME: more_more_more
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/02/2004 09:03:33 AM
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BODY:
Do you have a New Year's resolution? I have one:
Do More
For me the creative process is iterative. I try something, take a look, make a change, compare my results, find inspiration or see a new twist, try again, and often end with something wonderful and unexpected. The more I do, the better I get. I am building up a body of work--some of it's total crap, but some of it is pretty good indeed.
There's a story about a pottery class where half the students were graded on quantity and half on quality. The quality students aimed for one perfect pot by the end of the class; the quantity students were graded on the number of pots they made regardless of quality. The students who aimed for quantity ended up with better quality pots because they weren't afraid to try, fail, experiment, learn, and try again.
More is good. Practice makes perfect.
Take that to heart. Whatever your creative outlet, do it more this year. If you don't expect perfection every time, I'll bet you'll have some fantastic work in twelve months' time.
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EXCERPT:
Quantity over quality achieves quality anyway!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.135.77
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 01/02/2004 07:00:09 PM
Mine is "do sports". I'm the typical geek who feels most comfortable in front of his computer. Action is evil and sports are the devils doing. ;) But as I am getting older, my body isn't that generous about just sitting around all day long. So recently I put on some weight which makes me feeling uncomfortable. Furthermore I get short of breath after climbing some stairs. So I finally thought I should do something while I'm still quite slim.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/05/2004 02:04:18 PM
Mine is "laugh more" - well there is a bit more to it, but the rest is not PG rated.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.53.128
URL:
DATE: 01/06/2004 04:18:21 AM
Sounds like darned good advice. I'll take it.
Now, if only someone would pay me for all this production...
lyd
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kent
EMAIL:
IP: 207.6.162.170
URL: http://giantkicks.com
DATE: 01/08/2004 06:11:25 PM
...thanks, I needed that. Really. I avoid going into my studio, hovering over my keyboard for hours. Why. Quality. I've been stuck on the need for everything I do to blow my mind. But since I'm such a harsh judge, nothing I've been doing does it for me. So everything in my studio has a thin film of dust on it.
Well, thanks. I forgot that what made being an art student (in 1985) so amazing was that we were so productive and in being productive we invariably improved. --next, I need to figure out how to stop procrastinating, haw, haw, haw..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Natasha
EMAIL:
IP: 216.43.38.143
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2004 01:51:37 AM
Mine is stay positive. Confronted with a problem? Don’t dwell on it seeing only the roadblock. Don’t complain (talking about my inner voice more so than with others – but that too) – try like heck to always stay positive and in that mindset things get done.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New Years' Bargains
BASENAME: new_years_bargains
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/03/2004 08:30:05 PM
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BODY:
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Ameyoko, between Ueno and Okachimachi, is crowded with holiday shoppers.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 01/03/2004 11:21:00 PM
How did you do that?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/03/2004 11:43:35 PM
It's a composite of 5 photos I took from the 3rd floor of a building at the intersection. In Photoshop, I desaturated some of them, then layered them on top of one another, arranging them to minimize errors in alignment. The color photos are super-saturated to make them look a livelier.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.57.66
URL:
DATE: 01/13/2004 11:58:49 AM
Stitching is cool! Have you seen this guy's stuff?
http://www.tawbaware.com/maxlyons/index.html
He recently did what was being billed as the highest resolution digital photographic image ever produced. 1.09 billion pixels.
http://www.tawbaware.com/maxlyons/gigapixel.htm
lyd
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Amae
BASENAME: amae
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/04/2004 11:58:15 PM
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I've been reading an interesting classic text on Japanese psychology: Anatomy of Dependence by Dr. Takeo Doi. It was written in 1971 and Doi was hailed as the Freud of Japan.
In the book, he explains amae. It's odd but I can't even begin to explain amae even after reading nearly 100 pages of the book, instinctually understanding the concept, even having a few "Aha! That explains that thing I experienced" moments as I read along.
Amae isn't unknown to Western culture, but there's no word for it. It's part unconditional love, part dependency, part selfishness, part generosity, part obligation, part indulgence.
For example, amae is what Tod and I experience when I bring him coffee in bed in the morning--he is relying on me to indulge him and I am (usually) happy to do so. When he tucks me in at night, that's amae I get a warm loving feeling as he indulges my desire to be cuddled and made safe before I go to sleep. It makes me want to bring him coffee in the mornings. What goes around, comes around.
The book is good. I'm not all the way through it, but I expect I'll have quite a few more "aha!' moments as I see why Japanese people sometimes behave in ways that seem odd to me. If you are interested in why Japanese seem "different" to Westerners, this is a good place to start your explorations.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Joshua Aaron Day
EMAIL: cormacjosh@earthlink.net
IP: 65.177.97.227
URL: http://yes
DATE: 01/05/2004 04:43:57 AM
This seems interesting. I'll have to look it up.
I need another book like I need a hole in the head, but I can't help it I'm addicted !!
: ~ D =
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 01/05/2004 05:27:25 PM
Good Points made by Mr. Lee, but in the way that Kristen is looking at the book it doesn't really seem to apply. She is trying to understand the Japanese, and contrast it with her experience as a somewhat well travelled American. I haven't read the book and can't really make concepts on the concept of amae, but I have found that when it is said that something in Japanese can't be expressed in English, what is really meant is it can't be expressed in exactly the same way. I usually find that you can express the same feeling or idea in either language, but may have to approach it from different angles.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayatake@yahoo.com
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 01/06/2004 09:38:00 AM
I read the book years ago when I was a Japanese student in US. It did bring me many Aha! moments. I do not agree with the whole book now, but it does brings you a new sight of the things. I agree with Mr.Lee's commnets, but I think the fun point of the Dr.Doi's story is "look from the other side of things that we think as universal and usual" than the uniquness of Japanese.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.4.18
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 01/07/2004 05:48:03 PM
I read the book a few years ago, because my American friend recommended it. At that time I knew "AMAE" had been a specail Japanese word. "AMAERU" has a sort of vage feeiling.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: NC seeks JF for fun times
BASENAME: nc_seeks_jf_for_fun_times
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 01/05/2004 11:12:37 PM
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BODY:
Say hello to Neon Chopstix, former known as the production-that-had-no-name. Thanks to everyone who sent in suggestions. We decided the name after a long walk around Harajuku scouting locations on New Year's Eve day.
The next hurdle is auditions. We need more people to audition this Saturday.
We've got four Japanese female roles to cast and only a few Japanese actresses auditioning. You wouldn't think it would be so difficult to find Japanese actresses here in Japan, but here we are running a bit short of them.
If you are a Japanese actress, or know one, who is looking for something to do on weekends between February and April, drop me a line for an audition time on Saturday.
Audition info is in Japanese at http://www.neonchopstix.jp
We have scads of eager foreign men and women competing for 2 parts. Their enthusiastic applications have been heartening. Even though only two will be cast, we'll need plenty of folks for smaller roles, so we're looking forward to seeing everyone this Saturday.
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Are you a Japanese woman? Come audition...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/07/2004 06:12:27 PM
Have passed this on to big bro who has somebody in mind for you.. professional actress.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Screenplay
BASENAME: screenplay
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 01/06/2004 07:45:21 PM
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I just completed my first screenplay. It's Neon Chopstix episode three, "Confidential."
I definitely have a lot to learn about where to put in scene and shot notations and how to differentiate action from general comments and scene settings. But it's roughed in and now John, Kimura and I can polish it. I'm looking forward to learning more about the process from them.
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My first one for Neon Chopstix.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/06/2004 11:23:31 PM
Neato! I have software that formats screenplays. I'm still learning how to properly notate the plays that I write. I think they key to most notation is continuity.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 24.215.186.175
URL:
DATE: 01/11/2004 09:44:59 PM
Bullet should be TOMOKO'S LIVING ROOM. Description should be "they sit on the floor." (Sit, not sitting. Fidgets, not fidgeting.) Generally, actor directions like fidgeting are unnecessary -- they can annoy actors/directors who want to make their own choices and result in a lost sale. The last sentence describing what we're about to read is also redundant.
Get a good book on screenwriting and follow the rules explicitly.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: National Travel Campaigns
BASENAME: national_travel_campaigns
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/07/2004 11:46:47 PM
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BODY:
Considering the upwardly spiraling precautions and paranoia concerning travel to the US, I think that other nations could turn this into an advantage for themselves. Think of the fun ad campaigns:
Freedom Flies In France
Come to Australia; we were criminals once, too.
Viva Mexico!!! Cheap overnight travel by truck!!! No delays!!!
Travel Canada, so close and yet so far...
Israel, where air security was invented
Visit Russia (we already know who you are...)
I'm sure you can think of others. :-)
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Fingerprinting visitors is going to drop US tourism...where will the travellers go?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.51
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 01/08/2004 12:30:19 AM
Mongolia - We don't even have any infrastructure to bomb
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 01/09/2004 12:23:02 AM
I'm just wondering why I don't hear any voices of outrage from those Americans who always complained about being fingerprinted for their Japanese alien registration cards. The Japanese stopped doing that recently, didn't they? Perhaps they'll take it up again--like Brazil, who has retaliated by fingerprinting all American visitors.
Remember the good ole days when we airline travellers were honored customers? Now we're all potential suspects, none presumed innocent. This is a really good time not to visit the US.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/09/2004 07:44:17 PM
North Korea - we can arrange a house swap in Japan
(alluding to the kidnapping/identity substitution - too dark?)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blue Cheese Dip
BASENAME: blue_cheese_dip
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/08/2004 12:00:01 AM
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This is ambrosia for blue cheese lovers. Best when prepared a day in advance so the flavours can blend. It makes a lot, so try any leftovers as a sandwich spread, or thin it out for a luxurious salad dressing.
Blue Cheese Dip
makes approximately 1 liter
225 g cream cheese, room temperature
100 g Danish Blue cheese, crumbled
240 ml mayonnaise
240 ml sour cream
120 ml onion, minced
120 ml celery, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cc celery salt
5 cc ground black pepper
Beat all ingredients together until creamy. Chill dip at least an hour. It tastes better the longer it stands. Serve with vegetables, crackers, bread, pretzels, etc.
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The best blue cheese dip ever.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 01/10/2004 10:04:22 AM
*drools*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Upside down
BASENAME: upside_down
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/09/2004 08:49:19 AM
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BODY:
When I was a kid, I would lie on my bed and hang my head over the edge so that I could see everything in my room upside down (that position also made it easier to braid my very long hair) As a young woman, I spent part of a summer afternoon lounging on a fountain and watching the river traffic upside down. Except for the crick in my neck and the blood rushing to my head, it was great fun.
I'm not the only one who likes to see things turned over. In Japan, Amanohashidate, one of the country's "Three Famous Views" is best enjoyed when viewed upside down through your legs.
So for today's creative perspective, view the world around you upside down. Don't just peek, take a good long look. What differences do you see in your room? If you're able to go outside to look around, notice the way things move. People's gait as they walk; the movement of cars are they brake. If you're really brave, try it in public. Does your favorite shop seem different when it's topsy-turvy? Does your homeroom teacher look unusual? Well, that might just be the confused expression on her face...
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Looking at things upside down
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A Half Diet
BASENAME: a_half_diet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/10/2004 08:07:04 AM
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BODY:
Holiday feasting has taken its toll on my figure. It's time to reduce a bit before I snowball into a citizen of Houston, Texas (American's fattest city).
My diet's already pretty well-balanced if you ignore the desserts I scarf. Mainly I just eat too much. So if I continue to eat what I like and cut back the portions, I will lose weight.
Here's my diet plan:
1. Serve myself half of what I'd usually dish up; if I'm still hungry 20 minutes after half a meal, then I will eat a little more.
2. Order whatever I like on the menu, but in smallest size and eat only half.
3. Pay attention to portion sizes on packaging; eat half of what's noted.
4. No more beer, and limited wine or spirits.
5. Lots more water--did you know dehydration can be confused with hunger?
I should see a leaner Kristen in about a month or sooner if I get off my butt and exercise some.
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How much will I lose? I have no idea, I don't weigh myself.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A Brief History of Zero
BASENAME: a_brief_history_of_zero
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 0
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 01/10/2004 09:05:15 PM
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BODY:
A Brief History of Zero
Babylonia: 300 B.C.
5 crescents + 4 wedges = 54 
The number 124 (2 sixties + 4 ones)
The number 1856 (30 sixties + 56 ones) 
top: 64 (1 sixty + 4 ones)
bottom: 3604 (1 sixty2 + 0 sixty + 4 ones)Central America: 350 CE
The Mayans, native inhabitants of
Central America, were highly skilled mathematicians, astronomers, artists
and architects. However, they failed to make other key discoveries and inventions
that might have helped their culture survive. They never used the plow or
metal tools and their civilization collapsed mysteriously around 900 CE.
Vegisimal 10 is (1 x 20) + (0 x 1) = 20
Mayan 10 is (1 x 20) + (0 x 1) = 20
Vegisimal 100 is (1 x 20exp2) + (0 x 20) + (0 x 1) = 400
Mayan 100 is (1 x (18x20)) + (0 x 20) + (0 x 1) = 360
Vegisimal 1000 is (1 x 20exp3) + (0 x 20exp2) + (0 x 20) + (0 x 1) = 8000
Mayan 1000 is (1 x (18x20exp2)) + (0 x (18x20)) + (0 x 20) + (0
x 1) = 7200India: 458 A.D. (debated)
The final independent invention of
the zero was in India. However, the time and the independence of this invention
has been debated. Some say that Babylonian astronomy, with its zero, was
passed on to Hindu astronomers but there is no absolute proof of this, so
most scholars give the Hindus credit for coming up with zero on their own.
sky (0) atmosphere (0) space (0) void (0) primordial couple (2) Rama (3)
Veda (4)
0 0 0 0 2 3 4 
Spreading Outward: China, Arabia and Europe
Underlying Concepts
Number vs. Numeral
Numerals (symbols)
from various cultures look different, but all express the same number. Some
are very complex, others are simple dots or circles. All four of these are
symbols for the number zero. L to R they are from Babylonia, China, India
and Central America. Words are also symbols that express numbers, but we
don't call them numerals.
Invent vs. Discover
discover (v.) to be the first to find out, see or know about; to
realize. The number zero (abstract) was discovered.
Place Value Notation
value=412
(100)
(10)
(1)
4
1
2
value=412
(3600)
(60)
(1)
6
52
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The essay I wrote as a graduate student is popular among schoolchildren doing homework
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Stupid speaking
BASENAME: stupid_speaking
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/11/2004 07:28:47 PM
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BODY:
I've spent most of this afternoon dazed and confused. Sometimes my migraines manifest themselves as an inability to speak coherently. It's as if my brain forgets how to put the words in order. I sound like I'm speaking in patois:
Eating where?
Friends invite to dinner out?
Maybe have home foods.
Often when my scrambled verbal state arises, I have to puzzle out the steps to do things, too. As I sat down to write this, I asked myself out loud "How do I blog?" Then answered aloud, "Press the button, then click the word, and then fill in the writing." OK. Got it.
Oddly, though, I can write just as well as usual. I have no trouble remembering the words when they are coming out of my fingers. Editing is a little bit more difficult, though. Must be different parts of my brain that control writing and speaking. Weird, huh?
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Brain damaged? No, just a migraine.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.50.128
URL:
DATE: 01/11/2004 10:30:38 PM
poor you, my sincere sympathy-it must be absolute hell .
my best friend suffers from migraines too;
have you tried accupuncture - it works for some people.
get well soon .
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 01/14/2004 06:49:42 AM
Owww. I really feel for you. I occasionally have migraines. Mine always go the same way. I get a blind spot. Then I panic and try to get home as quickly as possible before I get nauseous and vomit. After that there are about 10 minutes where I feel ok (the calm before the storm). Then the pounding in my head starts. At that point I pretty much cannot do anything except try to go to sleep. I used to have them during elementary school and they subsided in HS, then I didn't have one for about 15 years until it just started up again...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kinki
EMAIL: kinki@35degrees.com
IP: 219.161.221.23
URL: http://www.35degrees.com
DATE: 01/14/2004 04:04:23 PM
hehe - the verbal spoonerisms hit me as well. Its actually funny trying to teach when I feel one coming on (luckily they rarely escalate into an actual migraine) and everything comes out backwards. I swear my students come out of the class musing, "huh? what was up with that?"
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Phone greets
BASENAME: phone_greets
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/12/2004 02:10:35 PM
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BODY:
Nearly everyone I know has a cell phone that displays the caller's name and number when the phone rings. Some can even pop up a photo of the caller. It's extremely handy. This isn't exactly new tech; even in the US, Caller ID was introduced in the 90s. These days, I don't answer the phone unless I know who is calling.
It got me thinking about how phone transactions have changed over time.
1894: Operator-assisted calls required long waits and sometimes multiple transactions before conversation commenced.
"Operator. How may I direct your call?"
"Albany, New York, please."
1954: Before conversing, you needed to have a brief exchange to determine who was on the other end of the line.
"Hello, Jones residence. Myra speaking. May I ask who's calling?"
"Hi, Myra, this is Jane."
2004: Technology allows preliminaries to be skipped. With a glance at the display, the person answering can just start talking.
"You're running late?"
"Sorry. At Shinjuku now. I'll be about 20 minutes..."
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Calling routines have changed a lot in 100 years.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL:
IP: 219.18.132.4
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 01/13/2004 04:00:59 PM
One thing I observed a few years ago is that you used to call a place.
Now you call a person.
Telephones have become such a personal item, too, like a hairbrush or a pair of slippers. I'm never comfortable using someone else's...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 01/14/2004 06:57:14 AM
I don't answer either unless I know who is calling. Mainly because it costs me $.25/minute. I am stingy! And I will just check the messages from home later which won't eat up my airtime.
And I agree, I don't feel right using someone else's keitai.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Last Minute
BASENAME: last_minute
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Hello Tokyo
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/13/2004 10:05:14 AM
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BODY:
I'm very excited that there is a Japanese version of lastminute.com - http://www.lastminute.co.jp/.
Americans may be unfamiliar with this UK-based service, but it lists lots of great deals on travel and entertainment for those of us who find ourselves planning things a day or two before we want to do them.
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Just a handy reference...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/13/2004 03:44:46 PM
Planning things the day before - sounds perfect for me!! Thanks for the link.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 207.216.4.205
URL:
DATE: 01/13/2004 04:20:37 PM
Lastminute.com can be a bit addicting. When it first came out in the U.K. we would constantly scan it and often take up on some of the irresistable deals. Good luck bargain hunting!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Scramble
BASENAME: scramble
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 01/14/2004 10:50:32 AM
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BODY:
I created a super-short short yesterday and submitted it to WeeklyDV. You may recognize the footage from Hello Tokyo and the music from the Toilet Paper Inspirations last March--this is DKM Redux.
value=412
(100)
(10)
(1)
4
1
2
value=14,462
(3600)
(60)
(1)
4
1
2
Scramble. 0'31" (3.2 MB MP4)
I was inspired by WeeklyDV.com, which posts a topic and a deadline and invites you to submit short DV films. The quality of submissions ranges all over the place. To me, that doesn't matter. I'm more interested doing something that about doing it exactly right or doing it in good company. It's a fun challenge that gives you a reason to experiment. Doesn't that tie in perfectly with my plan to do more creative things this year?
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A 30 second video for WeeklyDV
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 01/14/2004 09:04:40 PM
hee hee loved it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 01/14/2004 11:10:47 PM
Nice! Thanks for using my song :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/15/2004 02:23:21 AM
I like the umbrella bloom.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Spicy tofu fry
BASENAME: spicy_tofu_fry
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/15/2004 09:31:55 AM
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BODY:
It's cold in Tokyo this week, so I want warm spicy foods to heat me up. This easy, quick, and inexpensive recipe uses the Korean toubanjan you bought for the pajong recipe in November.
Spicy Cabbage and Tofu
4 cups chinese cabbage (hakusai), chopped (about 1/8 of a head)
1/4 cup scallion or leek (negi), sliced
1 block firm tofu (momen dofu), cubed
1/2 tsp toubanjan (Korean chili paste)
oil for frying
Heat your wok. Add enough oil to form a small puddle in the bottom. Toss in the onion, then the cabbage. Stirring constantly, cook for two minutes or until the cabbage just begins to soften. Add the tofu and cook another two minutes, stirring gently to keep the tofu intact. Spoon in the toubanjan and stir. Serve with rice.
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Four ingredients + rice = filling meal
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/15/2004 10:33:09 PM
Ok, that Korean chili paste has got to come in smaller containers! All the recipes I've used it in call for no more than a tsp of the stuff. I just threw away the gigantic jar of it that was sitting in the fridge for over two years. I'll have to go find a new, smaller container of it before I try this recipe. Looks yummy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/16/2004 01:43:39 PM
My container is only a few tablespoons' worth. Definitely a managable amount. UltraBob brought it over, but I'm sure he didn't go anywhere exotic (for Japan) to get it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rotate 90
BASENAME: rotate_90
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/16/2004 10:26:32 AM
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BODY:
I'm borrowing today's idea from Jeremy at Antipixel, who was inspired by this creativity series...it's a small, circular world.
Turn your work sideways. Jeremy tried taking vertical photos rather than landscapes. Maybe you will turn your journal sideways and write the across the long edge of the page. Or design a website that requires horizontal scrolling.
You can even try this at work. Do your next PowerPoint presentation in portrait orientation. Try making a chart that is wide rather than tall or vice versa. Send a sideways memo...I'll bet it gets some attention.
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Flip it sideways and see what happens
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.51
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 01/16/2004 05:05:38 PM
I once made a web design that had the company name going up the left side. I thought it was pretty spiffy, but they didn't like it and eliminated that version from consideration immediately.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL:
DATE: 01/16/2004 10:58:32 PM
It's a rare client who actually likes the "different" look. They start out saying they want something unusual, but by the third set of thumbnails have chosen the trite.
What does this mean? We get to have the cool, funky, unusual design all to ourselves! Woo hoo!
By the way, I've been doing the "upside down" perspective quite a lot lately. The cat looks funny, and I really like the way the houses outside look with the sky as their ground.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@zaidi.jp
IP: 203.82.51.156
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com/
DATE: 01/17/2004 07:45:09 PM
.pot ot mottob neve rO .tuo yrt ot tnereffid gnihtemos tsuJ ?)tfel ot thgir( dnuora yaw rehto eht gnitirw tuoba woH
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zaid
EMAIL: zaid@worldchanging.com
IP: 217.44.195.47
URL: http://www.worldchanging.com
DATE: 01/18/2004 07:44:38 AM
I've been producing documents landscape instead of portrait for a while now. Initially I got all sorts of flak for it. People would ask me why I'd want to do something as crazy as that. I do it regularly now and people seem to like it. It's a funny old world.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Big Naturals
EMAIL: mlog@mlog.com
IP: 211.20.118.254
URL: http://www.big-naturals-4u.com/
DATE: 07/10/2004 08:51:16 AM
Yes true, old as world :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Online Audio Options
BASENAME: online_audio_options
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
DATE: 01/17/2004 07:35:20 PM
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BODY:
When you get tired of shopping for music via iTunes, here are two worthwhile (though more limited) online audio shops.
Magnatune: pays its artists 50% of the price you pay. You can choose the price ($5 - 18 per album) and the format (WAV, MP3, OGG). 106 artists in various genres.
Bleep: Warp Records' downloadable music by LFO, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, and so much more. No digital rights management so you can do what you like with the files.
What alternate online music stores do you frequent?
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EXCERPT:
Alternate places to buy downloadable music
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.57.66
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2004 02:56:39 PM
http://www.allofmp3.com is pretty sweet.
A penny per MB, choose your encoder and bitrate, currently 13945 albums by 4213 artists and ramping up quickly. You can get full albums for under a buck.
Yay Russia.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: matt
EMAIL: tokyonightview@hotmail.com
IP: 218.45.208.194
URL:
DATE: 02/10/2004 12:33:26 PM
hello!! i just found your website, its very nice. My name is matt, i am 25 and a student here in tokyo. I noticed you were interested in film etc. I studied film alittle bit a few years back, it seems alot more accessible now with the digital revolution.. I was wondering if you make any short films or if you do, do you need people to act in them?? I like acting and at the moment i am on holidays from uni so i have abit of time on my hands..anyway let me know what you think,
cheerio, matt
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: FDA Prior Notice
BASENAME: fda_prior_notice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/18/2004 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
As of December 12, 2003, as part of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the Bioterrorism Act), all food shipped into the US must be pre-cleared by registering the package with the FDA before mailing it. (fact sheet)There is no exception for quantity; even gifts of candy and snacks sent by international mail must give prior notice (no more than 5 days and no less than 4 hours).
So if I want to mail my niece a couple packs of the Japanese gum she likes, I have register myself with the FDA then fill in a form. Repeat as needed every time I want to mail some food.
The form requires you to identify each item by manufacturer (including the address and mfg registration number, if known), an FDA product code, the common name of the item (please select one from the FDA's preapproved list), a harmonized tarrif code, quantity, and so on. Seemingly ad infinitum but really only 45 steps as enumerated in the instructions.
There are three main exceptions to the prior notice system: 1) food you are carrying on your person for your personal consumption as you enter the United States, 2) meat and eggs under import control of the USDA, and 3) food made by an individual in her own kitchen and sent as a personal gift.
#3 is a giant loophole waiting to be exploited. Grandma Terrorists (tm) worldwide are perfecting their recipes for Anthrax Fudge, Botulism Brownies, Vanilla Plague Cookies, and Smallpox Surprise. Snow White's apple is on the way, but a box of factory manufactured chocolates has to go through hoops... Ridiculous.
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Pocky? Problem! But please do send your Sarin Shortbreads...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 01/18/2004 09:54:01 AM
Oh so proud to be from the land of the free (gag, choke) and the home of the brave (ha ha ha ha).
I'd think that the terrorists have absolutely won.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.51
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 01/18/2004 09:09:27 PM
Same here. We had to take a Christmas package back home from the Post Office, and try to get the code number for the Morozoff Chocolates that were included. The URLs on the sheet the P.O. gave us were useless, and the Office of Homeland Security bioterrorism site seemed to be geared toward real importers. We couldn't find the authorization number and ended up ripping open the package and eating the chocoalte ourselves, then resealing the package. Yoshiko took it to a bigger central P.O. the second time, and they didn't even ask about foodstuffs.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: e
EMAIL: petitenephilim@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 01/19/2004 12:34:22 PM
Hmm. So now it's going to be even closer to impossible to get my white Qoo shipped here.
So, what if I tried to ship some Coca-cola from Japan to the US? Technically it's a US product, correct? So are we scanning our own stuff now?
Sounds like cause for further entanglement in an enlarged bureaucratic web to me, not to mention a seemingly bad waste of time, money, paper, and energy.
Good intentions gone wrong?
Are we overdoing it?
Hmm.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 01/20/2004 09:21:35 AM
Days after you pointed this out this is still bugging me (since we have relatives in both the UK and Australia). I guess we were lucky that AJM's mum sent her Christmas package early from England this year. She always packs it full of plum pudding and Scottish biscuits and EU chocolates.
This is insanity. Perhaps we should submit countless requests for single sticks of gum and the like just to inundate the bureaucracy. I can't believe this is the US...certainly not the one I grew up in. It sounds more like the stories I've heard coming out of China or the former USSR.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 4.8.44.13
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2004 01:46:26 PM
...and so, more and more, we isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. The terrorists are indeed reaching their goal.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Plum
BASENAME: plum
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/19/2004 08:47:02 AM
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BODY:
Ume in bloom. Itabashi, Tokyo. January 18.
The first sign of spring. The rest arrives on February 3rd, the lunar new year.
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EXCERPT:
Springs a little early
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.179
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 01/19/2004 11:01:17 AM
It's very beautiful, isn't it. Fevruary 3rd is "setsubun". Do you scatter parched beans with ONI mask?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2004 06:41:33 AM
I'm jealous you have blossoms already, we're up to our eyes in snow with no let up in sight. Boo!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: johniebigbootie@yahoo.com
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http://www.tokyotalk.tk/
DATE: 01/22/2004 11:23:49 AM
old memories. ... Even in winter, plum blossoms give a sweet fragrance ...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Aquaria
BASENAME: aquaria
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 01/20/2004 07:42:10 AM
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BODY:
Fish Story. 0'21" (2.3 MB MP4)
Another super-short. This one features many pretty fish and one wet child. I shot it at the Itabashi Freshwater Fish Museum, a municipal aquarium, on January 18th. Music courtesy of Freeplay Music.
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EXCERPT:
Children: do not swim in the aquarium.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.57.66
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2004 02:49:56 PM
hehe... "fin". Nice touch. ;-)
Have you played with Soundtrack at all yet?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2004 03:43:34 PM
Was that kids trying to get into the tank?
Great vid Kristen!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 68.168.141.48
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2004 09:51:27 PM
Cool music, beautiful fish. Pretty finny how that kid got tanked. ;-)
I like when you post your movies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: jennettemeenoo@yahoo.co.uk
IP: 80.14.195.69
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2004 07:51:11 PM
Oh my. That is exactly why I'll have kids in ten years time. I'd probably be the worst parent ever and watch him swim while digging the camera out for a souvenir shot to show to future girlfriends.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cornelia
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.199.75
URL: http://www.japanwithkids.org
DATE: 01/23/2004 02:50:52 PM
As usual my software/hardware combo can't handle it. Shucks. I was wondering if this was the aquarium at Iitabashi children's zoo? They are now trying to gather signatures to try to keep it from being closed down by the government for lack of funds (I was just there on the Monday Holiday 12 Jan.). It has been one of our favorites for years. My daughter loves playing with the turtles.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: State of (Legal) Unions
BASENAME: state_of_legal_unions
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/21/2004 10:35:16 AM
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BODY:
It pisses me off when politicians and activists go on about "gay marriage."
My view: people who make a lifelong commitment deserve recognition as partners whether they have the blessing of a god, the signature of a judge, or simply publicly pronounce their commitment. No matter what the method, the results are the same. A stable and committed relationship.
Maintaining a stable relationship is hard work, regardless of the sexes involved or the method used to create it. It should be treated with respect and given legal status.
People on both sides of the issue freak out over the wording. But it's just a label. A lifelong commitment is not an easy thing--the label is a throwaway.
Call all committed relationships "unions."
If "marriage" is reserved for religious unions, then Tod & I have a union, not a marriage. Does it matter? No. We mark our 15th anniversary this year and a label doesn't convey anything at all about our experience together.
My message to the politicians and activists: Ignore the labels and support all committed relationships.
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As if I needed further reasons to dislike the US government...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.109
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2004 06:58:39 AM
http://www2.b3ta.com/mirror/klingonwedding/
at least those two can't file for divorce on the grounds of permanent alienation.);-))
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.172.107
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2004 08:51:53 AM
Your absolutely right about recognising all loving, committed relationships.
But marital status becomes more than a label when your beloved is in a coma and you are the only who knows his/her wishes. Less drastic examples include joint health insurance, inheritance rights and tax matters.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2004 09:28:28 AM
>marital status becomes more than a label when your
>beloved is in a coma
Right. Which is why I wrote "It should be treated with respect and given legal status."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 221.242.139.37
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2004 11:42:54 AM
OK, if you define "civil union" to mean "marriage" in every sense, then it is just a label. :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Brazilian Banana Cake
BASENAME: brazilian_banana_cake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/22/2004 10:13:51 AM
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BODY:
I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com when I was looking for something to do with overripe bananas. The cake is dense, sweet, and moist. The bananas slices on top sink partly into the cake and the cinnamon sugar topping produces a superb coffee cake. Tod, who loves neither sweets nor bananas, ate two slices.
The recipe calls for 6 bananas, but I used three I had on hand and it was sufficient. More would be better.
Brazilian Banana Cake
makes 12 servings
3 Tblsp butter
2 cups sugar
3 egg yolks
3 cups flour
1 Tblsp baking powder
1 cup milk
3 egg whites
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
6 bananas
2 Tblsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp clove
Mix the butter and sugar until smooth, then add the egg yolks and beat well. Combine flour and baking powder. Add to sugar mixture, alternating with milk. Beat the egg whites until they are double in volume and fold into the batter.
Spread batter into a greased 9X12 pan. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. Slice the bananas onto the top of the cake, spreading even across the pan. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves--sprinkle over cake.
Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 30 - 35 minutes or until a pick inserted comes out clean. Store in the fridge, as the bananas will get gooey at room temperature.
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EXCERPT:
How to use a lot of ripe bananas.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.154
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 01/23/2004 02:47:15 PM
My elder daughter can not eat bananas, I don't know why---. Anyway she feels sick to eat bananas. But I'll try to bake it using overripe bananas, because my younger dauhgter love bananas.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 207.216.4.205
URL:
DATE: 01/23/2004 03:16:23 PM
Tara's favorite banana bread is from Allrecipes.com also. It is simple and quick and best with overripe bananas.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Loopy
BASENAME: loopy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/23/2004 12:30:51 AM
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BODY:
Sometimes being bored is great for your creativity. When I'm bored, I doodle. I picked up a pen the other day and started doodling in a style I haven't done in about 20 years. If you were to peek into any of my school notebooks between 6th grade and graduation, you would find only the very briefest of notes and a lot of doodles like these:
I draw closed loops randomly then try to turn them into something. Often they are grotesque faces or people drawn with a minimum of frills.
Sometimes they are more elaborate creatures.
So to get your creativity going this week, here are two loops for you to play with. You can turn them any way you like, use them together to create a scene, or make two unrelated drawings with different rotations. Pretty much anything goes.
If you e-mail me yours by Thursday the 29th, I'll show them here next week, along with the ones Tod & I did from these loops.
Make some loops of your own, too! Just have fun and see where this takes you. It took me to good grades for six years--I think doodling during class put me into a state of relaxation that helped me absorb the lectures. Or something.
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EXCERPT:
Doodling is fun.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/23/2004 04:08:25 PM
Mr Squiggle!!! One of my all time fave kids shows!!
http://www.abc.net.au/children/show/programs/prog235.htm
the longest running kids TV show in Australia based on turning doodles into pictures!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 67.21.119.199
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/24/2004 07:41:22 AM
I just mailed you my interpretation.
I read somewhere that how you doodle says something about your personality, but then, everything you do does!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Single Bean
BASENAME: single_bean
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/24/2004 12:59:10 PM
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BODY:
In the gourmand spirit of single malt whisky, varietal wine, and single bean coffee, Lotte launched a product called Single Beans Chocolate.
Of course I had to try them. Who knew chocolate beans tasted so different to one another? But sure enough, they are distinctive. La Flora is sweet and fruity; Sur del Lago is piquant; El Pilar tastes like piney mould.
The chocolates come in small bars for 150 yen each or a "cacao selection" variety pack for 300 yen. It's a bit more expensive than the average chocolate but you can buy it at the conbini, so it's not really too luxe.
Plenty of people got used to the high life in the economic bubbles of real estate and tech. Now we can't afford the extreme luxuries any more, but we still crave them. Lotte is cleverly profiting on the fact that our tastes and our pocketbooks don't quite match.
Or maybe gourmet foods in the convenience store indicate an upswing in the economy in general. I never did understand the Japanese economic slump--it seems like everyone is carrying on as usual with plenty of construction, designers doing good business, new restaurants and shops springing up all over. To say that this is a slump, well, the Bubble must have been heady times, indeed.
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EXCERPT:
More new candy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.154
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 01/24/2004 05:47:17 PM
I know I know, this CHOCO! And chocolate season comes --because that Valentain Day is just around the corner.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@://www.fuckedgaijin.com/
IP: 165.76.43.12
URL: http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/
DATE: 01/25/2004 12:36:46 AM
Hey. I'm full of beans. Single bean is/was the normal state of cikolata (chocolate), before us gaijin "fixed" it UP with milk and sugar, hee, hee.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pete
EMAIL: pickypete@hotmail.com
IP: 24.3.53.48
URL:
DATE: 01/25/2004 02:46:33 AM
Any way to order this in the USA?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Abe
EMAIL: abesavona@yahoo.com
IP: 68.3.61.114
URL: http://freedommuse.blogspot.com
DATE: 01/25/2004 01:31:57 PM
Nice website.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 01/25/2004 07:31:38 PM
Hey, I am with you not quite understanding the Japanese slow economy. Most of my friends talk about hard economical conditions and at the same time they discuss about their next vacation in Malaysia and Hawaii. The government is suffering from tax money shrtages, but they are still paying a great amount of money for Iraq.
There are something called "delusion of poverty" happens to the people when they have ademonia. May be we Japanese are mentally, not economically, depressed as a nation.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Slow Sunday
BASENAME: slow_sunday
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 01/25/2004 11:44:46 PM
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BODY:
There is nothing like an all-day brunch with friends to make a perfect Sunday, especially when the brunch menu is Eggs Benedict and apples stewed in wine.
After all those eggs (1 poached plus about 4 in the hollandaise) at 1 pm, I didn't feel hungry til I was on my way home from a meeting at 11 pm. I'm not sure what is weirder, coming home from a meeting so late on a Sunday, or having dinner at nearly midnight.
Next week it's our turn to host. Menu to be decided--check in on Thursday for a recipe.
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EXCERPT:
Brunch and relaxation.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.172
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 01/26/2004 09:36:29 AM
these days, we are into milk-tea with pepper. Probabbly using garam masala or ginger is a real way, but using black-pepper is not bad -- eoungh for us. boil mill, put some tea-leaves,and add some suger and black papper. Yesterday's breakfast was this milk-tea and bread.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sunset desk scene
BASENAME: sunset_desk_scene
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 01/26/2004 04:34:09 PM
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BODY:
My desk glows sunset colors. It can't possibly be time for twilight.
Didn't I just sit down to work 10 minutes ago? I've been hammering away at things since 8:30 this morning, but only one item on my To Do list is actually completed. Every thing else is in progress or in suspension.
Good thing I have an electric lamp on my desk.
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Not already...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 207.216.4.205
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2004 05:10:59 AM
But what a wonderful thing it is to be able to lose yourself in work like that so that you don't even notice time going by.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2004 06:19:42 PM
But maybe the sun's simply setting too early...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: To Vote or Not to Vote
BASENAME: to_vote_or_not_to_vote
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/27/2004 06:17:41 PM
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BODY:
I am a slack citizen. I haven't voted in a Presidential election since...um...well, it's been a long time. Libertarian Party candidates never win much more than seats on the school board.
The Libertarian Party advocates personal responsibility, individual liberty, a free-market economy and a peaceful foreign policy. If those principles were adopted by the US president, I'd be proud to be an American.
I want to do something to change the direction the US government has taken on almost every issue. I just don't know what to do, exactly. My friend, Terri, flew from Tokyo to freezing cold Iowa to knock on doors for Howard Dean. I guess I could start "Libertarians Abroad" or something...
But the main (and easiest) action I can take is to vote, and I just can't rouse myself to register because it feels like my vote is useless. Any candidate whose platform I admire doesn't stand a chance, and I won't vote for a candidate I don't like simply to dislodge a worse one.
This is a defeatist attitude and nothing gets done by defeatists. So I'll think about it some more. If I do summon the enthusiasm to vote, I can get a downloadable absentee ballot request.
In case you're not sure of where you stand in the political spectrum, here are two online surveys to try:
World's Smallest Political Quiz -- only 10 questions
Political Compass -- a more thorough look at your leanings.
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EXCERPT:
What to do, what to do...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 67.21.119.199
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/27/2004 10:03:01 PM
I took both. Libertarian both times, on the Dalai Lama side with the second test. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.109.108
URL:
DATE: 01/28/2004 12:13:22 AM
I share the experience of advocating thing that will never come to pass any time soon: an economic system that enables everyone to feed their families, laws that protect the environment for future generations, a nation that cooperates with it's neighbors to solve the problems that lead to war, etc.
Knowing that the US won't be transformed into such a place overnight, I try to push things in that direction by supporting candidates who advocate most of what I'm looking for, even if they don't stand up and enunciate my core principles exactly. It's a compromise, for sure, but the alternative is to leave the decision to those who would leave things the same or even make them worse.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.95.97
URL:
DATE: 01/28/2004 04:53:00 AM
after reading through the program i have some questions
Kristen are you a card carrying member
of the NRA ?
http://www.lp.org/issues/gun-rights.html
how can somebody who belives in everyman
for himself and social darwinism live in
japan of all place?
please tell me you are not another ayn rand
worshiper.
best regards axel
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.57.66
URL:
DATE: 01/31/2004 06:52:23 PM
The problem with the libertarian perspective is that they tend to want their individual liberty at the expense of mine.
The libertarian philosophy is so loaded with unwarranted extrapolation and straw beasties of all sorts that it makes one's head spin.
I don't think I have ever significantly disagreed with you on any occasion we discussed politics or philosophy, so I have to ask; are you *sure* you are libertarian? Their schtick sounds good when distilled to bullet points, but under the hood it feels more like "everybody ought to be able to live as if they are the only human on the planet, and screw 'em if they can't survive in the 'free market'."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://ww11.e-tractions.com/truemajority/run/oreo
DATE: 02/01/2004 12:41:15 AM
I talk to so many people who don't like the way things are in America right now, but who say, "What's the point of voting? My vote won't count." Certainly for those of us who live in disenfranchised districts or states (where we have been gerry-mandered out of a majority), it can seem pointless.
But it's not. Even our candidate loses, the fact is we registered our discontent. The other side cannot say "We have a clear mandate from the people."
Our country is on the brink of environmental devastation where a few rich people are going to get much richer at an irretrievable loss to all of us. And, yeah. Our foreign policy isn't that great right now either. We're responsibile for sending women's rights into the stone age in Iraq (their civil rights based on secular law have been replaced with Muslim law).
Anyway, I followed a great link from Bob Brady. Maybe it will inspire you. If we all do nothing, then they win.
Click on the "Replay Orea Movie" after following the link above.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Worm games
BASENAME: worm_games
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 01/28/2004 11:40:44 AM
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BODY:
Like just about everyone with e-mail, I've received a lot of messages in the last 24 hours regarding the Mydoom (aka Novarg) e-mail worm. Not only infected messages, but also bounce messages saying that mail I sent couldn't be delivered because it contained a virus. Of course, I didn't send the mail; the virus was running on someone else's computer and pretended it was me because my e-mail address was in someone's address book.
So here's the Worm Game: figure out who I know that was infected with Mydoom, by looking at the addresses the worm used to send mail from "me." In other words, whose addressbook has my name and the name of the intended recipient?
Probably it's more than one person. I can't think of anyone who might have my address plus addresses at
But if it's you, please update and run your virus scanner and stop clicking on attachments in your e-mail!
(If you don't use Windows, then it's not you. This worm, like most computer viruses, only runs on Windows.)
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EXCERPT:
Momentarily amusing
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 67.21.119.199
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/28/2004 08:52:05 PM
I've been getting a lot of those messages too. I just delete everything, but man is it annoying. I think it's interrupted my service too lately, because there have been several days where my ISP's server has been down for maintenance. Hope they don't have it! I don't realize how much I rely on email for work until I can't receive or send it. It's like having the water go out in the house for awhile. Suddenly you're thirsty, you need to do laundry and your armpits stink.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.akatombo.com
DATE: 01/29/2004 02:03:46 PM
I'm getting those e-mails to addresses that don't even officially exist, and I have never used. I'm wondering how that may have come about. serg @ mydomain.com doesn't even seem like something that a worm or spammer might try generically.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Salmon with Green Peppercorns
BASENAME: salmon_with_green_peppercorns
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/29/2004 07:55:48 AM
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BODY:
This recipe is for Jim & Bob who have both mentioned cooking with salmon this week. This creamy sauce dresses up a simple pan fried salmon. It's heavenly and takes only a few minutes to prepare.
Salmon with Green Peppercorns
serves 4
1 Tblsp butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup white wine
6 Tblsp chicken or fish stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
2-3 Tblsp green peppercorns in brine, rinsed
4 salmon fillets
oil for frying
salt & pepper
Over medium heat, cook the shallots until softened, but not browned (1-2 minutes). Add the white wine and stock. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid to 1/4 of the volume. Reduce the heat, add the cream and 1/2 of the peppercorns. gently crush the peppercorns as you add them. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened*. Remove from heat. Strain the sauce. Stir in the remaining peppercorns.
Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper, and pan fry in a little bit of oil for about 4 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and the juices run clear when you pierce it with a knife.
Plate the fish, pour sauce over and serve. Goes nicely with a simple rice pilaf and a steamed green vegetable.
*To check your sauce the French way, dip a metal spoon into the sauce, turn it over and run your finger down the back of the spoon. If your finger leaves a mark that fills in slowly, then the sauce is perfect. No trail? Too thin. If the trail never fills in, your sauce is too thick.
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EXCERPT:
An easy salmon recipe
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.89
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 02/03/2004 08:31:22 AM
Thank you, we will have to try this soon!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Your Doodles
BASENAME: your_doodles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/30/2004 07:20:58 AM
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BODY:
Last week, I invited you to make some doodles using loops and mail them to me. Did you have fun? Here's a very brief gallery of submissions.
Jennifer (http://www.wordpainting.com)
Me and Tod: Angry Pig-Cub and Bird
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 01/30/2004 08:11:57 PM
Wow - clearly those loops make great ears. Why didn't I see that? Same with the bird...that pointy bit is a beak for sure.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Office space
BASENAME: office_space
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 01/31/2004 09:10:18 AM
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BODY:
It's been almost 5 years since I worked in an office. But for the past couple of days, I've been editing video at a client's Japan headquarters during regular business hours (and late into the night as well).
I'd forgotten the efficient bustle of paper and people through corridors and cubicles. Everyone is active and moving around.
The office is quite posh and lovely with modern furniture, red doors, grey carpets, tasteful signs, and free drinks in the fridges.
Compared to my quiet studio, it's an assault on the senses. All day long there's copiers swish/whip paper into trays; closed door meetings rumble and laugh; phones jangle non-stop. The air is super dry, the fluorescent lighting harsh. The scent of lunch is replaced by citrus-fresh cleaning products as the janitors wipe down the kitchenettes.
Having a change of scene is always good for me. I'm getting a kick out of the comparisons and I love the challenges of jumping into a new environment and figuring out the equipment, people, politics and the tasks at hand. I'll be full of new ideas when I return to my own office next week.
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EXCERPT:
Life in a corporate environment
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.150.31
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 02/01/2004 06:58:04 PM
Did you receive my memo on the new coversheet for TPS reports? Remember to ask yourself "Is it good for the company?"
Sorry, watched to many movies. =)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 02/02/2004 12:09:38 PM
Can completely agree with the change of scenery.. am now spending my days in a huge office with lots of people running around and shuffling papers and making strange noises on mobile phones and it is invigorating. Spending my evenings at the Enfour office and also finding myself more invigorated. So a change is as good as a holiday!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Red Glass Bricks
BASENAME: red_glass_bricks
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/01/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Thousands of finger-width glass tiles on the facade of a bank near Itabashi station. The overall effect is brick red and glossy. I suspect that not too many people even notice, but imagine the effort that went into creating this.
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EXCERPT:
Just an architectural detail.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Morning commute
BASENAME: morning_commute
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/02/2004 08:38:18 AM
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BODY:
Place: Namboku line subway.
Time: 8:47 am, Monday morning
DOORS open and passengers spill out. A steady stream of men in suits heads towards the nearby ESCALATOR.
KRISTEN stands to one side, waiting to get on. She holds a large tote bag containing 7 Thunderbirds DVDs, a two-page To Do list, and a change of clothes.
K: So many people. What do they all do? Push paper and money around the country, I suppose.
The buzzer sounds and the flow of traffic changes directions. Everyone boards the train.
K: Oh, look a little bit of space over there. Can I squeeze through?
Pushed from behind, Kristen slides into the gap between two people with backpacks. Her tote bag catches between two businessmen's computer cases. She yanks it free.
K: Ugh, foetid breath on that guy...I hope I don't catch whatever he has. Can I breathe more shallowly? How do people manage this every morning? Is that woman putting on makeup? She has no room to move her arms...what a trick!
Train pulls into station after station. More passengers crowd the carriage, until one last one swings in puts his hand on the door frame and pushes back until there is room for his feet to clear the DOOR as it closes.
K: (wedged solidly in the middle of the car) My station's next. I am never going to get out of here.
The CONDUCTOR announces "Nagatacho, Nagatacho desu" and the doors open. All passengers moves as one toward the doors and head up the ESCALATOR to the EXIT.
[OK, now I have to go do this for real. Wish me luck.]
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EXCERPT:
`A scene on the train
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim
EMAIL:
IP: 219.18.132.4
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 02/02/2004 09:59:25 AM
I was just wondering if I should take the train to Nagatacho or ride my bike.
Bike it is, I think.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Marie
EMAIL: tokyoredhed@mac.com
IP: 210.196.71.246
URL: http://tokyoredhed.typepad.com/tokyo_redhed/
DATE: 02/02/2004 02:13:23 PM
You missed the bit where there is always someone, who for some unknown reason, despite all the non-stop announcements, jingles and buzzers, does not realize that the train has actually stopped, that the doors have opened and that if they don't move, they will be crushed to death by the masses getting on and off. These people usually adopt "a deer in headlights" expression, which then quickly turns to annoyance. I used to believe that they were rush hour novices but too many of them wore office attire. Now I just think they live in a parallel universe. I sympathize with you. I do it every day. Same trauma, different line.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Marie
EMAIL: tokyoredhed@mac.com
IP: 210.196.71.246
URL: http://tokyoredhed.typepad.com/tokyo_redhed/
DATE: 02/02/2004 02:13:48 PM
You missed the bit where there is always someone, who for some unknown reason, despite all the non-stop announcements, jingles and buzzers, does not realize that the train has actually stopped, that the doors have opened and that if they don't move, they will be crushed to death by the masses getting on and off. These people usually adopt "a deer in headlights" expression, which then quickly turns to annoyance. I used to believe that they were rush hour novices but too many of them wore office attire. Now I just think they live in a parallel universe. I sympathize with you. I do it every day. Same trauma, different line.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: What's become of me?
BASENAME: whats_become_of_me
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/04/2004 11:36:42 PM
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BODY:
Wondering where I am? I'm working. From Monday morning at 9:30 until tonight at 9:30 I've been awake and working solid on editing videos. Tonight will be the thrid and final all-nighter in a row.
I've been in this strange groove of focussed work and caffeine. Time's stopped. I feel simultaneously exhausted and energetic. 60 hours of this and I have the classic jet-lag symptoms. Except that I've been in the basement of an office building non-stop.
I feel surprisingly OK, but look forward to a really long sleep tomorrow! Time to get back to it--I've got to get to work on an energetic short about trash cleanup in Antarctica.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 02/05/2004 08:41:16 AM
Poor baby - hey girl go to bed!
(Actually this whole role-reversal thing is beginning to freak me out)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL:
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 02/05/2004 10:41:34 AM
If you keep this up. you'll be pasty white from the lack of sunshine and the envy of so many Japanese women who pay a fortune to get that look. Get some rest!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 02/05/2004 11:57:49 AM
From somebody who has had her fair share of crazy schedules..
1) Make sure that you eat well as your immune system will be taking a beating at the moment.
2) Don't oversleep on the first day, rather, try to get back into your sleep pattern.
3) Teach your brain that it is time to sleep by warming up your body with a hot bath, warm uncaffeinated drinks and a good meal.
4) Don't nap over the next few days as you will get jet lag which can take ages to get over. (A 20 minute power nap is fine, but any longer and you will go into deep sleep cycles.)
Take care
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Spinach with Pine Nuts
BASENAME: spinach_with_pine_nuts
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/05/2004 04:40:12 PM
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BODY:
Spinach is one of my favorite vegetables. It's quick to cook and makes a solid base for a wide range of flavors. Japanese spinach is flat-leaved and delicate compared to the curly kind found in America. This recipe will work with either, takes hardly any time at all, and dresses up any plain meal.
Spinach with Pine Nuts
1 bunch spinach
3 Tblsp pine nuts
1 Tblsp mirin
1 Tblsp soy sauce (the lighter brown usukuchi style)
Steam the spinach or boil briefly. Squeeze out the excess water, then chop spinach into bite-sized lengths. Coat the spinach with the mirin and soy sauce. Roughly chop the pine nuts and toss together with the greens.
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EXCERPT:
One extra minute makes special spinach.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.90
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 02/06/2004 08:39:02 AM
I didn't know that American spinach was differint with ours. We love this PineNuts-AE.
The recipe of an easiest and typical spinach in my house is to cover a dried bonito on the boiled spinach, and drop some soy sauce.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sinister hand
BASENAME: sinister_hand
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/06/2004 04:13:07 PM
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BODY:
Today is a tough one; we're going to write our names with both hands in all different orientations. Grab a pen and a sheet of paper.
First write your name with your dominant hand, then with your non-dominant hand.
Then write it backwards. Start with your initial at the right and write each letter backwards towards the left. Do this with both hands.
Now try it upside down, as if you were holding a mirror along the bottom edge of the letters in your name. Again, try it with both hands.
And finally, write your name upside down and backwards.
Here's an example of my name written eight times:
As I flipped the paper around to see the names written right way around, I realise I messed up a couple of times...oops! It was harder than I thought.
And my mood has changed. I was tired and my To Do list looked pretty daunting before, but now I have more energy and I think I can accomplish what I need to do. That's a pleasant surprise!
If you want to go a step further with this, UltraBob suggests writing out a paragraph. I tried a few sentences upside down and some backward with each hand:
It was challenging. I wonder if I'd kept going if it would become easier? I also wonder if I would have written anything different than I normally would, as the right side of the brain tends to dominate when you're writing upside down.
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EXCERPT:
Upside down and backwards
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 02/07/2004 02:48:46 AM
I tried it an emailed you my results. Not easy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: linmer
EMAIL: perolino@hotmail.com
IP: 62.3.32.33
URL: http://tatskie.com
DATE: 02/08/2004 09:27:06 AM
wooo thats hard task!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hello Tokyo Screening
BASENAME: hello_tokyo_screening
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 02/07/2004 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
Hello Tokyo plays at this weekend's Film Marmalade film jam:
Sunday, February 8
8 pm -- late
Pink Cow, Shibuya [map]
Admission: 500 yen
Film Marmalade is a loose confederation of independent filmmakers in Tokyo.
As you might expect, it's intimidating to screen my work to an audience of fellow filmmakers. If you're free on Sunday evening, why don't you come and keep me company? Otherwise, I'll have to hide in the bathroom until it's over.
Filmmarmalade vol.10
1. Jack Woodyard
“Don’t call me sensei” 15 min Fiction Japan
2. Alvarez
“Sobre la Tierra” (Upon the Earth) 8 min Fiction Argentina
3. Shannon Winnell
“Flow” 5 min Experimental Japan
4. David Roy
“Modius-Café: The Uniclone Conspiracy” 3 min Flash Japan
5. Kristen McQuillin
“Hello Tokyo: Puzzles of Daily Life” 14 min Educational Japan
6. Steve Ryan
“24-hour bowling channel” 1 min Documentary Japan
7. Steve Ryan
“the love story of Lulu Belle” 4 min Fiction Japan
8. Mifumi Obata
“Unusual” 5 min Documentary Japan
9. Jack Woodyard
“The B” 1 min Fiction Japan
10. Toowa II
“no title” 5 min Animation/VJ Japan
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Hello Tokyo at Film Marmalade.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 207.216.4.205
URL:
DATE: 02/08/2004 04:03:16 AM
Sooooo coool!
Hide in the kitchen rather than the bathroom. That way you can eat to feed the nervousness. Wish we could be there to see it. Let us know how it does and remember the people who knew you when.... ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 219.164.82.163
URL: http://dandyism.blogspot.com
DATE: 02/09/2004 03:28:29 PM
It was good to see you last night, Kristen.
Out of the ones I saw, yours was the only one that made any sense. (I'm not saying that nonsense is bad, per se. I'm just saying.) You had nothing to fret about! If I knew anyone coming to Japan for the first time, I'd highly recommend your video.
I got hit on a lot to and from the bathroom. Those guys must have been blindingly drunk. I am only going back if I need an ego boost.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ueno Streetcorner
BASENAME: ueno_streetcorner
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 02/08/2004 03:26:34 PM
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BODY:
Traffic. 0'40" (4 MB MP4)
Shot last night with my lo-res Fuji Finepix 4500 digital still camera from the window of Tampooya restaurant in Ueno. Cars, pedestrians, and a pink-coated night worker, too.
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EXCERPT:
Nighttime activity in Tokyo
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.38
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 02/09/2004 03:49:00 PM
Great effects. Is that final cut?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2004 04:07:19 PM
Yes, it's FCP4. The effects are not much. A "dip to white" transition and a slide transition (the falling photos), as well as some basic movement and color correction.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 02/09/2004 09:05:37 PM
Yep - that's traffic alright! I like the snapshot effects of the two people talking and how they work with the music.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew
EMAIL:
IP: 218.155.185.9
URL: http://www.wheresdrew.com
DATE: 02/15/2004 08:59:29 PM
I was going to ask about your editing software, but since somebody beat me to it, I'll ask about the music instead. ^.^
Royalty-free clips, or have you gotten your hands on GarageBand?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Late payment
BASENAME: late_payment
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/09/2004 03:57:46 PM
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BODY:
A couple of weeks ago, I got a note from the phone company: "Please pay your past due amount or your keitai service will be terminated on 2/6."
Huh? I checked with Tod, who is in charge of family bill payment, and he said he'd paid them all. The current bill didn't show a past due amount, so I ignored the note.
My keitai was turned off on 2/6.
Of course it turns out there was an unpaid bill buried in Tod's pile of papers. Oops. He paid it at the convenience store on the way to work today and less than 30 minutes later my phone was back on.
I expected a hassle involving a special trip to the NTT office in Shinjuku, a mandatory letter of apology for being a deadbeat, and a fee to turn the service back on followed by a week's delay while they reactivated my account.
But this was as easy as it could be. Thank you, NTT DoCoMo. But next time, could you please put the past due amount on the future bills?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A mislaid bill turned out to be less a problem than expected.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 02/10/2004 10:46:15 AM
They do, but I don't.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kat
EMAIL: kat@neoziggurat.com
IP: 129.252.105.161
URL: http://www.neoziggurat.com
DATE: 02/10/2004 01:58:51 PM
"They do, but I don't."
Wisely.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2004 09:03:10 AM
This almost happened to me once. I rushed to the post office to pay, because it was my idea that every public fee must be payed at public organizations, and then called NTT to beg them not to stop my phone.
"Why didn't you go to combini!" the guy said.
"They have better systems and we get informed at the momnet you have payed."
"Oh? I'll do so, nex time. "I said and being in a friendly mood, we had a little chat after that. A break time for him, may be.
A moment after we said good-by, he called me back.
"Ah, excuse me, mam. I think I forgot to make my work record. What was that you have called me for?"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 209.158.57.126
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2004 05:18:37 PM
"But next time, could you please put the past due amount on the future bills?"
I was first going to comment asking if this might be a cultural thing, like perhaps over there they do not think that massive and continuos personal debt is a natural state of being, as we seem to here in the US.
Then I read a couple of recent articles talking about personal bankruptcies in Japan being at record levels and on the increase, so maybe that's it instead.
Or, maybe a bit of both, since the Japanese per-capita level is still less than ours. *shrug*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Breath Palette
BASENAME: breath_palette
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/10/2004 10:43:38 AM
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BODY:
These are Margaret Josefin Breath Palette, a series of boutique toothpastes.
Toothpaste is something that I don't spend a lot of time thinking about. There are a couple of brands I prefer and I buy what's on sale. Now Breath Palette ups the ante with 31 different flavors:
Rose, lavender and honey bring to mind hygiene of ancient cultures; maybe they should be applied with traditional twig-brushes. Fruit flavors seem refreshing enough to use. But cola? India curry? Chocolate? Those are things I brush to get rid of...
At 200 yen per 25 gram tube (about the same price as a 160 gram tube of regular toothpaste) Breath Palette is a luxury. This is a product for gift-giving or as a splurge when out shopping with your girlfriends.
If you want to see more (in Japanese) http://www.margaret-jj.co.jp/catalog.html. To buy some for yourself, visit Sony Plaza, Tokyu Hands, Loft, or Keio department stores. Unfortunately for my international readers, Breath Palette does not seem to be sold outside Japan; so pack your bags and come to visit.
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A strange range of toothpaste flavors.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.66
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 02/11/2004 10:08:56 AM
What taste do you like, I like every taste except banana! banana is too artficial too me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: leslie
EMAIL: chu.lin@tufts.edu
IP: 133.9.4.13
URL: http://limegreenplanet.pressurize.net
DATE: 02/12/2004 12:02:44 AM
looks yummy. time to go shopping at tokyu hands
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Holiday
BASENAME: holiday
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/11/2004 02:36:11 PM
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Today is Kenkoku Kinnenbi, known in English as National Foundation Day. It's the historical (possibly legendary) date that the first Emperor of Japan, Jinmu, ascended to the throne a really, really long time ago--660 BC.
Before WWII, today was called Kigensetsu. But it was removed from the calendar, along with all the Buddhist holidays, and wasn't reinstated 1966.
Not much pomp or circumstance marks this day--there's a parade of mikoshi at some of the key temples. Like most holidays in Japan, people will use today to catch up on sleep, go shopping, or enjoy a meal at a restaurant. Maybe girls will stock up on chocolates for the boys on Valentine's Day.
I will spend my day trying to get Tod away from the computer and outdoors for some fresh air activities. Or maybe some shopping or eating out.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Garlicy Beef Stew
BASENAME: garlicy_beef_stew
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/12/2004 08:18:08 AM
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BODY:
To celebrate payday, I created this luxurious beef stew. The roasted garlic and wine make it more festive than the typical stew pot. Served with warm rolls and a roasted beet salad with chevre and pistachios, this is one of the more scrumptious simple meals we've had in a while. And it's a almost one-pot meal, so clean-up was as easy as cooking.
Garlicy Beef Stew
serves 4
the roasted garlic:
8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 Tblsp butter
the stew:
300 g (1/2 lb) stew beef, in 2 cm cubes
salt and pepper
2 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp flour
1/2 large carrot, in 2 cm cubes
3 small potatoes, in 2 cm cubes
6 crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 medium onion, in 2 cm cubes
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 can (10 oz) beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp Chinese (brown) peppercorns
the thickening:
1 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp flour
Preheat the oven to 175/350. Roast the garlic, unpeeled, with butter in small pan or cast iron skillet for about 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. When cool, slip off the peels.
Salt and pepper the beef well and dredge in flour. Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Sautee the beef until brown on all sides. Remove from pan.
To the same pot, add vegetables, roasted garlic, wine, stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes.
When the vegetables are done, return the meat and any juices to the pot. Rub together the flour and butter to form a paste, and add to the pot to thicken the stew. Cook for about two more minutes and serve hot.
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Beef stew for an occasion or an at-home night.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gary
EMAIL: gary@gol.com
IP: 165.76.40.14
URL: http://www.garyandmegumi.com/blog/
DATE: 02/17/2004 12:14:56 PM
Kristen,
Not related to your very tasty-looking recipe, but the digital video tutorial link is dead. Looks like one of the DEvas moved the tutorial.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Light of Day
BASENAME: light_of_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/13/2004 09:35:49 AM
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BODY:
Because of my unusual household schedule, I usually don't leave my apartment until mid-afternoon. But recently I've had the good fortune to get away from my desk in the morning. I've noticed how different the light is at 10 am.
Shadows of trees point in northwest across the sidewalks; light slips through the gaps between buildings to illuminate windows and metal railings. I've noticed architectural details that never caught my attention before--flagpoles, ledges, the color of bricks.
Light is key to visual arts. The Impressionists cared more about light than subject matter. Painters flock to Firenze for golden Italian light and many Great Masters were really masters of light. Noir film thrives on its absence. Stained glass uses light twice--reflected and transmitted. Photographers know that one of the best times of day for shooting is the "magic hour" just before sundown.
Try to get outside today at a time you'd usually be indoors. Take a close look at the light and shadows around you. Does your familiar landscape reveal secrets and hidden treasures?
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Light angles through buildings to illuminate surprises.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2004 11:24:51 AM
I couldn't agree more.
I have really noticed the difference in light as well. Around 1:30 in the afternoon the shaddows are already long making it feel like later in the afternoon. I have often thought that the time zone in Japan is about an hour off - or at least an hour different to what I associate with the proper time for dawn and dusk. Considering that our brain is somewhat influenced by sunlight (hence jetlag being helped by sitting in the sunshine)it is not as trivial as one may first think.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 202.33.79.26
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 02/13/2004 12:15:12 PM
oh. I did this morning. What a timely post. This morning felt like spring... a bit chilly still but such beautiful light. I have always been amazed by how sun light looks different here. From November to April are the best month to enjoy that light I feel. I think what is new for me is the fact that the sky is so blue all the time without clouds. I had never seen that in my life before coming to Japan. And the cityscapes looks so different on a blue background than on a grey or white european one. And this sun light is soooo yellow I feel. so warm... I feel like I already wear sunglasses of some sort. I looks like the city has a tintl.
I love this place. Today I am in an even better mood than ytd which was already the best mood I have been in for weeks.
Bliss?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL:
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 02/13/2004 12:17:04 PM
"LIGHT"? WOTS that?
In the winter I go to work in the fetid bowels of Japan Inc in the dark and return in the dark. It nice , warm and dark in here now so I can bask in the cheerful glow on my 20-inch LED. Ahhhhhh, now that's Japan living. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 02/14/2004 11:37:15 PM
And photograph means writing with light, doesn't it?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Love = effort?
BASENAME: love_effort
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/14/2004 07:51:41 PM
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BODY:
A late-day blog entry. I'm sitting at my desk, dressed in the cloth of gold dress, waiting to leave for a dinner 10 pm reservation at Cicada.
Cynical as I am, I'm not one for enjoying a consumer based Valentine's Day, but I do like a quiet celebration. So I made an effort to make today a little special. Tod & I enjoyed brunch at home, complete with a magnum of champers which we finished off over the course of the afternoon as we listened to jazz and classical music, following along with the sheet music of some of the Bach fugues. It was relaxing.
After we finished eating, but before the wine had gone to our heads, Tod decided to return my favor. He made a reservation at Cicada, a Mediterranean restaurant I've been wanting to try for a while, hence the dressing up aspect of our day. (Tod's even donned his one-and-only suit for the occasion.)
But we had a philosophical disagreement. I say love requires effort. Tod says effort comes naturally with love. "The things you do to show your love are effortless," he insists.
I think it boils down to a definition of effort. In my world, effort is healthy, good and often quite enjoyable. Apparently in Tod's world, effort is a struggle. How about your world?
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EXCERPT:
A valentine's day dispute
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL:
IP: 207.216.4.205
URL:
DATE: 02/16/2004 05:07:44 AM
I'd have to say love takes effort. It may be effort one is more than willing to give, but often it requires energy one wouldn't normally expend towards a goal that isn't one you would have picked. But love requires compromise and effort, but both of these then lead to growth.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 02/16/2004 10:31:35 PM
It's effort, but a happy effort if you truly love. Everything requires effort of some sort; brushing your teeth, packing lunch, thinking about snails. The things we do for love are possibly the most memorable efforts of our lives.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: keeperofthemeenoo@yahoo.fr
IP: 80.14.128.148
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2004 07:51:14 AM
Effort sounds like a good idea to me, but always feels like a struggle. I'm sort of half-Todd, half-Kristen on that one. Apparently I have the laziest sign in both the Western and Chinese zodiac. However I don't believe in astrology, so I guess that's that.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 205.201.10.78
URL: http://peterb.telerama.com/weblog
DATE: 02/25/2004 11:52:50 PM
love is something you do, not something you have.
i don't think you show your love. you do your love.
so yeah, i think love is all about effort. even if one doesn't realize it.
PS: could i be any more cryptic and hallmark-sounding? maybe not.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: James
EMAIL:
IP: 213.122.11.67
URL:
DATE: 03/05/2004 08:32:20 AM
thinking about snails,
now I am
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Spring gale
BASENAME: spring_gale
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/15/2004 01:26:47 PM
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BODY:
Yesterday the first warm gale of spring, haru ichiban, blew through Japan. Although it didn't reach Tokyo, it was pretty windy here and today's weather feels like spring has arrived for sure. The warmth is a welcome change from days we've been shivering through lately.
This morning I opened all the windows to air out the apartment and then gave the veranda a good washing. Afterwards, I burned some incense and enjoyed a cup of coffee to celebrate the sun.
It's too early to replant the little garden off the living room, but I'm itching to do it. I'll settle for planning instead. This year I will make it a true kitchen garden--lots of herbs, as usual, but some vegetables, too: lettuces, peppers, beans. Maybe some berries. I don't believe I have enough room for melons, eggplants or cucumbers, but I can probably squeeze in some tomatoes. I wonder if there's a Japan equivalent to Seeds of Change?
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EXCERPT:
Spring's arrived.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: David
EMAIL: malariammv@yahoo.com
IP: 81.62.216.134
URL: http://www.geneva.ch.vu
DATE: 02/15/2004 06:16:17 PM
It is calming to think about the winds that bring spring and hope the things that will soon be a metamorphical green. The fragile season of anticipation and hope (window opening after a having them shut a long time) is here too. Our wind is called the Bise.
David
www.geneva.ch.vu
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.114
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 02/17/2004 09:59:32 AM
yesterday, we ate FUKINOTOU--(butterbur scape?) by TENPRUUA. have you eaten it? We also felt spring coming.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Therapy
BASENAME: therapy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/16/2004 04:06:59 PM
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BODY:
Boil, steam, vent, growl
Unintelligable rant.
Listen, nod, nod, nod.
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EXCERPT:
Good day? Bad day? I can't decide.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 02/16/2004 10:27:51 PM
I love this. I am really there with the unintelligable rant.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2004 10:33:46 AM
One more syllable on lines 1 and 3 and you would have a fine haiku.
Therapy
What, When, How, Why, Who?
Many Mysteries of Life
Friends, Food, Wine, Love, Peace!!
If it wasn't a dreary Tuesday at a desk I would have something much more interesting.. but..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL:
IP: 199.35.3.225
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2004 08:54:03 AM
It is a perfectly fine haiku. Love it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Foul-weather Friends
BASENAME: foul-weather_friends
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/17/2004 10:26:14 PM
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BODY:
Some expats bemoan the loss of friends when their compatriots move back home. I don't mind at all when friends come and go from my life; it seems quite natural. I think I'm well suited to being a long-term expatriate.
Despite that, it's comforting to have a few friends who I know will stick around. I don't see them all that often, but I know they're there.
I had dinner tonight with Greg, who is actually a newish friend, but has been in Japan for more than a decade. He's applied for his permanent residency, so I think he'll be sticking around for a while. We talk about creativity and organizing our lives. We swap movies. Greg introduced me to Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and loaned me the Edward Tufte book that I hadn't read. He came to Design Festa in November. We made nengajo together. I taught him about CSS and Movable Type templates.
Also among my long-term resident friends is Elizabeth Andoh, who has lived in Japan for more than 30 years, teaches Japanese food culture and writes for the New York Times and Gourmet. Various colleagues from Tod's office and MJ, of course, are here for the duration because they've married Japanese nationals.
Which is something that I wish I could do, too. Not that I want to give up darling Tod (never!), but couldn't I have a Japanese husband, too? Sure would make the visa issues easier...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2004 03:12:29 PM
There are also the Northcott's who are here for the duration as well. Well, big bruvver and me anyway.
It is important to see the people who move in and out of your life as a good thing. Often people appear in your life for a reason - perhaps a lesson for you to learn or to teach - and then everybody moves on, changed and hopefully a bit wiser for the experience. But then there are the lifetime friends - so matter where you are, there will always be a connection no matter how poor a correspondant.
But Blogs are a great way of keeping in touch. ne?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.14
URL:
DATE: 02/19/2004 01:32:51 AM
True, I sort of forgot to mention you guys! I know you're here for good as well.
I love having friends who I can see just once in a while and fall into comfortable conversations as if no time as passed at all since we last talked. Blogs definitely help that a lot... at the Blogger meetup s there's no preliminary chit-chat, we jump right in with comments on one another's lives.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim OConnell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.4
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 03/01/2004 01:32:27 AM
Wait...
Tod's not Japanese???
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Flower Market
BASENAME: flower_market
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/18/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
On the way to work today, I walked by this impromptu flower and plant market set up on the corner. It reminded me of the farmers market in Chicago--every Thursday after lunch, women returned to their offices with armfuls of gladiolas. It was very cheery and colorful.
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Some springtime colors for sale.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Corn Encrusted Pork
BASENAME: corn_encrusted_pork
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/19/2004 10:04:35 AM
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BODY:
With a nod to Mike at Arsenic.net's weekly Pork Chop Radio show playing this morning, here's a recipe that I used to cook back when times were tight but we liked to eat. It doesn't make our menu rotation too often anymore, which is a shame. I think I know what we'll have for dinner here tonight.
Corn Encrusted Pork
serves 4
4 pork chops or pork fillets
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup corn meal (approx)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper to taste
oil for frying
Set up a breading station: salted flour, egg wash, corn meal mixed with herbs and pepper.
Lightly flour the meat, then dip in the egg wash, and finally coat well with cornmeal. Make the cornmeal coating fairly thick with no gaps. Depending on the size of your chops, you may need more than a cup of cornmeal.
Pan fry the pork in a little oil until the cornmeal is golden brown. Because the meat's encrusted, you can't easily test for doneness, so I judge by the "give" of the meat. When it's raw it feels soft and floppy; as it cooks it gets stiffer. Imagine a book made of rubber--that's what your shooting for. Still a little give, but not bendy.
Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, applesauce, and a green veg of your choice.
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An old favorite.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Journals
BASENAME: journals
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/20/2004 09:49:00 AM
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BODY:
Do you keep a journal?
As a teenager, I kept a diary for six or seven years--full of the angst or exams and the trials of never having a date--that I wrote in frequently, if not daily. During the dormitory years at college, my diary transformed from lovelorn ramblings to costume sketches and reminders to go to class.
For years, I carried a sketchbook everywhere. That was fantastic. I paid a lot more attention to things around me. Any time I was bored I would grab my book and pen and draw whatever was handy. I did hundreds of little sketches. Some of them are horrible and others are quite good. I took notes in my sketchbooks, too.
But somehow, I stopped doing that. These days (in addition to this weblog) I keep a motley a variety of notebooks filled with to do lists, user interface designs, observations made on the train, grocery lists, meeting notes, and drawings. But I have too many of them. One in my bag, another in a jacket pocket, one on my desk...
So I declare today "starting the journal anew" day. I will keep a better journal. "Better" meaning I carry one with me everywhere and I use it creatively every day. Care to join me?
Drawings - yes!
Observations on trains - yes!
Interesting words and kanji - yes!
Little ideas - yes!
Bg ideas - absolutely!
Costume sketches - yes!
Construction diagrams - yes!
Half-written poems - yes!
Pressed flowers - for sure!
Grocery lists - no way.
Mistakes - yes!
Odd thoughts - yes!
Note to myself - yes!
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Pen to paper.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: olivier
EMAIL: ot@zoy.org
IP: 219.110.50.164
URL: http://yoda.zoy.org
DATE: 02/20/2004 12:03:13 PM
Count me in!
Notebooks have helped me transcend my love for fountain pens into a love for notebooks: I have a small pile of moleskines, and a few others, offered by dearest among friends.
I love to write or scribble on them, and I should do that more.
No, I *want* to scribble, write and sketch more, I just needed a pretext to kick my lazy butt and do it. I guess you just provided me with one...
http://yoda.zoy.org/neurones/2004/02-20-si_javais_un_stylo.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.14
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2004 12:18:11 PM
I bought the Moleskine in August last year--probably at Loft or Tokyu Hands or somewhere similar.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2004 05:10:35 PM
My handwriting is terrible. I am even embarressed when I send handwritten cards and *gasp* snail mail. (Yes I do send them occassionally. Just this week as a matter of fact)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.150.38
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 02/20/2004 06:11:40 PM
What exactly is "angst"? It's obviously the german word for "fear". But it seems there is more to it...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 205.188.209.103
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2004 09:05:54 PM
I loved your childhood jounals...not that I read them, mind you, but you were always able to pinpoint when the first robin was sighted or when the very nasty snowstorm hit.
I have way too many places to jot things down and so today I'll join you in keeping one journal/thoughtbook.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2004 11:43:57 PM
I agree with those who said their handwriting is terrible, mine is as well. I think these blogs have served as my journal for the last 4 years, both in day to day life and through our entire pregnancy experience. It will be cool to someday show Evan what our life was like while we were expecting him.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/archives/001555.html
DATE: 02/21/2004 04:40:12 AM
I've kept handwritten journals almost all my life, although in the 1990s I found myself relying more on the computer. But I've recently discovered that typing (although faster and easier to edit and correct) produces quite a different result than writing by hand. When I write with a computer, my writing goes into "explain/describe" mode. When I write by hand, my writing becomes meditative. I usually end up writing about something entirely different than what I began thinking about--and it usually is a revelation, almost a message from my unconscious.
Just recently (during a spell of cold weather), I've been trying to write a little in a journal every morning before I get out of bed. This is a new habit for me since what I usually do is get up and check email and blogs while drinking my morning coffee.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim OConnell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.4
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 02/29/2004 02:01:48 PM
Nice pen! ;-)
Why is it that I can't seem to swing a cat lately without hitting someone scribbling in their moleskine?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pants Patterns
BASENAME: pants_patterns
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 02/21/2004 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
It's nearly impossible to find free sewing patterns on the 'Net, so here are the patterns and how-to instructions for two styles of unisex casual pants I made yesterday. Now you can make your own.
Thai Fisherman's Pants
These are one-size fits-all pants that wrap around and tie with a sash. Very comfy and stylish, too. You can use almost any weight fabric--from silk to lightweight denim. The Thai ones are cotton or rayon. Make sure your fabric looks nice on both sides; I did mine with a contrasting top panel because the print I used for the legs looked ugly on the reverse.
You'll need
2 meters fabric
matching thread
About an hour.
Cutting:
top panel (2): 25 cm x 75 cm
legs (2): 75 cm x 85 cm, with a curved 50 x 10 strip cut away on each side
tie (1): 6 cm x 140 cm
I measured and cut directly on the fabric without a paper pattern. Don't forget to add extra for the seams. I usually do 1 cm all around.
If you're using fabric with a directional pattern, cut the cloth in half widthwise and turn the fabric so that the pattern runs the same direction on both legs.
Construction:
Points:
French seam the top panel sides so there are no raw edges.
Finish the top panel edge with a tiny hem.
Attached the belt securely to the center back of the top panel.
To wear them, slip them on and hold the edges out from you (like a diet "after" picture). Pull one side tight against your body and bring the rest of the fabric across yourself to form an S curve. Bring the ties around your waist and knot. Fold the top down over the ties.
Comfy Pants
These baggy pajama pants are derived from the mompe slacks in John Marshall's "Make your Own Japanese Clothes." An elastic waist makes them really easy to wear. You can increase the width of the leg opening to get a more skirt-like palazzo pant.
This pattern needs to be drafted onto paper, but it's not difficult to do at all. Once you've done it, you can use it over and over, or until you size changes.
You'll need
2.2 meters fabric, depending on your leg length
elastic for the waistband (your waist + 5 cm)
matching thread
a ruler
a calculator
a crayon or colored marker
a sheet or two of newspaper
tape
About 90 minutes.
Drafting:
Measure yourself (it's much easier if you have help with these!)
Hips ________ cm
Waist to floor ________ cm
Crotch to floor________ cm
Around ankle and heel ________ cm
Now lay out your newspaper so that it matches the waist to floor measurement. Tape together if necessary.
Front Leg:
Back Leg:
Same as the front leg, but use 1/3 plus 1/8 of your hip measurement. This allows a little extra room for your derriere.
Cutting:
Follow the pattern, adding seam allowance all around, plus about 8 cm at the top for the elastic casing and 5 cm (or more) at the bottom for a hem.
Construction:
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EXCERPT:
Two very easy trousers to sew.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2004 11:19:36 AM
Now isnt this exactly what GG was looking for? Way cool! Thanks Kristen!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 02/23/2004 02:33:16 PM
I am desperate for some new and funky casual duds. If I grab some fabric, can I come over for a sewing session? I will also bring something yummy to eat!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: escape:planet
EMAIL: escapeplanet@hotmail.com
IP: 203.195.105.33
URL:
DATE: 02/24/2004 08:08:07 PM
I'm Thai, and I was amazed to find Thai Fisherman's Pants here. :)
We call it Kaang-Keng-Lay, Kaang-Keng means pants and Lay (Talay) means sea (where the fisherman works). But not only for the fisherman, people across the country from the North to the South wear Kaang-Keng-Lay.
You can find it at $2 in Thailand. Cheap?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 137.150.26.247
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2004 07:59:52 AM
thanks for the pattern
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Skylar
EMAIL: sky84321@hotmail.com
IP: 207.173.103.106
URL:
DATE: 04/25/2004 02:59:25 PM
YAY! I went to Vietnam about months ago and all of the foreigners had these pants. I was dying for a pair because they look ultra comfy and easy, but I never found any and couldn't figure out how to make them. Thanks!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kandice
EMAIL:
IP: 12.73.178.24
URL:
DATE: 06/09/2004 05:15:11 AM
Thank you for providing the pattern, I saw someone wearing them and have been looking for a pattern ever since (about a year). I am going to make several pairs which I am sure will replace my comfy jeans as my favorite thing to wear!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Diana
EMAIL:
IP: 69.139.204.233
URL:
DATE: 06/19/2004 06:01:56 AM
I don't understand why you need to do the extra step of adding a top panel. Why can't you just extend the top portion of the legs for however many inches/metres that the top panel is? Isn't that the same thing? Am I missing something? Thanks for posting free pattern instructions. That was very nice of you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Justlyn Teo
EMAIL:
IP: 203.124.2.11
URL:
DATE: 06/19/2004 04:38:55 PM
Thanks for sharing! This will be a great gift for my family n loved ones! Had been eyeing for one of these pants for a long time. Now that I can finally self-made it. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: vicki kerley
EMAIL:
IP: 69.167.22.103
URL:
DATE: 06/24/2004 09:11:29 AM
My Goddaughter, Sari, brought these great pants to me from her travels in Thailand. The rayons are my favorite because the fabric is so soft and they dry so quickly. However, all my fisherman pants have a third panel sewn in the leg seams. She paid around $2 for the pants and her friends are selling them here in the States for $15-20. This helps pay their airfare and travel expenses when visiting Thailand.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Carolyn
EMAIL:
IP: 203.36.44.16
URL:
DATE: 07/19/2004 12:53:43 PM
Hi All,
Thank You so much for the Thai fishermans pants pattern.
I teach sewing to High School students and they range in ability. I am sure that these Thai fisherman pants will be quick easy and a great start to many sewing projects to come.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: SK
EMAIL:
IP: 216.113.204.151
URL:
DATE: 07/24/2004 04:39:35 AM
Thank you! How generous of you to share your information. This is terrific.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sharon
EMAIL:
IP: 24.4.197.182
URL:
DATE: 07/29/2004 02:03:02 PM
I am one who hates sewing, but loves comfy clothes. I have been waiting for pants like these! Ohh, think of the colors and patterns to try. Even I can sew them!
Thank you
Sharon
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nadine Andrews
EMAIL:
IP: 24.66.94.140
URL:
DATE: 07/30/2004 03:23:33 AM
Hello from Winnipeg,Manitoba, Canada- Have been looking for a pattern for these pants for a while. Being a woman of substance( body wise) I thought they would be extremely comfortable and simple to make. Thanks again. Peace Joy and Happiness "N" :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL:
IP: 216.232.181.202
URL:
DATE: 08/07/2004 01:33:39 AM
Thank you so much for this pattern - this is awesome. I will be buying loads of fabric so I can get started on these.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nadine Andrews
EMAIL: nandrews1@shaw.ca
IP: 24.66.94.140
URL:
DATE: 08/23/2004 01:24:57 PM
Hi, It's me again. Well I made the Thai Fishermans pants and unfortunately one size does not fit all. I wonder can anyone maybe help for sizing the pattern to a 1 or 2 x plus. Would be greatly appreciated. Bye all from Friendly Manitoba
Peace :) Nadine
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kaita
EMAIL:
IP: 62.135.24.71
URL:
DATE: 09/23/2004 01:53:57 AM
Just wondering, since I've never seen Thai fishermen's pants (well, i have, but I'm not entirely sure that what i know is what everyone else is thinking of..), what these pants end up looking like...could you post pictures?
Thanks!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: May
EMAIL:
IP: 66.108.136.208
URL:
DATE: 09/29/2004 11:44:46 AM
thanks for posting the pattern. really cool.
i'd love to try the pattern out in different materials, etc...
for people who are wondering where to get them already made or what they look like, here's a link:
http://boom.bolenat.com/category.asp?cat_id=38
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL: lkon@kasnet.com
IP: 65.183.3.118
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2004 05:56:19 AM
the pants looks ok but i dont see the shirt to with it my son as heritage week cooming up and i need to make a costume for him i have search so many site cant find anything could you possible send me one
thank you
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: janette kong
EMAIL: lkon@kasnet.com
IP: 65.183.3.118
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2004 05:57:25 AM
the pants looks ok but i dont see the shirt to with it my son as heritage week cooming up and i need to make a costume for him i have search so many site cant find anything could you possible send me one
thank you
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: janette kong
EMAIL: lkon@kasnet.com
IP: 65.183.3.118
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2004 05:58:19 AM
the pants looks ok but i dont see the shirt to with it my son as heritage week cooming up and i need to make a costume for him i have search so many site cant find anything could you possible send me one
thank you
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: susan
EMAIL:
IP: 64.12.116.66
URL:
DATE: 10/17/2004 09:31:13 AM
...I have been looking for this pattern and am as pleased as can be to have found your concise, easy to understand directions! Great job!!! Thanks so much!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lydia
EMAIL:
IP: 71.80.226.227
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2006 03:39:51 PM
Thank you, so much.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Windy Day
BASENAME: windy_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 02/22/2004 10:17:05 PM
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BODY:
Today was the perfect sort of early-spring day to open all the windows and air everything out, so now the apartment is tidy and my sheets and towels smell fresh and clean.
Before my housekeeping binge, I sat out on the veranda and painted for a while. It was more art therapy than Art but I had an adventure while I was painting. The wind picked up and one of the cardboard canvases I'd laid on the wall to dry blew off and landed in the neighbor's garden. Oops!
I trotted downstairs to fetch my painting from our French neighbors who had a baby girl not long after we moved in. Now 18 months old, she watched me cautiously and smiled a little as I walked through their living room to the garden and retrieved my canvas.
Later on, my breeze-animated pillowcases swept a jellyjar-cum-candleholder off the veranda. It crashed into the other downstairs neighbor's yard. I don't think anyone lives in that apartment, so I'll let the "janitor room" know about the broken glass when they come in to work tomorrow.
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EXCERPT:
Adventures in spring winds.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 02/24/2004 05:39:24 AM
I know people have died for art but yours seems more like a weapon!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Breakdowns
BASENAME: breakdowns
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 02/23/2004 06:42:16 PM
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BODY:
Today I'm taking the Neon Chopstix scripts and doing the breakdowns to make our production boards. I've been looking forward to this for months, but it's turned out hte be more of a challenge than I expected.
A breakdown is when you go through the script and list, scene by scene, all the actors, props, effects, crew, equipment, sounds, costumes, and locations needed to film the scene. Once you have the breakdowns, you can budget and schedule the production--the production board is all breakdowns organized into shooting days.
Making the breakdown lists is lots of fun. I'm using software called FilmMakr, essentially a complex Excel macro, to do the breakdowns so they look pretty and can be neatly organised. Look at all the colors:
What's difficult is deciding where to break things up. A scene might be only two pages long but could have cutaways to objects or other people, might have a section that involves a special effect, or multiple cameras. Each cutaway or effect requires a different location, setup, equipment, etc. but they aren't separate scenes. I just don't know quite how far to take the breakdown...
Usually my documentary productions aren't this complex. New things to learn. Yeah!
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EXCERPT:
Breakdown, but not the nervous kind.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: S to M
BASENAME: s_to_m
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/24/2004 10:32:12 PM
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BODY:
The city subways are rebranding. Actually, they are privatising. From April 1st, Teito Rapid Transit Authority will become Tokyo Metro.
The new logo is a ribbony M in cyan blue. They call it the Heart M. It's cute but not as distinctive as the pointy red S we all know and love.
It's fun to try to find the things they are doing in advance. You might see some changes in your local station--ticket machines are being refaced in blue, for example. Dark blue uniforms are replacing the grass green jackets on drivers and conductors. And on some rolling stock, you'll see the familiar S logo is now on a sticker covering up a subtle indentation of the new M logo underneath.
I haven't seen any changes to exterior station signs, but I know they are coming...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Simple delights
BASENAME: simple_delights
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/25/2004 10:03:42 AM
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BODY:
The whole dream was homespun happiness. My entire village celebrated some obscure holiday. It was a county fair, a big reunion, a birthday party, a veteran's memorial day.
There was not a single whiff of sophistication--we wove delphiniums in our hair, decorated the square with candles and lamps, played with all the kids, set up chairs and buffet tables in the town hall/church, hugged and kissed friends. And this was just the preparations. I woke up before the actual festivities began.
But I woke up grinning.
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EXCERPT:
Simple is best even in dreams.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dagwood Sandwich
BASENAME: dagwood_sandwich
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/26/2004 03:38:07 PM
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BODY:
We're having a typical Tokyo spring--alternating warm and cool days. It's hard to decide what to wear, so I'm putting on (and taking off) a lot of layers. With that as a theme, today's recipe is has lots of layers, too.
The sandwiches that Dagwood eats in the comic Blondie are legendarily huge. He puts all sorts of unlikely things on them and really piles it high. This one fakes it a bit by stacking individual sandwiches on top of one another. You can substitute anything in this sandwich--the more ingredients the merrier--and it's agreat way to use up leftovers.
Dagwood Sandwich
serves 2-3 people or one comic strip character
6 slices bread (white, wheat, rye or any combination)
1 sandwich bun
2 oz/60 gr deli ham
2 slices swiss cheese
2 oz/60 gr roast beef
2 slices cheddar cheese
2 slices red onion
3 oz/80 gr salad filling: egg, tuna, chicken potato, ham, etc.
3 slices bacon
4 oz/100 gr deli turkey or turkey leftovers
1 tomato, thinly sliced
3 lettuce leaves
1 gerkhin, halved
2 olives
Mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish, butter, ketchup, as desired
2 long bamboo skewers
Tod thinks the round sandwich looks better on top. I like the whimsy of sandwiching it in the middle...it's up to you!
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EXCERPT:
A tall, layered sandwich
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL: http://www.sunglassesron.myby.co.uk/sandwich.htm
DATE: 03/08/2004 04:35:54 PM
Check out this guy's sandwich page!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creative logo
BASENAME: creative_logo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/27/2004 01:57:49 PM
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BODY:
I've never really liked the logo I use for Creative Perspectives. I tried to abstract the elements-earth, water, metal, wood, water--and ended up with something that looks like it might say "Hello My Name Is" on top. Not quite what I was going for and I'm ready to try again.
But this time with your help.
Would you like to take a break from your own creative persuits and help me come up with a new logo? Send me your ideas as a psd, jpg or gif file, (120 px by 80 px, please) before next Thursday, March 4. I'll post them next week for you to see. Depending on how I'm inspired, I might pick elements from the your ideas to form a new logo, or maybe collage something together, or use them "as is" or ...well, I'll see what the Muse suggests.
On a related note, creative photographers might be interested in participating in Sh1ft.org's Day in the Life project. You take a photo every hour on Feb 29th, the leap day, then put them online. It's going to be a fun day;I'll be doing it. I hope you will, too.
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EXCERPT:
Two fun projects for you
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@zaidi.jp
IP: 203.82.51.156
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com/
DATE: 02/27/2004 03:55:56 PM
I'm not a designer so can't really give something visual or very solid, but how about putting "Creative" in various colors and "Perspectives" in a 3D style text with different perspectives on different parts of the word?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.148
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 02/29/2004 01:40:55 AM
I sent mine off via email to you, I hope you like it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Restless spirit
BASENAME: restless_spirit
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/28/2004 09:07:44 AM
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BODY:
We're off today on one of my "I have got to get out of the city" trips. The urge comes infrequently, but it's very strong. I need to see something new, smell some fresh air, and sleep in an unfamiliar bed.
After a quick check of Shinkansen timetables and weather reports, I realise that the entire country is due for rain tomorrow with the exception of Yamanashi-ken which expects only clouds. But the mountains and lakes of Yamanashi-ken do not appeal, so I think we'll brave the bad weather elsewhere.
Our umbrellas will go north to Sendai and tomorrow I will photograph what we do--get wet, visit museums, ride the train home--to celebrate Leap Day.
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EXCERPT:
Must move. Must see new things.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Leap Day: Sendai - Matsushima - Tokyo
BASENAME: leap_day_sendai_-_matsushima_-_tokyo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/29/2004 11:55:36 PM
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BODY:
9 am
10 am
11 am
noon
1 pm
2 pm
3 pm
4 pm
5 pm
6 pm
7 pm
8 pm
9 pm
10 pm
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EXCERPT:
Our leap day in one hour intervals (more or less...)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: spunwithtears
EMAIL: dale@REMOVEspunwithtears.com
IP: 68.149.68.123
URL: http://www.spunwithtears.com
DATE: 03/01/2004 09:13:37 AM
I enjoyed your leap day photos! Your History of Zero was interesting too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.41
URL: http:///gen.kanai.net
DATE: 03/01/2004 10:00:50 AM
I spotted Zoupi!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 210.132.82.132
URL:
DATE: 03/01/2004 12:47:59 PM
Someone should tell Tokyo Station that their clock is fast.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Polished Shoes
BASENAME: polished_shoes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 03/01/2004 09:45:10 AM
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BODY:
When I was a girl, my father taught me to polish shoes. I don't know who taught him--maybe his father, maybe someone in the navy--but I am a link in a chain that stretches back quite a way.
You live in the moment when you shine your shoes. Brush away the dirt, smooth on the polish, wait for the polish to dry (always the hardest part), brush the polish off with quick light strokes, buff the leather with a soft cloth.
When I'm finished, I walk away with spiffy shoes and a calm mind.
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EXCERPT:
Another one of life's simple pleasures.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erika
EMAIL: petitenephilim@aol.com
IP: 216.242.124.79
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 03/01/2004 02:25:37 PM
nice docs :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Haruka
EMAIL:
IP: 219.167.249.165
URL:
DATE: 03/01/2004 05:28:49 PM
I love to polish my shoes too.
It feels good and yes, it's like refresh and brush myself! Uhh I love shoes.
But my problem is where to put. That's one reason I want to move!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 03/02/2004 03:22:14 PM
As Dad was in the army, every sunday afternoon was devoted to the polishing ritual. My brother and I always begged to assist. Plus there was all the leather straps with brass to polish as well.
Ah thank you Kristen for bringing back a very happy childhood memory.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: alan
EMAIL: fake@fake.com
IP: 12.44.20.2
URL: http://arlucasinc.livejournal.com
DATE: 03/04/2004 06:07:46 AM
Wow! Where did you get those Docs with the zip sides? Gorgeous color.
And yeah, I love shining my shoes. Especially once the weather gets a little better and I know they won't get all salty again.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.14
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2004 01:44:51 PM
I love those Docs. I put them on and feel invincible! I bought them in Harajuku last fall; they are model 9733. Zippers up both sides of the laces--absolutely indispensible for life in Tokyo where shoes are forever having to come off and on. They fulfill my top two requirements for shoes: comfortable for walking and look nice with casual skirts.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Black Box Taxes
BASENAME: black_box_taxes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/02/2004 07:19:58 PM
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BODY:
Japanese taxes are due on March 15th, so this afternoon I got friendly with my pile of receipts and bank details. My head is now full of numbers and doubts, but my Heisei 15 tax forms are completed. Every filing I've submitted has been returned for corrections. I'm sure this year will be no different.
The Japanese tax system is a black box but I assume it follows the same basic pattern as the US. If you add up your earnings, subtract out any deductions, then multiply by your tax percentage, you'll know how much tax you owe. But the details are a little hazy, so I don't really try to understand. I simply follow along with the translated English instructions and do the math.
But even my indifferent attitude was pierced when I reached this calculation:
Total earnings from employment / 4 * 2.8 - 180,000 = employment income (please fill in line 6)
Huh?? Why? I guess it doesn't matter. I have to say, I'm glad I have a calculator.
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EXCERPT:
Taxes are always a burden...even when they are easy.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com
DATE: 03/02/2004 07:42:53 PM
Usually if you go to the City office they have people there to help you fill out your tax forms.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Quinlan
EMAIL: q@quinlanfaris.com
IP: 219.197.132.93
URL: http://www.quinlanfaris.com
DATE: 03/03/2004 04:10:14 AM
I have enough trouble filing my U.S. taxes. Now it's two sets of taxes every year! If I didn't have my wife ot help me with the Japanese version I'd be lost. I admire your perserverance in being able to do them on your own.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.4.76
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 03/03/2004 08:52:24 AM
Even for me (I'm Japanese) the system of tax is msterious. I think much money go for tax automaically form our income.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 206.152.99.98
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2004 05:01:28 AM
I filed my income tax return here in the U.S. 2 weeks ago. The forms are a nightmare, and without an accountant impossible to navigate. Made me long for the relative simplicity of the Japanese tax return forms which I filled out for 17 years without any professional help. (And, working independently, I could deduct a whole lot more in Japan.)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mansions in the Big(ger) City
BASENAME: mansions_in_the_bigger_city
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/03/2004 09:32:34 PM
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BODY:
Tokyo's population has reached a new peak. By the current accounting it is 12,378,974 people strong, with nearly 90,000 more inhabitants than 2002. (That's just the 23 wards; a census of the "greater Tokyo area" adds another 20 - 25 million people.)
The increased population is a good thing, because there are more and more places for people to live. As I've written before, there are a lot of new apartment buildings going up around the city. Here are some floor plans from the latest brochure to appear in my mailbox:
This is an 87.85 square meter (945 sq ft) 3 bedroom apartment (aka mansion) for 72,000,000 yen (about $720,000) And in the same building, there's a 130 sq meter, two-storey mansionette (no price given) and this 102 sq meter (1,097 sq ft) apartment for 80,800,000 yen ($808,000):
Luxury buildings like this one are springing up all over the inner city as lower cost housing is torn down to make way. I sure hope the 90,000 Tokyo newcomers are rich.
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Lots of people, lots of living space
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com
DATE: 03/04/2004 12:43:28 PM
But the burning question is...
How many kittens do they cost?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pierogies
BASENAME: pierogies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/04/2004 09:48:47 PM
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BODY:
A post on the Being A Broad forum prompted me to hunt for my pierogi recipe but I couldn't find it. The recipe below is a combination of online recipes and my own adjustments. They are good; we enjoyed them for dinner tonight. Tod says they are the best he's had in years, which is probably true, pierogies are impossible to find in Tokyo. Jim suggested we call them "Scranton-fu Gyoza" in honor of our childhood stomping ground.
Pierogies
Makes about 2 dozen large or 3 dozen small
1 cup "hard" all-purpose flour (plus some for rolling)
3/4 cup "soft" cake flour
2 eggs
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
2 Tblsp butter
1 cup onion, minced very fine
4 potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
1/2 cup cottage cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, sliced
4 Tblsp butter
Stir together flours in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, water and salt. Make a well in the flour and add egg mixture, gradually incorporating flour until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding only as much additional flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (Dough will be soft.) Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature at least 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting, make the filling.
Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft; drain. Cook the minced onion in butter over medium heat until soft and translucent. Mash together potatoes, onion and cottage cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Flour your work surface. Divide the dough in half and roll it out out thin. Using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut rounds about 4" across for large pierogies or 2.5" for smaller pierogies. You can re-roll the scrap dough, but the gluten really gets going and your pierogies will get tough and chewy if you work the dough too much. Any extra dough can be cut into strips and boiled as noodles.
Drop about a tablespoon of filling into the center. Fold the dough together to form a half-moon. (Bringing both edges up, rather than folding one side over, lets the dough stretch evenly and pulls it off the rolling surface at the same time.) Be sure that the filling is all inside and not on the edges, then wet your fingers or a fork and pinch the edges closed. Set aside on a floured paper towels until you're ready to boil them.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Boil the pierogies in salted water for approximately 10 minutes...they will increase in size and float to the surface of the pot as they cook. As they boil, saute onion slices in butter until translucent. Remove the pierogies from the water, drain and add to the onions. Pan fry until light brown. Serve with buttered, boiled cabbage and the scrap noodles (this is called haluski).
The uncooked pierogies can be frozen. Just boil them straight from the freezer.
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Ah, the tastes of Pennsylvania.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/04/2004 09:56:23 PM
Homemade pierogies are so much better than Mrs T's! I use cheddar cheese in the filling. I'll have to try your recipie. I think the best ones I've had are the ones made by the women at St. Hedwig's church.
I tried making a pierogie casserole a couple of weeks ago after overhearing some teachers talk about it in the faculty lounge. The lesson: There are no shortcuts to good pierogies.
P.S. I like your headscarf. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.14
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2004 10:05:21 PM
I haven't made pierogies since cooking school. It was fun!
My scarf's an old linen tea towel. Works great to keep my hair out of my eyes and the food. Plus, it's handy if I need to dry my hands.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 03/05/2004 06:11:10 PM
Today I made spicy dahl, mango lassie and paper. Trust me you probably only want to get at most any two of these three mixed up. (Sadly no head scarf was involved).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jan
EMAIL:
IP: 208.245.181.115
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2004 01:36:38 AM
Luckily Great Aunt Alice is still around and we had a cooking day and she showed and helped us make Phrogi (also known as Varnyky) with cheese and potatoe filling, among other Ukrainian recipes. My boyfriend and I make about 300 at a time (takes most of the day) and freeze them and give them to our daughters and friends for their freezer.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New logos
BASENAME: new_logos
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/05/2004 08:48:45 AM
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BODY:
Wow, what a great response. Thank you! I was impressed by the variety of ideas you sent. Every one of them was had its own personality. I hope you had fun with them and that thinking about the logo inspired one of your own projects. They certainly inspired me.
One logo particularly resonated. This is what I wanted to do in the first place. Thank you for reading my mind, Robert. As you can see, I altered the colors for the final version. I'm a fan of duller tones; bright primaries hurt my old eyes.
Robert sent a set of elements from the I Ching: earth, water, fire and air. The logo incorporates an Asian motif and uses clean straight lines like the rest of my site. Plus if you look at it from a distance, it's laughing.
Sajjad offered his idea in a comment. "I'm not a designer so can't really give something visual or very solid, but how about putting "Creative" in various colors and "Perspectives" in a 3D style text with different perspectives on different parts of the word?" I had a hard time getting the perspective idea to work at such a small size, so I alternated the letters top to bottom--pErSpEcTiVeS--and that's a different perspective entirely.
Mike's submission had a clever twist. " I was thinking of something that you could change as the ideas change. For example, you'll see in there that there are two layers of little icons that go along with a possible theme. If the exercise or idea is writing related, turn on the pen layer. If you're talking about, say, music, then turn on the music icon. It wouldn't be too terribly hard to change, and would add a neat litle touch to the graphic." Indeed it is.
Greg sent his idea along with a sample in e-mail. "I think I’d use pen and paper, scissors, a computer maybe. Artist’s palette. Drawing pencils crayons, tools, whatever. The style is a little 90's ish, but good for clear bold graphics." I read his description and took a good look at the architect's logo he attached then came up with this.
And just to compare, here's the old one, now relegated to the rubbish heap.
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EXCERPT:
Four very different ideas and one new logo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 205.188.209.103
URL:
DATE: 03/05/2004 09:31:34 PM
I liked them all. Maybe you could alternate them at different times.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Play to Screenplay
BASENAME: play_to_screenplay
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 03/06/2004 11:59:16 AM
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BODY:
In 1998, just after arriving in Singapore, I wrote a play. I never tried to produce it so it's been sitting on my hard drive waiting for me to get back to it. Finally, it's seeing the glare of the CRT again. I've decided to take a shot at turning it into a screenplay.
Stage plays and screenplays are entirely different. Characters do a lot of talking in a play. Actors have to describe events that take place offstage. The audience at a distance can't read their subtle expressions so they even talk to themselves from time to time. But in film, you can get close. The actors show their emotions instead of telling them.
Another difference is locations. My play takes place on one set. In the film version Annie and Fran eat lunch in a restaurant, instead of Annie's apartment. Annie and Rob will argue have their argument in a car. Sean flashes back to an embarrassing moment in his childhood. Fran delivers flowers for a living, now you'll get to see her do it.
It's quite an interesting exercise to adapt from one form to another. One downside is that the budget increases with every change I make!
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EXCERPT:
From stage to film
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 03/07/2004 03:46:01 AM
One of my favourite films is Hal Hartley's Simple Men, a dialogue driven film in which everyone is trying to understand someone else but no-one manages to make themselves understood. A recent Australian film employs a similar sensibility - its name escapes me - but the director has done a lot of stage work and the film is in a sense a workshop on film, which loses plot coherency but finds the human sides of its actors. Good luck with the adaptation :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.38
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 03/07/2004 08:49:58 AM
About a dozen years ago I set to work on a screenplay. After about 15 pages I gave it to my roommate for his opinion, and he said, "This could work, but it's not a movie. It's an opera."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fountain Pens
BASENAME: fountain_pens
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/07/2004 09:36:51 PM
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BODY:
Disposable fountain pens make me feel connected to great writers of the past but without the inconvenience of spilling bottles of ink everywhere or feeling guilty for not cleaning my nibs. Sekaido in Shinjuku has a good selection if you're in the market for a new pen.
Mitsubishi Boxy has an unusual name, but it's nothing special as far as writing goes. It's shaped like a slightly thick Bic ballpoint--a long straight line with a cap. It writes well, but without the balanced grace of a fountain pen.
Platinum E-pen is similar in shape to the Boxy, but it has an ever-so-slightly thinner nib and its ink seems a touch more translucent. The ink doesn't wick very much at all and it lays down a consistent line.
Pilot V-pen is slightly stubby, similar to a proper fountain pen. It feels good in the hand and its classic shaped, slightly rounded nib that deposits the ink in a pleasantly uneven line--or maybe that's just my handwriting. I like this one the best of the three.
The V-pen is available in six ink colors: black, blue, red, green, cyan, and pink. I have a black one and nearly bought a pink one tonight. But then I'd have four disposable fountain pens and doesn't that seem excessive?
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EXCERPT:
Maybe three black disposable fountains is two to many?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/08/2004 09:35:03 AM
You can never have enough fountain pens I say...
/stationary addict
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.4.53
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 03/08/2004 10:08:35 AM
"stationary addict", it's a good and useful for me. I'll tell it to my husband.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2004 02:23:05 PM
I rarely write anything these days.. plus my writing is terrible. :-(
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2004 08:58:45 PM
Lovely. Some of my most trustworthy and long-lasting pens are the ones I know I can lose without being heartbroken over the financial loss. The Uniball Gelstick 07 is a favorite - they come in a pack of five. I detest ballpoints.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jon
EMAIL: 2003@snowblink.co.uk
IP: 81.187.227.106
URL: http://www.snowblink.co.uk/
DATE: 03/09/2004 04:19:36 AM
I used to use the V-Pen, but I found it rather scratchy and a little too thin for my liking.
I like fat-nibbed pens. In the house I keep a non-disposable fountain pen, but I carry disposable pens when I'm out and about.
Currently, I favour the Uniball Signo Broad and the Impacts.
You can never have too many pens.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Becky
EMAIL: becky@dalqe.com
IP: 65.35.174.148
URL: http://www.dalqe.com/
DATE: 03/23/2004 11:48:53 PM
I use Uniball Visions in micro (also Saddam's choice of pen, which rather scared me when I saw him doodling during his interview last year...). I've really wanted to try a fountain pen, but didn't know where to start... this helps muchly. Thanks!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chicken Pie Delivery
BASENAME: chicken_pie_delivery
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/08/2004 11:18:14 PM
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BODY:
"Kuri, can I ask a favor?" MJ asked this morning. "Bring me a chicken pie..."
So I took the last of our stash of Vili's pies from the freezer and hopped a train for Kanagawa. 90 minutes later, I handed MJ her chicken pie. And here I am , enjoying an evening away from home in cosmopolitan Hiratsuka.
No more pies left. Deliveries are currently suspended until the supply is replenished.
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EXCERPT:
Travel with food.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.4.86
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 03/09/2004 09:05:45 AM
Sounds really delicious!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.96.76.79
URL:
DATE: 03/09/2004 10:24:07 PM
MJ you are back? Since when? :-))
Do update all of us...
Apologies Kristen for borrowing the space.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/09/2004 10:50:43 PM
Do you deliver to the states?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Walking
BASENAME: walking
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/09/2004 11:33:51 PM
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BODY:
For the last little while I've been considering long walks. Having walked from home to Yotsuya a few weeks ago, only a 40 minute trip on foot, I imagined some of the long journeys by foot throughout history. To be honest, hobbits kept coming to mind...
Walking is the most natural mode of transportation. After all, we only recently invented motorised transportation, and even hooved transport wasn't always available. But we've always had feet. Well, for a long, long time, anyway.
MJ mentioned a TV show she saw quoted 10,000 steps a day as the optimum amount of walking. Figuring about 80 cm per stride, that's 8 km, or just short of 5 miles every day. Apparently the average Japanese dweller walks about half that.
The average walking pace is about 4 km/hour. So 8 km is a two hour walk and that seems not so difficult, really.
What if I started out in the morning and walked for 8 hours? Where would I be? I have no idea...but I plan to find out.
If the weather is fair on Thursday, (tenki yoho says it will be) I will take a long hike, starting from Korakuen station at 9 am and walking until about 6, allowing time for lunch and short breaks along the way. Return via train to a long, cold beer.
If anyone would like to join me, send me a mail. Company is most welcome.
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EXCERPT:
Take a hike
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL:
IP: 220.104.126.221
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/
DATE: 03/10/2004 12:33:45 AM
Oh, I'd *love* to join you. Alas, it's not possible.
"The Songlines" by Bruce Chatwin has some wonderful notes on walking. You simply can't stay indoors after reading from it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve
EMAIL:
IP: 61.208.183.235
URL: http://www.sasane.com/blog
DATE: 03/10/2004 12:51:06 AM
Sounds like fun, I wish that I could join you...
I actually spent quit a bit of time walking around Tokyo last week, as I was there on a short vacation from West Nowhere, and I had a wonderful time soaking in the city from a pedestrian's perspective. With the warming sun and crisp spring air, this seems like a great time for your adventure.
Happy trails!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL:
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 03/10/2004 12:26:13 PM
You might consider walking the entire Yamanote line. It has been one of the standard trails for a long time. I think there may be guides on the best routes, but it is probably not necessary. And of course, you could add your experiences to the yamanote29 website. The lenth is about 35 kilometers or 21 miles.
Happy trails!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tokyoredhed
EMAIL: tokyoredhed@mac.com
IP: 210.196.71.246
URL: http://tokyoredhed.typepad.com/tokyo_redhed/
DATE: 03/10/2004 02:45:53 PM
God, I so wish I could. Being stuck in the office right now, it sounds so appealing. I feel like I could walk for hours...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/10/2004 11:42:28 PM
I tried that 10,000 steps a day regimen about 4 years ago. I kept a pedometer on my hip. With a walk in the a.m. and another in the p.m., and parking the car far away from entrances, taking the stairs instead of the escalator, etc. I got nowhere near the required daily amount.
I don't need to whine to you about how lazy we are in the States, and how pedestrian phobic we seem to be. Sidewalks are in ruins around here, and pregnant women get the closest spot near the grocery store! They are too weak to walk? Give me a break. *grumbles*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Durf
EMAIL: peter@durf.org
IP: 220.111.135.15
URL: http://durf.org
DATE: 03/15/2004 12:22:37 PM
I like walking in Tokyo. When I have time (and energy) after work I walk to Shinjuku instead of Yotsuya sometimes. I have a friend who volunteers as an organizer of a walkathon that goes from Shinjuku to Ome in a day . . . He says that everyone should walk from their office to their home at least once, no matter what the distance, just to show to themselves that they can do it after the big quake levels all transportation infrastructure.
Here's another walk for you:
http://www.ooblick.com/text/tomordor/
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 08/23/2004 06:16:00 PM
I bought a pedometer yesterday. I have been meaning to buy one ever since I read this post (I know it was a while ago).
but so far I have only done 5700 steps but I have a few more places to visit after work so I don't think it will be a problem.
I have used 70cm as my stride as I have shorter legs than you. But I lied about my weight - how sad is that????
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike_roselof@yahoo.com
IP: 69.33.165.9
URL:
DATE: 10/07/2004 03:38:15 AM
I've had the fantasy of taking a walking vacation in Japan for a few years now. I'm just not sure where would be the best place.
There are the temple pilgrimages, Shikoku, Kamakura (if I recall correctly), Chichibu (in decreasing length) and others. But I'm not certain I'm ready to take on the religeous aspect of such a walk. I have visited some of the Chichibu temples and even got a Nokyocho signed, and it was kind of fun.
Maybe the Nakasendo. Some of the parts like around Tsumago and Magome in southern Nagano are quite nice. It has also occured to me to do something climb Fujisan but start farther than the usual Station 5 gateways, like maybe on the beach.
I love walking. It's a great way to see things that you miss if you're moving faster.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A girl's tides
BASENAME: a_girls_tides
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/10/2004 10:08:45 PM
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BODY:
OK, boys, stop reading now before you get squeamish. This is more than you really want to know about me. Keep on at your own risk. You have been warned.
WTF is up with my body? I do not enjoy being a girl.
My periods, never regular because of ovarian cysts, are completely off the scale. Every 7 to 14 days, I bleed for a day or two. Sometimes it's just a little, sometimes it's quite a bit. Every six-to-eight weeks I bleed heavily for four or five days before it stops.
In between the bleeding, I'm either suffering migraines or experiencing surges of euphoria. I overflow with love and feel superhuman. I'm not sure it's reasonable to complain about being so happy, but it isn't "right" and I don't like it.
My thought is that I'm not ovulating at all, which could lead to twice-monthly bleeding. But weekly? I don't get it. No doubt hormone pills would sort me out, but I have no desire for them. I don't need the birth control (see cystic ovaries, above) and prefer not to take daily medications of any sort.
I saw a gynecologist last year when I was bleeding every two weeks. Since I don't intend to have children, she wasn't concerned and offered me some Chinese herbal medicine. I declined. Maybe I should rethink that...
All that said, I'm not worried. But I do like to understand what's going on with my body and so I'm curious. I'm not quite 38 yet. That's too young to be experiencing pre-menopausal weirdness. Right? I just don't know.
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EXCERPT:
Blood moon, quarter moon
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/10/2004 11:50:35 PM
Many moons in your calendar!
Why not try the herbal remedy? Read up on it, then give it a try if you're comfortable with what you've read.
I too, am leery about medicines of any sort. I'd rather sleep through a headache than take a Tylenol. However, sometimes you need the help that the doctor provides. I was really relieved when I didn't have to take the heart stuff anymore, but I know that it helped to regulate the rhythm when I needed it most.
P.S. I hope the boys read your post.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: queen t
EMAIL:
IP: 218.219.240.133
URL: http://www.ayaduafe.com/takeyah
DATE: 03/11/2004 12:56:55 AM
peace...if you are interested in some regularity, herbal medication might be the way to go. i think that reading up on it would be beneficial so you can make an informed decision. herbs like raspberry leaves (infusion/douche) help regulate flow. i have also read that vitamin C, Vitamin T, bioflavinoids, and alfalfa help reduce excessive flow.
not a herbalist/homeopath/doctor...just into herbal treatments
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@zaidi.jp
IP: 203.82.48.59
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com/
DATE: 03/11/2004 03:21:05 AM
Yes, I read it. Mostly because I should know more about these things now that I'm married. My wife (wow that still sounds weird after over a month) has become very irregular of late. Last month it happened within about 2 weeks of the previous one and the one after that took just over a month.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.96.66.248
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2004 12:51:57 PM
Hey maybe we are going to the same Gyno. Mine recommended Chinese herbal medecine (the office is in Roppongi), and in the end i took it. But i still have the dosage as I am not big on medecines either and this one really tasted awful!! :-(
Please keep us posted if the problem goes away with some of your neat recepies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2004 01:44:13 PM
Find a good Chinese herbalist.. when my mother was living in China a few years ago she had terrible trouble but I think that hers was menopause related. She was taken to a good herbalist who suggested she drink a foul smelling, foul tasting mystery drink - eye of newt type of conncoction. After a few weeks of this treatment it sorted her out completely and hasn't looked back since.
There is something going on and you really need to address it. But give the hormones a huge swerve unless you absolutely have to.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.153
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2004 05:26:56 PM
If you are interested in wholistic medicine and natural therapies, you might also want to consider that the womb is very much affected by hormones which are produced in other areas of the body, and that bodywork such as yoga does have an impact on hormone production... Im not saying that you should go out and do yoga, i guess im saying that we tend to compartmentalise our bodies when in fact no organ functions separately from the rest of the body, its a whole finely tuned machine and everything functions in tandem with the rest.
I can understand that you want to avoid drugs/hormones, having used them i can vouch for the fact that you never quite feel like 'you' when you are on them, but if you are at a point where you want to *do* something, there are many options...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Susan
EMAIL: sam_i_am@illusivelife.com
IP: 24.118.235.58
URL: http://www.illusivelife.com
DATE: 03/12/2004 10:28:12 AM
Actually...there is a phase they call "peri" pausal...which is "pre" premenopausal and can last up to 10 years before you begin the premenopausal stage...
I know this because my gyn told me that this is most likely what I have been going through for the past 4 years and I am 42 now.
My reply?
Great! I get to be peripausal for 10 years, then I get to be premenopausal for another 10 years and then I will finally go through menopause...so by those calculations I'll be 70 or dead before I get through the damn change! How unfair is that?
Good luck!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Old cook's tales
BASENAME: old_cooks_tales
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/11/2004 08:32:33 AM
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BODY:
When I'm in the kitchen, all sorts of phrases come to mind. They are the procedural recipes that I've learned over the years.
"Hot pan, cold oil, foods won't stick" from Jeff Smith's Frugal Gourmet runs through my head every single time I put oil in my fry pan.
"Frequent turning makes crisp bacon," comes from my mother's best friend's mother, Mrs. Allen. I never met her, but I think of her every time I cook a big breakfast.
"Cold start soup." I made this one up myself. Vegetables started in cold water release their flavor to the water, like soup stock. Potatoes should be cooked from cold water, so they lose their starchiness, but grean beans and carrots should be dropped into boiling water to retain flavor.
"A pint's a pound the world around," doesn't come up too often anymore, but I used that to estimate weight. These days I'm more likely to recall "100 grams = candy bar and 1 gram = a paperclip."
"Measure twice, cut once" belongs in the wood shop, but sometimes I apply it to recipes. Have you ever put in a tablespoon of a seasoning instead of a teaspoon? Yeah, me, too.
What phrases, rhymes and kitchen wisdom do you love?
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EXCERPT:
Kitchen phrases
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/11/2004 11:55:17 PM
"A watched pot never boils" - That's an old cliche, and I've discovered it's true. Pots don't boil, but liquids do on high heat. And...you can watch it happen if you are so inclined.
"Too many cooks spoil the soup" - Another cliche, mostly untrue. Too many cooks make the kitchen a mess, but often it's more fun that way.
"Peanut butter does not mix with vodka" - Does more need to be said here? I think you'll remember where this one comes from.
"The three second rule" - This one comes from our friend Chad, and his first job at Franklin's. Do I use this rule? Depends on the foodstuff that has fallen, and how much cat hair is on the floor.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2004 11:56:48 PM
That first one is supposed to be "untrue."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Devin
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.8.31
URL:
DATE: 03/12/2004 12:24:51 PM
"use the proper tools"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 202.1.65.195
URL:
DATE: 03/12/2004 05:02:05 PM
Hey, I didn't post that! Someone's trying to impersonate me!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 03/14/2004 02:44:49 AM
not really wisdom but for the first time in ages this question from Animal Guesser popped into my head, "Does it make a kick-ass puttanesca?"
love,
-LIZ
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: You're a legend
BASENAME: youre_a_legend
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/12/2004 09:37:20 AM
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BODY:
Do you remember all the myths and legends that we learned in school? Three of my favorites are from Americana: Paul Bunyan, a giant logger who traveled with his blue ox, Babe, Johnny Appleseed, who planted apple orchards across America, and John Henry, a railroad worker who won a race against a steam powered shovel. They were people (two of them are definitely real people but nobody's sure about Paul Bunyan) who did remarkable things. As people retold the tales, their feats and abilities grew.
If you were legendary, how would the story go? What remarkable feat would you perform? What does your legendary self look like? Which traits would be magnified? Do you have a companion? A mortal foe? And which aspects of your life are left out of the legend? (Those are nearly as important as what's kept in, you know...)
I'm going to write the legend of Kristen based on something that actually happened this month. I'll put it in the comments later today. I hope you'll write one, too, and share it here.
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EXCERPT:
Writing your own overblown story.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.8.31
URL:
DATE: 03/12/2004 12:53:47 PM
Legend of Kristen
Kristen travelled to Earth from Titan (if you look carefully, you can see a reflection of Titan in her eyes at night) and decided to stay a while. Although she didn't often tell people about her extra-terrestrial beginnings, her special abilities sometimes tipped people off. Her mosquito-killing exploits were well know, but one day in March, Kristen unveiled a radical talent that made its way into her special bag of tricks: matching birthday gifts to recipients.
Everyone who received the gifts Kristen selected was delighted beyond words and never, ever returned them.
It all began when a friend visiting from out-of-town, but not off planet, needed a birthday gift for his daughter. "I have no idea what to buy for her!" he confessed. "How old is she? What's her favorite subject in school? Is she creative?" Kristen queried. And with the answers he gave her, she devised the most wonderful present the girl had ever received--better than all the other birthday gifts combined. A few days later, Kristen applied her skills again to find the perfect presents for her Earth-sister and Earth-niece's birthdays. And when your birthday rolls around, you can hope that someone asks Kristen for advice so that you will receive the best birthday present ever.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com
DATE: 03/12/2004 07:51:10 PM
I can't talk about my legendary aspects, this is a family page. ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2004 08:02:58 PM
Once upon a time, there was a girl who didnt think she could make it to the ball, but in the end, thanks to her fairy-godsisters, she did. And while she wasthere, to her surprise, she met a handsome prince, and they lived....no wait, thats not a legend, thats a fairytale!
(But MJ is pretty legendary, can i write about her?)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bill Myong
EMAIL: badboy@yahoo.com
IP: 66.98.178.227
URL: http://www.warblog%2Enet
DATE: 08/02/2004 04:31:06 PM
Visit my website to find out more about me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Long walk
BASENAME: long_walk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/13/2004 08:50:27 AM
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BODY:
On Thursday, I did as announced and took a long walk. I strode for 4 hours and took a 60 minute break for lunch. I ended up at Niiza, Saitama, 20.7 km from home.
My route was straight up national road 254. It's called Kasuga Dori where I live, but past Ikebukuro it turns into Kawagoe Kaido. This route from Tokyo to Kawagoe has been travelled for hundreds of years. These days, it's a four-lane highway all the way. Well designated, too. Even at the most complex intersections, I was never disoriented for more than the moment it took to find the right signpost.
I plodded through the familiar territory of my neighborhood, then into a section of the city I hadn't seen before, though it was the same in tone and tenor as my neighborhood. After 45 minutes, I reached Ikebukuro, where I crossed over the Yamanote Line.
Outside the loop, the neighborhoods seemed more parochial than the skyscraping commercial zone I'd just left. Buildings were lower and businesses focussed on daily living. But soon enough the quaint shops in run down buildings gave way to suburban sprawl. Bicyclists outnumbered pedestrians. Ramen shops gave way to family restaurants. I watched bicycle shops turn into motorcycle shops and eventually car dealerships.
My goal was to reach Kawagoe, 34 km from home. But as I walked, my sense of time and distance got looser. By lunchtime, I'd reached Narimasu, 10 km from my starting point. I'd walked for about 2.5 hours according to my notes. I tried to do the math but it seemed wrong. After that much time, shouldn't I be farther? I remeasured the map and came up with a different distance. I noted both then focussed my attention on eating.
Reaching the prefectural border just after lunch cheered me up. How many people in central Tokyo have walked to Saitama? Probably not too many. And there's a reason for that. Over the border, Kawagoe Kaido turned industrial and extremely car-centric.
But this was intended as an endurance test, not a sightseeing trip. How far can I walk? What is the experience of going that far? I spent time thinking about how I should be thinking about the trip. I wondered back in time--50 years, 100 years, 400 years.
The reality was that four lanes of traffic accompanied me. A strong wind blew dust into my face. I walked for minutes with my head down and my eyes half shut. It was boring most of the time. There wasn't much nature around. I stopped walking and came home because the blisters on my feet broke open. It hurt and I'm a wuss.
But I'm encouraged. I've made a target map of the places I can reach within a 10, 20 and 30 km radius of home. I'll be going walking again as soon as my feet heal. I'll buy a pedometer and maybe next time, I'll try a more scenic route...
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EXCERPT:
20.7 km at about 5 km/hour.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: olivier
EMAIL: ot@zoy.org
IP: 219.110.50.92
URL: http://yoda.zoy.org
DATE: 03/13/2004 12:26:00 PM
What about a 37 kilometers circular walk?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: scott
EMAIL: scott@iplusone.org
IP: 165.76.206.190
URL: http://tc.iplusone.org
DATE: 03/13/2004 12:58:38 PM
Good for you. I enjoyed reading your words and seeing the pictures from your journey.
Such an excursion could make for an interesting video short.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anon
EMAIL:
IP: 220.98.149.45
URL:
DATE: 03/13/2004 01:57:54 PM
Your walk sounds very healing to me because it seems to be very realistic. Right now i am going through a phase where my life is beginning to read like a comic book. :-((
So if i may, can i join you next time?
I have never walked 20 kilometers before. The maximum i've walked is 15 kilometers but I would like to give your 20-30 kilometers a try. :-))
I am sorry to sign under anonymous, but like i said I am seem to be going through a down and down phase...
Eg: I just got diagnosed with LUNG cancer! And i dont even smoke. *sigh!* And many other tragedies to boot...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.8.31
URL:
DATE: 03/13/2004 02:06:36 PM
Dear Anonymous, you are welcome to join me. Walking is good therapy for bad times. Why don't you sned me a mail privately and we can figure out a good day and route to walk?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tom
EMAIL: x95lee@yahoo.com
IP: 69.212.36.225
URL: http://latitudes.typepad.com
DATE: 03/14/2004 01:48:09 AM
Hi Kristen,
I greatly enjoy your site, having just discovered it.
While I live in Detroit, Michigan, my wife is from Tokyo (Ikebukero!), and I've spent some time there. You're pictures and thoughts jog my memory and pique my curiousity.
Thanks,
tom
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 03/14/2004 02:41:44 AM
Get yourself a pair of hiking socks. They're snug slippery socks you wear inside of another pair so your socks absorb the friction instead of your feet. No Blisters!
love,
-LIZ
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Town Idiot
BASENAME: town_idiot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/14/2004 10:24:21 PM
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BODY:
A DIY (do it yourself) store, Town DOit, opened near Kourakuen station a week or two ago.
Tools, art supplies, and stationery are the things that I love shopping for. These are places where I can buy creative toys! I will browse for hours as my mind races to think of new projects. What can I do with a half-dozen pink screws and a piece of yellow plastic? What about this flooring? Can I use this plumbing fitting somehow?
So it was a treat to spend 90 minutes perusing the aisles of the Town DOit this evening. From imported power drills to shoji screen repair kits (for the holes kids inevitably make in the paper door screens), the shop carries a little bit of everything. And if they don't have it in stock, there's a shelf or two of catalogs that you can order from.
I'm already awash in plans to renovate my garden and maybe to build a 35mm adapter and a jib arm for my video camera...
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EXCERPT:
Shopping for hardware
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Smoking manners
BASENAME: smoking_manners
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/15/2004 11:26:17 AM
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BODY:
Japan Tobacco launched a new campaign to remind smokers to mind their manners. This ad is one of four designs that evoke misleading newspaper diagrams. The messages are good--I cringe every time Tod lights a cigarette on a crowded street--but the delivery is weird.
Although Tokyo's nowhere near as anti-smoking as the US, the past few years have seen more public spaces become "no smoking zones." Japan Tobacco makes an effort to teach their customers better manners while promoting smoking. Will better manners prevent anti-smoking laws? Maybe. If smoking ceases to be a daily nuisance for non-smokers, then why bother with laws? But I don't think than an ad campaign is enough to make a difference.
And neither does Japan Tobacco. "Smokers' style" is their ongoing smoking campaign title. It has a cute stylised leaf logo--so natural, just like smoking.
Smokers' style is more than just ads. They maintain a large indoor smoking space in Akihabara and two mobile trailers (SmoCars) in no-smoking zones to give people a place to feed their addiction. JT also sponsors clean-up teams that sweep the streets free of cigarette butts and hand out portable ashtrays.
You can find out more about the Smokers' style manners plan, including photos of the SmoCars and all of the new ads at JT Delight World.
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EXCERPT:
Better than ill manners.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 210.132.82.132
URL:
DATE: 03/15/2004 12:21:24 PM
As long as smokers share space with non-smokers, the laws of physics (convection, diffusion of gases) mean that the only courtesy that will matter is not smoking, or if people must smoke, then not exhaling.
It is nonsense to imagine that the height at which you hold a cigarette, whether you blow out horizontally or aiming at the ceiling, etc. make any difference at all.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.72
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 03/15/2004 05:56:49 PM
Anyway I hope my husnand to stop somking!!!!! Sorry it's not a good comment to your blog!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.50.81
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2004 05:43:38 AM
I'd love a tShirt with the first graphic on it. "I am holding 700° C in my hand." Nice.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kwik-gro Moss
BASENAME: kwik-gro_moss
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/16/2004 08:37:32 AM
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BODY:
Researchers at Osaka Prefectural University have developed a way to speed up the growth of moss. By adjusting the light, temperate and nourishment, the researchers can grow Racomitrium japonicum in two months, rather than the usual two years.
They say that this can help to alleviate the urban heat-island effect.
Imagine that. I envision green, moss-covered buildings, dripping into silent streets--a post-apocalypse, anti-urban landscape.
But when I snap back to reality, I see a different picture: withered moss covering rooftops, where gardening is mandated to combat the city's heat. Noone can see the moss, which is fine because the enthusiastic experiment has dried up from too little of that careful adjustment of light, temperature and nourishment.
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EXCERPT:
A good idea, but will it work outside the lab?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 03/16/2004 08:09:02 PM
Sounds like a Soylent product...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Words, words, words
BASENAME: words_words_words
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 03/17/2004 10:59:00 AM
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BODY:
Work always goes in waves. Right now, I seem to be cresting a "words and writing" breaker.
In addition to the quarterly newsletter that I do for a client, Todeco gave me a forum to publish a pair of articles on project specifications I wrote in late 2002, and a short essay will appear on 1000 Words soon.
Reprints seem to be a popular request. I've granted reprint rights to a law firm for The Hunt is On and Moleskinerie is republishing an entry from Creative Perspectives next week.
Plus I've got new work in the pipeline for Design-in-Flight, Number 1 Shimbun, and Four Corners.
I'd better sharpen my pencils.
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EXCERPT:
More publications than I can shake a pencil at...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chicken ala Antipixel
BASENAME: chicken_ala_antipixel
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/18/2004 09:29:30 PM
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BODY:
Last night at the Japan Bloggers party, Jeremy was waxing poetic about food. "Imagine taking cilantro and mango and making a sort of Chicken Kiev..." he began. We tossed the idea back and forth a little bit before turning to other topics.
This evening, I filled in the gaps of our recipe and tried it. I added a salty prosciutto ham to the filling and opted for a wine-simmered cordon bleu method, rather than a deep-fried Kiev. The preparation is quite simple, but you need to pound the chicken quite thin so that you can roll it.
I'm so glad to have friends who love food. Such great inspirations!
Chicken ala Antipixel
2 chicken breasts, skinless & boneless
2 Tblsp cottage cheese
1 bunch cilantro
1 slice prosciutto
1 small mango (ripe)
2 Tblsp flour
2 Tblsp olive oil
3/4 c white wine
1/2 t chicken bullion granules
1/2 c water or chicken broth (optional)
1 Tblsp cream
white pepper and salt to taste
Lay the chicken breasts flat. Cut the thick side to form a flap and fold back. Pound the chicken until it is about a 1 cm thick.
Lay on the center of each breast - 1 T cottage cheese, about a quarter of the mango, thinly sliced, 1/2 slice of prosciutto, and 1/2 a bunch of shredded cilantro (I used kitchen shears to shred the cilantro directly onto the chicken.)
Carefully fold the chicken over the filling and secure with toothpicks or bamboo skewers. Dust with flour.
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on all sides, then reduce heat, add wine and bullion granules. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. You may need to add some additional water during the simmering...keep an eye out.
While the chicken simmers, mince the remaining mango very fine and season with a little bit of white pepper. Set aside. Blend the cornstartch and cream, set aside.
When the chicken is cooked through, remove the chicken from the pan and carefully remove the toothpicks or skewers.
To the simmering liquid, now thickened in the pan, add the minced mango and cook for a minute. If the juices are too thick, add up to 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth. Mix in the cream and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Chicken with mango and cilantro = yum.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zorgg
EMAIL: Zorgg@spectator.ru
IP: 212.82.216.90
URL:
DATE: 03/19/2004 08:00:58 PM
Hi, can you explain me what is Chicken Kiev?:)
I'm living in Kiev, so it's interesting to me:)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/19/2004 08:24:53 PM
Chicken Kiev is chicken breast stuffed with herbed butter. The chicken is rolled in crumbs and deep fried.
It's probably like French toast, Singapore rice noodles and Russian dressing--tasty, but not actually authentic local food.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hairstyling
BASENAME: hairstyling
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/19/2004 06:53:11 PM
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BODY:
When I'm feeling blah and uncreative sometimes I mess with my hair. I create a new look with ponytails all over my head or little braids or curls or gelled sections. The "new me" is more likely to think creatively. I get inspired when I've just turned my head into a topiary of tresses. Try it yourself; you'll see.
You say your hair is too short to restyle? Nah. You should see some of the cute Japanese boys running around Tokyo with their short hair gelled into little mini spikes. You're bald? Well, that is probably too short to style, so why not style your beard? Or be really daring and draw on your head. Or make yourself a hat. This isn't about beauty as much as regaining a sense of fun.
If you need some inspiration, skip the movie stars and fashion magazines. Take your ideas from Dr. Seuss, bonsai, architecture, 1930s streamlines, fireworks, macrame. How would Man Ray, Rene Magritte, or Salvadore Dali style hair?
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EXCERPT:
Good hair on a bad hair day.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Happy Equinox
BASENAME: happy_equinox
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 03/20/2004 11:56:48 PM
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BODY:
It's the first day of spring. It snowed today. But we were warm inside with 24 of our favorite people and a feast of food & wine, and live music. Heaven. Thanks.
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EXCERPT:
A very good equinox.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com
DATE: 03/21/2004 01:57:34 AM
Thank you!! It was a great night!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: gomichild@hellokitty.com
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/21/2004 03:26:12 PM
Thanks for looking after me while the family went shopping!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2004 10:22:48 AM
What a fantastic evening. The food was outstanding, the company was entertaining and the atmostphere was warm and cosy.
Thank you Kristen and Tod!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo worries
BASENAME: tokyo_worries
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/21/2004 11:36:47 PM
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BODY:
Having been entirely too happy and carefree lately, I've compiled a list of things I could be worrying about in Tokyo:
Food safety, specifically avian flu
TAMBA, Japan (AP) - Men in white protective suits, masks and hoods moved along the hillside above a chicken farm, spraying disinfectant and throwing lime into a huge ditch filled with thousands of dead birds.
This mountain-ringed town in western Japan is the epicenter in the country's mounting struggle with avian flu, which has compounded worries about the food supply and provoked a scare over the possible spread of the disease to humans.
Those fears have expanded in recent days with the discovery of five wild crows infected with the virus - raising the threat that the freely roaming birds could trigger an uncontrollable spread of the disease.
"That's really worrying," Kaoru Iwamoto, a 55-year-old housewife, said just a few blocks away from a farm being disinfected. "You can control where the chickens go, but crows fly all over the place."
The avian flu hit Japan in January for the first time since the mid-1920s. It has infected chickens at three farms and led to the deaths or extermination of more than 300,000 birds.
So far, Japan has been lucky with no cases of human transmission. The disease has spread to people in Thailand and Vietnam, killing 22 and prompting the cull of about 100 million chickens across Asia.
Terror attacks in Tokyo by al Qaeda or Iraqi operatives
TOKYO (AP) -- Japan added police at railway stations in Tokyo and vowed to stand firm on Iraq after an Islamic militant group reportedly said Japan could be targeted by terrorists.
Japan's conservative government, a firm supporter of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, has insisted the deadly bombings that killed 202 people in Madrid last week would not change its backing for Washington.
A London-based Arabic newspaper on Thursday published a message attributed to the Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri warning that its next targets could be Japan, Italy, Britain or Australia. The group has claimed responsibility for the Madrid bombings.
Being anonymously reported as a suspicious foreigner
TOKYO — The Justice Ministry on Thursday decided to review its controversial online service that allows people to anonymously submit information via email about suspected illegal aliens to a web site run by the Immigration Bureau after drawing fire from groups supporting foreign nationals living in Japan.
The service, which began Feb 16, allows people to submit information on the identity, address or workplace of suspected illegal aliens. Critics say the service constitutes racial discrimination but the Justice Ministry says it has reminded users that it will not tolerate any attempts to slander foreigners. (Kyodo News)
That long-overdue, city-flattening earthquake
This threat hangs over all our heads, all the time. The city is 10 years overdue on its "70 year cycle" of major quakes. And as far as I've noticed, we haven't even had a moderate one in months.
I tried to come up with a list of ten things to worry about, but I could only think of four. I think that's cause to celebrate...
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
No worries? Here are a few for you.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 03/25/2004 12:53:29 AM
How about gigantic prehistoric creature emerges from the sea?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fast food fusion
BASENAME: fast_food_fusion
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/22/2004 08:25:48 PM
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BODY:
Four Seeds and Pepsico/Frito Lay team up to bring us Pizza-la Garlic Meat Doritos.
Also available in Italiana (tomato and cheese) and Get's (garlic, pepperoni and bacon) flavors.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Snack foods gone wrong
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2004 11:02:50 AM
I saw those on the weekend.. even bought some but I haven't tried them yet.. they were snaffled and expatriated to the land o' kimchee.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew
EMAIL:
IP: 218.147.115.183
URL: http://www.wheresdrew.com
DATE: 03/23/2004 10:48:53 PM
And they still haven't been tried! ^.^
I'm saving them for this weekend to share them with another snackfood-deprived friend.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.45.125.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 03/24/2004 03:47:53 AM
Those look good! I miss Japanese pizza... sometimes my wife and I make corn and mayo pizza, but it's not the same. :(
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tokyoredhed
EMAIL: tokyoredhed@mac.com
IP: 210.196.71.246
URL: http://tokyoredhed.typepad.com/tokyo_redhed/
DATE: 03/24/2004 04:48:52 PM
Firstly I'm astounded that some people has the willpower keep snacks beyond the day they were bought :-) and secondly how many brands can they fit on that packet!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: alan
EMAIL: fake@fake.com
IP: 12.44.20.2
URL: http://arlucasinc.livejournal.com
DATE: 03/24/2004 11:40:29 PM
Wow. Those look awesome!! =)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 03/25/2004 11:55:02 AM
UPDATE! They are freaking disgusting!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Unseasonal haiku
BASENAME: unseasonal_haiku
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/23/2004 11:55:35 AM
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BODY:
Toes curled in wool socks
Ache for balmier weather--
Frosty hanami.
Hands thrust in pockets,
Sake abandoned on lawn;
Fingers dream of Spring.
Rosy chilly cheeks
Compete with sakura pinks;
The finer blush wins.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
three poems to reflect the weather
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.14
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2004 12:44:17 PM
I thought Spring had come
But the weather didn't last.
Now it's fucking cold.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.55
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 03/23/2004 03:10:16 PM
Yes, these days actually "SAKE abandaoned on lawn", though untill a few years ago (or I was a college student) it was OK. I love the third HAIKU---but today it is also really cold.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/24/2004 07:03:41 AM
Walk to the Quik-Mart
The girls in Catholic plaid skirts
Wind thrashes their knees
There are some great "suburban" themed haiku here:
http://www.selendy.com/suburban/
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Manpoke
BASENAME: manpoke
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/24/2004 09:01:03 PM
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BODY:
Since learning about the 10,000 steps idea, I've been curious about how many steps I take in a day. So I bought a pedometer. They're called manpokei in Japanese (that's mahn-poe-kay, not man-poke) which literally means "10,000 step measure."
According to what I've read, most Americans take between 900 and 3000 steps per day. That seems so low.
I made an effort today, and managed to walk 14,235 steps. I went to the grocery store (1500 steps) and then walked to work (8,000 steps), to class (1000 steps), and home from the train station (1200 steps). The rest just sort of filled themselves in somehow. 7469 steps (63 minutes) of today's walking was shikkari or steady walking--good aerobic exercise.
Today was an exception, but even on my relaxed days, I'm taking over 3,000 steps. How could anyone possibly walk only 900 steps in a day??
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I walked a lot today.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.150.38
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 03/25/2004 01:21:42 AM
Hm, how does this manpoke work?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 03/25/2004 02:13:40 PM
I did over 900 steps on a run to 7-11 this morning. IT seems nearly impossible to do a whoe day without take 900 steps.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/25/2004 09:15:35 PM
If you have a home office and take a kid to school in your car, and then sit to work all day it's easy to only do 900 steps in a day. Especially in the winter. :-) I know I've had my share of 900 step days. But I make up for them when I'm in schools.
All hail spring!!!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jonathan Wilson
EMAIL: jonathanwilson@calvarychapel.org
IP: 210.198.125.74
URL: http://gracejapan.com
DATE: 03/30/2004 03:36:27 PM
Japan will help you walk a lot more than living in the States. I think the main difference is the train vs. car lifestyle. Three years ago I planted a new church in my wife's hometown of Ome, where we live. Before that I served at three churches in Ebisu, Sangenjaya and Machida so I was on the move constantly. I used the manpokei then and always was over 10,000 but I don't think I am over that now. Back then I didn't have any weight problems either though... hmm
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Baked Artichoke Dip
BASENAME: baked_artichoke_dip
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/25/2004 08:22:31 AM
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BODY:
This really could not be easier and it receives raves. Must be all the fat--for those who are counting, it's about 640 calories and 50 grams of fat, mainly from the mayonnaise. Artichokes have no fat at all, which surprised me for some reason--I figured they were oily like olives and avocado.
Baked Artichoke Dip
serves 6-8
5 Tblsp freshly grated Romano cheese
3 Tblsp mayonnaise
3 Tblsp sour cream
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Stir together the first 5 ingredients until creamy, then mix in the chopped 'chokes. Transfer to an oven-safe serving dish. Bake at 175 C until heated through, about 20 minutes.
After baking you can top the dip with a little more grated Romano cheese and some paprika, then broil. It looks prettier with the extra cheese, but tastes great either way.
You can make the dip a day ahead and refrigerate before baking--it takes a little longer to bake if it's chilled.
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EXCERPT:
Another great party recipe
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com
DATE: 03/25/2004 10:09:50 AM
Oishikatta!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Becky
EMAIL: becky@dalqe.com
IP: 65.35.174.148
URL: http://www.dalqe.com/
DATE: 03/27/2004 04:15:06 AM
Funny enough, I make artichoke dip almost exactly like this. I add a bunch of fresh garlic, though, and about five minutes before the baking is done, I add extra cheese (like you) *and* chopped fresh tomatoes on top. What do you eat yours on? I like toasted whole wheat pita bread. :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Alphabetical Order
BASENAME: alphabetical_order
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/26/2004 01:29:33 PM
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BODY:
For the next 26 days, I'm going dedicate each day to a letter of the alphabet. I'll incorporate things and actions that begin with the day's letter. Sounds a bit odd, but it will encourage me to do things I might not normally do, or at least to think up some clever ways of naming what I am doing during the course of my day.
Today is P, because P seems to be naturally figuring into today's activities. I made pickles this morning and will eat Pho for lunch. I pulled back my hair this morning. I'm penning an article for Perot this afternoon. Tonight I am going to a party and I will wear purple.
Tomorrow is Q. Hmmmm...quiz, questions, quarrel, quadrille, quit, quinine. Should be an interesting day.
You can play, too. If you don't want to go the distance with all 26 letters, just try one day. What letter will you choose?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A month of alphabetical amusement.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/26/2004 01:42:38 PM
s for sleep
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erika
EMAIL: petitenephilim@aol.com
IP: 216.242.124.79
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 03/26/2004 02:23:21 PM
B for today's favorite purchase: a Breathtaking (and funky, yet still elegant) prom dress from Betsey johnson :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/26/2004 02:38:18 PM
MJ, Sleep gives lots of Ss: snore, slumber, seista, snooze and saw logs. If you're lucky, you might somnambulate during your shut-eye.
Erika, buying a beautiful ballgown is a bright spot in anyone's day. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 03/26/2004 04:12:46 PM
S is for Sake and Sho-chu under Sakura. (we can mix languages can't we?)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 219.114.54.22
URL:
DATE: 03/26/2004 11:35:50 PM
W is for a wonderful Walk on a day with beautiful weather..:-)
Please let us know when you are ready to pick up W. :-))
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 03/27/2004 08:34:18 AM
W is next Friday, April 2nd. I will definitely go for a long walk that day.
Tomorrow is R, and I believe I will rest, relax and recharge by reading a book and roasting a chicken.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Calorie Off High Socks
BASENAME: calorie_off_high_socks
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/27/2004 08:23:01 AM
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BODY:
Lose 399 calories/hour just by wearing these knee highs? Not exactly. You have to spend that hour walking, too. I hope this is an additional use of calories, because an hour's brisk walk should burn off about 400 calories no matter what you're wearing on your legs.
These "high socks" are designed to increase your metabolism and relax your legs. They're engineered with some kind of plant-based "slimming essence" as well. But no vitamins.
Buring calories by wearing socks sounds quite amazing, doesn't it? But, shhh, don't tell anyone...these are old-fashioned support hose marketed to the under-20 set. I guess the marketing works, these are flying off the shelves at Shop In.
They're actually pretty comfy and I've been searching for a pair of beige knee highs for months so I'm happy to have them in my sock drawer. But as I discovered yesterday, they don't stay up as well as they should. I walked for only 20 minutes before the left sock was down around my ankle. I guess that means I only got a 333 calorie benefit.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Socks with caloric benefits
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/27/2004 08:34:06 AM
That piggie graphic is amusing. And the Let's Diet!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tokyoredhed
EMAIL: tokyoredhed@mac.com
IP: 210.196.71.246
URL: http://tokyoredhed.typepad.com/tokyo_redhed/
DATE: 03/29/2004 12:43:57 PM
Maybe they actually work better than you think, maybe you lost so much weight off your leg that you couldn't hold the sock up! No? Thought not :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Weapons grade thin mints
BASENAME: weapons_grade_thin_mints
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/28/2004 04:11:41 PM
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BODY:
Our annual supply of Girl Scout cookies arrived yesterday. We order them from one of Tod's colleague's daughters in Chicago and she mails them to us.
This year, the package arrived sealed with Japan Post tape and with a note saying the box had been inspected at Customs. Both boxes of Thin Mints were open.
I wonder if the densely packed cylinders of Thin Mints--18 cookies per roll, two rolls to a box--trigger some sort of weapons alert? Maybe it looks like a pipe bomb.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Pipe bomb or tasty treat?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/28/2004 04:42:52 PM
can't trust them girl scouts....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.4
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 03/28/2004 09:17:42 PM
Truly a testa-mint to the defication of the Japanese inspectors -- have you ever heard of someone opening a box of girl scout cookies and not wolfing down a couple?
Maybe they were out of milk at Narita...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 03/28/2004 10:12:47 PM
I don't know if I'd want to eat them after they've been manhandled like that.
What am I saying? They're Thin Mints! I'd eat them if rats nibbled on the wrappers. Enjoy your "safety checked" treats.
P.S. I like the pink.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 03/28/2004 11:34:50 PM
what sort of beverage bottles are in your new header? I like it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.173.44
URL:
DATE: 03/29/2004 08:56:58 PM
Maybe they were checking for drugs.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 03/31/2004 08:09:11 PM
Nah, too obvious! More likely, they just cant resist Girl Scout cookies any more than anyone else can! (And i say this as a new convert...i tried them for the first time this year and they were amazing, both the Mint thins and the caramel ring things, cant remember the name, but yummmm!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: abraxis
EMAIL: abraxis_us@yahoo.com
IP: 69.3.144.62
URL: http://www.walking-ixus.com
DATE: 04/02/2004 12:46:45 PM
Samoas!
Yummy fattening caloric Samoas!
They were carmel-chocolate-coconutty cookies, right?
If yes, they're Samoas!
(repeat from beginning of post while doing a silly dance)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: snazzy
EMAIL:
IP: 207.69.0.251
URL:
DATE: 04/12/2004 06:54:31 PM
yes, check for drugs... over here we have x the size of thin mints ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sakura history
BASENAME: sakura_history
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/29/2004 10:14:53 PM
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BODY:
Eliza Scidmore was late 19th century American travel writer and photographer (and contemporary of Nellie Bly) who often travelled to Japan. She suggested and organized the donation of over 2,000 cherry trees that line the avenues of Washington, DC.
She died in Geneva in 1928, but the Japanese government asked for her ashes to be interred at the Foreigners Cemetery in Yokohama. I visited her grave today. It's not a particularly interesting monument as far as they go, a polished granite sarcophagus with an inscription, but it forged an interesting connection to my life at the moment: the sakura are blooming and I've been spending lots of time in cemeteries surrounded by cherry blossoms.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I visited the grave of a sakura lover.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fever and Cold Feet
BASENAME: fever_and_cold_feet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/30/2004 12:30:17 PM
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BODY:
I didn't know it was possible to have both at once, but I do. Shouldn't they cancel each other out?
I will put on some socks and have a cup of tea.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
They ought to cancel each other out.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kate
EMAIL: kat@neoziggurat.com
IP: 129.252.127.201
URL: http://www.neoziggurat.com
DATE: 03/30/2004 04:20:28 PM
Well, the blood is focused on your upper body (especially your head), so I certainly think that it makes sense.
Here's an odd question: when you enter a self-pampering mood, do you find that you want to wear a specific pair of socks or house shoes? Thanks to Target, I now have a small collection of very-weird, but aesthetically appealing socks that I only wear on such days.
My feet say 1950s, but my blouse says, "Yes, I can tell you the genetic derivation of p53 in NSCLC tumors."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 220.98.153.222
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2004 09:04:16 PM
Get well soon.
Its amazing how much perspectives into things i gain from your site. (^_^)
Loving your blog.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 205.201.10.78
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 03/31/2004 04:05:59 PM
see, my theory on this is that your internal body temperature is higher and therefore the outside air feels colder than it would when you don't have a fever.
but i've been told that I am crazy for thinking this.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mad Libs
BASENAME: mad_libs
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 03/31/2004 11:18:18 PM
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BODY:
From age 8 to 11, my friend Stacey always had a "mad lib" in hand and challenged us to "give me a noun, a name and a verb ending in 'ing'." We laughed a lot over these fill-in-the-blank paragraphs.
Before reading any further (no peeking, OK?), write down a
noun
color
name
exclamation
verb ending in 'ing'
adjective
noun
adjective
plural noun
Now, take those words in order and fill in the blanks.
A __(noun)___ wearing a ___(color)___ hat, walks up to the bar. "Pour me a drink, bartender. And one for my friend, ____(name)____. "
The bartender pours two drinks and handed them to his customer. "___(exclamation)____, I think that your friend is ___(verb ending in 'ing')___.
"Oh, he always does that. He's a ___(adjective)___ ___(noun)____ with ___(adjective)____ ____(plural noun)____."
Are you giggling?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Some silliness from my childhood
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 04/01/2004 12:45:52 AM
I'm booking myself in for therapy.
A toy wearing a red hat, walks up to the bar. "Pour me a drink, bartender. And one for my friend, Ted. "
The bartender pours two drinks and handed them to his customer. "Poo, I think that your friend is boinging.
"Oh, he always does that. He's a scary table with quick geese."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: keeperofthemeenoo@yahoo.fr
IP: 83.112.174.82
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2004 04:34:54 AM
A cat wearing a blue hat, walks up to the bar. "Pour me a drink, bartender. And one for my friend, John."
The bartender pours two drinks and handed them to his customer. "Ouch, I think that your friend is pulsating.
"Oh, he always does that. He's a slow clock with small sheep."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2004 05:54:28 AM
A pencil wearing a green hat walks up to the bar. "Pour me a drink, bartender. And one for my friend, Harry."
The bartender pours two drinks and handed them to
his cutomer. "Ooh, I think your friend is crawling."
"Oh, he always does that. He's a tall backpack with silly refrigerators."
Maybe we can get group rates for therapy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.182
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2004 08:18:03 AM
"He's a spoogy sysop with purplish spots"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.17
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 04/01/2004 08:25:51 AM
It's interesting and fun! Can I use this idea in my English class? --Opt. before using it, I need to make some examples.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@fuckedgaijin.com
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 04/01/2004 12:08:26 PM
An onanist wearing a blue hat, walks up to the bar. "Pour me a drink, bartender. And one for my friend, Taro. "
The bartender pours two drinks and handed them to his customer. "Forsooth, I think that your friend is currency-defenstrating.
"Oh, he always does that. He's a wonky cupcake with NAMA gaijin."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/01/2004 10:37:40 PM
A cow wearing a turquoise hat walks up to the bar. "Pour me a drink, bartender. And one for my friend, Sisyphus."
The bartender pours two drinks and handed them to his customer. "Shnikies! I think that your friend is melting."
"Oh, he always does that. He's a personal paperclip with pointed shoes."
Helen and I do Mad Libs a lot. Last year I got her several "Deluxe" Mad Libs tablets on sale at Borders. They never lose their thrill.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 64.12.116.78
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2004 11:37:30 PM
As I recall, you and Stacey also developed elaborate schemes to torture younger sisters, too.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blood Orange Birthday Cake
BASENAME: blood_orange_birthday_cake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/01/2004 11:37:42 AM
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BODY:
Spring is the time for birthdays in my family. My niece, sister and I have birthdays within a week of each other. Tod's birthday is at the beginning of May and before then we'll have several other birthdays to celebrate with friends. So I do a lot of baking around this time of year. Here's what I made today to celebrate my 38th.
Blood Orange Birthday Cake
2.5 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tblsp butter, softened
1.5 cups sugar
juice of 1 blood orange
grated peel from 2 blood oranges
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy, then blend in sugar. Stir in the juice, grated peel and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add in the flour and milk in alternate steps. Pour into buttered, floured pans and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center comes clean.
I spread lemon curd between the layers and smoothed some more on top, then whipped up cream with sugar and piped it on the top and sides, and decorated with fresh strawberries and chocolate swirls I made by melting down a dark chocolate bar. It was a little bit too chewy--3 eggs might be enough...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/02/2004 02:08:32 AM
Sounds delicious! Happy BD!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.136
URL:
DATE: 04/02/2004 05:52:04 AM
Happy Birthday!
love,
-LIZ
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/02/2004 01:07:06 PM
I didn't know it was your birthday!! Happy birthday my friend.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Only one
BASENAME: only_one
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/02/2004 11:53:08 AM
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BODY:
Sixteen years ago when I was teaching kids to read and deciding if education was my life's calling, an essay contest announcement crossed my desk. I don't recall who was sponsoring the contest but the theme has become embedded in who I am and how I think of myself.
It was a deceptively simple idea. Imagine all of your senses get "stuck" on one input each--you can only hear one sound, see one thing, touch one surface, taste one flavor, smell one scent. What would each of these be and why?
Most of the fourth graders in my classroom wanted to taste pizza "because it is good" and to see TV "because it is fun." They were sweetly naive. Not a lot of effort went into their essays, but they wrote and submitted them anyway.
Why not have a think about it yourself and leave a comment? I'll share mine (the same five that I wrote out so many years ago) in the comments on Monday.
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EXCERPT:
Five sense, five inputs
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/02/2004 01:04:55 PM
OK can I have two?
The smell of early summer jasmine on a cool evening at dusk.. I doubt I could ever tire of it.
Summer rain on my skin. (I really do like rain!!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 04/02/2004 11:53:52 PM
Sight - The view out my kitchen window. After some thought, I realized that many of the things that make my heart 'sing' are seen through the ripped screen above the kitchen sink. Little birds jockeying for position at the birdfeeder, the early morning cardinal, full-pouched chipmunks, a blooming flower (any kind makes me smile), the reallly BIG pine tree, clouds, sky - all of it changes, moment to momnt, day to day and season to season. Yet, all of it stays the same in it's dependability and I like that in a view.
Smell - The smell of the air after a violent thunderstorm - I think it's the ozone effect - but that smell, clean and sweet, has a calming effect on me. Maybe it's the 'whew' feeling 'we made it through the storm, now let's do something amazing.'
Taste - Lemon is the hands down champion - no doubt - sweetened in a pie or cake or just squeezed onto asparagus or fish. It's the one true taste for me.
Touch - another human hand - whether in celebration or sorrow, there's nothing quite like the feel of another hand in yours - even a sweaty one!
Sound - this is a tough one for me - after much thought - my own laughter
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL:
IP: 65.194.124.178
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 04/03/2004 05:52:16 AM
While I won't pick a sense, I will mention the Infocom work of Interactive Fiction _Suspended_. In it, you are a human that has been frozen as a sort of "emergency backup" brain to operate a city. When some catastrophe damages the automated systems in the city, you wake up ("brain in a jar" style) and can only experience the world through using one of several robots. One of the robots can see, one can hear, one can pick things up with its arm, etc.
Definitely worth playing, if you can find it -- it's part of the Lost Treasures of Infocom set.
http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/suspended.html
http://infocom.elsewhere.org/gallery/suspended_mask/suspended-mask.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/05/2004 06:45:02 AM
Sight: the night sky. I’ve always been drawn to looking up at night. I love the dense black, the diamond pierces, the clouds of light and planets drifting through. Majestic, humbling, constantly moving, eternal.
Touch: holding hands. There is something innocent and intimate about holding someone’s hand. Connections flow through the fingers and the other hand touches back. That is something I could do forever.
Taste: pure water. Neither city-piped rust and chlorine nor plastic-scented bottled water, but water from a mountain spring--specifically the one that bubbled from a hillside 500 meters from my childhood home.
Sound: wind in pines or bamboo. Either will do…the grand rush of air and all the little harmonies of leaves and branches. It’s a sound I can almost see. This is the only one of my five that has shifted at all in 16 years. Back then, I’d never heard wind through bamboo.
Smell: sea air. The fresh breeze off the ocean refreshes and energises. I love breathing deep at the seaside.
In summary, I need to be on a piney sand dune at night with a good friend. That sounds terrific.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/08/2004 06:00:01 AM
Blueelectricfurshocksaltoceanwavesgarliconionbuttermushroomdustyundersideofcurtain.
I made it all one sensenonsense.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sakura activities
BASENAME: sakura_activities
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/03/2004 10:53:42 AM
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BODY:
This morning I'm sitting out on the veranda working on an article for a design magazine. It's a gorgeous morning--the sun is burning off some early morning clouds and the day promises to be warm.
The sakura beyond the fence and across the tracks is just starting to give up its petals to the wind. Occasional gusts blow confetti upward or shower pink snow on the passing trains. The residents on the third and fourth floors of the building next to this lone tree have an eye-level view and have been capturing the spring glory in photos.
Around 8:30 a woman in a yellow t-shirt and unbrushed hair came out onto the 4th floor balcony to wave her keitai at the tree--an incantation for a friend.
Shortly after ten, a young man in a blue-tipped white t-shirt hauled out a professional-looking digital camera and snapped shots of the tree before catching me watching him. He carefully loaded the camera into a huge bag and ran down the stairs--on his way to party and take more pictures, I'm sure. A half dozen people have left the building with backpacks and duffles overflowing with picnic supplies.
Later today, when the article is done and Tod's awake, I think we'll take a walk under the sakura at the 33rd Annual Bunkyo-ku Sakura Matsuri near Myogadani.
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The last weekend of cherry blossoms
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 10 degree drop
BASENAME: 10_degree_drop
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/04/2004 02:54:09 PM
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Spring, she is fickle. After a warm and sunny yesterday, we've got a leaden grey sky and it's only 9 degrees. Brrrrr. There go the cherry blossoms. Ah, well, they will be back next year.
I contributed a short piece to Four Corners to commemorate this year's hanami and to celebrate the launch of this new online magazine.
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19 to 9 in 24 hours. No wonder everyone's getting sick.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Curmudgeons
BASENAME: curmudgeons
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/05/2004 08:54:25 AM
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Every Wednesday I spend a couple of hours at the Foreign Correspondents' Club. I'm the club webmaster and the go-to girl for Mac troubles. Mainly I just sit in a little room off the library and manage web content. From time to time someone will pop in with a question or just to say hello.
Way more than half of the Club's members are over 50--maybe half are over 60. They've been kicking around the bar since the early days and it's definitely an old boys club (with a few girls and a growing handful of youthful go-getters in the mix). When they fuss and squabble among themselves, I think of them as the Old Curmudgeons and reflect on my future temperament.
But I really don't know much about them at all. So I each month I read with great delight Write Up Your Alley, a column of reminisces in the No 1 Shimbun. This month, Max Desfor described a memorable trip to an onsen:
They apparently didn't speak English and, of course, I couldn't speak Japanese. One day, as I was luxuriating in my kimono after soaking in the hot tub, there was a loud knock on the door and the innkeeper was jabbering away at me. I understood only one word: denwa. I jabbered back that no one knew where I was and no one could be calling me. But he kept insisting, and I finally went downstairs with him to the phone.
It was Don Huth, our news editor and a very close friend, who told me that I had won the Pulitzer Prize for news photography. My reply was, "Look, if you want me back to work, say so. But don't give me that bullshit." With which I immediately slammed the phone down and went back up to my room.
A few minutes later, the innkeeper was knocking on my door and again jabbered about denwa. So back I went to the phone. This time it was Bob Eunson, our chief of bureau, who first ordered me not to hang up on him. Then he read several congratulatory messages from the big bosses in NY, also from my wife and brother.
I was somewhat shellshocked at that point and didn't slam the phone down. Shortly after that, the ryokan was filled with a mob of local newsmen who came to interview me. The innkeeper apparently knew he had something of a celebrity in his house, so he came up with a beautifully decorated, enormous platter of sushi as an honorific offering.
So I guess some of my Old Curmudgeons are eminent old curmudgeons. I should probably pay more attention to them.
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FCCJ's old boys were good in their day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.152
URL:
DATE: 04/07/2004 06:37:00 PM
I know a rather distinguished-looking, silver-haired but youthful curmudgeon who hangs out there on an irregular basis...Ill tell him to say hello to you when hes there on a Wednesday next!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Noodle Delivery
BASENAME: noodle_delivery
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/06/2004 10:24:08 PM
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BODY:
This noodle delivery man pedaled into Edogawa park last night at sunset, hopped off his bike, and looked around perplexed. Which of the dozens of parties in the sprawling park beyond were these noodles for, anyway?
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EXCERPT:
One last sakura moment
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/07/2004 10:58:13 AM
Fantastic post!!! Thank you Kristen!!
BTW I didn't know the noodle men delivered to outdoor parties.. sounds like a good idea for my next outdoor party. Wonder if the Pizza man does the same???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/08/2004 06:01:56 AM
I love the lanterns.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fleep...
EMAIL:
IP: 210.138.202.173
URL: http://fleep.com
DATE: 04/09/2004 09:36:41 PM
That reminds me of a few weeks ago during hanami in Yoyogi Koen and a bunch of your friendly gaijins having the Pizza Hut guy deliver pizza to their hanami party! : )
There's always a first time for everything in Tokyo! : )
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: guy
EMAIL:
IP: 207.69.0.251
URL:
DATE: 04/12/2004 07:03:05 PM
i'm a pizza guy and i'll tell you right now that dude there is pixxed-off!! guaranteed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Death by Overwork
BASENAME: death_by_overwork
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/07/2004 10:56:13 AM
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1969: a 29 year old man in the shipping department of a major Japanese nrewspaper dies of a stroke. This is the first case of karoshi or death by overwork, though it won't be called that until a 1982 book by the same name.
2002: 819 people apply for compensation after family members died from karoshi. Estimates range from 1,000 to 10,000 deaths per year are related to working too hard--stroke, heart attack, cerebral hemorrhaging, even suicides are attributed to too much slogging.
If you are working more than 80 hours in overtime every month, you're at a high risk for karoshi. So watch out for those 60 hour work weeks, friends, they are a killer.
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Take a vacation before it's too late.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lemon-oregano marinade
BASENAME: lemon-oregano_marinade
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/08/2004 07:46:20 AM
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BODY:
Here's a refreshing marinade that goes beautifully with chicken done on the grill. It was recently enjoyed by Drew, who requested the recipe.
Lemon-oregano Marinade
3-4 lemons, freshly squeezed (1/4 c juice)
1/4 c fresh oregano, finely chopped
3 Tblsp garlic, minced
2 Tblsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1/3 c olive oil
Chicken pieces for 4-6 people.
Whisk together and pour over chicken. Allow to marinate for at least an hour, up to 8 hours. Grill. Mmmmm.
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Simple and delicious.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.186
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 04/08/2004 08:56:01 AM
Souds easy and delicous.We love Marinade. I often make Chinese tasted Marinade, it means I use sesame oil a little.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew
EMAIL:
IP: 220.73.165.139
URL: http://www.wheresdrew.com
DATE: 04/13/2004 04:14:19 PM
Thank you! ^.^
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Foolish Consistency
BASENAME: foolish_consistency
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/09/2004 06:45:28 AM
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BODY:
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
What is a foolish consistency? Emerson never said, but I think a foolish consistency is something we do unfailingly without thinking about it. We are brand-loyal to our toothpaste; we travel a consistent route to work; we take lunch at exactly noon on weekdays.
Foolish consistencies are little habits that make up our unconscious daily routine. We could change them without harming anything and perhaps those alterations would be helpful in giving us new perspective.
How many things in your life are foolish consistencies? Do you think you can change one of them this week?
Do you have any wise consistencies?
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Changing the little habits first.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: johniebigbootie@yahoo.com
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 04/09/2004 01:49:41 PM
Consistent? "Black trousers"?
Can there be any other kind of trousers?
Taro--ONE COLOR SINCE 1974
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/09/2004 10:12:42 PM
Foolish consistency? Mine would be quoting Emerson too much. (Just kidding!)
I always get out of bed on the left. I almost never have breakfast on weekdays. I *know* I have habitual routes when I drive and walk that I could easily change if I made the conscious effort to do so. I'll try to remember!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/09/2004 10:14:14 PM
I forgot the wise consistency: drinking water.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: chuck
EMAIL: qwerty@starband.net
IP: 63.146.104.151
URL:
DATE: 04/10/2004 02:59:58 PM
Have you seen an American independent film entitled NEXT STOP WONDERLAND ? This Emerson quote is prominent in the plot. I believe one of the actors is Hope Davis.
chuck
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paek Ji-won
EMAIL: paeknotpark@pasons.edu
IP: 207.237.200.16
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2004 10:33:27 AM
Funny you should ask that.
I just saw this:
http://v-2.org/displayArticle.php?article_num=709
and there's a line on there called "the plane of a foolish consistency" which made me wonder exactly what you asked. Strange coincidence!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Makeover before & after
BASENAME: makeover_before_after
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/10/2004 06:28:16 PM
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BODY:
Today I went to a makeup workshop at MAC in Aoyama. I don't usually wear makeup, but I thought it would be fun to try. The senior artist used me has his model, so my makeup turned out really nicely. I wiped off what he did and did it myself, though, for practice. The best part was using a brush to paint the foundation on my face--I'm a human canvas.
Don't think I'll be doing this on a daily basis, but I have confidence that when I need to wear cosmetics for the camera, I'll be able to put them on naturally.
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A fun, girly afternoon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 04/10/2004 08:30:16 PM
To me,you look great with or without makeup. You do look quite impish in the bottom right photo. Did the makeup make you feel any different?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.148
URL:
DATE: 04/10/2004 10:19:08 PM
I agree with Fran. It looks very subtle, which is good. Your eyes look bigger in both photos on the right. Nice!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/10/2004 10:55:39 PM
I felt about the same (I started out happy and confident), but it was nice to get compliments from the other women in the workshop. Tod gave me a very funny look when I arrived home; I don't think he liked it very much.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/13/2004 05:46:01 AM
Your eyes look a lot bigger with the makeup. That's not to say you look better. You look "magazine polished." I like how you are all squinchy smiley in the lower left. You're very pretty, makeup or not.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 2b yogourt spécialité
BASENAME: 2b_yogourt_specialite
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/11/2004 12:01:32 PM
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BODY:
These tiny 45g (3 tablespoons) cups of yogurt contain collagen, vitamin C, and lycopene--all good for skin and beauty. The only information the package gives is a little marketing blurb: Making beautiful skin. The 2b website has a lot more detail, including the benefits of lycopene (an antioxidant) and collagen (a protein).
The name, 2b yogourt spécialité, is strange. The French makes is sound luxurious and elegant, of course. But 2b isn't said "deux beh" it's spelled out in katakana as "two bee." There are no B vitamins in this, so what's it mean? The website explains: "to be what I want to be, two benefits, and to be beautiful. Ha!
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More consumer silliness.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.187
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 04/12/2004 09:27:52 AM
I know it! Apricot one will make your skin "TUSYA-TUSYA",cassis one will make your skin "SUBE-SUBE". I grined seeing this phrase, smart and good advertaising pharase. How do you tranlate it in English?--smooth and glossy? It sounds boring.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hiking alone
BASENAME: hiking_alone
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/12/2004 03:59:20 PM
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BODY:
Today's weather forecast--sunny and 25 degrees--inspired me to go for a hike. I left home shortly after 7 and by 9 am I was starting the easy climb up Mt. Takao at the western edge of Tokyo. The weather lived up to its promise--warm, sunny and perfect for a short jaunt into the mountains.
I went alone and I think it's the first time I've hiked by myself in the forest since I was a kid.
From 1975 until I left home for college, I lived in an undeveloped vacation resort in the low, rolling mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. There were no neighbors, but there were hectares of land to explore. And I did. I had favorite trails that only the deer and I knew about. I understood the ridge-line of the nearby mountain like nobody else, except maybe our dog, Turkey, who liked to come along with me. I could make a beeline to interesting rocks and trees and to the head of the streams that fed the lake in the valley below.
Today's trip wasn't quite so intimate with the land. I stuck to the trails and I wasn't exactly alone. There were scores of senior citizens hiking, too. They were so beautifully prepared--thin white cotton towels around their necks, collapsable aluminum walking sticks, pants tucked into their socks. And every one of them had a backpack stuffed full with provisions. Really put me to shame. I had no fancy hiking gear--not even a backpack.
But it was such a freeing experience to walk mostly by myself in nature. I should make sure to do that more often. Only next time, I'm taking a towel.
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EXCERPT:
A morning's stroll in the wilderness.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL:
DATE: 04/13/2004 05:49:21 AM
Towels? Eh, sweat profusely and with pride, I say!
I remember hiking up that mountain too - and all the rocks. I love going off trails, even now. I usually only brave it when I'm hiking with someone else though - unless I'm familiar with the terrain.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL:
IP: 130.95.197.144
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 04/13/2004 11:40:59 AM
Thanks for the story about your childhood. I grew up in Roleystone, a small town on the outskirts of Perth, Western Australia.
Roleystone can be distinguished from a lot of Perth because most of Perth is built on a flat coastal plain. We only have the one range of lowly hills in metro Perth, and Roleystone's one of the few towns in it.
The other thing that distinguishes Roleystone from most of the metro area is that it still has trees, whereas we've done an excellent job over 175 odd years of occupation clearfelling wherever we go. Roleystone was probably clearfelled at some point too, now that I think about it, but there's still a lot of big regrowth there and lots of it.
I remember the smell of gum leaves in hot summers most of all.
Good luck on your next hike - and follow Ford Prefect by buying a froody hiking towel with provisions soaked into it, that way you can suck on a corner of your towel for nutrition while everyone else is left untucking their socks from their pants in your wake.
And as you pass, you'll know they are thinking man she really knows where her towel is.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fujimamas exhibit
BASENAME: fujimamas_exhibit
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/13/2004 06:53:14 PM
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BODY:
This drypoint etching and two others of mine will be part of an RBR group exhibit at Fujimamas between May 17 and June 16.
If you find yourself in tony Omotesando, and let's face it, what Tokyoite isn't there at least once in a while?, make a date for a delicious lunch or dinner and mediocre art (I only mean my work, of course; I'm sure the other exhibitors will be brilliant).
There is an opening party scheduled for Sunday, May 23rd from 3 - 6 pm. Please come say hello--I'll be the redhead in the corner, smiling fiercely and avoiding eye contact.
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EXCERPT:
An upcoming gallery exhibit.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 207.216.4.205
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2004 01:29:34 AM
Congrats on getting your art in the exhibition! Your first exhibition went really well way back when and I'm sure this one will be a success also. If you get a chance, post a larger pic of your art. It looks cool and would be nice to show off. And quit being so shy! You're good and it takes balls to even do such things. I know because I'm an owner of some of your original art! ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 64.12.116.78
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2004 09:57:46 PM
That's Great! You are becoming a dilletante! Soon you'll be able to do anything.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2004 10:31:53 PM
I already am a dilletante! I do (nearly) everything competently, but nothing really well.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Never-ending study
BASENAME: never-ending_study
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/14/2004 10:26:11 PM
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BODY:
Once a week for the last five years and some, Tod & I've had a Japanese lesson together. Anyone who has heard us speak Japanese will marvel at our different abilities. Tod's approaching fluency. I flail with any conjugation more complex than negative past tense.
So this evening, when we rounded the corner on the current grammar review, I indicated that I would be quite happy to be done when we reach the end of these handouts.
Oyama-sensei looked less than surprised, though she encouraged me to continue. "The next thing is a new book and it's not so much grammar, mostly conversations. You're really good at those," she said in Japanese. Ha, right!
Tod was horrified. He loves learning Japanese so much that he can't fathom that I might not share his enthusiasm. Or maybe he enjoys watching me struggle. Either way, he looked disappointed.
I told them I'd think about it. But really, I don't want to take lessons anymore. I see light at the end of the tunnel and I'm hurrying towards it as fast as I can.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Five years on and I don't feel like I'm making any progress.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/14/2004 11:12:50 PM
I don't think anyone would marvel ... and I'm hardly approaching fluency.
Thanks for the compliment but I think you are overstating the case.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.172.11
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2004 12:46:29 AM
Tod's a star, no doubt about it. He excels in everything to which he applies serious attention, nor should anyone be surprised at his modesty.
Why do you need to compare your progress with his? Why not emulate your Takao-san hike and strike out on your own? Find a Japanese school that seems to provide the mix you need and jump in with both feet.
Or, if you're really at the end of the road, then why wait to come out of "the tunnel"? Today's could be your last lesson, if you want it to be.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.10
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 04/15/2004 02:05:47 AM
I wouldn't worry about it too much - Tod's got a "knack" for one way of doing it and a certain fascination with the structure, origins and mechanics of the language that you might just not share.
Negative past tense is probably more than you need for a lot of good communication. Forget grammar and focus on communication, I'd say. Listen more than you speak. (Good advice in *any* language.) Find people who you tend to understand - I think you know what I'm talking about. Some people, you just have an easier time conveighing your ideas to, while with others, it's a series of "what?" and "where?" and "mo-ichidou" while you hack through simple phrases.
Make mistakes. Lots of them. Don't be afraid to use the wrong word, just to see if it fits. If your idea gets across, it's a success. Don't try to know all of the words - carry a dictionary if need be.
I've been mangling the language with pretty good success for a few years now and I really think I do OK with most people -- people at work, my green grocer, the barber, taxi drivers and people who share common interests. I do OK, I get through the day and I communicate. I never took any lessons and I've barely cracked open my books. It's all been through talking to people I've met.
Ganbatte!
Jim
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.123
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 04/15/2004 08:38:37 AM
Actually learning ohter launguages are difficult. And I ofthe hear, Japanese is one of the most difficult laungages. --- But for me English is really difficult. I hope you continue to study our Japanese little by little, but in your case you live here, so always you take a shower of Japanese. It might be enough to study Japanese. I hope my comments make sense.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jonathan Wilson
EMAIL: jonathanwilson@calvarychapel.org
IP: 61.117.172.53
URL: http://gracejapan.com
DATE: 04/15/2004 10:47:27 AM
This is the way I describe language learning.
Think of concentric or nested cups. The smallest cup in the middle is listening. Once you fill your listening cup then it will naturally overflow into the speaking cup. Likewise, when the speaking cup starts to overflow it will naturally go into the reading cup. Finally when the reading cup is full it is only natural to start writing.
Now is it possible to write when your listening cup is only half full? Of course, but it requires great effort. It doesn't flow.
My advice for the language learner. Find out where it is flowing and spend your time there. Don't be afraid of new challenges, but if it requires extreme effort, it probably is not helping you to become better at the language.
Of course none of this makes any sense at all unless there is a steady of stream being poured into the first listening cup. Even if you quit classes, make sure that you are still receiving steady Japanese input.
Good luck.
Jonathan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 219.165.55.216
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2004 08:45:19 PM
It may be possible that the approach to the foreign language is different between you and Tod. A different way to go at it might be the answer...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Struggling
EMAIL: no@em.ail
IP: 213.224.83.72
URL:
DATE: 04/18/2004 04:47:46 PM
Tod's geekish profile obviously confers him an advantage when it comes to learning Japanese ;-)
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/2/26/175722/727
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shiso-chorizo lasagne
BASENAME: shiso-chorizo_lasagne
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/15/2004 09:32:43 AM
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BODY:
Tod & I invented this one together earlier this week and have been eating it ever since. It makes good leftovers.
The fusion of Spanish and Japanese flavours surprised me. "Chorizo" in Japan is more like a slightly spicy frankfurter than the proper Spanish chorizo, so we added a little cayenne to the mix to pep it up. Shiso, aka perilla, is a piquant relative of basil but accept no substitutes. The mushrooms add an earthy flavor that tie the whole thing together--if you can't find fresh shitake or maitake, portabello would substitute. To make this simple, I use an Italian brand of jarred pasta sauce that's heavy on the garlic and contains no sugar.
Shiso-chorizo Lasange
1 pkg lasagne noodles, cooked al dente
300 g cottage cheese
1 egg
5 shiso leaves, shredded
2 cups mozzarella, grated
1 ball fresh mozzarella
8 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
12 button mushrooms, sliced
300 g maitake mushrooms, chopped
8 links "chorizo"
pinch cayenne
1 jar garlicly tomato pasta sauce
Olive oil for sautéing
salt and black pepper to taste
Saute the mushrooms in olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Evaporate off the liquid, remove from pan and set aside. Before adding to the lasagne, drain any additional liquid that has accumulated.
Slice the chorizo into thin rounds, sprinkle with cayenne and fry briefly.
Mix the cottage cheese, egg and shiso. Season with black pepper and salt.
In the bottom of a rectangular baking pan, spread a tablespoon of sauce. This will help prevent the lasagne from sticking to the pan. Place a layer of noodles over the sauce, then start layering the fillings, sauce and noodles to your liking. Top with a final layer of noodles, sauce and slices of fresh mozzarella.
Bake at 175/350 for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown. Allow to "set up" for about ten minutes before cutting.
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EXCERPT:
surprising fusion lasagne
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2004 09:43:31 PM
I still have a fear of lasagna and so I'll never know how tasty this is.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/19/2004 04:49:46 PM
I bought an oven on the weekend as I am so keen to try out your receipes and share some of my own with you.
BTW have you ever seen sheets of puff pastry in Japanese supermarkets? If so I have one of my fave receipes to share with you as soon as I try out some Japanese ingredients for that local flavour!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/20/2004 12:46:30 AM
I'm tempted to test the lasagne rule around here and try this, but I think I'd have to accept a substitute for the shiso.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: A guy from Rennes FR
EMAIL:
IP: 81.248.98.86
URL:
DATE: 04/28/2004 01:15:57 AM
That sounds awesome. I'm definitely gonna try it. Thanks!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Game plan
BASENAME: game_plan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/16/2004 07:10:18 AM
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BODY:
Yesterday afternoon, I was listening to the neighborhood kids playing. They were laughing and running around, but most of their playtime was spent planning what to do. They were making up rules and setting up situations to act out.
So today, it's game plan day. Gather together your playing pieces--cards, dice, crayons, index cards, glasses of wine, anything goes--and a few friends. Then start thinking. The goal's to come up with a complex structure; playing the game itself is not the focus, though it could be a lot of fun...
A sample game called "Chairs"
"You can be the lady. You stand here," says the bossy girl.
"I want to hold an umbrella," says the less bossy one.
"OK, but only if the die says six. Otherwise, you get a cushion, OK? When I say 'Go!' we all run around and when I say 'Stop!', pose like a chair. Then the lady gets to sit on us and decide who is the most comfortable."
"That's silly," the lady complains.
"You have a better idea?"
"What if everyone poses like a chair or a table? I can try to sit a cup on them. And if it falls over and they get wet, they lose."
"Yeah, that's good! Everyone ready...Go!"
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Make up your own game.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/20/2004 12:44:58 AM
Ok, you be the weasel and I'll be the skink. Now, wear this spoon on your nose and run to the second tree. I'll meet you there in two minutes with the duffel bag. Go! :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: test
BASENAME: test
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/16/2004 03:09:30 PM
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BODY:
just a test
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EXCERPT:
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tech writing
BASENAME: tech_writing
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 04/17/2004 07:11:28 AM
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BODY:
I'm enjoying a new project today. I'm writing an illustrated Movable Type manual for non-native English speakers who will be contributing to a weblog.
Tech writing is always a pleasure. Over the years, I've honed the art of distilling complexity into easily followed directions and explanations.
My first tech writing was back in the early Telerama days--circa 1992--when I was helping our customers use FTP, telnet and Pine. In 1994, I wrote the oft-quoted Gentle Introduction to the Internet. Reading it ten years later is quite amusing, but at the time, these were things everyone was wondering about.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Thinking about old projects while working on a new one.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 04/18/2004 11:22:51 PM
compile a program for your c-64.. ahh those were the days.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Happy herb girl
BASENAME: happy_herb_girl
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/18/2004 08:30:48 PM
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BODY:
Lamb's Ear is the softest plant ever. I love stroking its leaves and was very happy to do so at the herb shop we visited today.
I didn't buy any, though. Instead I picked up parsely, sage, rosemary, thyme, margoram, basil, shiso, lemon balm, tarragon, wild strawberry, lettuce, yarrow, lavender, and eucalyptus. I would have purchased more, but I'm not sure I have enough pots or space to plant everything.
This little garden shop in tucked away in Harajuku--right next to the Yahoo Cafe and around the corner from Fujimamas but I never remember what it's called--is the city's best source for all sorts of medicinal and cooking herbs, ornamental grasses and quirky garden plants.
As soon as I have time tomorrow, I will be planting these in our little niwa off the living room. This summer's kitchen garden!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Good tasting herbs and some wonderful scents, too.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michelle
EMAIL:
IP: 202.208.150.77
URL: http://kohpotts.typepad.com
DATE: 04/19/2004 02:32:15 PM
That's fabulous! I wish I knew where to purchase those plants up here (in Sapporo). We couldn't find any herbs. Instead we have these little planters that we're using to try to germinate some tomato plants and some spinach. It's exciting though - every day they seem to grow a little more!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/19/2004 04:41:50 PM
That is a fantastic plant store - I know it well. Did you stop in the cafe for afternoon tea and wander upstairs to the curios store?? Great hanging single stem vases that look like they are hand blown glass. We should drop in together for a cleansing herbal tea one day.. "Far from the Madding Crowd" (sic)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/20/2004 12:41:44 AM
I love lamb's ear. I used to have some, but it died off. Silvermound is really soft too. I planted some of that last summer and I was happy to see it coming back.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The kitchen garden
BASENAME: the_kitchen_garden
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/19/2004 05:18:20 PM
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BODY:
The results of today's planting. I've grouped the herbs based on how much water and sun they like. They look so fresh and green and healthy now. I will take care of them faithfully and hope they survive the summer.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
My (re)newly green garden.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.3
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 04/19/2004 11:07:03 PM
I did that a few years ago at my bachelor apartment, and it worked out great. Basil, oregano, parsely, a few kinds of mint. I cooked with it, made herb tea, really a wonderful experience and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to not screw up with plants.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/20/2004 12:43:00 AM
Oh boy. I feel a trip to the local nursery coming on! Your plants look great!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 64.12.116.78
URL:
DATE: 04/20/2004 01:20:18 AM
I've got a couple of large pots waiting to be filled with herbs. Hope they look as good as yours do.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 64.12.116.78
URL:
DATE: 04/20/2004 01:20:45 AM
I've got a couple of large pots waiting to be filled with herbs. Hope they look as good as yours do.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.125
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 04/20/2004 09:19:07 AM
They are cute and bright. I also hope yours and mine survive the summer, though it is said this summer would be a cool summer.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 68.20.10.227
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 04/20/2004 12:21:18 PM
They look just great. I started a bunch of herbs last year, but they didn't like where I put all the pots and got too much sun. Now I'll try again. Good luck with your plants!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Forgotten significance
BASENAME: forgotten_significance
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/20/2004 09:55:05 AM
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BODY:
Do you ever get the feeling that a certain date is important, but you can't figure out why? You are sure you're supposed to remember something about it...
4/20 rings a bell. Is it a colleague's birthday? A friend's wedding anniversary? Maybe it's a personal commemoration--my first kiss (but that was at a cast party at university, so it must have been in the winter...) or the start of a new job. It's not recent; nothing special is noted in the past three years of my weblog.
I just can't put my finger on it and it's making me a little crazy this morning.
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EXCERPT:
So what's special about today, anyway?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 04/20/2004 11:30:42 AM
Is it bad that I can't remember when my first kiss was?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 04/20/2004 12:59:39 PM
well... not that it would have any significance for *you* but it's Stoner's New Year!
love,
-LIZ
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@fuckedgaijin.com
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 04/20/2004 01:51:13 PM
Earth Day 2005
March 20 at 7:34 AM Eastern Standard Time
www.earthsite.org
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ivan Tse
EMAIL:
IP: 219.162.153.93
URL: http://ivan.freeshell.org/
DATE: 04/20/2004 01:55:24 PM
Smoke a few joints and you'll remember! :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@fuckedgaijin.com
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 04/20/2004 01:55:39 PM
Now if Earthday is MARCH 20th, why does Japan celebrate April 18-25, hee, hee?
www.earthday-tokyo.org/
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@fuckedgaijin.com
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 04/20/2004 03:20:38 PM
April 20 is Adolph Hitler's birthday?????
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/21/2004 03:48:28 AM
The shootings at Columbine High were April 20th, 1999. The bombing of the Murrah Federal Building was April 19th 1995. It's weird, I woke up this morning with that same feeling about the date, and I remembered Oklahoma City as I was driving on the Interstate. Creepy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 12.111.59.169
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 04/21/2004 05:16:18 AM
Yeah, what Jenny said - that's why it rings a bell to me anyway.
As to the stoner new year, I don't get that. I mean it's not like you're going to do something that is special on that day... if yer a true stoner, a) any day that ends in a Y is reason enough and b) you'll forget 4/20 until 4/21 comes around :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.125
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 04/21/2004 09:30:58 AM
I don't know since when-- anyway my husband forgot our wedding aniversary, so I also forgot it. Though it passed more than 20 years since we married.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ashley
EMAIL: ladybuggin321@yahoo.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 04/22/2004 08:30:05 AM
dude...April 20th is National Weed Smoker's Day. In other words, its the day where you have an exscuse to get high even if you arent a true stoner. lol.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Live from Musashi-Sakai
BASENAME: live_from_musashi-sakai
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 04/21/2004 11:27:14 AM
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BODY:
For those of you who missed last Friday's Marshmallow Spike gig (that would be everyone except me and J-ster), here's a first glimpse at MJ, Yoshi and their new drummer, Kei-san doing Stolen Umbrella, an original with lyrics by MJ, music by Yoshi.
The camerawork is crap, I know. I had forgotten I promised to film and wasn't prepared for anything other than basically static handheld. Next time, I'm taking a steadicam and doing it right.
Stolen Umbrella. Small, mono version. 3'25" (2.6 MB MP4)
Stolen Umbrella. Large, stereo version. 3'25" (22 MB MP4)
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EXCERPT:
Is MJ going to hurt me for publishing this before she eve sees it?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/21/2004 11:04:59 PM
Rock out! Love MJ's intro.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Veera
EMAIL: kargokultti@hotmail.com
IP: 195.148.210.85
URL:
DATE: 04/24/2004 06:25:52 PM
Ahem...
As a frequent visitor of your blog, I'd most humbly request you to put up .wmv- mov.- or some other more general video formats from time to time. I not that big of a video nerd - I know very little about this stuff - but I think our school computers ought to be very well equipped with all sorts of media players and whatnot. Still, they don't seem to recognize those .mp4-thingies.
But many thanks for this great blog and the hours I've managed to while away here ;)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ginger honey tea
BASENAME: ginger_honey_tea
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/22/2004 06:57:41 AM
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BODY:
Tod & I caught a springtime cold and have been coughing for weeks. When I'm ill, I tend towards medication cooked up in my kitchen from herbs and foods, rather than OTC or prescription drugs. I find that this tisane really helps to calm my cough and it tastes good, too.
Ginger Honey Tea
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 Tblsp honey
hot water
lemon (optional)
Grate the ginger into your mug while the water boils. Spoon in some honey. Pour in boiling water and stir. Add a squeeze of lemon, if desired. Sip.
The trick to making this work is grating the ginger--it needs to be nearly juiced; minced ginger isn't as effective. I use a flat grater with very fine teeth (not holes) that pulls the ginger fibers apart to release the juices.
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EXCERPT:
An herbal remedy for cough
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 220.98.150.202
URL:
DATE: 04/23/2004 02:14:32 PM
Sound Delicious. And I look forward to trying out the recipe once i get rid of the last vestiges of my hay fever, that has left me with a swollen sinusitis. :-((
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: What's in a name?
BASENAME: whats_in_a_name
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/23/2004 06:54:48 PM
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BODY:
On my sister's site, Wild Mushrooms, Jenn sometimes posts poetic writing assignments. Today's creative perspective draws on one she titled Buttered Poetry (now with more salt!).
Write out your name -- First Middle Last--and find words using just those letters. How many can you find in 30 minutes? Do you think you got them all?
You can confirm (or cheat) at Anagram Server--be sure to check "print candidate word list only." I thought I was doing pretty well with over 60 words on my list, but my 24 letter name yielded 3688 words.
Now that you have a list, take a look at it. How many of the words describe your personality or what you do? How many are what you might like to be, but aren't yet? Which words seem completely wrong or unconnected to you?
I was quite surprised at how many words matched me: cute, temper, luckiest, and, of course, tinker. One word I wish I lived up to: precise. And one that just doesn't seem to fit at all: centerline.
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EXCERPT:
Playing with the words you can find in your name.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/23/2004 09:36:50 PM
That anagram server is a total cheat, but I'm trying it!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Aisan highways
BASENAME: aisan_highways
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/24/2004 12:04:01 AM
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BODY:
TOKYO (Kyodo News) -- The government decided Friday to sign a pact to link Asia by highway in a signing ceremony next Monday in Shanghai, government officials said Friday.
Signatories to the U.N. pact will be required to improve their highways to meet the criteria of the 140,000-kilometer Asian Highway network, which is to link 32 nations to one another and to Europe.
But Japan is an island nation, as we are often reminded. Maybe there's an Asian Highway ferry between S. Korea and here...or plans for a terribly long bridge.
I think the Japan highway must be akin to Hawaii's interstate highways.
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EXCERPT:
Where is the bridge?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nicknames
BASENAME: nicknames
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/25/2004 08:42:41 AM
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BODY:
Growing up, I never entirely warmed to my name. My friends had strong and interesting names: Patty, Gwen, Heidi, Gail. Mine was so easily confused with Christine, Kristy or Christian, that I hardly ever used Kristen.
I was called Kris as a kid and my family still call me that. Paired with my maiden name, Hill, I had the briefest of monikers. But as a challenge, Mom & Dad gave me a family surname as a middle name--8 letters with a 4 consonant cluster--that I could not spell reliably until I was nine years old.
My mother once admitted to a friend (she thought I was out of earshot) that she'd hoped her daughters would use their full names, Kristen and Jennifer, wear dresses and quietly read books.
Well, I did read books, but I didn't become Kristen until I was in the workplace. Over the phone, "Kris Hill" sounded too much like Crystal and it confused people. And there were two other K/Chrises in my department, one of whom sat next to me. It wasn't long before I was Kristen Hill, and shortly after that I married and dropped Hill for McQuillin (keeping the consonant clustered middle name).
But between Kris and Kristen, there were a number of nicknames. My favorites were Cricket and Kip.
When I was four, the older kids in the neighborhood, no doubt exasperated by my talkativeness, dubbed me Cricket. At the time, I recognised it for the put-down that it was, but later on, I adopted it as my own and was known to some as Cricket all the way through high school.
Kip I chose for myself in a fit of fashion. It was the preppy early 80s. I liked the plosive ending, and the fact that it incorporated a single letter of my middle name. Plus it was a boy's name at a time when I was struggling to balance my tomboy nature with the torture of puberty and never having a date. I was not too happy being a girl that year.
These days, I'm most often called Kristen, but I answer to Kuri (Japanese for chestnut and an abbreviated form of my name in kana), and "media tinker." If you should call me Cricket, I'll probably respond.
What nicknames have you collected?
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EXCERPT:
Not satisfied with my given name, I constantly invented new ones for myself.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.79
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 04/26/2004 09:28:33 AM
Hi KURI-chan!
Well, my foreing frineds tend to call my name "meiko". Why? Is it hard to pronounce "mieko"?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2004 10:58:38 AM
A brief fascination at the age of 5 with the band ABBA still has my father calling me Frieda some 30 years later. A bad Japanese translation of my name in junior high Japanese class still has many of my friends calling me Trash or Trashy. (which leads onto another moniker that I have been known to use on various boards around the place)
Tracey
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygirl123@epix.net
IP: 199.224.91.166
URL:
DATE: 04/28/2004 03:09:49 AM
Yes, your middle name!! It's driving me crazy,
I am trying to remember what it is, the only thing
coming to mind is that it ended in "kin"? Please
don't keep us in suspense.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Carla
EMAIL:
IP: 64.110.220.107
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2004 07:47:30 AM
what a crazy middle name! lol cute story though! it's truely unforgettable!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Good citizen
BASENAME: good_citizen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/26/2004 03:11:26 PM
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BODY:
Today I registered to vote. I don't know exactly who I will be voting for; most definitely not Bush, but whether I vote for the opponent most likely to win or someone I would prefer to see in office, I don't know. But now I have the chance to choose.
My state's instructions for the Federal Post Card Application require you to state the last time you voted...it was 1990, I think. I wanted to vote the local councilwoman out of office--she had made some really bad decisions for the city. Voting was not a hassle at all as the polling place was conveniently located at the middle school across the street from where we lived.
That was way back in the early days of my marriage, when the neighborhood kids would shout "Fake yuppies!" at me and Tod in the evenings when we came home from our entry-level office jobs to our falling-apart $260/month apartment. We weren't fake yuppies at all; we truly were Young Urban Professionals although on a very modest scale.
Time has passed. I haven't voted in 14 years and have shrugged off all acronyms and labels. I may not be able to regain my youth, but I can still vote. And I will.
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EXCERPT:
My vote will count.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.172.11
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2004 08:02:47 PM
Why?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.96.75.232
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2004 09:02:12 PM
I don't know much about politics. I come from a Kingdom where the King is hereditary and we never had to think about choosing leaders for our country. :-D
However, i can see Why the choice to be able to choose your own leader makes a difference. So, I think its great you are going to vote.
I hope one day, i will be able to vote as well in my country for the right reasons. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/26/2004 09:54:43 PM
Go voter! I'm registered and will vote, and am working on educating myself enough to make an informed decision.
Fake Yuppies? That's the best they could come up with?
Did you shout back "Fake Hecklers!"?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jt
EMAIL:
IP: 129.78.228.114
URL:
DATE: 04/27/2004 10:11:42 PM
As an Australian I find it incredibly difficult to understand what I can only see as an apathy that seems to hold sway over voters in many comparable countries, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom. Australia is one of a few countries in the world with mandatory voting. Mandatory voting is not about a lack of choice; nothing stops me from voting informally, all I'm asked (well, required) to do is choose.
As best I know the last US election saw roughly 51% percent of the population vote - apparently that was one of the largest voter turnouts in recent history. This does my head in. I'm glad you've chosen to vote - I consider it perhaps the most significant relationship democratic societies have with their constituents. Why choose to ignore the opportunity to make your opinion count?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 68.162.132.145
URL:
DATE: 05/02/2004 09:03:39 PM
SO glad you are going to vote. We desperately need a regime change here and I appreciate your help! I also am pleased that you still feel 'American' enough to care.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Downpour
BASENAME: downpour
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/27/2004 12:19:42 PM
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BODY:
It's raining today. I like rain.
The outdoor community pool where I reined as Lifeguard Goddess during high school summer holidays would close if the weatherman forecast an all-day soak. That meant that I could go to the mall and spend some of the cash I'd accumulated on whatever caught my 16-year-old fancy. Beribboned barrettes? Slap bracelets? Oxford shirts and leggings? I don't remember exactly what I bought but no doubt if I were handed a box of my old stuff, it would contain a rich assortment of embarrassments.
These days rain does not give me a break in my schedule but I still feel unfettered when it's pouring. Maybe I'll sneak a little shopping onto my To Do list this afternoon, just for old time's sake.
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EXCERPT:
Even 22 years later, rainy days mean freedom to me.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dan
EMAIL: mediastrategy@readmail.biz
IP: 141.152.220.119
URL: http://mediastrategy.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/28/2004 06:35:21 AM
Good blog!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Heights
BASENAME: heights
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/28/2004 07:12:09 AM
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BODY:
I love heights. Or rather, I should say, I get a kick out of seeing the familiar world from another perspective. I also like the fear in the pit of my stomach that sometimes accompanies the view. So when Tod suggested we ride the ferris wheel at LaQua the other day, I was excited. It's been there a year and we hadn't ridden it yet (though we've been on the roller coaster several times--I also like speed thrills)
From our slowly moving vantage point, we watched the roller coaster scream through the building and gazed out over our neighborhood across to the skyscraper district in west Shinjuku.
Mt Fuji made an appearance, silhouetted by the setting sun just to the left of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. I'm always a little shocked at how large the sacred mountain looms on the horizon. But at the same time, she's very small. Catching Fuji on film from Tokyo is a little bit like taking photos of the moon--it captures your whole attention, but in reality it doesn't take up too much of your field of view. Can you see her in the inset? It's just a few dark pixels smack dab in the middle. But such pretty pixels.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A twilight ferris wheel ride.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/28/2004 12:33:39 PM
Recently, at FujiQ highlands, I took a ride on teh Fujiyama jet coaster and Dodompa.. WOW.. Fujiyama afforded a perfect view of Fuji-san.. I highly recommend the trek to Yamanashi to experience.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Oatmeal thumbprints
BASENAME: oatmeal_thumbprints
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/29/2004 07:42:13 AM
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BODY:
These cookies came with us to Jim's birthday picnic last weekend where they were quickly consumed. The original recipe calls for raspberry jam, which I didn't have, so I experimented with pear, (good) lemon curd (too runny) and a mysterious Iranian red fruit jam. My recipe is adapted from one in The Good Cookie by Trish Boyle.
Oatmeal Thumbprints
makes 36
1 cup walnuts
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
7/8 cup butter (that's 1/2 cup + 6 Tblsp)
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-fruit jam
Grind the walnuts into a medium fine powder. Set aside. Combine oatmeal, flour & salt. Set aside. Cream the butter until fluffy; add the sugar. Mix in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the oat mixture and stir until just blended.
Form 1" balls (the dough is soft), and roll in the ground walnuts. Place on greased (or non-stick) cookie trays. Flatten each ball slightly with your palm, then make an indentation with your thumb. Fill the hollow with about a 1/2 tsp of jam.
Bake at 350 for about 11 minutes or until golden brown. Take care not to overbake.
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EXCERPT:
Jim's birthday cookies
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2004 11:09:58 AM
YUM!! How about fig jam???
*scribbles down recipe to test out her new oven*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 04/30/2004 02:17:56 AM
Since I was getting rid of mushy plantains by making plantain & oatmeal bread, I decided to do a bake-fest and try the cookies too.
These are wonderful! I'm making half the batch w/o walnuts though, since some of us are allergic. Thanks for sharing.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/04/2004 08:29:52 PM
Yeah, they were delicious. Stella took one off the counter. Then this morning, I found the last half of banana bread on the floor with little toothmarks all over it. *sigh*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Floorplans
BASENAME: floorplans
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/30/2004 11:00:12 AM
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BODY:
As a kid, I sketched out the perfect places to live--my personal castles and villas complete with all the necessities: libraries, interior courtyards, gardens, swimming pools, and stables. I also loved dollhouses--the ones that were built for me and the ones I made myself. The three story string-action elevator in my 1974 Barbie Townhouse was just too cool.
I am still fascinated with living spaces. I study the floor plans of all the apartment buildings that drop ads in my mailbox. I stand outside realty offices comparing the places for rent and sale. There is a little drawer in the wooden card-catalog of my brain for the architectural details I want to include in the house(s) I dream of building.
Today I'm going to take a little time and sketch out some of those ideas to see what I come up with. Then maybe I'll try to incorporate some of the plans into my real-life living space. I can probably manage a library, but the secret passage and the turret might be a challenge.
What turns up in your dream house?
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EXCERPT:
What's your dream house?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 04/30/2004 11:54:40 AM
Natsukashii!
I used to spend a lot of time sketching floorplans, complete with secret passages, defense systems, etc. I'm gonna try thisd one as soon as I have some time!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 04/30/2004 12:06:07 PM
I adore looking at floor plans as well. I will pore over them for ages and love it when they are dropped through my letter box... (much more interesting than pizza menus and ads for hookers). Often on the weekend, my mother and I ride around on our pushbikes checking out the display apartments. I think all the local property developers have met us and think we are completely nuts but I really enjoy it. Kuri-chan - shall we take you with us on our next real-estate adventure? It is a healthy and inexpensive Sunday afternoon entertainment.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.97.137.157
URL: http://insight.blogzine.jp
DATE: 04/30/2004 12:34:34 PM
Nice to see we have something in common. :-)) Even I store away pieces of information on architectural designs that i would like to incorporate into our dream house one day. :-)) My husband's sister is an architect and she is going to draw the house plans when we are ready.
Influenced by our trip to Lubeck, Germany, I saw those lovely old houses that look like ordinary buildings from the outside and when you walk in through the door, there is a fascinating small cobbled street leading out into an open shared communal garden! Tiny but very beautiful.
(Reminded me of the book "The Secret Garden" )
If i ever have the space, I think i would like to have such an interior garden as well. I know there are lots of other nicer things you could do with the space, but it would still be nice. *sigh!*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: seth
EMAIL: seth@biginjapan.org
IP: 219.110.61.243
URL:
DATE: 04/30/2004 03:36:27 PM
secret passageways. i grew up in an old victorian, and to my daytime delight and fright-fueled nocturnal horror, i would explore these tiny crawlspaces that went nowhere behind built-in bookcases and closets, always hoping for discoveries beyond dust-mice.
/.s./
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: abebell@watertown.k12.ma.us
IP: 24.60.119.161
URL:
DATE: 04/30/2004 09:02:08 PM
I'm in the process of building my dream house right now. It's nestled deep in the Maine Woods, like I dreamed when I was a little girl. It will have beautiful old (restored) windows that distort everything just a little bit. It will have three fireplaces and two woodstoves; few things feel better in winter than wood heat.
Best of all, I get to make all the decisions. This feels like the most selfish and extravagant thing I've ever done. Every other place I've lived in I found myself settling for the weird kitchen, ugly floors, drafty windows. But now I have complete control!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy
EMAIL: randyrants@hotmail.com
IP: 12.111.59.169
URL: http://www.randyrants.com/
DATE: 04/30/2004 09:28:00 PM
A PacMan Arcade machine, each and every time. Sometimes a stand up, sometimes a bar/table model, but it keeps showing up.
Sad, but true... :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sheep story
BASENAME: sheep_story
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/01/2004 08:24:58 AM
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BODY:
In another lifetime, or so it seems, I spent a lot of time with sheep and goats.
My dear friends, Frank and Louise, raise wool sheep, angora goats, and herds of cats on their small farm south of Pittsburgh. From the time I dated Frank's son, Sam, at university until I left for Japan, I spent many weekends on the farm helping with the fencing, mucking barns, cleaning goats' feet and chasing sheep around the pastures to give them medicine.
It was hard physical work, but never too hard--mainly tiring, satisfying and fun. We cooked crazy foods, drank a lot of bourbon, and generally enjoyed life in the very best ways. I love Frank & Louise and the farm and I miss those weekends.
As I read this article on NEWS.com.au, I recalled a lot of happy memories:
Hermit sheep loses years of wool
27 kg is a lot of fleece. The average merino fleece is around 7 kg and fills the volume of about three fluffy bed pillows.
After shearing, Louise always had a few greasy fleeces wrapped in sheets tucked up into the loft above the kitchen. I never got to shear the sheep. Louise claimed that as her right--I think she worried that anyone else might nick the sheep.
But I did wash, card, comb and dye wool, make felt, and spin lumpy yarn. Never managed to get the hang of knitting, though.
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EXCERPT:
Memories of shearing and sheep
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: *omie
BASENAME: omie
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/02/2004 08:43:26 AM
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BODY:
anomie (n.) Personal state of isolation and anxiety resulting from a lack of moral standards in society.
bonhomie (n.) A pleasant and affable disposition; geniality.
Anomie is a fashionable word these days. I don't know who started its revival, some media pundit in America I surmise, but I keep running across it in commentary and news articles.
Anyway, anomie wasn't familiar to me and every time I read it, I thought of bonhomie. Taking in the context, 'geniality' wasn't even close to the right meaning. So I referred to the dictionary. As it turns out, I'm glad I looked it up because it's one of those philosophical words that refuses to stick in my vocabulary. (For a good laugh, go ahead and ask me the difference between sophist and solipsist.)
But my twisted brain was making a valid connection--anomie and bonhomie are the only two words commonly used in English that end in 'omie.' At least that I can find.
So here's a new philosophy (call it what you will): If people would embrace bonhomie as their personal standard, the world would have a lot less anomie.
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EXCERPT:
A confusion of meaning
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/02/2004 08:46:19 AM
How about 'roomie'?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/02/2004 08:51:44 AM
Technically correct. But I really meant (and didn't specify in my low-coffee writing mode) words whose final 2 syllables are omie.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 05/02/2004 03:03:59 PM
damn that counts my word out homie!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/02/2004 03:21:23 PM
Homie counts. It's omie in spelling and rhyme.
I forgot about slang!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.96
URL:
DATE: 05/02/2004 04:41:59 PM
the term anomie was coined by 19'th century french
sociologist emil dürkheim. the omie is a nomie -
norm being the root.
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Emil%20Durkheim
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.96.59.118
URL: http://insight.blogzine.jp
DATE: 05/03/2004 01:01:09 AM
I generally adored your posts. But now i am falling in love with the people in your comment section as well. :-))
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/03/2004 05:08:06 PM
I love my commenters, too. Thanks, everyone.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sleeping fast
BASENAME: sleeping_fast
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/03/2004 08:02:43 AM
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BODY:
A VERY woolly New Zealand sheep that survived six years in the wild was today heading back into the hills near naked after his heavy fleece was shorn off on live worldwide television.
The merino wether was shorn of nearly 27 kilograms of fleece now being auctioned for the cancer charity Cure Kids.
Owner John Perriam said today that after the experience the sheep, named Shrek, was in "fine fettle".
"He's quite incredible. His personality has changed, he's almost saying 'thanks mate, I want to go back to the hills now' and he was pawing at the doors of the shed this morning," Perriam told Radio New Zealand.
Merinos, which produce a fine wool used in clothing, are usually sheared once a year, but Shrek had managed to avoid muster for six years until found in a remote part of Bendigo Station in Central Otago near the Southern Alps in New Zealand's South Island.
Shearer Peter Casserly, 56, took more than 20 minutes to take the fleece off.
"The fleece was very heavy and pulling the skin up so it would have been very easy to cut him; that's why I was only snipping away slowly. I couldn't put in many long blows," he said.
Casserly, who has been shearing since he was 17, holds the world blade shearing record of 353 sheep shorn in a nine-hour day.
May 1955: my grandfather, Uncle Ed, Aunt Faye and my grandmother pose together during Ed & Faye's wedding at my grandparent's home in New Jersey.
I hardly knew my Aunt Faye; I'm not even sure how she was related to me. My mother's mother's sister-in-law? A daughter of my grandmother's bevy of older sisters? I really cannot say. My sister keeps track; she knows all of the distant cousins. I'm hopeless when it comes to family connections.
Anyway, Aunt Faye was a character. She was a zaftig woman, funny, loud, and brash. I never saw her without her "face" on--cakey foundation, high arches of pencilled eyebrow, a sky's worth of blue shadow. Her hair was platinum cotton candy. And she loved butterfly designs in jewelry and clothing. To put it a bit unkindly, the campiest drag queen would have admired of her style.
Yesterday I was thinking of her, remembering how she used to say she could "sleep fast." Meaning she would stay up late (carousing, I presume) and get up early, ready for a new day. I don't know how she did it, but I think I may have the same skill.
Really, I seem to do everything fast. Sleep, work, walk, talk, think. I'm living my life at 78 rpm. I wonder if that means I'll get everything done early and die young. Or maybe I'll just end up doing more than everyone else. Or perhaps I will slow down.
My experiences with Aunt Faye were confined to my childhood--intersections of our visits to my grandparents' house. I don't remember seeing her beyond the time I was ten, though she lived another 20 years or more past that so I'm sure I must have.
I wonder what Aunt Faye did with all of her extra time?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Memories of a barely-known relative
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.104
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2004 12:18:34 AM
Faye was the only daughter of Grandmom's oldest sister, Florence who was born in 1900. Aunt Faye relocated for a time to the midwest (Alton,Illinois at one point) and came back to NJ when she was quite ill. That's proabaly why you don't remember her after age 10.
She was memorable!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 05/04/2004 12:19:08 PM
After relocating to Alton, Aunt Faye joined a notorious biker gand called the Devil Rays. Oh the amazing stories they still tell about Devil Ray Faye in biker bars...
She was memorable ... and then some!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/04/2004 08:26:08 PM
I need to start writing down the family tree so I actually DO have all the knowledge that you think I possess about our lineage. Heh. I know some, but not all. As in, I had no idea Aunt Faye was Florence's only daughter. *scribblesitdown*
Remember all the rings she wore? She had armor. And no, UB, none of them had skulls! ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Self-portrait in cocktail shaker
BASENAME: self-portrait_in_cocktail_shaker
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/04/2004 04:18:43 PM
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BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Just a quick pencil sketch
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.153
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2004 06:59:53 PM
kristen are you aware of the fact that residents of coktail
shakers tend to wind up in groups of likeminded people
saying things like - my name is...and i'm a coktail shaker
resident.
if you're down,i you wish all the best, hope the universe will
smile at you again soon.
take good care
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/04/2004 08:20:27 PM
Wow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/05/2004 06:55:15 AM
I haven't drawn with pencils in about two years. I had some time to kill yesterday and Tod's birthday present was sitting there on the table, challenging me with its glass and chrome reflections. I think the cocktail set won--this is sloppy and inaccurate. But it was fun to draw and I will keep my pencils at hand for more drawing soon.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shobu bath
BASENAME: shobu_bath
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/05/2004 09:48:00 PM
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BODY:
Golden Week winds down today with Children's Day, the last in a string of spring holidays.
In our household we have no reason to fly carp streamers (it's traditional to hang out one for each boy in the family) but thanks to my friend Elizabeth Andoh's timely Taste of Culture newsletter, I did partake of another holiday ritual, shobu yu.
Shobu are the leaves and stems of Japanese iris. Shobu is also a homonym for victory and for warlike spirit, making a shobu bath just the thing on a day that celebrates boy children. A shobu bath is supposed to ward off illness, too. I soaked a nice long time, and expect the benefits to last until next year.
I made the bath even more relaxing by dotting the room with the lovely (waterproof!) electric candles that Jim & Yuka gave Tod for his birthday yesterday. Their reflections in the water with the floating reeds made me think I was sitting in a crystal clear pond. I tried standing the reeds upright and ducking my head under the water to pretend I was a fish, but there's not enough room to maneuver in the tub.
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EXCERPT:
Dipping my toes in a hot bath with iris reeds.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pork with Honey and Yuzu
BASENAME: pork_with_honey_and_yuzu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/06/2004 08:56:16 AM
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BODY:
May is the perfect month for al fresco dining in Tokyo. The weather is generally clear with nights that present a slightly cool contrast to the warm days. Needless to say, we've been busy with the grill this week and I have a great combination of flavors to share. It was inspired by a conversation with a friend but in my enthusiasm, I didn't measure when I put it together. Luckily for all of us, marinades are pretty forgiving so adjust to your liking.
Pork with Honey and Yuzu
serves 2
2 pork chops or cutlets
3-4 Tblsp yuzu vinegar
1/2 tsp dried yuzu peel
1/2 tsp dried red pepper (togarashi) rings
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
glaze
2 Tblsp honey
yuzu vinegar
togarashi
Rub the pork with salt, pepper, sugar, yuzu peel and togarashi. Sprinkle with yuzu vinegar and allow to marinate for a few hours. Thin the honey with enough yuzu vinegar make it easy to brush onto the meat; and add a sprinkle of dried red pepper and set aside.
Grill the meat. Just before removing from the heat, brush with the honey glaze and allow to carmelise. Be careful not to burn the honey.
I served this with tarragon-herbed grilled zucchini and basmati rice pilaf.
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EXCERPT:
A delicate citrus marinated pork with a touch of peppery fire.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.107
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/06/2004 09:27:32 AM
Honey,Yuzu, and pork????? sounds--- strange but interesing. I'll try it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Date yourself
BASENAME: date_yourself
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/07/2004 09:53:00 AM
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BODY:
Sometimes it's a challenge to get away from the normal routine of work, family, household chores and all the other things we fill our time with. But stepping outside that routine can kickstart your creative juices.
Take out your calendar and pencil in a date with yourself. If you can manage it, take a full day or a whole evening, but even a long lunch is fine. You're going on a date with yourself.
Now, what to do? Plan your date just like you would with a friend or lover. Maybe you'd like to do something actively creative: strum your guitar, write a letter, take photos, make paper, sketch flowers. Or maybe you need some outside input: visit a museum, watch a movie, walk in the park, read a book. Or perhaps something indulgent is what you crave: put on a face mask, paint your toenails, sit in a bubble bath.
Whatever you choose, treat yourself nicely. Enjoy. Take note of what you're doing...drink in the details. What you put into your date will come back in your creative output later on.
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EXCERPT:
Make some time for yourself.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 05/07/2004 10:20:47 AM
I've tried that, the love hotel gets so lonely!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.98.65.135
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2004 11:48:49 AM
*still laughing* Ultra Bob Thank you for the laugh! :-))
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tattoo trouble
BASENAME: tattoo_trouble
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/08/2004 09:03:17 AM
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BODY:
For the very first time since having my skin colored at the Meeting of the Marked convention in 1993, my tattoo has caused me trouble.
On Thursday, I decided to get off my lazy butt and join the Tokyo Dome Fitness Club. I took the tour and was filling in the application when an employee came over and waved some sheets of paper at the woman who was helping me. A conversation ensued--the rules, look at her arm, we can't!
And I was turned away. "I'm very sorry, but our rules say no tattoos. And it's the rule, so I'm sorry. There's really no excuse but it's the rule. It's Japan, you know. Very sorry."
So I seek a more tolerant gym. Maybe I will be working out and swimming with the four-fingered crowd. That's OK by me, I just have to find them.
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EXCERPT:
Yes, I do look like a threat, don't I?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL:
IP: 64.180.216.51
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2004 10:08:08 AM
I think that the coolness factor over the last 10+ years far outstrips being turned away from a single workout place. It was one of the first things I remember noticing about you and definitely said, "She's cool."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.98.65.135
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2004 11:54:58 AM
Please could we have a picture of your tattoo? I havent seen it, and am thinking about getting one. :-) Wanted to do it Koh-Samui, but i chickened out, and Japan is still so weird about tattoos. But i am hoping one day i might just get up enough courage. Hopefully this summer in July when i will be in Geneva.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: chinaski
EMAIL:
IP: 200.47.14.2
URL: http://www.katarsis.rottenass.com
DATE: 05/08/2004 04:27:44 PM
mmm.... taboo? it's because the yakuza tradition? i'm a son of japanese -nisei-, living in Argentina, and i hope not to have any problems at all when visiting nihon. i've got one big tatoo on my back. :P
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dad
EMAIL:
IP: 64.12.116.78
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2004 08:05:19 PM
Hmmm...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.166.52.237
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/09/2004 12:49:05 AM
When I read the title of your post I thought, 'Oh no, she's got flaky skin or something." Glad you were just tossed out of the ink free skin club. :p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.175.10
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 05/09/2004 03:30:19 AM
Heh, I loved the end. I'll link to this entry from my blog, hope you don't mind. =)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/09/2004 10:56:33 AM
Gee that club is a bit of a throw back - especially now when it's become very fashionable for Japanese women in their 30's to get ink done. There is even a magazine devoted to it.
What is the most odd is that the rule doesn't really apply to gaijin women I've found. Remember the last gym we joined? They had that rule too but we were both fine.
Sounds like a club that you wouldn't have enjoyed belonging to anyway hon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 05/09/2004 11:41:06 AM
I hope you've not feeling residual bad vibes, I'm not sure if there's anything worse for self-esteem than being excluded/ejected from a venue by a bouncer/fashion executive on the grounds of being yourself.
Kirsty and I tried to get into a pub in Perth last year while she was pregnant, we were going to an upstairs dance gig. Bouncer at the first door told her she couldn't go in because she was wearing sandals.
She was so upset we almost went home, but after a while we tried the second entrance and got in with no trouble. But we've had bouncer fashion fascism fear ever since.
Anyway - stay proud of your tattoo :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/09/2004 06:04:26 PM
Even being turned away from the gym hasn't dampened my love of my skin art. My tattoo is part of me to the point that I hardly even notice it. Sometimes people will ask about it and I'll be momentarily startled. It's like someone asking about my fingers or nose.
I suppose if I had a big tattoo especially one in a traditional Japanese style like the yakuza have then I could see a certain reluctance and stiffness in the rules. But this is a Celtic pattern that circles my wrist, hardly threatening.
Oh, well. I'll explore the options. Somewhere there's going to be a gym nearby that will have me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: seth
EMAIL: seth@biginjapan.org
IP: 219.110.60.75
URL: http://www.biginjapan.org
DATE: 05/11/2004 02:07:24 AM
i've had friends with the most innocuous tiny butterflys and flowers turned away from onsen in tokyo.
but then, that's what ya get for going to an onsen in tokyo :)
/.s./
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.179.169.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 05/14/2004 05:32:40 AM
I felt a little strange going to one of the water-parks outside of Tokyo because I have a tattoo of a turtle on my ankle. I didn't have any trouble though... I hope you find a gym that doesn't have that silly rule.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jesse
EMAIL: longchelsea@aol.com
IP: 195.93.32.12
URL:
DATE: 07/03/2004 01:40:50 AM
hi, im thinking of tattooing yakuza style would this cause me problems abroad
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Brownies by Seth
BASENAME: brownies_by_seth
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 05/09/2004 09:41:42 PM
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BODY:
Seth's in my kitchen making brownies as I write this. He and Tod are discussing karate--I hear him talking about blocking, guarding, and leverage points--so I wonder how much brownie making is occurring. I am sure the conversation it is but a momentary distraction and I will soon smell the sweet scent of baking chocolate.
This is not the first Seth to bake brownies in my kitchen. (Hi, Seth & Tara!) And I hope it's not the last. Brownies by Seth are a special event. So to any stray Seths out there with brownie recipes, come on over and enjoy the facilities.
What a nice end to a slightly frustrating day working on a print ad project.
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EXCERPT:
Ah, chocolate goodness cooked by cute boys.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: seth
EMAIL: seth@biginjapan.org
IP: 219.110.60.75
URL: http://www.biginjapan.org
DATE: 05/11/2004 02:01:01 AM
blocking, guarding and leverage? jeez, we were talking of how to keep you from boggarting the choco before it all got into the flarging pan!
/.s./
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 64.180.216.51
URL:
DATE: 05/11/2004 08:31:57 AM
Yes, I think that Seth is right. Blocking and leveraging probably would be needed to keep you from the brownies before they baked. But, I have to admit, since I'm a fan of brownie dough, I probably wouldn't have kept you away for too long.
I'm glad to see the tradition is continuing!
Cheers,
The Original Seth
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On its way
BASENAME: on_its_way
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/10/2004 04:38:40 PM
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BODY:
We've shifted from the alternating cool and warm days of April to the alternating blue and grey skies of May.
Tsuyu, the rainy season, has already begun in Okinawa (about 10 days earlier than average) and though it won't officially start here until June, it's obviously on its way. The past few days have offered a preview--grey skies, sprinkling-then-pouring rain and dull heavy air.
It's good for the plants but not for my spirits. Even though I love rain, endless days of grey get to be a bit much.
Still, tsuyu beats summer. I'm already thinking ahead to August with a certain amount of dread. I want to escape the city to somewhere less miserable. A summer rental in the mountains or at the seaside...
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EXCERPT:
Rain followed by misery
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Two al fresco meals
BASENAME: two_al_fresco_meals
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/11/2004 05:44:25 PM
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BODY:
Mother Nature reads my weblog, apparently. She cleared the skies and brought us the warmest day of the year so far. (If summer were always like today--28 degrees and only slightly humid--I'd be a happy girl.)
This afternoon, we lunched in Hibiya Park under a wisteria arbor near one of the ponds and watched salarymen and pensioners interacting with the turtles. I brought muffaletta (check for the recipe on Thursday) and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, and a few cookies that a crow snatched from our picnic as we stood to look out over the pond. Sneaky crow.
This evening, we met Jim & Yuka at Canal Cafe in Iidabashi. It's a lovely spot on the outer moat of the Imperial Palace with a view across to the Chuo and Sobu line trains. There's a rather expensive restaurant and a more reasonably priced dock-side bar. We quaffed some wine and then walked up Kagurazaka to Sofra, a Turkish restaurant. The food is good, but overpriced and the service is awful. Thankfully, we missed the belly dancing. Sadly, there aren't a lot of options for Turkish food in Tokyo, so we'll probably go back.
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EXCERPT:
From rainy gloom to a celebration of food and sunshine.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 137.153.0.27
URL: http:///gen.kanai.net
DATE: 05/12/2004 09:48:42 AM
The strangest coincidence happened just now. I was reading your post about your Turkish restaurant issues and the very next post in my RSS reader was Sachiko's post about a different Turkish place in Takadanobaba. How strange is that!?!?
http://kesavinchi.typepad.com/kesavinchi_stripped/2004/05/mizukis_bday.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 05/12/2004 09:34:24 PM
I read Brownies by Seth, Kirsty had Notting Hill on, I went to see where she was up to - dinner party, saddest story wins the brownie. Starting to wonder whether tinker lives in Synchroni City.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Domains
BASENAME: domains
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 05/12/2004 09:48:28 PM
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BODY:
A friend commented the other night, "Ah, that'd be a good domain name" in the exact same tone I reserve for "That would be a great band name."
Whoa. What a paradigm shift.
When my brain stopped spinning, I paused to think about it and, of course, it makes sense in the present day and in a practical way, too. It sure is easier to register a domain than it is to get a band together or cut an album. I wonder how many domains will be based on precocious notions over gin and tonics.
On a related note, Tod's just renewed our domains, so mediatinker.com and zousan.com are secure for another five years. I identify a little too much with my domain name--mediatinker isn't just my website, it's my domain.
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EXCERPT:
What's in a name, anyway?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.3
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 05/12/2004 11:41:16 PM
I registered j-blog.com some time ago, on a passing whim of an idea that, indeed, passed. I was surprised that it was still available. Any suggestions?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.193
URL:
DATE: 05/13/2004 01:18:37 AM
I think it's the same tone I reserve for "That would be a great book title!"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/15/2004 06:32:42 AM
We always say "That's the title to my next chapbook!",
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Muffaletta
BASENAME: muffaletta
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/13/2004 08:19:12 AM
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BODY:
I'm not sure whether I prefer this sandwich or its name. It's a heaven combination of olive salad and luncheon meats on a big round bread--a Sicilian style sandwich from New Orleans. Someday I'll get to Central Grocery on Decatur Street to try the original but until then, here's how I make a muffaletta. It's best to start a day ahead with the olive salad, but not necessary.
Muffaletta
serves 4-6 depending on the bread
1 cup black olives, chopped
1 cup green olives, chopped
1 red pepper
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 loaf of round bread, Italian or "country" style
120 g (1/4 lb) or thereabouts:
mozzarella cheese
provolone cheese
mortadella
ham
salami
Using a fork as a skewer, roast the red pepper over a gas flame until the skin blackens. Allow to cool, then chop into 1/4 inch pieces. Combine the olives, roasted red pepper, garlic and a generous amount of olive oil. Allow to sit for at least a few hours, and preferably a full day.
Slice the loaf in half, and shallowly scoop out the top. Toast both halves lightly. Drizzle the bread with some of the oil from the olive salad, then arrange the cheeses on the bottom half and put back under the broiler to melt. On top of the melted cheese, layer the meats and then top with a mound of olive salad.
You can also make this with regular Italian bread or baguettes, but the round bread is so much more fun that I never do. Leftover olive salad is the perfect base for Kristen's Putanesca.
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EXCERPT:
New Orleans sandwich with olive salad
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.65
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/13/2004 09:16:46 AM
That's more like it! My normal mediatinker fix at my normal time. This waiting 'til 9 each night for a post. ;)
Sounds oishii ... except for the olive part
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.179.169.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 05/15/2004 03:19:28 AM
Wow, that muffaletta sounds yummy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Corky Wavehorn
EMAIL:
IP: 198.175.195.254
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2004 05:31:34 AM
Wow - a muffaletta that mimics the traditional roots in Southern Culture on the skids.
Happy day!
What a tool one can use at night to improve impropmtu bedside manner.
Cheers!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: PATRICIA CLARK
EMAIL: macmama77@rgv.rr.com
IP: 4.37.66.133
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2004 05:40:21 AM
I add artichokes, dry sherry, and parmesan cheese to my receipe. Let that sit in the frig. overnite! Man o man.. that has got to be the bomb! Oh, I use turkey in my sandwiches.. yum yum. My man loves them!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Neglected color
BASENAME: neglected_color
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/14/2004 10:57:20 AM
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BODY:
Look around you. What colors predominate in your environment? My furniture is light wood, chrome and black, accented with green and red, sitting in rooms with pale walls and carpets. How about your wardrobe? My clothes are mainly shades of pink, maroon, olive, brown and black.
And what colors are missing?
Blue is the least represented color in my life. I can count the number of blue items in my house that I've purchased: 8. Strange, really since it's the favorite color of most Americans and Europeans according to the fascinating book Blue: The History of a Color by Michel Pastoureau.
Blue is the color of calmness, repose and unity. Taking that a bit farther, Color Wheel Pro says light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness; dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.
According to an article about color used on websites, "[Blue] generates feelings of tranquility, love, acceptance, patience, understanding and cooperation. Its negative qualities if used inappropriately are fear, coldness, passivity and depression." Feng Shui theory says blue is energy on the decline.
So it seems you can make blue mean just about anything. There's a quite comprehensive lesson on color meanings if you're interested in learning more.
Today I'm going to experiment with blue. I can't paint the apartment, but I have stuck some colored paper on my bare windows and the wall near my desk. I changed the system colors on my computer (Wow, the Mac OS "blue" theme is so strongly colored!) I will try to find something blue in my closet. I think I have some blue nail polish for my toes.
Wonder what turn my creativity will take today? Calmer? Or colder?
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EXCERPT:
Blue is not much in my life. If I surround myself with it, what will change?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.192
URL:
DATE: 05/14/2004 04:20:46 PM
I tried to find "Chicago Blue" nail polish for my vacation but crapped out. I ended up with dichromatic purple/green, the most represented colors in my environment and my wardrobe. Synchroni City strikes again.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Hullo
EMAIL:
IP: 220.97.137.225
URL:
DATE: 05/14/2004 06:27:38 PM
Check this out!
http://insight.blogzine.jp
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 05/15/2004 05:57:06 AM
I have blue, green and red. Mostly blue and green.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Able
BASENAME: able
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/15/2004 11:57:09 AM
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BODY:
Yesterday as I sat on the stoop of a defunct shop, waiting to meet a friend, I heard a wild whoop coming from someone down the block.
A young man, slightly moon-faced and sporting a fringe of mustache, tottered along the street in a lime green t-shirt. He moved jerkily, the weight of his bent body pulling him along from step to step. His fist pumped the air and he brayed with joy. An attendant hovered close, arm extended for support or in case of a tumble.
I looked away, embarrassed by my curiosity and a little ashamed for being fully-functional. But as they passed by, I peeked again. His lopsided gait was explained by his braced shoes: feet in opposition and one ankle turned inward.
He was excited to be walking. I tracked forward with my eyes to see a wheelchair waiting for him 50 meters further on. As he approached it, his hoots became a happy wordless keening.
He dropped into the chair, grinning and accepting the congratulations and praise of his orderlies. I caught his eye and we exchanged broad smiles as he was turned and wheeled away.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Japan has a lot of Downs and disabled youth, but they are usually hidden away.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@spymac.com
IP: 165.76.54.30
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 05/15/2004 10:38:35 PM
Ahhhh, I fondly remember my sweating first steps....
I managed to cop a feel off my physical therapist while falling back into my wheelchair. WOT! First steps and first score.
Years later as I learned this an intentional motivation technique in rehab. D'oh.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@spymac.com
IP: 165.76.54.30
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 05/15/2004 10:45:38 PM
Ahhhh, I fondly remember my sweating first steps....
I managed to cop a feel off my physical therapist while falling back into my wheelchair. WOT! First steps and first score.
Years later as I learned this an intentional motivation technique in rehab. D'oh.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pocket Bikes
EMAIL: John@burningcar.com
IP: 66.214.173.40
URL: http://www.burningcar.net
DATE: 06/16/2004 03:52:43 PM
The best place to find gas scooters, electric scooters, pocket bikes, powerkarts and more! ... Electric Scooter - Gas Scooter - Pocket Bike.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mist
BASENAME: mist
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/16/2004 09:01:51 PM
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BODY:
When the rain is so fine that it's more a mist than drops, should you carry an umbrella?
I didn't. The walk home from the station was like being in a room with a vaporiser. My skin is moist and supple but my hair is frizzy beyond belief.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Just a fine, fine rain.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.188
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/17/2004 09:09:16 AM
It's a Japanese thinking, but you should always take your umbrella when you go out in this season. "If your hair gets wet, you must catch a cold" -- My mother used to tell me that always, and I always tell that to my kids.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 05/17/2004 01:26:35 PM
It is like walking through a mist of Chanel.. scent is slightly different of course, but the feeling is the same. I don't carry an umbrella either.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hanging
BASENAME: hanging
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/17/2004 11:47:32 AM
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BODY:
"Synchronicity" at FUJIMAMAS
New works by the RBR artists
May 17 - June 16, 2004
I've just returned from hanging my prints at Fujimamas. There are dozens of pieces by 20 different artists. They represent quite a range of styles, media, and talent.
This morning restaurant was abuzz with people sharing hammers, explaining how to slide the hooks up and down, and waiting for Lauren, the curator, to decide what went where. I think Lauren had a challenge on her hands--so many sizes and styles--not quite enough walls.
My prints are hanging upstairs. Two are paired in a curving corner in the private party space and one is in the hall near the toilet.
In amongst the hammering and questions were lots of over-blown ohs and ahs. The effusive praise these artists give one another sometimes seems fake. "Oooooooooo, these are BEAUTUIFUL!!" "I really LOVE your WORK!!" "Look how CUTE with all these colors!!"
I offered up a few "I like this one a lot" and "Your painting looks great in this space" but I couldn't bring myself to coo or exclaim. Should you happen to go to Fujimamas this month and catch a glimpse of my engravings, no praise required.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
The exhibit is open.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.193
URL:
DATE: 05/18/2004 07:41:25 AM
Hmmm, I've seen the one on the left many times and it's quite soothing. Go to Fujimama's and see for yourself.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.188
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/18/2004 09:01:20 AM
I have to bo to Fusimamas!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Once around the palace
BASENAME: once_around_the_palace
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/18/2004 04:27:13 PM
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BODY:
I had a hankering for a very long walk today. It's been a while since I've gone out walking and my legs itched for a stretch. The day is grey and chilly--a nice contrast to yesterday's sticky humidity.
So after a bit of sushi in Kanda, I walked around the palace and then to home. It was a good two hour hike including a detour through Hibiya Park--about 8 km. I walked my 10,000 steps and then some today.
In a few minutes I'll be packing up my laptop, grabbing an umbrella (the grey sky has opened up to rain) and walking for another 2.5 km/45 minutes to Ochanomizu to sit in my favorite cafe and write for a while. Then dinner and a walk home.
I'll be very tired tomorrow.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A long walk entirely inside Chiyoda-ku
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/18/2004 07:49:28 PM
I've been walking a lot lately, now that we have a dog. Lots of walks around the neighborhood - at least two good walks a day! It does feel good, and I've been enjoying watching the neighbors work in their yards.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 05/18/2004 11:47:48 PM
I've been walking a lot too - though now the season has changed it's harder to plop Ri in his sling and send him to sleep with a 30 minute walk around the block.
Instead, it's usually 30 minutes in one spot, or sometimes in a circle, singing:
Riley-Ptiley, Riley-Ptiley
Funny little fellow who's always smiley
Riley-Ptiley, Riley-Ptiley
Riley I love you.
Repeat, rpt, rpt. I want a sticker that says I love my sling!, I want to always remember the colours that come in through the front window at night, I want to remember everything about walking-Ri-asleep time when it's time-for-chasing-Ri.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 05/19/2004 11:25:39 AM
The palace also has a great path for rollerbladers.
Although blading around my village with my string bag buying fruit and vegies for the week amuses the shopkeepers and village dwellers no end.. :) who am I to deprive my Japanese neighbours a little giggle every now and then. but they won't let me in the supermarket with my blades anymore.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: cafe lizard
EMAIL:
IP: 213.122.162.125
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2004 09:37:55 PM
What is your favourite cafe in Ochanomizu? And why?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Owari
BASENAME: owari
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/19/2004 02:41:47 PM
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BODY:
I bit the bullet, swallowed my guilt and shame, and quit my Japanese class. Last week's lesson had me near tears; I just wasn't getting the finer points of wake. Why put myself through that any longer?
So I wrote a note to Oyama sensei, explaining that I needed to take a break and maybe after a while I'd be able to to return to language study with a fresh enthusiasm (not bloody likely, really).
And this morning I got this reply (translated from her Japanese original, of course)
Dear Kristen. I received your mail. I'm very sad and it's such a shame but it can't be helped. Take a little break.
Thanks, Oyama sensei. For all your good instruction and for being so understanding.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
No more Japanese lessons
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kaeng
EMAIL:
IP: 213.39.152.131
URL: http://www.kaeng.org/
DATE: 05/20/2004 04:49:08 AM
Since I quit asian studies I try to avoid Miyazaki sensei. I tend to sit things out, which often leads to another person I have to avoid. -_-
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Curry lamb marinade
BASENAME: curry_lamb_marinade
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/20/2004 02:31:39 PM
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BODY:
This marinade is heavenly for grilled lamb chops. It's mild but flavorful and not at all heavy-handed.
Curry lamb marinade
3 lemons, juiced
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp tumeric
2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp fresh parsely, minced
Combine ingredients and marinate lamb for at least 2 hours.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Another marinade for grilling
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/21/2004 04:06:01 AM
Mary had a little lamb
marinated with a curry
even though it sat two hours
she ate it in a hurry!
Mary had a little lamb
with garlic and some salt
she gave up on minty jelly
her tongue it did assault.
I can't stop! :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.46
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/21/2004 08:12:00 AM
Sounds fun!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Katie Mundle
EMAIL:
IP: 67.127.56.128
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2004 05:00:15 PM
Tongue Assaulting? Sounds really fun :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Approaches
BASENAME: approaches
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/21/2004 09:18:42 AM
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BODY:
"Attack life. When you drink a beer, drink the hell out of it," UltraBob suggested the other day. And that got me thinking.
How do you approach life? Do you go slowly, savoring all the details? Do you rush through activities to get to the next thing? Do you hang back from participating, preferring to critique everyone else? Do you jump in with gusto and enthusiasm? Glide through with style and grace? What other ways are there to live?
I think that most of us vary our approach depending on the situation. But what if you tried to live your life all one way? How would things turn out? Let's take an evening at home and run it through a few different ways:
Savor - You stash away your bag and coat and run a hand across the empty hangers to hear them jangle together. You stroke the dog gently, noting the silkiness of her ears and the rough patch of hair at the base of the tail. At the table, you contemplate every bite, compare flavors and pair wines to courses. Dinner lasts three hours.
Rush - You drop your bag and coat on the floor and put something in the microwave to cook. Dinner is on the table ten minutes after you arrive home. There is no way to shovel the food in fast enough and it's all swallowed without chewing. Then the TV is on and you're comatose.
Critique - After noticing that the closet needs to be rearranged you stand in the kitchen and offer advice while someone else cooks. The dog whines at the back door, eager to go for a walk and you complain that someone should have walked him earlier, but you don't take him out yourself. When dinner is served, you eat little more than a small taste, then suggest improvements.
Play - You wad your coat into a ball and toss it into the closet for two points. You race the dog around the house and tickle everyone you meet along the way. During dinner, your prawns dive into your water glass, you sculpt with fruit and fold your napkin into a hat.
Attack - You drop your bags and coat on the floor and embrace everyone in the house. You play with the dog until the stick you've been wailing across the yard breaks a neighbor's window. At dinner, table manners are cast aside so that food can be eaten with the utmost enthusiasm. "Hand to mouth" takes a new meaning. You drink the hell out of your beer.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
How do you approach life?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraMom
EMAIL:
IP: 12.23.71.171
URL:
DATE: 05/21/2004 09:54:45 AM
Uh oh. Is that the way UltraBob behaves when he comes to your house? Goodness!
I have a new one:
Procrastinator:
Come home and head straight to the computer, hoping someone commented on your new post.They didn't, and too tired to move, you play Spider Solitaire for the next half hour. Peruse the mail and phone messages. Try to remember to nag UltraDad to return his calls. If you don't, he won't. Dinner depends on if UDad is home or not: if not, eat whatever comes to hand. Suddenly its about 10 pm and I remember all those things I just GOTTA get done tonight. Posting may or may not be one of them, depending on the mood and urgency of other stuff. Stay up til after midnight and drop into bed exhausted.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Noreen
EMAIL:
IP: 219.108.9.115
URL: http://www.lifelessmatter.com
DATE: 05/21/2004 10:25:12 AM
I'm more the 'Savor' type, which may be a reason why I rarely complete tasks in time.
What about you?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 05/21/2004 11:35:18 AM
How about Multiple Personality type (kinda like me) where you switch between all of these at random. I never know what type of mood I am going to be in.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.192
URL:
DATE: 05/21/2004 05:24:06 PM
I can't decide if I'm a playful savorer or a savory player.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Self Portrait in dress
BASENAME: self_portrait_in_dress
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/22/2004 08:59:31 AM
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BODY:
My favorite photos of myself are the blurry ones. I made this dress I wore last night and was trying to document it. I didn't manage a good image of the dress, but this shot captured the colors.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A blurry me in a dress I made myself.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.7
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 05/22/2004 12:40:20 PM
You looked *fantastic* in it, too!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/22/2004 12:45:26 PM
You're too kind. (But I felt fantastic in it, truly.)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/22/2004 08:29:59 PM
Beautiful photo and dress and person in it.
Wish I could sew! I love the colors of the fabric you chose.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 05/23/2004 12:13:29 PM
Stunning!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dad
EMAIL:
IP: 205.188.116.76
URL:
DATE: 05/23/2004 09:08:28 PM
Fuzzy becomes more important with age. you don't need it yet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2004 06:47:11 PM
Beautiful! And an excellent way to use kimono fabric! Any chance i could i borrow the pattern? We should check out each other's patterns one of these sewing sundays!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Robert Canaga
EMAIL: rcg@robertcanagagallery.com
IP: 67.168.202.15
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2004 04:37:15 PM
Hi, Saw your self portraits. Would love to have a couple or three for my self portrait site.I give a link back to you. No fee or cost, just fun. Take a look and please send some.
Thanks
Robert
http://robertcanagagallery.com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The scent of freesia
BASENAME: the_scent_of_freesia
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/23/2004 01:13:17 PM
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BODY:
Tod treated me to a lovely bouquet of white flowers studded with smoke grass. The two stems of freesia scent the entire office with a citrus-sweet green tea aroma. Heavenly.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Pretty flowers with a superior scent
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 05/23/2004 08:19:58 PM
Oh! How beautiful. What a nice surprise too.
Today is flower day at church. We're supposed to bring flowers to share, and since peonies and daisies and bleeding hearts are in bloom in the garden, that's what we're taking.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Watch me walk
BASENAME: watch_me_walk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 05/24/2004 11:18:13 PM
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BODY:
I walked to Shinjuku to buy a book and brought my video camera along for the first time in quite a while. I condensed 90 minutes of travel into a 2 minute short. Not my most inspired work ever, but there are a few interesting things to see along the way and a personal note from me...
Kasuga to Shinjuku 2'05" (13.2 MB MP4)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Here's a new video short shot on a 6 km walk to Shinjuku this afternoon.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.92.127
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2004 03:45:27 PM
nice movie, but your voice in the intro is almost inaudibel.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/27/2004 08:10:20 AM
Yeah, my bad. The built-in mic on the camera has been slowly getting worse and I didn't attach another one.I didn't realise til editing that it was as broken as it is. I boosted the audio as much as I could, but it wasn't enough.
I'm saying something like "OK, we're going for a walk. If I'm going to call myself a filmmaker, I'd better be making some films..."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/28/2004 01:02:42 PM
Then she speaks at length about the evils of lite beer just before getting into a shouting match with someone off camera and then taking a few steps losing her balance and careening into a bunch of trash cans lined up on the side of the street.
... bet you guys wish you had the uncensored version too ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ex-pat wife
BASENAME: ex-pat_wife
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/25/2004 10:07:46 PM
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BODY:
Cutting through a park in the high-tone gaijin ghetto a few weeks back, I saw a lot of slim, blonde, tanned ladies pushing strollers. I shuddered and quietly exclaimed to my friend, "Ugh, the ex-pat wives!"
For my cattiness, I received a significant look and I realised that I'm an ex-pat wife, too. I don't think of myself as one, but my husband's job brought us here. I don't work (not so much that I could pay any significant bills, anyway). We have an apartment with an oven. I take art classes during the day. I often meet friends for lunch.
Cripes, I'm a lady who lunches!
THE LADIES WHO LUNCH
--Stephen Sondheim
(spoken) I'd like to propose a toast.
Here's to the ladies who lunch--
Everybody laugh.
Lounging in their caftans
And planning a brunch
On their own behalf.
Off to the gym,
Then to a fitting,
Claiming they're fat.
And looking grim,
'Cause they've been sitting
Choosing a hat.
Does anyone still wear a hat?
I'll drink to that.
And here's to the girls who play smart--
Aren't they a gas?
Rushing to their classes
In optical art,
Wishing it would pass.
Another long exhausting day,
Another thousand dollars,
A matinee, a Pinter play,
Perhaps a piece of Mahler's.
I'll drink to that.
And one for Mahler!
And here's to the girls who play wife--
Aren't they too much?
Keeping house but clutching
A copy of "Life"
Just to keep in touch.
The ones who follow the rules,
And meet themselves at the schools,
Too busy to know that they're fools.
Aren't they a gem?
I'll drink to them!
Let us all drink to them!
And here's to the girls who just watch--
Aren't they the best?
When they get depressed,
It's a bottle of Scotch,
Plus a little jest.
Another chance to disapprove,
Another brilliant zinger,
Another reason not to move,
Another vodka stinger.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
I'll drink to that.
So here's to the girls on the go--
Everybody tries.
Look into their eyes,
And you'll see what they know:
Everybody dies.
A toast to that invincible bunch,
The dinosaurs surviving the crunch.
Let's hear it for the ladies who lunch--
Everybody rise!
Rise!
Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise!
Rise!
Lucky me.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I don't want to be an ex-pat wife but indications seem to be...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 205.188.116.76
URL:
DATE: 05/26/2004 03:12:00 AM
You just gotta' love that Sondheim! I think we're doing "Sweeney Todd" next season. Hooray!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/27/2004 08:07:09 AM
Sweeney Todd is a favorite. I guess you'll be hunting up some barber chairs...maybe they'll decide to set it in the late 50s/early 60s and have a field day with the hairstyles. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2004 02:56:09 PM
Having just recently been out to lunch with a gaggle of expat wives, I would have to say in all honesty, that the differnence between an expat and a non-expat is entirely a matter of attitude, not circumstance. There were women there who were mothers, who had been involuntarily (tho not entirely reluctantly) posted here, and they STILL werent "expat wives". And then there was a whole bunch who, in very stark relief, WERE. You can accuse me of cluching at straws, but I swear, expat is a state of mind.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Flowergirl
BASENAME: flowergirl
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/26/2004 08:25:04 AM
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BODY:
From my mother:
"Do you remember the dress you wore in your uncle's wedding? Well, I kept that thing for 32 years for reasons unknown and about 6 months ago during a purge of things material sent it off to the thrift store. Yesterday as I walked by the window of that thrift store, this is what greeted me."
Oh, lovely. The little flowers on the polyester gauze overdress are flocked like wallpaper. I wonder what the bridesmaids wore?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Why are bridesmaid dresses so very ugly?
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chevre-stuffed chicken with macadamias
BASENAME: chevre-stuffed_chicken_with_macadamias
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/27/2004 05:26:34 AM
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BODY:
We invented this the other night to cheer up an ailing friend. It's a bit more complicated that my usually dash-things-together style, but it's not at all difficult. Just take everything in stages.
We served this to five people after a hearty round of cheese and crackers and a pasta course, so two chicken breasts were plenty. We followed up with bread and salad and some fruit. I waddled home with a happy tummy.
Chevre-stuffed Chicken with Macadamias
serves 4-5
1 medium white onion, minced
5 plum/roma tomatoes, seeded and small diced
1/2 yellow pepper, minced
1 large bunch fresh basil, chopped
100 gr chevre (goat cheese)
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
splash Basalmic vinegar
2 skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup white wine
water
flour
olive oil
salt & pepper
Saute the minced onion, yellow pepper and tomato in a little olive oil until soft. Season with salt & pepper, spread on a serving platter, and set aside.
Mash the chevre and basil together. Pepper to taste.
Blanch the macadamias, then chop them into large bits. In a small pan, toast until they turn golden, the splash in some balsamic vinegar and cook for 30 second. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cut a pocket into the center of each chicken breast, starting at the wide thick end and cutting towards the pointy end. Be careful not to cut through--only one hole is required.
Stuff the pocket with the chevre mixture. Use your fingers and tuck it in firmly, pushing it away from the opening. The cheese will melt as the chicken cooks, so you want to give it some room in there.
Dredge the chicken in flour. Saute in olive oil until the chicken is browned. Splash in the wine and allow the pan to settle, then add some water and cover the frying pan to steam the chicken. Depending on the thickness of the breast, this will take about 5-10 minutes. It's fine to lift the lid and check the progress by poking the chicken with your finger.
When the chicken feels done, remove the chicken from the pan. Slice the chicken into rounds to display the cheese and serve on top of the sauteed vegetables. Garnish with the macadamias.
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EXCERPT:
Quite a surprising combination.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/27/2004 11:29:29 AM
*is ailing!!!*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Articulation
BASENAME: articulation
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/28/2004 08:16:04 AM
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BODY:
I've caught myself sending quite a few e-mails recently with writing full of trite and meaningless phrases. Most of them are "bread and butter" thank you notes which aren't really intended to be masterpieces of writing, but "I had a great time; let's get together again soon," may be the epitome of lazy writing.
What was great? Why do I want to get together again?
A few moments of critical thought always produce an answer. I pick out a detail of the event and make that the focus of my writing.
Saturday's barbecue was terrific. You are a master of the grill. Thanks for showing me the trick with the spray bottle--very clever! I hope you'll share your recipe for the lamb marinade, too. The combination of garlic and lavender was a delicious surprise. Hope we can get together for another barbecue soon--my place at the end of the month, maybe?
While it's still not prize-winning prose, it's an improvement over the original.
This technique works with holiday postcards, too. I delight in writing them. Give me a sunny beach, a few fruity drinks and a stack of picture postcards and I'll compose the full story of my day, written out in five sentence chunks. Everyone gets a different glimpse into what I'm experiencing and I don't get bored writing the same things over and over.
Dear M,
All the hotels along the beach offer guests sun robes and beach towels. Each hotel has a different color and design (our hotel towels are navy blue with white fish). While most of the guests stick close to the strip of beach near their own hotel, a few brave souls cross the invisible lines to sit on beaches filled with people in other robes. It's seaside integration!
Love, K
Dear J,
We snagged a beach cabana this morning after breakfast and have been enjoying a steady stream of pina coladas and mai tais delivered by a sun-kissed god with a gorgeous smile and no shirt. I'm not sure it's safe to swim when you're tipsy at 11 am, but I will have a careful dip in the ocean to cool myself off and build up an appetite for lunch. What decadence!
Love, K
Sure beats "Having a great time, wish you were here."
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EXCERPT:
Finding a better way to write.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.197.144
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 05/28/2004 12:48:11 PM
Did someone say postcards? This gives me a good opportunity to find the old postcards, circa 1910-30 which I bought at a farm market last year again, and finally scan/transcribe them. My favourite phrase from them, from memory, "It has been bathing-suit weather today."
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ume shu
BASENAME: ume_shu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 05/29/2004 11:07:39 PM
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BODY:
February's plums are yielding fruit now, so Tracey & I spent the afternoon making ume-shu. Check tomorrow for a how-to video and a recipe.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
OK, kinda lame, but more info tomorrow
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve
EMAIL: steve@sasane.com
IP: 61.208.194.114
URL: http://www.sasane.com/blog
DATE: 05/30/2004 12:05:36 AM
How about Ume Juice? As much as I love Ume Shu, I make and drink much more Ume Juice each year.
Quick recipe...
substitute vinegar for the Shouchu.
Thats it.
Here are my photos of making Ume Juice last year...
http://www.sasane.com/gallery/Ume-Juice
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: iM
EMAIL: derek@somethingfromjapan.com
IP: 165.76.163.163
URL: http://www.somethingfromjapan.com/dereksworld/index.php
DATE: 05/30/2004 07:12:39 AM
I love Ume Shu. /me waits for invitation.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 05/30/2004 11:15:27 AM
Oh...my favorite. My husband's summer drink is Pimm's, but mine is umeshu. I have a recipe for it too...but bags of little green plums (apricots, actually isn't it) aren't available here (Austin, TX). Looking forward to seeing how yours turns out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.27
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 05/31/2004 09:23:00 AM
Dear Steave
I also make Ume-juice. 2k plumes and 1.2k brown suger(hunny, or suger, or block suger, anything is OK). That's it. I'm going to get plums today my friend sent. I'll make it tonight, and we have to wait for 1 month until we will be able to drink it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tutu helped us
BASENAME: tutu_helped_us
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 05/30/2004 06:58:44 PM
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BODY:
The ume shu video is taking longer than I expected, but to tide you over, here's a set of out-takes featuring Tracey's cat, Tutu.
Tutu 0'33" (3.4 MB MP4)
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EXCERPT:
She's not scratching us.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/30/2004 10:41:13 PM
Tutu - she is a ratbag but we do love her...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2004 10:43:04 AM
Ratbag just like her mum.. but I spent the day with her yesterday and she was very mellow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew
EMAIL:
IP: 218.145.25.44
URL: http://www.wheresdrew.com
DATE: 05/31/2004 06:09:08 PM
Her mum is not a ratbag. (Nor is she psychotic like TuTu.)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2004 08:34:27 PM
To Drew... maybe she just has it in for you?? ;-) nah.. she's psychotic..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Chris Hester
EMAIL: me@hesterc.fsnet.co.uk
IP: 81.77.49.233
URL: http://www.designdetector.com
DATE: 06/02/2004 05:34:40 AM
This really made my day! Tutu is great! She deserves her own video!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Let's Make Ume Shu
BASENAME: lets_make_ume_shu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 05/31/2004 05:29:25 PM
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BODY:
Let's Make Ume Shu 4'38" (28.7 MB MP4)
...starring Tracey Northcott as the barkeep...
As promised, here's a how to video with everything you need to know to make ume shu (Japanese plum wine). Learn how to choose plums, wash and dry them, sterilse the bottles, layer the fruit with sugar and fill. It's surprisingly easy.
For your shopping and kitchen convenience, here's a recipe to print out.
Ume Shu
1 kg green ume (Japanese plums)
1 kg rock sugar
1.8 liters white liquor (35% alcohol)
Sterilise a 4 liter glass jar by filling it with boiling water, rinsing and drying carefully. Wash the ume, culling any fruit with bruises or broken skins. Dry the ume and remove the waxy bit in the stem end. Dry the fruit again. Layer ume and sugar in the jar, pour in the liquor. Seal tightly. Upend theh jar once a month until the sugar is completely dissolved. The ume shu is drinkable after 6 months, and fully mature at the end of a year.
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EXCERPT:
Japanese plum wine recipe
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2004 06:08:18 PM
great film Kristen.. Sorry your narrator wasn't more experienced or prepared..
Tracey
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 221.189.175.12
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 05/31/2004 06:31:14 PM
Oh - wait...
"Ume" means "Plum"??!!?
I thought it meant "Sea Urchin".
No wonder mine came out tasting weird...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2004 07:15:02 PM
I think my narrator was superb--her delivery is very natural and friendly. And she was so accommodating on short notice!
(Jim, try pickled uni mashed together with avocado and lots of lemon. It's a surprisingly tasty guacamole!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2004 08:32:06 PM
Forgot to mention... after the ume shu is ready to drink, only use plastic or wooden materials to fish out the plums.. metal objects just don't work.
The plums on their own are great over ice-cream... or will give your fruit salads some zing...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: カレン
EMAIL:
IP: 64.175.236.165
URL: http://www.yomihoudai.com
DATE: 06/01/2004 05:44:06 AM
Good job! I have always enjoyed reading your blog and watching your real-life videos. This one is very informational and came just-in-time for my posting on Japanese wines. Keep up the good work!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 24.193.221.45
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 06/01/2004 12:10:37 PM
great video! if only it was that easy to run down to the store in NYC and pick up those ingredients. i love plum wine.. mmm. tasty.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 06/01/2004 12:43:51 PM
We had lots of approving looks from middle aged Japanese ladies at the supermarket as we were putting the ingredients into my big string shopping bag (no plastic bags!!)
Making traditional Japanese Ume-shu during the correct season is steeped in history and I guess these ladies were pleased to see two non-japanese looking girls keeping the tradition alive.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 06/01/2004 02:47:54 PM
we have to wait a WHOLE year to drink it???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 61.116.55.38
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2004 12:52:34 AM
Excellent! Ive been waiting for that lesson for ages!
(MJ! Patience is a virtue!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 24.67.253.203
URL:
DATE: 06/30/2004 07:51:16 AM
Kirsten,
Great umeshu recipe, I read it at home in Kelowna, just before going out to pick the fruit of the prunus mume that my Mum planted for me when I was living in Japan between 1997-2002.
We always made umeshu in Japan and its value as establishing your henna gaijin credentials was equal to its value as a refreshment. We used to make a couple of batches with 35% alcohol and we would vary the sugar from 500g to 1kg per batch and then select a sweet or drier umeshu depending on the occassion.
Keep up the good work!
David
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: David
EMAIL: davidpatwalker@shaw.ca
IP: 24.67.253.203
URL:
DATE: 06/30/2004 07:52:47 AM
Kirsten,
Great umeshu recipe, I read it at home in Kelowna, just before going out to pick the fruit of the prunus mume that my Mum planted for me when I was living in Japan between 1997-2002.
We always made umeshu in Japan and its value as establishing henna gaijin credentials was equal to its value as a refreshment. We used to make a couple of batches with 35% alcohol and we would vary the sugar from 500g to 1kg per batch and then select a sweet or drier umeshu depending on the occassion.
Keep up the good work!
David
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Where're my books?
BASENAME: wherere_my_books
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 06/01/2004 06:45:33 AM
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BODY:
I loan out books to everyone. With a few exceptions, I don't expect to get them back.
But over the last couple of months, every time I've gone to look for a specific one to loan, it's already gone. Tod asked last night "Do you know what happened to His Dark Materials?" Someone is enjoying it, I imagine, but I have no idea who it might be.
So now I'd like to figure out who has what, so I can engineer trades to get the books into different hands. It's like solving word problems. "If Friend A in Meguro wants to read book X which is currently held by Friend B in Kanagawa, how long will it take to get book X to Friend A?"
Do you have any books I loaned you? Which ones? Leave me a comment or drop me a mail...
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EXCERPT:
I can't find the books
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.197.144
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 06/01/2004 12:32:26 PM
I don't have any of your books, but I know the feeling of loaning (giving). At the moment though, I'm on a give-away-a-book spree, I can't get rid of them quick enough. I've been a hoarder for so long, and I'm keeping a selection, but I look at my books now and can only think of moving them again.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 06/01/2004 02:44:53 PM
I have two that you wanted back when I finished reading that I haven't read yet, but I don't remember the names. They have very bright colored covers. I also have Tod's Mastering Regular Expressions book. Also I am working on a Japan Book exchange service (in the planning stages now) to help people accomplish exactly what you are trying to accomplish fairly automatically. If anyone cares to lend expertise, advice, or comments on this project feel free to contact me. (The contact form on my site will do just dandy if you don't know my e-mail address)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 06/01/2004 02:49:53 PM
I have half your library. Bring the truck round.
I know that I have your javascript guide, the Philip Pullman series and a few others.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2004 01:28:49 PM
I thought I'd seen this in your blog already but maybe not. Have you heard of http://bookcrossing.com/ ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.98.24.107
URL: http://insight.blogzine.jp
DATE: 06/02/2004 04:10:57 PM
I love books, and lend them without the hope of ever seeing them again. But i dont borrow books unless they are from a library. I have been meaning to change that habit and never got around to it. May i start with you? :-))
If you have any books on biographies, may i borrow from you?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 61.116.54.163
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2004 10:51:53 PM
I may have some of your books... I borrow from mj sometimes yours are in there, but im not sure... I always write my name and the year purchased in my books, not sure exactly why i write the year, but i always bought second hand books in Oz and i loved adding my name to the list of previous hands the book had been in.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Monaco
EMAIL: dfasdteisdfi@esdfsdfer.com
IP: 148.244.150.58
URL: http://sporting.lowcost.us.com/list_3485321/Sports_Categories_Fan_Shop_International_Soccer_Leagues_International_Soccer_Teams_French_Ligue_1_Monaco.php
DATE: 10/07/2004 06:53:13 PM
Monaco http://sporting.lowcost.us.com/list_3485321/Sports_Categories_Fan_Shop_International_Soccer_Leagues_International_Soccer_Teams_French_Ligue_1_Monaco.php
Montpellier http://sporting.lowcost.us.com/list_3485331/Sports_Categories_Fan_Shop_International_Soccer_Leagues_International_Soccer_Teams_French_Ligue_1_Montpellier.php
Nantes http://sporting.lowcost.us.com/list_3485341/Sports_Categories_Fan_Shop_International_Soccer_Leagues_International_Soccer_Teams_French_Ligue_1_Nantes.php
Nice http://sporting.lowcost.us.com/list_3485351/Sports_Categories_Fan_Shop_International_Soccer_Leagues_International_Soccer_Teams_French_Ligue_1_Nice.php
Other Teams http://sporting.lowcost.us.com/list_3485421/Sports_Categories_Fan_Shop_International_Soccer_Leagues_International_Soccer_Teams_French_Ligue_1_Other_Teams.php
PSG http://sporting.lowcost.us.com/list_3485361/Sports_Categories_Fan_Shop_International_Soccer_Leagues_International_Soccer_Teams_French_Ligue_1_PSG.php
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Community pool
BASENAME: community_pool
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/02/2004 08:44:46 AM
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BODY:
I've found a place to swim and it's practically in my backyard. (If my backyard was as big as a 20 minute walk, anyway). The Bunkyo Sports Center near Myogadani station is where I'll be taking my exercise. They don't mind if I have a tattoo and it's pay as you go--450 yen/swim. I think there's a monthly pass as well.
Swimming is one of my favorite athletic endeavors. I learned when I was 11 or 12 and took to it like a fish to water. By the time I was 15, I was a lifeguard. My school didn't have a swim team, so I never became competitive. I just spent my summers swimming laps.
But that was twenty years ago and I haven't done too much swimming since. I have to get myself back into form. There's a lot to re-learn and my body has changed over the years.
I swam for a brief 20 minutes on Monday evening and wrenched my shoulder trying to breathe on the left instead of the right. But it feels OK today, so I'm going back this morning to try for a slower, longer workout. And I'll stick to breathing on the right today.
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EXCERPT:
Lap, lap, lap
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Garlic Tonic
BASENAME: garlic_tonic
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/03/2004 08:57:24 AM
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BODY:
On the same day Tracey & I made ume shu, we also put together a batch ninniku shu--garlic tonic. It will be ready at the end of October, just in time to ward off chills, strengthen our blood, test on my visiting mother and mother-in-law, and all the other healthful benefits it's said to bring. Really it was just too unusual (and tasty sounding) a combination of flavors not to try it!
Ninniku Shu
500 gr garlic
50 leaves shiso
4 lemons
60 gr white sesame seeds
80 grams fresh ginger root
1 cup honey
1.8 litres white liquor (35% alcohol)
Peel the garlic and trim off the ends. Steam for about 5 minutes. Rinse the shiso leaves. Slice the ginger root. Peel the lemons and slice into 2 or 3 pieces. Put all the ingredients into a 4 litre jar, and cover with the white liquor. Store in a cool dark place for about 5 months. Drink straight.
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EXCERPT:
It was too strange not to try.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 64.12.116.66
URL:
DATE: 06/03/2004 08:25:37 AM
I certainly am in need of stronger blood and no chills. Sounds like something you pour over pasta, tho.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 06/03/2004 11:07:16 AM
Ooh, I'm gonna try that!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: james@consumptive.org
IP: 210.20.72.239
URL:
DATE: 06/03/2004 01:13:49 PM
is that blue or red shiso? i assume blue. yes?
this sounds really powerful. maybe i mix this up today....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 10/29/2004 12:23:27 AM
Tracey and I cracked open the tonic today. It's quite good. Garlicky on the back palate, with distinct shiso, sesame and honey sweetness at the front of the mouth. A littel goes a long way, but it's wonderful. I anticipate a cold-free winter.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Change of focus
BASENAME: change_of_focus
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/04/2004 11:37:23 AM
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BODY:
I've been floundering. I can't seem to get anything finished. None of my projects are going where I want them to. There are lots of hurdles and blocks-- some are of my own making, others not. It's rather frustrating.
My frustration morphs into a series of bad feelings, irritable moods and depressed thoughts including all of the time-honored artistic temperament classics: Do I have any talent or skill whatsoever? Any original ideas? Why am I doing this stuff anyway? What's the point? How can I possibly think my work is any good? Mr. XYZ is better at this than me, so why should I try? Wouldn't I be better off with a "real" job pointlessly shuffling papers somewhere?
So my daunting digital pile of uncompleted work sits untouched. And so do my physical piles. Nothing's getting done at all, even my normally tidy house is adrift in dust. The lack of progress aggravates the bad feelings, further preventing me from getting anything done. A vicious cycle.
But it's breakable. This morning, I decided to look at the situation from a different angle:
I have accomplished a great deal. The unfinished projects are avenues for continuation and growth. Books, stories and screenplays started. Art underway. Footage shot but unedited. There's effort behind it; look at how far I got. No reason to stop now. Let me add more to what I've already done and see how much farther it goes.
I think this is the secret to happiness in many aspects of life, not just creativity. People who focus on what they want but don't have--whether it's consumer goods, love, fame, creativity or something else--are rarely happy.
My glass is not half empty. It's half full.
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EXCERPT:
Focus on what you have, not what you lack.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 06/04/2004 12:02:08 PM
(XYZ = Ultrabob) ;-)
This is so true! I really need to try to keep it in mind when I'm feeling overwhelmed. I should focus on how much I can get done, not how much I have to do. (slightly different from what you said, but in the same vein).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 152.163.252.163
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2004 05:57:04 AM
Believe in what you do and you will focus!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: niji
EMAIL: niji1997@ocv.ne.jp
IP: 203.205.168.39
URL:
DATE: 06/05/2004 10:11:44 PM
nevertheless, accomplishment is a terminus.
are you traveling with a particular station in mind, or, are you just riding the rails aimlessly.
daily, while you are having yr morning coffee, recall that there is a practical difference between just "utsunimya houmen" and "nikko yuki" in terms of accomplishment, though directionally they may be the same.
wake up. snap out of it. you're in the pepsi generation you know.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL:
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 06/07/2004 12:23:07 PM
'Risk...is the refusal to forget desire.' (Peter Black, 2003)
This quote, along with your 'Focus on what you have, not what you lack', are the focuses of my attempts to get myself back on track today.
Good luck, and a spark or two of inspiration, to us!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.98.68.145
URL: http://insight.blogzine.jp
DATE: 06/07/2004 03:15:26 PM
Belatedly:
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.
-Anthem by Leonard Cohen
I particularly like the last two lines. Doesn't it speak of hope? I hope the phase passes over soon. You are not alone, if it helps. :-))
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 06/08/2004 09:30:42 PM
Spot on. And just the encouragement I needed today.
Speaking of which, when I was a child, I never got bogged down in my projects because my Mom and four sisters were always starting something and their enthusiasm would ignite my own passions and keep them burning. Now on my own, I count on your "Creative Perspectives" for a kick-start each week. Thanks.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hat shopping
BASENAME: hat_shopping
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/05/2004 09:05:50 PM
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BODY:
Maybe shopping would be easier if I paid attention to what's in fashion, but I don't, so I always seem to desire something that doesn't exist.
This time my goal is a black straw cloche. A cloche is the close-to-the-head hat, small brimmed style from the 1920s. But apparently it's not a style for 2004. I can find all sorts of floppy sun hats and narrow-brimmed fabric hats with square crowns, and some dreadful caps I remember from the 1970s. One lovely hat I tried on was the right shape--but it was the wrong color (burgundy) and definitely the wrong price (41,000 yen).
So I will have to look again because I don't have the millinery skills to make a straw hat.
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EXCERPT:
Why is buying a hat so difficult?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 06/08/2004 06:49:15 AM
I found a hat at Hankyu in Ginza. Then I came across a hat store, Ginza Vogue, that's been in business since 1932. Absolutely chock full of gorgeous hats. For reference, their website is http://a01.fsi.ne.jp/~ginz/ Will go back for more hats soon.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rainy season
BASENAME: rainy_season
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/06/2004 07:25:38 AM
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BODY:
I listened to the first drops of rain fall this morning, breaking the Sunday morning silence with faint plop-pitters against our deck umbrella. This will be a familiar percussion for the next six weeks.
Although I don't think it will be officially declared for a few more days, I do believe tsuyu, the rainy season, has begun. UPDATE: The start of tsuyu was declared today.
Look at that forecast... For current tsuyu details, weathernews has a national tsuyu map and information about tsuyu on the Kanto plain where Tokyo sits.
Tsuyu begins in the southwest and moves northeastward. Last year Tokyo saw on June 10th and said goodbye to it on August 2nd, but on average it starts on June 8th and ends July 20th. I guess we'll have to wait to find out how this year's rainy season compares. Here's hoping for short and wet.
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EXCERPT:
It's beginning...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Malaysian food
BASENAME: malaysian_food
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/07/2004 07:30:39 AM
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BODY:
Six months living in Singapore gave me a taste for Malaysian food--spicy, flavorful dishes of meat and vegetables. But spicy foods aren't really to the Japanese tastes, and we haven't seen much Malaysian food here. But wandering the streets of Ginza looking for a place to eat, we spotted a sign for Rasa. "Malaysia - Singapore cuisine" Oh, wow!
The menu is full of my old favorites--beef rendang, chicken rice, and a host of seafood dishes with peppery sauces and exotic names. Prices range from 700 - 1800 yen. There's also an extensive drinks menu including local beers and Singapore favorites like kopi, the-O and wheatgrass juice.
We splurged on the 4,000 yen set. It was eight courses, from steamed chicken salad through black pepper beef and finishing up with mango pudding. Each dish was better than the last and as authentic as you're likely to find in Tokyo. The chef spent 13 years in Malaysia and 11 in Singapore.
Malaysia Airlines is connected to Rasa (the store card features the airline's logo, and they play Malaysia Airlines travel videos in the dining room). I wonder if they get their blacan and other key ingredients flown in specially from the source.
Rasa is 1 minute from Ginza Station, exit A3. Go out the exit, and walk towards Citibank. Turn left at that corner and the building is two or three doors down on the left.
Rasa: Malaysia - Singapore cuisine
Ginza Five Star Building, 8F.
Ginza 5-8-13, Chuo-ku
03-3289-1668
Weekdays 11:00 - 14:30 & 17:00 - 23:00
Weekends/Holidays 12:00 - 23:00
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A really good Malaysian restaurant in Ginza
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hot commute
BASENAME: hot_commute
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/08/2004 11:14:25 AM
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BODY:
This morning I attended a 9 am meeting at FCCJ. I was dressed and out the door at 8:30, just in time for rush hour on the Marunouchi line.
A hundred people in the train car with me multiplied the effects of today's sticky weather. By the time I reached my stop, 11 minutes after I'd boarded the train, my upper lip was beaded with perspiration, my hair was damp, and sweat dripped down the curve of my spine.
I'm lucky, though, because I got to come home and strip off my clammy clothes after the meeting. While everyone else suffers in their suits and ties, I'll spend the rest of the day in a t-shirt (and not much else).
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EXCERPT:
I'm glad I don't do this every day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 06/08/2004 02:29:06 PM
Ah yes.. the Maranouchi-morning-zoo..
This morning I decided not to board the first Yamanote train that arrived as already there were faces pressed against the windows. But still a crowd of people pushed onto the train.
I waited another minute for the next train and it was quite comfortable. I was still at work early.. *gasp*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erica Foreman
EMAIL: Sunloula@aol.com
IP: 205.188.116.77
URL:
DATE: 06/09/2004 09:38:55 AM
Hi! If you know Eboni Staton, would you please give her my email address. I've missed her along time and would love to be in contact once again.
Thank You,
Erica
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Keishiko
EMAIL: la_puente@yahoo.com
IP: 202.78.97.39
URL:
DATE: 06/14/2004 10:03:37 PM
oh, what a pretty blog you have here! i like the way you write--very elegant and coherent, not like too many other blogs. and it just so happens to be about a Westerner's life in Japan, so that makes it even more enjoyable for me. ^.^
i hope you continue to write this blog; even short entries are very interesting to me. (i'm a frustrated Japan-phile living through other people.)
i wish you luck with your little herb garden. i presume you do a lot of italian cooking? ^.^
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Who made Bush god?
BASENAME: who_made_bush_god
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 06/09/2004 04:41:56 PM
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BODY:
The US president doesn't have to abide by international treaties and his own federal laws? Isn't that sort of like saying the Pope doesn't have to follow the ten commandments?
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EXCERPT:
I'm not sure, but this is insane.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 06/10/2004 11:22:36 AM
There was once an American ideal where no one was above the law. (Remember Nixon's resignation?) Of course, it didn't always work in practice, but it was something to strive for.
Glad you decided to vote this year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.93.137
URL:
DATE: 06/10/2004 06:42:46 PM
since 1823 the year the monroe doktrin was issued-
the prime directive of u.s. foreign policy has been-
why does a dog lick it's balls?
because it can.
sooner rather than later the world will
decide that it is time for a regime-change
in america.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 64.38.69.121
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 06/11/2004 03:26:33 AM
This memo is part of a series of memos from the DOJ which gave legal opinions on exactly what can and cannot be done to coerce information out of terrorists and enemy combatants. These are not memos from the President authorizing the use of torture on these people, or setting a policy of any sort. To say anything more than that at this point is pure hyperbole.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Savory French Toast
BASENAME: savory_french_toast
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/10/2004 07:07:07 AM
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BODY:
This was a surprise. We had a half a French loaf and some eggs, but it was dinner...aha! A jar of pasta sauce, a few sausages and a dish of spinach with mushrooms, voila, dinner was done.
Savory French Toast
1/2 loaf french bread
3 eggs
3 Tblsp parmesan cheese (grated)
salt
pepper
olive oil
Beat the eggs until smooth, blend in the parmesan, season with salt and pepper. Slice the bread into 1 or 2 cm slices. Dip the bread in the egg to coat, allowing excess egg to run back into the egg mixture. Fry on both sides over medium-high heat in a little olive oil.
Heat up some pasta sauce, serve on the side instead of maple syrup.
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EXCERPT:
An unusual twist on french toast
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieo
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.154
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/10/2004 07:46:39 PM
To gread chef May I ask you a gestion? --I'm sorry it's not a comment about this topic.
What do you say "KIJI" in English?
To bake bread, cookeis, or puffs we usually make "dough". Well, does it make sencse --"Let's bake a pie (or sponge cake), I'll show you how to make the dough (KIJI in Japanese)"
I'm glad if you help me studying English.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.168
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/11/2004 08:06:06 AM
I got your e-mail. Thank you. I mastered another new English word --"batter". Really thanks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.1.70
URL:
DATE: 06/15/2004 12:03:06 AM
(Thanks to lil for the introduction: ) There is a legendary cafe in Shimokitazawa called 'Sunday Brunch' that serves many (8 at the last count? Cant remember...) different kinds of french toast, and two of them are savoury! Both of them are my favourite, ive never even tried the sweet ones. The original one is served with tomato base sauce with mushrooms, onions and bacon, with a few slices of fried potato thrown in, nice and tangy! The other is a mushroom, chicken and cream sauce, both are amazing!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Unplug
BASENAME: unplug
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/11/2004 06:15:49 AM
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BODY:
Here's a challenge. Unplug yourself this weekend. Turn everything off--the TV, your computer, radio, stereo, cell phone, answering machine. Take in no media and be completely unreachable for a day or two.
At first this is going to be uncomfortable. At least it is for me. No computer? How will I answer all the questions that pop into my head? No cell phone? But what will I do if I want to meet someone and I'm running late or can't find them?
After the initial panic, I settle into a very mellow and leisurely groove. No distractions from thinking. I can take my time and enjoy my life without the subconscious stress of ringing phones and e-mail. I can pursue my pleasures quietly. It's a good stretch of time to paint, to cook, to plan things.
What will you do with your unfettered time?
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EXCERPT:
Turn it all off.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 205.201.10.78
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 06/11/2004 06:27:56 AM
Video games don't count as TV or computers, right? Just checking.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 205.201.10.78
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 06/11/2004 12:33:51 PM
Oh, OK. I'll do it. I think it'll be challenging, but I expect it to pay psychic dividends down the line as I learn to live in harmony with my inn^!*$^!&*^RTYQRT(RQTH NO CARRIER
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jadae
EMAIL: snorman@planetnorman.net
IP: 24.136.52.23
URL: http://www.planetnorman.net
DATE: 06/12/2004 11:50:34 AM
I caught myself thinking about this the other day. I was in a book store thinking about buying a new book, and I was looking at the new releases. Usually I like to check on a website before I look at books to see peer reviews and perhaps get a little bit more of a description of the book. Then there's checking the author and seeing what else they've written and finding out if the book is a sequel or not.
Then I realized that I had a great feeling of anxiety because I didn't have access to these tools. Sometimes I'd like to unplug, but then I remember that most of my life depends on being plugged into the wired. Maybe I need to take a week off and go camping in the woods...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The high price of melons
BASENAME: the_high_price_of_melons
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/12/2004 01:17:27 PM
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BODY:
(Digging through my older writing, I've found some essays written for the mailng list that was a precursor to my weblog. For my long-time fan (yes, Mom, I mean you) the next few entries may be familiar. This one was written in June 2000.)
Have you ever bought a $30 cantaloupe?
Expensive melons are given as gifts in Japan. I might have selected another item to present, some French cookies perhaps or a decorative tin of seasonal tea, but the melon seemed appropriate. Tod & I, melon-headed Americans, had to pay a formal call on a neighbor who we had inadvertently upset.
It all started three weeks ago. The imminent arrival of my sister and her family spurred us to take on some tasks we’d left undone when we moved in in February. We bought a low, Japanese-style dining table and zabuton cushions to sit on. I finally moved my office a few feet vertically and set it up on a desk instead of the floor. And we took the initiative to build a deck on top of the triangular patch of mud and weeds that sits outside our living room and dining room.
A bilingual carpenter friend constructed the deck while we were away from Tokyo for a week. We had the fun of arranging the work with Eddy, leaving for Singapore, and returning to find a beautiful deck. We celebrated by painting the outdoor table and chairs.
It was when I was struggling to move the table back onto the deck that I had a hint things might be a bit touchy. Our table is wooden and lightweight, but tricky to squeeze through the narrow funnel of space between our house and the house next door. I’ve done it before, but this time I slipped and bumped the neighbors’ kitchen wall. Just a tap, nothing damaging. I didn’t even ding the new paint on the table.
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But the neighbor, a balding Japanese man in his 50s, came out and complained. He didn’t yell, of course, but he looked at me and pointed to the table, then the wall and said “Don don” indicating the noise I’d caused. I apologized as well as I could considering I was still holding the table and he went away. I gave up on moving the table and when Tod arrived home from work, we successfully and silently put the table on the deck together.
Two days later, our carpenter’s wife gave me a call. “How’s the deck?” she began. I told her how much we were enjoying it and she launched into a story. “I think you may have a little problem…the noise from the construction upset your neighbors. A man came over and complained about Eddy’s saw. And he said he wants a fence put up between your house and his. He wasn’t very nice about it at all. I think you ought to know this because the Japanese will never complain to you, but they will go directly to your landlord. I know you don’t want to have any of that sort of trouble,” she warned. I agreed, thanked her for the warning, and started to fret.
What should we do? An apology was certainly in order. But my Japanese isn’t capable of much more than simple conversation, much less the rigorous grammar of a formal letter of apology! Miss Manners has nothing on the masters of Japanese etiquette, let me tell you.
There are numerous social protocols in Japanese life. We know some of them—how and when to bow, how introductions are made, when to refill someone’s glass—but our experience is limited by the casual social situations we’ve been involved in. Most of our Japanese friends have traveled and have international attitudes so they just laugh at (or are only slightly embarrassed by) our social gaffes. But a formal apology doesn’t leave much room for error. Screw it up and we could find ourselves alienated for a long time.
So we enlisted some assistance. Tod polled his office colleagues for advice. “Ah, you must begin with some set paragraphs about the weather and the season of the year before discussing the problem and apologizing,” suggested one woman. “Take them a gift,” said another. Two men on Tod’s work team wrote up sample apology letters.
I decided that I was not going to apologize alone; we needed to present a united front. I waited for a day when Tod would be home. Jenn & her husband & daughter arrived from America on Friday night. Saturday we went to the zoo. Sunday was The Day.
I sketched a little card and pasted in the letter that Koki wrote. It was brief and to the point—perhaps that was not in its favor it as didn’t chat about the weather but we understood what it said and it seemed profusely apologetic.
“Recently, the noise and dust from the construction at our house must have been very annoying. We have no excuse; we are extremely sorry.
“However, the construction is not finished yet. Before long, we plan to build a fence along the front of our house and between your house and ours.
“It will be very annoying, I think, but please bear with us. We appreciate your continued patience and goodwill.”
Message complete, my sister and I walked to the fruit shop and selected a melon from the gift shelf. The prices ranged from 1800 yen to 8000 yen ($18 - $80). I picked a beautifully round, ripe, evenly veined cantaloupe with a stem sticking off the top. The fruit shop man boxed it and gift wrapped it for me then placed it carefully in a shiny white shopping bag. It was lovely.
Armed with the right tools, we were ready. Tod wanted a few more minutes to procrastinate, but I insisted that we had to do this before my courage gave out. We had the letter and the gift. But how were we supposed to deliver it?
“We could drop it on the doorstep and run,” Tod suggested.
Good idea, certainly easy to execute, but maybe not as neighborly as we ought to be. We abandoned the thought and walked out to the street. Immediately we got lost trying to find the door to the apartment. There is a clothing shop out front (Sendagi Yashima—Sporty & Casual) and Tod noticed a door to the left. But the door leads into a small entryway with mailboxes and a staircase up to the second floor. No first floor apartment.
We dithered out front for a few minutes while we decided what to do. We even looked at the side of the building near our house to determine that there was, indeed, living space back there. The way in, we concluded, must be at the back of the shop. So we entered the shop and looked around.
Outfits of iridescent pastels and bright summery knits designed for bulky older women hung on hangers lining the walls of the shop floor to ceiling. Behind the outfits, I glimpsed plastic-wrapped stock piled on shelves. A center island displayed scarves and accessories—patterns and colors jumbled into an undefined mass. Floor space was limited to the area created by moving two racks of sale items to the outside of the shop. It was tiny and cramped.
And empty. “Oh, no,” we conferred. “Now what?” We called out a cheery “Sumimasen!” to alert someone to our presence. A woman came out through a hidden doorway. She wiped her hands on her apron as Tod asked “Excuse me, but do you live here?” She looked at him, then at me and called for her husband.
The balding man I’d met the other day appeared. Tod, his shaking hands betraying his nervousness, introduced us both and explained that we lived next door. “Our Japanese isn’t very good”, he said, “so we asked a friend to help us write this. Please read it,” He extracted the card with Koki’s letter.
The man read the note, then he lead us outside. He pointed to the deck, to his wall, to the deck again. He said that the deck was too close to his house—it was on his property (by about 2 inches, I think!). We’d have to fix that. He asked us where we were from—actually he guessed we were American (our reputation precedes us, I fear). He talked to us about the fence and mentioned our landlord. Unfortunately, I didn’t entirely understand what he said. Then we handed him our gift, awkwardly thanked him and it was over.
We don’t know if we did it right or not. He never gave us his name…maybe it’s Yashima, like the store name, and he assumed we’d know. Or maybe he was snubbing us. I am too dense to recognize a snub in Japanese culture. He tried to speak English with us—a word here or there when he knew one and we looked lost. We walked away with mixed signals and uncertainty.
Since we handed over our gift and apology we haven’t seen him or his wife. No more complaints, but no greetings either. I guess time will tell which side of the fence we’re on. We will tread lightly and be prepared to buy more melons as necessary.
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EXCERPT:
Apologising to a neighbor is an inconvenience in itself.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 64.12.116.66
URL:
DATE: 06/12/2004 09:18:00 PM
Yes, I remember the melon story. I admit to retelling it often. It is such a good example of cultural difference. I think of how undervalued cantaloupe is/are here. Think - Local Lopes 2 for $1 on roadside stands at the melon's peak season. I am amused every year at the varied spellings cantaloupe gets on handwritten signs.
Cantalope, cantaloupe, cantalupe, cantelope...
Thanks for retelling your story.
Faithful Reader
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ultrabob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 06/13/2004 07:20:41 PM
That must have been before Tod took all those steroids, got huge, and started trying to pick fights with everybody. Amazing how different Tod was before the 'roids!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fish-piki
BASENAME: fish-piki
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/13/2004 06:08:02 AM
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BODY:
(September 2000)
I won them. Five little goldfish, kingyo in Japanese.
Our local end-of-summer festival blocked off the shopping street. Makeshift stalls in the street grilled corn on the cob, yakitori and takoyaki. Lines of children in yukata waited for their turn to get a cone of shaved ice. All along the street, games of skill awaited those who would try to toss a ring, shoot a cork-gun or catch a fish.
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A little girl squatted at the side of a large, shallow tank of water filled with goldfish. She dipped a paper-covered frame into the water and scooped up a fish. It flopped off the frame and back into the water. She tried again.
This time her catch landed on the sidewalk. I squeaked, but she just reached over with little fingers and dropped the fish into her bowl of water. And she dipped again for another fish…this time she aimed carefully for one of the lovely orange and white ones. Fish number two was swimming in her bowl a few seconds later. Again and again she captured fish and deposited them into the bowl at her side.
I had stood there watching for so long and with such interest that I almost didn’t notice when an older man approached holding out a frame for me.
“Douzo,” he said, waving the frame at me as though I ought to take it from him.
“Ikura desu ka?” I asked, reaching for my wallet.
“Sebisu…” he answered. Service, for free.
I thanked him profusely and kneeled down to the fish basin. I studied the little girl’s technique. Pick a fish, slide the frame gently into the water and under the fish. Lift. Didn’t look so hard. After all, the little girl had more than a dozen before she finished.
I managed six. I decided that I’d rather have five, so I put the largest one back into the tank and handed the man my catch. Still unsure whether I should be paying for these fish, I asked again “Ikura?” but was waved away. Little did I know how much I’d be paying for these fish in the end.
I was smiling when I approached Tod with my catch in hand. “Look, Tod, I got fish!”
“We have no place to keep them,” he pointed out.
“Well, I know, but yesterday I saw some big ceramic bowls, like giant planters, on Hongo Dori. We could go get one of those because I want to make a water garden with these fish and some water lilies.”
Tod looked a little bit startled at this rather elaborate plan, but agreed to walk up Hongo Dori to the antique shop where I’d seen a dozen ornamental urns stacked up outside.
But when we arrived, the store was closed and the giant bowls were neatly covered with a tarp tied over them.
We settled on stopping for supplies, distilled water and fish food, at the BanBan Bazaar down the street. The shopkeeper grinned when she rang up our purchase and realised I was holding a baggie full of fish.
“Cute,” she crooned. “Are they from the festival?” she asked as the baggie mysteriously sprung a leak. Together we tucked the fish and their water into a second bag to stem the rush of water. Tod & I hurried home to install the fish into a bucket.
Tod named three of them. Pinky, Dinky, & Calico. I named the other two Fish-piki. Hiki is the counter for small animals…one fish is ippiki, two fish are nihiki, three fish are sambiki and so on. I decided that all of my fish taken as a group were fish-piki and the two without names were also fish-piki. It was easier that way.
We were aware of the brief mortality of festival fish and I worried about the fish-piki having sufficient oxygen, food and a happy environment. They made it through the night and lived all day Sunday. By Monday morning, they were still all alive, but their water was becoming cloudy. It was time to think about a more appropriate container and a filtering system.
So Tod did some research on the Internet and came up with RTW’s Goldfish Information Page (http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/4468/). RTW is a real aficionado; he has a basement full of goldfish. He gave some good advice about feeding, tank cleaning and even how much space a healthy goldfish needs.
“For two fish a twenty gallon tank will be big enough for several years. You can start with a ten gallon tank, but you may need a bigger tank within a year!” he writes.
A quick calculation showed that we would need a 50 gallon tank for the fish-piki. The big ceramic bowls I had seen don’t come quite that big. Time to rethink.
A few cruel options discarded, we had a decision. We’d go on safari to Sudo Park and release the fish-piki into the wild.
After dusk, I gathered up the pink bucket containing the well-fed fish and handed it to Tod, who carried it through the back streets from our house to the park.
We reached the park, a generous block of trees, pathways and the pond. Looking around to make certain we weren’t seen I climbed over the railing of the bridge down to the edge of the pond. Tod handed me the bucket and I tipped the fish in.
The water was a little chillier than their bucket and they slowed down for a few minutes, but when they adjusted to their new environment, they swum around energetically.
We said goodbye walked back home.
A few days later, we returned in the daylight to see if we could find them. The pond teems with fish of all sizes. Tiny fish the size of baby carrots swam in schools in the shade of rocks and trees. Large, venerably aged goldfish (dinner for six?) cruised the pond or rested near where the turtles sunned themselves.
We looked and looked. It seemed like the fish-piki might have had a chance with so many fish sharing the pond. We saw one goldfish that looked like Pinky or maybe Dinky. But we saw no sign of Calico or the two unnamed fish-piki. I was sad, but Tod was hopeful that they were there, swimming around unseen.
As we climbed the hill out of the park, we turned around to look back at the pond. A boy with a bucket was climbing over the railing where I had released the fish-piki. He had a bucket in his hands. He dipped it into the water, scooping up an unseen treasure. Maybe it was Calico.
I hope the fish-piki are enjoying their new home.
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EXCERPT:
Who knew five little fish needed so much room?
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hanging with the linux geeks
BASENAME: hanging_with_the_linux_geeks
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/14/2004 12:04:28 PM
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BODY:
(August 2000)
Kinichi Kitano wore a red and orange plaid shirt, tan shorts and black Birkenstock clogs.
“Today we’re going to tour Akihabara for Made-for-Linux items. Does anyone want to buy anything special?” he asked the group assembled in the Computing books section of Shosen Book Tower.
A short list of desired items was produced: a SCSI hard drive and two internal, 50-pin (narrow), terminated SCSI cables. And soon we were out of the bookstore and on the broiling hot streets of Akihabara.
Akihabara is Tokyo’s famous electronics district. It grew from a few small shops under the railroad tracks selling black-market radio components after World War II. The district was originally called Akiba-hara, after a shrine in the neighborhood, but when the train station opened in 1890, a misprint on the station sign turned it around to Akihabara. Akihabara is still called Akiba by those who like nicknames.
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Tokyo neighborhoods are well known for their specialties—near Ueno station you’ll find many motorcycle shops; Otsuka has love hotels; Nezu offers up art supplies in abundance. So when the original radio stores became famous, many related shops opened up in Akiba.
Nowadays the electronics district spans many blocks and includes hundreds of stores ranging from the behemoth Llaox to tiny one-room shops on upper floors of narrow buildings. You can find everything from resistors and soldering equipment to the latest model of dishwasher or massage chair. If you know where to look, you can still find radio parts and antique radios.
Kitano-san was going to show us where to look for cheap computers and components. He’s a member of the Tokyo Linux User’s Group (TLUG) and had volunteered to lead an expedition around the bewildering maze of shops to show us the best places.
Our group comprised seven people. In addition to me and Tod, there were five men, all gaijin. Michael was youthful but very quiet; his clear eyes revealed depths that he otherwise kept to himself. Victor, from the Ukraine, had been a chemist until deciding that programming was more fun than research. He credits the ease of his career transition to the free availability of the Linux operating system.
One member of our group, a tall lanky man with a tangle of curly grey hair, never identified himself to me. Tod recognised him from previous TLUG gatherings, but didn’t learn his name.
Two Steves rounded out our group. One Steve was an impassioned man who pretty much disagreed with every topic discussed for the seven hours we were together. Except for zsh, I can’t think of a single thing he spoke positively about. He looked completely bemused when non-computing topics were introduced to the conversation. I found him to be slightly irritating; Tod was amused.
The other Steve was an engineering professor at a local university. He fit the mold of an academic to a tee—curious and opinionated. He’s co-authored a popular book on Japanese in Linux recently published by O’Reilly. At the post-tour nomikai (drinking party), several people brought out their copies for an impromptu signing, but conversation moved as swiftly as the beer flowed and Steve absentmindedly neglected to sign them.
Weekends are especially crowded with tourists and locals coming to shop so we battled our way through human traffic to reach our many stops along the tour.
Kitano-san valiantly attempted to keep us on track in and out of the dozen or so shops on our route “It’s difficult,” he confided to me. “We get into a store and some people are really excited about what’s there and others are bored.” He managed pretty well, though, pacing us through several kilometers of streets and up and down countless elevators and stairs.
“There are some Akihabara rules” Kitano-san intoned before we started out. “No smoking or drinking in the stores. And don’t mention Linux, you’ll just be wasting your time. Nobody knows what you’re talking about.”
Later on he added an explanation of ‘junk,’ the Akiba term for most used or out-of-date goods. “Junk has different meanings in different stores, but usually it means the staff won’t answer technical questions and there’s no guarantee it will work. Sometimes junk is tested by the staff, but sometimes it isn’t.”
The tour covered a lot of ground over the course of four hours. There were some overall favorites: everyone seemed to like the glass-topped computer rack-cum-desk,; we laughed over the mouse shaped like a nude female torso; but the best of all was the first store we visited--it had a mix of used computers and office equipment, including a pay phone.
Kitano-san imparted some of the local lore to me, giving me tips on good places to eat. And he paid me an indirect compliment by telling me about a female colleague who came to Akihabara with him but decided that every store was exactly alike. That is patently untrue, though I will admit that after a few hours searching fruitlessly for a particular item, the stores do start to blur together. I suggested that next time his friend comes along, he drop her off at Livina, an upscale furniture and household goods store on the fringes of Akihabara.
By the time we neared the end of the tour, everyone was weary and even the genki Kitano-san was getting tired. We all hoped it was “one more store and then to the nomikai for a beer.” Victor made the last purchase of the day, and then our tour group broke apart at the train station as quiet Michael headed home. The mysterious man abandoned the tour halfway through. The remaining six of us met up with five other TLUG members at the Ebisu Garden Place beer hall.
I sat between Victor and Simon, who spent some time discussing the merits of various Ukrainian and Polish vodkas. Simon, a 25 year old programmer originally from Montreal, taught me the differences in pronunciation of the Polish z. He’s learned Polish and English recently (French is his first language) and now is working on Japanese. This is a young man with a very big brain.
The general conversation was naturally centered on computing and there were some very spirited discussions of the best 1970’s era terminal, how to improve your programming by using a profiler, and whether or not Xemacs has stylish code. Richard Stallman, known to the Unix world as rms, was invoked as a hot potato topic—he owns the copyright to all of the freely distributed GNU programs; will rms ever choose to betray the foundation of his intellectual property and cash in on all that open source software?
Ah, being geeky is fun. Often I deny being a geek, but I followed every conversational thread with interest and with some familiarity, and although I didn’t feel the same passion for the topics as some people did, I found it quite entertaining. Particularly after several beers.
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EXCERPT:
A tour of Akihabara
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The trial of finding the trash
BASENAME: the_trial_of_finding_the_trash
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/15/2004 09:00:31 PM
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BODY:
(October 2000)
Tokyo, like many metropolitan areas around the globe, has not one trash day, but many. In fact, we have four--two for burnable trash, one for non-burnable and a final one for recyclable metals and glass.
Everyone in the neighborhood puts their trash at the same place. Tokyo’s streets are so narrow that event the miniature trash trucks—they are about the size of a pickup but shaped like a normal garbage truck—can’t squeeze through. So for their convenience, we all plop our bags at a place designated by a color-coded sign which also tells us what days belong to what type of garbage. Which is good, because I’ve always had some problems remembering what day which sort of trash was to be taken out to the collection point.
When we moved to a new neighborhood earlier this month, I ran into a problem.
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Our house sits in the crook of two roads that intersect to form a Y. One branch of the Y goes uphill; the other goes down. The downslope side is bound by a wall where lots of people park their cars during the day and the street leads to the main street, Hakusan Dori. The upslope side leads into a residential neighborhood.
Across the street on the downslope side there is a printing company, very small, that churns out lots of A1 sized sheets that are cut and folded into A4 sized booklets. I enjoy hearing the ke-chunk of the presses all day and the triplet beep of their forklift backing up the hill with it’s palettes of paper. They seem to be the only industry in my neighborhood (zoning in Tokyo is nothing like zoning in American cities—homes and businesses, even manufacturing plants—sit side by side.
But back to the trash trouble.
The day we moved in, I looked for the place to put our trash. There was no sign designating a spot on the downslope side, so I walked uphill. Nothing up there either. I turned around and walked down the trunk of the Y. No sign anywhere!
There’s construction going on all over the neighborhood right now. Two brand new buildings are going up—one outside my bedroom and one outside my office. I guessed that the signs had been removed during the construction.
So I planned to keep watch and see where people put their trash and examine it to sort out match type of trash and days of the week.
Two days went by and I didn’t see any trash. I was starting to wonder if maybe our neighbors had some special high-tech Japanese gadget that vaporized their waste. But I was busy unpacking and really didn’t worry too much. We have a two car garage and no cars, so there’s plenty of room for a few trash bags if I didn’t find the collection point for a little while.
But as I was unpacking the books in my office one afternoon, I heard a knock on the door. I ran downstairs to answer it.
“Sumimasen,” began a woman in her 50s. She was wearing a casual housedress and wanted to chat. In Japanese of course.
“My name is Shimizu. I am a friend of Matsuno-san, who used to live here. I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood,” she said. “How long have you been living in here?”
I wasn’t sure whether she meant this house or Japan. I fumbled my way through a sort of an answer.
“Ah, I see. I live over there,” she pointed up the hill. “If I can help you in any way, please ask.”
Aha! A neighbor. Surely, she would know where the trash goes. I asked her about the collection point.
“Hmmm,” she started. She didn’t really know where, since her house is distant enough to have a closer collection point. But she gamely looked around for the color-coded sign. Of course, it wasn’t there.
As we stood in the middle of the intersection, discussing the possibilities—maybe the trash was collected down there, around the corner, or perhaps it was at the apartment building up the hill—a woman on a bicycle in front of the print shop asked if she could help.
She and Shimizu-san completely ignored me as they discussed my predicament in rapid Japanese. I just stood there, trying to look grateful.
After a few moments of explanation, the bicycle woman suggested that trash was collected next to the utility pole just past my garage door. Wow, very convenient!
But Shimizu-san was not convinced. After all, there was no city sign there. How could it be a collection point with no sign? She decided that we would go ask at the apartment building.
So we walked up the hill and climbed the stairs to the entry. The reception window, where the caretaker or guard normally sits, was curtained off. He was gone for the day. But Shimizu-san was determined to find me an answer, and she rapped on the window.
A moment later, a man peeked out. Shimizu-san asked to speak to him and he waved us into the lobby, gesturing to us to come around the corner.
He greeted us at the door, his wife coming out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel. Shimizu-san, once again, took the lead and explained why we were there. I did interject with a polite introduction in Japanese.
“Do you speak Japanese?” the caretaker asked me. I explained that I speak a little bit and still study the language.
“Gambatte!” his wife said to him. She meant for him to try hard to speak English to me. Inwardly I sighed. I really do want my Japanese to improve and if people insist on speaking English to me, it never will. But, then maybe my neighbor-caretaker wanted to improve his English.
I don’t know whether Matsuno-san, the previous resident of my house, had put her trash at this apartment building, but Caretaker-san was happy to show me where the trash belonged, what days it was collected and even what time it was to be placed.
“Nama gomi on Monday and Thursday,” he explained in halting but comprehensible English before switching back to Japanese for the more details explanation. “But it must be at 8:30 exactly. I bring the building’s trash out here then and the truck comes right after that. Don’t be late, and please don’t come early.”
I parroted back to him what he had said to show that I understood. Eventually, after a few more careful iterations, it seemed that we truly did understand one another and all was well. I was welcome to put my trash in his building’s pile as long as I made sure to follow his rules.
No problem.
Shimizu-san and I stood at the edge of the sidewalk and thanked him, bowing over and over with every more humble and sincere thank yous. Once Caretaker-san had gone back inside. I did the same for Shimizu-san. She certainly pout herself out to help me and I was very grateful for her aid.
Ironically, we left town the next day for a two week holiday, so I didn’t get to put out the trash until we returned.
And even more ironically, it turns out that the utility pole next to the garage is a collection point. It has no sign, but every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, there are bags of garbage there. And no time restrictions…
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EXCERPT:
Where's the collection point?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 12.10.219.36
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 06/15/2004 06:53:15 AM
I'm pretty sure I didn't follow proper gomi protocol when I was staying in a friend's apartment (ha! "apato") in Japan some years ago. I put it in the right place, but I erred in using a transparent plastic bag. Thus I forced the neighbors to look at my garbage, apparently. They knew it was me because mine was the only transparent bag... however, one of the neighbors set me straight.
It bothered me, though, that everybody's garbage was in a huge untidy pile, rather than in a dumpster or corral. The street wasn't that narrow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stuart Woodward
EMAIL: stuart@stuartwoodward.com
IP: 219.43.96.14
URL: http://www.stuartwoodward.com
DATE: 06/15/2004 11:12:00 PM
We are lucky as we live near the border of the next Ku which has different gomi days. If we forget to put the gomi out, we can cross the road and put the gomi there the next day allowing us to throw out gomi almost any day. I hope the gomi-nazis don't catch us!
Speaking of gomi-nazis, an American friend complained that someone had gone through her gomi and returned it to her doorstep when she had put it out on the wrong day. She thought that someone in the neighbourhood was picking on her but I have also seen a sign in Japanese elsewhere which said "We know who puts the gomi out on the wrong day" next to a hugely enlarged photocopy of a discarded train pass which contained the name of the (Japanese) offender for all to see.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Girls' Websites
BASENAME: girls_websites
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/16/2004 10:03:30 AM
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BODY:
Not long ago, a 6th grade girl in Sasebo, Japan, killed her classmate in a rather gruesome way at school. Investigators discovered the girls had once been friends and things had gone sour. The victim had written some unkind things about the girl on a website. The murderess (so sad to think of an 11 year old that way, but she is...) also had a website where she posted poetry and other writing expressing her unhappiness and problems.
Today a survey company, Interactive Marketing Interface, announced that 69% of sixth- and seventh-grade female students have their own websites. Do you think that websites will be tied to school violence like video games were after Columbine?
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EXCERPT:
The next tech scapegoat?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.13
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/16/2004 01:08:54 PM
69%? really? My daughters don't have their site, adn probabbly most of their friends don't either.
Anyway I think websites infruence their behaivor a little ( or a lot). They tend to be weak at expressing their emotion or thinking from their own mouthes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jadae
EMAIL: snorman@planetnorman.net
IP: 24.136.52.23
URL: http://www.planetnorman.net
DATE: 06/16/2004 07:06:45 PM
You're probably right about the blame game. Rather than take responsibility for why the children find violence the only way they can respond, we end up blaming something that's convenient. I just hope that everyone and their brother won't try to pass ignorant legislation to try and solve the problem.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.92.248
URL:
DATE: 06/16/2004 08:14:35 PM
milk. milk has not received its fair share of the
blame.
each and every high-school shooter consumed
milk in the 24h period preceding the incident.
causality is sometimes just a little overrated as a concept.
);-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: numao
EMAIL: shimayan@iijmio-mail.jp
IP: 211.126.87.52
URL: http://xogij.blogs.com/xogij/
DATE: 06/17/2004 05:23:30 AM
Yesterday's news said 69% of 5th grade children in Japan have ever used internet, and I think it didn't mean that they have their own websites. If you said about another statistics, I'm sorry for mentioning that. Anyway, I'm a great fan of your blog.
I think many people don't realize that VIRTUAL things like websites or videogames only reflect the REAL world. As for that murder case, some people pointed out an influence of violent movies. They think fiction influence on the real world but the truth is contraly.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 64.53.162.136
URL:
DATE: 06/17/2004 08:00:43 AM
The news I read (Kyodo New via Japan Today) said that 69% of sixth- and seventh grade girls [a different source added 'who use the internet"] have websites. Maybe only a small fraction of all sixth-and seventh grade girls use the Internet, but that wasn't part of the report.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 06/18/2004 01:37:24 AM
This is sad. I remember in the mid nineties when two boys about that age abducted and killed a two year old. It's hard to think of children as murderers. Sixth and seventh grade girls are cruel to each other. The need to be a part of the group seems stronger now than it was when we were kids.
I've read some pretty disturbing weblogs written by teens and pre-teens.They are into abusing themselves mostly. Their blogs read like a cry for help.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 24.129.39.35
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2004 09:16:15 AM
I can't find a website I like.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Avgolemono
BASENAME: avgolemono
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/17/2004 03:45:59 PM
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BODY:
This lemony Greek chicken soup is a good choice when you're sick and tired of chicken noodle.
Avgolemono
serves 3-4
4 chicken filets, or 1 skinless breast diced
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 can water
1/2 c rice
2 lemons, juiced
2 eggs
2-3 Tblspn milk
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
In a stock pot, cook the chicken quickly over high heat until seared. Pour in the stock and water. Add the rice, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
In a bowl, beat together the eggs and milk until very well blended.
When the rice is cooked, pour the egg mixture into the boiling soup in a thin drizzle, stiring to form egg threads. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and parsley.
Variation 1: use 10 finely sliced shiso leaves instead of parsley.
Variation 2: add some diced carrot with the rice. Add 1/2 cup chopped spinach after the rice is done and allow to cook down, then do the egg threads.
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EXCERPT:
A simple tasty soup.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dear Inner Critic
BASENAME: dear_inner_critic
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/18/2004 11:34:25 AM
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BODY:
You have an inner critic, don't you? I think most of us do. Mine's a middle aged man--the ringleader of all reviewers--who lies in wait in my head, looking for a chance to tell me what's wrong with what I'm doing. He's harsh.
But today I'm going to write him a letter to tell him why I disagree with his reviews.
Dear Inner Critic,
I have been following your reviews and opinions for many years and would like to give my sincere congratulations for your perseverance over these many decades.
However, I believe that your criticisms are sometimes too severe and do not take into consideration the homely and experimental nature of creative spirit.
Not every endeavor is destined for perfection. For you to insist that it is and to compare every work to your ideal is limiting this artist's enthusiasm to produce more. And as we all know, practice makes perfect.
So I humbly request that you keep your mouth shut and allow the artist to do her thing in peace. When she is ready for your comments, I am sure she will ask for them.
Sincerely,
Kristen
Now it's your turn. What would you like to say to your inner critic?
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EXCERPT:
A note to that pesky reviewer of all my creative endeavors...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 06/18/2004 09:32:51 AM
Stop talking about my gut!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 06/20/2004 07:42:18 PM
I had the best success with this went I let my inner critic speak first, then I could address him directly. Two letters. One from the critic and one from yourself. It's interesting letting the critic write that first letter, because the critquing mechanism is at work even then. Tough guy, that critic, but the following letter from yourself becomes even more empowering.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Beginning of an adventure
BASENAME: beginning_of_an_adventure
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/19/2004 12:54:46 PM
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BODY:
The next few entries (not including Recipe Thursday and Creative Perspectives on Friday) are another set of essays I wrote years ago describing my trip to Shikoku. I'm publishing them as they were written (sloppily) and presented to the group of readers who came before my weblog. This first one is from 4 August 1999.
It’s been a pretty amazing two weeks. I just arrived home from the long trip I mentioned last time I wrote to you. What an adventure. Or rather a long series of adventures. There’s far too much to tell all in one go, so I’ll dole out the highlights in a series.
The first part of my trip was spent with the Aono family. I met Aono-san when I worked at the bank. When I mentioned one day that I wanted to visit Shikoku, the smallest of the four major islands of Japan, he invited me to come along with him and his family on their summer vacation.
Over 25 million people live in the Tokyo metropolitan area and suburbs but most of them aren’t native to Tokyo. They’ve come to seek their fortunes in the big city. Once a year, at O-Bon in the middle of August, they head back to their hometowns to visit family and in the ancient tradition make peace with their ancestors. The Aonos were traveling to Aono-san’s hometown on Shikoku for O-Bon this year.
This was an invitation not to be passed up. To see Shikoku with a native and to get to meet Aono’s family was a major big deal.
Japanese are pretty reserved about showing their private feelings and sharing their private lives. There is even a special word for the external mask used at work and with people who aren’t relatives or close, trusted friends. This is the “face” you hear about so much in Western press--as in saving face, you know. But there is another side of the Japanese--playful, loving, silly. I was being given an opportunity to see that private, family side of Aono-san.
And it was such fun.
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I traveled by Shinkansen to Kobe where Aono-san, his wife, two kids and brother-in-law met me. The kids, Ko and Yuka, were in the backseat of the car asleep with their mom, Ayoko. When I nudged Ko, Aono’s 6 year old son, he looked at me rather dubiously. A big, pink gaijin was invading his space! But he climbed onto his mother’s lap, squashing his little sister in the process, and soon we were on our way to a local pottery.
Pottery has an 800 hundred year history in the town of Tachikui. There are over 5 dozen family-run pottery businesses in the tiny village and a pottery museum complex that includes a workshop where you can try your hand at making a pot with the local clay. Mine turned out very lopsided!
The museum and pottery workshop whetted my appetite for more information about the pottery of the area, so the fearless Takashi went into the museum’s offices and interrupted the board of directors meeting to find out if I could interview someone! This was a very bold move, but Takashi is a man who does not fear stepping outside his social rank and talking to people. The president of the museum complex, who kindly took a few minutes out of his meeting to talk to us, encouraged us to visit any of the local potters who would be happy to show us around.
So we piled into the car and Takashi picked a place at random. Through Aono and Takashi’s patient translating, I learned about the local wood-fired nobori-gama (inclined kilns) and saw works of art created by a third-generation potter named Ichino-san. He was happy to give us a tour and to answer my questions. He showed us all his kilns, going so far as to jump in his truck and drive down the road to show us his ana-gama (hole kiln) where he fires artistic, old-styled pottery. This was great country hospitality.
I think that Takashi and Aono enjoyed it as much as I did. I gave them an excuse to go outside the bounds of what they normally might restrain themselves from doing--dropping in unannounced on an artist at work and asking questions. They grinned ear to ear that afternoon.
After the pottery, we headed to Takashi and Nanako’s house. They live in an abandoned vacation resort! much like the one where I grew up. The house is on a small lake and surrounded by hills and trees. It’s very beautiful. Nanako who is Aono’s older sister had prepared a picnic feast for us--dish after dish of food arrived on the table as presided over the grill with a blowtorch and a fan. We gorged ourselves on yakiniku, yakitori, pickles, salads, fresh fruit.
Eventually, dinner concluded and Yuka’s impatient insistence on fireworks was rewarded. The hanabi came out and we all played with dangerous explosives. I think I had as much fun playing with the hanabi as the kids did because it was quite novel; this is not something I can imagine doing in the US. In addition to handheld fireworks which we lit over candle flames, there were rockets and huge spark-spitting monsters that Takashi set off three feet from us.
Over dinner, Nanako told me that they have a pair of wild tanuki who come up to the house for dinner scraps. Tanuki are “raccoon dogs” which are neither raccoons nor dogs and there’s no equivalent beast in the States. They are the mythological pranksters and while you won’t see any real ones in Tokyo except at the zoo, statues of them posed with sake flasks and straw hats sit outside many bars. So I was anxious to see my first wild tanuki to compare.
And they did not disappoint. After the cacophony of the hanabi had died down and our after dinner hilarity had become a quiet conversation, a pair of eyes appeared in the bushes. A step forward brought a head into the light followed by quick dart to the patio door for some food and then back into the bushes. I went into the house to stand at the patio door and get a better view. The female of the pair was a little more skittish. She hung back, then came forward, but froze and looked around at every sound. She didn’t like me standing in the doorway, either. Her approach was slow and halting while her retreat was lightning quick.
The tanuki statues are round and jolly and show really huge testicles (part of the prankster image, I suppose). The wild tanuki in summer are lean and the male was too fast for me to check underneath for size. Takashi and Nanako say that their tanuki get fat but only in winter. They had the same mask-like eye markings and multicolored fur as the statues depict but no sake flasks and they weren’t wearing straw hats. Maybe that’s saved for winter, too.
Before bedtime, the kids taught me some new card games--”babanuki” and one whose name sounded like “shichi-nana-bai”--which were easy enough for me to understand and play. Ko is a game fiend and a good strategist. Yuka’s still sorting out the idea of rules (she’s only 4) but she plays enthusiastically nonetheless and doesn’t mind when people help her a little bit. We played a few hands and then it was time for sleep for all of us.
My arrival and guest status meant that the entire Aono family vacated the 8 mat tatami room where they had been sleeping for the past three nights and moved themselves to a tent outside while I occupied their former quarters. That was a little strange and I felt bad for having put them to so much trouble and inconvenience. I felt worse in the morning when I saw that it had rained in the night.
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EXCERPT:
Day one of a trip to Shikoku in 1999.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 68.79.13.179
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 06/19/2004 02:46:49 PM
Wow - I visited Shikoku a few years before your trip. It was a fun excursion but I was on my own and didn't see nearly enough. However, I did get to spend time with a family I knew in Fukuoka, where we all got very silly and playful. That was the most fun on the entire trip.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bellybutton of Japan
BASENAME: bellybutton_of_japan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/20/2004 09:16:50 PM
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BODY:
5 August 1999
Sometimes you end up seeing the strangest places. On the trip from Kobe to Nyugawa, Aono’s hometown on Shikoku, we stopped for a few minutes at Nihon no Heso, the Bellybutton of Japan. At 35 N latitude, 135 E longitude, Nihon no Heso is the very center of the country.
There are a number of monuments competing to be the actual center--a sundial, two obelisks and a large stone monument share near proximity. I suspect that varying survey techniques produced slightly different results. But one of them must be correct, so I stood near all four of them...at some point I was standing dead center in Japan!
There’s a park surrounding the monuments and a small art museum. There’s even a special train that comes out to the park. The station platform is decorated with kids’ paintings and a ceramic tile map of Japan done complete with a crosshair showing the center.
But we didn’t stay too long at Nihon no Hesa. The drive to Nyugawa on the northern coast of Shikoku was long and we had other places to visit along the way.
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We passed from Honshu, the largest island, to Shikoku when we crossed over Seto Ohashi a huge span of bridge near Takamatsu. We stopped for lunch and photos and tried to catch donbo (dragonflies) by holding our fingers up in the air near a swarm of them. None of them took our fingertip bait though and soon we were back in the car.
At Kawanoe we stopped to try our hand at papermaking. Kawanoe is known for its papermills and the whole town smells like sour paper pulp. The paper museum exhibited washi techniques and raw materials as well as the myriad things done with Kawanoe paper. The kids were impressed with the long, uncut rolls of toilet paper. I liked the beautiful and elaborate knotted paper strings. They’re used on gift envelopes and these examples were some of the fanciest I’ve ever seen.
Behind the exhibits on the second floor is a huge workroom where you can make your own paper postcards. While you are not making the traditional Japanese rice paper, which takes years to master, papermaking is fun and even Yuka had a successful postcard making experience.
The man who ran the workroom has been making paper since he was 14 and has volunteered at the museum since he retired from his job 11 years ago. When the Empress came to visit the museum, he helped her make paper--hers was especially beautiful. He helped us commoners, too. Yuka had his assistance in dipping the frame into the slurry of pulp and water. Ko shyly helped him decorate a sample postcard for us.
How do you make paper? It’s really not too difficult.:
1. Create a soupy mixture of paper pulp and water. You can do this in a blender by ripping up old paper or cartons, adding water and pureeing.
2. Carefully and evenly pour the pulp into a special hinged frame with a screen on one side. Or put your paper pulp in a basin and dip the screen in. In either case, the water seeps out through the screen.
3. While the paper pulp is wet, you can add bits of flowers, shreds of colored paper and tissue, or pour colored pulp in patterns on top.
4. Start the drying process. The workroom had a special vacuum dryer that sucked out most of the water. But without the dryer, you use towels and blotting paper to soak up the water.
5. Turn the pages out of the frame and onto a table to dry. The workroom was fitted out with a steam heated table to shorten the drying time.
6. After the paper has dried most of the way and is curled up on the edges, you iron it flat which simultaneously completes the drying process.
All this education came at the price of only 10 yen per postcard!
Back in the car it was only a little further to Aono’s parent’s home in Nyugawa. “It’s a very old house,” Aono-san warned me. He sounded apologetic. But I don’t understand why. It is a beautiful, pre-war Japanese style house. It has a tile roof with ornate caps and a carved turtle tile on the peak over the door. There’s a pond of ornamental koi in front.
“That pond seemed so big when I was a kid,” Aono confided. “But now...it is pretty small, isn’t it?”
Inside, the main room has a tatami floor and on three sides of the room, sliding panels of wood and frosted glass to shut it off from the hall which surrounds it. Two sides of the hall are floor to ceiling exterior windows. The third hall opens into another room which has been renovated in a western style. The fourth wall of the main room is the alcove where the family shrine sits, complete with candles and a can of mandarin oranges for the hungry gods.
We ate dinner in the main room the first night. We ate well--do it yourself temaki (handrolled sushi), with shrimp, egg custard, crab sticks, daikon sprouts, a flatish shrimp thing called shako that was very difficult to shell, and a variety of sauces.
I noted a conspicuous absence of raw foods--certainly done for my benefit. There was a lot of care taken to ensure my comfort and food was one of the foremost issues. Aono-san noted that I did not eat like an American--meaning I didn’t eat as much as people apparently expected me to eat. Was I on a diet?
Because I didn’t eat enough, I think, I was treated to a special bowl of one of Aono-san’s fathers favorite foods, chazuke. It is rice mixed with green tea like a porridge. It’s salty and delicious.
After dinner, while the Ayoko did the dishes (I was never allowed to help in the kitchen), Aono-san and I looked through his photo albums. His father even fetched out the baby pictures. It was so much fun to see my friend as a child and then as a young man on his exchange trip to America and later being crazy in college with a former girlfriend (one that Ayoko doesn’t know about!). You never really can know another person--just parts of them. But paging through the photos helped me to see Aono in a different light.
Aono-san’s mother had taken Yuka and gone off to a min-yo (folk-singing) rehearsal at the community center down the street. I wanted to listen in, so Aono and I walked down the block and into the center. It was eerily quiet until we got to the second floor rehearsal room.
We gingerly slid the door open to reveal two neatly arranged rows of tables with six middle aged women and one man sitting at them. Sheet music in hand, slippered feet tapping and tape recorders running to capture the session, they sang to the accompaniment of their sensei as he played the shamisen.
We entered the back of the room, making as little noise as possible, but a foreigner and a stranger coming into a rural folk singing class is a bit of a spectacle. Class came to a brief standstill and we accepted the proffered chairs while an embarrassed yet proud Aono’s mother explained who we were. Yuka was sitting next to her grandmother being only minorly fidgety, but as the singing resumed, she came to sit on her father’s lap.
This folk music is ancient. These are the songs the working people sang as they farmed, picked rice, sailed boats. It’s high pitched, slightly syncopated and tuned to a scale I couldn’t recognize. It’s beautiful and very foreign. The three string shamisen has a tone that is distinctive but difficult to describe. In any case, it was played with a large triangular pick or sometimes plucked to provide the simple accompaniment to the singing.
Sensei played and everyone sang. But a look of displeasure crossed his face and he stopped to deliver a lecture about starting on the downbeat. He demonstrated, tapping out the rhythm on the table and speaking the lyrics in time with the taps. Recorders clicked on to capture the wisdom and instruction. He started from the top and six slightly wobbly voices sang. Some of them hit the downbeat.
Aono and Yuka made their escape on the pretext of Yuka’s bedtime, but I was fascinated and stayed an hour until the rehearsal was over. There were a number of lectures on the finer points of changing notes on the correct beat. The accompaniment doesn’t give the singers the notes so they need to know exactly when to change one long drawn out syllable for the next. I certainly couldn’t have sung that music correctly even with the lectures.
At the end of class, as the participants put away their tables and chairs and tidied the room, Sensei showed me the shamisen. The tuning was in half steps for part of the major scale, but some notes were missing and there seemed to be others thrown into places where they shouldn’t be. This is absolutely not a Western instrument! He played a major scale for me, to prove it could be done. Then he launched into a very fast, finger-numbing solo. At first I thought he was mimicking a rock riff, but later I encountered a similar shamisen tune and I realized that this was part of the traditional style used in the interludes of plays. Really impressive in either case.
That night, I slept in the Western-style room. Unlike the other rooms in the house which were sparsely furnished (tatami flooring is not made for furniture), this one was crammed with a sofa, two easy chairs, a coffee table, a karaoke machine and bookshelves. A mantle over an empty fireplace spanned one end of the room and the other end of the room was wall to wall bookcases. Orange carpeting complemented the golden colored drapes and rusty-brown flocked upholstery. The furniture had been moved aside to make room for my futon which seemed completely incongruous in this bastion of Western tastes.
If you have read “36 Views of Mount Fuji” by Cathy Davidson, you’ll recognize this room as the Practice Room. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it.
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EXCERPT:
The center of Japan...depending on how you measure the country.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: One Hundred Poems
BASENAME: one_hundred_poems
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/21/2004 11:59:26 AM
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BODY:
6 August 1999
I woke to the sound of the local announcements at 6:45. Why the community centre needs to broadcast information about the evening’s events so early in the day is beyond me, but there was a man reading slowly and solemnly from a sheet of paper about a party and some classes. When he reached the end, there was a pause and then the dreaded “mo ichi dou” (one more time) that I know so well from class and the announcements began again!
A bit later in the morning, after breakfast, laundry and a tour of the vegetable garden, there was a bit of an argument between Ko & Yuka. Ko didn’t want to come on the day’s excursions; he wanted to play go with his grandfather. Yuka wanted to stay with her brother who she adores and imitates. But Yuka’s destiny was to be in the car with us as we toured some of Ehime prefecture’s highlights. Eventually, she gave in and we were all in the car and on our way.
Aono-san took such great pains to make sure I got to see all the things that interest me. We started at the Iyo Sakurai Lacquer Hall a small factory that had an area where you could watch the craftsmen working at carving the lacquer, filling it with gold leaf, painting details and polishing the finished items. It was fascinating to watch the process in action. I was so entranced that it was startling when they all got up and left the room for a smoke break.
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The hall also had an exhibit of antique lacquerware and new products for sale. Some of the large bowls and boxes with gold and mother of pearl inlays were as much as 500,000 yen (about $5,000). On the lower end of the scale, chopsticks were only 300 yen.
Our next stop was in the middle of nowhere. I have no idea how Aono managed to find this place in the middle of a rice field, off the side road, off the main road, over a bridge, past a tumbling down village. The drive took us on one lane roads with hairpin curves and two way traffic--exactly the sort of driving Tod loves! It’s a shame he wasn’t with us.
Anyway, we arrived at an old schoolhouse where an artist named Atsushi Tanaka has set up his studio. The halls of the school are filled with fragrant camphorwood, called kusunoki. Tanaka-san was a salaryman in Tokyo until about 10 years ago when he moved to Shikoku and took up the artistic life full-time. His handcarved dolls and puzzle pictures are now sold in one of the major department stores in Tokyo. He welcomes visitors (if they can find the school!) and has set up one of the former classrooms with a low key display of his works and a wall of photos and flyers from his exhibits around Japan. My favorite carving was of “Momotoro, the Peach Boy” who is the Japanese equivalent of Thumbelina.
When you think of Japanese pottery, do you think of white and blue glaze? Tobe, a town not too far from Nyugawa, produces some of Japan’s best known blue and white pottery. We went there to try our hand at painting some of our own.
The Creative Ceramic Art Center holds classes in pottery making from the ground up but for those like us with limited time, there is a painting-only room. Shelves full of greenware, the unglazed pottery, in the form of tea bowls, sushi plates, platters, rice bowls, sake sets and every other imaginable size and shape of dish, are available. I selected two small tea bowls. Ayoko painted a nameplate and Yuka decorated a small oval dish. Painting on the porous surfaces was more challenging than I expected, but after making a lot of mistakes on the first teacup, I did better on the second one.
Yuka’s dish was quite a masterpiece. She didn’t want her mother’s help with writing her name or making an outline around the dish--she did the whole thing herself. I’m sure she will treasure it forever. :-)
Nearby is the Tobe Pottery Museum. I was feeling a little bit “potteried-out” when we entered, but I’m very glad we went. The first thing you see is a giant pottery globe. It’s easily 2 meters in diameter. The seas are blue; the continents are raised out of the water and glazed in brown. And dotting the globe are little round stickers placed by all the international visitors.
I got to put my sticker on Pittsburgh, though it might have been closer to Erie in reality as a two meter globe really doesn’t give much margin for error. For my troubles, I was given a present from the Ehime Prefectural Tourist Association--a lovely straight-sided pottery tea cup. That was a really nice surprise.
The museum helped me to put into context all the pottery things I’d seen during the trip--the potteries I’d visited and learned about were all given in a timeline and on a map that pointed out why each was important. And of course, there were beautiful examples of Tobe style pottery. My tea bowls are shabby in comparison.
When we arrived back home, Aono-san’s mother met us outside. “Ko and Grandfather have gone to Hontani onsen for a bath before dinner,” she said. We ran inside, grabbed our bath things and were back in the car and on our way to join them.
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to guide you in the onsen,” Aono-san said to me, meaning that the baths are segregated by gender. He paused a beat then added, “Does that count as harassment?” I laughed and shook my head.
Hontani onsen is a hot spring bath about 10 minutes from the Aono’s house. It’s been visited by ancient emperors and is as beautiful as it is popular. A curved red bridge spans the gorge below the bath house and in the spring, cherry blossoms tint the hills pink.
The bath was very busy! There were more women than taps to bathe at but as the honored guest (a role I was getting more than a little embarrassed and uncomfortable with), I got to bathe first when a tap opened up. I washed quickly and settled myself in the cedar-lined bath which was warm but not too hot.
Some friendly women--everyone in Ehime is friendly--tried to talk to me. But I am still not confident about my Japanese ability. I answered their questions as best I could, but I’m sure I introduced some non-sequiturs. The standard conversation that I had--almost every time someone talked to me they asked the same questions--went like this:
“Where are you from?”
“I come from America.”
“Are you on holiday?”
“Yes, I am. But I work in Tokyo.”
“Oh, really? How long have you been in Japan?”
“One year.”
“You are very skillful at Japanese.”
“I only speak a little bit.”
“Where have you visited in Japan?”
“I like Japan very much. Tomorrow I am going to Takamatsu and then to Kotohira-gu.”
And then they would invariably ask something I didn’t understand at all and the conversation would end with me putting my head in my hands and mumbling, “Gomen nasai. Wakarimasen.” Please forgive me, I don’t understand.
But this particular conversation ended in an unusual way. As I sat there talking to the nice bathing women, the water was getting hotter. Soon steam was no longer gently rising from the surface of the bath, but billowing up in great clouds!
“Atsui desu yo!” I said, meaning Wow it’s really hot!
The women smiled and giggled as I got up to leave the bath in search of cooler water at a tap. Where I’d been submerged, I looked like a boiled lobster! I cooled off and washed my hair, then Ayoko suggested I try the steam bath.
Man that was hot! The bath was really a tiny, cedar lined closet with a bench running around the wall and a big rock formation in one corner. There was a thermometer and an egg-timer sized hourglass on one wall. The thermometer read 92 centigrade (that’s 198 F) and the egg timer was to make sure you didn’t stay in too long. Five minutes at a time is the maximum. I lasted for three minutes before I had to escape to the icy water in the basin outside. Ayoko was right behind me but the other women who were in there stayed in the full five minutes. They were tough old women!
But at least I wasn’t the only pink one anymore. I still held the title of most pink, though. We left the bath and went home fir a delicious Japanese curry dinner and to admire the tanabata decorations that Ko had made while we were driving around.
Tanabata is a summer folk holiday that celebrates the legend of the stars Altair and Vega who are known as the Shepherd and the Weaver. Doomed lovers, they were banished to opposite sides of the sky for some slight they made against one of the gods. But they are allowed to come together once a year on Tanabata. People decorate poles of bamboo with colored strips of paper bearing wishes (usually romantic). In Tokyo, Tanabata is celebrated on the 7th of July, but outside Tokyo, most people celebrate it in early August.
After dinner, we played games again. Aono’s father played ceaseless games of go and elementary shogi (Japanese chess) with Ko while I was there. But in the evening, it was my turn to entertain. I showed Ko how to shuffle cards and though his hands were a little too small to do it right, he did really well. After a few rounds of babanuki, Aono-san’s father brought out another card game to show me.
Karuta is a poetry card game. There are one hundred famous tanka poems which are short sometimes humorous verse in two parts. The original selection of hundred poems was made by a famous poet in the 13th century. Some newer poems have been substituted since then and in the Edo era, someone came up with a game to play with them.
There are three players and two sets of cards. The reader has a set of 100 cards with the full poem written on them. The other two players share from a set of cards that has only the second half of the poem. Each player lays out 25 cards face up in front of them. The other 50 “second half” cards are out of play.
The reader reads the first half of one of his cards. The two players have to match the second half of the poem from among their cards. The first one to do so, removes the card from play. You can take the card from your own or your opponent’s layout but since the goal is to clear all 25 cards from in front of you, if you take one of your opponents cards, you get to give him one of yours.
Among good players, the pace is fast and furious. Aono-san’s father is the prefectural Karuta champion and he teaches people how to play at the community center. He gave me not only an overview of the game and hints on how to win but also a full set of 200 cards and a book on the history and gameplay. So now I need to memorize all the poems and see if I can play!
I fell asleep that night trying to translate the cards and so ended the first phase of my travels--life with the Aonos. The next morning, I was on my way to meet Tod in Takamatsu.
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EXCERPT:
Lacquerware, wood carving, pottery and cards.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 06/21/2004 10:10:54 PM
I don't remember reading about that card game. Neat story!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Matsu means pine
BASENAME: matsu_means_pine
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/22/2004 12:01:24 PM
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BODY:
7 August 1999
I left the Aonos with my new karuta cards and pottery souvenirs filling my bag. After thanking Aono-san for all the trouble he’d gone to to make my vacation so special, I bid the family goodbye at the station and was on my way east to Takamatsu and Tod.
Takamatsu is not a very exciting city. It’s kind of flat and although far smaller than Tokyo, it’s made of ferro concrete and asphalt just like its larger cousin. But it is a great jumping off point for other destinations and there are a number of nearby sights to see.
Tod took the Shinkansen from Tokyo early on Saturday morning and after chaging to a local express train, arrived in Takamatsu at about 12:30. I scheduled my arrival from Nyugawa to give me enough time to visit the tourist information centre for maps and to scope out the coin lockers. But I left plenty of time for a good blunder, too.
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I walked up to the information desk and asked
“Sumimasen, Matsuyama no chizu ga arimasu ka?”
Excuse me, do you have a map of Matsuyama?
“Matsuyama no chizu ga arimasen,”
I don’t have a map of Matsuyama, the man at the counter answered.
“Ah, so desu ka. Sumimasen.”
Oh, ok. Thanks.
And I walked away but I was confused--why didn’t the information centre have a map? Then it dawned on me...I went back to the window.
“Sumimasen. Watashi wa ‘Matsuyama’ wo iimashita ka? Machigaimasu! Takamatsu no chizu ga arimasu ka?”
Excuse me. Did I say ‘Matsuyama?’ That was a mistake. Do you have a map of Takamatsu?
The man happily handed me a map of the town I was in, Takamatsu. Matsuyama is on the other side of Shikoku and I wasn’t due there for four more days!
Tod arrived sometime shortly after I stopped blushing my embarrassment. We locked our bags into coin lockers at the station--the first of many times my bag was to be shed from my shoulders and locked into temporary storage--and headed toward the only attraction in town we wanted to see.
Ritsurin Koen is a strolling garden designed by a lord of Sanuki (the ancient name for Kagawa prefecture) about 370 years ago. As we walked along the paths, each turn brought a new vista:
A 300 year old pine tree with a weathered rock placed in front of it dominated the landscape. But we turned down the path to the right and in five steps were standing on a bridge over a lotus pond in full flower.
A carefully cultivated hedge of pine trees with limbs painstakingly twisted so that the branches face the gravel path opened out to the shore of a different pond with a tiny islet in the centre.
Following the path around the water’s edge we came to a teahouse which we couldn’t see when we started our walk at the pond.
The teahouse served two sorts of green tea--sencha, the brewed leaf, and matcha, powdered tea which is frothed into boiling foam with a whisk--along with a traditional sweet-potato filled cookie. But better than the refreshments was the view. The teahouse was placed on the shore of a pond and no matter which of the openings we gazed out, we saw water and greenery. The sound of late summer cicadas was very soothing.
The teahouse was larger than it appeared from the outside when we approached it. Used by the feudal lords for large and small receptions (some of the rooms are barely big enough for two), it can be divided into many rooms by opening or closing the sliding panels. After our tea, we wandered through the teahouse to see the views, admire the simplicity of the architecture--and even accidentially stumbled upon a young couple seeking privacy in the farther reaches of the interior.
Slipping back into our shoes at the door and continuing the stroll, we saw the foundation of the park which looked to me like a bunch of rocks on a hill but to the experts in ancient park design, the style in which the rocks are placed tells the history of the park. I dunno; looked like rocks on a hill to my Philistine eyes.
To reach the park, we had walked two kilometres down Japan’s longest covered shopping arcade (every town in Japan claims some superlative thing--tallest, prettiest, longest, oldest), but we opted to take the train back to the station to pick up our bags and settle into the hotel with no further ado. Dinner and breakfast were included in the price of the room and we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss dinner.
The hotel was conveniently near the station but it wasn’t much to write home about really. We had a Japanese style room with tatami flooring and futons to sleep on. I have become a fan of real Japanese futons on the floor. They are most comfortable! This was a business hotel so there was no shared bath--we had to bathe in our own room. Dinner was a standard Japanese meal with lots of little dishes of pickles, some sashimi which was very good, and other local delicacies.
After dinner, which was over by 7, we decided to wander around outside again. A cold beer was what we craved. So we tooled around the back alleys looking for someplace interesting. Eventually, having seen nothing that jumped out at us, we stopped on a corner and said “Ok, this place (Snack Love) or that place (Pub Patohiru). Patohiru won out--I just couldn’t go to a place with Love in the name.
It turned out to be a good choice. We opened the door to a tiny bar with maybe a dozen seat. All of them were empty! The barkeep and his assistant were sitting chatting and they looked more than startled to see two foreigners coming in. Takamatsu has a pretty small foreign population and I suspect none of them ever make it to Pub Patohiru.
Tod put them at ease by asking them in Japanese if they were open. Tod carried the conversation mostly. I answered my four common questions--where are you from, are you on holiday, how long have you been here, where have you visited--and that was the end for me. But Tod carried on a more normal conversation. He even made a joke.
Pointing at the umbrella stand full of forgotten umbrellas, he said,
“Kyaku-san ga imasen, keredemo kasa ga takusan arimasu.”
There are not too many customers, but there are a lot of umbrellas.
OK, it wasn’t very funny, but it was in Japanese! The bartender laughed.
He also warmed up to us and started giving us some of the local sake and even dug into his collection of postage stamps and gave us a first day of issue Ritsuren Koen stamp set and some other very pretty scenic Japan stamps.
So even though it was a little scary going into an unknown bar where we knew we’d have to speak Japanese exclusively and even though Tod carried the conversation for us pretty much entirely on his own, it was a good experience.
But after our beer and sake, we were tired so it was off to bed before another full day of adventures.
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EXCERPT:
Asking for a map to the wrong city
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ever upward
BASENAME: ever_upward
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/23/2004 12:05:24 PM
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BODY:
8 August 1999
Kotohira-gu enshrines Kompira, the sailors’ god who has expanded his business to include all travelers. On this long trip, it seemed foolish not to go invoke his good favor. So we woke early to catch the train that would take us about an hour west of Takamatsu.
Morning is not Tod’s best time of day but he normally manages to make it through with the help of a few cups of coffee but Japanese breakfasts don’t include coffee, just green tea. And while green tea has enough caffeine to get me going, Tod would have to drink several pots before he was awake. So I led the way that morning. After our breakfast we walked to the tram station at the other end of the street and were on our way,
When we arrived in Kotohira, we walked along a river to the main street. The main street turns into a staircase leading up to the shrine. A staircase that has 785 stairs! We knew because the guidebooks said so. And to confirm their accuracy Tod counted every one of them as we went up.
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As we started out, the stairs were lined on either side by shops selling t-shirts, wooden statues, things to offer to Kompira, drinks, masks, all manner of souvenirs. Green and blue tarps strung over the stairs from the tops of the low buildings furnished some shade to walk in.
As we reached stair 50 or so, Tod realized this was going to be a very hot climb and he bought himself a red paper fan. This 100 yen investment turned out to be very useful on the next 735 steps and beyond.
About a third of the way up, the shops ended and the steps were lined with tall stone pillars inscribed with dates and the names of patrons of the shrine. Then came stone lanterns. When we reached a broad plaza with shady trees, and a giant golden ship’s screw near the first gate to the shrine, we were perplexed by a dog statue wearing a yellow cloth bib. People stopped to have their photos taken near it. Never did figure it out, but we had a good rest while we tried.
Even more perplexing was the nearby stable of horses. Real horse in a real stable eating real hay and making real horse noises. Halfway up a 785 step staircase! It wasn’t until later that I remembered that horses are often depicted as messengers to the gods. So here were some real live messengers. Japan’s a quirky place!
Rested a little bit, but not enough for Tod, we continued upwards. Overachieving eight year olds ran circles around us, calling back to their struggling parents “Hayaku! Hayaku!” which means ‘quickly’ or in more vernacular terms “Hurry up!”
We finally reached the main shrine. Exactly 785 steps from the start--though there was some confusion over whether to count the occasional step down in the flatter areas as a negative step, a positive step or nothing at all. I don’t remember how we tallied it, but in the end we had 785 steps to the top so we must have counted the same way as everyone else.
The first business at hand was to pay respects to Kompira-san. I tossed my small denomination change into the wooden offering box and clapped, asked a favor for a safe trip and came away to make room for the next pilgrim. Tod just stood by too tired to make the three step ascent to the altar.
There was a little tent off to one side of the shrine where two urns of water and an urn of green tea were available. Freshly rinsed plastic tea bowls were stacked up at one end of the table and at the other end, the used tea bowls were stacked almost as neatly waiting for one of the shrine’s acolytes to takes them to be washed.
We had our ration of water, admired the view and explored the precincts of the shrine. Beyond the water tent were two open galleries of offerings to Kompira. Many of them were photographs or paintings of ships. Some were quite old and weathered. Others were new. All had been carried up the steps by people wishing to get Kompira’s blessing. Several of the ships depicted in large, ornately framed oil paintings were commercial cargo vessels. On the other end of the scale were snapshots of people’s rowboats and pleasure craft.
Not all of the offerings were two dimensional. There was a 5 meter long, solar powered, one-man craft that looked like it had been either an experiment or in a race--the entire thing was there. Maybe it was a post-event offering
Someone else brought up a beautiful wooden model of his three mast sailing ship. One ship model was made of lucky 5 yen coins (which have a hole in them) strung together with copper wire in the most ingenious way.
Although ships dominated the galleries, they weren’t the only things there. There was a large bronze statue of an elephant signifying Mt. Zousa, “Elephant Mountain,” which we’d just climbed. Japan’s first astronaut was captured in a painting. Monkeys seemed to be a minor theme, too. And the bib-wearing dog appeared a few more times in various media.
Fascinating as the galleries were, they only held our attention long enough for us to move on to the next discovery---more stairs! A map showed a 1.2 km route to another shrine further up the mountain. I was game and Tod came along. It was a lot more stairs. I think by the time we reached the summit we had climbed at least a million steps. Maybe as many as a million and a half.
But the view from the top was spectacular. And we saw a number of interesting fauna on the way including a butterfly that glided rather than flapping its wings like regular butterflies. It doesn’t sound like much now, but when you’re climbing a million stairs on a very hot day, anything that captures your attention is good.
We were also distracted by the electrical lines running up the mountain along with the stairs. In Japan where there is electricity there is a machine vending drinks. We buoyed ourselves on the hope that at the top we could find a shady spot and have a rest and a drink.
But Kotohira is the only place in Japan where electricity does not equal vending machine. Poor Tod. His legs, now well conditioned from biking to work, are not happy when climbing or descending stairs. By the time we reached the bottom he was dehydrated and very achy. We had more water at the main shrine, but even three bowls of it didn’t slake Tod’s thirst.
It wasn’t until he’d had a bowl of handmade udon noodles that he started to feel better. The Kompira udon was topped with vegetables, fish cake, meat and mushrooms. It was delicious.
Thus revived we wandered out into the town and came across a surprise. A giant bottle attracted my attention. After a moment of puzzling over what it was, we figured out that we’d found a sake museum. Inside was the history of Kinryo Sake company and very detailed descriptions of the process of sake brewing. Side by side photos compared the ancient techniques and today’s modern methods. Dioramas and films described each step.
At the end of the self-paced tour, three vending machines doled out samples of different types of sake. We took our tiny cups of sake out into the courtyard and sat in the shade of an 800 year old camphor tree and contemplated the art of sake.
The sake kicked my brain into gear and I remembered that there was one more thing I wanted to see in Kotohira. Kanamaru-za is Japan’s oldest extant theater. I had only a vague idea of where it was, so after we wandered around without finding it, we asked someone who not only pointed us in the right direction, but drew our attention by clapping briskly when we almost missed the turn we needed.
Live kabuki is performed at Kanamaru-za only once a year and the shows are sold out well in advance. For those of us attending on non-performance days, there is a great videotape that reveals on-stage and off-stage action. The theater was built in 1835 and underwent a number of changes (including being used as a movie theater) until its restoration 25 years ago.
Of course the theater obliged our day’s theme of “uphill” and was at the top of another set of stairs but it was worth the climb. It was the most beautiful theater I’ve ever been in. It wasn’t angels-on-the-ceiling-ornate like beautiful theaters in America. This theater had white painted walls with exposed beams and tatami mats on the floor for seating in front of the stage. The wood and the rice straw made the theater smell so sweet. From the ceiling hung ranks of paper lanterns painted with the red circled-shaped bird crest of the theater. The stage was lighted with footlights and with daylight that filtered through screens in the wings.
Backstage, narrow ladders led to second story, communal dressing rooms for the cast. The stars were assigned private dressing rooms at stage level. The technical crew had rooms on the second story wings with bamboo blinded windows that commanded a view of the stage and audience.
Best of all was the area under the stage. The stage revolves under the power of four young men who are strapped into thick harnesses and strain against stone footholds embedded in the floor like the marks on a compass. Two trap doors allow the actors and scenery to be lifted to and lowered from the stage. Those strong young men power the lifting as well as the rotating. Actors can run along a narrow corridor to the back of the audience where another trap door lets them pop out for a grand entrance as they walk along a stage-level walkway to the front.
We made our exit along this walkway and headed back to Takamatsu for a quiet evening before another fun-filled day.
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EXCERPT:
A long climb to a temple.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lovely sandwich
BASENAME: lovely_sandwich
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/24/2004 09:26:21 AM
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BODY:
This makes a fabulous lunchtime picnic. At least it did for me. It can be assembled al fresco if you bring a knife.
If you can't find bread with figs in it, use a chewy grain-studded loaf and slice up some figs. If you can't find peppered smoked chicken, I think you might be out of luck with this recipe.
Smoked Chicken and Blueberries on Fig Bread
serves 2
2 small loaves fig bread
2 fillets peppered, smoked chicken
2 oz full-milk soft French cheese from an obscure village
1 handful fresh blueberries
Slice open the fig bread, tuck two chicken tenderloins into it, smear with cheese and garnish liberally with blueberries smushed into the cheese.
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EXCERPT:
A wonderful picnic sandwich.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.175
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 06/24/2004 09:48:59 AM
bread with fig ?? I know bread with poppy seeds. I'll find it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 64.53.162.136
URL:
DATE: 06/25/2004 11:06:31 AM
The figs are baked into the bread, like raisins. It's really delicious!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Exercise
BASENAME: exercise
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/25/2004 11:59:59 AM
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BODY:
Sometimes, you need to give your body a workout to get the brain flowing freely. I know I sit too much at my computer cranking out words and images. When I go for long walks or swim laps, my brain changes gears and I enjoy a meditative state while my muscles do their thing. When I'm done, I feel tired, refreshed and full of energy. My fancy flies and I end up in places I didn't expect--creative leaps from my desk-bound routine.
Go take some exercise today. A good walk at lunch, a bike ride after dinner, a session at the gym, a splash in the pool. Make sure it's long enough to allow your brain to disengage and your body to get tired (but don't overdo it--gentle and easy is fine for this exercise!). Then see where your mind goes.
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EXCERPT:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Missed opportunities/lost property
BASENAME: missed_opportunitieslost_property
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/26/2004 12:01:01 AM
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BODY:
8 August 1999
Working under the first rule of travel, allow extra time to figure things out, I woke Tod very early so that we could get to our destination in a timely way. We had dined, checked out and walked to the station before 8 am. The next train to Naruto left at 8:23.
It took about 90 minutes to reach Naruto, and operating under the second rule, sort out your return trip as soon as you arrive, we figured out what train Tod needed to be on to get back to Takamatsu in time for his 15:29 train back to Tokyo. If he missed the train in Takamatsu, he’d miss his connection and forfeit his seat on the Shinkansen which would mean standing on the next train. A three hour trip seems much longer when you can’t sit down.
So at 10:00 we were in Naruto, our bags were living in the coin lockers, and Tod had a ticket for the 12:46 Naruto to Takamatsu train. The next step was to get to the park where we could (maybe) see the whirlpools. Over to the bus stop we went.
The 9:56 had left only a few minutes before. The next bus was at 10:56. Ouch...that didn’t leave us much time at all for whirlpool-viewing, though by this time we’d resigned ourselves to not actually seeing any whirlpools. Maybe there was another way to get to the park.
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Aha! A taxi stand with a taxi waiting for us! We hopped in and 20 minutes later we cruised past the bus stop we’d need for the return trip. The taxi driver pointed it out to us as he gave us the bad news that were no taxi stands at the park. Two minutes later he dropped us off at the viewing area.
As we pulled up, we saw two dozen costumed festival dancers boarding a tour bus to leave. We had just missed their annual dance show on the beach! The morning’s timing really wasn’t very good. Our 10:20 arrival fell 10 minutes after the tide, too.
We did get to see some whirlpools and the cruise ships that ride people out to see them. It wasn’t as dramatic as I’d hoped. In fact, since we didn’t know whether the sea at the straights was ever calm, we didn’t know if the churning waters were a tidal effect or just normal. We concluded “normal” until I saw a tide table later on that day.
So it’s 10:30. We know Tod has to be back at Naruto Station for his 12:46 train. And we also know that the bus is on an hourly schedule. But we don't know the schedule or how long the bus takes to get to the station. How long can we stay at the park before we lose our chance to get back to the station in time? I was living an algebra word problem!
The kind shopkeeper at one of the souvenir stands had the answer for us--a bus schedule! We had enough time to buy some omiyage (souvenir gifts), have an ice cream and take some photos. Then we walked to the bus stop and boarded the 11:16 bus to the station.
Tod is not a master of time and I’ve never seen him more tense about a schedule. Losing the Shinkansen seat would be a bad way to end the day. He tried to be relaxed about the disappointing showing of the whirlpools, but he checked the time frequently and was pretty high strung about getting back to the station. Fortunately, we caught the bus and got back to town with no problems.
Until Tod went to check the time again...his clock which is actually the display of his cell phone was gone. “Oh my god, my keitai denwa is gone!” he exclaimed. “It must have fallen out of my pocket on the bus.” This was bad. He had managed to hang on to that phone for more than a year while his colleagues kept losing theirs. He used it all the time as a phone and even more frequently as a watch. Its loss devastated him. A slightly bad day had turned into a disaster.
My watch, still firmly attached to my wrist in the conventional manner, told me we had 45 minutes before the train. So we headed to a restaurant nearby the station to discuss the day’s disasters. As we reviewed the plastic food in the display case, the waitress (who didn’t know I could see her) looked at us, turned to her colleague and made the arms crossed sign that usually means “Sorry, we’re out of that” or “no.” She meant, I think, that she wasn’t looking forward to having to deal with foreigners during the lunch rush.
But we went in anyway and spoken entirely in Japanese to her. She had nothing to worry about. Our level of personal distress required some calming foods so even though it was only noon we ordered two mugs of beer and a plate of edomame, salty steamed soybeans in their pods.
Two beers later, we had a plan. Although Tod was returning to Tokyo, I was about to begin the next leg of my journey at Tokushima. Amazingly enough, Tod’s phone was headed there, too. I would check in at the wasuremono (lost items) office and see if Tod’s phone had been found.
Which was easier said than done. I arrived in Tokushima at 1:45 and the first place I went was the bus office. I explained that I had lost my portable phone and told them which bus I was on. The woman who I explained this to picked up her intercom and broadcast to all the buses in the lot, as well as to all the passengers in the queues, to see if the Naruto Koen bus was there.
But the bus hadn’t arrived yet--it was due in at 3:00. At 3:00 on the dot, I returned to the bus office. As I walked through the bus lot, I saw a bus bound for Naruto Park pulling out.
“Excellent,” I thought. “They’ll have the phone.”
But they did not. The woman at the bus office were very nice, but I didn’t understand everything she said. Eventually, we got around to drawing a map of the bus to pinpoint where I had been sitting. I described the phone’s color and manufacturer. The woman said the bus driver would search the bus again when he got to Naruto and she would call me at 3:45 at my hotel.
This gave me enough time to check into my hotel and get settled in. Packing lightly as I do, I was anxious to get some laundry done. I had rehearsed in my head on the train how to say so in Japanese.
“Sentaku o shitai desu ne,” I carefully enunciated to the kimono clad woman who was showing my room.
“Eh..?” she answered and showed me where the bathrobe was.
“Sentaku o shitai desu,” I ventured again. Maybe if I said it enough, she’d understand. It was a simple declarative,’ I would like to do laundry,’ that I hoped would elicit a response of “Oh yes of course. We can do your laundry for you and add it to your bill.”
However, on my repetition, the room attendant led me to the bathroom sink and showed me that I could put the stopper in and use the little bar of soap to wash my clothes. So much for an easy afternoon of sightseeing!
So I did my laundry by hand. I kept my fingers crossed that it would dry in time to wear it the next day. In the middle of the third t-shirt, the phone rang. It was the bus office.
“Keitai denwa o arimasu,” the nice woman said. We have the phone.
“Hai, wakarimashita. Domo arigato!” I answered.
Then she went on at length about something I didn’t entirely understand. I asked her to repeat and then to repeat again. I feel sorry for, but very grateful to, the kind people who struggle patiently along with my language problems. Not everyone does, but she repeated more slowly and simply until she was sure I understood that the bus would arrive with the phone at 6:00 and I could pick it up then.
I dispatched the remaining laundry in few minutes and went out to explore the city. Most of the day had been spent in the vicinity of the bus terminal, so I opted to head in the other direction--towards the Mt. Bizen Ropeway.
As ropeways go, it was perfectly fine. The view from the top was panoramic and the mountains on the far side of the city faded into the late day haze like a classical painting. I took some photos and then headed back down to recover Tod’s phone.
We had agreed that I would mail the phone back to Tod if I found it. In my numerous walks around the station, I found the main post office and noted it had an after hours section. So with the phone in hand, I went in.
“Hello, I’d like to send this phone to Tokyo, please,” I explained in Japanese as I held up the phone.
“Um...you can’t send that phone like that,” the young, pudgy postal worker answered me in rapid fire Japanese. He called over a colleague to confirm. “Yes, I think you need an envelope.”
“Just a second,” I said as I made room for the next transaction. I was not prepared to deal with a post office that didn’t sell envelopes. I needed to bolster my vocabulary. I checked my dictionary and got back into line.
Back at the front of the line, I inquired about where to buy an envelope. The post boy lectured me that I needed a box. But he spoke very quickly and I didn’t understand exactly what he said. I asked him to repeat, more slowly, please.
At this point, I wish I’d had my camera ready. The man cupped his hands around his mouth and spoke very loudly. But not more slowly. So classic and really funny. But at the time, I was frustrated and insulted.
“Yes, yes, I see,” I countered. “But where can I buy one?” The post boy was speechless. I thanked him for his help and left the post office shaking my head.
Fortunately my walks had also taken me past a convenience store. I bought a ten pack of manila envelopes and a pair of socks. The phone was a neat package shortly thereafter. When I returned with the sock-padded, wrapped phone and asked the post boy to have it sent special delivery to Tokyo, the transaction was complete in 30 seconds!
And it was time for dinner. I’d joked with Tod that now that I’d be traveling alone I would end up eating exclusively in fast food chains where I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone. But I did not. I walked around another area of town and found a little restaurant that had food I had never tried before, zousui, which turned out to be a delicious rice porridge.
I was the only customer and the mama-san talked to me. We had the four questions conversation and she was patient with my fumbling attempts to conjugate verbs fast enough to continue the conversation. I was pretty stupid and I was glad to finish my dinner and get back to my hotel for a well deserved period of oblivion before another day.
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EXCERPT:
Bad timing and a lost phone
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lost on Main Street
BASENAME: lost_on_main_street
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/27/2004 08:17:07 PM
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BODY:
9 August 1999
The reason I went to Tokushima was not to chase Tod’s phone or even to do my laundry. I wanted to see some of the prefecture’s traditional crafts. Tokushima boasts indigo dying, traditional weaving, puppet making, pottery, paper making and a special local dance called Awa Odori.
The day dawned and I was full of excited anticipation. I had a list of places I wanted to go and things I wanted to see. Bur first, I’d fortify myself with breakfast.
I had asked for an early breakfast because I wanted to get a jump on things and leave enough time to figure out which busses to take and generally manage my illiteracy. So I was the only person in the dining room when I came in. At my place at the low table was the usual array of tiny dishes filled with pickled things. To one side was a brazier with a grate. As I puzzled a bit over this, the room attendant from the previous afternoon appeared bearing a bowl of rice, some miso soup and a fish which she placed on the brazier.
So I had to cook my own breakfast and it stared at me the whole time. As long as I concentrated on the rice I was OK. The attendant came over and flipped the fish over when it started to burn on the first side.
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She also noticed I hadn’t cracked open my raw egg and she asked me if she could help. Well, I really had no way of resisting her help, so I just sat there while she cracked the egg into my miso soup. Which partly cooked the egg and made me lose my taste for the miso.
At least the pickles were all vegetables and they looked good. There were some light brown colored beans in a bowl to one side. I dug in and came away with two beans and some silky stringy stuff like you see on okra. Weird but I eat okra so no problem. Except this wasn’t beans with okra goo. It was natto. Fermented, rotting soybeans.
They actually tasted fine. But the texture was impossible and they upset my stomach for two hours afterwards. So breakfast was not a big hit with me that day.
No worries though, I hadn’t lost my enthusiasm for the day, just my appetite. I beat as hasty a retreat as I could politely manage and walked to what was becoming my Tokushima Point of Reference--the bus terminal.
Where I discovered that I wasn’t in Tokyo anymore. Not that I hadn’t been aware of this all along, but it really hit home when I looked at the schedule and saw that the bus that heads to Tokushima’s main tourist center, ASTY Tokushima, only runs once every 90 minutes. Either A) everyone has cars or B) nobody goes to ASTY or C) they are all on package tours.
Option C turned out to be the correct one. I caught the bus and got there at about 10:00--three hours after breakfast. So much for an early start!
ASTY promised me the chance to see the main points of the prefecture--some of the far-flung sights I wasn’t going to have time to travel to see in person--and give me the chance to try some of the crafts and learn the Awa Odori dance, too!
But the promises weren’t kept very well. Since I was traveling alone instead of with a busload of companions, the center’s staff weren’t sure what to do with me. They hurried me into the 360 degree film theater where the film had just begun. It was a nice film and the 360 view was interesting. The film showed the natural highlights of the region--gorges, seascapes and mountains, and also portrayed the Awa Odori dance festival.
In real life, the dance festival started the day after I was left Tokushima. Bad timing! But I did watch a lot of festival preparations and that was fun, too.
Once the film was over, I wanted to learn to do the dance. But a bus tour was being ushered past the dance corner and away from the place where you could try the gong and drums that accompany the dancing. I tried to resist the flow of traffic, but it was over the “vine bridge” and into the puppet theater for me.
The puppet show was Bunraku, a traditional Japanese art form with puppets that are half life size and handled by three to four puppeteers. But this particular show was a computer controlled mechanized version. It was interesting, but I’d rather have seen the real thing. After the show, I dawdled at the exhibits of puppet making and handling until one of the docents came up to me and handed me a puppet head to try to manipulate. It was more difficult than I expected to keep the neck from flopping around while opening and closing the eyes with a little pull chain inside the neck.
The docent, having discharged her duty, sat me in front of a three dimensional film box and started a puppet film for me. Then, as I was getting interested in some puppet heads, she decided I needed a change of scenery and led me off to a room lined with wavy wooden benches representing mountains and a TV playing videotaped seascapes. Lovely but not very exciting.
I made my way through ASTY in about 30 minutes and missed much of what I’d hoped to see. But there was also a Handicraft Hall where I would be able to try some aizome (indigo dying), papermaking and other crafts. The handicraft hall held the key to a good time.
Except the handicraft hall was more of a shopping arcade. At the back of each specialized craft shop--one for indigo, one for bamboo craft, one for puppets and dolls and so on--most of the shops had an area where you could either watch an artisan at work or try the craft yourself.
However, none of the Craft Corners were manned. The bus tour that had sped ahead of me after the puppet theater was long gone so I suspect the shopkeepers and craftspeople were having a rest before another busload arrived. To the credit of the single shop that was in action, two women who were folding handkerchiefs for the dyepot did nod at me as I walked past and gesture for me to come try which, being completely disgusted by this time, I did not. So it was back to the bus stop to wait for the bus back into town.
But my afternoon was still free. I could do what I ought to have done in the first place. Go see real artisans in their actual workshops. Not sanitized films and the ten minute tour at ASTY. I fortified my finally calm stomach with some tonkatsu, breaded fried pork cutlet, and went in search of indigo dying and shijira, a local weaving that produces cloth similar to seersucker. I would get to try dying after all.
The tourist information center had lots of brochures on places that promoted these fibercrafts and I decided to hop on the train and go three stops down the line to a village named Ko. Ko had six or seven places to observe and participate in dying and weaving.
The station at Ko was once a train car. Not big. Neither was the town. With my cartoon map in hand, I tried to find the nearest aizome place.
“OK, exit the station and just about a block ahead there should be a big road,” I coached myself as I walked along. Good. I was on track. There was the big road.
“Now, turn left and go past two traffic signals...” I was still consulting my cartoon map when I saw a big painted map on a billboard across the street. So I crossed and compared it to my map. Which was a mistake, because the big painted map was oriented backwards. I ended up all turned around and heading the other way which I didn’t realize was wrong at the time.
So I walked past two signals but saw nothing that looked like weaving or dying. But as I walked along I discovered the Ko is home to four of the 88 Temples of Shikoku.
The 88 Temples of Shikoku form a famous pilgrimage that was first undertaken by a Buddhist priest in the late 8th century as he founded temples and brought his brand of Buddhism to Shikoku. To walk the entire pilgrimage can take up to two months. Most people now do it as a bus tour or by private car. But there are still those who walk the entire route. Pilgrims, whether in a bus or on foot, can be identified by their white clothing and hats.
Since I was having no luck finding my craft places and I was less than two kilometers away from temple number 16, I decided to walk there. It was hard to miss. Village street signs pointed the way. Stone obelisks erected at key intersections showed the direction and distance to the nearest temples. Hand lettered signs tacked to lampposts gave maps. If only there had been this much publicity for the indigo and shijira places!
Oh, have I mentioned that it was raining? By the time I left the temple, I was soaked, but the rain had stopped. I walked back to the main road with renewed hope that I would find what I was looking for.
At a crossroads near a Shinto shrine, an older man stopped me and asked if he could take my picture. Ever the ambassador for my country, I assented and stood near a Mickey Mouse statue in the shrine’s precincts for an all-American photo. The man asked for my address and said he would send me a copy of the photo. For all I know, we’ll see him on our doorstep soon, but he seemed harmless and sincere so perhaps I’ll have a souvenir of my damp walk.
Do you think it’s possible that certain types of people gravitate into your life? This man who took my picture was another in the “palm reading” series. I will have a good life and two children according to what he says. And I should stand up straighter, he recommended.
After that brief exchange which was mostly Japanese with a smattering of English, he launched into a long comparison of Buddhism, Shintoism and Christianity. Of course it was lost on me, though I did comprehend that he was Shinto and he didn’t understand the idea of the crucifixion.
To extricate myself from having to try to explain a theology I don’t understand myself, I explained I was in a bit of a rush and asked him if he knew where I could find the shijira places. He pointed me in the direction I started out when I left the station and I left.
And promptly got lost again. Ko is a one street town. How I could get lost was beyond me, but I was not where I expected to be. However, the community center was on the corner and I went in for directions.
The women behind the counter pulled out maps, consulted with coworkers and ended up deciding which of the (honestly) many options would be best. They gave me another map and told me some landmarks near where I needed to turn.
Thus armed, I headed back outside and followed their directions. Three kilometers later, I was at the corner of a three rice fields and a house with a minvan parked outside. Wrong turn? I don’t know...I turned at the Elegance Fair shop like they told me to!
Once again, I retreated to the main road. I continued on until I reached the river at which point all my maps told me I had gone too far. But I did find a German pretzel shop (a wonderful surprise) so I had a soft pretzel and a box of juice before walking back to the train station. About a kilometer from the station, a trendy, bleached hair boy in a car with friends called out and asked me where I was going, but before my brain could parse the Japanese, the traffic signal turned green and they pulled away.
I reached the hotel in time for a rest before dinner. I decided I required a dose of English so I consulted with the ladies at the front desk and went off to see Eyes Wide Shut at the local theater. What a treat. Cool air conditioning and my own language for more than two hours! After the movie, I went back to the hotel and had a bath and fell asleep hoping for a better breakfast in the morning.
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EXCERPT:
It was only a one-street town. How did I get lost?
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: In Hot Water
BASENAME: in_hot_water
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/28/2004 01:01:30 PM
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BODY:
10 August 1999
Over the course of the previous week, I had stopped marking time by meals and begun paying attention to check-in times and bath times. Eating had become less important than washing away the day’s grime and soaking in hot water.
The New Tokushima Hotel had two baths. From 3 p.m. - midnight, women bathed on the first floor. From 6 a.m. until 9, they bathed upstairs on the fifth floor. The men’s schedule was opposite--upstairs at night and downstairs in the morning. I’ve learned that when baths are switched like this, there’s usually something special about one of the bath rooms. So before breakfast, I decided to have a bath upstairs.
And I was right. The fifth floor bath had a rotenburo, an open air bath, with a little garden. It was nice to sit in the warm water with my wash towel piled on my head and listen to the traffic below me on the street and the calls of early morning workers unloading trucks of produce. Although maybe these aren’t the poetic sounds of nature, I enjoyed them. No matter where you are, there’s a world around you that you never imagine. And vice versa--how many of those produce workers gave a second thought (or even a first) to a foreigner’s bath that morning?
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EXTENDED BODY:
I finished my bath and back in my room I packed up my things. Breakfast turned out to be much less dreadful that the previous morning’s. No natto and raw fish today--it was ham and cabbage with my egg broken into the miniature cast iron skillet atop my brazier. Plus rice, miso soup and all the little pickle dishes. Japanese breakfasts are really quite a feast!
Today I was going to be spending some time on a train heading west to Matsuyama and Dogo Onsen. When I had made my reservations the day before I decided that I wanted another morning in Tokushima to see some craftsman. But my enthusiasm for crafts waned a bit after the trip to Ko and now I had several hours to wait before the train left. I decided to walk around the castle museum and park.
The next day marked the start of the annual Awa Odori festival. For three days & nights the town would dance. There’s a saying written all over posters and all the promotions for Awa Odori “Fools are dancing and fools are watching. Why not dance?”
Dance parades fill the streets, contests and impromptu lessons are held anywhere there is space. Brilliantly costumed women wearing cotton kimono and straw hats tied to their heads like folded paper plates dance for hours balanced on the toes of their wooden geta sandals. Arms point into the air as wrists rotate and legs fold then step forward. Men bounce along standing tall then suddenly doubling in half as they writhe to the beat of the drums they carry. It’s quite a spectacle.
But I was witness only to the preparations. Young men in light green uniforms and white gloves spliced electrical wires to create endless streams of red and yellow lanterns that would be hung along city streets and waterfront parks. Metal pipes clanked as burly workers, skin shining and brown from the heat of the day, constructed the bleachers flanking the parade routes. Traffic was disrupted by slow moving trucks bearing port-a-potties.
In the park near the castle museum, in the shadow of the ancient castle gate, a handful of bleached blond boys inspected the sound equipment going up for the concert scheduled for the evening. Their roadies, dressed in baggy t-shirts, long shorts and flat bottomed skateboarding shoes, could have been college students from any US university. But the ubiquitous Japanese towels tied around their heads gave away their national identity as they worked busily adjusting cabling, moving monitors and lugging carts around while two well-wrought women with clipboards discussed the progress off to one side of the event stage.
Eventually, I boarded my train to Matsuyama. The trip took four hours and the only thing to break up my studying was the view of the Shimanami Kaido bridge at Imabari. This bridge was the beginning of the next two days’ travels--I was planning to cover the 60 km span on a bicycle. The approach to the bridge, all curves and circles, looked so much steeper and intimidating from my low vantage point than from the aerial photographs in the brochures. I wondered if perhaps I was getting myself into something I couldn’t handle.
I tried to put that thought aside and concentrate on what I was going to do for the rest of the day. I would arrive in Matsuyama in the late afternoon and make my way by tram to the outlying area where I was spending the night--Dogo Onsen.
Dogo Onsen was the pinnacle of my bathing experience. The public bath there is the oldest in Japan. It is mentioned in Japan’s first written records which are about 3,000 years old. The legend of the bath says that an injured white heron dipped its leg into the hot spring here and was cured. Since then, people have flocked to Dogo for its curing powers.
There is the main public bath house and myriad hotels surrounding it each with its own baths for guests. Which was excellent, because my inner clock told me it was bathtime!
In my hotel room was a pink cotton yukata robe with a pattern of blue toys printed on it. The “Big Book of Hotel,” my generic name for the folder in every hotel room which lists the hotels amenities and rules, didn’t give my any information in English. Should I take my room towels to the bath? Was it OK to wear the yukata in the halls? Some hotels don’t like that...
I needn’t have worried. Not only in the halls of the hotel but also on the streets of Dogo Onsen, visitors wear the yukata provided by their hotels as they go bath hopping. They carry their toiletries in wicker baskets or plastic bags and shuffle along in geta or slippers.
But I discovered this later. I decided that my first bath should be at the town’s feature attraction, the main public bath, so I went out in my street clothes without any towel or toiletries. The bath, about 10 meters from the door of my hotel, had a long queue waiting for tickets.
The onsen has three floors. On the first floor is the general bath. If you have your own yukata and towel with you, the Water of the Gods bath is the one to go to. If, like me, you don’t have a towel or a yukata you use the second floor where you get both and a cup of green tea and a cookie after your bath included in the price of your visit. On the third floor is the family bath area with private rooms.
The building dates from 1894 and it is quite lovely, though its small, interlocking tatami rooms are a bit confusing for the first time visitor. I padded barefoot through the first floor hall and up some stairs to a larger room with zabuton cushions scattered on the floor. I was handed a drawer for my valuables along with a yukata and a towel and was pointed in the general direction of the women’s bath which was several rooms away and down a short flight of stairs.
The bath was very small and crammed full of bathers. I had a quick, chilly scrub at the cold faucet tap because there wasn’t a hot tap available. The heat of the bath water took the chill off, though I didn’t stay in for very long. Too many people. And bathing alone in a crowded room isn’t really very fun.
I donned my yukata and went back up to my zabuton for tea and cookies. A family group came in and sat at the other cushions around me. The youngest child was about three and hadn’t had a lot of interaction with gaijin-san. Her eyes widened when she saw my blue, round ones looking at her. Her grandmother, a spindly woman hobbled off to the bath with her daughters and granddaughters in tow.
Across the room, two men were waiting for their wives to appear from the bath. As they waited, one of them completed a deft dressing maneuver--sliding on underwear and pants while wrapped in his yukata and then quickly exchanging yukata for shirt. He dressed unselfconsciously and quickly. Well practiced in the art of public bathing. It will take me years before I can do that. And as a woman, I think maybe it would be inappropriate.
I have a lot of leeway as a foreigner so I could probably get away with dressing under my yukata in public. I live outside the rules, even though I try to follow them as best I can. Since I don’t really understand them I can’t follow them too closely--I don’t know when to laugh or not laugh. How deeply to bow. Or whether to shake hands instead. But I’ve stopped worrying about it too much. I just live my life and see what happens. I learn as I go.
It’s interesting to see what stereotypes the Japanese expect me to fit. Eat huge amounts of food (Not very often). Talk at the top of my lungs (I’ve learned not to). Be violent (OK, I fit that one). Be Christian and proselytizing (I am not). Go to sleep without bathing first (Only in a Western bed). These are just the few assumptions that people have hinted at. I sometimes wonder what other stereotypes are unspoken.
Before leaving the bath house, I visited a special room on the third floor--Botchan’s room. Botchan is a fictional character created by Soseki Natsume, the Meiji-era writer pictured on the 1000 yen note. Soseki’s novel is a funny account of the misdeeds of a young, opinionated teacher from Tokyo who was assigned to teach at a boy’s school in Shikoku (which was the hinterlands of Japan as far as a Meiji-era Tokyo-ite was concerned). It takes place in Matsuyama and Dogo Onsen, though neither town is mentioned by name.
On my way back to my hotel, I watched a sequined band of amateur samba dancers piling out of a van like clowns at a circus. They were drumming up (literally) spectators for the evening’s Samba Parade at the main shopping arcade in Matsuyama. I was heading there for dinner, so I made sure not to miss _this_ dance parade!
It was great fun. For two hours, dancers flowed past. Scantily clad but heavily bejeweled and feathered girls pranced along to the beat, executing footwork which would have had me flat on my face. They were followed by what seemed like the entire population of Matsuyama’s preschools. These toddlers could samba! A band of fools came along, then more kids. A troupe of professional dancers danced to an Aladdin theme. On and on they came.
But when it was over, most of the restaurants were closed! So I ended up eating Chinese food in a restaurant called London. Incongruous but filling. I went back to the hotel and had a bath in their lovely bath area. There were three places to soak and I tried them all: a fragrant cedar bath, a very hot indoor bath and a tepid rotenburo.
It was an early night for me., I wanted to be well rested for the next day’s biking trip across the bridges of Shimanami Kaido. But no amount of rest could have prepared me for what was coming...
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EXCERPT:
Bathing is as important as eating.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Very long bike ride
BASENAME: very_long_bike_ride
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/29/2004 07:16:15 AM
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BODY:
11 August 1999
To say I was a bit high strung when I woke up is an understatement. This was the big day...biking 40 km from Imabari to the island of Innoshima in the middle of Setouchi—the Seto Inland Sea. It would be a test of my endurance, my biking ability, my will power.
I had another round of bathing at the hotel and my first Western breakfast of the trip. Sausages, scrambled eggs, toast, fruit, yogurt and coffee. Plus a salad with a shrimp and a raw scallop (even Western food has a Japanese flair).
I went to the station and caught the first train to Imabari. It was a “one-man,” a local diesel train with only one car and the eponymous one man at the controls. Although I had never encountered a one-man in Tokyo, where all trains are six to fifteen cars long and have conductors plus drivers, they are the norm for local trains in Shikoku.
But they are slow. The trip which took 30 minutes on the express train the day before was stretched to 75 minutes on the one-man. Giving me more time to fuel my morbid fears about failing at my task and being driven off the bridge by a passing truck or falling off my bike and breaking a limb and having to explain in Japanese to the hospital staff what’s happened to me. So by the time I got to Imabari I was even worse than I was when I woke up.
But dammit, I was going to do this. I was determined (or maybe just stubborn) and I knew that riding a bike over some bridges really wasn’t outside my capabilities. No matter how morbid my imagination was painting the scene, I could do this.
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EXTENDED BODY:
Shimanami Kaido is a series of seven bridges that span ten islands from Shikoku to Honshu, Japan’s “mainland.” This bridge route has been under construction for ten years and the final bridge was finished this April. So this summer there are a number of events taking place on and around the bridges-—walks, bike rides, marathons, special island-based events.
I was armed with the locations of the cycle rental terminals, the name and length of each bridge and I had planned my course to take me as far as Innoshima where I had a reservation at a hotel that night. Now all I needed was a bicycle. Crossing over from the Imabari train station, I checked in at the bus terminal.
“I’d like to go to Itoyama Events Site.” I explained to the ticket woman.
“Ah, I see. Are you going to rent a bicycle?” she asked.
“Yes, I am riding to Innoshima today.”
“Oh! That’s a long way. You must be very athletic. But I’m afraid the next bus doesn’t leave until 1:20 this afternoon.”
“Really? That’s a very long wait, isn’t it? Well, I’ll buy a ticket now, thank you.”
I was going to have to wait almost three hours for the bus. This did not bode well, as I’d planned to be on the bridges by noon at the latest. I was getting used to a slower pace than back home in Tokyo, but this was too slow!
I walked away from the terminal and back towards the train station. Although I wasn’t hungry, maybe I could fill some time with a coffee or a snack. As I passed through the driveway , my eye was caught by a sign at the taxi queue that listed the fares to nearby tourist destinations. Although the cycle terminal wasn’t listed, I ventured to ask the taxi driver how much it would cost to go to the cycle terminal. The 1600 yen fare he quoted was definitely worth saving three hours! I got in and we were at the rental shop in 20 minutes.
I filled in the rental forms and paid for my bike. I could rent it one way as far as Omishima, about 25 km away. Then I would have to turn it in and rent another one-way cycle to the next renal shop. To make it all the way across the bridges from Shikoku to Onomichi on the mainland would take four or five rentals.
However, when I was told that the only bikes left today were three-speed shopping bikes with bell and basket, I was glad that I would have to change bikes. I picked up a map of the bridges that included not only details of the distances, but schematics of the cleverly designed bike and pedestrian interchanges that minimized the slope to each bridge by creating curlicues and vortices of roads leading upwards.
I hopped on my bike, tested the brakes, and was off. The first thing I did wrong was to go up the motorbike ramp. I didn’t know the kanji on the signs so I couldn’t tell which way was for bicycles and which for motorbikes. But I wasn’t the only bike up there, so I only felt slightly foolish. And I managed to ride up the steeper incline without too much fuss.
The first bridge was a long triple span suspension bridge. In fact, it’s one of Japan’s superlatives—”the longest suspension bridge in Japan.” It is just over 4 kilometers from end to end. Once I was at the top, it was a lovely ride. There was a breeze and the view of the tiny islands of the Inland Sea was breathtaking.
The Inland Sea was a place for pirates I had read and now riding over it I could understand why. Countless pinpricks of islands dotted the calm sea. Perfect places to hide treasure or more importantly, escape from the authorities. I didn’t see any jolly rogers as I cruised over the bridge, though.
At the end of the bridge, I was already feeling the heat of the day. It was noon and the sun was beating down. My sunscreen has perspired off and I was happy for the shade provided by the hat I’d pinned to my head. My sunglasses slid down my slippery nose as I rode.
The next phase of the ride was a long 11 km trek across the island of Oshima. Oshima is very hilly and I thought that between the heat, dehydration and exertion I was going to collapse. This is when I discovered that I lie to myself.
“Kristen, why did you want to do this? This is terrible!” the intellectual part of me complained.
“You can do it. This is good exercise,” the other half encouraged.
“Sure. Until it kills me.”
“Now, now. You’re stronger than you think. Look ahead...see that little shadow there? If you get there you can stop and have a rest,” I encouraged myself aloud.
“OK,” I capitulated. I knew I really didn’t have a choice. I had to get the bike to Omishima to turn it in.
I pedaled as fast as I could uphill on the shopping bike (which wasn’t very fast!) and reached the shady spot. But that nasty, masochistic part of me was already looking ahead.
“Hey, if you go just a little farther, I’ll bet you’ll find a drink machine,” she said as we passed by the shady spot without stopping. I pedaled on.
Sure enough, there was a drink machine. But did I let myself stop? No. A place for lunch must be just up ahead. A bowl of noodles would be very good. So ever onward I pedaled.
I sweat. I drank. I stopped to rest. I walked my bike when the hill was too steep to ride. I did eventually find a place to have lunch. I chatted with two other bridge crossers while we ate. Then it was back on the bike for a short downhill stretch.
The downhill ride was a tease. Ahead of me was the longest hill I’ve ever had to ascend on a bike. Lying Kristen was with me the whole way encouraging me to keep going. I nearly passed out but I did eventually reach the top of the hill. There was a viewing point with a view of the sea and more pirate islands, but I was too beat to appreciate it.
I was now 15 km into my 40 km ride. It was 1:30 in the afternoon. I was averaging 7.5 km an hour after factoring out lunch. I had better ride a little harder if I was going to make it to my hotel before dark.
The next bridge was beautiful and I appreciated it despite my heat exhaustion. I stopped to take a picture of it at the same time as someone heading in the opposite direction. We traded cameras and captured souvenir photos with the bridge in the background. This turned out to be the only proof I have of being on a bicycle over the bridges so it was a lucky encounter.
Another stretch of island. By this time I was walking my shopping bike up hills I should have been able to ride. Drink machines were few and far between.
I must have looked quite a sight. People stopped to ask me if I was OK. I’d smacked my healing wound (from the last bicycle expedition) with the pedal of the bike and opened it up again so a small torrent of blood leaked out. My fair skin which flushes at the least provocation was beet colored with exertion. My arms and legs were getting sunburned. I just kept answering “Yes, I’m fine, thanks.”
I was too weak to make this ride. I should have trained. Or gone on a day that wasn’t 35 degrees. In cooler weather I might have sustained a better pace. I walked my bike up hills on Hakata Island that I ought to have been able to ride up easily. Thankfully this island was not quite so hilly as the first one, and soon enough I was flying over the Omishima bridge and cruising along a nice flat coastal road on my way to turn in my bicycle.
“After I turn this bike in I’m not pedaling another meter,” I told myself firmly.
“Maybe that’s a good idea. I guess we’ll see what happens,” the vicious Kristen answered. I knew she had no good planned.
I returned in the bike at 2:45 (four hours after I’d rented it) and was surprised to receive a gift to commemorate my struggle—a t-shirt! That was probably the high spot of my afternoon since it meant I would not have to do laundry that night.
After resting in the air conditioned bike rental lounge, I checked on the availability of buses to Innoshima. The staff at the information desk were very helpful—they even called my hotel to figure out which bus would get me closest. But I had just missed a bus and would have to wait until 5:30 for the next one.
“That’s OK,” I told myself. “I don’t want to ride any farther. I can’t do it. 25 km is enough.”
“But you failed to meet your goal. You could ride to Innoshima in 2 1/2 hours and beat the bus there.”
“No, I could not. Now shut up and let me go buy some ice cream.”
My two halves don’t get along very well in the face of adversity, you see. But the tired one won this time and I had an ice cream, bought some post cards which I wrote to everyone whose address I have memorized (only three or four!) and watched kids playing along the shore. The bus to Innoshima dropped me off a block from the hotel.
I was so happy to reach a place where I could have a bath! The road grime and sweat from my travels had cooled and crusted and all I wanted was a hot shower. But the hotel didn’t have my reservation.
This was the only hotel on my trip that I hadn’t been able to prepay at the JTB travel agency. Not many people come to Innoshima. So even though JTB had called, made a reservation in my name and gotten a map faxed over for me, the hotel didn’t know I was coming. I showed them the map they faxed. I wrote my name in Roman letters and in katakana. To no avail, There was no reservation. And no room.
I have to admit with some embarrassment that I was not the most gracious of Americans at this point. I didn’t raise my voice or scream but I was very snippy. I implored them to look again. I explained that JTB had made the reservation for me. I gave the date the reservation was made. I was insistent in a way that Japanese are generally not.
Eventually, they found a room for me. It was a Western style room that was dirtier than I was. But I was so exhausted and distraught that I was happy to have it. There would be no dinner for me, as I didn’t have a reservation, but I could have breakfast in the morning. OK, fine. Whatever. Just let me go upstairs and have a shower, please!
In my room, it took me all of 30 seconds to strip off my clothes and start the shower. But in that 30 second interval, there was a knock on the door. I threw on the yukata and answered. The maid was bringing water for the electric teapot.
Dispatching her, I stepped into the steaming shower. I tried to ignore the mold on the shower curtain and the creepy black stuff in the corners where the tub met the tiled walls. The crud that covered my body melted off and I shampooed and soaped my way back to feeling human.
I thought I heard the phone ringing but I wasn’t sure. But when the knocking on the door began, I knew someone was trying to get my attention. I threw a towel around myself and, dripping, opened the door a crack.
It was the desk clerk. “We have your reservation, Kristen-san.”
“Great. I’m showering right now. Thank you.” I rudely closed the door before he could go on. After I was dressed the phone rang again. It was my new friend the desk clerk. “Dinner is OK for tonight. Come to the front and I’ll show you which room it is.”
At the desk, the clerk told me that they could move me to the Japanese room I had reserved and that dinner was in the Seto Room down the hall. This all just seemed too much, but I was glad I didn’t have to find dinner on my own. I went off to dinner, anticipating my post-dinner room change.
I walked to the room where dinner was being served, but the door was closed. I wasn’t sure if I should open it--it had been standing open when I passed by it earlier. I waited for a staffperson to come by and I asked which room dinner was in.
“Oh, you have to have a reservation,” she said.
“I have one,” I said.
“I don’t think so. Are you sure? Let me check. Just a minute,” she said as she disappeared down the hall.
I slumped against the wall and my eyes filled with tears. Surely this wasn’t really happening to me. By the time the waitress had returned with the “all clear” from the front desk, I had pulled myself together.
Dinner was not stellar and I wasn’t really very hungry. A bit of lukewarm steak that had been sitting out too long, miso soup, rice and pickles. I ate the rice, soup and pickles, then went upstairs to repack and switch rooms.
With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I presented myself to the desk clerk.
“I can change rooms now,” I suggested.
“Oh? I thought you said you weren’t going to change rooms. We gave the other room to someone else.”
“Oh.” What else could I say? “My mistake.”
“I’m sorry. I hope that’s OK. Is it OK?”
My answer was a pretty unconvincing “Yes, it’s fine. It can’t be helped, can it?” as I turned my back on the desk and went back upstairs where I proceeded to call Tod and unload my terrible day to him.
I took a walk around the quiet harbor neighborhood, checked the morning bus schedule to Onomichi (I was definitely not going to bike the remaining 20 km!) and bought myself some consolation ice cream and cookies to nibble on while I watched TV in bed. And that was the end of my very long biking day.
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EXCERPT:
40 km doesn't seem so far except when it's the hottest day of summer.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Andrew
EMAIL: xzzyx@hotmail.com
IP: 203.12.172.254
URL:
DATE: 06/29/2004 01:59:11 PM
Oh dear, Kristen. You did have a tough day. The hotel staff should be compelled to watch the classic British comedy "Fawlty Towers" (you'd enjoy it too, if you haven't haven't seen it). For that hotel it would be a training film for a level of service to aspire to (on the other hand John Cleese does training films too, so perhaps they did see it by mistake)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Road's end
BASENAME: roads_end
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/30/2004 07:56:54 AM
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BODY:
12 August 1999
Traveling is sometimes a game of chance. Having rolled snake eyes on the previous day’s activities, I woke up with a desire to leave Innoshima with all due haste. Maybe I could improve my game back on the mainland.
And so I did. I was bathed, breakfasted and checked out of the Hotel from Hell in time to catch the 7:40 bus to Onomichi. I had no intention of following through with my original plan of cycling the 20 km across the final two bridges. Air conditioned comfort and views of Setouchi from the fast lane were what I wanted and exactly what I got. I arrived at Onomichi Station at 8:30 am.
But I hadn’t planned to spend much time in Onomichi--it was more of a bed and breakfast stop than a day’s sightseeing destination. I had no idea what I’d find there to occupy my day. My entire Onomichi research consisted of the mimeographed map given to me by the travel agency which showed where I was staying for the night.
The station map indicated that there was a nearby castle park, so I walked down the street in the direction of the ropeway that would carry me to the top. Maybe I could stretch the park to fill my morning; I’d figure out what to do with the afternoon when it came.
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The ropeway at Onomichi was much quainter than that at Tokushima. People crammed into the car until it felt like a Tokyo train at rush hour. at precisely 9:15, the car, stuffed with two dozen sweaty riders trying to fan themselves without whacking their neighbors, began it’s slow ascent. We traversed a shrine, glided past a pagoda and were deposited at the top of the mountain in a few minutes.
I had picked up a bilingual area map at the ropeway station but the crowded compartment had prevented me from unfolding it. Now I sat on a rock wall and spread it in front of me. I sipped on some warm tea and nibbled leftover Oreo cookies from the previous night’s orgy while I studied my options.
Onomichi is nestled in a curve of shore between the mountain I now sat on and the inland sea I had just crossed. Its nearest island neighbor is a two minute ferry ride across a narrow stretch of sea that looks like a river. It is a port town so ferry terminals and docks with huge cranes dot the water’s edge. I could see all of this from my vantage point atop the wall on the mountain. In the distance, I could see hazy mountains of farther islands poking out from a shiny glaze of water.
But returning my gaze to my map, I discovered that I was not the only one to be taken with the beauty of the scene. I was sitting at one of the “Vantage Points of Famous Painters” that were marked by stars on the map. Looking around, I saw a little plaque about a half a meter away that said the same thing, only without the star and the English. I don’t know who he painter was, but I could appreciate his taste in viewing points. Another dozen stars were scattered around the map. I decided to try to take in as many as I could.
Also marked on the map were two walking routes--the Road Way of Literature and the Round of Old Temple. According to the map, the Road Way to Literature began almost where I was sitting. I looked up and turned my back to the view to see what was around me.
I had missed noticing the two-story circular observation platform when I alighted from the ropeway, but there it was, squatly topping the height of the mountain. Signs pointed the way to cobblestone paved paths leading to the town’s art museum and an amusement park. In the opposite direction was the Road Way to Literature and a temple. I opted to begin with the Road Way to Literature.
The Road Way is a hiking course that starts down the hill away from the ropeway then snakes behind the pagoda I’d passed on the way up and winds its way back up to the top of the mountain. The Literature part takes the form of 25 stones inscribed with poems. Many of the poems seemed to have an outdoor theme and some were specifically about the mountain and Onomichi. I surprised myself by being able to read a few of them from start to finish. The calligraphy of the inscriptions was supplemented by a nearby sign neatly printed and including furigana, the spelled out readings of kanji often seen in children’s books.
Along the trail were several more of the Viewpoints of Famous Artists. They must have painted lovely pictures of the mountains and sea, though I suspect that they completed their works before the hulking orange and white cranes in the harbor got in the way.
Heading downward along the Road Way, I visited the vermilion pagoda. It was lovely and shady and I stopped for a few minutes to admire yet another view over Onomichi.
To worship at a temple, you must summon the attention of the deities that are housed there. Normally this is done in one of two ways. A Buddhist temple, you clap loudly in front of the shrine before bowing. At Shinto shrines, you ring a bell fastened above the offering box. But at this shrine was a novel noisemaker.
Instead of a bellpull over the offering box there was a long rosary of grapefruit-sized wooden beads on a pulley. The beads filled all but the last meter or so of rope that strung them together. I was attracted to the sound and watched from a safe distance to see how it was done before trying it myself. Pulling on the loop caused the beads to fall from the top of the pulley to land on their mates below. They made a lovely clacking sound. One bead was painted red to mark the end of a full circuit. People who had done this before were able to keep the flow of beads evenly tapping the whole way around. My attempt was a bit uneven but pleasurable nonetheless.
After the pagoda, the Road Way angled back up to the top of the mountain and ended near the art museum. Unfortunately, the art museum was closed in preparation for a showing of “Water Painting in connection with Onomichi” scheduled to open the next day. Once again, I was a victim of bad timing.
But it didn’t really matter. I wandered over to the edge of the mountain where the keep of the old castle was perched. It was a classic white walled, winged roofed castle of the style which figures prominently in samurai movies but that was destroyed throughout Japan when the feudal period ended and the Meiji era began. There are still plenty of castle remnants around, though. I can only imagine what the countryside looked like before the end of the 19th century. So many castle towns!
A bamboo forest shaded the path leading off the mountain away from the castle. I followed it and end up not far from the station. It wasn’t quite lunch time yet, so I opened my map and decided to follow the Round of Old Temple for a little while. It would lead me in the direction of the shopping arcade near the ferry terminal which promised to have a good noodle shop or two.
The Round of Old Temple was a long winding route up and down grey, shell patterned stone paths and myriad steps. It wound its way from one end of town to the other and took the diligent walker to almost two dozen beautiful old temples which had survived the war, earthquakes and centuries of time. Unlike many of the famous temples in Tokyo and other big cities, these had not been firebombed and reconstructed.
The street, a narrow pedestrian lane bounded on both sides by the garden walls of the housed that faced it, radiated heat that the local cats napped in. The cats in Onomichi are friendly, like the people, and whether perched on a garden wall or curled up in the shade of a garden gate, they purred appreciatively when rubbed behind the ears. I walked along, collecting an overdue quota of cat-petting as I made my way from on the Round.
At one of the temples I visited, I found yet another opportunity to incorporate pottery into my travels. I sat on a bench in the shade of an eaves and watch people walking past me on their way to the cemetery. The neatly swept dirt courtyard in front of me ended in an old-style temple hall. But outside the hall a middle aged couple were sitting on zabuton cushions at a low table and they seemed to be making something from clay. I watched for a little while, but couldn’t figure it out. I wasn’t even sure if they were associated with the temple, or just visiting like me.
As I smoothed a bit more sunscreen over my arms and nose, the gentleman and his wife stood to leave, bowed to a woman in the door way and headed towards me. The wife turned and went to pray at the temple; the man sat at the other end of my bench. He smiled at me, we exchanged pleasantries in Japanese and then, in broken English, he said “Hand Buddha. You can make it.”
So that’s what they were doing. making Buddhas. It didn’t take me too long to debate whether to try it myself and I was sitting on a zabuton a few minutes later. A woman in an indigo blue work kimono greeted me and smiled when I said I wanted to make a Buddha.
She apologized for not speaking English and proceeded to instruct me in the proper way to hold the cylinder of clay and squeeze it to form the Buddha’s head and fingerprinted body. I pulled ears and a distinctly Western-looking nose from the clay and with a bamboo skewer incised the remaining details.
When two junior high school girls came to sit at the table opposite me; the woman looked relieved. Did one of them speak English? They giggled, as teenagers around the globe do, and said they did not. However, when we got to a sticking place in the instructions, they knew the right English word to enlighten me.
Buoyed by this exchange and activity, I walked on to the next temples. On the way up a long flight of stairs, I saw a sign pointing the way to the Mansion of Literature Onomichi. That seemed like a fitting extension to my earlier Road Way of Literature walk, so I turned and went up the side path to a little house.
I could see people inside reading, I almost didn’t go in since my Japanese reading skills are on a par with my spoken Japanese. I was sure that this place might hold more embarrassment than joy for me. But as I stood there deliberating, someone came out and that sealed my fate. It was air conditioned in there!
The man who took my admission fee apologized for not speaking English (maybe this should be an unofficial Onomichi slogan) but then proceeded to explain to me, in English, what the museum was all about, and that there was a second part of it up the hill and around the corner. This part of the Mansion of Literature had been home to one of Onomichi’s celebrated writers. I perused the manuscripts in the glass cases, looked at the giant painted gourds on display and gawked at the beautiful view from the window of this writer’s study room.
But the house was only three rooms, so after a few minutes, I was back on the path upwards to find the other half of the Mansion of Literature. I took a momentary wrong turn and considered giving up and going back down into town for lunch. But I knew if I was this close and I didn’t find it, I probably wouldn’t bother to try again after lunch. I persevered and after turning myself in the right direction, found the other half.
A chorus of “I’m very sorry but I don’t speak any English” greeted me at the door as the counter man exchanged my ticket for a bookmark with the museum’s logo. I wandered through several rooms of displays looking at the momentos of writers, playwrights, poets and songwriters. A shamisen. Fountain pens. A pair of wire rimmed glasses. A tea service. And on the walls were photographs of the writers and their brief biographies.
I was puzzling through some of these when an old man approached me and asked (in English) if I was interested in Japanese literature.
When I expressed an novice’s interest, he was delighted and gave me a personal tour of the museum, explaining who the authors were and what they wrote. His particular favorite, and I gather the most famous of the Onomichi writers, was a woman named Fumiko Hayashi. I had seen a statue of her in the town square earlier that day.
Takagaki-san, my self-appointed escort, told me all sorts of stories about her as he lead me through the rooms devoted to her writing and her momentos. He told me about the years she lived in Onomichi and how she eventually moved to Tokyo. Her house there is now a museum. I told him I would be sure to find it and visit.
“Do you read Japanese?” he asked. I said I could read a little bit, and he asked me to see if I could read the read the postcard she had written to her six year old son while he went off to look for something for me.
He came back with a photocopy of the Tokyo museum’s brochure which included the address. We talked for a while longer and he said he would send me a copy of Shitamachi, one of her short stories that had been translated into English. Profoundly grateful for this incredible kindness, I wrote down my address.
Takagaki-san confided in me that he has translated 720 Japanese songs into English. “Just for a hobby,” he said. I suggested that they would make a very interesting book with facing pages of the Japanese and English lyrics along with the musical notation. He demurred, saying that he didn’t think there would be anybody to buy it. But I’m not so sure. You don’t see bilingual books like that very often and they can provide good insight into the natural use of both languages.
Eventually, I took my leave and started down the hill to have lunch in the shopping arcade. But before I’d gone two hundred meters, I stumbled across a cafe terrace with an unparalleled view of the water and the mountains. It wasn’t marked as a Viewpoint of Famous Artists, but it should have been.
The proprietress was a liaison for AFS (American Field Service), an international exchange program, and had spent lots of time outside Japan. Although she understood and spoke English perfectly, she knew the value of speaking to me in Japanese. So I stumbled along and got further beyond the four question conversation than I ever had previously. She coached me when I erred and my half hour sitting in the shade of her trees listening to the cicadas and chatting was very pleasant.
Lunch ended up being really late and by the time I’d finished it was time to check into the hotel and have a shower--my favorite time of day!
Onomichi held more delights in store for me. Marked on my map was something labeled Tile Street near one of the temples on the Round of Old Temple. I wanted to see what this could be. It turned out to be a tiny alley which someone had paved with cement and colored tiles laid in patterns. The walls of the alley were covered with wooden frames holding bathroom tiles onto which visitors had penned their wishes and thoughts. Tile Street didn’t hold the allure of Bangkok’s flashy tiled buildings, but it drew a fair crowd of people regardless.
I wandered around on the Round and saw a few more temples, even going so far as to climb up an overgrown staircase to get a view of the pinkening sunset sky with a pagoda in the foreground. But eventually it turned dark and after a promenade up the shopping arcades, I settled in for dinner at a pizza restaurant with a wood fired pizza oven and two independent women entrepreneurs.
After dinner, I holed up in my room with the television. Since we don’t have one at home, I was enjoying the opportunity to watch some of the silly Japanese shows. Variety shows with guest stars taking on silly challenges while dressed in bizarre costumes filled my evening. Tomorrow, I would catch a train to Hiroshima to meet Tod and begin the final leg of my trip.
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A wonderful surprise.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fruit and pepper
BASENAME: fruit_and_pepper
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/01/2004 07:30:13 AM
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Tokyo's turned hot and humid early this year (making up for last summer's unseasonable coolness, I imagine) and I don't want to cook. It's time to dine on raw fruits and vegetables, icy drinks, and chilled soups.
But fruits get boring, even when they are delectably ripe. Tod discovered a new way to enjoy them--dusted with freshly cracked black pepper. The sweetness of the fruit with the earthy tang of pepper is a surprising combination, but ever so wonderful.
Fruit with Black Pepper
Seasonal fruits: strawberries, sweet plums, peaches, etc
Whole black peppercorns
Pepper mill
Slice (or bite open) the fruit. Grind pepper generously on top. Enjoy.
Vary the recipe with pink, white, brown or green peppercorns. Each has its own flavor that enhances the fruit in delightful ways.
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EXCERPT:
The simplest addition to fresh fruit
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.73
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2004 03:44:32 PM
crude black pepper is also great with vanilla ice-cream, give it a try.
btw have you thought about publishing a cook book?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Skinning cats
BASENAME: skinning_cats
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/02/2004 09:02:27 AM
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BODY:
When faced with a creative challenge--or even a mundane one-- I devise a list of 10 ways to face the quandary. I end up with the usual, obvious answers and some off-the-wall notions, but there's always one line in the list that will work.
There's more than one way to skin a cat and making a list proves it.
For example, let's say the task at hand is to photograph merchandise so that it can be sold on a website. We're talking logo t-shirts, totebags and coffee mugs--dull, standard products--but the company is fun and creative and wants to bring that across in their online shop. What to do?
By the time I reach ten, I'm usually ready to add more, and often do. But starting out with a set goal of ten gets me past the usual ideas and into the realm of creative thoughts.
Try it, you'll see what I mean.
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EXCERPT:
Listing ways to creative solutions
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fire flowers over Miyajima
BASENAME: fire_flowers_over_miyajima
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/03/2004 05:26:49 AM
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BODY:
13 August 1999
Tod was scheduled to arrive at Hiroshima at about quarter to one in the afternoon and I had no intention of running around to see things without him, so my morning was relaxed. I caught the 11:00 train to Hiroshima and arrived with plenty of time to scope out the coin lockers, load up on brochures at the tourist information desk and even to have a cup of coffee.
All my free time pointed out a delightful opportunity of good timing (finally!). While sipping my coffee and reading the tourist brochures, I discovered that Miyajima, a small island that was the destination for the next day, was holding its annual hanabi (fireworks) festival that night. So if we adjusted our itinerary we could see Miyajima’s today and visit the Hiroshima sights the next day. Which we did.
When Tod’s train came in, we went off for lunch. Hiroshima is known for two delicacies: oysters and okonomiyaki. Oysters are not my favorite food, so we opted for okonomiyaki for lunch.
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Okonomiyaki is something like a pancake or a frittatta. We’d eaten them in Tokyo, but only at a fancy Ginza restaurant where the staff did the cooking. In the rest of Japan, okonomiyaki is a participatory experience.
We were seated at a table with a grill in the middle. Tod figured out the menu quickly and ordered two bowls of the basic “stuff” which included batter, eggs, cabbage and strips of pork, then added some extra toppings--garlic, rice paste balls, mushrooms. They arrived and I realized I had no idea what to do next! I looked at the waiter with a questioning look in my eyes and a little shrug, and mimed turning the bowl over onto the grill.
He was aghast. He kneeled at our table and explained the correct method for making okonomiyaki. Remove the pork strips and sit them on the smaller of the two paintscrapers that were out implements. Mix the remaining contents of the bowl and add the extra ingredients. After things were well mixed then the contents could be poured onto the grill. The larger spatula was used to shape the runny edges into a neat circle. When the pancake was golden brown on one side, the pork was laid on top and whole thing was flipped with the larger spatula to cook on side two.
He left us to cook but returned frequently to give us more water and watch our progress. He even corrected our mistakes. The result was delicious and the cooking was fun. Fully stuffed, we were ready to face our next challenge--an early check-in.
Our hotel was a traditional Japanese hotel with a good recommendation but a 4:00 check-in time. If we wanted to be on Miyajima in time to see the island and find a reasonably good place to sit among the crowd, we’d have to be there by late afternoon. So we headed across town to explain our predicament a few hours ahead of the check-in time.
They woman at the desk was understanding, took our bags, gave us advice on reaching Miyajima and even dug up some English language maps. But the price of our stay at the New Kikusui included a dinner we would not be able to eat and there was no refund. That was OK, though. We chalked it up to the price of changing plans at the last minute and went on our way to Miyajima.
The journey from the hotel involved a streetcar, a train and a ferry and took about 45 minutes. The ferry was filled with young women in yukata with their hair arranged in upsweeps and held in place with hair accessories ranging from traditional lacquer combs to Hello Kitty barrettes.
Two brightly blonde American girls, dressed in yukata and sitting with a group of Japanese girls similarly costumed and coifed, carried on a loud conversation about the immaturity of one of their American associates. I gathered that these two, and their absent companion, were exchange students or very young English teachers. Fortunately, they and their cortege vanished into the crowd as we disembarked and they scurried away towards the shops.
Because I had an agenda. It’s sort of a pain to have to see the sights when you visit somewhere. I planned to incorporate Miyajima into a story I would write for a magazine when I got back home, so I needed to check out and photograph as much as I could while I was there: the (inevitable?) ropeway to the top of Mt. Misen, the sacred forest and its wild monkeys; the view from the hill, the treasure house.
And of course, the most famous sight on Miyajima, Itsukushima Shrine is one of the Three Most Beautiful places in Japan. It sits on pilings at the water’s edge and at high tide it looks like it’s floating. The huge red torii gate sits further out in the sea and is an often photographed landmark--almost an icon of Japan.
Japan is full of “Three Most 
Yesterday we reprised last year's Tanabata matsuri festivities with MJ & Yoshi. I brought my DV camera; Tod carried his new D-70 digital camera. Dressed in men's indigo jinbei (traditional loose jackets with shorts), we captured the festival thoroughly and probably turned a few heads--henna gaijin (weird foreigners) wearing Japanese clothes.
I hoped to make a short film about Altair and Vega, the stars of the matsuri, but Tod declined to be my leading man. Still, I shot a lot of footage and you'll see a brief documentary, "Scenes from Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata," on Wednesday the 7th, the actual date of Tanabata.
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EXCERPT:
Filming a festival in Hiratsuka
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.167
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/05/2004 09:45:27 AM
I wanted to make TANABATA decoration with a bamboo trees for kids.-- but I coudn't find any bamboo trees around my house. SO we decorated a pole of the entrance with lots of TANZAKU. Some girls worte on their TANZAKU --like that "I want to be a bride!" -- It is cute.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/05/2004 11:26:12 AM
Apologies for not making it to Tanabata.. I was coughing up.. nah you don't need to hear the gory details. Hope you had a good day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: echan@cam.org
IP: 192.75.88.231
URL:
DATE: 07/05/2004 08:59:59 PM
Looking forward to the footage! :-) BTW, How dows Tod like the D-70? Dave would love to get one for our next trip to Japan (2005 for the World's Expo)! :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Molly goes mad
BASENAME: molly_goes_mad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/06/2004 06:01:50 AM
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BODY:
Summer heat and humidity was making my mop too frizzy to handle, so I cut my hair. I did it myself at home, see:
(Anyone want a lock of mediatinker hair?)
The initial cut was a bit nerve-wracking, just like making the first sketch in a new notebook or writing the first page of a story. But after I sliced off a 10 cm chunk, I was committed and could relax and have fun with it. Twist, snip, twist, snip, twist snip. I hardly even looked at what I was doing. Tod calls it the "Molly goes mad with scissors" cut. It does look a bit like a three year old had at me while I was napping.
Can't decide about the single long strand. I like the asymmetry, but it sort of gets in my way. Should fashion (such as it is) come first or should function reign? What do you think? Your opinions are welcome...but please be gentle.
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EXCERPT:
Oh, will I regret this or love it?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/06/2004 07:39:11 AM
I tried asymmetry with my hair when I was twenty. I got a lot of moronic comments, but I liked it.
I like the long strand. It's quirky.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL:
IP: 137.153.0.34
URL: http:///gen.kanai.net
DATE: 07/06/2004 09:47:10 AM
My vote is against the long strand. Symmetry, especially on people's faces is one of the strongest measurements of beauty.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/06/2004 10:55:36 AM
I like the asymmetry as well as the overall look - any photos of the back? Keep it for a while to see how you feel about it, you can always chop it off if you decide against it.
Oh and BTW keep the hair and incorporate a short but sturdy plait of it into a silver ring in your jewelry making class - just like they used to in the times of Jane Austen. You set it as you would a stone in a pinky ring.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.48.19
URL:
DATE: 07/06/2004 08:34:40 PM
i like the strand and i'm also partial to asymetric bobs.
your new cut sure makes you look a lot younger- high school senior was my first thought.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 152.163.252.163
URL:
DATE: 07/06/2004 11:42:04 PM
Keep the long strand. Symmetry is highly over-. rated.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL: semanticslanting@yahoo.com
IP: 65.26.161.140
URL:
DATE: 07/07/2004 05:42:02 AM
I agree with Gen. It is difficult to study beauty, but those who have tried have found that symmetry is one of the most highly 'prized' features in a persons face.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 152.163.252.163
URL:
DATE: 07/07/2004 07:50:49 PM
Looks good. Do what you want. The difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is a few weeks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Aubrick
EMAIL:
IP: 198.151.13.8
URL:
DATE: 07/07/2004 08:49:54 PM
Are you going for a LAIN like llok?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/07/2004 10:02:34 PM
I didn't know about Lain, but I like her hair. I think I'll keep the lock a while and see how it behaves. I've already developed a habit of twisting it around my finger while I'm thinking...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/08/2004 05:46:59 AM
If beauty equals symmetry and symmetry equals beauty, I'm hosed. So are a few major artists out there.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tanabata 2004
BASENAME: tanabata_2004
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 07/07/2004 07:23:31 AM
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BODY:
Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata festival 2'20" (14.1 MB MP4)
Altair and Vega get together in the Milky Way and I catch it all on video. OK, maybe not, but I did document the matsuri in Kanagawa.
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EXCERPT:
7-7-2004, another Tanabata meeting in the Milky Way
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 07/07/2004 03:48:43 PM
Nice work baby! otsukare!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/08/2004 05:43:11 AM
I like your perspective of the comets near the end of the film. The turtles! Oh, Helen will want one.
We should have festivals here to honor the celestial stars, not the hollywood ones.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cucumber and Peach Salad
BASENAME: cucumber_and_peach_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/08/2004 07:10:23 AM
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Inspired by a recipe for cucumber and peach salsa and my recent trend towards fruit with pepper, I added a Japanese flair and served this salad at a dinner party last week with Eric Gower, author of the Breakaway Japanese Kitchen.
Cucumber and Peach Salad
Makes about 6 cups
4 Japanese cucumbers
3 peaches
1/4 cup pistachios
3 leaves shiso
1/2 bulb myoga
1 or 2 limes, juiced
1/2 tsp yuzu vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Peel and chop the cucumbers and peaches into bite-sized pieces. Mince the shiso and myoga, whisk together with lime juice and yuzu vinegar. Pour over salad. Toss in the nuts. Season with salt and plenty of freshly crushed black pepper.
Note: if using American cucumbers, two should be enough. You may want to de-seed them, though.
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Cool and refreshing mix of sweet and crisp.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.123
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/08/2004 01:16:41 PM
for me (I'm Japanese) it sounds strange, and it arouse my curisoity. cucumbers and peaches and shiso and myouga--. Everything is in my kitchen, I'll try, and I'll enjoy my cooking.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/08/2004 07:21:43 PM
Did you like it? I don't have all the ingredients, but it sounds worth trying.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Whitewashing the fence
BASENAME: whitewashing_the_fence
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/09/2004 04:32:36 PM
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BODY:
Today's creative solution to heat-induced stupor and writer's block in the form of a transcript of a conversation on iChat
Kristen: I need to write my Creative Perspectives column
Kristen: I've started it four or five times
Kristen: but I can't get my head wrapped around anything
MJ: hmmm
MJ: what's the focus today?
Kristen: well, it might have been scent, or rearranging space, or a couple of other things
Kristen: but when I started writing, the words failed to come to me
Kristen: and I gave up on all of them
MJ: hmmmm
MJ: how about writing about fighting writer's block?
Kristen: hehehe. I'm sure that wouldn't go anywhere either
Kristen: but maybe I can try.
MJ: well let's see what to do when you have writer's block....
MJ: you can:
MJ: try a different scene (go for a walk, go to a cafe)
MJ: start working on something else and let your subconscious mind tackle it for a while
MJ: what do you usually do?
Kristen: I walk away and come back to it later
Kristen: Or I get you to write my column for me. :-)
Thanks, MJ
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coffee shots
BASENAME: coffee_shots
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/10/2004 08:48:45 AM
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Tod recently bought a new camera--the awesome Nikon D-70 digital SLR. He's been having a field day photographing everything. I particularly liked this shot of coffee he snapped the other morning:
And keeping with the coffee theme, I took these pictures at a friend's house:
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Photographs of our favorite beverage taken with a new camera
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.79
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/10/2004 10:17:24 AM
Looks delicious. How do you like coffee? black with milk or with milk and suger or --
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/10/2004 10:32:09 AM
Black is how I drink regular coffee. Espresso is good with a twist of lemon. Turkish coffee needs lots of sugar.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 205.201.10.78
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 07/10/2004 12:42:44 PM
It's good to have a friend with a Rancilio Silvia.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/10/2004 12:44:10 PM
A good friend indeed. And he roasts his own beans, too. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.6
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 07/10/2004 05:55:00 PM
I probably would have waited for the D70 if they had announced it a little sooner. Also some envy for the Miss Silvia, But I'm very happy with the Gaggia I bought this past winter.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/13/2004 04:23:20 AM
*photo prompted emotional outburst*
We miss Uncle Tod (Anti-Kris too!)!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: omakase
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.211.134
URL:
DATE: 10/15/2004 05:05:07 PM
is that a miss silvia? Are you in Tokyo? DID YOU BUY IT HERE (in tokyo)?
I want to buy one here. Where did you get it??
thanks-
Omakase in Akasaka
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Skating
BASENAME: skating
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/11/2004 10:38:01 AM
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Jingu Skate Rink is an oasis in summer.
If you overlook the slightly choppy ice surface, unsharpened rental skates, and a few crazies on the ice, this is the best place to spend a 34 degree afternoon that I can think of. It's cool. It's athletic. And it's not too crowded on a Saturday.
We went yesterday. Tod hadn't skated in about ten years, but within minutes he was skating backwards and zipping around the rink. I can only skate forwards, a little shakily, but I loosened up after a couple of laps. Even with a wobble, I love to skate.
I turned around the rink with Lionel Belasco tunes running through my head, and the first few lines from Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age
"The bells of St. Mark's were ringing changes up on the mountain when Bud skated over to the mod parlor to upgrade his skull gun. Bud had a nice new pair of blades with a top speed of anywhere from a hundred to a hundred and fifty kilometers, depending on how fat you were and whether or not you wore aero."
Later on, Stephenson describes Bud as "a little hinky on those skates" which is exactly how I see myself. Only I don't have the skull gun.
Info on the skating ring (in Japanese): http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/gaien/05.htm
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AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 24.229.74.142
URL:
DATE: 07/12/2004 07:12:05 AM
And did you think of the frozen lake at Valley of Lakes and your sister on double bladed-skates while you struggled on single-bladed ones?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/12/2004 03:29:27 PM
Of course I did. I also remember then next winter, when Jenn had outgrown her double-blades and took as many prat falls in my old skates as I had. Maybe it was the skates...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/13/2004 04:14:48 AM
I had just as much fun falling as I did skating.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Word gift
BASENAME: word_gift
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 07/12/2004 09:51:39 AM
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Language is full of words that people rarely use. The average English speaker's vocabulary is about 10,000 words from the 620,000 available in the OED. Shakespeare used 29,066 different words in his works and you have to imagine that he knew quite a few he didn't commit to paper.
Although I have no clue how large my lexicon is, I take pleasure in knowing odd words. Authors with large vocabularies, correctly used, make me smile, especially when our word-banks overlap.
This morning as I was reading Neal Stephenson's The Confusion, I came across a word that I love but have never, ever seen in context.
"The Armenian boy whispered up on slippered feet, bearing on a gaudy silver salver a tiny beaker of coffee clenched in a writhen silver zarf."
Zarf, along with vug, is a gift from my grandfather and his sister, Louise, who were both avid Scrabble players. My sister has the unabridged dictionary they used as their arbiter, but I received the pleasure of reading a word I'd only known as a curiosity from their games.
What a great way to begin a week.
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I saw 'zarf' in print.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/13/2004 04:18:52 AM
I think we are drawn to the authors who have vocabularies that overlap ours, and that changes as you grow as a reader/writer/person.
You started the week with a word that begins with z, so you should end it with one that begins with a. :-)
I have that dictionary? I have many. Is it the blue fabric Websters?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Gokiburi attack
BASENAME: gokiburi_attack
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/13/2004 08:16:07 AM
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In the last two weeks, cockroaches seem to have taken up residence in our bathroom. On alternate evenings, I spy a reddish-brown monster the size of my thumb hanging out near the sink or in the shower.
Gokiburi are not my my list of Things I Can Kill, so we chase them around the room, trap them in a glass and fling them over the veranda into the garden below.
I'm sure the neighbors love us.
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la cucaracha
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Holly Ward
EMAIL:
IP: 24.6.189.52
URL: http://holly.mmdc.net
DATE: 07/14/2004 01:33:43 AM
It's probably the same one every time; I can picture it climbing laboriously up from the garden over and over. Maybe you could try letting it go in the countryside miles away. Or put it in a padded envelope and mail it to another city.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.2.68
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2004 09:20:35 PM
What IS on you list of Things I Can Kill???
Personally, i get a guilt attack for anything other than the meat i eat (very mild guilt) and mosquitoes (no guilt whatsoever, plenty more where they came from!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 159.153.138.53
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2004 05:14:30 AM
I am as curious as j-star. What IS on your List I Can Kill? I've rarely felt much sympathy for any insect that will bite me and they fall into that category, but I'll go out of my way to avoid others that aren't bothering me such as ants, etc. I'll even catch and take the flies out of the house.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2004 07:17:17 AM
Things I Can Kill
1. mosquitoes
2. ...um...
It's a short list, but strangely enough, I think I'd be a fine assassin or euthanasist. Have never put that theory to the test, though.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.2.68
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2004 11:18:36 AM
Oh...well, actually, now you mention it, i can kill ants and flies when there are a lot of them around me, but here in Japan there arent a lot of them so i havent killed any for a while. Interesting how the size of the population affects my ability to kill members of the population...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Extended life
BASENAME: extended_life
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/13/2004 09:45:37 AM
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Why do people (I mean citizens of industrialised nations) insist on prolonged life? So many people seek medical intervention when they get old, or their unhealthy lives catch up with them, or a genetic predisposition to ailments becomes clear. But why?
This excerpt from a Reuters article today is what set my blood boiling:
New U.S. cholesterol guidelines issued on Monday set the lowest level yet for high-risk patients, with recommendations for aggressive use of drugs to get levels down.
The new recommendations also stress no patient should rely on drugs alone to lower cholesterol, but should also take responsibility for the right diet and exercise to keep the heart and arteries healthy.
Living things get old, fall ill, and die: that's Nature's cycle. It makes me furious that people like us try to cheat death with "aggressive use of drugs" and medical procedures. Doesn't "should also take responsibility" sound as if being responsible for your actions is secondary to getting the right medication?
Cripes! Make your choices and live (or die) with them.
I grant that some folks are late bloomers and that numerous key figures in history were bolstered by medical arts. But if they hadn't survived, we'd be familiar with some other character's paintings or polemics.
Reasons to accept medical intervention strike closer to home, too. My own father has recently undergone multiple heart surgeries to clear blocked arteries. Both my parents take medication daily to maintain their health.
But neither history nor family changes my mind. I think it's wrong to meddle with the decay of the body.
I advocate an aggressive sense of mortality.
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Yes, you can print this out for me when I lie on my deathbed...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: olivier
EMAIL: ot@zoy.org
IP: 133.27.228.212
URL: http://yoda.zoy.org
DATE: 07/13/2004 10:31:04 AM
What's the point of dying old when most people spend their existence procrastinating the moment they eventually start living?
"when I'm done with the heavy stuff at work these days"... "When I'm a little richer"... "when I retire"... "when the kids are independent". The worst kind of collective delusion, with plenty of flavours, yours for the taking. pity.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: taro
EMAIL: taro@fuckedgaijin.com
IP: 210.138.88.161
URL: http:///trek/taro/funtokyo/
DATE: 07/13/2004 10:57:34 AM
"cheat death with aggressive use of drugs"
YES! Mo' drugs!
As a former officially-dead, brain-damaged, quadraplegic, I'm all for extension of life by whatever means.
Age? Bah.
I can't wait to put my brain in bottle and get hooked up direct to the Internet. Maji.
L8r...
taro, officially-dead-in-1973-now-shooting-for-2073
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cara
EMAIL: carateaches@yahoo.com
IP: 220.99.153.179
URL:
DATE: 07/13/2004 12:08:24 PM
Couldn't have said it better myself! Why do people insist on medical means to prolong life? Because they're afraid to die! They haven't found peace with the natural processes of Nature. Once you've achieved that peaceful acceptance, you understand that life is just a blink of the eye in the whole scheme of things. We have many, many more wonderful experiences that await us after this life is over. Why cling so tenaciously to something that's only "the illusion?"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bob@sleepery.net
IP: 68.67.18.88
URL: http://www.sleepery.net
DATE: 07/13/2004 03:06:33 PM
Hmmm...perhaps you should read Logan's Run.
Where is your line? I know you have one. At what point would you have us stop interfering with the natural process? Cancer treatments...smallpox vaccinations...trauma surgery after an accident...brushing your teeth...surgery to correct a birth defect?
For my part, this is all there is. There is no afterlife whatsoever. I intend to go on living as long as there is someone left alive for me to love. If everyone I love or care about is gone, I don't see the point in hanging around.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.229.74.142
URL:
DATE: 07/13/2004 07:50:56 PM
I'm afraid you got the question backward. It should be "why does the medical field seek out aging people to extend their life?" This practice ensures the medical community with an almost unlimited source of revenue to treat the younger population that can't afford to pay for their treatment.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mom
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 24.229.74.142
URL:
DATE: 07/13/2004 07:56:58 PM
I've always advocated a quality over quantity approach in life. Ah, but the rub is in the definition of just what a quality life is. I think that's best left to the individual.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2004 06:33:29 AM
Axel: I think you may have misread; I wrote mortality not morality. My sense of morality is hardly aggressive. :-)
Do you really think I'm on a crusade because I've written about a topic I feel strongly about? Hmmmmm. I think crusades involve more action than a single voice whinging about something she can't change.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meenoo
EMAIL: keeperofthemeenoo@yahoo.fr
IP: 81.248.91.176
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2004 07:25:51 AM
Well, it's certainly a way of looking at things.
As long as each individual retains the right to dope up on medication if he should so desire, at his own expense, then I can see no problem with not wishing to halt illness. Having lost someone close from cancer, and believe me, it wasn't nice to watch and certainly awful for the person in question to experience, I personally hope that we'll he injecting and concocting every poison under the sun until they find a way to stop it.
I think we have the priviledge, living in rich countries,
to be able to delay illness, to repair the body... I wonder how the majority of people in this world who die from all sorts of diseases would feel about having the luxury to choose death?
If this sounds judgemental, it's not supposed to!!!:-)
Just different perspectives right? I guess I advocate an aggressive sense of survival!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2004 11:17:04 AM
I am with Bob - this is all I have so I am trying to make the best of it while surrounding myself with vibrant people who make life interesting. But a quote struck me recently.
"A sobering thought: what if, at this very moment, I am living up to my full potential?"
--Jane Wagner
This drives me as I want more wishing that I could have done more.
Another quote from a vibrant person that inspired me recently,
"Life is a collection of experiences."
--Kristen McQuillin
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.106.58
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2004 07:16:56 AM
I'm baffled by your anger directed toward people who love their lives enough to do anything at all to prolong them. If medical science has found ways, even aggressive drug therapy, to mitigate a main cause of heart disease, why does your blood boil at the idea that some people might welcome them?
It's not a right-to-die argument, it's a no-right-to-live (under certain circumstances) argument.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 165.76.106.58
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2004 07:50:19 AM
Sorry, a follow-up point. Untreated, HIV kills almost all of it's victims, but aggressive anti-retroviral therapy can restore long-term normality to the lives of many. Cancer, caught early enough and treated with the appropriate aggressive combination of drugs, radiation and surgery, can often be completely cured.
Are these situations different to the case of high cholesterol?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.2.68
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2004 11:47:29 AM
I didnt feel any anger towards individuals and individual choices from your post. When i read your post I had the feeling that what set your blood boiling was a medical culture that prioritises profits over health, cure rather than prevention, and knowledge in the hands of experts rather than openess and self-care. Possibly im reading my opinions into yours a bit here...
I draw a very different line from you on this, I dont particularly think its wrong to meddle with the decay of the body, but at the same time, Im very interested to hear a different viewpoint, one that makes me question my own and define my own a bit more clearly...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mad about Cows
BASENAME: mad_about_cows
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 07/14/2004 09:10:43 AM
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Two articles today about mad cow testing. First from the US (via Reuters)
A government investigation on Tuesday gave the U.S. Department of Agriculture poor marks in testing cattle for mad cow disease, saying the agency was neglecting to test the majority of cattle most at risk.
"The problems identified during our review, if not corrected, may ... reduce the credibility of any assertion regarding the prevalence of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in the United States," said the USDA's Office of Inspector General.
And now this news from Japan (via UPI):
A top Japanese official said Tuesday blanket mad cow testing may end soon, a move widely seen as opening the door to resumption of U.S. beef imports.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, chief cabinet secretary, made the comment ahead of beef talks to be held in Tokyo in late July between experts and government officials from Japan and the United States, the Kyodo news agency said.
The question of whether all slaughtered cattle should be tested for mad cow disease should not be dealt with "politically," Hosoda said, indicating Japan may end its blanket testing if experts find it unnecessary.
Tokyo has blocked U.S. beef imports since the first U.S. case of mad cow disease was found in a Canadian-born cow in the state of Washington last December.
To remove the import ban, Tokyo has been asking the U.S. government to test all slaughtered cattle for the disease or provide equivalent safety assurance.
U.S. officials respond that blanket testing is unscientific.
Right hand, may I introduce Mr. Left Hand?
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On one hand, testing is faulty, on the other hand, maybe we don't need it?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Laga
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 07/14/2004 12:29:33 PM
Oh goodness this isn't the worst of it. I don't remember all the details but I heard this on NPR so it must be true: Apparantly a US beef company asked the USDA for the go-ahead to test all of its cattle for Mad Cow Disease so that it could market it's beef as "Guaranteed Mad Cow Free." The USDA will not allow them to do this stating that it's not fair to the other cattle companies who cannot afford to test every cow!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Banana-Cointreau Lassi
BASENAME: banana-cointreau_lassi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/15/2004 12:10:48 AM
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It's too hot to eat, but not too hot for fruity drinks. I invented this one last night. The garam masala adds a subtle spice and the Cointreau sweetens the bite of the yogurt.
Banana-Cointreau Lassi
Makes 2 generous servings
2 or 3 cups ice
2 bananas, peeled
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
2 oz Cointreau
Put it all in a powerful blender. Blend until smooth. Serve over ice.
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A rumless fruity drink
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Spectator
BASENAME: spectator
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/16/2004 10:00:58 AM
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BODY:
Last night I went to a festival with two photographers. I didn't have a camera, so I spent my night watching them taking pictures.
"Oh, this is going to be dreadfully dull," I thought. I knew I'd be frustrated as I saw things to photograph but didn't have an instrument to do it.
As it turned out, it was an engaging evening and I had plenty to occupy me. I studied their techniques and choice of subjects. I started to guess how each would approach the lanterns, the dancers, the food stalls, the lights. They rarely took the same shots. I compared theirs to what I would do with camera in hand.
I was an active spectator. I paid attention to what was going on around me and my assiduity paid back new perspectives on seeing the world through a lens.
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Watching carefully is a good perspective.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: seth
EMAIL: seth@biginjapan.org
IP: 219.110.61.218
URL: http://www.biginjapan.org
DATE: 07/18/2004 02:07:36 AM
funny you mention the different perspectives. i recently went traipsing around one section of yokohama, with a photographer friend, and we had a bit of navel-gazing fun wondering what our day would be like if we showed the two sets of pics to somebody. would they even be able to tell if it was the same place, or the same day?
but then i cranked my neck staring at my belly-button, so we moved on...
/.s./
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: RSS Slipup
BASENAME: rss_slipup
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 07/17/2004 06:27:04 AM
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BODY:
Every once in a while Japan Today's RSS feed includes an internal memo. This one appeared this morning under "National Headlines"
MESSAGE TO JANE
Hi Jane, I moderated until 12:00am (0:00) on the message boards. There are some not so nice things going on so be careful on the people who are posting especially on Jenkins and the gay marrige issues. After you are done moderating for the day,...
Oops. I've also noticed partly-edited articles in their feed that turn up fully edited under a different headline later.
This glimpse inside the inner workings of JT isn't too compromising. But imagine a major news agency or corporation feeding something before it was ready: scoops, scandals, and all sorts of informational mayhem.
Any bets on when and where it will happen first?
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An internal memo appears in a newsfeed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.78
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2004 04:27:08 PM
NYT maybe, probably?;-))
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2004 10:43:09 PM
Apparently JT doesn't read my weblog. Here's what appeared in the feed this evening:
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MESSAGE TO EMILY
Hi Emily Last moderated at 1.30pm. The message board was pretty nasty overnight and early morning, but seems to have settled down a little. Most of the ones I deleted are users that no longer exist - did this happen when you deleted posts? I th...
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I wonder if that's Jane writing to Emily, or what?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 07/21/2004 11:05:13 AM
It's starting to sound like the hypertext version of Dangerous Liaisons. I want to read more! Who is Jane? What motivates her? Is it a clever irony that this feed allows us to hear the voice of 'moderation', through which the author points out the excesses of our age?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/25/2004 06:53:32 AM
The plot thickens. Another note today:
MESSAGE TO JANE, EMILY
Sachie's last Pop Vox was riddled with typos and nonsense English. I fixed most of it up. Please copyedit her English and Satoko's very carefully. Otherwise, good job so far. Chris...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 07/29/2004 11:34:28 AM
This development is interesting. The voice of moderation turns to the critique of typos and nonsense, that which is situated outside of regular English discourse. Jane and Emily are asked to incorporate Sachie's 'Pop Vox', the voice of the people, back into the master discourse, thus negating the subversive power of the riddle. The author(s) suggest that the voice of moderation is layered - Jane and Emily are subject to moderation, but are also overseen here by 'Chris', invoking the universalising narrative of Christ. This critique of the hegemony of corporate discourse perhaps ironically word-playing upon the medium of RSS / arses. I look forward to the author(s) next addition to this important work.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Containment
BASENAME: containment
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/18/2004 07:40:52 AM
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BODY:
Cemetery wall, Bunkyo-ku
Does the barbed wire keep the ghosts in or the graverobbers out?
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In or out?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/20/2004 11:58:23 AM
It keeps the pidgeon poop off the headstones... perhaps...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Portrait of a Kissaten
BASENAME: portrait_of_a_kissaten
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/19/2004 07:51:30 AM
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Originally published in Epicure Exchange in 1997; photos taken on July 17, 2004
Unlike the dying breed of classic American coffee shops of the 1950s, the traditional coffee shop in Tokyo still thrives. These family owned coffeehouses, called kissaten (kee-sah-ten), have been around since WWII. Although most of them seem to have undergone a redecoration phase in the late sixties or early seventies, they haven't changed much since the forties.
Walk into a kissaten on a hot summer day and you are greeted with a cheery "Irasshaimase!" from the owner's wife, who tends the cash register and serves the coffee. Her liveliness is in contrast with her surroundings, which are dark and dank. An almost overpowering smell of mildew-- the residue from years of rainy season and hot, humid summers--wafts through the room as the door closes.
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The interior is dimly lit and while each shop owner decorates to his (or his wife's) taste, dark wood and earth tones seem to predominate at most places. In this kissaten, the tables have grey marble tops, the heavy, wooden chairs have been upholstered in red velvet and the yellowing walls are strewn with clocks and landscape paintings of Europe. Lamps with hand blown globes hang at regular intervals down the corridor of tables that leads to the coffee bar.
This is not Starbucks. The coffee bar is made of wood, not laminate. It is standing height and the man who stands behind it tending the pots and grinders could never be called a barista. There is not an espresso machine in sight.
The tools of the trade look like equipment in an antique science laboratory. Arranged along the bar are a handful of gas outlets. Over each one sits a giant test tube holder with a glass bowl half full of coffee in its grip. A gas burner that would look at home in a kitchen keeps a kettle of water boiling. On a shelf behind the bar sits a group of brewing pots--a combination of glass receptacles and plastic filter baskets.
When an order is placed, the coffee man goes into action. He is fluid and artistic as he measures out and grinds an individual serving of coffee, simultaneously reaching for the brewing pot. Gently depositing the grounds into the filter basket, he carefully pours hot water into the apparatus, swirling the pot a bit to encourage the brewing, adding more water, watching until the coffee is just right. Then, selecting a cup and saucer from the mismatched collection that time has created, he removes the filter basket and pours the coffee into the cup.
His wife delivers the coffee along with a wood-topped glass container of sugar and a tiny pitcher of cream. For the price of 500 yen (about $5 US) you receive a cup of kohi (coffee), countless glasses of mizu (water) and a place to sit for as long as you like.
The emphasis in these coffeehouses is on "house" and not on coffee. The high price of coffee is as much a rental fee as it is beverage. Citizens of this crowded metropolis live in cramped quarters so alternate places to relax or work are essential. To find a kissaten that fits your mood and style is to find a second home; most kissaten boast a bevy of regular customers. Neighborhood wives take a break from daily chores and meet their friends for cafe au lait and gossip. Businessmen take refuge from the stresses of the office with a newspaper and coffee or come to vent midday frustrations with their coworkers.
The atmosphere of cool, damp, darkness keeps conversations quiet. Thoughts do not have to compete with blaring rock music and chattering schoolgirls, making the kissaten a good place to plan and work. For those in a solitary but uncontemplative mood, a shared library of used magazines and comics entertains.
When the coffee in the cup is gone, work complete, conversations finished, it is time to leave the cavern of coffee. Walking out into the hot sunshine is a pleasant shock. Across the street is an outlet of one of the coffeehouse chains. The coffee there is cheap and consistent, but the atmosphere is sterile and full of giggling girls and frantic commuters looking for a quick caffeine fix. How unenlightened.
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EXCERPT:
Coffee classic
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mom & Mom Tour
BASENAME: mom_mom_tour
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/20/2004 09:04:10 AM
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BODY:
My mother and mother-in-law are coming (together) to visit for two weeks this autumn. My mother's never visited Japan. Jean, Tod's mom, has been here once before.
I've been thinking of things to make their trip special. I'm sharing my list here, because if I don't I'll forget everything (and there's no Google search on "what to do with your mother in Tokyo"), but also I'd like to hear what you've done with your folks when they've been to visit.
(And yes, Mom & Jean, you're welcome to suggest anything you like!)
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EXCERPT:
What to do with visiting mothers?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL:
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 07/20/2004 09:27:06 AM
How many days will they be in Tokyo?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 07/20/2004 09:32:49 AM
Chill out days are a good idea. My Mum felt a little overwhelmed hitting Tokyo after spending months living in the desert. Gotta remember that they are on holiday too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/20/2004 09:46:04 AM
They'll be here for 11 full days (plus arrival and departure days)
I try to plan no more than one exciting activity per day--and exciting might be a trip to the conbini to gawk at the bento and snack selections--because never mind the visitors, *I* get exhausted. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 07/20/2004 10:40:21 AM
Nightly reminisce about embarrassing moments from our offsprings' childhood blog posts on the dynamicduo or some other public forum.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/20/2004 11:56:58 AM
Would your Mom(s) like to meet up with my mum and dad for afternoon tea at their apartment to see how the "poor" people live in Tokyo? They have lots of stories about their adventure of living in Tokyo over the age 60.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: echan@cam.org
IP: 192.75.88.233
URL:
DATE: 07/20/2004 08:46:54 PM
Not sure if they'll have time for it, but a trip to Kyoto and some of the gazillion temples there would be nice. And if they're lucky, maybe catch a glimpse of a geisha or maiko. :-) A trip to Miyajima would also be nice, but that's at least 5 hrs by Shinkansen and local train.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/20/2004 08:55:37 PM
Remember to rest. The river taxi is cool. Hiking?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 159.153.138.53
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2004 05:56:40 AM
I highly recommend a walk through Shinjuku at night. The neon and fashion is amazing, especially for first timers. They may also enjoy a Ginza shopping experience - maybe the Indian restaurant we used to go to? ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.156
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/21/2004 09:20:30 AM
sounds fun.
You live in Tokyo, so you show our city life to them.
Kyoto is also famous as a historical city. But in Kamakura, or Nikko you all can see lots of temples and shirnes.
If you'll go on trip how about SHIRAKAWA in GIFU.
It is a really old japanese villege and they keep the life.
http://www.pref.toyama.jp/GOKAYAMA/gokayama_e.html
Additionaly, I love portary. So if they are interested in it, please visist MASHIKO by local train. If you come there on Sundays, you can get on a locaomotive.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2004 06:32:04 PM
Thanks for all the great suggestions (and Tracey, I think Mom & Mom would love to meet your parents, thanks!) If you have more ideas, bring them on--even with lots of kicking back and relaxing, 11 days is a long time.
Here are some things I forgot to list:
Shiatsu
Karaoke
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: ffranhill@aol.com
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2004 08:33:52 PM
This mom would love to meet Tracey's parents and hear their stories. Rest days sound good, too. I would love to visit at least one temple. Will I have the opportunity to say "day off - let's chat"?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 39.5
BASENAME: 395
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/21/2004 06:05:05 PM
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It's bloody hot here. Yesterday the weather service recorded Tokyo's highest temperature since they began measurements in 1923--it was 39.5 (just over 103 F) in Otemachi. 210 people were treated for heatstroke, but I don't think anyone died.
Being outside was like walking through blood.
Today was slightly cooler at 37.2 (99 F) but I had to dress up for the CEATEC poster photo shoot, so I was wearing cosmetics, pantyhose, and a suit. Atsuiiiiii!
The average temperature in Tokyo for 7/21 is 25.8 but today's average is 33.3. I can only hope that this ends very soon or I am going to melt.
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Oh, it's so hot...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.13.51
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2004 10:37:27 PM
But im really starting to get comfortable with it!
The trick is to get out in it, like a whole day, or even better overnight, and you body has a chance to reset itself, and it doesnt feel so bad!
I was happy to be out in the thick of it today.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 210.132.82.133
URL:
DATE: 07/22/2004 11:06:15 AM
"Being outside was like walking through blood."
(Only warmer)
Didn't Earnest Hemingway characterise Tokyo summers that way?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Granita
BASENAME: granita
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/22/2004 06:00:57 PM
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Tokyo's heat wave got me thinking about ices and I've mixed up a lot of granitas this week. They're simple to prepare and taste delicious.
Viennese Coffee Granita
serves 4
2 cups coffee
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix the coffee, cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze. Once an hour until it freezes, use a fork to stir and scrape the ice, breaking up the lumps.
In a separate pan, mix the milk, vanilla and remaining sugar. Freeze, scraping hourly as above. The milk will take a little longer to freeze than the coffee.
Serve the coffee granita topped with the sweet milky granita.
Blueberry-Ginger Granita
serves 4
2 cups blueberries
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 lime, juiced
Whirl the blueberries, ginger and sugar in a blender. Strain the solids from the liquid, using a fine sieve. To the liquid, add the water and lime juice. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze. Once an hour until it freezes, use a fork to stir and scrape the ice, breaking up the lumps.
Shiso Lemon Granita
serves 4
8 leaves shiso
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
Roughly chop the shiso leaves, then whirls in a blender with the water and sugar. Strain the solids from the liquid with a fine sieve. add the lemon juice. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze. Once an hour until it freezes, use a fork to stir and scrape the ice, breaking up the lumps.
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EXCERPT:
Cool desserts
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: danielle
EMAIL:
IP: 218.33.159.49
URL:
DATE: 07/23/2004 01:32:20 AM
I've hopped over from another blog looking for tips on blogging, but I've been simply captivated by your blog+etc. I just love your photos (I've lived in Hiroshima too!) and being interested in design, I forgotten the time while reading your posts. I'll certainly be enjoying your blog again soon!
Thanks for the recipe, Tokyo is indeed oddly hot this summer.
And just think, when northern Japan is flooded at the same time. Unthinkable.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: All for free
BASENAME: all_for_free
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/23/2004 10:02:50 AM
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BODY:
A newcomer to Tokyo was going on about the expense of keeping entertained in the city. When I countered that there are lots of low-cost and no-cost things to do, he challenged me to list them.
And I did, but what struck me is that most of the things I do to amuse myself are creative. If I have a camera with me, or a sketchbook, video camera, or notebook, I spend my time observing and recording things around me. If I don't have a device to record, I simply watch.
(Or I run into a shop to buy a notebook and pan--I'm the owner of countless notebooks and pens purchased because of an urgent need to write in the field.)
So while my tools may cost me a bit of cash, I occupy my time using them at very little cost. If I'm lucky, they sometimes make me money, too. Being a creative person has hidden fiscal advantages.
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EXCERPT:
Creativity doesn't cost a yen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/23/2004 10:29:35 AM
Resting under a tree in Yoyogi Park with a few friends and a picnic is always entertaining - the people watching is fantastic!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/24/2004 08:08:17 AM
Making up games is fun too.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Summer sausage
BASENAME: summer_sausage
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/24/2004 01:52:12 PM
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BODY:
When I put on my bathing suit, I look like a lumpy breakfast link.
Common wisdom has it that you lose weight during the summer. Maybe because you get outside and exercise more, eat lots of fresh veggies, sweat it all away, or something. Whatever it is, shedding pounds is a summertime occupation according to every women's magazine and most of my friends.
But it's a lie! I gain weight in the summer. Maybe that's because I try to stay cool with increased intake of alcohol and frozen sugary things (in combination whenever possible). I eat out because it's too hot to cook.
Worst of all, I don't go out for long walks or exert myself too much.
I turn an alarming, vivid pink if I do much more than breathe on a hot day. Childhood neighbors used to drag me out of the playgroup and feed me lemonade and cookies in their air-conditioned kitchens because they thought I'd have heatstroke. It's a peaches-and-cream complexion, blotchy British-heritage thing. Ugly but unavoidable.
So from long-standing habit and to prevent alarm, my athleticism is limited to swimming a couple of times a week. I'm not going for any extended rambles through the city until the weather cools off some.
Maybe I should brave the heat, sweat off the weight, ignore my beetroot face, and stay away from rum-infused frozen drinks, but then what would I blog about when it's too hot to think?
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EXCERPT:
A rant about summer fat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.7
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 07/25/2004 05:41:25 AM
>>When I put on my bathing suit, I look like a lumpy breakfast link
Now, granted, I haven't seen you in a bathing suit, but I really doubt the above statement.
And what's wrong with a peaches-and-cream complexion? It used to make Charlie Brown swoon, if I recall correctly...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.93.70
URL:
DATE: 07/25/2004 11:14:29 PM
>>When I put on my bathing suit, I look like a lumpy breakfast link
prove is what we want!
how about a side by side comparison.
kristen vs. breakfast link - please post soon. );-)
if it is any consolation to you this blond german feels like a
punchdrunk boxer after half a hour on the beach.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Traditional Tokyo
BASENAME: traditional_tokyo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/25/2004 10:36:06 AM
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Kagurazaka is one of Tokyo's well known "traditional" neighborhoods. Despite encroaching fast food chains and convenience stores, it's still an authentic working neighborhood, not at all staged or quaint. Kagurazaka charms by its utter lack of pretense.
The sloping street leading from the station to the temple is lined with family owned shops and restaurants. The side streets teem with tiny bars displaying red lanterns for signs. Shop owners come out in the afternoon wet down the street and cool things off. Cats roam the alleys.
Many lively precincts like Kagurazaka are fading memories. There was a similar neighborhood feel in Koishikawa, on the other side of the river in Bunkyo-ku, but it has been wiped out by developers who snatched up the old 2-story storefronts and constructed towering luxury condo highrises. Where there used to be three streets of shotengai, now there are 7 or 8 giant apartment blocks. Ironically, they use the neighborhood's former charm as a selling point.
But Kagurazaka holds out for now. Walking through yesterday, we stumbled upon the annual matsuri and watched the awaodori dancers milling around before their performances and all of the spectators dressed in yukata. Although most of the people wearing yukata were women (young or old, but not too many in the middle years), a few men dressed for the occasion, too. A double dose of tradition to tide us over for a while.
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Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.7
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 07/26/2004 09:29:27 AM
You know, Kagurazaka is one of our favorite places in Tokyo to go in the evening or on a weekend. I especially love to prowl around those tiny streets off the main drag.
Oddly, one big draw the place has for me isn't traditional Japanese at all, it's the crepe place, La Bretagne, at the top of the hill...
:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.4.45
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/26/2004 10:07:44 AM
This season there are lot of festivals here and there, the day before yesterday a dance(BONODORI) festival was held at a elementary school nearby, yesterday a fireworks display festival was held in the riverbank.
Many people enjoy them wearing YUKATA, JINBEI, HAAPY.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: JB
EMAIL: jib71@yahoo.com
IP: 203.215.132.14
URL:
DATE: 07/26/2004 01:00:39 PM
I love Kagurazaka too - and I love the fact that it's a "real" neighbourhood and not a museum piece. But I feel sure that these kinds of neighbourhoods deserve some kind of protection.
Kagurazaka is being "developed" with little regard to the reason everyone loves it. For example, several mega-towers have been built in the area in the past couple of years. It's pretty sad to see the marketing collateral for those apartments. The developers seem to have no sense of irony - waxing lyrical about gorgeous views of the quaint Kagurazaka "rojji" alleyways from the 20th floor of a high-rise block... what about the views from those quaint rojji?
And my bete noire - the Shiroki Ya izakaya - which decided to throw up some huge (maybe 3 meters high) red and white backlit signs. This signage is bigger, brighter, louder than anything else in the entire neighbourhood. It's completely over the top - and once you allow one store to thumb its nose at the character of this special neighbourhood, then others will follow. I'm not suggesting that we need regulations that impede businesses but sometimes business owners need to be reminded that it's the location which brings them so much trade - and it makes good business sense to keep the location attractive.
I believe there's an association of residents who are trying to preserve the charm of the area. I wish they could have some kind of power to guide stores and developers so that Kagurazaka will thrive. But since this doesn't seen to have happened anywhere else in Japan, I can't say I'm optimistic...
JB
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Typewriter
BASENAME: typewriter
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 07/26/2004 10:51:40 AM
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BODY:
I want a typewriter. I want to unplug from the digital world for a while and reconnect with the physical.
As a kid, I used my grandfather's portable manual typewriter to produce newspapers, menus, play programs, and all the other essential printed matter of my fantasies.
One of my first purchases as a working teenager was an electric typewriter. I typed out every issue of the West Hazleton High School "We-Ha" during my tenure as editor, then I carried it with me to university and used it for all my papers. And a few play programs.
But those old machines are both gone, as is the early 20th century Royal I found at a flea market. Now it's just me and the computers.
And I'm dissatisfied. I'd like to write without being distracted by incoming e-mail, IM, and RSS feed updates. You're thinking, "Well, don't launch those programs when you write." But I get antsy wondering might be missing some key communication. Does someone want to go to lunch with me? Have any of my friends updated their weblogs? Critical information--who'd want to miss that?
I'd like to return to fact-checking by referring to books instead of Google. My capacity to store facts and trivia was once legend, but has dwindled to nearly nothing. My brain is full of key-combinations to effect changes in my documents, but I can't remember the population of Tokyo or recall when I should use 'effect' or 'affect.'
Ironically, I've just purchased a new G5 with an amazingly large screen so that I can do my video editing in double-quick time. It arrives in 5 weeks. I'm doomed.
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EXCERPT:
A not-quite Luddite lament.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 07/26/2004 08:02:20 PM
Your Grandfather's portable is still here. I wonder if you can still get a ribbon for it?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 07/26/2004 08:30:57 PM
There are still ribbons for the old portables. I got one for a 1923 portable!
You're doomed, let's face it. But, you can make an effort to turn off the G5 at a certain time every day. The end of the work day? It's good to give yourself some unplugged time. Then you can type!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 07/26/2004 09:43:59 PM
Hey babe I'll mind your new G5 until you're feeling techie again!
Good friends always make sacrifices...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/27/2004 11:00:07 AM
It is strange - I had a dream about using a typewriter the other night!! Did we talk about something like this over dinner on Saturday or are we having some sort of convergence??
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Diary of a migraine
BASENAME: diary_of_a_migraine
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/27/2004 12:29:32 PM
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BODY:
Sorry this is not terribly interesting and sounds sort of whinging. Today is Day 4 of a fairly bad migraine. I'm not looking for sympathy or help, just noting the progress of the symptoms for my own future reference.
Day 1: Notice some blinking white spots in front of my eyes but they are not my usual visual disturbances. Feeling a little tired, assume it's the hot weather. Don't really twig that this could be a migraine.
Day 2: Nauseated. Pupils are unevenly dilated. Flat surfaces seem to buckle and melt. The left side of my head feels bigger than the right side and I can't speak straight--the words come out in the wrong order. No bad pain, so I get on with the day, go to the beach, have a bbq with friends. No alcohol since I know that will make it worse.
Day 3: Sharp pains begin stabbing my head in the morning. Try to nap, but they keep waking me up. Spend the entire day in bed, reading. In the late afternoon, I discover I am slightly feverish. Fall asleep by 10:15.
Day 4: Wake to occasional stabs and cold explosions in my head. Some nausea, but tolerable. My entire left side feels dulled and swollen (of course it's not any bigger than normal) Everything is too loud and bright. Still feverish. Pupils uneven again. Eyes hurt. Shiatsu took away some of the dullness, but none of the pain.
I am annoyed with how long this is going on. I have things to do but no energy to do them. C'mon body, behave.
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EXCERPT:
Keeping notes for my own reference.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: olivier
EMAIL: ot@zoy.org
IP: 133.27.228.212
URL: http://yoda.zoy.org
DATE: 07/27/2004 05:22:19 PM
kuri,
I had relatively close symptoms last week... Eyes hurt, headache, feeling tired, nauseated, fever even. I eventually agreed to see a doctor, and it was "just" natsu-kaze (on top of having been sick because of something I'd eaten 10 days before). It happens when it's too hot outside, too cold inside, too hot outside, etc, etc.
Why not go see a doc, or try a cocktail of aspirin and antibiotics?
Get better soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.7
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 07/27/2004 07:13:29 PM
I think I mentioned, but I'll put it here too, a remedy I heard about a long time ago: Pure Oxygen.
The treatment was to take a few good hits from an oxygen bottle at the first sign of the migraine. They sell small aerosol-sized bottles at Tokyu Hands for people who are going to climb mount Fuji - you might try grabbing a couple for next time.
Also be sure that you're getting enough pure water - especially when it's hot. Other drinks rarely are as good, in fact some like regular orange juice, can be worse for dehydration, as they need to draw water out of your body to digest.
Feel better, kuri...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.25
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 07/28/2004 09:50:57 AM
I suffer from headaches (bad migraine) Any medicine sold on drug stores don't work. I take a medicine from a clinic. If you are annoyed with them for more than a week, you should go to clinic.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New chip flavor
BASENAME: new_chip_flavor
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/28/2004 10:27:50 AM
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Here's a product you're not likely to find in American grocery stores. These potato chips are yuzu-shichimi flavoured.
I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to fried potato snacks--salt is sufficient seasoning--but these are pretty good for doctored chips. The yuzu is subtle; the shichimi is barely there. If you want a blast of overpoweringly spicy citrus flavour, these are not the snack for you. But if you are looking for something gently different, then I recommend them.
Yamayoshi also makes the popular WasaBeef (wasabi beef) chips and a host of others. They have a website with dancing bobble-headed cows in their TV commercials and online shopping, but they don't ship outside Japan.
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Different snack food
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anthony
EMAIL: afreshproduction@yahoo.com
IP: 68.3.136.62
URL: http://superterrific.blogspot.com/
DATE: 07/29/2004 11:53:57 AM
Thanks for posting to wirefarm regarding my Tokyo questions. Your blog is awesome! I love the combination of info and nice photographs. The tips section will surely come in handy.
Are you teaching English there or working in another capacity? I'm just curious - I lived in Prague for two years and thought maybe I'd give Tokyo a shot someday...
Anthony
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 12.10.219.36
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 07/29/2004 11:03:56 PM
I had to go to the commercial site and play the clips... now I can't get the tune out of my head. Thanks!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Other people's clips
BASENAME: other_peoples_clips
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 07/29/2004 05:19:25 PM
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BODY:
Another two-man video crew in town, so another odd job for Mediatinker. This time I'm logging LA interview tapes and rounding up Japanese women for interviews about personal style, "transculturalism" and shoes.
Thanks to all my J-girlfriends and their friends who've responded. I hope you have fun.
Oh, and a tip for your interview: pause before answering the questions. The person who logs the tapes will love you for that.
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Just a quickie job this week.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Marshmallow Spike summer
BASENAME: marshmallow_spike_summer
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/30/2004 10:51:25 AM
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Marshmallow Spike played in Yotsuya last night--their first show inside the Yamanote. Tod took lots of photos.
They get better and better every time I see them. MJ even smiled last night while she played and her MC patter had the audience cracking up. Sweaty men on trains, indeed...
And they know who the fans are: Yoshi dedicated "Stolen Umbrella" (download the MP3) to me last night with a quick "for Kristen" before playing the first chords, and he gave me his backstage pass after the show. (Am I almost famous now?) MJ's pass went to Tracey, who also got her CD signed. We're such groupies.
The next show is in Yokohama on August 11th. See you there?
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Another fun club night.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mj
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 07/30/2004 02:58:39 PM
Thanks so much for coming!
And for taking the pics Tod-ster!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 07/30/2004 05:18:31 PM
Those photos are awesome!! Some of the lighting effects are magical!! Plus I like the way the photos are completely focussed on the band... (and not the rest of us ratbags in the crowd. ^.^ )
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.6
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 07/30/2004 06:12:24 PM
Chick bassists are cool. There must be some science behind that. Good photography, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 07/30/2004 08:33:57 PM
Great photos. I like the blue series.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Where is my mind?
BASENAME: where_is_my_mind
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 07/31/2004 10:57:00 AM
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BODY:
I am not sure how I spaced out so badly, but Thursday and Friday both passed without the vaguest flitter in my mind that I had columns to write. So for those of you anxious about Recipe Thursday and Creative Perspectives, never fear. They will be back on schedule next week.
And in the meantime, I'm going to post twice today because I realise that nowhere in the weblog do I have a bio or summary of the author. Who am I, anyway? So I'll be writing up a little Q&A style "about mediatinker" thing today. Check back later--and feel free to suggest some questions. I'll do with the answers without the aid of my peanut gallery (and yes, UltraBob, I do mean you. ;-)
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Wait a minute...it's Saturday already?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jay Perkins
EMAIL: jay@jayperkins.com
IP: 68.209.220.24
URL:
DATE: 08/01/2004 09:46:22 AM
I enjoyed reading about who you are, love the videos , and am most grateful for you work on the Moveable Type tutorial.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 08/02/2004 12:08:33 PM
You do know that the title of this post is from one of Marshmallow Spike's cover tunes... that is where your mind is!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 08/04/2004 01:32:45 PM
Are you sure you don't want my help? I could really flesh out a few of those for you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.86.195
URL:
DATE: 08/04/2004 04:12:42 PM
I'm pretty sure. But I can't really stop you from commenting, can I? ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: About Kristen, mediatinker
BASENAME: about_kristen_mediatinker
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 07/31/2004 03:50:06 PM
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BODY:
Q & A
Who are you?
I'm a kindergartner who was excited to learn that she'd be a grown up in the new millennium.
Why do you live in Japan?
It was a six-month job assignment back in 1998. Japan suits me so well that I haven't left yet and don't intend to.
Why do you have a weblog?
I use my weblog to entertain (and sometimes enlighten) friends and strangers. It also anchors me to my computer. I started out with a regular website (1994) and a mailing list (1998). When weblog software reached my radar in 2000, I converted.
You come across as such a know-it-all sometimes...
I used to be a know-it-all but now Google knows more than I do. Fortunately, I'm only one search away from knowing it all again. Don't ask me for facts when I'm not at my computer.
What do you do?
I make videos. I write stuff. I do web things from time to time. I'm for hire, so please take a look at my resume and portfolio, then contact me if you're interested.
What else do you do?
When I drag myself away from the virtual world, I am usually swimming, cooking, taking long walks, scratching in notebooks, or reading. I also run around doing stupid things with my very smart friends.
What do you like?
Vanilla. Strong coffee. Black. Good words. Water. The sound of wind through pines. The night sky. And Tod--I like him very much.
Can you recommend what to see in Tokyo?
Yes, I can. Check out the Hello Tokyo page. Buy a copy of my DVD. Please.
Can I send you an e-mail?
Of course, but no guarantee of a reply. kristen@mediatinker.com
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About Mediatinker
It's been more than ten years since I helped to found Telerama, one of the first public ISPs in the US. I answered phones, offered tech support, wrote documentation, taught online classes (using IRC and Screen!) and was general dogsbody to the tech boys. Good times with lots to learn--in those days, the Net was new to almost everyone. But being excluded from the hard-core tech back then, I've never considered myself much of a geek.
In the mid-nineties, I was working for a university, teaching faculty and administrators how to use e-mail, ftp and telnet with lots of time devoted to writing how-to manuals and tip sheets. Eventually, I became university webmaster and launched into developing online instructional materials, video, audio and interactive tutorials.
A three month trip to Japan in 1996 ushered in a new era of international living. In 1998 we moved to Singapore for six months, followed by a move to Tokyo and a short term assignment as Year 2000 Test Center Manager for Perot Systems Japan/UBS Warburg. Going on seven years later, we're still here.
These days, I sit at my desk in Tokyo in front of a Mac G5, a PowerBook G4, and several Unix boxes. My work is more diverse, with several corporate videos under my belt, a year of leading an IT non-profit (DigitalEve Japan), assorted classes and workshops taught, and lots and lots of writing. In addition to the paid work, I've drafted a book which will probably never see the light of day and written a play that I hope to produce someday.
I chose the name 'media tinker' because I can't decide what I am--writer, filmmaker, photographer, web guru, general know-it-all, or empress of everything. I work with media of all types, and maybe not always successfully, so media tinker seemed most fitting. And a bit of self-deprecation is always good to keep the ego in check. (If you know me, you are laughing right now.)
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Diamond downpour
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.49
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 08/04/2004 10:32:39 AM
Beautiful!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 159.153.138.53
URL:
DATE: 08/06/2004 01:46:46 PM
Fantastic shots! Very nice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 08/10/2004 10:02:56 PM
I love that first photo. Wow. It almost looks like snow!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dave
EMAIL: microage97@yahoo.com
IP: 66.41.156.70
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 08/12/2004 12:07:39 AM
Very nice photos. I think the rain in Japan is very different that the rain here in minnesota.
Dave
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Portable Market
BASENAME: portable_market
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/04/2004 12:24:36 PM
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BODY:
This vegetable truck parks on the corner across from Denzuin temple, creating a convenient market for the local ladies.
The owner chats up the aunties as though he were hoping to marry them all. But the first time I asked him a question, he answered in the rudest possible way and made me feel really stupid. I guess I'm not the marrying type. So I don't go very often. Really, who wants to be insulted while buying lettuce?
But I like the idea of the portable vegetable market. There's a fish truck man, too, who parks around the other corner. He's much nicer and once gave me a free grilled-squid-on-a-stick. I'll bet he thought I wouldn't eat it. Ha! I fooled him, it was delicious.
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Vegetables from a truck.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.190
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 08/05/2004 09:50:13 AM
Portable market? It's rignt. These days it is few, but have you ever heard the sound of ?? kind of small trumpet of TOUFU seller on the bike? It was a familier scene in the early morning for breakfat and in the evening for dinner. Of course to make misoshiru with toufu.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Maktaaq
EMAIL:
IP: 70.68.242.167
URL: http://maktaaq.blogspot.com
DATE: 08/06/2004 05:15:22 AM
I used to be insulted by itinerant vegetable peddlers too when I lived in Japan. I was, however, the darling of a certain vegetable market in Numata, Gunma Prefecture. (You can buy gourmet honeys there and crocheted kappa keitai trinkets. You can't miss this market. Beside the main drag, in the countryside.)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 08/10/2004 10:05:02 AM
I own a home in Kuri's neighbor and Tofu bender with trumpets are still an "up to date" business, around here. He is a dandy man with handsome hats but I usually don't buy from him. His tofu is not the best in the area.
Living in the city center is very unconvenient when it come to the daily shopping. We are, as a matter of fact, living a life very similar to that of small villages in the mountan areas, the other place where portable markets are very popular.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coffee jelly
BASENAME: coffee_jelly
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/05/2004 03:39:28 PM
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BODY:
This is a quick and easy gelatin dessert that requires no cooking and is low in calories. Coffee jelly is a popular dessert in Tokyo. The coffee jelly sold in the stores is usually sweetened, but this version delivers a sharp contrast between the bitter coffee jelly and the sweet milk.
Coffee Jelly
serves 2
5 g gelatin
50 ml hot water
200 ml cold coffee (for softer jelly, use 250 ml coffee)
1 tsp sweetened condensed milk
Thoroughly dissolve the gelatin in the hot water. Add the coffee and stir. Pour into two small bowls or glasses. Chill and allow to set. Serve drizzled with condensed milk.
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EXCERPT:
Another
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New Spaces
BASENAME: new_spaces
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 08/06/2004 09:00:23 AM
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BODY:
My recent decision to abandon my container garden has opened my eyes to the possibilities of the spaces around me. After removing the planters and tiered shelves, and washing down the tile flooring, I discovered that the little garden space is quite a bit bigger than I remembered. It's a lovely spot for sitting and thinking.
Which leads me to wonder how I can rearrange my office. I've been feeling sort of stuck in this long narrow room--it's cluttered, fussy and distracting. We've got two desks, a small filing cabinet, a credenza, and two big metal racks full of equipment. If I turn my desk, can I still get to the door? What if I move the racks together and use them as a divider between my side of the room and Tod's?
I think it's time to get the measuring tape out and figure out how to get a new perspective on this room.
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Moving the furniture
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 08/06/2004 10:49:16 AM
Make a floorplan to scale and use paper cut-outs of all of the elements to get the arrangement before you start moving heavy desks around. Saves your back.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Your influence
BASENAME: your_influence
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/07/2004 02:02:58 PM
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BODY:
How do I influence others in a way that changes the world? This is something I've been thinking about lately.
My personal effect on the working of our world seems pretty insignificant. I have no progeny (human or creative) and I can think of nothing I've done that will live on after I die. Nothing sticks out as me having changed someone's opinion or actions. At least as far as I am aware...
When I consider it that way, it seems that only a handful of people have any real influence on the world--the leaders and luminaries we read about in the news, for example.
But for each newsworthy leader, there are levels upon levels of people who influenced him. And sometimes you just can't know that you'll be one of those influential people. As far as I know, there's no way to predict what effect you're going to have on the world through your actions. It's the butterfly effect on a human scale.
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As a fictional example:
President John Doe makes the news when announcing a new government policy to build a colony on Mars. Who influenced him in launching the program?
Rhythm Train 0'18" (2.3 MB MP4)
I shot this froma Tokaido line train heading towards Tokyo. I love the syncopation of the windows, doors and travellers' heads going past. I attempted to score it in Soundtrack, but didn't get the effect that I wanted--creating music is yet another area for improvement.
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A few short video
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 08/09/2004 04:52:09 AM
I love the sound of a train too. And the feel of it under your feet, and the breeze it creates.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: iM
EMAIL: wine@gol.com
IP: 165.76.176.72
URL: http://www.somethingfromjapan.com/dereksworld/index.php
DATE: 08/10/2004 01:14:24 AM
Well done! Where did you grab that snazzy track from?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Albert
EMAIL:
IP: 156.153.255.196
URL:
DATE: 08/19/2004 11:41:31 PM
It's interesting to step through frame by frame and see little snippets of people's lives. I always love riding the trains when I visit Tokyo. So much more interesting than driving on a freeway.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Overgrown
BASENAME: overgrown
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/09/2004 09:42:04 AM
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BODY:
Tomb with weeds. Zoushigaya Bochi, Toshima-ku.
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A grave near Gokokuji.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Eye Frisk
BASENAME: eye_frisk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/10/2004 03:21:30 PM
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BODY:
I've never been a big fan of putting drops into my eyes, but I've been overindulging in computers and books for the last couple of days and my eyes were feeling kinda crusty this morning, so I grabbed Tod's bottle of Sante FX Neo.
"Whooooo, refreshing!!" he exclaims every time he drops them in. I should have taken that as a warning. But I tried them anyway.
I didn't read the ingredients before I used them. If I had, I might have stopped myself. The contain neostigmine menthylsulfate (minty!), aminoethylsulfonic acid (aka taurine), potassium L-asparate, tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride (vasoconstrictor) , chlorpheniramine maleate (antihistamine), and e-aminocaproic acid (used to stop bleeding during surgery).
Ouch! Refreshing! Ooooooh! Refreshing!
Sante FX Neo are sold only in Japan, so overseas readers won't be able to try them. But follow along with the instructions to get the idea:
Looking for a quick dinner the other evening, I threw together this pasta dish. I would have used pancetta, but it's not available in my grocery store. They do carry "fresh bacon block" which is unsliced bacon and worked quite nicely instead of pancetta.
Orecchiette with Bacon
serves 3-4
250 g orecchiette pasta (or shells, sprials, penne)
1 zucchini
1 red pepper
12 white button mushrooms
10 cm bacon block
grana padano or parmesan cheese to garnish
salt and black pepper to taste
Put the water on to boil the pasta. Slice the vegetables and bacon into sticks about 3 cm x .5 cm. Heat a frying pan and add the bacon, stirring frequently to cook until brown and nearly crispy. Remove from pan, leaving bacon grease. Fry the peppers, mushrooms and zucchini in the grease. When soft but not mushy, remove vegetables from pan. Cook the pasta, drain and mix with the bacon and vegetables. Season with black pepper and salt; garnish with cheese.
Serve with salad and garlic bread.
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Bacon-y goodness with pasta
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pensieri Oziosi
EMAIL:
IP: 80.218.227.74
URL: http://www.vogliaditerra.com/pensierioziosi/
DATE: 08/12/2004 05:47:15 PM
Apart from the fact that the name of the Pasta is "orecchiette", i.e., little ears, your recipe sounds good.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 08/12/2004 06:15:14 PM
Thanks for the spelling correction; I've put all the vowels in the right places. I love Italian food, but never seem to get Italian words right. Hope you enjoy the dish.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Naming conventions
BASENAME: naming_conventions
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 08/13/2004 08:27:50 AM
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BODY:
I am the sort of person who names inanimate objects--cars, stuffed toys, and particularly computers.
I tend to work in computer-rich environments where names are necessary to identify the machines. At the bank, all the computers had alphanumeric codes. I think my testing suite server was tk2t126-something. Neither creative nor memorable.
By long-standing tradition, geeks name machines in sets. At Telerama, where the mascot was an elephant, we had africa, asia, tusk and ivory. In one of Duquesne's media labs, the computers honored film directors. In another, we used color names.
Since I own one or two computers at a time, my naming scheme runs serially. Most express passions: desire, joissance, yen, ravary, iru. My laptops and external storage devices reflect travel and movement: portage, ferry, texel, siphon.
Many of the names have personal double meanings. I named yen right after my first trip to Japan. Iru means both to need and to exist and it came into existence when I needed it to finish a project. Ferry's purchase required a boat trip to Dover, Delaware.
Soon a new computer arrives on my doorstep. While sitting in Hibiya Koen the other evening, I hit upon the right name: koi. You might know koi as a Japanese carp, but with different kanji it means romantic love. Change the kanji again and it means entreaty or request. It can also mean intention and yet another meaning is "deep, dark, dense, strong". Koi fits in nicely with my passions.
How do you name your objects?
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Creative names for computers
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.28
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2004 09:36:39 AM
Once I named all the machines in our web development office for Soul Calibur characters. My next naming thing will either be Kubrick movies or characters from Shaolin Soccer (Iron head, Mighty Steel Leg, etc) :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: barron
EMAIL: kumori@takoyaki.org
IP: 68.206.67.213
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 08/13/2004 10:48:43 AM
At the company I work at, we once named software releases after different Pokemon. And at Dell, some of the development projects and machines go by beach names, Kapalua, Pensacola, Bondi, etc. And I think the Precision workstations have codenames after Japanese cities, Tokyo, Nagano, etc. They seem to like Japanese names at Dell. Some of the past projects were Tsunami, Samurai, etc.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Distal Zou
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2004 11:50:50 AM
"Koi" also means "Come!", an imperative command.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2004 11:53:19 AM
When I worked in the serum laboratory, we named all of our floor centrifuges as they all had different "personalities". Plus when you work with large equipment for 16 hours a day you really need to personalise an otherwise sterile environment.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2004 11:54:50 AM
Also, now that I work consult at that Finnish phone company, all the projects are code named. It is most amusing to imagine how much fun the planners have when choosing these code names.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraMom
EMAIL: jkmc@atcnet.net
IP: 12.23.71.151
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2004 01:05:34 PM
When UltraBob partitioned the hard drive on my old computer, I awoke to find that each drive had a creative name. I can't remember them all, but some were "The Terminator", "The Exterminator" etc......the F Drive was "Steve". Come to think of it, those names don't inspire much confidence and, fortunately, did not foretell (for the most part) the way that they handled data storage.
My sister names her cars.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ultrabob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 08/13/2004 01:53:29 PM
testing, cause mom said she couldn't type z's
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraMom
EMAIL: jkmc@atcnet.net
IP: 12.23.71.151
URL:
DATE: 08/13/2004 01:55:22 PM
zzzzzz Huh. Now I can, but I couldn't before when I was trying to tell you that one of my partitioned hard drives was named "The Pulverizer".
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jon
EMAIL: 2003@snowblink.co.uk
IP: 218.103.203.137
URL: http://www.snowblink.co.uk/
DATE: 08/13/2004 03:47:40 PM
We used to name our machines after animals like badger, ferret, bear. Actually, more like furry mammals.
If length weren't an issue, I'd go with Culture ship names.
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~and1000/banks/ships.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Maktaaq
EMAIL: maktaaq@hotmail.com
IP: 70.68.242.167
URL: http://maktaaq.blogspot.com
DATE: 08/19/2004 12:26:57 AM
"Koi" also means "testicle" in Romanian, which I learned after a game of "Koi-koi" in Transylvania.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Record breaking season
BASENAME: record_breaking_season
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/14/2004 05:04:04 PM
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BODY:
Despite dim prospects in for medals in Athens in the next few weeks, Japan's doing great in other record breaking areas. Mother Nature is having her own field day here in Tokyo.
This is the 40th straight day of manatsu-bi, midsummer days that reach 30 degrees or more.
It's the longest unbroken stretch of hot days since Tokyo meteorologists started taking notes in 1923. The previous record was 37 days in 1995.
Tokyo's new record doesn't touch the one set in Kobe in 1994: 76 miserable dog days. Kobe can keep that gold medal; that is one record I hope we don't break.
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It's never-ending heat in the Big Mikan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.81
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 08/14/2004 08:12:42 PM
TOO hot hot hot hot. I can't stand. Yesterday I went to ODAIBA, many young family enjoyed at the park outside. --- BUT we only had luncn at JAL hotel using coupon. It was really nice!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tomo
EMAIL: tomohiramatsu@wonder-sphere.com
IP: 61.125.231.193
URL: http://wonder-sphere.com
DATE: 08/17/2004 10:18:16 AM
Starting from tomorrow, there is "Uchimizu dai-sakusen 2004"
http://www.uchimizu.jp/eng.html
Japan has a tradition to shower the streets on a late afternoon of a hot day. This creates a (somewhat) cool breeze and makes life a little easier in the Japanese hot summer.
According to the above project, we are encouraged to do this during 8/18-25.
They claim that last year, the temperature dropped 1degree(C) in some parts of Tokyo.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Members' cards
BASENAME: members_cards
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/15/2004 12:58:49 PM
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BODY:
My wallet's become extra thick with various stores' point cards, so I pulled them all out and had a look at what I've collected. Most of them are useless but they offer a voyeur an interesting look into my shopping habits.
Santoku & Queen's Isetan (grocery stores) cards get me a 500 yen coupon after I've purchased 50,000 in groceries). I just redeemed a Santoku coupon yesterday. It will be about 6 weeks before I get another one. At QI, you have to check your total in a little kiosk that prints you a coupon if you have enough points.
Bic Camera gives me 10% of the purchase price in points to be spent as yen on future purchases. I think Tod's card has about 16,000 points. Mine's got 5,000. We shop there too often but it feels good to buy things just in points.
Jingu Skate Rink has a really good deal. Get 5 stamps and earn one free entrance. Ten stamps gets you in for free three times. I have 2 stamps so far. Must skate more!
Oshman's sporting goods store gives you a 1,000 yen discount after you spend 20,000 yen. I bought one bathing suit and I'm already 70% of the way there. It was a double points sale week; I didn't spend 14,000 on a bathing suit.
Shop In gives 500 yen for 10,000 yen in purchases. This is probably the most generous of the programs, but they sell cosmetics and jewelry and stuff like that, so I don't shop there very often...why have I kept this card?
Karako sells "ethnic" housewares at La Qua. I've got 520 points on the card, but no idea what they are good for. I should toss this one.
Club ON is Seibu's member club. I accumulate 1 point for every 1000 yen I spend, but I've no idea what I do with the points. I do a lot of framing at Loft, part of the Seibu group, so I probably have a fair number of points.
Junoesque Bagel Buy 4000 yen's worth of bagels and get three bagels free. They have a kiosk in the station where I transfer on a Friday night coming home late, so we often have bagels for breakfast on Saturday mornings. I'm sure I'll fill this one up in no time at all.
Coffee History is my newest card. It's a coffee bean shop in Ginza with roasted and green beans from all over, but a paltry reward program: after 2.5 kg of coffee purchased, you get a 500 yen discount. Good coffee isn't cheap.
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Counting the points
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.172
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 08/16/2004 08:46:27 AM
Santoku&Queen's Istan, I have it too, though I don't live in TOKYO. BUT When I go to TOKYO usualy I go there in my neighborhood. Three days ago I went there in KOUENJI. These days KOUENJI is really attractive.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/16/2004 11:04:43 AM
And you'll be getting your marshmallowspikers membership card soon too don't forget - come to 5 gigs and the bass player will personally shout you a beer....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yoyogi park people
BASENAME: yoyogi_park_people
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/16/2004 08:30:08 PM
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BODY:
Who spends the afternoon in a park? A variety of people and I spied on them all. You can have a peek in the Yoyogi Park People gallery.
People weren't the only ones enjoying themselves; light was playing in the fountain. Pretty.
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People and prisms
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: C. Mouwlaka
EMAIL: mouwlaka@mail.uajy.ac.id
IP: 202.149.81.58
URL: http://staf.uajy.ac.id/mouwlaka
DATE: 08/18/2004 02:46:20 PM
It's a wonderful picture. I love it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: C. Mouwlaka
EMAIL: mouwlaka@mail.uajy.ac.id
IP: 202.152.236.75
URL: http://staf.uajy.ac.id/mouwlaka/
DATE: 08/18/2004 03:01:07 PM
I have visited the galery. I saw the beautiful park. I just think, if I can go there and enjoy the park. Hmmmm... i'm so far from that park.
Best wishes from Indonesia.
( http://staf.uajy.ac.id/mouwlaka/ )
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Indoshina
BASENAME: indoshina
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/17/2004 02:37:48 PM
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We often eat out, sampling Tokyo's vibrant restaurants scene. We travel all over the city in search of good food, so it's a nice surprise to discover a treasure in our neighborhood.
Indoshina specialises in Vietnamese cuisine with a smattering of other SE Asian flavours on the menu. I've walked past it dozens of times but it looks like a dive and we've been so disappointed in the Japanified Vietnamese restaurants we've tried that we've always given Indoshina a miss. But it turns out that it's quite good. A Vietnamese man runs the kitchen.
And boy does he know how to cook. We tried a spicy tofu and pork sautee, vinegar-dressed celery salad with peanuts, fried noodles and eggplant soup. The fried noodles were uninspired, but the other dishes were excellent. The soup, a coconut and onion broth with chunks of eggplant and pork flavored with lemongrass and shiso, was outstanding. The prices were reasonable, with each dish running about 800 yen.
Indoshina is on Kasuga Dori, just a few blocks from Myogadani station (towards Korakuen). The red, white and blue striped sign is in kanji that sound out in-do-shi-na but don't mean anything. There are pictures of the food outside, so you probably won't miss it. Open 5 pm til midnight on weekdays and til 11 pm on weekends.
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Good Vietnamese food within walking distance
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Satoshi
EMAIL: swat101064@ybb.ne.jp
IP: 150.26.115.82
URL:
DATE: 08/19/2004 12:40:43 PM
Hi Kristen
Do you know any Vietnamese restaurants that serve good Pho in Tokyo? I know some places that serve Japanified Pho, all of which make me really sad.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo stations
BASENAME: tokyo_stations
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/18/2004 07:07:01 PM
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BODY:
On jtrains, a geeky train mailing list I read, someone asked how many stations are within Tokyo's 23 wards. Thanks to desktoptestu we now know the answer.
566 stations.
15 rail companies.
566 is a little bit misleading. Some stations are used by multiple rail companies and are counted once for each company. For example, Iidabashi station has trains from JR East, Tokyo Metro and Toei. So even though it's one station as far as travelers are concerned, it's counted thrice.
And here's the breakdown by rail company in order of number of stations:
Tokyo Metro: 132
Toei: 130
JR East: 75
Tokyu: 62
Tobu: 29
Seibu: 28
Keio: 25
Keisei: 19
Odakyu: 15
Keikyu: 19
Yurikamome: 12
Tokyo Monorail: 9
Tokyo Rinkai Kosoku: 8
JR Tokai: 2
Saitama Kosoku Tetsudo: 1
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EXCERPT:
How many train stations in the 23 wards?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Camping Soup
BASENAME: camping_soup
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/19/2004 03:12:29 PM
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BODY:
This weekend I'm off to Sado Island to camp for a few days with friends and attend the taiko drumming festival. We're splitting up the cooking duties so that everyone makes one meal. I'm bringing along everything needed for lentil soup. Except for the optional cheese topping, nothing needs refrigeration.
Camping Soup
serves 4
1 cup lentils
3 cups water
1 carrot
1/2 onion
2 Tblsp dried garlic chips
2-3 dried red chilies
1 Tblsp oil
salt & pepper
8 tortillas
1 cup grated cheese (optional)
Small dice the onion and carrot. Over the camp stove, heat the oil and sautee the onion and carrot until just browned. Add the garlic and chilies and cook until the scent wafts up to greet you. Add the lentils and toast briefly, then pour the water in, cover the pan, and allow to boil for about 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Top the soup with grated cheese and serve with flame-toasted tortillas.
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A filling lunch you can carry on your back.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 63.188.105.146
URL:
DATE: 08/20/2004 12:12:32 PM
Sounds like a fun weekend and the lentil soup sounds wonderful. Did you also bring Beano?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.15.223
URL:
DATE: 08/24/2004 03:37:48 PM
The lentils were wonderful indeed! We will have to do them again for the Niijima trip!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sarah
EMAIL:
IP: 218.176.52.20
URL:
DATE: 08/24/2004 10:44:02 PM
I will second that! They were delicious and the perfect energy boost for a day camping! Oishii!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 08/26/2004 11:30:10 AM
Another good dahl addition I've found recently, and one that's also transportable, is a can of coconut milk and a can of diced tomatoes. Oh and tumeric you can't not add tumeric to a dahl in my opinion :). Serving suggestion optional yoghurt some fresh chopped tomato and coriander.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 08/26/2004 05:32:44 PM
Nice combination, womble. To make it even more portable, you could substitute a packet of coconut cream powder for the tinned coconut milk. I wonder if sun-dried tomatoes would substitute for diced ones? I'm a weak and lazy hiker who always wants to reduce the weight in my pack. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL:
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL:
DATE: 08/27/2004 03:22:55 PM
I was wondering about the weight factor.. maybe a pack of concentrated tomato instead. I haven't camped out of a backpack for a while. Though last year, when camping in a national park in Exmouth, four of us went for a day-hike through a gorge. A friend carried lunch, I carried 10L of water (I was worried one of us might get bitten by a snake or something I think). So I appreciate the desire to lighten the load a little. To be honest, I doubt you're as lazy hiker as I am a cook, the recipe actually says to chop a kg of fresh tomatoes.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Typhoon weather
BASENAME: typhoon_weather
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/20/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
We arrived on Sado several hours later than planned, delayed by a typhoon blowing over. The train was late, the ferry cancelled. But it made no difference--everyone else was delayed, too--and we snagged the perfect campsite at Sobama beach overlooking the ocean.
I've never owned a tent before; I don't camp too often. But this one is my very own. It's just the right size for me (they say 1-2 people, but you'd have to be two skinny people or very friendly). It has the best "genkan" I've ever seen--it's almost as big as the sleeping space.
With camp set up (5 tents, 7 people), we caught the bus into Ogi to check out the festival fringe events and food stalls before walking over to the Kodo concert. The storm blew the roof off the outdoor stage, so the concert was relocated in the municipal gymnasium. 1500 people sat on the floor--it's a large gym.
After the concert, I looked up. Ah! The stars are thick in the sky on Sado. The Milky Way is prominent in the sky. I spied all 7 of the Pleiades, the teapot, Cassiopeia, and the familiar constellations from my childhood. I could have gazed at the stars all night, but sleep got the best of me too soon.
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Setting up camp at Sobama
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Beach day
BASENAME: beach_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/21/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Jo and Sarah wade out to chat with Ashley on the breakwater. Sobama beach
We spent most of the day in the water or on the sand. The waves were still pretty big from the typhoon and there was lots of seaweed floating around, so we body surfed in the morning and bobbed around without actually doing much swimming. Still, it was very nice to be in water.
The evening's concert with Romanian gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia was an energetic dance fest. Despite announcements that dancers were to move to the side of the seating area, when the band leader said "Everybody dance!" 1500 people did for over an hour. I left with more energy than I came with, and a pulled stomach muscle in the bargain.
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Water, sand and music.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.15.223
URL:
DATE: 08/24/2004 03:39:22 PM
"From Romania, for YOU!"
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: More water and music
BASENAME: more_water_and_music
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/22/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
I might be the only person who swims laps in the ocean. I woke early and went for a swim before everyone got up. Being a cautious soul, I didn't want to swim alone far from the shore so I swam out to the far side of the breakwater and did laps along its length for a while. The water had calmed down and cooled. It was a good energetic swim.
Jo and Ashley cook brunch while Sarah looks on
After brunch, we headed into town and walked over to Ogi no Yu, a local sento. We bathed for an hour, enjoying the ocean view from the bath, then relaxed in the massage chairs for a while. It was lovely to be clean.
Jo took our groceries back to the campsite while the rest of us lounged in town and had a snack, then we were off to the final concert--Fanfare Ciocarlia and Kodo playing together. There were 2500 people crowded into the hilltop park.
Who'd've thunk that you could combine taiko drumming with gypsy music? But they did it, proving that Kodo are extremely versatile musicians. One number nearly brought me to tears -- a duet/battle between trumpet and bamboo flute. Such different tones echoing and repeating the same notes and phrases. Breathtaking.
I think my favorite bit was two of Kodo's drummers, carrying one drum between them arguing whether rice or noodles were better food. It was a rhythmic comedy sketch.
Kitsune-DON, Curry-DON, Niku-DON
Kitsune-uDON, Curry-uDON, Niku-uDON
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Clean and happy
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sarah
EMAIL: indigorayz@yahoo.com
IP: 218.176.52.20
URL:
DATE: 08/24/2004 10:41:10 PM
Oh Kristen! I just read your blog! Such a wonderful weekend ! Really enjoyed spending time with you! But honestly that photo!!! Oh well one cant always be ready for the most complimentary of shots! Hope you slept well my dear! Kisses to ya!
Sarah
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.15.166
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2004 04:28:47 PM
Yeah, we're all frowning...what was i doing wrong? Or was it Ash's fault again?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.15.166
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2004 04:29:49 PM
Yeah, what was i doing wrong? Or did Ash just ash in the sausages?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sado weekend
BASENAME: sado_weekend
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/23/2004 09:29:05 PM
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BODY:
I've just returned from Sado Island, Niigata prefecture, where I attended the Kodo Earth Celebration. It was a weekend of camping, music and ocean.
If you have a chance to see Kodo play live (they tour all over the world), I recommend that you go. They are great drummers, versatile musicians and all-around superb performers. On stage they look like they are having the time of their life and the audience reflects their enthusiasm. They're coming to Tokyo in December and playing at the Bunkyo Civic Hall just down the road from me, so I'll get to hear them again soon.
The whole vacation was fun and relaxing. I'll try to backfill the details in the missing blog entries. But for now I'm off to bed, clean, dry and happy to be home.
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Returning from Sado.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.91
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 08/25/2004 09:53:02 AM
SADO-- realy ??
Did you get on a "washtub boat"?
I don't know how I express that boat.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Swimming mania
BASENAME: swimming_mania
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 08/24/2004 10:05:10 PM
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BODY:
You may recall that I found a place to swim back in June. I started out with a few tenuous laps, worked up to slightly longer stretches in the water, then had the good fortune to swim with Jeremy, who knows what he's doing and loves the water more than anyone I've ever met.
To my utter embarrassment, he watched me carefully and gently corrected my stroke. I owe him a debt of gratitude. Although at the time I wanted to sink to the bottom of the pool and hide, I did listen to what he explained and after breaking some of my bad habits, I swim heaps better.
My arms describe a sinuous path through the water. My shoulder extends and my hand enters the water far ahead of my head, then pulls back though the water nearly skimming my body, brushes past my hip, and breaks the surface elbow first. My kick is a slow hip driven 1-2 beat opposing my arms. It's nearly as easy as walking.
The coaching session with Jeremy was about six weeks ago. I bought a monthly pool pass shortly after that and now get in the water every morning or pay the consequence of being antsy all day. I swim for 45 minutes or so then come home and bore Tod by talking about swimming while we have lunch together. Tod doesn't swim.
But my sister swims, as it turns out. So we compare our lap times and laugh about how slow we are. I do 50 meters (two lengths of my 25m pool) in a mere 58 seconds--about the same speed as competitive 80 year olds. Next time Jenn & I are in the water together, we're going to race. She'll win; she swims 50m in 54 seconds.
Today I increased my distance per stroke, taking it down to 16 strokes across 25 meters. Usually I do 18 strokes per length, so shaving off two is a big change. I don't know if it made me any faster, but it felt good. I'm not consistent, though. I need more strokes as I tire. I definitely must work on my stamina.
I'm by no means a good swimmer, but I'm learning and improving every time I get into the water. And that's all that matters. That and beating Jenn when we race.
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EXCERPT:
Boring you with swimming talk.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2004 11:07:56 PM
What the heck? You will win. I'm a good distance swimmer, not a fast one.
"Anything you can do, I can do better..."
Yesterday the pool was filled with youthful fraternity boys. Fifteen or so of them, frolicking with every beachball from the toy closet. H. and I felt like we were trapped in some Greek myth.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL:
IP: 221.113.1.76
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/
DATE: 08/29/2004 11:49:23 AM
16 for 25 is a not a bad stroke count at all. 50m world record holder Alexander Popov takes 34 for 50 (race after race). Matt Biondi, from whom Popov took the title at the Barcelona Olympics, took 37 in their showdown race, so there's obviously something pretty useful about keeping stroke count low. (Energy consumption increases as a cube to muscle movement: moving your arms twice as fast requires 8 times the energy.)
In his book "Total Immersion" swim coach Terry Laughlin gives a good variation of one of Popov's training routines for lowering stroke count and maximising efficiency. (Remember: don't work on speed, work on efficiency. Speed is a happy byproduct of truly relaxed, slow swimming!)
Here's what you do. Figure your average stroke count (SC) for a length. Let's say it's 36. Shave a little off that -- your SC is now 34 -- and promise yourself that you will not take a single extra stroke to hit the far wall. Try a couple of slow lengths and you'll probably find you can get there in 34, but pretty soon you'll find you're still a few metres away when you pull that last stroke.
Do not take stroke 35! Turn on your side and kick to the wall (in abject shame, I find). As you tire, your stroke becomes less efficient and you start shortening it, slipping back into bad old habits. But that propulsion has to come from somewhere, and it has to occur within 34 strokes or fewer, so where does it come from?
Look at golfers or tennis players or baseball batters as they take a stroke. These people hit balls hard and far and they do it by winding into the stroke from their hips and butts. Their arms are really just the final delivery means of power generated low down in the torso. This is why Ian Thorpe has taken up boxing: that twisting into a punch increases torso flexibility and strength.
Once you start sensing that the power is coming from your hips, a few things happen: you realise you don't need your arms so much, so you won't be thrashing them about and tiring yourself out. And you increase your stroke length because you're using more of your body to stretch with. You start to be able to feel the entire side of your body opening and closing like a trap. You can then start to feel yourself 'crunching' into the stroke (it's abs and obliques workout time!) and because you're using more and larger muscles (rather than just your arms or shoulders), you start to get much better mileage out of each stroke.
So these are the things to think about as you do Popov's routine. What he does is to start out swimming very slow lengths to his set stroke count. Then he gradually increases speed, never taking more than the 28 strokes he gives himself (34 for races, 28 for training!). He tries to get as close as he can to his race speed -- a phenomenal 21.64 seconds is the record -- without breaking the 28 SC. When he can't go any faster without taking an extra stroke, he drops back to very slow lengths and builds up to speed again.
He's the fastest person ever to sprint down a pool largely because he's the most efficient swimmer ever. But it's an efficiency that can be learned by us mere mortals, and it will not only make you faster, but will make your swimming much more enjoyable as well.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sado photos
BASENAME: sado_photos
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/25/2004 08:50:24 AM
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BODY:
A few pictures from Jo's camera to wind up the travelogue. Thanks, Jo!
Me and Ashley sharing a laugh at the campsite. I look like I'm posing for a political poster.
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Sarah drums after breakfast. This is what the weekend was really all about.
Enjoying a spot of tea.
Jo, Sarah, Jonathan and me in the rain at Rengebuji Temple.
A fire dancer spins at the drumming circle after the evening concert.
A tipsy Ashley interprets fire dancing with fireworks on the beach.
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EXCERPT:
Just a couple more photos for the Sado album.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2004 11:09:42 PM
Beautiful fire dancing! Looks like you had a really good time.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Trail Mix Cookies
BASENAME: trail_mix_cookies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/26/2004 06:36:01 AM
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BODY:
Jo brought the most excellent trail mix on our camping trip--dried figs, dates, apricots, bananas, ginger, papaya, raisins, and sultanas mixed with peanuts, almonds, pistachios, and cashews. There was a bit more than we needed, and I snagged a bag to bring home.
I turned them into bar cookies--oat-rich, chewy, slightly crumbly nuggets of camping memories. They make a delicious breakfast, too.
Trail Mix Cookies
makes 20 cookies
1 cup trail mix (fruit and nut mix, no chocolate)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
Chop the trail mix until everything's about the size of a raisin. Add to the dry ingredients. Cream the butter, sugar and egg. Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Spread in a greased 8 x 10 pan and bake at 350/180 for about 15 minutes. Cut into bars or squares while still slightly warm.
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EXCERPT:
What do do with camping leftovers
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: anjuanzan
EMAIL:
IP: 68.0.138.20
URL:
DATE: 08/26/2004 01:49:22 PM
Why the baking powder.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 08/26/2004 02:43:20 PM
The baking powder adds a bit of leavening; without it, the cookies would be extra dense.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 08/27/2004 01:53:17 AM
Scrump! Sounds textured, which I like.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sarah
EMAIL:
IP: 218.176.52.16
URL:
DATE: 08/29/2004 08:54:48 PM
Great idea kristen.You know what I was also thinking of doing something with the couple of bags that I inherited(thanks Jo!).My idea was on a more savoury note.I was thinking about bread! Alas I dont have a bread maker or a good recipe for a loaf! Any ideas!?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: anjuanzan
EMAIL:
IP: 68.0.138.20
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2004 11:32:51 AM
I find baking powder taints food with its strong aftertaste - so I don't buy it and I don't use it. Should you be interested in a substitute you may try:
1 teaspoon baking powder=
1/4 teaspoon baking soda, plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.
I originally surfed in seeking the elusive fisherman's pant pattern and have since noticed that you are indeed a prolific tinker. I've enjoyed reading your essays and reflections, and in return have decided to share one of my favorite recipes.
Burried in a worn, cloth-bound garden book squeezed to the back shelf by haute couture gardening tomes, I came upon a beautiful recipe. See for yourself.
Clove Cookies
--------------
1/2 c. melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp. ground cloves
The recipe even looks beautiful on paper. Really they are the superlative cookie.
In one small bowl:
Stir sugar into melted butter until blended.
Stir in vanilla.
Beat in the egg until smooth.
In another small bowl:
Stir flour and clove together.
Stir flour into the butter and mix till blended.
Drop batter by level tsp. onto cookie sheet 2" apart.
Bake till edges are golden and puffy.
12 minutes @ 350 deg.
Cookies are done when the tops start to crinkle & collapse.
Cool cookies in pan for 30 seconds and then remove and cool on a wire rack.
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
This recipe is over 100 years old, and notice, no baking powder.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reflections
BASENAME: reflections_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 08/27/2004 01:35:58 PM
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BODY:
The city drained the park's reflecting pools in preparation for cleaning. Denied my daily downward glimpse of sky and leaf, I sought out other reflections on the way home from this morning's swim.
The range of reflective surfaces seemed limited: glass doors and windows, traffic mirrors, highly buffed cars, rearview mirrors, chromed railings and knobs, a neighbor's tiny koi pond. The reflections themselves were more mundane than not: the building across the way, me walking by, the street, sidewalk and traffic.
But there were a few choice morsels. I saw colored flowers on an otherwise stark modern sliding door, a smiling child on a bicycle reflected on a black taxi. My favorite was a tangle of overhead wires with a transformer against a grey sky reflected in the windshield of a red minivan.
Inspired by looking no farther than the surface, I will take the camera out this afternoon and try to capture some reflections. Not an easy task, but I think it will be fun.
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EXCERPT:
Looking no farther than the surface.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Disembodied voice
BASENAME: disembodied_voice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 08/28/2004 11:59:59 AM
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BODY:
Something I've hankered to do is voice-overs and recording work. There's something appealing about being a disembodied voice.
"Next station: Willowdale. Please mind the gap."
"Press 9 for Customer Service."
"The show will begin shortly. Please turn off your pagers and cell phones."
It's a desire dating back to junior high school when I was selected to make an announcement over the school PA system. I later overheard a classmate say "Who was that, she had a great voice." Preteen ego puffed and latent wish born.
So when a colleague contacted me yesterday about doing a quick recording for a project he's working on, I grinned. Of course!
I sat in a cleverly constructed recording booth tucked into a corner of an office. Ensconced at a small table behind layers of cotton quilting and heavy metal doors, I could hear myself breathe through the monitor.
15 minutes later, I stepped out having done a few takes of the short script. As I emerged, the sound engineer told me that the microphone loved my voice. "Right in the range," he said.
Middle-aged ego boosted. That should last me 'til the next recording gig. I'll probably be 60 by then...
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EXCERPT:
A childhood wish fulfilled.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Developing film
BASENAME: developing_film
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/29/2004 03:33:11 PM
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BODY:
The Japan Photographers Mailing List folks organized an afternoon workshop on developing black and white film. It may have been one of the best documented workshops ever, as everyone was snapping away as James Luckett, consumptive.org, our fearless guide spoke. He made the process crystal clear and unintimidating.
The process goes like this:
Shinjuku is well known for its exclusive little clubs and bars that are invitation only. The Golden Gai neighborhood, really just a handful of crisscrossing alleys, is stuffed full of itty bitty spaces for drinking and carousing. Imagine a hallway with doors on both sides and a few signs glowing above the doors and you're seeing Golden Gai.
Last night was the annual Golden Gai matsuri. About half the bars opened their doors to all comers and dispensed drinks at 2 for 500 yen until midnight--a good bargain for any Tokyo drinking establishment.
We tried out a few places with our friends Tracey, Ashley and Jamie. At Kura Kura we watched rhythmic gymnastics on a screen that took up an entire wall (it was a very small room); Kenzo's Bar, including Kenzo himself, was decorated in leopard prints; and Evi, one of Tracey's hangouts, was standing room only and kicked everyone out just before midnight--the bartender was getting cranky. We ended up at a karaoke bar called Champion where we sang until about 3 this morning.
Tracey, Ashley and I love to sing. Jamie fills in the chorus, but won't take the microphone. Tod shoots photos of us enjoying the evening. We singers took turns with the other patrons, but I think the three of us might have sung more than everyone else. It was a lot of singing.
Now I'm nursing a raspy voice (but no hangover) and it's back to work today. Ah, weekends.
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EXCERPT:
An excursion into a twisty maze of little bars
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/30/2004 11:27:19 AM
You photogenic kids!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.171.162.151
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2004 04:55:09 PM
Wow, i never knew my bro was so cute! Were you shooting without a flash? Cool pics!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ashley
EMAIL: ashdotcom007@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.202.202
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2004 05:53:39 PM
Thanks for a top night out you guys, lets do it all again some time soon!!!! Cool photos, well done Todd
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/02/2004 10:27:39 PM
j-ster: I didn't use a flash for any of the photos. I find that a flash leaves the colours looking unnatural and you often get red-eye or other unwanted reflections.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Typhoon effect
BASENAME: typhoon_effect
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/31/2004 07:13:31 AM
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BODY:
The edge of typhoon Chaba (#16) blew across Kanto last night. At 1 am, I woke to hear rain pouring down. 14 mm fell that hour--about 10% of the month's quota all at once. The air was silvery grey with raindrops when I looked out the window.
This morning, the clouds play a time-lapse nature film. The atmosphere is blood temperature and gravid with humidity. Wind gusts 40 m/s from every direction and anything with makeshift aerodynamics--the watering cans, plants, tins of mosquito coils--now floats in the small pond on our veranda that formed in the rain.
The sky is lightening even as I type this and the weather forecast predicts a hot sunny day by noon. Don't bother with an umbrella today.
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EXCERPT:
Terrific rain and wind
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Legal addictive drugs to be banned
BASENAME: legal_addictive_drugs_to_be_banned
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/31/2004 01:23:49 PM
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BODY:
Tokyo's governor is planning to ban some legal drugs starting next April.
The metropolitan government asked a panel Monday to map out the ordinance to ban the sale, production, import and advertisement of drugs such as those that induce hallucinations or improve sexual pleasure, which will be called "governor's assigned drugs."I wonder if drugstores specialising in these newly illicit drugs will spring up along the borders of neighboring prefectures, providing easy access to the banned products? It happens in the States. Along the Pennsylvania-Ohio border there were always fireworks for sale at makeshift stalls just inside the Ohio state line, and back in the day when the drinking age was state-mandated (18 in Ohio, 21 in PA), plenty of liquor stores. And speaking of liquor, isn't that the #1 legal, addictive drug? I bet Ishihara won't ban that. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Madness, I say. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Tokyo fashions - autumn 2004 BASENAME: tokyo_fashions_-_autumn_2004 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 09/01/2004 09:20:59 AM ----- BODY:
I picked up a couple of clothing catalogs yesterday to see what everyone will be wearing from this month through January. Here are the trends I noted:
Colors: black, charcoal grey, white (pure white and winter white), camel, chocolate brown, pumpkin orange, emerald green, dusty rose, burgundy, slate blue.
Fabrics: corduroy, wool, leather, chunky knits, fur accents
Patterns: mainly solids and heathery tweeds, but some flowery prints, large checks, houndstooth
Hemlines: just below the knee; mid-calf
Styles: 1960s retro styling; V-neck sweaters over lacy camisoles; frilled shirts & ruched tops over A-line skirts, sleeveless dresses with belt accents, necklines of all sorts. Not so much "skirt over pants" this year--thank goodness.
One oddity of both the catalogs--all the lingerie models are blonde foreigners.
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EXCERPT:
What everyone (else) will be wearing this season
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.146
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/01/2004 07:08:41 PM
"all the lingerie models are blonde foreigners"-- because they are Japanese catalogs.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cutting definitions
BASENAME: cutting_definitions
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/02/2004 07:49:53 AM
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BODY:
Have you ever been confused about the differences between chopping, dicing and mincing? Here's the skinny on what's what.
Chop: irregular shapes but generally the same size. There are no specific rules about size but pieces larger than an inch (3 cm) are often called "chunks."
Mince: very finely chopped. To properly mince, first chop the product, then change the position of your knife--hold the handle and the tip of the blade and rock it back and forth over the product to mince.
Dice: perfect cubes of prescribed sizes:
small dice: 1/4"At the culinary school I attended, the chef measured our diced potatoes with a ruler. We were also tested on julienne (1/8 x 1/8 x 2 1/4"), batonet (1/4 x 1/4 X 3), and the evil tourne--7 sided 2" long potatoes. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: How big is small dice? ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Tracey EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 203.192.147.35 URL: DATE: 09/02/2004 10:46:07 AM What are those little garlic/ginger metal things called - graters or mincers? I always thought they were mincers... (Not to be confused with how I mince!!) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 203.141.139.231 URL: DATE: 09/02/2004 02:10:40 PM It's a grater. At least in American English... ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: From junk BASENAME: from_junk STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity CATEGORY: Creativity DATE: 09/03/2004 05:38:34 PM ----- BODY:
medium dice: 1/2"
large dice: 3/4"
A friend was telling me about his creative endeavors as a kid growing up in Spain. He comes from a family of 11 and money was a bit tight when he was young. Once his father scavenged some old, broken TVs and gave them to Santy so he could strip them of their copper wires, sell the metal, and have a little money for sweets or toys.
But when 7 year old Santy opened the first TV, he saw all the components inside and thought, "I can make a whole town from this!" So he did. He pulled apart the sets, broke open the tubes, disassembled everything and created a four meter square town of tiny buildings, roads and airplanes.
That may be the best use of a TV I've ever heard.
What creative things have you made out of old junk?
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EXCERPT:
An old TV becomes a town.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 09/03/2004 07:38:53 PM
That's really cool! Probably one of the best uses for a TV. You're right.
I make a lot of things out of old scraps of paper. I save a lot of things. Maybe I need to take inventory of what I've got hiding in drawers and see what I can make!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lisa
EMAIL:
IP: 61.68.6.119
URL: http://blog.bohemianphilosophy.com
DATE: 09/03/2004 10:01:25 PM
ah...those were the days. I think it's the fact that nothing expensive is involved capture the whole essence of the joy & creative spirit. Well, not exactly junk...but I remember catching tiny fishes in a stream with my cousins during school holiday. We didn't have fish nets so we use colanders instead. My mom used to make me whistles with banana leaves.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 09/05/2004 06:30:05 AM
A living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, an office... :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.228.203.211
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2004 02:03:11 AM
Those chunky silver pendants i wear are all made from the waste sheet metal (tin/aluminum alloy) that came out of the dumptser at the back of a space program building in Adelaide, all made by an old friend of mine. He also made lampshades and clocks out of practice motherboards from the engineering departments dumpster at Uni...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese cemetery ad
BASENAME: japanese_cemetery_ad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/04/2004 11:21:24 AM
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BODY:
Usually our mailbox is stuffed with pizza menus, real estate ads and lists of porn videos, but the other day this appeared--a flyer for a nearby cemetery.
"Come tour Koishikawa Jo-En every weekend from 10 - 4. New plots available! Good views, good sunlight, no surrounding buildings, barrier free!"
A 0.48 sq meter plot with a permanent lease (I think that's what the kanji mean, please correct me if I'm wrong) is 600,000 yen at a minimum. To convert for my American readers, that's about 5 square feet for $5,000. Pricey real estate. Fortunately, they offer a 10-year payment plan.
If you want a monument like the ones shown, add at least a 1.18 million yen (about $11,000) to the price. Tax included.
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EXCERPT:
Looking for a burial spot? Come to Koishikawa Jo-en!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Maktaaq
EMAIL: maktaaq@hotmail.com
IP: 70.68.242.167
URL: http://maktaaq.blogspot.com
DATE: 09/04/2004 06:05:01 PM
Yup, they are permanent. But we've all seen what happens in Japanese graveyards, with the mass crowding of the funerary statues of the forgotten dead.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 130.95.128.51
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 09/05/2004 06:24:58 AM
There's a John Donne poem, 'The Relic', that starts with the 'breaking up' of old burial space.
It's the same old grave, brand new tenants. Makes me think of Big Brother series 2.
'http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/relic.htm'
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 2^6 eyes
BASENAME: 26_eyes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/05/2004 09:36:20 AM
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BODY:
Tod tried on new frames yesterday at Zoff. We used the camera as a mirror because he can't see without his lenses.
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EXCERPT:
A shopping experience
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL:
IP: 221.114.211.219
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 09/05/2004 02:43:56 PM
definitely the top left or top right. and definitely none of the others. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yuka
EMAIL: oishi@blccj.or.jp
IP: 219.18.132.49
URL:
DATE: 09/05/2004 07:19:15 PM
I also like the top right. The bottom/second one from left is not bad either...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 09/06/2004 12:34:20 PM
2nd from right, top row looks pretty intense.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2004 05:02:33 PM
I dunno, if you are going for intense then i really like the third from right, top row...
Its amazing how different one person can look in 16 different photos; cold, edgy, curious, intense, innocent, bored, hopeful...
Im fond of the first one on the second from top row, not sure why. The more i look at all of them the more they all seem to suit him!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2004 10:24:28 PM
Second from left on bottom - he looks like Elvis Costello!
They all seem to suit him in one way or another. Which did he choose?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Inspired
BASENAME: inspired
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/06/2004 12:49:58 PM
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BODY:
Yesterday afternoon, Tod & I trekked out to Setagaya to watch a swim meet. Tod seemed a little bored, since photography was prohibited, but I had a fabulous time.
There were some excellent swimmers, as you would expect. From the youthful university athletes to the accomplished silver seniors, I observed grace, beauty and power in human packages.
A small handful simply blew away their competition: the long thin man who swam the 50m breaststoke in the blink of an eye; Arai-sensei who anchored a freestyle relay and brought his team from fourth to first. They were astonishingly good.
But the people who inspired me most were the ones who weren't so good. The dumpy housewives and sumo-sized men who did their best but came in last. They were inspiring because if they can compete, so can I.
So during my swim this morning, I paid attention to my times. I even counted my lengths--I swam 1000 meters (not at one go). I pushed a little harder than usual.
And it was a horrible swim. I breathed in water, almost ran into Slow Backstroke Guy, felt my energy flag for lack of breakfast. I didn't break 17 strokes per length; I barely broke 30 seconds for 25m.
I laughed aloud at my terrible time, and the Old Fat Man Who Rarely Moves ranted at me about the differences between Japanese and Americans (in Japanese and I didn't understand a word he said).
Ah, well, there's always tomorrow. Or if I get enough work done, I'll have a swim this evening.
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EXCERPT:
Inspired but tired
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2004 10:26:27 PM
I have been unable to swim for the past few days because of my arm, and the fact that the pool is now closed for Labor Day weekend. I'll be slogging through my routine tomorrow for sure, and I'll bet I run into Old Man With Paper-Thin Trunks again. *shudder*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reflective
BASENAME: reflective
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/07/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
I'm a mirror of others rather than my own person.
Those who see beauty in me are beautiful themselves; those who find me witty are intelligent comics on their own; should someone think that I am [fill in the attribute] it's really because they are [attribute].
New companions, new Kristen. I easily pick up friends' vocabulary, habits, hobbies, and preferences.
This is irksome. I would like to be beautiful, witty and [attribute] for real. I would like to have my own strong preferences. Do things with an internal passion of my own. By my own steam. But I don't seem to. Not lately.
So after some reflection about all this, I took a personal inventory and came up with one important item that is mine alone: my creative expression. I don't draw, paint, print or whatever like anyone else.
I spent the afternoon and evening balming my soul and regaining a sense of my self by creating three abstract self-portraits. Linoleum prints, my favorite medium. This is how I see myself at the moment. (Click the image for a larger view.)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Will the real Kristen please stand up?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.228.203.188
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2004 12:57:56 AM
how often do you see two mirrors that are the same?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2004 10:36:05 AM
I think the fact that you have created abstract Venn diagrams speaks volumes.. you are able to link between different groups of people or tasks or creative ideas and bring them together in a harmonious and a uniquely "Kristen" way.
for more fun with mathematics..
http://www.venndiagram.com/
I am such a math geek... :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL:
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2004 10:43:51 AM
i see your self-portrait as multifaceted, not singular or isolated. I think you feel that way too. And about the influence of others, don't forget that color is visible to our eyes only after certain light waves are reflected back to us. Without this reflection/absorption process, it's colorless. And so would we be too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 09/08/2004 11:20:11 AM
*inserts the word masculine (feel free to substitute manly}*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reading aloud
BASENAME: reading_aloud
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 09/08/2004 09:15:41 PM
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BODY:
I love to read aloud. I started early; I have memories of reading to my little sister on weekend mornings when we still lived in New Jersey (circa 1974). Once I read the entire Scholastic Books edition of Annie Oakley in a strange syncopated jazz rhythm. I read Sarah Crewe aloud to Jenn, too.
Jenn's not the only one to listen to me read. On a long car trip in the early 90s, I read David Brin's Earth to Tod as he drove. I often read him chapters from books he's reading. I read newspaper clippings, online articles and weblog postings to friends and family. I read to friends over the phone or in person when they are sick or tired.
Now I want to perform for a broader audience. I thought about volunteering to read for the blind, but Tod had a clever idea--read and record works in the public domain.
I will record them as MP3s and post them here as well as submitting them to audio book collectives. But what to read? There are hundreds of titles via Project Gutenberg. Where should I start?
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A project to read aloud. I think I need a recording studio.
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AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.93.234
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2004 10:15:58 PM
maybe somthing by jane austen or alice in wonderland.
but f. Scott fitzgerald would be my favorite.
or maybe selected pages from the tokio phonebook? );-)
i'm really looking forward to it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.122.41.93
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2004 10:59:58 PM
This is such a great idea! I wonder if I could read something in Dutch though.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lisa
EMAIL:
IP: 61.68.8.33
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2004 11:04:04 PM
Record and then make it available to the blind societies around the world for free. That would be more meaningful.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2004 11:45:20 PM
Lisa's idea is a good one.
I remember all those reading sessions, many of them on Christmas mornings while we were waiting to go downstairs! When you read to me, I was allowed to be in your room and learn more of you. It was a treat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 09/09/2004 10:20:21 AM
Scary how in sync our thought patterns are sometimes. I was just thinking about doing nearly the exact same thing. Maybe we could make a public domain project out of it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 09/09/2004 12:07:17 PM
I would volunteer for a public domain project. Would an antipodean accent be acceptable??
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 09/09/2004 02:20:01 PM
For stories with a lot of dialogue it might be cool to have different people read the different parts. That way you could all collaborate.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.122.41.93
URL:
DATE: 09/09/2004 05:05:12 PM
Count me in for the foreign English accent.;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 210.132.82.132
URL:
DATE: 09/10/2004 07:12:58 PM
Thanks to you guys, I've become a big fan of Murakami Haruki's, and found the stories in "After the Quake" to work quite well aloud.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 09/14/2004 09:12:50 AM
Wow, this can bring an new aspect to our mail magazines, too.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: More RSS goodness
BASENAME: more_rss_goodness
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 09/09/2004 07:17:40 AM
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BODY:
I've turned my weekly columns into XML/RSS feeds, so now you can read just the Recipe Thursday or Creative Perspectives entries, without the rest of the daily chatter. Or get it all together as always. The choice is yours.
Recipe Thursdays: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/recipe.rdf
Creative Perspectives: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/creative.rdf
Mediatinker: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/index.rdf
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Feeds for the readers of my weekly columns.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Broccoli and Carrot Salad
BASENAME: broccoli_and_carrot_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/09/2004 07:52:31 AM
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BODY:
This week, I've ended up with a bunch of carrots in my fridge. I keep buying them, forgetting that I already have some. This salad helped me reduce the inventory a bit and added a nice green side to a simple ham sandwich lunch.
Broccoli and Carrot Salad
serves 2
1 small head of broccoli
1 carrot
1/4 cup walnut pieces
glug olive oil
glug soy sauce
glug rice vinegar
dash yuzu-su (citrus vinegar)
pinch sea salt
Cut the florets off the broccoli. Blanch in boiling water, then shock in ice water to cool. In a large bowl, grate the carrot, add the walnuts and dressing ingredients. Toss with the broccoli. Serve.
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Simple, colorful vegetable salad.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 09/10/2004 09:52:18 PM
Whew! No raisins. I love raisins, but I don't like them with broccoli. This recipe sounds yummy.
I like your measurement "glug." I use the "skosh" method. Just a skosh of yuzu-su.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Supplies
BASENAME: supplies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 09/10/2004 11:46:36 PM
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BODY:
During a recent bout of editing work, I found myself watching a lot of interviews with consumers. The interviewers were leading them a bit, trying to get the women to say how they liked to buy the fashion product that was the focus of the project, while their menfolk preferred gadgets.
Most of the women went along with this--whether it was because they truly did prefer fashion shopping to buying iPods & PDAs or whether they were simply gently coerced into saying so, I'm not sure (these interviewers were good). Only one woman said she liked gadgets better.
And none stated a preference for my shopping foible--supplies. I can pass on the clothes, shoes and jewelry. Electronic gadgets leave me cold, generally. But a new pen, notebook, tube of paint, screwdriver, saw, or meter of fabric makes me happy.
So, in that spirit, I present some Creative Perspectives supplies: a journal/notebook, a lunchbox-cum-art box, and if you're feeling particularly brand loyal to this weekly feature column, a t-shirt.
Feel no obligation, but they are here if you so desire.
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Wanna buy some swag?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.55
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/11/2004 10:17:09 AM
cool lunchbox!
I'm really confuesed. Did you designe them??
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: House for Sale
BASENAME: house_for_sale
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 09/11/2004 11:45:33 PM
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BODY:
Looking for a property in Pittsburgh, PA? We're selling our lovely 1920s Mt. Washington bungalow on Winton Street. I adore this house, but know we'll likely never move back to Pittsburgh, so it's time to sell.
Brick and wood frame. 1470 sq ft. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, walk-in closet, finished attic, antique gas fireplace, privacy fenced back yard, full basement. First floor interior was redesigned by local architect to create an airy, open greatroom with wood floors and views straight through to the back.
New shingle roof in 1996; new gas furnace in 1996; new bath unit in 2004.
Very convenient commute to downtown. The house is within walking distance of South Hills Junction (T and busway) and the local bus stop is only 2 blocks away. There is a grocery store, restaurants and other useful amenities a short walk away. Easy access to supermarkets and shopping malls by car.
All the assessment details are available at the Allegheny County website.
For a tour or more information, please contact Collyer Realty, 308 Boggs Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15211 (412) 431-0500
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We're finally putting it on the market...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 09/12/2004 08:12:29 AM
I've passed this information on to Clothilde and she's miffed. Apparently, she'd always planned on moving back to Winton St. I gave her some 4PM treats and she seemed happier.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.28
URL:
DATE: 09/12/2004 10:52:01 AM
I can vouch that it's a very nice place. I'd buy it if I lived in Pgh, and then I'd make the street wider :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 09/12/2004 11:42:08 AM
I wish I had better photos of the house, but they are all in storage. This one really doesn't do it any favors.
It's not so exciting on the outside, (though it has charms; I spent hours sitting on the deep front porch) but the interior is delightful--bright, sunny and open. I love the original wood framed windows on the first floor.
If only I could transplant the place to Japan! But I cannot, so I hope to find someone who will love it as much as I did.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/13/2004 02:21:42 PM
Man, with UltraGirl and I looking at building a house here in Japan, the prices quoted for that house seem so very nice. *walks away depressed*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: jo@marshmallowspikers.net
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 09/13/2004 03:28:05 PM
It must be hard to let go of a house you love so much, I hope you can find someone who will do it justice!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Monika
EMAIL:
IP: 70.17.163.193
URL:
DATE: 09/14/2004 10:15:48 AM
I was trying to remain in denial that you were never moving back!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: N. Korea blows up
BASENAME: n_korea_blows_up
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 09/12/2004 01:56:53 PM
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BODY:
It wasn't the whole country that blew up, but something big exploded in northern North Korea near the China border on Thursday. News is just filtering out to the world now with reports saying there was a 3-4 km mushroom cloud spotted and a crater visible on satellite photos.
Thursday was North Korea's 56th anniversary of founding. Did they detonate a nuclear bomb to celebrate?
Yonhap news agency has the most detailed report I've found so far:
Mushroom Cloud Spotted at North Korean Border: Sources A reliable source in Seoul's diplomatic community said Sunday that a mushroom cloud with a radius of 3.5 to 4 kilometers was spotted, along with a massive explosion, in Kimhyongjik County in North Korea's northernmost inland province of Yanggang on Sept. 9. "The Sept. 9 explosion occurred at around 11 a.m.," the source said. "But it is not clear yet whether the explosion is related to an intentional nuclear experiment or a simple accident." He noted that the site of the explosion and mushroom cloud is not far from the North's Daepodong missile base.Similar reports are coming from Beijing sources, but some are saying that the blast occurred in the south, near the DMZ. Others claim that large expanses of smoke indicate a forest fire. There's a lot of confusion, significant delays in reporting and not a lot of clear facts. Typical for N. Korean news. How very 19th century... ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: What's Kim Jong-Il up to now? ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Pete EMAIL: pickypete@hotmail.com IP: 24.3.56.233 URL: DATE: 09/12/2004 07:01:41 PM This was in today's NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/12/international/asia/12nuke.html?th=&pagewanted=print&position= But there was no indication of an actual test. If there had been, wouldn't there have been seismic reports? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Pete EMAIL: pickypete@hotmail.com IP: 24.3.56.233 URL: DATE: 09/12/2004 07:27:34 PM Also found this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3654189.stm on BBC News about a train disaster at Ryongchon station on Saturday that was "...just like the mushroom cloud after a nuclear explosion." According to the article. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 203.141.139.231 URL: DATE: 09/12/2004 07:29:22 PM According to one South Korean source, there was seismic activity detected. An American source says there wasn't. When you're dealing with any news N. Korean, it's a big mass of conflicts because North Korea pretty much doesn't report anything, leaving others to conjecture. Vladivostok reports stable radiation levels on Thursday, so that's an encouraging sign. The NY Times article seems to have been written before Thursday's explosion came to light, with extra paragraphs about the blast added at the last moment. So of course all those officials who were interviewed were concerned about possible future tests, not one that had perhaps occurred in the past week. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 203.141.139.231 URL: DATE: 09/12/2004 07:34:32 PM The Ryongchong train accident happened on April 22nd. And yes, all sorts of explosive clouds are mushroom shaped..not only nuclear ones. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Tracey EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 203.192.147.35 URL: DATE: 09/13/2004 05:45:01 PM Latest reports suggest it was in preparation for a dam and hydroelectric scheme... hhmmm ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Lyric friendships BASENAME: lyric_friendships STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio CATEGORY: Audio DATE: 09/13/2004 04:27:31 PM ----- BODY: With great delight, I've spotted a growing trend among my friends. They spontaneously break into song: a chorus of natsukashii 80s pop over dinner; a round of Queen's "Bicycle Ride" on a long walk; little snips and phrases punctuating conversations. It's a bit like living in a musical--sort of hokey but magical, too. Someone starts singing and everyone joins in. And why not? We all know the words. So I'm thrilled that now I can burst into song (scene change and costumes preferred but not required) without odd looks from my companions. They'll be singing, too. Let me entertain you Laura Ingalls Wilder influenced my desire to sing in daily life. Pa was always making music in the evenings, and in Happy Golden Years, she describes the town's singing school. In a scene that's stuck in my head for 30 years, Laura and her beau ride home in a sleigh after class, singing to one another. That people entertained each other every day with their own talent--song and instrumental music, reading and recitations, staged readings and plays--always appealed to me. Such a pity that these days we're all glued to TV, movies, iPods, and computers for our daily amusement. So I will answer Jeremy's question about what embarrassing songs are on my iPod (none!), with a list of some songs I enjoy singing but probably not ought to admit. My list:
Tod & sugar bowl.
Mailbox.
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Two photos from the series I've been taking of reflections.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On your own
BASENAME: on_your_own
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 09/15/2004 08:18:32 AM
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BODY:
Reuters is reporting on a study by the Center for the Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health that says many Americans will act on their own in a terrorist emergency, rather than following the government's instructions:
Americans Suspicious of Terror Plans, Survey Shows An in-depth survey found that the people do not trust the federal government to take care of them during an attack, and would take many matters into their own hands -- endangering themselves and their families. [...] "People did not respond irrationally. Rather, they made rational, logical choices," Glied said. For instance, many of those surveyed feared they could go to a smallpox vaccination site, get exposed to people who already had smallpox, and then be told they could not safely get the vaccine because they were pregnant, had eczema, AIDS or some other condition. And people asked to think about a dirty bomb explosion said they would try hard to get to their children or other family members, even if told to stay put by authorities. "Only 59 percent would stay in the building," said Dr. Roz Lasker, who led the study. "Assuring the safety of people who depend on them is more important than their own safety," Lasker said.The full study is good reading. Redefining Readiness: Terrorism Planning Through the Eyes of the Public
What the U.S. government needs is less press freedom (not that it's much more than lip service anyway), more lethe in the water to keep people complacent, and some really good propaganda.
You've seen ready.gov; does it compel you to follow its instructions? Compare duck-and-cover drills in the 1950s to looking contemplatively at dead fish. Backyard fallout shelters have more cachet than plastic sheets and duct tape.
Cruising through the Prelinger Archives, I found these gems of emergency preparedness from the US Civil Defense:
We first enjoyed this delicious vegetarian entree last December when Jo came over to make holiday cards. We reprised it again tonight at her house for a crowd. A classic from the Moosewood Cookbook.
Polenta Pie
1.5 cups cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1.5 cups cold water
2 cups boiling water
olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green pepper, sliced
10 mushrooms
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
fresh black pepper
1/4 lb mozerella cheese, grated
2 small tomatoes, sliced
Combine cornmeal, salt and cold water in a small bowl. Add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, whisking to avoid lumps. Cook 10 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently. It will thicken. Remove from heat and cool.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Oil a 10 inch pie pan. Press the polenta into the pan to create a smooth thick crust. Brush the surface with olive oil and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
Sautee the vegetables in olive oil, starting with the onions and then pepper, mushrooms and zucchini. Stir in the garlic and herbs.
Sprinkle half the cheese on the baked crust, spread vegetables over and top i¥with remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese bubbles.
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A vegetarian classic.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL:
IP: 61.197.168.249
URL:
DATE: 09/17/2004 04:46:33 PM
It was good then, I remember. I'm gonna get me some of that.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Try jumping in
BASENAME: try_jumping_in
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 09/17/2004 11:00:38 PM
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BODY:
A blank page. An uncarved block of stone. The guitar you haven't picked up in months. A long To Do list. An e-mail left unanswered too long. Scary, scary, scary things that require an action and effort. Easy to put off a little longer.
But be brave. Try your best! Dive in. Don't think too long or hard about it; put pen to paper, chisel to stone, fingers to frets and see what happens. Make a mistake? So what? S'alright. Figure out how to fix the mistake or incorporate it into your project.
In Star Wars, Yoda says "Do, or do not. There is no try." Although that could be interpreted as "do it right or not at all," what I think he means is that trying is doing.
This week pick one thing you've been avoiding. Jump in and get it started. See where you go if you try.
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To get started on a project you've avoided.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MIeko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.42
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/18/2004 10:10:52 AM
What I've been avoiding is --- cleaning windows weeding the garden and ---, listen to a radio English program. From Octorber new version of it starts. SO I'm going to listen to it -- from next month. too late?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: brian
EMAIL:
IP: 213.122.246.172
URL:
DATE: 09/21/2004 08:20:14 AM
What I've been avoiding is --- cleaning windows weeding the garden and --scanning and printing what looks like 1,000 miles of film.....I'm just off to jump in.. cheers Brian
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: p(?:erl|url)
BASENAME: perlurl
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/18/2004 04:15:35 PM
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BODY:
We are now a two |pûrl| household. Tod's is perl, the programming language. Mine is purl, as done with needles.
What I'm saying is that I figured out how to knit this week. I did a simple garter stitch scarf worked in wool and fancy eyelash yarn for texture and now I've advanced to making ribs. Knit two, purl two...
Knitting is a lot more fun that I ever imagined. I get to the end of a row and think "OK, just one more row, then I'll stop" and then end up with another 20. It's rather like swimming that way. I always end up doing more laps that I plan.
If you think you're getting a holiday present and you want a say in what color it is, please place your order now. It's going to be a scarf...I haven't figured out hats yet.
`
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Programming's not the only "pearl" in this household now.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 09/18/2004 10:28:05 PM
Crocheting was like that for me, but knitting is far prettier I think. I had a lot of bookmarks and scarves.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 09/19/2004 09:38:23 AM
I started knitting a while ago too, and I'd agree that it encourages compulsive behaviour. I can knit and purl, but only for a whole row, I haven't gotten my head around alternating stiches yet.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Waiting for their owners
BASENAME: waiting_for_their_owners
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/19/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Bike shadows. Korakuen station, September 11.
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At the bike parking lot.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Respect for the Aged
BASENAME: respect_for_the_aged
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/20/2004 02:01:41 PM
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BODY:
Today is "Respect for the Aged Day," a national holiday in Japan.
But "the aged" is never us despite our half-truth jests about becoming grey and feeble; it's always someone elder. Who do Japan's 23,000 centenarians respect today? Maybe themselves. Today all new centenarians are presented with a silver cup and a certificate.
The number of centenarians in Japan will total a record 23,038 by the end of this month, surpassing last year's previous high by more than 2,000, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Tuesday. The centenarian population has posted a 150-fold rise since the government began compiling the statistics in 1963, when the number of centenarians stood at only 153, the ministry said. Women continue to make up the vast majority of the cohort, accounting for 84.7%. (Kyodo News)Where there more babies than usual in 1904? Maybe so; Japan was winning the Russo-Japanese War. Or did these 2000+ new centenarians lead especially charmed lives? Regardless, I guess the government had to prepare a lot of gifts this year. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: A nod to all those older than me ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Dusty BASENAME: dusty STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household CATEGORY: Household DATE: 09/21/2004 09:48:44 AM ----- BODY:
Cities are dirty. I learned that when Tod & I lived in a 2nd floor loft on the corner of Wabash and 11th in Chicago. Every time I opened the windows, dirt blew into the apartment. I had the windows open often and the sills acquired a sludgy black grime resistant to cleaning.
Tokyo's dusty and dirty, too. Every surface in the house is gritty ten minutes after it's been dusted. My desk is covered with enough crud to make muddy circles with my coffee cup. And it's not for lack of cleaning. I wiped off the desk on Friday. It's been worse than usual this summer and I'm blaming it on the construction site 2 blocks over.
So bring no white gloves into my house or they will be covered in grey-brown dirt tout de suite and I'll fail your cleaning test.
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Where is it all coming from?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: satoshi
EMAIL:
IP: 150.26.115.82
URL:
DATE: 09/21/2004 01:10:20 PM
You could also blame it on recent volcanic action of Asamayama.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Editing fun
BASENAME: editing_fun
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/22/2004 11:50:34 PM
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BODY:
I'm on a short deadline to get a 60 second "power module" video done before tomorrow night. After the briefing yesterday, I put myself into high gear and laid down the basics before bedtime.
This afternoon I received the product footage and I captured it. Now things are going more slowly because compositing the footage--matting and masking off sections then arranging the shots on top of one another--is painstaking work.
But it's fun and I like my results so far.
Next week I get to edit on-site at the convention where this module will be shown. Even more fun!
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Doing another video for a client.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Come make jewelry!
BASENAME: come_make_jewelry
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/23/2004 01:11:07 AM
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BODY:
Interested in working with metal and making jewelry? On Thursday mornings from 10 - 12, I attend a jewelry making class at RBR The New Center for Creative Arts in Azabu Juban. It's great fun, but unless I can drum up a few more students to join me, the class will be cancelled.
It's an ongoing class, so you can jump in anywhere. I've learned the basic techniques of soldering, hammering, and filing. Lots of filing. Now I'm working on a lost wax casting. The next project focuses on piercing and sawing. It's like high school woodshop, only prettier.
I made this ring by hammering and filing silver. Tod wears it every day. JEWELRY MAKING - Instructor: Mami Katsuki This class will teach, in detail, the whole process of creating a piece of jewelry. Learning the basic skills is a hard and time-consuming process but this class has been carefully paced so that every individual will make progress! Learn how to use sandpaper, electric tools, files, and how to metal fold, weld, pierce, polish and finish up. After mastering the filing, students will learn Wax Carving techniques, using several different types of wax to create rings, pendants or earrings. Transform your sketch into a 3D model. After understanding and mastering the basic process, students will work on their design and bring it to life. In the first three months, most students will be able to complete two pieces of jewelry. The goal - fashion an original creation you can show off with pride!If you're interested, contact RBR or better yet, talk to the instructor directly. She's great (and bilingual): Mami Katsuki mamikatsuki@hotmail.com 03-3710-8889. UPDATE: Mami-sensei says the last class will be October 7th unless we enroll 3 or 4 more students. If you're interested, don't delay. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Help me keep my class alive... ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenny EMAIL: IP: 69.168.242.6 URL: DATE: 09/23/2004 01:36:51 AM Sounds groovy. I made my own earrings the other day and I'm afraid if I turn my head too fast they will fall apart and the beads will roll across the floor. I could use the workshop, but I'm too far away! ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Some other tools BASENAME: some_other_tools STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity CATEGORY: Creativity DATE: 09/24/2004 02:14:57 AM ----- BODY:
I'm sitting here working on a friend's new computer and I'm surprised at how different his setup is. We both use OSX, but how strange to discover that he uses trackpad clicking. I keep accidentally launching applications. His controls are on the opposite side to where I keep mine. I'm entirely disoriented but it's fun. And oh so revealing to see how habituated to my own computer I've become.
It makes me want to borrow some other tools. Other pots and pans, a different camera, someone else's toys. What way would they impact what I create?
Anyone want to trade some tools? Let's see what we can do with a different perspective on the physical world.
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Little differences make a change.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tattoo
BASENAME: tattoo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/25/2004 03:18:15 PM
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I hardly ever notice it anymore, but someone named kev left a comment about my tattoo in the photo of Jeremy's new computer over on Antipixel. So here's a close-up view to satisfy his curiosity.
I'm only slightly embarrassed to admit that the pattern is from a Dover clip art book called Celtic Stencil Designs. I liked the negative space in the original--it looked like leaves and vines curling among the black triskele and circle motifs. Unfortunately, it didn't translate well to the elastic medium of skin and I lost the leaves and vines. Fortunately, the positive is an attractive design on its own.
And for those who are wondering, yes, it hurt.
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My tattoo in close up.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Damelon Kimbrough
EMAIL: transition@dkimbrough.com
IP: 82.230.142.117
URL: http://dkimbrough.com/
DATE: 10/02/2004 01:28:03 PM
Here's the one on my wrist : http://dkimbrough.com/article/82/tatouez-moi
It didn't hurt so much until the third trip around on the coloring. Then it hurt a lot.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: All night aids
BASENAME: all_night_aids
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 09/26/2004 09:36:11 AM
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When pulling an all-nighter for work, one must have the proper supplies to ensure continued productivity through the long night. I've done enough of these for clients this year that I've got my supply list sorted. With sufficient caffeine and protein, I can do anything.
This abandoned oil drum sits amidst a pile of junk under Expressway No. 5 in Toshima-ku. I'm attracted to the rust and decay of Tokyo; there are plenty of pictures of dirt and oxidation in my collection. This is a recent one and a favorite.
Inspired by Antipixel (again) and his generosity in sharing a beautiful calligraphic screen photo sized as a desktop background, I've done the same.
1024 x 768 112 KB JPG.
1280 x 1024 196 KB JPG.
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) 156 KB JPG.
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) 660 KB JPG.
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A desktop background
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The ballot
BASENAME: the_ballot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 09/28/2004 08:18:17 AM
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My absentee ballot arrived in a charmingly hand-addressed envelope from the Allegheny County Board of Elections. Tucked inside were return envelopes and instructions, plus the most poorly pasted-up and over-copied sheet of paper I've seen in decades.
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Look, Ma, I made it myself!
It's all very homespun, including the apology from the Division Manager of the Department of Administrative Services Election Division:
Because there is insufficient time to print and distribute the official absentee ballot for the November 2, 2004 Presidential Election, we have prepared the enclosed Write-In Ballot for you to vote and return by the October 29, 2004 deadline.OK. Fair enough...no fancy printing. But doesn't Allegheny County have word processors? At the minimum, you think they could have at least lined up the boxes and hidden the lines from the scotch tape. Shoddy workmanship doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the electoral process. Hey, what's this typed at the bottom of the ballot?
But, no. There is nothing "over." And no information in the instructions, cover lettor or list of candidates. I wonder what the special question was supposed to be? And more importantly, does its absence invalidate my ballot??
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I wonder if this is really valid?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 09/28/2004 10:50:29 AM
Insufficient time for printing? As a non-US citizen, even *I* know that the election is held every four years on the same day. Surely this election is no surprise...
At least there are no hanging chads.. (or whatever they were called)
Can you not vote at the Embassy or visit one of the millitary bases?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html
DATE: 09/28/2004 11:50:31 AM
I wonder if the special question is leftover from the 2003 general election:
http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/elect/index.asp
http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/elect/200311gen/question10.asp
I wouldn't worry about it invalidating your ballot, I'm sure the Bush administration has already made the decision about which votes will be counted this time :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Terror spam
BASENAME: terror_spam
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 09/29/2004 07:18:01 AM
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I'm used to seeing spam for unpronounceable pharmaceuticals, low interest rate loans, and housewife dating clubs, but this message took me by surprise:
SUBJECT: How one can become a terrorist? You're invited to shop for large selection of bombs and different kinds of rockets such as surface-to-air, surface-to-surface and weaponry available at reduced price. With the following types of rockets you will be able to commit terrorist attacks, destroy buildings, electric power stations, bridges, factories and anything else that comes your mind. Most items are in stock and available for next day freight delivery in the USA. Worldwide delivery is available at additional cost. Prices are negotiable. [...] Today special: ******* AIR BOMBS ******* OFAB-500U HE fragmentation air bomb Fuel-air explosive air bombs -Not in stock BETAB-500U concrete-piercing air bomb ZB-500RT incendiary tank 500-KG SIZE RBK-500U unified cluster bomb [...] Our clients are well known Al-Qaida, Hizballah, Al-Jihad, HAMAS, Abu Sayyaf Group and many other terrorist groups. We are well known supplier in the market and looking forward to expand our clientage with assistance of Internet.Tod tells me that this isn't spam, but a joe job, aimed to get online revenge on the contact person mentioned in the e-mail. Still, it would be refreshing to see spammers branching out into this entirely untapped niche. Haven't you ever, in a fit of pique at the neighbors, wondered where to buy rocket launchers and missiles? From a disreputable spammer, by all means. SUPER l00000w co$t m!ss!les and b0mbs 4U!!!! $ave up to 50% on all your t3rr0ri$t n33ds! Buy 2day & get a FR33 6-pack of pineapple gr3n4des. Perfect for home or office use. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Found in my mailbox. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mieko EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp IP: 219.121.4.64 URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/ DATE: 09/29/2004 09:02:35 AM It is scaring.---Well, did you eat sweet dumpling last night? We could see the moon peeping thourh the clouds for a while. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 203.192.147.35 URL: DATE: 09/29/2004 10:13:29 AM I have never wanted to purchase munitions but I have been on the receiving end of a Joe Job early last year.. A disgruntled contractor was annoyed when I _legally_ canceled his contract but set up various anti-Bush and anti-war protest web-sites with my address as the contact. I was flooded with emails from random strangers either congratulating me on taking a stand or condemning the protests. It was not fun!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: womble EMAIL: jlb@bur.st IP: 139.230.245.21 URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html DATE: 09/29/2004 11:00:26 AM Perfect also for when churches are approaching: 'you could always use the number 14-St. Joseph-the-somewhat-divine-on-the-hill ballistic missile. It's in the attic.' http://bau2.uibk.ac.at/sg/python/Scripts/ContractualObligations/TheChurchBells ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com IP: 210.252.202.203 URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 09/29/2004 03:45:51 PM id like to deliver some munitions directly to all spammers, if only someone would send me their coordinates.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 203.192.147.35 URL: DATE: 09/29/2004 04:35:21 PM I am with you on that one j-ster.. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Umeboshi sweet potatoes BASENAME: umeboshi_sweet_potatoes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 09/30/2004 09:30:26 PM ----- BODY:
Say "mashed satsuma imo with umeboshi" to any Japanese person (well, all the ones I know at least) and you'll get a doubtful look. I think the combination of sweet potatoes (satsuma imo) and pickled plum (umeboshi) is like putting peanut butter with pickles. But I did it anyway and served it to guests who were surprised at how well they go together. Just goes to show you that sometimes mixing unconventional ingredients works.
Umeboshi Sweet Potatoes
serves 2
1 satsuma imo (sweet potato)
2-3 umeboshi - the soft squishy type
milk
butter
salt
pepper
Peel the potato and chop into large hunks. Boil in salted water until soft and mashable. Drain. Use your fingers to pick the meat off the umeboshi, discarding the pits. Add to the potatoes. Mash with enough milk and butter to moisten the potatoes and to satisfy your cravings for fat. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
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An unusual combination, but deliciously tasty.
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AUTHOR: daniel stoddart
EMAIL: daniel@wyclif.net
IP: 128.175.100.20
URL: http://wyclif.net/lollardy/
DATE: 10/01/2004 12:52:28 AM
thanks. i love umeboshi...great for the digestive system.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 10/01/2004 11:12:32 AM
I thought this was absolutely delicious when you served it last week.. so a big thumbs up from me!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.60
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/01/2004 02:28:25 PM
I'll try it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mom
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.com
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 10/01/2004 08:03:12 PM
What are umeboshi?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: daniel stoddart
EMAIL: daniel@wyclif.net
IP: 128.175.194.48
URL: http://wyclif.net/lollardy/
DATE: 10/01/2004 11:50:03 PM
Umeboshi are pickled japanese plums, a traditional Japanese delicacy that is *very* ancient. They are pink to red in colour.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Vintage items
BASENAME: vintage_items
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/01/2004 09:50:07 PM
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BODY:
Here's a change in perspective that slapped me in the face today. I was walking through Jimbocho and passed by a "vintage goods" shop full of Rolleiflex cameras, Zippo lighters, and Omega watches. What shocked me were the two neon green and orange plastic Swatches from the early 80s.
Could 1984 possibly be vintage? Antique? Oh,please...no!
I spent the rest of my walk pondering the concepts of old, antique and vintage. What do I think of as antique? Certainly any thing older than the 40s qualifies. Stuff from the 50s were my parents' things growing up so some of them were in my childhood home. They were old, but not antique. Certain items from the 60s seem antique--mainly things that I use the modern equivalent of today: 1960s computers are antiques. Anything from the 70s forward, though, I can't classify as vintage.
It boils down to "anything older than me" is antique. Things that existed from the time I became cognizant of the world simply are not old enough to be antiques. I imagine that this will hold true even when I am 100.
Those Swatches will never be antiques. But they will always be tacky.
I don't think I necessarily seek to include either the modern or the ancient in my creative work. But I do rely on places, people and things that influenced me growing up and as an adult. That means that people older than me have a much richer selection of influences and that I have more depth to draw from than a teenager.
So what's antique or old to you? Do you think that your childhood "contemporania" influences your art and creativity?
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What is antique to you?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: RFID for kids
BASENAME: rfid_for_kids
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/02/2004 07:08:23 AM
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BODY:
RFID (radio frequency identification) tags are used by warehousing and large retailers to track their stock; the tags are programmed with all kinds of information and identify themselves automatically to any tag reader in the vicinity.
RFID is also used for livestock tagging and in corporate ID badges. In Mexico, the attorney general's lawyers have had RFID tags implanted so they can be tracked in case of kidnappings.
And now Rikkyo Primary School in Tokyo has jumped on the RFID bandwagon in the interest of school security. From April next year, students will have RFID tags pinned to them to monitor their entry and exit from the building. Although it seems benign on one level, don't you think it's a little bit too Big Brother? And will it extend from the doorway to a more thorough monitoring?
"Where's little Ko-chan?" teacher asks.
"In the toilet. Stall three. Been there for....2 minutes 46 seconds," replies the school monitor.
Will these children, along with the countless adults who have RFID implanted or tucked into their wallet, get so used to being tracked that they won't consider it an invasion of privacy?
Sorry, but I'm not going there. no RFID for me, thank you very much.
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Should we accept radio tagging so easily?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: October Hanabi
BASENAME: october_hanabi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/03/2004 03:32:55 PM
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Fireworks festivals are not normally held in October but this one in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki prefecture, is an exception. It's a competition and showcase of nearly 100 "grand finales" and new models of colorful explosions.
Seating was in a muddy rice paddy, freshly harvested.
As the sun set the food stalls lit up but our group of twelve didn't indulge. We brought a picnic feast of homemade pizza, lamb chops, lasagne, oden, Taiwanese eggs, side dishes galore, cakes and lots of drinks.
The finales were bright as day.
The combination of colors and shapes delighted me. I grinned for the entire two hour show.
Jim, eschewing the usual (as usual), took black and white photos.
This patchwork of small explosions quilted the sky.
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A few photos from one of the best fireworks shows ever.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 10/03/2004 08:38:35 PM
How beautiful. I especially like the photo of the food stands and silhouetted trees.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Redgoblin
EMAIL:
IP: 80.189.19.237
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2004 12:17:48 AM
Great Fireworks....
All you need now is gandalf..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 10/04/2004 06:21:11 AM
Beautiful.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 219.202.248.78
URL:
DATE: 10/05/2004 08:11:01 AM
awesome color phots
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ando
EMAIL: ando@tokyodragon.net
IP: 218.43.41.208
URL: http://tokyodragon.net
DATE: 10/08/2004 09:29:17 AM
The contrast of the colors is amazing. Somehow, it seems more interesting than summer fireworks.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: CEATEC poster spotted
BASENAME: ceatec_poster_spotted
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/04/2004 01:42:09 PM
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BODY:
Once again, I modelled for the CEATEC convention posters. On last year's poster, I wasn't easily identified--you could see my tattoo in one shot and I was a tiny black spec at the bottom of an escalator in another.
Last night, I faced my photographed self in Shinjuku station. On this year's poster I found my smile, my profile and my full body.
It was disconcerting, delightful, and slightly uncomfortable to see myself in such a well-travelled public place--sort of like having my name published on an article. Thankfully, the photos are small; I hope this doesn't count much towards the elusive 15 minutes.
CEATEC begins tomorrow and runs only a few days, so if you want to scope out the poster, you'd better hurry. Walk down the Metro Promenade on B2F in Shinjuku station towards the Marunouchi line. The poster is on a bulletin board not far past the row of shops in the promenade.
Take a pen and draw in a mustache and devil horns. You know you want to...
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I'm hanging up in Shinjuku station.
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AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2004 03:34:00 PM
Which part of the station? I wanna go see!!
BTW did you take a photo of the poster?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 10/04/2004 03:44:50 PM
Yes, me wants pictures!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Japan Window - Andy
EMAIL:
IP: 219.37.128.7
URL: http://www.japanwindow.com
DATE: 10/04/2004 07:06:52 PM
I don't know why I'd never seen your blog before... You're tutorial on CSS really helped me get started. Anyway, I've added a link to your site and an RSS feed finally. I'll watch for the poster...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Japan Window - Andy
EMAIL:
IP: 219.37.128.7
URL: http://www.japanwindow.com
DATE: 10/04/2004 07:08:14 PM
I hate when I can't correct my mistakes...
"your" though, not "you're"
:)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.60
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/05/2004 09:01:29 AM
I want to see it, if I live in TOKYO.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.228.203.26
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/07/2004 12:23:06 PM
Woohoo, i found it! You look very professional!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Scented soap
BASENAME: scented_soap
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/05/2004 09:55:00 AM
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BODY:
I bought a soap the other day that smells so good, I keep walking into the bathroom to sniff it.
It bills itself as a lavender soap but the fragrance is really the scent of the middle drawer in my desk when I was 9. Pencil shavings, postage stamp glue, rubber bands, library paste. Neglected homework.
Who makes soap that smells so academic? It's Lush's Ohh La La. Reading through the ingredient list, I see no pencil shavings, but I do find thyme (my favorite herb), rosemary and lots of lavender. Plus the grape juice that makes it run vivid fuschia when wet.
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I must buy more of this stupidly expensive soap.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 10/05/2004 10:53:40 AM
Sorry babe but Rockstar is the bestest soap you can get from Lush right now...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lisa
EMAIL:
IP: 61.68.4.230
URL:
DATE: 10/06/2004 12:18:17 AM
That reminds me of scented erasers sold at my primary school's bookshop. Kept on losing it (deliberately) and buying it (deliberately) just to sniff it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 10/06/2004 04:31:21 AM
I checked out the Lush site extensively and drooled over the Lush line of soaps and deodorants. Noting the price, I called Mom and told her to nip a bit off your soap to bring it back for me. Heehee.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 10/06/2004 12:23:33 PM
Postage stamp glue????
My fave glue was either the clag glue (white goopy stuff with a brush) or Perkins Paste (white chalky stuff in a pink tub with an in built spatchula)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 10/07/2004 12:55:29 AM
my fave lush soap is alkmaar.. it's a milky jasmine scent that makes my mouth water. love it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.48
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/07/2004 09:37:54 AM
Now we are into SUMI(charcoal) soap and shampoo.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: South pacific
BASENAME: south_pacific
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/06/2004 08:07:48 AM
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BODY:
I'm about to hand over a wad of cash for some airplane tickets to Fiji. We leave tomorrow.
Moody's Namena is a tiny island resort where Tod & I will swim among the fishes, hike through the tropical forest, and lounge in hammocks while we read books. For some people, this would be a terribly dull holiday. But not for me. I'm packing art supplies, star charts, a bathing suit and not a whole lot else. Aaaaaah!
Which is all by way of saying there won't be any updates here for a little while, but I promise to backfill with photos of sand, sun and etc. as soon as we return.
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I will NOT be singing Bali Hai, I assure you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.228.203.26
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/06/2004 11:36:09 AM
wow, have a great time and lots of fun!!! Looking forward to the pics and stories!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.228.203.26
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/06/2004 11:37:53 AM
Oh, and i hope that the skies are clear and the stars that you want to see come thru for you!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 10/06/2004 12:21:09 PM
Have a great time.. what time is your flight? I will be at Narita from around 4pm. First trip to Australia in four years.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 10/07/2004 10:01:32 PM
Woo hoo! Looking forward to the photos.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Work from Home!
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 10/09/2004 12:02:10 AM
Oh! It's Def Poetry Jam from the Spammers!
My entry (even though I'm not a spammer):
Work from Home
Home from Work
Work
From Home
Work is Home
Home never Works
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: blog@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.179.169.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 10/09/2004 04:33:54 AM
I'm jealous! Have fun!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.53
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/09/2004 08:40:59 AM
Fiji???? really????
Have a nice trip!!
I'm looking forward to seeing your photos.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 10/11/2004 09:32:49 PM
Hope you two are having good time!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On the way there
BASENAME: on_the_way_there
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/07/2004 08:22:52 AM
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BODY:
Air Pacific flies direct Tokyo to Nadi every day.
Getting there is not really half the fun. It's not really much fun at all.
Traveling to Namena from Tokyo is quite a trek. An 8 hour "red eye" flight to Nadi on Air Pacific, Fiji's national airline. Follow this by an hour on a tiny plane to Savusavu. Then a 90 minute boat trip across 25 miles of choppy sea to Namena's dock.
This Sun Air plane was like a minivan with wings.
Transstar Charters, owned and operated by Terry and Davina, was the final leg of the trip to Namena.
I was exhausted, even though we weren't doing anything but sitting and waiting. We arrived safely after about 15 hours of non-stop "getting there" and settled in for a week of "being there."
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EXCERPT:
Getting to Fiji isn't adventurous, but it is tiring.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Namena's people
BASENAME: namenas_people
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/08/2004 09:13:27 AM
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BODY:
Namena was uninhabited 20 years ago when Tom Moody signed a 99 year lease from the native land board. In fact, namena means uninhabited in Fijian.
These days, Namena is lightly inhabited. Tom & Joan Moody live there year round, along with 12-18 staff (depending on how busy the resort is) and no more than 12 guests.
Tom & Joan (pronounced Jo-ann, I kept embarrassing myself by forgetting and calling her Joan) are native Pittsburghers, but have lived outside the US for over 40 years. They founded a posh resort in Panama in the 70s, but were chased out in a horrific incident in 1991 that ended with Tom in the hospital for two months and the resort abandoned in haste. Undaunted, they started over and after scouring the South Pacific, found Namena.
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Tom's 76 now, and starting to slow down a bit (the shooting in Panama didn't do him any favors) but he was a motorcycle hellion and an avid diver back in the day so he has a lot to slow down from! He has more stories and tales than anyone I've ever met. Tom spends his days directing improvements and maintenance and enjoys meals with the guests.
Joan manages the business end of things. She's got a computer, runs the communication systems, handles reservations and local transfers to the island, and has a lot of connections around Fiji. Joan took her meals away from us, as she was suffering a cough and didn't want to infect the holidaymakers. So we didn't get to spend too much time with her, but I think she has nearly as many stories as Tom!
Jone plays ukulele; M'bola flanked by two "boat guys"; Victor the dive master
The staff are fabulous. Tom calls them kids, but they're not really all that young. Jone (pronounced Johnny) is the "waiter" and seemingly uncle to most of the rest of the staff. The three girls on staff are sisters and Jone's nieces. Everyone else is a cousin in some fashion. Which is good, because this working family doesn't get off the island too often. They have to get along or they'd be miserable.
Cook mixes up some kava; Vijay nimbly scales a coconut palm; a "boat guy" watches the dock.
Despite the fact that we were there for a week and there are only 12 people taking care of us, I still didn't learn everyone's name. Victor is the cheeky dive master. Don drives the boat. M'Bola and Vijay do everything that's required--from loading boats to leading the guests on jungle treks. Benny's the kitchen boy who is a great dancer and has a shy smile. There is also a cook and several "boat guys" seemed to hide behind the scenes to get things done.
And of course there were other guests on the island. Our stay was divided neatly into two sections by the departure and arrival of guests. Everyone we met was memorable and interesting.
Bradley on the launch ready to leave; Mike and Kim enjoying kava; Nancy on the launch.
The first group was two diving couples: Nancy and Bradley from Santa Cruz, and Mike & Kim from Auckland. Mealtime conversations were lessons in oceanography, conservation and diving lore. I am keen to learn to dive now.
Deborah in the window at sunset; Sara and Jerry wave goodbye to us; Gerard contemplates departure.
They left on Monday and Tuesday and were replaced by Sara and Jerry, married filmmakers from Melbourne who were decompressing after the Athens Olympics, and Deborah and Gerard from New Zealand who were there to work (!) gathering material for a program for Radio New Zealand and an article, respectively. We talked world politics and a little shop over dinner.
People have rarely figured so prominently in my holidays. I enjoyed it very much. Namena's remoteness attracts unusual travelers.
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EXCERPT:
More than anything else, the people on Namena make it special.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/18/2004 11:31:10 AM
Mmmmmmm, Victor the cheeky dive master, hello!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Namena's facilities
BASENAME: namenas_facilities
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/09/2004 10:01:22 AM
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BODY:
Moody's Namena was a deserted island 20 years ago. Every man-made thing that exists on the island has been brought by boat, hauled by men up a steep hill and assembled by hand.
Supplies and mail arrive with the guests on the boat or in the sea plane. Namena have a small cargo boat (the generous gift of a wealthy guest) that makes the journey to Savusavu for fuel, tools, supplies, and food.
Namena's dock.
We were greeted at a concrete dock (the original dock was blown away during a cyclone shortly after it was built) and taken up to the top of the island in Tom's Polaris utility vehicle. They built the roads just five years ago. Before that everyone made the trip up and down 106 wooden steps.
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Inside our guest house; a view from the veranda.
The guest houses, called bure in Fijian, are hexagonal structures of wood beams (telephone poles carried by hand up the hill before the stairs were built) and boards. They feature high ceilings, doors on four sides that open to a wrap-around veranda with ocean and forest views, and wooden floors made of a tree related to rosewood that is no longer logged. There is no electricity--we lit gas lamps in the evenings, and read in bed by the light of solar powered lights. Water is collected when it rains and gravity fed to sink and shower. The toilets use salt water. Each bure has a gas burner and kettle for making tea, two generous closets, built-in desks and a mosquito-netted bed. What more could you need? I wanted for nothing.
Guests get together for meals in the clubhouse
Meals are served in the clubhouse, constructed like the bure, but on a larger scale. A gas powered fridge supplies ice and keeps the mixers cool (bring your own booze from the duty free). Two round tables seat six people each and there are comfy chairs drawn up neatly around a large coffee table littered with reef identification books. Bookshelves line two walls under the large picture windows which are glassless to allow the breezes to flow through. Birds sometimes fly through, too.
An adjoining kitchen and office, a boat house near the dock, and the staff quarters at the other end of the complex complete the buildings on the island.
Staff outnumber guests on the volleyball court; I'm resting!
Down at one of the beaches, there's a grassy volleyball court, some hammocks, and a barbecue area. Trails crisscross the island for hikes from head to tail of the dragon.
That's about all on the island that's been touched by man. Tom designated 10% of the land as "developed" and leaves the rest wild. Nothing is off-limits at Namena; guests have the run of the place.
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EXCERPT:
What's on the island is minimal.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Namena's land
BASENAME: namenas_land
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/10/2004 10:47:26 AM
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BODY:
Namena from the air
The island is shaped like a mile-long dragon--a triangular head towards the west, a lumpish body in the center and a long sloping tail pointing east. There are three main beaches with smaller beaches and rocky coastline accessible at low tide. The north is the leeward side, facing the distant island of Vanua Levu, where we started our sea journey. To the south, you can see the even more distant islands of Koro and the former leper colony of Makogai.
Namena wasn't always uninhabited. There was once a small tribe living there. Tom estimates the island would have supported about 18 people. There is rocky fortification built on the highest point of the island. It affords good views to the sea towards the only opening in the reef. There are several round wells or fire pits built along the hill. Where the volleyball court is not, was once a village. Tom and the men have found scores of pottery shards and other artifacts there and had them dated to 2000+ years old.
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Birds enjoy a ripe papaya; the mysterious medicinal noni; coconuts in storage; bananas; Sara and I examine a fresh breadfruit.
Namena has numerous native food plants. We enjoyed the island's produce of papaya, coconut, breadfruit, and bull's heart along with some delicacies Tom imported--bananas, pineapple and Joan's delicious tomatoes. There's a vine-y pepper that grows like a weed, pandan (which Fijians don't eat, though other islanders do), and noni, a medicinal fruit that smells like stinky French cheese when it's ripe.
I was surprised at how familiar the island's jungle looked. Aside from the vines, it could have been Mt Takao or the hills of Pennsylvania. There were deciduous trees, jutting rocks, and shrubby undergrowth. My idea of jungle was shattered.
A jungle vine; hibiscus; borganvillea; a viciously red flower; frangipani; tiara
Flowers are Fijians favorite decoration and for good reason. Bougainvillea, frangipani, hibiscus, and tiara grow in abundance. Outside our bure was a stalky varigated plant with red flowers that the honey catchers liked to visit.
A poisonous seasnake; the spider that jumped on Tod's nose; a gecko; a blue-tailed skink.
There's not a lot of fauna on the island, aside from birds (see tomorrow's entry). We encountered a venomous sea snake, lots of geckoes and blue-tailed lizards, and a rat.
There are plenty of hungry mosquitoes, which contrary to our expectations, are active during the day. Moths and butterflies flutter around. Spiders, pale brown crickets, beetles large and small, and jillions of ants make up the remainder of the island insects.
One thing that Namena lacks is fresh water. All the water we drank on the island was rainwater. And Namena doesn't get a lot of rain, so you want to be conservative in your use.
An Australian man who came to Namena after WWII to try to recover from his shattering war experience lived on the island for a few months and dug a clever system of channels in the rock cliffs to route rainwater into a holding basin. Tom says that when he first arrived on Namena and camped out to explore the land, he discovered the excavations, cleaned them out and found them quite effective for collecting water. But these days he uses metal and plastic tanks for his water system.
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EXCERPT:
Namena's geography, flora and fauna.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Namena's air
BASENAME: namenas_air
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/11/2004 11:29:03 AM
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BODY:
Tod delighted in photographing birds. And there were many to choose among.
Banded rail; Pacific starling; unidentified little bird; spotted dove.
Around the bures we saw banded rails including three fuzzy black chicks, swifts, white-collared kingfishers, orange-breasted mylomeza (honey catchers), Fiji white-eyes, Pacific starlings, spotted doves, friendly ground doves, and the pesky mynahs that migrated from a passing ship and are eating all the white-eye eggs.
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Red-footed booby; masked booby; baby booby; white-tailed tropicbird.
Over the sea we watched frigate birds chasing the boobies. There are red-footed boobies, masked boobies and brown boobies nesting on Namena. Terns skimmed the water and a reef heron appeared on the rocky shores from time to time. A magnificent white-tailed tropicbird flew around our bure.
At sunset we watched for the green flash and for the flying foxes. These beautiful bats have a wingspan of about a meter. They are huge and they feast on fruits.
Looking towards Scorpius and Corona Australis.
After the birds and bats had gone to bed, the stars appeared. Only one night of our stay was perfectly clear, but we took good advantage of it. After dinner we carried the camera, tripod, start charts and laser pointer to the beach for some fun. The Milky Way was bright across the sky. I saw nine shooting stars in the two hours we were on the beach.
The stars move quite a bit in 30 minutes!
I was so excited to see the southern constellations for the first time. We didn't stay up late enough (or get up early enough) to see the Southern Cross, but I identified Grus, Pavo, Eridanus, Horogulum, Triangulum Australe, Scorpius, and Corona Australis. We took one 30 minute exposure (too long really, as it's too bright) to capture the star trails around Scorpius.
The Magellanic clouds.
I was perplexed by two hazy patches due south. They weren't part of the Milky Way and they weren't clouds in the sky. A little research revealed that they are the Magellanic Clouds--galaxies in our own astronomical neighborhood.
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EXCERPT:
Birds, bats and stars
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Namena's sea
BASENAME: namenas_sea
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/12/2004 11:53:32 AM
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BODY:
The island is surrounded by a coral reef and so has a plethora of fishes and underwater wildlife. The water is turquoise over the reef and bommies and it is as clear as the sky.
The reef is a protected marine reserve, thanks to Joan's intervention. All divers have to buy a $20 "reef tag" that gives them permission to dive. The money goes to maintaining the reef environment and to scholarships for the children in Savusavu.
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Divers on boats like this one dive up to six times a day; that's bad for the reef.
Joan had petitioned the government for protected status for their reef, to no avail. One of her friends who works for the UN dismissed her attempts at conservationism. "You won't be able to do it," he advised. That got Joan's Sicilian blood pumping and she initiated a grassroots effort by the local islanders. "I told our men, 'Go tell your fathers, your brothers, your uncles that the reef is being overfished and destroyed. This is your land, your heritage. You should preserve it.'" And it worked.
So what are they preserving? An astonishing array of fish--particolored parrotfish, surgeon fish with long snouts, puffers, damselfish, sardines, and dozens of others. I saw sleeping reef sharks and just missed a glimpse of a manta--Vijay pointed it out but it moved too quickly! There were so many fish I can't keep track of them all, though I tried to look up the ones I remembered in the reference books in the lounge.
School of yellowish spotted fish; me snorkeling; striped fish of unknown type.
We only snorkelled out at the reef one afternoon, but spent time in nearer the island gawking at the underwater beauty. Even near the dock there were schools of colorful fish and live corals in vivid blue and pale purple, swaying orange tendrils, big expanses of green-grey swirls. The ocean is better than a paintbox.
A chiton, formerly prized for jewelry; green shore crab; our shy turtle firend; a hermit crab.
Close to the shore we saw sea snails, chitons, anenome, starfish, hermit crabs (Tod's favorite) and brilliant green shore crabs. Blennies hopped around in the tide pools. Turtles migrate to nest on the island and we saw one of the three resident turtles swimming around our bure one afternoon.
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EXCERPT:
I wasn't alone in the sea.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Anniversay #15
BASENAME: anniversay_15
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/13/2004 01:16:37 PM
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BODY:
Us on the head of Namena's dragon. (Photo by Deborah Nation)
Our excuse for visiting Namena was to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. We wanted a relaxing week away from the busy city. It proved to be so leisurely and laid-back that I nearly forgot our anniversary.
I could have sworn the 13th was on Thursday. I was so sure of it that on Wednesday I was writing out postcards and dating them 12 October. But Wednesday evening, as we gathered for pre-dinner drinks in the clubhouse, Tod looked at the handwritten chart of tides which carried the date as well as the tidal hours. He raised his glass and wished me a happy anniversary. What a surprise!
The next night, we all celebrated with a bottle of champagne and a toast to happy relationships at dinner. The staff brought out a cake with candles, luscious tiara flower garlands, and a gift of Fiji-made frangipani bath products. They serenaded us with ukulele, guitar and voice. We danced and my sulu (the traditional wrap around skirt worn by men and women) nearly fell off. Tom joked that I needed a staple gun.
Thanks to everyone for making our nearly forgotten 15th so completely memorable!
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EXCERPT:
Nearly forgotten but forever memorable.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kokoda
BASENAME: kokoda
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 10/14/2004 01:23:45 PM
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BODY:
Fijian cooking is influenced by the island produce and fish. Kokoda is a citrus-pickled fish in spicy coconut sauce. It makes a great appetiser. Here it is:
Kokoda
serves 2
1 filet firm white fish (walu, tuna, swordfish)
juice of one lime
juice of one lemon
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 green pepper minced
1 green or red chile, minced
1/2 can coconut cream/milk
salt & pepper to taste
Cut the filet into 1 cm cubes. Soak in the lemon and lime juices for 2 hours to pickle the fish. Rinse the juice off. Mix the fish with the remaining ingredients. It's fine to eat immediately, but refrigerate a few hours more, or overnight, for best flavor.
If the fish doesn't pickle all the way through (if you cut it to large like I did yesterday), you can convert this into a tasty fish curry by bringing it to a simmer and heating for about 10 minutes.
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EXCERPT:
Easy Fijian fish salad.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Namena's art
BASENAME: namenas_art
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/15/2004 01:43:08 PM
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BODY:
Drawing on the dock.
While Tod snapped 733 photographs (I thank him for the illustrative materials in the previous week's entries!), I spent my time sketching. I wasn't quite so prolific, but I managed almost 2 dozen drawings.
Near the end of our stay, Jone was peeking over my shoulder watching me sketch the clubhouse window and bookshelf, I think it was. So I invited him to draw with me the next afternoon during his break. He and I sat outside and drew flowers. I showed him how to use the watercolor pencils I'd brought along. Soon we were joined by Benny, Maria and her sisters. It was really fun to watch them work. Benny drew a fabulous leaf. The girls drew flowers on the bushes around us. They are all very natural artists.
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Jone has an untapped gift. His watercolor of hibiscus showed a delicate touch and a good eye. It was every bit as good as mine and he swears he hasn't drawn before. I was so pleased! We gathered again the next day. "We should have started this sooner," he commented. He was so delighted with drawing that I left the pencils, brush and the remainder of my watercolor paper for him.
Tapa patterns on cloth in the clubhouse.
There are traditional geometric patterns laid out in lines called tapa that are used in textiles and as decorative elements. They pop up everywhere on Namena--the bed canopies, the ceilings, the table mats, even the battle hammers that decorate one wall. I spent a lot of time examining them.
The sulu design in progress
So when Joan asked if I would draw them a logo to use for their new sulu and t-shirts, I incorporated tapa into the design. Moody's Namena have a tropicbird as their mascot, so the bird flies over three rows of tapa: one neat geometric that Benny likes from the fabrics in the clubhouse; one of my own design that symbolises the plants on the island (and the male/female triangle symbols since I'd just finished reading The Da Vinci Code); and a wave pattern on the top so the bird soars over the ocean. I was pleased with the result; Joan loves it and gave me a big hug when I presented it to her. I'm happy that a little bit of me will be on Namena for a while.
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EXCERPT:
Fun with art.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tadaima
BASENAME: tadaima_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/16/2004 08:04:05 PM
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BODY:
Fuji-san as viewed on approach to Narita this evening
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
We're home from Fiji.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.138
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/16/2004 08:17:33 PM
OKAERINASAI! How was your trip? AND what a bearutiful FUJI. From here we can't see FUJI.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL:
IP: 221.113.1.216
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/
DATE: 10/17/2004 12:29:13 AM
From Fiji to Fuji -- welcome back. We organised a lovely sunset for your return. Did you like it?
Hope you both had a great time.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/17/2004 08:31:13 AM
Thanks for the sunset; it was a nice surprise. Fiji was great and you'll have lots to read as I backfill the weblog over then next couple of days. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 10/17/2004 11:00:06 AM
Nice to have you back!
Can't wait to read about your impression of Fiji.
(And "the" work is waiting for you...)
I visited Tokyo while you are away and had nice time with my old and new friends. I hope to see you in next time, which will not be so far away.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 3 month wait
BASENAME: 3_month_wait
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 10/17/2004 06:32:52 PM
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BODY:
In mid-July I ordered a new dual processor PowerMac G5. Just the thing for editing video--a lot of power in one box. I also splurged (after a bit of debate with Tod) and bought the 30" Cinema Display.
Delay, excuse, delay, excuse, delay...but it finally arrived today.
I will never have to scroll my timeline ever again. This monitor is just humungous. It going to take a little while to figure out where to focus my eyes and how to arrange my application windows to use screenus maximus.
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EXCERPT:
This is the biggest monitor on the planet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.208
URL:
DATE: 10/17/2004 10:03:58 PM
as a Mac-head i'm officially green with envy.
enjoy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.154.37.28
URL: http://www.iodine.org
DATE: 10/17/2004 11:28:58 PM
Wow. That monitor is HUGE! Does your new G5 have dual 2.0 or 2.5's? As the owner of a new mac (just a 17" iMac G5), I offer you my congratulations on your new Mac. I'll never go back to windows ever again.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 10/18/2004 04:52:08 AM
*drools all over the monitor*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Japan Window - Andy
EMAIL:
IP: 219.37.128.7
URL: http://www.japanwindow.com
DATE: 10/18/2004 01:12:45 PM
Is the juxtaposition with the display to the right intentional? Very funny. :)
Have fun!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.49
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 10/18/2004 03:28:01 PM
Wow -
a Drive-in Mac...
(Welcome back, by the way...)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 10/18/2004 03:36:21 PM
Jim, just roll up the desk chair and hang the speaker on the arm. I'm teaching Zousama to rollerskate to and from the kitchen for snacks.
Andy, did you notice that the desktop background on the 12" Powerbook is a list of the 7 deadly sins? "Showing off" does not appear on the list. Whew. ;-)
MIke, it's a dual 2.5 but it's behaving oddly and I might have to return it. Argh!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 219.18.132.49
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 10/18/2004 04:07:05 PM
7 Deadly Sins? I thought that was your "to-do" list...
:-p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 10/20/2004 03:17:15 AM
beautiful. i'm thoroughly jealous :) especially of the monitor.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 11:32:24 AM
very jealous!! Looks fantastic!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 728 views of Namena
BASENAME: 728_views_of_namena
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/18/2004 06:01:23 PM
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BODY:
If you wanted to see more photos (or full-size versions) of Moody's Namena, check out the 728 shots Tod snapped during our vacation. They are unedited so you'll see the good, the bad and the ugly--I even left the ones in where I look fat and dorky.
728 Views of Namena
If you're reading mediatinker via a newsreader, you've may have missed the extended version of my backfilled week of Namena posts which include more stories and pictures. So please click through and have a look; it's such a fabulous place, I hope you won't want top miss anything.
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EXCERPT:
The last of Namena until the next vacation...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 10/19/2004 10:43:51 AM
728 more reasons to hate you :p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ashman
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.210
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/20/2004 10:47:31 AM
Fat and dorky, NEVER!! Photos look really good especially the sunsets ones. I see Tod is reading the same book as me "Life of Pi".
Cant wait to see my other big sister on the 24th.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Election monitors
BASENAME: election_monitors
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/19/2004 07:04:17 AM
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BODY:
It's embarrassing that my formerly fine and upstanding nation is having its election monitored by the organizations that oversee elections in places like Bosnia, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. Even US citizens are getting into the monitoring act. The level of trust in the system is low.
IHT: European monitoring group to observe U.S. election
Portsmoth Herald: Monitoring the Nov. 2 election
Mathaba: A Clean Count?
Deutsche Welle: Monitors Criticize US Election Procedures
Some of my friends here in Tokyo are going to Florida to keep an eye on things on election day. They'll be armed with video cameras and cell phones to alert everyone of any problems.
"Sunshine and Gators" is hoping to raise a little more money to fund their flights and equipment costs. If you're up for a good time for a good cause, why not nip over to Nishi-Azabu tomorrow for a Halloween party?
Bush is Scary, Vote for Kerry
Wednesday, 20 Oct, from 7:00 PM
SuperDeluxe
3-1-25 Nishi-Azabu, B1F
Admission is 3000 yen, all going to the "Sunshine and Alligators" activists to cover transportation, vehicle rental, cell phones and other expenses. Live music, DJs, costume contest, door prizes, good food
For more details see www.sunshineandgators.com.
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EXCERPT:
Give a little to the US election monitoring cause.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 07:39:32 AM
Good point, but I think the US has sunk to new depths. A least it made an attempt at various points in its history to bring equality and personal freedoms to citizens. The principles were good, even when the execution was faulty. Now the principles aren't even good.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 202.214.62.131
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 10:39:32 AM
A word about why I'm going to Florida for this election: progress has always been the product of a struggle between those who want the nation to move forward, toward greater equality, inclusiveness and justice, and those whose interests lie in exploiting people, excluding them from decision-making, and accumulating wealth at their expense.
This election is the most important in our lifetime because it will have a huge influence on the direction of the US for many years to come. The next president will appoint as many as four Supreme Court Justices and determine whether our basic liberties will remain intact or be largely rescinded. The next president will either solidify our current role in the world or restore a process of cooperating with other nations. He will take us toward further confrontation with the Islamic world or initiate a search for common ground and greater understanding.
I could go on (as Kristen knows well!), but I'm going to Florida because the election may well be decided there again, and the efforts of a handful of volunteers may well decide Florida.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.htmlhttp://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html
DATE: 10/21/2004 10:56:06 AM
I liked what Mark Shields said (tongue only slightly in cheek) on the PBS Newshour, about all the polls leading up to the election, and the current numbers on the Supreme Court, "5-4, that's the one poll that they've got they've already proved they can win".
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/political_wrap/july-dec04/sb_10-15.html
Cheeky, but probably true.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 10/22/2004 12:45:01 AM
i just want to say that it's encouraging that people from overseas are getting involved in the US voting system. it needs all the help it can get. i just wrote a long blog entry on overseas voters and bush's communication with god if you would care to read it.
http://www.gleek.net/archives/000102.php
also, for those who have not received their absentee ballots, please fill out the FWAB (federal write-in absentee ballot) and send it in as soon as you can!
http://www.fvap.gov/services/fwab.html
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fighting via IM
BASENAME: fighting_via_im
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 10/20/2004 08:15:15 AM
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BODY:
My friends will back me up on this: I'd rather type than talk. I can count on one hand (minus the thumb) the number of people I will willingly and gladly phone. Everyone else gets me in e-mail or chat. I've been using real-time chat for so many years that I no longer see much difference between typing and talking. It's all communication to me.
This short film shows what too much IM can lead to. I wish I'd made this one, but I was beaten to the punch by three clever guys in Winnetka, Illinois--Picture Show Films.
Instant Mess (streaming Quicktime)
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EXCERPT:
I wish I'd made this film.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 11:55:34 AM
Wow, I like it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 07:30:30 PM
I really liked that! It's almost the real world for some.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.50.92
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 08:26:28 PM
this calls for a new acronym, how about
GAA for Gadget Aided Autism? );-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: trouble
EMAIL: mwhyte72@gmail.com
IP: 24.225.168.121
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2004 10:46:40 PM
brilliant.
you're not alone on this, i'd much rather carry a conversation via IM anymore... the more i think about it the more i get a little concerned.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 10/22/2004 12:41:15 AM
haha! that movie is brilliant!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Year of Rice
BASENAME: year_of_rice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 10/21/2004 05:24:08 PM
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BODY:
2004 is the UN's International Year of Rice. Rice supports half the world's population. Yeah for rice!
I lived on mainly rice during my junior year at university in PIttsburgh. I had my first apartment and not much money. Rice was the cheapest staple in the grocery store and I discovered how versatile it is. I was creative with combinations of rice, eggs and milk for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here's one of my favorite frugal treats--usually made with the rice leftover from a rice omelet or plain fried rice.
Simple Rice Pudding
serves 2
1/2 cup cooked rice
2 cups milk
2 eggs, very well beaten
2 or 3 Tbsp sugar
optional: cinnamon, raisins, grated apple, and/or black pepper
Heat the milk (do not boil) and add the rice, stirring to separate. Stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs. Add any additional seasonings you desire.
You can either cover the pot and continue cooking over very low heat until the milk and eggs form a soft custard (about 30 minutes to an hour), or put the pot in the oven (if it is oven-safe) and bake at 300 degrees for an hour or so.
Can be served warm or cold.
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EXCERPT:
Thank goodness for rice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 10/21/2004 06:05:45 PM
I luurrrve rice pudding. I make it all the time with lots of dried fruit and nutmeg and cinnamon with a drop of vanilla for good measure. I tend to cook my rice in the milk too.. yummo. But I especially like serving it to my japanese friends who just can't get their heads around sweet rice - it freaks them out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 69.33.165.9
URL:
DATE: 10/23/2004 12:58:46 AM
I made a batch of this last night. Trippled the rice, doubled everything else. Added grated apple and cinnamon.
Pretty good! Thanks for the recipe. Needed just a touch of salt when served.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Your own religion
BASENAME: your_own_religion
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/22/2004 07:43:00 AM
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BODY:
My darling husband asked me the other day "If you could start a religion, what would it be like?"
Oh, interesting thought experiment. I let the ideas rattle around in my brain for a few minutes, dismissing thoughts of lofting stone chapels with velvet draperies and deep pipe organ tones, then started churning out my ideas.
Reverence for nature
Respect for inexplicable phenomena
Veneration of creative practices
Celebrations for no real reason
Love of highs, lows, and balance
Adoration of sexual arts
Points off for consumerism
Double points off for car owners
As I wound up the litany of observances, he turned to me, smiled, and said, "Mine would be the Cult of the Cherry Ripe." Heh.
So I put the question to you: what would your religion be like?
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EXCERPT:
So what would it include?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lisa
EMAIL:
IP: 61.68.4.18
URL: http://blog.bohemianphilosophy.com
DATE: 10/22/2004 09:09:43 AM
I think mine would be something like religion or cult of cynicism. Do nothing but laugh at other people's religion.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 10/22/2004 11:17:04 AM
A religion that everyone practiced, but no one spoke of.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 203.192.147.35
URL:
DATE: 10/22/2004 01:52:29 PM
My religion would involve Peace, Love and Dancing...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 10/22/2004 02:45:00 PM
just for OWNING a car? In some places that is pretty much a necessity, and for me if I just cut down on driving a little bit I wouldn't be making THAT much of an environmental impact. FAR less than that gomichild chick does just by walking down the street when she hasn't showered yet ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: donald
EMAIL:
IP: 69.108.231.120
URL:
DATE: 10/22/2004 08:09:42 PM
good question..
I think it would have to celebrate friends, present and past
It would encourage pilgrimage back to your own special places, where moments in time are burned in your mind. Some people have beaches, or scenic vistas; others have neighborhood corners, or stretches of road, homes or apts where they used to live, some even have just a light post they wrote their name on as a child.
I think it would also have to be a religion that required laughing; laughing at yourself. I love laughing.
I'd also want it to encourage people once a week or month to just walk out in the street near where they live for an hour. Just start walking, to feel the "place" where they are, the smell, the light, the people, the sounds. Sometimes, I just like to go outside and walk around in the wet grass in the morning, before everyone gets up, just feel things begin to roll with the sun's rising.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/wildmushroom
DATE: 10/24/2004 12:22:10 AM
I guess all Americans go to hell in your religion. Or perhaps they are already there?
I wish people would listen more and talk less.
Next month, I teach RE. I think one session will be outside, and no one will speak for 40 minutes. That's ideal. Of course, these are middle schoolers. That's not reality.
Maybe I'll just join the Cult of the York Peppermint Patty.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Writing Menus - lesson 1
BASENAME: writing_menus_-_lesson_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 10/23/2004 10:22:33 AM
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BODY:
Recently, a friend asked me to give her some tips on creating menus for restaurants (though how she knew that this is something I've done I don't quite know). I wrote up a few short e-mail lessons that I thought I'd present to you. You never know when you're going to be called on to write a menu!
Introduction
You already know that all menus are divided into sections: appetisers/starters, salad/soup/sides, main dishes (sometimes divided by type of meat used or whether its pasta/rice/meat), desserts and drinks. I'm sure that's not something you need any instruction on.
Something that I probably can't help you with too much is food knowledge. A good knowledge of food is important to be able to write menus. What's the difference between a flan, a pudding and a custard? How is a soup different from a stew?
The best menus have two points for each dish - a name for the dish and a description. In "Writing menus - lesson 1" we'll focus on the name of the dish.
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3 Points to Keep in Mind
By Courier. 7'30" (10.3 MB MP3)
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EXCERPT:
I finally got around to reading aloud for you!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.240
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/28/2004 12:06:17 AM
Sweet! That was just made for you!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 10/28/2004 07:53:32 AM
You can read to me anytime. That was a wow reading. Thanks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 69.33.165.9
URL:
DATE: 10/29/2004 04:00:09 AM
Nice story, and nicely read!
My father gave me a book of O'Henry stories for Christmas when I was 10. I don't remember reading this one, but that was quite a while ago.
Mike underscore rosenlof at yahoo dot com.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 10/29/2004 04:58:22 PM
Wow, thanks for completely and utterly showing me up!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: katsuhiko nakamura
EMAIL:
IP: 222.8.161.103
URL:
DATE: 10/31/2004 10:40:08 AM
Oh! That's great.It's moving on me.
I like "The last leaf", so try to read loud and record like this.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hoagie, Hero, Grinder, Sub
BASENAME: hoagie_hero_grinder_sub
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 10/28/2004 08:20:01 PM
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BODY:
Ah, the joy of a well-made sandwich, whether you call it a submarine, a grinder, a hero or a haogie, is not to be underestimated. A meal in one hand. A feast of texture, flavor and colors.
When I was a kid, hoagies were long, squashy rolls, drenched with Italian dressing and stuffed with the palest green lettuce you've ever seen. They were wrapped tightly in plastic and sold by fundraising cheerleaders in the school cafeteria.
Here's a more sophisticated version of the lunchroom hoagie.
Grownup Hoagie
serves 2-4
1 batard French loaf
5 slices "white roast" ham
5 slices mortadella (or baloney)
5 slices sopressata (or your favorite salami)
5 slices provolone cheese
1/2 tomato, sliced paper thin
1/4 onion, sliced paper thin
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
3-4 Tblsp Italian dressing
Slice the bread lengthwise, being careful not to cut all the way through, so you leave a hinge to close the sandwich.
Drizzle some dressing on the bread, reserving a tablespoon or so. Layer the ham, sausage, salami and cheese. Bake in a hot oven for about 7 minutes. Top with tomato, onion, lettuce and remaining dressing.
Use the flat side of a long knife to press the fillings in while closing the bread. Slice into thirds or quarters and serve.
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EXCERPT:
Fatty and salty and oh so delicious!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Let's write novels
BASENAME: lets_write_novels
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/29/2004 08:34:14 AM
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BODY:
Hurry, hurry! It's not too late to sign up for Nanowrimo, National Novel Writing Month. It kicks off on November 1 and runs for 30 days. Your goal is to write a 50,000 word novel. It doesn't have to be a good novel, just has to be finished.
It's a sustained exercise in creativity. Last year 25,000 people started and 3,500 of them completed their novels. The goal this year is 40,000 participants and 5,000 "winners." There's no prize but the pleasure of writing and the thrill of completion. That's enough reward for me.
I signed up yesterday and I'm completely unprepared--no plot, no characters, no clue. But I've been doing my finger limbering exercises and I can pump out 2,000 words a day. I know I can. So get ready, get set, go write a novel!
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EXCERPT:
Oh, here's a challenge
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 66.31.87.19
URL:
DATE: 10/29/2004 09:51:17 AM
I hope you will post chapters as you go along. Your writing is phenomenal:)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.20
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 10/29/2004 11:41:38 AM
OK, I'm in. Why? I don't know. Thanks for bringing this madness to my attention.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pete
EMAIL: pickypete@hotmail.com
IP: 24.3.56.233
URL:
DATE: 10/30/2004 04:35:16 AM
Here's your plot: Bush wins the election, Al Qaeda uses the 350 tons of explosives they got out of Iraq to set off explosions across the US, and civil war breaks out between the I-told-you-so Democrats and the God-speaks-through-Bush Republicans.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 10/30/2004 05:37:33 AM
Pete. It's supposed to be fiction.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Drink quests
BASENAME: drink_quests
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/30/2004 10:38:49 PM
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BODY:
With a nod to the sensibilities of my mothers, we went in search of decaf coffee and sulfite-free wines today.
People drink a lot of coffee here, but decaf is not part of the food culture. There was none to be found at the Santoku supermarket. Doutor does not sell decaf. Starbucks doesn't brew it, either. But we found some at Seijo Ishii, the fancy grocery store at LaQua. Now the Moms will be safe from getting too hyped up.
Jean's request for sulfite-free wine required Tod to do some Japanese study. We now know that the word for organic is yuuki and sulfites are aryuusanen. Sankaboushizai means antioxidant.
First we tried the local liquor shop, Kashiwaya, and talked to Imamura-san. They have organic wine in stock, but it has sulfites. Chuckling at the thought of our mothers visiting togehter, Imamura-san promised to call her wine supplier on Monday and see if she can get some sulfite-free wine.
Seijo Ishii was plus on coffee but a minus on wine. Although the stock boy called over the sake manager, he had no idea. "Wines are made differently in some places. Maybe an Australian wine, or one from New Zealand," he hoped as he read the labels of various bottles. He was speaking ex-rectum, of course. Grapes naturally have sulfites and nearly all wines add more as an anti-oxidizing preservative. Sulfite-free wines are not a regional phenomenon.
Santoku Liquor World has a large selection of French wines that don't impress me, and little else. However, they had a range of Japanese sulfite-free wines, the Wine Story (wain no monogatari) line. We picked up a bottle of white and one of red. But at 500 yen a bottle, I'm not sure I want to drink them.
We'll see how they are when we toast the Moms' arrival tomorrow afternoon.
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EXCERPT:
Final preparations for the motherly visitors
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL: hgeorge@rose.ocn.ne.jp
IP: 221.185.234.9
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/stellastarstruck
DATE: 10/31/2004 01:57:15 AM
Would "pressed decaf" coffee be acceptable to your mothers? I often get pressed decaf at Starbucks in Akita, Niigata and Sendai. I also buy the beans there and make it up at home.
If instant is okay, Nescafe makes a decaf kind...if not, you could maybe order some instant but made with drip bags from Brooks. They're a Japanese tea and coffee company. Their decaf brew is good.
I love coffee but I can't take the caffeine either. And no, I don't work for any of the above companies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 10/31/2004 05:11:03 AM
This must be a most enjoyable occassion to greet the two mamasans with their every desire. Don't show this to Mom! They're an hour late.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.185
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/31/2004 06:15:36 PM
I like coffee. And It was the first time to know decaf. Though during my visiting to America, I used to drink decaf, I thought it was not "coffee", it was completely differnt drink.
Anyway I seldome find out decaf in Japan.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko again
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.185
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/31/2004 06:17:47 PM
It is said "Kouyou" in this year is not so good, but this week "Kouyou" in NIKKOU is the best time. How about coming NIKKOU?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.94
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 11/02/2004 12:06:39 AM
Well? How was the wine?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barron
EMAIL: blog@takoyaki.org
IP: 66.179.169.1
URL: http://www.takoyaki.org
DATE: 11/03/2004 04:03:01 AM
Funny, we looked for decaf for a few days, and finally found some Nescafe. It was the middle bottle of a three-bottle gift set. I can't remember why we needed decaf... it was so long ago.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Okaasan-tachi Tour
BASENAME: okaasan-tachi_tour
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 10/31/2004 10:34:26 PM
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BODY:
We went out to Narita today to collect our mothers. We arrived shortly after their flight landed and headed to the meeting point outside Customs. An hour later, everyone else from their flight had come through. We started to worry.
"Maybe one of them fell ill on the plane and they went to the infirmary," I mused.
"Or they tried to smuggle something in..."
"Maybe your mother brought a plant," I laughed, remembering the Christmas that Jean mailed me narcissus in contravention of all known laws.
I scoured the arrivals area--they weren't in the smoking room, or near the currency exchange, or sitting on the benches. They were nowhere to be found. Eventually I was worried enough to call MJ to calm me down. Then I had them paged.
But when they didn't appear at the information counter after a few minutes, I walked back over to Tod. "You know," I began with the light of an idea beginning to dawn, "my dad left a cryptic comment on my weblog this morning. He said the flight was an hour late. But I checked and it wasn't late. Could he have meant they took a later flight?"
Sure enough, they arrived on the next flight from Chicago--an hour later than the first one. What a relief!
The Okaasan-tachi Tour begins tomorrow as soon as my mother's delayed suitcase is delivered.
Welcome to Japan!
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EXCERPT:
They're here!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 68.79.11.152
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 10/31/2004 11:32:53 PM
Aw! How cute! I hope they enjoy the Honorable Moms tour.
By the way, how awesome to see that button. Hee!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 10/31/2004 11:54:08 PM
Welcome to Japan Moms!!! I very much look forward to meeting you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.242.6
URL:
DATE: 11/01/2004 04:23:47 AM
Hi Moms! I can't wait to hear all about the adventures.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.57
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 11/01/2004 09:06:30 AM
Welcome to Japan. Please enjoy "Japan"!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 11/01/2004 09:11:23 AM
Have a great time, Moms!
Sorry I am too far away in Kyushu that I cannot see you all.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 11/01/2004 10:42:13 AM
Yah! They made it! Glad I was of some consolation (^^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/01/2004 05:14:37 PM
Hi Mum's.... welcome to Japan. Get those vocal chords prepped for Karoke..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Koshi
EMAIL:
IP: 157.82.46.165
URL:
DATE: 11/02/2004 11:56:33 AM
I got in trouble in a airport, too.(>-<)My mother,living in Kyusyu-Japan, came to Tokyo 2 months ago.Though I waited in front of the gate indicated by a electric bulletin board,she didn't come.When I confused,I was called from back.My mother was there.The gate was for the people receiving baggage.Mother didn't checked her baggage(It was small.)so she got through another gate!How embarrassing waiting people is!Maybe for you,me and many other people.
Have a nice tour with your mothers!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 218.218.57.60
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 11/02/2004 01:02:58 PM
How difficult airports are! Its amazing that we ever manage to catch people who are travelling at all!!!
Mums, welcome! Im looking forward to meeting you at Karaoke!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jim
EMAIL:
IP: 65.35.116.81
URL:
DATE: 11/07/2004 02:39:26 PM
awesome, that mom is a smart woman! KERRY EDWARDS 04!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: First words
BASENAME: first_words
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 11/01/2004 10:06:46 PM
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BODY:
Nanowrimo began today. My output as of this morning is kinda light. If I don't write more than 200 words a day, I'm not going to make 50,000 words by the end of the month.
But here is the first line, for those of you who are following along:
The doll-sized brass statue of Ganesha that she’d bought in Bangkok all those years ago wasn’t really the classic Indian elephant-headed god at all, but the head of Ganesha grafted onto the body of a dancing Vishnu.Do you have any idea where this is going? Neither do I. We'll see... ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: The first sentence I wrote for my nanowrimo novel. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: womble EMAIL: jlb@bur.st IP: 139.230.245.20 URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/ DATE: 11/01/2004 10:18:58 PM 'Ahoy up there. O, hoy a hoy ahoy I say! You! I profess I do not recall the invitation of your present self into my tree.' Such was the greeting I received, as I climbed into the old tree by the river. And so surprised, I almost fell. And in my surprised state, the greeting continued. Took the open mouth of my surprise and turned it into a racing car. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: DATE: 11/01/2004 10:37:04 PM Love you or hate you? I can't decide...will have to see where your next 49,930 words go. ( A lovely start, and I can't wait to read the rest, really) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Liz EMAIL: IP: 207.213.140.254 URL: DATE: 11/03/2004 01:53:39 PM Well if NaNoWriMo doesn't work out I think both of you could enter the Bulwer-Lytton contest. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: scott EMAIL: scott@iplusone.org IP: 210.142.29.125 URL: http://ipusone.org/blog DATE: 11/09/2004 09:12:03 AM I eagerly await the next sentence... ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Shadow porn BASENAME: shadow_porn STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 11/02/2004 09:22:06 PM ----- BODY: Suddenly the evening light seems richer. Shadows appear where none were a month ago. It's intriguing; my eyes are opened to the play of dark on light. I've been trying to capture the essence of them.
Still life with keitai
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Shadows are good at this time of year.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Elegant sufficiency
BASENAME: elegant_sufficiency
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 11/03/2004 11:09:24 PM
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BODY:
At dinner this evening we talked about dinner table phrases.
F.H.B. is McQuillin code for "family hold back" - a warning to the family that food was running low and guests should have second servings before the family.
M.I.K. offered the opposite message: more in kitchen.
But the phrase that got us all interested was "I've had an elegant sufficiency; any more would be a burden." It means you're full and don't want any more food.
It turns out that this isn't unique to grandmother Bobby McQuillin. It's from a poem called Spring written by James Thomson in the early 18th century:
An elegant sufficiency, content, Retirement, rural quiet, friendship, books, Ease and alternate labor, useful life, Progressive virtue, and approving Heaven; These are the matchless joys of virtuous love."An elegant sufficiency" has morphed into "my sufficiency is suffonsified." Eh? Explanation available at World Wide Words ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Dinner table conversation ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenny EMAIL: IP: 69.168.242.6 URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher DATE: 11/04/2004 01:25:56 AM Interesting. Code at the dinner table! Did you share "the breeze" with everyone? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: DATE: 11/04/2004 07:35:29 AM Oh, I forgot about "the breeze." Here's the story: When Jenn was maybe 7 years old, every time we sat down to dinner, she had to excuse herself to use the toilet. It was uncannily consistent. When Mom asked her why she didn't' go before she came to the table, she explained that she didn't have to go before, but the breeze from the dining room window made her want to go. After that, anytime we needed to excuse ourselves from the table, it was because "the breeze" got us. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 11/04/2004 01:41:52 PM the Northcott's are a group of A-types so there is lots of fighting for airtime. Our code is BTM (back to me) when somebody has gone off on a tangent of their own in the middle of one's story. but I prefer to use "elegant sufficiency" rather than "I'm full" - another reason that we are friends Kristen... isn't it funny how words strike a certain chord with people... this is one of those for me. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com IP: 218.218.57.60 URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 11/04/2004 11:36:43 PM In my family it was always 'elephant sufficiency'! But now i know where it came from! ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Childhood stories BASENAME: childhood_stories STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 11/04/2004 11:59:59 AM ----- BODY: A few months ago UltraBob's mother, UltraMom, shared some hilarious Bob stories with her readers. Ever since, Bob has been pestering other mothers to embarrass their children with childhood tales on his website. My mother is the first guest mom. Her story of The Red Rug is over on Dynamic Duo. Really getting into the spirit of this, Tod's mom had Maureen fax evidence from America, so check Dynamic Duo for more soon. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: I'm really not embarrassed at all. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenny EMAIL: IP: 69.168.242.6 URL: DATE: 11/05/2004 10:34:45 PM I read the story - one I love! Ha! I'll check back later. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: New banknotes BASENAME: new_banknotes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 11/05/2004 07:28:03 AM ----- BODY:
Japan's currency is probably the most valuable in the region and as a consequence, counterfeiting has gone up in recent years. The National Police Agency reported a 25-times increase in forgeries over the past five years. They expect to recover 30,000 fake bills this year.
So the Bank of Japan launched an anti-counterfeiting measure and released new banknotes on November 1st. I spotted one "in the wild" yesterday.
The 5,000 yen note features a new face, 19th century novelist Ichiyo Higuchi. She was a pioneer feminist writer. I haven't ever read her work, but I guess I ought to.
There are, of course, all sorts of new measures to foil counterfeiters and you can read about them on the Bank of Japan's About Money pages.
And so I don't forget in a few months when most of the old bills are gone, the old 5000 yen notes look like this:
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
New banknotes for Japan.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.92.239
URL:
DATE: 11/06/2004 12:22:34 AM
according to this nyt articel the reason behind the new bills
is a different one.
" The high cost suggests another agenda, which appears to be flushing out hidden money. The currency shift is an attempt to bring into the economy trillions of yen that Japan's elderly keep stashed at home.
"The trick in Japan is to unlock the mattress money, the futon money," Jesper Koll, chief economist for Merrill Lynch Japan, said. "In Japan, coins and notes account for about 15 percent of national income, which compares to 6 percent in Germany and 3 to 3.5 percent in America."
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/02/business/worldbusiness/02notes.html
but i really like the design, if you copy/paste&tile them in PS they make for pretty
cool gift wrapping paper, at least outside japan. for small stuff that is -din a3 is my printers limit.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 11/06/2004 07:30:34 AM
Doesn't the "out of the matress" strategy only work if they make the old notes invalid? They haven't--the old bills spend the same as the new ones and they haven't said there's a time limit on them.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 11/06/2004 07:32:11 AM
I saw a new 1,000 and a new 10,000 yesterday while we were out and about. They are getting them into circulation quickly!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hasedera Jizo
BASENAME: hasedera_jizo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/06/2004 02:40:58 PM
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BODY:
Jizo statues at Hasedera. 5 November 2004
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Statues of Jizo, who protects children's souls
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.25
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 11/06/2004 07:20:44 PM
KAMAKURA, isn't it?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.20
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 11/06/2004 08:32:26 PM
I love the statues, did you try to head butt any of the ones with red beanies? :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL:
DATE: 11/06/2004 08:44:13 PM
Quite impressive! How many statues are there? I noticed they are all not alke. The faces are different and the ears show some variation. Obviousy there were many sculptors involved.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/
DATE: 11/07/2004 06:56:35 AM
Yes, it's in Kamakura (Hase, actually)
There are hundreds of statues there. They are arranged in rows in garden in the temple grounds. There are four or five basic models and many are hand made. The faces are supposed to represent the different expressions of man. Jizo is the protector of children's souls and these have been purchased and placed by people concerned for the soul of an unborn child.
I didn't head-butt the red hatted Jizos because I knew Mom didn't have any cookies with her.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/08/2004 03:43:38 PM
I saw an interesting documentary about the women who knit said red beanies and make the bibs for the statues. It is a life-long hobby/obsession/compulsion for these women. Methinks it is a sign that there is not nearly enough counselling available for those who choose to terminate their pregnancies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: niji
EMAIL: niji@s3.occ.ne.jp
IP: 203.205.168.39
URL:
DATE: 11/13/2004 01:39:09 PM
in fact, hasedera is mostly concerned with souls of children who have been aborted.
hasedera is a very sad temple. very mysterious.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 11/14/2004 07:25:10 PM
Actually, Niji, the 1000 jizo are just one small part of the temple complex. There is a sutra library, a shrine and cave dedicated to Benten, a hall for Daikoku, a large Amida Buddha, and of course the famous 11-headed Kannon that's housed in the main temple.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Giveaways in Ginza
BASENAME: giveaways_in_ginza
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/07/2004 06:40:59 PM
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BODY:
At the southwest corner of the Ginza Nine shopping arcade is a open plaza under a roof. On weekends and holidays there are often long lines of people waiting to get freebies given away by various companies and promotion boards. Over the years, I've snagged mysterious juices, teas, and the occasional sweet.
Today, for the effort of standing in line for about three minutes, I received some literature about Japan's oranges and a trio of mikan stacked in a clear plastic container. A smiling Mikan Girl dressed in a Chanel-style orange suit with a matching hat and a white ribbon pageant banner handed them to all comers--so Mom, Tracey, and her parents got them, too. It wasn't quite as rewarding as mikangari, but the mikan are nearly as tasty.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Picking (up) mikan
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bad lessons
BASENAME: bad_lessons
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/08/2004 08:58:39 AM
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BODY:
Oh, no. Please, no. There are better mentors, Mr Koizumi.
Koizumi wants to learn from Bush how to cope with world criticism TOKYO — Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday he wants to learn from U.S. President George W Bush about how to endure global criticism in exerting leadership, fueling views that he is resolved to go along with Bush's policies on Iraq no matter what. "He is exerting leadership despite being criticized so much by the world and enduring massive criticism from the domestic media. That's something. I have to learn by watching it," Koizumi told reporters when asked for his view on Bush's leadership following his reelection. (Kyodo News via Japan Today)----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Please find a better mentor, Mr Koizumi. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: axel EMAIL: IP: 217.187.92.99 URL: DATE: 11/08/2004 04:03:33 PM maybe he should ask spains FORMER prime minister aznar what political harakiri feels like. doesn't bushi-do mean incidentally the way of the warrior in japanese? ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Glass BASENAME: glass STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 11/09/2004 09:39:37 PM ----- BODY:
Dalle de verre glass in the Symphonic Scultpure, Hakone Open Air Museum
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EXCERPT:
A close-up of a large and delightfully complex building/sculpture
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL: philhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.204.134
URL: http://www.grandfatherphilip.com
DATE: 11/10/2004 06:17:52 AM
This is not tradional leaded stained glass. It is also called slab glass and is quite thick. Originally it was laid in reinforced concrete in place of lead cames. Currently there are epoxy resins being used in place of concrete. There is some controversy involved naturally. This type of construction can be very dramatic!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Warning: children's stories
BASENAME: warning_childrens_stories
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 11/10/2004 11:10:15 AM
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BODY:
Now see! oh! see, what a dreadful thing
The fire has caught her apron-string;
Her apron burns, her arms, her hair;
She burns all over, everywhere.
from The Dreadful Story of Pauline and the Matches in Shockheaded Peter by Heinrich Hoffmann
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EXCERPT:
They don't write them like they used to
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 11/12/2004 11:46:54 AM
Strangely enough, this is exactly what happened to my Mom's mom. It was 1912 in rural northern New Mexico. She was 3 years old and wanted to help her mom. So she filled her apron with sticks. When she threw them into the woodstove, her apron caught fire, then her long skirts. She was burned over 70 percent of her body. She was in the hospital for nine months. They didn't have burn units in those days. The doctors suggested she should be put out of her misery. She wasn't, else I couldn't be writing this. She was the toughest, ornery-est, little old woman I've ever known. Here's a photo of her, 40 years later, with her dad--the Sheriff of Colfax County.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Let there be light
BASENAME: let_there_be_light
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/11/2004 07:44:41 PM
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BODY:
Devotional candles. Asakusa, Tokyo
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EXCERPT:
At Asakusa temple
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2004 01:15:19 AM
Another very nice photo. I discovered this site after Hunkabutta went back to Canada. It's quickly become my favorite Japan oriented blog. Thanks!
mike underscore rosenlof at yahoo dot com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Looking up
BASENAME: looking_up
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/11/2004 07:55:12 PM
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BODY:
Painted ceiling. Asakusa, Tokyo
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Buddah looks down
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tokyo goat
EMAIL: tokyogoat@gmail.com
IP: 210.174.3.172
URL: http://tokyogoat.blogspot.com/
DATE: 11/11/2004 08:03:55 PM
got one of that as well. hard to resist. yours is infinitely nicer however. good skillz. did you get one of the dragon as well??
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The embarrassing stories continue
BASENAME: the_embarrassing_stories_continue
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/12/2004 10:01:20 AM
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BODY:
Mom & Jean delight in posting stories about me and Tod on Dynamic Duo. Thanks, UltraBob for giving them such a memorable vacation activity. If you want to discover how utterly clever and cute Tod & I were as children, here are links to each of the stories thus far:
UltraFran:
The Red Rug
Resourceful
The Food Critic, chapter 1
UltraJean:
Tod's Early Computer Education
Sleepwalking and Elimination
Tod's Sister Checking In
The Construction Project
Native American Improv
The Moms return home today, but I have a feeling that they will continue the storytelling.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Mom & Jean delight in posting stories about me and Tod on Dynamic Duo
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liz
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2004 01:21:35 PM
Is it me or do the links not work?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.20
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 11/12/2004 02:45:22 PM
The links don't work for me either but I've been keeping up with them through UltraBob's blog.
The stories remind me of an article posted on The Onion last year, to paraphrase '30 yr old man horrified to discover Mom reads blog'.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 11/12/2004 04:07:09 PM
Oops, sorry. Links are fixed!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: NaNoWriMo report
BASENAME: nanowrimo_report
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 11/13/2004 05:04:20 PM
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BODY:
National Novel Writing Month is just about 13/30ths over. Today I topped 5,000 words of the 50,000 I'm scheduled to write. It seems like I'm really behind, but I effectively started yesterday, so I might still make it in time if I write just a tad more every day. 3000 words a day is my goal and that's hardly anything, really.
I'm posting my word count in at NaNoWriMo and you can check my progress.
The ideas are falling into place. I have a working title--Party Wedding Plan--and I'm enjoying the process of writing in bulk. It's bad writing but there is a lot of it coming out of my fingers.
Read on for the shortest chapter so far, a mere 420 words:
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EXTENDED BODY:
Room 628: changing outfits Robert was stretched out on the bed, watching CNN International. Kimberly was unpacking her clothes into the closet and dresser. “Kimmy, you know we have to change rooms in the morning.” “Yes, but my clothes will get more wrinkled if I don’t get them out of this suitcase.” Kimberly shook out a pale pink wool suit, then took a silky padded hanger from her suitcase and carefully clipped the skirt and draped the jacket over it. “Do you think I should wear this for meeting Mariko’s parents?” Robert didn’t even glance up from the TV. “I’m sure that will be fine, dear. Isn’t that what you planned to wear, after all?” Kimberly hung up the suit. “Well, yes, but now I’m having second thoughts. I mean, I don’t have the right shoes to wear with this, do I?” Kimberly sounded annoyed. “All I have are the Pumas I wore on the plane and the ankle boots I stuffed in my carry-on.” “I see your point,” Robert said mechanically. “Robert? Would you look over here a minute?” Kimberly was getting more annoyed. She stood stark naked in front of the bathroom door, holding up a blue silk shirt and a short sleeved cashmere sweater. “Which one do you think goes better with my black wool trousers?” Robert glanced over at Kimberly, then focused his attention on her naked form. This was the aspect of his young wife he liked to encounter. “I think the birthday suit suits you best,” he leered. “Robert…” Kimberly chided with a grin. “I mean it. Which one do you like better?” She displayed one top in front of herself, then the other. “Let me see the first one again. OK. Now the other one. Now that first one again, please.” Kimberly realized she was executing a fan dance for her husband. She gave in to his playfulness and vamped a bit more. Robert rose from the bed and met her across the room. “They’re both fine, really. I like the feel of the silk against your skin,” he said as he rubbed the silk across her breasts. “OK, blue then.” Kimberly pulled away from Robert’s embrace and backed into the bathroom. “I’m going to have a quick shower and then we can go down.” “I like going down,” Robert tried gamely, seeing his chance inexplicably evaporating. “Down to the coffee shop, I mean.” She closed the bathroom door, leaving Robert to wonder what he’d said or done to get himself shut out again.----- EXCERPT: A short chapter from the NaNoWriMo novel. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Flow BASENAME: flow STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing CATEGORY: Books and Writing DATE: 11/14/2004 11:27:56 PM ----- BODY:
Faucet in Hamarikyu park, Tokyo
Words are flowing out of my fingers quickly today but I've done little else of note. My NaNoWriMo word count stands at 10,639. Yeah, me.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Writing like water.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kate
EMAIL:
IP: 65.96.166.72
URL: http://weblog.masukomi.org
DATE: 11/15/2004 07:12:15 AM
You know that faucet would make a great wallpaper i think. I've got your rusting drum on mine now but I'm thinking it's time for something new.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Macadia
BASENAME: macadia
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/15/2004 11:04:23 AM
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BODY:
Tod spied this in the liquor shop the other day. "It's rosehip liquor," he said as I perused the wines. Sounded interesting so we picked up a bottle along with a bottle of more traditional chilean Pinot.
Macadia is tangy and sweet with a hint of spice. It drinks more like plum wine than a strong liquor. As it turns out, it's not just rosehips. It also contains maca, aka Peruvian ginseng. What an odd combination. I did some poking around and found Suntory's press release:
Suntory is to release healthy liqueur “Macadia” --Wine for “beauty” and “high spirit” with soaked maca and rose hip from Andes -- ...Recently, customers’ health consciousness has been on rise. In such a trend, Suntory has pursued the development of liqueur that uses healthy ingredients, by utilizing both product development on alcoholic beverage business and research development of healthy product business. Suntory then, has focused on “maca” and “rose hip” that contain vitamin, mineral, and amino acid and newly released healthy liqueur “Macadia” as a drink that can be enjoyed by women. It is particularly targeted to women who are highly interested in beauty and health, enabling them to enjoy alcohol and satisfy their health consciousness at the same time....On the Japanese site there is a Macadia column with beauty advice from a color analyst, an esthetician, and a nail artist. There are recipes for foods that pair with Macadia (watch for goya chijimi in this week's Recipe Thursday). And of course, the CM Library. There's only one, The Story of Maca and Rosehip. They're cats... ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: An unusual drink ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mieko EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp IP: 210.155.211.183 URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/ DATE: 11/16/2004 10:15:25 AM It's interesting. I have to go to a liquor shop nearby. And thank you for inroducing "CM libray". It' really helpful for me, because it is wriiten in Japanese. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Art Therapy BASENAME: art_therapy STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 11/16/2004 11:11:31 PM ----- BODY: A couple years back, I took an art class that focused on creative problem solving. It turned out to be a rather scary deep look into each students psyche. From the exercises we did--mainly drawing representations of problems, then redrawing them or adding solutions--it was possible to see inside the minds of the artists a little bit. I came away with some startling insights. So today when I was feeling sort of stuck and unfocussed, I decided to draw out one of my problems and see what I came up with. Although I didn't really find a solution, I did make a pretty picture:
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a picture of circles
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Voice Acting
BASENAME: voice_acting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/17/2004 11:37:31 PM
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BODY:
This week, I'm taking a voice acting workshop to improve my reading aloud. We've learned many techniques for breath control, projecting our voices from different parts of our body, dramatic uses of pitch, and building characters in various ways. These are all helpful and will certainly make a difference in my ability to interpret stories.
But something dangerous is happening. I'm rediscovering the tantalizing joys of acting.
Although I did theatre from high school (Nuremberg Community Players and the high school drama club), through university (Duquesne University Red Masquers) and my early married years (Upstairs Theatre), I was never so keen on acting--I enjoyed it immensely, but other actors were way better than me and I hated auditions. So I applied my meagre talents to technical theatre: costuming, lighting, props, set decoration and construction, stage management. I know my way around backstage in the dark.
This voice workshop is rekindling the excitement of stage work. I will have to be careful not to fall back into the theatrical world--too much theatre makes Kristen crazy.
I failed every course in my sophomore year of university because I spent too much time being a thespian. I quit a job once because they complained I took too much time off during productions.
Friends: do not let me audition or volunteer.
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Voice acting leads to other acting...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2004 01:33:22 AM
And I hear a big sucking sound coming from a small neighborhood in Tokyo. Careful, Kristen it's so alluring. ALthough I'm not scheduled to work the current show, I AM working the current show and I've only been home for a few days.
M
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 219.165.46.51
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2004 11:11:09 AM
Doing a short film may be a good cure. But hold on, Les Liaisons Dangereuses adapted by Christopher Hampton?!?!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL: gregm@inter.net
IP: 165.76.120.132
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2004 01:01:02 PM
I'm fascinated about the "projecting our voices from different parts of our body" section. You could probably make a lot more money from that compared to voiceovers. I didn't know that they could teach you these things. I can't wait for a demo. BTW, I am sure that you do indeed know your way around the stage, and that there are many who could use your help.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 202.215.15.125
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 11/18/2004 02:13:53 PM
Dammit, are you asking us to tie you up again?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tracey
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2004 05:38:28 PM
Just think how it will also impact your karaoke style!! :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2004 05:54:55 PM
K, a film is a good idea. It never seems to eat up the time like theatre. I wonder why not?
MJ, I was thinking handcuffs might work better than rope this time. :-)
Tracey, I have been basing my voices on the wobbly karaoke style I use now. Hadn't thought I could do it the other way around. ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Goya Chijimi
BASENAME: goya_chijimi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/18/2004 05:51:04 PM
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BODY:
Goya is the Okinawan name for a bitter gourd that's called "balsam pear" in English and niga-uri in Japanese. I've eaten it many times as "goya chanpuru, a scrambled egg dish, but found this recipe for goya chijimi on Suntory's Macadia site.
Goya Chijimi
serves 2
1/2 goya
1/2 mentaiko (spicy cod roe)
2 eggs
2/3 c flour
pinch salt
1/2 Tbsp oil
Slice the goya in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then slice into thin crescents. Separate the mentaiko. Mix the eggs, flour and salt in a bowl. Add the goya and mentaiko. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Divide the batter into four pancakes. Fry on both sides until golden brown.
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Korean egg pancakes with Okinawan bitter gourd
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.173
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 11/19/2004 08:46:59 AM
Do you like Goya?? I tried to cook several times. --- but I don't like GOYA very much.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko again
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.173
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 11/19/2004 08:48:42 AM
Can I put this recipe on my homepage (report page)?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: wulong
EMAIL: seriousbraincancer@yahoo.com
IP: 149.169.177.118
URL: http://eden.siuyue.li
DATE: 11/19/2004 08:51:54 AM
I think it's more colloquially known in American English as "bitter melon," at least on the left-coast of the U.S.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Uncluttering
BASENAME: uncluttering
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/19/2004 07:41:28 PM
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BODY:
Is your head cluttered with things you need to do? All those mental reminders - don't forget to pick up Sally's birthday present; ask Mr. Jones about that e-mail; prepare the invoices - important as they are, they all get in the way of your creativity.
When you unclutter your head, your creativity flows. But how to get rid of those mental To Do items?
My favorite way is to make a list. Write down everything that you need to do--short term and long term. Then let yourself forget them. It's not that you won't do them, but your list will be your memory and your brain can simply feel free to focus on other things.
And it's a quite pleasant high to cross things off the list!
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Taking all the To Do items out of your head lets your creativity flow.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ash
EMAIL:
IP: 211.29.1.37
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2004 01:12:45 PM
Im a big list man from way back. Always feel satisfied when the list is extracted from my head just waiting to have items are crossed off it!!!!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.94
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 11/23/2004 06:34:15 PM
Sounds like someone may have been reading Getting Things Done?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Googling for details
BASENAME: googling_for_details
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 11/20/2004 11:59:59 AM
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BODY:
While writing this silly novel of mine, I've fallen back in love with Google. Because I am short on general reference books in my library (though we do have quite a collection of O'Reilley titles and Japanese language primers), Google is where I turn for fact-checking.
Some of the tidbits of info I've tracked down quickly for the book:
Unexpected beauty in Kohinata, Tokyo
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EXCERPT:
Unexpected beauty
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mo
EMAIL:
IP: 80.176.136.197
URL:
DATE: 11/26/2004 08:07:27 AM
How about making that available as a Desktop Background as well? The tin drum has been my background ever since you posted it, thanks!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 3rd stage Purplitis
BASENAME: 3rd_stage_purplitis
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/23/2004 08:14:40 AM
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BODY:
Medical researchers discover terrifying purple scourge!
This is my head. Doesn't it look like something out of a medical textbook? I tried to dye my hair purple. Salon De Pro "Hair Manicure" didn't do much for the hair color, but look at the lovely tint of my scalp.
I will never dye my hair purple again
I will never dye my hair purple again
I will never dye my hair purple again
I will never dye my hair purple again
I will never dye my hair purple again
But I might try blonde...
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Oops, wrong.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.94
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 11/23/2004 06:31:24 PM
koolaid mix works brilliantly for that too. Don't add sugar though that has bad side effects.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.49.163
URL:
DATE: 11/23/2004 06:33:16 PM
you do know that in order to get your hair to take on colors
like purple green pink or blue you need to bleach it blond
first , if you are not a natural blond that is.
go to any hair dresser they should tell you the same.
i made the same mistake when i tryed to get a blue result.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 11/23/2004 07:20:31 PM
Actually, though my hairs been every shade from blonde to black, I've never dyed my hair any unnatural color before. I think when this purplish brown mess fades (3 weeks, according to the package, but I'm hoping the chlorine in the pool will hasten it along) I'll just go for a nice auburn, like I usually do.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 219.165.62.160
URL:
DATE: 11/23/2004 11:19:09 PM
I wonder if all those Goth guys and chicks in Harajuku with purple and pink and green hair start out with dying their hair blond? I didn't realize you had to put a lot of effort to actually achieve that look!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.12.21
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 11/24/2004 12:13:42 AM
Wow, Im looking forward to seeing this!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: eza
EMAIL: eric@abando.com
IP: 208.32.217.82
URL: http://eric.abando.com
DATE: 11/24/2004 02:34:35 AM
Long time lurker, first time commenter. Anyway, I've done odd things with my hair (corse asian black) and yes, bleaching is required for any sort of semi-permanent color change. I've used bleaching products for "professionals" from Sally's Beauty Supply shops, and left the bleach in for way over the recommended time frame (usually 2 hours) using more potent peroxides (usually 40 volume). But that usually gives me a nice blank slate. As a bonus, the bleach damaged hair takes colors very well.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 11/25/2004 02:04:15 AM
I wonder what that does to the brain?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 11/25/2004 02:48:34 PM
And oh yeah, you do have to bleach it out. The first time I did it I got it almost all the way to totally white. I liked that so much I kept it that way.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Resume
BASENAME: resume
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 0
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 11/23/2004 09:58:26 AM
-----
BODY:
statement on work
The whole point of work is to be productive and to enjoy it. I love jobs where at the end of a long, arduous day I can say Look what I did today. I made this.
When 'this' happens to be a well-crafted communication, whether it's a corporate newsletter, a video presentation, a feature article, a user's manual or a play, then I'm most content. But at various points in my career 'this' has also been a workshop, a class syllabus, or a swatch of handmade felt.
educationDuquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Masters' degree
coursework. 1996.
Pittsburgh Filmmakers'. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Coursework.
1996.
Pennsylvania Institute for Culinary Arts. Pittsburgh, PA. Coursework.
1991.
Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. B.S. 1988.
Videography and non-linear digital editing. Grammatically correct, engaging, written communication. Multimedia and web interface design. HTML, Front Page, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Image Ready, Fireworks, Premiere, After Effects, Quicktime, Toast, PageMaker, Authorware, ColdFusion, PHP.
employment summarySelf Employed. Freelance Writer, Videographer
and Web Designer. March 1996 to present.
Perot Systems Japan. Tokyo Test Centre. July
1998 to June 1999.
Perot Systems Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific Test Centres.
April 1998 to June 1998.
Duquesne University. Multimedia Consultant. October
1996 to January 1998.
Chicago Kent College of Law. Manager, Computing Services.
August 1995 to March 1996.
Duquesne University. Educational Computing Consultant.
July 1993 to June 1995.
Telerama Public Access Internet. Director, Telerama
School. March 1991 to May 1995.
Foxholly Studios. Graphic Designer and Copywriter. March
1991 to July 1994.
McCrerey Farm, Inc. Vice President. September 1992
to June 1995.
EMCO Foodservice Systems, Inc. Marketing Assistant.
August 1989 to February1991.
DigitalEve
Japan. International women's IT organization. Co-leader of
national chapter: February 2001 to May 2002. Technology Team Coordinator: February 2001-
present
Japan Webgrrls. Volunteer trainer, November 1999 to February 2001.
Annual Event Coordinator, July to October 2000.
View samples in my video portfolio.
Freelance Writer, Videographer and Web Designer
March 1996 to present
Noteworthy Projects and Publications
Perot Systems Japan
Tokyo, Japan. July 1998 to June 1999.
Tokyo Test Centre Manager
Perot Systems Asia-Pacific
Singapore. April 1998 - June 1998
Duquesne University
Center for Communication and Information Technology.
600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA. October 1996 to January 1998
Multimedia Consultant/Webmaster
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Center for Law and Computers.
565 W. Adams Street, Chicago, IL. August 1995 to March 1996
Manager, Computing Services
Duquesne University
Center for Communication and Information Technology.
600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA. July 1993 to June 1995
Educational Computing Consultant
Multimedia Project Manager/Designer
Telerama Public Access Internet.
301 Shiloh Street, Pittsburgh, PA. March 1991 to May 1995
Director, Telerama School.
Foxholly Studios.
25 Dilworth Street, Pittsburgh, PA. March 1991 to July 1994
Graphic Designer and Copywriter.
McCrerey Farm, Inc.
Claysville, PA. September 1992 to June 1995
EMCO Foodservice Systems, Inc.
1910 Cochran Road, Pittsburgh, PA. August 1989 to February 1991
Marketing Assistant
WritingClips from Hello Tokyo November 2003
title sequence
Hello Tokyo
0'46" .mov (6.2 MB)
chapter 1
Figuring Out a Few Words
1'58" .mp4 (1.2 MB)
chapter 4
Entertainment
1'12" .mp4 (923 KB)TICAD Opening October 2004. (2.2 MB MP4) duration 0'22"
Opening sequence for a World Bank speech (cut)Andy July 2004. (1.2 MB MP4) duration 0'34"
A clip edited for a Nike marketing research projectLet's Make Ume Shu May 2004. (29.7 MB MP4) duration 4'38"
How-to make Japanese plum wine9F, East Tower January 2002. (76 MB Quicktime) duration 5'25"
Perot Systems Japan reviews 2001 and previews the coming year's goals.What is e-commerce? May 2000. (5 MB Quicktime) duration 0'30"
This clip is the opening sequence to a 15 minute educational video for UBS Warburg Japan.31 May 2000. (98 MB Quicktime) duration 6'03"
This is a personal project, capturing a day's events and filmed on my husband's birthday.Perot 1999 January 2000. (78 MB Quicktime) duration 5'45"
An end-of-year celebratory video premiered at Perot Systems Japan's annual party.WriteHire (336 KB RealMedia, 312 KB RealMedia) duration 0'30"
Two 30 second promos for a freelance writers' job service.Househunting in Tokyo (16 MB Quicktime) duration 1'00"
Setting to music the frustrating and complex experience of househunting
WebFeature articles
Managing Designer Expectations Todeco
The Parent Trap Tokyo Classified
The Hunt is On Tokyo Classified
Get a Move On Tokyo Classified
Robotops MetropolisTravel pieces
Niijima: Exiled to an Island in Tokyo Tokyo Classified
Meguro River Walk Tokyo ClassifiedTechnical writing
HTML workshop
Wire Tap Metropolis
----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Lists and Visions BASENAME: lists_and_visions STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net CATEGORY: On the Net DATE: 11/24/2004 09:18:30 AM ----- BODY: I've been playing with a few nifty things lately that I thought might be worth sharing. Two of them are cool tools for my iSight.Wireless Watch Japan site development using PHP-Nuke
Foreign Correspondent's Club of Japan site architecture and project management
Kristin Newton, glass artist site design and implementation, including Flash
Right Brain Research site design and implementation, including mailing list and weblog
Wordpainting site design and implementation; content coordination
Delicious Library ($40) turns the iSight into a bar code scanner, allowing you to inventory your collection of books, CDs, games and videos. It looks up the details in Amazon's database and shows you cover art. A related tool, DeliciousExporter (free), allows you to generate web pages from the information.
Here's my library in progress--I need to rework those ugly templates and finish scanning the books. We have a lot of old books, too, so I need to do something about the cover art for them. If you hold your mouse over the blank covers, you can find out what the books are. Tod's offered to do the CDs.
iGlasses ($8)is very super handy for controlling the iSight. It gives you access to the video adjustments of you camera in iChatAV. There are a few presets for dark conditions, including a freaky green "night vision" mode. Some options are just plain silly, like upside down and a rotation through the spectrum that makes you look like you're in the disco. I use the sepia and black/white presets.
The best thing about iGlasses is you can make your own adjustments and save them. So now I don't look quite so magenta when I'm chatting with friends.
43 Things invites you to build a list of things you want to do with your life, either by clicking on one of the random items you see listed, or by typing in one of your own (it will be added to the pool). It is strangely compelling to read all the things people want to do--from "buy curtains" to "travel to all 7 continents" This is my list: 2164
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Three things floating around out there.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew
EMAIL: wheresdrew@nospamthankyou.gmail.com
IP: 221.150.130.226
URL: http://www.wheresdrew.com
DATE: 11/28/2004 12:11:25 PM
Delicious Library looks great! One thing seems to be missing, though. When I looked at your exported library, it feels like clicking a book should take me to the Amazon.com page for that title, but it doesn't. I wonder why this isn't a part of DL? It can find the link on Amazon from the barcode and grab the cover and other info, so why not embed the link in an exported library?
(Still, it is a pretty cool app.)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tangy Cranberry Sauce
BASENAME: tangy_cranberry_sauce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/25/2004 09:28:33 PM
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BODY:
I love cranberries but I'm not so crazy about very sweet sauces for meats. So this low-sugar cranberry sauce is just the thing. Best if made a day or two ahead so that the flavors can blend.
Tangy Cranberry Sauce
makes about 2 cups
350 g (12 oz) fresh whole cranberries
1/4 c sugar
3 mikan (mandarin oranges)
1/4 c water
Wash the cranberries and remove any mushy ones. Put the cranberries, water and sugar together in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 6 minutes, until the cranberries are all split open. Juice the mikan and add the juice to the pot. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a blender or food processor, or with a handheld blender or food mill, puree the berries, allowing a few lumps for texture. Chill overnight or up to three days.
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A holiday classic with better flavor than canned
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: One Creative Accomplishment
BASENAME: one_creative_accomplishment
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/26/2004 10:05:50 AM
-----
BODY:
After you wrote out that list from last week's column, didn't you feel better? Lighter? I know I did. But there's a long list on my desk now! I've crossed off many of the mundane chores, but the creative To Do items get pushed aside somehow.
Well, let's do one today. Accomplish something creative you can cross off the list. Pick something you can get finished today. For my creative task, I've edited photos to make the desktop backgrounds and screen-savers that some of my regular readers have requested.
So here they are, with several bonus images because I was having fun!
Faucet
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Hakone Glass A
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Hakone Glass B
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Hakone Glass C
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Jizo
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
|
Rowboats
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Shrine Candle
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Shrine Water
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Slag Brick with Clover
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
Train Tracks
1024 x 768 JPG
1280 x 1024 JPG
1280 x 854 (15" Powerbook) JPG
2560 x 1600 (30" Cinema Display) JPG
|
Icon on a bottle of Spanish wine
What an odd diagram to put on a bottle of wine. We had all sorts of ideas about what it represents, not all of them fit for the dinner table. Then we tasted the wine (spoiled by improper storage) and decided that it indicated "pour directly down drain."
What do you think it means? Is this a standard symbol in Spain or the EU?
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Mystery icon
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gabriel
EMAIL:
IP: 81.168.83.100
URL:
DATE: 11/28/2004 09:49:52 AM
Probably means "Please recycle". Spain (and a few other countries) have big recycle bins with a round holes where you drop the bottles you have for recycling.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Greg
EMAIL: gregm@inter.net
IP: 165.76.165.30
URL:
DATE: 11/28/2004 11:55:30 AM
There are lots of regulations to increase recycling in the EU. All require labelling, but they are not consistent across countries or industries. Sometimes bottles are refillable, or the bottle is only suitable for recycling. But without comparison to the other symbols used, I am not certain. My guess is that this glass bottle is to be thrown away, i.e. the glass will be recycled, but the bottle will not be refilled.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 11/28/2004 10:28:53 PM
The drawing depicts a left hand holding the bottle neck down over some kind of receptacle. Not a very good visual symbol!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.48.74
URL:
DATE: 11/29/2004 12:21:34 AM
"Is this a standard symbol in Spain or the EU?"
no it isn't, i've never seen this before and i've lived
the better part of my life in EU countries .
it has nothing to do with recycling,
maybe the labeling was done especially to satisfy
a japanese importer.
to me it looks like a stylized map of the rivers in a certain
growing region in spain.
let us know if you find out .
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Redgoblin
EMAIL:
IP: 80.189.23.97
URL: http://www.livejournal.com/users/redgoblin/
DATE: 11/29/2004 02:42:21 AM
Well gathering from your statement about how vile this actual wine was, I would guess that the symbol means you can use the beverage to fill your car up with?
It's just my guess
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gabriel
EMAIL:
IP: 81.168.83.100
URL:
DATE: 11/29/2004 02:54:21 AM
"to me it looks like a stylized map of the rivers in a certain growing region in spain."
axel: care to share some of the stuff you're smoking?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.93.151
URL:
DATE: 11/29/2004 05:05:15 PM
"axel: care to share some of the stuff you're smoking?"
sorry digital thc is still early beta. );-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ppmaldinn
EMAIL: ppmaldini@hotmail.com
IP: 62.194.163.17
URL:
DATE: 12/04/2004 05:29:57 PM
yes it has everything to do with recycling. In Holland, where I live, there is a glassbin near every supermarket. The bin has seperate holes for white, green and brown glass and ther are also bins for old paper, tin, clothes, shoes
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Togo Shrine flea market
BASENAME: togo_shrine_flea_market
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/28/2004 08:50:31 PM
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BODY:
Looking for old fabrics in Harajuku.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
On the last Sunday of the month.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ｍｉｅｋｏ
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.81
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 11/29/2004 08:50:26 AM
I also like to find used old KIMONO and love browing flea market.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 11/29/2004 12:59:43 PM
Thats a pretty one you have there! Those Y1000 were a bargain,ne!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Annual Xmas Rant
BASENAME: annual_xmas_rant
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/29/2004 08:21:50 PM
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BODY:
I cannot easily express how much Christmas irritates me.
I enjoy giving. I like fruitcake. The scent of evergreen boughs and bayberry candles is delightful. Choirs singing traditional and religious carols please me.
But I despise shopping. I don't like the expectations, the pressure, the greed. It turns me cold. However, like rubbernecking at a traffic accident, I'm compelled to examine the depths to which consumers are sinking this year. Here's what I've found:
Target.com has gift ideas for your Hairdresser. Marcasite earrings; that's what every hairdresser wants. Or for Teacher, some "dessert excuse" plates with cute drawings of cakes and phrases like "just a sliver, please."
Wrong, wrong, wrong. If you feel generous this season, give your hairdresser an extra-big tip and your teacher a gift certificate for books or school supplies.
Maybe I'm just utterly unsentimental, but don't you think you could do better for your mother than a personalised "#1 Mom" picture frame from Wal-Mart? Surely mom has some personal interests beyond the circumstance of motherhood.
What about Dad? Pretty much every web-based shopping guide thinks dad wants an MP3 player this year. Tod suggests a bottle of booze instead.
The "Teens and Tweens" on your shopping list may be a bit of a challenge, but I was shocked (and you know that's not easy to do) by Christmas-Guide.com's suggestion of ammo as an "outdoorsy" gift for teens. Nothing says Christmas like a stocking full of hollow point cartridges.
Enough. I will turn away from this accident that is "the holiday season" and focus on the way ahead: a new year, a new leaf and all that malarky.
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EXCERPT:
Sing we now in merry measure
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 11/29/2004 09:46:44 PM
I pity teachers for all the crap they get - tissue boxes with apples on them, apple scented hand lotion, plaques with cutesy phrases (and apples!) on them.
I don't consider motherhood a circumstance, but I don't want the #1 photo frame either.
I'll make some gifts this year, make the cards and burn the yummy scented (not apple) candles.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Andy
EMAIL:
IP: 219.37.128.61
URL: http://www.japanwindow.com
DATE: 11/29/2004 11:21:43 PM
Very funny collage to make your point. :) Now that you've got that out of your system, try to enjoy the parts you like and avoid the malls.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 219.161.217.206
URL:
DATE: 11/30/2004 12:53:08 AM
I wonder which is more outrageous, a pack of hollow points as a gift or using religious holiday as excuse to make a reservation for a room in Love Hotel?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 12/03/2004 06:22:38 AM
I'm not irritated by Christmas itself, but what the US (and probably worldwide) retail industry has done to Christmas is outrageous. It does make me not look forward to the holiday. Humbug to them.
mike underscore rosenlof at yahoo dot com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: crumugon
EMAIL:
IP: 219.198.96.72
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2004 01:41:01 AM
Here you are ranting about consumerism as well as indirectly in your post about desiging your own religion but on this page
http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/archives/008601.html
you're selling stuff. Is there are joke here I'm not getting?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: prepaid-card
EMAIL: dolly@vita.net
IP: 64.237.52.66
URL: http://prepaid-credit-card.maddsites.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 06:41:03 AM
I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to create this internet website. It has been extremely helpful
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hardest Writing Ever
BASENAME: hardest_writing_ever
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/30/2004 06:31:13 PM
-----
BODY:
I think I just wrote the most difficult hundred words ever.
MJ's mother passed away from a sudden and mysterious illness this afternoon. MJ telephoned from Adelaide to tell me.
At her request, I updated Cerebral Soup with a notice to her constant readers. How do you relate such tragic news to an unknown and invisible audience of near-strangers? Though I did my best, it didn't even approach adequate.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Bad news is hard to spread.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 11/30/2004 08:05:53 PM
You did an elegant job.
I'm so sorry for MJ and her family.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Andrew
EMAIL: tokyogoat@gmail.com
IP: 219.98.193.171
URL:
DATE: 11/30/2004 08:46:47 PM
there's no good way to do these kinds of things.
thanks for letting us know.
Andrew
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 11/30/2004 11:52:59 PM
I was just thinking of MJ and now my heart hurts for her. Your post on Cerebral Soup was more than adequate. There really are no perfect words but most any kind words from friends help.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 220.97.133.123
URL:
DATE: 11/30/2004 11:59:12 PM
The best writing is the honest writing. Thanks for informing us.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 211.2.219.101
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 12/01/2004 05:32:51 PM
Agreed. You did a great job. There's no easy way to say this kind of thing.
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tinker Seeks Employer
BASENAME: tinker_seeks_employer
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/01/2004 10:07:32 AM
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BODY:
It's time for a change of perspective in my work. I love the freedom of freelancing, but there is a certain appeal in a steady paycheck and a cadre of colorful colleagues.
So I'm looking for full-time work in corporate communications. I'd love a position that involved a variety of tasks - video production and editing, writing, layout, visuals. Tinkering media for The Man.
My portfolio reel is online. My resume is up-to-date. If you hear of anything interesting in Tokyo, please let me know.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Evaluating CMS
BASENAME: evaluating_cms
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 12/01/2004 09:41:35 PM
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BODY:
Content management systems are a necessary part of website development for most organizations. They provide a platform for consistent design, interactive tools and, as the name implies, managing content of the site. They make it easy for non-technical people to contribute to a website.
But for me, a semi-skilled web worker, choosing the right CMS is a challenge. CMS Matrix can help to narrow the field of options to just the CMS that have your required features, but a checklist isn't enough to make a decision.
You really have to try them out.
I already have good knowledge of Xoops, PHPNuke and Movable Type. But none of these is right for the project I'm working on now, redeveloping the FCCJ website to make it easier for staff and club members to contribute to the site.
So I've been experimenting. Today I ruled out TYPO3. Although it was relatively easy to install and offered a good range of handy modules, the template system is horrid and the user interface for infrequent contributors is entirely too complex.
So now I'm playing with DruPal. Then I'll try out Expression Engine & WebGUI. I may have a look at WordPress, too. In a few weeks' time, I will have a good knowledge of quite a few of the free and low-cost CMSes.
And in the end, I have a feeling I'm going to cobble the site together with a bunch of mismatched pieces and a lot of SHTML.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Checking out a long list of CMS
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 221.114.211.219
URL: http://www.tokyoartbeat.com
DATE: 12/02/2004 12:26:16 AM
Raphael ( http://www.petitbourgeois.com ), my French friend from Amsterdam you met last year at a meetup wrote a CMS that's on SourceForge. It's called Pointcomma ( http://www.phase4.net/pointcomma ). Maybe it will fit your needs... I know that they ( http://www.splandigo.nl ) just finished a small website for a Tennis Club ( http://www.vormer.nl ) using it, the requirements were very similar to yours. You might want to chek it out. Don't hesitate to contact him.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Edmond Hui
EMAIL:
IP: 47.248.0.41
URL: http://edmondhui.homeip.net/blog/
DATE: 12/02/2004 03:10:54 AM
Hey, have you look at Nucleus CMS @ http://nucleuscms.org/ ? or the feature rich spinoff Blog:CMS (http://blogcms.com/)?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nathan
EMAIL: nate@insorb.net
IP: 70.112.220.83
URL: http://www.progressdesigngroup.com
DATE: 12/08/2004 11:20:20 AM
You might also look into Plone if you haven't already - www.plone.org
I find it takes a little getting used to when setting it up for the first time...but it's very fast, well organized, full featured, and extremely scalable. The more I use it the more addicted I get.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sean
EMAIL: sean@datamage.net
IP: 198.54.202.242
URL: http://informage.net
DATE: 12/12/2004 10:03:28 AM
I'll second the Plone suggestion. I seem to remember some debates over the worthiness of Python with you and Tod, but Plone is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to completeness and ease of use for the end-user (there's a bit of a steep curve for the admin, but it's worth it). I've just set up a new website for our network http://www.pioneersofchange.net and it's been a revelation for some very un-techy people to feel empowered to update the site.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mac
EMAIL:
IP: 4.239.57.55
URL: http://www.clubmedia.com
DATE: 12/17/2004 07:52:25 AM
very cool, i have a big list of different CMS systems here http://www.clubmedia.com/pages/weblog_software.php
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rick
EMAIL: megaijin@gmail.com
IP: 218.139.146.83
URL: http://megaijin.squarespace.com
DATE: 12/17/2004 11:32:10 AM
Hmm... I didn't see anyone throw out the name of the CMS that I use. I like it, I use it, it's great! so check out http://squarespace.com if you'd like.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Derek K. Miller
EMAIL: dkmiller@pobox.com
IP: 209.121.230.71
URL: http://www.penmachine.com/
DATE: 12/18/2004 01:13:29 AM
Jeffrey Veen has an excellent commentary on CMSs (open-source particularly, but also more generally) that covers some of the frustrations you have:
http://www.adaptivepath.com/publications/essays/archives/000365.php
http://www.veen.com/jeff/archives/000622.html
I've been working with one system he doesn't mention, Sitellite (http://www.sitellite.org). Once you get it running, it's actually very powerful and easy to use, but installation, configuration, and templating using it it require serious Linux/Unix geek qualifications, which is unfortunate. Especially since I don't have those qualifications, and had to ask for a lot of help.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tiffany
EMAIL:
IP: 128.61.161.94
URL: http://www.tiffanybbrown.com/
DATE: 12/22/2004 12:10:52 AM
I've used Drupal and WordPress. WordPress wins hands-down for ease of configuration. If you need something simple to use, simple to administer, and fairly simple to hack, go for WP. It supports multiple authors -- either self-registered, or admin created. There are a couple of bugs in 1.2.1, though. 1.2.2 might have ironed them out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: 808blogger
EMAIL:
IP: 66.91.22.5
URL: http://blog.evogts.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 06:50:23 PM
I love DRUPAL
however REALLY take a look at MAMBO OPEN SOURCE....
I also like it alow
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: V
EMAIL:
IP: 137.82.97.6
URL: http://www.mamboserver.com
DATE: 12/24/2004 04:44:29 AM
Check out mambo.. I've found it very easy to set up and configure and there are alot of 3rd party modules and plugins for it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chocolate Coated Chocolate Cake
BASENAME: chocolate_coated_chocolate_cake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/02/2004 11:59:59 PM
-----
BODY:
This isn't just chocolate cake, it's flourless chocolate cake. And it's not just flourless chocolate cake, it's the cake you will compare all other cakes to. After you have this cake, all other cakes (chocolate and otherwise) will pale in comparison. So bake at your own risk.
This is adapted from an Epicurious recipe. It is one of the few recipes in which I will specify brands, but the chocolate matters.
Chocolate Coated Chocolate Cake
serves 1-20 depending on the people
5 100 gram Lindt Excellence 70% Coaco bars
3 75 gram Cote d'Or "Noir et Noir" chocolate bars
3/4 c butter
6 eggs
12 Tblsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c cream
1/2 c corn syrup
Break 4 Lindt bars into pieces. Chop butter into pieces. Melt them together over low heat, stirring frequently. Allow to cool to lukewarm.
Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with 6 Tbsp sugar until light and frothy. Add vanilla. Spoon in the melted chocolate and stir until smoothly incorporated.
Whip the egg whites into medium peaks, adding remaining sugar (6 Tblsp) gradually. Fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into a greased spring-form or loose bottomed cake pan. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with crumbs.
Alow the cake to cool; it will fall a bit. Release sides of the pan, flatten the cake to a consistent thickness, and invert onto a serving plate.
Chocolate coating:
Chop remaining chocolate (1 Lindt bar and three Cote d'Or bars) finely. Simmer cream and corn syrup. Remove from heat. add chocolate and stir until it melts.
Spread the top and sides of the cake with about half the coating. Freeze cake for ten minutes to set the glaze, then coat with the rest of the chocolate. It's thick and makes nice swirls.
Allow to chilled for about 2 hours. Serve at room temperature.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Psychoactive chocolate cake.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Wendy
EMAIL: wendy.taunton2@verizon.net
IP: 4.5.30.247
URL: http://onthegomom.com
DATE: 12/04/2004 04:53:44 PM
This sounds so yummy. Just one question.....where in the world would I find this chocolate?!?!?!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.34
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 12/05/2004 04:45:15 PM
At last December came. How many times am I going to bake cake in this month and next month?? for some Christmas parties with my students, friends, family, and for the birthdays of my dauther, and myself.
I'll try to bake this cake. Thak you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennie
EMAIL: jenniewoo@gmail.com
IP: 24.81.141.12
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2004 11:46:54 AM
Wendy: Lindt dark cocoa bars are available in pretty much any drugstore or supermarket (I'm sure Fred Meyer has them). I found the Cote d'Or bar here: http://www.lepicerie.com/customer/home.php?cat=255
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/13/2004 11:39:44 AM
very nice when served with a berry coulis.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Splash in Gulf St. Vincent
BASENAME: splash_in_gulf_st_vincent
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/04/2004 05:51:27 PM
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BODY:
MJ & I pelted down Glenelg beach into the surf until we were knee deep in ocean water, clothes wet, giggling. Sharks be damned.
The funeral is on Monday morning; we'll drive to Mum's beach house in Elleston to scatter her ashes on Tuesday. Things are as good as you could expect. I'm glad I'm here.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
4400 miles + 1000 miles = Adelaide
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 12/04/2004 08:48:48 PM
I'm glad you're there too.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.196.24.96
URL:
DATE: 12/04/2004 09:26:20 PM
I am glad you are there too. Splashing in the ocean.. I forget that it is summer where you are. Safe travels my friend.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2004 12:04:02 AM
Me, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 12/05/2004 10:35:43 AM
I 4th the motion
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lesbian Coffee Walk
BASENAME: lesbian_coffee_walk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/05/2004 08:10:12 AM
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BODY:
Adelaide is full of rednecks.
At midnight, MJ was feeling upset and in need of a walk. We went out to find a coffee shop in Glenelg--the seaside resort area of Adelaide. There were dressed-up couples and groups of youthful friends walking the street, tiddly and having fun.
MJ started to cry and we sat for a while on a bench. I put an arm around her and held her hand. Passersby looked at us curiously. We didn't fit the mood of their evening. When she was calmer, we continued our walk, hand in hand.
There were no coffee shops open at midnight.
But we did find shocking provincial homophobia. At first, I noticed just a gesture: a dark-headed woman hung her head out the passenger window of a passing car and gave us a "hang loose" chaka. OK, whatever.
Then I started to hear people. "Lesbos!" Mutterings as we passed by. "Lesbians, go home." "Gay girls!"
Two men in a white hatchback threatened to beat us to death.
When some drunken kids on a hotel balcony demanded "Kiss! Kiss!" MJ ripped into them and they backed down.
We giggled all the way back to the hotel.
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EXCERPT:
Assumptions are dangerous
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 12/13/2004 11:32:30 AM
Yep, it is. Lots of small minded people who think they know everything in a city just small enough for many to think they have a stake in everyone else's business.
Thats not *all* it is of course, but there are times when big city anonymity/invisibility, and the reserve of Japanese people, are really appreciated.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: In Transit
BASENAME: in_transit
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/09/2004 05:52:51 AM
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BODY:
MJ & I are holed up at the Adelaide Hyatt on North Terrace, whiling away the day between flights by luxuriating in hot baths, fluffy white robes, room service and a good long swim. (Sorry for next month's credit card bill, darling Tod.)
For those keeping track, we'll be back in Tokyo on Friday morning at 6 am. I'm anxious to get back, as is MJ. We miss you all.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Adelaide - Sydney - Tokyo
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/09/2004 11:00:25 PM
Hope all is well with your flight. See you tomorrow. I am really missing you both too...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.13.142
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 12/10/2004 12:00:08 AM
Me too! Damn, i used to work there, i used to clean the rooms! Dont drink out of the cups or glasses unless you have washed them first!!!! Trust me on this one! Too bad Ash no longer works in the Atrium bar, he could have make you service cocktails all night... Ill see you after 1:30 @ yours. Cant wait to see you!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2004 02:49:35 PM
No I am intrigued.. what is the story with the cups or glasses in hotels? I am still fighting this damn cold and now I wonder if the hotel glasses in the UK had something to do with it...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kangaroo hopping
BASENAME: kangaroo_hopping
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/10/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Ah, blessed terra firma, we're back! Australia did not want MJ to leave; it took three days of travel to get home. It was a minor trial of changed plans, delayed flights, and missed connections.
We hopped across the country: Port Lincoln to Adelaide to Sydney to Cairns to Tokyo. We tallied how far we've travelled this past week. Including car travel, we went just about 19,000 kilometers. That's 11,800 miles.
And at the end of our journey, all of our friends were waiting for MJ. Flowers, condolences, food, wine, lots of hugging packed into my living room. Thanks to everyone who came, waited so long for us to arrive, and offered MJ their support.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Finally home again.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Value of Friends
BASENAME: value_of_friends
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/11/2004 09:55:27 PM
-----
BODY:
MJ & I spent a lot of time last week talking about our extended family of friends in Japan. I think few flesh-and-blood families are as close as we are. Blood relations are irreplacable, important, and wonderful, but the family you build yourself is better in many ways.
I have friends I can count on in any predicament--different people for different situations--which I certainly did not have ten years ago in the US. I have one real sister, but enjoy sisterhood with half dozen terrific women in Tokyo. When I need jars opened, servers rejigged, or a shoulder to cry on, I turn to a handful of strong, insightful, and sympathetic men.
And my circle knows (I hope) that they can come to me for support whenever they like.
Is it the circumstance of living apart from our homeland that binds us together, or do people in their middle thirties all develop stronger networks of friends?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Can't put a price on them.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.89
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 12/12/2004 08:18:46 AM
I have two little brothers and they live in the different prefecture. It has been more than 20 years sicne we moved here. I'm supported by many people who are not relations.-- anyway until now my husband is the best friend. (he was my classmates at university).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: dandyism@hellokitty.com
IP: 221.251.182.98
URL:
DATE: 12/12/2004 03:23:27 PM
Hurray for surrogate families! I agree; the friends I have in Tokyo are some of the best friends I've ever had. But I didn't even think to attribute it to age until you posed that last question.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Wendy
EMAIL: wendy.taunton2@verizon.net
IP: 4.5.30.247
URL: http://onthegomom.com
DATE: 12/12/2004 04:20:44 PM
I think you are so right about this. I grew up in Okinawa and I am so extremely close with everyone who graduated within 5 years of me on both ends (1984). We have organized gatherings every 2-years some where different within the United States.
My husband grew up and went to school with the group of kids and he does not keep in touch with one single student. They didn't even have a 20-year high school reunion.
The friends that I made in Okinawa are my closest friends. Still to this day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 12/13/2004 11:36:57 AM
I think being here and away from the regular support is part of it, and yeah, how that you mention it, the age thing is important too not just because we have had time to consolidate the networks and learn about who works well with us and who doesnt, but also to learn the value of the network.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liz
EMAIL:
IP: 207.213.140.254
URL:
DATE: 12/19/2004 02:15:27 PM
So sorry to hear you didn't feel you had friends you could count on ten years ago. I'm glad Tokyo has worked out better for you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2004 09:45:31 AM
Hope I am one of your friends you can rely on.
Even living in your native country, friends you make as a fully growup women are something special. May be it is simply the rule of the give and take. The more you have to give, the more you get from your friends.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 159.153.138.53
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 07:58:27 AM
It think it is a combination of things you've listed - age and location. I think as we get older we find the need for friends more as life throws more and more difficult challenges and successes our way. We naturally tend to gravitate towards people who we can relate to easily and find insight with or simply enjoy. In the case of living abroad, foreigners can easily spot each other and generally immediately have things to talk about and bring them together. After that, it's a combination of effort and time to discover each other a bit. I'm now 40 (OMG!!) and although my 'newer' friends are really important, there are those I don't have to explain my history to and between the two, it provides a great balance.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Improving Wine by Decanting
BASENAME: improving_wine_by_decanting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 12/12/2004 08:22:57 PM
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BODY:
Decanting equipment (photo by Tod)
We had a disappointing run of wines at a recent party. There were a few bottles that were drinkable but not enjoyable. Too young. Too harsh.
One of the revelers taught us about decanting wine. I thought decanting was a process reserved for old wines full of sediment, but the aeration makes a huge difference in the flavor of the wine.
So how do you do it? It's easy and you don't even need a special decanter.
Roo Roo and me. Elliston, South Australia
This kangaroo doe lives on the edge of Elliston. She was bottle-fed by a family who found her after her mother was shot. 18 months old, she spends most of her time in the bush, but comes home for a snack of milk and popcorn every day.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I petted a kangaroo
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 12/13/2004 11:09:53 PM
Aw, how cute. I see you've exchanged the purple hair for red. Good choice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 12/14/2004 02:27:24 AM
aw... so cute! must be pretty domesticated since it was raised by humans. did you get any more pictures? i like the new hair color. very bright!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.33
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 12/14/2004 09:01:53 AM
Woo!! cute, cute, cute.
Well, if you don't mind please tell me about spcied coffee (I found a recip, but I'm not sure how to make it). when you are free, please drop by my diary on Monday.
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Book of Days
BASENAME: book_of_days
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 12/14/2004 07:04:00 PM
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BODY:
I hope my sister won't be too put out if I mention the publication of her third book of poetry, Book of Days.
The official introduction to the book on the FootHills Publishing's website mentions her previous poetic and playwriting accomplishments, but fails to tell of the seed of her poetry--a teenaged girl who spent her summers taking photographs of leaves and branches, roll after roll of film shot into the trees of our woodland neighborhood. It neglects to describe how poetry lives in her. She wakes every morning at the ungodly hour of 5 am to write in her journal (on paper with a pen, no less) before sending her daughter off to school and herself off to teach poetry to schoolchildren.
It is an unfair omission. Fortunately, Jenn's poem Omission does not miss the mark.
Omission I write to you on cream paper with a watermark, the kind that comes with lined envelopes packaged in a box with a flat satin bow. My script rolls in the safety of April as I tell you about things you already know - how spring connects the dots to form its landscape. The pages fill quickly, the way strong women taught me. I take an entire paragraph to describe the flowering dogwood outside my kitchen window, how I am drawn to the morning light of this month, the chickadees that punctuate the feeder, that magnolia on fire. On the third page, I stick with the comfort of the daily, how my life is awash in Shakespeare, ninth graders and the cruelest joy of untangling the language of Romeo and Juliet. I say it's not quite a triumph, fourteen is a tough age for understanding paradox, I can tell by their gaping mouths when I say, "in a minute there are many days" or "thou day in night." I want to be cut out in little stars. How do I close this letter? I sign in slow loops, seal the envelope and place the stamp of Khalo in its upright position. From their graves the women of my family sigh and slip off their gloves. -- Jennifer Hill-KaucherBook of Days available via FootHills Publishing for $14.00. If you're keen for a live sample, Jenn is giving readings in Pennsylvania in the upcoming weeks.
Fri, Dec 17, 7 pm Deitrich Theatre Art Center, Tunkhannock, PA Fri, Dec 30th, 8 pm Test Pattern, 334 Adams Ave., Scranton, PA Jan 15, 2005, 7 pm, Barnes and Noble, Arena Hub Plaza Wilkes Barre, PA----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Crowing my sister's latest book. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kimura EMAIL: IP: 219.161.213.99 URL: DATE: 12/15/2004 12:42:18 AM I didn't know your sister writes poetry- quite beautiful! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher DATE: 12/15/2004 03:02:30 AM Put out??? I am teary with your description. I am proud to be your sister. I hope you will like the book (one on the way soon!), which is dedicated to all the women in my (our) family. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jean EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com IP: 24.49.158.219 URL: DATE: 12/17/2004 09:27:44 AM Jenn, What a breathtaking poem! Gave me chills--Jean ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Seth EMAIL: zous@immell.com IP: 159.153.138.53 URL: DATE: 12/24/2004 08:06:14 AM I studied English literature in university. We slid through Cummings, slept through Kierkegaard and wondered about Kafka. Omission is the type of poetry that gave hope in stale winter rooms with soul-lost professors. Beautiful poem. Thanks for sharing it. Best wishes on the publication. And thank you for teaching the next generation. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: 3 Favorite Indian Restaurants BASENAME: 3_favorite_indian_restaurants STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food CATEGORY: Food DATE: 12/15/2004 10:31:02 PM ----- BODY: Tod & I often crave Indian food, even though we've never been to India. We're always scouting new restaurants, trying recommendations from Tod's Indian co-workers, and slowly building up a list of favorites. Here are three worth visiting if you are in Tokyo.
Last week in Australia, I was the pet American and treated to a feast of Australian foods from crayfish to lamingtons.
My favorite thing (and this probably says something about my modest palette) was the pies. Meat pies are the staple fast food, just like hamburgers are in the US. At certain times and places (Port Augusta at 9 pm comes to mind) they are the only food you can get.
So here's my take on them. These are not authentic; I doubt that real pies use Chuka-aji, but I like the flavour enhancement of the MSG.
Kristen's Aussie meat pies
serves 5
200 gr thinly sliced beef
300 gr ground beef
1 cup onion, small diced
1 Tblsp ground black pepper
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 Tblsp olive oil
2 Tblsp flour
300 ml beef stock or consomme
1/2 tsp chuka-aji or MSG
pie crust dough (2 crusts' worth)
1 and 1/4 pie sheets (puff pastry)
Mix up your favorite pie crust recipe. Thaw a pie sheet.
Sautee onion in olive oil until transluscent. Sprinkle the beef with flour. Add beef and pepper to pan. Brown beef, then pour in consomme or stock. Simmer until all liquid is reduced. Sprinkle with MSG or chuka-aji. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Allow beef mixture to cool.
Divide pie dough into five pieces. Roll out to fit individual pie tins (I use glass custard cups). Line the pie plates, then fill with beef mixture. Roll the pie sheet out, cut into squares and cover the beef filling. Pinch edges of the pies together.
Bake at 400 degrees until the pie sheet is golden brown. Serve with sauce (tomato ketchup) on top and a side dish of peas.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Traditional Australian fare with a signature twist.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.92.115
URL:
DATE: 12/16/2004 11:11:17 PM
i hope for your sake that aussie meat pies are a
whole lot better than their english and kiwi
counterparts.
in my expierience english cuisine is much better
than its reputation as long as you stay away
from anything that has meat in it, posh nosh not included
of course.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve Gunnell
EMAIL: steveg58@westnet.com.au
IP: 202.72.148.102
URL: http://members.westnet.com.au/steveg58/
DATE: 12/17/2004 09:48:45 AM
Hmmm ...
That looks a bit wholesome for a commercial meat pie. You're using a named speicies for your meat content. I'd go with 'Steak Pie'.
The content of a 'meat pie' is defined by a standard. As I recall one Melbourne manufacturer in the 1970's was fined several times for violating the standard by having too much meat! I believe they saw this a low cost advertising. 8-)
Home-made lamb pies are nice. I've seldom seen lamb used commercially. Same kind of process as you have used but lamb mince, onion, dried mint (about a teaspoon per 250gm of mince and soy sauce to taste. Leave your pie filling a little undercooked it will finish in the shell.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/17/2004 02:39:19 PM
mmmmm meat pies and sausage rolls from the bakery... or better yet, the pie-man
best served with mushy peas (mint flavoured) from a can and tomato sauce from a squeeze bottle.
mmmmm lamingtons and vanilla slices and iced buns....
Think I had best pop out to get some lunch. (sushi today)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.20
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 12/21/2004 01:34:07 AM
Yay the aussie "meat" pie. Legislation generally requires manufacturers to put at least 20% or thereabouts actual meat in the filling, so it's a great idea to make your own. Although, you haven't lived until you've bitten into a pie and made a *crunch* sound. Mmm mmm. Did you have a chiko roll while you were here? I'd love to see your recipe for the chicko, science has yet to invent a process for determining what exactly is in them, besides lots of "chicko" of course. Sausages the world over are mystery bags, but I'm so glad someone gave you a meat pie while you were here, did you enjoy our health system? The worst coffee I've ever had was from a petrol station in Carnarvon. It tasted like they had filled the machine with puddle water. But all I had in Port was a mars bars. Sounds like I missed out.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Color matching
BASENAME: color_matching
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/17/2004 11:46:15 AM
-----
BODY:
Looking out my window last night, I saw the most amazing thing. The color of the sunset sky matched the color of the lights in the stairwell of the building next door. I took a photo and checked in Photoshop: #F29D30 and #F0942F. Maybe not an exact perfect match, but difficult to tell apart.
Today I decided to open my eyes to colors in nature that match manmade articles. As I walked outside this morning, I saw fallen elm leaves that could have been mistaken for the yellow pedestrian guides on the sidewalks.
The dull red of the painted tin lamps in the park blended with the leaves still clinging to the trees ringing the oval.
A bright orange and black Daurian Redstart perched on a wire must have been the inspiration for the motorcycle parked on the street below it.
Now that I'm paying attention, there's a surprising amount of color similarity all around me.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Where did all this similar color come from?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.94
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 12/17/2004 03:19:36 PM
Even easier if you follow a chameleon around.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: JJNY
EMAIL:
IP: 220.150.179.237
URL:
DATE: 12/20/2004 12:15:59 AM
What a amazing sunset!
When I work in the office, almost I forget the time for sunset. So...I realize that the time is already night...
I don't understand why my co-leagues keep window blinds close :(
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Gingerbread CPU
BASENAME: gingerbread_cpu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 12/18/2004 12:00:01 AM
-----
BODY:
click for larger view
This is the most clever use of holiday gingerbread ever. I love the details done in licorice and chocolates.
It was posted by "Pab" on 4channel.org. Also found on that site, a Geek-mas tree and a gingerbread laptop, though I think maybe Santa needs to consider a new OS.
UPDATE - This gingerbread computer was created in Sweden. An entire folder of photos featuring Benny, Monica, Anna-Maria and Erik and their gingerbread building party is at monixa.se. They even made a gingerbread violin.
UPDATE - The tree decorations are by Joe, aka JavaMoose. He mailed me an updated image which is now linked above. Thanks, Joe.
UPDATE - Hello, Slashdotters! We're doing our best to keep up with you. Merry Christmas. love, Kristen
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EXCERPT:
Yummy holiday humour.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 12/18/2004 01:12:38 AM
hahaha, those are great uses of gingerbread :) though i agree with the choice of OS.. switch to mac!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 192.35.35.34
URL:
DATE: 12/18/2004 05:40:40 AM
This computer is SWEET!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stephen Spencer
EMAIL: spencer@drizzle.net
IP: 128.208.5.32
URL:
DATE: 12/18/2004 06:19:48 AM
<Homer>
Mmmmm... motherboards... *drool*
</Homer>
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ives
EMAIL: male@lrtw.org
IP: 216.235.8.31
URL:
DATE: 12/18/2004 06:35:30 AM
I'm not being snide or anything but your gingerbread CPU has everything in it BUT the CPU.. We can clearly see the fan and the heatsink, but there's no CPU. Your box is obviously deficient (no offense, it really is pretty and all...)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Morgan
EMAIL:
IP: 65.123.215.66
URL:
DATE: 12/18/2004 06:41:04 AM
How are you supposed to see a CPU when it's covered up by a heatsink, anyway?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: pingpoong
EMAIL:
IP: 203.160.1.75
URL:
DATE: 12/18/2004 08:27:57 AM
very cool!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 219.161.227.222
URL:
DATE: 12/18/2004 05:35:32 PM
Yummy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 217.219.251.6
URL:
DATE: 12/19/2004 07:59:21 AM
very very nice
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: michael
EMAIL:
IP: 217.27.35.59
URL: http://www.stepanoff.org
DATE: 12/21/2004 12:15:01 AM
I'd like to have that hardware into my PC ;)
Excellent work!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Evan
EMAIL:
IP: 134.88.167.54
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 01:24:19 AM
GOD you guys are geeks... haha jesus
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eli
EMAIL:
IP: 195.92.244.188
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 02:38:36 AM
In reply to Josh Davis etc...
Those Zif sockets are hard to make when your only material is confectionary based...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bachterman
EMAIL: bachterman@bachterman.hu
IP: 194.88.45.80
URL: http://www.bachterman.hu
DATE: 12/21/2004 04:33:17 AM
Olyan ennivalóan édes. Az alaplapra azért ráfért volna egy kicsivel több cukormáz-nyák. De le a kalappal.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: WT
EMAIL:
IP: 4.28.163.168
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 10:55:11 AM
Must be an Abit board .. the caps are swollen !!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 24.17.153.23
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 12:21:29 PM
LOL AWESOME
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: zoom314
EMAIL:
IP: 4.10.217.72
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 12:37:32 PM
Sweet Christmas, Does It still exist or did someone already polish It off?
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nookie
EMAIL:
IP: 67.65.135.244
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 12:45:49 PM
L-eat....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Logical
EMAIL:
IP: 62.215.3.51
URL: http://Kuwait, 3amatkoom.
DATE: 12/21/2004 02:02:00 PM
Heyz,
Well, I have no idea why some take it seriously while forgetting the true purpose of this whole thing! ITS FOR FUN! Getting deep into details just makes you look like a moooooo!!!
Hey, I would like to benchmark that system and try HL2 on it LOL, talk about MELTING System :p
Sweety Sweet System no doubt! Well made...
Now I know what I want for my wedding party!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 4.7.208.208
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 02:09:31 PM
Hopefully we'll get to see a full computer (Case and all the goodies inside) from these people =D.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: danne
EMAIL:
IP: 203.167.29.10
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 03:39:30 PM
the cards are too big for the board(not serious)
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 24.144.227.182
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 04:51:26 PM
Did you overclock it yet?
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ralph
EMAIL: aki_11_mike@yahoo.com
IP: 203.76.240.99
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 05:30:17 PM
Yummy.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Brad
EMAIL:
IP: 137.246.104.101
URL:
DATE: 12/21/2004 11:28:58 PM
I say go for a silent computer. Further modding should be done to ditch the fans and replace them with milk cooling.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zaun
EMAIL: zaun98@msn.com
IP: 24.226.37.185
URL: http://www.kingstoncomputerplanet.com
DATE: 12/21/2004 11:55:22 PM
Nice work, guys. Every detail, right down to the CPU completele with Heatsink and Fan.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Daniel
EMAIL:
IP: 24.165.227.135
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2004 02:11:47 AM
Uniqueness to the max. And you can eat it when it fails, too :)
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tarun
EMAIL:
IP: 203.101.31.55
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2004 03:39:33 AM
SO looking forward to the milk cooling! I wonder if ASUS will have a version of this board out by Christmas... :)
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tina
EMAIL:
IP: 24.114.252.172
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2004 12:30:43 PM
NERDS!!!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Edgar Zevallos
EMAIL: kideddi@hotmail.com
IP: 24.157.130.127
URL:
DATE: 12/22/2004 12:33:34 PM
MILK COOLLLING!! LOL THATS GOLD!!!, why am I the only 1 laughing?... you know instead of water coo... yea im a nerd
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.193.111.165
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 11:49:58 AM
The post about this board are almost as classic as the picture.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Uman
EMAIL: uman@umanwizard.com
IP: 130.13.163.195
URL: http://umanwizard.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 03:36:52 PM
Yes, but, does it run Linux?
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: The It
EMAIL:
IP: 66.131.203.169
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 03:40:40 PM
Haha!
You're getting Slashdotted!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 67.131.73.161
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 03:46:19 PM
Just saw a mini-itx version of this yesterday - and this one works!
http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/gingerbreadvillage/
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Bingo McCreamWad
EMAIL:
IP: 61.88.20.1
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 03:47:30 PM
oh my god that's like soooooo good! Wowsers it's the best thing I've ever seen! Yummy to eat and super fun!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Clete R. Blackwell 2
EMAIL: other@clete2.com
IP: 24.211.97.51
URL: http://linux-blogger.com/
DATE: 12/23/2004 03:58:29 PM
Hey, I'll eat that :).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sf.
EMAIL:
IP: 80.55.73.182
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 04:13:20 PM
Yes, but does it run Linux?!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Christmas Pictures
EMAIL:
IP: 67.174.99.35
URL: http://www.xmas-pics.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 06:04:09 PM
That's awesome! Guess there's two ways circuit boards can be "baked"!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: 808blogger
EMAIL:
IP: 66.91.22.5
URL: http://blog.evogts.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 06:39:18 PM
maybe its runs Openbsd
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 145.52.122.194
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 06:42:36 PM
Imagine a beowulf cluster of these
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mikael
EMAIL:
IP: 213.79.173.77
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 06:43:12 PM
Mmm, Imagine a beowulf cluster....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sidster
EMAIL:
IP: 68.123.41.204
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 06:51:40 PM
Be sure to switch it off before you bite into it!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Audioboffin
EMAIL:
IP: 220.240.6.116
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 07:34:36 PM
Once I baked a CPU when the cooler fan died.. now if I'd only left it a little longer it might have become half as sweet as this baby ! Well done Benny, Monica, Anna-Maria and Erik ! (are these guys related to ABBA?)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: coldFire
EMAIL:
IP: 80.176.74.147
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 07:53:35 PM
Yumm! Ive had one of these before, a baked motherboard!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MackanZoor
EMAIL:
IP: 82.182.228.237
URL: http://www.worldspace.nu
DATE: 12/23/2004 07:55:22 PM
So how many more hits is this site getting today? =P
Was going to say "Sweet CPU!" but that gag had already been used. =(
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Hemant
EMAIL: hemant.singh@gmail.com
IP: 203.124.221.21
URL: http://hemantsingh.blogspot.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 08:20:12 PM
Certainly looks good.
Can I have it for making sure it runs my OS :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: TrompeLaMort
EMAIL:
IP: 24.58.53.203
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 09:11:39 PM
Great job guys! The only thing I think you might want to add would be enough room for a very small computer, like the open brick (http://www.openbrick.org). If you created a gingerbread compartment of the right size, you could actually boot up the computer! :-D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tom Servo
EMAIL:
IP: 70.24.61.241
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 09:35:48 PM
Hi, Kristen! Thanks for the extra effort... my wife and I have made several (very tired) comments on how awesome the gingerbread computer is.
What's it like dealing with the Slashdot Effect? :D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: bhtooefr
EMAIL:
IP: 24.145.134.20
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 09:53:41 PM
It's a PC Chips M810. It's gotta be, as the M810 is a Micro-ATX board, and some of the M810's have soldered down Durons (read: no ZIF socket).
Also, Abit got their capacitor issues fixed a LONG time ago. VIA is the new Abit - their Mini-ITX boards are doing the capacitor blowing thing ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 10:01:50 PM
Tom Servo: Pretty damned fun, actually!
I hope Monica and the crew in Sweden are holding up to the fame and server load.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KaT
EMAIL:
IP: 12.171.162.19
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 10:32:51 PM
but do you know the muffin man he can upgrade your gingerbread computer ....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew from Zhrodague
EMAIL: drew@spam.zhrodague.net
IP: 198.140.4.205
URL: http://www.wifimaps.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 10:40:08 PM
Nice. I guess I'd eat it before too long.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew from Zhrodague
EMAIL: drew@spam.zhrodague.net
IP: 198.140.4.205
URL: http://www.wifimaps.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 10:40:37 PM
Nice. Can you go wardriving with the laptop?
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erythros
EMAIL:
IP: 24.186.78.181
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 10:41:29 PM
Now That's a REALLY "Green" PC.
Human Recycled LOL
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Slorge Gridlock
EMAIL: slorge@yahoo.com
IP: 68.85.0.104
URL: http://slorge1.no-ip.com
DATE: 12/23/2004 10:53:27 PM
Coincidentally, it has the same life expectancy of my e-machine.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: =j
EMAIL:
IP: 216.62.151.90
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 11:00:34 PM
Obviously it is a prototype, its still on the breadboard!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Derf
EMAIL:
IP: 206.126.88.21
URL:
DATE: 12/23/2004 11:40:12 PM
Was the cake cooked with the CPU's heat?
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: scaviola@wpi.edu
IP: 24.49.182.2
URL: http://www.assneck.org
DATE: 12/24/2004 12:16:28 AM
These computers are known to have a problem where the capacitors blow and leak frosting all over the gingerboard. The computer will certainly get buggy after that!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: seer
EMAIL: seerseer@seerseerland.seer.org
IP: 211.26.48.8
URL: http://poo.seer.com.org.net.au.com.com.aol.org.tk.com
DATE: 12/24/2004 12:18:13 AM
i thought it was a functional computer...
built around gingerbread or a compuer with a gingerbread case.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: DarkJedi
EMAIL:
IP: 213.208.123.166
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 12:31:53 AM
Did you see the PC inside a Gingerbread village that mini-itx.com posted last Christmas?
http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/gingerbreadvillage/
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tlund
EMAIL:
IP: 130.244.254.1
URL: http://www.monixa.se/bilder/blandat/041207%20-%20Pepparkaksdator%20och%20fiol/37_Datorn%20klar!.JPG
DATE: 12/24/2004 12:52:34 AM
The picture has been stolen without credits from this page:http://www.monixa.se/bilder/blandat/041207%20-%20Pepparkaksdator%20och%20fiol/37_Datorn%20klar!.JPG
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:00:17 AM
tlund: hello, read the post...credit was given in the first update as soon as I discovered the source of the photo. I stole nothing and even mailed Monica to let her know we'd been slashdotted. Geesh.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Someone Who Shall Remain Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 24.110.136.174
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:18:35 AM
Heh, but does it RUN GNU/LINUX?
::Ducks::
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: O-Deka-K
EMAIL:
IP: 139.142.210.90
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:19:34 AM
And upgrades are efficient too! Just cook up a new board and eat the old one. Mmmm, upgradelicious....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ratdog
EMAIL:
IP: 157.98.68.199
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:32:37 AM
My Office mate asked if it really works. We told him it fails POST and just beeps.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: cubiclegrrl
EMAIL:
IP: 207.230.209.99
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:51:26 AM
You *SO* rock!!! Wish I'd seen this before the Linux User's Group potluck meeting last week. Am definitely stealing the idea for next year, though.
Great job!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: cubiclegrrl
EMAIL:
IP: 207.230.209.99
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:51:57 AM
You *SO* rock!!! Wish I'd seen this before the Linux User's Group potluck meeting last week. Am definitely stealing the idea for next year, though.
Great job!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Joe
EMAIL:
IP: 131.252.242.198
URL: http://www.joelotz.net
DATE: 12/24/2004 02:40:31 AM
Great Job! Very unique and creative.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jessy
EMAIL: jessy@jessysworld.com
IP: 67.109.98.228
URL: http://www.jessysworld.com
DATE: 12/24/2004 02:53:56 AM
TOTALLY LOVE IT! Great use of food as technology, and yes... you are getting slashdotted! CONGRATS!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: arggg
EMAIL:
IP: 64.142.25.53
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 03:00:05 AM
CPU = Central Processing Unit
In other words; the chip that costs several hundred dollars which does all of the processing.
So what is illustrated happens to be a motherboard, 3 cards, a heatsink/fan assembly (probably on top of the actual CPU) and some ram.
Valliant efford was made!
Those are some gigantor cards, btw.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: arggg
EMAIL:
IP: 64.142.25.53
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 03:00:41 AM
CPU = Central Processing Unit
In other words; the chip that costs several hundred dollars which does all of the processing.
So what is illustrated happens to be a motherboard, 3 cards, a heatsink/fan assembly (probably on top of the actual CPU) and some ram.
Valliant effort was made!
Those are some gigantor cards, btw.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: GeekMan
EMAIL:
IP: 67.109.98.228
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 03:02:30 AM
Wow -- GEEK!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nooz
EMAIL:
IP: 65.241.152.139
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 03:27:44 AM
Hmm... Yeah, you need to go outside. (But it's still cool even with the NERD ALERT)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Curtis
EMAIL:
IP: 64.39.0.38
URL: http://www.mercwear.com
DATE: 12/24/2004 04:58:13 AM
Very nice.. I like the Violin too.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: haHAHA
EMAIL:
IP: 68.84.158.228
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 05:29:27 AM
sweet motherboard! ha! i love it!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: carla
EMAIL: carlatf@ithaki.net
IP: 200.55.112.143
URL: http://www.ithaki.net
DATE: 12/24/2004 05:35:45 AM
cpulicious!!! i'd love to benchmark it!
great idea! i'm the only one who feels a little guilty to try that sweetness!? :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Joachim
EMAIL:
IP: 217.227.146.141
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 05:37:46 AM
Is it made out of that christalized sugar some time ago the cake Billy got in its face ?
both are excellent... :-)
buf over
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: arniec
EMAIL:
IP: 192.94.38.34
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 08:22:56 AM
Must have been created with Spice!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: webdufus
EMAIL:
IP: 65.121.85.3
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 10:42:21 AM
Take that sucker to your next LAN party and watch all the geeks drool! Literally.
Nice work gingerbread technicians!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Scott
EMAIL:
IP: 65.34.196.99
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:13:52 PM
Hey Windows Service Pack 2, figgure this out!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jonas
EMAIL:
IP: 81.225.166.91
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 01:15:15 PM
Ill buy it for 100$
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arutema
EMAIL:
IP: 219.83.22.161
URL: http://dragonrose.cjb.net
DATE: 12/24/2004 02:00:37 PM
The first time I hunger for a motherboard...
=D
regards,
Arutema
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 65.28.50.171
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 03:46:45 PM
w000000t!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mr Wolf
EMAIL:
IP: 210.84.184.254
URL:
DATE: 12/24/2004 08:59:55 PM
I like the Spice comment Arniec, though I doubt many people will get it ;D - I think you would have a really hard time finding model files for M&M Capacitors :)
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to Visit the Shrine
BASENAME: how_to_visit_the_shrine
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/19/2004 11:59:59 PM
-----
BODY:
At a shrine next to a nursery school. Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.
How to Visit the Shrine
At a realty office. Photo by Tod
Land for sale - includes old house!
Bunkyo-ku, Koraku 2-chome
5 minute walk from Iidabashi station
72.25 sq meters
South facing lot - zoned for industry
47,000,000 yen (that's $450,000 US)
A closer view of the "old house." (click to enlarge)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A plot of land near where we live...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zak
EMAIL:
IP: 195.138.105.44
URL: http://amazingcats.com
DATE: 12/20/2004 11:09:36 PM
[http://www.amazingcats.com]
-----
--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to "iPod Your Photo"
BASENAME: how_to_ipod_your_photo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: 0
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 12/21/2004 09:01:18 AM
-----
BODY:
Over at iPod My Photo you can send in a digital picture and they'll turn it into an iPod style ad for you. It costs $20. If you have Photoshop and a little bit of time, you can do it yourself with respectable results.
The instructions that follow are for Photoshop CS on OS X. If you have a different version, ymmv.
How to iPod Your Photo
FIGURES
SHADOWS
iPOD
TEXT
The Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan is home to one of Tokyo's three revolving restaurants, the Ginza Sky Lounge. (The others are at the New Otani in Akasaka and the Hotel New Tsukamoto in Makuhari, which is really in Chiba but close enough to count.)
The Sky Lounge serves French food and a 360 degree view every 40 minutes or so. We didn't take good timings, though we went around about 4 times while we were eating. We were having entirely too much fun pointing out the sights to remember to note the time and relative position.
"Oh, there's the Rainbow Bridge, peeking out between the skyscrapers."
"Look at how the tracks into Tokyo Station make a sinuous path."
"Are those red and blue elevator lights on the Dentsu Building?"
"I've never see the yellow flashing lights on the highway before."
Perhaps it was silly to be so delighted, but I was smiling all through dinner. It's highly agreeable to sit still and watch the scenery change.
I especially liked the gorgeous reflections on the Mullion building of the passing trains and people waiting on the Yurakucho platform.
Let's go there for lunch someday.
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EXTENDED BODY:
-----
EXCERPT:
A restaurant with a view and another view and yet another view.
-----
KEYWORDS:
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Masala Chocolate Cookies
BASENAME: masala_chocolate_cookies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/23/2004 10:39:18 PM
-----
BODY:
These are inspired by a bar of Belgian chocolate I tasted earlier this week. They are exotically spicy and not terribly sweet.
Masala Chocolate Cookies
makes about 4 dozen
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Combine dry ingredients (except almonds) in a small bowl. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Whisk egg and vanilla together, then add to butter mixture. Add dry ingredients in two parts, then add almonds.
Form into a snake about 2 inches thick, wrap in plastic or waxed paper and chill until hard (or freeze).
Slice into 1/4 inch rounds and bake for 10 minutes at 160/350.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Christmas cookies with Indian spices.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.155
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 12/24/2004 09:26:35 AM
Merry Christmas!
I'm going to bake a chocolate cake today.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve Gunnell
EMAIL: steveg58@westnet.com.au
IP: 202.72.148.102
URL: http://members.westnet.com.au/steveg58/
DATE: 12/28/2004 09:02:50 AM
That is pretty close to the spice mix I have been using for chocolate bread. I'm using 1 tsp powdered ginger, 0.25 tsp powdered cloves, and 1 tsp powdered mace in a 4 cup of flour mix. I'll give your spice mix a try in the next batch.
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Inventing a tree
BASENAME: inventing_a_tree
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/24/2004 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
There are no towering tannenbaum for sale here in Tokyo, unless you are a millionaire or plan well in advance. I make our holiday tree from whatever we have in the house, plus a small stock of 100 yen shop decorations I found a few years ago.
This little burst of creative energy is one of my favorite things about the holiday. We've had trees made of paper strung from light fixtures, bamboo poles tied into a teepee shape, and rosemary plants decorated with red velvet bows.
This year's tree was a stack of seventeen wine glasses carefully balanced, then decorated with beads and illuminated with candles. Elegant. Risky.
I was on edge throughout dinner and gifts, but the curtains did not catch fire, the beads did not melt, nor did an earthquake tumbled the arrangement. Merry Christmas!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
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KEYWORDS:
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lisa
EMAIL:
IP: 61.68.93.100
URL: http://blog.bohemianphilosophy.com
DATE: 12/25/2004 05:09:01 PM
That's one of the prettiest and creative arrangement I've ever seen. Merry Christmas!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 12/26/2004 03:04:18 AM
An amazing balacing act and a glamorous tree. Hope your Christmas was merry.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Richard
EMAIL: richard@richardsnotes.org
IP: 67.86.221.35
URL: http://www.richardsnotes.org
DATE: 12/26/2004 11:27:08 PM
What a great idea. We stopped buying live trees a few years ago and have a small, plastic tree that comes out of a box with lights already on it. I know, tacky but it's fine and we bury it with presents so it's really just a focal point. However, this is a much better idea; each year a new idea, with a yearly picture to document and catalog the ideas.
Your goblet tree is fantastic. I'm already thinking about what I'm going to do next year and whether my wife will like it. Thanks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jcwinnie
EMAIL: jonathan.w.smith@att.net
IP: 24.24.86.16
URL: http://jcwinnie.us/MT/weblog/
DATE: 12/27/2004 12:50:44 AM
Pretty, pretty
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 12/30/2004 04:27:11 AM
So beautiful!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erra
EMAIL:
IP: 68.125.54.47
URL: http://momentarymadness.typepad.com
DATE: 12/30/2004 05:22:12 PM
Wow. What a great looking tree. Merry Christmas and Yoi O Toshi O.
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Anatomy of a slashdotting
BASENAME: anatomy_of_a_slashdotting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 12/25/2004 05:24:38 PM
-----
BODY:
Last week's Gingerbread CPU post was noticed by popgadget, then engadget then Boing Boing. It's funny how these things get passed around. I even made the Daypop Top 40:
Then it got translated by a number of non-English website in Japan, Iceland, Hungary and Sweden. The number of visits increased to more than 5 times my usual daily rate. I was having a lot of fun looking at my stats, though a bit disappointed that I wasn't being recognized for something I'd done myself. Such is the trouble with reporting on things.
By Day 3, [H]ard|OCP and Blue's News picked it up and traffic went up further. I was seeing more than 10 times my usual traffic.
On December 23rd, five days into this increase in popularity, Slashdot noticed what was going on. Tod & I had just returned from stocking up on cookie-making ingredients. While the butter was softening, I checked my mail to discover a comment from the blog: "Haha! You're getting Slashdotted!"
Hahahah! Wow!
Oh, hell! This was going to be trouble. We host my website on a server here at home.
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EXTENDED BODY:
Our server was doing OK. Tod's built a robust machine—it was found in the trash and sits at the end of a home-use 8 megabit DSL line. At the time of the slashdotting, the server had been up for 54 days continuously and it had no trouble keeping up on the CPU and memory side of things.
But our bandwidth was another story entirely. Pegged for a little while, then so flooded it was dropping packets or something because traffic was reduced to about a third of our usual 1.5 megabit upstream pipe. Uh-oh.
Tod used our little remaining bandwidth to chat with his friends on IRC's perl channel.
"Holy shit, my home webserver is slashdotted!" he wrote.
"Why?"
"EXPLAIN"
"Devin, what’s the URL?" came the instant, insistent, and not entirely useful replies.
But on a more helpful note, Mugwump saved the day by mirroring the gingerbread image for us. Thank you very much, you kind stranger from New Zealand and your council-sponsored fibre optic LAN.
About 20 minutes later, Mugwump asked if we could split the mirroring between his server and another one. It was a lot more than he expected--about 10 requests/second. So I tinkered the post and the header on my website and it make a huge difference for everyone.
Things calmed down quickly after we moved the images offsite and it wasn't long before I was able to surf for cookie recipes even while we were being slashdotted.
At about 6:30 pm, Jim called. He'd just seen it; did we know we were slashdotted? It's nice to have friend who are paying attention. He had a brilliant suggestion--I video’d a bit of the action.
The Slashdot Effect 1'06" 1.8 MB MP4
"You're famous now, what will it be like when America wakes up in 6 hours?" cautioned MoSH, one of Tod's colleagues in Switzerland. I bit my nails a bit.
Sure enough, after dinner as we started baking the cookies we'd mixed up, traffic started to increase. America was waking up. It was 11:30 pm in Tokyo. I expected a long night of watching and waiting.
"I have never seen an access logfile scroll so fast," Tod declared. "…in all my years staring at log files, which is a lot."
We were back up to 10 requests/second. The bandwidth was getting strained again. The traffic was only getting heavier. The east coast of the US was awake. And Chicago. But we seemed to ride the crest of it and by the time we woke up the next morning, things had settled down and the peak was over.
We're so lucky we don't pay by bandwidth used.
-----
EXCERPT:
This is what happens when you report something topical.
-----
KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 12/25/2004 06:35:59 PM
I LOVE the movie!
I LOVE you kids!
And I have just started on my first Chrissy drink.
NOW Kristen don't ever post something interesting enough to wipe out all of our sites again.... (**)
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.196.24.96
URL:
DATE: 12/25/2004 06:50:52 PM
Yes Kristen.. stop being so damn entertaining.. (actually don't do that!!!) That is a great movie.. you should submit to slashdot..
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Unboxing Day
BASENAME: unboxing_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/26/2004 09:25:01 PM
-----
BODY:
Our friends, Jim and Yuka, bought an apartment near us--a 22 minute walk away, to be exact. They moved in yesterday and we went over today to help them unpack. We celebrated Boxing Day by un-boxing things.
Tod & Jim put the desk together.
Yuka put away all the CDs into the built-in cabinets in the living room.
I spent my afternoon in the kitchen with good results.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Having fun with friends who've moved.
-----
KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 12/26/2004 09:44:03 PM
Nice apartment!
-----
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Year End Disarray
BASENAME: year_end_disarray
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 12/27/2004 11:31:43 PM
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BODY:
It's the time of year I feel compelled to tidy my computer world. I really ought to be scrubbing the apartment, but my online house is pretty scruffy.
One big project: I'm simplifying the website. Features have been removed, slashed away like old boots off a fishing line. I've instituted a monochromatic color scheme. Everything's pared down. I'm working towards XHTML compliance.
For the next couple of days I will continue tweaking the layout, and more importantly the content, to get things where I want them. In the meantime, pardon the stray pages and any oddities you might discover.
(P.S. If you are still using Internet Explorer, may I suggest you try Firefox instead? It's free, easy to use, a breeze to switch to, and won't make my nice website look all bizarre.)
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EXTENDED BODY:
-----
EXCERPT:
Cleaning up the website again.
-----
KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: amy@elderberries.com
IP: 70.112.118.64
URL: http://www.elderberries.com
DATE: 12/28/2004 05:47:25 AM
You sound like me in reverse - for years my site has been tailored for IE, and doesn't show up right in Firefox. But I just switched to Firefox myself just two days ago, so my next big project will be a paring down/redesign that gets my site compliant with Mozilla.
If only I knew what I were doing I wouldn't be nearly so daunted... :)
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve Gunnell
EMAIL: steveg58@westnet.com.au
IP: 202.72.148.102
URL: http://members.westnet.com.au/steveg58/
DATE: 12/28/2004 08:57:26 AM
Hi Kristen,
First and most important: set a doctype ... check out http://www.alistapart.com/articles/doctype/ for reasons. Even IE will understand your page better for it 8-). Oh and don't add an xml declaration at the start otherwise IE is back in quirks mode again. Your layout should look fine in IE. It is the ones that really try and strech the rules that break IE.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/28/2004 09:25:26 AM
Already had a doctype set (XHTML transitional) and witha bit of tweaking of unclosed br tags and stray ampersands, the page now validates. Haven't done anything terribly tricky with the CSS just some basic floats for positioning, but it is rendered entirely wrong in IE 5.2 on the Mac. Grrrrr.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve Gunnell
EMAIL: steveg58@westnet.com.au
IP: 202.72.148.102
URL: http://members.westnet.com.au/steveg58/
DATE: 12/28/2004 11:14:33 AM
Sorry, I didn't see the doctype when I checked the page source earlier. It is definitely there now. Hmmm. I hear IE on a Mac is more quirky but even so. I see you have a bunch of bare text wrapped only in div tags. You will probably need to wrap them in header or paragraph tags because the div isn't a display tag ( neither is an a tag by itself ). There is a good list od IE5 / Mac bugs here: http://www.macedition.com/cb/ie5macbugs/
IIRC IE isn't going to like the combination of 'float: left and a margin-left: ' or the 'float: right and margin-right: ' specs in your css. The usual solution is to replace the margin with a padding. But there is another solution here: http://www.positioniseverything.net/explorer/floatIndent.html
Once you have XHTML Transitional it is really easy to go to XHTML Strict. Good luck!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tokyo_jo@hellokitty.com
IP: 211.29.9.202
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 12/28/2004 02:36:46 PM
I like that little spiral on the side! Seems kinda familiar...!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html
DATE: 01/04/2005 09:55:14 PM
I like the new design, but I must say that it's very grey. I think the whole right hand side needs some kind of rainbow fish scale effect. Good work though. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/05/2005 09:19:34 AM
It's not grey, it's purple. Well, purplish grey.
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--------
AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fire Safety
BASENAME: fire_safety
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/28/2004 11:00:05 PM
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BODY:
Every year around this time, neighborhood volunteers are out on the streets at night, clacking wooden sticks together and calling out to people about fire safety. It's taken us six years to figure out what they are chanting.
The other night, as we were walking home late from work, the patrol was out. It was a group of three younger men and they were doing their job with gusto.
"Are they yelling Ii yo, ii yo ji? Maybe Iroiro ii?" I wondered after listening to them.
"Um....yoyogi?" Tod suggested doubtfully. He listened again. "I think maybe it ends in shin"
"Or jin? I can't tell. Let's ask them," I suggested as we converged on their path. Of course that meant Tod was going to ask; his Japanese is much better than mine.
The patrol volunteers were happy to tell us, carefully and loudly, that they are saying hi no youjin which means "fire caution."
Have a listen for yourself. I made this recording of a different, somewhat less enthusiastic patrol this evening: Hi no youjin (0:18 mp3 429K)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Listen to the sounds of the winter fire patrol.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 12/29/2004 12:15:25 AM
Oh wao. Your recording stir upped my sentiment. Every night in winter Sendagi, we hear hinoyojin, too. The custom has its origin back in Edo period, when a small fire often brought a disaster to the city. Kids enjoy joining them during their winter recess. One night, my kid came home from the patrol quite excited. They told me that the leader of the day was from US whose wife?s name is Mary. ?So what is his name?? I asked. They looked to each other and said, ?We forgot. Tom? Parry? No! It was not Tomasu.? So, I still don?t know who the young foreigner taken care of children was that night. Why don?t you ask them to have you included?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo Snow
BASENAME: tokyo_snow
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 12/29/2004 02:08:25 PM
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BODY:
Pretty flakes all morning long. It's such a rare event that I ran around filming it and set it to music. The snow is still falling--if it keeps this up we may see a centimeter or two on the ground by nighttime. I'll have to go out to shoot snow at night.
Tokyo Snow - small 711 K 0'49" MP4
Tokyo Snow - medium 1.7 MB 0'49" MP4
Tokyo Snow - large 4.8 MB 0'49" MP4
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Short film of a rare snowy day.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Richard
EMAIL: richard@richardsnotes.org
IP: 67.86.221.35
URL: http://www.richardsnotes.org
DATE: 12/30/2004 04:21:55 AM
Well done. Did the city clean up well? Grind to a halt?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 12/30/2004 04:25:50 AM
No snow here today! Yours looks so beautiful on those pink flowers.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/30/2004 08:04:09 AM
The sidewalks and alleys were slushy in the afternoon--nobody thought to shovel them. People walked a little more slowly than usual for fear of slipping. By the time the sun went down, the snow had stopped. This morning all that's left are some patches here and there and they will melt off soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.108
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 12/30/2004 04:43:34 PM
Here in Utsunomiya(Tochigi) last night most people shoveld --including me, though we have not so much snow than Tohoku or Nigata area. BUT this morning roads have frozen. NOW they are melting, but maybe tonight they will freeze again. -- For us it will be a really tough new year EVE.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erika
EMAIL: ropps@redjeans.com
IP: 67.35.122.250
URL: http://redjeans.com
DATE: 01/08/2005 01:35:47 PM
fun film! quick question - what's the music?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Meat Cookies
BASENAME: meat_cookies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/30/2004 11:07:07 PM
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BODY:
You never know when people are going to pop in for a holiday drink or two, so it's good to be prepared. These quick appetisers will impress them with items you probably already have in the fridge.
Tod started calling them "vesuvios" but everyone else thinks of them as meat cookies! I've seen them elsewhere called "puffs" but they are pretty much just a savory cookie or a really soft cracker; meat cookie is quite appropriate. How Tod chose "vesuvio" I'm not sure, but they are tasty regardless of what you call them.
And they take just about no time at all to make, so you can whip them up as soon as your friends call to say they're on their way over. Or be really prepared and make a bunch and freeze them.
Meat Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1.5 cups cheese*, grated
2 slices deli ham, minced
1/2 tsp worchestershire sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup flour
Mix the butter, cheese, ham and seasonings together, then add the flour in two parts. Work the dough until it forms a ball; I like to work with my hands for this. Pinch off marble-sized pieces and bake at 160/350 for about 12 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm of room temperature.
* Cheddar is good, or a combination of different cheeses.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Cocktail nibbles in 20 minutes
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 69.33.165.9
URL:
DATE: 01/02/2005 09:15:15 AM
These were very good. I made a batch for in-laws coming over on new year's day. Everybody liked them. Looks like a plate of cookies. Tastes different!
mike underscore rosenlof at yahoo dot com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The summing up
BASENAME: the_summing_up
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/31/2004 05:17:30 PM
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BODY:
For the past few years, I've made a point to summarise my year in exactly 25 words. It's not easy to do and I end up skipping some of the main points but now that I'm gaining a collection (2003, 2002, 2001), I appreciate the effort I've made to try to get something down.
After a good deal of tinkering, this year's 25 word summation is presented below. Feel free to post your 25 words in the comments.
Did more, finished less.
Strengthened friendships and traveled.
Constructed 18 videos, knitted scarves,
Shared my pencils and my love.
Still seeking realisation of my principles.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
An annual writing exercise
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 211.29.0.118
URL: http://http;//www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/02/2005 08:39:38 PM
25 words??? I did a whole list!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 211.29.0.118
URL: http://http;//www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/02/2005 08:47:18 PM
Ok, here we go...
More girls, fewer boys. Focus and direction led to many new paths. Recovery, growth and confidence.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Welcome 2005
BASENAME: welcome_2005
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/01/2005 07:22:44 PM
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BODY:
Edo bayashi entertainer. Genjinmeigu shrine, Minato-ku.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Best wishes for a happy new year.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Snow samurai robot
BASENAME: snow_samurai_robot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/02/2005 10:25:38 AM
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BODY:
Snow samurai robot. Korakuen station, 31 December 2004
Snowfolks in the park.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Creative snowfolks near the station.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 211.29.0.118
URL: http://http;//www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/02/2005 08:36:16 PM
I cant believe you guys have snow!!! And im missing it!!! I have a tan and lots of pics now of blue skys and sunshine and beach tho... that kinda makes up for it...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tired of holidays
BASENAME: tired_of_holidays
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/03/2005 11:11:17 PM
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BODY:
Today's the last day of the new year festivities. To be honest, I'm sick of it already. I've eaten too many chocolates, indulged in too much triple-fat French cheese, moved too little. I'm getting fat and bored.
I want to get back to work, to dig into the list of unfinished things and get a few of them crossed off. I want my pool to open so that I can swim every day. I want a regular bedtime that's not interrupted by late-night merrymaking.
明日から、ね。Ashita kara, ne.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I am very glad they are over.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Justin
EMAIL: vakabiel@adelphia.net
IP: 68.171.94.233
URL: http://www.mindtrance.net
DATE: 01/05/2005 04:17:04 AM
Hey! I just wanted to say thank you so very much for the subscription to wired. :)
I moved a few months ago so I didn't know I got it until I picked up my mail from the last 2 months. I hope you had a great New Year! Take care!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Where are the mice?
BASENAME: where_are_the_mice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/04/2005 11:52:13 PM
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BODY:
I thought it would be fun to go to a gala ball. It probably will be, but shopping for a dress is not.
I spent part of the morning running around the city looking for dresses. First of all, my hips are too small for my waist compared to Japanese women, so anything I even think of trying on has to come in a huge size to accomodate my curves. And secondly the dresses are dreadful--expensive and ugly.
So I spent the rest of the day looking online with slightly more success. The dress I really want is 70 years old, silk chiffon, and $1800 dollars (and not my size), so I think I will settle for a more modern, modest dress from some random retailer called sweatshoppromdresses or firesaleweddinggowns or fancyclothes4u. I just hope whatever I choose fits and arrives in time.
Otherwise I'm going to be wearing a sheet in the toga style. I wonder if I can drape it to look like classic 1970s Halston?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
This Cinderella needs a dress
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 01/06/2005 09:12:45 PM
Please post a photo of Cinderella when she goes to the ball. I like both dresses.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Teapot
BASENAME: teapot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 01/05/2005 10:14:19 PM
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BODY:
Allow me to introduce you to my teapot. It's not quite as lopsided as it appears; I need to learn to keep my head still when I draw.
Tod bought me a lovely set of watercolor pencils to replace the ones I gave away in Fiji. I've been using them to draw one or two little sketches every day. Practice makes perfect--or at least improves the perspective.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
It is full of Assam tea.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bagna Cauda
BASENAME: bagna_cauda
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/06/2005 10:47:53 PM
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BODY:
It's difficult to go wrong with garlic and anchovies and if you warm them up with a bunch of good olive oil, you've got a winning dip. Banga cauda is perfect for winter parties or those evenings when you want to graze your way through dinner.
Bagna Cauda
makes a bit more than a cup
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
10 cloves garlic
2 tins anchovies
Mince the garlic and cook on low heat in the butter and olive oil until soft. Add the anchovy and cook until everything is smushy. Remove from heat and allow to cool for two hours or more to allow the flavors to mellow. Reheat, whisking to incorporate the oil and solids. Serve the bagna cauda hot with a variety of vegetables (lightly steamed) and breadsticks for dipping.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Hot garlic and anchovies in oil sauce.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL:
IP: 211.2.219.101
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 01/07/2005 10:19:15 AM
Kristen, I do a version of this with chopped parsley for a pasta dish. Very yummy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Boris Anthony
EMAIL: boris@levendis.com
IP: 66.130.41.185
URL: http://bopuc.levendis.com/
DATE: 01/07/2005 06:32:20 PM
Good lord... I thought my mother made that name up! She used to serve us that with steamed artichokes. You try feeding this to a nine year old... "here! eat this! it's banga cauda!" ;)
And now... I want some. :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 221.249.96.54
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 01/07/2005 06:43:20 PM
Is a "clove" one section, or the whole thing of garlic?
I was never clear on that...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 221.249.96.54
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 01/07/2005 06:45:34 PM
Oh - Boris will be at my place in a week, we can fix him some then
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/07/2005 06:49:59 PM
Clove is one section. The whole thing is called a head. Remember this way: clove is to lobe and head is to brain. :-)
10 cloves is about half a head of garlic.
We'll make some bagna cauda soon. It's so good!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dreaming
BASENAME: dreaming
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/07/2005 10:25:22 AM
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BODY:
This new year is bringing a series of vivid dreams that make me want to act on them. Here are three memorable dreams and what I'm doing (or might do) to make them come true.
Book Dream: I bought a graphic design book, marked down from $1,600 to only $1,000. I purchased it even though it was an advance release copy and the typesetting was bad, but it was stolen from me by a teenaged girl who shape shifted into a middle-aged woman who denied the theft.
Creative connection: Write that book. I paged through it before I bought it--I know what it was! Or if the book doesn't work, I could turn the strange story into a screenplay.
Clothes Dream: I pulled things out of my closet to pack them for a trip but none of the clothes were familiar. I particularly remember a black skirt with red flowers done in a 1950s French style.
Creative connection: Sew that skirt and some of the other things I saw in my closet. Yesterday, I searched for the fabric to make the skirt. No luck, but I'll try again.
Food Dream: I arrived (maybe from the trip I was preparing for in the previous dream) just in time to attend a cast party for a show that all my friends had been in. Everyone was off buying wine and supplies, so I spent most of the dream babysitting big slabs of beef that were being marinated and talking to a the wife of a friend about the show and cooking.
Creative connection: Needless to say, I'll marinate steaks in the near future and invite my friend's wife to dinner. The real message for me in this dream is to produce a play. I have a script written that I'd like to see on stage, and have been thinking about hosting some dramatic readings of plays and scripts just for fun.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Three subliminal calls to action.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.120
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 01/07/2005 03:35:15 PM
I'm really suprised that you remeberd three dreams clearly. Actaully I had a dream on the second day of the New Year holidays -- but unfortunately I forgot as soon as I woke up. So anyway you started this year with big luck. (does it make sense?)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 211.122.76.212
URL:
DATE: 01/07/2005 11:24:49 PM
I wonder if all three dreams could be mixed into one story / screenplay. Could be very David Lynch! :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 01/08/2005 12:54:14 AM
Write the play.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yutampo
BASENAME: yutampo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/08/2005 10:40:21 PM
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BODY:
This is my new friend, the hot water bottle that Tod gave me for Christmas. It's called yutampo (湯湯婆) in Japanese. The three kanji mean hot water, hot water, and old woman. So fitting.
I love the old-fashioned design rendered in pressed tin. It looks like a cicada exoskeleton or a metal pastry.
Every night, Tod fills it with boiling water, zips it into a terrycloth case and slides it into the bed to warm me up. Although it seems like a sweet and loving gesture, I think he uses it to protect himself from my icy feet.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
What keeps me warm under the covers.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Taxi Jiko
BASENAME: taxi_jiko
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/09/2005 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Taxis safely parked. (photo by Tod)
On the way home this evening we hopped in a taxi that was promptly rear-ended. It was a classic low-speed collision--we were stopped at a traffic light and the car behind us didn't brake soon enough. It made a loud bang.
The cars pulled over and the taxi driver checked to make sure we were OK. No bumps or bruises noted. The driver of the other car, a 20-something woman in an orange scarf, ran over to check on us, too. Her eyes got a little bigger when she saw we weren't Japanese, but she trotted out her best English for us and said she was very sorry.
The taxi driver handed the phone number of the taxi company on it so we can call if we discover any injuries later on. The next taxi driver, who was conveniently at the ready for us, said that if we're going to get whiplash, we'll feel it in the next three days.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Our first taxi fender-bender
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 211.122.113.185
URL:
DATE: 01/10/2005 09:35:54 AM
Sorry to hear this. Hope you guys are safe from whiplash.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 01/10/2005 10:16:27 AM
Not a nice way to end a good day - hope you guys are OK
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fajer
EMAIL: arch.van-der-draai@ubsw.com
IP: 202.1.65.194
URL:
DATE: 01/11/2005 09:14:14 AM
Hope you guys are both ok.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/11/2005 09:31:11 AM
We're fine; no whiplash in evidence. Thanks for your concern!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/12/2005 10:38:26 PM
Glad there's no whiplash. The stacks of taxis remind me of parking in NYC. Expensive!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim Martenhoff
EMAIL: jmartenh@tampabay.rr.com
IP: 68.200.109.22
URL:
DATE: 01/24/2005 04:07:30 AM
Whatwever happened to Bob Eunson??? I'm an old-timer who was there for part of the Koirean WAr)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Winter is over
BASENAME: winter_is_over
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/10/2005 06:13:29 PM
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BODY:
Plum blossoms herald the start of spring. They usually appear at the beginning of February. January 10th is too early.
The scent of ume flowers is intoxicating and each variety is different--fruity, spicy, heavily floral.
The colors of these buds charmed me with their old-fashioned combination of brown toned colors
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EXTENDED BODY:
Vivid plum blossoms against a blue sky lift our spirits out of the winter doldrums.
-----
EXCERPT:
The plum trees are blooming early in Bunkyo-ku.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/12/2005 05:48:38 AM
Oh what I would give for a blossom like that.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: abebell@gmail.com
IP: 169.244.70.148
URL: http://ecoteat.blogspot.com
DATE: 01/19/2005 03:58:35 AM
This morning, while driving in -1F temperatures in Maine, my husband pondered the weather in Japan. I told him that there were early blossoms and we started wondering how cold it ever gets there. Could you enlighten us? Do you ever have to bundle up? Do you ever feel the need to wear long underwear with your flannel jammies like I did last night?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/19/2005 08:30:06 AM
In Tokyo, it sometimes touches the freezing point at night in the depth of winter. Cold days are a few degrees above freezing, but most are a bit warmer. Not balmy, but not -1F. It's colder in the mountains, of course.
Despite the temerpatures being rather mild, we do bundle up. Homes are poorly insulated and heating is room-by-room. It's flannel pajamas and a hot water bottle in an unheated bedroom every night for me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Walking softly
BASENAME: walking_softly
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/11/2005 09:57:54 AM
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BODY:
Following diplomatic advice with a branch of cinnamon camphor. Koishikawa Botanical Garden, January 10.
What Theodore Roosevelt said was not "walk softly but carry a big stick" as is often mis-quoted. He gave his famous quote during a speech in 1903:
There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." If the American nation will speak softly, and yet build and keep at a pitch of the highest training a thoroughly efficient navy, the Monroe Doctrine will go far.----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Practicing what Teddy preached. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: axel EMAIL: IP: 217.187.56.226 URL: DATE: 01/11/2005 03:02:21 PM was that psycopatic-1930's-english-whodunit-murderess-look aimed for?;-) 1823 the year a bully was born. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: DATE: 01/11/2005 05:50:30 PM Tod managed to capture my alter-ego. Usually I keep her carefully hidden away, but the feel of the cudgel in my hand undid me. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 01/12/2005 05:47:50 AM You look like mom! Is she a psychopathic english murderess? Eeek! I'll bet that cinnamon smelled wonderful. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 01/12/2005 05:52:45 AM You found the cloche, too! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: DATE: 01/12/2005 02:03:49 PM I seem to have the Jenkins Neck. Not a shock, since I take after that side of the family so closely, but I wish I had a more svelte neckline. At least I look a little mysterious. "What is that crazy lady going to do with that stick?" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 01/12/2005 10:35:41 PM I dub this photo "Sister with Cudgel - Run, Run, Run!" ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Genkin Futo BASENAME: genkin_futo STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 01/12/2005 07:13:24 AM ----- BODY: Even after seven years here, there are new things to learn. Yesterday I sent cash in the mail using the post office's registered cash envelope. A genkin futo is a double envelope made of kraft paper; it costs 20 yen at the postal counter. You slip your cash into the inner envelope, which is attached to the outer envelope so robbers can't exchange it for another one. For additional security, you seal the outer envelope and stamp your hanko (or sign your initials) along the seam of the seal. The front of the envelope has a carbon form on it. You fill in the recipient's address at the top, your address at the bottom and the middle part is used to note how much money is inside. The postal worker calculates the registration fee, stamps it up, gives you a section of the carbon form and your money is safely on its way. As I went through the process, I saw three other people using genkin futo. As always, things become evident all around you once you know about them. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Becasue you can't send a check. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mieko EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp IP: 210.155.211.159 URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/ DATE: 01/12/2005 12:48:51 PM This week I( not me, my daughters) got the envelope with OTOSHIDAMA from their uncles. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 01/12/2005 10:33:52 PM I love how the pieces fit together when you learn more. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Chickpea Chili BASENAME: chickpea_chili STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 01/13/2005 06:54:08 AM ----- BODY:
Chili is a wonderful cold weather food. I love the balance of beans and meat in this recipe and the spicing is perfect--not too hot, but not at all bland, either. If you're serving it to folks who like flaming-hot chili, offer some habanero sauce on the side. Chipotle sauce is also a nice touch. As a bonus, this is a low-carbohydrate recipe appropriate for phase one of the South Beach Diet.
Chickpea Chili
serves 4
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 shiitake mushroom, thinly sliced
3 nasu (Japanese eggplant), 1" dice
200 gr ground beef
200 gr sirloin steak, 1" cubes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup red lentils, uncooked
1 can Italian tomatoes, whole
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Heat the oil in a deep pot, briefly fry the onion and garlic then add meat, browning well. Add the eggplant and mushroom. Cook for a few minutes until the eggplant just starts to soften. Reduce heat. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans until the water stops bubbling; add to pot. Run the tomatoes through your fingers to break them up as you put them into the mix. Toss in the lentils and one can of water. Season with chili, cumin, salt and black pepper. Allow to simmer for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Serve topped with grated cheddar cheese.
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EXCERPT:
Meaty chili with beans.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL:
IP: 221.184.246.157
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/stellastarstruck
DATE: 01/13/2005 11:49:28 PM
My Japanese isn't great, but I think nasu is actually eggplant (Or aubergines to any UK/Australians.) Sounds great.
Do you know how many carbs it has per serving?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL:
IP: 221.184.246.157
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/stellastarstruck
DATE: 01/13/2005 11:51:17 PM
I think that nasu are actually eggplants or aubergines, depending on where you come from.
Sounds yummy. Do you know how many carbs it has per serving?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/14/2005 12:01:08 AM
Not sure where my head was when I typed zucchini, because of course, nasu are eggplant. Thanks for pointing that out; I've corrected the recipe.
Carbs are about 50gr for the whole recipe--all in the lentils and chickpeas which both have a low glycemic index.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve Gunnell
EMAIL: steveg58@westnet.com.au
IP: 202.72.148.102
URL: http://members.westnet.com.au/steveg58/
DATE: 01/23/2005 10:25:54 AM
Did you really mean two tablespoons of Chili powder? Two teaspoons would seem about right for this quantity of food.
What size cans? I would guess 400-500 gm?
Thanks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/23/2005 11:45:29 AM
Yep, it really is 2 tablespoons of chili powder--of course you can use less if you prefer less spice. The cans are the standard vegetable can size...I think the canned wieght is 15 oz.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Finishing things
BASENAME: finishing_things
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/14/2005 08:03:20 AM
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BODY:
Last year, I set my self up with a new year's resolution to "Do More." And I did quite a bit in 2004. I learned to knit, created over a dozen short films, wrote tens of thousands of words, sewed some clothes, invented a scores of recipes. When listed out, it's quite impressive.
But it would be more impressive still, if I had finished everything I started. By the end of the year, I had so many loose ends that I couldn't keep track of what I was supposed to be doing. I was flailing and felt like I was failing, too.
This year's resolution is Finish More.
My list of unfinished projects includes things from as far back as 1999. There are a few new projects that are just-born, and a lot of stuff in between.
I'm allowing myself an hour a day to work on them. It's effective! This week I finished up some small things and I'm making excellent progress on a bigger project. This positive action fires my enthusiasm to finish even more. Some days, I sneak in another hour or two to get things done.
It's 8 am now, and time for "Finishing Hour" so I'm off. Hope you'll find some time to finish a creative project today.
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EXCERPT:
A goal for 2005.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nina
EMAIL: blacksail@gmail.com
IP: 82.140.25.161
URL: http://kaydee.de/epiphany
DATE: 01/14/2005 11:14:46 PM
This is quite funny! I actually thought that I should do more this year but now that I read this I will plan on "doing and finishing" more this year. Thanks ;)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Titan
BASENAME: titan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/15/2005 05:03:11 PM
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BODY:
Back when I was an irascible teenager, a ticked off classmate asked me "Where did you come from?" in response to one of my snarky remarks.
"Titan," I shot back.
I proceeded to detail my home planet. Orange skies, austere landscapes. Our cities are contained in bubbles just like you see on the covers of pulp SF novels. It is a beautiful place. Remote. Not many people turn up there and that's fine. It's not a moon that can support a whole lot of life.
Fortunately, Huygens landed in one of the remote parts of the moon. Unlikely that it will notice our cities and infrastructure. If it did, I bet Virgin would offer annual round-trip service for holidaymakers.
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EXCERPT:
My home planet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike_rosenlof@yahoo.com
IP: 204.144.142.135
URL:
DATE: 01/16/2005 02:38:08 AM
Back when I was in 5th grade, we had an assignment to write a travel brochure. I did Titan, complete with Star Trek transporters. No smoking allowed due to the methane atmosphere.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: No Recording
BASENAME: no_recording
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/16/2005 08:10:29 AM
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BODY:
In the still of this blustery, wet morning, I thought I'd do a bit of storytelling--an audio recording of one of Grimm's fairytales. I've been reading them again with delight over the last week and have found a few I'd like to perform.
I plugged in my headphone mic and fired up Audacity to record. No luck. The microphone does not work. Tried it with the iMic and directly into the computer. Nope, not happening.
Of course, I have a backup plan: record onto video and toss the picture. It's a tried and true fail-safe method. I set up the camera and read the story. But when I capture...flat line audio. The capture settings check out OK, so I play back the tape on the camera. No audio was recorded. Well, maybe my gun/zoom mic is faulty.
I remove it and shoot a couple of tests with the internal. No audio on those either. OK, fine, my DV camera is busted. I guess this is my excuse to buy a new camera. But I still want to record the fairytale.
So I dig around in my draw of lumps and wires to find the little stand microphone that's served me well all these years. It's out of juice.
At this point I'm taking the hint. I will record on a more auspicious day.
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EXCERPT:
This was going to be an audio entry...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Guy Mullins
EMAIL: guy@asu.edu
IP: 130.13.179.240
URL: http://cocoa.is.asu.edu/dotguy
DATE: 01/18/2005 02:31:54 PM
I have enjoyed your site for some time now, having stumbled upon it (perhaps a year ago) while trying to figure out some of the nuts and bolts of Movable Type. It has been a while since I've visited, for no other reasons than schedule juggling, priorties, and such. Also, I must admit that the new and emerging podcasting space has also consumed a bit of my web attention as of late. With that in mind, I should also say that while listening to some of the more popular podcasts, I have also considered that your content would be good for podcasting and would certianly be a nice addition (dare I say, improvement!) to the state of podcasting. I find it interesting that at this same point in time you seem compelled to do some audio recording, as mentioned above. Cool. Perhaps that may develop into something.
Thanks for the wonderful posts, thoughts, comments, art, and insight.
..guy
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/18/2005 02:43:53 PM
Hmmmm, that's an interesting idea. I only considered reading other authors' writing, but I suppose I know my own best of all. If I can get a microphone working, perhaps I'll give it a go and try a weekly roundup of the posts. Thanks for the suggestion.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: All new wardrobe
BASENAME: all_new_wardrobe
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 01/17/2005 11:32:37 PM
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BODY:
Today I acquired an entirely new wardrobe.
A woman on Being A Broad was selling off some of her clothes. I picked up 2 suits, 3 dresses and 8 skirts for a bargain price. Everything fits, is in great condition and will be ideal for working at client offices or running around town.
And yesterday at "Sewing Sunday" with Jo & Tracey, I was given two pairs of unfinished trousers that Jo couldn't bear to look at any more. I finished the first pair this afternoon and they fit like a dream.
Most of these items I'd never have selected for myself. But they suit me nicely. I ought to have other people shop for me.
Now I need to get more hangers.
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EXCERPT:
Next time you see me, I'll be differently dressed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dieting
BASENAME: dieting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/18/2005 10:21:50 AM
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BODY:
I haven't been on a diet in 18 years, but after the excesses of the festive season my pants felt tight, my thighs rubbed together and something needed to be done before I have to wiggle into the bias-cut dress I bought for the gala at the end of the month. I was still well within the acceptable BMI range, but I felt fat.
So a diet. MJ recommended South Beach and loaned me the book. In the first two weeks you break your dependency on carbohydrates and level out your blood sugar. So no bread, pastas or fruits. But as much low-fat meat, cheese and soy as you wish and all the vegetables you can eat (except for potatoes and carrots). No alcohol, no sweets. It's a restrictive but livable list of allowed foods.
And sorting out your blood sugar is wise for people like me who have Type 2 diabetes in their family history. I've learned all about the glycemic index, which is a measurement of how quickly your body converts foods to sugar. Unless you've been exerting yourself, you want to stick to low GI foods. These two resources to help me determine the GI of the foods I'm eating:
FormulaZone Search
Glycemic Index Database
Here's a printable list of the allowed foods, along with a 14-day check off chart. I posted one on my fridge. South Beach Phase One List 80K PDF (2 pages, A4)
After the first two weeks of the diet, you can start to phase in "good for you" carbohydrates like full-grain breads and fruits. You still should avoid processed flours and sweets, but that's true all the time, isn't it?
I've never thought dieting was a good way of losing weight. I prefer a sensible approach of "eating a little less and exercising a little more." The problem for me is that I get lazy and stop paying attention to what I'm eating. South Beach has increased my awareness of my meal planning and as a benefit I am losing weight--it's nutritional education with a two-week boot camp to improve eating habits.
It's working pretty well. In the first three days, I dropped 0.8 kg (about a pound and 3/4)--I'll weigh in again on Saturday, the last day of the two weeks. I measured myself this morning and have lost 3 cm from my hips and one from my waist. My pants fit better already.
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EXCERPT:
I'm losing weight.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.200.196
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/18/2005 11:27:49 AM
Two week boot camp indeed! I am on the third day and really craving sweets. I ate and ate last night but couldnt feel satisfied, and went to bed with a bit of a tummy ache - not good!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/18/2005 06:57:28 PM
Hey Kuri-chan, do you still have the list that you have on your fridge? Or did you ditch the file?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 01/18/2005 09:39:27 PM
Looks way better than Atkins!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Steve Gunnell
EMAIL: steveg58@westnet.com.au
IP: 202.72.148.102
URL: http://members.westnet.com.au/steveg58/
DATE: 01/19/2005 12:26:53 PM
Hmmm, the allowed foods list looks a little low on carbs. I hope that is a limited duration thing otherwise you could have problems.
I've been on a dietician prepared plan for nearly two years now and it works for me. You don't starve you dont miss out on occasional treats and you lose weight steadily over a long period of time. The key points are; a normally balaced diet with a low fat intake and distributed across five or six small meals so you get used to being full on a smaller intake. Don't skip meals, if you get ravenous you will overeat.
Anyway good luck!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/19/2005 12:54:52 PM
It's only two weeks of low carbs--to break the cravings and habits, as well as to smooth out the spikes in teh blood sugar. After two weeks, you can eat more carbohydrates. They are important to a well-balanced healthy diet!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: From the crowd
BASENAME: from_the_crowd
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 01/19/2005 10:02:42 PM
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BODY:
It's the 3rd Wednesday of the month and the Japan Bloggers meetup. Always fun to catch up with everyone, even though we read one another's weblogs. `A big crowd tonight but people are starting to pack up and leave to make their trains home. It's an early night in Tokyo, as usual.
I'm trying my first ever bluetooth file transfer with Andy even as I write this. I will have some nice jazz for my collection in just a few minutes.
I brought my iSight, but nobody else has theirs, so we can't videoconference around the table. Maybe next month...
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EXCERPT:
in a cafe with tea and wireless access
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lamb Saag
BASENAME: lamb_saag
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/20/2005 10:33:40 PM
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BODY:
I love Indian food but my successrate on INdian recipes is rather low. However, I did this one the other night and it was easy and cmae out tasting just right. The trick is to let it cook a long time--just like a pot roast.
Lamb Saag
serves 4
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
500 gr lamb, trimmed of fat & cubed
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground corriander
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 large bunches spinach, sliced thin
3 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp grainy mustard
In a lidded skillet, saute the onion in oil. When the onion is soft, add lamb and dry spices. Brown meat, then stir in spinach, yogurt and mustard. Cover and cook until lamb is fork-tender--about 30 minutes. Add water as needed to keep the dish moist.
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EXCERPT:
My first successful Indian dish
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 01/21/2005 10:34:27 AM
mmm!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creativity cards
BASENAME: creativity_cards
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/21/2005 06:53:11 PM
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BODY:
I think my year in school was labeled Grand Guinea Pig Class. It seemed that every year there was some new textbook or learning tool that we had to try. Most were a bust, but I really loved the SRA reading lab. It was a box full of slick colored cards with independent study exercises to improve reading, writing and other language arts skills. My favorite series asked you to finish a story that they started with a half a paragraph or so.
Today I decided to do a set of "creative cards" to help improve our creative skills, kick start our senses, and develop our sense of whimsy. I'll do five a week until I run out of ideas. You are, of course, invited to suggest some activities.
Creative Cards, set 1 (52K PDF)
I found a necklace the other day that was close to what I want for the gala ball--sparkly rhinestones with pearls set in silver colored metal. The design was perfect, but a handful of the rhinestones were baby blue. Wrong color.
It was not a very cheap piece of costume jewelry (but neither was it too expensive compared to some I saw) so debated a bit, but in the end I bought it. I also picked up nine clear crystal rhinstones.
This afernoon I customised the necklace. It took about an hour and a half to carefully pry up the prongs, slip out the blue stones, set the clear ones in and attach them. I chipped most of the blue stone taking them out, but none of the prongs broke. And now I have exactly the necklace that I wanted.
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EXCERPT:
Reworking some costume jewelry
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 01/23/2005 08:55:44 PM
Pretty. Hope you'll post a photo of the girl in the entire gala ensemble.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ash and his Mum
EMAIL:
IP: 211.29.1.202
URL:
DATE: 01/24/2005 07:01:00 PM
Love the necklace, clever girl (Kaye).
Hi babe hope you have a top time at the ball. wish we could be there to see you all dressed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! send photos
Love Ash and Mum x
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bridge Bolts
BASENAME: bridge_bolts
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/23/2005 11:13:37 AM
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BODY:
Iidabashi, Tokyo
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EXCERPT:
This bridge is not going to fall down
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Diet, Phase Two
BASENAME: diet_phase_two
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/24/2005 10:06:54 PM
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BODY:
We successfully reached the end of the "strict" part of our diet. I didn't lose as much as I'd hoped--only 1.6 kg, but I slimmed 3 cm off my hips and my clothes fit better, so I suppose that's just fine.
Now begins a more lenient phase until we reach our goal weight. This goal is a bit amorphous as I'm not sure what I want to weigh, exactly. Should I diet down to the weight I was when I married (that would be 137 lbs / 62.2 kg) or should I allow myself a little softness and go for 141 lb / 64 kg? I'm at 145/66 now, so there's not all that much to lose, regardless. I'll see where I am in a couple of weeks, I guess, and call it quits.
To celebrate the start of the next phase, I've created another fridge-friendly printout of the allowed foods and when you can consume them.
South Beach Phase Two List 80 K PDF (2 pages, A4).
In this phase, you can eat fruits (but not bananas, pineapple, raisins or fruit juice) and whole-grain starches (still no potatoes). Also more milk products and...red wine! I'm really happy about the wine.
This is such an easy diet to follow and it makes so much sense. Tod & I have conversations about nutrition now. We spent 20 minutes in the supermarket this evening looking at the high-fiber cereals. In the end, we decided they all had too much sugar. I'm going to make my own museli.
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EXCERPT:
It's still diet time..now with fruits and grains.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 01/24/2005 11:22:34 PM
Making your own museli? Talking about fiber in the grocery store? *sigh* I made brownies this weekend.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 205.201.10.113
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 01/24/2005 11:29:07 PM
Flax seeds are inexpensive, good for you (lots of omega-3 fatty acids)), very high in fiber, and can be used to make a yummy cereal. They're also good raw, with any kind of fruit (especially berries). They have a nutty taste, and if cracked will gelatinize at suitably high temperatures.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.8.31
URL:
DATE: 01/24/2005 11:49:17 PM
Wait a couple of years, Jenn. You'll start talking fiber in the grocery store, too. I baked cheesecake-y things tonight, so it's not all cereal here. (I will post the recipe on Thursday)
I'll check around for flax seed, Peter. I bet I can find it at one of the health food stores. Rare things in Tokyo, but I know where they hide.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL:
IP: 202.214.62.131
URL:
DATE: 01/25/2005 09:38:06 AM
Re: how heavy you should be, the relevant metric seems to be the "body mass index":
weight (kg) / (height (m))^2
See http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/ for a good overview, including normal and over/underweight ranges.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Matt
EMAIL:
IP: 68.127.39.52
URL:
DATE: 01/25/2005 02:31:39 PM
I did the South Beach over the summer and lost 25 pounds (190 --> 165). It was relatively painless. Good luck!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/26/2005 05:55:11 AM
Why are you going on a diet anyway??!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nude arms
BASENAME: nude_arms
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/25/2005 11:26:36 PM
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BODY:
In anticipation of wearing a sleeveless gown on Friday, I went to Boudoir last week to have my arms waxed.
"It's going to hurt, isn't it?" I whinged to T.
"Not at all," she replied. "Of course my pain tolerance is high..."
"Well, my arms are nervous."
But it hardly hurt a bit, just as T said. Marilyn chattered away to me while she smoothed on the warm and sticky wax, smoothed a gauze strip over it and ripped the hairs from their sockets.
My arms were a mass of tiny red prickles for a couple of hours, then subsided into normal looking--but completely denuded--skin. Now, a few days later, I can see new hairs just beginning to peek into the air.
Why wax? Japanese women often shave their arms; there are special-purpose safety straight razors sold at every drugstore in the country. As I've aged, my body hair has darkened and gotten denser, so my usually furry arms seemed too bushy for polite company. The gala is a good excuse for a personal hygiene experiment.
Will I do it again? Maybe in the summer...
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EXCERPT:
A first waxing.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 01/26/2005 02:46:03 AM
:) i often use hair bleach on my arms! i'm part italian and body hair is just a fact of life. i've also heard that japanese women shave their faces?? at least, i read about how geisha do because it helps with the preparation of all the white makeup.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/26/2005 02:05:20 PM
Waxing is so much better than shaving. But I am a sucker for any sort of treament where people are fussing over me.. (What does that say about me???)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.0.100
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/28/2005 12:54:05 AM
I have watched my students pluck their arms of hair one by one in class..... very disturbing!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: odawaragirl
EMAIL:
IP: 210.20.247.172
URL:
DATE: 02/07/2005 02:05:02 AM
Where did you go? There's no place to wax around Odawara. Any recommendations? Those ads in Metropolis crack me up with the diamond brazilian ladies "Boudooooiir"
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Altered books
BASENAME: altered_books
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 01/26/2005 10:07:25 AM
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BODY:
Dan Waber recently launched a project of found poetry in books.
He mailed used books and china markers to friends and poetical colleagues and invited us to scratch out all the words on the page that weren't the poem. Dan started each book with a poem on the first page. We are to find poetry on the next page, then mail it back to Dan. We'll go back and forth until the book is finished.
The results are documented at Altered Books
My book is a tacky Silhouette Romance set at Christmas. I read the silly thing, just to see what I had to work with. Lots of snow and rippling muscles. A little boy with a teddy bear. Reluctant interest all around. It will make much better poetry than it does a plot, believe me.
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EXCERPT:
Poetry via obliteration.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Found in the mail
BASENAME: found_in_the_mail
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 01/26/2005 10:27:10 AM
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BODY:
I was surprised by a summons from the front door this morning. "Yuuubin kyoku desu..." The mailman? Wasn't expecting anything but I buzzed him in.
He struggled to the door under the weight of an obviously heavy box which bore my mother's familiar, distinctive handwriting. Oooooo. Our Christmas presents had been lost in transit almost two months ago. I wondered if she had claimed the insurance and sent us replacement holiday cheer.
But no. It was the long-lost Christmas box! Mailed December 6th, delivered January 26th. There is no indication what caused the delay--customs didn't open it, the box is only beat up in the usual way, it's correctly addressed, and it has no rubber stamps hinting where it's been all this time.
I guess we'll have a bit of Christmas tonight. Thanks, Mom!
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Christmas arrives a month late.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 68.79.21.17
URL: http://www.blogula.rasa.com
DATE: 01/26/2005 03:23:01 PM
Wow, your mailing address is clearly legible - are you angling for Valentine's Day cards? ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.89.123
URL:
DATE: 01/26/2005 03:27:38 PM
I thought about blurring it out, but the address is elswhere on the site, anyway. I'd love soem Valentine cards...maybe someone will be inspired. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenny
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/26/2005 09:04:58 PM
YAY! Mom will be thrilled. She was really upset about that package not being delivered. Happy post-holiday!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2005 03:45:02 PM
Have you called her??? :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.229.49.89
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2005 06:58:30 PM
Mom is smiling!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coconut Cheesecakes
BASENAME: coconut_cheesecakes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/27/2005 09:40:42 AM
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BODY:
These individual cheesecakes are almost effortless if you remember to take the cream cheese out to soften. A quick mix, a short bake and you have a creamy underlayer for a topping of fresh fruit. Plus, they satisfy the guidelines of South Beach and Atkins (if you use isomalt and not sugar) You could substitute low-fat cream cheese, though I didn't bother.
Coconut Cheesecakes
makes 12
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup unsweetend coconut flakes
1 egg
1/2 cup cream
3 Tbsp sugar or isomalt
1/2 tsp vanilla
With a fork, mix the coconut, egg and cream cheese until the cheese is smooth. Pour in the cream and vanilla and stir well. Spoon into 12 muffin tins or papers. Bake at 160 for about 17 minutes or until the tops are just golden. Serve with sliced fresh fruit. Store in an airtight container.
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EXCERPT:
Quick dessert with little effort.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creativity cards, set 2
BASENAME: creativity_cards_set_2
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/28/2005 08:05:51 AM
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BODY:
Did you do any of last week's creative activities? I baked a pie--the coconut cheesecake featured in yesterday's Recipe Thursday.
Here is a new set of five more short, fun things to do on printable cards. If you have ideas to share, pass them along and I'll include them in upcoming sets.
Creativity cards, set 2 48K PDF
Tod made me take my high heels off for this photo that MJ snapped.
(l) Yes, I look like the bassist in Duran Duran. Damn this growing-in stage hair!
(r) Jo puts her coat on as we leave for the gala. What fab hair she has!
(l)Tod sports the bowtie he biked all over town to find.
(r) MJ looked retro glam in her black velvet and feathers
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
We dress up pretty nicely.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ｍｉｅｋｏ
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.19
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 01/29/2005 07:17:28 PM
How cool!!!!!! I've had no chance to wear such dress --.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.0.100
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/29/2005 07:50:00 PM
Wow, we all look so gorgeous! Thanks for the photos!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 01/30/2005 01:06:22 AM
You all look gorgeous! I love that dress - the neckline, the fabric, all the embroidered detail. Saw the shoes too (from photo you sent to Mom). WOW.
What was the gala about?
MJ looks like Anne Sexton in that photo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygr@ptd.net
IP: 24.115.14.56
URL:
DATE: 01/30/2005 11:14:32 AM
You and Tod look wonderful!! I love the dress!!
Tell us more about the evening. Hope you had fun.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fiona
EMAIL:
IP: 202.191.106.106
URL:
DATE: 01/31/2005 08:21:43 AM
Knew that dress would look fab!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 221.249.96.53
URL: http://jim.mmdc.net
DATE: 01/31/2005 01:17:46 PM
:-D
You guys all look so elegant!
How was the ball?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 24.69.255.246
URL:
DATE: 01/31/2005 03:42:10 PM
You all look great, but I have to say that Tod looks especially spiffy in his outfit!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad & Pete
EMAIL: pickypete@hotmail.com
IP: 24.3.56.233
URL: http://nancyandpete.com
DATE: 02/01/2005 02:23:15 AM
I put Tod's tuxedo pic on our website. Never seen him so, so, ???
Dad/Pete
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ian mac
EMAIL:
IP: 211.29.15.207
URL:
DATE: 02/10/2005 01:24:57 PM
carol trubey of wild child would be proud, you look fabulous !!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tea Shoot
BASENAME: tea_shoot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 01/30/2005 01:23:12 PM
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BODY:
For the last six months or so, I've been working on a cookbook with Jonathan, Sachiko, Narumi and Jeremy--a Japanese cookbook on how to throw Western-style parties at home.
Today we're working on our British Tea chapter. I've unearthed and ironed all my spring-colored linens found some pale pink tulips to decorate the table. Jonathan and Sachiko will bake scones and cakes while I assemble crustless sandwiches and make copious notes. Jeremy gets to work his magic behind the lens and make the food look beautiful.
When we've finished documenting the food, we will sit together and enjoy the feast. Nothing beats cookbook writing as an excuse to cook new foods and throw a party.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Working on a chapter of our cookbook project.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/01/2005 03:50:29 AM
What a cool idea! That looks like a lot of fun, and I'm always looking for excuses to throw a party.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/01/2005 03:50:57 AM
What a cool idea! That looks like a lot of fun, and I'm always looking for excuses to throw a party.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: One pixel
BASENAME: one_pixel
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/31/2005 03:59:13 PM
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BODY:
I’m feeling some existential angst. As my eyes opened this morning, my mind wondered, “How am I going to waste my dissipated life today?” Ugh. I crawled back into bed and slept until two so I wouldn’t have to think about it.
After I rolled out of bed and had some coffee, I tried to make a graphic of me as a pixel in a square that represents the world’s population. 6.5 billion pixels is a lot. One pixel is invisible. Even a thousand pixels---me and all the people I’ve ever known—are barely visible.
Although I accept that I’m just a mote, I would still like to make a positive difference or create something that’s remembered or used beyond my demise. But as time passes, that seems less and less likely.
Mainly that’s because I’m not creative enough to conceive anything truly novel and the older I get, the less I seem to invent. Or I imagine things I can't execute. Mostly I riff and spin on other people’s ideas. That’s OK--certainly better than watching TV or blindly consuming (or staying in bed all day)--but it’s not going to win me a lifetime achievement award.
I never thought I’d say this, but I’m beginning to envy parents. On their bleak days, they can fall back on the hope that their offspring will achieve something. “I’m doing diddly-squat, but my little Suzie might grow up to make a difference. My contribution to humanity is to be a good parent to her.”
I have no comforting fallback. My contribution to humanity is probably nothing more than not fucking up the planet any worse than anyone else. Maybe I should go back to bed.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
is invisible, like me.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 202.33.79.26
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 01/31/2005 05:04:20 PM
one word - ADOPTION. better than having kids.
instant gratification. it makes a positive difference AND he/she can also grow up to make a difference. ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/31/2005 08:05:09 PM
WOW - that is definitely an existential crisis, or perhaps just Monday-itis run amok?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tokyo goat
EMAIL: a-mclucas@gol.com
IP: 218.110.243.59
URL: http://tokyogoat.blogspot.com/
DATE: 01/31/2005 09:12:51 PM
you're a guiding light to this random stranger.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 01/31/2005 09:53:33 PM
Stop feeling sorry for yourself and look ahead not back! You can't make a difference in the past.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Emery
EMAIL: ehs@acm.org
IP: 141.151.170.191
URL:
DATE: 01/31/2005 11:27:17 PM
There is nothing new under the sun. Everybody riffs on everybody. It's the water we swim in. It's the air we breath. The sun's a mote. So we're motes on a mote. Get up and spin and keep on spinning. Never know what will come of it.
There are highs and lows in any creative life. You sometimes doubt the value of your sacrifice but your devotion to your craft is in truth the only real reward.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 218.218.56.223
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/31/2005 11:52:30 PM
Would you say something like that to someone who was your friend?
"Hey, i really like you but you are just an invisible pixel in the grand scheme of things. You have made no contribution to this world and you are probably going to turn out to be worthless."
You wouldnt say this to a friend, im sure about that. You would take them out for lunch and be kind and patient with them, supportive and encouraging. So why would you beat yourself up with this kind of talk? How much good did this talking to do you? Could you show yourself the same kindness you would show someone else?
You free for lunch this week?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 220.97.134.179
URL:
DATE: 02/01/2005 01:04:37 AM
In the long run, there's nothing that's truly eternal. By the time the Age of Humans ends, Plato and Mishima and Gogh and everyone else will be forgotten. Tokyo and Paris and New York will be rubbles. The important thing is, in my opinion, to live. Life of Mishima for example made him who he was, and made him write what he wrote. No one else lived his life, but then is there anyone aside from you that's living YOUR life?
Besides, artistic maturity comes at a very different time in one's life. It came to Rimbaud when he was sixteen. It came to Frank McCourt when he was seventy six (or whenever he wrote Angela's Ashes). Who knows how it works out for you?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/01/2005 03:55:53 AM
You have great friends (and parents!), Kristen. Listen to them.
You're allowed a bad day though. Wallow if you need to, but only for a little bit, then go swimming or take a walk.
Just being around you reminds me of who I am and how much good I am capable of in this world, even as a wee pixel. Remember that, please.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL:
DATE: 02/01/2005 04:36:28 AM
And yet, life goes on
Please read your own words from June 17, 2003.
You have been a wealth of insight to me and my own quest to be more prolific. I would say please don't stop, but I know you could not, even if you tried.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kerry
EMAIL: sweetestkerry@yahoo.com
IP: 220.210.46.72
URL: http://sweetker.diaryland.com
DATE: 02/01/2005 10:43:40 AM
I don't know you but I've been reading your stuff for the last while or so (I found it via Zousan is an Elephant- I have a small Zousan of my own you see) and I think you're brilliant. Though that probably is worth about a nanapixel, I just had to comment. Daijobu.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 02/01/2005 12:28:40 PM
Children are teachers by the example they set of living in the moment.
I don't play blocks with Riley and imagine how great an engineer he will be one day. I don't take him to the beach in the morning to think of his future contribution to environmental science.
It's part maddeningly boring part amazingly wonderful, blocks are just blocks and the ocean is the ocean. You are a pixie not a pixel!
But imagine you are a pixel, you could be at the center of a sphere with a volume of 6.5 billion pixels, and you would be right in the middle of a 2316 pixel length hug in any direction.
Don't ask to see my working. Mental note: count more with Riley! :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erra
EMAIL: blah@hotmail.com
IP: 70.19.60.61
URL: http://momentarymadness.typepad.com/nipponnotesandqueries/
DATE: 02/01/2005 02:26:35 PM
We don't know each other but I often read your blog, admire your creativity, envy your time to devote to it and compare my paltry forays into blogging with yours.... As I'm sure many others do.
I think whatever output we make - career, creative, children - we are always making a difference to somebody somewhere.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sarah
EMAIL: indigorayz@yahoo.com
IP: 218.176.52.12
URL:
DATE: 02/02/2005 08:49:36 AM
All those pixels....what do they make???
A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE
They all blend together to make something.Each one a piece of the puzzle,each one may seem invisible but without it the picture would look strange.They all work together to make it what it is .You may not see it but to coin a phrase"You are part of the bigger picture" and although on your blue day you may not see it you effect everyone you come into contact with in a beutiful way.....you teach,you support and you love........I would say that was a grand contribution!
Sarah
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sarah
EMAIL: indigorayz@yahoo.com
IP: 218.176.52.12
URL:
DATE: 02/02/2005 08:50:24 AM
All those pixels....what do they make???
A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE
They all blend together to make something.Each one a piece of the puzzle,each one may seem invisible but without it the picture would look strange.They all work together to make it what it is .You may not see it but to coin a phrase"You are part of the bigger picture" and although on your blue day you may not see it you effect everyone you come into contact with in a beutiful way.....you teach,you support and you love........I would say that was a grand contribution!
Sarah
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.185
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 02/02/2005 09:28:55 AM
Even though I know you only on the net, but I think you are one of my important friends. Relax!! You know lots of wonerful adjective to express yourself. -- may I ask you ? How do you use "delicious " to express person character?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL:
DATE: 02/03/2005 10:45:04 AM
Ok, my bad, obviously you can stop at will. please disregard my last post.
signed, "A fan."
-filmtunes-
hoping to read you soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: rael9
EMAIL: rael9@mac.com
IP: 68.118.204.105
URL:
DATE: 02/16/2005 07:00:41 AM
That's an interesting way to look at the world. 1 pixel in 6.5 billion. The thing is, we are pixels in flesh only. The sum of who each person is is far beyond that little shell that makes up their body. Taking the sum of our experiences into account, as well as whatever contributions we can give, we all take up far more than one pixel. Even all those lowest common denominators out there.
I only know you as a blogger, and even then only in a limited fashion, and already I can tell that your pixel-count is well beyond many mere mortals. You have experienced so much more culture than most people. Revel in that.
Besides, in real life, just as in Photoshop, resolution is a variable. Sure, we could zoom all the way out when we work on that 25ft. by 10ft. billboard, but you'll never see the details. Your design will suffer for the lack of granularity. You need to focus in on the area that you're working on, then you will see the nitty-gritty details in your work. They say the devil's in the details, but I think it's more along the line of your life is in the details. Look around, see the details, see those pixels, and know that they are going into a whole that you've created around you.
And if you need to make some changes, I find that the eraser and paintbrush tools do wonders :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Robin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.174.226.151
URL:
DATE: 02/25/2005 11:37:51 PM
Your musings spark some interesting questions about life, meaning, our "place" in the universe, etc.
But, the more important question is: are you going to post what we can eat on the SBD once we reach our goal weight??!! I'm dying to know.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to Cut
BASENAME: how_to_cut
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/03/2005 07:32:10 PM
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BODY:
No matter how many recipes you master, if your knife skills are lacking you're not going to cut it in the kitchen.
Today, take an inventory of your knives. You must have one good chef's knife (8-10"), a utility knife, a paring knife and a bread knife. More than that is a luxury. Less than that and you're cutting yourself short. Do not try to cut everything in your kitchen with a serrated steak knife, like I remember doing as a kid. Go to the best knife shop you can afford and fill the gaps.
Next, sharpen your knives! A dull knife will cut you worse than a sharp one. You use more pressure on a dull knife and it's easier to slip when you're pressing hard. The test for me it tomatoes. If you can't slice a tomato like butter, then your knife is too dull. Manually sharpening knives takes some practice; for most people, it's easier to buy a knife sharpener that holds the blade at the correct angle. Whichever way you do it, be vigilant. Don't let your knives get dull.
If you're not sure what to do with your razor sharp knives, this utterly useful illustrated essay on How to Cut will get you started, or refresh your memory. Peter Hertzmann also shares French recipes on his website, a la carte.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Take care of your knives and they will take care of you.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 218.218.56.223
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 02/04/2005 12:44:43 AM
for those of us who are not so vigilant....
Kitchen secret i was taught long ago, by a Japanese boy no less! If you need to do an emergency sharpen on a knife, take a ceramic cup, turn it upside down, use the unglazed ring on the bottom to sharpen the blade. Move the knife edge in circles up and down the blade using the ceramic part. Try and pay a little attention to the angle thing that Kristen mentioned above.
I do this when the knife is too blunt to cut carrots or onions well... generally in other people's or pubic kitchens... ok, yeah, my own too...
(glad to see you back xoxox)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html
DATE: 02/04/2005 07:51:04 AM
We received a set of knives for Christmas. I used them to cut some kangaroo and they were beautiful and sharp. But I don't use them in favour of my old blunties most of the time which are fine for cutting veggies which is what we almost always are cooking.
It's not the being cut while cutting that worries me. It's the washing up afterwards. Being so tired I have lots of times slipped a bit while washing blunties and I've only grazed myself. I don't want to have to wash the razor blades again until I'm getting okay sleep.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 02/04/2005 02:24:34 PM
I am always sharpening my kitchen knives but I never seem to get it right. I think it is because they were cheap in the first place. I will invest in good knives one day - right tools for the job and all that. I love that ceramic one you have...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creativity cards, set 3
BASENAME: creativity_cards_set_3
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/04/2005 04:06:56 PM
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BODY:
Here is a new set of five quick and easy creative activities on printable cards. This set takes a slightly dark turn to match my mood this week. But never fear, these activities are more likely to buoy your spirits than to bring you down. Be silly with them and see where they lead you.
If you have ideas to share, pass them along and I'll include them in upcoming sets.
Creativity cards, set 3 48K PDF
A few weeks back, I was thwarted when trying to make a recording on my computer. Again this week, my computer failed me when I wanted to do voice overs for a film I'm working on.
After a lot of searching around on forums and websites, I figured out that I need a mic pre-amp or something to boost the mic to line level. The Griffin iMic should do the job, but it doesn't work for me. Maybe mine is busted...
So today I went out and bought myself some proper gear. Now I can record voice overs and narrate stories to my heart's content. This setup works great.
What did I get? A Behringer Eurorack UB802 8-input 2-bus mixer/preamp, an M-Audio "Nova" condenser microphone, an indestructible mic stand/murder weapon, various cables, and a "popkiller" screen (much cheaper than elocution lessons to correct my aspirated p's).
And didn't cost as much as I thought it would--under 30,000 yen for everything. If you're in the market for audio gear, go talk to Honma-san at Music Community Miyaji in Awajicho. He's knowledgeable and very patient.
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I'm able to record now--and so stylishly.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 02/05/2005 11:15:57 PM
Dammit honey I should have enticed you over here to our studio mic and MobilePre set up...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 02/06/2005 12:25:58 AM
That looks impressive. I expect to see a WKRP and On Air sign above you. What's your on air name?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/06/2005 01:01:33 AM
Let's do the radio station again! I'll be sitter-by.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Hels
EMAIL: helenfridell@asahi.email.ne.jp
IP: 219.121.63.124
URL:
DATE: 02/06/2005 01:03:38 PM
very... Goooooood Morning Vietnaaaaammmmm!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Guy Mullins
EMAIL: guy@asu.edu
IP: 130.13.179.240
URL: http://cocoa.is.asu.edu/dotguy
DATE: 02/06/2005 04:29:21 PM
Your audio gear looks good.
Somewhat off topic: I notice the keyboard on your desk. It looks to be standard G5 issue. I too received one of these with a recent addition to my office. IMO, this keyboard, a distinct departure from Apple's usual near perfect design, is carpal tunnel in a box. I found a wonderful replacement from www.macally.com (the iceKey) that is simply a joy to use. If you've logged a good deal of miles on a laptop, this thing will feel just like home -- slim, quiet, and simply lovely. You may want to check it out.
Good luck with the recordings. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Doctor Knowall
BASENAME: doctor_knowall
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
DATE: 02/06/2005 12:28:55 PM
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BODY:
No longer thwarted by broken sound equipment, I recorded one of the shortest of the Grimm brothers' fairytales. this morning. It's a funny little story about a peasant turned savant via a book with a cock on the frontispiece.
I used Audacity to record and convert it to MP3 (after Tod located the correct LAME library for me). The new mixer and mic work perfectly; any faults in the recording are strictly my own inattention to breathing, phrasing, and acting.
Doctor Knowall. 4'21" (3.9 MB MP3)
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Crabb finds the thieves in this fairytale.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 02/06/2005 11:48:07 PM
Thank you. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy having someone read to me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/07/2005 08:48:22 AM
Very cool! It was like waiting for Christmas again. You have a really good reading/recording voice. Can I come over and record some poems?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The perfect bouquet
BASENAME: the_perfect_bouquet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/07/2005 03:57:50 PM
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BODY:
On a day when I'm not much good for thinking or typing (migraine's got me all uncoordinated and confused), I can still pull it together enough to draw a bit.
This is a bouquet of eucalyptus, freesia, spray roses and chrysanthemum. It might be the perfect arrangement for me--it smells good, the colors are interesting and each element has a happy connection to people, places or events.
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Eucalyptus, freesia, spray roses and chrysanthemum.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.201.245
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 02/07/2005 10:05:48 PM
Interesting that this part of your faculties is not affected... its very pretty too! I think your nose might be more sensitive than mine, i cant smell my wooden beads... maybe smoking has something to do with that.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 02/07/2005 10:12:27 PM
The picture makes me feel warm and cozy.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@prodigy.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 02/07/2005 11:24:43 PM
Lovely picture. I love the scent of freesia, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/08/2005 03:33:36 AM
The "day's eye" is right in the center, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lisa
EMAIL: bohemianphilosophy@gmail.com
IP: 61.68.92.67
URL: http://blog.bohemianphilosophy.com
DATE: 02/08/2005 09:50:05 AM
Very lovely. Is that a watercolor or pencil color?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.13
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 02/09/2005 09:42:29 AM
I also love freesia. It smells good. I love daffodils,too. BUT they smells a little strong. So I enjoy watching them in my garden now. Spring is just around the corner.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2005 05:35:03 PM
Lisa: It's done with watercolor pencil.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Downsides of searching
BASENAME: downsides_of_searching
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 02/09/2005 07:44:39 AM
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BODY:
I'm starting to dislike the search-enabled, easy-access-to-information lifestyle. I'm putting the blame on Google, but it's all searchable databases that are doing this to me. Here are three reasons why:
Googling changes opinions.
I wonder if having such ready access to facts changes our opinions. If I think X, but then check and everyone else is saying X-prime, maybe I'll shift my idea to X-prime. Does Googling direct people into the mainstream of accepted thought?
Googling limits creativity.
Writing a blog entry that is factually correct is informative and important but what about creative invention? Don't new ideas require mistakes and false starts? Perhaps some people feel that those ought to be private, unpublished musings and notes but I don't think so. Incorrect ideas, suppositions, brainstorming--or even a question--invite people to participate. If you look up the answer online, you lose that chance to spark a new idea.
Googling is time consuming.
Googling and fact checking eat up a disproportionate amount of my day. It's not the searching itself that takes so long, it's the incessant need to know. Some of it is justifiable research for projects, but much of it is not. as an example, I spent ten minutes double checking an idea that I have no intention of ever implementing. Followed by a quick check of the name of that movie with that guy in it that I was trying to remember yesterday. And then a search to find out if I can buy a pair of gloves at Haneda Airport. Surely I have better things to do with my time...
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Is Google a devil in disguise?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/
DATE: 02/09/2005 10:46:30 AM
Couldn't agree more!
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=googling+pitfalls&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 144.135.127.28
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2005 12:02:25 PM
Google - Big Brother and thought police in our time???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: 170 or 85
EMAIL:
IP: 157.157.237.145
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2005 01:41:50 PM
This is an automated message: Someone wishes for a consumer review on shiatsu massage chairs, video also. Thank you :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: abebell@gmail.com
IP: 169.244.70.148
URL: http://ecoteat.blogspot.com
DATE: 02/10/2005 02:56:32 AM
This is so true! I've been noticing it more since we got wi-fi a few months ago. I am no longer happy just wondering; I have to grab a laptop and answer ever question as soon as it enters my head now. This is sometimes mildly irritating to me and maddening for my husband!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jala Neti
BASENAME: jala_neti
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/10/2005 07:51:49 AM
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"Has Tod been making drug paraphenalia in the middle of the night?" I wondered when I spied a length of rubber tubing glued onto a 500 ml plastic bottle sitting on the kitchen counter. On further inspection, it became clear that this was not a bong, but I had no idea what it could be.
It is a neti pot.
Jala neti is a yoga practice meant to improve breathing. You use warm, isotonic salt water to wash out your nose and sinuses by pouring water in one nostril and letting it flow out the other.
Sounds gross, but it's quite effective.
Not only does it loosen mucus, but it can also help to unblock your ears and every time I do it (perhaps through a fault in my procedure) I get a refreshing wash of saline across my eyes. It's said to be effective against allergies, hay fever and other sinus-related illnesses. It's too soon to tell if that's true; I just think it feels good.
If you want to try it, this instruction manual (PDF) is helpful, or you can Google for nasal lavage, sinus irirgation or my favorite--nose douche. Although the manual advocates having someone teach you in person, I found it wasn't at all difficult after I stopped laughing and snorting water everywhere (Tod was watching me). Every swimmer will recognise the feeling.
The plastic contraption Tod created will be replaced by a proper metal neti pot in the very near future.
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Rinsing the sinuses.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 222.149.247.31
URL: http://jim.mmdc.net
DATE: 02/10/2005 07:09:24 PM
When he's not looking, switch the salt water with clear vinegar.
Be sure to have the video camera set up first, though...
:-p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/11/2005 11:03:18 AM
The nose douche and the snot rocket - both effective.
Helen and I did two hours of yoga last night. Funny that you posted this today!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 02/18/2005 01:02:58 PM
Based on the info in your link, I tried this myself last week and have done it every day since. It's amazing. Usually I suffer from morning sniffles. Sometimes they are so bad I'm up at 4AM and sitting up on the couch so as not to wake the hubby. But since I tried this, I've been able to sleep through the night and wake with nary a sniff.
Thanks!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2005 05:30:14 PM
We got out neti pot yesterday in the mail. It works beautifully--much better than Tod's hot-melt glued bottle and hose. I'm glad to hear it's working for you, M.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Armatures
BASENAME: armatures
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/11/2005 11:30:48 AM
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BODY:
Armatures are wire frames buried deep inside scultpures for structural support. They are a necessity for providing strength to the clay and direction to the artist.
Painters use frameworks, too. If you look at many of the old masters' paintings, you will find evidence of their armatures--figures arranged in the golden mean, root rectangles and other polygons. Once you learn to see them, they are everywhere.
I believe any creative person can benefit from armatures. I use them all the time in my creative endeavors, although rarely physical wires or even the golden ratio. I use time, patterns, and symmetry to structure my videos and writing. Since I am often telling documentary stories or explaining things, my choice of armatures works out well for the audience as well as for me.
There are people who say that structure limits creativity, but I disagree. I create improvise on top of my frameworks. Having an armature to drape ideas on allows me to set a creative desitnation, discard the paths not taken and focus on creating. An armature allows for flexibility and change, but makes sure that I achieve what I intended.
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EXCERPT:
Shaping your creative work.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL:
IP: 221.113.2.36
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/
DATE: 02/11/2005 03:59:39 PM
> There are people who say that structure limits creativity
As my old pal Goethe used to say, "Restriction shows the master's hand."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL: michael@filmtunes.net
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 02/12/2005 02:17:28 AM
I wholly agree.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/15/2005 11:48:08 PM
Yes indeed. I agree as well - structure shows the master's hand. I like the golden mean - the nautilus shell.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Off to Hokkaido
BASENAME: off_to_hokkaido
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/12/2005 07:41:05 AM
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BODY:
Thanks to a good deal at lastminute.co.jp, we just had a five day holiday in eastern Hokkaido. I didn't post while we were travelling, so these next few entries are backfilled.
After staying up all night to work on a video project for a client with a very tight deadline, I met Tod at Haneda at 6:45 am. There was virtually no hassle getting our tickets; we weren't even asked for ID after we flashed the reciept of our payment. Boarding passes were handed over without question. In fact, for the entire rest of the trip we were never asked to identify ourselves. Maybe that we were the only foreign guests at the hotel--or even in the town--had something to do with it.
The stream that runs through Kawayu is hot.
We arrived at Hotel Kitafukuro (North Owl) in Kawayu mid-morning, settled in, then ventured out for a walk at lunchtime. There was snow everywhere! The hotel staff said there wasn't too much snow this year, but there was stilll more than a meter blanketing the town. It was so bright and shiny that my eyes hurt for hours.
This handsome stranger is warming his feet in an outdoor foot bath.
The town park is full of deer.
Most of the afternoon was devoted to napping--Tod had stayed up all night, too--then a relaxing soak in sulphur baths that tarnished our silver rings and even our gold ones. We topped off the day with a delicious dinner and a long, log-like sleep.
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Getting to enjoy some snow and cold
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 02/17/2005 05:05:51 PM
Heee that man looks sooooo happy to have warm toes!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/17/2005 11:59:39 PM
Sounds (and looks) relaxing. That guy is handsome! So happy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.201.245
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 02/18/2005 12:25:25 AM
Beautiful!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kaye Kupke
EMAIL: kupke@optusnet.com.au
IP: 211.29.1.213
URL:
DATE: 02/20/2005 01:26:18 PM
Hi Kristen Loved the hot spa. Only I would like
to be right in there. Very good photography of the deer also. trust you are well think of you often. regards Kaye.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Iozan
BASENAME: iozan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/13/2005 11:49:02 AM
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Panorama of Iouzan (click for larger view)
We decided to shake off our sleepy Saturday with a short hike to Iouzan, a mountain a few kilometers from Kawayu.
Yellow sulphur deposits around a vent.
Sulphur hot springs are beneficial for rheumatism, skin disorders and myriad other minor complaints. The source of the sulphur is, of course, the volcanic mountains in the area. Iouzan has several active blow holes that jet hot steam into the air. Kawayu smells like rotten eggs.
Colorful tourists lining up for a commemorative photo.
There's not a lot to do in Kawayu once you've had enough of bathing. Iouzan is a big tourist attraction.
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Sulphur mountain fun
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2005 12:11:37 AM
Damn! I have to go hang out at the mine fires in Nanticoke more. I didn't realize they were healthy!
That bus photo is colorful - even the windows are cheery.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Doutou Field
BASENAME: doutou_field
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/14/2005 04:30:03 PM
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BODY:
Having exhausted the possibilities for local walks and Kawayu entertainments, we signed up to go out for the day with a guide from Doutou Field. We had a day full of adventures with Ando-san, who worked as a policeman in Chiba until the lure of fishing brought him to eastern Hokkaido.
First we went snowshoeing.
Ando-san, knowing that we were foriegners and likely to be big people, brought his largest size snowshoes. He and Tod talked a lot as we went along. I just walked and watched.
Our destination was Ponponyama, another mountain heated by volcanic forces.
There are crickets hiding under the warm wet leaves here, though we didn't find any. We did see lots of animal tracks on the way in, heard a woodpecker or two, and stumbled across a dead deer.
My best memory of Ponponyama is the colors. The mosses and clay are wonderful red, grey and green colors. The colors of frozen blood and deer fur against the snow were truly lovely. Next website redesign scheme might be "dead deer."
These swans are keeping warm in the sand.
After shedding our snowshoes and warming up with some coffee, we went birdwatching. Along the lake's edge there are places where the water runs warm and birds like to gather. This is Sunayu and it's famous for keeping the swans warm in the winter.
Japanese cranes are huge birds--two meter wingspans.
Tanchou are truly impressive birds--they are very loud and like to flap around at one another. They were thought to be extinct but about 100 years ago someone found a few and started feeding them. Now there are more than 600 at this site. There were nearly as many avid photographers there as birds. You can see them live on the Wild Bird Society Japan webcam.
We made ice cream by filling a fishing float full of salted snow, then tying it to the back of a snowmobile
The most exciting part of the day was making ice cream. Not because of the treat, but because of the snowmobiling. Or rather, the snow mobile accident. Ando-san has a course laid out in front of his house. After Tod went around once without incident, I hopped on the back and rode with him. But on our trip around, he failed to negotiate a curve and we tipped off into the hip-deep snow, landing under the snowmobile. Ando-san brought us a shovel and we dug out the beast while he chuckled and shook the ice cream ball.
I think I got a touch of frostbite from that adventure; my feet got all wet and my ankles look like they are sunburned. The bath felt extra hot that night.
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Shoeshoes to snowmobiles.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2005 12:13:59 AM
What a great day. I love the ice cream idea. I was just looking at photos on Corbis - particularly looking for cranes. Your photo is lovely.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Drift Ice
BASENAME: drift_ice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/15/2005 05:00:59 PM
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BODY:
Another day, another trip out of Kawayu. We took the train to Abashiri to have a look at the big chunks of ice that float in across the Okhotsk Sea from Russia.
Fields of ice floating on the sea's surface.
The water is so cold, the waves are viscous and slow.
The thinner ice cracks as the ship passes by but quickly refreezes.
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EXCERPT:
Icebergs from the Sea of Okhotsk.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2005 12:15:13 AM
Brrr. Those are some cold photos. I really like the puzzle of ice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Simon
EMAIL:
IP: 83.154.76.208
URL: http://yaplog.jp/shinamon
DATE: 02/19/2005 07:22:19 AM
Very nice shots!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/19/2005 07:28:15 AM
I can't take credit. Tod was behind the lens for most of the trip--these and most of the rest are his photos.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: motoyes
EMAIL: motoyes@tke.att.ne.jp
IP: 165.76.186.155
URL: http://motoyes.com
DATE: 02/26/2005 07:43:46 AM
Wow, It's nice pictures. You went to Hokkaido!
It's my home town, actually I was raised in Sapporo
but was born in nothing-existed-but-cranes Kushiro.
I don't remember when I went to the last,
it's a long time ago.
Anyway, good for you.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: SL Fuyu no Shitsugen-go
BASENAME: sl_fuyu_no_shitsugen-go
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 02/16/2005 05:59:23 PM
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BODY:
Instead of taking the complimentary shuttle bus from our hotel to the airport in Kushiro, we decided to take the steam train for one final adventure in Hokkaido.
The engine pulls into Shibecha station.
Taking the Fuyu no Shitsugen-go (Winter Bog) is a special event. It's a tourist event for train geeks. The train spotter in me was happy to be riding it.
Each car has a "daruma stove" that the conductor kept well stoked with coal.
The cars are decorated with stuffed foxes, deer and owls plus lots of fake branches with polyfil snow draped on them. It's just silly because the real sights were outside: fields full of grazing deer; steam from the engine drifting through the trees; and a fox on the hillside.
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EXCERPT:
Taking the steam train.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2005 12:18:55 AM
Maybe the fake foxes were for the really nearsighted? Is the daruma stove named that for it's shape? It looks like such a tidy little train! Very clean.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/18/2005 05:32:23 PM
Daruma is the armless, legless, red clad priest that is made into wishing charms. He's round like the stove.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL:
IP: 24.201.45.4
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2005 06:57:17 AM
Seeing that steam engine reminded me of the movie Popoya. Rather good (albeit a little sad) movie. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Carbonara
BASENAME: carbonara
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/17/2005 07:04:19 AM
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While on vacation this week, I watched a famous Japanese cooking show called "Today's Food". They made carbonara and I liked their techniques, so took notes to share with you.
Today's Food Carbonara
serves 1
100g pancetta, cut into sticks
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp brandy
1 egg
2 egg yolks
4 Tbsp cream
4 Tbsp fresh parmesan, grated
pasta of your choice
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
black pepper
Whisk together egg, yolks, cream and cheese. Chill. This will prevent the egg from scrambling when you add it to the pasta.
Fry the pancetta in olive oil until crisp. Remove half of the bacon from the pan. Drain the oil from the pan and discard. If grease still remains, wipe the pan carefully with a paper towel.
Cook the pasta until slightly softer than al dente. remove from water, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
Reheat the bacon pan and deglaze with brandy (or white wine). Add the pasta and a couple tablespoons of the pasta water, stirring to incorporate bacon.
Remove from heat and pour the egg mixture over the pasta, stirring well. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg. If the sauce gets too thick, adjust the consistency with some more of the pasta water.
Garnish with the pancetta you set aside, plus parsley and plenty of coarsely crushed black pepper.
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The elusive egg and bacon pasta recipe.
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AUTHOR: Mo-chan
EMAIL:
IP: 80.116.23.132
URL:
DATE: 02/27/2005 11:40:20 AM
Please... don't call this Carbonara.
Even italians don't know how to do it... why japanese must do such a thing?!?
Brandy? it doesn't exist in the "ricetta" (recipe)
Cream ? no way
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shape of Creativity
BASENAME: shape_of_creativity
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/18/2005 06:21:57 PM
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Imagine that your creativity is an entity of its own. What does it look like? Does it have a shape? What color is it? Does it move or is it static? Does it have a name? Where does it reside--in you, near you, somewhere apart?
My creativity is a sphere that's slightly fuzzy on the edges. The blur is from scattered particles outside the denser main body of speckles that are all single creative ideas. I see it as the photo of a distant elliptical galaxy.
My creative sphere changes sizes. Sometimes it's small and dark, like a red dwarf star or a galaxy on the edge of being engulfed by a black hole. Other times it expands, loosening the bonds between the individual points that comprise it, and changes color to a bright creamy white.
Regardless of size and color, my creativity hovers in front of me at eye level but pans left and right randomly. It doesn't have a name. It's quite a stellar image, isn't it?
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Visualise your creativity.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.114
URL: http://www.akatombo.com/scoop/news
DATE: 02/18/2005 11:12:25 PM
mine is orange, but I don't really know how to explain the shape. Maybe two plastic molded benches, perhaps designed by playskool stacked seat to seat on top of each other. by the way, what do you call the seat part of a bench?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/19/2005 11:29:36 PM
Giraffe shaped today, cosmos shaped tomorrow. It changes for sure, but there is always a hint of green in it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: word candidates
BASENAME: word_candidates
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
DATE: 02/18/2005 09:12:56 PM
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lisk
liss
lit
mill
mitch
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 1938 Canoe Fun
BASENAME: 1938_canoe_fun
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/19/2005 08:47:14 AM
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Sunset Beach, New Jersey.
These are my grandparents, George and Romayne Burroughs, and Romayne's brother, Marvin Jenkins, on a summer outing at Sunset Beach (probably in Cape May near where they lived).
Pampal sizzled in his sunglasses. Romayne's wearing a skin-baring top; she was always a fashion plate. Young Marvin, aged fifteen and on vacation from school in Williamstown, PA, thankfully went on to become a barber.
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Relatives on holiday.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/19/2005 11:27:43 PM
Thanks for posting this. Mom mentioned it to me the other day. I LOVE Uncle Marvin's hair!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Foreign Section Trust
BASENAME: foreign_section_trust
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/19/2005 09:02:34 AM
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The foreigner's section of Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo is under threat of being bulldozed. Why? The old dead foreigners aren't paying their cemetery fees. Bad gaijin!
According to the cemetery's rules, if a plot's 590 yen/sq meter annual fee isn't paid for five years, a notice goes up and the plot will be razed at the end of a year. 78 plots in Aoyama Reien were flagged in October and many of them are in the foreign section.
These are the graves of expatriates from the Meiji era, men and women who promoted Western ideas and practices in Japan--doctors, educators, missionaries, and artists. Although many of their contributions live on, it seems a pity to remove their memorials.
There is some hope; according to an article in the Daily Yomiuri on Friday the city government is reconsidering for some of the "important" graves--those foreigners the city employed way back when. They will make a final decision in April.
Not everyone is convinced the government will do the right thing. From the Yomiuri article:
Yuzo Takahashi, a Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology professor specializing in the history of science and technology, is calling for the preservation of foreigners' graves. "It's unthinkable that those who contributed to the modernization of the country are being forgotten. I'd like to see their graves preserved. In the case of foreign nationals, it can't be helped that fees aren't paid, but I hope the government will preserve as many graves as possible," he said.Which still leaves the problem of the "unimportant" foreign graves. The Foreign Section Trust is forming now to take action. We hope to first pay off the debt on the delinquent tombs and then build a trust fund to take care of them in the future. And just imagine the fun and good feelings at the FST hanami party (currently slated for April 2). If you're interested in joining the society--whether to donate money, sponsor a plot, or offer your help with administration--visit the fledgling FST site and send an e-mail. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Preserving history in the graveyard. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.196.24.96 URL: DATE: 02/20/2005 03:22:56 PM How much is owed? Are they western style graves or Japanese style cremation plaques? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: DATE: 02/20/2005 03:26:20 PM The graves are a mix of styles and sizes. We are talking to the Tokyo Parks Cemetery people this week to find out exactly how much is owed. We expect to have more details posted to the GBPS site this week. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Benefits of Garlic Tonic BASENAME: benefits_of_garlic_tonic STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 02/21/2005 01:51:54 PM ----- BODY: I put the garlic tonic I made last spring to the test today. I'm laid low with a febrile cold and was prompted to eat plenty of garlic to get healthy. I had forgotten about the tonic I had stashed away in the pantry, but Tod hadn't. I poured myself a shot and drank it at lunchtime. It tasted just like medicine; I'm sure it will do me some good. Tod says that I will be "too stinky to be fit for cohabitation" so it's a good thing he's soon out the door to work. Perhaps I will be less garlic-scented when he comes home, but I suspect not. I plan to have some more tonic after my nap. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Garlic vs Fever. Who will triumph? ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: hawg EMAIL: haw123@earthlink.net IP: 222.148.111.105 URL: DATE: 02/21/2005 03:58:41 PM I just discoverd your Blog, and enjoy it mucho. Thanks! About garlic: I've used it to kill bugs and germs in my bod, but it also killed all the good ones - I got the runs. Now I eat lots of yogurt when I use it, to keep the good intestinal bugs intact. Hoping your cold goes away soon! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: DATE: 02/21/2005 04:05:05 PM Mmmm, garlic & yogurt. Sounds like we should have an Indian curry for dinner. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Fran EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net IP: 24.152.217.7 URL: DATE: 02/22/2005 12:42:56 AM I tasted that stuff and I'm sure it kills things. Be well soon. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 02/22/2005 05:41:58 AM Antibiotics kill everything off too - I've got Helen eating yoghurt. Hope the garlic helps. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mieko EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp IP: 219.121.4.11 URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/ DATE: 02/22/2005 08:50:46 AM The person who had garlic doesn't notice the smell, but people arround him or her, who don't have any garlic notice "TOO ???". It depends on people how it smells. Anyway after galic, having apples and some milk is effective. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Flannel BASENAME: flannel STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Wonderful Words CATEGORY: Wonderful Words DATE: 02/22/2005 09:38:09 AM ----- BODY:
Welcome to the start of a new (likely irregular) feature--wonderful words. I've been having so much fun flipping through the OED I received for Christmas that I want to share some of surprises I've come across.
There are many words that I think deserve to be resurrected into our vocabularies. I will present common words with unfamiliar meanings or old words that have fallen into disuse. Expect to see these in my writing and hear them in my conversations.
flannelThe OED cites J. Braine in the mid-20th century as the first use. "I managed to flannel him into the belief that I approved of his particular brand of efficiency." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Did you know it meant this? ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Fran EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net IP: 24.152.217.7 URL: DATE: 02/22/2005 09:48:33 PM Oh, do make it a regular entry. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 02/22/2005 10:15:13 PM I like foxy. No one uses that anymore to mean stinky. Foxy pits. Florid is kind of cool too. There are a lot of excellent words going unused out there. Thanks for making some of them a weekly highlight! I have the OED too. Deliciousness. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: filmtunes EMAIL: IP: 24.241.39.73 URL: http://www.allthisreally.blogspot.com DATE: 02/23/2005 01:06:43 PM I do not know if this is the same thing or not but I have often pondered the diffrence between the word "disease" and the milder roots "dis-ease" (to be not at ease) also "illogic" logic that is sick or unwell and "disaster" yea, that one really gets me. I can only assume that "aster" must be pretty good. Hoping you get well soon. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: seth EMAIL: seth@biginjapan.org IP: 221.41.4.56 URL: http://www.biginjapan.org DATE: 02/24/2005 12:00:33 AM one of my favorite writers, simply because he's got a bigger vocabularly than most dictionaries AND he knows how to use it, is harlan ellison. i easily learn 10 new words or different usages with almost every one of his stories. but instead of "wonderful words," what about calling it "logorrhea"? :) ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Odaijini Flowers BASENAME: odaijini_flowers STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 02/23/2005 08:19:37 AM ----- BODY:
verb: To bluff or mislead with flattery.
Bright flowers in a chalkboard vase
Imagine my utter surprise when flowers appeared at my door yesterday from "The Girls." I think flowers are a better palliative than the garlic tonic; my fever broke last night.
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Thanks for the pretty posies.
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AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.201.245
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 02/23/2005 02:34:34 PM
yay! glad to hear it! take it slow babe!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 02/23/2005 03:18:56 PM
So they wrote the message on the vase.. sweet... original idea and interesting creative use of the vase...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 02/24/2005 10:27:07 PM
Oh - they are pretty!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Anniversaries
BASENAME: anniversaries
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 02/23/2005 11:32:23 AM
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Yesterday was waferbaby's 10th birthday. It made me realise that I am approaching my 11th year with a website.
I wasn't precient enough in 1994 to note the exact date I launched my site--and back then it was hosted at Telerama rather than having a domain of its own (that didn't happen until 2000)
I don't have any screen shots of the really ancient versions and the Wayback Machine doesn't, either. But I remember the first graphical design I had--a row of squares, each with a colorful background and an initial, that pointed to the various sections of the site: K for my resume. I created them in Corel Draw.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chicken in Coconut Gravy
BASENAME: chicken_in_coconut_gravy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/24/2005 02:04:13 PM
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This is a recipe I first encountered in Singapore. It's in the Nonya tradition--the Straits Chinese who settled early in the area and mixed their culture with the Malaysians.
There's a lot of paste-making to do and though you can use a knife to chop everything extra fine, a small grinder makes it easier.
If you can't find fresh lemongrass, you can use dried; if you can't find either, try a few strips of lemon peel. I've seen lengkuas labeled "grater galangal" and "laos"; it looks like big, pink ginger. Pandan leaf doesn't seem to exist outside SE Asia but if you can find it, use it. It imparts a subtle, sweet, grassy flavor to the dish.
Chicken in Coconut Curry
serves 4-6
1 chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 in fresh ginger
16 shallots (or 1 onion)
2 cloves garlic
3 stalks lemongrass
6-8 fresh chilies
2 slices lengkuas
3 Tbsp oil
3 cups thick coconut milk (coconut cream)
1 pandan leaf (optional)
1 tsp salt
Mix the turmeric with a little water and rub the resulting paste on the chicken pieces. Grind ginger, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chillies and lengkuas into a paste. Fry the paste over medium heat in a wok for 5 minutes, then add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes, making sure the chicken is well coated with the spices. Add coconut milk, pandan leaf and salt. Coconut milk needs to be stirred constantly as you bring it to a boil so that it doesn't curdle. When it boils, turn down the heat and simmer 30-45 minutes until the chicken is tender and gravy has thickened.
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Exotic spices make this memorable.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 159.153.138.70
URL:
DATE: 03/12/2005 06:34:55 AM
Looks yummy. If lengkuas is what I think it is, it is also known as white ginger or galangal and can usually be found if your area has a chinatown or asian grocery. You'll also be able to find lemongrass stalks there. I usually strip the outer layer from the lemongrass and cut the lowest "joint" off and the top 4 inches or so. And although they're much more work, try to use the shallots - the taste is much more subtle than onion. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to self-promote
BASENAME: how_to_self-promote
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/25/2005 09:49:27 PM
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One of the more challenging aspects of being a creative person, especially if you're a freelance whatever-you-do like me and so many of my friends, is promoting yourself. How do you let people know what you can do, and do well, without coming off as an overinflated egotist?
You get one of your other creative friends to write your PR materials.
This week, make an arrangement with a creative friend who knows your work well and offer to trade puffery for puffery.
How do you want to promote your friend? How about a press release about a recent project, a brochure for her company, or a letter to send out to potential clients. Talk it over first to find out what will work for her.
A bit of reciprocal publicity lets you see your world from another perspective. You might be surprised at how glamorous and exciting your work is to an outsider. Give it a try and see what happens.
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Get a friend to do it for you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 02/25/2005 10:05:17 PM
Brilliant. That IS the hardest part. Marketing yourself. This week I was part of a panel of creative people, and I left my books in the car. The dancer on the panel had a whole PR packet to give out to everyone. The storyteller handed out pens! I was left saying "Meet you in the parking garage if you want my book." It worked. I sold two - but I felt like a heel.
I like your idea here. Now...who to prey on for promotional verbage...?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.13
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 02/26/2005 04:19:35 PM
Even me (I'm not a creative person), it is difficult to show what kind of teacher I am. (I'm teaching Englihs at home as a franchise smal school)
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AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL:
DATE: 02/28/2005 01:23:05 PM
Jenn, if I went to a panel and was faced with choosing who was more interesting based on:
a) availability of PR package
b) ready supply of pens
c) sells books from car meet me in the parking lot
I would probably choose C every time. Unless the pens were very nifty.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Three Pink Drinks
BASENAME: three_pink_drinks
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/26/2005 11:21:10 PM
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Ready for a a taste test
Suntory Double Shibori, Sakura & Cherry
Poured out a fizzy pale pink. The bouquet is nice. Not too sweet, but has a slightly medicinal aftertaste. Just the thing to cut the salt of senbei at hanami. 0.5% cherry juice; 5% alcohol.
Mercian GyuGyu Shibo Premium, White Peach
Translucent clouds of palest yellow. Fresh peach scent and juicy flavor. Slight carbonation cuts the cloying sweetness. A good starter drink for toddlers. 52% juice, 4% alcohol.
Fauchon Scented Tea Sake, Cassis & Rose
Pinkish brown tea, non-carbonated. Smells like roses. Tastes like tea brewed too strong then sweetened with cassis. Tod says it's "too girly." 0.3% juice, 4% alcohol.
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Marketing attraction in the drinks cooler.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/27/2005 09:45:51 PM
Ha! Starter drink for toddlers!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 03/01/2005 01:54:40 AM
and you can probably get them all at your local vending machine :) if only we had that in NYC.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bike-bin
BASENAME: bike-bin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 03/01/2005 09:00:06 PM
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I'm awaiting a delivery by "bike-bin" --known outside Japan as motorcycle courier messenger service.
After the messenger arrives with a hard drive named w00t I've gotten rather friendly with this past year, I'll have a frantic two and a half days to edit together three videos. I should be trying to relax in these last moments before I get started, but somehow I just can't seem to stop thinking about what I need to do.
Ah, there's the doorbell. The fun begins...
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Waiting for a speedy delivery
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AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.138
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 03/02/2005 09:26:55 AM
harajyuku?? I heard these days bike-taxis have appeared.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Expatriate vs Immigrant
BASENAME: expatriate_vs_immigrant
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/02/2005 10:43:00 PM
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Researching the foreign graves at Aoyama Cemetery, I notice that I refer to the people buried there as "expatriates" but not as "Japan immigrants." Yet many of them lived here for decades before expiring; some had honors heaped upon them by the Japanese government; some married into Japanese families. They were settled permanently; they were iimmigrants.
The dictionary defines immigrant as "a person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another." It's too clinical a definition; I feel that there is something more to immigration.
Take me as a case in point. I'm an American expatriate and although I have no intention of returning to the US or of leaving Japan, I don't consider myself a Japanese immigrant. I don't know that I'll ever be a Japanese immigrant, no matter how long I'm here.
I have a friend in Pennsylvania who is British but has lived in the US for about 25 years. She is permanently settled, married to an American, owns property, has a green card but is not naturalised into US citizenship. I don't think of her as an American immigrant; she's a British expatriate.
What is it that turns an expatriate into an immigrant? Perhaps it is letting loose the final tie to your homeland. Making an irrevokable and official renunciation of the old stomping ground. Adopting the culture, language and lifestyle of your adopted nation. Or perhaps all it takes is an authorised acceptance or permanent recognition from the government.
Truly, I do not know. What do you think?
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I am one but not the other.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Helen
EMAIL: hdgeorge@gmail.com
IP: 221.184.246.23
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/stellastarstruck/today.html
DATE: 03/03/2005 12:01:20 AM
Very interesting topic. I'm not sure how I feel either.
My mother moved to Canada, raised two children who are staunchly Canadian, married a Canadian, but never became Canadian. She was always Scottish...
I've lived here for 8 years this month and I'm still Canadian, heart and soul. I don't think of myself as an immigrant, although I probably am. I don't speak much Japanese, which could be part of it. I still don't "get" many things about Japan, and that level of discomfort may be why I'm more of an expat than an immigrant.
Could it be that Japan is a hard country to be an immigrant in, or that it's easy for us to travel "home?" In past times, we would have left our home countries forever because of the dangers/time involved. Now it's easy...hop on a plane.
Sorry so long...but intriguing topic!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kinuk
EMAIL: kinga74@poczta.onet.pl
IP: 80.55.18.163
URL: http://www.kinuk.co.uk/blog/
DATE: 03/03/2005 12:32:14 AM
I was born in Poland. Left it when I was 12 and have lived in 4 different countries since then (Canada, Japan, Germany, UK). I no longer know what to call myself. I no longer know where my "home" is.
This is a topic that fascinates me: how do you definte yourself if you've had such a transient life?
To me, an expatriate is someone who stays overseas for shorter bursts. To me, immigration is for life. But it's a slippery definition. Will I still be Polish even when I gain yet another (third) passport?
It's a tricky thing to define. But a fantastic topic to ruminate (sp??).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kat
EMAIL: pinkurocks@yahoo.com
IP: 218.44.42.21
URL: http://www.pinkurocks.com
DATE: 03/03/2005 10:22:15 AM
hmm, this is a REALLY intersting topic.
I think those terms are limiting as I think times have certainly changed a lot over the last 50 years. The world is now a seriously global place. I am Australian, but my father is Malay Chinese (born in Malaysia) and my mother is English, but both of them are now Australian citizens. They both moved to Australia for better opportunities, for a better life. I guess they are both immigrants and have embraced Australia as their home.
Now in my case, I have lived in Japan for about 7 years altogether, but first came as an exchange student. I didn't come to Japan for a better life, I came to experience the culture, and learn the language, and to travel. I don't consider myself an expat (I think of an expat as someone whose company sent them to live in another country for a specific amount of time). I know that is a limited definition - it's just what the word conjures up in my mind. I also married an American and will go through the immigration process to move to the US at some point, but I am not moving to the US for a better life (although I will enjoy more space and a real garden). I would consider becoming a US citizen in the future because it makes travel easier to and from the US and because I do not have to give up my Australian citizenship. I will be a dual citizen and I guess an international roamer.....maybe it is time for the world to think up a new term??
Just my two cents worth...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gen
EMAIL:
IP: 219.123.70.146
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 03/03/2005 11:46:34 AM
Indeed, a very interesting topic.
One definition could be that an immigrant gives up the citizenship of the nation s/he left and takes the citizenship of the nation s/he has emigrated to.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/03/2005 04:13:32 PM
Very very interesting. I am an expatriate but my brother is definitely an Immigrant to Japan.
I think it all boils down to the attitude of the individual. If moving and settling in the new country causes a paradym shift within that person then yes the person becomes an immmigrant.
Many "new" australians are fiercy patriotic and proud off their adopted country and are more Australian at times than me. Others seem to enjoy where they are living but never let their surroundings truly seep into their psyche.
Great Post Kristen!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 206.152.99.75
URL: http://www.gw-language.com/wlog
DATE: 03/06/2005 03:01:59 PM
Those words have too much baggage. They make you think of home, abroad, allegiance, citizenship. I had really hoped that in my lifetime notions of citizenship and thinking in nationalities would if not disappear so at least weaken. For a while it looked really good. But during the last decade the pendulum started to swing back, it seems. I grew up in Germany and left after college. I lived in Tokyo for 17 years. I now have lived in the U.S. for 14 years. My wife is Australian and my daughter born in Japan. Am I an expatriate, somebody living in a foreign land? Certainly not. If the proof of immigration is permanence, I am here permanently, or at least until we decide to move on — should we ever decide such a move. We lived in Japan permanently — until we were offered an opportunity elsewhere which was too good to miss. Whether green card or naturalized is really only important to the authorities and does not change me from temporary to permanent. Whether I am living here on a German or an American passport, this here is home, as was Tokyo while we lived there. So perhaps we should let go of words like immigrant and expatriate as labels of last century's thinking. If really necessary, wouldn't resident be a all-encompassing description?
My 2 cents from the Mid-West.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/07/2005 09:51:46 PM
It begs the question though - do other people get as bored/frustrated as I do when asked 50 times a day "Where are you from?" I always tell people I live in Toshima-ku. Then they think I have misunderstood them and ask what country I am from. I tell them where I was born but I live in Japan.
I know I am beating my head against a brick wall as Japan is such as a homogenous society but really if you live in Tokyo you must have gotten used to the sight of a non-asian face.........
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 159.153.138.70
URL:
DATE: 03/12/2005 06:29:48 AM
I agree with T a bit. I think of immigrant and expatriate to do with intention of the person *before* their move. An ex-pat usually goes with a short term mindset due to a work assignment or teaching/training/university experience. The immigrant leaves (abandons?) the country they were raised in to find a new permanent life in a new country.
And simply many people just don't fall easily into categories. For those of us who have lived in several countries a few years at a time, the barriers start to break down for the definitions and so many other things (maybe that's one of the reasons we do live other places). It's human nature to categorize everything but some things and people don't fit neatly into origami boxes. ;)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dorobou
BASENAME: dorobou
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/03/2005 04:15:18 PM
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BODY:
Well, hmph. Someone snatched 46,000 yen from my wallet.
Either I dropped my wallet as I was coming into the building yesterday evening (I keep my key in my wallet, so I know I had it when I reached the lobby's security panel) or someone in the building opened the door to my apartment and grabbed it from the hall table.
Our maintenance man found it this morning on the street outside the building. When I reclaimed it, it no longer contained the money I had recently withdrawn from the bank. Fortunately my identification, bank card, train cards, and other non-cash items were not stolen.
(For those of you in credit-friendly countries, it may be a shock to calculate I had about $450 in my wallet, but it's not so uncommon here. Banks are not open 24 hours and everyone uses cash. Japanese bank machines dispense 10,000 yen notes like American ones spit out 20s.)
The amount taken is substantial but it won't prevent my bills from being paid. Perhaps the person who took my money needed it more. I hope the thief uses it wisely.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
An opportunistic thief
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/03/2005 10:17:18 PM
grrrrrr
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: VW
EMAIL:
IP: 222.0.100.240
URL:
DATE: 03/03/2005 11:21:35 PM
I think its all the new generation kids here, they are less pure than the older honest generations of Japanese people who would return a lost wallet, with all the money, to a nearest koban.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL:
IP: 17.101.34.148
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 03/03/2005 11:43:49 PM
Oh, that was me. Sorry! Sorry.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2005 12:02:19 AM
peterb: what are you doing in Tokyo, in my lobby, stealing my cash?? YOu'd better be using it wisely ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 210.22.18.17
URL:
DATE: 03/04/2005 12:21:34 AM
it was probably a foreigner who did it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Compare-contrast
BASENAME: compare-contrast
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/04/2005 10:53:33 AM
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BODY:
This week, we're going old-school with our creativity. I'm sure you remember (perhaps with some dread) the compare-contrast papers from your 9th grade composition class. With practice, you should have gone from basic observations to more finely noted details and finally on to the larger ideas that linked your compared objects. But other school distractions--geography homework, soccer practice, the cute boy in trigonometry--likely prevented this from happening.
So let's brush up our comparative skills. Take two things that fit together in a category--fictional characters, bottles of wine, politicians, songs--and prepare to write.
If you're not sure how to start, try simply listing similarities and differences. Get the obvious points out of the way, then let yourself have fun with some of the larger cognitive leaps.
Once you have a list, think about what's important in it and what is interesting. Can you combine ideas from the list into one "treatment" of the subject?
For example, apples and oranges are both fruits, but they grow in different climates, mature in different seasons, and are combined with different ingredients in the kitchen. You could take those points to write about how geography influences what we eat.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Apples and oranges.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Parabolic antenna
BASENAME: parabolic_antenna
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 03/05/2005 07:37:55 PM
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BODY:
Our wireless network is great, but doesn't stretch quite all the way through our apartment. It peters out halfway down the hall to the bedroom.
But not anymore. Tod built this nifty parabolic antenna from a thin sheet of metal and some foamcore. It's not the most stylish thing in the house, but it works.
What was my first Google search from bed? Of course... (NSFW)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Wireless in the bedroom, finally.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL:
IP: 205.201.10.113
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 03/05/2005 09:39:21 PM
Your use of the nameist phrase "peters out" betrays your fundamental indifference to the massive, historically significant and ongoing discrimination against people named "Peter"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 03/05/2005 11:12:41 PM
How clever, Tod.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: 170 or 85
EMAIL:
IP: 157.157.237.145
URL:
DATE: 03/06/2005 05:48:56 AM
This is an automated message: Good to know these gadgets radiate weak enough a signal so they may have to be passively amplified :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 69.201.128.192
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 03/06/2005 05:50:21 AM
just this morning i was complaining to my husband of lack-of-signal-strength on our airport extreme base station (which is new) and my computer (which is also new.) we figured that the 802.11g network is not as wide as our old 802.11b one so we then spent 30 minutes trying to rearrange stuff in our office so that the antenna would reach out the door and into the rest of the apartment! funny that you had a similar issue :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zhang Liping
EMAIL: zhangliping@yahoo.com
IP: 218.79.243.122
URL: http://sevencastles.blogchina.com
DATE: 03/13/2005 12:00:03 PM
I enjoyed your blog immensely. You are welcome to http://sevencastles.blogchina.com, my Shanghai blog featuring news and views of great interest
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fool me twice
BASENAME: fool_me_twice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/06/2005 10:00:28 AM
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BODY:
I no longer believe I dropped my wallet on Wednesday. I think there was a thief in my building.
Why? I am embarrassed to admit this but once again my wallet has been emptied of its cash. It happened between 2:00 am and 6:50 am today. This time the robber left my wallet on the table in the genkan, but I don't sit my wallet on my hat so I noticed right away.
Now what? Aside from being more diligent about locking the door and keeping my wallet far away from the genkan, I will go to the police and report the thefts, alert the building security, and post a notice to warn the neighbors.
So much for my complacent feelings of security.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
One week, two robberies.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/06/2005 01:34:40 PM
You get em girl!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.119
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 03/06/2005 02:40:17 PM
That's too bad. These days such KOSODORO are increaseing, while bad, sad ,terrific matter also often happend.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: VW
EMAIL:
IP: 222.0.100.240
URL:
DATE: 03/06/2005 06:31:43 PM
Why dont you setup a webcam somewhere and a dummy wallet awaiting for the thief to come again? Then you catch whoevers doing it. Try www.willingsoftware.com/ It can do motion activated recording.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 69.201.128.192
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 03/07/2005 05:04:37 AM
great idea VW! did you see the article on BBC last week about the guy who was caught stealing a computer because the webcam was setup to send photos to an email address? very tricky..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambridgeshire/4272041.stm
kristen, you could also setup an alarm that is tripped if the door is opened during the night. sorry to hear you've been robbed twice! :( i hope they catch whoever it is.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erra
EMAIL: blah@hotmail.com
IP: 70.19.60.61
URL: http://momentarymadness.typepad.com
DATE: 03/07/2005 11:14:33 AM
unbelieveable
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: 170 or 85
EMAIL:
IP: 157.157.237.145
URL:
DATE: 03/07/2005 01:49:48 PM
This is an automated message: If you're on Apples, then the following might capture the joker http://www.securityspy.com/
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 61.195.43.184
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 03/07/2005 02:50:06 PM
That's really hard to imagine.
So sorry to hear that's going on there - I hope it's over.
Want me to camp overnight in your genkan with a baseball bat?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://www.allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 03/08/2005 12:23:13 AM
I would not be surprised if the thought has already crossed your mind, but I'm getting a very strong vibe that your "purp" is a minor. Keep your eyes peeled for whispering minors.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: No bad news
BASENAME: no_bad_news
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/08/2005 09:18:02 PM
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BODY:
After hanging up this sign on Sunday cautioning the neighbors to be careful, the lobby staff called me to complain that they were mazuii (yukky) and I was giving people bad feelings. They took the sign down; apparently it's not acceptable to let the neighbors know about the robberies.
That makes no sense to me; if my neighbor had been burgled I would want to know so I could take extra care to lock my doors and watch for strangers. I wonder what else has happened in the building that the management has swept under the rug.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I'm not supposed to tell the neighbors
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: VW
EMAIL:
IP: 222.0.100.240
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2005 11:20:06 PM
Thats unbelivable.
Was that sign posted somewhere where only stamped certified posts are allowed?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.37.106.127
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2005 11:48:01 PM
Considering the time frame, it could be an "inside job". Sorry to hear this happened twice- it does seem amateur, you may not have to worry too much about the cash card info skimming. Those pros won't hit the hard cash twice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 03/09/2005 02:06:31 AM
Although I, as of yet, have not been to Japan, I have learned a good deal about it's people and custom norms. Actually I have learned a good bit from you, through your blog as well. I am not surprised that they took the notice down, At first glance your graphic does look alarmist and not in keeping with the polite, quiet, society in which you live. Perhaps if you began with, "Dear Neighbors" and a polite apology for asking them of their time to read your note. No bold red type. followed by letting them know of your concerns, as well as your concerns for them. And your last statement could have been a request out of concern and respect. It kinda comes off as a 50's style monster movie radio broadcast statement. "Please Stay Inside, And Lock Your Doors. Don't get me wrong, I feel horrible for what happened to you. For that to happen to anyone, but I really do believe that you know the society in which you reside. When in a shy, timid Rome, do as the shy, timid Romans do.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: redhed
EMAIL: blah@hotmail.com
IP: 193.132.105.146
URL: http://tokyoredhed.typepad.com/2_b_red/
DATE: 03/09/2005 02:09:35 AM
Well, if the crime wasn't unbelievable enough... The lack of logic did make me feel quite natsukashii though.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: niji
EMAIL: niji@azamino.com
IP: 203.205.168.39
URL:
DATE: 03/09/2005 02:10:23 AM
there are reasons for yr "WARNING" sign to be felt to be "mazui":
-there is undoubtedly a residents committee at yr building. you really should have at least spoken with the head of that committee and sought her/his guidance on how to help other residents understand the current level of danger. did you? an announcement board requires express posting approval, especially in a matter that is as serious as this. a warning of this kind should never be posted unilatterlly.
-this sort of announcement is actually most common and very frequently posted by residence committees, or, neighborhood groups (jichikai). so, it is not unusual to see such signs at all. they really are common these days. but the wording used in these announcements is important. i think it would be a good idea to get a native japanese who can word it more like you would want it to sound in native japanese. the current version is not native, and not appropriate
-a report should be made to the local police station (not koban) and a policeman should be requested to come to yr building to do an assessment of the possible route the thief used. the police could very well help you and yr neighbors by providing valuable information on similiar incidents (if there are any) in other buildings in yr neighborhood. they can supply statistics and help you and yr building committee take steps to be more on yr guard.
-finally, yr having asked for a policeman to come to yr building would work in yr favour to get the building manager to realize you are trying to make a serious attempt to help the other residents, and even if she/he felt that such an announcement would not be wise, the police will not take such an opinion. this will help you to get yr notice posted
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 03/09/2005 02:17:49 AM
PS. I mean no disrespect to the people of Japan by my use of the words "shy, quiet, or timid". I respect Japan as a strong and brave country, that is outwardly reserved. I would rather the U.S. were more like the Japanese in this respect. There is nothing more obnoxious than the loud, brash image America has come to personify and export through the media. But that is another story. Good luck with your investigation.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL:
IP: 17.101.34.148
URL: http://www.tgr.com/weblog
DATE: 03/09/2005 03:00:53 AM
I agree with filmtunes -- really, it's so obnoxious to be posting such a warning that clearly states the nature of the problem and gives them a recommendation on how to avoid it. As someone not living in Japan, but being an avid fan of the beautiful and delicate Japanese culture, I am an expert at how you should behave. I will, therefore, tell you what to do.
You need to construct a response that is appropriately discreet and allows your diaphanous, etherial neighbors to gently discover the shades of meaning in the ephemeral world of layered symbols through which we -- by which I mean the Japanese, and those of us who adore them, but not my stupid fat American neighbors, who would _never_ understand "Rashomon" -- move. To that end, I recommend sneaking around the apartment building at 3 in the morning and stealing money from your neighbors genkans. Trust me -- they will appreciate your subtlety.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 03/09/2005 06:14:58 AM
I am so sorry that you were burgled. It sucks no matter how you translate it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 03/09/2005 08:58:06 AM
Just for the record, if our building has a residents' association, it is invisible. We've lived here 3 years and I've never caught wind of it. No meetings, no notices. There are only 19 apartments and the building is not fully occupied.
We have a passing acquaintance with three of four of our neighbors; one is a French family and two others are bilingual. These people are not "typical" Japanese, I feel.
There is no notice board in the building; I hung my sign next to the mailboxes. Tacky, yes. Awkwardly written, yes. But meant in the community spirit.
I would not have minded at all if the buliding management had replaced my notice with a better written one from their office. But they didn't. They simply want to hide the crime.
I will ask the police to visit, of course. Perhaps they can talk some sense into the management.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.82
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 03/09/2005 09:55:06 AM
You are smart and kind. I've never such a sign at any apertment.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Gen Kanai
EMAIL: gen@kanai.net
IP: 219.123.70.146
URL: http://gen.kanai.net
DATE: 03/09/2005 11:27:10 AM
Kristen, a few thoughts- how about putting copies of the letter into each person's mailbox?
Definitely having the police swing by is important. You have to bully these idiot Japanese building managers who dont want to be told that there's problems in their building.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.63.222
URL:
DATE: 03/09/2005 11:20:25 PM
Don't expect the cops to really follow up on their words even if they say they'd be dropping by. Whatever they say about themselves, Japanese cops are lazy. They are sometimes even reluctant to accept Higai Todoke (damage/crime report) from a citizen if the said crime is petty and only increases their workload.
Where I live has strong community thing going, the super communicates crime info and such to neighbors, once he put up a captured photo on the notice board from the elevator surveilance cam when some suspicious characters came around knocking doors. But about one third of the resident body actually owns their flat for 20 years or so, so maybe it's not really surprising.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: motoyes
EMAIL: motoyes@tke.att.ne.jp
IP: 165.76.186.155
URL: http://motoyes.com
DATE: 03/11/2005 12:28:11 PM
OH!
It's too bad, you should talk to the boss, not the old employee as a "kanri-nin". He's just a hired hand, he doesn't know anything. Or you should write a letter to the management company.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tokyo Calling
BASENAME: tokyo_calling
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 03/10/2005 08:19:28 AM
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BODY:
Podcaster Scott Lockman features "Hello Tokyo" in his latest episode of Tokyo Calling:
Episode 14 This 19 minute podcast features a couple of news stories with a short discussion of some of the various websites for news from Japan in English, an excerpt from The Mediatinker's Hello Tokyo DVD, and a couple of emails from the listener letter bag.Scott suggests I start a podcast--maybe a cooking show! What do you think. Shuld Mediatinker do online radio? ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: I'm in a podcast ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mike EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net IP: 24.239.78.135 URL: http:// DATE: 03/10/2005 10:44:20 AM You should do it - you did just get that nice mixer and mic. :) I'd listen. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 03/10/2005 10:18:36 PM Yes!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com IP: 218.231.248.75 URL: http://wirefarm.com DATE: 03/11/2005 05:17:11 PM I'd listen! Please do it! I've been toying with the idea a bit too - figured out how to do enclosures in RSS in Wordpress, just haven't recorded anything I like enough yet... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: emiko EMAIL: IP: 218.110.201.213 URL: DATE: 03/12/2005 11:32:43 AM It would be great! Fancy listening your podcast on my ipod during travel to or from work! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mieko EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp IP: 210.155.211.161 URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/ DATE: 03/12/2005 07:08:09 PM Me too! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: filmtunes EMAIL: IP: 24.241.39.73 URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/AllThisreally DATE: 03/13/2005 05:21:19 AM Absolutely, it's quite easy to do. I started the first of my Friday weekly Podcasts "Cafe Caribe" and have received quite a few hits already. As a Media Tinker I don't see how you could not give it a go. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: The C-word BASENAME: the_c-word STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 03/13/2005 08:21:41 AM ----- BODY: There was a comedy sketch decades ago, in which the comedian talked about her brash relatives and how they conversed in shouts across the dinner table, constantly battling for attention. But there was one word that they never spoke in more than a raspy whisper: "DID YOU HEAR ABOUT MARY? SHE HAS cancer..." I'm not sure why that has stuck with me for so many years. I don't even remember the comedian. But it's on an endless loop in my head right now. My father was diagnosed with aggressive small-cell cancer yesterday. He has a tumor the size of a mikan between his lungs and esophagus. It is inoperable and he started chemo today with radiation to follow. I'm on my way to visit as soon as I can get a flight. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Perhaps not the one you think. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Anonymous EMAIL: IP: 202.156.2.202 URL: DATE: 03/13/2005 10:30:43 AM Wish him all the best. Speedy recovery. God bless. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mieko EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp IP: 219.121.4.99 URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/ DATE: 03/13/2005 11:50:20 AM Your visiting must ease him. ODAIJINI. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: bohemian EMAIL: bohemianphilosophy@gmail.com IP: 61.68.93.22 URL: DATE: 03/13/2005 02:11:24 PM Hope your father will have a speedy recovery. Love & thoughts be with you and your family. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: erra EMAIL: blah@hotmail.com IP: 70.19.60.61 URL: http://momentarymadness.typepad.com DATE: 03/13/2005 03:29:25 PM Wishing him, & you, well. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kerry EMAIL: sweetestkerry@yahoo.com IP: 220.159.29.64 URL: http://sweetker.diaryland.com DATE: 03/13/2005 06:36:10 PM All the best to you and your family. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jessica EMAIL: kakigouri@gmail.com IP: 218.222.201.69 URL: DATE: 03/13/2005 09:47:24 PM I hope your father gets well soon. Best wishes. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Eva EMAIL: echan@cam.org IP: 24.201.45.4 URL: DATE: 03/14/2005 11:17:38 AM Best wishes and much strength to you and your family. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 03/14/2005 05:08:56 PM You will be taking with you the collective love and "get well" vibes from all of your friends, here in japan and your on-line friends. Safe travel and speedy recovery for your dad.. tell him that the faster he beats that "mikan" into remission, the sooner he can get back to doing all the things that he wants to do.. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Heidi EMAIL: valleygr@ptd.net IP: 24.115.14.56 URL: DATE: 03/15/2005 09:36:41 AM My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Be well. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Natalie EMAIL: nbuxton@gmail.com IP: 59.167.78.96 URL: http://www.nataliebuxton.com DATE: 03/17/2005 01:43:03 PM My thoughts are with you. I read your site whenever you update, but I rarely comment. I just wanted to say I really do feel your pain. My Dad was diagnosed with cancer last July. Unfortunately, the chemo failed and he doesn't have much time left. I wish you and your family the best, and hope that treatment is successful. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Apologies BASENAME: apologies STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog CATEGORY: About the Blog DATE: 03/14/2005 09:46:13 PM ----- BODY: Is it appropriate to apologize to an unknown, unseen, and (frankly) only assumed, audience for my recent lack of daily posts? I'm not sure. And yet I feel I ought to. So I'm sorry. I just haven't felt like writing much. Recipe Thursdays and Creative Perspectives have taken a hit. When's the last time I posted more than three days running? It feels like weeks. After my existential meltdown, I had not much to say. 130 hours of video editing in less that two weeks, topped by my father's sudden illness, kept me distracted from the observations of daily life. But I leave for the States tomorrow and I am sure that I will have plenty of culture shock to write about. Stay tuned. I'll try to post recipes, too. American food... ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Not so daily as it used to be. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: mike EMAIL: IP: 63.251.179.115 URL: DATE: 03/15/2005 12:46:36 AM Of course you have an audience. Here's one in Boulder Colorado. Best wishes for your father. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: ginny EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com IP: 12.10.219.36 URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com DATE: 03/15/2005 03:20:46 AM Oooh! Me! I'm an audience, too. I'll be thinking of you and your dad. I enjoy your observations of daily life (especially of life in Japan) very much. (yegad, I've been reading via Bloglines too long - your site redesign was a big surprise) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Peteris EMAIL: IP: 217.198.224.13 URL: DATE: 03/20/2005 06:01:06 AM Would be unfair not to mention the audiences in Riga, Latvia :) . Best wishes. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Home Hairdressing BASENAME: home_hairdressing STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 03/15/2005 07:28:54 AM ----- BODY:
MJ applies the streaky bits
It's a 20 year tradition that my mother does not recognise me when she meets me at the station or airport. I travel incognito with a new hairstyle or color every time.
Thanks to MJ's expert help, today I am a redhead with dramatic blonde highlights. Next visit home perhaps I will dye my hair jet black.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Freshening up for travel.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.106
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 03/15/2005 03:52:20 PM
I love the glass of wine there on the sinktop!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: In transit
BASENAME: in_transit_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 03/16/2005 08:50:56 AM
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BODY:
Waiting. Where am I?
The Pittsburgh International Airport is one giant wireless hotspot. This makes my four hour layover almost bearable. I should reach my destination in another 3 or 4 hours.
I can't really tell you how the trip is going--after 23 hours in transit, all memories of the travel have been wiped from my mind. I am living in the moment, delighted to have eaten soup and salad, then brushed my teeth. Simple pleasures.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
and online at airport #3.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.106
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 03/16/2005 02:44:15 PM
Your hair looks great! And i agree, teethbrushing whilst travelling is a pleasure, you feel like a new person!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2005 06:06:59 PM
Ditto on the "do" - looking great babe...
Do they have the massages that are available in HK international airport?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Little joys
BASENAME: little_joys
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/17/2005 11:29:34 AM
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BODY:
Ah, the joys of the Internet. This morning I turned on the laptop and as soon as it located the wireless network here, I video chatted with friends back home--an oasis of pleasant moments before heading to the hospital.
It was hard to see Dad hooked up to the monitors and tubes. He's not in control of himself or the situation and that's not Dad. He's in pain. He's restless and disoriented. But this afternoon he picked up his arms and danced along to Buena Vista Social Club.
Ah, the joys of music.
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EXCERPT:
music and the Internet.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL: jean@shadowlawn.us
IP: 68.233.218.213
URL:
DATE: 03/18/2005 10:32:31 AM
I'm thinking of Phil--and you and Fran all the time.--JM
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Irene Hernandez
EMAIL: tita17_4ever@hotmail.com
IP: 67.137.86.49
URL:
DATE: 03/25/2005 07:59:13 AM
I don't like pets, but i don't mine them either....an the only thing i can do with them is... look at them but don't touch or pet them!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chatty
BASENAME: chatty
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/18/2005 12:27:50 PM
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BODY:
Today I tagged along with Mom's friend, Bob, to the local rec center for a swim. I thoroughly enjoyed being in the water and getting some exercise, though the swim was unremarkable, as was the pool. What was most interesting was conversing with the other swimmers.
One man, Larry, is training for a mini-triathalon. He owns a gymnasitcs studio in the area. We talked technique and breathing for ten minutes between rounds of swimming.
Americans are chatty. A shop clerk in Pittsburgh gave me the rundown on her upcoming birthday, her three children, ex-husband and new dreamy boyfriend.
And alarmingly, I can add to these conversations with tidbits of my own. That store clerk now knows that my birthday is also coming up, that my dear husband brings me a hot water bottle on cold nights and that I would like diamonds for my 40th birthday.
Wonder who I'll meet next time and in what circumstances? What will we talk about and why will we bother?
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EXCERPT:
Why do people prattle on about themselves?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.196.24.96
URL:
DATE: 03/19/2005 12:50:42 AM
I have been known to talk with random strangers whereever I go.. often there is alcohol involved but then I do love a chat at anytime.. (but then you do know that about me don't you???) :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 03/19/2005 10:05:13 AM
I was in Santa Fe over spring break, when it received the heaviest snowfall in 9 years. Often, I was the only passenger on the bus, and found the bus drivers to be very chatty. I was more surprised to find myself responding in kind. I'm not very chatty on my home turf.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL:
IP: 68.233.218.213
URL:
DATE: 03/20/2005 08:08:08 AM
We bother because we are all in this together and we need each other! Nationality, race, creed etc notwithstanding. Its great to be alive and chatty!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Interpretations
BASENAME: interpretations
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/19/2005 10:28:21 AM
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BODY:
Dad was lucid and talking for a while today. I leaned in close, reading his lips and listening to him repeat phrases over and over until either I said them back correctly or he got tired and gave up. Almost everything comes out as vowels and glottal stops.
"Ai ee ee...ee ai ah pohkupine"
"Porcupine? Huh?"
"Ai fee aik ah pokupine"
"Ah, you feel like a porcupine. Well, you kinda look like one, too, Dad."
It's not easy to talk with an oxygen mask, a cough, and deep fatigue. Good thing Dad's got a strong and persistent sense of humor.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
What is he saying behind the mask?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.111
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 03/19/2005 02:12:05 PM
SUGOI!--- In that situation both of you mentioned some jokes. I think your father must be really reliefed and happy because you stand by him.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.106
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 03/20/2005 02:47:24 PM
I think so too. We miss you but im glad you're there.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Old style
BASENAME: old_style
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/20/2005 08:24:08 AM
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BODY:
One of the drips Dad receives is a milky liquid full of lipids for his nutrition. Unlike the other IVs that come in plastic bags, this one is in an old-fashioned glass bottle with a metal fitting at the bottom. It could be out of any hospital circa 1930.
The anachronism ends at the bottle, though. Plastic tubing leads into a high-tech machine that regulates the amount of liquid flowing, calculates time until the bag or bottle is empty, and rings bells to alert the nursing staff when it's time to change.
I figured out how to operate it, though I absolutely will not touch it. Like all gear it looks mysterious at first, but quickly yields its secrets if you watch a skilled operator at the controls.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
1930 meets 2005
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jenny
EMAIL: jrichwal@allegheny.edu
IP: 24.131.102.34
URL:
DATE: 03/20/2005 11:36:38 AM
evan had an iv bottle like that when he was first born. his looked like gatorade though--bright green and full of good nutrients since he couldn't eat himself. i was fascinated by the old style bottle--even more so when the nurse told us that each bottle of fluid cost $600 (and he used one a day!)
thanks for sharing your thoughts at this time. we're hoping all goes well for your father and your family.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hanami, April 2
BASENAME: hanami_april_2
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/21/2005 12:24:04 PM
-----
BODY:
Download this flyer to distribute (1.9 MB PDF)
Please join the Foreign Section Trust for a relaxing day of eating and drinking under the cherry blossoms at Aoyama Cemetery. FST members will be on hand to discuss the city's plans for the area and how you can get involved.
Free to all! Bring your favorite food and drink. Meet under the cherry tree at the south end of Aoyama Cemetery's foreign section. Map
FST Hanami Party
Saturday, April 2
11 am - 7 pm
Aoyama Cemetery Foreign Section
(rain dates April 3 & 9)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Cherry blossom fun with the Foreign Section Trust.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Philip R. Hill
BASENAME: philip_r_hill
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/23/2005 02:10:50 AM
-----
BODY:
Philip Hill, resident of Ephrata, passed away on Monday, March 21, 2005, at age 67. Beloved husband of Frances (Burroughs); loving father to Kristen McQuillin of Tokyo, Japan, and Jennifer Hill-Kaucher of Edwardsville; grandfather of Helen; and brother of Richard Hill of Indianapolis.
Phil created glass art that hangs at the Ephrata Public Library, Anam Cara in Ireland, and private homes around the country. His art won the WITF Gallery Judge’s Citation Award in 2003. A gallery of Philip’s work is online at grandfatherphilip.com. He volunteered with EPAC as a prop builder and appeared on stage in numerous productions throughout his lifetime.
Born to Helen and Elvis Hill in 1937 in Detroit, Michigan, Phil raced stock cars before he had a driver’s license and joined the Navy at an early age. He served as a nuclear engineer aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). After leaving the Navy, he worked as an engineer and later in research and development in the textile and adhesives industries where several of his processes were patented. He enjoyed an early retirement from ParaChem, Inc.
Water played an important role in his life, as he wrote on his website, “At an early stage in my life I became fascinated with water. We lived by Lake St. Claire outside of Detroit, Michigan, and I loved to go look at the lake and boats. When visiting relatives in Chicago, Illinois, going to Lake Michigan, the Chicago Yacht Club and the Chicago Fountain was a must!” Much of his glass art incorporated the colors and textures of watery surfaces and he drew inspiration from ancient legend and literature.
Private interment. Friends received at Eicher Arts Center from 5 – 8 pm on April 1st. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heifer International, 1202 Main Street, P.O. Box 727, Little Rock, AR 72203. (888) 422-1161 foundation@heifer.org orheiferfoundation.org
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
My father's obituary.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://www.allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 03/23/2005 09:57:40 AM
Kristen,
Dani and I send our deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathies to you and your family for the loss of your Father. He sounds to be a very well loved man who will be missed by many.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/23/2005 10:22:02 AM
Thanks for that honey. I know it must have been hard to write. Thinking about you.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2005 12:04:17 PM
This is the obituary that will appear in the local papers tomorrow. Jenn & I wrote it together.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 219.9.124.29
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2005 12:28:07 PM
With sympathy
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 202.33.79.50
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 03/23/2005 12:50:49 PM
Kristen,
I am so sorry for your loss. Thinking about you.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/
DATE: 03/23/2005 01:10:08 PM
My deepest sympathies to you and your family. Your dad sounds like a great guy. I'm glad you were able to be there with him.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 204.144.142.158
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2005 01:46:10 PM
I'm glad you made it there. Best wishes for your family.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.94
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 03/23/2005 01:46:49 PM
I'm very sorry for your loss, I wish I would have had a chance to meet your dad. You and your family are in our thoughts.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL: dandyism@hellokitty.com
IP: 219.167.17.40
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2005 02:19:31 PM
Kristen, I am so sorry. Your dad really did sound great. I hope you find a strong support in your family.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2005 02:20:58 PM
Kristen honey, a beautifully written post - probably one of the hardest tasks you have set your writing talents to date. My thoughts are with you and your family. Take care of each other. Tracey
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jonathan and Sachiko
EMAIL: wilder@proeigo.com
IP: 61.195.41.87
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2005 05:30:26 PM
Kristen, thank you for telling us about your dad's life. More big hugs from both of us.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.64.232
URL:
DATE: 03/23/2005 09:29:06 PM
Kristen, I send my deepest condolences. I am very sorry. Your father will live on in affectionate memories and thoughts of many, including myself and everyone else on this board.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ando
EMAIL: ando@tokyodragon.net
IP: 60.39.214.244
URL: http://tokyodragon.net
DATE: 03/23/2005 11:03:00 PM
Kristen,
Please accept my deepest condolences - you've done so much for me, please let me know if there's anything I can do for you.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 03/24/2005 02:00:43 AM
kristen, my deepest sympathies are with you and your family. hugs from new york have been telepathically sent your way. have a safe journey home when all is said and done.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygr@ptd.net
IP: 24.115.98.254
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 03:17:13 AM
Kristen, my deepest sympathies to you, Jenn and your
Mom. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts
and my prayers.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anja
EMAIL: pip@pipfugl.dk
IP: 62.79.173.69
URL: http://www.pipfugl.dk
DATE: 03/24/2005 04:40:23 AM
I'm so sorry. You are in my thoughts.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jenny
EMAIL: jrichwal@allegheny.edu
IP: 24.239.78.135
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 07:18:28 AM
i am so sorry for your loss. the tribute that you and your sister wrote is beautiful.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: echan@cam.org
IP: 24.201.45.4
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 07:21:30 AM
My sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to you and your family. I wish you all the strength you need during this period. And a safe voyage home. Best wishes...
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Phyllis Martin
EMAIL: pms9759@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.205.207
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 08:42:56 AM
Kristen,
Just spent the last hour on your dad's website.
What wonderful talent. You and your family
are in my thoughts and prayers. I'll be looking
out for your mom here on the homefront.
Love,
Phyllis
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Christopher Hill
EMAIL: cphill0728@sbcglobal.net
IP: 68.251.181.94
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 08:58:39 AM
Kristen,
I am so sorry to hear of Uncle Phil passing, You and your family are in my prays. I just wish I could have come to Pa. with mom and dad. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you, Aunt Fran or Jenni.
Love to All,
Your Cousin,
Chris
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean
EMAIL:
IP: 24.49.159.54
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 11:26:58 AM
Beautiful obituary by loving daughters. Phil had a great life and he will live on in your memories and through his art. How wonderful that he discovered and created it for posterity!
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.106
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 03/24/2005 10:23:24 PM
Kristen,
Ive seen your Dad's glasswork too, he made beautiful art, and it was obvious he loved it. Im sorry he's gone.
Love and big hugs from the j-ster
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lisa
EMAIL: bohemianphilosophy@gmail.com
IP: 61.68.92.156
URL: http://blog.bohemianphilosophy.com
DATE: 03/25/2005 08:21:27 AM
Dear Kristen,
My thoughts are with you and your family. There is no doubt that he had lived a very good life, surrounded by everyone he loved. Many love.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 159.153.138.53
URL:
DATE: 03/25/2005 08:32:05 AM
Sympathies and condolences. It does sound as though he had a wonderful and full life. It's everyone's loss that he is gone.
-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: motoyes
EMAIL: motoyes@tke.att.ne.jp
IP: 165.76.186.155
URL: http://motoyes.com
DATE: 03/26/2005 05:11:14 AM
I'm so sorry about your sudden sympathy.
I was so surprised when I heard about your father.
At the same age of your father, my father died suddenly
by heart attack when I was 32.
big hugs!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lenora
EMAIL: ljgenovese@compuserve.com
IP: 62.252.224.13
URL:
DATE: 03/28/2005 07:05:24 PM
Kristen, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I've just spent some time on your dad's website. His glass artwork is brilliant and inspiring.
Sending a cyberhug to you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Robin Scanlon
EMAIL: scanlon@eyeoftheislands.com
IP: 24.94.81.165
URL: http://robinscanlon.typepad.com/ramblings/
DATE: 04/01/2005 03:23:07 AM
You don't know me...I've been lurking on your blog. I enjoy reading about your life in Japan.
I am sorry to hear about your loss. My heart went out to you with every post about him. What an amazing man.
Warm aloha from Hawaii.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Resemblance?
BASENAME: resemblance
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/24/2005 12:42:43 PM
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BODY:
Clothilde
Do people really resemble their pets? This is my only remaining cat, Clothilde. Observe her fur askew, bleary eyes and long ear hairs as she stands on crooked feet with teeth bared.
Yep, that could be me.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Pets and people mirrored
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jo
EMAIL: joellecousin@wanadoo.fr
IP: 82.123.177.68
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 05:28:06 PM
I never saw you, but I can tell you that sometimes, it's the opposite : I'm small with short blond hair and my cat is a big black guy with long hair ! and one of my friend, a tall dark girl has a tiny shy white cat ! But I noticed similar characters between pets and their owners…
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Miek
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.142
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 03/24/2005 06:49:41 PM
Our cat was a stray cat. NOW she lives with us. She is realy calm, quiet, and smart like ???.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 222.13.11.93
URL:
DATE: 03/24/2005 09:00:11 PM
I bet that my cat could beat up your cat!!! =^.^=
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://www.allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 03/24/2005 11:19:14 PM
I have found myself starting to resemble my dog. My dark hair is starting to turn white, Hair is begining to appear from my ears (eeewww), and sometimes I may smell a little funny. But she likes me anyway.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: David Byers' Horseradish Fish
BASENAME: david_byers_horseradish_fish
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/27/2005 02:12:42 AM
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BODY:
This recipe was related to me by David Byers, an old family friend. When I was a little girl, he drove me home in his convertible Ferrari (it was the shortest ride home I've ever had) and a gave me an amythest crystal from his rock collection. How could I not idolise this man? As an adult, I've discovered he has great taste in wine and food.
David Byers' Horseradish Fish
serves 4
4 oz butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tblsp dill (or more as desired)
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 oz Gold's Hot Horseradish (1/2 jar)
4 swordfish fillets
Melt the butter and mix other sauce ingredients. Simmer over medium flame until the sauce starts to reduce. Remove from heat. Marinate the swordfish for 30-45 minutes, then pan fry.
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EXCERPT:
Swordfish with a bite
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Birthday Brilliance
BASENAME: birthday_brilliance
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/28/2005 01:52:41 AM
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BODY:
This birthday card from my sister to her daughter had us in hysterics at last night's party. Click for larger version.
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EXCERPT:
My sister's odd creativity.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Animal cakes
BASENAME: animal_cakes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 03/29/2005 10:33:30 AM
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BODY:
Chicken cupcake. Cute but the mound of icing forming the head makes them too sweet. From a recipe in Martha Stewart Living magazine.
Hedgehog cake. The quills are made of chocolate-dipped pretzels. He looked even better with long thin birthday candles stuck in all over him.
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EXCERPT:
We've done some baking this week.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ｍｉｅｋｏ
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.175
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 03/29/2005 10:39:50 AM
They look cute and delicious. How about rabbit cake? Do you celebrate Easter?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 03/29/2005 06:42:45 PM
Wow, they are amazing! Both of them look so edible and yummy and yet so much like the animals they are supposed to be...your sister is a creative genius indeed!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dad's racing days
BASENAME: dads_racing_days
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/31/2005 03:11:07 AM
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BODY:
Dad opens my new Playdoh; it matches my groovy pantsuit. April 1, 1968.
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EXCERPT:
Dad & me
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 138.217.104.197
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2005 12:51:39 PM
Happy birthday honey. Have a great day celebrating both your life and your father's. Am thinking of you. Tracey
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/01/2005 10:47:22 PM
Happy Birthday sweetheart.
An overwhelming hug is awaiting you upon your return.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/01/2005 10:48:25 PM
And that is indeed a groovy pantsuit.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.61.254
URL:
DATE: 04/03/2005 05:57:55 PM
Happy birthday!
The pantsuit is indeed groovy! Good to have pictures with fond memories...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 04/03/2005 09:32:10 PM
And I wonder where that playdoh ended up exactly? The rug, perhaps?
The pointy head really works with the pantsuit. You always know how to accessorize! Dad looks young and happy to be a dad. Thanks for posting these.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sar-Webdesign
EMAIL:
IP: 212.7.9.51
URL: http://www.sarkis-webdesign.com
DATE: 05/04/2005 12:37:49 AM
Happy Birthday :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 80s fashion
BASENAME: 80s_fashion
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/02/2005 09:31:59 PM
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BODY:
Jenn, Dad & me circa 1982.
A trio of grey tweed blazers on the way to a holiday party. That's one of Dad's ties that I'm wearing. Jenn & I were also fond of his socks and sweaters--the origins of my love for well-made men's clothing.
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EXCERPT:
Not quite cross-dressing.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 04/03/2005 09:29:52 PM
Dad looks great. We look, um...like an ad for Bonne Bell or something. Lipgloss ahoy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.1.38
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 04/04/2005 11:20:42 PM
I had a princess Di hairdo too! (Yay, im not the only one!) Must show you my pic...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Toothbush vitality
BASENAME: toothbush_vitality
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 04/03/2005 10:27:03 PM
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BODY:
Meet my new toothbrush, the Oral-B CrossAction Vitalizer.
I laughed at it in the drugstore; I've never seen such an over-the-top bit of dental maintenance equipment. It's tricked out with bristles in three colors, set in at four angles and at five heights. It has a fat, rubbery handle like the side of an overpriced gym shoe. There are rows of flexible fingers along the sides to massage your gums.
It even has a demo video.
In a fit of caustic humor (and a need for a new brush) I bought this $3 example of technology and engineering put to frivolous purpose. The joke's on me, though. It's an effective toothbrush and I enjoy the gum massaging action of those rubbery fingers.
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EXCERPT:
Ironic purchase is better than expected.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 04/04/2005 01:54:14 AM
I have a similar toothbrush, and I love those rubbery bristles. They are really effective.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.43.64.220
URL:
DATE: 04/04/2005 09:22:41 PM
This is so wacky. Being a Tokyo native I thought I was the one living in the Weird Gadget Paradise!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Laughable Ads
BASENAME: laughable_ads
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/04/2005 11:31:26 PM
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BODY:
Having plonked myself in front of the TV for too many hours over the last few days (to research modern American video editing techniques), I found myself laughing along with some of the advertising. Here are three that stood out; sorry I haven't been able to find video links of these. I'll keep looking.
McDonalds. A man leans back in his office chair, asleep. A woman comes in, and explains that he's fallen into a food coma after a heavy lunch. She sets down her bag, says that she's having a McDonalds salad at her desk, and writes something on the man's head. "We're up for the same promotion." In the next scene, the man walks into a meeting with his boss, excuses his tardiness with a phone call to China. His forehead tells a different story; it says WEASEL in thick black marker.
MasterCard. They are mocking their own "priceless" campaign. A geeky gas station attendent is ringing up the purchases of a young couple. Slushy, $3. Potato chips $2. Gas $31. Then he looks at them keenly. "Starting a life together...?" The woman shakes her head ever so slightly. "Rekindling a flame that has never gone out...?" Another shake of the head. "Satisfying a slushy fix?" She nods yes. "Priceless."
Kohler. An old woman in bed at home speaks Italian to her family. As the camera pans across family photos and pictures of her in daring activites as a young woman, subtitles translate her telling the family not to be sad, she has lived a long life and done everything she ever wanted to do. The camera reaches the window by the bed and we see the neighbor throwing open tall windows to reveal a gorgeous bathtub. The old lady exclaims "Damn!" then falls back, eyes closed and still.
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EXCERPT:
Humor in 30 seconds.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 68.238.40.56
URL:
DATE: 04/05/2005 04:50:36 AM
"(to research modern American video editing techniques)"
Heck, that's easy to sum up. Approximately three seconds before your audience can begin to consciously comprehend what they are looking at, jump cut. Repeat to desired program length.
lyd
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Brock
EMAIL: rboland@gmail.com
IP: 129.21.148.115
URL: http://www.brockli.com
DATE: 04/05/2005 11:46:10 AM
That Mastercard ad is one of my favorite commercials.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kemptgen Girls
BASENAME: kemptgen_girls
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/05/2005 09:36:07 PM
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BODY:
The Kemptgen girls: Lucy, Margot, mystery girl, & Helen
Helen was my grandmother. Lucy and Margot were her older sisters. I have no idea who the other girl is, but since she appears in many of the photos from this era (around 1918) and bears a family resemblance, perhaps she is a cousin.
Based on the other photos in the album, they were dressed up for a tea party and a visit from the Watels, my great-great grandparents, who emigrated to America from Poland where they were called Watelevich (or some alternate spelling lost to history).
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EXCERPT:
A line long gone.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL:
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://www.allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/05/2005 10:46:05 PM
That seems so mysterious. It would be great fodder for a mystery screenplay. All the different storylines of whom this mysterious person might be now, and why the name has been forgotton to time. Seems you already have some great props or a short.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Toss salad, toss cookies
BASENAME: toss_salad_toss_cookies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 04/06/2005 11:14:44 PM
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BODY:
One morning recently, we amused ourselves for more than an hour reading recipes from the Three Rivers Cookbook series. Here are some of the best titles and taglines:
Sesame Cheese Ball
"Opens the door to good taste"
If you rub the cheese ball, you get three wishes.
Tomato & Sausage Soup
"Tastes like Pittsburgh"
No way; Pittsburgh is not made of tomatoes and sausage.
Wine Soup
"Will make you tipsy"
Friandisis
"If you can pronounce it, you can make it"
We joked at university that if you could spell Existential Phenomenological Psychology, you'd get an A in the class.
Mango Chutney
"Before you do anything, find the mangos"
Then go chutney huntin'
Chicken
"An original masterpiece"
Huh?
Chicken Curry
"Comments range from 'Delicious!' to 'Terrific!"
This curry includes crushed pineapple, coffee cream, and curry powder. I can hear the sarcasm in those Delicious! comments.
Sweet Potato Balls and Walnuts
"Especially nice around a ham"
I can just see them schmoozing with the meat now.
Nanny's luncheon salad
"Is easily expanded to serve an indefinite number"
Not good enough, I need a recipe that serves an irrational number.
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EXCERPT:
Local recipe names.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 04/07/2005 01:15:35 AM
What? No Mother In-Law Casserole?
I'm off to go Chutney huntin'. I hear they hang out with Naugas.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tuna Jelly
BASENAME: tuna_jelly
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/07/2005 09:58:22 PM
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BODY:
This is from the Three Rivers Cookbook, vol 1, a wildly popular cookbook series of recipes contributed by Pittsburgh's finest citizens. I do not recommend that you make this, it is merely an illustration of the horrors that await you at picnics in western Pennsylvania.
Cranberry Tuna Mold
serves 8
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cans tuna
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Topping
1 box lemon gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
Soften unflavored gelatin in cold water, then dissolve in boiling water. Mix tuna, mayo, celery and onion. Spoon into 8" square pan. Chill until firm. For topping, mix lemon gelatin with boiling water, cranberry sauce and juice. Spoon over chilled tuna mixture. Chill overnight.
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EXCERPT:
"There *is* something different you can do with tuna!! Tangy and terrific."
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.196.24.96
URL:
DATE: 04/08/2005 01:16:12 AM
eeewwww that is scary.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: House elves
BASENAME: house_elves
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 04/08/2005 06:56:51 PM
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BODY:
We walked into the apartment after our long trip home to find food in the kitchen, fresh flowers and chocolates on the living room table, a basket of soap waiting in the bathroom and clean pajamas folded neatly on the bed.
The homecoming elves had visited. What a blessing. (Thanks, girls.)
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EXCERPT:
A heartwarming surprise
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/09/2005 10:05:39 AM
sneaky Elves....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.1.38
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 04/09/2005 11:44:03 AM
arent they just!!! tipsy elves might be more like it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.137
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 04/09/2005 12:23:25 PM
These days I bount SASAMOCHI. Usually they are rupped with SASA-leves, and inside is read beans paste. BUT the SASAMOCHI's inside is white bean paste with chipped SAKURA-leves. THEY are really delicious.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 17.255.252.6
URL:
DATE: 04/09/2005 03:31:43 PM
Welcome home honey - It is good to have you back.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Benediction
BASENAME: benediction
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/09/2005 11:30:28 PM
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BODY:
Arriving in Chicago from Pittsburgh, the cabin attendant made her prepare-to-deplane spiel, but she ended not with the usual "Thank you for flying United" but:
"May the doors of Heaven open and abundant blessings rain upon you."
I was taken aback. Is that in the airline script? How did she sneak it in? Where did the phrasing come from; it sounds like it could be almost any religion.
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EXCERPT:
A blessing from United.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Cully
EMAIL: CullyL@aol.com
IP: 66.65.32.238
URL:
DATE: 04/10/2005 10:52:13 AM
The plane announcements seem to be getting looser and less and less scripted these days. As the amenities of flying get lessened it seems the attendants are trying harder to show a sort of "We're in it together" attitude that somehow manifests in more jokes, and a looser style. On the other side of the coin, have you flown Song yet? It is a subsidiary of Delta. They actually do a pre-recorded MUSICAL version of the safety announcements (seat belts, exits, oxygen masks) that the attendants DANCE along to. It was... interesting... to say the least. All 4 legs of my flight (2 coming, 2 going) had a different style of music, Salsa, Blues, etc...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL:
IP: 139.230.245.20
URL:
DATE: 04/13/2005 10:58:39 PM
If I heard anything so biblical on a plane, I would assume something real bad was about to happen.
If on the other hand, I read on the back of a barf bag, 'May the doors of Heaven open, and abundant blessings rain _from_ you, well, I think I'd find this strangely comforting.
It all reminds me of a story I remember from a while back, about a pilot who asked all his Christian passengers to raise their hands, before recommending they go about the business of converting the heathens.
Couldn't find many links to the story, but here is one reference; http://talkleft.com/new_archives/005275.html
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shaun
EMAIL:
IP: 204.50.22.130
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2005 04:59:11 AM
Back a few years ago, one of our smaller Canadian airlines "West Jet" let their flight attendants jazz up the safety announcement a bit. One time when I was flying the attendant did a long poem with lines like, "If you need to exit the plane, don't be fussin' and fightin', 'cause this plane's equiped with floor level lightin' ". It was fantastic. We gave him a round of applause when he was done.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shane
EMAIL:
IP: 67.171.9.108
URL:
DATE: 04/19/2005 02:04:52 PM
Reminds me of a rather rough landing once, going into the Denver Airport. The plane's wheels had just started to touch the ground when what must have been a strong cross wind pitched the plane to the side a bit. We sort of bounced and wobbled a few times before both wheels made contact and started to feel more stable, but at that point we must have spent too much time getting on the ground, because all of a sudden the pilot really laid on the breaks. I've flown quite a few times, and I've never been on a anything stopping that fast. The thing that really sticks out in my mind though is that right at the initial point of braking, the Pilot bellowed out over the intercom "Whoaaaahh Horsey!!" He managed to take a very stressful situation, and turned it into something funny and memorable.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hug
BASENAME: hug
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/10/2005 12:45:11 PM
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BODY:
Tod & me in the backyard at my parents' house, circa 1994.
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EXCERPT:
Embrace with a clothesline
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.42.248.51
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 04/10/2005 03:05:31 PM
Glad Tod has gotten that big green wart removed from his nose since then. That would be really distracting.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jcwinnie
EMAIL: jonathan.w.smith@att.net
IP: 24.24.84.105
URL: http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/
DATE: 04/10/2005 11:29:47 PM
Hm, I would say that Todd is warm for your form and vice versa.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 04/11/2005 09:37:39 AM
That's a maple seed-wing on Tod's nose. We had been playing with our niece and pretending to be rhinoceroses.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.159
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 04/11/2005 10:05:02 AM
What a nice photo!! you both look happy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/11/2005 04:52:24 PM
awwww.. how cute is that???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 04/11/2005 09:14:56 PM
I remember that!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Leaving Home
BASENAME: leaving_home
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/11/2005 11:29:58 AM
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BODY:
Mom leaving home with a suitcase she still owns. May 1959
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EXCERPT:
Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: vincent
EMAIL: vicnentvds@myrealbox.com
IP: 165.76.172.146
URL: http://www.vincentvds.net/blog/
DATE: 04/11/2005 12:57:48 PM
That's a Samsonite.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 04/11/2005 09:12:14 PM
Mom's beautiful.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Restrained
BASENAME: restrained
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/12/2005 05:06:10 AM
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BODY:
Naughty Kristen circa 1974.
I hated having my picture taken. Our neighbor is holding me as I try to wiggle free and my mother captures the essence of my mood. Though I appear to be laughing, I remember how furious I was at that moment.
Nothing's changed. I'm still angry and struggling like a spitting cat.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
a Kodak moment
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pizza magnet
BASENAME: pizza_magnet
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/13/2005 11:54:22 AM
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BODY:
Pizza-la is giving away refrigerator magnets featuring Bae Yong Joon, the wildly popular Korean star of "Winter Sonata." He is adored by middle aged women who swoon over the romantic storyline of the show.
I'm willing to part with the magnet I received with last night's pizza.
I'll mail it anywhere in the world to whomever gives me the best reason for wanting it. To play, post your reasons in the comments by noon JST on April 20.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
a contest with prize.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL: michael@filmtunes.net
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://www.allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/13/2005 12:23:17 PM
#1. Perhaps our local Japanese Deli will find this piece a "must have" and I get langiappe. (see New Orleans slang). or,
#2. I did not even know what a blog was (and then I did not begin one until I read media tinker from a-z), I feel like this would be a GIGantic Prize... oh and of course I would have to post the whole she-bang to my readers.
-filmtunes (michuli)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 220.108.137.22
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/
DATE: 04/13/2005 03:50:39 PM
Damn, he does look an awful lot like a prepubescent Harry Potter, doesn't he...
When put in parallel with the troubling feelings he elicits from the older generation in Japan, that's kinda creepy actually...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/13/2005 05:25:57 PM
I would have thought that MJ's J-mum would be swooning over this one!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Richard
EMAIL: richard@ldresources.com
IP: 67.86.221.35
URL: http://www.richardsnotes.org
DATE: 04/13/2005 07:49:19 PM
Dang, I was gonna offer a trade with one of mine but after looking at them and thinking of photographing one to offer up I can't part with any. However, spreading memes this way is a good idea and I suggest you try to make sure that magnet leaves Japan and another, say from Moody's Diner in Maine enters.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/13/2005 11:45:19 PM
I think J-Mum already has one.
Unfortunately the delivery boy wouldn't give her his badge as well....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: TiredOfIdols
EMAIL:
IP: 218.226.220.78
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2005 08:55:46 AM
Why not save yourself some money and just trash it? I wonder if everyone else is as sick of all these "pretty boy" and "pretty girl" idols as I am...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Work outside
BASENAME: work_outside
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/15/2005 01:47:33 PM
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BODY:
It seemed like winter would never end, but at long last April's sunny days are warm. Today the weather is glorious and I'm feeling the urge to be outside. But I have work to do.
Well, work's not going to stop me from enjoying this glorious day. I'm taking everything outside for the rest of the afternoon. Having a laptop makes that easy, but I think I will do some of my work on paper today to refresh my brain and give my tired eyes a break from the screen. I have some site maps to draw up and I need to think about the effects in a section of the film I'm working on.
If you can sneak an hour outside with your work today (or on the next sunny weekday) see how it affects your mood and your creativity.
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EXCERPT:
Drink in the sunlight
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/15/2005 04:04:22 PM
Oh what do you use to draw up your site maps? I am usiing omnigraffe. I find it really easy to use and of course imports into my fave software of the month - Keynote!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.89
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 04/16/2005 12:00:39 AM
I would so love to be outside more, Im really noticing how much less outside time i have. Im starting to sneak ciggies just for the chance to stand out in the sun for a few minutes of the day, chack and see what the weather is like... i miss my old life!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sun-dried Tomato Pilaf
BASENAME: sun-dried_tomato_pilaf
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/16/2005 08:48:48 AM
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BODY:
This is a recreation of the lunch I ate at a Tokyo restaurant on Thursday. It sounded great on the menu--Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Tomato Pilaf--but the dish was flat, too salty, and not as interesting as I had hoped. My version improves the original by reducing the saltiness and adding the zest of a lemon, lightly pickled zucchini and more dried tomatoes.
Sun-dried Tomato Pilaf
serves 3-4
1 small zucchini
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
2 cups rice
3 whole sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
16 black olives, cut in half
1 lemon, zested
Slice the zucchini into thin rounds and mix with balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt; set aside.
Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add the rice to the pan stirring well to coat with oil and brown slightly before adding the water and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and allow to cook (covered) for about 30 minutes.
When the rice is soft, stir in the zucchini. Serve as is, or with a sprinkling of shaved Parmesan or a drizzle of anchovy sauce.
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EXCERPT:
A restaurant dish reworked.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/17/2005 02:08:38 PM
This was bloody yummy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/18/2005 03:15:39 PM
I second that!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chickens
BASENAME: chickens
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 04/17/2005 11:26:35 AM
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BODY:
Hedwig & I trade hairstyling tips.
While in the States, we visited Mom's friends, Bob & Howard, and played with the chickens they keep in their large rural backyard. They have a huge variety of chooks and they husband guinea pigs, too. We have a gallery of chicken and pig pictures taken that afternoon.
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And guinea pigs, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html
DATE: 04/17/2005 07:47:11 PM
I like this photo a lot, I think because the background is so friendly, while the foreground reminds one of angry cartoon animals.
Speaking of which, and on the subject still of the wider world (and ruffled feathers), I wonder how Japanese media is covering the current diplomatic row with China?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 04/17/2005 09:10:39 PM
Wonderful gallery. Tod sure can take a photograph. He has a good eye.
So does Hedwig. She looks like she's planning world domination!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.10
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 04/18/2005 09:19:07 AM
It's cool.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 7th grade report card
BASENAME: 7th_grade_report_card
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/18/2005 10:35:26 AM
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BODY:
Merchantville Public School, 1952. Click for larger version.
Mom's grades were good, but she was often absent. Click for larger version.
I like the official statements from the supervising principle. He carefully but firmly encourages parental attention. I don't recall this sort of wording on my report cards in the 70s, and wonder if there's anything similar on contemporary school report cards.
Success in school life is, in a large measure, determined by the amount and quality of a student's achievement. Satisfactory achievement, whether measured in quantity or quality, is dependent upon many factors such as ability, ambition, health of the student, home conditions, interest, and most important of all, the amount of time and effort spent in study. Most of our school failures are traced to excessive outside social activities, indifference, lack of home preparations and poor health. Regular attendance is absolutely necessary for the satisfactory progress of the pupil. Nothing hinders success in school more than irregular attendance. Pupils should learn to be regular and prompt. The Home can help much in the formation of such habits by discouraging unnecessary absence and tardiness.It's all about showing up. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Merchantville Public School, 1952 ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Tod & me BASENAME: tod_me STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 04/19/2005 09:53:10 AM ----- BODY:
from a photo shoot with Jim O'Connell. November 2004
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EXCERPT:
a romantic pairing
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 222.149.245.244
URL: http://jim.mmdc.net
DATE: 04/19/2005 12:44:59 PM
I should have told you guys "no black turtlenecks! All I have is a black backdrop and no proper lights!"
That day was really fun - thanks for letting me play around with such good models.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 04/19/2005 02:28:55 PM
I was wearing a grey turtleneck. I like how our bodies disappear into the background like stagehands in a Noh play.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dad/Pete
EMAIL: pickypete@hotmail.com
IP: 24.3.56.233
URL:
DATE: 04/20/2005 04:16:20 AM
We've been watching old Friends episodes lately. Monica and Chandler had their picture taken for their engagement announcement. It was very funny because Chandler was unable to keep from looking goofy--hundreds of photos and still goofy. It was doubly funny since Nancy has had that same experience with me--goofy, goofy, goofy. And here's Tod with a goofy pose. I guess a few things got inherited.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 04/20/2005 07:44:33 AM
I don't think Tod looks goofy at all. He's about to say something clever and funny--it was a lighthearted afternoon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: liz yokas
EMAIL: lyokas@ameritech.net
IP: 69.208.175.164
URL:
DATE: 04/21/2005 02:19:17 PM
just as cute as i remember you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pete/Dad
EMAIL:
IP: 24.3.56.233
URL:
DATE: 04/22/2005 12:41:22 AM
Yes, could be. Just my first impression.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/22/2005 10:03:50 AM
Tod looks like a man who has his arms full...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mitsuya Cider present
BASENAME: mitsuya_cider_present
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/20/2005 02:01:58 PM
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BODY:
Last week's prize goes to filmtunes because everyone needs blog fodder from time to time and for teaching me a new word-lagniappe. (Send me your address and I'll have the magnet in the mail to you right away.)
This week I am giving away a set of three Mitsuya cider glasses to whomever makes me laugh best before noon JST next Wednesday. This contest is not limited to comments, so you're welcome to e-mail me something original (I really despise forwarded jokes) or even make me laugh in person.
For a prize this monumental, I'm expecting some good belly laughs. Bonus points if you make me snort loudly in public or spit coffee on my monitor.
These glasses are the classic, tiny Japanese water/beer glasses; they hold about 150 ml. Tod collected them over the winter when they were given away as a promotion for Mitsuya Cider's 120th anniversary.
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another "contest" and prize
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/20/2005 03:58:10 PM
Oh I would like them - only because I haven't won anything in a while. But it is hard to be funny on command.. plus I need charts and a keynote presentation to be truly effective.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: filmtunes
EMAIL: michael@filmtunes.net
IP: 24.241.39.73
URL: http://www.allthisreally.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/21/2005 12:07:45 AM
WooHoo! I win!
Please forward my Major Award to
Michael Collazo 6610 Stoddard Road Wilmington, North Carolina 28412
And thank you so much for the honor.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/22/2005 10:02:44 AM
Those glasses are way too small for T.
Giving away buckets soon?
:-P
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shiro-Ae
BASENAME: shiro-ae
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/21/2005 01:22:45 PM
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BODY:
Randomly selected from one of my Japanese cookbooks, here's a classic Japanese side dish that you probably won't often see outside Japan. It's a cooked salad with tofu dressing but one of the ingredients, konyaku, is not commonly available in the States so check at an oriental grocery.
Konyaku is a gelatinous block of starch made from "devil's tongue." It has basically no flavor; it is used for texture and color. Shiro-ae uses white konyaku, but it's normally pale purple with brown speckles.
Shiro-Ae
serves 4
400 grams tofu (silk style)
1/2 block white konyaku
6 green beans
80 gr carrot, shredded
1/2 wood ear mushroom, shredded
100 cc dashi
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2.5 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sake
Soak the dried wood ear mushroom for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the konyaku into matchstick lengths. Blanch the green beans the slice diagonally into 2 cm shreds. Shred the carrots and mushroom into similar sized pieces.
Bring the dashi, 3 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 Tbsp sugar to a simmer. Add the konyaku and carrot; simmer for 1 minute then add the mushroom slivers. Cook until the konyaku starts to pick up the color of the sauce. Add the beans and turn off the heat. Stir carefully and drain.
Cut the tofu into six pieces. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to cheesecloth. Twist the cloth into a sack, and press down with a wooden spoon to squeeze the liquid from the boiled tofu. When no more water runs from tech sack, put the contents into a large mortar (or a bowl). Add the remaining sugar, salt, soy sauce, and sake mixing with the tofu to form a soft paste.
Mix the konyaku and vegetables with the dressing, salt to taste, and serve at room temperature.
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Konyaku salad with tofu dressing.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Personal Symbols
BASENAME: personal_symbols
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/22/2005 08:46:42 AM
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BODY:
Do you have a shape, sign, or mark that you consider your personal symbol? Something that resonates with you or sums up your connection to the world at the moment.
It might be something you habitually doodle. What shapes and patterns end up in the margins of your notebooks? I map one-period sine waves and complex mazes that look like circuit diagrams. I sketch stars, sometimes in constellations. Tod draws a squiggle that he was surprised to learn is the astrological symbol for Capricorn.
Or maybe your mark is a monogram you've designed. I created a Scott Kim inspired inversion of my initials when I was unmarried.
You might use something more representational. When I was in junior high grade (about the time I wanted to be called Kip), I decided I wanted to be a helicopter pilot. I signed all my school papers with the "k-copter" instead of my name. A little later on, I signed my name but added a pine tree and a star.
Think about your symbols and they mean to you--do they reflect your creativity? Mine are mostly related to science (sines and circuits) and the sky (stars, helicopters). These are factors that influence my best work and designs, as it turns out. I take a scientific approach to art and creativity. I'm drawn to metals and math. I like finding patterns in randomness and inventing stories to go along with the constellations I create.
So now I wonder whether if I stuck to the sort creative lines my symbols suggest, would I produce even better work?
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EXCERPT:
Finding meaning in doodles.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Austrian
EMAIL: theaustrianat@yahoo.com
IP: 62.47.51.161
URL: http://www.theaustrian.at
DATE: 04/23/2005 06:23:05 AM
Interesting sings, I wish I could draw like this.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Remember
BASENAME: remember
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/22/2005 09:36:17 AM
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BODY:
Remember the solution to your problem.
Buddhist philosophy (Dan Brown's book)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Starbucks calories
BASENAME: starbucks_calories
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/22/2005 11:57:35 AM
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BODY:
Starbuck's evil empire is dicfficult to avoid, even in Japan. Fattening
http://www.starbucks.com/retail/nutrition_beverages.asp
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fire drill
BASENAME: fire_drill
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/22/2005 09:29:41 PM
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BODY:
The jogging motions, the foot tapping salutes, the precision drill. Pumping water from a basin with a tiny machine. after the saulte, the hats came off and they moved like normal people. green helmets, blue uniforms, black rubber shoes
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Burning Mugwort
BASENAME: burning_mugwort
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/23/2005 11:55:17 PM
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BODY:
Home moxibustion is an entertainment and a medicine.
We bought the Sennen-kyu Off 80 moxibustion kit at some random drugstore in our neighborhood. This kit contains 80 tiny incense cigars on sticky holders. "Popular among young people" it said on the box; how could we resist?
Moxibustion uses the same theory as acupuncture and shiatsu--the meridians of the body--but works by burning mugwort (moxa) over them. You locate the right moxibustion points, light the moxa, and stick the holders to yourself. The herb burns down and heats your body with pinpoint precision.
It gets really hot even though the coal doesn't touch your skin and I had to pull one off my back before it was probably done, but after walking all day, I tried the "legs feel weak" points and I felt pretty good afterwards.
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Moxibustification
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 60.34.8.247
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/
DATE: 04/24/2005 01:02:45 AM
I believe similar devices exist in other South-East Asian countries.
Only they tend to replace moxa by bamboo shards, and "moxybustion points" by the underside of your nails. Oh and also they reserve the treatment for prisoners and people they really dislike.
Now why would you want to inflict that on yourself voluntarily... :-P
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: smlwrld@yahoo.com
IP: 61.23.168.98
URL: http://blue_moon.typepad.com/blue_lotus/
DATE: 04/24/2005 03:29:43 PM
My husband loves Sennen-kyu, and we used to use them a lot. I found that if they were placed on exactly the right spot they felt really good and helped soothe muscle or nerve tension, but on the wrong spot they were painful and had no effect.
After using them on the same spot a few times we started to notice they were leaving marks. Made it easy to find the right spot each time, but permanent burn marks? Scary. We had to give it up.
Now we find a massage or shippu (hot poultice) is just as effective...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/25/2005 03:16:48 PM
I have used these for years. My fave place is between the thumb and the first finger - in that little hollow. (I am sure this has a name but I don't know what it is. Does your Oxford Dictionary know what this body part is called?)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Standards
BASENAME: standards
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
DATE: 04/24/2005 10:01:23 AM
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BODY:
New short-term goal: learn to sing ten standards. I want to be able to break into song more often; I keep forgetting how much I love to sing--the physical interaction with the world, the emotional outlet, and all the great feelings that come from the forced breath of song.
But which tunes to learn?
I'm looking in the realm of jazz classics, show tunes, "easy listening" and blues. I'll skip the pop hits, country western, and opera. I already have a repertoire of folk songs, so I'll give them a pass for now.
I'm enjoying the novelty songs from the 20s, but I don't know if I can do justice to Dangerous Nan McGrew. Maybe I'd better stick to Ain't Misbehavin'.
Tod suggested Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone.
What would you choose?
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New (old) songs to sing.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL: jeremy@antipixel.com
IP: 221.113.36.48
URL: http://www.antipixel.com/
DATE: 04/24/2005 10:57:01 AM
You could get 10 standards just from Cole Porter, but aim to look a little further afield. Start with Begin the Beguine, Night and Day, It's De-lovely, and Anything Goes, say, and then see what Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler can do for you: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Get Happy, The Man That Got Away (stay away from Over the Rainbow).
Gershwin's Embraceable You should be something that anyone can sing at the drop of a hat (or, more to the point, the flutter of an eyelid).
And then there's A Fine Romance, Dancing Cheek to Cheek, The Very Thought of You, I'll Be Seeing You, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, After You've Gone, Body and Soul, All of Me, These Foolish Things, Bei Mir Bist Du Schon, Stardust, and Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (just kidding).
The trouble is going to be choosing which ten....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 04/24/2005 08:11:39 PM
Black Coffee and Fever.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/25/2005 03:14:53 PM
Anything big band honey!! I have an interesting sound track from the movie, "Little Voice". It has some great tunes on it and I sing along with them via my iShuffle. If you would like to hear it, let me know.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.94.169
URL:
DATE: 04/25/2005 09:18:09 PM
I would nominate "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Nature Boy" and "My Funny Valentine":-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2005 12:40:17 AM
I assume you mean songs in English, not Enka standards...
Anything from Rogers and Hart. Ella Fitzgerald recorded the Rogers and Hart Songbook. It's a two CD set on Verve.
Linda Ronstadt did a CD or two of the standards; with Nelson Riddle. Here's one:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002H3L/qid=1114443347/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_8/104-7614523-4438304?v=glance&s=music
Most of Diana Krall's CDs will fit what you're looking for too.
mike underbar rosenlof at yahoo dot com
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sushi stories
BASENAME: sushi_stories
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/25/2005 09:51:51 PM
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BODY:
Tod related these two little tidbits today. He learned them from his colleague, Yoshioka-san.
Sushi has a special counter word for individual pieces: -kan. Most people just use -ko, but really you should ask for i-kan, ni-kan, san-kan pieces of sushi. The kanji for -kan is the same as suranuku, a verb meaning "to pass through." So why's that?
Well, 180 years ago, when sushi was new, people carried their money (coins will holes in them) threaded onto a cord. A set of fifty coins was called a "kan" and since sushi was about the same size...
Another sushi tale is why sushi always comes in pairs. Again back in the old days, raw fish for sushi was scarce. So the sushi chefs mounded up the rice really high, put a morsel of fish on top and then sliced the whole thing in two. When food became more abundant, they still prepared two pieces.
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Two fishy tales.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jim with watch
BASENAME: jim_with_watch
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/26/2005 02:30:51 PM
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BODY:
Jim examines the movement of my 1930s watch.
Thank you, Jim, for disassembling my watch.
I was horrified when he opened the case of this precious family heirloom, but it's keeping steady time now and I am wearing it frequently to keep it warm and alive, as he suggested.
I don't know much about the watch, which was passed down to me recently. It belonged to my great-aunt Lucy who lived in Chicago. The case is an Art Deco design with gems and pink gold. Jim's eagle eyes read the name on the discolored face: Helena, and found letters scratched into the inside of the case.
I don't know if I can get the face cleaned up without losing the enameled numerals. But if it's keeping good time, I might not bother. The dark patina is proof of its age. And don't we all show some of that ourselves?
(P.S. Happy birthday, Jim.)
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My watch in pieces.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 04/26/2005 06:43:07 PM
Thanks, Jim. You did what I was told was impossible. I'm so glad to hear the watch is running again.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mark
EMAIL: mark@coffeebear.net
IP: 12.217.243.45
URL: http://coffeebear.net
DATE: 04/27/2005 07:25:31 AM
Sounds like a really cool watch (any chance of a picture of the assembled watch?), congrats on getting it working.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Overmedicated
BASENAME: overmedicated
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 04/27/2005 06:46:56 PM
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BODY:
A quote from an unknown IRC channel, via bash.org
Egger: Heres the history of our medicine.
"I have a sore throat."
2000 BC : "eat this root"
1200 AD : "That root is heathen, say this prayer."
1500 AD : "That prayer is superstition, drink this elixir."
1800 AD : "That elixir is snake oil, Take this pill."
1900 AD : "That pill is ineffective, Take this antibiotic."
2000 AD : "That antibiotic is artificial, Here why dont you eat this root."
Fits hand in glove with the Health, United States, 2004 CDC report that Americans are overmedicated. Why does it always takes a study to discover the obvious?
When I was back in the States last month, I was shocked at the ubiquitous advertisements for medicines--not only OTC drugs like aspirin and new, improved "24 hour heartburn relief"--but also prescription medications for chronic and acute ailments apparently suffered by many Americans.
The advertising works, JAMA reports that doctors are prescribing advertised medicine--particularly when their patients request them by brand name.
Sad. A healthier lifestyle is so much better than medicine.
But that's not going to happen any time soon. This week, Archives of Internal Medicine reported that only 3% of American adults lead healthy lives based on four factors: not smoking; eating five daily servings of fruit & vegetables; exercising regularly; and maintaining a healthy weight.
How hard is this to understand? Eat better, move around a bit and you'll live longer and healthier without drugs.
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EXCERPT:
Nature to man to nature.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygr@ptd.net
IP: 24.115.98.254
URL:
DATE: 04/27/2005 10:51:19 PM
True!! As a Mom, I am shocked at how many parents
take thier children to the doctor for a "Cold" and request that they be put on antibiotics. Even
more shocking is watching my sons minor league game and seeing kids that can't run the bases. People ask all the time how do you keep your kids healthy,
it is not rocket science....or medication!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 60.47.26.163
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/
DATE: 04/28/2005 02:09:35 AM
Will I sound like a crackpot theorist if I point out the insane amount of money pouring out of Pharmaceutical companies straight in the pocket of a wide array of people supposedly responsible for deciding a healthy and reasonable approach to medication in the US.... ?
In most other countries (other than the US) prescription drug advertising in mainstream media is either strongly regulated or outright illegal... In the US, nobody blinks twice when their evening program ad breaks feature ads glossing over the merits of some unknown shiny pill that might be "just what you need, ask your doctor about it"... this is pure madness.
I am no advocate of crystal healing and homemade elixirs, but if anything, it is pretty common knowledge that overmedication tends to produce stronger strains of viruses through selection.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 04/28/2005 01:32:43 PM
I so totally agree with you. I too was shocked at the sorts of commercials on US television. It seemed that the ads were giving people small amounts of information but suggesting that they barge into their doctors office and demand Brand XYZ of medication. I am all for being aware of your body's needs, but this was self pacification taken to the extreme.
Interestingly, I saw a documentary on J-TV last night about how many Americans are travelling to Canada to get their prescriptions filled as it was cheaper. One lady was saying that her monthly bill was over $450 but in Canada it was only about $120 for the same drugs. It begs the question as to why she is on so much medication to begin with.
Since living in Japan, I have stopped taking all forms of medicine other than the occassional headache tablet or cold and flu if I am ill. Recently, I had a horrendous sinus infection but decided not to go to get antibiotics and I survived - probably with a healthier immune system as a result.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Wafu Mushroom Sauce
BASENAME: wafu_mushroom_sauce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/28/2005 02:31:47 PM
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BODY:
I picked up a little book of sauce and tare recipes the other day. It's got all the Japanese sauce standards that I've grown to love. This mushroom sauce appears in restaurants all over the country. Serve it over grilled steak or hamburgers.
Wafu Mushroom Sauce
serves 4
100 gr Japanese mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, shimeji, etc)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin
1/3 cup dashi broth
Cut the mushrooms into small bite-sized pieces. Bring the other ingredients to a boil, add the mushrooms and remove from heat.
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EXCERPT:
Simple topping for beef.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 64.214.122.226
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2005 03:17:31 AM
I'm definitely going to try this one!
I'd love to learn the title of this book - not that I'm going to find it in Colorado.
Please consider posting a recipe for Goma Tare one of these weeks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2005 06:45:29 AM
The book is たれ・ソース・味つけ published by Ikeda Shoten
http://www.ikedashoten.co.jp/details.jsp?goods_id=2053
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 04/29/2005 11:00:33 PM
Thanks! I ordered this from Amazon Japan. 900 yen for the book 1500 for shipping :-(
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Observation vs action
BASENAME: observation_vs_action
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/29/2005 06:42:33 AM
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BODY:
I've observed that there are two ways of figuring things out: observation and action.
I'm an observer. I look at something new, study it, and gain understanding. Sometimes I'll test it out after I have observed.
For example, when Jeremy was teaching me a swimming technique, he showed me by stretching his arms in the air the way they should move through the water. I watched, but didn't mimic his actions in the air. I observed him, thought about how it worked, imagined it in my muscles. After I got it in my head, then I tried it. I do well with swimming videos--watching them over and over until I see all the fine points. Then I try the movements in the pool. Success isn't complete until I've acted, but the understanding is there before I hit the water.
Many of my friends are the opposite--they take action to learn. They see something new, fiddle with it and gain understanding. I assume they think about it as they are manipulating it. Or maybe they save thought for after they've played?
This difference in learning sometimes causes trouble between me and Tod when we're shopping. "Honey, could you please not break the display model/bang that instrument so loudly/mess with that thing we can't afford to buy?"
This week, I'll be camping on Niijima so there should be plenty of new things to encounter. I'll try to break out of observation mode and see what happens when I act on things to discover their secrets.
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EXCERPT:
Two methods of discovery.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Niijima Camp-jo
BASENAME: niijima_camp-jo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/30/2005 09:41:47 AM
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BODY:
Across the site
Niijima has a well-designed campground. The toilets are clean; there is a large communal area with sinks and barbecues; and each site is neatly flattened out for tents and delineated with wood fences.
And as a bonus--there is no cell phone reception. You cannot help but relax here.
Not to mention that the air is clean, you can hear crashing waves, and there are lots of stars in the night sky. It's a heavenly place to chill out and enjoy nature.
Although it took us 20 hours to get there (our boat was canceled and we had to wait all day for the next one), it was worth the wait.
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Camping in Tokyo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2005 11:40:48 PM
Gorgeous.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erra
EMAIL:
IP: 70.18.201.217
URL: http://momentarymadness.typepad.com
DATE: 05/10/2005 10:25:50 AM
Wow. What beautiful weather. My boyf spent Golden Week here with me in NYC, where the weather wasn't nearly as good....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sashimi windfall
BASENAME: sashimi_windfall
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/01/2005 09:14:26 AM
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BODY:
Tod with unexpected blessing.
5:00 on Saturday evening, a white-clad kitchen worker arrives at camp. After calling out a name loudly and wandering up the path, he stops not far from our campsite. Tracey speaks to him for a few minutes, then goes off to look for "three girls in a tent" who ordered the food.
They were not to be found, so Maeda-san, the delivery man, left the cooler with us. Inside: ika and kampachi sashimi, three beers and some soy sauce. A feast for which the man would not take payment.
Maeda-san, our benefactor
He returned that evening with some beer and settled in for a snack and a chat. He wanted to apologise for inconveniencing us (by giving us free sashimi?!). We invited him to stay for dinner, he had to return to his kitchen to tidy up. He took a shine to Tod who has the best Japanese of any of the gaijin in our group.
Vegetables from Maeda-san's garden
The next morning, he brought us a wooden box full of daikon, onions, parsley, and lettuce. He even came back on Wednesday with fruits...we have no idea why, but are grateful nonetheless.
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EXCERPT:
A chance meeting that kept giving us benefits.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2005 11:47:57 PM
Who doesn't take a shine to Tod?
What a great visit. What did you talk about?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Beauty al fresco
BASENAME: beauty_al_fresco
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/02/2005 09:48:42 AM
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BODY:
Smoothing coconut oil through Rachel's hair
Bring a bunch of girls camping and you get to do fun, girly things. I had the corner on the hairdressing market--brushing and braiding tresses all week. It was fun.
Trying not to giggle as Tracey applies a mud pack
I also received. Tracey brought along a bunch of facials to soothe our sun and wind burned skin. As I ambled from our site to the communal sinks, I thought "Yikes! I'm walking through camp in a bikini!" Then I remembered I had smears of mud all over my face and a green towel wrapped around my head.
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EXCERPT:
Staying pretty in the wild
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2005 11:44:27 PM
Cute bikini!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: After the deluge
BASENAME: after_the_deluge
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/03/2005 09:32:12 AM
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BODY:
Tod's sneakers dry out on the fireplace
Everything was soaked--mats, sleeping bags, us. What a night of wind and rain.
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EXCERPT:
An overnight storm hit the campsite
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2005 11:43:27 PM
Dear Mom,
It is still raining. My back hurts. Come and get me please!!!
Love,
Jenny.
P.S. There are ants under my sleeping bag.
Your post took me back to that week at Camp Louise!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My sweet square
BASENAME: my_sweet_square
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/04/2005 12:37:51 PM
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BODY:
Tod admires the cliffs near Secret Point
Happy birthday, darling.
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EXCERPT:
6*6
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2005 11:48:43 PM
Great birthday photo!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Surfers
BASENAME: surfers
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/05/2005 12:43:23 PM
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BODY:
Click for screensaver sized version
Niijima is well-known (in Japan, at least) for its surf. But on the morning I took this photo, the surfers were more hopeful than active. They did eventually catch a few waves, but there were better days for hanging ten.
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EXCERPT:
heads bobbing in water.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Camping meals
BASENAME: camping_meals
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/06/2005 12:49:00 PM
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BODY:
One final sketch before packing up to leave
I am certain we had the most elaborate kitchen of any other campers at the Niijima Camp-jo. We fed between 7 and 12 people per meal every day for a week. When the full compliment of our group was present, we had 4 camp stoves, two fires, and enough pots and pans to require a crew of four dish washers.
Our meals were spectacular--no instant noodles for us. From fruited pancakes to thai curry to daikon cakes to saffron chicken, we cooked up a storm (and in one, too). We ate three meals a day and there was still time for countless trips into town for shopping adventures. We know all the Niijima grocery stores.
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EXCERPT:
we had a great kitchen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2005 11:30:19 PM
Welcome back. I've missed your posts.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2005 11:46:03 PM
I hate that feeling of the last meal at camp. You've captured it well in the wiggly lines here, and the lone pot on the stove. It always makes me sad to pack up camp. (Except for that one week at Camp Louise!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/08/2005 10:35:31 AM
Welcome back - I missed you girls!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/09/2005 01:56:28 PM
I haven't eaten so well in years!! I miss the camp and I wanna go back!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/09/2005 09:56:39 PM
Don't forget the daily damper ration....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tech minatures
BASENAME: tech_minatures
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/08/2005 08:48:51 AM
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BODY:
The boxes caught my eye at 7-11.
And inside...toys!
More conbini toys. This time not traditional gods, but the modern ones--gadgets. Mobile Figure Collection III is a set of 20 different minature DoCoMo mobile phones with display stands. Some of them fold, some come with the same accessories as the real-life versions.
And I could not resist the Nintendo History Collection. Aside from the cool plasic box, there are 8 different minatures--the Family Computer, the AV Famicom, the Family Basic & Data Recorder. I was hoping for the Family Computer Disk System, but my container held the Namco Soft Set--8 little games in their boxes (some assembly required). I assume they will fit into the computer toys.
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EXCERPT:
Silly toys
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 4 hours
BASENAME: 4_hours
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/09/2005 08:33:52 AM
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BODY:
Camping renewed my interest in things I can do in the physical world. I sketched, carved a pen and made ink from charcoal, attempted to make a bamboo flute. It was so satisfying to work with my hands
Now that I'm home, I'm going to try to limit my compuer time to four hours a day (unless I'm working on a job, of course). I have a kitchen timer at my side. This morning, I'm already at 3:38 remaining.
My offline plans today--clean out the clothes closets and organize my summer wardrobe.
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EXCERPT:
less computer time, more real time.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/09/2005 01:57:58 PM
Well done you!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 05/09/2005 05:03:17 PM
And I benefitted from your offline plans! My computer time is limited to what I can squeeze in at work and once im home in the weekday evening, until 11pm. Thats actually not much time, hence the lack of blogging, and the frequency of entries on Mondays when im trapped here with nothing else to do.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Altered Books
BASENAME: altered_books_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 05/10/2005 11:32:33 AM
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BODY:
My latest page for Altered Books
Altered Books is a poetry project run by my friend and poet extraordinaire, Dan Waber. The idea is simple:
Cut the bindings off of books found at a used book store. Find poems in the pages by the process of obliteration. Put pages in the mail and send them all around the world. Lather, rinse, repeat.----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Purple prose turns into poetry ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 05/10/2005 08:49:15 PM Very cool! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Amy EMAIL: ecoteat@gmail.com IP: 169.244.70.148 URL: http://salmonhq.blogspot.com DATE: 05/12/2005 04:40:04 AM Ooh! My third and fourth grade students would love to do something like this. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Karen EMAIL: karen@karenswhimsy.com IP: 66.245.36.210 URL: http://karenswhimsy.com/altered-books/ DATE: 06/13/2005 12:20:10 AM If you'd like to learn more about altered books, you can find lots of pictures, tips, and techniques on my web site at http://karenswhimsy.com/altered-books/ . There are so many wonderful possibilities for creating art with altered books! ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Jazz in the Park BASENAME: jazz_in_the_park STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 05/11/2005 01:13:35 PM ----- BODY:
Press your tux, dust off your jewels. It's a black tie evening.
Sunday May 22, 2005
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm (dinner to follow)
Kyu-Furukawa Garden, Kita-ku (Map & info: English - Japanese
This is a free jazz concert featuring vocalist Miyuki Komatsu held at one of Tokyo's most beautiful parks.
Let's dress up and make it a special event (and a spectacle for the other people attending). Dinner is optional afterwards--I'm thinking of Isou Ryouri Kaneko, a fish restaurant in Komagome. If you'd like to eat with the party, please e-mail me before the 17th so I can reserve sufficient tables.
Why dress up for a concert and dinner? A while back, my friends and I were distressed that we have lovely frocks that we rarely use. Well, that's easily corrected. Jazz in the Park launches series of formal dress events, though the events themselves may not always be formal. Anyone is welcome to attend, just put on your best ballgown, cocktail dress, tuxedo, dinner jacket, or suit.
Coming soon: Dress-up Dim Sum, Ballgowns at the Ball Park, and Fireworks in Frocks.
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EXCERPT:
Dress up for a free concert.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 05/11/2005 07:41:27 PM
Great design. Love the colors and shapes you've used.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 05/11/2005 10:48:59 PM
Isouo Ryouri Kaneko is a go for after the concert. We went for dinner tonight and it was delicious and the people friendly. On our jazz night, we've arranged a party food course for 3000 yen; drinks are separate. Let me know if you want to come along for dinner.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.228.203.12
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 05/15/2005 01:24:43 PM
Ball gowns at the ball park, yes!!! Im in for that one... i think the black silk sequined number would be just the thing!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Niijima Salad
BASENAME: niijima_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/12/2005 08:25:59 AM
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BODY:
A pile of vegetables, three cutting boards and a handful of hungry choppers inspired this hearty lunchtime camp salad. The soft tofu, fresh from the shop, crumbles into a creamy dressing that contrasts nicely with the tang of the pickled carrots and cucumbers. Our crunchy frill lettuce came from a local friend's own garden and the seaweed was gathered from the ocean that morning.
Niijima Salad
serves 5
1 large carrot
2 cucumbers
1/2 tsp ginger, minced
1 slice lemon
1 tsp salt
Thinly slice the carrot and cucumbers (a cabbage grater works perfectly). Sprinkle with salt and allow to stand for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze and drain. Mix in the ginger and squeeze the lemon over. Press under the weight of a soup can while you prepare the rest of the salad.
(adjust quantities to suit yourself)
1 or 2 heads crisp lettuce
1/2 bunch spinach
handful of parsley
1/4 onion
6 shiitake
1 cup takenoko (fresh bamboo shoot), boiled and cooled
1/4 daikon
1/4 cup seaweed, boiled & rinsed
15 ginkgo nuts
1 stalk celery
1 block fresh soft tofu
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
black pepper to taste
Slice the vegetables to your preferred serving sizes. Cut the tofu into chunks and toss well to incorporate into the salad. Top with pickled carrots and cucumbers, sesame seeds and black pepper.
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EXCERPT:
Fresh tofu coats the vegetables to make the dressing.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to Catch a Thief
BASENAME: how_to_catch_a_thief
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/13/2005 11:32:24 PM
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BODY:
Well, our house robber has struck again after we laxly left the door unlocked when we came home last night (this morning at 5 am, actually). He's ventured farther into the apartment, opening two briefcase bags in the hallway and stealing 5,000 yen in coins from a basket tucked out of sight under a table in the hall.
So now I'm thinking of ways to catch this bastard in the act. Of course I will set up a motion detecting webcam to record any activitiy at the door. Perhaps I will also install a very loud buzzer to wake up not only us but every tenant in the building.
But what I really want to do is to invent a really novel way to incriminate him. I envision a Rube Goldberg contraption that sets off a chain of events when the door opens--a rope tied to the doorknob pulls upward as the door swings out, lifting a ... what would you add to the machine and what would it do?
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EXCERPT:
Building a machine to trap the perp.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/14/2005 06:32:01 AM
For some reason I am always attracted to the machines that scoop up the villian. So, I would drop a net covered in skunk juice, and then we'd pull off the burgler's mask to reveal the face of the guy that you probably met just a couple of months ago...you know, just like on Scooby Doo.
All silliness aside, I hope you do catch the creep in the act. What a little weasel.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tokyogoat
EMAIL: tokyogoat@gmail.com
IP: 218.110.243.37
URL:
DATE: 05/14/2005 10:22:45 AM
or you could just lock the door.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lisa
EMAIL: bohemianphilosophy@gmail.com
IP: 61.68.93.245
URL:
DATE: 05/14/2005 10:51:17 AM
Do the "a pail of something on top of door". Get something like coloured paint or powder. If the thief venture further, gave an sensor alarm that will blare at instant motion. Put like sticky tape on strategic sides of the door in case the thief is not wearing gloves and you might be able to get his/her fingerprints. Ooo.. this is fun!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Natalie
EMAIL: nbuxton@gmail.com
IP: 59.167.68.197
URL: http://www.nataliebuxton.com
DATE: 05/14/2005 11:37:11 AM
Place a water balloon filled with Food or Fabric Dye on top of the door.
Any trap that you can set with brightly coloured dye would be good - the culprit won't be able to wash it off.
Buy second wallet - red - and coat it in wet food dye - leave it on the stand near the door. Leave the door unlocked. See what happens.
And I am all for the very loud alarm that will wake the entire building.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.45.54.152
URL:
DATE: 05/14/2005 12:02:22 PM
motion detecting webcam plus one of those "security light" (sort of a spotlight connected with motion detecting device) should do the trick.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/14/2005 08:55:35 PM
You need an Attack Aibo...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ando
EMAIL: Ando@tokyodragon.net
IP: 222.149.219.51
URL: http://www.tokyodragon.net
DATE: 05/14/2005 10:50:10 PM
You need an Attack Ando...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Keisatsu
BASENAME: keisatsu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/14/2005 10:22:30 PM
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BODY:
This morning, Tod & I finally got ourselves to the police station to report the three robberies we've suffered since March. I was a little bit nervous--would they get all "I sorry, no speak Engrish" when we spoke to them in Japanese? Would they dismiss our robberies as trivial? Would we get into trouble somehow?
I shouldn't have worried. After arousing an initial curiosity from all and sundry at the Reception counter, the staff quieted down and a man in a fishing vest took our report in hand and told us to sit and wait.
Tod passed the time reading all the posters in the lobby--aloud. Did you know that over 50% of burglars enter by breaking a window? Or that robberies trend upwards in the autumn? Neither did I. By the time Tod was done with the posters, Mr. Vest emerged from a side door with his colleague, Mr. Briefcase. "Let's go," Mr. Vest said enthusiastically, brandishing a digital camera.
And we were off to study the scene of the crime. Mr. Briefcase opened up his kit and examined the genkan with a strong light (so much dirt!) and dusted for fingerprints with a soft rabbit hair brush and some grey powder. Mr. Vest went downstairs to talk to the management guys and to test the door. He showed Tod how most "auto-lock" lobby doors can be fooled into opening by sliding a paper through the door from the outer lobby and waving it around. So much for security.
But that's not how our robber got in. Mr. Vest spotted a footprint and some dirt on the sill of the window in the lobby that overlooks a small garden. The window had been left unlocked for air circulation, as it sometimes is. The robber scaled the wall, dropped into the garden and slipped in through the window, bypassing the auto-lock door.
After nearly an hour of investigations, a brief visit from the police chief, and a few minutes fingerprinting us for comparison with prints gathered, our two detectives went back to the station.
Mr. Vest told us that they catch about 70% of the burglars they seek; I hope we're on the side of success.
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EXCERPT:
Reporting our robberies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/15/2005 02:46:47 AM
Hmm I should have shown you the paper trick - not that I do it but I've seen it it action - CD covers work well....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/15/2005 12:40:17 PM
Ahhh - the unlocked window. I wonder how the building supervisors have responded to this piece of news given their reaction to your public service announcements....
Good to hear the Police are on the ball with this one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dave
EMAIL: microage97@yahoo.com
IP: 69.180.158.214
URL: http://www.japanish.org
DATE: 05/31/2005 09:32:53 PM
Good Luck Kristen. Robberies really suck.. It has gotten pretty bad here where I live, (St. Paul MN) that I wish they would mark the bad people or cut off a hand or something so you can tell bad people from not, but since we don't do that, I am left not trusting anyone.
Dave
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Taxi tech
BASENAME: taxi_tech
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/15/2005 10:29:53 AM
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BODY:
Technology has revealed two classes of taxi drivers: the old school drivers who have memorised every road, turning and landmark in the city and can optimize a route from any point A to any point B taking into consideration the typical traffic conditions; and the younger generation who rely on car navi systems to tell them where to go.
Tod encountered this yesterday when he took a taxi from his office to meet me at a museum in Ueno, a distance of about 3 km. "Ueno park, please, but not via Chuo-dori because there is a festival going on," he instructed the driver.
The youthful driver punched the coordinates into his navigation system and then consulted it at every pause in the drive. Red light: switch view to a wider area. Stalled traffic: scroll along the route. Waiting to turn: flip on the "street level" viewer to see the intersection.
That driver is never going to learn how to get from Otemachi to Ueno on the back streets, even though he did it yesterday.
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EXCERPT:
Better to memorise or to rely on software?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: E.
EMAIL:
IP: 70.18.201.217
URL: http://momentarymadness.typepad.com
DATE: 05/19/2005 10:13:18 AM
You are forgetting the third breed. The air sucking, head scratchers. They can be of any generation, but are usually identified by their huge unwieldy maps, pulled out at every red light to try to figure out where the hell they are.
This may or may not be accompanied by more air sucking and head scratching, and followed by a conversation along the lines of "I haven't been at this long/ I am from saitama...blahblah".
Don't tell me you haven't met these types.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Macrame
BASENAME: macrame
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/16/2005 11:33:48 AM
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BODY:
Spring, circa 1980
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EXCERPT:
A moment in spring
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 05/17/2005 06:34:15 PM
I still have those bells. I'd forgotten that they still existed and was delighted when I found them a couple of days ago during a spring clean-up frenzy.
The play I'm currently propping calls for a macrame basket. I'm faking it! Macrame is not my forte.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/18/2005 02:13:59 AM
My Mum was a macrame freak for a bit.....
...it was terrifying....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A trinity plus 1
BASENAME: a_trinity_plus_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/17/2005 10:17:49 AM
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BODY:
Yesterday I was feeling moody, so beware the mawkish post today; it's the best I can do before I dig into today's work. But it does have a happy ending.
I count four men in my life who are...I don't even know how to say it. Important to my contentment. They are role models, confidants, friends and I am fortunate--I am married to one, was fathered by another, and the other two are especially dear friends. They are not interchangeable as people, but I'm not entirely sure sometimes who fills which role: mind, body, heart, & soul.
Yesterday I desired a quiet hour with any of them. We'd sit together reading, listening to pages turn and the soft tink of ice in the glass, smelling the freshness of new leaves and the tangy dust of the city. We'd break the companionable stillness to offer refreshments and to read passages aloud.
Sadly, everyone was unavailable. Tod was at work, my two friends are half a world away, and Dad is dead. So I sat by myself and thought about them. I sketched and wrote and contemplated under the summer green of a sakura tree.
Did my hour of reflection set something in motion? This morning, I discovered that they all had reached out to me. I woke from a dream of Dad; Tod had wrapped himself tightly around me as we slept. An e-mail from one friend and a phone call from the other closed up all the gaps.
I feel much less alone now. Thank you, gentlemen.
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EXCERPT:
Mawkish thoughts
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/18/2005 02:11:48 AM
Well I don't have a pee-pee but honey I think this is a side effect of loss.
JUst know that many people love and care about you. It won't really help - but at least you can always ring someone and get pissed with them.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/18/2005 04:16:03 PM
Ditto what The Cook said!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shrouded
BASENAME: shrouded
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/18/2005 11:51:03 AM
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BODY:
Another use for Japanese towels
Summer breezes blow dust into all my equipment, so I've sewn two Japanese bath towels into simple covers for my mixer and microphone. I won't win awards for interior decoration, but now I can open the veranda door without worrying about ruining my gear. Function trumps form.
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EXCERPT:
Towels as dust covers.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Daikon Pancakes
BASENAME: daikon_pancakes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/19/2005 08:41:18 AM
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BODY:
These daikon pancakes were developed at camp on Niijima. I started out with the idea of making daikon mochi, a Chinese dim sum favorite, but after pureeing one daikon, I realised there wouldn't be enough to feed ten people. So I improvised and ended up with these wonderful starchy pancakes. This served ten people as a hearty breakfast and I haven't cut the quantities yet.
I created the puree (oroshi) with an special grater that has large round holes studded with spikes. I think you could do something similar with the fine side of a box grater. Or perhaps a food processor or blender would puree well, but I've never tried that.
Daikon Pancakes
serves 10
3 daikon
2 onions, large
2 carrots
2 shiitake mushrooms
1 egg
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 c corn starch (or katakuriko)
1/2 c flour
oil for frying
Oroshi one daikon, set aside to drain. Peel and chop 2 daikon into cubes and boil until soft, then drain and mash until about half is still lumpy (imagine doing this at camp at dawn in a high wind with a fork and stop when you get tired.). Thinly slice carrots & onions (I used the blade side of the oroshi grater) & chop into rough strips. Mince the shiitake. Squeeze out most of the remaining liquid from the daikon oroshi. Combine all daikon, vegetables, egg & sesame seeds. Add starch & flour until the mix is a thick batter. Fry in oil until brown on both sides and firm to the touch. Top with Tabasco or sweet chili sauce or serve seasoned to taste with salt & pepper.
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EXCERPT:
Savory radish pancakes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.115
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 05/19/2005 10:52:21 AM
DAIKON??? I'll try. though I often make potato-pan-cake like this way.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/19/2005 03:26:14 PM
They were fabulous on camp.. and I am not just saying that because everything eaten outdoors tastes better... You fed a small army and we were set up for a hard day of biking, swimming, fishing and resting..
I want to go back!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL:
DATE: 05/23/2005 05:45:34 PM
I have often had potato cakes like this, grated on the large side of the grater, an egg and some milk and flour mixed in, a small can of corn, half an onion finely chopped and of course, the ubiquitous bacon finely chopped, fry away. It was a Sunday night special of my mothers, when all you really needed was a small top-up in the evening after a huge roast lunch. The daikon ones were so nice tho, they came out so sweet... Best daikon dish ever!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creative Achievement
BASENAME: creative_achievement
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/20/2005 11:12:46 AM
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BODY:
When I was about 14, I won a prize for a drawing in a coloring book contest. My picture was not a masterwork but it was in perfect coloring book style--big, simple shapes that reproduced well as outlines to be colored in my little kids. I knew what the contest needed and I aimed for that. I think the subject of my drawing was villagers with pitchforks chasing a dragon or storming a castle.
Winning the contest was embarrassing; the drawings were turned into a coloring book given away at the next year's summer festival and the originals were on display in the same room with the juried art. My classmates saw this childlike drawing when I knew I could do better work. Horrors!
Fortunately not all teen art prizes send tremors down the spine 25 years later.
Helen's prizewinning pottery
My niece has a creative prize to be proud of. Her pottery bowl, Fantasia, has just won the Lorraine Franckiewicz Art Award in a juried exhibit in her town.
Unlike my coloring book drawing, Helen's contest entry shows her true talents. She's been making pottery for about two years and look at the beauty she can create from clay and glaze. This is a prize that is well-deserved. Congratulations, Helen!
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EXCERPT:
Two prizes contrasted
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean McQuillin
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 24.50.162.215
URL:
DATE: 05/21/2005 07:18:13 AM
Helen, great work! I'm so proud to know you!! --Jean
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tired poodle
BASENAME: tired_poodle
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/21/2005 06:54:52 PM
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BODY:
Saturday evening, 6:45 pm
Tod says I look like a poodle. I think I exhibit signs of exhaustion.
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EXCERPT:
Weblog verite
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/21/2005 07:12:38 PM
I hope you got some rest.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 05/22/2005 06:46:13 AM
Ha! That photos was taken 45 minutes after a nap. I've had a migraine for 2 weeks now and yesterday was a miserable day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.97
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 05/22/2005 03:36:39 PM
Are you OK? How was (is) this SUNDAY? For me ---cleaning day!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/23/2005 01:00:15 AM
Aw. That just sucks. I hope the migraine goes away soon!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Toner Wars
BASENAME: toner_wars
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/22/2005 09:41:11 AM
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BODY:
A swarm of chartreuse gnats hovers in the sunlight. The air vibrates with life until the sun goes behind a cloud, then they disappear.
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EXCERPT:
It looks like magnified nanotech in the garden
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jazz in the park
BASENAME: jazz_in_the_park_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/23/2005 01:57:56 PM
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BODY:
Laurent in tux and umbrella.
It showered during yesterday evening's concert, but that didn't stop our crowd of 17 sartorially elegant socialisers from enjoying ourselves at the first dress-up event.
Jim & I danced in the rain. (courtesy of Tracey)
Yuka and I smile for Jonathan.
Jonathan and Tod took hundreds of photos; a select gallery of 27 images is online.
Our private classical concert
After the jazz concert at the park, we enjoyed dinner at Kaneko in Komagome. The other group in the restaurant with us were classical musicians. They played for about 15 minutes and finished off our evening on a wonderful note. Tracey captured a few seconds of video on her keitai during this private concert.
Violin solo (150K .mov)
Bolero video (250K .mov)
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EXCERPT:
A fun evening of dresses, dinner and two concerts.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/23/2005 05:19:10 PM
Thank you for organising such a fun night Kristen. Lets start planning the next one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Barbara
EMAIL: barbaranorthcott@enfour.com
IP: 220.97.69.67
URL:
DATE: 05/23/2005 05:34:54 PM
Thanks for making a connection between the park you visited and the flyer about Jazz. Great lateral thinking. The meal was extremely delicious the impromptu entertainment all the more enjoyable because of its uniqueness. I really enjoyed it. Thanks again To you and Todd because you are great hosts.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 05/23/2005 05:38:54 PM
Last night was great, thank you!!!
I vote for Ballgowns at the Ballpark! Im up for a sexy Sunday at the Baseball! Ive never been yet!!! But actually, whatever you decide, I'm there!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yuka
EMAIL: oishi@blccj.or.jp
IP: 61.112.77.142
URL:
DATE: 05/23/2005 06:31:40 PM
Tanoshikattayo. Arigato-ne !
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/24/2005 06:02:00 AM
You all look great! I wish I could have gone too...I have this great red beaded dress in my closet and I love jazz.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jo
EMAIL: jcm.c@wanadoo.fr
IP: 82.123.185.90
URL:
DATE: 05/26/2005 05:01:03 AM
hello ! I'm a french violonist and just came back from a tour in Japan, which is one of my favourite country (I've been there 7 times) and I found out your blog when looking for some different ideas of things to do in Tokyo-i enjoyed very much Tanaka cimetery and the area around. Now I still visit your blog, and had fun with those videos ! The one called "bolero" should be renamed "carmen" in my pro opinion, as they play an excerpt from the famous opera ! good luck with all your plans !
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reading Online & Off
BASENAME: reading_online_off
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 05/24/2005 08:18:34 AM
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BODY:
According to the Salt Lake Tribune's recent article, book sales are down, despite an increase in titles. With 175,000 different books to choose from, readers purchased 44 million fewer books in 2004. That's a decrease of about 2% of total book sales (2.295 billion in 2004 vs 2.339 billion in 2003).
On the other hand, Kansas City infozine's latest survey shows that about 6% of American adults have created blogs and 1 in 6 read blogs.
I wonder if there is a correlation to be found here?
If more people are writing for a public audience through their weblogs perhaps they are gaining confidence and skill that lets them cross to the world of paper publishing. It can't hurt to show a publisher web stats that prove you have an audience who is likely to buy your book. That might explain the increase in titles.
The statistics might also explain the decrease in sales. Weblog readers have become used to a free reading experience. If 1/6th of Americans find reading weblogs satisfying, they might be decreasing their available time and desire to read physical books. Why pay for a book when you get stuff just as good for free online?
I'm not saying that weblogs equal books. I enjoy both and know they are different experiences. But maybe readers with limited time or budget don't see the difference as clearly--it all adds up to "reading" for them. And that might explain the decrease in book sales.
Only greed can account for the 2.8% increase in revenue for the book publishers, though.
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EXCERPT:
Are books dying?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/26/2005 10:37:55 PM
I hate reading from the screen. I don't know how people read books on their phones.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Population facts
BASENAME: population_facts
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 05/25/2005 02:21:56 PM
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BODY:
I'm working on a film project now that represents the entire world's population - 1 pixel per person - in just under 10 and a half minutes.
To fill the time and make the pixels more interesting, I'm creating brief mini-features of facts on world population, growth, development, density and other things. It's not as dull as it sounds...
Here's a sample from the film. It compares ten seconds of the film (about 103 million people) to various groups. I was surprised at the facts I dug up. Did you know there are more AIDS orphans than there are Mexican citizens? That the number of coffee drinkers in America is equal to the number of people with Herpes worldwide?
Have a look for yourself. This is a draft version--the narration has a glaring error and will be re-recorded later. And the footage is still under review. Comments and suggestions welcome, but please be kind.
Ten Second Facts 7.5 MB 1'10" MP4
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EXCERPT:
A snippet of my latest video project
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 139.230.245.21
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html
DATE: 05/25/2005 05:02:39 PM
My net connections are too slow to even think about downloading the sample, but this sounds fun :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Paul
EMAIL: paul@in-duce.net
IP: 202.33.79.26
URL: http://www.in-duce.net
DATE: 05/25/2005 05:50:13 PM
Kuri,
> ten seconds of the film (about 103 million people)...
you gotta explain more on the relation between the number of people and the pixel... like how many pixels per frame and how many frames in your movie of 10mins (or whatever it is)... that would make it easier for us ignorants to understand.
Then the facts are interesting in general but I would make subtle links between the facts... AIDS orphans and mexican citizens?... so what... AIDS orphans and cancer orphans... world's AIDS orphans and Mexican and Bresilian parents... smth more gloomy rather than totally unrelated (therefore unlikely to make my heart miss a beat) I guess is what I was expecting.
Clock footage... can t really comment, it's far from stricking at the moment; here or not, will not make a difference to the movie.
The image I have in mind is one of a knitted jumper you see in cartoons with one thread being pulled and the jumper dissapearing crichet by crochet... replacing the crochets by a pixel?
Anyway! Good luck with it! I am impatient to see the final piece!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2005 06:12:12 PM
Paul, thanks for your comments. This clip comes after the explanation about the pixel-to-person connection, frames, time, and all the math that puts it into context. That part's not done yet, so you get these facts unconnected to everything else first.
I've been working on this for months, it will be a while before it's complete. But I'm glad you're anxious to see more.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2005 06:17:34 PM
I can't wait to see it.. it is something that sounds like necessary viewing for all of us and especially for some in the western world who seem to forget that we are each but one pixel in a much larger interconnected graphic.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2005 06:22:58 PM
Paul, I sorta understand what you are trying to say, but I for one would imagine that showing seemingly unrelated (but related by our humanity) facts give "the big picture" on a human level rather than on a political one of Left vs Right. Aids, orphans, Abortion.. too often these are used as political footballs in name only rather than "seeing" this from a human perspective.
But then Kristen, correct me if I am wrong... this film will mean different things to different people on many different levels.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shy
EMAIL: kargokultti@gmail.com
IP: 84.230.113.150
URL:
DATE: 06/04/2005 07:23:37 AM
The idea's good, but will you have those floaty shape thingies in the background? They're pleasing to the eye, but do they have a message?
You have the footage, the voice-over and the text information happening. I felt the floaty things might distract from those.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: White Pepper Poundcake
BASENAME: white_pepper_poundcake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/26/2005 01:36:46 PM
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BODY:
I made this cake for Tod's belated birthday party a couple weeks ago. It's spicy--Sachiko said she's never had a cake that burned afterwards. My original attempt used Quatre Epices, but I reworked the recipe with plain white pepper because it's easier to find.
White Pepper Poundcake
serves 8
100 g butter, softened
150 g sugar
2 eggs
80 cc milk
200 g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs; add milk. Sift dry ingredients and stir into wet mixture. Bake in a non-stick (or buttered & floured) loaf pan for about 40 minutes at 180/350 or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve plain, glazed, with custard sauce, or whipped cream.
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EXCERPT:
Spicy sweet cake.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yuka
EMAIL: oishi@blccj.or.jp
IP: 61.112.77.142
URL:
DATE: 05/26/2005 02:25:39 PM
oishishikatta-yo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Stoun
EMAIL:
IP: 66.230.190.54
URL: http://www.0.buy-fioricet.com.ru
DATE: 05/31/2005 02:59:38 AM
Very good. Thanks!!!
http://www.0.buy-fioricet.com.ru
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Call to Podcast
BASENAME: call_to_podcast
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/27/2005 09:23:09 AM
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BODY:
Remember the college radio station you listened to late at night? It was an odd mix of musical styles, on-air personalities and funny PSAs...and if you were more than 500 meters from the broadcast tower, you couldn't listen in.
A new project--an online radio station--is taking off and you are invited to play. Hanashi Station seeks people to produce their own online radio programs (podcasts).
Podcasts are downloadable MP3s that you can listen to on your computer or your MP3 player (named after iPods, podcasts actually have nothing to do with Apple or iPod).
Hanashi Station is scheduling 10-15 minute programs to air July through December. Have you ever wanted to have your own show? This is your chance.
Content must be related to Japan, but pretty much any format goes: talk, interviews, readings, environmental sounds, field reportage, news, rights-cleared music. Producers don't have to live in Japan to particiapte; from anywhere in the world you can do a program about any Japanese topic: anime, haiku, gardening, translation, or whatever you like.
And it's all my idea. Over the last few months some friends have talked about doing podcasting, but nobody has enough time to do anything regularly. MJ, Jim, Tod & I combined forced to put this together.
Hanashi Station will run a six-month trial, with shows going out from July through December. The first announcement yesterday nearly filled up the starting slots, so it looks like there will be more show times added to the schedule.
If you want to podcast at Hanashi Station, please e-mail www at hanashi-station.net
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EXCERPT:
Create your own radio show.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Back Arrow
BASENAME: back_arrow
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/28/2005 05:21:23 PM
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BODY:
Me and my arrow
Tod has been telling me for years that my body is freckled with constellations. He is especially fond of one on my shoulder, but until today, I had never seen it.
While I was brushing my teeth this morning, he came in with a china marker and the camera. A few ticklish strokes later and I was ready for my close-up. Sure enough, there's The Arrow.
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EXCERPT:
Freckled constellations.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: niji
EMAIL: niji@azamino.com
IP: 210.22.18.17
URL:
DATE: 05/28/2005 10:02:20 PM
beautiful potrait.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: niji
EMAIL: niji@azamino.com
IP: 210.22.18.17
URL:
DATE: 05/28/2005 10:03:09 PM
beautiful potrait.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2005 11:05:53 AM
Wao!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 218.218.57.111
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 05/29/2005 10:18:35 PM
Now who needs the Southern Cross when you have the Arrow right there on your back!
You look luscious!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.61.234
URL:
DATE: 05/29/2005 11:57:57 PM
perfect cathegory - personal reflections. sexy you, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.63
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 05/30/2005 09:13:55 AM
Cute, Sexy, Sweet!
AND, DAIKON-pancake is YUMMY! Thanks!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 05/30/2005 03:21:09 PM
rwoar!!! you sexy thing you!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Me
EMAIL:
IP: 24.91.209.130
URL: http://every-time-i-die.freeloadmp3.com/
DATE: 06/13/2005 10:06:19 AM
You guys are pathetic. You come on here just to hit on people don't you? Seeing as you clearly can't get any action from anyone, at least here you can dream.
I'm just gonna go with "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all"
i take that back, nice eyes. thats all
/end message
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.250.27.207
URL:
DATE: 06/20/2005 11:17:59 AM
ouff what the hell
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Two hour getaway
BASENAME: two_hour_getaway
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/30/2005 11:59:59 AM
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BODY:
A few minutes walk from Shinjuku's East exit you will find a two-hour getaway--quite a few of them, in fact--in the form of love hotels. I don't know if love hotels exist outside Japan but they certainly don't rear their heads in America, so for the benefit of foreign readers, here's a brief description of the neighborhood and the hotel I visited this evening.
Shinjuku's Kabukicho 2-chome is adjacent to one of Tokyo's seedier neighborhoods: Kabukicho 1-chome is all sex shops and massage parlors lining the neon-lit streets; young toughs in suits and over-coiffed hair stand outside to entice customers into their establishments. Not quite as blatant and a bit of a step up, Kabukicho 2-chome is known for well-appointed short-term hotels.
Hotel Tiffard is one of these places, about halfway down the main avenue of hotels. It doesn't stand out among the rest but it seems as good as any of the others. On a weeknight 6800 yen gets you two hours in room 508--equipped with a Jacuzzi, a steam sauna, karaoke service, a vending machine full of toys, and dimmable lighting.
Two points worth noting:
1) Get out before the clock rolls over 2 hours or you will pay for an extra half hour even if you are only 2 minutes past the checkout. If you want a leisurely pace, it's better to pay for the "stay" than the briefer "rest."
2) Be sure to visit Shinanoya at the corner before you head up the street. I swear this place has the best selection of Scotch and bourbon in Tokyo. And not a shabby wine list, either. There were several Margaret River wines I haven't seen before and a good selection of the usual favorites. (Plus some with screw tops, which are handy if you've forgotten your wine pull.)
It feels naughty to return home on the last train of the evening and realise that 20 minutes earlier you were enjoying the best amenities of a hotel room. Piqued your interest? Here's a coupon
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EXCERPT:
A rest in the middle of the city.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 82.252.165.22
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/
DATE: 05/31/2005 05:18:01 PM
Hmmn, recommendations are always nice... but isn't it part of the pleasure to actually go and check rooms' pictures in each lobby, until you fall upon the one you *have* to sleep in?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.196.24.96
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2005 06:21:25 PM
Dr Dave.. Sleep in a love hotel? You look at the photos until you can't wait any longer. It is Japanese for foreplay.
(Sorry Kristen I know this is a family show!!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 82.252.165.22
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/
DATE: 05/31/2005 10:50:44 PM
Darling, do not underestimate the versatility of the glorious word "sleep"... remember it can be done with your eyes wide open, standing, or even upside down... And I'm not talking about bats here :-P
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 1950 camp girl
BASENAME: 1950_camp_girl
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/31/2005 07:45:01 PM
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BODY:
Mom circa 1950
It is one of the photos that I look at and think "Is that me, or Mom?" Except that I never owned a checked cap embroidered with Fran on the peak or those funky mid-century fashions, it really could have been me--same hair, same face, same soft arms.
It must have been taken at summer camp or on holiday. Doesn't Mom look like she's trying to be serious but wants to laugh? I wonder who snapped the picture?
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EXCERPT:
It's Mom, but we are twins.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2005 08:06:11 PM
The photo was taken at a neighbor's summer beach area cabin. It was a bayside cabin and quite removed from the bay as I recall. Fishing was the major recreation for the guys and cleanig fish was the girl's recreation.
I have no idea what 'look' I was going for in that picture, but there certainly was a plan.
M
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2005 08:11:29 PM
So in the hidden hand you must be carrying a fish knife. Now I understand the expression on your face. Still don't quite get the fashion...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 05/31/2005 09:11:08 PM
The fashion? Ah, there's the rub. I didn't quite get fashion either. Still don't, it seems.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Liliy
EMAIL:
IP: 66.230.190.54
URL: http://fioricet-on-line.bigsitecity.com/
DATE: 06/01/2005 04:48:59 PM
Very nice.
http://fioricet-on-line.bigsitecity.com/
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Too big
BASENAME: too_big
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 06/01/2005 08:07:22 AM
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BODY:
Forget moderation. Portion control? Out the window. And now that 107 million American adults are overwieght or obese, furniture manuafacturers are touting new, wider seats for restaurants.
UPI published an article on May 23rd: Eatery furniture confirms obesity trend
Furniture makers are selling bigger chairs and tables to U.S. restaurants, an apparent accommodation to growing customers. The National Restaurant Association's four-day conference in Chicago featured numerous displays of supersized furniture for supersized diners, the Dallas Morning News reported Monday. Chili's has begun testing more spacious eating spaces and was looking at installing tables up to 12 inches larger at future Chili's outlets.
And at the other end of the process, there are also extra large toilet seats, Great John, winner of the Best New Bath Product 2004 at the Chicago Bath Show
The size of the average person has increased dramatically over the last century. Most toilets made today are manufactured from designs dating back to the early 1900´s. In the past, the pleadings of big and tall people went unanswered. For this reason GJTC engineers, medical doctors and artists took to the task of creating a NEW GENERATION of products satisfying the needs of today’s customers. Our goal was to create the most comfortable and safe toilet for Large-Size people in the market. The other challenge was to make a toilet that could also be used by any size person. The final result was the creation of a "SIZE FRIENDLY TOILET"----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Get your bum off that extra large seat. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 06/02/2005 04:10:39 PM good grief... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kimura EMAIL: IP: 60.43.73.176 URL: DATE: 06/02/2005 09:08:51 PM I find it rather funny. Great John should market his "size friendly" products to Sumo houses in Japan:-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 06/03/2005 08:00:01 PM That graphic totally freaks me out. I got up from my chair and checked my ass twice. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: New Potato and Avocado Salad BASENAME: new_potato_and_avocado_salad STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 06/02/2005 11:39:44 AM ----- BODY:
Looking for an interesting potato salad to serve at your next barbecue? This fusion of Japanese and western flavors will knock their socks off; the secret is the wasabi mayonnaise. I've adapted this recipe from the May issue of NHK's Kyou no Ryouri.
New Potato and Avocado Salad
serves 4
400 gr new potatoes (aka baby potatoes)
1 cucumber
1 avocado
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp wasabi (freshly grated or paste)
1/4 tsp soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste
Boil the potatoes (scrubbed but with skin on) in salted water until just soft. Cool and cut into quarters. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise (if it's a thick American cucumber) and thinly slice. In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, wasabi and soy sauce. Mix mayonnaise, potato and cucumber. Salt and pepper to taste. Halve the avocado, remove the pit and use a small spoon to scoop pieces into the salad. Mix gently and serve.
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EXCERPT:
Wasabi gives this simple dish a kick.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 06/02/2005 09:39:14 PM
I'm not sure about the avocado, but I love the idea of wasabi mayonnaise. I think I'll try this soon and I will include the avocado.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 06/03/2005 07:58:21 PM
Anything that says "avocado" in the title has my vote! Now, Avocado and mushrooms...even better.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Color theories
BASENAME: color_theories
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 06/04/2005 12:26:59 PM
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BODY:
A couple of weeks ago, Tracey was asking me why some colors look better on people that other colors. "Maybe you can explain it on Creative Perspectives," she suggested. Well, that's a tall order--books have been written about color theory & professionals charge an arm and a leg to give you a personal color session.
But it's possible to explain the basics in short order. In fact, I had fun yesterday playing with a personal color palette.
My personal color palette
First I took a close-up photo of myself in daylight. I brought into Photoshop and sampled the color my skin, eyes, hair and the red of my lips (which should be about the same color as when I blush).
From there I played with a nifty color tool Color Coordinator which allowed me to enter a color value (which I noted from my photoshop sampling) and view monochrome values (the first two columns above), alternate complements (120º & -120º), complementary (180º), and one of the tetradic colors (90º) on the color wheel. I adjusted brightness in horizontal bands and saturation in vertical bands to give a wider range of examples for each color.
And it turns out that some of these colors are already in my wardrobe. I noted the general colors of my current wardrobe in dots along the side. I'm not doing too badly, though I suppose I need more blue in my life.
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EXCERPT:
Personal colors unveiled.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 1-2-3 Tiered Skirt
BASENAME: 1-2-3_tiered_skirt
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 06/06/2005 02:37:42 PM
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BODY:
I shrunk some yardage and fell about 50 cm short for the dress I wanted to make, so I turned the fabric into a skirt. This is an easy design that will adjust to many sizes. The measurements are for my skirt--I'm about 5'7" and I wear a US size 10/12.
The skirt is three tiers, with the top tier falling just above the knees with 15-20 cm ease to make for comfortable walking without bulk around the waist. The lower tiers are about half the length of the one above. Each tier is 1.5 times as wide as the previous one. This gives enough fullness for suitable flair while dancing, but without using too much fabric.
The Cutting
From a 220 cm length of 95 cm wide fabric, cut the following pieces (measurements are approximate):
Prayer sticks, Aoyama Cemetery Photo by Tod.
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EXCERPT:
in memory of Bernie Zimetbaum
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Maktaaq
EMAIL:
IP: 70.68.250.73
URL: http://maktaaq.blogspot.com
DATE: 06/08/2005 10:25:29 AM
Prayer sticks?
Are those the eerie things that people stand up at the heads of graves?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: DrD
EMAIL: david@zeroonedesign.com
IP: 24.69.67.86
URL:
DATE: 06/08/2005 11:51:01 AM
Beautiful pics! Your blog always makes me nostalgic for Japan. Any chance of posting larger pics for wallpaper?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Waiting
BASENAME: waiting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/08/2005 09:25:50 AM
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BODY:
On the train platform. Photo by Tod.
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EXCERPT:
An unmistakable pose
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: O-whah!
BASENAME: o-whah
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/09/2005 09:44:40 AM
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BODY:
For the first time in a long while, my heart leaped and I exclaimed as I felt the jolt of an earthquake. This morning's tremor was abrupt and sent the G5 rocking back and forth on the rack.
It was only a magnitude 4.6, only a 2 on teh Japanese scale, and centered in nearby Chiba. I'm not sure why this one shocked me more than other recent ones, but I'm glad to know that I've generally gotten used to earthquakes.
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EXCERPT:
A bump and jolt.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.3.146
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 06/09/2005 09:23:08 PM
And there was the rain again....
(damn, missed it! I was on the... *gulp*... subway!)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Value of Fun
BASENAME: value_of_fun
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/10/2005 11:48:46 AM
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BODY:
I am well motivated by pleasure and fun. Money is useful but I'd rather be underpaid to work with people I like than to be overpaid to work on a project with a bad team.
Two days ago, I jumped into the end stages of a web development project. My role is minor (porting content from the old site to the new) and fair drugery, but I'm enjoying it tremendously.
It's all because of the guys I'm working with. Jeremy Bogan and Daniel Bogan, at Segment Publishing in Sydney are fun, smart, and smell like elderberries. I may never meet them in person but we get along famously through intstant messaging. We've joked and teased, while excavating a mountain of tasks quickly and efficiently.
My very favorite jobs have been with good teams. The Multimedia Development Center crew at Duquesne in 1997 was a dream--everyone was intelligent, capable, willing to share knowledge and able to be silly while working hard. It was a highly creative environment. We've all gone our separate ways, but we keep in touch and I think all of us would choose to work together again if we could.
The MediaSense team here in Tokyo is another group of hard-working, hysterically funny people; I always free up my calendar when they call me for a last-minute job. We make videos for a corporate client and even though it's always "the same thing as last time, but different" we manage to be creative within those limitations.
So for me, even toil becomes creative play when I like my collaborators.
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EXCERPT:
Work as creative play
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.230.250
URL: http://www.iodine.org
DATE: 06/10/2005 09:40:08 PM
The Duquesne crew was a great team. I was but a student worker in '97, but after starting full time in '98, I came to understand what you mean - it was a great team and something I've yet to find again. I have a good crew now, but that group takes the cake. If JB ever called with a job offer, I'd drop everything and go, no question.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Musical baton
BASENAME: musical_baton
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 06/11/2005 11:10:51 AM
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BODY:
UltraBob is forcing me to play this game with him; he says I'll die a horrible death if I don't. But MJ says UltraBob is a dead man anyway for passing the Baton to her, too. So either a die a horrible death now or wait til one of the people I pass along to kills me...hmmm.
You answer the questions, then pass them along to five people. It's a chain letter for weblogs. I've always hated chain letters, but at least this one gives me something to do for content on a work-filled Saturday.
Total volume of music files on my computer:
4.67 GB and much of it is royalty free stuff I use in film projects. The bulk of our music collection is stored on Tod's server.
Song playing right now:
Well, nothing is playing at the moment. The last song played (at 17:24 last night according to iTunes) was "Chittlin Ball" by King Porter Orchestra
The last CD I bought:
I buy them in batches. The last batch was contemporary female jazz vocalists: Holly Cole, Jane Monheit, & Stacey Kent.
Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me:
I listen to these because I am trying to learn them. So not only am I listening, I'm singing along, too. Must make the neighbors crazy.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast
Embraceable You
Too Darn Hot
The Coffee Song
Five people to whom I’m passing the baton:
Collectively, the Zous (that's 4) and my sister, Jennifer.
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EXCERPT:
A weblog chain letter
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erik
EMAIL: senorklein@mac.com
IP: 64.172.160.106
URL: http://www.audiotrap.com
DATE: 06/12/2005 04:47:18 PM
If you like contemporary female jazz artists,
I recommend Jolie Holland.
She's in iTunes Music store
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Zousama
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 06/12/2005 06:18:24 PM
We posted our answers today. http://www.zousan.com/blog/archives/009119.html
I hope our friends don't mind having the baton passed to them. I don't know if they all have weblogs, though...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dad wore ties
BASENAME: dad_wore_ties
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/12/2005 08:36:02 PM
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BODY:
Dad in the backyard, Ephrata, circa 1988
This was certainly not the only time he barbecued in a tie and dress slacks. Even in casual settings, Dad often wore a tie.
Some were gifts from family and friends, but most he purchased himself.
He would go shopping for work clothes every two years. He went alone and returned with a wardrobe to last until the next shopping excursion.
When I was in high school, and Jenn & I were wont to model every new outfit we acquired, he came home from shopping, ran upstairs with bags full of booty, spread his purchases out on the bed in neat arrangements of outfits, then invited Mom, Jenn & I upstairs for a special showing.
Among the shirts, suits and socks were three new ties.
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EXCERPT:
Even on weekends.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 06/12/2005 10:59:15 PM
BARBIE~~~~~
Why not look spiffy?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jcwinnie
EMAIL: jonathan.w.smith@att.net
IP: 24.24.84.105
URL: http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/
DATE: 06/13/2005 03:07:50 AM
Well, now we know where you got your culinary expertise.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 06/13/2005 08:03:01 AM
I forgot about how he used to put all his new clothes out like that.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 06/13/2005 12:58:51 PM
Wow, I dont think ive ever seen anyone working at the barbie in a tie...!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http:/www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 06/13/2005 09:56:52 PM
I saw a tie at the Strand bookstore in NY this weekend that Dad would have loved and I pointed it out to Dan. Actually, there were two. One was covered with books that looked like they were flying. The other was medieval manuscript.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Marshmallow roasting
BASENAME: marshmallow_roasting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/13/2005 11:25:50 PM
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BODY:
Jenn at the grill, circa 1974
My sister, Jenn, never wore ties while grilling. She seems to be entirely delighted by her marshmallow roasting.
I loved to toast marshmallows (and then turn them into s'mores) until some idiot adult at a community barbecue set his alight and blew it out all over me. Flaming marshmallow makes nasty burns. I screamed and I still haven't forgiven him for not apologising.
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EXCERPT:
Tasty treats over the fire.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chicken on the Grill
BASENAME: chicken_on_the_grill
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/14/2005 01:04:51 PM
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BODY:
Tod and dinner. June 2004.
*cue fashion show announcer*
"Tod is wearing a button-front cotton camp shirt, no tie, and a pair of demin shorts as he tests this herbed chicken for doneness. Looks like there's still a ways to go, Tod!"
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EXCERPT:
Once more fashion meets BBQ.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 06/14/2005 03:38:11 PM
You got a new barbie and didn't invite me over for the testing????
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 06/14/2005 03:38:56 PM
Wait a minute...this is from last year...you are excused....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tew
BASENAME: tew
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
DATE: 06/15/2005 06:18:59 PM
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BODY:
Here's an old Scottish word (late 18th - early 19th century) from the OED that I think at least a few of my friends and colleagues had better add into their vocabularies this week.
tew----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: A short way to say overwork and exhaustion ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: MJ EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net IP: 219.117.192.165 URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net DATE: 06/16/2005 10:48:29 AM Adding it now.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Greg EMAIL: gregm@inter.net IP: 220.144.155.104 URL: DATE: 06/16/2005 03:07:15 PM Hey Wordsmith, check out a site called oneword dot com. you might get a burst of creativity, for 60 secs. novel idea. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Bachelor's Special BASENAME: bachelors_special STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 06/16/2005 09:48:53 AM ----- BODY:
verb: 1. Work hard, exert oneself, bustle about; 2. fatigue or tire (oneself) with hard work
noun: 1. Constant work and bustling; a state of worry or excitement.
This was a dish...perhaps I should say concoction...introduced to us by our friend Doug way back when we were all struggling to make ends meet. The original recipe was simply a box of Kraft dinner, with added lima beans, sliced up deli ham and a good dollop of horseradish. When I saw fresh horseradish in the market last week, I reworked the recipe to a more luxurious version. It's as strange as ever, but it really does taste wonderful.
Bachelor's Special
serves 4-6
1 cup soy beans (or lima beans)
1/2 cup diced ham
2 Tbsp freshly grated horseradish
500 gr pasta tubes (macaroni, ziti, etc)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzerella
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
salt & pepper to taste
Blanch the soybeans in salted water. Dice the ham. Grate the horseradish.
Boil the pasta until it is al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare a simple white sauce. Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to form a roux. Slowly pour in the milk (to prevent lumps, it should be heated but I never do that, I just whisk like crazy to break up the lumps). Set aside.
To the drained pasta, add the white sauce, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, ham, beans and horseradish. Season with pepper and salt.
Spoon the mixture into a casserole and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is browned. (No oven? You can skip the baking, just mix all the cheese into the pasta and allow the dish to sit for a few minutes to melt the cheese, heat the ham and mellow the horseradish.)
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EXCERPT:
A college classic reworked for a bigger budget
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Publish
BASENAME: publish
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/17/2005 06:10:19 PM
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BODY:
You probably know about CafePress, the online shop where you can sell your own custom t-shirts, mugs & other stuff.
Do you know abotu Lulu? Lulu is an on-demand book publishing service. What a cool thing! You upload your content and with a few additional steps (choosing cover artwork, setting a price, and so on) you have a ready-to-sell book. It doesn't cost you anything.
Lulu does more than books. You can publish and sell your music, photography or art through Lulu as well.
This seems like a god-send for us independent creative types. Who's going to be the first Creative Perspectives reader to publish through Lulu? And what are you going to publish?
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EXCERPT:
Make your own book and sell it online.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 06/17/2005 11:25:50 PM
It costs for the ISBN and for getting your book circulated, if you don't want any of that it's free. I know someone who has a Lulu book. Decent paper and cover.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 06/18/2005 12:17:46 AM
pretty cool.
there's an extra 'l' in the link. try www.lulu.com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 06/18/2005 07:09:00 PM
Fixed the link. Sorry about the extra "l".
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Peko and Zous
BASENAME: peko_and_zous
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/18/2005 03:02:57 PM
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BODY:
Waiting in Ueno for the Zou's playmates
This morning, we trundled the Zous off to Ueno to play with some friends. The 9 of them (3 people and 6 animals) were a bit late coming from the far side of town, so Tod took my picture while I stood there holding three stuffed friends. You can try to imagine the odd looks you get when you are standing outside a busy train station cuddling a giant elephant. Not a single person stopped, but there were a lot of sly smiles and little bows.
It might have helped that my hair's finally long enough to pull off my neck and out of my eyes. Sachiko says I look like Peko-chan, the cartoon spokesgirl for Fujiya's candy classic, Milky. Tracey agrees with great glee and laughter.
Zousama wrote all about today's adventure at zousan.com
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EXCERPT:
Another day out for the elephants.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 06/18/2005 07:51:48 PM
Haha! You do look like the Milky girl! Cute.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fajer
EMAIL:
IP: 219.119.137.91
URL:
DATE: 06/18/2005 11:19:42 PM
You guys Rock !!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL:
IP: 217.187.61.78
URL:
DATE: 06/19/2005 02:43:00 AM
little orphan kristen, how cute.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 06/19/2005 09:57:43 PM
You are so strong Kuri! The Zous are very heavy desho???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 06/20/2005 11:47:42 PM
that elephant is adorable! very cute.. and yes, you do look like peko-chan :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese books
BASENAME: japanese_books
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 06/19/2005 04:28:17 PM
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BODY:
This week I went to the bookstore and purchased five books. Three were in Japanese; two in English.
That might lead you to believe that I can read Japanese. I can't. The Japanese books were all non-fiction, well illustrated and easy to "decipher" without having to read too much.
Today I made watermelon gelatin from this recipe.
Because I already have sufficient experience in the kitchen, it's pretty easy to figure out the recipes in a each monthly issue of Kyou no Ryouri. I don't need to read the methods too carefully and I know many of the necessary kanji. Sometimes an esoteric ingredient or an usual procedure sends me into the office for a dictionary, but generally, I get along with Japanese cookbooks just fine.
A restaurant with a beautiful night view.
A step up in complexity, this dining guide is still pretty easy to figure out without much actual reading. I skip over the restaurant reviews and look at the pictures. And all books like this one have neat arrangements of the cogent facts - price range with a sample menu, address, phone number, map, hours and a chart of highlight points about the decor and atmosphere.
Showa 34 (1959) map of Jimbocho compared to today.
The last book is the most challenging. Though I can enjoy it with limited reading, when Tod & I sat together looking at it and he read and translated bits of it aloud, I wished I could read better than I do. The book compares pre-Olympic Tokyo to today, pointing out some of the things that are still around and some that are not. Alternating with the map spreads are photos and text describing the era and its fashion. Did you know that in Showa 36 (1961) the fads were seamless stockings and skiing? In Showa 32, everyone was going to charm school and the word "deluxe" entered the national vocabulary (in katakana, of course).
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EXCERPT:
Three books that I really can't read.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike_rosenlof@yahoo.com
IP: 204.144.142.169
URL:
DATE: 06/20/2005 12:21:37 AM
Can you give me a title/isbn for the pre-olympic Tokyo book? I lived at Yokota AFB from 1965 to 1968, and I'd love to see the comparison. (Yeah, I know, post-olympic, but I'd still find it interesting)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 06/20/2005 08:40:07 AM
The title is 東京懐かしの昭和３０年代歩地図 ISBN is4-408-00795-1
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 06/20/2005 03:20:58 PM
That last book looks pretty interesting to me too, tho I could read it not at all... Is there a map of Yoyogi area by any chance? Id love to see what the park looked like before it was a park!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 06/20/2005 11:06:43 PM
Thanks! Amazon has it on the way.
There were several similar looking books mentioned by Amazon. Something titled "Tokyo's Vanished Scenery", and at least one more Showa 30's walking maps. I'm guessing many Japanese still view the 1950's with nostalgia.
Somewhere at home I have a map of the Chichibu Tama national park, published around 1966. I'm going to have to dig that out and compare with more recent purchases.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Candle Night
BASENAME: candle_night
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/20/2005 05:27:22 PM
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BODY:
Tomorrow at 06:46 UTC (15:46 in Tokyo) is the summer solstice, marking another quarter turn of the Earth around the sun and longest daylight period of the year. I'm going to take part in a quiet event called Candle Night.
From 8 to 10 pm, I'll turn off the electric lights and enjoy a house lit by candles. Maybe I'll enjoy a glass of wine on the veranda, or a quiet chat with friends over a candlelit dinner I've cooked from scratch. Maybe we'll make some music. Whatever we do, I imagine a slow and mellow evening to match the lighting.
There are 330 Candle Night events in Japan, including live music around town and GeshiFest in Yoyogi Koen tomorrow evening. Tokyo Tower was unlit on Saturday as part of the project. Will you take part, too, to mark the quarter year?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Lighting a candle in the solstice darkness.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.196.24.96
URL:
DATE: 06/21/2005 11:10:00 PM
Sorry honey - I have just got home from a day in the trenches. Conference hell....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jo
EMAIL: jcm.c@wanadoo.fr
IP: 82.123.168.131
URL:
DATE: 06/21/2005 11:38:43 PM
Oh, that's a beautiful idea ! I'll try to import it here in Paris—although we have there the "Fête de la musique" (Music Day), so people are going out in the streets listening to many bands playing loud everywhere…but as a pro musician, I don't have to play, as the day is more for amateur playing. So I can lit my candles at home ! Enjoy yourself very much !
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 06/22/2005 05:30:05 AM
I made fish chowder. Then we'll go hear poetry. Hope your solstice was wonderful!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Solstice candles
BASENAME: solstice_candles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/21/2005 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Stilton, white sangria, and candles
Sachiko by candlelight on the verandah.
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EXCERPT:
Scenes from dinner.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Wax maintenance
BASENAME: wax_maintenance
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/22/2005 09:22:17 AM
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BODY:
Twenty three candles lit the apartment last night. The soft glow was delightful--the perfect light for a quiet summer evening.
Electric lights are horrible in comparison. Too bright, too steady. I was loathe to open the refrigerator to bring out the chilled soup; the small bulb at the back was so garish. The oven light was so strong in comparison to the candles lighting the kitchen that the metal spatula cast reflections on the walls.
But this morning, I rediscovered at least one reason why our forebears moved away from using candles. Wax on the table. Wax on the railings of the verandah. Cascades of wax down the wall behind the toilet. The little candle lamp is waxed shut. I must clean up the leavings of our light.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Candles have a cost.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 222.147.64.48
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 06/23/2005 01:02:25 PM
Yes, I know about that side of things too... we had a party once and had nice lighting everywhere, but the two candles on the basin in the bathroom melted the bottom of the plastic mirror holder, actually burnt a hole in the bottom of one side of it. Its not horrendously noticable, but i suspect that come time to let go of the apartment, the real estate agents will notice it!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Thai Watermelon Soup
BASENAME: thai_watermelon_soup
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/23/2005 11:30:09 AM
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BODY:
Adapted from a recipe at Epicurious, this soup was the showpiece of this week's Candle Night solstice dinner. I will be making it again, only next time I'll try to find a Thai chili pepper to add to the mix with the lime juice.
Thai Watermelon Soup
serves 6
1 medium-sized watermelon
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 Tblsp garlic, minced
2 Tblsp ginger, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, minced
2 Tblsp green onion, minced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
300 gr crab meat
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Juice the watermelon. I used an oroshi grater to good effect but you could use a juicer or a food processor (take out the seeds first, though) Strain the pulp and seeds. You want to end up with about a litre of watermelon juice.
In a large pan, cook the garlic, ginger, lemon grass and onion in oil over low heat until soft and golden. Pour in a cup of the watermelon juice and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the gingery watermelon mixture into a blender or use a handheld blender to puree the solids. Strain back into the pan.
Add the remaining watermelon juice, lime juice and salt. Chill for two hours.
Mix the crab and cilantro, seasoning with salt if desired.
Serve the soup by portining the crab into mounds in each bowl, then pouring the chilled soup around the crab.
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EXCERPT:
Spicy, sweet chilled soup
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 06/23/2005 10:57:18 PM
Sounds delish.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Home
BASENAME: home
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/24/2005 10:42:15 AM
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BODY:
"Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserve; it is life’s undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room, from which we go forth to more careful and guarded intercourse, leaving behind us much debris of cast-off and everyday clothing."
Oakland, NJ -- home from 1969-1975.
In Oakland, I ran around in the wooded lot behind the house where the neighbor boys had carved out bike trails. I walked to school and picked fallen apples from the trees in front of the house. I played for hours in the glassed-in front porch with our collection of Fisher-Price toys. This is the house where I lost my front tooth and cooked my first meal.
Valley of Lake, PA -- home from 1976-1984.
In the Valley I wandered the woods, carving my own trails. Mom drove me to school but I learned more by reading books in the library and playing with my toys--tools, science gear, and art supplies. This is the house where I had my first period and baked countless desserts.
The places that we live shape us. I am connected to nature because of the trees, stones, hills and gardens of my homes. I recall many details of each house--the distinctive smells of the rooms, the smooth surface of the porcelain fixtures, the color of sunlight filtering through the windows. All of these memories come through in the things I create now.
Home is not only where the heart is, but where the subconcious goes for ideas.
Where did you grow up and how does it shape your creativity?
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EXCERPT:
May be strongest influence on your creativity.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 06/24/2005 02:47:16 PM
I grew up in many houses in many different states of Australia and for about six months lived on the road with my family in a van travelling around Europe. I was homeschooled at this time.
I truly believe that moving around with my family and sharing so much has created friends within our little four person unit.
But you know how close I am with my family and I feel so blessed to be related to such talented and intelligent individuals. We share common values but also revel in our individual talents that mesh to form a strong unit giving strength to the individuals.
My home travels within them and within myself where-ever in the world we are.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes/archives/001987.html
DATE: 06/25/2005 02:23:53 AM
I've been exploring the ideas of a sense of place and a sense of belonging a lot this last month, too. My childhood was more like T's because I grew up a military brat. Someone wrote to me recently about a movie about brats, and that sparked my interest in exploring the topic. Two other people I know have been forced suddenly to move from places they had strong ties to--which made me realize I don't have strong ties to any place. I carry my sense of place with me.
More via the link.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Flâneur
BASENAME: flaneur
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
DATE: 06/25/2005 10:41:51 AM
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BODY:
Many thanks to lil for teaching me this one. It suits me nicely! There is even a website dedicated to the world's flâneurs: Flâneur and they accept submissions, in case you want to turn your strolling into something literary.
The original French means "to lounge, saunter idly." The Shorter OED defines flâneur unflatteringly:
flâneurand attributes it to R. Holmes: "Paris...celebrated the idea of the flâneur, the man who drifts around the streets, gang at everything." But a better definition is found at Dictionary.com's Word of the Day: One who strolls about aimlessly; a lounger; a loafer. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: I know a few of them ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Doris EMAIL: IP: 209.178.146.251 URL: DATE: 06/26/2005 02:16:06 AM Thanks for sharing. It's a wonderful site. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: India ink BASENAME: india_ink STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 06/26/2005 05:30:29 PM ----- BODY:
noun: An idler.
Manadala, vines and spirals in indelible ink.
I'm surprised at how well my left hand managed the manadala drawing on my right palm. I'm not ambidextrous, or at least I thought I wasn't.
When I completed my hands, I drew on the tops of my feet. Who needs polished nails when you have flowers, dots and lines on your toes?
It's a bit disconcerting to see the ink on my fingers; I keep thinking it will rub off. But it doesn't. At least not right away. I don't know why I haven't done big drawings on myself before. It's a lot of fun.
If I had more hands, I could be the Indian goddess Durga.
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EXCERPT:
Self-beautification.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.46.62.129
URL:
DATE: 06/26/2005 05:58:53 PM
Very Cool!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Book tag
BASENAME: book_tag
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 06/27/2005 09:20:24 AM
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BODY:
It's meme month. First the musical baton and now here's a bookish list that's payback from my sister.
I think I have a tin ear, which makes me most unqualified to do what I've been doing all morning--putting together the first show for Hanashi Station.
MJ, who is a trained audio engineer, gave me a "good job honey" when she listened to the draft, so maybe it's not as awful as I think.
There sure is a lot of me talking in it. MJ again: "I imagine you in a purple rinse and cardigan when I hear it! Your voice is comforting." Great...
The show will air on Friday, so be sure to tune in. You can subscribe to the RSS feed through your favorite "podcasting" software, like iPodder or iTunes. That way you'll know exactly when the shows are released.
As a bonus for today, here's what happened when my phone rang while I was recording narration this morning. Wrng number...why did this Japanese-speaking caller require me to speak in Japanese to tell her she didn't intend to reach me? Did she think I was her friend but putting her on?
Wrong Number 480K MP3
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EXCERPT:
Coming soon to an MP3 player near you.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 07/01/2005 12:59:29 AM
Haha! I love the clip. I'll have to tune in to hear your purple rinse and cardigan. :-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sweet-sour vegetable pickles
BASENAME: sweet-sour_vegetable_pickles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/30/2005 03:58:13 PM
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Searching for more pickle recipes for my podcast, I found this in one of my Japanese cookbooks. It's quite simple.
Sweet-Sour Vegetable Pickles
1/4 cauliflower
1 cucumber
2 onions, small
4 radishes
1 cup water
1 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 laurel leaf
1 dried chili pepper
Trim the cauliflower into florets. Blanch. Peel the onions, blanch, then cut in half. Cut the cucumber in to 4 cm sticks. Trim the radishes.
Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables. Refrigerate for at least three hours. Keeps up to 1 week.
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Simple pickles for a side dish.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 06/30/2005 06:34:35 PM
Laurel leaf = bay leaf?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 06/30/2005 10:41:57 PM
Yes, laurel leaf is bay leaf. I forgot what it was called in English!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 07/01/2005 04:18:17 AM
You know you've been too long in Japan when...
:-) :-) :-)
We once had a Japanese woman stay with us for a few days. She volunteered to cook dinner one night, and I asked for a shopping list. She spent a while on the list, including a few dictionary searches.
The list included "laver". I had no idea what that is. After some discussion that involved "sea grass" and a few other things, I understood that she had translated "nori", something I would have understood perfectly well.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Away
BASENAME: away
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/01/2005 08:06:49 AM
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BODY:
I'm about to embark on a creative project I have dreamed about for years. I'm going to go draw, sketch, paint and collage in cities worldwide--and rural areas, too. The next six months are devoted to travelling and creating.
I realised recently that there is nothing to stop me from doing this. I can budget my savings to cover the costs. My infrequent work as a freelance video editor, writer, and web monkey is not as valuable to me as testing my creative potential.
Perhaps I will get tired of being creative after six months of focus. If that's the case, then I can go get a job in an office and earn a lot of money doing something dull. But I doubt it; this is an adventure with hurdles, challenges and unforeseen excitement. How can I possible get bored?
If you happen to be in Beijing, Chicago, Nagoya, Delhi, Agra, Pittsburgh, Paris, Shanghai, Adelaide, Uluru, or Brisbane, and see a the woman with a sketchbook sitting in the shade, it might just be me.
Stay tuned for "where to buy a pencil sharpener in Beijing" and "fifteen ways to draw a crosswalk"
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EXCERPT:
A worldwide tour begins.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.4.45
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 07/01/2005 08:17:32 AM
Where are you going to trave? What are you going to create? If you have a chace to come to my city ( my city is a little bit famous with GYOZA ), please drop by me.
I collect my daughters's work.
http://webryalbum.biglobe.ne.jp/myalbum/100404000444aa9f4a63ee5e042ffab118c63f430/97011041824728111
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 68.79.2.190
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 07/02/2005 08:42:38 AM
Chicago? The Millenial Bean awaits you! I'm far, far out in the boring uncreative suburbs, but I know where the best can be found out here in the Northwest suburbs, in case you get a bit homesick.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 68.79.2.190
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 07/02/2005 09:14:48 AM
That's "where the best sushi" can be found out here. Which, of course, is a relative term. ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 202.89.172.235
URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html
DATE: 07/02/2005 11:30:15 AM
Adelaide's only a 24hr drive from us.. drop in :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 222.13.12.43
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2005 10:51:31 PM
I think you will need to invest in a jaunty hat so that you can be recognised from afar when you are in the shade sketching..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL: sayakatn@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL:
DATE: 07/04/2005 06:40:19 PM
Yap! No reason to stop you.
I was thinking to ask you to join my little trial but your own plan is much more creative and will be fruitful.
And since that is what my girl is dreaming of, we will trace you to where ever you will be. You are always welcomed to stay in Oita when you are back to Japan to Onsen.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL:
IP: 159.153.138.77
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2005 08:46:38 AM
From our experience, I can only say congrats on making the decision to follow your creative side rather than the usual path. May you find unimagined wonders.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Value: $20
BASENAME: value_20
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/02/2005 10:14:38 AM
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BODY:
My lower lip trembled as I peeled back the tape on the packaging. The customs declaration said "painted glass coaster. Value: $20"
By the time I had revealed the contents, a bee-painted tile that I admired in Dad's studio in March, my eyes were full of tears. I picked it carefully from its cushioning, held it in both hands, and sobbed.
Twenty dollars...plus a childhood's worth of memories, a lifetime of admiration, and a few moments of grown-up regrets. How infrequently we sum the true worth of the people we love. And we let them know even more seldom.
Mom, Tod, Jenn, Helen, Dan, Jean, John, Kris, Jeremy, MJ, Tracey, Jo, Jonathan, Sachiko, Jim, Yuka, Bob, Dave, and my myriad friends and relations: you're worth so much more than your declared value. I cherish you.
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Reflecting on love's worth.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 07/02/2005 10:22:45 AM
Oh sweetie. What a beautiful present.
We would never, ever put you in a bargain sale either.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2005 06:51:12 PM
Glad it arrived unbroken. When I was filling out the customs form, priceless was my first thought as value stated but knew I'd have to justify it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 222.13.12.43
URL:
DATE: 07/02/2005 10:49:18 PM
That is stunning... priceless definitely. And so are you my friend!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 07/03/2005 12:09:54 AM
I love you too.
Dad was wanting to make a glass window with a sundial in it - all of the ones he researched had bees in them. (http://advanceassociates.com/Sundials/Stained_Glass/)
Your bee was a study I'll bet. I have a little one he gave me. I will cherish it forever.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Agony
BASENAME: agony
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/04/2005 02:56:25 PM
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BODY:
Waiting for ecstasy
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EXCERPT:
Another migraine day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 222.149.83.78
URL:
DATE: 07/04/2005 09:02:27 PM
Great photo, though you don't really look like you are enjoying yourself... The pose reminds me of something, probably a painting I've seen somewhere, but I'm not sure which:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.13.126
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 07/04/2005 10:47:39 PM
I hope the agony passes soon, and the ecstasy is available in Shibuya if you're prepared to hang out with dodgy people on dark corners... or so ive heard
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tod
EMAIL:
IP: 69.58.165.30
URL:
DATE: 07/18/2005 08:26:47 AM
why you doin ectasy you bitch!!! i thought we said no drugs! you better not be doing this "ectasy" in my house!! later pumpkin!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Surface Tension
BASENAME: surface_tension
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/05/2005 07:23:09 PM
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BODY:
Bubbles on a temple basin. Koishikawa Enma.
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The edge of a bubbling fountain
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.33
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 07/06/2005 10:23:24 PM
Nice and intereseting photo!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Secret language
BASENAME: secret_language
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/06/2005 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
During the 15th century, rural women in China's southern Hunan province developed a secret written language. In a few days, I'm going to get to find out more about Nushu in person. A friend is doing a story on the efforts to preserve this language and I'm tagging along.
The last "sworn sister" of Nushu died in September last year at age 98, but there are others who still can read and write the language. It is a mix of Chinese characters and embroidery patterns, each symbol expressing a sound rather than an idea like normal written Chinese.
Women used the script to write letters to one another and when a daughter was married, her mother would give her a handbound book with the first three pages filled with songs from her hometown. The new bride would fill the blank pages herself.
I can hardly wait to learn more.
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When not allowed to write, invent your own system.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: David
EMAIL: uzziel@mac.com
IP: 64.39.0.39
URL: http://sweaterproject.org
DATE: 07/15/2005 11:51:01 PM
That's fascinating. And oddly coincidental - there was a link on boingboing.net a little while ago to this story:
http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/14/content_460176.htm
A writer named Hu Wenliang has written a novel in a secret language composed of punctuation characters. He's offering a cash prize to the first person to decrypt it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Cardamom cream
BASENAME: cardamom_cream
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/07/2005 11:07:14 AM
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BODY:
I threw this together last night as a topping for fresh blueberries. Although it's very simple, it transformed the fruit into an elegant dessert.
Cardamom cream
serves 4
1 cup heavy cream (35% milkfat)
1 Tblsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 whole cardamom pods
Pour the cream into a jar with a tight lid; add the other ingredients. Seal the jar and shake until the cream becomes fluffy and softly solid. Stop before it turns to butter. Remove the cardamom pods. Spoon over blueberries.
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3 minute dessert
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/07/2005 04:33:04 PM
YUMMMMMMMMMM I love anything with Cardamom.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Light Therapy
BASENAME: light_therapy
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/08/2005 12:12:14 PM
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BODY:
We've reached the zenith of long days and now we move into a slow shortening of daily light as Earth makes her way around the sun. For most of us, that means lingering summer evenings and a billiant noon light. Have you noticed?
If you haven't given thought to the sun and its light, get yourself outside this week.
Looking through the window isn't the same as being out in the world, so be sure to get outdoors for this experiment. Take a camera, or a paintbox or your journal and find a way to capture the experiences.
Take an early morning walk--jut after sunrise while the day is still a little bit cool. What color is the world in the morning?
Then go out at lunchtime and have a little picnic in the sunshine. Note the angle of light, the shadows, the color of the light, and its heat.
About an hour before sunset, go out again. The world mellows as the light turns goldy-pink and shadows lengthen. If you can stay to watch the sunset and twilight, you'll be well rewarded with gorgeous lightscapes as lights blink on and the world goes from natural to artificial light.
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You are my sunshine.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 07/08/2005 12:53:31 PM
Go outside 3 times in one day????
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 222.13.11.114
URL:
DATE: 07/08/2005 01:02:37 PM
The light outside has been incredible this week. Especially before dusk when I go outside for my afternoon consitutional.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.89
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 07/10/2005 10:24:48 AM
It is Sunday today, I got really early before 5 o'clock as soon as sun rose.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 07/11/2005 09:07:52 AM
Oh, I've noticed. I've got the world's most ridiculous sunburn!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL:
IP: 159.153.138.77
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2005 08:33:43 AM
I've been out 3 times today. Six am, noon and now at 4. It has been wonderful. Each of the times have had their own flavor and texture. But my favorite is almost always the time coming up - those few minutes after the sun has just set but the light still lingers. Things seem to be calmer and quieter at that moment of transition.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Milky Way tumbles
BASENAME: milky_way_tumbles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/09/2005 04:47:09 PM
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BODY:
After arriving in Beijing on Friday night and staying up til nearly 3 am catching up with my friend Jon, the China correspondent for the Guardian, we made our way from his house at 6:20 to catch a flight to Guilin in Guangxi province. Huang Lisha (Lisa), Jon's able assistant, expert interpreter and government spy, was waiting for us with the tickets.
Stepping off the plane, we still had a 180 km trek to Jiang Yong, the Yao county village over the border in Hunan province, where Jon was doing interviews on the Nushu story, so Lisa hired a taxi and driver at the airport. We were blessed to get Mr Fong, who just happened to be at the head of the queue. He turned out to be the most useful resource and a kind man with a sense of fun. Not only did Mr Fong know the way, he knew all the sights and points of interest along the way. He was with us for the whole time we were in the area, always at the ready with the car when we needed him as if reading our minds. He bought us bananas, shared his mosquito spray, joined in our activites and meals. If you ever need a driver in Guilin, he's the man to call.
The day was a full one, meeting our guide, Huang Yuan, and having a feast of a Hunan lunch before making with visits to some of the important Yao cultural sites. We met the local Yao king, Zheng Shiqiu, elected ten years ago, who accompanied us and explained some of the local history and how the village is hoping to promote tourism with Nushu as a key aspect of the plan.
Jon & I after our swim. Photo by Lisa.
The highlight of my day was climbing a mountain to the base of a 110 meter waterfall. It was getting near dusk and the light was fading quickly when we reached our destination. Against the advice of our guide, Jon and I ducked under the barrier and ran towards the pool at the base of the waterfall. We shucked off our outer layers and went for a paddle.
I think it was the best swim of my life. The scenery was unbeatable, the water clear and cold. I glowed and bubbled with overflowing joy for the rest of the day. Even now, I smile broadly when I think of how the spray felt on my face as I stroked across the pool.
Cook prepares local fare in the glare of a bare bulb. Photo by Jon.
Dinner was at a family-run Yao inn. The kitchen was dark and above the smoky wok hung the carcasses of rats, chickens, ducks, and unidentifiable creatures. I don't think the smoky meat in our dinner was rat, but I couldn't tell what it was.
Jon watched the kitchen girl kill our chicken by slitting its throat, draining the blood for a minute, then whacking it against the side of the building until it stopped moving. The chicken soup was delicious, but I'm glad I stayed in the courtyard having a beer with Zoupi.
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Swimming under a waterfall in Yao country.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 222.13.13.191
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2005 04:29:54 AM
government spy? do tell... I smell intrigue.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2005 07:29:56 AM
Lisa's only a spy in that the government requires her to make official reports on Jon's activities and conversations. This is part of the job description for all foreign journalists' assistants. China's not too keen on press freedom.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chasing Nushu
BASENAME: chasing_nushu
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/10/2005 05:26:43 PM
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BODY:
Today we learned all about Nushu from various sources. I've updated Wikipedia's Nushu article with some of the information we learned on our journey, but the impressions of the old women telling us about their lives just doesn't fit into the encyclopedic format.
Weaving the traditional way. Photo by Jon.
These were remarkable women gathered at Nushu Garden, a local center for preserving the writing. A nearly toothless 80 year old, Ni Youju, told us that she had been engaged at age one, and married at 16. Her husband was still alive and she described him as a good man who didn't drink, smoke or gamble. (Jon blanched...) She learned Nushu by listening to the privileged women singing the songs, and figured out how to weave the patterns they used, but never learned to write or read it. She sang local songs in a strong voice as she worked on a belt weaving that incorporated some Nushu characters in the design.
Before we left Nushu Garden, Miss Zhou presented each of us with a scroll she had written in Nushu. Jon's was a Li Bai poem about a waterfall; Lisa's was a wish for a happy future. Mine was supposed to say "A beautiful woman will always be appreciated by men" but Miss Zhou made a mistake as she worked with the brush and started over with a new scroll and a new saying. So mine is a hope that by sharing Nushu, all women of the world will become sisters.
We headed down a very rutted road to a densely packed village called Xiawan. The world's most accomplished Nushu teacher, Hu Meiyue, lives here. It is the most beautiful town in the world.
It is a maze of narrow cobbled alleyways between two story red brick buildings that have stood for nearly three centuries. The houses are solidly built and most have ornately carved wooden windows and doors, but the town has fallen on hard times and everything is a bit derelict. The old temple is littered with manure; the Cultural Revolution-era hall is a garage for farm equipment.
The center of the town is a big, green pond. It's the only place where you can see the unobstructed sky. Gates on two sides of the pond lead off to the temple and houses. One thing the village lacks entirely is commerce; there are no shops or stores in evidence. People in the village walk or bike to the nearest town.
Jon interviewed Mrs. Hu, who read from her great-grandmother's Nushu book, and after a quick stop back in Jiang Yong to see Zhou Shuoyi, who compiled the first Nushu dictionary, we were on our way to Yang Shuo.
On the way we stopped for a swim in a river. Yeah! Some water buffaloes were curious about our pile of discarded clothing, but I rescued our stuff before mama-buffalo could eat my skirt.
Another family of buffaloes swam across the river as Jon & I played race games with an unripe quince. He later chucked it at Lisa, sitting on the bank, and caused her to fall in. We were back in the car shortly after that.
Across the river at Yang Shuo (cilck for larger view)
Yang Shuo is a tourist town popular with Western travellers. It has a nightlife/market/cheap hotel district just like Khao San Road in Bangkok. If the scenery in the area were not so terribly beautiful, I'd vow to never go again.
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A language, dead or fossilised.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sunned
BASENAME: sunned
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/11/2005 04:33:05 PM
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BODY:
Queen of the River in a crown of flowers rescued from the Yu Long He. Lisa had her turn, too. Photo by Jon.
This was a day to play as we made our way back to Guilin. After breakfast and some shopping in the market (Lisa put her bargaining skills to good use for me!), we hired bamboo rafts and had a two hour trip down the Yu Long He. Jon & I swam alongside the boats for maybe a kilometer, but while I climbed back aboard and stayed put, he jumped back in at least a dozen times. I don't know too many people who like the water as much as Jon.
Me, Zoupi and Lisa in front of Moon Hill. Photo by Jon.
We stopped for lunch at an open air restaurant near the raft terminal and had a look at Moon Hill. This was another instance of Mr. Fong knowing just the right thing. As we drove along the village street near the restaurants, he told us to look out the window at the hill with the stone arch in it. He speeded up the car, and we watched the moon change phase as the hill behind the gap shifted relative position.
My sunburn islands
Maybe I should have swum with Jon some more because I ended up with a rotten sunburn from sitting undressed on the raft. When we reached town in the evening, we sought out some after-sun cream at one of the Guilin department stores and had a bowl of Guilin's specialty--rice noodles in spicy broth with bits of duck.
Our hotel, the four star Lijiang Waterfall Hotel, had broadband access, so Jon and Lisa holed themselves up in their rooms and worked for part of the night, then we all went out for a late walk along the shopping street before heading to bed.
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In and on the river.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ritan Park
BASENAME: ritan_park
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/12/2005 04:08:26 PM
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BODY:
Turbulence over China
As the plane back to Beijing began to shudder and the Fasten Seat Belts lights came on, Jon told me that the air over central China is always turbulent. So I took that as a starting point and doodled a bit.
Ritan Park, Beijing (Click for larger view)
When we arrived, I dropped my bag at the Guardian office, left Zoupi to help Jon write up the Nushu article, and went into town. With a jillion choices of destination, I ended up at Ritan Park, near the embassy area. The park was used for sacrifices to the Sun, and there's a large circular altar space in the center. I thought of drawing the Divine Kitchen, but the name was its best feature, so I settled myself on a bench and drew a willow and pagoda near a pond where people angle for ornamental goldfish.
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A bumpy filght and a quick drawing
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 222.13.13.191
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2005 04:34:57 AM
Your sketches are sensational!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ashman
EMAIL: ashdotcom007@hotmail.com
IP: 211.29.1.173
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2005 05:56:37 PM
think i need to join you in some of your arty projects when i come over, if thats ok. I love that you always have something on the go...ring making, drawing, blogging and all the rest.
Im a bit of a art dud, but willing to try! :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ashman
EMAIL: ashdotcom007@hotmail.com
IP: 211.29.1.173
URL:
DATE: 07/17/2005 06:01:47 PM
think i need to join you in some of your arty projects when i come over, if thats ok. I love that you always have something on the go...ring making, drawing, blogging and all the rest.
Im a bit of a art dud, but willing to try! :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tian An Men
BASENAME: tian_an_men
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/13/2005 03:50:04 PM
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Tian An Men, Beijing (click for larger view)
I spent my last day in Beijing doing what I'd intended to do on the first--draw Tian An Men, the gate that leads into the Forbidden City.
Arriving at 10, I settled into a spot on the ground near a flagpole by the big obelisk in the square. Five hours later, I completed my drawing.
I'm never a speedy artist, but the work was slowed somewhat by numerous interruptions as Chinese tourists noticed me. I am the subject of half a dozen videos and countless photos. I talked to adults and children, putting forward my best "American representative abroad" smile and good cheer, even when I wanted to smack people for standing between me and what I was drawing.
At various points throughout the day, I had crowds of as many as thirty people watching me. Dozens of sweet little girls came and sat next to me, smiling while their parents captured the moment on film (I saw very few digital cameras and only one D70 like ours). Grown men gave me the thumbs-up when we established that I didn't speak Chinese. Many mutterings of "Very Good!", which is exaggerated praise considering what I drew.
My favorite onlookers were a group of bright blue-shirted students of various ages and their teachers. Their tour guide explained that they had come from all over China on a trip to Beijing that was a prize for an essay contest on the benefits of reading. Some of the kids spoke English and I asked them about the books they liked. None of them knew Harry Potter but it seems likely he's named something different in Chinese.
When I finished my drawing I can't say I was thrilled with the result, but I'd experienced a memorable afternoon. That makes up for any lack of skill displayed on the paper.
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At last, the drawing I planned to do
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 07/16/2005 08:49:24 PM
Kristen, your drawings are gorgeous! Lively and colorful. I love this one, and I really like the whimsy of the "sunburn islands" and your turbulence one.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tuna Mornay
BASENAME: tuna_mornay
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/14/2005 07:04:37 PM
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BODY:
Staying with my friend, Jon, in Beijing, I promised to return his hospitality by cooking a meal for him one night. When I inquired into what he'd like, he thought a moment, then asked if I could do "a tuna and pasta-y baked dish." Of course I can, that's Tuna Mornay!
So that Jon can satisfy his future Tuna Mornay cravings, here's three-phase recipe I produced last night.
Tuna Mornay
serves 4
250 g egg noodles
2 cans tuna packed in water
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup peas and/or corn
4 Tblsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
600 ml milk
1/2-1 cup breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
Saute the onion and mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan. When golden, remove from pan. Add 2 Tblsp butter and lower heat. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring to form a roux. Pour in the milk, whisking to prevent lumps. Allow to simmer to thicken until it coats the back of the sppon. Add the tuna (drained), mushrooms, onions, peas/corn. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Boil the egg noodles until they are al dente. Drain. Pour the sauce over the noodles, mix well and transfer to an oven-proof dish. There should be a fair amount of liquid; the noodles will soak it up.
Melt the remaining tablespon of butter in a frypan. Add the crumbs and mix until coated. Spread evenly over the noodles.
Bake at 160C for about 20 minutes or until the crumbs are browned.
Notes
This past week in China I experienced many exotic and fascinating places. I drew some, photographed a few (on b/w film with a camera older than me, thanks to Jim). I looked. I listened. I leapt into the unknown and the creative.
But was it enough? It was extremely satisfying and I've returned with a head and heart full of unforgetable moments, scenes glimpsed, and people remembered. I have stories to tell and images to upload, but does it satisfy my lifelong goal of sharing my experiences so fully that someone else understands them?
As I prepare for my next trip and the ones after that, I am in a quandary.
Should I continue to draw my way around the world, making amateurish pictures on paper that engage me mentally and physically but might not convey much about the real experience to the viewer? Or should I bring along the gadgets necessary to record the experiences digitally?
The trouble is that with each device I carry, I put myself at risk of living the moment only through that device. Turn on the audio recording gear and I forget to look at things. Flip open the viewfinder of the video camera and the scents of the place disappear as I look for an engaging motion and sound.
I worry, too, that gear will bewitch me and I'll stop drawing. I don't seem to be able to switch between them very easily. After using the film camera for the first couple of busy days in Hunan province, it was difficult to relax into the slower pace of sketching. Drawing requires me to be in one place for more than 30 seconds.
There are situations when it is simply not possible to draw at length. Is it prudent then to take a pass on capturing those moments at all? Or is it better to turn to technology and risk losing the joy of drawing?
I have a couple of weeks to decide. In the meantime, I am checking out the specs and prices on some tiny easy-to-pack DV cameras, just in case.
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Put it down on paper or lay it down on tape
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/15/2005 03:55:25 PM
Remember that any story received will have to go through the filters (read life experiences) of the receiver. I guess I need to understand what you mean by the receivers understanding of the story telling.. :)
The great thing about story telling is the unknown reception of information as it goes through the filters of other people. Personally I feel it enriches my own experience as much as the story has enriched the other person.
I just want to hear your stories and see your creations as they have already enriched my life experience... Great to have you back honey.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sara
EMAIL: hrabbit@verizon.net
IP: 64.222.103.187
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2005 12:45:40 AM
Dear Kirsten,
I found your blog by accident and have been reading it for awhile. As an ex-Tokyoite it is very natsukashii to read.
Having just viewed your sketches of China, I wanted to put in my vote that you continue sketching. They are absolutely wonderful!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sara
EMAIL: hrabbit@verizon.net
IP: 64.222.103.187
URL:
DATE: 07/16/2005 12:46:28 AM
Dear Kirsten,
I found your blog by accident and have been reading it for awhile. As an ex-Tokyoite it is very natsukashii to read.
Having just viewed your sketches of China, I wanted to put in my vote that you continue sketching. They are absolutely wonderful!!
Sara Aoyama
Brattleboro, Vermont
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 66.93.216.236
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes
DATE: 07/18/2005 07:47:51 AM
Looking at the photos and the pictures again, I'd recommend that you go with the pictures. They convey so much feeling that I think they communicate the sense of place better than photographs. Sometimes a photograph is amazing, too--Jon's photos of the woman weaving and the cook preparing dinner at Yao Inn--so I can understand your dilemma.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lyd
EMAIL:
IP: 70.16.121.138
URL:
DATE: 07/19/2005 09:30:25 AM
Isn't the answer obvious?
Borg-like implants!
Then you'll be free to draw while digitally absorbing your surroundings onto various and multiple media as a constant background process.
We could probably fix you up with some strap-on gear in the short term. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: julianne
EMAIL:
IP: 203.181.17.159
URL:
DATE: 07/30/2005 10:20:22 PM
Here I am just wandering through your blog, first time in ages. I don't know if you'll even see this post because it's a late one.
Of course I would say keep with the sketches.They're lovely and express a lot in their simplicity, and, as you say, it's a more meditative process. Remember, if you're not happy with them they WILL continue to improve the more you do it. My advice is to keep doing them and watch your proficiency increase before your very eyes!
You could always take digipics of the scenes you choose to draw/paint and then sketch away, knowing that you've got both bases covered.... (the sketching being the priority of course...)
But then, as you probably know, I'm biased! :-) I believe that non-digital is better for the soul.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Google offers Japan maps
BASENAME: google_offers_japan_maps
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 07/16/2005 10:57:59 AM
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BODY:
It seems to have launched without fanfare on July 13th, so when Tod stumbled across it this morning, we were excited. Google Maps now covers Japan in street maps based on the Zenrin maps.
We've amused ourselves testing the features and finding the bits that still need some work.
Google Maps finds addresses in Japan
Good Points
Local Search works if you search in Japanese
Still To Go
Matt doing his thing in the kitchen.
What a treat. It's nearing midnight and I'm sitting here on Jim & Yuka's sofa, watching their house guest, Matt Peterson, bake his famous chocolate chip cookies. He says he usually makes them at 2 am. I think that after our dessert, I'm going to be ready to walk home and crawl into bed.
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Cookies by Matt.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.38
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 07/18/2005 06:21:05 PM
Great! I'd like to eat them with you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 07/18/2005 08:18:24 PM
2 a.m. cookies! What a GREAT idea.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jessica
EMAIL:
IP: 70.18.46.224
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2005 10:41:27 PM
your a trooper. i'd fall asleep while waiting for them to finish baking. -_-zz
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: China Photos
BASENAME: china_photos
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/18/2005 08:19:26 PM
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BODY:
Yao woman in her farmyard. Jiang Yong village, Hunan Province
The photos I took with Jim's 1960s Olympus PEN camera look as old or older than the camera itself. I am thrilled with the way a bunch of holiday snapshots transformed into something that looks worthwhile.
Jim developed and scanned the photos for me on Saturday night. Here's a galleryof all the photos I took in Hunan and Guangxi provinces.
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A week ago or 1953?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Keith Fox
EMAIL: zenlibra@yahoo.ca
IP: 69.195.32.131
URL:
DATE: 07/18/2005 11:04:27 PM
Hello, I've been a silent subscriber to your RSS feed for several months now and I've found your site to be fun and informative. (I've gotta try those recipes someday) I originally found your site through a mention Scott Lockman made on his podcast about your tutorial on how to edit Moveable Type templates. Anyhow, I've been enjoying your trip through China and I was particularily struck by your recent set of photos. They really do look like old photos from decades past. Quite inspiring. It makes me wonder how I can create a similar effect with my digital camera. Have fun and keep posting.
Keith
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: consumptive@gmail.com
IP: 203.165.198.19
URL: http://consumptive.org
DATE: 07/19/2005 12:12:20 AM
i like the water buffalo pictures: they seem to sum up a lot of things about life.
and mr. jon too - he looks exactly like many jon's i have met, which is hard to explain. he just looks like a jon.
then too i like this elephant you carry around. better in black and white - becomes less a thing, an ornament you stuck in, and more symbolic. black and white i think makes everything more symbolic and less real. in which case, jon and the elephant become the same, equal images, protaganists looking for sense.
it's not like that in color.
looks like a fun trip. where to next?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 220.220.228.115
URL: http://wirefarm.com
DATE: 07/19/2005 12:20:30 AM
You can't imagine how really deeply happy it made me to see you do these with a camera I could so happily provide you. I'm glad I made you wind the reels and do the developing - that way, these are so much more yours.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 07/19/2005 08:29:54 AM
James: Jon & Zoupi get along well, so I'm sure neither would mind the equalization via black and white. I love the water buffalo, too. There were so many--every afternoon, women would walk them in pairs on leads through the villages to grazing spots and watering holes.
Jim: thank you again for the camera loan. And even though I fretted that I ruin my film, I'm glad I helped you do the developing. It was like a magic art project!
Keith: the best way to get an old look is to use an old camera. I'm learning that as great as digital is, it has its limitations. That said, I'm sure you could find some Photoshop filters to add grain and scratch up the perfection of your photos.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 07/19/2005 03:01:20 PM
Simply breathtaking.. your photos are like a photojournalists circa 1940.... Robert Capa would be impressed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.46.62.250
URL:
DATE: 07/19/2005 09:14:59 PM
Wow, great photos! Zoupi seems to be having fun as well:-)
Water buffalo in zen contemplation is very impressive!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: julianne
EMAIL:
IP: 203.181.17.159
URL:
DATE: 07/30/2005 10:22:35 PM
lovely!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Wrapped Tree
BASENAME: wrapped_tree
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/19/2005 07:31:31 PM
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BODY:
Nature tamed but still weedy in Tokyo
I passed a pleasant hour in Akasaka this afternoon. I had the presence of mind to set my keitai alarm before I started drawing so that I wouldn't be late for my lunch date. Time slips away very quickly when I'm playing with my pencils.
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Drawing in an urban setting
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ginza at Dusk
BASENAME: ginza_at_dusk
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/20/2005 10:49:19 PM
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BODY:
The neon glow isn't as obvious when I draw it
After work today, I walked over to Ginza and plopped myself on a low stone wall to draw. I wanted to try to capture the glow of neon against the early evening sky. It was as challenging as I expected and I learned a lot that I will put to good use next time I am out drawing at that time of day.
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An attempt at capturing glow.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ken Iltz
EMAIL: keniltz@comcast.net
IP: 24.22.7.215
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2005 12:01:58 AM
I was quite impressed by the wrapped tree yesterday and even more impressed by Ginza today. You have potential. Keep up the good work!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2005 07:11:42 PM
I am loving these sketches.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 222.149.82.176
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2005 08:51:02 PM
I love somewhat nostalgic feel of this sketch.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 222.147.64.48
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 07/22/2005 01:12:22 PM
I too loved the wrapped tree, and this one caught the feel of busy Ginza very well! I used to work very near this corner, saw it all the time, my mind instantly filled the white space around the drawing with the rest of the scene... funny how the mind works!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Broccoli & Shrimp Salad
BASENAME: broccoli_shrimp_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/21/2005 05:52:10 PM
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Summer heat has me wishing that cooked food were never invented. Here's a dish that's easy and tasty on a hot night and can be preapred in advance. In Japan, broccoli is often served with mayo on the side, and though it first seemed really strange and rather gross, I've learned to love them together.
Broccoli and Shrimp Salad
serves 3-4
1 head broccoli
200 g raw shrimp, cleaned
2 Tbspl mayonnaise
black pepper
white pepper
Cut the broccoli into florets & slice the stem if desired. Tip into lightly salted boiling water and allow to bubble cook two or three minutes. Add the shrimp, turn off the heat. Stir and allow to cook for another minute or until the shrimp are almost done. Drain well. Mix with mayonnaise and season with liberal dashes of balck and white pepper. Chill.
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Chilled salad with mayonnaise.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.183
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 07/22/2005 07:14:14 AM
Really? Broccoli with mayo looks strange? I had thought that the convination came from the U.S or other foreing countreis. Was it born in Japan?
The other day I got RUKKORA (In English rocket salad?), they were grown by my friends. I knew the name but it was first time to eat. I made salad with Daikon, it is delicious. And I also sauted them. Though it tasts sesami, sauted Rukkora tastes more stronger sesami.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Drawing Sounds
BASENAME: drawing_sounds
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/22/2005 09:54:13 AM
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BODY:
When you're sitting down to draw, do you pay attention to things other than the visual information in front of you? One morning at camp I listened carefully to my surroundings, put myself in the center of my paper and drew the noises all around me.
a page from my sketchbook
It was an ear-opening experience to translate sounds to the page and the more I listened, the more detail I heard. I wished I'd had a larger sheet of paper and some colored pencils!
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Abstraction from ear to paper.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 07/23/2005 07:09:32 PM
This made me smile. I like slight differences between mumbles and actual conversation.
I never thought you'd get me to say 'I miss camping,' but this little drawing does it for me!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kagurazaka Awa Odori
BASENAME: kagurazaka_awa_odori
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/23/2005 01:37:28 PM
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Last night Kagurazaka's main street filled with traditional dancers
Dancers waved their hands gracefully while stepping on tiptoe and chanting in high-pitched voices
Musicians played gongs, drums, and wooden flutes as live accompaniment
The music was very loud and vibrated through our bones. I recorded some of it to share with you:
Awa Odori music 1'00" MP3 (950 KB)
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Dancing in the streets
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 07/23/2005 07:07:56 PM
The color combinations in the costumes is beautiful.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.53
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 07/25/2005 09:35:24 AM
Have you took a part in such dacne?? at my home town, KOUENJI-AWAODORI is populer, though I always only see it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kick Me & Cringe
BASENAME: kick_me_cringe
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 07/25/2005 09:38:13 PM
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BODY:
A good friend who's been in business for herself for over 30 years revealed her decision process for accepting clients. She has two scales: "Kick Me" and "Cringe Factor."
The Cringe Factor is measured in time. "For how many years after the job will I cringe when I think about it? If it's more than three years, I won't take the client."
And the Kick Me scale is measured in pain. "How many times will I kick myself after the first meeting? If it's more than five, I can't afford the bruising and there is no deal."
She recently turned down a job she described as 15 in Cringe Factor and 25 on the Kick Me scale. That was a good decision! I think I might try these scales next time I have a client I'm not so certain about.
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To take a job or not isn't all about the money.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.203.253
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 07/26/2005 12:11:28 AM
I might try them for boys i am thinking about sleeping with! If only you could really know these things fully in advance tho...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Adam
EMAIL: adamdavis@unt.edu
IP: 24.178.13.162
URL:
DATE: 07/26/2005 03:56:35 AM
I would really like to hear how the recordings done on that M-Audio Nova sound. I am looking into getting the same one but I haven't heard it yet. I would be running it through a Behringer mixer too and the preamps are the same on those so whatever you have done would be a good example for me to listen to. It would be great if you could link me to some raw recordings.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shoes on Train
BASENAME: shoes_on_train
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/26/2005 11:09:43 PM
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BODY:
Fashionable commuter feet.
Yesterday afternoon, I whipped out my sketchbook on the train and drew some shoes. But the feet in them kept moving around and they got off a few stops after I started sketching, so the drawing is really loose and wonky. But I like it anyway and colored it in this evening (loosely and wonkily)
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The originals were black
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: rob
EMAIL: muckgram@verizon.net
IP: 71.240.29.60
URL:
DATE: 07/27/2005 08:09:51 AM
it's fantatstic ! you won't see these sort on the "T" between south hills junction and station square. We hope this finds you well. graham
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Between Sets
BASENAME: between_sets
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/27/2005 10:53:29 PM
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Hibiya Park, 7:05 pm
To celebrate my last day as FCCJ's webmaster, I walked to the park after work to sketch for a while before meeting up with MJ. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Greater Tokyo Festival in full swing. I sketched for a bit near my favorite pond, then followed my ears to the music. I drew this as I waited for the next set to begin. It's annoyingly cartoonish and flat. I need to develop quicker realism. Anyone have pointers or cheats I can try?
MJ met me at the park, then Tod joined us and we had an alfresco dinner of good Aussie red (Tod brought it with him) and falafels from an Israeli falafel truck. The Japnese couples sitting near us must have thought we were crazy when we began to dance to "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," but we had fun.
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An empty bandshell, but not for long
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yaki Omusubi
BASENAME: yaki_omusubi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/28/2005 09:51:43 AM
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BODY:
I learned a great trick for making grilled rice balls from my friend Elizabeth of Taste of Culture fame. It's not exactly a recipe, but a procedure.
When you have leftover rice (the slightly sticky, short grain Japanese kind), make rice balls by pressing the rice in your hands to form a ball or a triangle about two fingers thick and the size of the center of your palm. You can tuck some pickled plum or other tidbits inside if you like. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze them. They will survive about six weeks in the freezer.
When you're ready to eat them, take them from the freezer and place them on a stove top grill pan. The Japanese ones have a wire mesh over a square pan to diffuse the heat. Cook the omusubi on one side until they no longer stick to the grill (you have to be patient and not test them too often or they will fall apart), then flip them over and toast the other side. Brush with soy sauce, grill another few seconds to let the sauce mellow. Serve with a sheet or slice of nori.
This is explained in more detail with better delivery in Elizabeth's forthcoming book, Washoku, Recipes from the Japanese Kitchen, to be published this fall by Ten Speed Press.
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Grilled rice balls from the freezer
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Andoh
EMAIL: andoh@tasteofculture.com
IP: 222.148.72.20
URL: http://www.tasteofculture.com
DATE: 08/23/2005 08:20:42 PM
thanks kristen for bringing the omusubi message to a larger audience. but remember to REMOVE THE PLASTIC WRAP BEFORE placing the frozen rice balls/triangles on the grill!
and yes, GAMAN (restraint) is part of the kitchen routine -- resist the urge to poke and flip until the underside has crusted over.
Enjoy!
WASHOKU:Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Stress and senses
BASENAME: stress_and_senses
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/29/2005 08:29:21 PM
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BODY:
Have you ever wanted to turn on your creativity, but for some reason just can't seem to settle into it? Maybe you're stressed.
"Nah, I'm not stressed. Everything's fine," you say to yourself. "Work's going well, the bills are paid, and the kids are healthy. I don't feel stressed at all. I just can't draw/compose/play/sculpt/write today for some reason."
But maybe it's a different kind of pressure than what we usually consider stressors. I discovered not too long ago that I respond badly to visual stress. When my desk isn't neatly organized--if it's covered with flotsam from other projects or if the wind has scattered my notes across the room--I can't focus on anything completely until things within view are put away, straightened up or tidied.
Some people have aural stress. Noises distract them. A TV in another room, traffic on the street, or something as simple as the wrong music will push them into a state of mind that makes it difficult to think.
Still others get discombobulated by smells, textures, or tastes. I'm sure you can think of a time when a scratchy clothing tag drove you batty until you cut it off, or when the lingering flavor of onions from lunchtime subtly irked you until you brushed your teeth.
So next time you're having trouble getting started or staying in the creative groove, inventory your environment through your five senses. You might find a surprise stressor that you can attend to and then get back to creating.
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EXCERPT:
Unconcious stressors
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Art of Conversing
BASENAME: art_of_conversing
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 07/30/2005 08:01:32 AM
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BODY:
Not many people will guess that I'm a shy person. I've learned how to hide my insecurity when I converse and many people believe I am an extravert. Let me tell you how I do it, because these three pointers can help anyone go from wallflower to halfway-decent-conversationalist.
Return the Question
People often ask start a conversation by asking about a topic they want to talk about. Save yourself from having to talk too much and give them a chance to take the lead. When someone asks you a question, you should answer, then ask them back the same question. You can rephrase it or not, as you desire.
"Have you read any good books lately?"Use a Detail When you're asked a general question such as "How are you?" or "What did you do today?" you'll find that an answer like "Fine" doesn't get you very far. In fact, it usually kills the conversation. Try describing a detail that answers the question, instead. The other people in the conversation can use your answer to add their own story or ask another question.
"No, I haven't had the time. What have you been reading?" "Did you like the movie?" "I liked the special effects a lot. What did you think?" "What did you do at work today?" "I finished a report and took a long lunch. What did you do at work today?"
"How was your day at school?"Smile It isn't really conversation, but a smile helps people feel good about talking to you. That goes a long way toward being a good conversationalist. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Three tips for chitchat ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher DATE: 07/31/2005 11:53:03 PM A: Hello, How are you? B: Fine. (bell rings) A: Hello, how are you? B: Fine, thank you. You? A: Fine. (bell rings) A: Hello, how are you? B: Fine, and you? A: Quite well. How do you like Crayola crayons? B: Why I love Crayola crayons! I am one! See? Cobalt Blue. Old school. A: You are? How delightful. I'm a piece of paper. Together we can be a Wedgewood platter. (bell rings) A: Or a Penn State bumpersticker. (bell rings) A: Or the blue collar and white collar. (bell rings) A: Or the young and the restless. (bell rings) A: We could be the sky. (many bells go off) I've been reading a lot of David Ives lately, sorry! He explores the art of conversation in everything he writes. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: color lady EMAIL: IP: 69.21.68.106 URL: DATE: 08/04/2005 09:45:55 AM Would like to communicate with others interested in Crayola crayons ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: mike EMAIL: mike.pope@gmail.com IP: 67.168.35.109 URL: http://www.mikepope.com/blog/ DATE: 08/05/2005 01:52:35 PM Heh. Well done. I put up a similar but somewhat crankier post: http://mikepope.com/blog/DisplayBlog.aspx?permalink=1098 ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Carded BASENAME: carded STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 07/31/2005 09:16:07 PM ----- BODY: Arriving in Chicago, we met John at the airport hotel bar. It was just noon local time, so I ordered a bloody mary. "Can I see some ID?" the waitress asked. Hehehe. You bet. And I'll smile for the rest of the day. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: I don't think I look that young... ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher DATE: 07/31/2005 11:42:04 PM Three cheers for good genes, baby!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: sayaka EMAIL: IP: 202.220.170.41 URL: http://blog.melma.com/00123964/ DATE: 08/01/2005 12:08:05 AM Hehehe, so now you are one of us Japanese who need IDs every time we go get drink in U.S. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com IP: 202.228.232.1 URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 08/01/2005 02:57:56 PM There is really no better or more sincere age compliment than that! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kimura EMAIL: IP: 60.37.108.206 URL: DATE: 08/02/2005 09:20:42 PM So they do ask that in the US... Never had that in Japan, even when they ought to have:-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: westbumfuck EMAIL: IP: 61.195.39.192 URL: DATE: 08/23/2005 02:11:04 PM Don't get such a large ego. Everyone, and I mean everyone, including grand mothers and fathers has been carded at the Chicago airport bars for years. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Evanston Lakeshore BASENAME: evanston_lakeshore STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video CATEGORY: The Wider World CATEGORY: Video DATE: 08/01/2005 12:32:02 PM ----- BODY: A slideshow with audio captured on a brief visit to the shore of Lake Michigan in Evanston, IL.
"Not bad, but lunch was really strange. They served us this pink foamy stuff that tasted like ham. Nobody knew what it was supposed to be. It stuck to the ceiling well, though!"
"Pink ham-foam? Maybe it was aspic or ham mousse. We had chicken soup with vegetables for lunch. I counted only three vegetables, though: carrots, potatoes and more carrots." "Haven't see you in a while, how are you?" "I'm fine. Last week I went to see Kabuki for the first time when my mother came to visit. How are you?" "What did you do at work today?" "Ugh. Mr. Smithers sent an e-mail to everyone telling them to limit their bathroom breaks to 2 minutes, 30 seconds and to mark them on a sheet outside the toilet. What a fool." "At my last job, the boss had us call him before we went the the toilet. It felt like getting a hall pass in school. What is it with bosses and bathrooms?"
Evanston Lakeshore 2.5 MB 24" MP4
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EXCERPT:
Splashing and waves.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Evanston
BASENAME: evanston
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/03/2005 12:38:20 AM
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BODY:
This afternoon we're going to Evanston, a college town just north of Chicago. It has a lively downtown of boutiques and bars along with Northwestern University's campus. My grandfather grew up in Evanston and his father modelled for a statue of Peter Pan that was on display in one of the Chicago parks decades ago. I've been looking for evidence of it for years, but have never managed to locate it.
Today I plan to find a shady spot to sketch while Kris is in class and Tod & John run around looking at audio gear and aquariums. I'll post whatever I manage to churn out.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Plans for the day.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: fran
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 08/03/2005 02:24:03 AM
I've been told that your Great-great (or maybe Great- great- great)grandfather sold off much of the land that is Evanston to fund some drinking binges. Don't know if it's true but I do know that the family did own alot of land there and they don't anymore.
Hope you had a good day there.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 24.86.6.27
URL:
DATE: 08/03/2005 04:26:45 PM
Evanston was once headquarters to the women's temperance movement and very anti-alcohol. When I first arrived at Northwestern in 1983, we had order beer and stronger stuff for delivery from outside the city lines. It may have taken great amounts of cash to get the alcohol in Evanston. ;)
Evanston can be beautiful in the summer (and hot). If you get up on campus, Tech is an amazing example of a concrete lab maze and the south beach can be quite enjoyable. And the pizza... ahhhhhh.... the deep dish at Edwardo's or Carmens... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...... And if the buffalo wings place is still open near JK Sweets (which also may be closed), they have great burgers and wings.
ENJOY!!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Grilled Trout with Oregano
BASENAME: grilled_trout_with_oregano
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/04/2005 11:33:36 PM
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BODY:
This is what we ate for dinner last night. It hardly seems like a recipe at all...
Grilled Trout with Oregano
serves 4
4 10"/25cm whole trout, gutted
1 lemon, juiced
12 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Tblsp sea salt
olive oil
Chop 4 sprigs of oregano, mix with oil and salt. Rub mixture over fish skin. Stuff the remaining oregano into the fish. Douse with lemon juice inside and out. Arrange in a fish rack and grill over medium hot coals, turning once, about 5 minutes on a side.
We served ours with grilled portabella mushrooms and steamed kale.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Herb and lemon fish.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 08/06/2005 06:49:50 AM
Souns tasty, but was the grillmaster wearing a necktie?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Book inspirations
BASENAME: book_inspirations
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 08/05/2005 11:58:26 PM
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BODY:
I'm a little tired of my drawings. It's not the drawing process itself, but the way the pictures are turning out. Some days it's hard to get into the right frame of mind and as you have seen, they sometimes end up not well-observed or well-executed.
So to find a bit of outside inspiration, and maybe a few new ideas, I stopped into a Bargain Books yesterday. These are the bookstores that take over a vacated shop in a stripmall and fill the place with folding tables full of paperback overruns and out-of-date travel guides. They always have a big selection of large-format paperback cookbooks and crafting guides. And plenty of books on art.
I browsed through some of the "Best of Art" titles: Picasso, Degas, Monet, Calder. Studying those familiar images was helpful, but I realised that I'm not likely to imitate any of their styles. It may be sincere flattery, but I am not interested in copying. So I tucked into a few art instruction books until I found one that wasn't too annoying and put it in the basket.
Though there's nothing new to me in The Sketching and Drawing Bible, it's good to have some reminders of techniques I don't normally use. When's the last time I did a scratchboard? I don't have what I need to do one right now, but with the materials I have in my travel bag, I could try more crosshatching or a different blending technique.
Glad I stopped into that cheesey bookstore. I feel possibilities opening up.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
When you get stuck, sometimes all you need is a good book.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Simon Oxley
EMAIL: simonoxley@u01.gate01.com
IP: 58.5.99.68
URL: http://www.idokungfoo.com
DATE: 08/06/2005 02:48:32 AM
Yes, you drawings are awful ====
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Simon Oxley
EMAIL: simonoxley@u01.gate01.com
IP: 58.5.99.68
URL: http://www.idokungfoo.com
DATE: 08/06/2005 02:49:17 AM
Yes, you drawings are ******* ---- I mean beautiful!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Simon Oxley
EMAIL: simonoxley@u01.gate01.com
IP: 58.5.99.68
URL: http://www.idokungfoo.com
DATE: 08/06/2005 02:49:38 AM
Yes, you drawings are
beautiful!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 08/06/2005 11:13:55 PM
The BIBLE of Sketching and Drawing? Eep. Is there an old testament and new testament?
Don't write off the influence of the elders. I know you don't want to "copy" but trying to imitate a drawing might show you a new technique. I do this with poems sometimes - in fact, it's a workshop favorite among a lot of writers. Imitate a poet you like - write a poem in the voice of that poet. You learn new rhythms, vocabulary. It's fun to imitate yourself, too, because you see all of the little details that make up your own voice (it's a little like taking off your stockings to see how pale your legs really are too). Weird analogy. Sorry.
You have a style. I like it. I like that you are working to develop it seriously. I could very easily pick your drawings out from a group.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Julianne
EMAIL:
IP: 61.213.119.246
URL:
DATE: 08/12/2005 02:07:38 PM
You go girl....! Here's a paraphrased quote from The Artist's Way - "in order to be a good artist you have to also be willing to be a bad one." (I personally like your drawings as I mentioned before, but of course it's nice for the artist to be happy about their own works too).
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Grilled Trout with Oregano
BASENAME: grilled_trout_with_oregano_1
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/06/2005 01:33:12 AM
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BODY:
This is what we ate for dinner last night. It hardly seems like a recipe at all...
Grilled Trout with Oregano
serves 4
4 10"/25cm whole trout, gutted
1 lemon, juiced
12 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Tblsp sea salt
olive oil
Chop 4 sprigs of oregano, mix with oil and salt. Rub mixture over fish skin. Stuff the remaining oregano into the fish. Douse with lemon juice inside and out. Arrange in a fish rack and grill over medium hot coals, turning once, about 5 minutes on a side.
We served ours with grilled portabella mushrooms and steamed kale.
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EXCERPT:
Herb and lemon fish.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rowing in Central Park
BASENAME: rowing_in_central_park
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/10/2005 02:05:41 PM
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BODY:
I had no idea I looked like Eleanor Roosevelt.
Jenn looks like a 1960s movie star.
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EXCERPT:
on The Lake
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2005 07:48:08 PM
Hey, these turned out great! I love B&W photography.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: NY Public Library
BASENAME: ny_public_library
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/12/2005 01:29:45 PM
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BODY:
The silent and vast Reading Room on the third floor of the NY Public Library
My seat in the Reading Room, with a volume of the OED
My first visit to the NY Public Library was all I could have hoped for. The Guttenberg Bible was on display along with a brass globe from the 15th century. After carefully examining both, I sat down with a volume of the OED in the odd-numbered book delivery wing of the Reading Room.
I could have stayed all day but we popped into Bryant Park to catch a lunchtime concert by the city opera. Here's a clip from the concert. I'm sure you can identify the music over the traffic noise and general hubub.
Bryant Park, NYC Opera 1'43" MP3 (1.6 MB)
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EXCERPT:
Culture in the City
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2005 07:50:25 PM
I sat in the back of another reading room with H, and read a book about 15th century books collected in the United States. It was really interesting, but even more fascinating was the old man at the end of my table with notebooks filled with his notes and little drawings. I'll bet here was there every day.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Home & Away
BASENAME: home_away
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/14/2005 05:07:34 AM
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BODY:
I'm still going to and fro in the world, but woke up this morning thinking about one of my film projects. It was slightly painful not to be able to get up, trot over to my computer and work out the idea I had. I hope I can keep that thought in mind until I return to my studio in a week's time.
That, combined with the cicadas in Jim's Hanashi Station program, made me almost long for home. I can see that this is a feeling that will come and go throughout my travels and I will need to learn to handle it without falling into homesickness.
Fortunately, there is much to see and do before I return. I've got another week in Chicago before I fly out of here, and I intend to use it for drawing some of the city's architecture and landmarks, as well as recording sounds and taking pictures. (And feasting on pirogies and other ethnic goodies.)
I bought a set of pan watercolors in New York. They are much like the ones I had in grade school and their limited palette of 8 colors forces me to work harder. They are quite a different experience compared to my double handful of watercolor pencils, but I can make many of the same colors with either. I might have to carry both forms of color along with me as I walk up and down in the earth.
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EXCERPT:
A tinge of homesickness
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/14/2005 04:26:02 PM
We hanging for you to come home too!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coq au Vin
BASENAME: coq_au_vin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/18/2005 11:24:28 AM
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BODY:
This is my own recipe for coq au vin. I don't like the bacon that's featured in the authentic version, so I leave it out. And since I'm usually making the dish with leftover wine from the night before--or sometimes a bottle that just wasn't worth drinking--the quantity of liquid is variable. Stewed chicken in wine is quite forgiving, thankfully.
Coq au Vin
serves 4-6
1 chicken, cut into pieces
6 small onions, peeled and halved
1 large carrot, cut into thick rounds
2 cloves garlic, slightly squashed
1 can chicken broth (low salt)
1 cup red wine (or more)
6 sprigs fresh thyme
butter
flour
3 cups mushrooms, stemmed and halved
salt & pepper
In a heavy sauce pan, brown the chicken in butter until the skin is crispy. (Depending on the size of the pot, you might need to do it in two batches.) Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the garlic, onions and carrots and cook over medium heat until the onion starts to carmelise.
Pour in the chicken broth. Place the chicken back into the pot and add red wine to barely cover the chicken. Toss in some fresh thyme. Simmer for about 45 minutes.
After 30 minutes of simmering, saute the mushrooms in butter until they relase their liquid but are not yet shrivelled. Add the mushrooms to the chicken pot, reserving the butter in the pan. To the mushroom butter, add an equal amount of flour to form a roux, stirring to remove lumps. Scrape the roux into the chicken pot and stir to thicken the gravy. Allow to simmer a few more minutes to cook the flour. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a loaf of French bread and a salad.
Note: If you like a thicker gravy, dredge the chicken in flour before frying it and add the roux at the end, as well.
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EXCERPT:
My take on a classic.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 58.88.27.238
URL: http://jim.mmdc.net
DATE: 08/22/2005 06:41:21 PM
When do you add the cocoa?
:-p
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 08/22/2005 06:44:01 PM
The cocoa goes in just before you put the chicken to bed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Perfect Space
BASENAME: perfect_space
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 08/19/2005 10:59:02 PM
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BODY:
Have you ever imagined your perfect personal space? Mine is a large room, well shaded and insulated from the outdoors, but with a wide wall of windows onto a sunny veranda and garden with a fountain. Inside, there is a fireplace for chilly nights, a wall of books, a big table for working on and plenty of storage for supplies and tools. Need I mention the comfy chairs for relaxing and a spacious kitchen for cooking?
I guess that's quite a lot for a room to accomplish, but in my mind's eye, it is the perfect place for me. Relaxing, well-appointed and comfortable in all seasons.
I wonder if I'd be more creative there, or less? I think that maybe a bit of adversity improves my focus and drive to be creative.
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EXCERPT:
Is the dream room necessary?
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A day late
BASENAME: a_day_late
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/20/2005 09:32:50 PM
-----
BODY:
Friday morning I rocked up to the United international check-in counter for my flight back home and while standing in line, took a look at my itinerary.
"I'm schedule to leave the 18th?" A burst of fear gripped me as I scanned the lobby for a calendar. "But today's the 19th, isn't it?"
Sure enough, I'd missed my flight by 24 hours. Crap. I was utterly certain that I was leaving on Friday, not on Thursday. What a screw-up! What to do? My e-ticket was non-refundable, non-transferrable, non-changeable, and non-flexible to the maximum stiffness.
However, the counter agent I talked with, Mr. Julio Mejia, was quite flexible indeed and got me on the Friday flight with no fuss and a minimum of additional outlay. (A one-way ticket to Tokyo purchased on the day would have cost me several thousand dollars, so I appreciated his efforts to save me some money.)
Now here I am, home safe and sound with an bonus day of Chicago holiday well spent with an architectural tour of "Downtown Deco" and a fine dinner in Greektown.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
I'm home in Tokyo this evening, but a day later than I should have been.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 08/20/2005 11:10:12 PM
Glad you're safely home, no matter the day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 69.29.80.114
URL: http://blog.wahlster.net
DATE: 08/21/2005 02:26:28 PM
Three cheers for Julio Mejia! Them are not many at airline ticket counters in this country.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/21/2005 04:39:26 PM
OOOOps!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.46.19.170
URL:
DATE: 08/21/2005 05:25:33 PM
Okaeri!
There should be more people like Mr. Mejia at the airport- or every place else, for that matter:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.xanga.com/jkaucher
DATE: 08/21/2005 08:38:02 PM
Whew. You were lucky to get Julio at the ticket counter! Glad you're home safely.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 222.147.64.48
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 08/23/2005 01:44:17 PM
Glad to have you back and looking fwd to catching up with you soon!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Korean Wedding
BASENAME: korean_wedding
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/21/2005 07:30:24 PM
-----
BODY:
Today we went to a Korean wedding. Tod's colleague, Sukki, was getting married formally, after having been married officially for four years. It was unlike any wedding I've ever attended.
The first hour was a Korean ceremony. The mothers entered and lit candles. Then to a fanfare of immense proportions, Sukki and Chang appeared in the spotlight. They wore wore bright traditional costumes--purple and fuchsia with lots of embroidery--and elaborate headdresses. Their resumes were read aloud and they recited some stuff in Korean, then signed a certificate and exchanged gifts. Sukki has a wedding ring now; Chang got a watch. They displayed them proudly for photos and then disappeared a while to change.
In the meantime, we indulged in a feast of Chinese food. We were seated with some of Tod's coworkers who are all fun to be around and the conversation was a mix of Japanese and English. The meal was fabulous and we were drinking some sort of strange carmel colored shochu that tasted like rancid soy sauce. Sounds nasty, but was actually pleasant over ice.
After three or four courses, Sukki and Chang reappeared in less elaborate, but still Korean, outfits. Chang wore an ivory colored suit with a long coat; Sukki wore a pale purple hoop-skirted Korean dress and had flowers woven into her hair. They sat together at the head table while people made speeches to them. During the speeches, friends and family lined up at the table to pour them beer after beer. I don't think they ate anything, so I imagine they were quite tipsy.
And then the dancing began. It was graceful but energetic--arms outstretched and waving with feet stepping side to side just a little. It is the perfect dance for the vivid Korean bell-skirted gowns. The women looked like flowers in a breeze.
I was dragged into the dancing early on by one of the men I thought of as "the crazy uncles" and immediately found myself holding hands with the groom. I danced with Chang twice as I was passed around the circle of dancers. It was only later, after many people commented on my dancing (which is nothing to comment on) that I figured out that I was the only white woman at the wedding. I forget what a curiousity Tod & I are among our circle. Most of our other foreign friends have Japanese partners.
After the dancing, there were speeches by Sukki and Chang to their parents and they presented flowers to their mothers. It was very touching. Chang's father made a very funny speech in Korean and Japanese. Then it was time to go, four hours after we began.
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EXCERPT:
An afternoon of feasting and dancing
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.116
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 08/22/2005 09:28:38 AM
What a coincidience! From today my husnaband goes to Korean on business. We asked hime to buy KOREAN-NORI!!! It's delicious.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Boating Party
BASENAME: boating_party
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/23/2005 01:28:46 PM
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BODY:
Boating Party
Saturday, September 10 (rain date: Sept 11)
14:30 - 16:30
Shinobazu pond boathouse, Ueno Park
Cost: boat rental, 600 - 700 yen/hour
Please come to our second dress-up party. Wear your favorite summer frock, hat, gloves & parasol--or don your tux or suit--for an elegant row around the pond at Ueno. If you'd like, bring some light snacks and drinks for a mid-pond picnic.
Everyone is welcome; no RSVP necessary, though you may leave a comment if you want to signal your attendance or have a question.
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EXCERPT:
Saturday, September 10th in Ueno Park
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 08/23/2005 07:21:15 PM
Where are their hats? At least someone thought to bring a parasol.
Have fun!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Knife gift
BASENAME: knife_gift
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/24/2005 08:34:51 AM
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BODY:
Miyakoya knife
Although it's said that giving a knife as a gift severs a friendship, that didn't stop Jim from presenting me with this one last night. (If I give him a coin as "payment" for the knife, that should hold off the bad luck and we can remain friends.)
I've often admired his collection of beautiful, antique Japanese steel knives and I love to help make dinner in his kitchen just so I get to use them. My knife is new, flat tipped, double bevelled along its 7 inch blade, and ever-so-slightly curved for chopping vegetables. It has a good weight and balance. I'm looking forward to wearing in the handle and gently reshaping the blade to my stroke as I use it.
Thank you, Jim.
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EXCERPT:
Will a friendship end?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ando
EMAIL: ando@tokyodragon.net
IP: 202.243.162.80
URL: http://www.tokyodragon.net
DATE: 08/24/2005 10:40:26 AM
Nice blade! I'm sure you're looking forward to using it for making lots of great recipes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: richie
EMAIL: dik@opdik.com
IP: 195.93.21.7
URL:
DATE: 08/28/2005 10:10:48 AM
its sad to note that some friendships are severed without the gift of a knife.
If only everything was as simple as this platitude...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dorothy Parker
BASENAME: dorothy_parker
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 08/25/2005 08:05:41 PM
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BODY:
I had the good fortune at St Mark's Bookshop in New York, to find a book I've been missing since I packed it away eight years ago in Pittsburgh. The Portable Dorothy parker is something I opened again and again when it was on my bookshelf.
So today, when it arrived fresh from America, I opened it at random, began reading aloud and recorded this short, five page story. I can't say it's my favorite, but then again, I can't say which one is. They're all worthwhile.
Sentiment by Dorothy Parker 11'55" MP3 (10.9 MB)
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EXCERPT:
a short story reading
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.92.189
URL:
DATE: 08/25/2005 08:54:26 PM
Wow, great reading!
I tried locate my copy of The Collected Dorothy Parker (Penguin edition) on my shelf but it's apparently taken off to some place else, probably to St Mark's:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kevin
EMAIL: kevin@dorothyparkernyc.com
IP: 66.92.123.98
URL: http://www.dorothyparkernyc.com/
DATE: 09/16/2005 01:26:07 AM
Kristen, that is a good reading of one of my favorite stories of Mrs. Parker's. And "The Portable" is like the bible for Parker fans; a new edition is coming out in March.
Hope you can make it to Parkerfest Sept. 30-Oct. 2. All info on my site dorothyparker.com
Keep up the great site.
kevin
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Constant Reader
BASENAME: constant_reader
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 08/26/2005 12:01:25 PM
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BODY:
One of my favorite sections of The Portable Dorothy Parker is the collection of her book reviews. From 1927 through 1933 she wrote a column for The New Yorker called "Constant Reader." I've never enjoyed book reviews as well as hers; they are snarky comments on society with books as a catalyst.
Though my reading hardly does Dorothy Parker justice, I love these reviews so much that I cannot prevent myself from reading them aloud to you (No doubt Mrs. Parker would have something to say about that). This one is from the November 17, 1928, issue of The New Yorker and it reviews two books.
Wallflower's Lament by Dorothy Parker 7'35" MP3 (7 MB)
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EXCERPT:
snarky book reviews
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 58.93.32.122
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog
DATE: 08/26/2005 12:28:05 PM
Oh yea... those are awesome...
If I remember correctly, there was a hilarious review of Emily Post's Etiquette in there, where she all but shred the book to pieces.
The whole collection is gold.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Too Charming
BASENAME: too_charming
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 08/27/2005 09:13:01 AM
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BODY:
I can't get enough of Dorothy Parker, though you are probably tired of my daily readings. That's just rotten for you but I assure you it is just a phase. I'll soon be onto new topics.
Here's another book review from the New Yorker column, "Constant Reader," circa April 1928.
These Much Too Charming People by Dorothy Parker 7'44" MP3 (7.1 MB)
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EXCERPT:
Another Parker book review
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.202.212
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 08/27/2005 11:18:59 PM
I have the complete Dorothy Parker, brought it here from Oz with me, I love her, and have very much enjoyed your, er, charming readings of her. How about a poem or two? You have a lovely voice!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Showa Kinen Koen
BASENAME: showa_kinen_koen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/28/2005 09:19:06 AM
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BODY:
Tod & I and a large bunch of friends spent the day at a park bigger than a breadbox. We had to take the train out to Tachikawa to do it, but it was worth the 45 minute trip.
Showa Kinen Koen (Showa Memorial Park) used to be a military base. Now it's a giant playground. There's a series of shallow swimming pools and four waterslides; a mini-golf course, croquet lawn, frisbee golf course, boat rental, a bike trail, gardens & forests, a huge cargo net for climbing, and a series of bouncy trampoline hills.
If you want to splash in the wave pool or waterslide, hurry out to Tachikawa--the pool closes on September 4th. The rest of the park is open year round.
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EXCERPT:
A day in the park
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mizue
EMAIL: mizue3_1@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 202.232.139.195
URL:
DATE: 08/29/2005 05:39:12 PM
Showa Kinen Koen is so famous because of fireworks meet. Unfortunately, it has finished 30/Jul this year.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tripping
BASENAME: tripping
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 08/28/2005 06:59:12 PM
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BODY:
Riding home on the subway the other night, there was a really obnixious little boy waiting on the platform with his family. Maybe 11 or 12, he was well beyond husky, with a buzz haircut, a dark tan and a bullying attitude. I watched him manipulate his parents and harrass his sister. Not a good kid.
As the train pulled into the station, he crowded up to the platform gate taking a position front and center that would prevent people from getting off the train. I find that to be truly annoying behaviour in anyone, and this kid was already topping my annoyance tolerance levels.
I turned to Tod from my position near the side of the gate and whispered, "Can I trip the fat kid?" I don't think he heard me. But apparently my feet did.
As I entered the train about a half a step after the fat kid (who'd been forced to to move to the side a little as people pushed past him getting out of the train), my ballet slipper-clad foot twisted just a little and slipped in front of his chunky athletic shoe. He tripped and stumbled into the train, recovering his composure in just an off-balance step or two.
I can't believe I did that. I swear my foot seemed to be acting on its own...
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EXCERPT:
Vengence, justice or Bad Kristen?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.62.2
URL:
DATE: 08/30/2005 09:08:13 PM
Way to go!:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: bohemianlisa
EMAIL:
IP: 61.68.93.185
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2005 01:05:28 PM
A big pat to miss footy! :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jean McQuillin
EMAIL:
IP: 24.50.162.215
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2005 09:22:54 PM
some do what others only dream about...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jean McQuillin
EMAIL:
IP: 24.50.162.215
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2005 09:23:40 PM
some do what others only dream about...good going!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 08/31/2005 10:32:09 PM
Perhaps your foot will become like that disembodied hand in that episode of Dr. Who. Remember that one?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.252.202.212
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 09/01/2005 12:03:46 AM
a freudian trip?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Highway
BASENAME: highway
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/30/2005 10:31:29 AM
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BODY:
Blue truck on Expressway #5
"Oh, red flashing lights over on the highway," I noted to Tod last night, as a police traffic stop caught my eye.
What I didn't twig to was that I haven't seen the highway from our veranda since they finished building the ugly green striped apartment building last year.
The destruction of the building across the way is moving along quickly. The workmen remove the metal sheathing as they pull down each floor, so now we can see all the way across to the highway. I wonder what they are going to build here?
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EXCERPT:
Another building nearly gone.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ando
EMAIL: Ando@tokyodragon.net
IP: 202.243.162.80
URL: http://www.tokyodragon.net
DATE: 08/30/2005 02:14:16 PM
What every they're going to build, just cross your fingers that it's something better than a Yoshinoya, Book-Off, or pachinko parlor.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New York Diary
BASENAME: new_york_diary
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 08/31/2005 08:53:59 PM
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BODY:
Ah, another Parker reading randomly selected from The Portable Dorothy Parker. At this rate, I'll have read the whole thing aloud in about two years. Still haven't gotten to the poetry, though. This one is a short story from 1936.
From the Diary of a New York Lady by Dorothy Parker 8'45" MP3 (8 MB)
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EXCERPT:
And I thought my life was dissipated...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Beef Stroganoff ala Thredgold
BASENAME: beef_stroganoff_ala_thredgold
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/01/2005 04:34:25 AM
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BODY:
This is Ashley's family recipe for beef stronganoff. Like all good recipes, it isn't exactly measured, so I'm guessing on quantities. We had this tonight and it was delicious!
Beef Stroganoff ala Thredgold
serves 4
1/2 onion, minced
2 strips bacon, minced
olive oil
2-3 filet steaks, cubed
1/4 cup red wine
12 mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 pint cream
salt & pepper to taste
Sautee the onion and bacon in a bit of olive oil until the onion is translucent; remove from pan. Sear the beef, browning on all sides. Deglaze the pan with the wine. return the onion and bacon to the pan, add remaining ingredients and simmer until the mushrooms are soft and everything looks done.
Serve over egg noodles.
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EXCERPT:
A family recipe unveiled
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/02/2005 03:05:36 PM
I can confirm it was YUMMY..
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Personal Days
BASENAME: personal_days
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 09/02/2005 04:45:26 AM
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BODY:
It's time to rethink the holidays. Many of use simply follow along with the nationals and relgious holidays that are presented to us without thinking too much about them. But I suspect that there are more significant holidays for each of us.
For example, my wedding anniversary has more signifigance to me than Easter; I always celebrate the solstices and the equinoxes. But those are the obvious ones.
What about other less well-known occasions? Maybe I should celebrate the invention of the pencil or the Internet. Or Lewis Carroll's birthday. I think I must declare a day to commemorate coffee. Can you imagine what fun we'll have on Cupcake Day?
So this week, make a list of the offbeat and the significant holidays in your life. Then mark them down on your calendar and find ways to celebrate. What's your first new holiday?
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EXCERPT:
New holidays all around!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.102.111
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/02/2005 02:02:22 PM
UltraGirl day of course.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/02/2005 03:11:25 PM
The "Thanks-to-Kristen-for-shoving-me-in-a-cab-with-Ashley" Day... :) Just celebrated last Monday
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 210.155.211.181
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/04/2005 08:57:23 AM
my new holiday??? If my younger daughter passs the examination for college and decides to leave home, the day when she leaves home is independece day for us and we will celebarate.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Aichi World Expo 2005
BASENAME: aichi_world_expo_2005
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/02/2005 10:56:28 AM
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BODY:
The main walkway at the Expo
Wow, it was hot. For an environment-and-forest themed Expo, there was an amazing lack of shade. But we sweated it out and thanks to the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan, we had special access to seven of the national pavilions, so we didn't have to wait in line.
Visitors file into the Holland pavilion theatre
The one I liked best was Holland's. I cried tears of awe as I watched the film they created. It was a magical piece of editing that used four high definition projectors aimed at the floor and four vertical screens arranged in a cube. Water and kanji dripped from the screen to the floor, then swirled into a series of maps showing Holland's spice explorations followed by montages of modern Holland and its people. Metropolisfilm in Utrecht did this video. I want to go work with them.
For lunch we stood in line, but it was worth it to have proper Polish pierogies. Mmmmmmmm.
The library at the Singapore pavilion
Other highlights: the awesome science in the German pavillion, the library in the Singapore pavillion, and the experiences in Austria--waltzing and sledding.
The Australia pavilion's beautiful facade
We did not visit the mammoth or encounter the robots and saw only a small fracton of what was on offer. But it was a full day from which we retreated, exhausted and a little cranky, to a satellite venue organized by the local village.
The evening wasn't what we expected at all--just a few visitors and a lot of staff trying to be very kind to us. They seemed lonely and a little bit desperate. As one woman explained, the Expo has only taken money away from the town. Everyone visiting the area is going to the Expo, and not to the village attractons (though I have no idea what those are).
But despite the pathos, we got to try on replica Japanese armour and that was fun. My posse and I are not going to win any wars, I think...
Kristen, the giggling samurai
Tod, the elf-warrior
Yuka, the graceful soldier
Jim, the shining samurai
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EXCERPT:
A long day of experiences
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/05/2005 01:51:49 PM
I wanna be a Samuri too. That looks sensational.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/05/2005 05:44:58 PM
You dags.....
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/05/2005 08:55:04 PM
Is that glass art hanging in the library? It's beautiful.
You guys make cute samurai. With your pose, you look like you're in some crazy musical. Jim looks pretty wily - like insane wily. He'd do ok in combat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: bluemoonjewellery@hotmail.com
IP: 61.23.168.98
URL: http://blue_moon.typepad.com/blue_lotus/
DATE: 09/07/2005 05:02:37 PM
Mmmmm perogies...
I have your perogy recipe from last year bookmarked- still haven't gotten around to making them but I fully intend to do so someday. You made it look so fun!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Ghost Hotel
BASENAME: the_ghost_hotel
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/03/2005 06:19:52 PM
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BODY:
We spent today recovering from the excitement of the Expo by sitting around our seaside onsen hotel in Nishiura.
After 9:30 am, we were the only guests in the entire building. I don't know where everyone else went, but we encountered no other guests. Everything in the hotel was closed. Lights were off in the hallways. Staff walked by like zombies in a videogame. It was spooky, and Jim captured it all on film.
Looking at the sea
So we took advantage of the situation and chilled out on the abandoned 10th floor observation lounge. There were hawks to watch and conversations to enjoy. Tod sussed out the CD player for the lounge and we listened to music and danced. It was a good day.
Nishiura beach
In the late afternoon, when the unforgiving heat had eased a little bit, we went down to the beach.
Jim does tricks
Jim amused us and the doormen at beach hotel with his pole trick. I think this is something that only men can do. Despite our efforts, Yuka and I failed to levitate.
Walking into the ocean
But we did get to swim in the sea. Yuka had the foresight to wear her bathing suit. I swam in my underwear again. Tod & Jim weren't so brave; they stayed on shore.
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EXCERPT:
A day in Nishiura, Aichi-ken
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Long Pour
BASENAME: the_long_pour
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/04/2005 01:27:41 PM
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BODY:
After enjoying a private bath together after dinner, Jim, Tod & I retreated to the 8th floor to sit outside on plastic deck chairs. Yuka went off for a massage and facial. I needed a Scotch.
So Tod & I went up to the observation lounge bar (open at long last) where a passel of yukata-clad salarymen were wailing karaoke. We scooted around them and bellied up to the bar.
Tod asked the barman if we could get some drinks to take downstairs. Sure, no problem. Could we charge them to our room? Yes, absoutely. He called over a girl dressed in a blue plaid uniform and asked her to pour our drinks while he wrote up the check.
"Um, straight, please," Tod reminded her. "No ice."
"And no water?"
"Right. No water."
This confusion lead her to pour our liquor like it was oolong cha. She finished off a bottle and her manager handed her a new one to top up the third drink. We received three juice glasses with five fingers of scotch each. Total bill: 1500 yen.
We laughed all the way to our deck chairs and the unfinished portion of our Scotch came home in my thermos bottle.
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EXCERPT:
More than enough to drink
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Me, me, me
BASENAME: me_me_me
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/05/2005 05:45:02 PM
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BODY:
Squinting into the sun after swimming
I'm sure I'm not the most photographed spouse ever, but sometimes it seems like it. Every time Tod has his camera in hand, it seems to be pointing at me. Looking through his photos from Aichi, I found about 20 portraits.
OK, fine, Tod. If I am so compelling to look at, let the world see me as you do. I present some of the better ones: Portraits of Kristen
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EXCERPT:
A potrait gallery
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/05/2005 08:51:07 PM
Ah, I know that scrunchy nose well. Great portraits.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2005 04:51:46 PM
Sensational gallery!!! Thank you Ms Peko-chan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2005 06:23:14 PM
In photo #8 (you, at the computer), you bear a striking resemblance to grandmom Romayne
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: boby jo
EMAIL:
IP: 147.72.97.87
URL:
DATE: 09/10/2005 02:36:13 AM
she is very ugly and made me crack up laughing when i saw this picture
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Birthday
BASENAME: birthday
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/06/2005 02:12:28 PM
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BODY:
Dad laughs over a birthday book in the early 1980s.
Today is my father's birthday. He would have been 68.
I'm not sure how to mark the day--celebrate his life, mourn his passing? I certainly am thinking of him lots but it hurts. Not as much as it did before, but it is still a painful loss.
I'm remembering birthdays past--badly decorated cakes (our imaginations were always more vivid than our frosting execution), Clark bars, joke gifts, golf miscellany and whatever Jenn & I had scrounged up or made. Dad had a whole shelf in his closet of gifts he cherished (I assume) but never used. I suspect a lot of fathers do.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
My father's natal day.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2005 06:18:29 PM
I'm thinking of him alot, too. He did cherish those gifts and the laughter.
M
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 09/06/2005 11:11:16 PM
I commemorated the day by searching for cherry vanilla ice cream, but settling for a doughnut (reminded me of Sundays in Oakland). I also called a friend to try to repair a rift I caused in our relationship--I figure one big loss is enough for a while.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/07/2005 12:07:15 AM
Dad had a great smile.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 222.13.8.177
URL:
DATE: 09/07/2005 12:59:37 AM
Great to hear you chose the celebration and moving forward option.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/07/2005 09:07:08 PM
Not the easiest of days to deal with baby I know.
Much love.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 222.147.64.48
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 09/09/2005 10:47:37 AM
Sorry im late, I havent even looked at the wider world on the Web for a few days....
Im not sure its appropriate, but do you remember, way back at the beginning of the year when we talked about grief being like water, how you can either freeze it and hold it and carry it around like an unchanging rock, or you can melt it and let it flow and leave you like a river... and then of course there is a multitude of options along that spectrum...
The day has passed but there is still much love for you all around.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Boating Party
BASENAME: boating_party_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/07/2005 09:56:44 AM
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BODY:
Boating Party
Saturday, September 10
14:30 - 16:30
Shinobazu pond boathouse, Ueno Park
Cost: boat rental, 600 - 700 yen/hour
Please come to our second dress-up party. Wear your favorite summer frock, hat, gloves & parasol--or don your tux or suit--for an elegant row around the pond at Ueno. If you'd like, bring some light snacks and drinks for a mid-pond picnic. I'm planning a bottle of champagne and some nibbles.
Everyone is welcome; no RSVP necessary, though you may leave a comment if you want to signal your attendance or have a question.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A reminder to mark your calendar
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2005 01:39:18 AM
Looks like fun. Alas, my boat is a dingy and it will not sail that far. Ah, but I have the perfect dress!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Alyssa
EMAIL: senorfrijole@hotmail.com
IP: 221.188.54.66
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2005 07:39:20 AM
oh, Steve and I would love to come, but that is my busy day of craziness at work... Next time I will break out my ball gown, I promise.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/08/2005 02:11:02 PM
I am yet to find the perfect outfit but I will try. Ash and I will be there and will have some beverages and snacks.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.39
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/08/2005 05:32:26 PM
Souds fun! What kind of clotes the people are going to put on??
If I lived near the UENO--- I would really join you wearing ????.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fried Saba & Lettuce Salad
BASENAME: fried_saba_lettuce_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/08/2005 09:32:13 PM
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BODY:
This is my translation of a seasonal recipe from Kyou no Ryouri, NHK's daily cooking show and monthlly magazine. Saba, mackerel in English, is a dark-fleshed fish full of good-for-you oils. The salad incorporates fragrant Japanese herbs and is topped with a garlicy dressing. The original recipe by Kentarou says it takes only 10 minutes to prepare and is 340 calories per serving.
Fried Saba and Lettuce Salad
serves 2
2 slices saba (mackerel)
4 leaves bibb or Boston lettuce
1 Japanese cucumber
6 leaves shiso (similar to basil or cilantro)
1 bulb myoga (a type of leafy, young ginger)
3 green onions
white sesame seeds
flour, frying oil, salt & pepper
dressing
pinch garlic, grated
pinch ginger, grated
1 Tblsp sesame oil
1 Tblsp vinegar
1 Tblsp soy sauce
1/2 - 1 tsp Korean kiso (Kochujan)
1 tsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Cut the cucumber and green onion into 3 cm lengths. Thinly shred the shiso and myoga.
Cut the saba into 1 cm slices and dust with flour. Fry in 1Tbsp frying oil on boh sides until browned and barely cooked through.
Mix together the ingredients for the dressing.
Toss the greens with the dressing and divide evenly onto two plates. Place the fried fish on the salad, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and enjoy.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
from Kyou no Ryouri
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Avoidance
BASENAME: avoidance
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 09/09/2005 06:54:24 PM
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BODY:
I'm doing an art project now that I keep putting off. I really want to work on it, but it's causing some controversy here in the McQuillin household. So rather than upset my mate or work out a reasonable compromise or really explain what I'm doing so he's not freaked out, I avoid making much progress. I do a little, get oddly paralysed and stop.
Which sounds pretty rotten until I realise that I've gotten busy on a number of other projects instead. Today I made a headpiece for tomorrow's boating party. Yesterday I finished up my podcast for Hanashi Station. The day before that, I used the last page of my old notebook and went out and bought a new one. I've been organizing upcoming travel, too, which takes so much more time than it should, really.
So the delay in getting this difficult project off the ground isn't completely bad, but I realise I need to address what's stopping me from working on it. Is it really as bad an idea as Tod thinks, or am I just concerned for his feelings?
How do you fill the time when your projects don't run as smoothly as you'd like?
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
yet still achieving.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.61.138
URL:
DATE: 09/09/2005 09:14:42 PM
I can always turn to video games and wait for my inspiration to start flowing again:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 09/09/2005 11:14:08 PM
I clean the house in very small sections. Since I'm in the 'full-swing"' season of propping "Sweeney Todd", the house will soon be gleaming. Today, I'm working to create birdcages from bamboo (placemats taken apart for all the lovely bamboo sticks), foamcore, glue and wire. The round birdcage will have a lid made from some basket-like thing I found at the dollar store. In theory, this project will save me lots of budget money. In reality, this project will drive me crazy. I'll be much happier when it's done.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/10/2005 10:30:42 AM
Ok, here's what I do - I stomp and scream around the house throwing potholders and spitting out windows (the neighbors like this). When I tire of the tantrum, I remember what my preschool teacher said about me being unfocussed and I just find some other shiny new project to start. Rinse, lather, repeat. Repeat, lather, rinse. Eventually I find the orignal frustrating project and it looks new to me (wow, how cool is this? when did I do this?) and I finish it. That's the joy of a bad memory. You can tell me the same joke a bunch of times too!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.47
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/15/2005 03:48:38 PM
Hmmm, I tend to think that if I can't make UltraGirl understand the project I want to do and feel ok with it, it most likely isn't worth doing it. There have been some projects like that. Usually sitting down with her and talking about what bothers her about something we can come to some kind of a resolution, either with me deciding that it really isn't something that I want to do that bad or with UltraGirl realizing that she wasn't fully understanding my mission or motives and that she's actually ok with it. If it is going to make her unhappy for me to do it though, unless it is one of those things that I absolutely have to do or I won't be complete (the womanizing thing for example), I have to come to the conclusion that she feels the way that she does for a reason, that we're on the same team, and I have to respect her feelings on it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.47
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/15/2005 03:49:09 PM
Hmmm, I tend to think that if I can't make UltraGirl understand the project I want to do and feel ok with it, it most likely isn't worth doing it. There have been some projects like that. Usually sitting down with her and talking about what bothers her about something we can come to some kind of a resolution, either with me deciding that it really isn't something that I want to do that bad or with UltraGirl realizing that she wasn't fully understanding my mission or motives and that she's actually ok with it. If it is going to make her unhappy for me to do it though, unless it is one of those things that I absolutely have to do or I won't be complete (the womanizing thing for example), I have to come to the conclusion that she feels the way that she does for a reason, that we're on the same team, and I have to respect her feelings on it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.47
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/15/2005 03:50:10 PM
Double post ????????????
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/16/2005 08:31:19 PM
Ooooooo Fran Im a house cleaner too.
In fact I can't create in a messy envronment.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 24.86.6.27
URL:
DATE: 09/18/2005 12:05:11 AM
/me holds up his hand <--- procrastination by cleaning
My dorm room was always the most presentable during finals week.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shinobazu Boating
BASENAME: shinobazu_boating
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/10/2005 05:28:40 PM
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BODY:
Audrey Hepburn (Tracey) and Jimmy Stewart (Tod) enjoy the drinks.
Some days are performance art, honestly. How else could I leave the house dressed as a water sprite?
The boating party was tiny--Tod, Tracey and me--but lots of fun anyway. Tod rowed us out to the middle of the pond and set us to drift. We popped the cork on a bottle of sprkling wine and noshed on cheese, crackers, fruit and cookies.
Me and Tracey, a study in contrasts.
The best part of the afternoon was watching people on shore and the other boaters watch us. Some waved, some looked away, a few called out to us. Most just smiled. We really did resemble like the painting on the invitation with our parasols and dress up clothes.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
A small party, but enjoyable.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 09/10/2005 10:07:30 PM
Wouldn't you three have raised eyebrows on the Central Park lake! You look great. What does the rest of your dress look like?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/11/2005 01:19:38 AM
You all look great - Tod looks fabulous in a bowtie.
Everyday is performance art. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.84
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/11/2005 04:18:22 PM
Looks fun! I wish all of you could join our halloween reading meeting as our guests.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 09/12/2005 11:20:45 AM
Now, see, that looks so much nicer than sitting all day in an office with no windows, and as lovely as my students were, I would have had more fun with you guys. Damn this work crap!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Parisian Hotels
BASENAME: parisian_hotels
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 09/11/2005 07:41:53 PM
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BODY:
I have spent the last couple of days looking online for a reasonably priced hotel in Paris. I am coming to the conclusion that it is an impossible task. It's not that there is a lack of hotels but that there are entirely too many.
I'd like to stay in a quiet neighborhood near the center of the city, in a double room at a 2- or 3-star, small hotel for under 175 Euros a night. All the places I was most keen on are booked for the nights we'll be there in October. So now I'm faced with at least two dozen runners-up and a level of flexibility that puts me in the range of hundreds of hotels. It's mind boggling.
So I'm taking recommendations.
Anyone have a favorite Paris hotel? Tell me about it. Why do you like it? Where is it? Does it have a web page I could peek at?
I guess if I wait long enough, I could discover the joys of Paris' parks after dark.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
entirely too many of them.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy Phillips
EMAIL:
IP: 24.24.136.238
URL:
DATE: 09/13/2005 11:26:32 AM
I can recommend the Hotel Sully Saint-Germain at 31, Rue des Ecoles in the Latin Quarter. A three-star hotel with very friendly staff, a fine breakfast in the cellar dining room and a HUGE bathroom, at least in our room. We were on the third floor (4th floor in US speak) and had a great view of the street below with a soundtrack provided by the bells at Notre Dame. An outdoor market most days a block away, near the Metro. Don't know what the prices are, but for a pleasant stay, it's a safe bet. I wish I could remember the name of the daytime deskclerk, he was very helpful. We asked him if we could send him anything from the states; he asked for Jordache jeans! I want to say Hamed, but I'm not sure. Anyway you can tell him that the couple who sent him the jeans a few years ago sent you, and maybe he'll give you a little break in the price - you can always ask!
I'm jealous - have a great time!
www.sequanahotels.com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Randy Phillips
EMAIL:
IP: 24.24.136.238
URL:
DATE: 09/13/2005 11:49:25 AM
Me again - the clerks name is Taleb (at least it rhymes with Hamed - almost)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Early Autumn Evening
BASENAME: early_autumn_evening
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/12/2005 06:30:55 PM
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BODY:
The evening sky at 6 pm
I woke to the sound of crickets this morning--a promise of cool weather to come. I recorded their quiet chirping outside my office this evening complete with kids playing and a train rushing past at the end:
Early Autumn Evening 0'56" MP3 (864 KB)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Cooler days are on the way
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.57
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/13/2005 08:30:03 AM
Yesterday night I could also see a beautiful half-moon clearly. This week is called "O-TUKIMI" week, isn't it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/13/2005 10:34:37 PM
Oh yes! I love the photo. Every evening that moon creeps up behind the lilac bush and then steadies itself over the neighbor's rooftop. There's a cricket outside my office window every day. Insistent. "fall fall fall fall fallfall." Yay cool weather!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: David Kaspar
EMAIL: w85ur@hotmail.com
IP: 217.158.48.34
URL: http://blog.davidkaspar.com
DATE: 09/21/2005 06:45:02 PM
Wow, I was surprised to hear a women's voice. Your blog seemed so.. so.. masculine :-)
Nice and moody sound. Was that a train or an airplane at the end?
Next time I am at our office in India I'll make sure to record the noise outside. It's hilarious!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Psmith in the City
BASENAME: psmith_in_the_city
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 09/13/2005 11:30:17 PM
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BODY:
I volunteered with Librivox to read aloud some of the public domain Project Gutenberg texts. I talked about doing this on my own last year, but except for some scattered short stories, never really followed through.
It's a daunting task to read an entire book aloud, so sharing the work with a cohort of other reader is a much more pleasant experience...at least for the reader. Who knows what the other readers sound like. Some will be good, others not as good. I'm striving for 'not the worst.'
Today I recorded the first three chapters of P. G. Wodehouse's Psmith in the City, a 1910 account of two college boys who go to earn a living at a bank--their arch rival is the bank manager, Mr. Bickersdyke (what a mouthful, it took me a few takes to get it right).
One of the things that I think will be interesting about this project will be reading books I'd never thought to read before. I read some Wodehous, but not this one.
I don't know when it will be put up on Librivox, or when the following chapters are scheduled to come out, but here it is for your enjoyment (in two different formats):
Psmith in the City, chapters 1-3 29'45" MP3 (27.2 MB)
Psmith in the City, chapters 1-3 29'45" OGG Vorbis (25.8 MB)
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Reading Wodehouse for the public.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ianish
EMAIL: ian.ish@msa.hinet.net
IP: 211.72.108.19
URL: http://ianish.motime.com
DATE: 09/23/2005 03:07:51 AM
I just want to say that I listened to your reading of the first chapter of Psmith in the City and enjoyed it hugely. It is a book I read first in high school, as a way of avoiding studying for my exams, and I must confess to some trepidation as I approached a reading of the book, for I still had a clear voice in my head of what it should sound like. You didn't sound like what I thought it would sound like, but your conviction carried the day, for me at least. This was my first contact with Librivox, a project that is so utterly delightful and right, a return to the days of the bedtime story, when you enjoyed not only the meanings, but also in the sound. Wodehouse is perfect in the way he creates a unique way the language sounds. Anyway, just want to express my appreciation.
Ian
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: New Foodie Book
BASENAME: new_foodie_book
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/14/2005 06:55:43 PM
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BODY:
I had the honor of paging through the only printed copy of my friend Elizabeth's new book this week. It's gorgeous, though she worries it is too heavy. I disagree; the book has a good heft.
But better than weight, it has recipes! From fish to desserts, there are fabulous Japanese dishes to cook, a richly illustrated "pantry" section, and lots of tips and kitchen techniques. It really is a marvel. I've eaten with Elizabeth many times and she is a master chef, even when we're just having a casual lunch while computer troubleshooting.
Washoku, Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen is due in bookstores next month and available for preorder from Tenspeed Press, and at Amazon.
Elizabeth talked with me about the book, along with one of my favorite topics, Japanese pickles, in my recent Hanashi Station show, Japanese Kitchen. (12.1 MB MP3)
Have a listen and order the book (unless you're on my Christmas list, in which case...surprise! You're getting a cookbook this year!). Elizabeth has a US book tour lined up, so check her calendar at Taste of Culture and see if she's going to be in your area soon.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Elizabeth Andoh's new cookbook
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2005 02:39:51 PM
Was about to say that I would be first in line to buy it for Ash as he is really keen to learn about Japanese cooking and ingrediants - ie what all that stuff at the supermarket is for...
But if we are on the Christmas list...... :)
Hey - we are spending Christmas together.. YAY
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: ananidoa574@yahoo.com
IP: 80.97.89.12
URL:
DATE: 10/03/2005 03:10:05 AM
hi all
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nut Encrusted Salmon
BASENAME: nut_encrusted_salmon
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/15/2005 03:43:55 PM
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BODY:
I promised this to Yuka for dinner as a repayment for a favor. We haven't managed to get together to enjoy it, but Tod & I had it last night. Takes about 30 minutes, start to finish, and is wonderfully light and delicious. The secret is quatre epices, a French spice mixture of white pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon & clove.
Nut Encrusted Salmon
serves 2
2 salmon fillets
1/2 lemon
1/8 cup of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup of mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, macadamias, walnuts, brazil nuts, etc)
dash quatre epices
salt & black pepper to taste
1 tsp butter
Squeeze the lemon over both sides of the fish fillets and set aside while you prepare the crumbs. Chop or grind the nuts finely. In a baking pan large enough to contain the fish, mix nuts with breadcrumbs and season with a liberal dash or two of quatre epices then salt & pepper to taste.
Press the fish into the crumb mixture, turn the fillets over and mound the remainder on top of the fish. Dot with butter. Bake in a 350/160 oven for 20 minutes.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
Simple backed fish with a secret spice
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 09/15/2005 06:11:12 PM
Sounds yummy. What's in the four spice mix?
M
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.2
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 09/15/2005 11:02:08 PM
"The secret is quatre epices, a French spice mixture of white pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon & clove."
Not knowing Jacques about French food, I've never heard of this combination before, but running it through my mind right now it sounds wonderful, like I could try it on a lot of things.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.30
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/16/2005 08:08:35 AM
Though I know Itarin mix spice, I didn't know that. Sounds yummy!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 222.147.64.48
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 09/16/2005 11:23:38 AM
Yummmmm, how much longer til lunch?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yuka
EMAIL:
IP: 222.146.107.137
URL:
DATE: 09/16/2005 01:13:15 PM
Can't wait ! hehe :P
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creative Languages
BASENAME: creative_languages
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 09/16/2005 09:01:58 PM
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BODY:
A conversation with a trilingual friend at dinner last night got me thinking about non-verbal languages.
She told me the story of how her grandmother would watch Japanese TV dramas with her every week, and each week at 8:40 when the director pointed out very clearly who the bad guy was, she would turn and say to her granddaughter, "Look, see, there. It's him! He's the bad one." Of course, the younger generation had already figured that out from more subtle clues. She had been immersed in the visual language of film since childhood.
Though grammar of film was once the province of an elite set of filmmakers and television producers, these days it's cheap and easy to make your own films with digital video cameras and computer editing. So film is being "spoken" by regular people rather than just watched. It's becoming more common.
In fact, kids are learning to speak it school when they make documentary and storytelling videos as class projects. And they learn by imitation, too. A group of 5th graders in Minnesota did this interpretation of DEVO's Whip It video.
A form of communication I have missed out on is the video game interface. Though interfaces are not a grammatical language per se, the skills a gamer exhibits - ability to quickly parse a visual field for information on ammo, maps, lives remaining, etc-- are changing the way people communicate. There is an entirely new vocabulary in film these days--variable-speed pans and montages, for instance, that convey movement thorugh time and space in a way that is novel.
All of this leads to the inevitable question: what language signal will I need to have pointed out to me in the most obvious and simplest way when I am 80? What creative visual or aural (or scent!) languages are developing now that will change the way a younger generation thinks and communicates?
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Film language evolves as a new generation takes the reins.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/16/2005 10:31:38 PM
That 5th grade video is incredible. Do you know about that 48 hour film project? A friend of mine who is really into film and theatre was telling me about it last night - you basically create a film in two days from one line of dialogue, a specific object that needs to appear, and some other detail given to you via email. Incredible.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bus Tour to Karuizawa
BASENAME: bus_tour_to_karuizawa
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/17/2005 07:48:15 PM
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BODY:
Hotel Green Plaza, Karuizawa
One thing Tod & I had never done until this weekend was to take a Japanese bus tour. They seem the province of older Japanses folks, but this is "Respect for the Aged" weekend, so it was the right way to celebrate.
We showed up on time at the appointed departure place, but screwed up right away by failing to notice the seating assignments posted on the door of the luxury bus. We really bollocksed up the works by sitting two rows ahead of where we were assigned. Because we couldn't fight our way back down to the front of the bus, a fellow passenger had to check the chart and shout our assignment to us. Embarrassing, but it was our only obvious error of the day.
The bus started off with two rounds of applause (for the guide and the driver) and a lot of explanations. We were offered the choice of reserving a popular lunch option for our meal stop, and a bento for the return trip the next day. We opted for both, as it seemed simplest.
Lunch was kamameshi, a steamed rice and chicken dish, at a roadside restaurant that's been serving it for 120 years. I guess that makes is popular, as advertised. They certainly had the bus tour business down pat. A man with a flag bearing the restaurant's logo greeted our bus as we pulled into the parking lot He waved teh flag high as he lead the lunching crowd through the gift shop and upstairs to our long table in the restaurant.
Back on the bus, we continued north to Karuizawa, a famous mountain resort area where many well-off families have summer homes. We'd spend the night at a hotel and on the way back, we'd stop along the way to pick apples and grapes.
"Karuizawa is a little bit interesting," my friend Elizabeth warned me. "It's where the upper middle class go for the summer, and it's a mix of Western styles and Japanese tastes."
She was more spot-on than I imagined. Many of the buildings, including the hotel, are half-timbered Swiss look-alikes. The summer homes span a wide range of styles, none of them particularly Japanese. Our hotel room was split in two: half the room was carpeted, papered in a floral design and sported twin beds. The other half was tatami with a low table, zabuton cushions and the ubiquitous complimentary green tea.
Beautiful flora
Shaking our heads in wonder, we headed outside to walk around the complex. The air smelled clean and woodsy and it wasn't long before we were off the beaten path and hunting for interesting flora and fauna. I spotted a pink mushroom; we marvelled at moss and discovered a well-contained stream meandering through the property.
Of course, we enjoyed an onsen bath and the hotel's extensive buffet dinner before heading off to bed. We had more fun in store for us the next day...
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Day one: arrival
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/19/2005 10:49:03 PM
Sounds like a great weekend. Relaxing. I love the mushroom!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Drawing in Karuizawa
BASENAME: drawing_in_karuizawa
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/18/2005 11:10:03 PM
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BODY:
Two-fisted painting
Having quickly tired of the bath and hotel, I spent the second morning drawing a little bit of tree trunk after having another walk around the grounds. I made a recording of birds sounds with a stream burbling in the background (and a bit of a breeze, too).
Karuizawa Birdsong 1'59" MP3 (1.8 MB)
(Click to see the photo Tod snapped while I was recording--if you listen carefully, you can hear his camera's shutter.)
After lunch, Tod rented a bicycle and scouted out the rest of the complex while I sat on a moss covered rise to execute a a bunch of 60 second sketches as a drawing exercise.
We were to take up the tour again at 14:20, but the bus was two hours late--stuck in traffic on the way from Tokyo. By the time we left the hotel theday was fading. Our apple picking and grape picking were reduced to short hops off the bus at roadside stands in the pitch dark to be handed some fruit and shuffled back onto the bus. Terribly disappointing, as I'd looked forward to standing in the orchard and smelling the fruit and the earth.
We arrived at home 4 hours late. We'll never do a bus tour on a weekend (particularly a holiday weekend) again.
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Drawing, waiting and not picking fruit.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/28/2005 05:59:41 AM
I heard it! About midway. Beautiful birdsong.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: FJP #1: Collagen Marshmallows
BASENAME: fjp_1_collagen_marshmallows
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/19/2005 07:17:06 PM
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It's Freaky Japanese Products Week at mediatinker. All week long, I'm going to buy some of the strange and wacky things in Japanese shops. I'm looking for fads, trends and short-lived phenomenon that rake in the yen for manufacturers.
Collagen Marshmallows
Collagen is what makes skin elastic and taking supplements is good for aging skin, they say. There are tons of collagen-rich facial treatments, pills and creams on the market but I've never seen collagen marshmallows before today.
For only 122 yen, I purchased a 50 gram packet of lightly grapefruit flavored marshmallows at the local drugstore.
Normal marshmallows contain about 300 mg of collagen (it's processed from cow and pig marrow into the gelatine that makes marshmallows gummy) but these balls of chewy sweetness contain 3000 mg through added collagen peptides. That's quite a bit and the instructions say you should eat half a packet a day.
Price: 122 yen
Manufacturer: Eiwa Confectionary Company
Sales Point: local drugstore
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Freaky Japanese Products Week begins
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/19/2005 10:47:06 PM
Mmmm - yummy! Clusters of pus under the microscope! Release them into the wilds, I say. Spores...See what happens when they sit in the rain. Probably won't look so healthful then.
I can't wait to see what the next installment is in "Freaky Japanese Products Week." What fun!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.120.93.245
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 09/20/2005 08:32:33 AM
I didn't know that. I'd better try it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: FJP #2: Insect Repellent for Rice
BASENAME: fjp_2_insect_repellent_for_rice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/20/2005 07:05:33 PM
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Kome-touban
Most Japanese homes (if not all) store their rice in a big, boxy container that holds five or ten kilograms of rice. It gets used up quickly, but bugs love rice as much as people. So what to do? Put this insect repellent in it.
The 10 cm tall plastic pepper goes into your rice bin and repels weevils and other pests for up to six months. As the pepper samurai on the package insists, "Rice is delicious!" Togarashi Power!
Kome-touban is made from togarashi, cayene chili pepper, in a gel base. A list of points on the back:
Yaki Katsuo (from the Ciao Cat Snack Series)
This is not the only type of cat food sold in Japan, but it is certainly the most interesting. Encased in this vacuum-packed plastic is a strip of katsuo fish (bonito) imbued with green tea essence to reduce the fishy smell. This one is regular katsuo flavor, but it also comes in scallop, sardine and even dashi (Japanese soup stock).
The packaging tells the rest of the story:
"Direct from Tosashimizu Harbour" "Gently juicy, with lots of taste appeal. Delicious fresh ingredients to please your cat." "Cats like salty foods. Your cat will like it even better if you heat it to body temperature before serving." "The katsuo that come in on the Japan Current from Souda are cooked to fragrant perfection and soft juiciness to please your beloved cat." "Soften by squeezing gently before opening." "No artificial colors. Made in Japan."Price: 88 yen Manufacturer: Inaba Foods (pet food division) Sales point: Seifu supermarket ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Freaky Japanese Products Week does pet food. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 09/21/2005 02:56:32 PM TuTu LOVES this snack. I feed it to her as a treat when she has been good (so not often). There is also a new snack for cats that I saw at the pet store which is cheese based. She loves to bat these cheese strips around the floor before chewing them to bits and leaving little soggy crumbs around the apartment.. nice!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: axel EMAIL: IP: 217.189.167.192 URL: DATE: 09/21/2005 04:51:52 PM salty seafood should be a cat favorite, since cats and for that matter probably all felines lack taste receptors for sweet tastes- or so i learnt an hour ago watching a science magazine , your post feels almost like a follow-up to that. ciao cat - love that name. -axel ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 09/21/2005 10:51:40 PM The cat on this package looks stunned by the giant fish protruding from it's head. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: FJP #4: Turmeric Tonic BASENAME: fjp_4_turmeric_tonic STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 09/22/2005 10:41:47 AM ----- BODY:
Kan no Suke (Liver Assistant)
Here's another patent medicine with miracle curative powers. Turmeric is well-known in Japan for helping your liver to process alcohol--it's the curcumin that does the trick.
Inside the box are two sachets of granulated powder--one for before drinking and one for after. The powder is turmeric mixed with zedoary and some dried turtle bits. Zedoary is an Indian plant in the ginger family used as a medicinal stimulant.
Turmeric helps you drink more, zedoary fixes up the hangover, and the turtle stuff adds vigor to your body. Or as the company website says: Solve it, Erase it, Straighten it.
I enlisted Tod to test this out last night at Oktoberfest in Hibiya Park, though he downed the first packet with a swig of beer so I'm not sure how effective that one was.
When I asked him this morning, he said his liver felt fine and he didn't seem to have a hangover. Was it the Kan no Suke at work? Hard to tell.
Price: 315 yen
Manufacturer: Hosendo
Sales Point: RanKing/RanQueen
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FJP week explores over-drinking.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/22/2005 09:13:49 PM
Actually the turtle bits reassemble themselves inside of you when you swig that first packet down with beer. They left that part off the packet.
I love the happiness of all the characters on these packages. Happy beer mug!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/22/2005 10:32:54 PM
"orders a year's supply"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: consumptive@gmail.com
IP: 203.165.197.73
URL: http://consumptive.org
DATE: 09/23/2005 12:27:28 AM
i haven't tried this product but have partaken of a a similar okinawan tumeric/ukon flavor and it worked like a miracle. thanks for the reminder.
happy paragliding.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: FJP #5: Foot Detox Tapes
BASENAME: fjp_5_foot_detox_tapes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/23/2005 10:07:51 AM
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BODY:
Neteru Ma-ni
This is far and away the freakiest product yet. Last night at bedtime, Tod & I taped six porous packets of odd-smelling sand-like stuff to my feet and by the morning, they'd turned into hard, goo-oozing lumps.
So what's in them and what are they doing?
The packets contain Triple Power: eucalyptus, tourmaline and agarics mushrooms. Eucalyptus is known as a remedy for a lot of things including coughs and minor scrapes. Though the tourmaline fad in Japan seems to have passed its peak, the stone still brings benefits of negative ions and far infrared rays. The mushrooms provide vitamins and minerals and are thought to prevent cancer and ward off Alzheimers. It also makes the stuff smell like a cross between a fire sale and a Russian restaurant.
According to the instructions, taping these packets to your feet detoxes you while you sleep. The main activity is in the sap from the eucalyptus.
A liberal and rough translation of the vague copy on the package:
As tree sap carries the energy from the roots to the tips of the leaves, so will this sap-infused packet carry the healing energy all through your body via the tsubo (energy points for accupuncture/shiatsu) located in your feet.What definitely happens is that while you sleep, the eucalyptus extract heats up and melts all over your feet, making them sticky and congealing the rest of the packet. The oils in the eucalyptus also make your feet tingle a little bit. Several hours after taking off the packets, my feet still felt cool and happy, like they'd had a good massage. Do I feel detoxed? I don't know. I will say that I'm in a better mood and more energetic today than I have been in a few days. But that could just be the amusement of leaving a trail of sticky footprints from the bed to the bath. Price: 1,050 yen Manufacturer: BMK Sales Point: RanKing/RanQueen ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Let's tape freaky Japan products to our feet! ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Bling EMAIL: IP: 172.203.138.49 URL: DATE: 09/25/2005 11:39:57 PM I have tried these, I have also been trying this product http://www.o2detoxusa.com and it is wonderful ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: FJP #6: Suspense Manju BASENAME: fjp_6_suspense_manju STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 09/24/2005 09:24:01 AM ----- BODY:
Suspense Manju
This is a spin-off product from a popular Nippon Television series, Kasasu, (Tuesday Suspense Theater) that airs scary movies.
There are six cakes in the box. One of them is filled with spicy hot bean jam, instead of the usual sweet bean jam. We tried them with friends last night after Rie, Yumiko, & Yuka hummed the show's theme song.
Who got the spicy one?
Price: 630 yen
Manufacturer: Daitou AYSS
Sales point: RanKing/RanQueen
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FJP Week plays with TV-based cakes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2005 07:46:28 PM
It's so hard to tell! No one is bright red with thunderbolts shooting out of their head.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Spine
EMAIL:
IP: 24.21.202.189
URL: http://www.masaladose.com
DATE: 09/25/2005 05:06:48 AM
Oh, I'd say it's pretty clear that it's the guy on the left who's been punk'd Manju-style. Unless he looks like that in all his photos.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: FJP #7: Goodnight Wine
BASENAME: fjp_7_goodnight_wine
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/25/2005 09:01:05 PM
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BODY:
Oyasumi Wine
It's not a nightcap. It's a packet of bath salts.
Oyasumi Wine gives your skin three rewards: 1. Bright and glossy skin from wine polyphenols; 2. Healthy skin thanks to co-enzyme Q10; 3. Evening primrose oil to moisturise your skin Especially on the nights when you're tired, the mellow beauty of red wine in the water gives you an intoxicating feeling of dreamy comfort. It gives you comfortable sleep on the nights when your heart is tired.Well, I could use a good tipsy sleep. I think I'll go try it out now. Price: 158 yen Manufacturer: Kiyo Jochugiku KK Sales point: Shop In ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Sending us off to bed...the final installment of Freaky Japan Products week. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: DATE: 09/25/2005 09:58:30 PM (back from the bath) The color is cloudy fuschia; the scent is a cross between lilies and raspberry Jell-O. Very girly, but not unpleasant. I am relaxed and ready for sleep but not intoxicated. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Pants Thief BASENAME: pants_thief STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net CATEGORY: On the Net DATE: 09/26/2005 12:00:21 PM ----- BODY: I received this e-mail from a stranger this weekend:
Hi - I don't often visit your website - but I remember it because of your thai pants pattern. I was wondering if you were selling it now on ebay? I saw this just before and I knew I had seen it before: (link to the eBay Australia auction) I hope it is you selling it! Good luck with your selling!No, I don't sell things on eBay. My pants pattern is free for anyone to use but I have not granted rights for anyone to sell it. It's one of my all-time most viewed pages--it's been looked at over 22,000 times since I published it last February. So I wrote to Kathy the seller on Friday night to tell her that despite her claim in the item's listing, she did not "own full rights" to the content in her 3 page e-book. I wished her well but asked her to stop selling my pattern. I haven't heard from Kathy yet, but someone bought the pattern for five Australian dollars on Saturday and it hasn't been relisted. I've mailed off the official paperwork to eBay's VeRO program to assert my right of ownership. I don't know what will come of it, but we will see. What other of my works are out there being ripped off? ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Ripoff by an Australian eBayer. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Eva EMAIL: lmcevch@gmail.com IP: 24.201.45.4 URL: DATE: 09/27/2005 07:09:57 AM I think this is scandalous! I have a good mind to email that person to say how brazen she is to sell a free pattern! Of course when it comes to copyright of designs and things, it's a never ending battle. And I would guess that's it's especially so with the internet. Good luck! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: gen EMAIL: gen@kanai.net IP: 219.123.70.146 URL: http://kanai.net/weblog DATE: 09/27/2005 10:46:46 AM Kristen, please keep us updated on this issue. I'm actually more interested in eBay's response to your claim, moreso than the fact that there are theives on the net. How eBay handles your claim will be a good indicator of how far they can grow. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 09/27/2005 10:27:38 PM That's awful! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Therese EMAIL: aubonchocolat@gmail.com IP: 138.220.172.144 URL: DATE: 10/07/2005 05:17:07 AM Hi. I collect patterns for one-seam pants and yours is one of them. I'm writing you because I found a modified version of the one-seam pants while in Manila and thought you might be interested. The Manila version, sold at the monthly international bazaar, has no band; instead, fat velcros are used. The top panel has a printed lining/back in contrasting color. To close, you put together the velcros in front and flip the top panel, exposing the pretty lining. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Yasukuni War Cry BASENAME: yasukuni_war_cry STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 09/27/2005 11:33:54 AM ----- BODY:
Victory or agony? It's hard to tell.
I've been to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine a few times. This is where Koizumi gets in trouble for paying official visits because it enshrines the war dead--heros and Class A criminals alike.
Walking through it on Sunday evening, my eye fell on the large stone lanterns that flank the entrance. On each side of the hexagonal base is a bronze scultpure with a war scene from land or sea.
You can see all six of the brozes and the lantern they are attached to, in my Yasukuni Flickr set
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Grisly scenes in bronze.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 210.155.211.146
URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hanz01/version01/
DATE: 09/28/2005 07:11:51 PM
I know this place is the place in argument. But for me it is only the place my grand father is enshrined, so it is just a memorial place. It is a calm and quiet place.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Idiosyncrasy
BASENAME: idiosyncrasy
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/28/2005 01:46:57 PM
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BODY:
One of the many tagging games going around now is to list five of your personal idiosyncrasies, then get five friends to do the same. I haven't been tagged and I'm not taggng anybody, but the idea got me started thinking.
Idiosyncrasies define us as individuals.
Fundamentally, humans are mostly all the same in physiology and fundamental goals (to stay alive, be happy, achieve something in life, continue the species, etc).
To define ourselves further, we look at what smaller groups we belong to: photographers, mothers, Buddhists, poets, chemists, Perl programmers, Nike owners, apartment dwellers, cat lovers, and so on.
But membership in a group, or multiple groups, doesn't completely define you. It's down to idiosyncrasies to define the details that make us individual.
I've had a really hard think about this. What is really idosyncratic and what is just membership in a much smaller and unrecognised group?
Oxblood Doc Martens and a black skirt
Not sure when (if) this was actually fashionable, but clunky boots and long skirts are my favorite things to wear. I may need to update my idea of "fashionable" or end up as the 80s equivalent of an aging hippy---an old punk?
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Not with the times at all but I don't mind.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 10/01/2005 09:20:11 PM
You'd fit right in at a poetry reading, really. Great boots.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Grown-up Fashion
BASENAME: grown-up_fashion
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/30/2005 08:50:44 AM
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BODY:
Black heels and a black suit
Today I visit a client's office and must blend in with the corporate surroundings, so I've slipped into pantyhose, donned my favorite suit (yes, I have more than one) and stepped into my high heels. I am ready to play the creative professional, emphasis on professional.
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Only when I'm being paid...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kelly Mann
EMAIL: retroroyale@hotmail.com
IP: 12.105.187.170
URL: http://www.geocities.com/themaskdr/
DATE: 10/01/2005 04:53:59 AM
Hello. I found your site through the site you built for your father.
I could not leave a comment for him on his site, so I'm contacting you.
I now live in a remote area of Arizona. I was born, and lived about half of my life in the Ephrata area, where your father resides.
I am a graphic artist, sculptor, and professional mask maker. I would be interested in contacting your father. He seems like a very talented and facinating guy. (Especially for one who has chosen to live in Ephrata!)
Honorably,
Kelly Mann
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Paragliding
BASENAME: paragliding
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/03/2005 08:19:00 AM
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BODY:
I'm flying!
This weekend we went to Ibaraki to try paragliding with the Tokyo Gaijins, a group that organizes outdoor activities like skiing and camping.
We did tandem jumping with skilled paragliders, and got to jump off a 300 meter mountain and glide through the air to land in a field at the base of the hill. It was wonderful to be in the sky. I was a bird. I stretched out my arms and felt the wind sliding past me like a current. I yearned to play with the controls.
Tod captured the moment of my stumble and the result.
My takeoff was not so smooth, though. As we ran towards the cliff, I tripped and fell, dragging Kanamoto-sensei and the wing with me. No damage done and we managed to get off the ground on the second try.
One of our party took short videos of everyone flying and she will send them to me for posting. I'll let you know when they're online.
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In the air in Ibaraki.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/03/2005 11:49:03 AM
Thats such a fundamental desire, the urge to fly... I envy your trip!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 82.45.253.39
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2005 07:59:49 AM
wow - that is SOOOOOOOO cool. I wanna play...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2005 08:29:55 AM
Whee! Wings!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.106
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 10/04/2005 08:47:05 AM
Wonderful. Weren't you scared?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.40.4.67
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2005 08:52:47 PM
That's so cool!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jeannie
EMAIL: jeanniet@gmail.com
IP: 202.189.145.198
URL:
DATE: 10/04/2005 10:13:45 PM
it was great meeting you! i found you by typing in your name and clicking on the 3rd link like tod said. wasn't flying wonderful? =)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jpa
EMAIL: j.abinader@verizon.net
IP: 12.102.57.65
URL:
DATE: 10/15/2005 03:31:34 AM
Good to see you've joined the homo avian club. It's great to be up in the sky, looking down on good ol' Terra and beholding the wonder of it all.
I hope you said hi to any birds that might have flocked by. Bad manners not to. ;-)
The blueness of the sky can be an incredible and humbling sight.
- a somewhat curious ex-bf from the past
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: WiFi Train Stations
BASENAME: wifi_train_stations
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 10/04/2005 11:37:10 PM
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BODY:
Good news for commuters with laptops. NTT offers wireless access points in stations all around Tokyo. Already there are over a hundred JR and commuter stations online and by mid-2006, they should have over 250 subway stations plugged into the 'Net.
Bad news is that it isn't free. Monthly access is 1575 yen, or you can buy a "time ticket" for 300 yen that's good for 12 hours. Another poor selling point is that the range is limited. For example, at Tokyo station, you can connect on platforms 14 through 19 but not 1-13.
You can find out more (in Japanese) at NTT BP.
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EXCERPT:
Compute while you commute
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Old Biddies' Commune
BASENAME: old_biddies_commune
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/07/2005 04:52:16 AM
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BODY:
Library in the living room
Tod's mom shares a huge old house with two of her friends--they bought the place, moved in together last year and dubbed their new home the Old Biddies' Commune.
The house is wonderful brick building from 1938. There are lots of sunny windows and the stairway curves in a wonderful arc at the landing. Upstairs, everyone has her own suite with a bathroom. The first floor and basement are a large common rooms for dining, entertaining and just lounging around. Outside is a stone patio and a large backyard with a path leading into a quiet grotto.
The shared rooms are decorated with a mix of antiques, art, books and keepsakes from all three women's collections and it's difficult to tell where one's taste lets off and the others' begins. They have distinctive personal styles, but in good harmony.
We're staying here a few days during a family function, then we are off to Paris and Bordeaux to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary. So if I'm not posting every day, please understand. I'll be back in Tokyo later this month with lots of photos and stories to share.
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A lovely house with lovely owners.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 10/07/2005 06:40:33 AM
Cool. Lots of light and words. Very inviting.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.45.52.27
URL:
DATE: 10/07/2005 09:02:17 PM
Very lovely place! Hope you guys will enjoy the trip!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fajer
EMAIL:
IP: 203.181.26.202
URL:
DATE: 10/08/2005 08:50:13 AM
Take care guys and have a safe trip
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kekkon Omedetou
BASENAME: kekkon_omedetou
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/08/2005 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Nancy and Pete dance together at their wedding reception
Tod's father remarried today in a huge wedding extravaganza. His bride, Nancy, made the most of her first-ever wedding ceremony. At the reception, she explained that her "inner bride" really caught her by surprise. I'd agree--their home doorbell was programmed with the Wedding March.
I wasn't positioned to get a good photo of the 14 attendants, two flower girls and two ring bearers at the ceremony, but I did capture this great picture of Tod & his sister, Maureen, recessing after the grand ceremony.
Maureen and Tod as matron of honor and best man at their father's wedding.
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EXCERPT:
Tod's father remarries.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/21/2005 03:20:54 PM
>14 attendants, two flower girls and two ring bearers
WOW - that must have been one very large head table at the reception!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yoshie
EMAIL:
IP: 209.137.142.34
URL:
DATE: 10/25/2005 09:00:15 PM
Omedetou gozaimasu.
It's a wonderful story.and they are very cute couple!! American wedding party is totally different from Japanese one. You can arrange any ways what you want. I had a wedding party here in America. My husband is american and I'm japanese. We mixed together for the party. It was fun. My mom is single now. I hope she can find nice man and have a great wedding party like Tod's father's one.:-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Maternal Side
BASENAME: the_maternal_side
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/09/2005 04:00:56 PM
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BODY:
Jean presides over the family at the OBC.(Click for larger version.)
This is Tod's mom, Jean, along with Mark (Maureen's partner) and his son, Owen, Seth, Maureen, Tod & me. Thanks to Louise for snapping a picture in which everyone was smiling.
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Jean and the McQuillin kids.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Freaky American Product
BASENAME: freaky_american_product
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/10/2005 11:12:18 PM
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BODY:
Tod left Japan with a cold (which I've caught just in time to go to France) and his sister bought him some of the oddest medicine I've ever encountered.
Sudafed Shower Soothers look and smell like urinal cakes. You put the hard blue disk on the floor of the shower and hop in. The hot water reacts with the chemicals and sends off pungent plumes of camphor and eucalyptus vapor to sting your eyes and nasal passages into feeling better as you exit the shower.
Not so soothing.
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EXCERPT:
Sudafed Shower Soothers
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 10/10/2005 11:34:39 PM
I've not seen those. Although I think I'd probably not buy that product, thanks for the post test warning.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/11/2005 02:37:34 PM
Urinal cakes - yummy!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 10/14/2005 10:43:32 AM
Your own little gas chamber. How comforting. Who the heck in marketing at Sudafed thought that was a good idea??
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 10 Kgs await me
BASENAME: 10_kgs_await_me
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/11/2005 11:52:00 AM
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BODY:
5 kilos for my thighs at the patisserie
And another five kilos at the fromagerie
(photos by Tod; I was too busy drooling)
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EXCERPT:
Cheese, pastries, and long luxurious meals.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2005 09:27:13 PM
Did you just jump right in and gobble it all up? *drool*
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 10/24/2005 11:44:33 PM
ooohhhh, yum. a singular reason to visit france :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Beautiful Paris
BASENAME: beautiful_paris
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/12/2005 04:24:02 PM
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BODY:
Parisian intersection
Paris is a lovely city. Redesigned in the late 19th century by Hausmann, the old buildings in the central city all have balconies on the 2nd and fifth floors. Most of the buildings abut the street and are six stories tall, so there is a consistency throughout Paris that is quite pleasant.
Yesterday and today, we walked through the central parts of the city extensively, sometimes with a guide from Context: Paris and other times on our own. There is so much to see. So many beautiful details.
I've started a photoset on Flickr with 18 of my favorite photos from the city. Most of them were taken by Tod, but a few are mine, too. I have black and white images on film that need to be developed.
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EXCERPT:
Walking the streets of the city
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Anniversary
BASENAME: anniversary_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/13/2005 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
Staircase in L'Arc de Triumphe
We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary with another long walk around Paris, culminating in a climb to the top of the Arc de Triumphe.
We followed that with dinner at La Tour d'Argent, opened in 1582 and known to be the restaurant that introduced the fork to Europe, as well as being the vanguard of coffee and chocolate in Paris. We had both to end our meal at a window seat overlooking the Seine, preceded by delicious appetisers, the famous serial numbered duckling, and to my great delight, a flaming peach for dessert.
The number of our duck: 1,035,662
In gentlemanly fashion, Tod had the menu with the prices; I was not allowed to enquire. I peeked at the wine list and saw that our bottle of vintage 1989 Medoc wine was 150 Euros. I am glad I don't know the rest. It was worth it, whatever the price.
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EXCERPT:
A walk and dinner.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fronsac
BASENAME: fronsac
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/14/2005 11:00:57 AM
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BODY:
Chateau de la Riviere, Fronsac
It was hard to leave Paris behind. We'd had such a wonderful time and it was so beautiful. Could a few days in the countryside be as good? Actually, more than emotionally difficult to depart; the travel agent booked our TGV tickets for the wrong day.
But we sorted that out and soon found ourselves at Chateau de la Riviere, a working winery with a castle built in 1577. Our room was in the Renaissance wing, built in the 19th century by the renowned Gothic Revival architect Viollet-le-Duc. It was a beautiful place to stay.
Melanie tours us through the caves
After settling in, we toured the chateau and its enormous labyrinth of caves. They stretch for more than 8 hectares beneath the vineyards and woods and contain over half a million bottles of wine and aging barrels. We sampled some wines from the chateau and the other family wineries and discovered that we can get at leat one of the vintages in Tokyo.
Drawing vines while the cat plays with invisible foes
For dinner, we walked to the nearest restaurant, Chez Carles, about half an hour away, using Melaine's loaned lamp to pick our way along the dark forest path to the road. In true proof that my French is really horrible, I told the waitress when we arrived, "Nous sommes reservation." We are a reservation. Well, she got the point. Dinner was surprisingly wonderful for a place where we were the only patrons.
As we finished up with coffee and dessert, the waitress, who chattered pleasantly though we simply didn't understand, brought over the phone. The owner of the chateau, M. Gregoire, was calling. It had begun to rain slowly and he insisted on bringing his car down to collect us. How generous and thoughtful.
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EXCERPT:
To the countryside
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Medoc
BASENAME: medoc
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/15/2005 01:53:21 PM
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BODY:
Monsieur is very serious about his wines
We began the day with a tour of the Chartrons district of Bordeaux city. This is the riverfront where the wine merchants had their warehouses. Back in the days before wine was bottled at the chateaux, the wine merchants did the bottling at their warehouses.
We were taught to taste wine properly--grip the glass by the foot, sniff the still wine, swirl, sniff again and finally roll a small mouthful across the tongue to see which tastebuds respond. It was fun. And who can complain about three or four good gulps of wine before lunch?
After a lunch at a cafe in town, we boarded a bus along with 50 other people and headed out to Medoc to visit some wineries. It was rather boring, to be truthful, though the countryside was pretty and we did learn more about the wine production process. We visited chateaux in two different appleations producing different classes of wine.
The best part of the afternoon was the tasting at Chateau Kiriwan.
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EXCERPT:
Touring Bordeaux by bus.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: St. Emilion
BASENAME: st_emilion
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/16/2005 04:43:56 PM
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BODY:
The narrow streets of St. Emilion
Our last full day we spent in St. Emilion, one of the most lovely villages I've ever visited. The town is built on the site of a limestone cave where Emilion came to hide after becoming too famous in his Robin Hood-esqe adventures elsewhere in France during the 8th century. It didn't work for him, though. People sought him out for cures and miracles and eventually he was canonised.
Today there is a cavernous church carved into the town's steep hill and all the buildings are made from the excavated stone that took two centuries to remove.
The town with grape vines in the foreground.
The area is well known for its wines, which are re-ranked every ten years. This is in contrast to the chateaux of Medoc which received their ranking in 1855 and have never varied. We tasted a few of St. Emilion's wines and bought one to drink at home later.
Tod, Zoupi & I take a break in the country.
After touring the town on foot and enjoying lunch, we went on a bike ride through the vineyards with Raphael, a local tour guide. He took us to
a series of grottoes on a cliffside overlooking the Dordogne before we turned back to town.
It was gorgeous scenery and easy enough terrain. But I still managed to pull a muscle and get a flat tire. I really am cursed regarding bicycles. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to remember the French word for "flat tire." I knew it once from Milles Bourne.
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EXCERPT:
An ancient city on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Starry morning
BASENAME: starry_morning
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/17/2005 10:22:29 PM
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BODY:
Our last morning at the chateau in Bordeaux, I pulled open the tall narrow windows and thrust my head out into the ebony pre-dawn. Just in front of me was Jeremy's curve of stars spinning from Gemini to Orion--my first glimpse of that glorious golden mean since last winter.
At 6:45 when we departed, the full moon illiminated the vineyards, and as we rode an hour to the train station on the first leg of our two-day journey home, I watched the sun brush a faint glow across the eastern sky and the stars fade into a brightening blue.
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EXCERPT:
Sunrise today at 8:14 in France; 5:47 in Tokyo
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 21,157 miles
BASENAME: 21157_miles
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 10/19/2005 08:12:05 PM
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BODY:
Here and there and back again
In two weeks, Tod & I have visited three continents, slept in four time zones, and accrued 21,157 airline miles each. That's enough to fly free to North or South Asia.
But I'm happy to be home for a while now. I'm tired! I'll redeem those miles another time.
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EXCERPT:
Here, there and back again
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 10/20/2005 01:03:18 PM
That return flight must have taken days!!! I hope you had a good book.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.13.178
URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/20/2005 10:31:59 PM
Welcome back! Yay! Now we can hang out!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ashman
EMAIL: ashdotcom007@hotmail.com
IP: 222.228.28.45
URL:
DATE: 10/21/2005 12:42:42 PM
Hi to you both. Really good to have you back in town and i hope we will get to see you some time soon and find out all about your trip!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Carrot Flowers and Starred Shiitake
BASENAME: carrot_flowers_and_starred_shiitake
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 10/20/2005 01:41:26 PM
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BODY:
In preparation for next week's recipe--a Japanese winter stew--here's a video to show you how to do some of the decorative cuts that make nabe as lovely to look at as it is delicious to eat.
Simple Japanese Decorative Cutting 3.7 MB 1'41" MP4
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EXCERPT:
Cutting techniques for nabemono.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: san
EMAIL: sanjud_2003@yahoo.com
IP: 213.42.2.22
URL: http://yahoo.com
DATE: 11/03/2005 02:57:09 AM
first i want to see thnh
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: san
EMAIL: sanjud_2003@yahoo.com
IP: 213.42.2.25
URL: http://yahoo.com
DATE: 11/03/2005 02:57:10 AM
first i want to see thnh
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dominant sense
BASENAME: dominant_sense
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/21/2005 10:20:26 PM
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BODY:
You may have noticed that lots of the Creative Perspectives articles deal with one or more of the five senses. They are, after all, where we get the foundation for many of our ideas.
But have you ever considered which one is your dominant sense? We all are aware of our dominant hand, the one we write with; or our dominant eye, the one we use if we look through a telescope or camera viewfinder. But do you know that you probably have a dominant sense, too?
If you're not sure, think about these questions.
Does the Flying Spaghetti Monster live in my neighborhood? (Click for larger view)
This broadsheet appeared in my mailbox for a nearby highrise. I couldn't help thinking that Verdure Residence "Foliage" might be a good place for the Flying Spaghetti Monster to live.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster, for those yet uninitiated, is a satire on the "Intelligent Design" theory of creation. His followers, who believe the FSM created the Earth and continues to influence it with His Noodly Appendage, have sent letters to all the boards of education who are advocating teaching intelligent design and have received some responses.
You can read all about FSM and his followers (the Pastafarians) at Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
I can see this building from my window, so will keep an eye open for His Noodliness to come around with the moving van. If you want more information about the FSM Apartments, check out the website (in Japanese) at Joint Corporation
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They didn't mean what I think they meant.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: FSM
EMAIL: remi10014@gmail.com
IP: 222.151.72.235
URL:
DATE: 10/22/2005 11:55:34 PM
Hahaha. Just moved back to Tokyo and glad I found your site again. I used to frequent your site quite often. Do keep an eye out for the FSM!!! You never know...that ad might be an open invitation to all FSM followers :D
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 24.86.6.27
URL:
DATE: 10/23/2005 07:49:39 PM
From the Pastafarians, "Our Heaven has a Beer Volcano". How can one argue with that? I know several institutions of higher learning where something like that is worshipped. Hmmm, is a keg tap really a reflection of Heaven? ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 24.173.100.4
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes
DATE: 10/24/2005 02:35:25 AM
Well, Seth, Ben Franklin said "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to prosper."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.228.232.1
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 10/24/2005 12:43:58 PM
Sod the beer, I wanna live at the Joint Corporation!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Houston Apartments
EMAIL: vpatel@acsseo.com
IP: 69.111.72.254
URL:
DATE: 11/04/2005 04:32:52 AM
The fsm apartments look gorgeous. They remind me of an apartment complex I saw in houston.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Unidentifiable
BASENAME: unidentifiable
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/23/2005 08:14:23 PM
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BODY:
My passport has reached the end of its useful life after 9 years and 8 months. I've sent it in to be renewed.
So for the next indefinite amount of time I am without proof of existence. Although I do have my "gaijin card" to prove my residence in Tokyo, it doesn't do me much good beyond the borders of Japan. So no bad behaviour and no travel until my new passport appears.
Before I mailed my passport to the Embassy (who in turn sends it on to the Passport Agency in the US who processes it in approximately 4 weeks then returns it to the Embassy who mails it back to me), I counted the number of times I've entered Japan.
I guessed a dozen. I was wrong. I've been allowed into Japan 24 times.
Can hardly wait to get my new passport and increment by one.
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EXCERPT:
No passport 'til sometime next month.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Nils
EMAIL: Nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.22
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 10/23/2005 11:56:01 PM
Last year when I renewed mine, they sent my application back because they now require a white background, as they now scan and send the photos back to Washington digitally. I couldn't find a photo shop nearby that didn't do passports with a gray background, so I ended up doing it myself.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fat + Gravity = *sigh*
BASENAME: fat_gravity_sigh
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/24/2005 10:14:02 AM
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BODY:
Here's where the French cheese and pastries ended up.
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EXCERPT:
Does this drawing make me look fat?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 60.47.26.35
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/
DATE: 10/25/2005 11:54:25 AM
Never heard the French saying about pastries and the such?
"20 seconds on your tongue, 20 years on your ass..."
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 10/26/2005 01:06:20 PM
You need to hang upsidedown for a couple of hours each day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Drew
EMAIL:
IP: 69.86.147.82
URL:
DATE: 11/05/2005 03:51:16 AM
Your boobs are nice and perky here, at least!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blog as a verb
BASENAME: blog_as_a_verb
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
DATE: 10/25/2005 10:51:54 AM
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BODY:
A friend online asked me what I was doing.
"Blogging for yesterday," I replied. "Blogging. as a verb. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" "Yes, sometimes." "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, say it ain't so." "Not always. Usually 'posting an entry' or 'writing'." "Writing is good." "But 'blogging' is succinct. Besides, today I'm not writing. I'm posting a drawing."Several friends have complained that 'blog' is ugly (and it is). But it's a losing battle for the "the word's weblog, not blog" crowd. Google has 155 million instances of weblog; and 488 million of blog. Blog as a verb is a useful summation of a variety of actions - writing, proofreading, image creation/editing, file uploading and pressing submit buttons--in a particular context, the weblog environment. I can't think of another single verb that does the same. Until someone comes up with one, I will use "blog" as a verb and make my friends cringe. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Not such a wonderful word, but useful. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 10/25/2005 02:59:10 PM I have no problem with using "Blog" as a noun and then conjugating as a verb. A person recently cringed when I used "Google" as a verb as in "I will google it". A living language is fluid and neologisms should be embraced as it means that people are communicating in a creative fashion and expressing their lives . Indeed it makes my life as a dictionary maker/supplier difficult as we need to keep up with all the new words. But it is a labour of love after all. All the boring "stick in the muds" with their green biros and poo-poo-ing of new ideas can remain in the dark ages as far as I am concerned. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: devin EMAIL: IP: 203.141.139.231 URL: DATE: 10/25/2005 05:34:20 PM "stick in the muds"???? Nooooooo! It should be "sticks in the mud"! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com IP: 210.231.13.178 URL: http://threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 10/26/2005 11:10:47 AM I use google and blog as both nouns and verbs practically every day.... I need these words!!!! Bugger the scorn, im using them! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: MJ EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net IP: 219.117.192.165 URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net DATE: 10/26/2005 01:04:29 PM eh a rose by any other name..... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Amy EMAIL: bluemoonjewellery@hotmail.com IP: 61.23.168.98 URL: http://blue_moon.typepad.com/blue_lotus/ DATE: 10/26/2005 02:02:44 PM These days nouns are being turned into verbs willy-nilly, and it usually does make me cringe. I especially hate "fooding" and "gifting". But "blog", despite being an ugly word, is perfectly valid as a verb. Certainly beats "Composing a post for my weblog". ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Stats 2002-2005 BASENAME: stats_2002-2005 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog CATEGORY: About the Blog DATE: 10/26/2005 02:59:58 PM ----- BODY: This will be terribly dull for most of you, but Tod needs to prune the site's access logs, and I'd like to have some record of the statistics for mediatinker. So forgive me, but here's a lot of boring detail.
2002 (jun-dec): 12,223 visitors (19,912 visits)
2003 (jan-dec): 100,650 visitors (177,214 visits)
2004 (jan-dec): 244,393 visitors (430,647 visits)
2005 (jan-date): 200,929 visitors (462,593 visits)
The most popular pages on the site are:
Gingerbread CPU 137,216 views
Illustrated MT Templates 65,651
Thai Fisherman's Pants 24,389
History of Zero 20,209
The most popular videos are:
Hello Tokyo Intro 1,555 views
Hello Tokyo Title Sequence 1,516
Let's Make Umeshu 796
Excruciating monthly detail below:
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EXTENDED BODY:
| visitors | visits | pages | hits | bandwidth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2002 | 50 | 84 | 211 | 1203 | 48.72 MB |
| Jul 2002 | 57 | 88 | 436 | 2143 | 28.02 MB |
| Aug 2002 | 432 | 596 | 3145 | 20051 | 157.07 MB |
| Sep 2002 | 912 | 1282 | 3990 | 20387 | 433.30 MB |
| Oct 2002 | 1734 | 3336 | 10134 | 26806 | 276.01 MB |
| Nov 2002 | 4546 | 7327 | 15580 | 43810 | 415.40 MB |
| Dec 2002 | 4502 | 7199 | 16523 | 45386 | 692.56 MB |
| 2002 Total | 12233 | 19912 | 50019 | 159786 | 2.00 GB |
| Jan 2003 | 5084 | 8004 | 16793 | 48353 | 512.12 MB |
| Feb 2003 | 5748 | 8825 | 16276 | 51667 | 696.18 MB |
| Mar 2003 | 6987 | 11669 | 25883 | 100227 | 1.47 GB |
| Apr 2003 | 8603 | 14310 | 29579 | 109731 | 3.01 GB |
| May 2003 | 10260 | 16523 | 39658 | 126525 | 3.35 GB |
| Jun 2003 | 8787 | 14880 | 38728 | 116192 | 2.04 GB |
| Jul 2003 | 7832 | 13738 | 41960 | 109534 | 2.01 GB |
| Aug 2003 | 8835 | 16317 | 56411 | 185903 | 3.66 GB |
| Sep 2003 | 9000 | 16727 | 46595 | 129398 | 2.42 GB |
| Oct 2003 | 9478 | 17163 | 54377 | 154960 | 2.51 GB |
| Nov 2003 | 9859 | 18773 | 49285 | 150558 | 3.03 GB |
| Dec 2003 | 10177 | 20285 | 54342 | 164041 | 3.50 GB |
| 2003 Total | 100650 | 177214 | 469887 | 1447089 | 28.18 GB |
| Jan 2004 | 11751 | 23076 | 59549 | 187185 | 3.58 GB |
| Feb 2004 | 11343 | 21877 | 56497 | 199730 | 3.70 GB |
| Mar 2004 | 13330 | 25948 | 71737 | 269944 | 4.79 GB |
| Apr 2004 | 12146 | 25512 | 61029 | 218950 | 4.36 GB |
| May 2004 | 10954 | 25340 | 68837 | 203950 | 6.12 GB |
| Jun 2004 | 9813 | 23090 | 59196 | 179361 | 5.63 GB |
| Jul 2004 | 9814 | 23687 | 63773 | 190419 | 4.72 GB |
| Aug 2004 | 10113 | 23517 | 85934 | 218671 | 5.44 GB |
| Sep 2004 | 10903 | 25011 | 66097 | 224876 | 6.89 GB |
| Oct 2004 | 12195 | 27557 | 80328 | 267928 | 6.78 GB |
| Nov 2004 | 12586 | 30556 | 100686 | 267007 | 5.19 GB |
| Dec 2004 | 119445 | 155476 | 268969 | 864667 | 23.03 GB |
| 2004 Total | 244393 | 430647 | 1042632 | 3292688 | 80.22 GB |
| Jan 2005 | 25733 | 50437 | 139589 | 339739 | 8.91 GB |
| Feb 2005 | 16032 | 37241 | 107428 | 253501 | 6.19 GB |
| Mar 2005 | 18266 | 44154 | 117105 | 279354 | 7.29 GB |
| Apr 2005 | 20039 | 44444 | 118054 | 338003 | 8.64 GB |
| May 2005 | 20096 | 51880 | 156086 | 375328 | 8.86 GB |
| Jun 2005 | 18421 | 43710 | 123217 | 318949 | 8.72 GB |
| Jul 2005 | 18874 | 44820 | 111502 | 300715 | 7.79 GB |
| Aug 2005 | 20200 | 45101 | 90813 | 267722 | 6.64 GB |
| Sep 2005 | 22532 | 55043 | 121329 | 336419 | 10.08 GB |
| Oct 2005 | 20736 | 45763 | 140774 | 380825 | 8.79 GB |
| 2005 Total | 200929 | 462593 | 1225897 | 3190555 | 81.91 GB |
You've been practicing cutting carrots and mushrooms according to last week's video, right? Well, now you'll get to use them. This nabemon is a one-dish meal. I usually incorporate Japanese seasonal items that you might not be able to get, so I've listed substitutes in the ingredients. If you have dashi, that makes better broth than water with bullion, but the last time I made it, I had run out of dashi-makings.
Feel free to vary the quantities, experiment with different fishes, add in some scallops or other vegetables. This is a flexible dish and everyone makes it a little bit differently.
Japanese Fish Stew
serves 4
4 shiitake mushrooms, decoratively cut
1/2 large carrot, cut into flowers
1 bunch chrysanthemum leaves (or other bitter green), cut into 10 cm lengths
1 long onion (or small leek). cut into 5 cm slices on the diagonal
6 cm lotus root, sliced into thin rounds
1 block firm tofu, cut into cubes
300-400 grams fish filets (salmon, whitefish, etc), cut into bite sized pieces
4 large shrimp, peeled
dash olive oil
broth
300-400 cc hot water
1 bullion cube with MSG
3 Tblsp soy sauce
2 Tblsp yuzu juice (or lemon juice)
1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp mirin (or a good pinch of sugar)
Mix together the broth ingredients. In a large ceramic pot, heat the olive oil. Sautee the onion briefly, then toss in the other vegetables (except greens) and add broth to cover. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for abtou 15 minutes, or until the carrots are slightly softened. Add the fish, shrimp and tofu, cook until the fish and shrimp are firming up. Top up with broth as needed. Wilt the greens into the stew. Allow to simmer for a few minutes longer to mellow the flavors, but be careful not to overcook the fish.
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A delicious autumn meal.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Altered States
BASENAME: altered_states
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 10/28/2005 10:22:13 PM
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BODY:
Is your creativity enhanced, influenced or improved by drugs or alcohol? Certainly in the history of creative geniuses, there are many tales of drunken brilliance and drug-induced visionary work.
Maybe in some cases, chemicals bring creativity. But how many of us try to induce a creative frame of mind with a little wine (or more than a little) and the drug of the week? Pleasant as it may be, it doesn'tbring on the super-genius that we dream of.
Personally, I find I get too absorbed in my altered-state plans and ideas to record them, then inevitably I fall asleep and when I wake up, the great light of creativity has been snuffed by a headache and fuzzy teeth.
Better for me to create with a clear head and my own, unaltered, vision.
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EXCERPT:
Creative dis-perspectives.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jean McQuillin
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.185.86
URL:
DATE: 10/31/2005 11:04:13 AM
amen.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pants Thief, follow-up
BASENAME: pants_thief_follow-up
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 10/30/2005 11:08:24 AM
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BODY:
You may recall my September 26th report that someone was selling my Thai pants pattern on eBay. I contacted the seller, but never heard a word from her. I ratted her out to eBay and got a reply less than a month later:
We received your Notice of Claimed Infringement and have removed the identified listings. You can now search our site to look for potentially infringing items and report these to us.Then they go on to enumerate the several ways I can report future transgressions. Thank you eBay. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: a reply from eBay ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Masks and Pumpkins BASENAME: masks_and_pumpkins STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Audio CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 10/31/2005 10:40:17 PM ----- BODY:
Noh performer in mask during Okina, a ritualised Okinawan form of Noh. (photo by Tod, the steady-handed)
Tonight we attended a performance of Noh plays in Shinjuku Gyoen. It was my first Noh experience and although it was a beautiful specta, even the comedic play was way over my head.
Here are two recordings from Okina, the first play. Neither is of the performer pictured above.
Okina Noh 2'13" MP3 (2 MB)
Okina Noh (2) 0'56" MP3 (884 KB)
By the intermission, we were chilled to the bone so we left the crowd of 4000 people for the warmth of dinner indoors. A shame, because the only play I knew the plot of was the one after intermission.
After dinner, we stopped to have some Pumpkin Milk. It seemed an appropriate beverage for the day. More importantly, it claims to erase irritableness and I needed it. Not sure if it worked.
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EXCERPT:
A Halloween treat.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.120.93.194
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 11/01/2005 08:28:27 AM
What is Pumpkin Milk? Do you like NOH? My mother in law loves, but unfortunately for me it is hard to appreciate it, though I'm intereseted in it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: No Luck
BASENAME: no_luck
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/01/2005 11:59:52 PM
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BODY:
My only winning horse.
Today was the Melbourne Cup luncheon. I was sure that with the spread of horses I'd managed to collect in the various sweeps, bets and the calcutta that I'd win something--I had 11 different horses in the field of 24. But not a single one of them came in.
Flemington in felt.
But no matter, there was still the "fashions on the field" contest to come.
Tracey, Ashley and I laboured over the weekend on our hats, constructing a three-part racetrack from felt. I designed and sewed the hats together and the three of us decorated them with little horses, flags, a grandstand, start and finish lines. We even included sponsor logos.
Alas, we were trumped by a wide-brimmed feather-covered hat with marshmallows dangling from it like the corks people used to hang from their hats to keep away flies.
Better luck next year.
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EXCERPT:
Betting is a gamble.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: arumanda
EMAIL: arumanda@hotmail.com
IP: 202.164.73.189
URL: http://www.arumanda.blogspot.com/
DATE: 11/02/2005 11:25:59 AM
that is fabulous. i'm a melbournian myself, and talk of the cup, fashion, hats and fly shoo away thingamabobbies had me all natsukashii. thanks for celebrating the tradition in far seas away
arumanda :)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meghan Barstow
EMAIL: m.barstow@gmail.com
IP: 59.157.242.160
URL: http://www.megliemoo.blogspot.com
DATE: 11/02/2005 11:37:11 AM
Hi there.
It was nice meeting you and your husband last night. Sorry I was so drunk! It was good to meet another of Jo's cohorts. See you around again. And you guys should have won the hat contest... hands down the best.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Peter Mansour
EMAIL: fn.ln@gmail.com
IP: 221.188.54.8
URL:
DATE: 11/03/2005 12:40:43 AM
Hi Kristen,
I did as Tod said and put your name in Google... yup you're number 2... but why the abundant links to porn sites in one of your recently articles?
Pete
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 210.231.13.178
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 11/03/2005 03:05:48 AM
RIPPED OFF!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 11/03/2005 11:28:34 AM
Ah, the porn stuff is not in my articles, but in the comment spam that infests the site daily. I try to get rid of it all, but sometimes miss bits and pieces, or don't get to it promptly. Sorry if it offends.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 11/03/2005 02:51:51 PM
What spiffy hats!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Misa
EMAIL:
IP: 218.227.199.99
URL:
DATE: 11/03/2005 11:27:50 PM
This design is so impressive and interesting idea!I like it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Expedient
BASENAME: expedient
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 11/02/2005 11:43:11 AM
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BODY:
Our new passports arrived today, less than two weeks after we sent in our applications. We are valid to travel through October 2015.
Although ours do not contain RFID chips, there are some differences in the new passports.
We had an impromptu dinner party the other day and it turned out to be our friend Sachi's birthday. I was testing this recipe on the guests and it was good enough to give a name. So it's Sachi's Birthday Beans.
Sachi's Birthday Beans
serves 4-5
2 cans white beans
1 2" wide slab unsliced bacon or pancetta
1 carrot
1 onion
8 button mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cups broth
1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1 Tblsp olive oil
pepper to taste
Cut the bacon into 1" cubes. Cut the carrot, onion and mushrooms into similar sized pieces. Mince the garlic.
In an oven-safe casserole dish, heat the olive oil. Fry the bacon until slightly crispy. Add the carrot, onion and garlic, sautee until the onions begin to turn transparent.
Deglaze the pan with some of the broth. Drain the beans and rinse them well before adding to the casserole. Toss in the mushrooms and stir. Season with herbs, sugar, vinegar and pepper.
The casserole can be cooked on the stovetop over a low flame or in a warm oven (100 C) for several hours. The longer the better, as it allows the smoky bacon flavor to permeate the beans. Three hours worked nicely on Sachi's birthday.
Serve with salad, crusty bread and a bottle of wine.
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EXCERPT:
Baked beans with bacon.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Doing with Dreams
BASENAME: doing_with_dreams
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/03/2005 12:12:59 PM
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BODY:
What do you do with your dreams?
I sometimes have dreams with good storylines. They could be expanded into a short story--sometimes they even feel like a film. But usually I forget them upon waking. And when I do recall them, I don't usually act upon them.
My sister keeps a dream journal. Other friends do as well. But what do they do with their dreams after they write them down? Is the writing an exercise in emptying the brain? Or does it somehow cement the ideas and allow the creative artist to use them?
Here's a dream I had this week. What could I do with this?
A secret band of people were poisoning doctors and teachers (and others) with gas emitted from clock-radios. The gas worked very strangely: if you breathed fresh air, it worked faster; if you stayed in a sealed room with the gas it killed you more slowly. If you only breathed a tiny, tiny bit, then escaped into the fresh air you might survive, but since the gas was odorless, that didn't usually happen. So you had to decide what to do - stay in and die or go out and die. When I discovered I was in a poisoned room, I held my breath and started collecting things to take outside with me--I remember grabbing the Zous to keep them safe. There was an antidote, but since the killers were targetting doctors, nobody knew how to administer it.I suppose I could start that secret band of poisoners. It was highly effective. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Write them down, then what? ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kimura EMAIL: IP: 60.43.74.205 URL: DATE: 11/04/2005 09:00:07 PM One possiblity for a plot, of course, is that this is what they want the doctors to believe; there actually is no such gas, and it's all part of a con scheme on rich doctors:-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: womble EMAIL: jlb@bur.st IP: 202.89.170.137 URL: http://www.logolalia.com/abecedarium/public/G/womble/index.html DATE: 11/16/2005 08:38:24 PM I'm not sure about the short story ending, but it sounds like a fart-under-the-covers-then-cover-the-significant-other-with-the-doona beginning to me. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: No cats BASENAME: no_cats STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 11/05/2005 04:04:33 PM ----- BODY: All of the neighborhood cats, usually stretched out in sunny alleys or hunkered under parked cars watching one another, have disappeared. In their place are signs neatly laser printed and tucked into protective plastic folders explaining that recently there have been a number of incidents where cats have been killed. The causes were not stated, but the signmaker implores people to "Please be careful of your pets and children." It's very sad. I miss the cats. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Someone's knocking them off ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jean EMAIL: IP: 24.51.185.86 URL: DATE: 11/07/2005 12:14:10 AM Very sad about the cats--I hope the children aren't next as the posting suggests. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Yuka EMAIL: yuka_oishi@mac.com IP: 220.108.253.211 URL: DATE: 11/08/2005 08:44:07 PM Saddest news of today. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Beyond surprising BASENAME: beyond_surprising STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food CATEGORY: Food DATE: 11/06/2005 09:21:39 PM ----- BODY: Skinnless kyouho (giant grapes) stuffed with foie gras. Skewered. Breaded. Deep fried. Only in Japan. Only at Hantei. Quite good, though decidedly strange. Check for it on Recipe Thursday soon. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Never would have dreamed up this one. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: V EMAIL: kargokultti@gmail.com IP: 82.181.22.59 URL: DATE: 11/07/2005 04:24:55 AM Foie gras, not fois gras. But I bet it's a typo. So if you fix it, could you please make this comment go away as well. I hate being this anal. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Sayonara BASENAME: sayonara STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 11/08/2005 11:59:02 PM ----- BODY:
One last tickle fight among the Australian Romping Girls
Jo's off to graduate school in Oz after 8 years in Tokyo. We'll miss her tons, but we'll see her at Christmas in Australia and after that, well, she gives us another excuse to visit Adelaide.
Bon voyage!
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EXCERPT:
Jo, we love you!
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL:
IP: 203.144.160.242
URL:
DATE: 11/10/2005 02:57:15 PM
Wow, thats a great photo! See you soon tho!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: LibriVox redesign
BASENAME: librivox_redesign
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 11/09/2005 09:03:25 PM
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BODY:
The new, improved LibriVox page
I just completed a web redesign project for LibriVox and I've never been more pleased with a collaborative effort before. It was nearly effortless, in fact.
I pitched in with the design and CSS coding, Chris in Sydney handled the SQL and server bits, and a bevy of helpful LibriVoxers in Canada and the US tested and critiqued. With everyone's input we made a huge improvement to the site in less than 48 hours. Nary a meeting, not a single phone call and no bruised egos.
The best thing is that the new design makes it easier for visitors to read our free audiobooks. And those with a desire to record chapters with us should have no trouble figuring out how.
And now that we have 10 books completed and another seventeen in the pipe, we should be seeing more traffic.
If you want to join in and read a chapter or two, visit the site, claim a chapter and record!
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EXCERPT:
Two days from "let's redesign" to "ready to launch"
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.170.41
URL: http://japanthings.blog22.fc2.com/
DATE: 11/10/2005 01:56:12 AM
I have been downloading from here since you have joined to them. It is just great! Now I really have to get an Ipod. Yap! I don't have one yet.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pantry list
BASENAME: pantry_list
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/10/2005 06:18:22 PM
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BODY:
Recently, I've run out of some of the basic items in my pantry and I feel naked without them. But before I restock, I thought I'd take stock and see how many different meals I can create with my basics.
In the pantry cupboard:
Borrowing an idea from Danny Gregory at Everyday Matters, I'm planning a sketchcrawl in Tokyo. Come draw in the field and meet other people who like to do the same.
Let's meet on Saturday, November 19th at noon at Kinokuniya Bookstore (out side the ground floor entrance) in Shinjuku.
We'll wander around Shinjuku, get in the way of holiday shoppers, and spend 45 minutes or so at three or four locations to draw what's around us. If the weather is too cold, we'll move indoors--goodness knows there are lots of places to get a coffee in Shinjuku--and sketch what we see out the windows.
A recent outdoor drawing
The sketchcrawl is open to everyone. No experience required.
As Danny said in his invitation to his sketchcrawl in NYC, "I would urge you to bring something to draw on and with and a little folding money to purchase hot libations along the way." Good advice!
Hope to see you next Saturday. Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions or want more information.
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EXCERPT:
Let's draw together in Shinjuku
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Shinagawa View
BASENAME: shinagawa_view
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/12/2005 11:55:17 PM
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BODY:
View of Tokyo from a 24th floor Shinagawa apartment. (Click for larger view)
Congratulations to Egon & Naoko on securing one of the best views in the city.
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EXCERPT:
Nighttime dazzle
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 222.146.123.83
URL:
DATE: 11/14/2005 07:33:30 PM
Is that photo taken from Egon and Naoko's place?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 11/14/2005 07:37:01 PM
Yes, it was taken on Saturday evening from their balcony.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tim t.
EMAIL: tiereu@hotmail.com
IP: 18.139.1.182
URL: http://my.spinsite.com/tteroq
DATE: 11/15/2005 08:06:04 AM
very nice.... great pic. in the best night city in the world.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erra
EMAIL:
IP: 24.215.186.89
URL: http://momentarymadness.typepad.com
DATE: 11/23/2005 08:09:36 AM
Wow- that is beautiful. Is Shinagawa a new property hotspot? As I left Kachidoki was seeing alot of development....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: On the platform
BASENAME: on_the_platform
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/14/2005 10:54:02 PM
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BODY:
I can't think, can't act. I'm waiting for an arrival, but nothing's posted on the board to say when it's due.
All the projects that were going forward have gotten tired of waiting and turned around, impatient to be moving again in any direction, and are heading away.
When the train pulls into the station and my ideas get out, lugging their valises and looking for the redcap, I'll be there with the car at the curb, ready to tumble the suitcases into the boot and drive off to catch the scattered projects and get them back to work.
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EXCERPT:
Nothing's going.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Digging for details
BASENAME: digging_for_details
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 11/15/2005 08:44:24 AM
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BODY:
Xanga profiles of the teens in question
In rural Pennsylvania this weekend, a young man shot and killed his younger girlfriend's parents after an argument over her curfew, then left with the girl. They've been found in Indiana and police are investigating.
And so are the reporters. The Philadelphia Inquirer has discovered the Xanga weblogs of both the young man and the daughter and extracted from them their interests and grammatical errors. Of course, the paper focused on the things that made him look disreputable and her look sweet.
I looked at their sites. They seem to be typical American teenagers. Entirely human.
They both like candy. He hunts deer with his friends. They both like Christian rock music. She plays soccer. He is precious about his hair. She belongs to her church youth group. She doesn't use capitals. He writes in full sentences. They both invoke God in praise.
There's nothing there to foreshadow what happened this weekend.
If I should ever become a criminal or the vicitim of a crime, what might reporters deduce about me from my weblog? Probably all the wrong things. Bad tendencies and good deed are feely intermingled on mediatinker, as well as terrible typing and an inherited tendency toward too many commas.
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EXCERPT:
What does your weblog reveal?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/15/2005 03:35:44 PM
Doesn't seem to be very Christian... I mean the murder of your sweet-heart's parents that is.... Damn I hate hypocrisy
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.39.225.246
URL:
DATE: 11/15/2005 09:11:23 PM
I wonder what Christian rock music is. Slayer? (Satanism is actually very Christian, as it's rebelious only in the context of Christianity:-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 216.222.251.253
URL:
DATE: 11/16/2005 03:55:10 AM
According to a local newspaper article, she had two xanga blogs - of course, they don't release them. Really awful story. Just makes me cringe.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Magic Scissors
BASENAME: magic_scissors
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 11/16/2005 10:08:10 PM
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BODY:
Satin, burnout velvet, chiffon, and cotton velvet for a party dress
I wish I had magic scissors and a team of elvish tailors. But I don't so I'd better get to drafting the pattern for this dress.
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EXCERPT:
A winter frock.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 11/17/2005 12:06:52 AM
Oooh..pretty. Post pictures when it's finished.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/17/2005 04:38:40 PM
That fabric is so lush... I want to run my hands all over the different textures.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Meghan
EMAIL: m.barstow@gmail.com
IP: 222.147.64.48
URL:
DATE: 11/25/2005 03:03:14 PM
Is this for Tokyo High Life Cocktail party? The fabric looks gorgeous and the color... my favorite! If I don't get to see it on Sat, hopefully I will another time.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mint Patties
BASENAME: mint_patties
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/17/2005 10:31:20 PM
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BODY:
When we were little, Mom & Dad would take us to dinner at a nearby motel with a not-too-bad restaurant. The owners befriended our family and my sister and I played outside with their kids while the grown-ups had coffee. I can't remember the names of the kids, their parents, or even the motel but I do remember the mints that Mrs. Motel used to make.
They were tinted pale green, buttery and soft in the middle, and they dried to a slightly crispy texture on the outside. She penned the recipe for us, but it's long gone. This one is simliar, but not quite as good as I remember.
Homemade Mint Patties
makes 3 dozen
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil or extract
2-3 drops green food coloring
Cream the butter and sugar together until perfectly smooth. Blend in the cream, mint oil and coloring. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow to set for an hour or so. Store in airtight container.
UPDATE: Mom sent me the original recipe. The Hide-a-Way Inn mints use a different butter-liquid ratio, but are essentially the same.
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EXCERPT:
Holiday treats from my childhood
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 216.222.251.253
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2005 12:24:39 AM
I have that recipe! It's not long gone at all. Mom gave it to me. Sugarloaf Inn Mints. Want it?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.100
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 11/21/2005 04:32:38 PM
Now it belongs to the ages. I want to try this. thanks.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Come sketchcrawl
BASENAME: come_sketchcrawl
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/18/2005 04:33:33 PM
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BODY:
Gather up your sketchbooks and drawing materials tonight and get ready to come out into tomorrow's sunny, brisk weather to draw!
When: noon - 3
Where: Kinokuniya bookstore, Shinjuku (at Takashimaya Times Square)
My tentative plan is to plop down in the Kinokuniya plaza and draw the grey granite and shoppers, then pack up, grab a coffee, and move towards Kabukicho for some frantic color and bustle, and make one last stop in the greener pastures of Shinjuku Gyoen. If you turn up and have a better idea, then our destinations may change.
See you there?
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EXCERPT:
Capturing Shinjuku on paper.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ferit
EMAIL: ferit@orbay.net
IP: 84.167.155.1
URL: http://www.onbir.net
DATE: 11/18/2005 11:09:50 PM
Hello!
The Japan Bloggers ring is broken. Waaaaaaah!
I think you used to manage the ring with a nice home page. Now its on ringsurf and leads nowhere (only to the ringsurf page).
Please help!
Thanks, Ferit
p.s.: I´d love to take some time out in Shinjuku, but I´m stuck here in Europe! Sorry for using this blog entry for a tech support request.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 11/18/2005 11:19:47 PM
It's MJ from Cerebral Soup who runs the ring, not me. She switched to a new system last month (after several months of announcements you must have missed) so you'll need to re-register your site(s). http://www.japanbloggers.com/
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 3 Bikes, Shinjuku
BASENAME: 3_bikes_shinjuku
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/19/2005 10:56:07 PM
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BODY:
3 Bikes, Shinjuku. 12:05 - 12:50 pm
I had fun on the sketchcrawl, though it was only me and a patient non-drawing Tod (who slipped into Kinokuniya and bought me books as a surprise when I finished my drawing!)
I hope a few more people turn up next time...
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EXCERPT:
A sketchcrawl product.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2005 03:09:10 AM
The idea sounded like fun! But Colorado is a bit far from Shinjuku.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2005 03:34:04 PM
Ash and I went to see leaves in Okutama and there were a bunch of different sketching/painting groups set up all over the place. I thought of you sketching in Tokyo as well.
I wonder if there are "clubs" that advertise on the internet?
If I had any drawing talent (which I certainly do not) I would like to play too. Ash is certainly the most creative in our household..
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 216.222.251.253
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2005 11:58:52 PM
Great sketch! I want to try this sketchcrawl idea. I might start one up here.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Vegetable Life?
BASENAME: vegetable_life
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/21/2005 01:26:21 PM
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BODY:
Edible parts inside.
See also Vegetable Life? on Flickr
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EXCERPT:
Overpackaged salad
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 11/21/2005 06:12:04 PM
vac packed salad - first time I have seen that...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Amy
EMAIL: ecoteat@gmail.com
IP: 169.244.70.148
URL: http://ecoteat.blogspot.com
DATE: 11/22/2005 05:25:30 AM
That is profoundly disturbing.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Let's Drink & Read Ulysses
BASENAME: lets_drink_read_ulysses
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/22/2005 09:44:11 AM
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BODY:
One of my LibriVox assignments needs some help.
James Joyce's Ulysses is being parcelled out to readers. Unlike most LibriVox readings, which are done in a quiet place and edited to remove any mistakes, this one is going to be better if done at a bar, drinking Guinness, with lots of voices chiming in.
Here's a snippet from Wikipedia about the book:
Ulysses chronicles the passage through Dublin by its main character, Leopold Bloom, during an unremarkable day, June 16, 1904. Ulysses is [...] celebrated for its groundbreaking stream-of-consciousness technique, highly experimental prose—full of puns, parodies, allusions—as well as for its rich characterizations and broad humor.It's very funny and I have the best part--breakfast!!! Who wants to help me read my 20 page chunk? We can either take characters (you be Leopold's voice, I'll read his thoughts, etc. I already have a friend lined up to do the meowing!), or you can have a whole page to yourself. I'm thinking about a reading in early December on a weekday evening. At a bar (preferably Irish). I'll buy the first round. Everyone is welcome, even if you think you read terribly or are not sure you'd be good. Sign up in the comments below and let me know what day's best for you. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: A LibriVox project with rough edges ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: David EMAIL: dcozy@jcom.home.ne.jp IP: 203.165.73.229 URL: DATE: 11/22/2005 06:41:58 PM Drinking and reading Ulysses? Sounds like my kind of thing. Up until December 23 when I'll be fleeing the country for the holidays I'll be in Tokyo most weeknights, and am free, as things stand now, any night but December 16. I live in Chigasaki, so doing this somewhere in Shonan on a weekend would also be possible for me (though I don't know if there's an Irish pub hereabouts). Oh, and by the way, I've enjoyed your blog. Joyceanly, ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Susan EMAIL: iziramba@yahoo.co.jp IP: 218.140.162.73 URL: DATE: 11/25/2005 08:02:37 AM Sounds like fun. I recently got involved in Libravox, which I found through your blog. I'll also be around until the end of December and am free most weeknights (except thursdays). Susan ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: MT Upgraded BASENAME: mt_upgraded STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog CATEGORY: About the Blog DATE: 11/23/2005 10:13:56 PM ----- BODY:
Cheers to Tod and a big thanks to MJ for today's upgrade to the most current version of Movable Type, the weblog software that underlies this site and eight others.
Though I believe that you won't see anything different from this vantage point, under the hood we have lots of new bits to play with--including the ability to automatically junk comment spam. So I hope that from here forward you'll stumble into fewer comments touting the latest trends in alchemical wonders and the world's oldest profession.
If you do have any trouble with the site, or discover an oddity, please mail me.
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EXCERPT:
Some site maintenance completed
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Jean Englehardt's Excellent Meatloaf
BASENAME: jean_englehardts_excellent_meatloaf
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 11/24/2005 06:01:30 AM
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BODY:
Jean was a co-worker of Tod's at Weld Tooling back in the early 1990s. This juicy, flavorful meatloaf is one of her specialities. I love all the vegetables that go into it. The pan drippeds make excellent gravy.
The original recipe called for 6 1/2 pounds of meat--enough to feed Jean's extended family and the people who worked in the family business. I've cut it down to feed a more reasonable number of people, but it's still a big meatloaf.
Jean Englehardt's Excellent Meatloaf
serves 8-10
2 lbs ground meat [80% beef (or beef/pork), 20% turkey/chicken]
1 carrot, grated
2 celery stalks, grated
1 green peppers grated
1 onion, chopped (not grated)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
pinch basil flakes
2 pinches MSG
2 pinches oregano
pinch celery salt
pinch ground sage
pinch tarragon flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4 Tbsp oil
1 c Italian style bread crumbs
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 t salt
1 egg
Saute vegetables and spices in oil for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, salt and eggs. Mix in cooled vegetables. Blend thoroughly. Add meats and form meatloaf. Bake at 350 for an hour.
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EXCERPT:
A classic meatloaf.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bursting
BASENAME: bursting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 11/25/2005 10:57:19 PM
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BODY:
The other night I had a dream about a friend blowing soap bubbles for me as I delightedly chased them around a grassy lawn. The bubbles started out small and numerous but he combined them into bigger and bigger bubbles. I caught a silvery-grey one nearly as tall as me and balanced it on my head. It was viscous and slightly rubbery but delicate and thin and it eventually burst all over me. I woke up then, but I was happy.
Dream bubbles
Today in real life I burst another kind of bubble and I must say I'm feeling happier. I've been keeping a secret from one of my best friends for nearly two years but this afternoon I told her everything. Now my good friend is able to put my odd moods and bizarre behaviours into context. I'm not a total nutter, at least not in the way she imagined.
So it seems that dreams can be not only creative springboards, but springboards for finding real-life actions that express the dreams. Although the dream friend who blew the bubbles that delighted me and the real friend who asked me to keep the secret are not the same person, I can see how bubbles (of delight or deceit) that start small can grow into something huge. But they never last.
I don't know if telling my secret will change my creativity. I feel unburdened, but to be honest, I'm a little worried that my self-restraint was partly fuelling my abstract drawings. Without the stress of keeping silent, will I lose my ablity to create as I have been?
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EXCERPT:
Bubbles and secrets.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 11/26/2005 10:02:35 PM
Something else from the "back room" of the brain will replace it, don't worry. (The back room is where all the good stuff comes from...)
What a great dream, and I LOVE your drawing of it, and that you took the time to draw it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 23% Bigger Spenders
BASENAME: 23_bigger_spenders
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/26/2005 11:33:56 PM
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BODY:
As reported by Kyodo News (via Japan Today), Japanese men will be buying their partners better gifts this year. They expect to spend, on average, 23,353 yen (about $195) which is 5,596 yen more than last year's present budget.
Women are also planning to spend more. Though that article indicated women were cheaper, becasue they had only added 3,959 yen to their Christmas budget for a total of 17,008 yen ($142), the ratio is just about the same--a 23% increase to the men's 24% increase.
Armed with the information from this report, I'll bet that the department stores have set their pricing accordingly. Sure enough, the first item on Takashimaya's gift list is a 23,000 yen stew pot, followed up by a 263,000 yen crystal chess set, so there may be some wishful thinking over there at the high end of the department store world.
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EXCERPT:
Another indication that the economy is looking up?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Crazy Artist
BASENAME: crazy_artist
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/28/2005 03:50:35 PM
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BODY:
Walking along the neighborhood shopping street near T's new place yesterday, we stopped to pet a huge shaggy grey cat perched on a makeshift plywood table. At the other end of the table was an older woman, long grey hair pulled back from her face, wearing clothes that looked like they'd been worn a long time. She was drawing pictures in colored pencil.
I have a feeling she is the local character who is a touch crazy but harmless. It's hard to tell in broken Japanese. She seemed happy to chat with us foreigners.
Turns out she's writing and illustrating a children's book. She gave us a plot summary and rummaged through her packrat collection of boxes and art supplies to locate a picture she wanted to show us. She sketched us a rose. I showed her my sketchbook from Paris and we traded compliments.
Despite our 15 minute conversation, we never exchanged names. But I know where to find her, as she seemed to be parked outside her own home--wedged between the fish market and the futon shop. I'll have to go back in a few weeks and find out how her meeting with the publisher went.
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with cats.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.36
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 11/29/2005 08:23:59 AM
What picutres she is drowing? I'm really intereseted in them.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to Throw a Matsuri
BASENAME: how_to_throw_a_matsuri
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 11/29/2005 11:09:57 AM
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BODY:
When we go to Australia next month, we'll be throwing a little summer matsuri in the seaside village of Elliston (population about 200). We want to share the fun of a Japanese summer festival, but what are the key elements and where can you get them?
Looking southwest at 16:41.
With Venus at 16:53.
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EXCERPT:
The early evening sky
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Portabella Cream Sauce
BASENAME: portabella_cream_sauce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/01/2005 09:00:10 AM
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BODY:
Portabella mushrooms are not so easy to find in my grocery store so when I found baby bellas on the shelves the other day, I grabbed them up quick. Here's what I made them into--rich, flavorful, glossy brown cream sauce. I wish I'd made more.
Portabella Cream Sauce
serves 4
3 baby portabella mushrooms, halved and sliced
2 whole sundried tomatoes, slivered
1/2 onion, minced
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
3-4 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 c whole milk, heated
salt to taste
Sautee the onion and sun-dried tomato in 4 Tbsp olive oil. When the onions turns translucent, add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they shrink and turn dark brown. Remove vegetables from pan.
Add the butter and remaining olive oil to the pan. Mix in the flour to form a roux, cooking to a pale nut brown. Add the milk, whisking to remove any lumps. Return the vegetables to the pan and simmer to reduce to about 1/2 the liquid's volume. Salt to taste.
Serving suggestion: over gnocchi with a garnish of shredded prosciutto
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EXCERPT:
Rich mushroom sauce
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ando
EMAIL: Ando@tokyodragon.net
IP: 202.243.162.80
URL: http://www.tokyodragon.net
DATE: 12/01/2005 02:22:00 PM
Thanks Kristen,
I might have the chance to try this soon.
Ando
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 66.33.245.23
URL:
DATE: 12/03/2005 03:10:07 AM
Serving suggestion: Eat from spoon as you lean over bubbling pan, with one eye looking over your shoulder to make sure no one is looking. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 09:17:02 AM
Was it something I said? ;-)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mapping (I)
BASENAME: mapping_i
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/02/2005 10:48:11 PM
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BODY:
For most of this year, I have been playing with map-making.
Some of my maps combine time and space: the last day of the trip to NYC, my trip from Tokyo to Pittsburgh to Paris and back. Some show the tasks I've laid before me. Others lay out the sounds of the space I'm in. I even mapped a really bad sunburn I got over the summer.
For a while I didn't think of these drawings as maps. They were just things I was thinking about and putting onto paper. But in August I picked up Katharine Harmon's You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination and realised that I had been drawing maps for months. The book is filled with clever, intricate, weird, and classic maps that make me feel connected to a long history of map-making.
Now I make a point to draw maps of whatever takes my fancy. Just like I was doing before, only now they have a label.
If you have a gap in your Christmas list, I can recommend You Are Here as an interesting filler that will give you many hours or enjoyable reading and study.
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EXCERPT:
Drawing the things around me
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL:
IP: 221.113.1.32
URL: http://www.antipixel.com
DATE: 12/04/2005 12:58:10 AM
Harmon's book is terrific. I picked up a copy at St. Mark's Books in the East Village in NYC earlier in the year. That book ought to come with a blank piece of paper and a self-addressed stamped envelope so that you can draw the map of how it got to you and send it back to the author for the next edition. I'd like to see all those pathways layered on top of each other.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 70.16.198.250
URL:
DATE: 12/04/2005 03:53:32 AM
like thats my name
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/04/2005 09:37:05 AM
Ha! That's exactly where I got my copy, too.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 3 ku in 5 minutes
BASENAME: 3_ku_in_5_minutes
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/03/2005 11:11:56 PM
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BODY:
Did you know that you can walk out of a station and within five minutes walk from Shinjuku-ku through one ku and into a third?
I'm not going to tell you which station or which ku. Can you figure it out?
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EXCERPT:
A Tokyo geography puzzle.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 69.29.66.254
URL: http://blog.wahlster.net
DATE: 12/04/2005 03:11:09 AM
It has now been 13 years that I left (and only 2 short visits in the meantime), but my guess would be either Yotsuya (+Chiyoda-ku and Minato-ku) or Shinanomachi (+Minato-ku and Shibuya-ku). Difficult to remember which one would allow all 3 in 5 minutes, though. But then I did not know the northern part of Shinjuku at all.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 01:26:44 AM
looks like you could get off at the Nishi Shinjuku Go Chome station on the OhEdo subway line, walk through a little point of Shibuya Ku and then head north into Nakano Ku.
mike underscore rosenlof at indra dot com
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike again
EMAIL:
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 01:32:49 AM
Yotsuya looks similarly near the point where Shinjuku Ku, Minato Ku, and Chiyoda Ku meet. It's hard to tell exactly which of the three stations there is in which Ku.
I'm looking at www.mapion.co.jp to try and figure these out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike again
EMAIL:
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 01:33:40 AM
Yotsuya looks similarly near the point where Shinjuku Ku, Minato Ku, and Chiyoda Ku meet. It's hard to tell exactly which of the three stations there is in which Ku.
I'm looking at www.mapion.co.jp to try and figure these out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rebecca
EMAIL: quilter@att.net
IP: 68.111.219.87
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 10:16:16 AM
My guess is Iidabashi: Chiyoda-ku and Bunkyo-ku (especially from the Yarakucho line?). If I'm right, credit my 16-year old bilingual atlas (Kodansha)...I lived by that thing!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 11:44:06 AM
The "correct" answer, that it, the one I had in mind, is Mike's first one: Nishi-shinjuku-go-chome through Shibuya-ku to Nakano-ku.
However there are definitely multiple "3-ku 5 minutes" solutions throughout the city. Those irregular ku borders are lots of fun! I will take some walks around Yotsuya, Shinanomachi and Iidabashi and tell you if they fit your solutions!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 03:04:45 PM
I did the three ku walk this morning!! Tee hee...
Kristen - you are the BEST.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: consumptive@gmail.com
IP: 203.165.197.73
URL:
DATE: 12/05/2005 11:02:48 PM
my first was yotsuya, as i often travel there for work and have noticed the shinjuku, chiyoda, minato ku trumvariate.
but what about waseda eki? shinjuku, toshima, and bunkyo ku. seen that too.
is there somewher a four? even if you extend it out ten minutes walking? fifteen?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Orrery
BASENAME: orrery
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/05/2005 11:54:00 PM
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BODY:
I want to build an orrery.
You might not know that word, but I'll bet you've seen one. It's a mechanical model of the solar system with planets turning around the sun. It was named after the Earl of Orrery who commisioned a watchmaker to construct a model of Newton's planetary motions in 1700.
Orrery designed by James Ferguson. Adler Planeterium, Chicago.
Nowadays it's easy to find digital ones (Science U, Orrery with NASA images, and Schools Observatory). Most of the beautiful mechanical ones are in museums but there are some contemporary orrery makers (John Gleave and Brian Grieg) and plans available for build-it-yourself orreries made of Legos and others from meccano/erector sets.
Of course I want to make one that isn't of our solar system, but a system of my own invention. And in fact, my ultimate goal is to make one with complex motion--some of the planets have eliptical orbits and they won't all be in the same plane. I know how it will look and how it moves. Now I have to figure out how to do it.
I wish Dad were still here. He'd be good at this.
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EXCERPT:
A mechanical challenge
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2005 05:25:22 AM
He'd be very good at it and would Have loved the challenge.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 12/06/2005 03:33:53 PM
how fabby.. I love it. Metal, cogs and working with screwdrivers. My kind of project.
(Meanwhile, I am a terribly boring cook but great with a spanner. Fortunately, Ash's talents compliment mine as we discovered last night as he cooked up a feast while I put together the cat tree with some home made alterations.)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 216.37.131.38
URL:
DATE: 12/07/2005 10:45:12 PM
I never heard of anything like that! It's beautiful. I'll bet they are amazing to watch. Dad wanted to make a sundial out of stained glass. He was working on that - he would be good at the complexities of this.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Whiskey Health
BASENAME: whiskey_health
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/06/2005 06:49:53 PM
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BODY:
In this month's issue of Health magazine, there are articles on stretches for different body types, a guide to aromatherapy, how to keep your hands and feet warm during winter, and a pull-out section on the benefits of whiskey.
Yes, you read that right. "Relaxing with Whiskey's Fragrance" is the name of the 8-page booklet. It has lovely photos of whiskey in crystal glasses, and many pretty charts proving the benefits of having a good belt after dinner. Did you know that whiskey scent is more relaxing than the smell of the forest? It's a good blood thinner, too, improving circulation (and keeping your hands and feet warmer as a consequence).
There's even a procedure for making the perfect whiskey mizu-wari to draw out the healthful aroma:
What happens when seven people get together to read a section of Ulysses in a bar in Tokyo?
Hilarity ensues. We changed tables twice trying to find a quiet place away from the irritating 80s pop background music but failed. We ordered lots of beer, we rattled the microphone, we (ok, I) tripped over words while reading. But it was such fun that we'll likely do it again.
Here's what we recorded, warts, Bangles, and all:
Ulysses "section 4" 43'25" MP3 (40 MB) Read by David, Kasuemin, Susan, Robin, Tod, me, & Jeremy.
Syd, our official photographer, noticed a poster on the wall at our table--Learn English in Ireland--with a collage of images including a picture of Joyce and the cover of Ulysses. Providence.
If you want to learn more about why we were doing this or if you want to play, too, visit LibriVox and specifically the Ulysses thread in the forums.
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EXCERPT:
A group reading in an Irish pub
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2005 09:48:33 AM
Very nice!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Doug's Mom's Chili
BASENAME: dougs_moms_chili
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/08/2005 09:30:13 AM
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BODY:
We collected quite a few recipes from Doug's mom back in the early 90s. Her chili is one of my favorites and it can be spiced to your preferred degree of pepperiness. I rediscovered this recipe when I was looking for Jean Englehardt's meatloaf recipe. A few other favorites surfaced, and you'll see them in upcoming Recipe Thursdays.
Doug's Mom's Chili
serves 4-6
1/4 c oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1.5 lb ground meat
1/4 c flour
4 T chili powder (or more to taste)
1/2 T onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
2 cans red kidney beans (16 oz size)
2 cans tomatoes, whole (16 oz size)
In a large pot, saute onion in oil until golden. Add garlic. Crumble meat into mixture and brown. Remove pot from heat and add flour and spices. Stir thoroughly. Pour in beans and bean liquid, then add tomatoes (crush them with your hands to break into chunks) & liquid. Stir. Return to heat and simmer 30 minutes or more. Add water if the chili thickens too much. Serve over rice.
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Garlicy, peppery beans and meat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: HumanityCritic
EMAIL: latenightwhatnot@yahoo.com
IP: 70.177.230.44
URL: http://www.nappydiatribe.blogspot.com
DATE: 12/09/2005 08:26:40 AM
Just passing through, cool blog by the way.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rich
EMAIL: rich.henderson@mac.com
IP: 64.136.170.14
URL:
DATE: 12/09/2005 02:21:36 PM
I made this for dinner tonight - in a wok, instead of the recommended large pot, substituting 1/4 inch cubes of steak for the ground beef.
It is the chili formula I've been searching for for years.
Many thanks for the recipe!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mapping (II)
BASENAME: mapping_ii
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/09/2005 01:01:01 PM
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BODY:
A lot of my maps are abstractions of my emotions. What is the state of my heart? My mental state? How am I being influenced by things I think or see or hear or do? It's cathartic and sometimes I don't even know I'm doing it. Idle doodles become outpourings.
Because I am afraid most people aren't going to understand these very personal maps, I don't often display them. But I reluctantly showed my sketchbook to a friend earlier this year with surprising results. He is extremely perceptive and gave me spot-on interpretations, revealing things to me that I hadn't considered. I think he knows me better than myself, in some ways.
Here is an example I will share that is very map-like. I even let my super-ego label it for the benefit of viewers. It summarises and lays bare a lot of emotions and things I've been feeling this year. There's a great deal unsaid, too.
2005 Heart Map click to enlarge
Feel free to interpret in the comments. Just don't suggest therapy or a regimen of drugs, please.
As a creative exercise, can you map out your year in some way?
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EXCERPT:
An example map.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 12/10/2005 09:03:50 AM
Gorgeous.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lauren
EMAIL: lauren.shannon@gmail.com
IP: 219.198.170.91
URL: http://www.fancyglass.com
DATE: 12/12/2005 09:39:53 AM
Hey K. I am going to be leading a mind mapping as art workshop at RBR in May. Would love to hear your thoughts on that kind of thing... and can I use your heart as an example it is perfect!!!
Lauren
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mt. Futago, Kanagawa
BASENAME: mt_futago_kanagawa
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/10/2005 07:53:10 PM
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BODY:
Sayonara
Taking advantage of the beautiful clear day, Tod & I hiked up to the top of Mt. Futago to scatter some of his Uncle Bernie's ashes. We visited it once before* about five and a half years ago to scatter his Aunt Sally. I feel good knowing that now they are together enjoying the view of Yokohama and Tokyo.
Mother Nature has been at work since our last visit, making it difficult to follow the course outlined in Gary D'A . Walters' Day Walks Near Tokyo. A typhoon blew through last year, downing massive trees all along the trail. We navigated over and under them to make our way through but some side trails seem to have vanished and signage is missing. The remaining signs have been helpfully annotated in marker by other hikers, though, so it's not as bad as it might have been.
At the advice of a local man we met near the trailhead, we did not take the route from the top of the mountain to Taura, as the book suggests, because the man said it was badly degraded from the storm. We walked through to Higashi-Zushi instead, which turned out to be shorter and easier than I remember the other way being. At least this time, we didn't get lost.
*I made a video that day--May 4, 2000--including the part where we got lost. You can view it here: 31 (98 MB Quicktime) duration 6'03"
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EXCERPT:
Sayonara, Bernie Zimetbaum
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2005 06:15:39 AM
When did Uncle Bernie die?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2005 07:39:21 AM
Bernie died in early June this year. He was in poor heath from transplant complications, but checked himself out of the hospital to go do his summer arts shows. He had a heart attack while attending an event in in Cinncinati, was taken to a local hospital, and passed away there.
Here's the obituary that Maureen wrote; it's so fitting:
Bernard "Bernie" Zimetbaum
Age 58, of Youngwood, on Monday June 6, 2005. Beloved husband for 22 years of the late Sally (Buchanan) Zimetbaum, he is survived by his daughters, Goldyn Zimetbaum of Honolulu, HI and Amanda (Miller) Smartnick of Ruffsdale, PA; son-in law Eric Smartnick; granddaughters Mallorie and Mercedes Smartnick; three cats Macy, Sheldon and Adia, and favorite dog Miles. He was a wonderful father and grandfather and was a friend to many and all.
Bernie was a sweet, honest and extremely easygoing individual with a lively and colorful soul, a warm heart and an unpredictable spirit. He was an avid collector and lover of music which always filled his home and his vehicles. He enjoyed his time traveling to art shows as the long time owner and original artisan of Mt. Airy Leathers. He was a member of the Central Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and was active in the organ transplant community as a recipient, himself, of two organ transplants. He was a kind and selfless man who will be sadly missed by all of his family and friends. He truly embraced a lifestyle "on the edge" until his last day.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2005 11:46:15 PM
What a beautifully written obituary.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Matt Goerzen
EMAIL: managingeditor@theforeigner-japan.com
IP: 216.36.135.228
URL: http://www.theforeigner-japan.com
DATE: 12/23/2005 09:17:46 AM
This is for Kuri. I'm the owner and managing editor of The Foreigner-Japan, an online magazine devoted to all things Japanese.
I would very much like to have an article written by you about your aunt and uncle who's ashes are scattered on Mt. Futago, and the journey by yourself and Tod to the top of that mountain. I think it would make an excellent human interest story, because I can sense there is a larger story behind this. Why were their ashes scattered on the mountain?
Perhaps I am asking something you might feel uncomfortable doing, but I feel compelled to ask for an article (non-fiction piece) about this.
You can reach me at my email (managingeditor@theforeigner-japan.com, just in case it's not visible otherwise), and also view our magazine at www.theforeigner-japan.com. I hope to hear from you soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Katherine McNally
EMAIL: ladykatemc@aol.com
IP: 205.188.116.67
URL:
DATE: 01/20/2006 03:22:12 AM
I am saddend to hear that the man who crafted thelovely leather pouch that has gone with me on several trips has died. Is any one picking up his craft and is there any chance that some of the stock is left. I am looking for a large size (9 1/2 inch by 8 inch black pouch. If you can help me I would appreciate it very much.
Sincerely
Kathy McNally
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Christine
EMAIL:
IP: 205.188.116.67
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2006 01:30:40 AM
Oh God, I'm so sorry. I kept looking for Bernie at the craft show as I loved his bags and thought he was so kind and fun to deal with.
I'm saddened by his death and wish to send my sincere condolences. I will and have cherish the bags I've purchased from him.
Christine
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Desk with Flowers
BASENAME: desk_with_flowers
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/11/2005 12:06:18 PM
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BODY:
A surprise from a friend this morning.
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EXCERPT:
What goes around comes around.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.175.24
URL: http://japanthings.blog22.fc2.com/
DATE: 12/11/2005 12:20:43 PM
Wao! So nice! and the photo is as great. May I use this one for my desk top wall papaer?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2005 11:27:20 PM
Of course you may use it, though it is rather small. It's funny to think of my desk on your desktop. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 12/11/2005 11:44:39 PM
Happy Anyday! How lovely.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: lauren
EMAIL: lauren.shannon@gmail.com
IP: 219.198.170.91
URL: http://www.fancyglass.blogspot.com
DATE: 12/12/2005 09:36:37 AM
nice way to start the day. happy morning to you!
how have you been by the way?
LS
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 202.220.175.24
URL:
DATE: 12/12/2005 07:29:22 PM
Thank you, and it is done.
Looks very nice in the middle of my screen. Yeah, it is funny to have your desk on my desk top. I now enjoy the lacy shade of the flower most.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tree berries
BASENAME: tree_berries
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 12/12/2005 04:56:03 PM
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BODY:
Delicate winter fruit on Mt. Futago
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Not sure whet they are, except pretty.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 216.37.131.38
URL:
DATE: 12/13/2005 12:49:02 AM
For birds only?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/13/2005 08:46:02 AM
I assumed so and didn't try them. I can't figure out what they are but I like the skin-pink peelings from which they emerge.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to Make a Christmas Tree Out of (nearly) Anything
BASENAME: how_to_make_a_christmas_tree_out_of_nearly_anything
STATUS: Draft
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 12/13/2005 08:53:03 AM
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BODY:
Though the traditional pine is a wonderful addition to the Christmas season, it's not a prerequisite for celebration. For the past 7 Christmases, I've made a tree out of whatever was at hand.
What is the essence of a Christmas tree? It is the focal point of the decorations. Beyond that, you can aim for these attributes:
This is a delicious, simple barbecue sauce and another of Doug's mom's recipes. It's savory and not too hot. I think it is perfect as is, but Doug and Tod used to sneak in a little extra tobasco and chili powder. Either way, it's the best!
Doug's Mom's Barbecue Sauce
makes about 2 cups
1 c catsup
1/3 c worchestershire sauce
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
2 dashes tobasco sauce
1.5 c water
Combine ingredients, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cool.
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Just right for chicken or beef.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 17.255.48.222
URL: http://www.tleaves.com
DATE: 12/16/2005 05:40:09 AM
Your tragic misspelling of "ketchup" has TAINTED the Matrix.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 12/16/2005 08:59:16 AM
I was in a Swiftian mood, forgive me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mapping (III)
BASENAME: mapping_iii
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 12/16/2005 12:00:01 AM
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BODY:
I'm going to close out Creative Perspectives for 2005 with another example of mapping. This time, I've mapped each month's key event--whether it was very good or very bad. There are five bad months and seven good ones. It's a very personal event calendar.
2005 - good and bad. Click for larger view
I tried to abstract the most important thing that happened in each month. Some worked beautifully and turned into lovely little geometric designs or flowing shapes.
On the other hand, a few of these are more concrete than I'd like. July was my trip to Beijing. See? There's Tian An Men, hidden by the red chaos of China. For December, I drew a gallah feather, a gum tree leaf, and one dot for each of the places we'll be visiting in Australia. I should rework both of these without the obvious symbols.
And some are just poorly done. In particular, May was our Golden Week camping trip to Niijima, but I choked for ideas and ended up with little symbols about nature. They aren't even interesting. Definitely need to think harder on that one.
As it turns out, the bad months were much more successful as abstractions than the good months. The good months were mostly about travel and places; the bad months were people problems. I find it easier to abstract emotions than places, I guess.
If you were going to draw out a map of your year, how would you do it?
I wish you very happy holidays and a fresh and insightful new year!
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Is it a map or a calendar?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: To Oz
BASENAME: to_oz
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/17/2005 05:30:00 AM
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BODY:
Click for larger view
We're in Australia for a couple of weeks. We will spend Christmas in Elliston, then tour the Red Center and spend the first week of 2006 in Brisbane. So If I post infrequently or don't get the comments moderated right away, it's because I'm having too much fun chasing gallahs and eating meat pies.
I'll bring back stories and photos!
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Another adventure is at hand
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike_rosenlof@yahoo.com
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 12/17/2005 10:43:10 PM
Sounds like we'll cross paths! My family is doing Christmas in Brisbane, take a few days driving south, New Year's eve in Sydney, a few days in the Blue Mountains and then back to Colorado.
Enjoy your trip!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL:
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 12/18/2005 06:42:01 AM
Have fun and say hi to all for me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Susan
EMAIL:
IP: 218.140.162.73
URL: http://www.livejournal.com/users/ajikan81/
DATE: 12/18/2005 05:56:30 PM
Itterashai!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 144.135.161.139
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 12/19/2005 02:15:00 PM
Hey babe, hope you are having a great time in Oz and ... hang on, i can ask you when you get back from the post run whether you are having a good time or not, i dont need to comment!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 210.49.151.64
URL: http://www.blog.wahlster.net
DATE: 12/23/2005 09:31:51 PM
Have fun. We are in Queensland already, glad to have escaped the Missouri winter. After some time with family we will relax at Burleigh before heading home. Happy New Year!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: LibriVox in Wired
BASENAME: librivox_in_wired
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 12/18/2005 01:19:18 PM
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BODY:
A while back, I and some of the other LibriVoxers (LibriVoxians, LibriVoxites?) were interviewed for a piece in Wired News. It was a great interview via iChat with Cyrus Farivar in the states, but check out the part where I'm mentioned and quoted:
For some volunteers, LibriVox is a way to combine their love of literature with their passion for the spoken word. Kristen McQuillen, 39, has recorded 21 different chapters across nine different books from her home in Tokyo. For her, reading a book aloud to someone can make the work more understandable. "I'm giving people who wouldn't have exposure to some of these classics in a way that's not so intimidating," she said.Hmmmm. Misspelled name and a quote that makes no sense. I'm pretty sure I said another word in between 'classics' and 'in' -- perhaps 'exposure' or 'access.' Ah, well. The article gave LibriVox good exposure. The Web Will Read You a Story ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: More exposure ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: On the Jetty BASENAME: on_the_jetty STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World CATEGORY: The Wider World DATE: 12/19/2005 07:43:31 PM ----- BODY:
Waterloo Bay from the jetty in Elliston, South Australia.
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EXCERPT:
The beauty of the Great Bight
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Elliston Matsuri
BASENAME: elliston_matsuri
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/20/2005 01:55:44 PM
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Jo cooks while MJ, Tod & Tracey chat with some Ellistonians
Our first-ever Elliston Matsuri was a success. Attended by a double handful of local adults and children, we cooked up a feast of okonomiyaki and yakitori, and had enough superballs to keep the entire town bouncing. It was a fun evening for everyone, I think.
Afterwards we spun out the folks at the pub by turning up in yukata and jimbei for a post-matsuri glass of wine. We met a woman and her well-trained dog, Pluto, a farmer and shearer who's lived in Elliston for more than 30 years and another rather blur gentleman who kindly invited us to come to the pub at 9 am on Christmas day for drinks.
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Japanese summer festival mania
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dad's in the ocean
BASENAME: dads_in_the_ocean
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/21/2005 03:29:55 PM
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Waterloo Bay, Elliston
Today I consigned some of my father's ashes to the Indian Ocean in the Great Bight of Australia. He wished to be buried at sea. I hope he doesn't mind that we settled on cremation and scattering a bit of him in the world's waters.
I didn't know until we were planning this trip that Dad had been in Australia as a sailor in the US Navy. Mom sent me this excerpt from a letter he wrote on 6 September 1964 (his 27th birthday) when his ship, the USS Enterprise, was visiting Australia:
Friday evening I went over and looked around Sydney. It is quite a place and has a certain air about it. You would really like it. It's a very young city. The 'old' buildings are less than ten years old and almost everything else is new. It's awfully clean for a large city - 2 1/2 million population - and it has the only decent waterfront I've ever seen. It is a combination of America, England and Europe, all in one spot. There are big supermarkets and small groceries - like in France. There is some night life but not too much. The people are friendly to an extreme. Total strangers can't seem to do enough for someone they've just met and it's not 'put on' either. They really mean it. The Australians take life easy during leisure time and are hard workers all the other time. It's really nice.I'm happy to know I've brought him back to a place he liked. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Ashes at Elliston. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Fran EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net IP: 24.152.217.7 URL: DATE: 12/21/2005 08:42:58 PM and so am I. M ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jennifer EMAIL: IP: 64.111.155.147 URL: DATE: 12/22/2005 02:00:54 AM Oh, Dad's words! You made my day. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: michael EMAIL: mpturner@mpturner.net IP: 68.187.140.159 URL: http://www.mpturner.net DATE: 01/01/2006 02:27:35 AM As another sailor who once sailed on the USS Enterprise (1967-1969), I am happy to see one of my fellow shipmates get his final wish. Sounds like a wonderful way to get to closure and only sailors know the true majesty and beauty of the seas. He will be at peace now. You did a good thing. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Delectable Cookie Torte BASENAME: delectable_cookie_torte STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 12/22/2005 10:30:10 AM ----- BODY:
This is a layered torte -- 14 cinnamon-scented cookies layered with chocolate whipped cream. It's another clasic from the Telerama days--I first made it for Doug's birthday in 1992. It was a great success became the "fancy dessert" of choice anytime Doug was involved in a celebration. It takes a bit of effort and a good deal of time, but it is worth it!
Delectable Cookie Torte
2 c sugar
1.5 c butter, softened
2 eggs
2 T cinnamon
2.5 c flour
3 sq. semisweet choclate
4 c whipping cream
3/4 c cocoa
Cookies: Tear off 14 sheets of waxed paper. Onto one, trace the bottom of a 9" cake pan. Stack the sheets up, and cut out along the traced circle.
In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter, eggs, cinnamon and 2 cups of flour with a mixer on low speed until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat three minutes or until very light and fluffy. With a spoon, stir in the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Moisten 1 or 2 large cookies sheets with a damp towel so that the waxed paper will stick to them. Place one or 2 circles on the sheets and spread with about 1/3 cup of dough. Bake at 375 for 8 - 12 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges.
Allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes, then remove from tray with the waxed paper still on the cookies. Repeat process until all dough is used. At this point you can store the cookies until needed by stacking them and covering with plastic wrap.
Filling: Beat cream and cocoa until soft peaks form.
Construction: Carefully peel off the waxed paper from one cookie. On your nicest cake plate, place the cookie and spread with about 1/2 cup of whipped cream. Repeat with all the cookies, ending with cream on top. Grate the semisweet chocolate squares and pile on top of torte.
Next is the most frustrating part: chill the torte for three hours. This helps to soften the cookies and makes them easier to serve.
Variation: Substitute 1/2 of the white sugar with brown and add 1/2 bag of mini chocolate chips to the dough, omitting the cinnamon. Fill with plain (or chocolate) whipped cream and top with remaining chocolate chips. The dough does not spread as easily and you will have fewer cookies (10 or 11 instead of 14).
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EXCERPT:
A holiday treat
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: doug
EMAIL:
IP: 24.16.75.245
URL:
DATE: 01/11/2006 01:09:07 PM
yes, this thing totally rocked. i can still taste it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/12/2006 11:16:42 AM
It won't be too long before you can teach your children to make it for you, Doug. They will love the whipped cream bit, I always did. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MM
EMAIL: skan@pacific.net.sg
IP: 202.156.6.53
URL: http://thefeastcrusade.blogspot.com
DATE: 01/20/2006 05:45:38 AM
That sounds positively yummy. Will defintiely try it.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Seaweed
BASENAME: seaweed
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/23/2005 02:19:52 PM
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BODY:
Vibrant seaweed
Seaweed sketch
One of the best things I am doing on this holiday is sketching. Not that the results are spectacular, but I've drawn and painted up a storm and will continue to do so until I run out of paper. It makes me stop and look and really pay attention to what makes the landscape and the details different from home.
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EXCERPT:
A photo and a sketch.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Writing Show Interview
BASENAME: writing_show_interview
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 12/27/2005 12:15:23 PM
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Earlier this month, Paula Berinstein interviewed Hugh, Kara, Chris & me about LibriVox for her podcast, The Writing Show. We spent an hour on a Skype conference call talking about books, the challenges of reading and recording, how knitters, ggeks and 30-somethings seem to be interestedin LibriVox (often all in the same person!). And we each read a short selection. We laughed a good deal as we answered questions and overcame minor technical challenges, like Hugh dropping offline and a hard drive filling up.
The show's due out today (the 26th in the US) so you should be able to go there now and have a listen.
http://www.writingshow.com/
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An interview with LibriVox people, including me.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Indonesian Braised Pork
BASENAME: indonesian_braised_pork
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 12/28/2005 10:36:44 AM
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This is not for the faint of heart! We prefer to use homegrown dried chiles in place of the innocuous "crushed red peppers" which is probably what makes it so very hot.
Indonesian Braised Pork
serves 8
4 lb pork, cut into bite size pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 T crushed red peppers
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T lime juice
2/3 c soy sauce
3 T brown sugar
Fry pork, onion, peppers and garlic over high heat until browned (about 20 minutes). Add lime juice, soy sauce and brown sugar. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Transfer to a covered dish and put in warm oven for 30 minutes or until your side dish of choice is done. We usually have rice or lentils with this and sometimes make chapatis, too.
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Hot and spicy main dish
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Three Views of Uluru
BASENAME: three_views_of_uluru
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 12/30/2005 07:27:16 PM
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BODY:
Uluru, afternoon. December 28, 2005.
Uluru, sunset. December 29, 2005.
Uluru, sunrise. December 30, 2005.
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Actually six...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 25 words to ring out the year
BASENAME: 25_words_to_ring_out_the_year
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 12/31/2005 08:13:44 AM
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BODY:
Another year summed up in 25 words, exactly.
This year, a lesson in
How to bear pain and loss.
Travel doesn't cure heartache;
Friends ease the agony.
Healing and peace flow like water.
Past years: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001. Feel free to share your 25 words in the comments.
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EXCERPT:
An annual writing exercise.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 01/01/2006 01:02:09 AM
Awed by kindness from family, friends and community during a journey I never wanted to take. Trying to nestle in a place where I fit.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 202.6.138.34
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 01/01/2006 10:55:04 PM
Choosing, deciding and acting. Shutting down and packing up, making it happen. Perfect love in many tiny doses. Gathering energy to jump, and then jumping.
(And i actually made it 25 words this time!)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jon
EMAIL: jon@wattshome.com
IP: 61.149.8.119
URL:
DATE: 01/05/2006 02:34:53 PM
Full to bursting,
Drained dry,
Symmetrical contradictions - windows in chaos
A glimpse of beauty on the other side
Feeling part of everything
But gobsmackingly knackered
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Happy Spew Year
BASENAME: happy_spew_year
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/01/2006 10:48:52 PM
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BODY:
Tod & I have taken turns vomiting since a dodgy dinner in King's Canyon on the 30th. He had his bad day on new year's eve, I began chucking this evening.
Can food poisoning have a higher meaning? To try to get some benefit out of my first vomiting since 1998, I have decided that it must be an augur or an oracle. Tod's 2005 was one of expelling bad feelings, venting and forgiving. The coming year for me will be one of purging, cleansing and disposal.
I just hope I feel better soon, there is fun afoot in Brisbane and I don't want to miss out on too much.
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EXCERPT:
Food poisoning rings in the new year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.38.62.131
URL:
DATE: 01/02/2006 08:48:54 PM
I got a bit sickly on the new year's day. Apparently there's a way of thinking that having bad stuff will sort of "clean out" your luck for the rest of the year...
Odaijini!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.31.35
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 01/03/2006 11:05:18 PM
Are you OK? I'm sorry you don't feel good. Anyway Happy New Year. I wish your good health!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fajer
EMAIL:
IP: 61.114.200.37
URL:
DATE: 01/04/2006 11:30:53 PM
Best cure for food poisoning would be a "vegemite sandwich" in the morning
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jim O'Connell
EMAIL: mmdc@mac.com
IP: 222.145.158.51
URL: http://jim.mmdc.net
DATE: 01/05/2006 01:45:15 PM
Get better guys!
That's what you get for traveling in strange, third-world countries...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jon
EMAIL: jon@wattshome.com
IP: 61.149.8.119
URL:
DATE: 01/05/2006 02:11:48 PM
sorry to read that you have been unwell.
but i hope you are wrong about the augury of vomitting. If you are right then I'm in for a sustained purge. It gives me more peace of mind to put the retching down to that hackneyed London excuse: a dodgy pint.
Happy new year
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL:
IP: 219.121.31.147
URL:
DATE: 01/07/2006 09:48:50 AM
Happy new year! I wish your health.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Gone Fishing
BASENAME: gone_fishing
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/03/2006 06:57:47 PM
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BODY:
Tod's dapper sunhat brough him good luck
Today we went to South Stradbroke Island for a picnic and some fishing. JIm ferried us over in his motorboat and I spent the day in the shade hiding from the "Extreme UV" sunlight. Everyone else went fishing.
MJ caught the most fish - we stopped keeping track after 9, but it was somewhere around 16. Every time she caught a fish, someone had to take it off the hook for her. But when we got back to home base, she did help to scale them all before we fried them up for dinner.
Tod caught the biggest fish, a fair sized breem.
Yoshi without a fish
Poor Yoshi lost his fish. He reeled it in and it jumped off the hook before I could get a photo. What a shame, it looked really tasty.
I wasn't idle while I sat in the shade; I sketched the beach in watercolors. I'm still having trouble with waves.
South Stradbroke Island, looking west
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Hunting for dinner
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: First Dream
BASENAME: first_dream
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/05/2006 06:12:06 PM
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BODY:
The Japanese believe that the first dream of the year, hatsuyume, fortells the dreamer's coming year. I think I'm going to have an interesting 2006.
I've never flown in a dream before. Tod tells me he can--for him it is like sitting on a magic carpet without a carpet. Other friends say it's like being Superman or a bird. Someone claimed to have taught me how to fly in his dreams, but I've never managed to get off the ground in my own.
Until last night.
It was hard work! My first attempts were simple downward glides but I wasn't exactly falling. Then I learned to control them and change direction. At last, with a lot of flailing and kicking, I figured out how to rise under my own power.
And now I know what it is like. I can still feel the sensation and my center of gravity and balance. Seems like I should be able to do it in waking life, too.
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EXCERPT:
First flight.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Returned
BASENAME: returned
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/07/2006 10:11:26 PM
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BODY:
We're home now. Here are some travel maps I sketched during our trip.
Mad Rush to Australia. December 16-17
I ran about finishing up the last minute details before we left. We met MJ & Yoshi on the Narita Express. Tracey was almost an hour late to meet us at the airport and she had the tickets, so this was rather stressful. We waited in lines, got through security, caught the shuttle across the terminal, dashed for the plane and as we reached the gate, they announced a delay of about 45 minutes. After the flight took off, everyone slept but me, I think.
Into Elliston. December 17-18
Gettting to a small town in South Australia takes a lot of time and conveyances. Each plane was smaller than the last.
Out of Elliston. December 26
Elliston to Adelaide is a four and a half hour trip by car and plane. We spent the night in Adelaide before moving on to Alice Springs, Uluru and King's Canyon. I didn't draw maps of those coach rides, though.
Chuck Map. December 31
Sorry to report that this one speaks for itself. You can click on the image to get a larger view and read the legend.
Homeward Bound. January 7
A quick shower and coffee, followed by packing the van and driving to the airport, where we suffered the usual queues and waits. Then a long, dull plane ride, interrupted by food service. Arrival in Tokyo put us in more lines, then onto two trains before dinner and bed.
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EXCERPT:
Five hand drawn maps
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jean McQuillin
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.185.86
URL:
DATE: 01/08/2006 10:35:41 PM
I'm just glad you are home safely. Can't wait to hear more!--Jean
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/09/2006 06:56:44 AM
The Chuck Map is my favorite. I like how you numbered all the spots. I hope the misery didn't last too long!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: hugh
EMAIL: hugh@dosemagazine.com
IP: 65.94.252.64
URL: http://dosemagazine.blogsome.com
DATE: 01/13/2006 03:21:38 PM
those are really fantastic kristen... heh, seems since librivox is occupying my time so fully, I start spewing out superlatives - generally the same one over and over. the recording was fantastic! the poster looks fantastic! what a fantastic idea! ... i'm not saying they aren't fantastic, but that's currently my fave (wonderful's a bit poncy, superb a bit fancy, spectacular a bit over the top, amazing a bit boring, awesome a bit skater ... one runs out quickly).
but the maps are in fact fantastic.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Wide Horizons
BASENAME: wide_horizons
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/09/2006 08:54:11 AM
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BODY:
For the first time ever, I came home from travel and saw Tokyo as others claim to see it- ugly, grey and dirty. It took me a day to think this through, but I figured out what happened to change my perspective.
Elliston cliffside panorama. (Click for larger view)
Australia is huge and empty. It has vistas - views to the far horizon. Even the cities all have ocean coastline and those that are inland are surrounded by vast deserts and bush. So after a few weeks in Australia, I looked at things in the macro view. I took it all in from edge to edge. And when vastness was too overwhelming, I focused in on tiny details: a desert flower, a lizard, a stone.
Australia was most interesting and beautiful at macro or micro scale, but not so much in between.
Tokyo has few wide open spaces. The horizon is just across the street. Its details are predominantly man-made and drab colored or dingy from pollution. Beauty here is largely in sounds, smells, motion, and time. I will take a few long walks through the city, stopping to sketch and carefully observe Tokyo's details, to readjust myself to finding the visual beauty here.
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EXCERPT:
Readjusting to Tokyo's narrow view
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Susan
EMAIL:
IP: 65.25.229.175
URL:
DATE: 01/18/2006 03:29:54 PM
I always find real beauty in some doorways, and the flowers at entrances of some homes.
But yes, sometimes the ugliness (esp the outside toilet pipes & huge electric connections) just hits you afresh!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Delicious deer
BASENAME: delicious_deer
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/10/2006 09:02:20 PM
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BODY:
Tod & I met for lunch today at an interesting French cafe in Marunouchi. Brasserie Aux Amis looks French--from the red leather seating accented with brass fittings to the drawings and writing penned on the walls. The Japanese waiters speak French. They play French radio quietly in the background. On fair days, there is sidewalk seating.
And ooo-la-la, the menu! Aux Amis offers two lunch specials (1050 yen each) that include a choice of entree and a main of fish or meat. Today's meat dish was roasted Ezo deer served with bacon-simmered potatoes and carrots. It was delicious. I had the pork rilettes for my entree. Meat, meat, meat! Tod had the fish (herb infused steamed suzuki over a creamy cabbage risotto) and started with a tiny slice of quiche lorraine. We finished off our meal with an espresso (210 yen) but were so satiated that we passed on the mocha eclair (also 210 yen).
Next time you find yourself in Marunouchi or around Yurakucho at lunchtime, I suggest you stop in. They have other restaurants and wine bars scattered through Marunouchi and Ginza, and run a small chain of flower shops.
Brasserie Aux Amis
Shin Tokyo Building, Marunouchi 3-3-1 [map]
Tel: 03-6212-1566
Monday - Friday 11:00 - 24:00 (LO)
Weekends/Holidays 11:00 - 23:00 (LO)
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A truly French French brasserie
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bread advertisement
BASENAME: bread_advertisement
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 01/11/2006 07:48:52 PM
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BODY:
This is a page from a South Australian cookbook, published by Argonout Bookshop circa 1945. MJ's stepfather, Pete, gave it to me when we were in Elliston. It's lost its cover and the pages are wrinkled and acid-burned but the recipes are delightful. Expect to see some of them in upcoming Recipe Thursdays.
But what cracks me up is the page opposite this brilliant bread ad.
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EXCERPT:
Who says placement marketing is a new invention?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/11/2006 08:12:46 PM
Hell yeah - I'm going to Australia if those are the sandwich fillings there! (Leave me out of the banana one though.)
I love old cookbooks. Thanks for sharing!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/11/2006 08:13:34 PM
...and "fool value"! Hahaha!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Diabolita
EMAIL: diabolita23@yahoo.com
IP: 67.188.231.24
URL: http://enrichingexperiences.blogspot.com/
DATE: 01/15/2006 05:38:33 AM
Wow. That's frightening. Sugar pushers. For more on bread nutrition, check out my blog: http://enrichingexperiences.blogspot.com/
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Exeter Stew and Savory Balls
BASENAME: exeter_stew_and_savory_balls
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/12/2006 10:08:09 AM
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BODY:
This recipe comes from a cookbook published in Adelaide by the Argonaut Bookshop. Judging by the type, ads and other clues, I'm estimating it was released around 1945, but since the cover and several pages are missing, I can't tell for sure. I've preserved the format and wording of the recipes as they are interestingly casual.
I wonder if this stew was served at the Exeter Hotel on Rundle Street? Perhaps so, though I don't believe it's on the menu these days. All I ever have there is pints of Coopers and packets of Smith's crisps.
Exeter Stew
Two pounds blade steak or chuck steak, an onion (large), 1 oz drippings, 1 oz flour, a pint and a half water, four cloves, one small piece mace, quarter teaspoon pepper, one teaspoon salt.
Cut the onion in thin slices and cook in the hot fat til brown. Add the flour and brown well. Stir in gradually the water, and boil for three minutes. Slightlly cooll and put into a saucepan with mace and cloves (tied in muslin), salt pepper and meat cut into suitable pieces. Simmer slowly for two hours.
Savory Balls
Six ounces flour, one teaspoon baking powder, 2 oz. suet, one pinch salt, one teaspoon chopped parsley, one pinch dried herb.
Chop suet finely, add other ingredients, and mix to a soft dough with water. Form into balls and cook in the stew for 20 to 30 minutes.
UPDATE: I made this with modern ingredients but the same methods as above and the results were excellent. This feeds two people. 300 gr beef, 1 med onion, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp flour, 350 ml water, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 2 whole allspice, 1 piece mace, pinch white pepper, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt. For the balls: 1/2 cup flour, 2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp baking powder, pinch salt, 1 tsp mixed herbs (basil, corriander, herbes de provence)
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EXCERPT:
Spiced beef stew with herbed dumplings
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 01/16/2006 10:49:28 AM
This stew rocked my world. Highly recommended.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2006 08:22:38 AM
Savory balls??? *giggles*
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Changing all the art
BASENAME: changing_all_the_art
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/13/2006 03:29:20 PM
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BODY:
We've renewed our lease for another two years, so it's time to make some changes around the house. Because the sofa is slowly disintegrating, I need to either reupholster it, or buy a new couch, which means I can think of redecorating the living room.
One small thing that will make a big difference in the room is changing the art. There's not a lot hanging on the walls, and even fewer objet on shelves, but what we have is so familiar that it's easy to ignore it.
I think I'll replace the two small ink drawings in the living room with one quite large piece--maybe something I paint myself. Also I've been playing with sheet metal this week and I see possibilities for a sculptural lamp made from the scraps of my current project.
And moving around some of the other photos and prints scattered around the other rooms should give the whole apartment a bit of a lift. Fun!
This project gives me a double creative dose. Not only to I get to design the new look of my interior, but I will be making the works I want. Maybe you can redecorate one of your rooms with some of your artistic endeavors and we can share before/after photos?
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EXCERPT:
From small to dramatic
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2006 08:23:48 AM
I just took down a bunch of poorly framed artwork from my living room walls. Now the wall is just empty, and I'm planning what to do next. It's January in my head and house.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Holiday snapshots
BASENAME: holiday_snapshots
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/15/2006 09:53:52 AM
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BODY:
I edited 3 GB of holiday snaps down to a reasonable number. It may still be too many, but we did so many remarkable things. Did I capture the essence and beauty of the places we saw and people we met?
Elliston, South Australia 78 images + 4 subalbums.
Uluru and King's Canyon, Northern Territory 95 images + 1 subalbum.
Gold Coast, Queensland 39 images.
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EXCERPT:
The photos from Australia
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Kasumigaseki cameras
BASENAME: kasumigaseki_cameras
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/16/2006 07:02:14 PM
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BODY:
To attempt to combat terrorism, Tokyo will install a facial recognition system at Kasumigaseki station, the subway stop nearest the seat of government.
The software, developed by NTT Communications was the hit of last week's Ministerial Conference on International Transport Security. The system can scan faces in just a few seconds and compare them to a database of known suspects. If someone matches, an alarm goes off. Starting in March, every passenger at Kasumigaseki will be photographed, scanned and compared.
This is a stupid waste of time and an invasion of privacy for citizens and visitors.
With half a second's thought if I were a terrorist, I'd use people not suspected - single-serving terrorists - or I'd go blow up locations other than stations. Of course, I suppose just getting around Tokyo without the trains and subways would be an inconvenience, but there are always taxis, rental cars and Shank's pony.
Face recognition is an interesting technology. At My Heritage is a slightly less rude use; you can upload your picture (or anyone's) and during their beta trial see which celebrities you look like. The idea is to develop a database for geneology but it's really rather lame. If you wear glasses, it finds other people wearing similar glasses. If your head is tilted or turned, most of the matches also have tilted or turned heads.
The results from my tests with this photo and this one, indicate I look like Anna Kournikova, Helen Clark, Scarlett Johansson, and Dustin Hoffman. Hmmmm.
I hope the Tokyo trials of the terrorist facial recognition system are more precise.
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EXCERPT:
Who do I match?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pete
EMAIL:
IP: 24.3.56.233
URL:
DATE: 01/19/2006 07:12:41 AM
I matched Imre Kertesz (who's that, Karol Gott (likewise?), Oliver Hardy, Dustin Hoffman, Roland Barthes, Vladmir Lenin, Omar Sharif and Martin Scorsese.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dot paintings
BASENAME: dot_paintings
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 01/17/2006 09:55:45 PM
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BODY:
My dot painting
One of the most wonderful things we did while at Uluru was to take several walks and workshops with Anangu Tours, run by the local aboriginal community. My favorite was the Dot Painting Workshop.
We spent over an hour learning about dot painting: the symbols used in the paintings; the switch from traditional pigments on stone to acrylic on canvas; how the colors are meaningful but differ from painting to painting; and that many of the paintings are maps or textbooks, or just tell stories. Then we got a chance to make our own small paintings. We were encouraged to tell a personal story of our own.
Tod's dot painting
Independently, Tod & I told the exact same story. We had our own ways of telling the tale, but it's the same one, despite how our canvases don't match. Can you tell what it is? I can give you a hint: the C shaped curves indicate people (it's the shape left behind when a person sitting cross-legged in the dirt gets up) and circles symbolise places.
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EXCERPT:
A stab at aboriginal painting
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.102.111
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 01/17/2006 10:25:50 PM
I likes.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/18/2006 02:24:09 PM
They are AWESOME!!! Can you teach me? Now I think that is one type of art even I could manage.
BTW I think the story is that when you drew the paintings, everybody was in different places in Australia. Or it is an itinery of the trip for the different parties in our happy band of travellers.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Crow flight
BASENAME: crow_flight
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 01/18/2006 10:18:47 PM
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BODY:
As I walked out of our apartment building nursing the remains of a migraine, a crow perched on the power line. It took off as I approached.
My street was rather quiet, and I heard not the usual beat of the crow's wings, but the sound of every vortex as air rushed over and under the flight feathers. Struggle, flutter and flight all in one 3 second burst.
It was the most amazing sound. Complex. Delicate. Ear-filling.
Then I passed an idling car and everything went back to normal.
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EXCERPT:
An audio moment.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.38
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 01/19/2006 12:54:38 AM
'Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Citrus-Chili Chicken Balls
BASENAME: citrus-chili_chicken_balls
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 01/19/2006 05:38:14 PM
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BODY:
Thanks to Tod for the inspiration about the sauce.
Citrus-Chili Chicken Balls
makes 80 balls
500 gr ground chicken
1 egg
1 lemon, juiced
1 mikan, juiced
1/2 cup onion, finley chopped
1 Tblsp cilantro, minced
1 Tblsp parsley, minced
1 anchovy fillet, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups panko (bread crumbs)
Olive oil for frying
Sweet chili sauce (rooster sauce)
In a small bowl, whisk the citrus juices, onion, herbs, anchovy salt and pepper. Beat in the egg. Pour over the chicken and mush together with your hands until well-distributed. Add crumbs and mix again. The consistency will be soft, but not too wet--you may need to add more crumbs depending on how juicy your fruits were.
Form into small balls and working in small batches, brown in a little bit of olive oil, then transfer to a baking dish or casserole and bake at 180 for about 15 minutes. Drizzle with sweet chili sauce and toss to coat, then return to oven for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is sticky and brown. Serve with sweet chilli sauce on the side for dipping.
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EXCERPT:
Sweet and sour for grownups
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Color shifting
BASENAME: color_shifting
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/20/2006 06:44:07 PM
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BODY:
As I mentioned last week, I'm about to start redecorating the house a little bit. This week I moved all of the art on the walls through out the house to our little toilet room. It's surprisingly nice to have it crowded there, but the rest of the walls look so bare. I will start on new things for those walls soon.
While looking at sofas and thinking about new decorations, I'm seeing a shift in my color preferences. We've lived with a black leather sofa and greenish rug for the last 8 years, but I keep thinking "dark brown leather might be a nice change, and maybe a copper-colored rug"
So it occurs to me I might be starting a Brown Period. My two coffee cups, for many years a series of green ones (Tod drinks from blue ones), have been replaced with mismatched brown ones. Over the holiday, I dyed my hair dark brown. I considered and tried out changing the colors on mediatinker from purples to browns, but haven't yet found quite the right combination. I notice myself drifting towards browns in clothing, too. at least while window-shopping.
I'm not sure if this is only a fad of mine or if I am really developing a preference for brown over black , green and violet. I hope I figure it out before I commit to a sofa color.
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EXCERPT:
Black to brown.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 01/22/2006 08:21:29 AM
I used to like green a lot. Now my favorite color is red. I own red clothing, a red sofa, red yarn to knit with - red plays a large part in collages I make, and I am generally drawn to all things, well, red.
I think it might be a shift in the same way that older people are drawn to sweets. Red is a kind of eye candy for me as my sight shifts from youthful 20/20 to middle aged (!!!!) not so 20/20.
Brown and copper sounds like a warm combination for a living room. Very inviting.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 01/23/2006 03:39:40 PM
Brown looks great when accented with mint green or turquoise. It gives it a great lift.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: White white white
BASENAME: white_white_white
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 01/22/2006 10:17:43 PM
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BODY:
Snow, early Saturday morning.
It snowed, beginning at 4:01 am on Saturday morning (I know because my dear friend called me to say so) and ending on Saturday night sometime after pitch black set in.
Between those hours, we saw about 10 cm of snow fall on the city. I built a snowman in the park and watched the guard smile at it as he shut the gate for the night. I threw a snowball at Tod and watched him frown. I made cocoa from a bar of Cote d'Or Noir et Noir and enough milk to turn it milk chocolate-y. I opened the curtains in the living room and watched the snow fall.
Today the city was bedraggled white and grey. Shop owners took to the sidewalks with brooms, construction shovels, and hammers to break up the ice on the sidewalks. I slid down the hill, until I realised that the sunnier side of the street was melted clear.
More snow, please.
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EXCERPT:
Never lasts long around here.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sorn
BASENAME: sorn
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
CATEGORY: Wonderful Words
DATE: 01/23/2006 06:57:59 PM
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BODY:
I stumbled across this while looking something else in the online dictionary. It seems to me a few of my friends already know this one. Not that I ever mind--everyone's welcome at Chez McQuillin.
sornAnd looking up Sorehon, I found:
v. i. [See Sorehon.] To obtrude one's self on another for bed and board. [Scot.] --Sir W. Scott.
sorehon----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Two new old words. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: MJ EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net IP: 219.117.192.165 URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net DATE: 01/27/2006 10:16:51 AM Yes and the next time I get drunk and miss my train and crash at Chez McQuillan I'd like ice in my water please. And a twist of lemon. (~^) ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Memoir: How Tod & I Met BASENAME: memoir_how_tod_i_met STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 01/24/2006 10:09:38 PM ----- BODY: My sister is leading a series of memoir-writing workshops in Wilkes-Barre and posted some hints about how to write memoirs on her weblog. I thought maybe I'd try some of her ideas and see how it goes. So here is the story of me and Tod in the early days. It's rather long, so I'll serialise it. How Tod & I Met It's kind of embarrassing to admit that you met your future husband in a shopping mall, but I did. We worked across the hall from one another in Station Square on the South Side of Pittsburgh. I spent my evenings and weekends dusting the crystal ornaments and glass shelves at World's Treasures and enticing blue-haired bus tour ladies to buy cloisonné accessories for their granddaughters. Tod worked at Bannertalk, where he sold mugs and buttons and in between wrangling customers into the path of the shop's camera, he wrote the printer drivers to print video stills on the merchandise. We worked across the hall from each other for quite a few months--at least a whole summer. I heard "She Blinded me with Science" playing over there regularly but that was about all the awareness I had of Bannertalk or Tod. On the other hand, he had his eye on me. One evening, as I was hauling the trash across the mall to the dumpster past the Bannertalk counter, he called out to me, "You look like you're having a bad day..." I glared at him and replied "I am" then continued on my way to the service entrance. I don't remember exactly what sort of bad day I was having, probably something related to not having enough food and a class full of naughty children to deal with all day. Whatever it was, it was not enhanced by some strange boy talking to me. And he did look like a boy in the white lab coat that was the shop's uniform and his goofy red framed glasses. He also didn't eat enough and was extraordinarily thin. Daneen, the manager at World's Treasures, laughed about how nobody knew how old he was and how he hit on all the girls that came by. Nobody might have known his age, but everyone in the mall knew Tod (except me, apparently). He was gregarious and fun. As we began to date, I learned that we could not walk through Station Square without several people stopping to say hello or waving from their registers. Tod said that he had a gift for talking to people at whatever level they liked. I guess he struggled to find my level, because he wasn't reaching me. But it wasn't long after his first attempt to strike up a conversation that Tod had another chance. I was having my 15 minute dinner break at the Coffee Express just next to Bannertalk. I bought a small cup of the hazelnut flavored coffee that they always had on the burner, and ate some leftover rice I'd carried with me from home. "Do you always eat yogurt with chopsticks?" he asked. "No. It's rice." I don't recall the conversation going a lot farther than that. I was not much of a conversationalist at age 22. I wanted to eat my rice and get back to the feather dusting. But Tod was undaunted and a few days further on, he asked me if I wanted to go to a Skinny Puppy concert. "No, thanks. But it's a shame my sister isn't around. She likes Skinny Puppy." Oooooh, smackdown. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: The first few weeks. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jason Cha EMAIL: jjcha@post.harvard.edu IP: 68.173.16.57 URL: http://www.jjcha.net DATE: 01/29/2006 05:37:27 PM Hey kuri-san, I always wondered how you and Todd got together. Who would have thought it would be as random as meeting at a mall? And Pittsburgh for that matter? I'm glad it happened. I always thought two you were the sweetest couple. Best, -Jason ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ken EMAIL: emailme@home.com IP: 65.129.198.21 URL: DATE: 01/30/2006 03:18:46 AM Hi - nice stories and all. But may I comment - when I first saw Tod in a Tuxedo, I took him for a woman. I'm sorry about that, I never meant any disrespect, but I've seen many woman who have that same look. Either way, it doesn't matter - as long as you love the person, be it a man or a woman - that's what really counts. Have a good life together. Share and share alike. Good Luck. Someone who searched on the word "Frockery" and found your websited. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Memoir: Our First Date BASENAME: memoir_our_first_date STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 01/25/2006 10:33:11 PM ----- BODY: In the previous installment, you learned how Tod struggled against my brusque manner and disinterest. Now find out what happened when he got me alone. Our First Date Tod didn't give up. Within a week or two, he hit on a plan I couldn't refuse. After work on Sunday, when the mall closed at 5, we'd go take photos on the South Side. Great idea, only it was early November and the sun set at 5:11 and by the time we'd closed up our shops, it was too dark to take pictures. So we walked across the Smithfield Street Bridge and went to an artsy movie theatre downtown. I still believe that what we saw that night was the world's most boring and pretentious film. Some avant garde famous guy invites all his friends to make a movie about nothing. That's what it was. It was so bad that we left before it was over and to this day I cannot remember what it was called. It was still early, so we cast around for something to do, but downtown Pittsburgh is not known as a spot of delight after five on a Sunday. No comment about when it might be a spot of delight--it did have its moments, but not on Sunday night. Tod suggested that we go up to Mt Washington where he lived. I agreed, to his surprise, and we walked back through town and across the bridge to the incline. As we were threading our way through the unfamiliar streets of Mt. Washington, I mentioned that I'd never find my way back to catch my bus home. Tod paused a moment, cocked his head and said, "I'm surprised you're coming with me. You really don't know anything about me. I could be insane. I could have a machete in my wall." "I don't think so," I said, assessing his wraith-like face and innocent smile. "I doubt you have a machete in your wall. I'm pretty safe." "I *do* have a machete in my wall, though!" he protested and we continued in this vein for the rest of the walk to Dilworth Street. The second floor of #25 was definitely a bachelor apartment. It was a mess. Piles of pizza boxes sat in various corners. The rooms were dingy and smelled of unwashed laundry. There was a sofa in the kitchen. The refrigerator was taped shut and a warning in indelible marker threatened bad thing if it were opened. Tod explained that something had exploded in there and the mold had gone wild. The fridge hadn't been opened in months. And there was a machete in the wall. Tod spent the next hour or two playing me all the songs he liked--mostly things I've never heard of but I still have a great fondness for Allison Moyet's Ode to Boy. Then the phone rang. It was Dave, the roommate who had planted the machete into the wall. He and Tod were old friends and Dave had mysteriously disappeared from the house a week before (after the machete incident). So there was much catching up to do. I listened with half an ear and kept an eye on my watch. Despite that, I missed my last bus. So Tod & I stayed up all night, talking and laughing and listening to more music. I caught the first bus in the morning, took a quick bath at home and went to spend a day doing student teaching. Thankfully I had the night off from work. But I had no respite. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Us and the machete. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 01/26/2006 02:59:49 PM >The fridge hadn't been opened in months. Could explain why Tod was so skinny at the time.. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 01/27/2006 07:50:20 AM I LOVE this story! Thanks for sharing it. More, more!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: gen EMAIL: gen@kanai.net IP: 211.2.219.102 URL: http://kanai.net/weblog/ DATE: 01/27/2006 06:29:08 PM Wonderful writing :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: axel EMAIL: IP: 217.189.165.211 URL: DATE: 01/28/2006 04:15:18 AM you should really go full lenghth with this - portrait of a media tinker as a young woman, or maybe kurious as a titel, but please give us more stories from your life before Kristen's Japan. come to think of it i should reread michael chabons "secrets of pittsburgh". ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jonathan and Sachiko EMAIL: IP: 210.231.16.179 URL: DATE: 01/31/2006 08:59:05 PM You have a wonderful memory for the dialogue; I can just hear you and Tod saying those things. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Blue Cheese Cheesecake BASENAME: blue_cheese_cheesecake STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 01/26/2006 09:04:09 AM ----- BODY:
noun [Corrupted from sojourn, Scot. soirne, sorn.] Formerly, in Ireland, a kind of servile tenure which subjected the tenant to maintain his chieftain gratuitously whenever he wished to indulge in a revel. --Spenser.
This recipe came about after a discussion with Adrian, a friend and former coworker of Tod's. He'd had a bad experience with a too-blue blue cheese cheesecake, but we agreed that if you toned it down, blue cheese might be a good enhancement for a cheesecake. And it is.
I started my experiment with the Three Cities of Spain cheesecake recipe from Gourmet and embellished it with blue cheese and dried cranberries. I considered walnuts on top, but they were too polarizing. There are still improvements to be made; Jeremy discovered how difficult it is to cut throught he cranberries (they bored tunnels into the cake). Next time I make this, I will create a sauce of dried cranberies to serve on the side.
Like most cheesecakes, this one needs a good long time to chill. Starting the night before is a good idea.
Blue Cheese Cheesecake
serves 10-12
crust
15 McVities digestive biscuits (~140 grams)
6 Tblsp butter, melted
1/4 c sugar
pinch salt
Crush the digestive biscuits (or graham crackers). Mix with the sugar and salt. Add the melted butter, working through with fingers. Press into the bottom of a well-buttered springform pan.
cake
750 gr cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c sugar
12-20 dried cranberries
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next. Mix in the sugar and vanilla. Arrange the dried cranberries over the crumb crust so that each finished slice will get a berry. Pour the cheese mixture over the crust.
Bake at 180/350 for about 45 minutes. The cake will be done around the edges, but wobbly in the middle. Remove from oven and top with:
topping
400 gr sour cream
2-3 Tblsp mild blue cheese (danablue works well)
1 Tblsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c dried cranberries
Cream the blue cheese, then stir together with the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Drop by spoonsful around the edge of the cake, spreading towards the middle. Sprinkle with dried cranberries. Bake for another 10 - 15 minutes.
Allow cake to cool to room temperature, running a knife around the edge to release it from the sides, then refrigerate for 6 hours in the pan. Remove pan when the cake is completely set. (If you take the pan apart before the topping sets, it will run down your arm and burn you. Please learn from my mistake.)
The cake is even better the next day, if there is any left.
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EXCERPT:
A surprising combination of sweet and savory.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dr Dave
EMAIL: drdave@unknowngenius.com
IP: 87.88.125.171
URL: http://unknowngenius.com/blog/
DATE: 01/26/2006 10:15:20 AM
OK, and for those living in a cranberry-impaired country at the moment (yes: those exist)... Do you think something like blueberry would do? Go plain?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 01/26/2006 12:41:18 PM
The cranberries imparted a nice tartness to contrast with the cheese. Blueberries are sweeter but still might work. I'd orginally imagined walnuts as part of this, but was dissuaded. Still, I think they'd be worth a try.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Adrian
EMAIL:
IP: 219.1.174.120
URL:
DATE: 01/27/2006 04:47:32 PM
This blue cheese cheesecake sounds much more palatable than the one I tried. My first, and so far only, foray in to such a cheesecake happened many years out on a lonely highway in Australia. The only foodie place I found out there was a cheesecake and being a lover of blue cheese, usually, I could not resist the temptation to select it from their menu. Oh what a choice though. It was disturbing. To this day it still disturbeds me. That said, Kristen's recipe entices me and so I will venture forth and try again. Thank you Kristen for releasing the bonds of my past experience!
Adrian
b/w Maple pecan is another good one to try.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 40 x 365
BASENAME: 40_x_365
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 01/27/2006 06:58:28 PM
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BODY:
My friend, Dan, one of the most exuberant and creative people I know, has just celebrated his 40th birthday. To mark this milestone, he launched a new project: 40x365.
Every day for the next year, he will publish 40 words about someone that he knows. "But not just anyone, it's got to be someone I've actually met in person, someone whose name I still remember, and someone who was interesting." He suggests that we all try to list 365 people from our own lives. Good idea.
My list came pouring out up to about 100 people, then I faltered, flailing like I do when I am in a bookstore ("What was the name of that author? There was that book, I read that review..."), but promised I'd pick it back up in a day or two, and haven't yet. I still have a few months before my own 40th birthday, so there's time. I won't wait too long. 365 is a lot of people, even when you travel and live in a place where interesting people come and go all the time.
The handful of Dan's vingettes that are already online are little gems. I particularly like this one:
Betsy said, the day we met, she hated the fact that every boy she introduced to her roommate ended up falling for her roommate. I was so swept away by Betsy I promised I'd be the exception. I was wrong.Brilliant. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: A writing exercise to last a year ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Dan Waber EMAIL: dwaber@logolalia.com IP: 71.161.241.193 URL: http://www.logolalia.com/40x365/ DATE: 01/28/2006 02:06:50 AM I do hope you decide to play along--I'd love to read yours. The hard part is making the list; after that the writing is not just easy, but, a very helpful kind of exercise in saying as much that's individual as you can in that small space. And, in the end, you realize how many really great people are in your life. It's a blast! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Keith Fox EMAIL: zenlibra@yahoo.ca IP: 69.195.44.168 URL: DATE: 01/29/2006 01:43:12 AM That little vignette is brilliant. It could be the opening to a novel. I wonder how many people a shut-in like me can come up with? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Susan EMAIL: IP: 68.163.166.161 URL: DATE: 02/19/2006 12:08:21 AM Wow, that is such a great opening line. Could we hear the rest of the story, please? ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Memoir: Our Second Date BASENAME: memoir_our_second_date STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 01/29/2006 10:21:23 AM ----- BODY: The story so far: Tod saw me and decided he liked me. He persisted in asking me out until I agreed. Our first date kept us up all night. Now here's the second date--a continuation of the same day. Our Second Date During school hours, probably in the midst of third grade science, I got a phone call. I'm not sure exactly how that happened, but I know that Tod called and told me that he'd had the day off and had borrowed his friend Rob's car. Would I like to go to dinner with him at his parents' out in the suburbs that night? It was his mom's birthday. Sleep deprivation may have had a part to play in my answer. I said yes. At 5 pm he picked me up from my apartment in Carrick--a neat and tidy place, sparsely furnished--in Rob's hand-me-down luxury car and drove us to a posh suburb south of Pittsburgh. Tod's parents were charming and fun-loving. They welcomed me warmly, but thought he'd been keeping me a secret. They had no idea we'd only just met. I probably wasn't very good company that night, and I nearly fell asleep during dinner as puns volleyed across the table. After the cake and presents had been dispatched, I sat on the floor at Tod's feet and smiled as he relaxed in his dad's blue recliner. I listened and laughed but started a precedent for not taking part. I don't remember much of that night, but Tod & I were inseparable after it. We saw each other every day. We took our breaks together at Coffee Express. I added my Jennifers to his numbered list (Jen Zbozny (#13) and my sister(#14)) and got to know his friends and many of the Jens. He wrote me poetry. I wrote him doggerel. We were sweet on each other. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Meeting the parents ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com IP: 24.173.100.4 URL: http://www.zanthan.com/wordsintobytes DATE: 01/31/2006 09:48:07 AM It occurs to me that in this case, and when Tod first said hi to you and you growled at him, that he was seeing you as yourself--not with you best face forward. He took a liking to you for who you are, without any facade. Maybe that's why it worked. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Memoir: Moving In BASENAME: memoir_moving_in STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 01/30/2006 10:13:59 AM ----- BODY: From reluctant love interest to inseparable partner, I was soon ready to save time and money by living together. But not without some drama. Moving In Before long it was the end of my last semester at university, and Christmas to boot. I graduated without ceremony, quit my job at World's Treasures and went home to spend the holidays with Mom & Dad. It was the first time in six weeks that Tod & I had been apart but we had a plan for when I got back. I told my parents that when they returned me to Pittsburgh in January so I could start job hunting, I'd be taking my things to Tod's apartment and winding up my lease on the Carrick place. Mt. Washington was more central to the city and the rent was very low. We could share the costs and have enough to live on even while I looked for work. Mom offered to pay my rent in Carrick. She thought I was making a mistake. My previous boyfriend, Sam, had broken my heart. Wouldn't Tod do the same? She didn't want to see me get hurt again. The intention was kind, but I refused her offer. The weeks passed with a couple of phone calls to and from Tod, and then we were off to Pittsburgh. I knew that Tod & Rob had promised to clean up the Dilworth apartment before we got there. Turns out they stayed up all night taking care of things. We dropped off my bags and I gave a quick tour. It wasn't as much of a disaster as it had been, though I'm sure its unmaintained bedraggledness didn't impress anyone. I was excited to show off the quaint rose papered attic space, but when I turned the corner to the door, I saw I warning sign: "Do Not Open!" But I was compelled to peek in. Fortunately, I managed to slam the door shut before anyone else could see, and before anything escaped. Tod & Rob had filled the stairwell with everything they'd tidied up--including a meter-high ball of "trip shit," wide ribbons of negative image refuse from Bannertalk's four color thermal printer. It had formerly decorated the ceiling and walls of the living room. We safely escaped Dilworth, and had arranged to have dinner at Station Square, so Tod could join us after work to meet my family. Rob, who worked at the CD shop down the hall, came by first and completely charmed my parents. Rob was a handsome young man from a good family--well-mannered, a beautiful voice, sparkly brown eyes, and good sense of humor. Any parent would love him. I don't think he stayed with us too long, but a few minutes was all it ever took to connect with Rob. Later, quite a bit later than we'd figured, Tod arrived at our table. He was gangly, goofy and a little nervous. Did he make a good impression? Whether or not he did, it didn't matter because we were together and I was delighted to see him. But I wonder what my parents said in the privacy of their hotel room that night. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Still not so tidy ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 02/01/2006 08:50:27 AM I remember that wallpaper attic. I loved it. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Memoir: Engaged BASENAME: memoir_engaged STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 01/31/2006 10:34:28 AM ----- BODY: Now here we are, living together (in sin, oooooo!) in Tod's ratty old apartment. How did we go from that to married? Engaged We never really proposed to each other. We had lived together from the time I finished up my degree, and simply slipped into the idea that we'd be getting married. No questions asked. We broke it to our parents in the summer, eight or nine months after we'd met. We visited my parents across state for the weekend and on Sunday morning after breakfast, I stopped my mother from clearing away the dishes. "Hold on a minute, I want to tell you all something." My parents and sister looked at me with curiosity. "Tod & I are going to get married." There was not a lot of fuss or surprise. Some quiet congratulations, a few questions as the dishes were carried out to the kitchen. It was oddly low key. Then we told Tod's parents. Low key it was not. After dinner with the family, Tod worked up the courage to blurt it out. 'My BAAAABY!" was Jean's response, rushing towards him protectively. She cried. I blushed. Oh, my. Thereafter it was referred to as "dropping the bomb on the family." Looking back, I get the feeling that nobody was particularly thrilled about this decision. But it didn't really matter. Tod & I were happy together. If the families were taking secret bets on how long we'd last, I wish I'd gotten in on it... ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: No questions asked. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: nicky EMAIL: gia-nicole@xp.wind.jp IP: 218.223.54.194 URL: http://ureshiidesu.typepad.com DATE: 01/31/2006 05:27:51 PM thanks for sharing - such a beautiful story! looking forward to the next chapter... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 02/01/2006 08:48:23 AM You told me (in a letter) before you announced it to the family. I still have the letter! I SAVED! Haha! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Tommy EMAIL: drinknkill@yahoo.com IP: 209.97.197.100 URL: http://www.headtopform.com/ DATE: 02/01/2006 09:06:59 PM The decision is timely and appropriate.You should be an example to the world. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Wet quake BASENAME: wet_quake STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 02/01/2006 10:19:17 PM ----- BODY: Is it possible that earthquakes happen more often when it rains? I know that's sort of like saying "every time I wear my blue underpants, the bus is late" but hey, I'm just throwing out a hypothesis. Today was cold and soggy. This evening at 8:30, we had a nice shake, a magnitude 5.1 centered in Chiba-ken, just a couple dozen kilometers away. The previous earthquake felt in Tokyo was on Saturday, January 14th. K and I were having a drink at Face Cafe, watching the trash float down the river near Ochanomizu Station. The tremblor at 3:30 was a 4.5 in Ibaraki-ken. I mentioned the rain connection, and we talked about it a while. Maybe the wet ground transmits the shaking more. Maybe we're usually inside when it rains, and it's easier to feel earthquakes indoors. Maybe it rains because there is an earthquake coming. We didn't come up with a solid answer but I've learned I'm not the only person to wonder about this. There's a Q&A from the US Dept of Energy, though they pretty much dispel the idea. I think it would be fun to get data on earthquakes and the weather then correlate it to see if I'm experiencing cognitive bias or if there might be something to this idea. Or maybe I simply should stop wearing the blue underpants. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: A rainy shaking ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 02/02/2006 07:22:24 PM Just stop wearing undies altogether - that way when the big one happens there is nothing to soil. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com IP: 211.29.12.83 URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 02/02/2006 10:20:00 PM Ive wondered about this too, and i like the "inside where its easier to feel it" hypotheisis... ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Canadian War Cake BASENAME: canadian_war_cake STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 02/02/2006 06:49:05 PM ----- BODY:
This is a recipe from an old cookbook published in Adelaide by the Argonaut Bookshop. Probably around 1945, but since the cover and several pages are missing, I can't tell for sure.
The recipe is for an eggless, butterless, milkless cake, but it isn't vegetarian as it uses lard for levening. It's made by boiling and baking, and though I haven't tried it yet, I suspect it comes out rather dense.
Unfortunately like many old recipes, quantities are a bit sketchy--how much was a "packet" of raisins in Canada during the war? Two ounces, like the little boxes of Sunmaid raisins we can still buy today? A bigger box?
I did some researching on the 'net to discover the correct measure, but this trivial tidbit is not surfacing easily. I wrote to Sunmaid to see if they could tell me (they've been making raisins for over 90 years) but the reply was only a variation of this same recipe--with the quantity "1 box seedless raisins"
I may have hit paydirt, though. M.F.K. Fisher wrote the delightful How to Cook a Wolf in 1942 and includes a War Cake recipe. The ingredients list 1 cup of raisins or other dried fruits. The excerpt I found doesn't include method, just ingredients.
I've included all three recipes for your reference.
Canadian War Cake (Argonaut recipe)
"large cake"
2 c brown sugar
1 packet seedless raisins
2 c hot water
2 Tbsp lard
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp hot water
Boil the sugar, raisins, lard, spices and salt in two cups of water. Allow to boil five minutes. Remove from heat and cool. When room temperature, dissolve baking soda in 1 teaspoon hot water. Add to mixutre. Stir in flour.
Bake in a "meat tin" (a loaf pan?) for 40-50 minutes at 375/190.
CANADIAN WAR CAKE (Sunmaid recipe)
3 layer cake
2 c. light brown sugar
2 c. cold water
4 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 box seedless raisins
4 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1 c. hot water
No eggs
No milk
Cook sugar, water, butter, spices and raisins for 5 minutes. Cool and add flour. Put soda in 1 cup hot
water and add to above mixture. Beat well, bake slowly 325 degrees. 3 layer cake.
ICING
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. butter
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. black walnuts
1 c. cold water
Cook butter, sugar, milk slowly until it forms a soft ball. Remove from heat, add vanilla and nuts. Beat
until thick. Spread on cake.
War Cake (M.F.K. Fisher recipe)
1/2 cup shortening (bacon grease can be substituted)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon of other spices: cloves, mace, ginger
1 cup chopped raisins or other dried fruits such as prunes or figs
1 cup sugar, brown or white
1 cup water
2 cups flour, white or whole wheat
1/4 teaspoon soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
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EXCERPT:
Three versions of an eggless, butterless cake.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 216.222.237.90
URL:
DATE: 02/02/2006 10:57:24 PM
MFK Fisher's "The Gastronomical Me" is a great book too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anna
EMAIL:
IP: 68.69.246.244
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2006 03:39:41 AM
The Cockeyed Cake is a chocolate "war" cake from the I Hate to Cook cookbook, by Peg Bracken. It is eggless and butterless, using oil for the moisture, and vinegar and baking soda for leavening. Now I would use coconut oil instead of nasty vegetable oil, though.
It is an excellent, easy (no bowl, mix in pan), inexpensive cake, delicious, moist cake that I have been making since I was a kid (& won a cake contest with it twice, too!). Just be sure to consume it within a few days and if you bake it in an aluminum pan, remove it or else it will react and taste metallic.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Power of a New Pen
BASENAME: power_of_a_new_pen
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/03/2006 09:55:42 PM
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BODY:
Last week I found myself in a favorite art supply store to buy some new technical pens. I've worn mine out with all the drawing and travel (pens do not survive many air trips before they get all splurty or dried up).
In the section of disposable technical pens, I found a brush pen with the same ink as my favorite pens. So I bought one to try.
And what a change it brought to my drawings. For the surprises I find myself putting on paper (I won't call them mistakes) make me feel more like I'm painting than penning. The variation of thickness and thinness (not always intentional) is great fun and has led to interesting and lively drawings.
Here's one that made me realise that the pen is influencing my drawing style:
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EXCERPT:
A new pen changes my line and eye.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike_rosenlof@yahoo.com
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 02/03/2006 11:21:27 PM
Nice drawing. After your other work I've seen here, I wouldn't have recognized this as yours. The style is so different. Fun!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Metal Bird Masks
BASENAME: metal_bird_masks
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 02/05/2006 10:32:01 AM
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BODY:
Copper and brass bird masks
I fashioned these masks for a masquerade ball we attended last week. They are rustic but elegant and not too difficult to make. And if you are careful not to dip your beak in it, you can sip a glass of wine or champagne while wearing your mask.
If you'd like to create one of your own, allow four or five evenings to cut, file, and assemble the mask. The cost of materials for two masks was under $20 (in Tokyo), not including tools.
Materials & Equipment
.2mm copper sheet
.2mm brass sheet
.45 mm copper wire
1.5 m soft ribbon
felt (optional)
pattern (2 MB PDF file)
construction paper
scissors
permanent marker
tin snips
drill with 0.8 mm bit & 2.5 mm bit
metal adhesive ("super glue" type)
paper clips (plastic covered ones prevent scratches)
large binder clips
half-round jeweler's files, medium and fine
needle-nose pliers
wire brush
barbecue tongs
salt
gas flame
cold water
Design
I tested a few designs with paper, cutting them to fit my face, before I started in on the metal. The pattern I've provided is my original and you can see the marks I made on it as I worked out the shape. You will need to adjust it for your own face, especially the width of your nose and size of your eyes. If you adjust the nose area, don't forget to reshape the beak to fit.Cut
Trace the paper pattern onto the metal sheets with permanent marker. Cut the metal using tin snips. Use your larger bit to drill starter holes for the eyes and inside of the top feather, then trim them out with the snips. I drilled a hole on each side to accomodate ribbon to tie the mask on.File
File the edges of all the pieces until they are smooth enough not to cut flesh, though the thin metal will remain fairly sharp. File in one direction with long strokes that curve slightly around the edge of the metal. File both sides of each piece. This step will probably take you the longest time. Don't skimp on the filing or you will find the mask terribly uncomfortable to wear. Pay careful attention to the eye holes as they may have formed slivers or shards when you cut the inside curves. Blunt the tip of the beak well--it is easy to accidentally scratch someone with this protrusion.Finish
Brass: Use long, straight strokes with the wire brush to dull the brass to a matte finish. Copper: I recommend experimenting with some scrap copper before you do this to the actual mask. Prepare a large bowl of cold water. Hold the mask in tongs and heat it over a gas flame (I used the stove in my kitchen, doing half the mask at a time as the burner is not so wide) until it starts to turn dull but being careful not to let it heat to a brassy color--this can happen quickly, so learned to move the copper closer and farther from the heat to adjust. When the metal is hot, sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt on it while it is still over the heat. The salt pops and cracks, leaving the mottled blue colors you see in the photo. A quick plunge into cold water cools the metal and washed off the excess salt. Repeat as necessary to finish the whole surface. Be sure to dry the mask well between saltings of you may end up with streaky, runny bits of salty blue across your mask.Assemble
Step 1: Bend the side feathers into a shallow V or C to give them a bit of dimension. Glue the side and central feathers to the curved top band with metal adhesive. Clamp with paperclips or binder clips and allow to dry overnight. Step 2: With a 0.8mm bit, drill holes approximately 1 cm apart along the brass beak and drill corresponding holes on the copper. Fold the beak in half, using a file to keep the center line straight. Thread the pieces together with .45mm copper wire. The needle-nose pliers will help you tighten the wire as you go along. I found it helpful to temporarily thread the bottom hole on each side to keep the beak from slipping out of place. Step 3: Glue the assembled brass top along the upper edge of the copper mask. Clamp with paper clips and allow it to dry overnight.Fit
Thread soft ribbon through the side holes and tie behind. You will need to gently bend your mask to the curve of your face. The sides of the mask should touch your temples. You may wish to stick a bit of felt along the inside of the beak for more comfort. An example of adjusting fit: Tod's mask had to be reworked in two ways. I used the same pattern for both our masks, but his nose is wider than mine and his eyelashes longer. So I cut the threading that held the beak in place, trimmed and re-filed the inverted V nose space on the copper mask, and reattached the beak. Fortunately, I was able to trim within the drill line and didn't need to make any new holes. I gave his mask a more prominent front-to-back curve by bending it and that seemed to pull the mask far enough from his eyes to prevent his lashes from touching it.----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: How to make a copper and brass mask ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Fran EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net IP: 24.152.217.7 URL: DATE: 02/06/2006 07:09:21 PM I love these. They'd have been great for Sweeney. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Mom on the Web BASENAME: mom_on_the_web STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 02/06/2006 11:45:30 AM ----- BODY: On her 66th birthday, inspired by Dan's 40x365 project, my mother launches her own 66x365. Mom explained how she made her list chronologically from her childhood forward, then confessed that when she got to about 200 people, she realised she'd forgotten Dad, Jenn & me. Oops. We're there now, tucked in among the more contemporary friends. Happy birthday, Mom. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: She was the family holdout... ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Night Vision BASENAME: night_vision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 02/07/2006 10:45:45 PM ----- BODY:
Akihabara from Otemachi
By request, a larger version (1024x768) and a bonus image from the same vantage point.
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EXCERPT:
A jewel of a city.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 24.239.78.135
URL:
DATE: 02/08/2006 09:11:15 AM
That's a great picture, do you have a larger or hi-res version? I'd love to see more detail.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lip synching
BASENAME: lip_synching
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 02/08/2006 11:37:43 PM
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BODY:
This week I've been reworking Hello Tokyo for a presentation that I'm giving later this month at Tokyo Here and Now, the twice-a-year orientation program hosted by the Tokyo American Club. It was high time for a Hello Tokyo update as a few things have changed since the original version.
And now that I've got a few more years of Final Cut Pro experience under my belt (Hello Tokyo was my first project after I switched from Premiere to FCP) , I can fix some of the problems that thwarted me. But one thing I can't do is reshoot the footage. So I decided to re-record sections of the audio in the studio and see if I can't improve it that way.
Have you ever tried to lip synch to yourself? It's harder than it looks. Not only it is a challenge to watch your lips move and say the same thing again, but after you're recorded the dialogue in the studio, you lose all the background sounds. No more noisy traffic, wind, or restaurant plate-clattering. The result sounds a little thin.
So I have to do some foley work to put back the sounds I got rid of and to make the voice fit into its setting. At least this time, I can control the background noises and make them quieter than in the original shot.
So that you can see and hear what I mean about synching and foley, here is a short clip showing three uncompleted versions of the same segment of Hello Tokyo.
ADR & Foley Example 2.7 MB 25" MP4
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EXCERPT:
Matching frames and vowels.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 02/09/2006 03:20:41 PM
The "With Effects" is a big improvement on the original one - even though I thought the original was sensational!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 203.161.69.234
URL:
DATE: 02/10/2006 04:37:24 PM
Did you try with a hairbrush?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Suzano Korezomi
EMAIL:
IP: 141.158.52.51
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2006 01:53:27 AM
I think it is much better, congrats!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Beef Tea
BASENAME: beef_tea
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/09/2006 10:36:07 PM
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BODY:
Tod came home with a cold this evening, his first in many months. How fortunate for me that I'd just discovered the "Invalid" section in the old Argonaut Bookshop cookbook. I passed over the recipes for Fricasseed Brains (there were two different versions) and Treacle Posset, to settle on beef tea as a curative for tomorrow.
Standard Beef Tea
1/2 lb lean, juicy beef
1/2 pint water
salt (if allowed)
Wipe the meat with a damp cloth. remove skin, gristle and fat. Shred with a knife against the grain. Put into a jar with salt and water. Cover and let stand for half an hour to draw out the juices. Place the jar in a saucepan of cold water and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer for two or three hours. Stir and squeeze well. Strain through a coarse strainer and remove fat.
Quickly Made Beef Tea
1/2 lb lean, juicy beef
1/2 pint water
salt, if allowed
Prepare meat as for Standard Beef Tea. Place in a saucepan with salt and water and allow to stand for half and hour. Squeeze and stir well. Heat over a slow fire til a pale brown color, stirring and pressing well with teh back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a coarse strainer.
Raw Beef Tea
Half gill of water (70 ml)
2 oz meat
Prepare the meat as for Standard Beef Tea. Add the water and let stand for an hour. Squeeze well and strain.
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EXCERPT:
simple broth for invalids
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 02/10/2006 06:39:49 AM
Poor Tod. I do hope it works. Sounds kinda' dreadful.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@hotmail.com
IP: 211.29.13.165
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 02/12/2006 10:56:23 PM
What does "salt (if allowed)" mean? Were people trying to cut down on salt back then too?
And yes, the raw beef tea..... yuck.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2006 10:50:37 AM
Tod decided he'd rather that I put the beef in real soup than try this. He wasn't sick enough to force it on him. Maybe next time. :-)
J - I guess salt's effects have been known a long time. I can't imagine it without salt, though.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike_rosenlof@yahoo.com
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2006 11:56:40 PM
Force some of that garlic tonic on him instead! :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anna
EMAIL:
IP: 68.69.246.244
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2006 03:32:09 AM
This is similar to broth in the book, Soothing Broths, based on very old recipes from when sick people were cared for at home. I have been finding that these types of foods are very healthy and nourishing, but not popular with our current taste for "factory-manufactured" foods. Personally, I would try it if it was organic, grass fed beef, but not with grocery store, factory-farmed, grain & soy fed beef. There is a world of difference.
In a similar vein, I highly recommend the book, Nourishing Traditions. Anyone who makes their own plum wine might find it interesting.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 7:25 am palette
BASENAME: 725_am_palette
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 02/12/2006 07:53:05 AM
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BODY:
Orange light across the way
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EXCERPT:
Morning sun softens man-made surfaces
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL:
IP: 61.46.28.5
URL:
DATE: 02/12/2006 11:18:21 PM
Really great!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Anonymous
EMAIL:
IP: 204.192.158.161
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2006 10:37:06 AM
And???
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2006 10:48:20 AM
And...it was pretty, Mr. Anonymous from World Bank. I've been looking at nature for palettes lately and the early morning light makes my office view all fleshy, instead of the machined grey it is at midday.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Niko
EMAIL: nn@flanders.jp
IP: 219.122.41.93
URL:
DATE: 02/13/2006 08:59:10 PM
Kristen, did you come up with that idea yourself? I am gonna try a few of my pictures too later.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 02/14/2006 07:03:20 AM
World Bank needs some creativity workshops!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Chasing the Director
BASENAME: chasing_the_director
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Video
CATEGORY: Video
DATE: 02/14/2006 04:00:49 PM
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BODY:
On location at Narita
I'm involved in a film project but this time in front of the camera instead of behind the scenes. It's really difficult not to compose the shots in my head and think about how everything will be edited together. But all I have to do in this film is act like a bossy big sister--and it's shockingly easy.
Our most recent shoot was at Narita airport. While the director did some paperwork, I grabbed the camera and went outside to try to film planes landing. She came out to see what I was up to and I chased her around the observation deck. She snapped this picture as she tried to hide.
I think the "making of" clips might be more fun than the actual film.
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EXCERPT:
On location
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 02/17/2006 06:55:00 PM
That is a very cool piccie of you!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Vitamin Bee
BASENAME: vitamin_bee
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/15/2006 10:12:26 AM
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BODY:
This one doesn't sting
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EXCERPT:
An E with wings.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 216.222.237.90
URL:
DATE: 02/15/2006 11:32:00 PM
Very cool photo. Bzzz!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Coughing Chicken
BASENAME: coughing_chicken
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 02/16/2006 06:27:34 AM
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BODY:
Cold season continues in the McQuillin household. I'm hungry for home-cooked food but lacking energy to do anything challenging so I made a simple but delicious baked chicken. The ginger-lemon marinade is based on a tisane I like to drink when I have a cough, but I don't think eating the chicken is going to help the same way.
Coughing Chicken
serves 2
2 chicken breasts
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp brandy
Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour over chicken, turning to coat. Allow to marinate at least 30 minutes. Bake skin side up (if you leave the skin on) at 180°C for about 25 minutes or until chicken is done. Pour any extra sauce over the chicken when serving.
Serving suggestion: baked sweet potato and steamed green beans.
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EXCERPT:
Marinade from medicine?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Blind Spot in the Window
BASENAME: blind_spot_in_the_window
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 02/17/2006 08:14:35 AM
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BODY:
My sister told me about the Johari Window yesterday. I thought I'd share it with you so you can try it. This is a 1950's pyschology tool that gives a glimpse into how everyone's perspective is different.
From a list of 55 adjectives, you select half a dozen that you believe describe yourself. Then you ask others to think about you and select the ones they think fit best. By reviewing the answers, you can see how others perceive you, where your idea of yourself overlaps with others' knowledge of you, and where it doesn't.
There is also the other side of the coin in the Nohari Window. It lists negative adjective with the same instructions to choose 6 you feel apply to you, then get friends and acquaintances to select the ones they believe describe your bad aspects.
Of course someone set up an online version , the Interactive Johari Window. And I played with it yesterday. You're welcome to look at my Johari and my Nohari windows. I invite you to add your own set of adjectives to my results if you like. The more people who add their ideas about me, the more I can see how far off my self-perception is.
Should you choose to give it a spin, and I know you, I'll add another datapoint to your window.
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EXCERPT:
Pop pysch insight
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2006 02:59:51 PM
It is good there is the balance of good and bad. it is harder to find bad adjectives though...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2006 03:12:18 PM
I was disappointed that the negative list didn't include "sickly" and "poor typist."
I'm glad some of you aren't too timid to do the negative one. But I guess that it's easier to do positive traits than negative ones if you only know me via my weblog. :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2006 09:37:40 PM
Heard you are now quite ill.. odaiji-ni
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL:
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL:
DATE: 02/17/2006 11:10:21 PM
Just a febrile cold. Another nap and some more tea and I'll be right again.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 211.29.13.145
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 02/19/2006 11:32:47 PM
Odaiji-ni! Hope its not Beef Tea you are drinking!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Video Gear for Sale
BASENAME: video_gear_for_sale
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 02/18/2006 08:33:18 PM
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BODY:
I'm cleaning out the closets and have a lot of video gear that I'd like to get rid of. Except as noted, it's all in good shape. I'm just not doing much shooting anymore and I'd rather not see stuff this gathering dust.
Best offer by Friday the 24th gets it, or it comes to the Shinagawa Intercity flea market with me on Sunday the 26th. Pickup in Tokyo or at the flea market so Tokyo/Japan folks only, please.
Sony Camcorder Setup
Well-loved, much used, slightly abused, and partially broken.
Originally paid about 285,000 yen for everything listed.
Studio Lighting Kit
Perfect for 3-point lighting setups.
Originally paid 15,380 yen for 3 stands and scene paper
Justy VGA-TV Converter (ConnectTV JTV-05A)
Convert computer monitor to TV or camcorder
Retail 21,400 yen
takes VGA in (from PC, Mac or NEC) and outputs NTSC (S-video or composite)
includes cables, adapters, power supply and converter.
Wireless CCD Camera (CP-952)
Spy on your friends and neighbors, or use in a videocrown like I did.
List Price: 29,800 yen
includes camera, receiver, power supplies and battery pack: specs
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EXCERPT:
...and lighting, too.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lost Voice
BASENAME: lost_voice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 02/20/2006 08:16:28 PM
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BODY:
Today I sound like a heavy-smoking silver screen siren crossed with a pubescent boy. Gravel and throaty seduction gives way to unexpected sqeaks.
It makes me laugh, but then I fall into coughing spasms.
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EXCERPT:
Unsuited to voiceovers.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 02/21/2006 03:59:02 PM
Are you getting better though? Have been a bit worried about you sweetie...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Dessicated Garden
BASENAME: dessicated_garden
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 02/21/2006 03:43:44 PM
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BODY:
Orange Jasmine dreams of wetter days
Tended by the waterer.
Dragon Tree lets out a strangled roar
Voice tangled in drying locks.
Royal Palm recollects lush green
Twice weekly soakings.
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EXCERPT:
There is no hope here.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dennis
EMAIL: informbureau@gmail.com
IP: 212.193.160.62
URL: http://abc.informbureau.com
DATE: 02/21/2006 10:53:40 PM
Very nice pictures!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Untranslatable Words
BASENAME: untranslatable_words
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 02/22/2006 10:21:28 PM
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BODY:
My friend Dan, mentioned before re 40x365 and altered books, is collecting words that can't be easily translated from one language to another for a project called untranslatable/
He's put out a call for submissions that I want to pass along:
I would like collect examples of words that are untranslatable and provide a web-based publishing outlet for them to be found. I am most interested in single words (lacuna) which require phrases, paragraphs, or pages of explanation to try and give a reasonable approximation of their full meaning, but am open to considering anything at all (really, try me) that fits (or answers to, or responds to) the notion of untranslatability. When submitting, please include:I submitted a few words today. If you can think of some, Dan would be happy to have them. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Does #$%*!!* count? ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: UltraBob EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com IP: 219.204.102.111 URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info DATE: 02/22/2006 11:22:51 PM Did you give him なつかしい？ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: http://www.mediatinker.com DATE: 02/22/2006 11:29:10 PM Although natsukashii (なつかしい) was the first one I thought of, I didn't give him that one. I handed in amaeru, wa, wabi-sabi, honne and tatemae ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: UltraBob EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com IP: 219.204.102.111 URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info DATE: 02/23/2006 06:50:18 AM Oh fine, let mine go as 文字化け and leave yours in nice looking properly formed kana. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 17.255.252.18 URL: DATE: 02/23/2006 01:51:23 PM What about the word that means the taste of Japanese food that includes soy, mirin etc. It is amai or umai - or something similar.. not sure of the actual spelling. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: http://www.mediatinker.com DATE: 02/23/2006 02:10:06 PM Bob, it all looks like mijibake to me, depending on which browser I use. I hope you'll send Dan natsukashii even though I'm terrible to you. Tracey, the word you're thinking of is umami, the "mouthfeel" flavor that comes from msg, beef, and aged cheeses, too. That's a good one. You should send it to Dan! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: UltraBob EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com IP: 219.204.102.111 URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info DATE: 02/23/2006 03:12:24 PM I'm slightly too lazy to submit anything. The open e-mail format you are to send it in is intimidating too, but mostly its just laziness. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ando EMAIL: Ando@tokyodragon.net IP: 202.243.162.80 URL: http://www.tokyodragon.net DATE: 02/24/2006 02:53:43 PM Tat, I think the flavor that you're referring to is umami, which has now been classified as the taste of protein and normally found in things like miso soup. http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2005/Jul/hour2_072205.html The link included here is for NPR's Science Friday program, which talks about the new taste. HTH, Ando ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: travis EMAIL: travis_n_woodward@yahoo.com IP: 125.100.117.13 URL: http://woodwart@blogspot.com DATE: 03/06/2006 10:06:07 PM japanese is the king of the one word phrase that's hard to translate. how about genki or yoroshiku just to get started? ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Flea Market BASENAME: flea_market STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 02/26/2006 05:34:41 PM ----- BODY: Today I joined in with Sachiko and Yuka and sold a lot of stuff at the Shinagawa Intercity flea market. At 8 am I loaded a suitcase, a backpack, four large paper shopping bags, a carpet, and a giant plastic crate into the van. At 5 pm I unloaded a practically empty suitcase. Almost everything sold. When I emptied my pockets and counted my wadded up notes and wonking fistful of coins, I had over 15,000 yen in profit. It was hard won, too. Man, some of those thrifty flea market folks were relentless bargainers. Fat Lady: How much is the skirt? Me: 200 yen. Fat Lady: 100 yen. Me. Uh, no. 200 yen. Fat Lady: How much is the dress? Me: 200 yen. Fat Lady: 100 yen. Me. Uh, no. 200 yen. 400 yen for both. That's cheap! Fat Lady: Gee, foreigners are strict. Ojiisan: How much for the tripod? Me: 500 yen. Ojiisan: But it's so big. I'm really looking for a shorter one. 300 yen. Me. Uh, no. If you want a smaller one, go buy a smaller one. (he came back later and I sold it to him for 400 yen) Shopper: How much for this book? Yuka: 100 yen. Shopper: I'm checking the original price on my keitai. Just a second. Yuka: *rolls eyes* Shopper: And this DVD? Yuka: 500 yen. Shopper: I'm checking the original price on my keitai. Just a second. Yuka: *rolls eyes* It was 4,000 yen new. So we worked to get rid of our treasures, even at very cheap prices. At the end we had a "tada" pile --free for the taking odds & ends--that made a few people very happy. I'm happy now that there's a bit more space in my house. Which is especially good, because Jeremy picked up a case of Coopers Pale Ale at Costco for me. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: A long but profitable day. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: MJ EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net IP: 219.117.192.165 URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net DATE: 02/27/2006 01:31:50 PM Sounds like a cold Coopers is just what you deserve after such hard yakka! ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: My Station: Korean UK BASENAME: my_station_korean_uk STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net CATEGORY: On the Net DATE: 02/27/2006 09:53:39 PM ----- BODY:or, for submissions that don't fit this idealized set of guidelines, a brief note explaining your submission's connection to the concept of untranslatability. Submissions can be as casual or scholarly as your experience dictates, the format I'm planning will allow multiple approaches to the same translation challenge. Please address submissions to your favorite word, whatever that may be, at logolalia.com. The URL is http://www.logolalia.com/untranslatable/ Please circulate this call as widely as possible, to anyone in any country or field of endeavor who might have examples to share. This is an open an ongoing call. I will attempt to accommodate all native and target languages to the best of my abilities.
- the native language the word (or phrase) appears in
- the target language(s) into which it is known to be untranslatable
- as much explanation as you feel is necessary to communicate the full meaning of the word, possibly using a standard dictionary attempt which fails miserably as a starting point (or not, as you see fit)
What's hot on the 'Net today? Anagramming transit maps. I thought "No way could Tokyo's subway map be anagrammed, " but I tried today while waiting for Hello Tokyo renders. And I was surprised at the good anagrams I got. Yotsuya = You Stay!
Here's the Marunouchi line from Ikebukuro out to the branches past Shinjuku:
This recipe comes from a Japanese cookbook called "Tare, Sauce, Ajitsuke" published by Ikeda Shoten. It's a chunky sauce more like marmalade then mustard and good change of pace to a lemon wedge next to your fish.
Lemon Sauce
serves 4
1 lemon
1 clolve garlic
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp white wine
salt & pepper to taste
Wash the lemon, slice it into very thin rounds and sprinkle with a little bit of salt. Mince the garlic. Melt 1 tablespooon of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the lemon slices and garlic, mix with butter and add the wine. Remove from heat before the lemons or garlic begin to brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with remaining butter. Serve over pan-fried fish.
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EXCERPT:
chunky with sliced lemons.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The Harder Path
BASENAME: the_harder_path
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/03/2006 09:17:07 PM
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BODY:
I read this quoted on my colleague Chris's weblog, and was struck by its simple insight.
This is from Paul Graham's How to Make Wealth but I think it applies equally to creativity as to commerce.
If you have two choices, choose the harder. If you're trying to decide whether to go out running or sit home and watch TV, go running. Probably the reason this trick works so well is that when you have two choices and one is harder, the only reason you're even considering the other is laziness. You know in the back of your mind what's the right thing to do, and this trick merely forces you to acknowledge it.When you have a choice between two creative ideas or two ways to implement an idea, isn't it more fulfilling to do the harder one? I get such a sense of accomplishment from hard work. But sometimes I forget that and this reminder is a good kick in the pants to go do the multi-page mapping project I've been putting off for weeks. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: is the correct one. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jenn EMAIL: IP: 69.168.225.96 URL: DATE: 03/03/2006 10:45:37 PM Brilliant advice. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: LaurieM EMAIL: laurie_corriveau@hotmail.com IP: 209.82.43.120 URL: DATE: 03/04/2006 06:32:43 AM Using a trick is easier than judging each case by its own merits. Take the harder route and don't use this trick. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 03/06/2006 02:37:33 PM I am not convinced.. I work with somebody that insists on taking the harder route ALL THE TIME and cannot give me a good enough reason to why projects always slip past deadline for the sake of what I would say is simply eye-candy or a more complicated back end that makes no difference to the running of a site except that it is now 3 months late!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jonathan and Sachiko EMAIL: IP: 211.121.39.233 URL: DATE: 03/10/2006 10:13:22 PM Laziness is the mother of invention. I think some of the best inventions have come because their inventors were tired of doing things the old way. "There's got to be a better way to do this!" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Cavolonero EMAIL: cardenio@earthlink.net IP: 4.243.137.7 URL: DATE: 03/12/2006 08:19:09 AM Graham is my uptight nerd hero ! ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Twice to the tax office BASENAME: twice_to_the_tax_office STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 03/06/2006 03:39:41 PM ----- BODY:
My path(s) through the tax office
Tax day in Japan is March 15th. As I had a question about my return, I bundled up all my bits of paper and walked down to the tax office after lunch today.
It's a busy place this time of year. There are forty seats at desks kittted out with pens, calculators, staplers, carbon paper and extra forms. 70% of the tables were full of harried housewives and small business owners. Another section of the large room is for consultations. I was directed there with about a half dozen other folks.
My question was answered ten minutes after I arrived, and to my surprise, I was told to get in line to use the touch panel system to fill in and print out my forms.
Fortunately there was a nice young man there to help me, because the kanji for tax-related items are quite over my head. He told me which buttons to press and where to fill in various numbers. There was some confusion about my income slips, as two clients didn't send me any, but two did. He told me what to do, and I did it.
I was out of there with a completed and signed return 59 minutes after I walked in to ask my question. Hooray. Then I got home and actually looked at the numbers on the form. Uh-oh. It showed that I should be getting a 988,000 yen refund. That's way too much. A quick calculation returned a more reasonable amount.
I turned right around and returned to the tax office. 25 minutes later, after my mistakes had been taken into the mysterious back room and corrected without my confused meddling, I was on my way with a corrected filing and still anticipating a refund.
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EXCERPT:
Done? No. Again.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.43.71.216
URL:
DATE: 03/07/2006 09:51:10 PM
The Tax Dudes are actually getting nicer to the public... I wonder why, maybe they've got something to hide??? :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.102.111
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 03/08/2006 03:09:01 PM
They were nicer to me this year too, except for the making me pay more taxes thing.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Big Berries
BASENAME: big_berries
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/07/2006 10:29:24 PM
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BODY:
Gigantic strawberries
Freakishly large
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EXCERPT:
four-in-one fruits
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 199.224.81.83
URL:
DATE: 03/08/2006 06:13:59 AM
Hahaha! I was JUST looking at that same strawberry in the supermarket and I refused to buy it. How do they get that large? Helen and I got one in a pint once and we took a photo of it as proof before we ate it. The photo never turned out. The berry was tasty though, and fed the entire family.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.102.111
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 03/08/2006 03:06:26 PM
It must be freakishly large strawberry season. UltraGirl and I just had some of those this weekend. I likes my strawberries :)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Roujin?!?
BASENAME: roujin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/08/2006 10:09:30 PM
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BODY:
Today in the mail, I received a set of form letters from the ward office. As if shortly turning 40 weren't bad enough, now my government classes me as old.
Turning Point Physical Examination Details The Kowishikawa Insurance Service Center would like to inform you that as a roujin (old person), you're entitled to a free physical examination every five years as part of your old age social insurance plan. This includes a general exam with x-ray and bloodwork, hepatitis test, and cancer screening with barium x-ray. The next scheduled date for exams is 4/19. Our records show your qualifying birthday is within the next two months. Please schedule early. About Hepatits Virus Screening Bunkyo-ku offers free hepatitis virus screenings every five years for its citizens starting at age 40. Roujin Dental Exam Information All of Bunkyo-ku "aged persons" 40 years old and over are invited to a free yearly dental examination.At least I know where my tax yen are going. I think I'd rather have had that 988,000 yen refund, though. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: I'm an aged person from this year. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: devin EMAIL: IP: 203.141.139.231 URL: DATE: 03/08/2006 11:11:46 PM So... go have the exam. Then blog about it! What a great experiment for the sake of your loyal readership. Take a camera! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 03/09/2006 11:58:19 AM Do you get a seniors card for the trains yet? (joking!!) My dad used to get a heap of free stuff from the ward office as a person over 60. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jonathan and Sachiko EMAIL: IP: 211.121.39.233 URL: DATE: 03/09/2006 03:33:46 PM You aren't going to get curmudgeonly now that you are turning 40, are you? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: http://www.mediatinker.com DATE: 03/09/2006 03:53:49 PM *Get* curmudgeonly? I think I started on that a long time ago. By my birthday I will be out of beta and into full-release curmudgeon. (Have been testing too much software lately.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com IP: 211.29.12.210 URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 03/09/2006 07:18:17 PM You better study hard for that test! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: emma EMAIL: emmajoseph@gmail.com IP: 192.197.213.107 URL: http://www.superbackgroundcheck.info DATE: 03/22/2006 04:32:07 PM Curmudgeonly!! Great word Jonathan!! I will also use the same to call you once you turned 40!! Is that right? :wink: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Gnocchi with Portabello & Artichokes BASENAME: gnocchi_with_portabello_artichokes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 03/09/2006 10:11:21 AM ----- BODY:
This luxurious pasta dish is utterly simple to make if you use pre-packaged (frozen or fresh) gnocchi. The seasoning is minimal to allow the flavours of the mushrooms and artichokes to predominate.
Gnocchi with Portabello & Artichokes
serves 3-4
2 large portabello mushroom caps
3 Tblsp butter
1/4 cup olive oil
150 grams ground chicken
1 small red pepper
1/2 cup marinated artichokes
16 oz gnocchi
dash MSG
salt & pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese
Slice the portabellos to about 1 cm wide, and halve the slices. Cut the pepper into similar sized pieces. Chop the artichokes into eighths or bite-sized pieces.
Put a large pot of water on to boil.
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the oil, and sautee the mushrooms until they begin to soften. Add the chicken, fry gently to brown the meat. Add the pepper, artichokes and MSG, reduce heat and allow to simmer. The mushrooms will continue to reduce and the peppers will soften while the pasta cooks.
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water, using a small strainer to remove the pieces as they float to the surface. Put the gnocchi directly to the pan of sauce ingredients and stir gently. Season to taste. Serve topped with grated parmesan.
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Peasant's pasta with luxury sauce
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: When words collide
BASENAME: when_words_collide
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/10/2006 09:14:22 PM
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Sometimes I reel at my own denseness when a twist of perspective opens my eyes to the obvious.
Tonight in the conbini, we were picking up some odds and ends to snack on and I saw a lovely can of chu-hi, - flavored soda with alcohol - with a beautiful style that evokes pre-war Japan. The color combination, typface and textured can drew my eye. And then I read the label:
Takara Shochu Highball Dry
Shochu Highball? Shochu Highball? Chu-hi?
Argh! I know that Japanese is full of portmanteau words. Why did the origins of this one never occur to me? Perhaps too much consumption and too little consideration.
Can of revelation. Tasty, too.
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they uncollide, eventually.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: consumptive@gmail.com
IP: 203.165.197.73
URL:
DATE: 03/11/2006 01:25:32 AM
one more mystery solved. wow.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Meet Tasty, the stuffed kiwa hirsuta
BASENAME: meet_tasty_the_stuffed_kiwa_hirsuta
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 03/11/2006 11:34:44 PM
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Tasty
Inspired by the recently reported kiwa hirsuta lobster, I designed a plush toy. Although she's not anatomically correct in every detail (PDF), I think she is an identifiable member of this new species.
For anyone interested in sewing one of their own, I've developed a pattern with instructions and released it under a Creative Commons license. I don't recommend this project for people averse to hand-sewing or turning things inside out--there's plenty of both involved. But it's all simple sewing and assembly if you understand the basics of seaming and stuffing.
"Tasty" stuffed lobster pattern & instructions: 4 page A3 size 700 KB PDF
"Tasty" stuffed lobster pattern & instructions: 10 page Letter size, 1.1 MB PDF
Kiwa hirsuta rendered in muslin and fur (dorsal view)
Tasty the lobster (ventral view)
The original kiwa hirsuta lobster, discovered in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Opening
We're in the season between plum and cherry blossoms. Some of the late ume are still blooming and a few hardy sakura are just beginning to open. I caught this one in the act yesterday afternoon in my neighborhood. Official blooming is predicted for March 25th in Tokyo.
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Delicate pink blossoms
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AUTHOR: Kerry
EMAIL: sweetestkerry@yahoo.com
IP: 70.30.127.141
URL: http://picklemethis.blogspot.com
DATE: 03/15/2006 11:34:23 PM
My husband and I spent our past two springtimes in Japan, and now we're in Canada facing a sakura-less April. Thank you for lessening my homesickness a bit.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Andrew Shuttleworth
EMAIL: mediatinker@andrewshuttleworth.com
IP: 219.178.212.13
URL: http://www.andrewshuttleworth.com
DATE: 03/16/2006 12:06:46 AM
So how do you tell the difference between sakura and ume? The smell (or lack of one for sakura)? I would have guessed the tree in the photo was ume just by looking. Not to mention peach blossoms!
I was down in Izu a couple of weeks ago. The Kawazu Sakura blooms much earlier than other types although it was two weeks late this year. It was amazing and the bright yellow rape seed (nanohana) below just made it all the more spectacular. It felt strange doing hanami so early in the season though ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 03/16/2006 12:33:27 AM
One way to tell is the direction of the stripes in the bark. Stripes in ume bark run along the length of the tree (vertical); sakura bark stripes circle the tree (horizontal).
I honestly can't tell by looking at the blossoms themselves, despite the traditional graphic depictions of ume with round petals and sakura with heart-shaped ones. In real life that's not exactly true.
This particular tree I've watched for several years and it is always an early bloomer.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.31.201
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 03/16/2006 08:41:08 AM
Did you find SAKURA blooming alreday? Wonderful. I love SAKURA. In my neighborfood UME is blooming. I think the coloer is completly different. UME is white or thinkc pink or red. SAKURA is pale pink. And the sahpe of UME is more round than that of SAKURA.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/16/2006 03:17:11 PM
Bring on the hanami-parties!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Niku Jaga
BASENAME: niku_jaga
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/16/2006 12:23:21 PM
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This is tomorrow night's dinner: potatoes and beef stewed in a soy-flavoured broth. Mmmmm. Served with rice, miso soup and pickles, this is a tasty home-style Japanese meal.
Niku Jaga
serves 4
100 g thinly sliced beef
4 potatoes
1 onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp sake
4 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp sugar
2 c dashi broth
12 snow peas, green soy beans or peas, steamed or boiled (optional)
Peel and quarter the potatoes and onion. Heat the oil in a deep, lidded frying pan, and saute the onion, meat and potatoes for 3-5 minutes. Add the dashi, ensuring there is enough liquid to cover the poatoes and meat. Add the soy, mirin and sugar. Simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.
The broth should be mostly absorbed during the siming, absorbed into the pottoes and meat. Garnish with a green vegetable as suggested in the ingredients.
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Meat & potatoes, Japan style
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Seth
EMAIL: zous@immell.com
IP: 220.110.235.36
URL:
DATE: 03/18/2006 12:37:32 AM
As recipient of the above meal, I can vouch that it is indeed yummy. And my wife swears it's easy and quick to make, too. It was followed up by a quick run to the conbini to find all the strange ice cream and chocolate products we wanted. Yum.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Using Up the Supplies
BASENAME: using_up_the_supplies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 03/17/2006 02:47:55 PM
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Over at Simple Sparrow, a crafter's weblog I've just run across via Whip Up, I found a challenge I will take on.
Use What You Have Month
No new supplies in April.
I'm not, perhaps, as crazy about purchasing supplies as some people are, but even so, I've got a sizable stock of paint, papers, fabrics and other creative toys. And lately, I've had a craving to be crafty so I might just get some of these things used up next month!
It's hugely fun to improvise when you don't have just the right thing. What's close enough? How can you modify what you already have? I'll bet you can find all sorts of ways to use the remainders and oddments you have sitting around or maybe, like me, you have some completely new, untouched supplies to work with.
There's even a Flickr group for people to post photos of what they've been making with their stash of old stuff: usewhatyouhave. So go ahead and join in, and make some space for new stuff later this year.
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A moritorium on purchases in April.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/17/2006 03:17:04 PM
I have a heap of fabric that needs to be made into cushion covers.. interested in a sewing day soon?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tetrapocket: the tetrahedral pouch
BASENAME: tetrapocket_the_tetrahedral_pouch
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 03/20/2006 07:35:46 AM
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Tetrapouches
This is a flat pack, L-shaped piece that folds into a self-closing, 3D pouch.
Tetrahedrons, four-faced pyramids, are used for a wide range of items from packaging (tetrapacks) to weapons (caltrops). This soft felt tetrahedron makes a good coin purse, or in a larger size with a strap attached, a clever shoulder bag.
Tetrapocket pattern (PDF 444 KB)
Dad taught me to hug the inside curve, to do one thing at a time to reach a goal, and that trees are worth planting even when someone steals them. His light still arcs in my mother's house.Mom plucked a daffodil from the garden ("The most open one I could find," she said) to the cemetery and had a chat with him. I took a trip to the southern tip of the Izu Penninsula, went out on the water in a boat and talked to the waves. I walked up to the lighthouse on the cliff, visited two temples, and stood at the lookout where Commodore Perry's black ships were spotted. We all miss you, Dad. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: On the anniversary of Dad's death ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 03/22/2006 03:15:08 PM That poem is wonderful!! ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: New Sofa BASENAME: new_sofa STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household CATEGORY: Household DATE: 03/22/2006 02:30:19 PM ----- BODY:
We finally found a sofa that combines comfort and style. it arrived today.
I rearranged the living room. It seems bigger now.
Another perspective
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EXCERPT:
room renewal
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2006 03:13:45 PM
Purty!! Will it be as comfortable as the last one for sleeping on?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.43.69.139
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2006 09:09:48 PM
Very nice! Very Zen-ish (^o^)/
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 03/22/2006 10:43:38 PM
Ooooh - a nap-worthy sofa. The new arrangement is good, too. I like the windows curtainless - lots of light in the room.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.102.111
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 03/23/2006 12:52:40 PM
Wow, looks good! Where'd the keyboard go?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 03/23/2006 06:14:16 PM
Hmmm looks good... but the true test is when I crash over next time I get drunk and miss the train (~^)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 130.220.79.99
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 03/24/2006 09:43:37 AM
I agree, it looks great! Very spacious, the absence of the rug contributes to that as well. Im gonna have to get some proper pics of my place up... but that means ive gotta organise and tidy it!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 03/24/2006 10:12:44 AM
We moved the keyboard into the office. I have yet to nap on the new sofa, but I think it will be very comfy. Looking for a new rug, but have decided it must be light colored to keep the room open and airy. The curtainless wall of windows is pretty chilly; I'm not sure I'll like it in the dead of winter next year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: axel
EMAIL: kuri.2.westernworld@spamgourmet.com
IP: 217.190.87.249
URL:
DATE: 03/25/2006 02:25:50 AM
interresting definition of style , but maybe the comfort part works for you );-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 03/25/2006 10:24:16 PM
The sofa is very comfy for napping. Tested today.
Well-spotted, Bob. The keyboard is in the office now.
Axel, perhaps you haven't been shopping for sofas in Japan recently. It is easy to find style or comfort or neither. Honestly, this is a miraculous compromise.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Workroom Fire
BASENAME: workroom_fire
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 03/25/2006 04:37:49 PM
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BODY:
Is video editing a glamourous job? You tell me.
On Wednesday, I arrived at 4 pm to do some video editing of corporate conference highlights. By 6, I was dashing back into a smoky, burning room for the third time to save the computers, decks and tapes. Someone should have had the camera rolling, because I think our behind-the-scenes fire was more exciting than anything else happening at the hotel during the event.
The hotel staff didn't call the fire department but investigated the fire themselves. The cause was obvious to me. It was a short in the coffee warmer and inadequate electrical outlets in a room full of gear and devices. They apologised and gave us ham sandwiches to replace the deluxe delivery dinners that had been ruined by the smoke.
My colleague & I had to wait for an uncharred room to open up so we could set up our workspace again. 'Til 10 pm, we hunkered over laptops in a corner of the lobby - homeless editors surrounded by tangled cables and uncertain equipment.
When we set everything up in the new room, we were fortunate not to have too many problems. Only one disk had errors and they were repaired quickly enough. Everythign else was covered in grime, but in good working order. I was up until 2 getting ready for the next day's footage. Rob stayed up all night to complete the module that would open the morning's session.
At 8 am, after a quick breakfast of sandwiches, pickles and yogurt, and some further edits, all my plans changed. The president of the company had literally dreamed up a great idea and wanted us to implement it for his closing video, the one I'd been working on. So I scrapped what I'd done and reworked the whole thing for a 3:30 deadline.
At 2:45, one of the managers came to see what we'd done. He found it unsuitable and requested three different versions with footage we simply didn't have and could not get in time. I'm glad I got to sit there quietly while my boss explained reality. I turned around and started doing what I could to satisfy the client. I managed two different versions in time for the deadline. The president was pleased.
At least my job is never boring.
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What I do for a living.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: At the Zoo
BASENAME: at_the_zoo
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 03/27/2006 11:10:28 PM
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BODY:
Me, Sean & Tara at the zoo
I took advantage of the lovely spring weather to go to the zoo with Tara & Sean. I love the zoo enough on my own, but watching an 18 month old enjoying the elephants, prairie dogs and penguins is a kick.
Sean toddled from place to place, signing "more, more" a lot. He figured out how to climb up onto the curbs and low railings for a better view over the handrails. And he waved goodbye to the animals before running off, hands in the air, to see something new.
He was equally fascinated with the trash cans, water fountains, and rocks. It's good to be little.
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Ueno zoo with toddler
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Package redelivery
BASENAME: package_redelivery
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 03/28/2006 10:42:17 AM
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BODY:
Japan's post office is very efficient. If you're not home when they deliver a parcel, they leave a slip with several options to get the package to you: stop by the post office in person, return a postcard telling them when and were to bring your box, make a phone call (in Japanese or English), or fill in a form online.
Today I figured out how to navigate the online system in Japanese. Here are instructions in English, so that you can do it, too. [nb: You must be able to type in Japanese with your computer]
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Step 1 (click for larger version)
STEP 1: Indicate what kind of parcel it is (as marked on the slip they left), whether is is regular or express mail, and where you want it redelivered. Then click the button marked 次へ進む to go to the next step.
Step 2 (click for larger version)
STEP 2: On this screen, you must fill in your name and address where you want the package delivered. If you fill in the postal code and click the button next to it, the address is partially completed for you. Next comes the date the package was first delivered, folloowed by your phone number. Section 2.1 asks for the slip number. Click the button marked 次へ進むto go to the next step.
Step 3 (click for larger version)
STEP 3: Choose a date and time for redelivery. Click the button marked 次へ進む to go to the next step.
Step 4 (click for larger version)
STEP 4: Check your work. If there's a mistake, click the button marked 前へ戻る to go back a page at a time and make corrections. If everything is OK, click 登録する. On the final screen, you will see 受付を完了しました (completed) and will be given a confirmation number to use if there are any problems with the redelivery.
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EXCERPT:
How to request redelivery online from Japan Post
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: heather
EMAIL: write@nearlythere.com
IP: 219.212.196.83
URL: http://making.nearlythere.com
DATE: 03/28/2006 10:44:27 PM
This is great. And I know it will come in handy soon! あるがとう.
I sent off some craft-swaps on Monday, and I was able to give people the tracking number and the English tracking page on the Japan Post site.
It's great service!
Thanks for this walk-through
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/10/2006 12:54:59 PM
How timely I have to do this today.
I am sick to death of the set up of most online forms in Japanese. This requirement to use single byte kana is enough to drive one totally nuts. Especially when you are typing in English!
There has to be a better way.
Also a side comment - if you decide to call to get yor package be prepared for a very fast speaking Japanese female voice - who will sound pissed off at you if you don't enter the numbers they want quick enough.
Geeez.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Un-surprise party
BASENAME: un-surprise_party
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 03/29/2006 12:01:44 PM
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BODY:
"We know you don't want a surprise, so I'm letting you know some of your friends are planning something for your birthday. Don't look daggy," MJ prepared me two weeks ago.
"Just something casual in a park," Tracey added a few days later. "It will be fun. Jeremy says he'll drag you there kicking and screaming if he has to."
(Not to worry, MJ had already sat me down in front of this episode of Absolutely Fabulous, so I will be well-behaved.)
"Yes, it is on your actual birthday," Tod admitted a couple days on. "I think you should wear a hat and a sundress."
"No, jeans and a turtleneck won't work. Wear a floaty dress," Tracey told me last night. "Think 'high tea.' Do you have any lawn games, like boules or croquet?"
I am getting a picture of what my 40th birthday party will be like. Elegant. Casual. Outdoors. Sounds like something I'd plan for myself, actually. Yay, friends!
Saturday's weather is forecast to be partly sunny and warmer than it's been the last couple of days, but still too cool for any of my floaty dresses. I want something with sleeves! Guess I'll be doing a bit of pre-birthday sewing or shopping. At least I won't be embarrassingly daggy.
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This takes the cake.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL:
IP: 63.251.179.115
URL:
DATE: 03/30/2006 12:17:28 AM
Happy Birthday!
As someone whose 40th was five days... and seven years ago, I can say it's not that bad. The party sounds like fun! Roujin or not.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.102.111
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 03/31/2006 02:51:53 PM
Very bummed, but I am way behind on work, and won't be able to make it. Have a very happy birthday!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fiml
EMAIL: fiml@yahoo.com
IP: 125.235.109.59
URL:
DATE: 04/01/2006 03:12:24 PM
I like it very much
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Green Peppercorn Sauce
BASENAME: green_peppercorn_sauce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 03/30/2006 09:56:34 AM
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BODY:
I whipped this up the other night to go with grilled beef. Yum yum yum. Green peppercorns have a hint of turpentine flavor. I'm not sure why I enjoy this so much, but I do. . Be sure to have some crusty bread on hand for dipping in the extra sauce.
Green Peppercorn Sauce
makes about 1.5 cups
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp scallions, minced
1 scant cup beef or vegetable bullion
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp brandy
2-3 Tbsp green peppercorns, drained
Saute the scallions in butter, add the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened to sauce-y goodness, about ten minutes.
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EXCERPT:
Creamy topping for beef or chicken.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Announcing: 40 x 365
BASENAME: announcing_40_x_365
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: About the Blog
CATEGORY: About the Blog
DATE: 04/01/2006 10:48:00 AM
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To celebrate my 40th year, I've joined in Dan's x365 project. Today and for the next 364 days, I'll be writing 40 words about someone I know. There's a link in the sidebar to 40 x 365, so you can go visit whenever you like. You never know when you might turn up there...
Today's entry is, of course, my mother.
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Happy birthday to me.
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AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 211.29.2.108
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 04/01/2006 10:18:43 PM
Happy Birthday!!! Congratulations on the wealth of knowledge, experience and friends you have accumulated and on making it this far! I hope the next 40 are even more fun. May your wealth increase.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Celebration
BASENAME: celebration
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/02/2006 05:34:18 PM
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1 sunny day
3 cinnamon camphor trees
15 people at the park
2 homemade birthday cakes
18 apple-peach explosions
1 bag of peanut butter chocolate pretzels
1 box of "bochi chocolate"
8 pita breads
5 middle eastern dips
4 loaves of bread
5 cheeses
2 freshly cooked pizzas
3 varieties of strawberries
8 herbed egg sandwiches
11 bottles of wine
1/2 bottle of tea
8 beers
12 people for dinner
1 lamb roast
2 giant salads
40 sheets of acid-free paper
2 batteries (and a battery tester)
3 handwritten letters
1 pottery bowl (and two plates)
1 board game
1 framed photograph
1 soybean-cashmere sweater
1 sexy bustier
1 opal and diamond ring
1 floral arrangement
1 phone call
EQUALS
my 40th birthday.
Thank you Tracey, Ashley, MJ, Jonathan, Sachiko, Jim, Yuka, Jeremy, Andy, Tod, Seth, Tara, Sean, Uchida-san and Josh, who made my birthday so festive with good wishes and laughter. There are a few photos from the park if you want to see what we got up to but they don't do the day justice.
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A calculation of 40.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean McQuillin
EMAIL:
IP: 24.54.127.119
URL:
DATE: 04/04/2006 06:12:07 AM
Great pix! I'm glad your day was delightful! You are now into the best years of your life!
XO, Jean
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Get (sorta) Outta Town
BASENAME: get_sorta_outta_town
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/03/2006 06:39:25 PM
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Tara chatted me this morning, "I'm going east today. You want to come along?" She's been taking advantage of her unexpectedly extended trip and trying to visit out-of-the way hanami spots around Tokyo. Today we went out to Higashi Oojima on the Toei Shinjuku line, and walked along the 小松川千本桜 (Komatsu River 1000 Cherry Trees).
That part of town is so unlike the Tokyo we are familiar with. It is completely flat. There are wide open areas on either side of the river - playgrounds, sports fields and grassy picnic areas where you can see a lot of sky - surrounded by blocky concrete high rises in pastel colors. It looks more like Singapore or parts of China than Tokyo.
It felt like we were a thousand miles away when it was only a 20 minute subway ride from home.
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The other side of the city.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Orientation
BASENAME: orientation
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/04/2006 05:52:37 PM
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It's the beginning of the new school year in Japan.
Walking past the local university today, I saw all of the freshmen out on campus looking dazed, carrying orientation packets, and chatting in small groups. The were busy trying to figure it all out before classes begin and signing themselves up for interesting campus organizations to meet people and fill their newly free hours after years of cram schools and entrance exam pressures.
It looked like they were new hires at a conservative company. They were all wearing suits. Everyone had fresh haircuts or carefully applied cosmetics. They were quite a contrast to the upperclassmen who were wearing jeans and artfully rumpled t-shirts, tossled hairstyles and a lot of attitude.
Some of the frosh had their parents in tow. It was cute. They looked so young-- soft-featured, unsullied, eager. Their parents seemed to be my age, which struck me as odd. Then I realised that I entered university 22 years ago.
Yeah, OK. I walked on past a little faster.
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Chuo University intake day
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.116.38
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 04/05/2006 11:35:28 PM
Reminds me of when I was entering my last year of university. A large group of orientation packet-bearing freshmen came passing below the window of the school newspaper editorial office where I worked. I went out on the balcony and yelled down, "It's a cookbook!" which only makes sense if you've seen that episode of The Twilight Zone. (Americans my age have seen EVERY episode of The Twilight Zone, so it was no risk on my part.) http://twilightzonemuseum.com/autokiel1.jpg
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Information Density
BASENAME: information_density
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 04/05/2006 10:44:59 PM
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For the past two months, I've been working on a site which should be launching soon. My role on the three person team is user interface and graphic design.
Today I started reworking the site, based on comments from the alpha testers. These 11th hour changes aren't a little tweaking here and there, they are a full-blown "hey, nobody gets this; we need to really explain it better" mandate. As one of the team commented, our current site is good at the how-to, but not so good at why; we say "Shovel - hold by handle, thrust, lever, pull" but we need to be saying "Shovel - move dirt!"
So we reconsidered. We changed the language. We shifted focus from "flexible" to "narrowly defined." We added features. And if I have my way, we'll axe some features, too (though I haven't presented that to the team yet...).
Afterwards, I redesigned the front page of the site. It started out with 11 features. Now it has 12. But I think it is better organized and easier to understand. It also suits smaller laptop screens much better.
I color-coded the sections to highlight for myself where things moved to, what gained emphasis, where I had reduced or increased real estate. It's pretty to look at, even if you can't see the details underneath:
Doing this lets me see that I still have a few things to change. Based on the importance of the content, that reddish section in the lower right is probably too big; the blue area next to it needs more space.
But I will do that tomorrow. For now, sleep!
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A redesign
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Roasted Pork
BASENAME: roasted_pork
STATUS: Publish
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/06/2006 11:12:28 PM
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I'll warn you right up front, be prepared to air out the house after this meal - the scent of slow-cooking cabbage and sauerkraut really permeates everything. But the results are worth the odor. Tod, who is not usually a big fan of sauerkraut, nibbled the leftovers out of the pot.
Halfway through the cooking, the pork roast will tighten to an unappealing, tough lump of meat. Keep cooking it. It will become juicy and wonderful. The cabbage and sauerkraut turn brown with carmelised sugars. Mmmmmmmm. I'm going to make this one again soon and then I'm going to wash the curtains and carpets.
Roast Pork with Cabbage
serves 2-3
500 gr pork roast
1/2 head green cabbage
1 cup mild sauerkraut
1 pinch celery seed
1/4 tsp fennel seed
salt & pepper
Slice the cabbage into 1 cm wide pieces and pile it into the bottom of a covered casserole. Spread the sauerkraut on top, then lay the pork roast in, fat side up. Sprinkle with seasonings. Cover and put in the oven at 140 for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender and the cabbage and sauerkraut completely camelised. You may want to mix the cabbage once or twice throughout the cooking time; it tends to stick to the sides of the casserole.
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Slow cooked and fragrant.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Marty Langeland
EMAIL: dumluks@dumluks.com
IP: 69.7.35.221
URL: http://dumluks.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/12/2006 08:48:31 AM
Hi,
I was googling for info on my Konro Hibachi and found your site which led me to this post.
Am I right in thinking that 140 is celsius (about 300F) not 140F which would not be good ;-)?
You might enjoy my recipe for Seattle Brown out Turkey in my November 2005 archives at dumluks.blogspot.com. It is also slow cooked.
I was in Japan about 10 Km West of Yokohama in 1966-67.
Thanks for a neat site which I have bookmarked.
--ml
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 04/12/2006 10:19:26 AM
Hi, Marty. The temperature is 140C not 140F. Since my Jpaanese oven is marked in celsius, my recipes are, too. But I have two sets of measuring cups - a metric one and an American one, so cups and spoons full are sometimes one and sometimes the other. Fortunately, most of my recipes are loose and tolerant.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Marty Langeland
EMAIL: dumluks@dumluks.com
IP: 69.7.35.221
URL: http://dumluks.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/12/2006 11:41:07 PM
Super! Thanks.
Also I converted miles to km backwards. Should have been closer to 30 km.
Thanks for the pix in 'spring green' That fuji film intensity of the color palette is one of the things I miss most. Besides everything else.
--ml
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Mixing it up
BASENAME: mixing_it_up
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/07/2006 01:29:43 PM
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I've been thinking a lot about mixtapes and mixCDs (and m3u playlists).
But I can hardly remember the last time I made a physical tape or CD with a narrative arc, a message, an ebb and flow of tempo and emotion. But I miss that, so here's a mix trade offer for Creative Perspectives readers:
I'll send you a CD of music that always puts me in a creative mood, if you'll send me a creative mix of your own. Leave a comment with your e-mail address before next Friday and I'll be in touch to trade mailng addresses and such.
In the meantime, if you want to find out more about mixtapes or see what other people mix together, here are some resources:
Wikipedia article - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixtape
Tiny Mix Tapes' Automatic Mix Tape Generator - http://www.tinymixtapes.com/amg/
Mixtapes at MusicWiki - http://en.music.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Mix_CD
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Let's trade tunes
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL: devin@spamcop.net
IP: 202.1.65.194
URL:
DATE: 04/07/2006 06:07:04 PM
Okay, I'm in.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike
EMAIL: mike@arsenic.net
IP: 141.195.230.231
URL: http://www.arsenic.net
DATE: 04/07/2006 09:37:04 PM
As am I.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kerry Clare
EMAIL: kerryclare@gmail.com
IP: 70.30.127.141
URL: http://picklemethis.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/07/2006 10:10:23 PM
Me too please.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 211.29.6.192
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 04/07/2006 10:35:34 PM
I need your address anyway, but this could be a belated bday present for you!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: thuy
EMAIL: schmeebot@gmail.com
IP: 24.249.152.149
URL:
DATE: 04/08/2006 03:52:55 AM
great idea! please count me in.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: james
EMAIL: consumptive@gmail.com
IP: 203.165.197.73
URL:
DATE: 04/08/2006 10:28:44 PM
sure
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: hugh
EMAIL: hugh@dosemagazine.com
IP: 70.53.195.192
URL: http://dosemagazine.blogsome.com
DATE: 04/18/2006 02:03:41 PM
ok I am in. how could I possibly resist? been a while since I've made a mixtape. do you want in cd form or old school tape?
I think I am late but just saw this now, maybe you can make an exception & extend the deadline? ;)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Nanohana
BASENAME: nanohana
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/09/2006 10:18:59 PM
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Tod & I joined our neighbor Shinji on an outing to Satte, Saitama-ken, to view Japan's "other" spring flower, nanohana. It's called "rape" in English, which might contribute to why I never knew it in the US. When we eat it, we call it rapini.
I put a selection of our photos on Flickr if you want to see the carpet of brilliant yellow we experienced. I tried a watercolor sketch, but am not satified with it. I might use it for the basis of sone other drawing instead.
P.S. In case you wonder, it's na-no-hana, vegetable flower, not nano-hana, teeny-tiny flower.
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Vivid yellow flowers
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AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike_rosenlof@yahoo.com
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 04/09/2006 11:14:34 PM
Rape is actually grown commercially in the US. As far as I know, it's mostly for rapeseed oil which is called 'Canola' oil here, presumably for marketing reasons. I don't know if they use a different name for the plant here.
Nice photo!
Here in Colorado, the ume aren't even in bloom yet, but soon. I was trimming trees in my yard yesterday and brought in a couple of plum and cherry branches to see if I can force flowers indoors.
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AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 69.214.73.181
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 04/10/2006 08:44:48 AM
Brilliant is right, I envy you your outing. Many years ago on a trip to England with my mom, we took a train North from London through farmland whose fields were glowing bright, bright lemon yellow. "What crop was that?" we wondered between ourselves.
"That's rape," said a helpful lady across the aisle.
"What? what?" we both said, not having heard of it.
"R-R-R-R-R-R-ape," she repeated. "From which is made rrrrapeseed oil."
"Ohhhhhh." We felt very provincial. We hadn't heard of rapeseed oil, either.
Is it related to the mustard family? The color and shape of the flowers remind me a lot of wild mustard that grows in the Rockies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 04/10/2006 10:12:20 AM
I wondered about the mustard. A quick search shows that rape's Latin name is Brassica rapa and it is also known as "wild mustard" or "field mustard." Yellow mustard (which is what we eat, I think) seems to be another genus in the same family, Guillenia flavescens. So they are related, but not the same.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 24.173.100.4
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 04/10/2006 10:44:35 AM
I explored this once and came to the conclusion that Brassica rapa is mustard greens or rapini or Broccoli rabe. Brassica napus has three varieties, one grown for its leaves (collard/turnip greens), one grown for its roots (rutabaga/Swedes), and one grown for its seeds (rapeseed, canola).
But then I find pages like this: http://etext.virginia.edu/japanese/haiku/saijiki/1sp-7pl.html which turns my research on its head: it says that nanohana is Brassica rapa AND grown for canola oil.
More here: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/archives/001781.html
By the way, "canola" is a mash-up of Canada and oleum (oil/Latin) because this is a specific variety of rapeseed which was developed in Canada.
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AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 04/10/2006 02:12:59 PM
I saw some of these growing beside the road near our house. It kinda looked like a weed but both Ash and I commented how vivid and pretty it was.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Head to Head Vanilla
BASENAME: head_to_head_vanilla
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/10/2006 01:30:44 PM
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In a surprising but unanimous blind taste test, Meiji Super Cup vanilla ice cream was voted superior to Haagen Dazs vanilla.
| Super Cup | Haagen Dazs | |
| Color | Yellow | Beige |
| Flavor | Mild vanilla start to finish | Strong alcohol aftertaste |
| Texture | Airy with soft lumps | Dense and creamy |
| Price | 100 yen/200ml | 250 yen/120ml |
| Web | スーパカップ | ハーゲンダッツ |
Intensely fresh against a wet and dreary twighlight
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Rainy day contrast
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jennifer
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.37for365.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/13/2006 06:04:57 AM
I like the seepy deep brown of the bark. Beautiful.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pound Cake & podcast
BASENAME: pound_cake_podcast
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/13/2006 07:33:11 PM
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This is from Elizabeth E. Lea's 1866 cookbook Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, and Hints to Young Housekeepers. This pound cake recipe is the basis for the method of many of the other cakes in the chapter. This is not such an extravagant cake - the fruit cake recipe calls for 30 eggs and a pint of brandy.
Cakes back then were somewhat larger than contemporary cakes and were baked in very large ovens. They also had odd ingredients, though none are evident in this recipe. Saleratus is baking powder. Rose brandy is made by steeping rose petals in white brandy.
I read this chapter for LibriVox today, and thought I'd share not only this excellent foundation recipe, but also the whole of the Cakes section in the form of an mp3. This will be put together with the other chapters to make a full audio cookbook.
Pound Cake.
Wash the salt from a pound of butter, and beat it with a pound of loaf sugar till it is as soft as cream; have a pound of flour sifted, and beat ten eggs, the whites and yelks separately; put alternately into the butter and sugar the flour and eggs, continue to beat till they are all in, and the cake looks light; add some grated lemon peel, a nutmeg, and half a wine-glass of brandy; butter the pan, and bake it an hour; when it is nearly cold, ice it. If you want a very large cake, double the quantity.
You can tell when a cake is done by running in a broom-straw, or the blade of a bright knife; if it comes out without sticking, it is done, but if not, set it back. You can keep a cake a great while in a stone pan that has a lid to fit tight.
Note: if you don't want to weigh the ingredients here are the equivalents in cups.
1 lb butter = 2 cups
1 pound loaf sugar = 2 cups granulated
1 pound flour = 4 cups sifted
1/2 wine glass = 3 ounces
Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts &tc. "Cakes" 22'36" MP3 (20.7 MB)
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A collection of 1866 cake recipes.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Red & Gold Period?
BASENAME: red_gold_period
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/17/2006 05:29:09 PM
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Tod was off "camping with the boys" this weekend, so I had the apartment to myself and after I had cleaned and tidied to my satisfaction, I had time on my hands.
So I made some stuff.
A pillow cover (and two pillow forms). This ties together the reddish zabuton floor cushions with the lovely Thai elephant Sachiko gave us. It also fulfills part of my pledge to "Use What You Have" for April. You can see some closeups of this pillow on Flickr.
A lamp. The socket was formerly duct taped to my workspace. I wired on a switch, bought an extension arm and a bulb protector. Then I wired some brass mesh and beads to the frame. Not sure I like this, but it's a little more interesting than "bare bulb in cage." There are snaps of the lamp turned on (so bright!) at Flickr.
After these creations, it looks like my environment is developing a bit of a red & gold glow.
I can't decide which of these qualifies for WhipUp's Whiplash - they both sort of fit.
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An unplanned color theme...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kathreen
EMAIL: kricketson@gmail.com
IP: 203.32.87.250
URL: http://redcurrent.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/17/2006 07:04:15 PM
hey ho - are you going to enter it in the comp?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jessica Hood
EMAIL: jessica_hood@hotmail.com
IP: 70.241.252.130
URL: http://www.funkyfinds.blogspot.com
DATE: 04/17/2006 09:50:06 PM
Beautiful pillows! Love the colors. And how handy you are at transforming the lamp! Great work.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: keitai goddess
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 217.118.77.189
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 04/18/2006 12:57:10 PM
Lovely cushions... I have a few more to make myself. Just have to find the time as I have all the fabric.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Roujin debut
BASENAME: roujin_debut
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/18/2006 12:09:52 PM
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Looming on my desk...
Tomorrow is my roujin debut - the Turning Point Physical Examination I wrote about last month. This could be as important for my social life in old age as it is for young mothers taking their babies to the playground for the first time. I wonder what I should wear?
The ku sent me a big manila envelope stuffed things to read, fill out, and bring with me. A medical history. A permission slip for the barium x-ray. A questionnaire about my Hepatitis C risk factors. And the "ben no torikata" - a do-it-yourself stool sampling kit.
I figured out how to use it from the pictures and simple instructions in the accompanying pamphlet. The joys of functional semi-illiteracy.
The medical history is another matter. I know that one question asks "Do you have any of the following conditions?" but except for high blood pressure I have no idea what the conditions are. One of the kanji looks like kushiage (skewered foods) over heart. What the hell is that??
I'll just answer "no" on that one and hope for the best.
Maybe as the only gaijin in the room (I can pretty safely assume), I will meet all sorts of wonderful old ladies like me. On the other hand, we're all likely to be nervous, stressed and disinclined to chitchat.
I'll report in tomorrow. For now I must fill in forms and plan my outfit.
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Preparing for the medical exam.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 04/18/2006 02:39:40 PM
P.S. "kushiage over heart" means disease or condition.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: devin
EMAIL:
IP: 203.141.139.231
URL:
DATE: 04/18/2006 02:44:41 PM
The kushiage over heart kanji, 「患」 means "disease," and appears in words like:
心血管疾患 （しんけっかんしっかん） (n) cardiovascular disease;
癩病患者 （らいびょうかんじゃ） (n) leper;
患者 （かんじゃ） (n) a patient;
Whatever it is, you probably don't have it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 04/18/2006 04:00:24 PM
Take a dictionary with you lovey.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Checked out
BASENAME: checked_out
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 04/19/2006 04:27:34 PM
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BODY:
My Turning Point exam wasn't nearly as dreadful as I feared.
When I arrived at 9, there were already 22 people before me, mainly women from their mid-forties to mid-fifties I'd guess, judging from wrinkles and greyness. I saw one much older lady, but I think she was a doctor. Shortly after I arrived, a tall and swarthy man came in, so I wasn't the only foreigner there.
I didn't wait long before the first test - the barium x-ray. I'm glad it was first because I was nervous. MJ projectile vomited when she had to do it. Tod had one last year and said it was difficult and nasty. But I didn't have any trouble with the fizzy stuff or the thick barium shake they made me drink. It went right down and stayed where it belonged. I didn't even feel like burping.
The man running the machine had a patter that never stopped and alternated, rapid fire, between descriptions of what he was doing, "I'm turning the table a little to the side now", and orders for me, "I want you to turn a little to the side now." Unfortunately the distinction was sometimes lost on me and I moved when I shouldn't or turned the wrong way. He was frustrated but we flew through it only a little more slowly than other subjects.
The rest of the examination was a breeze: height & weight, urine sample, medical history, consultation with the doctor - who did nothing but wield a stethoscope - then off for an electrogardiogram, blood draw, retinal photography and a chest xray.
I was out of there in 70 minutes.
Now for the important part...what did I wear and who did I meet during my roujin debut? I chose an ensemble that expressed my casual attitude about the whole affair (yes, yes, roll your eyes): a faded rusty plaid home-made skirt, an embroidered purple t-shirt, a brown hooded sweatshirt, and brown clogs. Despite my sartorial elegance, I didn't really meet anyone. The staff were friendly and pleasant but busy. Okada-san was always before me in line. We exchanged some small smiles of encouragement, but didn't speak a word. Neither did anyone else.
I guess I'll have to find my old-lady social circle elsewhere.
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EXCERPT:
Roujin test complete.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese Rice
BASENAME: japanese_rice
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 04/20/2006 01:51:35 PM
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BODY:
In addition to the cookibook I read from last week, I've been enjoying the other old (pre-1923) cookbooks at Project Gutenberg. The prefaces are gems, the prose is brilliant to read, and the recipes reflect the times and tastes in which they were written.
Here's a recipe from Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book (1920). The instruction on How to Cook Rice American Style concludes with "It is now ready to serve, either as a vegetable to replace the potato or prepared into many delectable dishes that our Oriental neighbors relish so keenly" and leads right into this:
JAPANESE RICE
Wash and chop fine two medium-sized leeks and then cook tender in one-half cup of water. Drain. Now add
Two cups of cooked rice,
One teaspoon of salt,
One teaspoon of soy.
Mix thoroughly and then dish on a hot baking dish. Cover with slices of hard-boiled eggs. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and garnish with slices of smoked salmon. Place in the oven for a few minutes to heat. Soy may be purchased at fancy grocers.
That's not a Japanese recipe. I think it might be a very distant relation to ikura-don (salmon eggs on rice)!
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EXCERPT:
1920 Americanised Japanese recipe
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.120.93.221
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 04/23/2006 10:14:18 AM
The recipe is wriiten in pre-1923? It is intereseting. Well do you like IKURA-DON?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: japanglishtimes
EMAIL: japanglishtimes@yahoo.com
IP: 125.55.201.132
URL: http://japanglishtimes.blogspot.com/
DATE: 04/23/2006 11:01:27 PM
Hello!
Nice to meet you!
I'm Japanese man studying English.
I browsed your blog.
You have original idea, I guess.
Althogh I am strange to write blog in English, I write blog in English and Japanese.
So native speakers who are visiting constantly point out the mistakes on my blog!
They flatters me!
I think I could learn from you.
Have a good day!
Japanglish Times from Tokyo Japan
http://japanglishtimes.blogspot.com/
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Art Exhibit
BASENAME: art_exhibit
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 04/24/2006 11:56:41 PM
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BODY:
Scott de Vacherie in Japan exhibition card
A friend's art exhibit opens tomorrow and I spent my day helping put things together at the gallery in Diakanyama. My knees are bruised from crawling around on the floor for hours and when I left at 10:30 pm, some of the exhibits still needed attention, but I'm sure everything will be prepared for the opening party in the evening.
You can find out more about the exhibition here: Scott de Vacherie in Japan or the Art Front Gallery website.
The exhibit has gotten a fair amount of press, with mentions in the Sankei Shimbun, Brutus, StudioVoice, Nippon Vogue and a few English outlets, so there should be a good turnout.
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EXCERPT:
A friend's exhibit in Daikanyama
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Collectik.net: “like mixtapes for podcasts”
BASENAME: collectiknet_like_mixtapes_for_podcasts
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 04/25/2006 10:56:52 AM
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BODY:
I am pleased to announce the beta launch of Collectik - the project I've been working on for past few months. The following letter & animation explain our baby.
Collectik highlights, animated (Quicktime)
Meet Collectik.net – a website for organizing podcasts and online media. It's like mixtapes for podcasts.
I decided to try a home delivery service for (primarily) organically grown vegetables. The "trial box" arrived today, packed with dirt-covered root vegetables, a lovely lettuce, spinach, mini tomatoes and other goodies. And a sheet of recipes. So today's recipe is one from the sheet for daikon, a vegetable that I like but never know what to do with.
Vinegared Daikon Pickles
makes as much as you like
daikon
kombu (dried seaweed)
soy sauce
vinegar
red togarashi (dried red peppers)
Cut the daikon into "rhino eye" slices or "wooden clapper" chunks and pack into a glass jar. Add the kombu and togarashi. Mix together equal quantities of soy sauce and vinegar and pour into the jar to cover the daikon. Pickle for 2-3 days.
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EXCERPT:
Simple recipe for Japanese radish
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michelle K
EMAIL: fahrveergnugen@mail.com
IP: 64.126.24.12
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2006 04:18:48 AM
Thank you for the recipe! I was trying to re-find a recipe I'd once had for Japanese-style pickling, and unfortunately my home computer is broken right now. I've become fond of makign onigiri for my work lunches and have been on the lookout for good things to put in them. This will be a great start.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Creative Filching
BASENAME: creative_filching
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 04/28/2006 08:09:52 AM
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BODY:
How do you feel about people using the creative output you share online?
I put a lot of materials online for people to use freely - patterns and tutorials. I don't mind, and really can't keep track of, people who borrow an image and use it on their site if they host it themselves.
I don't like it when strangers profit from my freely-given work by reselling it or when they hotlink my images. To me, both are forms of petty theft.
On March 18th, I discovered that one of the files on my server was being used extensively as a hotlinked background image on one of the free website hosts. So I replaced it with a placeholder - nothing as rude as bathtub girl or goatse, though it wasn't exactly polite. Original - Placeholder
This morning I woke up to this mail.
Listen up jerk!! Here is the deal - people put their pictures on line knowing that other people are going to come in and get copies of the pictures. And why you ask ( because you are obviously to stupid to figure it out on your own)? They do it for one of many, many reasons, like advertisement for their product on the page you bring up by clicking on the picture, or to sell me a product, or because they want you to take the picture, and that was the whole point, and they offer many more pictures on the page when you click on the picture, etc, etc, etc. But then there is the even worst of all, the idiots who put a picture up there so they can post their very, very, very, long and boring blog............So, guess what, if you don't want someone to have a copy of your picture, don't put it on line and shut your stupid A** H*** up!!Well, what do you say to that? In the space of one ranting paragraph I've been labelled a jerk, an idiot, an asshole, and also boring and stupid (twice). What kind of person writes a note like that in the wake of being told to stop stealing? A youthful American, I would guess. Who else has such violent , self-righteous anger? So I replied. Politely.
Dear Colleen, Thank you for expressing your opinion so clearly and strongly in your mail, but I beg to differ. Regardless of what other people do, I do not put material online for unattributed use elsewhere. I am usually quite happy to allow others to borrow my pictures if they ask politely, and host them on their own server. What irks me is when people hotlink my images. Perhaps you are unaware of what that means. Hotlinking is when you put an img tag on your page that points to an image on my server. Doing that means that everyone who goes to your page hits my server first to collect the image. This uses the bandwidth that I pay for. While the image itself might not be so large, multiple hits add up quickly. In this case, I presume you are complaining about my circles.jpg image which was being hotlinked by a large number of people as a background for their websites. I replaced that image with an alternate image on March 18th. I appreciate your point of view on the matter of using other people's images, but do not agree. I hope you will respect my opinion and make some technological changes to your website or simply find someone with a more compatible philosophy who will not mind your hotlinking. Regards, -- KristenWonder what I'll wake up to tomorrow? I sort of hope she sends me a link to her website so I can discover more of her sparkling personality. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: Call and response to petty theft ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: gleek EMAIL: here@DELETEgleek.net IP: 72.229.133.205 URL: http://www.gleek.net DATE: 04/28/2006 11:21:11 AM oh boy. you and i are in the same boat! i had the same problem with one a**hole hotlinking to my images, too. i wrote a comment on his blog asking him to take it down and i got an email back about how i was a "tool" and that i should go "F myself on a rusty nail." he's stealing my images and my bandwidth and I'M the bad person for asking him to take it down? some people have no respect nor do they seem to understand how the internet even works. i feel your pain. p.s. i figured out how to stop people from hotlinking to my images. if you'd like the info, shoot me an email. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: MJ EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net IP: 219.117.192.165 URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net DATE: 04/28/2006 12:57:34 PM Gee Kristen how DARE you change one of your OWN images on YOUR website on YOUR server. Don't you realize that doing so BREAKS TEH INTERWEBS!!11eleventy!! It's your DUTY to provide creative content for those not clever enough to make their own! (Nice answer by the way. It's something we've all had to deal with. Usually I find that it's the people who've been online for 5 minutes that have this reaction. There is so much cheap hosting available now - even places where you can host images for free - so no excuse. A quick email to ask permission, putting it up on your own picture hosting - how hard is that? She is lucky you didn't substitute the image for something revolting.) Colleen - you lose at the internets. Thanks for playing! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com DATE: 04/28/2006 02:15:35 PM WOW - wonder what she would have written if you had used the bathtub girl? Stealing bandwidth is so NOT cool. But everything on the internet is free right? / sarcasm... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: John EMAIL: jlb@bur.st IP: 203.161.101.219 URL: DATE: 04/28/2006 03:46:14 PM A sad state of affairs really, when the only reasons apparent to this person for putting images online are to advertise or to generate sales. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Lisa EMAIL: bohemian.nomad@gmail.com IP: 61.68.93.181 URL: DATE: 04/30/2006 06:21:06 PM And it's also your right to put a placeholder or whatever picture you want. People like Colleen used your pictures (assuming she did) for free (plus the bandwith) and still ungrateful about it. Shame on you, Colleen. Shame on you! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com IP: 220.238.208.117 URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 05/04/2006 02:47:03 PM Im so curious about her response! But then again, she took ages to respond to the change you made... ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Kasumigaseki cameras, part 2 BASENAME: kasumigaseki_cameras_part_2 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan CATEGORY: Japan DATE: 04/29/2006 10:51:55 AM ----- BODY: On January 16th, I wrote about an upcoming trial of anti-terrorism facial recognition at Kasumigaseki station in central Tokyo. The testing begins on Monday, May 1 and runs for nearly three weeks, until Friday May 19. According to an article off the Japan Economic Newswire:
The Institution for Transport Policy Studies will conduct the experiment for one hour from 2 p.m. every weekday from May 1-19 at a designated ticket gate at Kasumigaseki Station, noting that the test will involve only selected staff and no private passengers. The system is designed to issue an alert if the video monitor detects a person with facial features matching those of a person on a specified list, such as a list of criminal suspects compiled by the police or of condominium residents for checking building entrants, according to NTT Communications. The system analyses the position of the nose and eyes as well as features of the skin from a video capture of the face, according to NTT Communications. Technically, it can check one person against a list of 10,000 people per second, the Tokyo-based company said, adding that there is still room for enhancing the system's accuracy before the company releases it onto the market possibly next year.I doubt they're going to get 3,600 (1 person/sec * 60 sec/min * 60 min/hour) employees together for an hour every day during the test, so they will run a limited test on a powerful system. What's the point? Couldn't they have done that in the lab? This system offers a false sense of security and not much more. Terrorists are not going to be stopped by a facial recognition system, they'll simply avoid it or work around it by using unsuspected terrorists, plastic surgery, or taxis. If I can think of that, how hard can it be for someone determined to be bad to come up with a better plan? I also believe that plain old security cameras are a bad way to secure something in the moment, even though they provide handy evidence after the fact. Did all the cameras in London stop the terrorist bombings last July? No. They caught the action on the day and even filmed a dry run of the event more than a week in advance, but nobody noticed and it didn't stop the bombings from happening. Anti-terrorist measures need a little more thought. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: False security testing begins. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: John EMAIL: jlb@bur.st IP: 203.161.113.68 URL: DATE: 04/29/2006 04:36:17 PM Facial recognition software? Luxury! In Australia, we were issued with 'Be Alert Not Alarmed' fridge magnets. ObParody - http://www.abc.net.au/cnnnn/news/s958733.htm ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Screencasting BASENAME: screencasting STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net CATEGORY: On the Net DATE: 05/01/2006 11:52:51 PM ----- BODY: The latest buzzword among Web 2.0 folks is screencasting."*cue excited, breathy voice* "You know, like podcasting but of your screen." This amounts to making a movie of your monitor while you narrate the action. Um...sure. I did this in 1996, though it was minor torture back then--multiple programs, extra cables, hardware, scripting and overdubbed audio edited in after the visual were recorded. Now a single piece of software does the screen capture and audio recording. I've been trying out Snapz Pro which took a bit of getting used to, but gives good results. I'm improving with practice. I've done four screencasts for Collectik with more to come. It is a good tool for training people who are visual or aural learners. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: A movie of your monitor. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: To B2 or not to B2? BASENAME: to_b2_or_not_to_b2 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections CATEGORY: Personal Reflections DATE: 05/02/2006 10:54:15 PM ----- BODY:
Twenty eight 14mg B2 tablets
A study recently published showed that a daily dose of 400mg of B2 reduced the frequency (but not symptoms) of migraines after two months.
This morning I counted out the necessary number of little tablets and sat them on my desk. It's a lot of pills. I don't think I can keep this up for 2 months. In fact today I only managed 4 or 5. My head promptly revolted with an unpleasant and uncomfortable headache that's persisted all day.
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EXCERPT:
I think "to not"
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL:
IP: 221.113.33.232
URL: http://www.antipixel.com
DATE: 05/03/2006 01:06:01 AM
Can you grind them up and put them in a smoothie? Might not taste great, but it'd be over fairly quickly.
Vitamin B pills, matcha, and maple syrup might not even be bad, come to think of it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sandra
EMAIL: croquechoux@gmail.com
IP: 82.238.219.111
URL: http://croque-choux.typepad.com
DATE: 05/03/2006 02:01:29 AM
Oh dear, do you get migraines too? Such a pain, I can relate. I think I'd be willing to swallow anything to get rid of them, even 400 mgs of B2 :o) There was also a recent study done which showed that regular acupunture treatments reduce the frequency of migraines, so you might want to check into that. Read this: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=6581
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: John
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 202.161.6.4
URL:
DATE: 05/03/2006 07:51:59 AM
If comments about your migraines annoy you please feel free not to post this, but I had a quick look at a website and 400mg of B2 is a lot. I would be very surprised if that dose wasn't injected. It sounds like the daily recommended dose for women is 1.1mg. If the thought of all those tablets is making you feel sick, consider these for a binge:
'Milk, eggs and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese are excellent sources of Vitamin B2 as are leafy green vegetables, avocado, broccoli and asparagus. Enriched and whole grains and cereals are other good sources and so are nuts, legumes, soybeans and mushrooms. Fruits, organ meats (liver, kidney and the heart) and fish contain ample amounts of Vitamin B2 as well.'
Yum!
With respect, and good luck,
jb
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 69.29.71.203
URL: http://www.blog.wahlster.net
DATE: 05/03/2006 12:32:39 PM
Don't know whether you have considered pharmceuticals. After decades of migraines and after Imitrex injections for symptomatic relief I have had great success for the past 5 years with Topiramate, taken regularly, to reduce the frequency and severity of my migraine attacks. It sells in the U.S. as Topamax. Good luck with your vitamins!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kate
EMAIL:
IP: 155.212.201.226
URL:
DATE: 05/06/2006 01:03:58 AM
I dunno about Japan but in the US a doctor can give you a prescription for pills with a much higher dosage of vitamins. I think my wife got some 5000mg (not a typo) vitamin D tablets a while back.
I'm thinking that convincing a doctor to give you a script for a mere 400mg of b2 wouldn't be that hard.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tod at the laptop
BASENAME: tod_at_the_laptop
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 05/03/2006 06:45:46 PM
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BODY:
Tod sets up a movie for us to watch
I spent the entire afternoon sleeping; this stupid headache will not quit. Tod entertained himself installing OpenBSD on his laptop, and then ordered dinner for us and prepared a movie for us to watch (quietly, I hope) while we eat.
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EXCERPT:
What Tod does while I nap
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 05/03/2006 09:03:13 PM
Sorry to hear your head is still ouchies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: echan@cam.org
IP: 192.75.88.232
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2006 12:03:57 AM
Hope you feel better! Headaches (let alone migraines) are no fun! :-(
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/04/2006 05:32:18 AM
Hope is was a good movie and that your headache is gone today.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Roujin results
BASENAME: roujin_results
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/05/2006 11:59:59 PM
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BODY:
My health check results came back. I seem to be healthy, in fact my "good cholesterol" level is really high, so that's good.
But because I know I'll have misplaced the results sheet when I want to review in a year ot two, but it's less likely that I will lose the blog, I've transcribed the results below the fold. Boring, boring, boring.
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EXTENDED BODY:
Exam results
Height: 170.8 cm
Weight: 67 kg
BMI: 23
BP: 130/70
K-W: ok
Scheie H: ok
Scheie S: ok
Barium stomach cancer screening: negative
Hepatitis B: negative
Hepatits C: negative
Chest x-ray: clear
EKG: ok
Bloodwork
white cell count: 8100
re cell count: 430
hemoglobin: 14.2
hematocrit: 42.3
platelet (?): 27.2
MCV: 98
MCH: 33.0
MCHC: 33.6
AST (GOT): 13
ALT (GPT): 9
ALP: 100
gamma-GTP: 20
クレアチニン: 0.75
uric acid: 5.1
urea nitrogen: 15
glucose: 83
TG: 42
cholesterol: 231
HDL: 92
LDL: 130.6
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EXCERPT:
In find fettle
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tara
EMAIL:
IP: 24.87.75.237
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2006 05:43:23 PM
Glad to hear you're healthy. Such a good idea to blog the results! I am always hunting down old medical papers. Neat how one result is in Katakana.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Swimming
BASENAME: swimming
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/06/2006 05:33:58 AM
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BODY:
Hiratsuka, Kanagawa. May 5th. photo by JJ
The ocean was frigid and the waves were fierce but for some of us, swimming was an irresistable temptation.
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EXCERPT:
Too early in the season
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 219.109.207.119
URL: http://japanthings.blog22.fc2.com/
DATE: 05/06/2006 02:24:16 PM
Are you back home by now?
I started new blog and this will be in English. Check it and substitute the link for me, if please.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: A Rainy Day in London Town
BASENAME: a_rainy_day_in_london_town
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/07/2006 02:35:12 AM
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BODY:
Did I mention we're going to London? Well, we are. We did. We're here. The weather is cool and wet. The forecast says more cool and wet. Good thing I packed the raincoat I bought last time I was here.
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EXCERPT:
with more to come
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: echan@cam.org
IP: 70.83.101.231
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2006 03:45:43 AM
Hope you enjoy all the museums there on the rainy days!! We were there in March and it was COLD and wet. :-p Hope you packed at least something warm! Enjoy!
And if you get a chance, go for a traditional "cream tea" with real Devonshire clotted cream. Yes, you might as well just smear the stuff straight onto your thighs, but with homemade jam... Ooooooh!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 222.146.216.93
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2006 11:23:57 AM
On the other hand, sunny and shiny London would feel like empty and spacey Yamanote Line train in the morning... :-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 218.139.14.47
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 05/07/2006 01:21:13 PM
Glad to hear you are there safe and sound.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jon
EMAIL: jon.watts@guardian.co.uk
IP: 61.149.11.232
URL:
DATE: 05/07/2006 06:22:41 PM
wishing you a happy visit
if the unlikely event that you need any local contacts, drop me a line.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Sunday Morning, City of London
BASENAME: sunday_morning_city_of_london
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/08/2006 01:16:05 AM
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BODY:
The City of London is not the London most visitors come to see. It is the center of commerce and banking with stone edifaces, imposing columns, cobbled walks and atriums in abundance.
350,000 people work here, but only 5,000 live here. And they all sleep in on Sundays, so jet-lagged travellers have it all to themselves. Tod & I walked through nearly deserted streets this morning past shuttered shops that won't open until Monday morning. The only people we encountered were those not speaking British English. It was wonderful to be in such a quiet urban space.
And such an old one, too. We saw a sign proclaiming a street protected by the City of London Police under the Metropolitan Streets Act of 1867. Down the street from our hotel, the pub where we dined in last night has been around since the 14th century. The Bank of England on Threadneedle Street has been there since 1734. the Royal Exchange across the street was originally built in 1571, though the current incarnation was erected in 1884 and it became a luxury shopping mall in 2001 - closed on weekends.
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EXCERPT:
Not the bustling part of town
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Marie
EMAIL: tokyoredhed@mac.com
IP: 193.132.105.146
URL:
DATE: 05/08/2006 07:54:01 PM
Hi,
I am now one of the 5000. I love it. Saturday is my favourite day - as it's almost ghostly. I hope you managed to make it to Brick Lane, Spitalfields market and Columbia Road flower market on Sunday though... quite the opposite atmosphere... with zillions of people, all too cool for school. Trying to think of the equivalent experience in Tokyo... and I'm sure there is one... but somehow nothing I experienced ever had quite the same cultural resonance for me.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rambukk
EMAIL: rambukk@gmail.com
IP: 85.164.25.37
URL: http://rambukk.blogspot.com
DATE: 05/14/2006 12:47:29 AM
City on a week-day is quite another story!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Springtime in Yorkshire
BASENAME: springtime_in_yorkshire
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/09/2006 02:32:29 PM
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BODY:
The English countryside in springtime is a riot of life. Everything is bright and fresh. Flowers bloom on all the hillsides. Trees leaf out in brilliant green, lambs frollick on hilly pastures, birds sing. The world vibrates with newness.
Lenora, a friend I met in Tokyo who's been transplanted to Harrogate in Yorkshire, extended her hospitality to me and shared her knowledge of local history, flora and fauna as she toured me around her lovely district. We visited Bolton Abbey and enjoyed a long walk along the River Wharfe to see the bluebells in bloom. Along the fringes of forest, they form a dense haze of vivid blue-violet punctuated with white stars of wood anenomes. Now I understand the color inspirations of classic English floral textiles.
Harrogate was formerly a spa town. Victorians travelled north from London on a new train line to take the waters. Today there's only one bath operating and the town is more famous for its civic flower displays, but back in the day, there were grand hotels, an opera house, and the beginnings of several long-standing culinary traditions including toffees (to help remove the sulphur-water taste) and Betty's cafe tearoom.
I spent two days in Yorkshire, but it passed too quickly. Enjoying the scenery of the Dales was a pleasure I hope to have again. I still have the theme song from the BBC's All Creatures Great and Small running in my head.
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EXCERPT:
A jaunt into the countryside
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tower of London
BASENAME: tower_of_london
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/10/2006 11:27:24 PM
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BODY:
The Tower of London isn't a tower. It's a complex of twenty towers built in different centuries, rebuilt in various ways and used for fine and nefarious purposes over its 900 year existence.
It reminded me just a little bit of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Not because they look much alike (though they both consist of great stone and wood buildings) but because they are the same class of place - former palace and prison turned to tourism. And places I've spent time drawing, too. I wonder what other former palaces/prisons exist in the world? Perhaps I should go on a tour and draw them all.
I'm a litle embarrassed to admit that much of my prior knowledge of the Tower came from Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle books, so I spent as much time recalling scenes from the books as I did people-watching. But I wasn't entirely daydreaming. I paid attention, too.
Something I learned today is the historical origin of some familiar nursery rhymes. Mary Tudor, who became Mary 1 of England, was fond of gardening. She spent so much time outdoors that she was nicknamed The Farmer's Wife. She was also a devout Catholic and when she became queen had over 300 Protestant leaders executed. She earned the nickname Bloody Mary for that.
Mistress Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?
With silver bells [mass] and cockle shells [awards for crusades] and pretty maids [nuns] all in a row.
Mary couldn't become Queen until she seized the throne from Lady Jane Grey. Lady Jane's father-in-law was the architect of Jane's near ascent to the throne. When he figured that the army was going to support Mary instead of Jane, he sent three bishops to preach on Jane's behalf. It didn't work and the bishops ran away to beseech Mary for mercy.
Three blind mice, three blind mice [the bishops], see how they run.
They all ran after the famer's wife, who cut off their tails with a carving knife. [they were executed]
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EXCERPT:
in nursery rhymes
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 05/11/2006 08:15:55 PM
Ah, I always wondered about the three blind mice. Makes sense, now.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 05/12/2006 01:16:48 PM
I hope you are taking lots of photos!! I wanna see!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: V&A Overload
BASENAME: va_overload
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/11/2006 11:29:54 PM
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BODY:
On previous visits to London, I've given the Victoria and Albert museum a pass. I always like to leave a city with at least one good reason to return and the V&A was my sacrifice. But not this time.
It has an abundance of interesting decorative and practical arts. More than enough to spend a full day enjoying. It's big and confusing and under construction, but if you don't mind being lost on the third floor desperate to reach the garden cafe on the ground floor but unable to find a stairwell not blocked off for maintenance, then the V&A is a great place. On the other hand, if you really want to get to the garden cafe from the 3rd floor, you're going to hate it.
I sauntered through the first floor fashion collection to start, admiring and examining garments dating from the 1600s to last year. There are some stunning pieces. A floor length white velvet and fur evening coat-dress from the 1980s took my breath away, as did the bold jungle-floral pantsuit from the 1970s - but not in the same way. I laughed when I encountered the "novelty bustle pad" from 1837 that played God Save The Queen every time the wearer sat down.
Upstairs, I found the textile galleries. I spent most of my time there pulling random "frames" from their cases. The frames are a catalog of textile samples - laces, embroidery, weaving, prints - from medieval to 19th century. The cloth fragments are mounted in very large glass-fronted picture frames and stored vertically, like books on a shelf. You slide them out to look at them. There are hundreds of them. I looked at perhaps 40 before I got too hungry to think
And that's when I got lost. It took way too long to find stairs heading where I wanted to go and I got frustrated. But that's not going to permanently taint my judgement of the V&A. Next time I'll eat lunch before I go...
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No stairs down.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@sajjadzaidi.com
IP: 210.2.170.13
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com
DATE: 05/12/2006 03:08:35 AM
Being crazy about Ancient Egypt, I always loved to go to the London Museum, when I was a kid living there. I don't know about now, but at that time, I managed to touch the Rosetta Stone. Apparantly that was a big deal for me.
Also loved the Natural History and Science Museums. Never could develop much interest in V&A though really want to see it now.
Enjoy your stay and keep us posted.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Lenora
EMAIL:
IP: 62.252.224.13
URL:
DATE: 05/12/2006 04:14:56 AM
hey, Kristen, glad you got a chance to spend some time in the V&A, but too bad about getting lost. Last time I was there I spent most of my time ogling their incredible collection of decorative tins.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Raw Meat
BASENAME: raw_meat
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/12/2006 02:49:31 PM
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BODY:
"Raw meat," the waiter succinctly announced when he brought us our plate of kibbeh at Maroush on Edgeware Road. None of the other dishes were named or described as they came to table, so I wonder if it was a final warning to the perhaps unsuspecting diner about the nature of kibbeh.
No worries, we knew what to expect and it was gooooood. And the spicy hummus was the best I've ever eaten - silky smooth with just the right balance of lemon and garlic, a peppery kick, and a generous amount of fresh flat-leaf parsley mixed into it. We devoured an entire bowl and could have eaten more, except that the next dish arrived to distract us - lamb-stuffed vine leaves and aubergine cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. Manna in a ramekin.
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Lebanese cuisine makes me drool
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Good & Bad in London
BASENAME: good_bad_in_london
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
DATE: 05/13/2006 04:54:40 PM
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BODY:
GOOD: clothes
From trendy seasonal frocks to tailored classics, clothes are designed and sized for women with a waist to hip ratio bigger than 1:1 and heights taller than 165 cm. There are even 4 sizes bigger than mine easily found on racks in every shop. I don't feel like a cow here. I like that.
BAD: prices
Pounds spend like dollars or 100 yen, but they are worth twice as much. 1 pound = 208 yen. A 40 pound blouse doesn't seem too expensive until you double the price. Damn.
Restaurant meals are expensive, too. The cheapest lunch I managed was a toasted cheese panini and a bottle of water at 4 pounds (832 yen). Most lunches set me back 8 pounds at cafes and bistros. Lebanese dinner last night (2 mezze, 1 main, a bottle of wine, tea and sparkling water) was 61 pounds - but it was an exception meal and worth the expense.
Tube fare is 3 pounds (628 yen) for a single ride. It's 1.50 (314 yen) if you have a pre-paid Oyster card, but that's still a lot more that Tokyo.
I have been making a casual search for things costing less than 1 pound: small packet of chips, chocolate bars, postage stamps, and not much else. Even a bottle of water is 1.30 (270 yen).
GOOD: food
The variety of food in London is wide and includes a lot of things we can't get in Tokyo: middle eastern, polish, carribean, real tapas. We're having pierogies for lunch today and I am very happy about that. It makes me see that although there's a great variety in Tokyo and it's generally more authentic than what you get in the States, it's still Japanised in many cases.
BAD: the Tube
Perhaps not bad, but laughable compared to Tokyo's subways. The Tube staff make frequent announcements in the stations, telling tales of woe on various sections of line. "Serious delays on the Circle line between Great Portland Street and Farrindon due to temporary speed restrictions." But even funnier, they announce "Good Service" when things are running smoothly. I guess it's big news.
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EXCERPT:
some plusses and minuses
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: ただいま
BASENAME: post
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 05/14/2006 08:07:54 PM
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BODY:
Home is where you hang your jacket?
We're back in Tokyo this evening after our week in London. As much as I love to travel, I enjoy coming home more.
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EXCERPT:
Home again home again
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 220.238.211.182
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 05/15/2006 02:27:54 PM
おかれり！
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 219.109.207.119
URL: http://japanthings.blog22.fc2.com/
DATE: 05/16/2006 01:16:00 PM
okaeri!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to Remove a Bee
BASENAME: how_to_remove_a_bee
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 05/15/2006 02:54:59 PM
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BODY:
Bees are attracted to light and move away from darkness and shadows. If a bee enters your room and buzzes against the inside of the window trying to get back out into the sunny day, and if you have access to the outside of the window, here is a sure-fire method for removing the bee without hurting it.
The Creative Perspectives mix trade is starting to bring returns. I mailed mine out (finally) before I went to London. Now I've received two in return.
Yesterday Jenn's CD came and today I found Schmeebot's in my mailbox. And they both sent bonuses - the "knitangle", jewelry parts, photos, t-shirts and more. Way cool and so unexpected.
The music is almost all stuff I don't have in my collection, and not what I normally listen to. It's good and the mixes are brilliant. Some highlights: bug powder dust by bomb the bass; only happy when it rains, garbage; lost at sea, the egg; noche divina, natalia lafourcade. Great songs, all of them. I feel inspired to paint and create.
And that was the point. So thanks!
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EXCERPT:
surprise ones in the mail
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/17/2006 06:34:28 AM
You're welcome! And thanks to you too! I've been enjoying the mix you sent.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Too common criminals
BASENAME: too_common_criminals
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/17/2006 04:05:29 PM
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BODY:
The Japanese government passed a law today that will affect me, most of my friends, and over 6 million other gaijin.
Foreigners visiting Japan will be photographed and fingerprinted on entry, including those living here, who will be photographed and fingerprinted upon any re-entry to Japan.
Of course, it's done in the name of anti-terrorism, safety and national security. Since the US has been doing this same thing to its foreign visitors since 2004, Japan was bound to follow. Wasn't it?
No date has been set to begin this procedure. Perhaps some of the groups that have protested can create a diversion before the government can pass the budget and schedule portions of the legislation. But that seems doubtful. This snippet from the Asahi Shimbun does not promise much good:
Meanwhile, Gayle S. Nix, a senior official at the U.S. firm Accenture, said little information is available on known terrorists and that border-control data ought to be shared among nations in the future. She said resistance to governments holding personal data such as fingerprints will likely ease over time. Accenture also developed the fingerprint data-management system that the U.S. government adopted in 2004 to track all foreign nationals entering the United States. Accenture won a bid from Japan last fall to develop an experimental immigration tracking system that includes integrated-circuit chip embedded cards capable of storing the fingerprint data of the holder. The IC-card system will be used once the fingerprinting requirement legislation is passed.Won't be long before we're all so comfy with governments "holding personal data", that we'll eagerly line up for our free, legislated RFID tags so our every move can processed to prove we're Good Citizens. Stop this world! Let me off. What to do? What to do? Get off the grid. Start my own nation. Stop moving about in the world... I don't know how. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: I feel powerless to prevent this. ----- KEYWORDS: ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: j-ster EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com IP: 220.238.211.182 URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog DATE: 05/17/2006 10:43:30 PM Thats just creepy. The war on freedom has gone too far. I remember being fingerprinted when i first arrived in Japan, and i found it pretty insulting at the time, but then it was dropped for a while, wasnt it? Back with a vengeance. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com IP: 192.168.7.32 URL: http://www.mediatinker.com DATE: 05/17/2006 10:51:36 PM The fingerprinting you remember (I remember it, too!) was done by the ward offices and the records kept locally, rather than the federal government/immigration. It was abolished in 2000. So much for progress, eh? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: MJ EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net IP: 219.117.192.165 URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net DATE: 05/18/2006 11:06:56 AM The biggest issue for me is - are they able to really protect this data? There hasn't been a great track record in the past. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Richard EMAIL: IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: DATE: 05/18/2006 12:58:20 PM Why worry? They have got your number anyway. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kristen EMAIL: IP: 192.168.8.31 URL: DATE: 05/18/2006 01:17:14 PM MJ: I imagine that they aren't going to keep the data secure--the idea is to share it with law enforcement agencies within Japan (according to what I've been reading) and, as that scary Accenture woman said, maybe countries will share the data across borders. Richard: yes, my number is well and truly got. It would be awfully difficult to take back my privacy. But that doens't stop me frrom wanting to, or worrying that other people should be able to control their "biometric data" and other personal details. Fingerprinting/photographing in the name of security is about as stupid as putting up security cameras everywhere. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: T EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp IP: 219.118.174.58 URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com DATE: 05/18/2006 02:30:28 PM I wonder if they can make a clone out of biometric data in the future.. J-ster - war against freedom - so totally agree on that. ----- -------- AUTHOR: kuri TITLE: Chocolate-coated Peanut Butter Pie BASENAME: chocolate-coated_peanut_butter_pie STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 2 CONVERT BREAKS: __default__ ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes CATEGORY: Recipes DATE: 05/18/2006 10:21:04 AM ----- BODY:
I tried this for a friend's "American Comfort Foods" theme party (also on the menu were Buffalo wings, macaroni & cheese, and eggplant parmesan.) This smooth, light peanut butter cheesecake with a crispy chocolate topping was a decadent ending and very American. We let it come to room temperature before serving, which was a mistake - it softened too much and was difficult to serve in slices. Still delicious but next time I'll serve it chilled.
Chocolate-coated Peanut Butter Pie
serves 8-10
1 graham cracker crust (ready-made of home-made)
250 gr cream cheese, softened
240 ml peanut butter
240 ml sugar
200 ml whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
100 gr semi-sweet chocolate
4 Tbsp butter
Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar and peanut butter 1/2 cup at a time and mix well. In a chilled bowl, whip cream and vanilla until firm. Gently incorporate into peanut butter mixture. Pour into pie crust. Chill for abut an hour.
Melt butter and chocolate over low heat (or double boiler). Allow to cool slight, then pour over peanut butter and spread evenly. Chill until firm. Serve chilled.
Alternate: skip the crust. Pour peanut butter into individula serving dishes, topping each with chocolate. Serve at room temperature with a spoon.
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Peanut-butter cup taste in a pie format.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Andy
EMAIL: tokyodragon@gmail.com
IP: 219.35.185.108
URL:
DATE: 05/20/2006 03:40:59 PM
Kristen,
It was an excellent dessert! Thank you! I'm going to try to make it myself soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: nils
EMAIL: nils@planetkyoto.com
IP: 218.123.120.125
URL: http://www.planetkyoto.com/nils/
DATE: 05/23/2006 10:33:06 PM
This looks easy. I'm gonna make this, thanks.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: What do you see?
BASENAME: what_do_you_see
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 05/19/2006 03:37:29 PM
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BODY:
When you look at a scene, an event or a person, what do you see? Where is your eye drawn? What runs through your mind - consciously or subconsciously? These are hard questions to answer, but I think they are important to improving your creativity. If you know what you naturally prefer, you can strengthen it, or choose to focus elsewhere for a break or a new perspective.
I've been studying my friends' photos and artworks lately to try to figure out what they see - their creative visions.
Jeremy sees light and shadows played on textured surfaces.
Jim finds old styles in modern places.
Lil sees humanity in the non-majority and the elegance of structure.
Julianne is attracted to color and form.
These are just some representatives of four large bodies of work. By looking more closely I'm uncovering (perceived) secrets of what makes them tick - and I'm starting to discover what I see - color, edges and relationships.
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Color, texture, shadow - what draws youe eye?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 219.109.207.119
URL: http://japanthings.blog22.fc2.com/
DATE: 05/20/2006 05:28:34 PM
When I turn into a Kajin, a Tanka poet, it is the most important issue. A bit longer than Haiku, but still Tanka has only 31 syllables. You will, though, surprise when 31 syllables can cover a much more than you first thought. Then you gradually start to realize you have to learn to focus to impress people.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Pinhole & gardening
BASENAME: pinhole_gardening
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/22/2006 02:10:21 PM
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BODY:
Neighborhood dog
On Saturday, I made a pinhole for the digital camera. It was easy. I drilled a 1 cm hole in the center of a plastic Nikon body cap and attached a pinhole with some black tape. Then a took a lot of photos. The best of the bunch are in a Flickr set.
Herb garden
On Sunday, Tod & I went for a walk, hoping to take more pictures, and ended up buying 30 plants, two big pots and some dirt. Then we took a taxi home and got all dirty planting an herb garden in the containers. I hope these do better than my previous gardening attempts.
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simple photos, simple garden
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Viktor
EMAIL: Losevski@yahoo.com
IP: 83.223.129.203
URL: http://prank.atspace.com/
DATE: 05/24/2006 09:36:39 PM
Good photoes!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Summer Dust
BASENAME: summer_dust
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/23/2006 11:34:46 AM
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BODY:
Can you see the dust?
I've had the doors and windows open for the last couple of days to admit fresh breezes. Now everything in the house is coated with a fine, gritty layer of crud. This is how it will be for the rest of the season.
I've learned to protect my equipment with dust cloths, but no matter how frequently I wipe things down, every surface will recoat the moment I open the doors and windows. Filthy city!
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EXCERPT:
Battling nature
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sajjad
EMAIL: sajjad@sajjadzaidi.com
IP: 202.147.178.178
URL: http://www.sajjadzaidi.com
DATE: 05/23/2006 05:47:00 PM
Has it gotten filthier recently? I seem to remember that Japan was one of the cleanest places I've lived in (with regards to dust). Perfect for a lazy bum like yours truly who only bothered to clean up once in a blue moon.
My current residence is completely opposite. There is so much dust that sometimes I wonder if we live in a desert. Lots of sand storms around this time of the year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: gleek
EMAIL: here@gleek.net
IP: 64.236.235.240
URL: http://www.gleek.net
DATE: 05/23/2006 11:52:30 PM
NYC is the same. so dusty and dirty. you have to dust every week!
(i have the same violet lipgloss)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 05/24/2006 05:21:52 AM
If you really want to see the dust, get mahogany furniture. The early morning light makes it quite visible!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2006 05:34:38 AM
I don't care much about dust I guess. When it accumulates in piles, then I deal with it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 05/25/2006 11:32:43 AM
Yes my light colored furniture hides it pretty well, but I can still feel it when I rest my arms on my desk. ick.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Raindrops
BASENAME: raindrops
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/24/2006 10:21:49 PM
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BODY:
My urban rainforest. Click for larger version.
I can see I'm going to keep happy during tsuyu by watching the rain on my bamboo grass. The surface tensions between the rain and the leaves form these beautiful rounded drops that sit still on the leaves.
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EXCERPT:
Anticipating rainy season
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 05/25/2006 05:33:32 AM
Dew perched on the tips of it is equally as mesmerizing.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: K Stew
BASENAME: k_stew
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 05/25/2006 11:31:11 AM
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BODY:
We chuckled as we chopped the ingredients for this "cleaning out the fridge meal", because most of the ingredients start with a |k| sound if you mix the English and Japanese names.
I wasn't sure cauliflower and kabu (turnip) would go well together, but these mild Japanese turnips were an excellent match. Komatsuba, a bitter green leaf similar to spinach but more astringent, and mini tomatoes added a nice acidity to the dish. Kinoko (mushrooms), beef and garlic rounded out the flavors. There's no special seasoning except a splash of leftover Cabernet.
Although it's really beyond the end of stew season, I can't help making them on chillier early summer evenings. I love making them in the oven. After you put them in, covered so they steam themselves cooked, you can leave them alone to do their stewing and there's no worry of an unattended open flame on the stove top.
K Stew
serves 2-4
2 small turnips (kabu)
1/4 head cauliflower
1 carrot
1 bunch komatsuba
1 cup mushrooms (kinoko)
4 mini tomatoes
1/2 cup Cabernet
300 gr stew beef
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
olive oil
water
salt & pepper to taste
Cut the ingredients into bite sized pieces.
In an oven-proof casserole with a lid, brown the beef in a bit of olive oil. Add the garlic and allow to brown. Pour in the cabernet. Add all the vegetables and mix well. Add enough water to barely cover the vegetables. Simmer until the komatsuba wilts.
Cover casserole with the lid and put into a 160 C oven for about an 90 minutes, stirring once or twice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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The bounty of random leftovers
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Swap
BASENAME: swap
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/28/2006 10:17:16 AM
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BODY:
I'm enjoying the idea of trading and swapping things with strangers. In addition to getting a steady stream of excellent CDs from the Creative Perspectives Mix trade, I received a package yesterday as part of the Use What You Have craft swap.
It was such a delight to open the box, which came from Zambia by way of the UK, to enjoy all the little treats my swap partner, LuckyBeans had included.
A handmade bag just the right size for carrying my sketchbooks and art supplies came filled with Indian recipes and spices (plus the most delicious Madagascar vanilla pods!), and a box of lucky beans to tuck under my pillow.
A length of beautiful fabric tied with a wooden button and glass beads.
Miss Shrew, who quickly made friends with the Zous.
I am ashamed to say that I got better than I gave in this case. A more-deserving woman in Germany received a too-hurried package thin on content and without any clever details. But I will do much better next time I play, which I will do again because a box full of mystery presents is the best thing ever.
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The best mail ever.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Luckybeans
EMAIL: Luckybeansmail@yahoo.com
IP: 193.220.223.241
URL: http://luckybeans.typepad.com
DATE: 06/08/2006 10:50:36 PM
Oh! So glad it finally made it!!! I was worried it had fallen into the pcean somewhere...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Morioka Shoten
BASENAME: morioka_shoten
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/29/2006 11:50:56 PM
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BODY:
Moriokia Shoten. Inoue Bldg 2 #305, Nihonbashi-Kayabacho 2-17-13, Chuo-ku.
This evening I attended an opening party. It wasn't at a gallery or a museum. It was the opening of an exclusive word-of-mouth bookstore on the third floor of a delightfully vintage building overlooking Kamajima-gawa in Kayabacho.
Morioka Shoten specialises in early 20th century design, photography, art & photography books - mainly from Europe. Morioka-san, a young man who learned the trade at one of the venerable Jimbocho booksellers, has a small but impressive collection of books by Czech designer Josef Čapek & his brother Karl as well as a wide variety of other interesting books.
I'm looking forward to going back on an evening when it isn't so crowded and hot to spend more time perusing the books.
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A new antique bookseller in Tokyo.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.120.93.254
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 06/08/2006 03:23:05 PM
I'm really intereseted in this book store. I tried to get more information from the net, but what I found was a gallery on the fourth floor on the same building. Can anyboday drop by the book store? If you don't mind please let me know about more information of "Morioka" syoten.
I'd like to go there with my daughter who lives in TOKYO now.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lucid Dreaming
BASENAME: lucid_dreaming
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 05/30/2006 09:42:00 PM
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BODY:
I took a nap this afternoon and had an odd dream.
I dreamt that I was having a nap. My body in the dream was arranged similarly to the way I was arranged on the bed in real life - lying on my right side with my arms loosely folded under my head. In the dream I was wearing a floaty chiffon sundress.
In the dream nap, I dreamt I was dreaming. In the dream's dream I moved my hand along my arm to reposition it better under my head. I felt the fingers on my skin. The dreaming me was aware that she was dreaming and became quite alarmed when she woke a little and tried to move her hand but couldn't. It felt like her arm was numb or held in place with a heavy weight.
I was aware that I was dreaming this dream-within-a-dream and after a moment of panic and confusion, I woke up into the real world to test my hand. It moved (whew) and I fell back asleep to dream of discovering a dining room and bookshelves hidden behind a fireplace in our apartment.
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Dream within a dream within a nap.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 05/31/2006 01:45:07 PM
Great dream - I sometimes have dreams like that - so often when it is an afternoon nap on the couch. I have the most vivid dreams then.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Summer Style
BASENAME: summer_style
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 05/31/2006 04:54:46 PM
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Tomorrow is the "official" day to start wearing summer uniforms and summery clothing like white dresses and linen suits. So keep your eyes open today, and note that the people in uniform in your neighborhood (schoolkids, policemen, railway & subway folks, construction workers) may all be dressed differently tomorrow.
June 1 kicks off the period for CoolBiz 2006, so businessmen are dressing for the summer, too. To conserve energy, the Ministry of the Environment is asking companies to keep their offices at 28°C (82°F), and workers are requested to dress appropriately - short sleeves, no ties, lightweight suits. CoolBiz style.
The department stores love this, setting up displays of ways to look corporate without a necktie, and the government sponsored a fashion event in Omotesando Hills today. But it's a hard sell. In Wakayama-ken, where the weather is warmer, the prefectural government started CoolBiz last week. According to a newspaper report only 80 of 2300 employees turned up without ties.
So get out your white shoes, press up all that lovely linen and get ready for summer dressing. It's supposed to be sunny and 28° in Tokyo tomorrow.
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Better look deep in the closet...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Caponata
BASENAME: caponata
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/01/2006 02:06:54 PM
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BODY:
I made this as part of a menu for a dinner party last weekend. The recipe came from Peter Why via the LibriVox forums but I made some conisderable changes to his original - including skipping a cooking step and substituting anchovies for garlic. The results were raved over and I'll be making this all summer.
Caponata
serves 12 - 15
2 large onions, cut into bite size pieces
4 bell peppers (2 green, one yellow, 1 red), cut into bite size pieces
2 sprigs fresh thyme, destemmed
5 small Japanese eggplants, cut into bite size pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 can pitted black olives, rinsed
2 cans (800gr total) crushed tomatoes
6 anchovy fillets
2 Tblsp capers
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
Saute the onions and peppers in olive oil until the onion turns translucent. Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat about 1/2 cup of oilve oil in the pan, the add the eggplant and saute for about five minutes. The eggplant will soak up the oil completely. This is good. Don't allow to overcook.
Add the tinned tomatoes, celery, thyme, onion/pepper mixture, olives, anchovies and capers. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, uncovered.
Stir the sugar into the vinegar and pour into the pan. Mix well and allow to cook another minute or two. The consistency should be "jam-like."Remove from heat. Allow to cool. Serve at room temperature.
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Slightly crispy stewed vegetables in tomatoe sauce
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Stylise
BASENAME: stylise
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/02/2006 12:06:45 AM
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BODY:
This week I've been working on illustrations for two different projects. For one, I needed a model. I browsed my collection of photos looking for someone turned at the correct angle, smiling and looking at the camera. No such luck. So I picked up the camera, tilted, smiled and snapped.
Then I went to work in Photoshop, using the pen tool and many layers to create a block-print look face. I made a very simplified version (at right below), using the placement of my features and the general shape of my face, ignoring details and eliminating curves, wrinkles and my nose. It was pretty much the look I wanted to achieve, so I submitted it for comments to the Collectik crew.
And then I decided to try making a more realistic stylised version of me. I added the laugh lines and moles, followed the curve of my face more closely, and gave myself a nose and slightly more accurate eyes.
The reference photo; me, realistically stylised; the submitted face.
I truly enjoy abstracting the essence of something in to shapes and lines. Simpifying an object requires you to focus on positive and negative space, form, shadow. Which details tell the story? What can be discarded? Which lines must be 100% accurate? Which ones can be adjusted and how? Can or should you add details that aren't there?
It's especially interesting when you work with your face as the object. I'm sure a psychologist would have a field day with the details I included or didn't...
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Three versions of me
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 06/02/2006 01:34:44 PM
Fab... very Wahol. (Sorry did I just make you cringe?)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Q10 Ice Cream
BASENAME: q10_ice_cream
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/03/2006 10:21:33 AM
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BODY:
Healthy! Beauty! Dessert!
Apricot Sauce and Vanilla Soymilk Ice Cream with Co-enzyme Q10 and vitamin E. Only in Japan. From the Healthy & Beauty line by Lotte-Snow.
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Also comes in collagen flavor
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 06/05/2006 06:46:34 AM
PS, it wasn't too bad, but not as interesting as the Orange-Olive ice cream I tried tonight.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 06/05/2006 12:47:49 PM
Collagen - extracted from cows? hhmmm
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Red & brown flower
BASENAME: red_brown_flower
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/04/2006 10:27:27 AM
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BODY:
Afternoon light on the potted flowers
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EXCERPT:
What is this called in English?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Starlite
EMAIL:
IP: 65.49.184.32
URL:
DATE: 06/06/2006 07:58:33 PM
I think its a Dahlia but its difficult without seeing the leaves too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: heather
EMAIL: write@nearlythere.com
IP: 219.212.196.13
URL: http://making.nearlythere.com
DATE: 06/07/2006 09:34:34 AM
if you post this in flickr into a group, you'll probably get an answer pretty quickly!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tyneka
EMAIL: kingtynk@hotmail.com
IP: 66.215.246.173
URL:
DATE: 06/19/2006 03:05:55 AM
I think it is A zinnia
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Weekend in Niigata
BASENAME: weekend_in_niigata
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/06/2006 07:32:29 AM
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BODY:
I went to Matsudai, Niigata this weekend as part of キンシーズ (Kinshees), an art project in the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial beginning July 22 and running through September 10.
What a beautiful place. I had my camera with me and took a lot of photos. Some scenes from the town are up on Flickr and I'll add more through the week.
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A Japanese mountain village
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Inaka Hospitality
BASENAME: inaka_hospitality
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/07/2006 10:00:58 PM
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BODY:
The weekend in Matsudai was primarily spent taking photos - I shot 530 in two days - and two of the photo sessions were with local obaachan & ojiichan (grandmas & grandpas). They dressed up in old-timey clothes and let us come take pictures in their gardens and alleys. And then they invited us in.
Sekiya-san and Kadoeya-san spread an elegant table of cool glass dishes and colorful fruits.
Kadoeya-san's house is beautiful. It's full of traditional Japanese colors and textures, seasonal decorations, multi-generational calligraphy. She is an elegant woman and her home reflects that. She also loves to sing and dance. While we nibbled fruit, she and Sekiya-san danced for us. I don't think anyone has ever performed a dance for my entertainment before. I was truly touched by their grace and generosity.
The Six Beauties of Chitose served up a meal of home cooked vegetable dishes from their gardens
Kodoeya-san's son drove us to the next village, Chitose, for our other shoot. Six women were waiting for us - I hadn't expected such a crowd - and invited us inside the old farmhouse while they finished getting ready. What an amazing building. Built 76 years ago, the rooms are two stories high with timbered ceilings. Thatch peeked through in places, though the roof had been tinned over years ago. And the walls crumbled in patches. Old, well-used and beautiful.
After the shoot, they surprised us with a feast of their specialties. I'll write more about those soon. In the meantime, you can have a look at home photos I've added to my Matsudai Flickr set.
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Country people are so kind and generous.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erra
EMAIL:
IP: 24.199.117.49
URL:
DATE: 06/09/2006 10:43:20 PM
Are you working on a book?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean McQuillin
EMAIL:
IP: 24.51.188.133
URL:
DATE: 06/21/2006 08:39:04 PM
This is a book in the making--first a magazine article?? Fabulous material!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Marinated Seafood
BASENAME: marinated_seafood
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/08/2006 12:04:28 AM
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BODY:
Another summer dish I tested out on a party crowd. Couldn't be much simpler and need no heat at all - just start it the night before to ensure you get enough marination time.
It's easy to find bags of mixed seafood in Japan, and it's already cooked and prepped for salads like this. If you can't find something similar, frozen shrimp alone would be delicious, too.
Marinated Seafood
serves 12
1 kg bag frozen seafood mix (shrimp, squid & octopus)
2-3 small colored peppers
3 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 bunch chervil, minced
dash of msg
Juice the lemons. Mix with olive oil, salt, msg and minced chervil. Use a mandoline (cabbage slicer) to thinly shred the peppers. Add to dressing.
Run the frozen seafood under cool water to dislodge any ice crystals and to partly defrost it. Combine dressing and seafood and allow to marinate overnight.
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EXCERPT:
Lemony chilled seafood salad.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Country Food
BASENAME: country_food
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Food
CATEGORY: Food
DATE: 06/12/2006 11:55:55 PM
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BODY:
The farmhouse spread
We enjoyed a feast of simple Japanese dishes in Matsudai. I've put some photos on Flickr describing the individual dishes.
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Food, glorious food.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Grey
BASENAME: grey
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/13/2006 11:28:14 AM
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BODY:
Sky.
Me.
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EXCERPT:
Mood reflects weather
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Time Cookies
BASENAME: time_cookies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/14/2006 07:43:32 AM
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BODY:
Morinaga Time Cookie
These petite yogurt flavored cookies are filled with blackcurrant cream. They are tasty, but I cannot figure out why they are called Time Cookie. The copy on the package doesn't say much. But TIME is a registered trademark...
I've eaten half the packet so far and no effect. Time's not slowing down or speeding up. I haven't seen any flashing clocks or countdowns in my peripheral vision. Well, I can only hope that the TARDIS will appear at the end of the week.
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EXCERPT:
Yes, but what time?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 06/16/2006 02:15:51 AM
Tea in the TARDIS...with Dr. Who!
When I saw the title of this post - I thought you had made cookies with the time on them in icing. One for each zone.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Three Salad Dressings
BASENAME: three_salad_dressings
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/15/2006 08:10:18 AM
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BODY:
I can tell summer is here because I'm making a lot of salads now. The secret to good salad dressing is enough salt--don't use too little or your dressing will be flat.
Here are three dressings I whipped up this week. Nothing was measured carefully when I made these, so adjust to your liking. These recipes make enough salad dressing for 2-4 people, depending on how much dressing you use.
Umeboshi-Garlic Dressing
1/4 carrot
1 clove roasted garlic
1 soft umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum)
olive oil
white wine vinegar
salt
pepper
Press the garlic and ume through a garlic press. Grate the carrot very fine. Add olive oil and vinegar in your preferred ratio. Season with salt and pepper.
Creamy Ginger Dressing
fresh ginger
3-4 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp soy sauce
milk
Finely grate about 2 cm fresh ginger root. Mix together with mayonnaise and soy sauce. Thin with milk to dressing consistency.
Green Lemon Dressing
1 lemon
2 stems parsley
1 clove roasted garlic
1/2 tsp capers
olive oil
salt
pepper
Juice the lemon, removing seeds. Mince the parsley. Run the roasted garlic and capers through a garlic press. Mix together with olive oil to your liking and season with salt and pepper. This was especially nice on a salad with smoked salmon in it.
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Simple ways to keep salads interesting
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.39
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 06/15/2006 07:33:16 PM
You always introduce intereseting recipes. I sometimes make Ginger Dressing with mayonnaise, but I couldn't think of ading milk to thin it. I hope you would come here to show your recipes for me and my students.
P.S My daughter went to MORIOKA shoten. She was really intereseted in it. Thanks for the information. I'll go there later.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Linda
EMAIL: cutelinda_16@yahoo.com
IP: 125.23.13.80
URL: http://www.yourgenealogylink.com
DATE: 06/16/2006 07:20:15 PM
It's nice to know some good and interesting recipes.
I tried Green Lemon Dressing and believe me it was amazing? Thanx a ton for the appreciation that I got after making that recipe.
Will surely look forward to some more exciting recipes.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Alternate Seasons
BASENAME: alternate_seasons
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 06/16/2006 07:26:24 PM
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BODY:
With the summer solstice approaching and a series of comments on Dr. Dave's blog I've been thinking about seasons. Of course spring, summer, autumn and winter are rational and natural, but why not some other more personal seasons?
I made up a few of my own seasonal sets today. Two are on an annual rotation, the other describes a shorter and more irregular cycle. What seasons can you find in your life?
Creative Seasons
fuss
groove
blank
input
rumination
Garden Seasons
hopeful plans
freshly planted
overgrown
overwatered
wilted
brown
Seasons of Feet
new blisters
soggy shoes
itchy toes
painted toenails
callous formation
extra socks
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SSAW is so last year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 220.238.195.12
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 06/17/2006 12:10:41 AM
Garden seasons: a short, infrequent season that can go one of two ways, either
new plant
dead plant
or
new plant
wild, self sufficient plant
University season:(repeats twice a year)
whats going on?
this is interesting
i still have time
holy shit, everything is due tomorrow
Emotional seasons:
the emotional year starts in mid Jan with a period of Indigo Girls/Alanis Morissette that lasts a month or two, then moves into a Buddha Bar/Beastie Boys/Jack Johnson kinda blend for the rest of the year, with a few Faithless breezes here and there
Financial seasons: sometimes these can last for a month, sometimes they take a week to go thru, but its always the same cycle
bliss
concern
misery
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Duck?
BASENAME: duck
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/17/2006 08:00:45 AM
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BODY:
Signs are pointing towards a North Korean missile test in the near future, perhaps as soon as today according to some reports. Dear Leader lobbed the previous one (in 1998) over Japan and into the ocean, so be prepared to duck and cover just in case it goes awry.
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Will they dare?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 松代 is not always Matsudai
BASENAME: _is_not_always_matsudai
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/19/2006 03:08:30 PM
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BODY:
This weekend I was back in Niigata taking photos. This time Tod came with me and we decided to take the train instead of the gallery's "staff bus" that leaves at an ungody hour from the gallery across town.
So I checked the very handy Jorudan Norikae site and typed in Tokyo to Matsudai in Japanese. I got our route, the time and cost and we set out with plans to arrive at 12:13 in time for my 1:00 shoot.
At 12:11, we realised something was amiss. "Next stop, Matsushiro. Matsushiro, next."
Huh?! MatsuSHIRO??
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bus stop at Matsushiro station
Matsudai and Matsushiro have the exact same kanji - 松代. Since that can be confusing, my Matsudai uses hiragana for its station name. まつだい. I didn't know this, since last trip I didn't go anywhere near the station.
Accept no substitutes. This is Matsudai
I know in a vague way that Matsudai is not too far from the Nagano-Niigata border, so it seemed reasonable that we'd go up towards Nagano, then get a local train from there. But as it turns out, we should have been on a different Shinkansen line altogether, taking a different set of two local trains.
The long way around. Click for larger view.
Hanako assures me that I am the only person in Japan who could have made this mistake, but in my defense the towns have very similar details if you don't check the details or look at a map. If someone said to you "it's about 200 km, takes 2 1/2 hours and costs around 7,000 yen" you'd be hard pressed to know which was correct:
| Matsudai まつだい | Matsushiro 松代 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 7,120 yen | 7,060 yen |
| Travel Time | 2:27 | 2:37 |
| Train 1 | Shinkansen (199 km) | Shinkansen (189 km) |
| Train 2 | Joetsu (17 km) | Shinano Tetsudo (20 km) |
| Train 3 | HokuHoku (30 km) | Nagano Dentetsu (9 km) |
Iris in the genkan. Click for larger view.
The genkan is the Japanese entry hall where you remove your shoes and set your bags before stepping up into the house. In Matsudai, fresh flowers greeted us at every home.
I've added a dozen more photos of home interiors, people and gardens to the Matsudai set on Flickr.
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EXCERPT:
Photos from another weekend in Matsudai
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Martin
EMAIL: martinmatrix@rediffmail.com
IP: 64.141.68.28
URL: http://www.urcholesterol.com
DATE: 06/20/2006 09:08:16 PM
This is what you can call an appropriate welcome of guests! Japnese actually know how to do that.
Hey Buddy the pics were really nice!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Phototropism
BASENAME: phototropism
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/21/2006 08:38:01 AM
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BODY:
Sage's sinuous stems seek the sun
Happy solstice.
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Facing the light
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tod's Favorite Beef Stroganoff
BASENAME: tods_favorite_beef_stroganoff
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/22/2006 09:02:03 AM
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BODY:
Just about every time I want to have a special dinner, romantic candlelight, or fancy occasion meal and I ask Tod what he'd like to have, he answers "beef stroganoff." And this is the one he means.
Tod's Favorite Beef Stroganoff
serves 4 or Tod
650 gr beef tenderloin, cut into 2x2x4 cm strips
olive oil
2 Tblsp butter
6 shallots, minced
40 white button mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 cup beef broth
2 Tblsp cognac or brandy
150 ml heavy cream
1 Tblsp dijon mustard
1 Tblsp fresh dill, minced
salt & pepper
paprika
Sprinkle the beef with salt & pepper. Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet until very hot, then brown the meat on both sides. Work in small batches so you don't overload the pan, and transfer the browned beef to a baking pan.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Saute the shallots, scraping the pan to release the beef drippings. Add the mushrooms and cook about 10 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates. Add the cognac or brandy and the beef broth. Simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by about half and coats the mushrooms. Stir in the cream and mustard. Add meat and any juices from the pan. Cook until beef is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with dill, salt & pepper.
Serve over buttered egg noodles and garnish with paprika.
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Creamy beef over noodles.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Heidi
EMAIL: valleygr@ptd.net
IP: 24.115.115.173
URL:
DATE: 06/22/2006 09:44:47 PM
YUM!!! I think my family will love this, can't wait to try it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: peterb
EMAIL: commentsspam@tgr.com
IP: 17.101.34.148
URL: http://tleaves.com
DATE: 06/22/2006 11:17:49 PM
Your tragic commingling of metric and English measurements has TAINTED the Matrix.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 06/23/2006 01:23:50 AM
Oops. OK, here you go in metric. I can't do the imperial stuff so well anymore...
650 gr
30 gr
6
40
200 ml
30 ml
150 ml
15 ml
15 ml
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 06/23/2006 01:47:32 AM
It's sexy when metric and English measurements comingle.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.4.94
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 06/23/2006 11:38:26 AM
SUGOI -- I sometimes make "beef stroganoff" using "beef stroganoff NO MOTO". OK, mest return of my elder daughter I'll try this.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 06/23/2006 02:32:38 PM
I much prefer cups and tablespoons for flour, butter etc as I can improvise with kitchen implements for measuing, but for meat I prefer metric as I don't know pounds and ounces. So your recipe made perfect sense to me - and it is one of my fave meals as well. Noodles are a different touch - we normally have rice.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Boiled Egg
BASENAME: boiled_egg
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/23/2006 07:02:47 PM
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BODY:
"We'd say you are a 'boiled egg'," Shinji laughed last night. Is that a compliment, or an insult? I'm not entirely sure.
Am I turning Japanese? I really don't think so. Even if I do make dashi from scratch.
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Maybe more like buttered bread.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 06/23/2006 09:44:43 PM
Is that like your "spirit food?" We discussed spirit animals on the way to the zoo. Mine's a giraffe or a hedgehog. I think D. is a chipmunk. Anything that pops out of a hole and says "I've got an idea!" H. we couldn't decide - a lemur?
I think boiled egg is a compliment. You have to tap the outer shell to get inside to a center that's rich in flavor.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Eva
EMAIL: lmcevch@gmail.com
IP: 70.83.101.231
URL:
DATE: 06/23/2006 10:34:19 PM
I guess it's a question of context! :-)
On the otherside, there's a term that some western-raised asians use and that is "Twinkie". (Unfortunately, this term is not always considered a compliment when used by asians towards other asians.) Come to think of it, banana is sometimes used as well. Again, it all comes down to context!
And why is it always a food? OK, now I'm getting hungry...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Linda
EMAIL: cutelinda_16@gmail.com
IP: 69.10.139.61
URL: http://www.mypcgotbroke.com
DATE: 06/24/2006 06:20:12 PM
Hey kuri
Boiled egg can be used in two ways. One you boil an egg for your breakfast and one this term can be used for dumb person who understands everything late!
Just try it out in which sense you have been told!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 06/24/2006 07:02:36 PM
In this case, I know what he meant: white (Caucasian) on the outside, yellow (Japanese) on the inside.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Elizabeth Andoh
BASENAME: elizabeth_andoh
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/24/2006 07:08:08 PM
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BODY:
capable and practiced hands prepare somen
Elizabeth demonstrates the value of long chopsticks
Today I went to my friend Elizabeth's place to take some pictures of her teaching a class. Her publisher will send they photos to newspapers and magazines. It was a lot of fun and I got a few good shots - these two are from the reject pile, but I like them anyway.
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EXCERPT:
At Taste of Culture
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Takarabune
BASENAME: takarabune
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 06/25/2006 11:31:56 AM
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BODY:
Takarabune, the treasure boat of the seven lucky gods
Each god is represented by his or her sigil.
As a surprise, Shinji gave us his takarabune as a present. He bought it thirty years ago to bring his good fortune. Now he has everything he wants, and he passed his lucky boat to us. It's a symbol of the Shichifukujin, the Seven Lucky Gods.
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EXCERPT:
A treasure in itself.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Guests & Grill
BASENAME: guests_grill
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 06/27/2006 05:02:07 PM
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BODY:
Friends have come to stay for a couple of weeks. While we girls were off having a relaxing massage, the boys went shopping. They came home with a new grill and they are planning to break it in tonight with a whole fish. Mmmmm.
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Weber!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: jh
EMAIL: jeremy@antipixel.com
IP: 204.192.158.152
URL: http://www.antipixel.com
DATE: 06/27/2006 08:01:41 PM
I knew it would be just a matter of time before you got one of these. They're terrific.
If you want to eat some of the best chicken ever, look no further than the lemon-oregano marinade recipe you posted a while back:
http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/archives/008334.html
That's made such frequent appearances on my Weber that I swear the grill smells faintly of oregano even after a good cleaning. ;-)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: ginny
EMAIL: ginny@midrange.com
IP: 67.39.184.235
URL: http://www.blogula-rasa.com
DATE: 06/28/2006 11:33:35 AM
Ah, the classic Weber kettle grill. Here in Chicagoland, we rejoice in actual Weber Grill restaurants. And yes, Beer Can Chicken is on the menu, although the other night I had grilled beefsteak tomato salad, with steak skewers. Mmm. The kitchen in the one near us is open, with a whole line of large kettle grills along the back wall. The smell is splendiferous.
How did you get one in Japan? Are they sold there?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Week of Sundays
BASENAME: week_of_sundays
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 06/28/2006 06:42:10 PM
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BODY:
Yes, yes. I realise it's Wednesday today. But it feels like Sunday. It's been Sunday all week.
John & Kris were scheduled to arrive last Sunday - so we thought. Unfortunately John forgot to take the international date line into account, so they really appeared on Monday. And so Monday started a trend of Sunday-like weekdays.
We're on vacation now. The pace here is relaxed and laid-back. We're reading books, sipping libations of many sorts and enjoying home cooked food from the new grill. And I'm working on projects between times, but I do that on Sundays too.
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Midweek weekend
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd & Coconut
BASENAME: lemon_cake_with_lemon_curd_coconut
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 06/29/2006 11:47:58 PM
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BODY:
Ashley's birthday is today and I wanted to bake a cake to celebrate. It had to be carried across town and survive a dinner cruise before we tucked into it, so I decided on a sheetcake, simply decorated. It was well-received - even cake-hating Troy ate a piece (or he tossed it out the window while I wasn't looking).
Lemon Cake
makes 1 round layer or a thin sheet
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cream the butter with 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat the egg yolks and add to butter mixture. Sift together flour and baking powder. Measure the lemon juice & zest. In a separate container, measure enough 1/2 cup milk minus the quantity of lemon juice. Alternate adding flour and milk to butter mixture, beating well. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla. IN a clean bowl whip the egg whites until stiff. Add 1/2 cup sugar to the whites. Fold into batter. Bake at 170C in a greased and floured pan for about 20 minutes.
Lemon Curd
This is a nearly clear, sweet-sour spreadable jelly to top the cake. It would also go great between layers. The amounts are dictated by the juiciness of your lemon, but I've given some guidelines in parentheses
1 lemon, juiced and zested (3 Tblsp)
sugar (9 Tblsp)
water (6 Tblsp)
2 Tblsp cornstarch
2 Tblsp water
In a small pan over medium heat, mix the lemon juice with about twice that quantity of water. Add twice that in sugar and allow sugar to dissolve. As the mixture comes to a simmer, dissolve the cornstarch in an equal amount of cold water. Whisk into the simmering mixture, being sure to avoid lumps. Remove from heat and whisk til smooth and thick. It will thicken a a little more when it cools.
Coconut Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup coconut
1 tsp rum
~2 cups powdered sugar
vanilla
Sprinkle the coconut with rum and allow to sit until the coconut softens. Cream the butter, add the sugar until you get a spreadable consistency. Add the vanilla. Mix in the coconut.
To put the cake together: spread the lemon curd over the cooled cake. Freeze until firm. Spread the coconut icing on top, sprinkle with more coconut. Top with chocolate pastilles. Sing happy birthday very loudly.
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EXCERPT:
Happy birthday, Ashley!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: holly
EMAIL: xmasberry@excite.com
IP: 207.224.196.161
URL: http://littlemissmessyhair.xmasberry.com
DATE: 07/01/2006 12:26:00 AM
yum! I love lemon cake. In fact, my mom always makes me a lemon cake for MY birthday. Ashley is very lucky.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 07/04/2006 03:21:42 PM
That was a seriously yummy cake!! We all loved it! Now I am going to try to make it myself.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Tanuki? Anaguma?
BASENAME: tanuki_anaguma
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/02/2006 12:03:47 AM
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BODY:
I still don't know what it is, but I just saw my mysterious woodland friend from December 2002. Only this time he was in the garden below my veranda. He paused amid the overgrown lawn, looked me straight in the the eye, then moved on.
And I have witnesses. Unfortunately none of the gathered friends could agree on what it was. Anaguma? Tanuki?
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EXCERPT:
Hello again, mystery badger!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.95.199
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 07/02/2006 10:33:05 AM
Sounds like time for some sketching action.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Towadako
BASENAME: towadako
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/03/2006 06:26:49 AM
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BODY:
Even though Japan is not such a huge country and we try to travel around as much as we can, there are lots of places we've never been. Today we're going up north to Towadako in Aomori-ken to enjoy the caldera lake and woodsy mountain air.
This time, I know I'm getting on the right train.
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heading north
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Takuya
EMAIL: takuya.misawa@gmail.com
IP: 219.126.161.50
URL: http://www.makinginnovation.com/
DATE: 07/03/2006 09:27:45 AM
Hi, you seem to be travelling around Japan a lot! I hope you'll enjoy it in Aomori. BTW, I've sent you a mail after reading your resume and portfolio. Just a reminder, as it might be delivered to your junk box accidentally.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 219.109.207.119
URL:
DATE: 07/03/2006 09:43:32 PM
You'll love the place. Oirase cascade is the place you should visit!
http://www.net.pref.aomori.jp/~towada/koutsuu/oirase/keiryuu.htm
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Yuzu Chicken Marinade
BASENAME: yuzu_chicken_marinade
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/06/2006 12:30:05 PM
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BODY:
The new Weber grill has been busy. John & Tod cooked up a whole chicken using this marinade - it was succulent and citrus-y. I've included the grilling directions Tod supplied, too. I can see many grill-roasted chickens (and lots of chicken soup) in our future.
Yuzu Chicken Marinade
1 yuzu, green/unripe
1 lemon
6-10 thin scallions
2 cloves garlic
1/4 onion
olive oil
salt & pepper
3 Tbsp honey
Grate the rind of the yuzu. Juice the lemon. Slice thin rings from a couple inches of the green end of the scallions. Puree the onion and garlic together. Combine zest, juice, scallions, and garlic-onion mixture with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Rub solids inside and over the chicken, and marinate for a few hours, turning once or twice. Before grilling, insert 1/8 of the yuzu into the cavity.
"Throw that bad boy on the grill - coals on one side, chook on the other, for indirect heat," Tod directs.
While the chicken is roasting, mix the honey with the remaining marinade. Every 20 minutes or so, baste the chicken with the honey-laced marinade. Rotate the chicken on the grill as needed to prevent too much browning on one side. A 1 kg chicken takes about an hour to roast. After removing from the grill, allow to "set up" before carving.
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"Not something we'd normally eat," said John.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 07/10/2006 03:24:42 PM
I love anything with Yuzu. The local Izakaya man gave us some Yuzu paste with our maguro sashimi instead of wasabi for something different. It was wonderful.
In reference to unusual fruit - have you heard of 山もも? If you have, do you know where I can get some? A local place (that we must take you to soon) served us some of the fruit and then "saabisu" of a liqueur made with same. It was the most amazing new taste sensation I have had for a while.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ice Bath
BASENAME: ice_bath
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/08/2006 08:58:42 PM
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BODY:
Preparing the bath
Inspired by the cold bath after the sauna at Komaki Onsen and suffering from the heat today, the boys decided to make a cold bath at home. As usual, they were not doing things by half measures. They went to the conbini and got big blocks of ice and tossed them in pairs into the already chilly bath.
A cold bath is a fine thing on a hot summer day.
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Oh so cooling
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Robby Thompson
EMAIL: thompson45@rediffmail.com
IP: 64.141.68.22
URL: http://www.lifebloodpressure.info
DATE: 07/12/2006 05:05:41 PM
Hi Kuri,
i think you are right that Ice Cold Bath is fine on a hot summer day. At that point in time you will not really feel that chilling effect. After the bath id you shiver or were you ok?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: In the darkroom
BASENAME: in_the_darkroom
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 07/10/2006 09:33:46 AM
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BODY:
Busy developing. Do not disturb
In place of an enlarger, since I'm contact printing, I'm using a 20 watt light bulb with an iPod box as a shade (props to Kris for finding the right box to use). A wall clock regulates my 12 second count while I have the light switched on. I slip the exposed paper into a black bag in an old film box, then do another set. When I get to twelve exposures, I start developing them two at a time.
For full annotations, see this photo on Flickr.
Darkroom Math & Other Notes
My life and technology
I've been using Internet technology to mediate communication for so long that it hardly seems novel: chat in various forms since 1988 (18 years!); e-mail, telnet & FTP about as long; web sites starting in 1992; video conferencing from 1995; VoIP telephony from last year.
But today in the middle of a three-way video conference, I paused a moment to marvel at how far technology has taken me. My work and social life are increasingly performed with people scattered around the globe. No technology I use is cutting edge anymore. Without it, I'd have no work and far fewer friends.
I keep up with friends in the US, India, Canada, Australia and Japan via iChat. I have a phone number in Adelaide and free calling to the US. My weblog has been around nearly six years. I am a member of several online communities and volunteer projects. Friends know how to reach me online.
I am a partner in Collectik, along with Chris in Sydney and Hugh in Montreal. We work collaboratively using Basecamp for general messages and Mantis for bug and assignment tracking. Once every couple of months we hold a conference call via Skype or chat in iChat.
And I'm working with Jez at SegPub in Sydney on another project. We use Basecamp, too, but chat and video conference almost every day. A new guy, Tim, joined the company last week and now we're starting to feel like a real team, rather than Jez & me blabbering to one another while we write, code and plan stuff.
If only there were an online espresso maker...
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Scattered but getting things done.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jez
EMAIL: jeremy@segpub.com.au
IP: 150.101.123.18
URL: http://segpub.com.au
DATE: 07/12/2006 10:02:13 AM
Well you know an online espresso maker can be arranged :D
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Deeppresso
BASENAME: deeppresso
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/12/2006 06:06:42 PM
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BODY:
Coca Cola Japan presents...Deeppresso
At long last, I can say something about this product. I saw a preview of it months ago when I was doing a video edit for CCJC. I cracked up in the editing room and kept it in mind for all this time, though I recalled it with only one 'e'.
De-presso? Depressed espresso? Decaf espresso?
No. Deep-presso. Deep flavour. Intense.
Intensely typical, despite the "100% Brazilian, single origin, beans." It's the usual, grossly sweet, milky Japanese canned coffee. The ingredients list: milk, coffee, sugar, flavouring, casein, milk solids, emulsifier. I've sipped half a can and I'm buzzing like a kid on birthday cake and ice cream.
As much as I love Coca Cola Japan and its many excellent products, this is not one that I'll be trying a second time.
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Depressingly sweet
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: In a summer mood
BASENAME: in_a_summer_mood
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/14/2006 07:52:07 AM
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BODY:
I woke this morning to an in-brain concert of Ella crooning "Too Darn Hot." At 7 am, it was 28.3 (about 83ºF) with a likely high of 34 (93ºF). The hot and humid summer is upon us and I'm not enjoying it. I'll spend the next three months waiting for things to cool off again.
Two mornings ago, I was trudging across town slowly working up a sticky sweat. My mood was turning sour as I turned pink. Then I thought about all my friends who just love summer. They crave the sun, the warmth, the freedom they feel in the hot weather. If they can love it, shouldn't I be able to, too?
So I tried it on. I love summer. I thought about all the nicest summer icons - watermelon, shaved ice, picnics, cold drinks, fireworks, seaside holidays, boating, bathing suits, well-muscled lifeguards.
And you know what? My mood changed. The weight of the sun beating down on my shoulders lifted a little. I felt more comfortable, cooler, happier. It didn't last too long, but I tried again later and sustained a happy mood a few minutes more. Exercising a change in perspective may be the way to make summer not only bearable but enjoyable.
I'm persuaded that seeing things from another point of view is an effective way to change your thoughts and mood. Next I'll try to apply this technique to my feelings about certain projects that have me frustrated and worn out.
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It's not the heat...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 58.105.172.126
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 07/15/2006 11:49:39 AM
For me, a camping trip early in summer, or even a couple of solid days out in the sun does something to my internal temperature, resets it somehow and makes me much more comfortable with the humidity. Ive been hoping the same thing would happen with Adelaide winter, esp since Aussies seem to spend so much damn time outside no matter what the weather, but nope, hasnt happened yet. The most annoying thing is that i can feel that its actually warmer here than Tokyo in winter, but I cant get properly warm... In Tokyo, at some stage in the day you know you will be warm right thru, hot even, but not here!
I used to hate summer and its inescapable heat. But then winter started to bring back pain, and summer became much more appealing...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jeff Lawson
EMAIL: jeff@jefflawson.net
IP: 67.190.97.208
URL: http://www.jefflawson.net/blog
DATE: 07/15/2006 01:48:50 PM
I usually spend the last month or so of Winter thinking of all the fun things one does in Summer... then, when Summer finally rolls around, I discover it's too darn hot to go out and actually DO all of those things. Then, I start to think of all the fun things one does in Winter, and...
Well, you get the idea.
Perhaps I should devote more energy to appreciating the here and now. The next season will come, whether I wish for it or not.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ocean Day
BASENAME: ocean_day
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/17/2006 06:55:13 AM
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Today is Umi no Hi, Ocean Day, and even though I'm nowhere near the ocean, water is playing a large role in my holiday weekend.
It's raining here in Matsudai where I'm helping Hanako to put together the Hotta Rakashi Memorial Museum for the Echigo-Tsumari Triennial which opens on Friday. We've been thoroughly soaked walking in an unexpected warm summer downpour. The room we are transforming into a gallery has transformed into a lake in one leaky corner. Everything this weekend seems to be damp, but battling the water is creating a sense of comaradarie.
One way water has not played a role in the weekend: no opportunity to bathe or shower since we arrived. Maybe I should stop writing and go upstairs to see if the dormatory's spiderweb coated shower room actually works. Or perhaps I'll simply step outside and wait for the next deluge...
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Water, water everywhere
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Improvements
BASENAME: improvements
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/18/2006 07:08:16 PM
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From the time I was ten until I graduated from high school, I was a member of the local Girl Scout troop. One of the most important things I learned as a scout was to leave a place better than you found it.
I put that to practice this weekend when I stayed in the Matsudai dormitory. The place suffers from the "tragedy of the commons" as it's inhabited mainly by people staying only a night or three and then moving on. Everyone is generally neat and careful in a daily way, but longer term tasks get overlooked.
On Monday morning after breakfast but before we started our workday, I scrubbed the kitchen clean. Well, I scrubbed it cleaner. I focused on the forgotten tasks and the built-up mess: I used a knife to scrape off the grotty bits between the stove and the counter; degreased several years of crud from the backsplash; washed all the dribbles off the cabinet doors. The overall effect was still a dirty kitchen - it would take the better part of a weekend to get it truly shipshape - but not as dirty.
Next time I go up, I'm bringing what I need to fix the shower - apparently it doesn't drain. I suspect a clog of hair and grossness. I will arm myself with drain cleaner and a snake and we shall all bathe joyfully afterwards.
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Making Matsudai a little better
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Writing on new leaves
BASENAME: writing_on_new_leaves
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 07/19/2006 07:03:57 AM
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Leaving a place gives you a chance to turn a new leaf, but you have to work hard to write something new on it.
This was a comment I made in chat to MJ last night, while talking over how moving away or changing your job doesn't change anything inside you. She suggested I copy and paste it into a blog entry, but I didn't think I would. It opens me to exposing my own inability to write cleanly on new leaves no matter where I go or how much I want to.
But there you go. I am full of apparently unbreakable bad habits and personal flaws. And there are ugly gaping wounds, too. Some I don't see - those are the ones that friends either kindly overlook or end friendships over. Sometimes I recognise my faults and can overcome them. Sometimes I recognise them, but they overcome me.
One overcame me yesterday. I received an e-mail from a friend - not a dramatic missive, just a pedestrian hello - but after I replied, I sat at my desk and cried tears of frustration that our friendship has shifted into something I can't abide. It's a struggle each time we meet or communicate. I think about the way I wish things to be and I cling to hope that our friendship might change even though that is not remotely realistic.
The ugly, gaping wound in this case is my childish desire to have things my own way. The personal flaw is my conviction that sad emotions are a form of weakness. The bad habit is instinctually cloistering myself when I am sad or upset. I ride out the storm of my emotions alone; even when I crave a hand to hold or a body to hug. I punish myself for feeling bad by pushing everyone away.
Last night, I declined a dinner invitation because after crying and being pointlessly sad over that e-mail, I couldn't summon the will to leave the house and socialise. But being around people - leaving this place - would probably have improved my outlook, turned the leaf so that I could start writing something new.
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It's harder than you expect.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: joline
EMAIL: joline3@aliceadsl.fr
IP: 88.121.210.48
URL: http://joline.over-blog.com
DATE: 07/19/2006 10:26:04 PM
hello , I am french , I saw your tutorial for thaî pattern , I put the link in my blog, however I have one and I have done yet a lot (go to see it in my blog) your pattern is very well explain ! thanks !!!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: womble
EMAIL: jlb@bur.st
IP: 203.161.113.26
URL:
DATE: 07/19/2006 11:42:43 PM
A friend in Melbourne is collecting fallen leaves and writing messages on them. She wants to throw them from a building soon, and watch to see if anyone picks them up.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Elena
EMAIL:
IP: 24.232.112.56
URL:
DATE: 08/09/2006 11:11:47 PM
I'm in Argentina.
I have just read your post and for some reason which I cannot ascertain it has deeply moved me. Maybe because I recognize myself in that childish desire to have things my own way --I find it terribly difficult to accept things as they are or else to let them go, when I think they are are too far from where I'd like them to be. Your "turning the leaf to write something new" seems to be a possibility I had never thought of. Thanks!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Elaine
EMAIL: elainemr@verizon.net
IP: 71.101.122.237
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2006 07:43:31 AM
"but after I replied, I sat at my desk and cried tears of frustration that our friendship has shifted into something I can’t abide. It’s a struggle each time we meet or communicate. I think about the way I wish things to be and I cling to hope that our friendship might change even though that is not remotely realistic."
This tore my heart as if I were reading about myself. I, too, have a friend, and I think about the way things USED TO BE and know that our relationship will never be that way again - due to circumstances; and for no other reason than each of us turning a page in a different direction. I offer you sympathy. I wish I could offer you advice, but I, myself, am wishing for fate to take charge, as I cannot accept nor can I change the situation. BTW, I also hide away when I am so sad, depressed and spiritless. But, of course, you are right; the better thing to do is to get out and socialize. Easier said than done. I will remember you, Kuri.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 1902 Potato Salad
BASENAME: 1902_potato_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/20/2006 10:12:09 AM
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From "Popular Amusements for Indoors and Out of Doors," published in 1902. This is my all-time favorite picnic salad. It combines all the best elements of cole slaw and potato salad into one bowl.
4 potatoes, boiled and chopped
1.5 cups cabbage, chopped
6 eggs, hard boiled & sliced
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar
7 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 c butter, melted
Stir spices, sugar and vinegar together. Add melted butter. Pour over potatoes and cabbage, tossing to coat. Add in egg slices, reserving some for garnish.
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Let's have a picnic.
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AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2006 01:24:51 AM
That sounds good and hmmm...I've got some cabbage.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Completed Jewelry Projects
BASENAME: completed_jewelry_projects
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/21/2006 12:46:27 PM
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Ah, it feels good to finish something. At the moment it seems like I have a lot of loose ends and unfinished projects. But I can reduce the count by three now.
I went through my jewelry project box a couple weeks ago and found a bunch of silver clay and other bits and bobs that I've been meaning to work on. I got down to business and made a trio of necklaces that you can see on Flickr. I like them, even though I realise I need to work on my wire techniques.
Aluminum Choker
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Rebecca
EMAIL:
IP: 70.181.208.244
URL:
DATE: 07/21/2006 01:49:40 PM
Cool! I have a mobius (sp?) scarf, hand-knitted (not by me). It fits around the neck or can be a loose headband.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.31.79
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 07/22/2006 09:24:30 AM
It looks cook. I see somthing blue on it. What is it? It makes the choker cuter.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Merrily we row along
BASENAME: merrily_we_row_along
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/22/2006 11:05:18 PM
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In my rented boat
We walked to Ueno Park and rented a rowboat for an hour. I love rowing around Shinobazu pond on a Saturday afternoon. Afterwards we stolled through a flea market, relaxed with a bath and karaoke, then had dinner and walked home.
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Shinobazu Ike
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.37for365.blogspot.com
DATE: 07/22/2006 11:50:56 PM
I love that photo of you.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 07/24/2006 02:26:33 PM
You look happy!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Koi Mikuji
BASENAME: koi_mikuji
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 07/23/2006 08:33:31 PM
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"First Rank, Big Luck" Love Fortune
I got this from a robotic dragon-puppet fortune vending machine at Yushima Shrine. Tod & I waffled about who would get one - would I buy one for him, would he buy one for me? In the end I got one for myself, but as you'll see it seems to suit him better.
Here's what it says:
Love Song
The sun rises
The heart rejoices
The dawn breaks
You meet your perfect love
Your heart beats loudly
First Rank * Big Luck
Love Fortune
As the morning sun rises, you will have incredible luck. You will be bound by this love. The drumming beat of your heart will confess your love. Every time you see your love, it deepens. Your joyful day will come. Be sure to treat your family well.
Star Sign
Aries is ideal. Gemini or Cancer are also ok. [I'm an Aries; Tod's a Taurus]
Blood Type
A or O are best. B should be avoided. [I'm type A; Tod's type O]
Difference in Age
It's best if there isn't much difference in age.
Zodiac Year
Rooster is best. Horse or Dog are ok, too. [I'm a Horse; Tod's a Rooster]
Direction
East-South or Eastern people are good. [I'm from the east coast of the US & so is Tod.]
Meeting Place
You should wait for your darling at a quiet coffee shop in your neighborhood. [I bring Tod coffee in bed nearly every morning]
Engagement
You will have the best relations with the people most familiar to you.
Marriage
Your happiness in marriage will depend on your desire to honor the gods.
Study
Your concentration will suffer, but if you can overcome this point, you will do well.
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Japanese temple fortune & love forecast
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: "Dead Wolf" pattern
BASENAME: dead_wolf_pattern
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 07/25/2006 09:47:11 AM
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Ephrata Playhouse, where my mom's been doing community theatre for 20 years, is producing the gothic comedy The Mystery of Irma Vepp later this summer. So Mom called on me, creator of the life-like furry albino lobster pattern, to draft a pattern for a life-sized dead wolf to be dragged on stage in a hunting scene.
And here it is. I have not built this - only drafted the pattern and instructions - so I am certain some adjustments will be necessary in the sewing. My instructions are not extremely detailed. The wolf involves a fair amount of handsewing and a solid general knowledge of sewing. If you make the wolf and have any tips or suggestions, please leave a comment.
To aid realism, I studied the proportions, weighting and rigidity of dead wolves (through photos & scientific papers only; no animals were harmed in the creation of this pattern). The weight is added by stuffing the head, shoulder and hips with bags of rice, sawdust or beans. The legs are held stiff with dowel rods; the limitedly flexible spine is created with a series of interlocking plastic cups threaded together and tied off at tail and head. I recommend buying very long fake fur and giving your wolf a haircut when you've finished the construction.
Instructions (575KB PDF)
Pattern Pieces (1.2MB PDF) prints to 42 US Letter pages
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You'll need (approximately):
4-5 yards long plush fake fur
1 -2 yards muslin for constructing the bags
1/4 yard leatherette for nose and foot pads
1/2 yard rickrack or braided trim for eyes/mouth
15-25 pounds of rice, beans or sawdust
polyfil or chipped foam stuffing in great quantities
regular sewing thread
button or quilting thread
enough cups to make a ~50 inch stack
twine
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Make your own life-sized dead wolf.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 07/25/2006 07:34:23 PM
The pattern is awesome! The theater is Ephrata Performing Arts Center or Ephrata Playhouse. There is an Ephrata ACT but I don't work there. Now it's off to find the fur!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erin
EMAIL:
IP: 204.186.110.96
URL:
DATE: 09/13/2006 08:51:09 AM
i'm so upset that i missed the show at the eph. playhouse - the tv station i work at promoted it heavily - but i'm sure your deer looked great!
edit: argh, wolf, my eyes are off tonight ;)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to be an ad hoc model
BASENAME: how_to_be_an_ad_hoc_model
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 07/26/2006 11:36:51 AM
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Step 1: Wait for a phone call from a desperate friend who:
a) had a model cancel at the last second;
b) didn't realise another model was needed; or
c) has a client with shifting requirements.
This is how I get all my modelling jobs. Yesterday Sayaka called me at 12:27. "Kristen, do you have some time? I need you." At 2 pm.
Step 2: Ask the friend, client or photographer what you should wear. Are you supposed to be a housewife, a teacher, an office worker, a date? Are there color requirements? Dig through your wardrobe and find something that will work (It is helpful to have a wide and varied collection of clothes that fit). Get dressed quickly, do your hair and face neatly. There will be no adjustments once you get there.
Step 3: Wait at the venue. They may say 2 pm, but that's when they start prepping the studio or shooting the products or other models. You will wait your turn. Bring a book.
Step 4: Get in front of the camera. Act natural. Smile. Look into the lens. Note the camera's make and model and what lens is on it so you can tell Tod later. Interact with the other models, as directed.
In my experience, most photographers just want you to stand or sit without moving around too much - forget what you've seen of fashion magazine shoots with models tossing their hair and striking poses. When you're in a picture for an event poster or a flyer, you're probably background for the text.
Step 5: Assure everyone that you are neither a model nor an English teacher. Hand out your meishi and tell them - especially the bosses - that you are a media editor (or whatever you are) and would be happy to hear from them if they ever need you in that capacity.
Step 6: Collect your stipend and go home. The total elapsed time from arrival to departure is likely to be around an hour, most of it taken up with Step 3.
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Based on my experience.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Japanese Potato Salad
BASENAME: japanese_potato_salad
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 07/27/2006 09:07:47 AM
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As much as I love the 1902 potato salad, I love this one, too. It's texture is smooth potato interspersed with bits of fresh vegetables. You'll find this kind of potato salad in every supermarket deli in Japan - sometime spread thinly as a sandwich filling on crustless white bread. Starch heaven.
Japanese Potato Salad
4-5 potatoes
1/2 cucumber (thin Japanese type)
1/2 carrot
mayonnaise
optional: mustard, salt, pepper
Peel and boil the potatoes. Mash roughly, leaving lumps. Thinly slice the cucumber and carrot (a mandolin works perfectly for this) and sprinkle with salt in a bowl. Allow to stand until the vegetables begin to sweat, then rinse and pat dry. Mix potatoes and vegetables with enough mayonnaise to hold the mixture together. Season to taste with salt, pepper and/or a little mustard if desired.
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Potato salad with vegetables
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Textures Underfoot
BASENAME: textures_underfoot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 07/28/2006 07:50:46 AM
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Walking home from the Kudan Kaikan beer garden Wednesday night, I reached Iidabashi, about halfway, and decided to spare my left instep from the growing blister my sandal was rubbing into it. I took off my shoes and walked the rest of the way home barefoot, taking great pleasure in the textures underfoot.
First I walked along a brick-paved street. It felt smooth and slightly warm. I liked the way my feet pressed into the cracks between the bricks, as if they would like to imprint me. After that too short stretch, I trod temporary asphalt paving for a while. The prickly uneven holes between tarred pebbles nipped at my toes.
At the intersection on Andozaka, I stood on the dotted yellow edging. I expected the rubbery plastic bumps to be more raised. I bounced around on it a little bit, unsuccessfully trying to position my reflex points for a massage before the light changed. The next bit of sidewalk patchworked old and new construction efforts - more temporary asphalt, a few squares of non-slip concrete, a couple of smoother tarred-over asphalts stretches.
I was pleased to discover how fun it is to climb the 60 stairs in the shortcut to our street in bare feet. The smooth concrete and tile steps are easier to take without shoes. And the summit achieved, I walked heel-to-toe on the smooth heat-painted white border to avoid my street's scratchy paving. The polished granite lobby and carpeted hallways of my building were welcome relief from the more robust exterior textures.
Take off your shoes and walk around outside today. See what you feel. You might be surprised.
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Asphalt, concrete, brick, tile
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 58.108.28.92
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 07/31/2006 11:13:55 PM
And in Tokyo, the looks you get are pretty special too!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Til Tuesday
BASENAME: til_tuesday
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 07/29/2006 05:41:59 AM
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I'm in the States this weekend and will return to Tokyo on Tuesday. I don't expect to have time to write anything here, so I'll see you on Tuesday with a list of ten interesting things to do in the Detroit airport.
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Abroad...
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Hanashi Station, season 2
BASENAME: hanashi_station_season_2
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 08/01/2006 06:37:44 PM
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Hanashi Station started its second season today with a special podcast I did with some of the artists and participants at the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennial in Matsudai.
The show is 13 minutes long and features interviews with artists Hanako Murakami & Emi Suzuki, a chat with Andrea Kleist from the City of Melboune public art program, and lots of interesting atmospheric sounds from the town and villagers.
You can see the show notes for additional details,
or download the MP3. Hanashi Station is also one of the podcasts in Collectik, so go ahead and add it to your playlist there.
My next show for Hanashi Station will be in the Japanese Kitchen series.
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Interviews from the Triennial in Niigata
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 08/01/2006 07:10:51 PM
Wow, right after I gave up on it and unsuubscribed.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: The McQuillin Clan
BASENAME: the_mcquillin_clan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
DATE: 08/02/2006 02:39:27 PM
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The McQuillin Clan
This is the first time since 1993 that Tod's family has gathered together. Some of the cousins were little kids last time I saw them. It was fulfilling to catch up with everyone and get reacquainted a little bit, all in the span of 30 hours. Concentrated family time.
In case you wonder who is who (and so I won't forget before the next family get-together), here's the rundown. Seated: Uncle John, Aunt Sandy, Ben Lambert, cousin Brian. standing: cousin Thea, step-mother Nancy, Pete/Dad, Uncle Roger, Jean/Mom, Uncle Luke, Aunt Carol, Tod, me, cousin Megan, Aunt Denise, cousin Beta. absent: sister Maureen, cousin Ben, nephew Seth, & cousin Chris.
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There are quite a few of us.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Smoked Salmon Cream Sauce
BASENAME: smoked_salmon_cream_sauce
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/03/2006 03:47:38 PM
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This is another one of those quick sauces you can make while the water boils and the pasta cooks. I served this last night over gnocchi but it would be good over just about any shape of noodle.
Smoked Salmon Cream Sauce
serves 2
120 grams smoked salmon, cut into bite sized pieces
5-6 white button mushrooms
2 tsp capers
2 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp flour
1-2 cups whole milk
black pepper to taste
Slice the mushrooms and saute in 1 Tbsp butter. Remove from pan and set aside. IN the same pan, melt the remaining butter, add flour and allow to cook until the roux is light brown. Very slowly and steadily add in about 1 cup of milk, stirring briskly to prevent lumps. When your sauce is acceptably smooth, return the mushrooms and any mushroom liquid to the pan of cream sauce and add the capers. Allow the sauce to simmer gently, thickening while the pasta cooks. Add more milk as needed. At the very end, stir in the salmon and adjust the sauce with a little milk to your preferred consistency. Season generously with black pepper.
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Simple, creamy, fishy pasta sauce
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: At the Library
BASENAME: at_the_library
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 08/04/2006 06:25:38 PM
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BODY:
I took some of my own advice today. I changed locations to focus on my creative work. I walked over to the local library, and amidst some curious looks from the librarians and child patrons, plopped myself at the reference table and spent several quiet and productive hours poring over books and maps.
I am positive that if I'd tried to do the same amount of work at my office desk with its myriad distractions (all bundled into one tidy computer), I would have failed. But now I have a sense of having progressed on my latest idea, even though it is still in the early stages of planning and deciding. I'm excited about it and hope that in the coming weeks I'll be able to tell you more about what I hope to be doing over the winter months.
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Plotting and planning in quiet.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: hugh
EMAIL: hugh@dosemagazine.com
IP: 70.55.146.254
URL: http://dosemagazine.blogsome.com
DATE: 08/16/2006 03:26:34 AM
there's nothing like working in a library to remind you of the massive shortcomings of computers. they are good for many things, but helping you think is not one of them, that's for sure.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Ten Things to Do in DTW
BASENAME: ten_things_to_do_in_dtw
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: The Wider World
CATEGORY: The Wider World
DATE: 08/05/2006 02:51:15 PM
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Having recently spent a total of 8 hours over thrree days at the Detroit airport, I'm pleased to bring you this list of things to do during your next transit on Northwest Airlines.
Kyorisoku Distance Calculator (click for larger view)
I marked out the walk from my house to the boat launch at Ueno Koen. It is just over 3 km, and will take me 3569 steps (not even half of my daily 10,000). I can walk there in 33 minutes if I keep a brisk pace of 5.6 km. At my current weight and age, I will burn 166 calories on the way there.
If I care less about calories and more about the amount of beer, cookies or ramen I can consume as a result of my exercise, that's customisable, too.
Kyorisoku Area Calculator (click for larger view)
In its other mode, which I think is somewhat less useful, you can calculate the area of anything you draw around. Not only does it give you the usual units like square meters and jo , but you'll see how many Tokyo Domes, sheets of A4 paper or tatami mats it is, as well.
Fun Fun Fun! All in all, I think this is a very handy addition to Mapion's other offerings. Way to go, Mapion.
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EXCERPT:
Or how big around...
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Naomi
EMAIL:
IP: 60.45.55.82
URL:
DATE: 08/08/2006 11:58:04 PM
I didn't know about Mapion Kyorisoku even I do use Mapion whenever I need to find the way to go.
I like the idea that it shows calories! I'll be a little bit happier if I can tell how much calories I can burn when I walk : )
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: holly
EMAIL: xmasberry@excite.com
IP: 71.35.198.42
URL: http://littlemissmessyhair.xmasberry.com
DATE: 08/12/2006 01:39:24 AM
ooh! I like that! I've been using favorite run for calculating my running/walking/biking distances, but this has many cool fun features! I've been tinkering with the idea of building my own because of some of favorite run's bugs and, if I ever get the time, I will be thinking of some of these neat ideas!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: My new chair
BASENAME: my_new_chair
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 08/08/2006 02:44:29 PM
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BODY:
Cross legged
I sit at my desk nearly all day long but I don't want to be completely sedentary, so I'm experimenting with a balance ball as a desk chair. 4,567 bounces into my first day "on the ball", I am enjoying the novelty.
As you can see in the photo, I've figured out how to sit on it cross legged. Although I haven't mastered it yet, I can type from this position. MJ says this is "a one way street to a bump on the head," but I think it's more likely a fast train to backache.
Still, a backache is better than an expanding bottom.
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EXCERPT:
Exercise while sitting?
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 08/08/2006 04:31:08 PM
Does it help the bottom? You may have a convert.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: sayaka
EMAIL:
IP: 219.109.207.119
URL:
DATE: 08/08/2006 09:47:21 PM
I found my ball from a box yesterday. I must try this, too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJD-S
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/08/2006 11:31:33 PM
My back ached a little on the first day when I realized it was because I wasn't slouching!
You should be fine by day 3.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: holly
EMAIL: xmasberry@excite.com
IP: 71.35.198.42
URL: http://littlemissmessyhair.xmasberry.com
DATE: 08/12/2006 01:36:08 AM
i used to sit on a ball at work and loved it! Unfortunately, something in our office must not have liked it because it was punctured and developed a slow leak. At that point it became great for my arms because i had to pump it up every morning, but then i just had to make it go away. It should help you strengthen your core muscles as well. Hope it works out!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 40th Birthday Ring
BASENAME: 40th_birthday_ring
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 08/09/2006 02:20:43 PM
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BODY:
18k white and yellow gold, black opal, and diamond
I have been trying to get a decent photograph of this ring for a months but I give up for now. It doesn't want to be photographed in focus, so you'll have to look at it slightly burred.
This was presented to me by Tod as a gift on my 40th birthday. We worked with my jewelry designer friend Mami Katsuki and discussed the possibilites during a long rambling conversation over lunch. She took the napkin we'd all sketched on, along with the stones I bought at a jewelry fair, and created this from my ideas of orbits and connections.
I'm so pleased with it that I'm a little bit afraid to wear my precious bauble. But in the spirit of not "saving" good things, I will try to wear it frequently until it is just a comfortable part of my wardrobe.
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EXCERPT:
A beautiful bauble.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kimura
EMAIL:
IP: 60.43.77.9
URL:
DATE: 08/09/2006 08:47:25 PM
Wow, beautiful!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.37for365.blogspot.com
DATE: 08/09/2006 09:02:03 PM
That is gorgeous!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 08/09/2006 09:44:46 PM
Wow! I'd love to see it on your hand. It's beautiful.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 121.2.160.52
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 08/12/2006 12:26:04 PM
It is stunning.. the design is magnificent and definately one of a kind.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Yolima
EMAIL:
IP: 83.86.63.116
URL: http://www.fotolog.com/yolima
DATE: 08/14/2006 02:57:26 PM
Beautiful! Opal and a Diamond?
Yes, show us a picture ofthe ring on your hand please.
I just discovered your site early this morning (looking for "patterns"
Am enjoying it immensely. Consider me a fan.
I have to figure out how to work with Audacity now.
And belated happy b'day wishes. May your forties be grand and glorious!
Greetings fr
om rainy Den Haag.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 58.108.28.92
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 08/15/2006 02:56:06 PM
I'd love to see a hand shot too!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Spiced Pumpkin
BASENAME: spiced_pumpkin
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/10/2006 08:44:44 AM
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BODY:
This week I've discovered South African foods and flavours thanks to some very tasty boerewors sausage from The Meat Guy, a specialty meat purveyor in Nagoya. I was trying to figure out what to serve with our corriander-clove spiced sausages, and started reading South African recipes and cuisine information. There are lots of sweet potato, corn and bean dishes in various combinations, so I decided to improvise with a Japanese pumpkin (kabocha). This was truly delicious, with a subtle hint of cinnamon that made the dish almost sweet.
Spiced Pumpkin
serves 2-4
1/4 kabocha (Japanese pumpkin)
dash cinnamon
dash white pepper
dash onion powder
water
Cut the pumpkin into large chunks. Put chunks in a saucepan and just cover with cold water. Sprinkle in the spices. Boil until soft. Remove the pumpkin from the water, reserving the water. Rice or mash the pumpkin and mix in a little bit of the cooking liquid to adjust consistency.
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EXCERPT:
Subtly South African-y
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 211.120.93.218
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 08/10/2006 09:58:04 AM
It seems not to hard to cook. BUT I don't have onion powder. Is it ok ? using grinded onion instead of the powder?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 08/10/2006 01:01:30 PM
Meiko, I think if you put in a tablespoon of fresh chopped onion, then mash it in with the pumpkin at the end, that would be very good.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 08/10/2006 09:33:15 PM
I don't have pumpkin around here yet, but when it makes an appearance, I'll nab one to try this!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bad Picnic
BASENAME: bad_picnic
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/12/2006 06:23:19 PM
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BODY:
Last night, Tod proposed that we make a picnic lunch and enjoy an afternoon in the park today. Great idea!
I got up early and baked some treats, made sandwiches and an variety of things to nibble on. Tod ran out to the supermarket for a bottle of wine - an exceptionally good 1997 St Emilion Chateau de Lussac. We packed everything up and headed out of the house at 1.
At 1:03, a raindrop smacked Tod in the forehead. We returned to the house for umbrellas. By the time we got to the park at 1:45, the rain had stopped and started and stopped again, but the sky was dark and we heard the rumble of thunder. We found a pavilion marked on the map and beelined there. Within ten minutes, the deluge began.
The shelter kept us dry, but we hadn't counted on the mosquitoes. I smote a dozen or more, smacked at fifty and was bitten by...I'm afraid to count. But the food and wine were delicious and the company was entertaining, so it wasn't as bad as it might have been.
After the rain let up and we'd finished our wine, we visited the Science Museum. It's just the kind of place I love - lots of interactive, hands-on exhibits. And surprsingly little language on most of the displays. You have to figure things out on your own just like a scientist. I laughed and giggled and took my turn with the kids until closing time.
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EXCERPT:
Thunderstorm, mosquitoes - but great wine.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lawson Ticket
BASENAME: lawson_ticket
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/13/2006 08:41:00 AM
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BODY:
Finally, finally, I've conquered the Lawson Ticket system. The trick is to say way far away from the complicated and confusing web page and to go use one of the "Loppi" machines in the convenience store itself.
Loppi does a lot of stuff - dispenses event tickets, tops up phone cards, even makes out cash loans. All I really cared about today was getting tickets to Earth Celebration and Kinseees.
At the machine, you can enter the L-code if you know it and jump directly to the ticket purchase, or if you don't know the code, you can search for the artist's name or the date of the event. You can pay with a variety of Lawson-based credit cards, or type in your name and phone number and receive a slip that you take to the register and pay. The cashier trades your cash for computer printed tickets and you are done.
I know I'm probably the last person in Japan to have figured this out, but I'm glad I did. It's been one of those niggling "I know I can do this, but argh!" hurdles for a long time.
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EXCERPT:
From a convenience store kiosk
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: erik
EMAIL: majgubbe@yahoo.se
IP: 87.96.152.53
URL: http://andomindtv.blogspot.com/
DATE: 08/15/2006 10:32:48 AM
just wanted to let you know was happy to found your site, and going to go trough it, very interesting.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Another Week in Matsudai
BASENAME: another_week_in_matsudai
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/16/2006 01:56:57 PM
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BODY:
Here I am blogging from the Matsudai dormitory where I'm spending the week helping Hanako with a mix of video editing and minding the Hotta Rakashi Memorial Museum.
Once again I am stunned by the generousity and friendliness of the townsfolk who have taken Hanako under their wings. We have been well fed from garden produce, given handmade treats, and chatted up every time we walk out the door. There have been offers of beds, invitations to meals and events, and photographs taken at every turn.
The town has transformed since the first time I came up here. It's busy all day. Nobutai is mobbed with people in the gift shop, participating in workshops and watching performances. There are scores of people visiting the village with "stamp rally" booklets in hand, collecting stamps at every place they stop to see the art. The shotengai (shopping street) is an art gallery itself with big and small exhibits up and down the street.
Speaking of which, I must return to mine and greet the visitors with a cheey "Irasshaimase!"
Will be back in Tokyo on Monday with stories to share.
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EXCERPT:
Mid-triennial
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Bobotie
BASENAME: bobotie
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/17/2006 08:48:52 AM
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BODY:
Another South African classic in my new repetroire. I wasn't sure I'd like this - it's a fruity meat curry topped with a layer of savory custard. Sweet main dishes have never been a favorite. But this was delicious - delicately flavoured and not too sweet at all - and Tod loved it ,so it will be seen on our table again.
Bobotie
serves 4
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp oil
1 whole dried chili
400 gr beef-pork mince
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 slice bread, ripped into crumbs
1/2 lemon, juiced & zested
1 Tbsp chutney *
1 Tbsp raisins
1 Tbsp milk
1 egg, well beaten
1 bay leaf (or 1/4 tsp thyme)
Topping
1/2 c milk
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
In a large frying pan, saute the onion, garlic and chili in oil until the onion turns translucent. Add in the meat and cook until lightly brown and crumbly. Remove from heat. Mix in the spices, lemon juice & zest, chutney, raisins, bread, milk & egg.
Pack into a greased, covered casserole and bake at 180C for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully smooth the meat flat with a spoon to form an even base for the custard.
Whip together milk, egg, salt & pepper to taste. Pour over meat and return to oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the custard is golden brown.
Serve with yellow rice and a salad.
* Variation: instead of chutney, try a mix of 1/2 grated apple, 2 minced dried apricots, and 1 tsp sliced almonds.
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EXCERPT:
Fruity curried meat casserole
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 24.173.100.4
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 08/22/2006 08:51:10 AM
Mmmm. Sounds good. Thanks for sharing. Advantage--new evidence supports theory that monthly consumption of turmeric reduces the chance of developing Alzheimer's later in life.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Sean
EMAIL: sean@datamage.net
IP: 88.108.54.175
URL: http://informage.net/
DATE: 08/30/2006 10:32:49 PM
Great - I love Bobotie too. It's a real Cape Town classic, a product of the mix of Malay, Afrikaans and African culture.
Hope you are both keeping well,
Sean from Cape Town (currently in UK)
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Celebrating the Earth on Sado
BASENAME: celebrating_the_earth_on_sado
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/22/2006 09:07:03 AM
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BODY:
Camping on the cliff above Sobama beach, our group of eight did a lot of relaxing nothing this weekend.
After brunch each morning, we sat under the shadecloth talking for hours about whatever came to mind: halloween costumes, books, travels, work. Lukie showed me how to do contact juggling. Aya sketched. Everyone sweated. We indulged in ocean swims, cold showers, and lots of beverages until it was time to head into Ogi for dinner at the festival market and then to walk up the hill to the evening's Earth Celebration concert.
This year, Kodo played with a dance troupe called Tamango's Urban Tap. As always, each group took a bit of the other's style and incorporated it into their performance. I cannot say I'd ever expected to see four women in yukata and geta doing a tap dance, but they did - giggling like girls as they sang their own accompaniment - and did a fine job of it, too. Tamango led the audience in singing the Zousan song (which made Zoupi exceedingly happy) where he bungled some of the words, then led an African chant where the audience bungled most of the words.
Recording the Kodo concerts is strictly prohibited and I respected that, but I did capture some frenetic drumming at one of the after-concert fringe events. If you'd like to hear the noisy musical atmosphere of the festival market in the late evening on August 18th, have a listen to this:
Earth Celebration Fringe Drumming 4'59" 4.6MB MP3
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EXCERPT:
It was fun because we did a lot of nothing.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 58.108.28.92
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 08/22/2006 08:48:00 PM
Niiiiiice... i so wish i was there... I love it at the end when everyone is like "Yakult? What did he say?"
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ted T
EMAIL:
IP: 220.47.170.99
URL: http://notesfromthenog.blogspot.com/
DATE: 09/02/2006 10:06:08 AM
I was at EC too, probably not too far from where you were recording. If you guys go again next year, drop by the Kyoto Journal booth and say Hi.
The fringe drum jam sounds great. I'm currently looking for a good digital recorder and wonder what you are using.
Thanks, Ted
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: How to Call a Frog
BASENAME: how_to_call_a_frog
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Tutorials
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 08/23/2006 07:43:22 AM
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BODY:
One evening last week in Matsudai, we heard the most delightful chorus of frogs - deep croaking, quick peeps, and a percussive almost wooden clapping. But as we approached the little garden pond for a closer look and listen, the frogs stopped their songs.
Kimie-san started talking to them. She called; they answered. We giggled. She called again and soon they were all chatting away. I was delighted. Her technique was simple.
She made a loud, hollow sound by closing her lips with air in her cheeks and in between her lips and teeth, then opening them quickly while sucking the air in. The resulting sound was a hollow, lip smacking pop. She repeated it a few times and the frogs talked back.
On another night, I went to the pond alone and tried it with the recorder running. It worked! Have a listen:
Frog Call 0'04" 72KB MP3
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EXCERPT:
Smack your lips and the frogs talk.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/23/2006 02:37:12 PM
Frog sounds rock!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Lemon-Walnut Shortbread Cookies
BASENAME: lemon-walnut_shortbread_cookies
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 08/24/2006 09:35:31 AM
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BODY:
I'm beginning to believe that I can bake with a nearly empty larder, the same way I can make a meal from what Tod calls "nothing in the fridge." I wanted to bake a treat for the Matsudai folks who will be dancing in the Kinseees program on Friday, but my fridge was a little bit lacking.
I'm all out of eggs. That's one strike against baking. There wasn't enough butter for a full recipe of anything. But I found some walnuts so I took advantage of the walnut oils to shorten my cookies. And I had a lemon to flavour the dough. So I decided on a variation of a holiday favorite: balls of walnut shortbread.
And the cookies are lovely: delicately lemon scented, strongly walnut flavoured, and when rolled in powdered sugar, they are just sweet enough.
Lemon-Walnut Shortbread Cookies
makes 48 cookies
3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup powdered sugar
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the lemon zest & juice, mixing throughly. Stir in the walnuts. Add the flour a cup at a time, stirring until just mixed. The dough will form a soft ball. Roll 1" balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 180°C for about 12 minutes, or until not-even-lightly-brown.
Remove from cookie sheet while hot and roll in powdered sugar. Be careful not to burn your fingers. Cool completely on trays.
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EXCERPT:
Delicate lemon-walnut cookies.
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 08/27/2006 08:50:09 PM
Nothing up your sleeves either!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Woven mat
BASENAME: woven_mat
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 08/29/2006 09:35:29 PM
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BODY:
Rag woven mat, detail
I made this myself on Sunday while visiting the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial. At Kinare, the big exhibition center in Tokamachi, they have a hands-on room set up with looms, shibori dying vats and silk painting materials. It took me 30 minutes to weave up this little mat.
Tod took an onsen bath (I was barred because of my tattoo) while I wove. It's been a long time since I last sat in front of a loom. My results are a little bit uneven, but not too bad, considering how rusty I am.
As much as working on this made me happy and left me with a big smile, if I had a loom of my own I'd never use it. I really despise warping treadle looms.
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EXCERPT:
Handwoven lunch mat.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 08/29/2006 10:37:51 PM
Do you think your dislike of warps has anything to do with that summer job?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 08/30/2006 07:16:00 AM
Nah, the creeling jab didn't put me off warping. It's all the careful threading you have to do in the heddles. It's daunting and persnickety work. Raises my hackles just thinking about it.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mieko
EMAIL: hanz01jp@yahoo.co.jp
IP: 219.121.31.182
URL: http://diary1n.clubcgi.jp/scr1_diarys/3260mieko/
DATE: 08/30/2006 08:44:45 AM
Wonderful! The KIMONO I bought for the first time on my salsalary was a TOKAMCHI-TSUMUGI.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Matt Ryall
EMAIL: matt@mattryall.net
IP: 203.158.43.29
URL: http://www.mattryall.net
DATE: 08/30/2006 09:56:18 PM
Why can't you use an onsen with a tattoo?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Matsudai roundup
BASENAME: matsudai_roundup
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Audio
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 08/30/2006 08:48:49 PM
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BODY:
I've been away from the computer mainly spending more time in Matsudai. So much happened last weekend that I'm hard pressed to recount it all, but here I go.
Thank you to Hanako Murakami for introducing me to Matsudai and its people. I really do love that town. And congratulations to Hanako for shepherding an amazing performance of mushroom dancing at Nobutai on Friday last week. "Kinseees!" was an energetic, delightful surprise.
Higashino-sensei's dance as the お化けキンコ (mushroom ghost) was exactly the right complement to the old folks doing their dances. She encouraged them, teased out their special talents and made the evening flow. Motohei-san, at 82 the oldest dancer in the group, was so full of joy and humour that it was hard not to whoop and holler during all his little solos. I know how much work everyone put into creating the evening's entertainment, and I think all 160 of the audience members were impressed. I didn't take my camera that evening, choosing to enjoy the event without the lens between me and it - a wise decision, even though it means no pictures for you.
One of the items in the Kinseees! program was each dancer's favorite mushroom. The モグラ was often mentioned, but we don't know "mogura" as a mushroom - it's a mole. Now Tod does cutest impression of a mogura (the mole, not the mushroom) that makes me giggle and ask for encores.
The two days after Kinseees! were the Matsudai matsuri. We hung around town to tour the Triennial art and spent Saturday evening drinking and singing with the adult children of some of the dancers. I had my recording gear and turned the evening into the latest Hanashi Station podcast.
Matsuri in Matsudai (10'15" 9.4 MB MP3)
Walking through my neighborhood recently, I've been paying attention to all the new construction. Most of it is terribly disappointing - generic, cheaply made apartment blocks - but I'm interested in all the different exterior facings that are popular now and how thy compare to exterior surfaces from a decade ago and even older ones.
There's a lot of creativity in these. Sometimes they all look the same, but they aren't.
Plasti-brick panel siding.
The new stuff seems to be mainly sheet siding formed into brick and stone shapes. The seams are obvious cracks filled with a finger-width of putty and the bricks don't meet up at the seams. Dreadful. A decade ago, they were using flat brick-like tiles on the exteriors. Stucco remains popular for certain styles of housing. Real stone and brick are hard to find. Wood and tin are relegated mainly to the old and decrepit buildings of 20+ years ago.
I've begun to take photos of exterior surfaces and have started a Flickr set here: Exterior Textures. The first set of photos is from yesterday's trip to Kanagawa. I'll add more from my neighborhood and around Tokyo as I have time.
Taking photos of exteriors makes me dangerous to walk around with, as MJ can attest. As we walked through her neighborhood yesterday, I stopped at almost every building to snap a photo of the siding. Homeowners throughout Hiratsuka were undoubtedly reporting the suspicious behaviour of a foreign person.
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EXCERPT:
Taking note of textures
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 09/04/2006 07:39:30 PM
I looked through all of the photos on Flickr and thought what great desktop images they would make.
Do you mind if I use one or two?
I have always loved the sides of buildings - especially old brickwork - especially in Italy. The walls have so much history locked up inside them and I like to imagine where the old windows and doors must have been from the bricked up spaces showing archways and keystones etc.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Til 2009
BASENAME: til_2009
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/02/2006 09:10:50 AM
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The visa and re-entry permit
Hard to believe it's been three years since our previous visa renewal, but it has and our papers to re-up were turned in a few weeks back. Yesterday evening Tod handed me our passports newly plastered with self-adhesive, QR coded visa extensions. We're good until 2009.
And then? Maybe an application for permanent residency.
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Let's renew the lease next, darling.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: UltraBob
EMAIL: ultrabob@t4ac.com
IP: 219.204.95.199
URL: http://www.dynamicduo.info
DATE: 09/02/2006 12:09:33 PM
Wow, our visa changes are almost the same to the day! I am now officially a pet gaijin with all the commensurate rights to stay in Japan until 2009 that that entails.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: mhjw@hotmail.com
IP: 69.29.82.44
URL: http://www-blog.wahlster.net
DATE: 09/05/2006 04:34:41 AM
Unbelievable: Re-entry permits with the same length of validity as the visa! We could have saved so much time (and money) way back then when we had to get new re-entry permits every year.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 58.108.28.92
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 09/06/2006 07:59:41 PM
I just realised, i ran out recently. I expired on Aug 27. In order to re-enter, i have to go thru the whole process from the beginning. Bit of a scary thought....
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Scale and Scanner
BASENAME: scale_and_scanner
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/05/2006 08:32:11 AM
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After seeing myself in a bathing suit for the first time in about 18 months, I decided to buy a bathroom scale to monitor the progress of my thighs.
I've never owned a scale though my parents had one in their bathroom when I was growing up. Scales in Japan in 2006 are stunningly complex. At Bic Camera yesterday, there were three scale-only models and nearly 30 scales that also scanned your body for signs of life. Prices ranged from 1,000 yen for a classic non-digital scale to 20,000 yen for the Cadillac of body monitoring technology.
We decided to splurge and get a mid-range device one that measures more than weight. We now are the befuddled owners of a Tanita InnerScan. If you enter your age and height then step on the scale, it measures not only your weight, but your:
Acqua pazza means crazy water in Italian. It's a delicious way to poach fish to add lots of flavor. How can you go wrong with garlic, anchovy and a lot of vegetables? I made this version the other night .It's healthy as well as delicious, see the recipe analysis.
Acqua Pazza
serves 2
200 gr swordfish fillet or fish of your choice
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 anchovy fillets
1 cup tomatoes, diced
50 g carrot, diced
50 g green pepper, diced
4 button mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/4 cup wine (red or white)
1 cup water
salt & pepper to taste
1 wedge lemon
Saute the onion, garlic and anchovy in olive oil. Add tomatoes, carrot, pepper, & mushrooms, Cook until just tender. Splash in the wine and water, allow to come to a boil. Lay fish in broth, cover and allow to simmer until cooked through. Top with parsley and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon.
Serve over spinach egg noodles.
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Poached fish with vegetables
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 5-minute t-shirt jacket
BASENAME: 5-minute_t-shirt_jacket
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Tutorials
DATE: 09/08/2006 05:48:26 PM
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BODY:
Earlier this summer, there was a craze in the sewing/crafting world for "wardrobe refashioning," taking an item of ready-made clothing and turning it into something else. There were some really clever ideas (here are some photos) and I wanted to play, too.
Finally, today, I grabbed a t-shirt I never wear - it's a little too long and tight - and turned it into a jacket. Took me five minutes to get the shape right with a pair of pinking shears. Now it's a flutter-sleeved, cutaway jacket/overshirt nd I can tell I'll wear it often.
I liked the results enough to write up an illustrated guide to doing it yourself. Writing the instructions took 2 hours. So much for getting any other sewing done today... Now here's your challenge. Reinvent one of your own ill-fitting t-shirts. If you like what you refashion, tell us about it in the comments.
Click for larger image, or download a printable version: 5-minute t-shirt jacket (PDF 232K)
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scissors required.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.37for365.blogspot.com
DATE: 09/09/2006 04:38:52 AM
Yay! Something even *I* can sew!!!!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rice Harvest
BASENAME: rice_harvest
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/09/2006 06:13:00 AM
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Maturing rice in Kanagawa
The rice harvest begins September 10th, and I'm off to Matsudai to help for a few days.
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I'll be back soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Martin Langeland
EMAIL: dumluks@dumluks.com
IP: 66.218.202.133
URL: http://dumluks.blogspot.com
DATE: 09/09/2006 07:35:11 AM
Hi Kristen!
I tagged you for a meme on blogging.
http://dumluks.blogspot.com/2006/09/bagged-by-meme-tag.html
Have fun.
-- ml
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Filling an Empty Space
BASENAME: filling_an_empty_space
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: On the Net
CATEGORY: On the Net
DATE: 09/10/2006 12:44:30 AM
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Tagged by Mark Lindeman at DumLuk, I've been given a few questions to answer. So while I'm still away at the rice harvest, here's something to distract you from the important work you should be doing.
Why do you blog?
Bad habits are hard to break.
How long have you been blogging?
Since July 2000, and I have maintained a personal website since 1994.
Self Portrait?
Middle-aged woman
Wonders what she's doing here;
Tries to savor life.
Why do readers read your blog?
Bad habits are hard to break.
What was the last search phrase someone used to get to your site?
"kristen" but I'll bet they were looking for the Kristen Archives.
Which of your entries unjustly gets too little attention?
I think the opposite is more appropriate - what unjustly gets too much attention? The gingerbread computer got me /.ed but it wasn't my own creation, just something I reported.
Your current favorite blog?
I love it when my friends post to their weblogs; they are all my favorites.
What blog did you read most recently?
Tea Leaves
Which feeds do you subscribe to?
In addition to friends, flickr and news, I subscribe LibriVox, Whip Up, Time Goes By, Marginal Revolution, Boing Boing and Astronomy Picture of the Day.
What four blogs are you tagging with this meme and why?
Cerebral Soup, Threads of Gold, Keitai Goddess and UltraMom from Dynamic Duo all get tagged because they are busy women with exciting lives who don't really post often enough.
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taggedby a blogging meme
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Rice Farmers
BASENAME: rice_farmers
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/11/2006 08:16:03 AM
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Sekiya-san & Motohei-san in the rice paddy. May, 2006
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Still on the farm.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: mike
EMAIL: mike_rosenlof@yahoo.com
IP: 209.169.25.142
URL:
DATE: 09/11/2006 12:25:25 PM
Have you ever seen an animated movie called Omoide Poroporo? おもひでぽろぽろ in slightly old-style kana usage.
You might enjoy it. It's about an office worker from Tokyo who spends her summer vacation in Yamagata prefecture (if I recall correctly) working at the farm of a friend's family.
A bit overly sweet at times, but a nice story.
DVD is from Studio Ghibli, but it's not a Miyazaki film.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristen
EMAIL: kristen@mediatinker.com
IP: 192.168.7.32
URL: http://www.mediatinker.com
DATE: 09/11/2006 06:41:42 PM
I haven't seen it, but I will seek it out. I like the Studio Ghibli stuff, they are always lovely and make me all natsukashii even for places I've never been.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 24.173.100.4
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 09/19/2006 12:55:15 AM
It's one of my favorite anime, too. I bought it on laserdisc the last time I was in Japan. When the main character goes to spend her summer vacation on a farm she keeps flashing back to incidents of her life when she was 10. The flashback scenes are in a different style and capture Japan in the 1960s very well.
There is a translated screenplay online that has a lot of cultural notes that help those of us who didn't live in Japan in the 1960s understand all the pop culture references. It is a beautiful, serene film. Your photos of your helping in the rice harvest also remind me very much of it. Having had that experience, I think you'll like this film a lot.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: 米の感謝
BASENAME: post_1
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/12/2006 12:27:00 PM
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BODY:
Mature rice, ready for harvest
Harvesting rice is a lot of work. I have a deep appreciation of each and every grain I eat now that I know what goes into just one day of rice production. The Yanagis, and thousands of other Japanese families, toil to feed me and I am grateful.
Sunday morning at 6:30 on the dot, Hanako, Tsuchiya-san and I sat down to breakfast prepared by our hostesses, who were awake and cooking at 5:30. At 8:30, we were called over to the Yanagi’s house to dress and wait for further instructions. The waiting made me fidgety and irritable. I wanted to go pick rice, but here were indoors with Kimie, who served tea and edamame and offered us our choice of hats and boots to wear outside.
By 9:30 we were finally in the field, where Akira Yanagi, his grandson, mother, neighbor and two young boys were already at work. After a quick demonstration of harvesting skills we’d need to use, we were set to work.
The machine harvester
Akira has a harvesting machine that growls like a lawnmower, and it’s not far off in size. The harvester is pushed by hand through the rows, cutting the clumps of rice near the ground and binding nine of them together with twine before spitting the bundle out to the side.
My first task was to follow the harvester, picking up the bundles it spit out and gathering them into sets of seven. I cinched them together with a noose-like rope, then carried the 10 kilo bundle to one corner of the field.
It was hot – around 33 C (91F) - the sky was clear blue and sun beat down on us. In a few minutes, I was sweating buckets and so was everyone else.
The harvester doesn’t get all the rice; uneven rows or a misdirected push can leave clumps uncut. So someone has to hand-cut the clumps. After a while, I followed the hand-harvesters around, picking up their clumps of nine and tying them into bundles using rice straw from the last harvest.
The technique was simple and effective – belt a few strands of straw around the bundle, twist once, and then spin the whole thing around itself to tighten the twist, and finally tuck the ends under the belt. I kept getting the thumb of my glove stuck in the twist when I spun the bundle, but a good sharp tug always freed it.
Enjoying a much-needed drink
It wasn’t long before we took a break and everyone had a small bottle of tea. Japanese don’t drink much compared to Americans. Maybe because their diet is saltier and they retain water so don’t need as much going in. I don’t know, but one 300 ml bottle of tea wasn’t enough for me but nobody else was having more, so I didn’t either. Very soon it was back to work.
More tying, spinning, cinching and carrying got us one field cleared. We moved the piled sheaves from the side of the field into the truck, laying the bundles rice-end in and alternating the direction of the layers so that the rice was secure and the grains protected for transportation.
Three men took the rice off to hang it up to dry in the sun while the rest of us started on the second field. This time, I asked to try the hand-cutting. With a short, serrated curved blade in one hand, you grasp the clump of rice in the other hand and draw the blade across in one firm movement. The trick is to make your cutting stroke count - not to saw at the rice – while not pulling the clump out of the soft muddy earth while you cut. It took me a while, but I did eventually get the hang of it. I was not adept, but I managed.
Farmer Kristen
I cut out part of a corner for the harvester to turn in and a whole row along one side of the paddy, and then took a break on my own– cutting the rice was more intense than bundling and carrying – and drank the last little bottle of tea. I noticed that the sky was starting to cloud up on the horizon. The weather forecast called for afternoon rain, followed by a few rainy days in a row, so we wanted to get as much rice in today as possible. My energy was starting to flag, but I was determined not to fall behind.
The truck was back, but now parked further away, so I loaded up the wheelbarrows with Hanako and we loaded the remainder of the first field into the truck. Then I did some more tying and carrying before a break was called for lunch. We put what we had completed in the truck, tidied up our tools and rode back to the Yanagi’s for lunch.
Everyone was covered in mud and sweat. “Ladies shower first!” one of the men called out and that meant, really, that “foreign ladies” shower first. So I stripped down, surprised at how very, very wet my clothes were, and hopped into the shower. Hanako called in to me, “Do you have a change of clothes for the afternoon?” Oops, no. I hadn’t considered that. Kimie kindly loaned me an entire outfit, including a brand-new pair of her panties. I looked like a grandmother in her largest polka dotted polyester ensemble, but I was dry.
While we were in the field, Kimie had prepared a feast of tempura vegetables, simmered fish and tofu, pickles and cold somen noodles. It was plentiful and bountiful and everyone at the table dug in like they’d never eaten before.
Only I wasn’t hungry. My head throbbed, my teeth ached and my stomach hurt. Hanako noticed my lack of appetite and asked if I was ok. I wasn’t sure. I had goosebumps and was feeling cold. I’d stopped sweating and I was hot to the touch. Hanako lead me upstairs and put me to bed under a quilt. I slept while they finished lunch.
When Hanako back came upstairs to change into her field clothes, she told me I would stay there while they went back out. I sat up, sipped some tea and declared that I was fine, really. “Mom, I want to go out to play!” I pleaded jokingly. But she insisted I rest. She was right, of course, but I was terribly disappointed as I listened to their laughing voices piling into the truck and driving away without me.
I drifted off to sleep again to be awakened half an hour later by the pounding of hard rain on the tin roof. “Rain! Ah…Rain? Ah!! The laundry!” I leapt up to rescue the clothes and towels hanging outside the second floor balconies. Kimie raced up after collecting everything downstairs and we put the glass doors on their tracks and rehung the clothes – only slightly damp - on plastic racks inside the house to finish drying.
Kimiko wrings out her towel in the rain; Hanako laughs and drips into the house
That was the finish of the harvesting day, of course. Moments later the crew returned, soaked again but this time with rain. They were laughing and wringing out their clothes. We handed out all the towels and they changed – again – into clean dry togs.
Despite the heatstroke, I enjoyed the harvest immensely. I grinned like an idiot in the field, so happy to be joining in an aspect of life that is mostly hidden behind city supermarket price tags. And I hope this first harvest wasn’t my last.
(For more photos, see my Rice Harvest photo set on Flickr)
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An eventful day ends with a deeper appreciation of rice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: MJ
EMAIL: thecook@cerebralsoup.net
IP: 219.117.192.165
URL: http://www.cerebralsoup.net
DATE: 09/12/2006 05:09:52 PM
Ah yes heatstroke is a barrel of laughs isn't it?
For next time: extra clean clothes and bottles of water!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.37for365.blogspot.com
DATE: 09/12/2006 08:59:54 PM
What a terrific experience! (Except for the heatstroke.) The entire family has such beautiful faces. I could almost hear their laughter and the rain.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Matsudai Sendoff
BASENAME: matsudai_sendoff
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/13/2006 02:48:57 PM
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BODY:
L-R: Yuki, the Yanagi's grandson; the man who taught me how to harvest; Kimie Yanagi, matriarch; Tsuchiya-san, exhausted student; Hanako Murakami, artist; Higuchi-san, of Yumatsuya; Higuchi-san's friend; Akria Yanagi, patriarch.
We didn't plan it, but six of us were leaving Matsudai on the same train. The Yanagis came down to see us all off, so I snapped this memorial photograph of our hostesses and fellow harvesters. I wish I remembered everyone's names. They were, without a doubt, formally introduced to me at some point.
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Last moments before the train arrived.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 09/14/2006 04:22:29 PM
That is so cool!!
Reminds me of when my mother and I went to Shikoku to help out on a farm with the rice planting. Country people are lovely. We had the whole family and all the neighbours drop in to meet us and drink tea.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Fresh Fig with Spiced Cheese
BASENAME: fresh_fig_with_spiced_cheese
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Recipes
CATEGORY: Recipes
DATE: 09/14/2006 01:33:35 PM
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Figs are in season now. I love the big dark figs we get here - beautifully pink and sweet on the inside, the skin is a little tart. Mmmmm. This recipe adds just the right extra touch, whiskey, to turn a fresh fig and a dollop of cheese into a light but luscious dessert. And it's only 81 calories - go ahead and make a double serving!
Fresh Fig with Spiced Cheese
serves 1
1 large fresh fig
1 Tbsp Marscapone or cottage cheese
1/4 tsp powdered sugar
1 dash quatre epices (or white pepper, clove, cinnamon)
1/2 tsp whiskey
1/8 lemon (wedge)
Mix together the cheese, sugar and spice. Stem and quarter the fig. Plate with the cheese. Drizzle with whiskey. Serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze over.
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Decadent but healthy dessert.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.co.jp
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 09/14/2006 04:19:00 PM
Ash does a version of this with Blue Cheese and then wraps the fig in bacon or proscuitto and bakes it in the oven for a short time to melt the cheese...
It is DIVINE but much naughtier than your version.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL: jhillkaucher@adelphia.net
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL: http://www.37for365.blogspot.com
DATE: 09/14/2006 09:03:58 PM
Mmm. Figgy. We'll try this!
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Early Influence
BASENAME: early_influence
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Creativity
CATEGORY: Creativity
DATE: 09/15/2006 11:52:22 AM
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BODY:
My mother sent me an interesting package a few days ago, crammed with schoolwork, report cards and childhood art. Of course I dropped my work to page through everything and I was interested to see something on my report cards that I had never noticed.
My best marks when I was very young were in Reading Aloud. Teachers commented on my performances and stories (a few of which were enclosed in the package).
Mrs. Walder, nursery school: "She...speaks well before the class."
Mrs Brinster, kindergarten: "She...is completely at ease in performing before the class"
Miss Karatosis, 1st grade: "She is becoming quite a storywriter."
I think these small nods influenced me deeply. In sixth grade, I wrote the Christmas play and performed as MC for the spring school program. And my work now involves reading aloud, writing and performing. But I wonder if my weakest subjects, math & physical education, had been positively remarked upon in 1973, if I'd be more able and skilled in those areas as an adult?
Do you recall any positive youthful encouragement that still holds influence on your creativity? Do you give any to children in your life?
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I'll bet they didn't realise the impact one sentence would have.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Clipped
BASENAME: clipped
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Household
CATEGORY: Household
DATE: 09/16/2006 11:18:18 AM
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"...and suddenly I'm flat on my back. I think 'Holy shit! I was just hit by a car.'" Tod recounted. "Then I see a van cruise by and slow down. It pulls away, and I think, 'Damn, a hit-and-run!'"
But the van was just getting out of the traffic. The driver and his four mates jumped out, collected Tod's bicycle, offered to call the police and ambulance. Tod, hyped up on adrenaline, insisted he was fine and refused medical help but did accept a ride home in the van, conversing in Japanese about their work.
Luckily, he is pretty much alright. His left shoulder collided with the van, throwing him from the bike onto his back. There's a dent in the vehicle and an ugly swollen bruise on his shoulder and arm. He's got some scrapes and abrasions but he was wearing his helmet, so his head's fine. After a night's sleep, he's feeling achy and tired but otherwise seems normal.
He and the driver exchanged contact details, and half an hour after he got home, the Ootsubo-san called to check up on him and reiterated he'd bear any medical costs and repairs to the bike. (So much more civil than "my insurance company will call your insurance company and we'll settle out of court," don't you think?)
Tod's biggest pain is me asking him to describe his pains. I know he won't go to the hospital if he can avoid it, so I feel like I have to monitor his swellings, aches, concussion and possible sites of infection. He says this accident is less painful than the time he wiped out on his bike in suburban Chicago and he survived that, so I'm trying not to fuss too much.
Anyway, happy holiday weekend.
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at an Otemachi intersection.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Martin Langeland
EMAIL: dumluks@dumluks.com
IP: 66.218.202.137
URL: http://dumluks.blogspot.com
DATE: 09/16/2006 01:16:39 PM
Kuri: maintain your courage.
Let Tod be Tod
as you are you.
All will be.
If that isn't Zen enough
than words fail me.
All the very best.
-- ml
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fajer
EMAIL:
IP: 124.155.45.225
URL:
DATE: 09/16/2006 02:07:58 PM
Get back on that bike as soon as you can Tod, hope all is well.
rgds
Fajer
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: j-ster
EMAIL: tresspast@gmail.com
IP: 58.108.28.92
URL: http://www.threadsofgold.info/blog
DATE: 09/16/2006 08:15:09 PM
I tell you what, the whole world seems to be going thru an accident-prone phase at the moment, you all take care! I hope Tod recovers soon, without the need of a hospital.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 59.147.138.146
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 09/16/2006 10:44:46 PM
Don't apologise for being concerned. You are just watching out for him. He was hit by a car for goodness sakes!!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jean McQuillin
EMAIL: jmcq77@hotmail.com
IP: 24.51.188.133
URL:
DATE: 09/17/2006 04:21:32 AM
That's OK, Kristen, you just hover over him and make sure he ices it down and use Neosporin (or whatever the Japanese countepart) on those abrasions. Tell him I remember the Chicago mishap and he is right--if he survived that he can probably survive this one.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: holly
EMAIL: xmasberry@excite.com
IP: 63.228.207.170
URL: http://littlemissmessyhair.xmasberry.com
DATE: 09/17/2006 04:30:41 AM
glad to hear he is well, all in all. Good that you are working together to make sure he is okay, even if it does feel burdensome to him at times ;)
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: John McQuillin
EMAIL: mcquillin@mac.com
IP: 24.211.149.170
URL:
DATE: 09/17/2006 06:45:02 AM
Hi Tod...got the message from your mom and read the account of your collision with a mass of a larger size. Hope you recover soon...take care...JMM
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Erra
EMAIL:
IP: 24.199.117.94
URL:
DATE: 09/21/2006 10:56:56 AM
Wow. What a shock. I just saw someone get clipped by a car on Broadway tonight, and I can tell you that it's almost as shocking for any close witnesses. I hope your husband is OK.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Reunion
BASENAME: reunion
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/17/2006 09:46:27 PM
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BODY:
Today I was witness to a remarkable event.
While I sat chatting with Tod, our friend Shinji, and two of his "older sisters" in Sugimoto's kimono shop on the promenade leading to Nezu Shrine, two women popped their heads in the open doorway.
"Um, do you remember us?" one began. In a moment they revealed that all four women had gone to grade school together 62 years before. These 70 year old ladies turned into schoolgirls in the blink of an eye. They caught up over half a century in a flurry of words so entangled that I could not follow unless I looked at one of them at a time and read her lips.
How lucky I was to be there for that happy, once in a lifetime event. It made me wonder if I would recognise my classmates from 30 years ago in a chance encounter?
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EXCERPT:
Serendipity
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: holly
EMAIL: xmasberry@excite.com
IP: 155.97.42.90
URL: http://littlemissmessyhair.xmasberry.com
DATE: 09/19/2006 01:25:12 AM
What a great story! I get recognized by schoolmates now and then (from grade school), but often it is just because of my name. I bet it was great to watch.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Better Life, Olive Crown
BASENAME: better_life_olive_crown
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Books and Writing
CATEGORY: Books and Writing
DATE: 09/23/2006 12:01:03 AM
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BODY:
I wrote a poem using two-word phrases collected from the subject lines of spam I've received recently. They were so inventive, it seemed a pity to just throw them away. I've combined 28 of them into something that makes about as much sense and the spam they came in.
Better Life, Olive Crown
Olive Crown, yarn stretcher and wool-oiler, whips winter-hardened thread
(Yellow fleece, Wedgewood blue, winter teal) through her narrow-necked warp.
She is wind-worn but never withering at her loom.
Needlepoint lace, wire stranding through and through and through.
Her non-universalist, world-portioning weave oar-feathers the future.
Olive Crown does not want wicked speaking.
October bird whistles a single passing note into her parcel-popish neat house
Parrot mouths a one-seeded message, wonder-mocking the well-alleged tale.
World-strange patterns reveal the mock-beggar of truth.
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EXCERPT:
a poem
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: holly
EMAIL: xmasberry@excite.com
IP: 63.228.197.239
URL: http://littlemissmessyhair.xmasberry.com
DATE: 09/23/2006 02:01:06 PM
ooh. i really like this.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2006 01:07:06 AM
This has beautiful sound!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: KC
EMAIL:
IP: 220.96.138.132
URL:
DATE: 09/24/2006 11:06:25 AM
This is lovely, really! If i could see poetry in the spam like you do, I think i would look twice next time, instead of just deleting them. :-))
"Overflow with creativity, poetry in spam.
words woven like gossamer gowns,
you crown us with olive crowns".
Sorry i had to steal from you. you inspired me.:-))
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Owabi
BASENAME: owabi
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Japan
CATEGORY: Japan
DATE: 09/24/2006 08:29:30 PM
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BODY:
The man who drove into Tod last week called to check up on him and asked if he could come to make a formal apology - owabi. Tod told him it wasn't necessary, but of course it really was important to Ootusbo-san.
So today we invited him into our house and sat with him for a few minutes. I wasn't sure what to expect; Tod hadn't given me any sort of description of him. He is my age or maybe a few years older. His hair is short and simply cut; his skin is tanned from outdoor work. He wore all white, like a spiritual pilgrim: white pants, new white sneakers, a white cap and a white t-shirt with a heather blue sweater vest over it. He had his keitai tucked into his back pocket, with various colored straps and characters hanging from it.
I think he didn't quite know what to expect, either. He came into the living room and commented on our stack of zabuton cushions. We put them to use, sitting on the floor at our low table. After presenting us with a box of rice crackers and dorayaki, Ootsubo-san gave us his account of the accident. He was driving back from a job in Kofu, Yamanashi prefecture, and exited the highway to escape the Friday evening congestion. In Otemachi, he turned at the intersection, then slammed on the brakes when his passengers all shouted "Abunai!" They had seen Tod in the crosswalk. Thank goodness he used the brakes. He asked several times after Tod's various body parts, all of which are healing fine, and apologised to me for causing me worry and trouble.
After the sembei and the chat, Ootsubo-san passed Tod an envelope. "It's really not much," he began. Tod tried to refuse the money, but Ootsubo insisted. "It's not about the money. It's about my own feeling. Please accept it."
Then he asked Tod if he could snap a photograph of the bicycle and explained that his car insurance company needed to see it so he could get the van fixed. He said they might call to verify the circumstances of the accident. Apparently Tod left a pretty big dent in the van. So Tod and Ootsubo-san went outside together, but only after Ootsubo-san gave us a deep bow and a pro forma "I have no excuse. I'm very sorry." I think he really was glad that it all turned out alright.
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EXCERPT:
An apology
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 59.147.138.146
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 09/24/2006 11:38:42 PM
What a good man. I am sure he feels worse than he has expressed. It is good that you accepted his gifts as now he can start to forgive himself for what was obviously just an accident.
How are Tod's bruises?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: holly
EMAIL: xmasberry@excite.com
IP: 63.228.197.239
URL: http://littlemissmessyhair.xmasberry.com
DATE: 09/25/2006 11:10:53 AM
What a lovely story. Recently, there has been much talk in the U.S. about the meaning of an apology and how it seems to have dwindled - much apologizing without acyions to back it up that one is really sorry and wished to make ammends somehow. Perhaps it is the fear of litigation that makes it that so many people do not really take responsibility for their mistakes? I don't know, but i am really touched by the story and wish it were more universal.
Hope Tod has started to feel better and is back on the bike soon.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: M Sinclair Stevens
EMAIL: msinclairstevens@yahoo.com
IP: 24.173.100.4
URL: http://www.zanthan.com/japan/
DATE: 09/25/2006 10:18:55 PM
Thanks for writing about this. It's really interesting. This kind of ritualized apology seems like a secular confession---with all the forms spelled out so that each party knows what is expected (well usually). It must be very difficult to do...embarrassing to admit wrong to strangers and ask forgiveness for it. Yet, the fact that it's ritualized must help get one through it. And making an offering of reparation probably eases some guilt and helps bring closure to the incident.
I wonder if the fact that Americans have no similar ritual is what makes it difficult for us to admit wrong, to take the blame. Is it that we simply don't know how? that we don't have any customs to help us step up to the plate? We were in a slight fender bender the other day and it seemed that all parties involved simply wanted to skulk away and pretend nothing happened.
Hope Tod is feeling better.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Jenn
EMAIL:
IP: 69.168.225.96
URL:
DATE: 09/26/2006 05:03:58 AM
I wish this were more universal too - a heartfelt apology.
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Luddite Week
BASENAME: luddite_week
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 09/25/2006 10:17:52 AM
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BODY:
Last Thursday, I refinished all the outdoor furniture - scraped, sanded and repainted the table, chairs and side table. Now I itch to build and sand and scrape more things: a storage bench for the verandah, a sort of butsudan altar, a new kitchen counter.
I want to enjoy the great outdoors because it is particularly great right now. The humidity has disappeared, the skies are clear and the days are warm enough but the nights cool. Walking weather. Picnicing weather! This is weather that makes me want to be outside and pound my head on the rug when it's time to come in.
It's been too long since I've sketched anything. It sure would be nice to go sit in a park or even in my living room and make some drawings. And I have things I want to write, a script to refine, storyboards to draw, some footage to shoot for a film project.
But to do all that, I need to get away from the computer. Too easily, a "quick Google" for research devloves into watching popular culture via YouTube and suddenly the day, my plans, and all my time are gone.
So this week, no computer. Honestly, I'm not touching the thing after I make this post. If you want to reach me, write me a letter or call me. Maybe I'll write or call you.
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EXCERPT:
Hands off keyboard
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KEYWORDS:
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Fran
EMAIL: fbhill@ptd.net
IP: 24.152.217.7
URL:
DATE: 09/25/2006 08:39:08 PM
Watch out for 'rug burn'.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: T
EMAIL: tracey@enfour.com
IP: 219.118.174.58
URL: http://www.keitaigoddess.com
DATE: 09/29/2006 06:53:02 PM
Loved the Recipe Thursday by mail. Thanks honey!!
Did you have a good week? What did you do?
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Returned from the Simple Life
BASENAME: returned_from_the_simple_life
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
CATEGORY: Personal Reflections
DATE: 10/01/2006 08:31:01 PM
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BODY:
OK, I'm back. I'm sure you've been asking yourself all week, "Does she like being offline?"
I hated it. But I got used to it.
Every spare moment I had, my impulse was to sit down and check my mail; to see which friends were online and chat with them; to look up some fact I was curious about. To check the weather! It took all week to lose the habit of walking into the office and bringing the computer out of sleep mode with a jiggle of the mouse.
Being offline forced me to recognise how much time I have in my life. I see now that I use the computer to procrastinate, while still being able to say I've moved forward on something by researching it. I don't do the scary, likely-to-fail parts of my projects.
So when I approached the animations for my latest film project, I balked. I simply could not do them. I wanted to find out what other animators had done; check possible color schemes; play with ideas in digital form. But I couldn't. I had some analog ideas but I didn't implement them because I'm uncertain of my analog skills. So I didn't do the animations and I hate myself for that.
The rest of the week was spent avoiding the animations. I designed a butsudan and some storage benches. I took a watch to be repaired. I walked into Otemachi to have lunch with Tod. I took other long walks to Jimbocho, Ikebukuro and Ueno. I went swimming. I ate lunch outdoors. I jotted thoughts in longhand in a notebook. I reverse engineered one of my favorite daypacks and remade it in new fabric that took me hours to find. I took everything off the rack in the office and reorganised the wires and layout of my gear. I arranged a three week trip to India (I admit that required a bit of e-mailing, but I kept it to a minimum). I cooked and cleaned and did all the usual things, too.
In the coming week I will try to remain more in the world and less online as I think it is good for me, even though I don't like ti much. But I'll keep up the weblog and the 40x365 posts. And maybe I'll poke my head into the chat world. Just for a little while.
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EXTENDED BODY:
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EXCERPT:
It wasn't simple at all.
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KEYWORDS:
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AUTHOR: kuri
TITLE: Animating
BASENAME: animating
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__
ALLOW PINGS: 0
PRIMARY CATEGORY: Work Updates
CATEGORY: Work Updates
DATE: 10/04/2006 05:44:36 PM
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BODY:
