notes/thoughts/reflections

*I went to Nara this past weekend to finally see the city and Todaiji Temple which houses the Giant Buddha. A hotel mix-up when we first arrived reminded me how robotic and rigid people can be, simply for the sake of formality and rules.

*Went to a club called Grand Cafe in Osaka on Friday and can happily report with Bay Area pride, that E-40 has made his way to Japan...

*For all those rice eaters out there, the time to plant your crop, is now.

*And on a somewhat related note, the frogs are back (they live in said rice paddies) and they are LOUD

*less than two months left in Japan under my teaching contract. What this means as of late: anxiety over plans after Japan, confusion over how to get everything back to the states by cheapest means possible, some stress over tying up all lose ends before I leave, a little regret at those things not done in Japan (though these regrets spur promises to return. I will be back!), but excitement going in to these last months and excitement to travel in August with dear friend Christina

*Got a police notice on my bike this weekend for leaving it in an illegal (aka, free) spot near the train station (first time in 10 months)...not sure what it says though, so I think I will play the gaijin card on this one

*Didn`t know that there was Wisteria in Japan, but as with many other natural wonders, there is also a celebration of this. Here it is called Fuji.

Congratulations Barry!

I have said it before and I will say it again. I love Barry and am happy that he has reached the landmark accomplishment of hitting 715 home runs. It's all the better that he did so at home, in the Bay, where fans appreciate and respect the event, or at least keep their distaste and anger at a mature level, unlike the tacky and rude Astros fans (I am only refering to those who stood in support, when Barry was hit with a pitch). That`s all...

Attempts to catch-up (in pics at least): April-May, in chronological order

Hanami Party at Wakayama Castle


Tigers Game at Koshien Stadium

New found family in Kishigawa, where my greatgrandmother grew up--my grandmothers second cousins wife and her daughters and grand-daughter

Hiroshima

Miyajima Island, home to the floating tori, the worlds largest Shamoja and a lot of monkey and deer

brother and dad at Kiyo Mizudera in Kyoto...heavy stuff

double birthdays=double birthday cakes at Miyoko's

festival at Dojoji Temple (more in-depth explanation to come)

Golden week at The International Zen Centre Kyoto (during sesshin)


Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji

On the Britanny Tip

To car seat or not to car seat, that is not really a question. But, to contrast the recent news (yes, I have a lot of time on my hands these days and I am a bit addicted to headlines) of Britanny`s unfit mothering, I thought I would offer a tidbit on how they do things here. The Japanese tots tend to ride in the car snuggled between the dash board and the front wind-shield. No joke. I rarely see a child under five (i am limiting this to toddlers) actually sitting, let alone buckled in to, a seat in the car. The boxy, tincan-like k-cars (as they are called, cheaper gas, tolls, insurance) are free for the roaming if you`re not driving, it seems. But, many parents do not hold back on placing a "Child in Car" sticker on their back window, which is another issue in itself (i mean, why only in english and as in any country, if i were about to crash, most likely there would be little time to pick and choose who to collide with. grim thought, but true).

BARBARA LEE SPEAKS FOR ME

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/16/MNGQSISOQ65.DTL
(Sorry, I cannot perform the "link" action on my mac, but you know the deal: cut, paste, etc.)