Tag Archives: new years

Personal Musings

Diary: December 25 is normal day (& i see you if you are blue) + ahead to New Year

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Happy December 25, no matter what your clock and/or a calendar says.

“time is an abstract” says the clock shop

Important: A note to folks dealing with chronic / complex illness, otherwise shut-in or feeling alone, frustrated by “all of this”: I see you and been you. Christmases alone at Chinese restaurants, nursing coffees at Denny’s, stuck hitchhiking, blue, alone, sick, and confused &/or in Hospital #peace

Normal: And in Japan, Christmas is known as “Monday, 25th”– a normal day in which nothing special happens // although we are going to the optician [update: we did] then post office, groceries ordered and delivered, garbage goes out tonight. So we go on.

Happy Boxing Day. Great thing about December 25 just being “Monday” in Japan is 8:30 PM, postal delivery rolls by with a box from @courtneymelba
& @milk_records
from an order sent in possibly their final hour.
{Yes, that is my address so you can send me a postcard or records}

Related:

Aside: For the record (because someone always asks): no, we don’t go to KFC on Christmas. Or ever. Somehow this myth persists and I guess there are people that do this but I’ve never met them.

Funny enough, you’re only the 42nd person to ask me that this week. And the short answer is: we sure don’t and I’ve never met anyone who actually does but somehow this has become the “story” just like that in Japan everyone eats whale meat and you can buy panties from vending machines – there are probably people that do but I don’t know them. Japan has lots of weirdness but the stories that appear in the “outside media” are all about this “outrageous strange Japan that might exist but I don’t know about it”

In response to one of numerous inquiries about KFC
Any/Everything can be better designed

Next up: From now, most all the folks start to busyily prepare for New Year – which involves intense thorough house cleaning, eating plain buckwheat noodles, attempting to not choke on glutinous rice paste, and then three days of watching inane TV programs (overstimulating variety shows followed by a multi day relay marathon with tortured college students), while eating delicacies – which some might consider each a “dare you to eat this”… (I just, as it’s actually wonderfully-prepared, elegant & elevated cuisine), ergo:

Example of luxurious elevated but sometimes rather confusing cuisine

While choosing through this chessboardlike box of mysterious delights – osechi – folks *pretend* to eagerly await something more spectacular than the mythos of the Santy Clause… the simultaneous delivery on early New Year’s morning of approximately 1.3 billion postcards by the diligent and exceptional Postal Service.

Stamps, won!

Most cards – generally preformatted and understated but carrying this years’ zodiac animal/creature/avatar (dragon for the record) – carry a “secret code” which corresponds with a sort of national lottery in which you look up the numbers in the newspaper to see if you’ve won like a trip to Hawaii, a car, or maybe some stamps. I won stamps once, two of them. Lucky! ¥63

geez, I look like a hairy wookie, I’m really not

And time is overrated, direction is everything, carry on in towards the cardinal of your choosing – aho!

Kinfolk + Pals, Personal Musings

*Method Acting* Santa Claus at “Forest Pre-school”

Those years studying Stanislavski’s acting system coming through in my naturalistic/method acting portrayal of a certain festive character to the delight of assembled preschool parents… Well I suppose the children as well :)

{Ahhhh… memories of walking the boards from Broadway to community playhouses but nothing quite like the magic of performing the “Scottish play” – the one which we acTORs who trod do not see the name aloud in the theatah! – at Summer Stock festival in Cedar City or Ashland, or Straffordshire for that matter}

The assembled patrons asked many questions, ergo:

“Where are your reindeer?”

“We don’t have chimneys in Japan how do you get into our houses?”

“What are your favorite kind of cookies?”

“I’m not sure if I’ve been a good child, this year how do I know?”

“What actions are required to ensure that I receive maximum allotment of gifts?”

“Where are you going next?”

“How do you speak so many languages?”

Of course, after years of “walking the boards” and endless hours of honing my improvisation craft, I was able to provide answers in line with the characters true soul.

well we had to have a talk about how all this works now i’ve done the Santa show for Ichiro 4 times now

The questions – of course – were asked in Japanese by somewhat confused and bemused children, often trembling, studied by their parents.

Continue reading *Method Acting* Santa Claus at “Forest Pre-school” →
Notes to Future Self

Reminder: planning, finishing up and do the basics

This week: no scheduled hospital visits, wife super busy with work, so… trying to catch up, finish a few tasks as well as keep the house rolling as we stumble towards end of year

The “basics” means manage laundry, keep up on dishes, make tea and rice, prepare hot bath, and light a fire as needed.

And if feeling all right (plus get medications, nutrition – my weak point – and oxygen into me) i can do some creative project and/or make a phone call or two.

As for “holidays” this year canceled my usual family and friends Christmas dinner party cause I just don’t got the energy but, we still will be doing new year cards (300), presents for Ichiro of course (he wants a trumpet and/or a bulldozer, not a toy bulldozer, one he can drive around… Not sure which one is less probable), and will decorate a tree, make hot chocolate on the woodstove, sing some songs etc. (One good thing about Christmas in Japan is there’s a lot less expectation around the whole dealio).

Continue reading Reminder: planning, finishing up and do the basics →
Healing Ramble, Personal Musings

Diary: Stumbling into the year, skipping ahead with heavy blanket

Guess was a sign in my last diary riff when i said:

“Well yeah, I’m wiped out from all the last while but was able to spread so much love to family and friends which is truly an honour. I’m not good at the “pacing” so much – When I get my mind on something, I burn through the adrenaline and related neuro-chemicals to do it.”

Blerg: From Jan 5 or so til Jan 31, mostly in bed, very ill. Various (backfilled and possibly previous published elsewhere) memos here for no reason aside from reminding myself. ergo:

Jan 19: Got some sleep last night, thanks new weighted blanket, crossed out “January“ on my to-do list and replaced with “February, maybe“. Gonna *try* to get up, catch up laundry and dishes (Including putting away the extra fancy China still out from holidays), and read some letters.

Weighted blanket came with a weighted eye mask which brings my total count of sleeping masks up to *at least* 37 but none of them are “perfect“. Note to self: consider giving out poetry and art and concentrating on just making great sleeping masks for the world. #SideHustle

Update: washed some dishes, folded some laundry, ate some food, took medicine, now will either organize next fortnight’s supplements or put away the “extra fancy dishes“. Rolling slow. Also packet of “A2” size drafting paper arrived for wife’s design project.

Jan 18: Left house, getting treatment. EOD

Note to a friend: “Was back at the doctors yesterday, got some more medication, managed some sleep last night so that helps. Tiny steps, trying to keep positive thoughts. PS A weighted blanket should be delivered today.

Some terrible stomach virus completely laid me out and just as I was getting bit better, what was suspected as “the thing” but test came back negative so more likely just some nasty nursery school cold/flu. My body is just completely battered and worn out & weak & immunity = 0 :(“

Notes: Thanks for your kind words, it’s really got me discouraged. I mean with this chronic/complex disease I live with (#MECFS), I spend a lot of time being “sick“ but this has smacked me upside the head and left me spinning & struggling

Thanks for all your sweetness kind people. Just fired up a 42° bath, going to rest a little bit more than have my very best time of the day with a soak with my little dude (who seems to be getting cuter every day still, and talking more and more every day as well)

Jan. 17: Still “deep in the shed“

Gonna fold some laundry in bed (and think about ordering a weighted blanket) + continuing listening to the @cbcgem series about Quebec from “dark years“ to bombs and such with the FLQ conundrums. Recall: How to Start a Revolution: Episode 2: The Stranger

Jan 16: Very sick for last 10+ days / many IVs, meds & frustration – did scribble some postcard therapy & listen to various radio/esque programmes, i.e.

Jan 16 con’t: Got to say, super grateful for medical system here in Japan. I go to the “Big Central Hospital” monthly to see neurologist (check-in) but for “day to day” incidents, see a kindly, diligent and thorough doctor at a nearby mini clinic w/ xray, ultrasound & lab, scrips, all in-house.

Jan 5: Come on you champion virologists and super computers and mathematicians and investigators and clinicians and researchers

Personal Musings

Diary: Annotations on the Re-start (calendars, milk, beard, drums…)

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Regrouping: Well yeah, I’m wiped out from all the last while but was able to spread so much love to family and friends which is truly an honour. I’m not good at the “pacing” so much – When I get my mind on something, I burn through the adrenaline and related neuro-chemicals to do it.

  • coffee time at “Cafe Ryoko”
  • Ume Jam? yes please
  • our milk delivery service dominated the awards!
anyhow, let’s begin the day, shall we?

Anyhow blah blah blah, I made *a lot* of Internets and documentation, wrote some intentions for the year ahead, started some new traditions, closed some books, open some others, practiced much generativity.

Still in pajamas and robe but going to try to get up, filter some persimmon vinegar, put the miso into smaller containers (yes I made persimmon vinegar and yourself both from scratch!), maybe trim down the Santa Claus beard…

mild injuries whilst shaving, ugh – just keep the beard. right!

Stretch goal is un-trim the Christmas tree.

Just a note to say I am thankful for all of your comments, participation in my life, cards and letters, late night dispatches and affection in general. 

Christmas Tree down and replaced with 1-1/2 drum sets! left some twinkly lights up for Ichiro

Sending extra kindness to those who are feeling the blues, struggling with health conundrums, &/or loss of various kinds.

Postal Notes: PS Great cards yesterday – Like really fantastic, great details and I love love love a good family year recap newsletter. Thank you so much! ++  one “late but well intentioned” batch out today. Both foreign and domestic.

Ferments: Bottling up housemade vinegar (Persimmon, Ume and Ginger) and Miso (in peanut butter jars) at Tsuchida Cottage. So much macrobiotic goodness!

Rather satisfying project bottling homemade vinegar (Persimmon, Ume & ginger) Of course, well documented, ergo:

Kitchen: Kaki (persimmon) vinegar (filtering & bottling)

Basically, halved persimmons – leave skin on, stack in a vessel, add some “living” vinegar, rocks on top, cheese cloth and wait 1-2 months. Keep an eye to make sure mold doesn’t develop, eventually “decant” the liquid into another vessel, cheese cloth back on, wait a while more, eventually filter it. Strain into clean vessels, add labels. Nice to have some vinegar “mother” to start but skins have natural bacteria.

Sign post (finally, slowly): Next/current project is making a sign post to point to familiar and/or loved places. Will go on this cut tree – mounted in concrete base (also has a weather station on top).

Using scrap wood left over from our construction project and just doing “cheap and cheerful“ quality level.

Sparks include: Got Woody’s Revolutions printed and on stand-by

via Billy Bragg + Lance and Jay

As well as Shawn Parkinson’s annual artsy one page calendar (see previous iterations in intentions video). Note decent colour match on the washi tape and meta snap of Mrs Maisel.

Ok, one more envelope to address *and* this month’s “postcard as a service” postcards are printed! Gotta figure another/different/better system than current though.

Personal Musings

Scenes of Life from New Year (shrine, Osechi, cards)

Up the hill to the shrine
Various bells, 5¥ coins and claps
Greetings to neighbours 
Evidence follows

Here are the festive cards received so far arranged on a string with help from my miniature assistant. Expecting a load of New Year’s cards arriving today. Yes I love this arts and crafts part of the holidays.

Once I rode this train when I was Canadian.

Now I’ll always know what year it is. A year for making “a circumnavigation, of sorts” >> free verse poetry, snippets of diaries, fragments of letters, unspoken musings, lists and annotations, compiled and abridged – printed, bound, stamped and shipped #Intention

So, how’s your New Year’s day going? We ate osechi variety platters of (often mysterious) food but most is so tasty and all is elegantly and deliberately prepared (despite what the whiners say)

More to follow as we go along, as we go along… tigers roar meow

Japan Cottage Musings, Personal Musings

Reiwa 3 / 2021 Recap of Intentions and Annotations (with my darlings)

Video
On the big screen in Vancouver <3

Recapping my intentions and annotations for Reiwa 3/2021 with my darlings. Oversharing and whatnot but we’re all sorta friends, right? Lots of honestly and bits of laughter. Big dreams, tiny schemes, life admin to ukulele and most points in between.

Revolutions not Resolutions.

Fondly, us xo

Personal Musings

Diary: New Years Eve – food & flowers / Eye of the Tiger ahoy!

3 Comments

Last hours before arbitrary mile post/time zones and calendar flipping – and while I’m not at my best I always have big schemes to make lists of intentions. I’ve made them before and yeah, I’ve made them again.

If all goes to plan I’ll sneak away while the wife and mother-in-law are cooking and flower arranging and make a recap video in the barn while listening to records. Plans? Ha ha :-)

But first, a few pre-snap shops and annotations, mostly of my wife in action and other sundry foods and flowers, starting with Ikebana in the genkon.

Made by magical wife (just before making turkey ramen) now tamagoyaki assembly in process… keep reading…

Here is an in-process snap (with a little boy who is a little bit grumpy because he wasn’t getting all of the attention :)) aside: Tea ceremony, music, flower arranging, it’s all possible for him. My brothers tease me that he’ll only be in the video games :(

The painting in the background really works out well too (by Michal Korman)

Somehow in between it all, we went to pick up a huge batch of tempura and of course she had a gift package ready for the proprietor / I just try to stay up with her.

For final holiday maneuver, must break down the last of this turkey to make broth.

I don’t really know what I’m doing but… guess take off the meaty bits by hand and then simmer the carcass for stock? With the leftover celery etc.? Strain it & bottle/bag it?

Behold, turkey ramen with garden veg & pork belly at Tsuchida Cottage. I made the stock/broth, the wife did everything else.

Oh, when I ordered the turkey, sausages, pork belly, there was also a 2 kg ham of some kind so while we were at it, cloves, rosemary and Pineneedles and into the oven it goes.

Good night you lovely folks. Hoping for a pleasant wind down of an interesting year. Year/Eye of the Tiger ahoy!

Japan Life/Travel, Personal Musings

Diary: Days go by – filled (mostly) with coffee, food and and sundry tasks

Gallery

You could be forgiven for thinking that my life involves entirely eating delicious food and drinking fantastic coffee as you are somewhat correct… however, there is slightly more going on as i am  into the routine of “regular life” and doing things which I file under “life administration”. As such, some tasks (as much as I delight in the mundanity of everyday activity) doesn’t get documentation.

Not that these things are not interesting – but because in the diligence and action itself, there’s interestingness – but photographs aren’t always timely nor appropriate and in themselves, there’s not often a story to be told. Within this thought is why I enthusiastically and rather comprehensively documented everyday life when first arriving in a new place… As in: when you stay in a place for a while, the uniqueness of every day life fades and it’s easy to think that “I’ll do this another time” or “I’ll wait for something special” or “why bother?”

With this in mind, over the last few months of settling in my new home and life, I’ve remembered to fill up this “new white sheet of paper” with all the spectacular regularness of simple errands, neighbourhood observations, pleasant routines and out n’ abouts. Continue reading Diary: Days go by – filled (mostly) with coffee, food and and sundry tasks →

Japan Life/Travel, Personal Musings

Diary: Starting off 2020 with Coffee and Classes etc.

Gallery

A coffee break at “Tartan something or other” (not actual name) in downtown Okayama

So it goes, the festive season passes yet calendar stays busy with the usual sorts of things. Yesterday included returning books to splendid library, a few letters (Switzerland and Indonesia) to the post office, a stop for the best ramen, and a visit to a chiropractor and then a super good little (i mean little) coffee shop – like just perfect right? 

In amongst, we repaired/re-did a wall in Tsuchida Cottage, attended a parenting class(!), went to opera variety show, hit up Hatsumi-san’s piano recital, moved some brick around outside, printed more flyers for Mae Maes gig, talked to a guy about replaced some drafty windows, recycled plastic items, booked a trip to Nagasaki… 

Here is a variety of snippets collected along the way, with minor annotations as possible. 

we ordered umeboshi by the kilo – i love these pickled plums and nope to make them myself one of these days soon but in the meantime, order up in bulk! salty, sour goodness
one morning i awoke to Ryoko singing snippets of so many songs – realized she was tidying up all her sheet music/scores etc.
tidied up the Kamidama a little bit with fresh items to bring good fortune and happiness more and more

Continue reading Diary: Starting off 2020 with Coffee and Classes etc. →