Beatles and Herman, Part II

Draper Days, Day 2

We did go last night to the concert at the Draper Park. Phil Dirt and the Dozers were the opening act and the the Stars of Beatlemania were the headliners. Basically, the headliners were the opening act of Friday night plus 3 other guys playing John, George and Ringo. Don’t get me wrong, they were quite good. They even recruited some local string players. However, it was more like a play, where they acted their parts, down to the “Thank you very much” in the faux Liverpool accent, even though they were from California and New Jersey. The musician playing John was actually Hispanic. Throughout the show they wore various costumes, early Beatles skinny ties and black suits, Sergeant Pepper band uniforms and then the “Let It Be” rooftop concert/album cover costumes. It was entertaining, but lacked the energy of Peter Noone and the Herman’s Hermits.

Phil Dirt and the Dozers were more fun, they played Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Sam Cooke and a lot of other American late 50’s early 60’s music. People would actually get up and dance a bit for them. Beatlemania only had two danceable tunes, really and those were “You Say it’s Your Birthday” and “Twist and Shout,“ which was one of the encores. The other was, as you might expect, ”The Long and Winding Road.“ I totally called that one.

I did take my camera to this show and let Jase, my nephew, take some pictures. His vision and point of view are fun. He could turn into a good photographer one day. He likes faces, so that is what he took.

Herman and the Beatles

This weekend is Draper Days. When we first moved here they had the typical Days of ‘47 (The Mormon Pioneers entered this valley July 24, 1847) celebration that we have around here, a parade a rodeo and maybe a small fair at the park and fireworks. The parade was noteworthy in that there were a lot of animals in the parade, horses and wagons pulled by mules, etc. That and the rodeo made it more Manure Days for me anyway. I tend to look at that side of life, I guess. I was never into parades unless someone I knew was in it which actually happened a couple of years. My nieces and nephews were on a couple of the floats.

Now they have a BIG party that lasts two nights. It’s at the park still and we still have a parade which is bigger now. We also still have the rodeo at the new equestrian park which is fun. I am not interested in getting up early on a Saturday to go to a parade, so I don’t. However, last year we went to the free concert they have because we were bored and it was free. BJ Thomas sang and while he was good, he didn’t know where he was, chastised us for smoking too much (Draper, home of the non-smoker!!!) and just sang and left.

This year, we went last night to the concert which featured a group of guys called Korba and LeBeouf who did all British Invasion songs. They were quite good and the lead singer had starred in Beatlemania for over 400 performances as Paul McCartney. Played a lot of Dave Clark 5 and a nice rendition of “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks. The other half of the bill and headliner was Herman’s Hermits. Now, when these guys were popular, I kind of dissed them as I was into the psychedelic scene and what was called acid rock in those days. Your basic stoner music for the 60’s. Stuff like the Doors, Deep Purple, Moody Blues (at times), Byrds, Yardbirds, Cream, that stuff. However I have to give it to Peter Noone, he puts on a good show. Peter Noone is to Herman’s Hermits as Darius Rucker is to Hootie and the Blowfish. Neither of them are Herman or Hootie, respectively but their position as front men seems to make some people think that’s their real names. I guess someone would name their kid Hootie, but WHY??

Anyway, the show was good enough that I stood in line to get an autograph (I know, I know) and buy “The Very Best of Herman’s Hermits.” He was very nice to everyone and stayed until the last fan was met, hugged and spoken to. That was impressive to me. I can see why he has a loyal following after 44 years. Can you believe that? He started when he was 16 and has been singing “Mrs. Brown You Have a Lovely Daughter” and “Henry the 8th“ for almost the entire time. I did listen to the album which contained two CDs this morning while doing the money this morning and found a greater range of material which was good. Plus, after all this time, he still has groupies. Older women who follow him around the country attending these concerts. They should get a life.

We had one groupie sit next to us. The idea is to set up a location that is out of the sun early and close to the stage and then go off and enjoy the carnival. We did that and endured the 100 degree heat until the show started. As the show got closer, this woman in one of those African safari hats started sidling up next to our area and in particular, next to my chair. Her behavior was odd. She started behind us and then just sort of scooted forward on her knees, all the time staring fixedly at the stage and at the CD in her hand. It reminded me of a dog who crawls into a spot on their belly in the hope of getting petted or some attention. We all have seen that behavior. Eventually, she leaned on my chair and I actually had to sort of bump into her ”accidentally“ to get her off my chair. Inappropriate boundaries. We started calling her the Dog Lady because of that crawling, submissive behavior. There were other interesting characters like the very large woman in short shorts and a kind of halter top with no bra. Makes my skin crawl to see that picture, which is unfortunately burned into my brain.

All in all, it was a good time, though and we didn’t smell the marijuana until after the concert was over. We are seeing Beatlemania tonight along with Phil Dirt and the Dozers, so I will write about that maybe tomorrow. Hopefully I will have a picture or two to add to this post. Aunt P. took some pics on her phone so maybe we can get them.

Photowalking Great Salt Lake

So, I am working on becoming a more “professional” photographer. i joined a group called Photowalking Utah. You can see them on Flickr or at www.photowalkingutah.org. There are a number of photostreams there and you can also see mine at this link. I have always wanted to be a photgrapher, ever since I got that old Argus C3 when I was 7. I was in heaven when I got my Minolta SRT-101 from my neighbor who bought it for me when he was in Thailand with the military. I was 16 at the time. I accumulated lenses and another body over the years and then had to sell all of it to pay for food when we were soooo poor early in our married life. When you have to chose between a camera and your kids, it’s your kids every time.

I did buy another used camera, a Yashica 124, sort of a Japanese Rolliflex, you know the kind you look in through the top. That was my main camera for many years until I bought a Canon 20D about 18 months ago. My son has that one now and I own a Canon 40D. Love this camera. It’s has rekindled the desire to photograph more and feels like when I was 16 and got that Minolta.

With all that history, I went on my first official Photowalk with the group 3 weeks ago this Saturday. I know, I am behind in my posting. I should be working now, but this has been sitting for a long time and I want to get it out there. On to the shoot.

We went out to the Great Salt Lake at about 6pm. The objective was to catch the sunset light out there during the “magic hour” right before and after sunset. Light is most dramatic at sunrise and sunset. It’s because of the angle the light is so obtuse (as opposed to acute for those who remember their high school geometry) and the warmer colors, especially at sunset. Sunrise has a cooler, bluer light, but it is the most accurate and least harsh.

We started out at some railroad tracks near the lake out by Kennecott. Those of you from here will know where I mean. It was about 2 miles west of the New Saltair and 1/2 mile east of Blackrock. Under the freeway there was a cool piece of track next to some rushes. It made for some really nice pictures like the one below.

Oh, and I didn’t mention that one of the other photographers had arranged for a model. I brought a changing room for her in the form of a popup tent. Her name is Heidi. At first, I didn’t know how she would do, but she was great. There is a new school of wedding photography out there called Trash the Dress. She brought an old wedding dress and we photographed her in it all over the area. After she swam in the GSL (nasty with brine flies and all) she told us that her mother and grandmother had hand stitched the dress. Blondie was appalled when I told her. Heidi also brought a “smokin’ red dress” (not my words by the way) and we shot her in that.All in all there were about 40 photographers clicking away at her. She loved it, even though she actually swallowed GSL water, awwwgh!

Some of my photos turned out cool, others not so cool, but I learned a lot. It was so much fun, maybe I will go out there again at sunset. I just need another willing model (or not). I will be going on other photowalks with this group. You can always see the pics on Flickr.

Photowalking - Stewart Cascades

Some of you know that I am a photo buff. It’s something I have done since I was 7 years old and I dreamed one day of becoming a photographer working for Life Magazine (for those of you old enough to remember) and National Geographic. National Geographic was my first choice because I loved the landscapes and far away places. I have seen those faraway places in the course of my life, and would like to see more. However, budgets and time commitments limit my visits to closer locales, hence the photowalk. Photowalking is something I stumbled on while browsing through Flickr (www.flickr.com) I have an account there and most of the photos I take are published there. There is an active photowalking group here in Utah and am attending my first event today (www.photowalkingutah.com) out at the Great Salt Lake. Should be fun and I will post here and on Flickr.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine, Jeff and his son decided we needed to go hiking and take some pictures. Mind you, we have been talking about this for over a year and originally wanted to go to Southern Utah to photograph the red rock country there. Time and money again were the constraints, so we put it off for a long time. This seems a better first step.

Stewart Cascades is a series of waterfalls that flow down from the top of the Wasatch Mountains near Mt. Timpanogos. The primary location is called Cascade Cirque and is just above the Sundance Ski resort belonging to Robert Redford. They are the second tallest of all waterfalls in Utah next to Bridal Veil Falls which is just down the road a piece. It was named Stewart Cascades after the Stewart family who had a ranch in the area. I have tried to find out more historical information about the site but this is all I know. The trail is not too steep and can be done by almost anyone who can walk pretty well. Here is an outline of the trail stats and the statistics are below:








Trail Statistics
Map Length: 1.72 miles / 2.77 km
Real Length: 1.74 miles / 2.80 km
Elevation Range: 6888 - 7215 feet / 2099 - 2199 meters
Elevation Traveled: 942 feet (465 up, 477 down)
287 meters (141 up, 145 down)
Elevation per Mile: 541 feet / 165 meters
Activities: Hiking

While we walked up we saw a house that had a glass roof. I wondered if the roof would hold the snow and it appeared that it didn’t. Either that or someone threw rocks through it. In any case, I am sure the inside was ruined. What a shame. We also saw a house that had been destroyed by an avalance. Taken right down to the foundation. What are people thinking? Here is a link to the full story.

There were also several mountain bikers up and down the trail. We wondered about that also, since the trail was covered with trees broken in the pretty heavy winter we just had. However, people do things for their own reasons, we just couldn’t fathom these either.


The falls themselves were magnificent. More than I expected really. Utah is such a dry place and to find these types of waterfalls are rare. You really wouldn’t think they existed. I don’t know how tall they are but here is a picture to give you an idea of the scale. I would estimate they are 300-400 ft. tall.
The main falls are about 150 ft. There is a meadow below the falls that has the most pure and delicious water flowing through it. I sampled it as it came out of the ground in one place. Dasani Water, eat your hearts out!

The stream that flows from the base of the falls disappears underground after a while and comes out lower in the canyon to form a tributary to the North Fork of the Provo river.

Afterwards we walked around Sundance for a few minutes, grabbed a couple of pieces of fruit and a drink, then headed down. We went up early to get the light, but if you want to cheat, one of the ski lifts will take you up closer and it’s a short hike from the top. A great time.

Midnight Preparations

I have known about this for weeks. The lessons were coming, I knew that I wanted to redo them. I even had the outline in my head, had discussed it with Blondie and my brother extensively. I even had a rough draft of the first lesson last week. So, why am I here at midnight the night before, preparing?

I DON“T KNOW!!!!!

Work and other things seemed to weigh me down. Anything but doing this seemed more important at the time. The fact that I am writing this now, is evidence that I am a serious procrastinator. I can’t even seem to finish my theater. It works and is great, but the finishing touches are missing. I just put away all the equipment boxes yesterday and that was only because Nana and Grandpa were coming to watch a movie.

<<sigh>>

At the end of the day, being LDS is work. If regular paying work takes 10-12 hours a day and church takes another day, then the to do list around the house just to keep things functioning (like Blondie’s computer) takes another day, what’s a man to do? I suppose it means that I must sit here at midnight and prepare a lesson.

It also doesn’t help that I watched 3 episodes of Iron Chef today while holding my grandson......

Family History Weekend

It has been a busy but relaxing weekend, just what we like. Even though I had a go live this weekend, it went so smooth that I wasn’t even needed. So, I was able to relax a bit and have some fun. I hiked up to Stewart Cascades with my friend Jeff and his son Davis. More on that in another post, probably because we went on a photo hike and there were a lot of pictures taken. I hope to have one from Jeff that has all three of us in it. So, on to Family History.

Lately I have been neglecting my responsibilities around this critical area. With all the night meetings and time in front of the computer, going back to the glowing screen after work to do something else has become a strain. This weekend, we had no special plans, though so I determined to revamp and repair our sites, Parker Family History and Hull Family History. I just finished with both and the Parker site got the biggest visible upgrade. I hope that everyone will go there and look at the pictures, visit the blogsphere linked there and access the database. I did do a behind the scenes upgrade in prep for the next round of upgrades, so we will see how things go.

It was embarrassing to go through all the pictures to create the new albums you can see. I couldn’t remember which family went to whom. Is the Cox Family a Parker family or a Hull? (they are Parkers) I have to ask Blondie who is the true authority on these matters which is which. My own family!!! Disgusting. So, another job for me is to re-familiarize myself with my ancestors and re-read the stories, getting to know my old friends again. I miss knowing their lives. We have so much information that it overwhelms at times. The temple work is going along, but we have more names than we know what to do with.

On Saturday night we went out to my cousin Dan’s to visit with some distant relatives who came from Ireland to visit. Their names were Wilf and Janet and very nice people. We spent two hours with them going over their lineage and how we tie together. I think that Dan will post more information on his blog. Janet loves American country music and sang in several bands in Ireland. She left at least one because she wanted to sing so much country. I found this quite circular because the roots of most country music is Irish folk music with some old time spiritual music thrown in to give it spice and passion. Now I meet an Irish country-western singer! What a hoot! Janet and Wilf live about 2 miles from the Hull ancestral farm near Dungiven, Ireland. One of the things they loved most about this country was the size of the stores. They want Costco to build in Dungiven. As long as it’s not Wal-Mart, I am ok with it, though it would probably lessen the charm of the place in the long run.

Well off to see a customer in Phoenix tomorrow very early so will sign off. Please visit the sites and let me know what you think and how we can improve. You can even contribute to the wiki attached as well. Ta Ta For Now!

Thoughts on Twins

I have known a few sets of twins in my life and they all have one thing in common: mischief!

In my family my grandmother’s brother and sister were twins and I have two nephews who are twins. My grandmother’s sister is still alive and still a spitfire. My nephews are certainly full of life. At age 5 they hijacked their parent’s car and mowed a few hedges down before they were stopped. We all laugh at their antics now, they are a source of great joy and laughter now, even though it was painful at the time.

So, why these thoughts on twins? Well, I now have grandsons who are twins. The Pirate and the Professor. Now, to me, the Professor looks like he should be a pirate and the Pirate looks like he should be the Professor, but that’s my own odd perspective. Perhaps it’s the beginning of their mischief, switching roles, even though they don’t look alike that much. One is mellow, the other is intense, at least so far. That could very well change as they grow older, something I am looking forward to. I just wish that I didn’t have to grow old myself, we could enjoy each other’s company so much more.

My own grandfather was one I loved to spend time with. The smell of sawdust always makes me think of him. I have plans to teach my grandsons to camp, hike and fish, to enjoy the outdoors. Maybe every time they smell a fish, they will think of me. I always was the fishy one.

So, here is my promise to Pirate. I will always try to stay as interested in life as you will be. Your focus, your love of learning, which I already see in your face will challenge me to keep up, to be interested in who you are, in what you are doing. To be there to help you understand when you need another viewpoint. To help you balance your heart and your mind and your spirit. You will see the world as no one else does, with vibrant colors and sounds above most people. You will also learn to see with your heart and these abilities will give you uncommon insight into the people around you. It will be amazing to watch.

Professor is calm and sweet (at least so far). A tow-headed boy with a good soul and a kind heart. Every bit as smart as your brother and a leader. Someone who people will follow. It’s odd, but I see you as an athlete. Football, maybe because of your strength. You will protect your brother, provide the other half of the scale and balance his intensity. I see an artist in you as well, like your mother and her brother. It runs in the family. We are deep thinkers, all of us. Some, like me, waste their minds in worry, but you never will. You will always see the good in things and will make us all the better for it.

A twin is an awesome thing to be. To have someone who you can always share with, who you have a bond from the womb with. You will lean on each other and be the yin to the other’s yang. You are blessed. I always told your parents that they would give birth to binars (see Star Trek) and they did. Like binary suns you will orbit each other and stabilize each other all your life. I can see it.

One last thought on this post. I have always been able to see my children’s lives. Perhaps that extends to my grandchildren as well. I have seen some of your cousin’s life as well as your sister’s. What I can tell you, I have. Choose wisely and learn from all your experiences, both apart and together.

So in honor of your eyes, here is Miles Davis to serenade you in Blue in Green.

Archiving Blogs

We got a comment from Charayne that I would like to address. Our kids know something about this and have different methods of archiving. Here’s mine.

I use a piece of software called MacJournal from Mariner software. (www.marinersoftware.com) It allows me to write offline and then post. You can link or embed pictures and movies as well as do a little formatting if you are so inclined. Now, I know that most of you are Windows users (I AM sorry) and may be interested in a similar package. Mariner has WinJournal that does the same things. I have not used it, but if it’s as good as the rest of the Mariner stuff, then it’s pretty good.

Journaling is something I have done on and off since 7th grade. It’s important for family history purposes and I would hate to see all of the interesting stories, pictures and feelings lost because they are so ephemeral in cyberspace. Blondie and I are most concerned that this information will be lost to posterity. So, invest in something that you know you can archive to a CD or other offline media. There may come a time when the Internet has a problem or Blogger or Wordpress succumbs to business pressures. I hope to have more to say on the subject later with more concrete strategies.

Japan Trip 2008 Post Script

My trip to Japan has been over for a while but there are a few loose ends to tie up. It’s funny how this trip seemed to complete most of my Japan dreams. It’s almost as if it will be my last trip. My manager says different, but I am really not sure. The only thing left for me is to take Blondie to Okinawa where she was born. Now, I know my children will protest, because they want to go as well and I certainly want to show them around. It would be great fun. However, I am not sure I can do that and retire. It will take the same amount of funds. (no, really it will!)

Personally, though, I have always wanted to go to Kyoto and see the Golden Pavilion or Kinkakuji. I have heard so much about it and Kyoto in general, that when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take it. Kinkakuji is is a Zen temple formally known as Rokuonji.

In 1397 construction started on the Golden Pavilion as part of a new residence for the retired shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Kinkakuji was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimitsu's death in 1408. The Golden Pavilion functions as shariden, housing sacred relics of the Buddha and is covered in gold leaf. The present building dates from 1955 as the pavilion was burnt by a fanatic monk in 1950.

Fanatics! I can’t believe that people will destroy beauty and peace for nothing! Moderation and care in all things. From English football fans to jihadists, it’s the same mind set. They must desperately need some validation in their lives to go this far. However, I digress......

Kinkakuji is more beautiful in person than it could ever be in pictures. It’s like a perfect photographic model, it never looks bad, from any angle. There is an unusual peace around the building and in the park that surrounds it. I have always said that if I did not belong to the religion I do, I would be a Buddhist. There is a stillness in the religion that appeals. Like the small lake that surrounds this shrine.


As I was leaving the shrine, I was accosted by some students, who at the urging of their English teacher, wanted to ask me a few questions. They were from Hiroshima and wanted to get my feelings on peace. It was an interesting question considering the peace I felt in the shrine and in achieving a goal. They asked me questions like, “How do you feel about war?” and “Do you think what happened in Hiroshima was right?” Tough questions, really. However, we did chat a little bit and then they (of course) wanted to take my picture. They gave me a handmade pamphlet about Hiroshima and the bomb and asked me to make paper cranes which they would then take to the Children’s Peace Monument. If you are interested in making some cranes (Juice!) Please put them in an envelope and send them to this address:

Yoshiura Junior High School
8-6 Karuga Cho
Kure-shi
Hiroshima-ken
737-0862
Japan

Finally, I did do karaoke in Japan. It was another small but important goal. I don’t have very good video of this but here is a sample. Also, it's not me singing and the audio is terrible. Forgot my good camera....


Japan is beautiful and I miss it all the time. I miss the people, their grace and typical good manners, their stubbornness and odd (to us) way of doing things. It’s all so foreign and so civilized and such a contrast to our life, that it enhances the beauty of our country as well as theirs.

Thoughts on Colin's First Day

Welcome, Colin to the latter-days. What a time to be born. Dickens said it best in a Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The only thing I would change is the tense. “It is the best of times, it is the worst of times.” It seems that each generation lives in a time more dangerous, more frightening, more challenging than each of the others. We all feel it, that churning in the gut or the tightening around the back of the neck when we watch the news. Africa is in a state of anarchy, Europe is mouldering away into apathetic oblivion and the US, well, we are our usual narcissistic selves, looking at all our problems and trying to cover it up with mineral makeup and the Bowflex gym. We figure that if we at least look good, everything will be ok. Our only desire is to make a beautiful corpse. This is the worst of times.

Right now I write this on a computer that 20 years ago would have been impossible. I will soon post it via the Internet so that all who wish can see. I am my own publishing house. We live in houses that are air conditioned, with every food imaginable or desirable at our fingertips. We have clean running water at any time, daily showers and health care that has minimized the flu to nothing more than a head cold. Influenza killed millions in the late 19th and early 20th century. Avian flu will never kill like that. Knowledge is available anywhere and at any time. It’s so available that we could lose our minds to it, either we forget and just look it up or it overwhelms us, but that knowledge is power if we can control and use it. We have power over our lives. Agency has never been so great a blessing. This is the best of times.

Colin, you are starting out into a world more wondrous than any other. God has placed you here in this time to choose to make a difference. You can. Your parents, their parents and their parents have endowed you with gifts that are unbelievable. Gifts of music, intelligence, beauty, education, faith, hope, resolve and toughness. You have the gift to rise to any challenge, the ability to overcome and profit from the victory. These are the true spoils. You are blessed with special protection from God, coming here at this time. You need not worry. Choose to think of these as the best of times and they will be. Choose to listen to the Spirit and listen to your parents, they have your best interests at heart. Choose to follow your dreams and your righteous passions in life, they will lead you to happiness. Happiness is God’s plan for you. He wants you to live in the best of times.

Claire de Lune is one of my favorite pieces of music to start your life with. Here is my first tribute to you.


Grandpa

Airplanes and Layovers

Actually, I have a lot more to post about my trip to Kyoto, a place I have been wanting to go for a very long time. I also have more pictures of Wendy the Dog and why she is important to my company in Japan. Those will have to wait for a more convenient time and place. Right now I am in the Portland Airport, having arrived back in the US about an hour ago. I have another two hours to wait until my flight leaves but not much time on the old computer battery or the inclination to haul out my camera and try to upload the photos.

So, let's talk about business travel and it's wonders and rigors. Anyone who has traveled for a living like I have for going on 30 years realizes that travel is not what it used to be and not that glamorous either. Mostly, it's getting on an airborne bus (funny, I flew in on an Airbus A330 and breathing the same air as 200 other people for 10 hours or longer. Then you get to go though three customs screenings, being fingerprinted or retinal scanned at one. You also get to go through security again hauling bags as you go. For a 3 week trip like this one, I had a 61 pound bag plus two carry ons and a big coat. Good thing I have been working out.....

At least the airplane had entertainment this time. I watched three movies in English and enjoyed understanding every word. Layovers are usually uneventful. This time, there was a P-51 Mustang on the tarmac that we watched take off. That took some time off.

Wow, I just checked the time and gotta go.

Tashikomairimashita

Tashikomairimashita. That means I am happy to do what you want, so Vbug, this is for you. Mommy told me that you liked Wendy a lot. I talked with Wendy and she says hi. She is very happy that you like her and she certainly likes you. She is a big, soft, furry dog and she loves to be petted. She sort of looks and feels like a little panda bear.

Did you know that Panda Bears are very popular here in Japan? Everyone thinks they are so cute. Wendy says that she is not a bear, but a dog. I think I agree. She had bows in her hair the last time I saw her but I don't know if she liked them. They were red.

Wendy only comes by where I work once a month. I hope she will come by again so I can take more pictures for you.

We will come to see you in April when your brothers are born.

Love,

Grandpa

The WABAK Machine

When I was a kid there was a cartoon that I loved called Peabody's Improbable History, which was part of the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Peabody, a dog and his boy, Sherman would take trips back into time and view historical events from a humorous point of view. Invariably, they would get into trouble and have to make sure the events came out as they should. This past weekend, I boarded a WABAK (Wayback) machine of my own in the form of a Japanese Shinkansen or bullet train to a place I have not seen in 36 years, Nagaoka, Japan. I went to see the city one more time and to attend church with a friend from work. It was of course, wonderful. The city is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains which are covered in ski resorts. It is a lot like Salt Lake City, except for not so many people. The countryside is beautiful, covered in pines and deciduous trees in the summer.

When I was there, we had church in a house. Now there is a chapel and about 20-25 people came to the meeting. It was very special to meet these people, even if there was only one sister who was there when I was. She remembered my companions but not me, I had learned not to be so out there in Nagaoka. My testimony of the work and my love of Japan really solidified there and it is a special place for me. If I come again to Japan, I will go and spend more time there.

St. Valentine's Day in Japan

St. Valentine's Day (they use the whole name) in Japan seems to be about two things, chocolate and lingerie. For obvious reasons, I won't go into the lingerie but it was advertised a lot. This is about chocolate.

I must admit that chocolate here in Japan is much improved from some of the waxy, hard stuff I ate many years ago. Like all things the Japanese do, they have learned and improved over time and now it's quite good. I don't think it is as good as the Belgian chocolate I had in Brussels but certainly as good as the stuff we get in the US. Japanese women seem to have found the romantic qualities of the stuff more than the men. In the days before the holiday (no one gets it off, it's just another day to sell something) women were lined up 5 to 10 deep at a special counter that just sold chocolate. This went on at all times of the day, at least when the store was open. The problem was that I used this passageway to get to one of the trains I have to take from Shibuya where I am staying. It was a fight with little old ladies elbowing me around as I tried to get through the gauntlet. All the time the girls in colorful kerchiefs and uniforms behind the counter were shouting, "Irasshiamase, Irrashaimase," like carnival barkers. Irrashaimase means, "Welcome, come on in" and is used in most small shops and in some of the larger stores in their specialty areas. It is an imperative form of the verb to be, if you want to get technical.

Needless to say, it was a challenge to walk through each day but funny as well. The Japanese in Tokyo are kind of like bees, they seem to have a need to brush up against each other a lot, they are always busy, walking briskly from place to place and they have no patience with you if you don't know where you are going. I got many looks as I walked through as if to say, "Can't you see that this is for buying chocolate, not walking?" As if I know, I am a man and a gaijin to boot. I used that to my advantage and ignored it.

Mid-Week Report

Well it's Wednesday, lunch time and I am hungry so this will likely be short. We are working long hours here and at times, my eyes burn, they are so short of sleep. I may have to change hotels (which I really don't want to do) to save money. However they are all relatively inconvenient and don't cater to gaijin size people.

We did have a visitor in the office yesterday that was kind of fun. Over here they love "cute" things, to the point that large, mature organizations like us feel the need to have a cute mascot. Her name is Wendy.

She is an Old English Sheepdog and quite pretty if not very high maintenance. My company hires a person to take care of the dog. She even has a company ID which she wears around her neck.

Most of the time we are in meetings or hashing out proceedures and creating project plans, reports, etc. This was a nice break, to pet a beautiful dog and think of simpler things.

A Dream Fulfilled

During my time in Japan as a missionary, we often wondered when a Temple would be built to serve these people. Most went to Hawaii or New Zealand at that time to gain the blessings of the Temple. As a missionary, the Temples were always a place that reminded me of home and I used to spend time looking at the pictures of the Salt Lake, Ogden and Provo temples. The rooms and the evident peace you could find there were an object of longing, especially when they are so far away. Even though I had been before my mission, it was only about 5 or 6 times, including time in the mission home and in Hawaii at the LTM (MTC to the younger crowd). So I understood a small measure of the pain that the devout members of the church felt who were far away and had no means to get to a House of the Lord.

In 1980, that changed for Japan and a temple was built, on the site of my old mission home. That temple has stood for 28 years now and yesterday I finally attended a session in that sacred and very special building. I had visited once before but did not have the time to do a session, so I just sat in the foyer, hot tears of joy running down my face. This time there were tears, but not so many. However, there was a sense of completion. I would not be in this place at this time if it weren't for my decision to go on a mission. I would not have this job, I would not have been blessed with my wonderful wife and children, I would not be blessed with a strong testimony and likely would not have continued in the church. Japan and my service here changed my life completely and made me better for it. Even the struggle to learn Japanese was a blessing, even though I contemplated some pretty serious actions due to the difficulty of learning. We did have some missionaries who never did learn and a couple of them broke because of it. I am grateful that the Lord sustained me and allowed me to learn and serve.

Today, I attended church at the chapel next to the Temple. It was the gaijin ward, so the services were in English (my head aches with Japanese right now). There were more than blonde heads and blue eyes there, however. A woman in a sari sat in front of me, there were Islanders a few rows up, a smattering of Japanese and others. For the musical number a group of people from Ghana, Canada and France sang "How Firm a Foundation" in French. I thought it fascinating that here I am in Japan, listening to an English hymn sung in French by a group of people who have joined what many call the only true American church. We know it is the only TRUE Church and that it is headed by Christ who loves all people, no matter where they come from or what their racial heritage is. Quite different from my typical Utah ward back home.

The sun is setting now and I have quite the view from my room on the 28th floor. Tokyo tower is glowing red in the distance and I can see Minami Azabu where the Temple is located. It is a dream fullfilled.

Unremembered Memories

It's interesting when you go back to a place that, in many ways, defined who you are. So many things you thought you had forgotten but when you are faced with them again, you say, "I remember this! How could I have forgotten?" Case in point, bicycles in Japan. Bicycles are still an important means of transport here. You would think that many people would just walk, because of the way the towns are laid out, but bicycles are the primary mode of transport for three groups, students, mothers/wives and delivery boys/girls. The delivery boys are the most interesting because of the intricate suspension systems they have to support whatever they are carrying or delivering.

Other things that I remember are that everywhere in the bustle of this city, there are islands of tranquility and the neighborhoods are just neighborhoods with people in them trying to live out their lives peacefully. I remember the green grocers (Safire will love this)that are effectively a farmer's market every day. Seasonal vegetables and fruits that are more or less vine ripened. Right now it's mikan (mandarin oranges to the uninitiated) season and they are fresh and very juicy. I bought a pack on Saturday and ate 4 as soon as I got back to the hotel. Just sooooo good.

They still have the little soba shops (small noodle restaurants with maybe 20 seats) serving delicious bowls of noodles, curry rice and other items. The recipe for the broth is the same as it was 35 years ago, take chicken and fish bones and just simmer them all day adding shoyu (soy sauce) and maybe some seasoning.

One thing that is happily missing, though I did get a whiff yesterday is the grey water ditches. They have finally covered those....

Landed in Japan

Japan is experiencing the same weather as Portland was when I left, rain mixed with snow. The plane trip over was not that bad. I had enough room for my legs and there was no one sitting next to me so I had space to spread out a little. I expect it to not be so good going back as I am leaving on Friday. I should have thought and left on Saturday, ah well. I suppose I should see what my seat assignment is and do what I can to get a good one.

There was snow on the ground when I arrived at the office this morning and no one really showed up until 10:00 am. What happened to the Japanese work ethic? The guy I was supposed to meet turned up sick so I have no one here to help me. Fortunately that is no big deal. I found my way no problem. The only thing that did happen was I forgot my badge. It's at the hotel. I also walked out without my room key and I forgot my room number when they asked for it at breakfast this morning. It was no biggie, though. The service here is phenomenal, they asked my name and found my room number. I got a new key so I am good to go.

I opted for the Japanese breakfast this morning and got two tiny omlettes, some pickled veggies, fish and some other mushroom like stuff plus dark miso and rice. They also brought me a cool little box with a hot stone in it that had pieces of nori (dried seaweed paper like you see sushi wrapped with) on top. The idea was to keep the nori warm and dry. You pick it up, dip it in this salty, sweet sauce and then wrap it around some rice to eat. Very delicate and tasty. A good start to the day.

Offices here are not as luxurious as in the US. Very utilitarian and spare. No one has closed offices, you basically sit in a bullpen. I will take some pictures and post them here if I can figure out how to do so.

Well, I have to work on my presentation for tomorrow, so I will sign off until then. All is well. Also, thanks to my sister-in-law and nephew for helping Blondie clean off the 12 inches of snow they got. That is a wonderful thing! I appreciate it very much.

Views from the Winter Porch

It’s winter here and today it’s REALLY winter. The wind is howling, snow is blowing and it’s cold. This winter is one of the toughest we have had yet, though I am sitting in a nice, warm home in my shirtsleeves as I type this. I can’t help but reflect on my ancestors out in this weather with nothing but wool clothing and a drafty cabin to keep them warm. A fire is only good for so much heat and in those days a lot went up the flue. No wonder the harvest had to be good, they would have died without it (and they did).

I have camped in this type of weather in Colorado and remember that almost all of our time was spent gathering fuel for the fire, preparing meals, cleaning up after meals and then sleeping. There was some time for fun, but only 10% or so. That was with Goretex, down insulated sleeping bags and high tech tents. I was never really wet that time and enjoyed battling the elements and winning. Another time, it was more difficult. A word of advice, if you are in the snow, don’t just wear jeans. If you wear jeans, don’t get them wet. If you get them wet, DON’T take them off and leave them outside your sleeping bag at night. I cannot describe to you the exquisite pain of putting on frozen, rough jeans in the morning. Suffice it to say that it is one of the few times in my life I have screamed in pain. Lesson well learned......

Mom just got back from the Temple and as she walked out of the warm building and into this weather she thought, “Wow, this is like going from the Celestial Kingdom to the Telestial!” ‘Nuf said...

Views from the Porch January 2008

As you can see, I am having fun with this new blogging toy. Three posts in one day... Whew!

Occasionally I do a series of pictures from my porch. This may seem unusual but I have a GREAT view from my porch, one that I rarely get tired of. Sure, there are other houses with big, blank walls everywhere, but if you look near or far, the pictures are stunning at times.

This time I chose to look near. As a kid, I loved icicles and loved to watch them form. I was always amazed at how they melted and grew at the same time. Stalactites and Stalagmites carry a similar fascination, but I just don’t have the patience or time to watch them form. Icicles are different, transient and beautiful if you catch them on the right day.

We had a storm that dumped about 14“ of snow in our front yard on Monday, so today we have icicles! If you look close, you can see them forming and dripping at the same time. Mayflies, icicles and humans, it’s their brief lives that fascinate us.

They also just came and towed the Mercedes, who knows when it will be back.