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iPod morning commute music: Moby Grape, Moby Grape (1967)
The San Francisco band Moby Grape made one great record, and this is it. If you don't know it, and if you like the San Francisco sound of the '60s (Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service) do yourself a favor and buy this today. Great songs in a variety of styles, superb vocals and excellent guitar work (they had 3 guitarists). This was their first, and best, record, and stands up as well today as it did then.

My friend, Naoko, sent me an e-mail asking if she could link this blog to her new children's English school's website. I said yes, though I wonder how interesting this blog is for people who don't know me. So I'm an official link. Hmm.

I've written about Naoko's late husband, Bob, in one of my earliest posts. I know it must be hard on Naoko to try to raise her young daughter and start up an English school on her own. I'm guessing that Bob's family in the States might end up here through the link. I never met his parents at the hospital; our visits just never overlapped, and they had to return home before his funeral. I did meet two of his sisters, though, and one, Mary, still keeps in occasional touch.

Tomorrow, I'll be going to my friend, Steve's, 25-years-in-Japan party. I had my 20-year party in 2003. While most of the ex-pat population is transient, quite a few friends remain from my first days here. Back then, the main meeting place in Osaka was the Pig and Whistle Pub, the original just a hole-in-the-wall down in Shinsaibashi. Tomorrow's party will be in latest addition of the Pig (its third location). It should be good.

Have a great weekend.