Vacation continues. Today, my friend, mentor and ex-co-worker, Evelyn and her friend (mine, too) Pam came over for dinner. Evelyn and Pam came to Japan as missionaries from England many years ago: Evelyn worked at the junior and senior high schools, while Pam worked at the college, sharing a home which was a part of the high school campus. Evelyn hired me 20 years ago.
Aging is a weird phenomenon. I was talking to my friend, David, about how I still hold a mental image of myself when I was in my twenties. I don't see myself as the overweight, graying, 51-soon-to-be-52 Craig, but rather the thin young dude with hair to his shoulders. David, 58, agreed. This is probably why we hurt ourselves trying to do things we used to be able to do so easily (like walking up the front steps in winter without slipping and breaking bones, as my friend from high school, Susan, just had the misfortune of doing).
It's hard to believe I've known Evelyn, who retired to York three years ago, and Pam for 20 years. It's hard to believe I've known my oldest friend, John (who just got married to Suzie yesterday!) since we were in junior high, almost 40 years now. My son Tatsu will graduate from high school in June, move on to university, and it just doesn't seem possible (probably the wine I've been drinking magnifies all of this).
I just finished printing out all our new years letters which we send to family and friends outside of Japan (Japanese family and friends get traditional new years cards). The kids have already gone to their grandparents' house, and Kaoru and I will join them tomorrow. I'll be (mercifully) off line for the next few days. So Happy New Years everybody. The good news is that each passing year doesn't diminish the memories, but rather helps to create more.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Merry Christmas
It's Sunday here, and a rare White Christmas is well underway. I baked a traditional Sweet pastry which my mother so politically-incorrectly calls Jew Bread (like brownies, but with chopped dates and nuts, no chocolate), and which I'm renaming Date Bars after that wonderful in-a-box stuff I used to make in college. The kids came down and opened their presents (Tatsu, a new iPod, Alisa, a new state-of-the-art cell phone), and then I baked a pumpkin pie. The turkey is, regrettably, not 100% thawed so I'm using the infamous cold water method to finish the job 3 days in the fridge couldn't manage. The family went shopping in town, so I'm enjoying a beer and waiting on the turkey. So Merry Christmas, everyone! Craig
Thursday, December 22, 2005
White Christmas?
iPod morning commute music: Janis Joplin, Janis, disc 2 (1993)
Janis Joplin was hands-down the best white woman blues singer of all time. As I stepped onto the train and out of the snowstorm this morning, I wanted something warm to listen to. I got Janis' rendition of Summertime without even thinking about it. This 3-disc box is a great overview of her career which ended far too soon (Janis was 1 of 3 rockers to die between 1970-71, all at the age of 27, the others being Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison). I'll always be willing to take a little piece of her heart.
As mentioned above, I awoke to a) a blizzard, and b) three teenaged boys playing cards at our diningroom table having stayed up all night jamming on guitars. I left 5 minutes early, but traffic was crawling and I missed my usual train by a couple of minutes, which means I was marginally late for work, Closing Ceremony for the end of second term (see yesterday's blog for an overview of Japanese ceremonies). This is officially my last day until January 6th (teachers' meeting), with 3rd term's Opening Ceremonies on the following day.
Today, my co-worker Bob and I are planning to go to lunch with my mentor, Evelyn, the Anglican missionary who hired me 21 years ago. Evelyn retired 3 years ago to York, where I visited with her 2 Christmases ago on a school trip to England. This is her first visit back to Japan since retirement. We had a short visit after the Christmas Service on Tuesday, but it will be good to spend more time with her later today.
I talked to my wife a bit ago, and she reports blizzard conditions. We may get our first White Christmas in over 10 years.
Janis Joplin was hands-down the best white woman blues singer of all time. As I stepped onto the train and out of the snowstorm this morning, I wanted something warm to listen to. I got Janis' rendition of Summertime without even thinking about it. This 3-disc box is a great overview of her career which ended far too soon (Janis was 1 of 3 rockers to die between 1970-71, all at the age of 27, the others being Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison). I'll always be willing to take a little piece of her heart.
As mentioned above, I awoke to a) a blizzard, and b) three teenaged boys playing cards at our diningroom table having stayed up all night jamming on guitars. I left 5 minutes early, but traffic was crawling and I missed my usual train by a couple of minutes, which means I was marginally late for work, Closing Ceremony for the end of second term (see yesterday's blog for an overview of Japanese ceremonies). This is officially my last day until January 6th (teachers' meeting), with 3rd term's Opening Ceremonies on the following day.
Today, my co-worker Bob and I are planning to go to lunch with my mentor, Evelyn, the Anglican missionary who hired me 21 years ago. Evelyn retired 3 years ago to York, where I visited with her 2 Christmases ago on a school trip to England. This is her first visit back to Japan since retirement. We had a short visit after the Christmas Service on Tuesday, but it will be good to spend more time with her later today.
I talked to my wife a bit ago, and she reports blizzard conditions. We may get our first White Christmas in over 10 years.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Ceremonies
iPod morning commute music: Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde (1966)
This is probably my favorite all-time Dylan album. At over 70 minutes, it's a tour-de-force of Dylan's songwriting skills, blending genres and images into one helluva song list. It also boasts one of his most quoted lines (at least by me, since my high school days): "...To live outside the law you must be honest." (Absolutely Sweet Marie). To give you an idea of how great I think Blonde on Blonde is, I listened to it on Monday morning (short teachers' meeting, I didn't get around to posting, sorry about that) and again this morning. I could easily listen to it again on the way home. Even after all these years, it still surprises and pleases.
Japan is a country of ceremonies. One of the lingering traditional images is the tea ceremony, but that is only an obvious example of a cultural underpinning. I remember when I first watched sumo, how ridiculous the wrestlers looked when they hunched over, gave each other the evil eye until one of them stood up and stalked to the sacred salt, purifying the ring once more before slapping his belly while his opponent did the same. Now, this ritual, this ceremony, is such a part of sumo for me that watching highlights is uninteresting because it is edited out.
The Japanese school year is punctuated with ceremonies: In April, entrance ceremonies for new students, opening ceremonies for those returning; in February and March, graduation ceremonies for those moving on, closing ceremonies for those coming back. Every major school event, from Sports Days to Cultural Festivals, at every level from day care to university, begins and ends with a ceremony.
At my school, the Christmas Service is the most important ceremony of the year. This year, the service was held in Osaka's Catholic Cathedral. The brass band and string clubs provided most of the music, along with the PTA choir and the year group performances (each grade performs one, usually classical, piece). The highlight is Handel's Hallelujah chorus, performed by the seniors.
The music each class performs is the same each year; the seniors always sing the Hallelujah chorus. This is part of the ceremony, the ritual. At first it bothered me. I kept thinking, why don't they challenge something new? But after twenty years, it is another ritual I've come to understand and wouldn't want to go without.
You see it in the yes of the alumni as they mist up when the music begins, and they silently sing along with the graduating class. Across the generations, the ceremony binds them together, binds us together.
Christmas has begun.
This is probably my favorite all-time Dylan album. At over 70 minutes, it's a tour-de-force of Dylan's songwriting skills, blending genres and images into one helluva song list. It also boasts one of his most quoted lines (at least by me, since my high school days): "...To live outside the law you must be honest." (Absolutely Sweet Marie). To give you an idea of how great I think Blonde on Blonde is, I listened to it on Monday morning (short teachers' meeting, I didn't get around to posting, sorry about that) and again this morning. I could easily listen to it again on the way home. Even after all these years, it still surprises and pleases.
Japan is a country of ceremonies. One of the lingering traditional images is the tea ceremony, but that is only an obvious example of a cultural underpinning. I remember when I first watched sumo, how ridiculous the wrestlers looked when they hunched over, gave each other the evil eye until one of them stood up and stalked to the sacred salt, purifying the ring once more before slapping his belly while his opponent did the same. Now, this ritual, this ceremony, is such a part of sumo for me that watching highlights is uninteresting because it is edited out.
The Japanese school year is punctuated with ceremonies: In April, entrance ceremonies for new students, opening ceremonies for those returning; in February and March, graduation ceremonies for those moving on, closing ceremonies for those coming back. Every major school event, from Sports Days to Cultural Festivals, at every level from day care to university, begins and ends with a ceremony.
At my school, the Christmas Service is the most important ceremony of the year. This year, the service was held in Osaka's Catholic Cathedral. The brass band and string clubs provided most of the music, along with the PTA choir and the year group performances (each grade performs one, usually classical, piece). The highlight is Handel's Hallelujah chorus, performed by the seniors.
The music each class performs is the same each year; the seniors always sing the Hallelujah chorus. This is part of the ceremony, the ritual. At first it bothered me. I kept thinking, why don't they challenge something new? But after twenty years, it is another ritual I've come to understand and wouldn't want to go without.
You see it in the yes of the alumni as they mist up when the music begins, and they silently sing along with the graduating class. Across the generations, the ceremony binds them together, binds us together.
Christmas has begun.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Morning
iPod morning commute music: various artists, Nuggets, Vol. 2: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, disc 1 (2001)
Lenny Kaye, who later became the guitarist in the Patti Smith Group, compiled a single album worth of American '60s garage/psych rock classics in 1972, released as Nuggets. In 1998, he re-released this as disc 1 of a 4-disc box called Nuggets. I just had to have it. Every song sounded like something you'd heard somewhere before, though you probably hadn't. This second release is more of the same, only centered around British garage/psych. As the writer at allmusic.com says (BTW, this is a great music site and where I get the release dates for all of these posts), you would have to spend thousands of dollars to buy all of this obscure music from the original sources. If you like '60s rock, both boxes are worth owning, though I've heard Vol. 3 isn't so good.
When I first came to Japan, I remember walking into a coffee shop one morning, hung over and in need of caffeine. The waitress walked up I said, "Hot-o co-hee."
"Morning?" she replied in a questioning tone.
I thought, how nice, she's trying to speak English to me. "Morning," I said, as cheerfully as I could.
A few minutes later she returned with my coffee, a hard-boiled egg, and a thick slice of buttered toast. I had no idea what I'd done, but since my Japanese was next to useless, I decided to eat the unordered breakfast and pay the extra. I looked at the bill and was shocked to see that the whole thing cost less than a normal cup of coffee! This was my introduction to the Japanese institution known as "Morning Set".
If you visit Japan, this is about the cheapest breakfast around (about $2.50 - $3.00) and is available in almost every coffee shop up to 10 or 11 a.m. Many offer 3 set options, but the basic set is generally what I described above. Larger, marginally more expensive sets, might include a salad (popular for breakfast here) or small, hotdog-like sausages.
Today, I had to come into work at 11 a.m. and was early, so I had a morning set at the coffee shop in my station. I don't usually have them since I got married almost 19 years ago, and it always feels nostalgic when I do. Again, if you ever visit Japan, I recommend this as a reasonable breakfast option.
Lenny Kaye, who later became the guitarist in the Patti Smith Group, compiled a single album worth of American '60s garage/psych rock classics in 1972, released as Nuggets. In 1998, he re-released this as disc 1 of a 4-disc box called Nuggets. I just had to have it. Every song sounded like something you'd heard somewhere before, though you probably hadn't. This second release is more of the same, only centered around British garage/psych. As the writer at allmusic.com says (BTW, this is a great music site and where I get the release dates for all of these posts), you would have to spend thousands of dollars to buy all of this obscure music from the original sources. If you like '60s rock, both boxes are worth owning, though I've heard Vol. 3 isn't so good.
When I first came to Japan, I remember walking into a coffee shop one morning, hung over and in need of caffeine. The waitress walked up I said, "Hot-o co-hee."
"Morning?" she replied in a questioning tone.
I thought, how nice, she's trying to speak English to me. "Morning," I said, as cheerfully as I could.
A few minutes later she returned with my coffee, a hard-boiled egg, and a thick slice of buttered toast. I had no idea what I'd done, but since my Japanese was next to useless, I decided to eat the unordered breakfast and pay the extra. I looked at the bill and was shocked to see that the whole thing cost less than a normal cup of coffee! This was my introduction to the Japanese institution known as "Morning Set".
If you visit Japan, this is about the cheapest breakfast around (about $2.50 - $3.00) and is available in almost every coffee shop up to 10 or 11 a.m. Many offer 3 set options, but the basic set is generally what I described above. Larger, marginally more expensive sets, might include a salad (popular for breakfast here) or small, hotdog-like sausages.
Today, I had to come into work at 11 a.m. and was early, so I had a morning set at the coffee shop in my station. I don't usually have them since I got married almost 19 years ago, and it always feels nostalgic when I do. Again, if you ever visit Japan, I recommend this as a reasonable breakfast option.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
A Really Boring Thursday
iPod morning commute music: Fats Domino, The Fats Domino Jukebox (2002)
This is actually my son's CD, purchased with Christmas or birthday money a couple of years ago. He couldn't believe I didn't have any of Fats' music, and what could I say? He was right. This is a great collection of his classic New Orleans R&B boogie-woogie piano sound coupled with his great vocals (and we all heard about how Fats was rescued from his home in the wake of Katrina). Not something you'll listen to often, but something you will appreciate when you do.
Today was day three of returning tests, so basically I've been hanging around waiting for students to come up to me having found mistakes in my marking, but no one came. I have a meeting at 1:30, and then it's back to home. A really boring day, and a really boring blog entry. Apologies rendered.
This is actually my son's CD, purchased with Christmas or birthday money a couple of years ago. He couldn't believe I didn't have any of Fats' music, and what could I say? He was right. This is a great collection of his classic New Orleans R&B boogie-woogie piano sound coupled with his great vocals (and we all heard about how Fats was rescued from his home in the wake of Katrina). Not something you'll listen to often, but something you will appreciate when you do.
Today was day three of returning tests, so basically I've been hanging around waiting for students to come up to me having found mistakes in my marking, but no one came. I have a meeting at 1:30, and then it's back to home. A really boring day, and a really boring blog entry. Apologies rendered.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Back to Work
iPod morning commute music: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Greatest Hits (1993)
I don't own much by Petty, and don't really know why. I owned two or three of the albums when they came out, but never replaced them with CDs when my record collection mysteriously disappeared (full disclosure: I guess I forgot who was storing them for me, because the person I thought had them said I never gave them to her, and I had no reason to doubt her). This single disc greatest hits pretty much covers everything important, and is a great listen.
Yesterday I took the day off from work and made another COSTCO run. It's amazing how the store looks just like the state-side stores, but the contents are probably about 50% Japanese goods. It's a microcosm of Japan, really, where the cities and people look western at first glance, but once you start looking closer, the differences become far more apparent.
Kaoru should know better than to let me loose in COSTCO. She wrote a list, which I followed but liberally added to. Stupid purchase of the day: a traditional Christmas pudding (read fruitcake) from England. I don't really like fruitcake, but the concept sounded good. The chocolate covered cherries were also something I could probably have lived without.
I did buy a nice, small rib eye roast, which I cooked for dinner. I'm trying to master roast beef, as I'd like to have one during the holidays (or a ham, but we can't get a cooked ham here easily). One problem is that cuts of meat are much smaller here; last night's roast was just under 2 lbs. Cooking times given in cookbooks are not accurate (allow 22 minutes per pound, but it actually took about 90 minutes to cook, not 44). This is not a problem as I use a meat thermometer, but I wish I could get a better feel for the timing.
Between COSTCO and dinner I managed to finish up my grades for the term, and got the marks in the computer this morning. I can now relax, though I still need to be here for handing back tests and meetings, while awaiting the official end of term on the 23rd.
I don't own much by Petty, and don't really know why. I owned two or three of the albums when they came out, but never replaced them with CDs when my record collection mysteriously disappeared (full disclosure: I guess I forgot who was storing them for me, because the person I thought had them said I never gave them to her, and I had no reason to doubt her). This single disc greatest hits pretty much covers everything important, and is a great listen.
Yesterday I took the day off from work and made another COSTCO run. It's amazing how the store looks just like the state-side stores, but the contents are probably about 50% Japanese goods. It's a microcosm of Japan, really, where the cities and people look western at first glance, but once you start looking closer, the differences become far more apparent.
Kaoru should know better than to let me loose in COSTCO. She wrote a list, which I followed but liberally added to. Stupid purchase of the day: a traditional Christmas pudding (read fruitcake) from England. I don't really like fruitcake, but the concept sounded good. The chocolate covered cherries were also something I could probably have lived without.
I did buy a nice, small rib eye roast, which I cooked for dinner. I'm trying to master roast beef, as I'd like to have one during the holidays (or a ham, but we can't get a cooked ham here easily). One problem is that cuts of meat are much smaller here; last night's roast was just under 2 lbs. Cooking times given in cookbooks are not accurate (allow 22 minutes per pound, but it actually took about 90 minutes to cook, not 44). This is not a problem as I use a meat thermometer, but I wish I could get a better feel for the timing.
Between COSTCO and dinner I managed to finish up my grades for the term, and got the marks in the computer this morning. I can now relax, though I still need to be here for handing back tests and meetings, while awaiting the official end of term on the 23rd.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
The Last of the Tests and Poem #2
iPod morning commute music: Neil Diamond, Glory Road (1968-1972), disc 1 (1992)
Listening to Neil Diamond is something everyone should do once, maybe twice a year at the most. His classic hits still send chills up my spine, and he really was a masterful pop singer. Unfortunately, this set doesn't have his earliest hit from Bang records (which I really need to get somehow), and the second disc moves into music I really don't like. Sigh...but every time I hear Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show, I forgive myself the purchase. Not to mention Sweet Caroline.
Today was the last day of tests, and I finished the marking, though I still have to do some calculations to get final grades. That I can do at home, so I'll take Monday off and work from there. We start returning tests on Tuesday. Blah blah blah.
Poem #2
December's first snow
falls in thick white wet clusters
onto a waning
autumn, where trees cling
to their last colored leaves in
stubborn resistance
against time's soft nudge
until an icy wind whirls
up through the valley
whispering winter
and the countryside shudders,
concedes and conforms
Listening to Neil Diamond is something everyone should do once, maybe twice a year at the most. His classic hits still send chills up my spine, and he really was a masterful pop singer. Unfortunately, this set doesn't have his earliest hit from Bang records (which I really need to get somehow), and the second disc moves into music I really don't like. Sigh...but every time I hear Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show, I forgive myself the purchase. Not to mention Sweet Caroline.
Today was the last day of tests, and I finished the marking, though I still have to do some calculations to get final grades. That I can do at home, so I'll take Monday off and work from there. We start returning tests on Tuesday. Blah blah blah.
Poem #2
December's first snow
falls in thick white wet clusters
onto a waning
autumn, where trees cling
to their last colored leaves in
stubborn resistance
against time's soft nudge
until an icy wind whirls
up through the valley
whispering winter
and the countryside shudders,
concedes and conforms
Thursday, December 08, 2005
I Know...Another Country Heard From
iPod morning commute music: Jimi Hendrix, Electric Ladyland (1968)
Not much to say about Jimi's third album, other than it is superb. I remember I went to junior high summer church camp in 1969, and the guy in charge of recreation, an actual hippie, had the British version with all the naked women on the cover. I had just finished 9th grade, and I had already bought Axis: Bold as Love. This was something else! Now, it's the long, jazzy, spacy pieces that attract me: 1983 (A Mermaid Should I Turn to Be), Still Raining Still Dreaming, though the rockers still rock, Crosstown Traffic, Come On (Pt. 1). Psychedelic music at its best. Shockingly relevant and fresh almost 40 years on.
I'm posting (finally) at night from home. Test week is just so damn busy, and the computers at work are in constant demand. I tried to mark 200 9th grade tests today, but couldn't finish today. After 20 years of marking tests, I'm a pro, really fast and accurate, but I'll have to finish up tomorrow morning. I'll be getting 10th grade tests to mark tomorrow, but only 2 half classes, less than 40 total. On Saturday, I give the seniors their final test before graduating, and will get just under 80 to mark (4 half classes). At the junior high level we teach full classes, which is why I have so many to mark. The boring side of teaching.
I've been working on blog poem #2, but it's still not ready to post. I forget how hard it is to write poetry, even bad poetry, until I attempt it during test weeks (something to do while proctoring). Hopefully I'll get it posted tomorrow.
Not much to say about Jimi's third album, other than it is superb. I remember I went to junior high summer church camp in 1969, and the guy in charge of recreation, an actual hippie, had the British version with all the naked women on the cover. I had just finished 9th grade, and I had already bought Axis: Bold as Love. This was something else! Now, it's the long, jazzy, spacy pieces that attract me: 1983 (A Mermaid Should I Turn to Be), Still Raining Still Dreaming, though the rockers still rock, Crosstown Traffic, Come On (Pt. 1). Psychedelic music at its best. Shockingly relevant and fresh almost 40 years on.
I'm posting (finally) at night from home. Test week is just so damn busy, and the computers at work are in constant demand. I tried to mark 200 9th grade tests today, but couldn't finish today. After 20 years of marking tests, I'm a pro, really fast and accurate, but I'll have to finish up tomorrow morning. I'll be getting 10th grade tests to mark tomorrow, but only 2 half classes, less than 40 total. On Saturday, I give the seniors their final test before graduating, and will get just under 80 to mark (4 half classes). At the junior high level we teach full classes, which is why I have so many to mark. The boring side of teaching.
I've been working on blog poem #2, but it's still not ready to post. I forget how hard it is to write poetry, even bad poetry, until I attempt it during test weeks (something to do while proctoring). Hopefully I'll get it posted tomorrow.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Winter has Arrived
iPod morning commute music: Eric Clapton, Crossroads, disc 2 (1988)
Same as Friday, starting with Cream, ending with Derek and the Dominos. Layla still wrenches my heart every time I hear it.
I finally had a weekend to relax. On Saturday, we took in the new Harry Potter film. It was great. I still think Alphonso Cuaron's vision in Prisoner of Azkaban made it the best of the series...the camera swooping through the clockworks was absolutely thrilling...but Goblet of Fire held its own. Rowling's books, and therefore the films, just keep getting darker and darker. Ralph Fiennes makes a remarkable Lord Voldemort. Highly recommended.
I had the weird job of writing up a short biographical sketch of myself for the TOEIC book: How to reduce your life to 7 or 8 sentences. You have to leave out a lot, like puberty, high school, love, death...any topics Woody Allen might find interesting you just have to skip. I wrote about myself in such a way that I sound boring (which, of course, most of you discovered about 20 posts ago!).
Classes finished today, with 2nd term's final exams starting tomorrow. 10 of my 17 classes are 12th grade, which means that I won't see them again as they are graduating. Which means my teaching load goes from 17 classes per week to 7, starting January. This I can live with.
Same as Friday, starting with Cream, ending with Derek and the Dominos. Layla still wrenches my heart every time I hear it.
I finally had a weekend to relax. On Saturday, we took in the new Harry Potter film. It was great. I still think Alphonso Cuaron's vision in Prisoner of Azkaban made it the best of the series...the camera swooping through the clockworks was absolutely thrilling...but Goblet of Fire held its own. Rowling's books, and therefore the films, just keep getting darker and darker. Ralph Fiennes makes a remarkable Lord Voldemort. Highly recommended.
I had the weird job of writing up a short biographical sketch of myself for the TOEIC book: How to reduce your life to 7 or 8 sentences. You have to leave out a lot, like puberty, high school, love, death...any topics Woody Allen might find interesting you just have to skip. I wrote about myself in such a way that I sound boring (which, of course, most of you discovered about 20 posts ago!).
Classes finished today, with 2nd term's final exams starting tomorrow. 10 of my 17 classes are 12th grade, which means that I won't see them again as they are graduating. Which means my teaching load goes from 17 classes per week to 7, starting January. This I can live with.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Friday, Another Meeting, and Feedback on Spaces After Periods
iPod morning commute music: Eric Clapton, Crossroads, disc 1 (1988)
One of the all-time great box sets, this spans Clapton's career. Disc 1 covers his time with The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and his early work with Cream. Essential.
I was hoping to take off early today, but found out I have another meeting. In our school, teachers are attached to a year group, ranging from (using US terms) 7th Grade through 12th Grade. In the teachers room, we sit together in our year group, and we are responsible for the students in that year group. When a student does something bad, such as skip school, this is a year group problem. This afternoon's meeting is with the other 9th grade teachers, about a student who skipped school.
We have a lot of meetings in my school. Every week I have a year group meeting, an English department meeting, and an International Studies Committee meeting. Two or three times a month (at least) we have general teachers' meetings. I'm also in charge of the high school ESS (English Speaking Society) Club, which meets at least twice a week.
Today's meeting is an extra one, as most student problem meetings are. And to think, I've been doing this for 20 years.
I've gotten some feedback concerning spaces after periods. It seems like those of us who were taught on typewriters were taught to put two spaces at the end of sentences. However, with computers, publishers would prefer single spaces. According to my co-worker, Bob, who did a more extensive on-line search, the usual typewriter fonts needed two spaces, but no more. However, people who were taught typewriting skills don't want to change: In fact, I don't think I can change. The habit is too ingrained. Thanks to both Bob and Ron for bringing me up to date on all of this. I'm still curious as to what schools are actually teaching.
I handed in a form to take a half day off tomorrow (Saturday...a 6 day school week AND all those meetings! Again, hard to believe it's been 20 years at this school). My family will go see the new Harry Potter film. Mainly, this will be a weekend of rest for me. I'm ready for a break.
One of the all-time great box sets, this spans Clapton's career. Disc 1 covers his time with The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and his early work with Cream. Essential.
I was hoping to take off early today, but found out I have another meeting. In our school, teachers are attached to a year group, ranging from (using US terms) 7th Grade through 12th Grade. In the teachers room, we sit together in our year group, and we are responsible for the students in that year group. When a student does something bad, such as skip school, this is a year group problem. This afternoon's meeting is with the other 9th grade teachers, about a student who skipped school.
We have a lot of meetings in my school. Every week I have a year group meeting, an English department meeting, and an International Studies Committee meeting. Two or three times a month (at least) we have general teachers' meetings. I'm also in charge of the high school ESS (English Speaking Society) Club, which meets at least twice a week.
Today's meeting is an extra one, as most student problem meetings are. And to think, I've been doing this for 20 years.
I've gotten some feedback concerning spaces after periods. It seems like those of us who were taught on typewriters were taught to put two spaces at the end of sentences. However, with computers, publishers would prefer single spaces. According to my co-worker, Bob, who did a more extensive on-line search, the usual typewriter fonts needed two spaces, but no more. However, people who were taught typewriting skills don't want to change: In fact, I don't think I can change. The habit is too ingrained. Thanks to both Bob and Ron for bringing me up to date on all of this. I'm still curious as to what schools are actually teaching.
I handed in a form to take a half day off tomorrow (Saturday...a 6 day school week AND all those meetings! Again, hard to believe it's been 20 years at this school). My family will go see the new Harry Potter film. Mainly, this will be a weekend of rest for me. I'm ready for a break.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Tanned and Rested
iPod morning commute music: Gram Parsons, G.P./Grievous Angel (1990)
I no longer remember when or where I first hear of Gram Parsons, but I've had this disc (his two solo albums, released in 1972 and '73, respectively, with Emmylou Harris supplying supporting vocals) for years. Parson basically invented country rock, was the driving force on The Byrds album Sweethear of the Rodeo, and helping to form The Flying Burrito Bros. The songs on this disc are timeless, and his duets with Emmylou are wonderful. While classified country-rock, the music here definitely leans to country.
Last night I finally reached my limit, falling asleep sometime after 9 while sort of waiting for President Bush's speech on his Iraq policy. I'm not sure I missed anything. I awoke just before 2 am and dragged myself upstairs to bed, where I slept until 5 am. I feel great today, which is cool because usually Thursday is when I start feeling the weight of the week. I'm planning to take Saturday off (I'm suppose to be at work for lunch, from 12:20-1:00, but I'll just take a personal half-day off), so I just need to get through tonight's teacher's meeting (ugh!) and tomorrow's classes.
It seems hard to believe December is here. Soon I'll have to get out the Christmas tree (we have to make due with an artificial one).
Oh, here is some good news (for me). One of my old students, Yasuyo, now married to an American and living in the States, wrote that she was planning to visit Japan at the end of November, and she asked if there was anything she could bring me. I asked if she could check for canned eggnog (I bought it once on Vashon, brought it back to Japan, and saved it for the Christmas season). We met on Monday, and she found some powdered instant eggnog at Target and bought it for me. I'm saving it for the holidays, but what a cool thing! Eggnog is one of the seasonal things you can't buy in Japan. Joy of Cooking has a couple of recipes, but they don't look particularly easy to make. If any of you know of a good recipe for thick, holiday eggnog (just add rum and sprinkle nutmeg on top), feel free to let me know.
I no longer remember when or where I first hear of Gram Parsons, but I've had this disc (his two solo albums, released in 1972 and '73, respectively, with Emmylou Harris supplying supporting vocals) for years. Parson basically invented country rock, was the driving force on The Byrds album Sweethear of the Rodeo, and helping to form The Flying Burrito Bros. The songs on this disc are timeless, and his duets with Emmylou are wonderful. While classified country-rock, the music here definitely leans to country.
Last night I finally reached my limit, falling asleep sometime after 9 while sort of waiting for President Bush's speech on his Iraq policy. I'm not sure I missed anything. I awoke just before 2 am and dragged myself upstairs to bed, where I slept until 5 am. I feel great today, which is cool because usually Thursday is when I start feeling the weight of the week. I'm planning to take Saturday off (I'm suppose to be at work for lunch, from 12:20-1:00, but I'll just take a personal half-day off), so I just need to get through tonight's teacher's meeting (ugh!) and tomorrow's classes.
It seems hard to believe December is here. Soon I'll have to get out the Christmas tree (we have to make due with an artificial one).
Oh, here is some good news (for me). One of my old students, Yasuyo, now married to an American and living in the States, wrote that she was planning to visit Japan at the end of November, and she asked if there was anything she could bring me. I asked if she could check for canned eggnog (I bought it once on Vashon, brought it back to Japan, and saved it for the Christmas season). We met on Monday, and she found some powdered instant eggnog at Target and bought it for me. I'm saving it for the holidays, but what a cool thing! Eggnog is one of the seasonal things you can't buy in Japan. Joy of Cooking has a couple of recipes, but they don't look particularly easy to make. If any of you know of a good recipe for thick, holiday eggnog (just add rum and sprinkle nutmeg on top), feel free to let me know.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, Wednesday, Maybe Thursday
iPod morning commute music (Tuesday): Joni Mitchell: Hits (1996)
Okay, the folkie in me comes out every once in a while. When Joni first broke out in the early '70s, she was a breath of fresh air, and her music has always stayed in my collection. This is a great overview of her career, filled out even more with her companion disc, Misses.
It's Wednesday night here in Japan, and I'm shattered. I never realize how rotten it is to lose a weekend to work until the following week starts. This has been especially true this week. I've been doing some proofreading for Longman publishing, and the due date was today. Then, two days ago, I got a call from my co-author that I need to proof the galleys from our book, due tomorrow. I finished everything on time, but it has not been pleasant.
Hopefully, I'll be able to post tomorrow, because I'm obviously not my usual self tonight.
Okay, the folkie in me comes out every once in a while. When Joni first broke out in the early '70s, she was a breath of fresh air, and her music has always stayed in my collection. This is a great overview of her career, filled out even more with her companion disc, Misses.
It's Wednesday night here in Japan, and I'm shattered. I never realize how rotten it is to lose a weekend to work until the following week starts. This has been especially true this week. I've been doing some proofreading for Longman publishing, and the due date was today. Then, two days ago, I got a call from my co-author that I need to proof the galleys from our book, due tomorrow. I finished everything on time, but it has not been pleasant.
Hopefully, I'll be able to post tomorrow, because I'm obviously not my usual self tonight.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Back Home Again
iPod morning commute music: Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 disc 4 (1992)
Yesterday, I suddenly had the urge to play my son Edwin Starr's classic song, War. I knew I had it somewhere, and found it on this greatest hits box set. I always liked Motown growing up. In fact, for a while I thought girls liked the Beatles, so I should like a girl group (I picked the Supremes). I quickly realized it was OK to like both. The surprise is how good some groups hold up that I disliked at the time, such as The Jackson Five (ABC is just so sing-able!). All of this is music I grew up with, and realized yesterday that I haven't played it for awhile. Great stuff.
Tokyo was fine, but tiring. My student couldn't advance into the final contest, but she enjoyed the experience. I saw my Aussie friend Brad for the first time in four years (since the last time my student went to the regionals), and had a fine time over wine and food. I was going to meet another friend, Ian, on Saturday, but was just too shattered to manage it. I did get some good news Saturday night when I learned another of my 9th grade students won 1st place in an Osaka speech contest.
I got home yesterday (Sunday) at around 3:30 pm. Tatsu and I watched the 2nd DVD from the Springsteen box, Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run. Fascinating stuff. And now I'm back at work, not too far behind, and ready to make the final push of the term.
Had a funny discussion with my co-worker, Bob, concerning typing. I was writing up some guidelines for my students as they write the final drafts of their essays, and told them to please put two spaces at the end of sentences, while only one between words, after commas, etc. Bob said he never puts two spaces at the end of a sentence, only one, and then proceeded to point out that most books only use one space. I knew I was taught two spaces, but actually went on line to check. I was right, but have the rules changed? Is one space OK now?
Such are the important, philosophical questions that swirl about my head.
Yesterday, I suddenly had the urge to play my son Edwin Starr's classic song, War. I knew I had it somewhere, and found it on this greatest hits box set. I always liked Motown growing up. In fact, for a while I thought girls liked the Beatles, so I should like a girl group (I picked the Supremes). I quickly realized it was OK to like both. The surprise is how good some groups hold up that I disliked at the time, such as The Jackson Five (ABC is just so sing-able!). All of this is music I grew up with, and realized yesterday that I haven't played it for awhile. Great stuff.
Tokyo was fine, but tiring. My student couldn't advance into the final contest, but she enjoyed the experience. I saw my Aussie friend Brad for the first time in four years (since the last time my student went to the regionals), and had a fine time over wine and food. I was going to meet another friend, Ian, on Saturday, but was just too shattered to manage it. I did get some good news Saturday night when I learned another of my 9th grade students won 1st place in an Osaka speech contest.
I got home yesterday (Sunday) at around 3:30 pm. Tatsu and I watched the 2nd DVD from the Springsteen box, Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run. Fascinating stuff. And now I'm back at work, not too far behind, and ready to make the final push of the term.
Had a funny discussion with my co-worker, Bob, concerning typing. I was writing up some guidelines for my students as they write the final drafts of their essays, and told them to please put two spaces at the end of sentences, while only one between words, after commas, etc. Bob said he never puts two spaces at the end of a sentence, only one, and then proceeded to point out that most books only use one space. I knew I was taught two spaces, but actually went on line to check. I was right, but have the rules changed? Is one space OK now?
Such are the important, philosophical questions that swirl about my head.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Off to Tokyo
iPod morning commute music: Spirit, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus (1970)
Spirit was a cool band, and Randy California a great guitarist/singer/songwriter. This is my favorite album by them, their last with the original band members. It holds up surprisingly well, with an early green theme running through a couple of the songs (Nature's Way, Animal Zoo). We lost California in 1997, when he drowned while rescuing (successfully) his 12-year-old son.
I'm off to Tokyo with my student for 4 days, so this will be my last post until I return on the 27th. Today, it's just checking into our hotels (the students stay together in a Japanese-style inn, where they are taken great care of by a university student organization; I'm in a business hotel). Tomorrow, her contest begins at 9 a.m. If she places, she'll advance to the final contest, held on Saturday afternoon. A huge reception follows, ending at 7 p.m. We'll stay one last night, and head home Sunday morning.
I'm fortunate in that I'll be able to meet an old friend, Brad, for dinner on Friday. Another friend, Ian from Kyoto, will also be in Tokyo, so we'll try to get together on Saturday after the reception. All of this sure beats sitting around in my hotel room watching Japanese TV.
For those of you in the States, again, have a happy Thanksgiving.
Spirit was a cool band, and Randy California a great guitarist/singer/songwriter. This is my favorite album by them, their last with the original band members. It holds up surprisingly well, with an early green theme running through a couple of the songs (Nature's Way, Animal Zoo). We lost California in 1997, when he drowned while rescuing (successfully) his 12-year-old son.
I'm off to Tokyo with my student for 4 days, so this will be my last post until I return on the 27th. Today, it's just checking into our hotels (the students stay together in a Japanese-style inn, where they are taken great care of by a university student organization; I'm in a business hotel). Tomorrow, her contest begins at 9 a.m. If she places, she'll advance to the final contest, held on Saturday afternoon. A huge reception follows, ending at 7 p.m. We'll stay one last night, and head home Sunday morning.
I'm fortunate in that I'll be able to meet an old friend, Brad, for dinner on Friday. Another friend, Ian from Kyoto, will also be in Tokyo, so we'll try to get together on Saturday after the reception. All of this sure beats sitting around in my hotel room watching Japanese TV.
For those of you in the States, again, have a happy Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Japanese Labor Thanksgiving Holiday
No morning commute, since we're on holiday here, but yesterday the 30th Anniversary Edition of Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run arrived. The remastered sound on the CD is obvious; everything sounds up front, crisp and clear. Tatsu and I watched the first DVD, Springsteen's first concert in Great Britain, in London at the Hammersmith Odeon, 1975. The band was great, Springsteen's vocals great, but I was disappointed in his performance. When I saw them at the Paramount Theater in Seattle that same year, Springsteen was all over the place, rolling on the floor, climbing up and jumping off speakers. The same when I saw him in the Seattle Arena around Christmas, '78 (the concert where he came back out AFTER the house lights came on and played two extra songs for those of us, myself included, who hadn't given up and gone home). Regardless, it was a great show, and I've read that Bruce and the band were pretty nervous given the nasty attitude the British press (and fans...let's not forget the Bob Dylan/Judas incident) can sometimes have. I haven't seen the second DVD on the making of Born to Run yet, but will watch it this afternoon after I get the turkey in the oven.
Kaoru did go into work for an in-service training day (she'll get next Tuesday off, as well as Monday, giving her and the kids a 4-day weekend), so I taught Alisa how to make a pumpkin pie, always one of my jobs, along with the stuffed turkey...Kaoru doesn't want to touch the bird, and for some reason there's a myth around here that I'm good at baking pies. I'll try to get Alisa and Tatsu to help me with the bird as well.
Kaoru's ankle is OK, just sprained, and now properly wrapped after a visit to the doctor yesterday.
Big news...Alisa was nominated by one of her teachers to participate, as a representative from Japan, in one of the Global Young Leaders Conferences held in Washington DC and New York City for 12 days this summer. The cost is something I don't want to think about, but this is an honor, and an opportunity of a lifetime, so we'll make it happen. Sometimes, when I think back on the kind of student I was at 15, I can't help but be amazed that my kids have turned out as well as they have. Must be Kaoru's genes....
Happy Thanksgiving, to all of you in Japan.
Kaoru did go into work for an in-service training day (she'll get next Tuesday off, as well as Monday, giving her and the kids a 4-day weekend), so I taught Alisa how to make a pumpkin pie, always one of my jobs, along with the stuffed turkey...Kaoru doesn't want to touch the bird, and for some reason there's a myth around here that I'm good at baking pies. I'll try to get Alisa and Tatsu to help me with the bird as well.
Kaoru's ankle is OK, just sprained, and now properly wrapped after a visit to the doctor yesterday.
Big news...Alisa was nominated by one of her teachers to participate, as a representative from Japan, in one of the Global Young Leaders Conferences held in Washington DC and New York City for 12 days this summer. The cost is something I don't want to think about, but this is an honor, and an opportunity of a lifetime, so we'll make it happen. Sometimes, when I think back on the kind of student I was at 15, I can't help but be amazed that my kids have turned out as well as they have. Must be Kaoru's genes....
Happy Thanksgiving, to all of you in Japan.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Tuesday Before Thanksgiving
iPod morning commute music: Pink Floyd, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd, disc 1 (2001)
Just another best of by another really cool band. I have only their early albums, so this set rounds out the collection nicely.
Too busy to really write today. I'm trying to get a bunch of work caught up so that I can relax tomorrow (Nov. 23rd is Japanese Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday) and while I'm in Tokyo from the 24th~27th. Actually, tomorrow will not be relaxed as Kaoru sprained her ankle yesterday at work, so I will be doing the bulk of the Thanksgiving cooking. Hopefully I can get the kids involved as well. Our turkey is just under 10 lbs., a good size for Japanese ovens; ours can handle no more than about 14 lbs.
I'll try to post tomorrow and Thursday before I leave for Tokyo. I'll be without Internet until I return on Sunday.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Just another best of by another really cool band. I have only their early albums, so this set rounds out the collection nicely.
Too busy to really write today. I'm trying to get a bunch of work caught up so that I can relax tomorrow (Nov. 23rd is Japanese Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday) and while I'm in Tokyo from the 24th~27th. Actually, tomorrow will not be relaxed as Kaoru sprained her ankle yesterday at work, so I will be doing the bulk of the Thanksgiving cooking. Hopefully I can get the kids involved as well. Our turkey is just under 10 lbs., a good size for Japanese ovens; ours can handle no more than about 14 lbs.
I'll try to post tomorrow and Thursday before I leave for Tokyo. I'll be without Internet until I return on Sunday.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Another Weekend Down, Another Week to Go
iPod morning commute music: Neil Young, Decade, disc 1 (1977)
Neil Young is one of my favorite artists, but I didn't really begin buying his albums until the mid '70s. This 2-disc collection covers his work from 1966-1976, including his songs with Buffalo Springfield and CSNY. These songs, especially the earlier ones, are the songs that cemented his reputation, and the various styles that he still employs, from folk rock solo albums to hard rock collaborations with Crazy Horse, are well represented.
Sorry I haven't been posting for a few days. We're in crunch time at work, the end of second term looming ahead, with exams needing to be written, recorded (listening tests), printed and, finally, corrected. On top of all this, I've lost weekend prep time, with last Saturday's recitation contest (Judge Craig here) followed by a farewell party to our friend, Mo, who is moving to LA (nice party, but Kaoru and I didn't make it home till just after 1 a.m.). Sunday was another dental appointment at 9 a.m. (not one of my better moments) with a Democrats Abroad Japan-Kansai meeting from 3:30. I was on the officer's election committee, and yesterday was the final count and announcement of winners. As there was only 1 candidate per position, all won by landslides.
In between the dentist and the Democrats, I managed to cobble together my 9th grade final exam, finishing it off in the evening after returning home. My weekend ended with the TV show Lost (episode 3...it just started on satellite here in Japan).
A final note: I just saw some loony went on a shooting spree in the Tacoma Mall today. Gun control politics aside, I hope none of my readers were hurt, and pray for the recovery of those who were.
Neil Young is one of my favorite artists, but I didn't really begin buying his albums until the mid '70s. This 2-disc collection covers his work from 1966-1976, including his songs with Buffalo Springfield and CSNY. These songs, especially the earlier ones, are the songs that cemented his reputation, and the various styles that he still employs, from folk rock solo albums to hard rock collaborations with Crazy Horse, are well represented.
Sorry I haven't been posting for a few days. We're in crunch time at work, the end of second term looming ahead, with exams needing to be written, recorded (listening tests), printed and, finally, corrected. On top of all this, I've lost weekend prep time, with last Saturday's recitation contest (Judge Craig here) followed by a farewell party to our friend, Mo, who is moving to LA (nice party, but Kaoru and I didn't make it home till just after 1 a.m.). Sunday was another dental appointment at 9 a.m. (not one of my better moments) with a Democrats Abroad Japan-Kansai meeting from 3:30. I was on the officer's election committee, and yesterday was the final count and announcement of winners. As there was only 1 candidate per position, all won by landslides.
In between the dentist and the Democrats, I managed to cobble together my 9th grade final exam, finishing it off in the evening after returning home. My weekend ended with the TV show Lost (episode 3...it just started on satellite here in Japan).
A final note: I just saw some loony went on a shooting spree in the Tacoma Mall today. Gun control politics aside, I hope none of my readers were hurt, and pray for the recovery of those who were.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Busy Thursday
iPod morning commute music: Bruce Springsteen, The Essential Bruce Springsteen, disc 1 (2003)
OK, what I really wanted to listen to is the reissued Born to Run, which I tried to buy at Tower yesterday but which isn't out in Japan yet. I have to wait till the 22nd. More on that box set (including 2 DVDs, one of which is a complete concert from 1995, the year I first saw Springsteen at the Paramount Theater in Seattle). Anyway, The Essential Bruce Springsteen is a pretty comprehensive 2-CD greatest hits, with a 3rd CD of rarities. Of course, great stuff.
Today is really busy. I have to help escort the ninth grade students to Peace Osaka, a museum concerning the firebombing of Osaka in WWII. I've been there once before with students, years ago, but my memory is that they have a pretty balanced presentation, meaning they do explain WHY the US bombed the city. The field trip is all afternoon, followed by the rehersal for our school's sponsered junior high school girls' English Recitation contest. We have participants from throughout Osaka Prefecture. This year it's my turn to be one of the judges, a dreaded job as most of the recitations are pretty boring, and there are 50 of them. The rehersal runs from 4:30-6:30, and being a judge means I have nothing to do during the rehersal other than stand around and watch other people reherse. I'll be the only judge present, as the other 4 are from outside our school. The contest is this Saturday, an all day affair, a busy end to a busy week.
OK, what I really wanted to listen to is the reissued Born to Run, which I tried to buy at Tower yesterday but which isn't out in Japan yet. I have to wait till the 22nd. More on that box set (including 2 DVDs, one of which is a complete concert from 1995, the year I first saw Springsteen at the Paramount Theater in Seattle). Anyway, The Essential Bruce Springsteen is a pretty comprehensive 2-CD greatest hits, with a 3rd CD of rarities. Of course, great stuff.
Today is really busy. I have to help escort the ninth grade students to Peace Osaka, a museum concerning the firebombing of Osaka in WWII. I've been there once before with students, years ago, but my memory is that they have a pretty balanced presentation, meaning they do explain WHY the US bombed the city. The field trip is all afternoon, followed by the rehersal for our school's sponsered junior high school girls' English Recitation contest. We have participants from throughout Osaka Prefecture. This year it's my turn to be one of the judges, a dreaded job as most of the recitations are pretty boring, and there are 50 of them. The rehersal runs from 4:30-6:30, and being a judge means I have nothing to do during the rehersal other than stand around and watch other people reherse. I'll be the only judge present, as the other 4 are from outside our school. The contest is this Saturday, an all day affair, a busy end to a busy week.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits
iPod morning commute music: Big Star, #1 Record/Radio City (1992)
Big Star was a great power-pop band, though almost no one heard of them during their brief recording life, myself included. #1 Record was originally released in 1972 and went nowhere. The two main songwriters, Alex Chilton (the famed vocalist from The Box Tops [The Letter], though he sounds nothing like that here) and Chris Bell fell out, and Bell left the band. Radio City came out in 1974, again went nowhere. They recorded but didn't officially release a third album before breaking up for good.
I first heard about them when the third album, titled Third/Sister Lovers was finally released in 1992: I read a review, bought it and loved it. I then bought the reissue of the first two albums on a single CD. A great band, wielding a big influence on a lot of groups including REM, this is the disc to own. Third/Sister Lovers is also great, but very dark.
Yesterday I finally got a much-needed haircut. I couldn't make an appointment at my regular shop, so I found a barber shop in Umeda (the main business district in northern Osaka, and where I change trains every day)on my way home from work. It was a no-frills cut, not even a shampoo, for 1,500 yen (about $13). There's no tipping here, so that was the total cost.
Usually I go for the works when I get a haircut. They really pamper you for around $25-30. I love getting shaved, the hot towel on the face, the straight razor. They shave your whole face, including the forehead and, if you are brave, the eyelids (I have no idea why, but I let them do it anyway). The haircut is also great, with an initial shampoo, rinse, cut, second shampoo and treatment, blowdry, all followed by a mini-massage (shoulders, face and scalp). The whole thing takes about an hour (in comparison, yesterday's cut took 20 minutes).
When I got my hair cut on Vashon Island last, I told the stylist about this. She insisted that her male customers would balk at any cut taking longer than 15 or 20 minutes. I don't think I know any men of my generation in America who have ever had a professional shave. This is a thing of the past, something you see in movies only. I think I would miss this greatly in the States.
Big Star was a great power-pop band, though almost no one heard of them during their brief recording life, myself included. #1 Record was originally released in 1972 and went nowhere. The two main songwriters, Alex Chilton (the famed vocalist from The Box Tops [The Letter], though he sounds nothing like that here) and Chris Bell fell out, and Bell left the band. Radio City came out in 1974, again went nowhere. They recorded but didn't officially release a third album before breaking up for good.
I first heard about them when the third album, titled Third/Sister Lovers was finally released in 1992: I read a review, bought it and loved it. I then bought the reissue of the first two albums on a single CD. A great band, wielding a big influence on a lot of groups including REM, this is the disc to own. Third/Sister Lovers is also great, but very dark.
Yesterday I finally got a much-needed haircut. I couldn't make an appointment at my regular shop, so I found a barber shop in Umeda (the main business district in northern Osaka, and where I change trains every day)on my way home from work. It was a no-frills cut, not even a shampoo, for 1,500 yen (about $13). There's no tipping here, so that was the total cost.
Usually I go for the works when I get a haircut. They really pamper you for around $25-30. I love getting shaved, the hot towel on the face, the straight razor. They shave your whole face, including the forehead and, if you are brave, the eyelids (I have no idea why, but I let them do it anyway). The haircut is also great, with an initial shampoo, rinse, cut, second shampoo and treatment, blowdry, all followed by a mini-massage (shoulders, face and scalp). The whole thing takes about an hour (in comparison, yesterday's cut took 20 minutes).
When I got my hair cut on Vashon Island last, I told the stylist about this. She insisted that her male customers would balk at any cut taking longer than 15 or 20 minutes. I don't think I know any men of my generation in America who have ever had a professional shave. This is a thing of the past, something you see in movies only. I think I would miss this greatly in the States.
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