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Unpacking in Kamogawa
The movers arrived at 9:00. 90 minutes later, everything in that truck was in the house. How did we get so much stuff and where is it all supposed to go? We’ve spent a few days now sorting through boxes and trying to put our square peg into this round hole. My favorite Japanese word…
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Goodbye, Bunkyo-ku
In the living room at 3:30, 4:30, and 6:30. It was a long day scrambling to get the last of the gear and materials packed. We did get to the stage of putting things in boxes marks “stuff” and “random” when the movers arrived half an hour early. But I’m sure it will all be…
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Bittersweet Goodbyes
The kids’ chalk drawings at this house have gone from Anpanman scribbles to train schematics. Me: We’ve only got a couple of days left; we should plan to eat at our favorite restaurants and say goodbye to the neighbors we like. Tod: Yeah, we should but we’ll come back. Me: Did we go back to…
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Boxes & Kanji
Preparations for moving are definitely underway. We have piles of boxes where the sofa used to be. Ultra Bob collected the sofa last weekend and traded me an electric bass for it – a trade I am very happy about. If it all works out, our unwanted furniture will have a happy new home: the…
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Genesis Art Teacher Training
I’ve been enjoying Liane Wakabayashi’s intuitive art classes for several years and when she invited me to join the first Genesis Art Teacher Training, I jumped at the chance to learn how I might be able to use this as a quiet creative activity with my social circus work. Genesis Art uses a beautiful deck…
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Midlife Lifestyle Style Change
Our current home and our soon-to-be home. So many personal plans have been happening behind the scenes and now that dates are set and everything is moving forward at a brisk clip, I can finally tell you about them. Long story made short: We are permanent residents of Japan; Tod’s quit his job; We are…
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Gaddi Songs at Ghoomakad
On our last night in Rakkar, we hung out on the balcony at Ghoomakad with friends and made music. When we’d trekked up the mountain a few weeks previously, Foja hummed and whistled a tune that was an earworm. I was really glad that it was played that night with the lyrics explained, too. It’s…
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Stagaki 2015
If I’m going to “do it all now” I need to stop faffing around on Facebook & social media. I’m reinstating my Stagaki art project from 2013. The next 50 times I want to share something on Facebook, I’ll write it on a postcard instead and mail it to someone. You send me your mailing address and I’ll…
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Do It All Now
At the moment, I am full of ideas for my life. Business ventures. Partnerships. Renewal of old projects. Some of them are already in motion, others are just getting underway. Some are short term, others are long term. Many of them depend on one thing or another that is out of my control. It’s a…
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Jaljeera, Cumin Lemonade
While teaching a school program on a hot day in India, the kids and I were served a drink I’d never tasted before. It’s a sweet, salty, and spicy lemonade called jaljeera. I’m in love; this is the best thing for a hot day, whether it’s a Tokyo heatwave or a dusty playground. There are…
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