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Potential Catastrophes
Frequency of quakes around Tokyo, before and after the Tohoku quake. Data from Todai report. Last week, the University of Tokyo Earthquake Research Institute published a new report on “The Big One” that is overdue to hit Tokyo. After studying the frequency of quakes in the Kanto region since 3/11, they say there is a 70%…
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Comic Hooping
Wednesday night at Hoop Lounge I did a first run of a new act that I plan to take up to Tohoku next month to entertain kids who were affected by last year’s earthquake and tsunami. I’ll be going up with Guy Totaro and the Smile Ambassador program, a part of the Tyler Foundation’s children’s…
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Mystery Weasel = Masked Civet
My neighborhood wildlife spottings started in December 2002 and it has always been a mystery to me what this long tailed grey critter was. Tanuki? Badger? I called it the Mystery Weasel in my first post and wrote about another sighting of the same animal on July 2006. After seeing four of them together two…
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Good Luck in the New Year
Yesterday I went to Yoyogi Park to work on a new comic hooping act but got distracted as I entered the gates, Healthy Matsuda, one of Tokyo’s licensed buskers (Heaven Artists, dont’ get me started) was setting up do a comic mime performance. I grabbed a hot tea from the vending machine nearby and plonked myself in…
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Happy New Year
Best wishes from me and Tod for a bright Year of the Dragon.
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25 Words
Mother Earth trembled and futures fell apart. Uncertainty ruled us for months but in the end I’m still in Japan, married, hooping, and feeling happy. This is the eleventh year I’ve summarised the past 365 days in “25 words exactly”. This year’s had a surprise ending for me that I didn’t see coming until it…
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Engage 2012
For the past few years, I’ve selected a theme to guide my year. It’s been a word or an idea that I can turn to in times of doubt or confusion, a mantra that will move me forward or bind me to the moment, something to help me decide what to do. I write it…
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Celebrating my Progress
A friend wrote on Facebook today, “Be reflective and notice what you’ve learned and what you’ve accomplished this year. Celebrate your progress!” I think that’s a good idea. At first, I feel like I haven’t really done very much this year. And then I start looking at some of the things I made notes about…
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Krampus
Have you been naughty or nice this year? Santa and Krampus know… Krampus is Santa’s cruel other half. He brings the coal, carries switches to inflict punishment, and eats children on the naughty list. He’s not usually depicted as a dragon, but it seemed an appropriate avatar for the coming Year of the Dragon. Here’s hoping you’re…
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Totality
Phases of the eclipse, captured by Tod. Last night was the first time I’ve experienced a full lunar eclipse. It was beautiful. We rushed out of the house at 21:45 to catch the first bite taken from the moon. Japanese word for lunar eclipse is gesshoku, 月食, which is literally moon eating. What a meal. With a…
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