The Journal of his Delights

Before you read this, check out an insightful post by author Catherynne Valente on what a personal singularity might mean. It certainly got me thinking about my expectations in life, about the road I’ve been walking.

What’s clear is that my life has constantly been full of surprises, unexpected turns of event, and transitions. When I first moved to Portland, I fully expected to spend the rest of my life there. And you could say the same thing about Amnesty International. In a sense, I’ve already faced any number of personal singularities - moments after-which I would have no conception of what my life would be like. I jokingly sometimes say that I faced my first mid-life crisis at 19 and have had a handful after that to boot. It’s almost old hat now - how often my life seems to re-invent itself.

Why is that I wonder? Some of it is surely life’s twists and turns. Also, there is the maneuvering required to meet adversity and take advantage of opportunities. But looking back, it’s clear there was a searchingness going on. When I gave up writing fifteen years ago (for lack of clarity, lack of discipline, and a general dis-spiritedness with life), I needed to find something to fill up the hole it left in me. I thought I’d found an answer in photography and in Amnesty International, both of which were amazing. Each became a true home for me to dwell in, but as wonderful and worthwhile as they were, there was still a very personal piece missing. My heart’s desire lay neglected.
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It’s a gorgeous day. Sunny, clear, warm. Definitely a California Christmas.

I’m back in Los Angeles. I flew in yesterday on a remarkably easy flight given that it was the weekend before Christmas.

I found some photographs from my trip (with Lowie) to Dazaifu, and I’ve uploaded them to Flickr. There’s a short slideshow - take a look. The pictures from Komyozenji, a zen temple, are especially beautiful, I think. The mediation hall had that hushed feeling of sacredness, and the fall colors in the garden were just amazing. It was crowded too. Everyone and their uncle was there with a camera, but somehow it didn’t intrude too much onto the peacefulness of the place.

I hardly took any pictures of Tenman-gu, a shinto shrine dedicated to Tenjin, the kami of scholarship. Even though the grounds were much larger and more “impressive”, it didn’t strike me in the same way that Komyozenji did.

Later in the day, we went to the Kyushu National Museum. What a fantastic piece of architecture that was. Very modern, but also incorporating traditional Japanese materials and styling. A wonderful combination of old and new. And the museum itself is very well done with some interesting exhibits on history in Asia.

A small sample from the slideshow:

Portland has an established tradition, Saturday Market, that’s been there for decades now, I think. As you might gather from the name, it’s a market open on Saturdays located under the Burnside Bridge. It’s a great place for wandering and looking at the product of Portland’s artisans. In the run up to Christmas, Saturday Market holds a Festival of the Last Minute wherein the market stays open everyday for the month prior to Christmas.

The Bachmans have been selling Bella Mi at Saturday Market, and I helped Kathy set up her stall today and did a little selling on her behalf.

Here are some pictures:

I really enjoy Saturday Market. It’s a ritual of mine to go, get a piece of hot, steaming fry bread, and just wander around looking at the different stalls. It’s also been the source of some lovely Christmas presents in the past. Unfortunately not this year though. Given all my wanderings over the last 6 months, money’s tight. My merriest Christmas wishes will have to suffice.

I love this show. Basically it’s three guys (Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond) who are absolutely passionate about cars getting - what looks like - free reign to play with really fast, really cool, sometimes really crazy cars. Like the Bugatti Veyron, the fastest production car in the world, which costs something like 1.5 million US$. They have a couple of episodes featuring that particular car, including one where the car races a Eurofighter Typhoon!

When they’re not testing cars, they’re “on the cutting edge of cocking about”, which is probably my favorite part of the show. For example, this clip courtesy of YouTube features these three mates sending a classic Mini Cooper down a ski jump, rocket powered. It’s hilarious!

[Looks like the video was yanked.]

In addition, they’ve tried to send a Reliant Robin into space, cross the English Channel in homemade amphibious vehicles, and generally they have a good time doing it all. Continue Reading »

I wrote about the Bachmans the last time I was in Portland. They’re a great couple. When I first moved to Portland, they let me stay with them for two months until I could settled. Both have been heavily involved with Amnesty International, each of them on US Board of Directors (at different times). Jeff is an attorney for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and prosecutes environmental criminals. How cool is that, right? And Kathy has recently started hand-making and selling soap, and when I visited with them last night, I got a chance to tour the operation. Continue Reading »

I can’t frickin’ believe that I’m still sick. Whatever this thing is, it is damn persistent. While the coughing has eased, I’ll still find myself trying to hack up a lung every once in a while. Also, my energy is really, really low, but that might also be from… well… everything. It’s not like a lot hasn’t been happening.

Of course, being in Portland, that didn’t keep me from visiting the Mothership, i.e. Powell’s City of Books. I’ve been wanting to pick up a copy of Mary Oliver’s Rules for the Dance. I adore Oliver’s poetry, and I’d heard good things about Rules. It’s an examination of meter in poetry, which might not sound interesting, except that it’s Oliver, and she’s clear and passionate and she knows how to dance. I’ve only just started the book, so this isn’t a review, but… oh… I’m so looking forward to delving deeper. Continue Reading »

My friend CC had this video posted on her blog, which she in turn had gotten from her friend Steve. I thought it was clever, so I thought I’d post it here too.

Just a quick note to say that I’m in Portland again, but just for a week to visit. Thank goodness for frequent flyer miles.

While it sounds like it might be the name of an album, it is in fact a very real war between my mother and a swarm of crickets who have invaded her house. Okay, swarm might be an exaggeration, but I suspect that’s how she views them.

In Japanese households, crickets are considered good luck, but I don’t think my mother would care. Their chirping drives her crazy.

I don’t know how they got inside in the first place, but my first clue to the conflict was watching my mother stalk through the guest room with a slipper in hand. Later when honorable, one-on-one fighting would prove fruitless, she resorted to the Weapon of Mass Destruction equivalent of the engagement, the vacuum cleaner. Apparently this was a long-standing battle between them, and I was just new to the scene.

Since I’ve been staying with my parents while I’m in LA, I’ve been drawn into the fighting. I’ve captured two crickets in the past week, but true to my humanitarian background, I’ve released them back into the wild. While I doubt the Hague Protocols and the Geneva Conventions applied, I thought it was in keeping with the spirit of the laws.

If only the current U.S. administration had as much respect…