ウェ ファンク レジオ

Got some tea and finally have settled down in front of my laptop to update my blog. Not to much to mention other than July is become as busy as I thought it was going to be. An interesting program has started at our office called “Summer Time”. Basically, the day is moved up by an hour so everyone comes in at 7:45 AM and can leave at 4:15 PM. The premise being that everyone will have more time to do something after work like play park golf or volunteer. Kevin was part of it last year and we are both excited about it. However, this is evidently not the reaction of the entire office. Thus only half the office does it at a time and everyone rotates at a weeks duration at a time.

I made a new podcast discovery last week I thought I would share it. It’s called We Funk and it’s run out of McGill University We Funk plays all sorts of funky beats and underground hip-hop. The tragedy of the We Funk podcast is that it is not a true podcast in the sense that it is streaming only; so no taking it with you on the iPod (or mp3 player of your choice) and listening to it on the go. Alas, I must make do. We Funk have a massive back catalogue of their weekly radio shows going back years on their website. It will take a long time to work through that. This kind of podcast makes me very proud to be Canadian. Canada seems years ahead in regards the future sound of hip hop, or maybe the main-stream will never find it because it’s not extreme or shiny or sexy. I don’t want to over describe the station’s wicked beats, sick rhyming, and dangerous groove; but one should just go have a listen for themselves. After listening to quality hip-hop, it’s easy to spot how main-stream gangster rap is weak weak weak: The rapping is slow, the slowly repeated verses about “hoes” become painful. Nothing creative, nothing special, nothing cool; especially the commercials! Ah podcasts; how I love thee. Another strong podcast is the normally innovative CBC Radio 3 podcast. (I admit some shows are better then others.) One small quibble I have is that I don’t think they highlight Canada’s amazing hip-hop scene as much as they should, but I am bias. As artists get discovered from the podcast and move on and up, the smaller artists will take over and the cycle repeats. And again, it’s commercial free. Both podcast have streaming radio stations so the music can stay beaming around the world.

I have recently entered a runner’s twilight zone. Lately it has taken little or no effort to get out after work for a run. This is even more odd in light of my other running habits of not tracking distance, not timing anything, not needing a running buddy for encouragement nor even setting goals. Just lucky I guess.

はくじゃひめまつり

I'm in a bit of a rush today for time. It's very nice out today - for a change - and I am enjoying the breeze coming through the big open windows in the office. I ran 10 km yesterday and I will try again for at least that far today after work. I just wanted to add to my post yesterday that the White Snake Festival's name in Japanese is "Hakujahime Matsuri".

Shikaoi's White Snake Festival

After a busy Saturday of chores (and a run), I attended Shikaoi's White Snake Festival. The festival has become very popular since its conception and is always held on first Saturday of July; also falling on Canada Day this year. The modern Japanese festival has it basis far-back in Ainu tradition, the indigenous people of Hokkaido. I found the festival had surprisingly high production values with big sound and torches lighting the majority of the site, creating a medieval atmosphere. As for Lake Shikaribitsuko where the festival is held, I think Kevin was correct when he described the area as always feeling like autumn. The night was clear and warm and it felt good to get some fresh mountain air in my tired body.

The ritual begins impressively as a boat, guided only by torches, comes ashore baring the two all important white snakes from a scared island located in Lake Shikaribitsuko. Ainu elders lead the pair to a stage where the story of a princess and white snakes unfolds. The dance with the White Snakes is intricate. The White Snakes look delicate and the sharp movements of the dances seem perilous. I have had the opportunity to hold a White Snake and can say there is a firm heft to them. Up close they are beautifully finished; for most of the year they are kept in a large glass case. As far as I know they are hand made specially for Shikaoi by local artisans. The evening was especially entertaining because I saw many people I knew. (Please note Nobu-sama, a firefighter, leading the big snake.)

Also, a cultural phenomenon of interest was the miso soup served through out the night. Delicious it was, probably because it contained a rare trout-like fish found only in Lake Shikaribitsuko. Kevin didn't have any last year because he felt guilty and worried about the fishes' legal status. But I ate my portion - though cautiously looking for bones - without hesitation. We also put lanterns out onto the lake with our wishes written on them that made a very still and beautiful impression to end the evening.

Weeds in my Yard

I just thought I would post images of these weeds that are growing in my front yard before I chop them down tomorrow. This morning I was looking at a quiet Friday night but now I am going to play badminton after work and then go out for a small bite to eat; which from there could turn into anything. I will try to avoid that "anything" because I am tired; my students make me tired. I witnessed a blazen example of how creative kids are this morning in my grade three-four English class. We were going over the actions of "Wheels on the Bus" and asking why the people were going "up and down" or saying "shhhh shhhh" or honking their horn. The reasons the students came up with were wide, varied and completely unpredictable. Really off the wall stuff. Adults are so pragmatic; myself included. This was all kind of off topic because the discussion was mostly in Japanese but it was good fun and it pays off in the long run if the students like the class. All the students in that class are very gun-hoe to learn English. And they love to dance. We played the song three times!

Downhill to the weekend.

I had a frightening moment coming of out Urimaku Junior High School and looking west toward what I thought were heavy rain clouds. I woke up and it was so nice and sunny - as sunny as it has been for a month - and I did not want to see dark clouds on the horizon anytime soon. However, it seemed that a dark cloud is all the weather gods could muster for today because it passed - ominously, threateningly, but harmlessly - in about 10 minutes, to reveal sunny skies again.

どもくん

Japan is one country that has perfected cuteness; here it is both a science and an art. I have always tried to stay immune from such topics; considering it mind-numbing stuff. I have tired to ignore advertisements employing an infinite number of cute mascots. I have tried to avoid cute cell phones, cute paper towels, cute magazines, cute cars, cute shoes, cute canned drinks, etc. Shockingly, yesterday, I found myself staring at a picture of Japanese national TV broadcaster NHK's Domo-kun and felt like I knew him. I was enthralled, thinking, "My, he's a cute little monster. I'd like to meet him." There is some very Radioheadish about his design. And I could only ever love a monster. I especially like the following picture of Domo-kun about to devour a the TV - destroying the very thing that created him. It's either a representation of the best existential question dripping deep artistic irony, or, perhaps I am slowly being worn down, losing my edge, starting to go soft. I would very much like to by a stuffed Domo-kun; not to stick pins and needles into, but to treasure. Domo-kun's catch phrase would even melt the heart of Prime Minster Stephen Harper - someone who shook his kids' hands when dropping them off at school - saying, "doomuu." Some details from his Japanese webpage: He likes spicy BBQ. Lives in a cave, with a webcam of it on his site; very nice touch. His bio also says he actually likes TV; which I am assuming is some kind of mistake.

Baseball

I did end up playing baseball last night and it was a lot of fun. The whole thing was very surreal because we played in thick fog/light rain. At least that is what I am blaming our loss on. Plus the whole game is heavily influenced by Japanese culture; which also made it surreal to play, but in all the good ways that drew me to Japan in the first place. It's raining - again - and looking at the radar images another huge rain storm is passing over Hokkaido. No sense putting any laundry out because it will take days to dry. I keep telling myself I don't care if it rains. Let the heavens open! As long as it clears up in time for the Stony Plain delegation trip. My Mom's arrival must go smoothly under clear skies!


I was thinking about architectural photography recently and I would like to wax poetic for a moment if I may. (It's my blog - my little piece of cyberspace - so I will commence.) Many people that like architectural photography automatically reach for a wide angle lens. It seems like good logic; one has to capture the whole structure. I have another course in mind which depends on other factors. I can not see myself competing with this reasoning because I don't have the time or the money to complete on this level. For example; I don't have access to large-format cameras to keep all the lines nice and straight. I ran the above image through a couple of my own photoshop inventions and really liked the end result. It's a much better expression of the structure - or what ever post-modern psycho babble is in vogue - than the original (seen below).

むしあつい

Today was one of the first really hot days this summer. The past month was just horrible; nothing but rain and clouds. Yesterday was nice; today was just hot. I got into my car after class and the steering wheel was seriously scorching hot. I will have to figure something out. And the steering wheel shaft creeked when I turned it; which really can't be a good sign. What really made the afternoon hot was that I stayed and played soccer for about twenty minutes with the grade sixes. I was quickly drenched in sweat and now I feel tired as I nurse a bottle of Team Japan branded water. I play baseball tonight at 8 o'clock and I assume things will be a little bit cooler buy then. It looks like a really great night to be outside. I am not sure how the whole thing is suppose to work because I am rather new to playing baseball in Japan. Should be interesting. On Sunday, I went for a very long run; my longest so far this year. I just felt like I had a lot of energy to burn. Oddly enough, it occured to me later that Sunday was also the day of the Obihiro marthon.

No Hail, No Lightening

Among other things today, I had to go into Obihiro this afternoon to run some errands. While I was in Obihiro, I got caught in a nasty rainstorm; it was such a surprise because I checked the weather forecast right before I left, and although it was suppose to stay cloudy, no rain was predicted. I got caught in a camera store, getting prints, while the heavens opened. It turned the parking exit I normally use into a deep river thus trapping me for about fifteen minutes until it finally lessened slightly and I made a run for my car. Witnessing the extreme amount of rain that fell, it makes me wonder how it was never predicted; there was no warning. One thing you don't have to worry about with heavy rains in Japan is that normally no hail nor lightening accompany it; so there's slightly less to worry about. Irony of ironies: the main reason I went to Obihiro was to buy an umbrella.