I am so overwhelmed by this culture. I sit here in a quiet room, a tatami room, by myself. The only furnishings are a futon, a low, black-laquered table and a chair with no legs (which is where I am sitting). Beside me is a low shelf with a flower vase containing fresh lilies of some kind (I'm not good with the names of flowers) and a telephone and ( Read more... )

The first time I saw him he was coming down a flight of stairs from the balcony into the mezzanine area, behind the glass where I was standing. He went to speak to some people and then went in for a sound check. I remember seeing just his legs and recognizing him then. He was wearing white jeans and a black 'G's Killer Crew' T-shirt. I was far away ( Read more... )

From the lap of the dog to the lap of luxury. But man, there's a price. In Kurashiki there is great opposition, weight of balance, between slum and beauty. Slum is where I stayed and beauty is what I found, delicate beauty. The hotel was clean -- ok, the room was clean, but...er...a bit scuffed. Tiny. A table lamp was available for free rental ( Read more... )

I was once again walking up the mountain stairs in Onomichi when I came across a fellow climber. We were already somewhat aquainted as he had passed me on one of my rest-stops. Now it was my turn to pass him. We regarded each other and he looked as if he wanted to say something to me but was unsure if I would understand. So I spoke instead, not ( Read more... )

Yes ironic. But let's see what has brought me here. The train of course. As a side note, my luggage is the bane of my existence. It was bound to happen. The trip itself was, er, different. Starting of course with the utter confusion of the poor guy at the ticket counter, then me missing the train I was to transfer onto and having to ask when ( Read more... )

It's different alright. Admittedly in the city at least, there is still the corporate grind, albeit different corporations. I did see a McDonald's on the way in to town on the train though ( Read more... )

During the short drive around the city of Vancouver in the airport shuttle bus from my hotel I came to a realization. It's all the same. Each and every Canadian - even North American - city a carbon copy of the next. Looking out the dingy window of the bus even the majesty of the mountains was blocked out by views of Costco, with its row upon row ( Read more... )

Time will see.

The Taoist belief, as far as I can interpret it, is that we* are all here for a reason.  This naturally leads to a belief in fate and destiny - something I have great faith in.

What I am interested in is breaking this down.  The greatest destiny, obviously, in any of our existences as humans is being born and dying.  Between these two occurances ( Read more... )

Off for a weekend of Tai Chi. Hopefully I will come back more balanced than I'm starting out.