on schedule

745am

" . . . a millions ways . . .

. . . to find the face of beauty. . ."

before Sakura, there was Mokuren

the first time i remember hearing of/about Kobukuro was in this video with Sato Chikuzen. and the rest is history.

買った!の

the moon and i at sunset

soon (looking up)

tony and another clue (looking west)

sunset afterglow (looking north)

sunset with a view (looking east)

Happiness is . . . a choice

said the bumper sticker.

more words to live by. this sign is in the window of a Yoga "room" (actually not sure what that right word is) which i pass by on the way to and from the bus stop

happy purple

s u n n y w e d n e s d a y

breakfast, photo, walk to bus, photo, sunrise, photos, gym, Trader Joe's, photo, bus, photos.

today's big breakfast. big because i forgot i bought a melon pan from Mitsuwa the other day.

view from underneath the bus stop

view from the bus

sunrise x 2 in the parking lot of the gym

Joe's roses

Nature (PBS reference). this bee almost got upset with me for following him around taking his photo from flower to flower. at times, he would circle me possibly hoping to scare me away, possibly looking for something sweet in my Trader Joe's bag.

looking for the sun. (it is directly...93 millions miles away... on the other side of this flower)

not sure why he doesn't just sit on the bench

r a i n y t u e s d a y

rain, rain come again

Ryuichi Sakamoto - 雨 (Rain)

it is raining again. and that means . . . more rainy day photos to be added later. luckily i got my clothes in from the clothesline just in time. ok, the dryer. time to do something productive. naptime. i had a good workout again this morning and am glad i got home before the rain started as i didn't take an umbrella (pink or black). it is 55f (13c) outside and maybe cooler inside my little apartment. it looks like it is freezing in Osaka at 32f (0c) at 9am tomorrow. brrrr and with that, i think i will turn on my heater for a few minutes. and put the kettle on for some hot chocolate. and a little LoungeFm along with the sound of the pouring rain should make for a nice hour or so nap.

i finished this wonderful drama yesterday. it moved to #1 on my all-time favorite doramas. and i am glad they ended with the possibility of a kiseki (miracle) happening.

early sun, late clouds

when i left for the gym this morning around 7am, it was clear and a brisk 43F. yes, i was the only person walking wearing (or wearing walking) shorts and of course my CANADA sweatshirt. it did warm up by the time i left the gym around 1130am but the clouds have returned and there may be rain tomorrow. after the gym i went to Mitsuwa Market for a few groceries...tofu, miso, ocha. i am still looking for a Toradoshi Fugetsudo Gaufre tin. i am not even sure if they made them for this Year of The Tiger. i will have to check the Fugetsudo main store next time i am in Kobe. and since i was there (Mitsuwa Market area), i decided on some chicken teriyaki from Teriyaki Inn. and when i say i was in the area, i mean it took me two buses to get there from the gym which means two buses to get home. i did have to warm up the teriyaki chicken but it was delicious as always. there goes my 3 hours of cardio workout in one meal. i really need to look up some trips for SAP-ing purposes as i got my 2nd choice for my March work schedule . . . and then call Mike in Holiday as he is the expert on SAP. (no, not the maple syrup kind)(maybe that too). but, i think it is time for a little post-workout post-lunch nap. and then i need to start my Recurrent workbook. and clean my apartment. and get organized . . . tomorrow.

just a hint of the morning sun in the gym parking lot

a few more images from yesterday's walk to the beach . . .

this is the beach i call my beach. can you see the snow on the mountains in the distance?

later that same day

so where was i? oh yeah, just about to go for my sunday walk. well, that was about 8 hours ago. the temperature did warm up and there were many people enjoying the return of the sun

at the beach . . . some surfers, walkers, joggers, runners, rollerbladers, skaters, two super hero boys on razors, dogs (not actually on the beach as they are not allowed), beachcombers, volleyball players and some people just sitting in the sun with a sunday newspaper. lots of nice photos but first here are two from my room with a view. and a few photos from my walk to the beach.

the view from my front window

tony waiting for our sunday walk

barely tanpopo

bright tanpopo, dim sunstar and the bluest of blue skys

after the storm waves

same moon, same temperature

just about to go for my sunday walk when i noticed the temperature was the same here where i live as in my home away from home in Osaka. at 7am here, midnite there it was 44F (7C). fortunately for my walk, the temperature will be rising a little here. the sun is shining brightly now as it has made it's way up past the horizon. and there are so many"sunstars" in the big Australian Bay Fig in front of my window just waiting to be photographed.

Christmas in January

it was about 27 years ago, that i first heard Oda Kazumasa. and it was 27 years ago when i became a fan of his voice, his lyrics, his music. back then he was a member of Off Course so of course i became of a fan of Off Course before he went solo in 1989. i have actually flown to Japan for two of his concerts. today i received a wonderful present from my dear friend Noriko. on one of the two tapes in the package was Oda-san's Christmas special from about a month ago. i think he started making these Christmas Promise specials in 2001. this special was extra special with many many incredible musicians joining together to sing one song lasting almost 23 minutes. the song in the above video is one of Oda-san's songs called Tashikana Koto featuring all the singers in the show. i knew almost all of them. the three images are photos i took of the show while it was playing. (old vcr, not high quality dvd but i think the sound is good). here is translation of this song (below) that i found on the internet. as you may or may not know translations of songs from one language to another don't always translate that well. but, hopefully you can get a sense of the heart and soul of one of my favorite singers, Oda Kazumasa.

Tashikana Koto (Something certain)

I was looking up at the sky after the rain among the people walking by

I'm sure I never noticed the smallest happiness because I couldn't bear the sadness

As time goes by, can I love you? Can I really protect you?

As I looked up at the sky I thought, what can I do for you now?

Never forget, because no matter when, I'll surely be beside you

That's why we're here now

Being blown by the same wind, living in the same time

Like looking out for yourself and quietly thinking of someone else

When you're sad, don't be alone, don't go far away from me

I'd rather trust than doubt, even if the wounds in my heart never go away

Let's go looking for the things we've lost, I'm sure we'll find them someday

The most important things aren't the special occasions

They're the days I spend gazing at you

Feeling the way I do now

There's something I still haven't said to you

It's that, since the day we met, I've always loved you

Are you looking at the sky? Are you listening to the wind?

We can never return here

But don't ever think of that as a sad thing

The most important things aren't the special occasions

They're the days I spend gazing at you

Feeling the way I do now

Never forget, no matter how much time passes, because I'll surely be beside you

That's why we're here now

Being blown by the same wind, living in the same time

a big thank you again to Noriko for the tapes and the sweets. i think this song will bring a tear or two to her eyes. i know it does to mine.

sunshine has returned and so has my procrastination

3 hours to go before my "bids" (work schedule choices for March) are due and i have been taken photos of my daffodils in the sunshine. and listening to a new and heartwarming Vinyl Cafe. and now it is time for lunch. and then, i will finish up and input my "bids". here are two sunny photos and one artsy one of my daffodils. (lighting, lighting, lighting).