Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
1 January 2010
Recording some figures on the occasion of the new year. (all in local figures: Australia)
- Price of milk: $3.70/3 litre bottle.
- Price of loaf of bread: $1.90.
- Price of litre of petrol: $1.28.
- 1 share of stock in Google, the leading Internet company: US$620.00.
- Cost of 1 terabyte hard disk drive (which is considered large but rapidly becoming standard): about $200.
- Apple iMac is popular personal computer, runs as about 2.2 Gigahertz.
- President: Barack Obama.
- VP: Joe Biden, Sec. of State: Hillary Clinton.
- Biggest events of the last year: General Motors files for bankruptcy; global financial crisis; Obama's inauguration; Black Friday bush fires in Victoria; Beijing Olympics; iPhone 3G... almost passed major health insurance reform in the US...
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
On this Easter Sunday: "Good Lord"
I'd like to take a minute to say that my wife's a fox. How much luckier can a guy get?
We all went shopping today and picked up a lot of new clothes. We we are modeling our new shirts. (above and below)
Just the girls. "Good Lord"!!
Just the boys.
We all went shopping today and picked up a lot of new clothes. We we are modeling our new shirts. (above and below)
Just the girls. "Good Lord"!!
Just the boys.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Holiday to Kyoto, Shigaraki, Nara, and Horyuji
We just returned from a family holiday to some of the most historic sites in Japan, several of which are UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites. It was a lot of fun but with the kids in tow, it was also a lot of work. It will probably be our last family holiday for some time, except for the cruise. [More photos here.]
We began our trip in Kyoto on Sunday. We stayed in a hotel room that overlooked the temple of Honnoji, the same temple where the warlord Oda Nobunaga was killed in 1582. Across the street, in front of the city hall, were men, not all of them young, decked out in 1950s American "Rebel-without-a-cause" gear. Hair slicked back, leather collars turned up, they were looking very serious, assembled in a circle, dancing to Japanese translated Rockabilly tunes from the same era as their clothing. It was most ridiculous but Miyako really got a kick out of it. A group of girls in poodle dresses invited her to join in but she was too shy.
In front of a store called "Miyako" in Kyoto (which also means "Miyako")
At Nishiki tenmangu shrine
The were just so serious about the whole thing, we had a good laugh
In the Honnoji hotel.
Eating breakfast.
The next morning, we rented a car and headed for the hills. After about an hour's drive through the countryside, we arrived at Shigaraki, a pottery village that produces some of the most valuable and original fired clay works in the country. They also make, en masse, tanukis, or "raccoon dogs," that have the faces of raccoons, the bodies of a fat Buddha statue, and massive, oversized testicles. Kent wanted to do nothing but play with a small frog figurine. We had to buy it for him. Also got Amy a tanuki, because she asked for it.
In Shigaraki
From there, our very cool navigation system sent us toward Nara through even deeper countryside of the most splendid bucolic beauty. The scenery was idyllic, like something out of a Kurosawa film. Farm houses, terraced rice fields, ceder forests, bent elderly, and tea bushes of the most remarkable order, all welcomed us at every hairpin turn. The roads were barely wide enough for two cars.
Tea bushes along the road from Shigaraki to Nara
Finally arriving in Nara, Japan's imperial capital from 710-784, we checked into the Nara Hotel. The Nara Hotel is easily the finest hotel in the city and perhaps one of the most famous in the country. It's remarkable for its architecture, built in a Western-Japanese fusion style typical of the early Meiji period (1868-1912). It was spectacular, right up to the point where we had to deal with any staff. They seemed so into their image and doing things the "right" way, they paid no attention to our needs. I've had much better experiences at hotels one-tenth the price. But it was beautiful, I'll give them that.
Entrance to the Nara Hotel
In Nara, the kids enjoyed petting the ubiquitous deer, but this too ended badly. When Miyako approached one too fast, it butted her with his small horns. I almost kicked the SOB right in the nose. I was freaking out. Good thing (for the deer) she was not hurt.
The next morning, still in Nara, we visited the great temple of Todaiji, famous for being a World Heritage site but special because it is the world's largest wooden building. Most amazing is that it's only 2/3rd it's previous size, as built in the 14th century. The Buddhist icon inside is, I think, the largest bronze in the world. The kids were unimpressed but Miyako enjoyed passing through a hole in one of the pillars, said to be the same diameter as the main icon's nostril.
From Nara, we drove south to the temple of Horyuji. It's off the beaten track and not a tourist destination but Horyuji is very special. It's the oldest extant Buddhist temple in Japan AND, incidentally, it's main hall, the Kondo, is the oldest wooden building in the world!
There she is. The Horyuji kondo was built in the 7th century.
The place was magical. I've been to a lot of temples in my day but this one was different. I'm not sure why but the sensation of being in a complex built in the 7th century by Prince Shotoku, one of Japan's founding fathers, gave me a tingly feeling all over. The kids seems to like being there as well, which added to its magical quality. At one point, they began to play hide and seek amidst the wide pillars that make up the surrounding corridor. I couldn't help but be inspired by how they were enjoying themselves in such a sacred and historical place. The Buddha would have been pleased.
From there, we drove back to Kyoto on time to catch a late bullet train back to Tokyo. All in all, the trip was great but exhausting. We certainly collected a lot of memories. But in an ironic twist to our objective of collecting memories rather than things, we realized that memories can be very, very expensive.
.
We began our trip in Kyoto on Sunday. We stayed in a hotel room that overlooked the temple of Honnoji, the same temple where the warlord Oda Nobunaga was killed in 1582. Across the street, in front of the city hall, were men, not all of them young, decked out in 1950s American "Rebel-without-a-cause" gear. Hair slicked back, leather collars turned up, they were looking very serious, assembled in a circle, dancing to Japanese translated Rockabilly tunes from the same era as their clothing. It was most ridiculous but Miyako really got a kick out of it. A group of girls in poodle dresses invited her to join in but she was too shy.
In front of a store called "Miyako" in Kyoto (which also means "Miyako")
At Nishiki tenmangu shrine
The were just so serious about the whole thing, we had a good laugh
In the Honnoji hotel.
Eating breakfast.
The next morning, we rented a car and headed for the hills. After about an hour's drive through the countryside, we arrived at Shigaraki, a pottery village that produces some of the most valuable and original fired clay works in the country. They also make, en masse, tanukis, or "raccoon dogs," that have the faces of raccoons, the bodies of a fat Buddha statue, and massive, oversized testicles. Kent wanted to do nothing but play with a small frog figurine. We had to buy it for him. Also got Amy a tanuki, because she asked for it.
In Shigaraki
From there, our very cool navigation system sent us toward Nara through even deeper countryside of the most splendid bucolic beauty. The scenery was idyllic, like something out of a Kurosawa film. Farm houses, terraced rice fields, ceder forests, bent elderly, and tea bushes of the most remarkable order, all welcomed us at every hairpin turn. The roads were barely wide enough for two cars.
Tea bushes along the road from Shigaraki to Nara
Finally arriving in Nara, Japan's imperial capital from 710-784, we checked into the Nara Hotel. The Nara Hotel is easily the finest hotel in the city and perhaps one of the most famous in the country. It's remarkable for its architecture, built in a Western-Japanese fusion style typical of the early Meiji period (1868-1912). It was spectacular, right up to the point where we had to deal with any staff. They seemed so into their image and doing things the "right" way, they paid no attention to our needs. I've had much better experiences at hotels one-tenth the price. But it was beautiful, I'll give them that.
Entrance to the Nara Hotel
In Nara, the kids enjoyed petting the ubiquitous deer, but this too ended badly. When Miyako approached one too fast, it butted her with his small horns. I almost kicked the SOB right in the nose. I was freaking out. Good thing (for the deer) she was not hurt.
The next morning, still in Nara, we visited the great temple of Todaiji, famous for being a World Heritage site but special because it is the world's largest wooden building. Most amazing is that it's only 2/3rd it's previous size, as built in the 14th century. The Buddhist icon inside is, I think, the largest bronze in the world. The kids were unimpressed but Miyako enjoyed passing through a hole in one of the pillars, said to be the same diameter as the main icon's nostril.
From Nara, we drove south to the temple of Horyuji. It's off the beaten track and not a tourist destination but Horyuji is very special. It's the oldest extant Buddhist temple in Japan AND, incidentally, it's main hall, the Kondo, is the oldest wooden building in the world!
There she is. The Horyuji kondo was built in the 7th century.
The place was magical. I've been to a lot of temples in my day but this one was different. I'm not sure why but the sensation of being in a complex built in the 7th century by Prince Shotoku, one of Japan's founding fathers, gave me a tingly feeling all over. The kids seems to like being there as well, which added to its magical quality. At one point, they began to play hide and seek amidst the wide pillars that make up the surrounding corridor. I couldn't help but be inspired by how they were enjoying themselves in such a sacred and historical place. The Buddha would have been pleased.
From there, we drove back to Kyoto on time to catch a late bullet train back to Tokyo. All in all, the trip was great but exhausting. We certainly collected a lot of memories. But in an ironic twist to our objective of collecting memories rather than things, we realized that memories can be very, very expensive.
.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Immigrants, Sacrifice, and a Brighter Future for our Kids
For a variety of reasons, I've been thinking quite a bit lately about one of the guiding principles of good parenthood: the hope that our kids have a better life than we do. We all share this hope, don't we? It's only natural. But do we all feel it equally? More precisely, do we all make the same effort?
I don't think so.
Lately, I've had occasion to be around a few working-class foreigners here in Japan. Immigrating from the Philippines, China and elsewhere, they, like immigrants around the world, endure profound hardships. They don't speak the language; they following a strange religion; they look different; they have no family or close friends nearby, and they are often quite poor. Society looks down on them: they are the suspects of crime, depredation, and immorality. They suffer discrimination and ridicule at every turn.
But they endure these profound hardships because they know their kids will benefit by growing up in a country infinitely safer and more prosperous then their own.
Lately, I've begun looking at working-class immigrant families with a sense of awe. I wonder honestly if I have the same mettle. They endure so much and sacrifice so greatly to ensure their kids have a better future. What do I do? I read to my kids before they go to bed. I try to tell them creative stories and listen when they have something to say. I stash away a few dollars for their education. That's about it and it's nothing compared to the Herculean efforts of so many immigrants here in Japan, the US and around the world.
I wonder how different the world would be if all made the same sacrifices; if we all put the same effort into our kids' futures as do so many working-class immigrants.
What do you think?
I don't think so.
Lately, I've had occasion to be around a few working-class foreigners here in Japan. Immigrating from the Philippines, China and elsewhere, they, like immigrants around the world, endure profound hardships. They don't speak the language; they following a strange religion; they look different; they have no family or close friends nearby, and they are often quite poor. Society looks down on them: they are the suspects of crime, depredation, and immorality. They suffer discrimination and ridicule at every turn.
But they endure these profound hardships because they know their kids will benefit by growing up in a country infinitely safer and more prosperous then their own.
Lately, I've begun looking at working-class immigrant families with a sense of awe. I wonder honestly if I have the same mettle. They endure so much and sacrifice so greatly to ensure their kids have a better future. What do I do? I read to my kids before they go to bed. I try to tell them creative stories and listen when they have something to say. I stash away a few dollars for their education. That's about it and it's nothing compared to the Herculean efforts of so many immigrants here in Japan, the US and around the world.
I wonder how different the world would be if all made the same sacrifices; if we all put the same effort into our kids' futures as do so many working-class immigrants.
What do you think?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Irreconcilable differences
Marrying someone from another country can be fraught with cultural friction and at no time is this more apparent than when it come to child rearing.
Today I did something with the kids that so profoundly disturbed Kyoko, she scowled at me in a state of utter apoplexy for a very long time. It was something so odd, so strange, she couldn't fathom what was going through my insane mind.
Ready for this? Do you want to know what my terrible sin was? I was feeding them peanut butter that I had spread on a small piece of chocolate!! Holy Toledo! I may as well have been socking them with electrodes attached to their ears. What a terrible father I am!
Then I realized... Japan still does not have one important element of human civilization.
Today I did something with the kids that so profoundly disturbed Kyoko, she scowled at me in a state of utter apoplexy for a very long time. It was something so odd, so strange, she couldn't fathom what was going through my insane mind.
Ready for this? Do you want to know what my terrible sin was? I was feeding them peanut butter that I had spread on a small piece of chocolate!! Holy Toledo! I may as well have been socking them with electrodes attached to their ears. What a terrible father I am!
Then I realized... Japan still does not have one important element of human civilization.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Friday, December 12, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Holiday to the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Our holiday to the Sunshine Coast was so wonderful, so filled with amazing experiences, I cannot hope to capture it in a brief blog post. Let me then just give some highlights.
Day 1: We took a mid-day flight on Monday from Sydney to the small Sunshine Coast airport, located about 100 kilometers north of Brisbane (600 miles north of Sydney), on the coast of tropical Queensland. We arrived at 2.30, rented a car, and were at our resort by 3.30. It only took that long because the luggage was slow coming out. In fact, our resort was only about 5 minutes from the airport, and what an amazing place it was.
Our room at the Surfair on Marcoola Beach was actually a two-bedroom, two-bath condo with a full kitchen, appliances, and all the necessities of life. The huge balcony overlooked the pool area beyond which was the beach. I cannot do the scenery justice so you'll have to see the photos.
We spent the afternoon at the pool. Kent was fearful at first but soon came to really like the water. Miyako got to fulfill her dream of being a mermaid. She really loved the pool. That night we ate Pizza at the local Italian restaurant.
Day 2: We woke early to another perfect Queensland-blue sky. Jumping in the car, we set off toward Bribane to see some old friends from Sydney who moved up a year ago. On our way, we got a taste of Queensland's climate, topography, and fauna. It's quite different from Sydney: more tropical, much less developed, and interesting conical volcanic remnants scattered here and there.
Our friends live in Brisbane's northern suburbs, where they built a brand new house. The neighborhood, with beautiful homes, grassy parks, elaborate and very large playgrounds placed here and there, wooded bike paths, and a new community shopping center was the vision of an ideal world. The only thing I could compare it to, and I haven't been there myself, might be Celebration, Florida, a master-planned community built by Disney in the 1990s, meant to be the model American city. The irony is, however, that our friend's neighborhood is not all that unusual in Australia while Celebration, FL is truly an anomaly in the US. Moreover (and no offense to our friends if they're reading this), it's hardly a "rich" area. It's just a nice, new, middle-class suburb. By no means are all Australian communities perfect (not least of which includes our own) but so many look similar that I couldn't help but feel, once again, very fortunate to be here.
We spent most of the day with them at a massive indoor playground. The photos don't do the place justice. It was really wonderful, with slides, air guns, ball pools, and much more. Miyako probably had the most fun of us all. She got to see Claire, her first best friend.
Our friends followed us back to our resort that afternoon at which we enjoyed the pool together, checked out the beach, and shared a wonderful take-away Italian dinner. I washed it down with a newly-discovered dark beer from Tooheys.
Day 3: Another very hot day. We ventured off to the world-famous Australia Zoo, home to "The Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin. Steve died tragically last year, leaving his American wife, Terri, and two small children in charge of the zoo and their massive conservation and media enterprise. Since then, his daughter, Bindi, has become the star of her very own nature show, "Bindi, the Jungle Girl." She's a superstar in her own right now. Anyway, on the way to the zoo, I mused to Kyoko that it's possible we'll actually see Bindi and her brother, not because they are featured at the zoo itself but merely due to the fact that they actually live there (not in cages). Well, as fate would have it, just past the front entrance, there was an area where kids can play on a bouncy castle. And guess who was horsing around before school? That's right, Bindi and her little brother, Robert! I was surprised and excited but tried to play it cool. I just walked up to where she was, said hi and asked if I could take a photo. She was so gracious, forthcoming and almost frighteningly accustomed to the attention, I was really impressed. I thought it was a shame Miyako didn't recognize her but in retrospect, if Miyako had, she would have probably shied away.
The zoo was on the small side but it featured mostly native animals. We saw two giant tortoises. One was the son of a tortoise that was brought to Australia by Charles Darwin from the Galapagos Islands at the end of the 19th century. It died in 2006 at 175 years old. Miyako and mom fed elephants and lots of kangaroos. But the highlight of the day was the crocodile show. This, again, was beyond explanation but there is one thing I'll mention that really struck me. This was a live performance with extremely dangerous animals that cannot be trained in any way whatsoever. While the performers were doing the show--which boiled down to them feeding the animals large pieces of raw meat--you could tell that they knew what they were doing, but, shockingly, you could also tell that they were profoundly afraid of the crocks. They took no risks. They didn't tell jokes or mess around at all. It was all business as they fed the giant living dinosaurs.
On our way home, we stopped at the Giant Pineapple, a Queensland monument (significance: unknown). More time in the pool that evening.
Day 4: We drove north up the coast to Noosa, the resort town with the unusual feature of a beach that faces due north (that's toward the sun down here). Noosa was pleasant but very exclusive, white, and expensive. We liked the visit but would not want to live there.
We took an inland route back to the airport to see a bit more of the bush. We were struck again by how undeveloped Queensland is. Just a few kilos from Noosa was nothing but fallow land all the way to the horizon. Despite this, the roads were very well maintained, another thing that reminded us that the state is so much richer than New South Wales, thanks to the mining boom.
We flew back to Sydney that afternoon. It was nice to travel but coming home's great too. We had a wonderful time. Please enjoy the photos. We're on our way to explore the remote regions of our own state next weekend and pay a visit to our capital city at Canberra. Should be fun.
Day 1: We took a mid-day flight on Monday from Sydney to the small Sunshine Coast airport, located about 100 kilometers north of Brisbane (600 miles north of Sydney), on the coast of tropical Queensland. We arrived at 2.30, rented a car, and were at our resort by 3.30. It only took that long because the luggage was slow coming out. In fact, our resort was only about 5 minutes from the airport, and what an amazing place it was.
Our room at the Surfair on Marcoola Beach was actually a two-bedroom, two-bath condo with a full kitchen, appliances, and all the necessities of life. The huge balcony overlooked the pool area beyond which was the beach. I cannot do the scenery justice so you'll have to see the photos.
We spent the afternoon at the pool. Kent was fearful at first but soon came to really like the water. Miyako got to fulfill her dream of being a mermaid. She really loved the pool. That night we ate Pizza at the local Italian restaurant.
Day 2: We woke early to another perfect Queensland-blue sky. Jumping in the car, we set off toward Bribane to see some old friends from Sydney who moved up a year ago. On our way, we got a taste of Queensland's climate, topography, and fauna. It's quite different from Sydney: more tropical, much less developed, and interesting conical volcanic remnants scattered here and there.
Our friends live in Brisbane's northern suburbs, where they built a brand new house. The neighborhood, with beautiful homes, grassy parks, elaborate and very large playgrounds placed here and there, wooded bike paths, and a new community shopping center was the vision of an ideal world. The only thing I could compare it to, and I haven't been there myself, might be Celebration, Florida, a master-planned community built by Disney in the 1990s, meant to be the model American city. The irony is, however, that our friend's neighborhood is not all that unusual in Australia while Celebration, FL is truly an anomaly in the US. Moreover (and no offense to our friends if they're reading this), it's hardly a "rich" area. It's just a nice, new, middle-class suburb. By no means are all Australian communities perfect (not least of which includes our own) but so many look similar that I couldn't help but feel, once again, very fortunate to be here.
We spent most of the day with them at a massive indoor playground. The photos don't do the place justice. It was really wonderful, with slides, air guns, ball pools, and much more. Miyako probably had the most fun of us all. She got to see Claire, her first best friend.
Our friends followed us back to our resort that afternoon at which we enjoyed the pool together, checked out the beach, and shared a wonderful take-away Italian dinner. I washed it down with a newly-discovered dark beer from Tooheys.
Day 3: Another very hot day. We ventured off to the world-famous Australia Zoo, home to "The Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin. Steve died tragically last year, leaving his American wife, Terri, and two small children in charge of the zoo and their massive conservation and media enterprise. Since then, his daughter, Bindi, has become the star of her very own nature show, "Bindi, the Jungle Girl." She's a superstar in her own right now. Anyway, on the way to the zoo, I mused to Kyoko that it's possible we'll actually see Bindi and her brother, not because they are featured at the zoo itself but merely due to the fact that they actually live there (not in cages). Well, as fate would have it, just past the front entrance, there was an area where kids can play on a bouncy castle. And guess who was horsing around before school? That's right, Bindi and her little brother, Robert! I was surprised and excited but tried to play it cool. I just walked up to where she was, said hi and asked if I could take a photo. She was so gracious, forthcoming and almost frighteningly accustomed to the attention, I was really impressed. I thought it was a shame Miyako didn't recognize her but in retrospect, if Miyako had, she would have probably shied away.
The zoo was on the small side but it featured mostly native animals. We saw two giant tortoises. One was the son of a tortoise that was brought to Australia by Charles Darwin from the Galapagos Islands at the end of the 19th century. It died in 2006 at 175 years old. Miyako and mom fed elephants and lots of kangaroos. But the highlight of the day was the crocodile show. This, again, was beyond explanation but there is one thing I'll mention that really struck me. This was a live performance with extremely dangerous animals that cannot be trained in any way whatsoever. While the performers were doing the show--which boiled down to them feeding the animals large pieces of raw meat--you could tell that they knew what they were doing, but, shockingly, you could also tell that they were profoundly afraid of the crocks. They took no risks. They didn't tell jokes or mess around at all. It was all business as they fed the giant living dinosaurs.
On our way home, we stopped at the Giant Pineapple, a Queensland monument (significance: unknown). More time in the pool that evening.
Day 4: We drove north up the coast to Noosa, the resort town with the unusual feature of a beach that faces due north (that's toward the sun down here). Noosa was pleasant but very exclusive, white, and expensive. We liked the visit but would not want to live there.
We took an inland route back to the airport to see a bit more of the bush. We were struck again by how undeveloped Queensland is. Just a few kilos from Noosa was nothing but fallow land all the way to the horizon. Despite this, the roads were very well maintained, another thing that reminded us that the state is so much richer than New South Wales, thanks to the mining boom.
We flew back to Sydney that afternoon. It was nice to travel but coming home's great too. We had a wonderful time. Please enjoy the photos. We're on our way to explore the remote regions of our own state next weekend and pay a visit to our capital city at Canberra. Should be fun.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Flouting the Law and Christmas Trees
I broke the law boldly and proudly today. In Australia, it is unlawful for anyone who is not a licensed electrician to do anything more with electrical appliances than plug them into the wall and flip the switch. I knew this early on but never took it seriously, until I tried to change a light fixture several months after arriving! Removing a light fixture cover reveals a veritable spaghetti cluster of wires in all colors and textures. It's truly mind boggling. Why in the hell does a single light bulb need 7 to 10 separate wires running to it? I still don't know.
Anyway, since then, I've experimented and have met with mild successful, but not with anything very serious. I was planning something bigger but just the other day a licensed carpenter warned me that even he would "never touch an electrical wire." I should stay away, he urged, with a throat-cutting gesture.
Well, I went ahead anyway and can now report that the whole thing was a triumphant success. I installed two new exterior lights on our back deck. I wish I had taken a photos of the spaghetti cluster but it was tremendous, truly messed up. The light fixtures are stainless steel and they house ultra-high output compact florescent bulbs! I only had one complication. The ohm meter was cross-tiered to the swash buckle, which interverted the PPK sub-channel ground impedance loop to the panel. The boys at KBR sorted it all out, though, so everything went well in the end.
Look at the image and you'll also see that we got new vinyl cladding installed on our eaves. New gutters too but no photos of those yet.
We also put up our Christmas tree today. Miyako was so excited to get started all day beforehand that she must have asked us if it was time about a million times. Kent too found the whole thing quite amusing. He liked biting into the Styrofoam ornaments and licking off the glitter.
Took the opportunity to break open the Bailey's Kyoko's mom bought us. It was very nice.
After all the excitement, Kent was feeling a little sleepy. (Cockatoos are engaged in a battle royale in the tree behind us. They were so loud all day.)
Anyway, since then, I've experimented and have met with mild successful, but not with anything very serious. I was planning something bigger but just the other day a licensed carpenter warned me that even he would "never touch an electrical wire." I should stay away, he urged, with a throat-cutting gesture.
Well, I went ahead anyway and can now report that the whole thing was a triumphant success. I installed two new exterior lights on our back deck. I wish I had taken a photos of the spaghetti cluster but it was tremendous, truly messed up. The light fixtures are stainless steel and they house ultra-high output compact florescent bulbs! I only had one complication. The ohm meter was cross-tiered to the swash buckle, which interverted the PPK sub-channel ground impedance loop to the panel. The boys at KBR sorted it all out, though, so everything went well in the end.
Look at the image and you'll also see that we got new vinyl cladding installed on our eaves. New gutters too but no photos of those yet.
We also put up our Christmas tree today. Miyako was so excited to get started all day beforehand that she must have asked us if it was time about a million times. Kent too found the whole thing quite amusing. He liked biting into the Styrofoam ornaments and licking off the glitter.
Took the opportunity to break open the Bailey's Kyoko's mom bought us. It was very nice.
After all the excitement, Kent was feeling a little sleepy. (Cockatoos are engaged in a battle royale in the tree behind us. They were so loud all day.)
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Another Amazing Day in the City
We woke this morning determined to do something fun today. Work has been a little stressful lately and the back garden is now officially complete, so we felt it was time to get out of the house (not that it's all that uncommon). We jumped in the car and made the 1-hour trip to the city to visit the Australian Museum where they're doing an exhibition of dinosaur bones. Miyako went wild with all the displays, and much to our delight, Kent really seemed to get into the whole thing as well. He was squealing with joy as he ran from one display to the next, touching many things he shouldn't have. Miyako wanted to watch a movie about life in Queensland 10 million years ago but was horrified when it showed a swarm of baby dinosaurs being ambushed by a much larger meat eater that roared with contentment when it was done chewing.
After the museum we walked across the street to Hyde park where there was an outdoor photography expo, which was also very nice. The weather was absolutely perfect (quite typically so, however) so we stayed out for quite some time. Kent chased ibises. Miyako picked flowers. We felt like tourists, taking so many photos. We wrapped up the morning with lunch at our favorite Japanese noodle shop in Victoria Gallery. It was all very pleasant.
Tomorrow starts the last week of the semester. It's been a tough one, yet again. I had to go into work THREE DAYS A WEEK FOR THE PAST 13 WEEK! Slave boy, slave boy...
Enjoy the photos and leave us a comment, please.
After the museum we walked across the street to Hyde park where there was an outdoor photography expo, which was also very nice. The weather was absolutely perfect (quite typically so, however) so we stayed out for quite some time. Kent chased ibises. Miyako picked flowers. We felt like tourists, taking so many photos. We wrapped up the morning with lunch at our favorite Japanese noodle shop in Victoria Gallery. It was all very pleasant.
Tomorrow starts the last week of the semester. It's been a tough one, yet again. I had to go into work THREE DAYS A WEEK FOR THE PAST 13 WEEK! Slave boy, slave boy...
Enjoy the photos and leave us a comment, please.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Dressup and Reptile Show
Miyako's long been a fan of dressing up but mix that primal desire with her current obsession with princesses and you have hours, and hours, and hours of fun. See the slide show for her newest looks as well as a peek at how brave she was at a recent reptile show held for the kinds in her play group.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Voting, Fireworks and Sculptures by the Sea
I've done it! I've cast my vote for Barack Obama. He's the first candidate I've ever voted for who really excited me. My last vote for president was really a vote against Bush, even though I thought Kerry was pretty good anyway. Gore, before that, was okay but I wasn't really interested in politics at the time.
Last night went to the grand opening of a new hardware store near the house and were treated to what must have been the best fireworks display we've seen in quite some time. The best part was that it was almost directly over our heads. Kent was asleep when it started but when the sound woke him, he was quite thrilled.
(That's Miyako's friend, not Kent)
Today, we went to Tamarama beach to see the annual art event, Sculptures by the Sea. It was wonderful and the seaside was more amazing than ever. While walking along the cliff wall, we talked about how it wouldn't be unreasonable for someone to spend thousands of dollars to visit a place like this. We live 40 minutes away. We even got to see a whale and her calf making their way down the coast along with a pod of dolphins. I even got a picture of the mother.
Last night went to the grand opening of a new hardware store near the house and were treated to what must have been the best fireworks display we've seen in quite some time. The best part was that it was almost directly over our heads. Kent was asleep when it started but when the sound woke him, he was quite thrilled.
(That's Miyako's friend, not Kent)
Today, we went to Tamarama beach to see the annual art event, Sculptures by the Sea. It was wonderful and the seaside was more amazing than ever. While walking along the cliff wall, we talked about how it wouldn't be unreasonable for someone to spend thousands of dollars to visit a place like this. We live 40 minutes away. We even got to see a whale and her calf making their way down the coast along with a pod of dolphins. I even got a picture of the mother.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
This, to me, is Australia
The sun-burned gum-tree siding, single Federation finial, rusted tin roof, and the perpetually cloudless, bristling azure sky all meet in a single vista to create what is for me the archetypal Australian scene.
Taken today at the summer farm festival, Camden, New South Wales.
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| From Home, Darling Harbour, and New Swing |
Taken today at the summer farm festival, Camden, New South Wales.
A busy week
We had a very nice two weeks with the visit of Grandma Takeo from Japan. Celebrating her birthday and visiting the Blue Mountains were among the highlights. I think she most enjoyed quiet days in the garden with the kids.
Last night we went to the Outback Steakhouse to get a taste of the "real" Australia. I was so impressed by the lengths the restaurant went to make the experience seem authentic. They had large murals of the desert on the walls, piped in aboriginal music, and all Australa's finest on tap. Best of all, it seems the customers really wanted to get in on the act as well: all of them were speaking in an Australian accent! (I could tell it was fake, though)
Today was "Free Farm Day" in Camden and we had a wonderful time: petting animals, milking a cow, having a picnic, watching sheep shearing, listening to country music. It was very enjoyable.
Here are some photos. Enjoy.
Last night we went to the Outback Steakhouse to get a taste of the "real" Australia. I was so impressed by the lengths the restaurant went to make the experience seem authentic. They had large murals of the desert on the walls, piped in aboriginal music, and all Australa's finest on tap. Best of all, it seems the customers really wanted to get in on the act as well: all of them were speaking in an Australian accent! (I could tell it was fake, though)
Today was "Free Farm Day" in Camden and we had a wonderful time: petting animals, milking a cow, having a picnic, watching sheep shearing, listening to country music. It was very enjoyable.
Here are some photos. Enjoy.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Encounter with the Bra Boys
We went to Maroubra today, one of Sydney most pleasant seaside suburbs. Despite the beautiful atmosphere and the amazing foreshore, Maroubra has a poor image for its being the home of Sydney's most infamous surfer gang, the Bra Boys. This has never bothered us, however, and every time we've visited, we've only come away liking the place more. Today was no different, despite a brush with the "boys."
We had a picnic high up on the bluffs overlooking the sea before deciding to make our way down the coast to Maroubra beach. Kyoko took the car around to the carpark while me, Miyako, and Kent walked down alone. Arriving at the beach, we began slowly descending a long flight of winding steps that led to the sand below. I was carrying the stroller with Kent on board and Miyako was trailing behind. Half way down, we arrived at a landing before a turn and immediately, right there in front of us, appeared about 15 very large and darkly tanned young men, loitering and cavorting loudly on the steps and beach below. This alone would have been enough to cause some concern but it was what I saw next that really had me scared. The men were bedecked in the hallmark tattoos of the Bra Boys!
To be honest, fear was not my first emotion. In fact, I was more intrigued that the gang I had heard so much about was actually real and that their members were standing right there in front of us. In that split second, I made the decision to continue going down the steps, despite the fact that several of the "boys" were blocking the way. Several other families were also passing by so I had some reason to think it was okay. Just then, as I was about to leave the landing and continue lifting the stroller down the last flight of steps, one of the gang members came bounding up the steps, flailing his arms, pointing at us, and shouting commands to his mates.
I wasn't immediately scared but at the very moment, I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen. Then, just then, I grasped what it was that this burly surfer was doing: He was exhorting his fellow gang members to help me bring the stroller down the steps, and apparently, he was someone of some influence. Three or four of the guys immediately jumped to our sides, grabbing the stroller, and in a moment, it was delivered, with Kent strapped aboard, safely to the base of the steps. I was speechless, for two reasons. One was shock. The other was that I didn't want them to hear my accent. Who knows, maybe the Bra Boys don't like Americans.
The whole experience was surreal and it added a bit of spice to what was a wonderful day at the beach.
We had a picnic high up on the bluffs overlooking the sea before deciding to make our way down the coast to Maroubra beach. Kyoko took the car around to the carpark while me, Miyako, and Kent walked down alone. Arriving at the beach, we began slowly descending a long flight of winding steps that led to the sand below. I was carrying the stroller with Kent on board and Miyako was trailing behind. Half way down, we arrived at a landing before a turn and immediately, right there in front of us, appeared about 15 very large and darkly tanned young men, loitering and cavorting loudly on the steps and beach below. This alone would have been enough to cause some concern but it was what I saw next that really had me scared. The men were bedecked in the hallmark tattoos of the Bra Boys!
To be honest, fear was not my first emotion. In fact, I was more intrigued that the gang I had heard so much about was actually real and that their members were standing right there in front of us. In that split second, I made the decision to continue going down the steps, despite the fact that several of the "boys" were blocking the way. Several other families were also passing by so I had some reason to think it was okay. Just then, as I was about to leave the landing and continue lifting the stroller down the last flight of steps, one of the gang members came bounding up the steps, flailing his arms, pointing at us, and shouting commands to his mates.
I wasn't immediately scared but at the very moment, I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen. Then, just then, I grasped what it was that this burly surfer was doing: He was exhorting his fellow gang members to help me bring the stroller down the steps, and apparently, he was someone of some influence. Three or four of the guys immediately jumped to our sides, grabbing the stroller, and in a moment, it was delivered, with Kent strapped aboard, safely to the base of the steps. I was speechless, for two reasons. One was shock. The other was that I didn't want them to hear my accent. Who knows, maybe the Bra Boys don't like Americans.
The whole experience was surreal and it added a bit of spice to what was a wonderful day at the beach.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Summer is Here
Summer has well and truly come to Sydney. We're enjoying our first string of really warm days and it feels great. Here are some new photos with captions. Enjoy.
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