tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855846187799589382024-03-14T09:52:19.379-07:00Legacy blog for A Different Kind of Luxury, now The Abundance of LessVisit the new blog at at http://abundanceofless.com. The Book: Ten portraits from rural Japan offer new pathways to meaningful work, creativity, and sustainable living. Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-30176590488963486702017-01-27T22:22:00.002-08:002017-02-01T22:02:30.916-08:00Big News! One of the people profiled in A Different Kind of Luxury coming to US<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>BEYOND PLUNDER: </b></span><b class=""> LEAVING BEHIND THE MYTH THAT LEADS US TO WAR AND ECOLOGICAL DISASTER </b></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;">An evening with filmmaker, philosopher and writer Masanori Oe</span></b></h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Berkeley</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">: Saturday Feb 18, 7 PM, Blue Willow Teaspot</span><br />
<h4 class="null" style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: firebrick;">1200 Tenth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 (Near Gilman and San Pablo)</span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1435180436516911/" target="_blank">Facebook Event Notice</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Santa Cruz</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">: Sunday Feb 19, Resource Center for Non Violence </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: firebrick; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22.5px;">612 OCEAN STREET, Santa Cruz 95060 (between Water and Soquel, across from Hotel Paradox)</span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1408023479230242/" style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Facebook Event Notice</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16388257_1784211725134739_7991497648596286507_n.jpg?oh=ff91b34f8edc178c4a9c3ac6c7def27e&oe=591F1E88" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16388257_1784211725134739_7991497648596286507_n.jpg?oh=ff91b34f8edc178c4a9c3ac6c7def27e&oe=591F1E88" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">In PHILADELPHIA , <b>Saturday February 11</b>, at <a href="http://ihousephilly.org/calendar/newsreel-documentaries-of-masanori-oe" target="_blank">International House, </a>(You can meet Masanori and Andy Couturier at this event)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">In CHICAGO area at <a href="http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/view/cinema/JapaneseExperimental.html" target="_blank">Northwestern University</a> (Andy Couturier will NOT be at this event)</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Author, organic farmer and philosopher Masanori Oe will be coming to the US on a multi-city tour for the first time in four decades. A once-only opportunity to meet this major Japanese thought leader. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oe, profiled in <i>A Different Kind of Luxury</i> (soon to be re-issued as <i><b>The Abundance of Less</b></i>), will be showing several short films of 1960s protests, and give us a philosopher's AND activist's view on how to handle these times we are in. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQRR8jhFnNud1PF5prsGWPs2CWprrP4fx4Jj1sMegtHRGvcibYh5TDjF6jWCJcMOZHv5CL581u2CXlL3i-PVApHVI9_MJg5wexQXPTDbOl6KprQRnoogFbgbTLAua0rngykWARSfmsuQ/s1600/DSC_0557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQRR8jhFnNud1PF5prsGWPs2CWprrP4fx4Jj1sMegtHRGvcibYh5TDjF6jWCJcMOZHv5CL581u2CXlL3i-PVApHVI9_MJg5wexQXPTDbOl6KprQRnoogFbgbTLAua0rngykWARSfmsuQ/s200/DSC_0557.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodblock print by Masanori Oe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Intriguingly, Oe believes that <b>it is our collective myths that lead us either into continued ecological catastrophe, or, if we create new myth, into a new era of symbiosis with all of the life world.</b> In this quest he draws in not only activist politics, but our power to see and understand dreams and organic farming.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwy944BPhocRaPQ_R2dxMLfNp4zzzkIMgTJiHivJ1Oj5z05_gZj1ApeUc9CVaQ6WbpCdGXqSNqiqGZGlvrAOJ8CitvTb2N2es_lSgNJiB4z_ZaJ4w8sTkG_yze1vx2NJHIKLRkm3oXWuo/s1600/DSC_0279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwy944BPhocRaPQ_R2dxMLfNp4zzzkIMgTJiHivJ1Oj5z05_gZj1ApeUc9CVaQ6WbpCdGXqSNqiqGZGlvrAOJ8CitvTb2N2es_lSgNJiB4z_ZaJ4w8sTkG_yze1vx2NJHIKLRkm3oXWuo/s320/DSC_0279.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Oe will be accompanied by author Andy Couturier, and there will be a lot of time for conversation after the short film screenings. (Please note that there are strong images of Vietnam war era violence in the films). </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Besides being a movie director and an author of ten books, Oe is a sculptor and a woodblock print artist, a translator of books by Hindu and Buddhist sages, Native American and Australian aboriginal spirituality for Japanese audiences, a photographer, an ecological educator, an organic farmer in the tradition of Masanobu Fukuoka (One Straw Revolution), and an antiwar activist. In the early 1970 he helped to found one of the first health-food stores in Japan, and helped to write the first Japanese version of the Whole Earth Catalog and he has organized massive festivals of alternative culture attended by thousands of people.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
"A real mind blower" said publisher Peter Goodman about <b>Chapter 11</b> in A Different Kind of Luxury <b>which profiles Oe</b>.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16195859_1784223355133576_1724429373203493269_n.jpg?oh=7205cd4bcb69aceef4e81690edc70c70&oe=590CB1B6" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16195859_1784223355133576_1724429373203493269_n.jpg?oh=7205cd4bcb69aceef4e81690edc70c70&oe=590CB1B6" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still from the film GREAT SOCIETY by Masanori Oe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>FROM THE BOOK: </b>Masanori and his partner were asked by the national CBS network to make a film that would be an overview of the entire decade for the annual CBS network convention in New York, with permission to use footage from the CBS archive. He explains that it was made with six different screens<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> going simultaneously in order to show the many-sided nature of the times.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span>Now we’re into the fast-cut, jump-at-you images, one after the other. The screen splits into six, strobe lights flashing, soldiers marching, JFK shot, Oswald shot, miniskirts, Vietnamese POWs, space walks, napalm-burnt children, fighter jets dropping bombs, the American flag, LBJ driving home a point forcefully at a lectern. Too much is happening at once for the mind to perceive. The soundtrack is riveting and disturbing: heart beats, guitar distortion, gurus chanting, a woman screaming as someone is shot, a koto twanging as a mushroom cloud fills the sky.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz_iMCKKP5lutJ3eBL-vJg1BuFqqkyl2HxoPv5PJcHQGkmFbLJ5NqNpAxXFMFRlQi9XJZ8vLyEy3xAij5ZnB0GSxuhfBdisoMQ0aMu8kZ_YRR0tSicOL5IQk0ZXr18-l0nTMexHvvSi8/s1600/ny1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz_iMCKKP5lutJ3eBL-vJg1BuFqqkyl2HxoPv5PJcHQGkmFbLJ5NqNpAxXFMFRlQi9XJZ8vLyEy3xAij5ZnB0GSxuhfBdisoMQ0aMu8kZ_YRR0tSicOL5IQk0ZXr18-l0nTMexHvvSi8/s320/ny1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late 60s era of Masanori with his collaborator<br />
Marvin Fishman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The images jumping from race riots to liquid light shows to atomic blasts are all in present tense here, not an artifact, or shorthand for “the sixties” digested by some future generation. The images are contemporary, and are rendered as such by the hallucinatory film grammar, prompting again the dilation of the psyche.</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-7047174482837464122016-08-30T21:26:00.003-07:002016-08-30T21:27:34.866-07:00A brand new edition is coming. We need your support.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Great news! </b><i style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">A Different Kind of Luxury</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">, out of print for more than a year, has been accepted for publication with North Atlantic Books, in a brand new, fully updated edition.</span></div>
<br style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">To do justice to the people and their stories, I believe it is right to speak to each of the people profiled, before I write about them. But I cannot afford this journey without your help. In exchange you can become part of the adventure of my return journey. I will send you stories and photos as travel, letting you experience the reality of their lives today in rural Japan. Scroll down for specific thank you gifts.</span><br />
<br style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION PLEASE CLICK </span><a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=UU6LCETY2MC6L" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>cgi-bin/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>_button_id=UU6LCETY2MC6L</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6nbgXaW8ea8ScoUN1C0I-iqkHwQe9PCqRZIw-AzqgbTSFKfM3mXWAmBXNVao4-_lXdjnIuJdbx-sf6BgbLRCuuBO8n8eco_uL7m0iM1SYwWjavK4D5-muvlpaAgiQnuPMehE7IOd8uE/s1600/%2522Making+things+with+your+own+hands+cultivates+a+generosity+and+openess+of+the+heart%2522.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6nbgXaW8ea8ScoUN1C0I-iqkHwQe9PCqRZIw-AzqgbTSFKfM3mXWAmBXNVao4-_lXdjnIuJdbx-sf6BgbLRCuuBO8n8eco_uL7m0iM1SYwWjavK4D5-muvlpaAgiQnuPMehE7IOd8uE/s320/%2522Making+things+with+your+own+hands+cultivates+a+generosity+and+openess+of+the+heart%2522.png" width="320" /></a><br />
<br style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #4b4f56; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> new edition will have updates on the lives of the people profiled, especially since the Fukushima disaster, as well as new photos and a substantive afterword by myself about how we in the West can live differently-- more sustainably, and more happily-- by learning from them.<br /><br />I would also be happy to TAKE a MESSAGE from you to one of the people in the book, expressing how their stories have affected your life.<br /><br />• If you can donate $97, you'll receive all my photos and new writing delivered to your email inbox while I'm traveling in Japan. Also I will send a beautiful full-color, large-format (11 x 14) printed photo to your home address that is suitable for framing. You can donate easily with this link:<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paypal.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fwebscr%3Fcmd%3D_s-xclick%26hosted_button_id%3DBAPN9QAEKCH9J&h=ZAQHUIlzr&enc=AZMgZWuwy9UJriWXH1VAlmf5m1BUPY-kUruRCO3i4adfYtLvgHxdyj01kg29-CE48-k&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>cgi-bin/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>_button_id=BAPN9QAEKCH9J</a><br /><br />• If you can donate $197, I will send you the email updates, two printed large format color photos (11x 14) plus I will send you the full set of the 22 Original Japan Times Articles that were the basis of the book (many of these people were not featured in the book, but all of them amazing) printed in large format and sent to your home. These articles have been unavailable for fifteen years. Donation Link:<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paypal.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fwebscr%3Fcmd%3D_s-xclick%26hosted_button_id%3DB8BD32A42NAAY&h=rAQEIncOd&enc=AZOU9ZnYOTbE0F5oXVSdX4UUmcKD3yuIMWBwhQHlkOrKLcYTALY5fwxtzHma6vhgVhU&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>cgi-bin/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>_button_id=B8BD32A42NAAY</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspVGk9JCPmX4glA7S3xIVyZJ9ie23lcLk0ZPMlNSbTLZOTPd4GoyYouA0beUT4E0PLrEk3OXJmO7XTInb4pUs_rVlDu-Xa8dg8_jB5xINRRJzVDJlnQCZoRsVghzpsLQAMCQxkCnZtlg/s1600/fbEventPageImage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspVGk9JCPmX4glA7S3xIVyZJ9ie23lcLk0ZPMlNSbTLZOTPd4GoyYouA0beUT4E0PLrEk3OXJmO7XTInb4pUs_rVlDu-Xa8dg8_jB5xINRRJzVDJlnQCZoRsVghzpsLQAMCQxkCnZtlg/s400/fbEventPageImage.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><br />• If you can donate $497 or above, I'll send you all of the above—the printed photos, the articles, the updates plus a special gift – either a Japanese antique or a piece of original artwork or pottery hand selected by myself for you. Also I will thank you personally by name in the acknowledgments page of the new edition. In addition, I will send you a personally autographed copy of the new book when it comes out next year, dedicated to you or whomever you choose.Donation Link:<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paypal.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fwebscr%3Fcmd%3D_s-xclick%26hosted_button_id%3DVCSAWXAYYR3WY&h=EAQH8-cnJ&enc=AZOAwa6GPrh698a9YzZ67VeSmfUTM-M7ZX_RI3_UkEiuWw1TMrc3GE3FrsXrZGBf-D4&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>cgi-bin/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break" style="display: inline-block;"></span>_button_id=VCSAWXAYYR3WY</a><br /><br />• If you are able to fund the entire journey (apx. $3500) besides my eternal gratitude and all of the above, I will send you two personally hand-selected pieces of Gufudo & Atsuko Watanabe's exquisite pottery. (Chapters 3 and 8) These are truly one-of-a-kind pieces, and will no longer be available in the future. (Gufudo has passed away.) I will also offer to come to your town or city and give a reading at your home either for you and your close ones personally, or at the bookstore of your choice.<br /><br />I have been given a hard deadline of November 1 for the delivery of the fully updated and revised manuscript, so I have to make my plans quickly. I'll have to buy my air tickets soon for a journey in late September.<br /><br />If you are able to donate, to let me know as soon as possible, and kindly make your donation by or before September 15.<br /><br />I hope you'll seriously consider supporting this heartfelt project, as I simply will not be able to do this without community support.<br /><br />We're hosting a virtual event on facebook. Please visit it, make comments, and invite your friends. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/119495475169470/?active_tab=posts">https://www.facebook.com/events/119495475169470/?active_tab=posts</a><br /><br />Fondly yours,<br />Andy Couturier</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #4b4f56; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhgJenTvJ1nZKmZGsfd7JbdPXfw8h9ykIGK6lXxAus03V3nX3Tc08GdFjUmYyilxdZroh9iqAzVOz-Z9wr6MsRdddzZYwTq-xHh1c104OW2FyaBx05kLaMiR2tiT4CCgSQQ-y1hIELT8/s1600/DSCF6241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhgJenTvJ1nZKmZGsfd7JbdPXfw8h9ykIGK6lXxAus03V3nX3Tc08GdFjUmYyilxdZroh9iqAzVOz-Z9wr6MsRdddzZYwTq-xHh1c104OW2FyaBx05kLaMiR2tiT4CCgSQQ-y1hIELT8/s320/DSCF6241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #4b4f56; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-77280426168067843042015-12-12T12:49:00.000-08:002015-12-12T14:49:19.406-08:00Climate change and A Different Kind of Luxury<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Keep Wanting More</h3>
Think about it: 7 billion plus people on the planet. Each with a yearning to fulfill basic needs: food, shelter, heat, clean water. And then we have the indisputable fact that human beings <i>keep wanting more. </i>Every honest person sees this tendency in their own heart. I just heard about a man who was building a 100 million dollar house because he hates Larry Ellison, a fellow software billionaire, and so he wants to build a bigger house than him.<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Train our minds</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_bocUYf1kEqpXIJy8jHuEznGI_0-JqQkY8t3abWOhHrJoj-AeLLT-zrgL-NqqfxkKY2RWOX1y70jHjkrukXS5vkbA7cI9Y0OpkAtYtmDWx8GRmF5d8bizkQBLNXgVA_iiWZEZt7Yr54/s1600/mouthopenfrog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_bocUYf1kEqpXIJy8jHuEznGI_0-JqQkY8t3abWOhHrJoj-AeLLT-zrgL-NqqfxkKY2RWOX1y70jHjkrukXS5vkbA7cI9Y0OpkAtYtmDWx8GRmF5d8bizkQBLNXgVA_iiWZEZt7Yr54/s200/mouthopenfrog.jpg" width="140" /></a>It's easy to dismiss the rich as clearly insane in such examples. But the question remains, how do we each, individually train our minds and adjust our behavior so that we can be satisfied, even deeply satisfied, with less? Not a little bit less, because, you know, 7 billion people. A <i>lot</i> less.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
No more elephants? </h3>
That's what the people in this book can teach us, if we take the time to listen, listen deeply to their words. And perhaps the beauty of their lives can provide the much needed, incentive to actually make the changes we must if we have any chance of not loosing all the elephants, or living in a war-torn world. That's very very serious. So we really need to change. And lots of us, and soon.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now, sitting with me, Akira Ito lets out just a little bit of his
disappointment. “For
the sake of money, and for the sake of ‘economic activity,’ </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">people try to change things, products, works of art—everything—as quickly as possible. To win at competition,
everyone tries to do this. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgaa9dyyg8r3q0IZHZWC3FyKQZ2xtiiCuFy_7Qz3P4U4Ho1Ui2hyphenhyphenfZX21oFnGw8CGULlI5f9-6i3El6uRGHjpsFq_y5W3_UxEaffR9RGOp4_YS2TT7Qoavp5F3r2erASZReZbuvx2K88/s1600/DSC_0154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgaa9dyyg8r3q0IZHZWC3FyKQZ2xtiiCuFy_7Qz3P4U4Ho1Ui2hyphenhyphenfZX21oFnGw8CGULlI5f9-6i3El6uRGHjpsFq_y5W3_UxEaffR9RGOp4_YS2TT7Qoavp5F3r2erASZReZbuvx2K88/s200/DSC_0154.jpg" width="143" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Even though it is the nature of the universe to change,
the ‘change’ originated by human activity is too violent. Floods of cars and airplanes, the acceleration of transportation, mass movement of merchandise, the forced cultivation of vegetables in all seasons, excessive lighting and
air conditioning, and limitless information: the change is
much too intense. The human body and spirit
cannot withstand this kind of acceleration. This is what I
hate the most.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“For the sake of this changing, the world is being ruined. And it is based in greed. I don’t want to get involved
in it. It’s better to be poor.” </span></blockquote>
<div class="page" title="Page 30">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Now when he says "It's better to be poor," what he means is just living a very very simple life. Not traveling very much. Using motors less. Finding fulfillment inside. The training of the spirit. <br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Simply using less</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvHDrym83eukoZaVtVAejKpW1G-tMsOJNNdbuuJabGItLRIf0yKRT1ucLbFbsUyq04z6tuHQlIrO508dNAh0IrbFro5uQ0h_vIUbpDqLSxz6Bh052RbZYOicXkQUukvaoamqSEq87UPw/s1600/DSCF6372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvHDrym83eukoZaVtVAejKpW1G-tMsOJNNdbuuJabGItLRIf0yKRT1ucLbFbsUyq04z6tuHQlIrO508dNAh0IrbFro5uQ0h_vIUbpDqLSxz6Bh052RbZYOicXkQUukvaoamqSEq87UPw/s320/DSCF6372.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Is that the answer to catastrophic climate change? If everyone did that, starting with you and with me, we could allow the people of Bangladesh to get what they need, their own "enough" and still keep a beautiful planet. We need international agreements, scientific help, more efficient ways to provide for people, but the hardest part is <i>simply using less.</i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhfwVwnvOrMLPtdZe6q-3qy3J0kvZUHJiVOxa0MUJtTNRrKdX6DlSGiKr0U9YliwerG5l6w0cOEB3drYryq4TBqmSTrB972slbpUkwAlCGF24Smn559wMG_R65WdvsCqIPhLAFgHS5uM/s1600/BambooPaintingforLance.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhfwVwnvOrMLPtdZe6q-3qy3J0kvZUHJiVOxa0MUJtTNRrKdX6DlSGiKr0U9YliwerG5l6w0cOEB3drYryq4TBqmSTrB972slbpUkwAlCGF24Smn559wMG_R65WdvsCqIPhLAFgHS5uM/s320/BambooPaintingforLance.png" width="230" /></a><br />
Last weekend, I took up Ito's suggestion, to learn Chinese style brush painting. Beside the price of the pen, it cost me nothing. And it was deeply satisfying. No carbon footprint.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-72256521815436929662015-08-29T17:49:00.000-07:002015-08-29T17:49:09.740-07:00Beautiful Images from A Different Kind of Luxury<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have always loved the beauty of these people's lives. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is often reflected in the external beauty of their artwork</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
or the places they live. But it all derives, I think</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
from the cultivation of self and the values they embrace.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Which you can get by reading their words.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlg4oNnvoenMF9C2K7vqHbXIhwdIWCjXVBfPkQBC9Ej0JfOyNVQdvKeaP1Ha15unM5Hj9F4J5XriWCLCVVPEfBCdPyiAO_1CvYhjFnijFpoDJ4dHeipu-yUi95PAokirCeLkLJTcBV00/s1600/Japan2_0106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlg4oNnvoenMF9C2K7vqHbXIhwdIWCjXVBfPkQBC9Ej0JfOyNVQdvKeaP1Ha15unM5Hj9F4J5XriWCLCVVPEfBCdPyiAO_1CvYhjFnijFpoDJ4dHeipu-yUi95PAokirCeLkLJTcBV00/s320/Japan2_0106.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9N_0YLNTa-Izf8T_qdJEl3s64Khh01ku95Z1V7373_yE7JigEDlJNAyEaKE3eZ4HP2SSJHAweOAv9N_Z3g5vqH-mg-HsZ6kPzlfej9HFgJ8a8BAalnxy0i-QKAFNjsch2DnTS3Eat-I/s1600/DSC_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9N_0YLNTa-Izf8T_qdJEl3s64Khh01ku95Z1V7373_yE7JigEDlJNAyEaKE3eZ4HP2SSJHAweOAv9N_Z3g5vqH-mg-HsZ6kPzlfej9HFgJ8a8BAalnxy0i-QKAFNjsch2DnTS3Eat-I/s320/DSC_0704.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e_7IJsqr7DsvT6SjELUroqwPxuZtMkHzXM-JtaXr2p_MGOE0qDia2ZKRQPL-zGQ-hU62Kp2YBvJlVe7wwqhEPrz8x8tGUNf4tTMPhPhEhimql6r54jywHWdRwalN3wzhbdpRpQFTsfI/s1600/IMG_4912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e_7IJsqr7DsvT6SjELUroqwPxuZtMkHzXM-JtaXr2p_MGOE0qDia2ZKRQPL-zGQ-hU62Kp2YBvJlVe7wwqhEPrz8x8tGUNf4tTMPhPhEhimql6r54jywHWdRwalN3wzhbdpRpQFTsfI/s320/IMG_4912.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguao5RH5f5KzxQDKSVrufxVzp3UuTdcBuALm8xczzBZBQolrvLZE9mT_QfHN4qn7h1Gf6CsbfVsmJUaXApilwUA1e7U_ouYwOpar7g72BQMf9XjY9-bMse_QPQgOUH45ZRxbOXDifIzm4/s1600/IMG_4927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguao5RH5f5KzxQDKSVrufxVzp3UuTdcBuALm8xczzBZBQolrvLZE9mT_QfHN4qn7h1Gf6CsbfVsmJUaXApilwUA1e7U_ouYwOpar7g72BQMf9XjY9-bMse_QPQgOUH45ZRxbOXDifIzm4/s320/IMG_4927.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblLJ81os4He_Y5XzKs8nHVkQGYJtCroL_OO0Z_LjMRe2fG-S6aObwX2Xn_PvEEkqaZGQBt9S2lXXQQW2dSrLnf2GXTzF7DPbvQoodrCrPqQo2DNSPbmGVkvh53aLJZDfNYqHsknRaKM0/s1600/IMG_1658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblLJ81os4He_Y5XzKs8nHVkQGYJtCroL_OO0Z_LjMRe2fG-S6aObwX2Xn_PvEEkqaZGQBt9S2lXXQQW2dSrLnf2GXTzF7DPbvQoodrCrPqQo2DNSPbmGVkvh53aLJZDfNYqHsknRaKM0/s320/IMG_1658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LuzAEk3O6k_ve78Qu1XDBukufD7bpM68GUUuv96_TxzvPid9hSRduhcExr6y93l9maLlRXA3E3OAwxZfDHUsbdtFfcNHDzSSBJtuEeCvOE1tDtASmymsqp5Wr_aOQh9vH_5F35lA5CM/s1600/oizumiwallatnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LuzAEk3O6k_ve78Qu1XDBukufD7bpM68GUUuv96_TxzvPid9hSRduhcExr6y93l9maLlRXA3E3OAwxZfDHUsbdtFfcNHDzSSBJtuEeCvOE1tDtASmymsqp5Wr_aOQh9vH_5F35lA5CM/s320/oizumiwallatnight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsl-wykPkwrMHu9tyvXHW5QI7QENH6bT3MRjss1dRKwv-Cjn3HgXbRaLmAQMt49UUGbFtRVrPb2EVhmoA7_93pkhUatSJhEj_3BOgg-FNmURShsjNePhGCjZttmyPRJ39tfHdgXdHJuAM/s1600/oizumi%2527s+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsl-wykPkwrMHu9tyvXHW5QI7QENH6bT3MRjss1dRKwv-Cjn3HgXbRaLmAQMt49UUGbFtRVrPb2EVhmoA7_93pkhUatSJhEj_3BOgg-FNmURShsjNePhGCjZttmyPRJ39tfHdgXdHJuAM/s320/oizumi%2527s+wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkCdCCxcoUxhgxBxawpVdJU0hd4pz-rhbqv4METqFsdFgCR215uVy3QFMqKKWyBi6QGyg6gsVZGxSWwtLaNzXEvZKM18TEWrVwdrrvz7pPAgvrfM_gpUYGsCLpHgD4Cg5qh5VfeNtHm4/s1600/j3-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkCdCCxcoUxhgxBxawpVdJU0hd4pz-rhbqv4METqFsdFgCR215uVy3QFMqKKWyBi6QGyg6gsVZGxSWwtLaNzXEvZKM18TEWrVwdrrvz7pPAgvrfM_gpUYGsCLpHgD4Cg5qh5VfeNtHm4/s320/j3-2.JPG" width="310" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnnLsJnHUgCOPXD-rIFYeD2txpA8vsIHpBq2KeylmcMSptMM657wE8MaZ145kEc-a1uM3W2EODLC_et76Mf9PqTBoOKZaUMCaGiI5j0HCM6UPIkarRYIVxsJBjtfqUgqH6yZxvHxsNXI/s1600/DSC_0458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnnLsJnHUgCOPXD-rIFYeD2txpA8vsIHpBq2KeylmcMSptMM657wE8MaZ145kEc-a1uM3W2EODLC_et76Mf9PqTBoOKZaUMCaGiI5j0HCM6UPIkarRYIVxsJBjtfqUgqH6yZxvHxsNXI/s320/DSC_0458.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfM_VkWi2n8PuBP8kJ_6qfgpBKwsUHaj6Z9P8YR-ANrSdJhgqdKBEUwmj7ncBdjb62HqNL7bsNnEWADJfeqFTIfcv8MRygCZLDUywTCsi4Et398DQP49dROxMIYzVOzxvoghRhjuJpxg/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfM_VkWi2n8PuBP8kJ_6qfgpBKwsUHaj6Z9P8YR-ANrSdJhgqdKBEUwmj7ncBdjb62HqNL7bsNnEWADJfeqFTIfcv8MRygCZLDUywTCsi4Et398DQP49dROxMIYzVOzxvoghRhjuJpxg/s320/IMG_1227.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtFtMBkzvCv-XSDeCcOcuQ_yzZFhoSlNFJUOLsRM5G4aOBvesB9cEW5jdMicRIrcNiNJm6TQe15Xt_tsm4h2o1EwOzeXpETNKZJhw_Cerdx47ifpa8TjQV36yPLVSaFKLGFCh-ZCNpSI/s1600/IMG_1180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtFtMBkzvCv-XSDeCcOcuQ_yzZFhoSlNFJUOLsRM5G4aOBvesB9cEW5jdMicRIrcNiNJm6TQe15Xt_tsm4h2o1EwOzeXpETNKZJhw_Cerdx47ifpa8TjQV36yPLVSaFKLGFCh-ZCNpSI/s320/IMG_1180.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLxC8EcIi1cH4jqXpdVvl_g3RY1VmUh-69ZXOtyGOBWr5z1QZ7OTdko_8OJ-pdaT_JWlV9POVCa9tmj8bHG7Dt5UMYnlmkWEErwbuBjaqdhye7N_rFxBvsiQI1dXrgsrmxx2X_jFYZ0w/s1600/DSC_0241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLxC8EcIi1cH4jqXpdVvl_g3RY1VmUh-69ZXOtyGOBWr5z1QZ7OTdko_8OJ-pdaT_JWlV9POVCa9tmj8bHG7Dt5UMYnlmkWEErwbuBjaqdhye7N_rFxBvsiQI1dXrgsrmxx2X_jFYZ0w/s320/DSC_0241.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRF4I7yqEm7yNOMheS3yTwddwqpElbU_VDK0VNp68zgqm4stvPGNI0VoaRFa6f9S-A8yDA4nmoPjn8hpCfzC4ISvHabzG4EwZWOjZH-0PUoozwiJpZuhDLvmiItF3nG5gm1o1hli6rKNI/s1600/IMG_1898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRF4I7yqEm7yNOMheS3yTwddwqpElbU_VDK0VNp68zgqm4stvPGNI0VoaRFa6f9S-A8yDA4nmoPjn8hpCfzC4ISvHabzG4EwZWOjZH-0PUoozwiJpZuhDLvmiItF3nG5gm1o1hli6rKNI/s320/IMG_1898.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRinx3fN70Z4pKf1h_T1pFRN5fEQqWReZXf2__PZohByL4uSZzjp4xszWjzDbaYISxLbxxwUhYRXiYJwVRe5Y5Riux8W5MgEbf29L-6z7HJwE6Cn3PEEecQoAF4QRB78YvvQXOzedXbs/s1600/awa+flower16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRinx3fN70Z4pKf1h_T1pFRN5fEQqWReZXf2__PZohByL4uSZzjp4xszWjzDbaYISxLbxxwUhYRXiYJwVRe5Y5Riux8W5MgEbf29L-6z7HJwE6Cn3PEEecQoAF4QRB78YvvQXOzedXbs/s320/awa+flower16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdVdLxglVjtCsGwXiaUwBKLRG3EuIA3bSvuHUWidLyvk_y4KFG6wxYDyyeW8bw13mPWKyfLqTJ6EjAbm0tdHGX2ltf3qv91HNg_XploHaQH4KnuR09nuWMlNC3iU3DwrGHFclc5U0RY8/s1600/Picture_25_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdVdLxglVjtCsGwXiaUwBKLRG3EuIA3bSvuHUWidLyvk_y4KFG6wxYDyyeW8bw13mPWKyfLqTJ6EjAbm0tdHGX2ltf3qv91HNg_XploHaQH4KnuR09nuWMlNC3iU3DwrGHFclc5U0RY8/s320/Picture_25_3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9l3a3pak98hSn3TLLL4fhIfN9189gM_b16O54O1SKdVBLyJXKQgtiqiPVAT97Ey9YsvGDVBrHp37sjDnKy8HdOtnru2KjVkTrbuPb62wjw-0h8KpMsoIRbyT7BSfQY-W8q3qNzKk64U/s1600/j1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9l3a3pak98hSn3TLLL4fhIfN9189gM_b16O54O1SKdVBLyJXKQgtiqiPVAT97Ey9YsvGDVBrHp37sjDnKy8HdOtnru2KjVkTrbuPb62wjw-0h8KpMsoIRbyT7BSfQY-W8q3qNzKk64U/s320/j1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-taXX2YWtJDuYmeQyyYm7W7CYweJLurO_dABqP_vedfzCapoA45VUevJg5S05YgUxJVE-evcoH8NxAVLRiovBHCxui518uVexvUuXq3gTUBLNPVMZ5NZa4ce0q0NXqfq79NiANuWbEYM/s1600/j6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-taXX2YWtJDuYmeQyyYm7W7CYweJLurO_dABqP_vedfzCapoA45VUevJg5S05YgUxJVE-evcoH8NxAVLRiovBHCxui518uVexvUuXq3gTUBLNPVMZ5NZa4ce0q0NXqfq79NiANuWbEYM/s400/j6.JPG" width="143" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv_UqLS4Z1Z9g1DIOv67z2-qMJZg36rmCAC-08ySD4YSC8EIcBgZLKcxewtrcYwl0o8Pkc9G_18RAY6vRgEzw__IP99JxaFh4f-1diriJZ8R5nvrymdtVpqphtnUsgIX4yZofZ8TOzis/s1600/ADKL-59.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv_UqLS4Z1Z9g1DIOv67z2-qMJZg36rmCAC-08ySD4YSC8EIcBgZLKcxewtrcYwl0o8Pkc9G_18RAY6vRgEzw__IP99JxaFh4f-1diriJZ8R5nvrymdtVpqphtnUsgIX4yZofZ8TOzis/s400/ADKL-59.JPG" width="306" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZLtfApcY4KC3ioGVH289UEWw-UXqMvj3JEhzigmOt6m-KmRcQlou8Yl5-2ypdxc-cxiK3VUa32nk5EvB1XoexoqJGROlZbHN5Jlv7FB1vm5yUf8IY4Tdaeo2BkrjfuqBCqC_O0QfEqU/s1600/DSC_1048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZLtfApcY4KC3ioGVH289UEWw-UXqMvj3JEhzigmOt6m-KmRcQlou8Yl5-2ypdxc-cxiK3VUa32nk5EvB1XoexoqJGROlZbHN5Jlv7FB1vm5yUf8IY4Tdaeo2BkrjfuqBCqC_O0QfEqU/s320/DSC_1048.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhnfoFpYWMp62gnQIgHFagdMWmU6f2J8lPHaONE5rzb5X1jezgnkZ_oLl5fEDW-5gZ5_lGcqLczjQINw5JsNFLzvav9HxYfnWETt4TEUSVx76PofpTfV1rKS901_4BmWzQrGHundGC1k/s1600/IMG_1647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhnfoFpYWMp62gnQIgHFagdMWmU6f2J8lPHaONE5rzb5X1jezgnkZ_oLl5fEDW-5gZ5_lGcqLczjQINw5JsNFLzvav9HxYfnWETt4TEUSVx76PofpTfV1rKS901_4BmWzQrGHundGC1k/s320/IMG_1647.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5EyCtlivsHryWSM7LFDlU8XGTrZ9C_-lOR9aQRC_bEVqxWn_WXjihTXdk72NUtrZnN4xgElddgxVnsl0pFljARRaEzXtz3QXz4IRaPFTvKuigE0ve9wv0dVX3vSZtwMWV8ou8804Os8/s1600/DSC_0109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5EyCtlivsHryWSM7LFDlU8XGTrZ9C_-lOR9aQRC_bEVqxWn_WXjihTXdk72NUtrZnN4xgElddgxVnsl0pFljARRaEzXtz3QXz4IRaPFTvKuigE0ve9wv0dVX3vSZtwMWV8ou8804Os8/s320/DSC_0109.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuq-y1U2fJpngDzTqz7nqkwDkQ22gamTPNoaTE5_qNgUWjtwfacPAZD8L1ANybqznSjnjNTHKqsU85hmEstxzkRp2NkcdwaJDr6jzkOQQHwsQbSAEl6jQir89gGJlsMU3YS1gUFXjSdnM/s1600/DSC_0678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuq-y1U2fJpngDzTqz7nqkwDkQ22gamTPNoaTE5_qNgUWjtwfacPAZD8L1ANybqznSjnjNTHKqsU85hmEstxzkRp2NkcdwaJDr6jzkOQQHwsQbSAEl6jQir89gGJlsMU3YS1gUFXjSdnM/s320/DSC_0678.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfq1JIrZzFjiJbxMs16CMsUPSQb5CXOpOJ_W8nYhVcDWdpTOdIzuUF_1jCJHwAhIW1ioh4qzz2sNIHcQneMRS3VZLDG5z7WyCW7EucARRxje93MwjazVLpfAFM0S9GxaR0zfftA2Gpo8/s1600/DSCF6364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfq1JIrZzFjiJbxMs16CMsUPSQb5CXOpOJ_W8nYhVcDWdpTOdIzuUF_1jCJHwAhIW1ioh4qzz2sNIHcQneMRS3VZLDG5z7WyCW7EucARRxje93MwjazVLpfAFM0S9GxaR0zfftA2Gpo8/s320/DSCF6364.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7I9zc2LOWWkjmdO4fUAnEukYP7Ltr28eN5zta3rTVKa7gEFZ7Mf1UXqybpg-Q1wjfgPdomjPtb3tFysuSVlCmDob4LHCyJX7MQXP3Q1N94nwVa9o6BBfQ0TQXm71PAyhNwsEMimASBY/s1600/IMG_4925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7I9zc2LOWWkjmdO4fUAnEukYP7Ltr28eN5zta3rTVKa7gEFZ7Mf1UXqybpg-Q1wjfgPdomjPtb3tFysuSVlCmDob4LHCyJX7MQXP3Q1N94nwVa9o6BBfQ0TQXm71PAyhNwsEMimASBY/s320/IMG_4925.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga13-TNwx4SW8AKxGhNXpDXNANbbKy0vphe3iFzY0cRfX_26VQaY8-rEPcI0MSMt5L-R4oRRiyA2BIZDcpKElGjg1j6z131EWhUb1jsFMg0R0XzNip66_k3hd-gGy7IgfTUgppZ7z49Jw/s1600/ItoLecturing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga13-TNwx4SW8AKxGhNXpDXNANbbKy0vphe3iFzY0cRfX_26VQaY8-rEPcI0MSMt5L-R4oRRiyA2BIZDcpKElGjg1j6z131EWhUb1jsFMg0R0XzNip66_k3hd-gGy7IgfTUgppZ7z49Jw/s320/ItoLecturing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQjqoGcJFxrZnopTDfQ3MMYl00v8HFVGZMSN1sqqO-LZOhyO_BvTyfGKNIzzM5JMVUKyzJpZSlxuNV8Mx2nqlwoo438S9lg3Js6eWp4SCFwcNbt0rB-XQmgbLOZ3PN7QEB2g4A7Mie1A/s1600/j2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQjqoGcJFxrZnopTDfQ3MMYl00v8HFVGZMSN1sqqO-LZOhyO_BvTyfGKNIzzM5JMVUKyzJpZSlxuNV8Mx2nqlwoo438S9lg3Js6eWp4SCFwcNbt0rB-XQmgbLOZ3PN7QEB2g4A7Mie1A/s320/j2.JPG" width="248" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_9dZSfYkWby0ZgbcxYN4LC9-vwTI0PBgHOsVi2e_PsK3cJmtJWxUCm1ls25kegzAlHyCHY6X69fW8cxvUIGxw_BuzhZ1A3GmnjeqTG9g3H_M2dgBBLAaeCsC0DcPo-mc6802893uXzw/s1600/WakakoPuppetFace1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_9dZSfYkWby0ZgbcxYN4LC9-vwTI0PBgHOsVi2e_PsK3cJmtJWxUCm1ls25kegzAlHyCHY6X69fW8cxvUIGxw_BuzhZ1A3GmnjeqTG9g3H_M2dgBBLAaeCsC0DcPo-mc6802893uXzw/s320/WakakoPuppetFace1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5FUmf6d4zlj6wUeQzTFMtNOY4uWG8WrcRaomqhbxoFxSSzVcYuS1GcyTLokLizEVP27Ci8Opg3LcyM5-ptGQH9DLxBS22xgd8a0UDHVfczOImsr9bcPe50MCozgPOWrqUO53n-vfhM8/s1600/IMG_1832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5FUmf6d4zlj6wUeQzTFMtNOY4uWG8WrcRaomqhbxoFxSSzVcYuS1GcyTLokLizEVP27Ci8Opg3LcyM5-ptGQH9DLxBS22xgd8a0UDHVfczOImsr9bcPe50MCozgPOWrqUO53n-vfhM8/s320/IMG_1832.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-392129497543570592015-04-14T11:01:00.001-07:002015-04-14T11:01:34.483-07:00A Year Since the Death of Gufu Watanabe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been hard to write, so I am finally able to tell you all that Gufu is gone. He was a fine human being and he deeply affected my life. I will post some memories over the next few months. My partner Cynthia Kingsbury just offered this one to me as we looked at photos sent to us from Japan of his "o-wakere-kai" : a gathering of people to (honor) the separation. "Farewell gathering might be a less literal translation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cynthia said, "I remember sitting upstairs with him and his sculpture of Jonah and the Whale. He was explaining it to us." Andy: "Do you remember what he said?" Cynthia: "Not exactly, but it was weird." We both laughed. Gufu's love for the odd was tremendous.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4OEYPSUZWwVmUqj_NCtIMt4oxxhXT2h5MxoDX3HfcE18xPR5h8LZq7uIq5GEmIfpN1eUkPpjwgkV3id8Q37w9ndKua2d0JQRFuaVF8G7U693U0Owmmb5irRxfYX6Mmg27LSvK-ZHJMw/s1600/IMG_1518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4OEYPSUZWwVmUqj_NCtIMt4oxxhXT2h5MxoDX3HfcE18xPR5h8LZq7uIq5GEmIfpN1eUkPpjwgkV3id8Q37w9ndKua2d0JQRFuaVF8G7U693U0Owmmb5irRxfYX6Mmg27LSvK-ZHJMw/s1600/IMG_1518.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
Black clay sculpture of Jonah and the whale. </h3>
<h3>
Both the top and the little statuette of Jonah are removable.</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="goog_557469856"></span><span id="goog_557469857"></span>Gufu passed away last year around April 15 of lymphatic cancer. I had known of it for several years before he passed, and was able to visit him in October of 2013. He was still gardening, and I brought home some seeds. This spring I am launching a large garden, and in it I will plant some odd, strange and peculiar plants, in memory of Gufu. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cynthia also said, "I loved being in the room with you Andy when you were interviewing him. You brought out so much of what he thought."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Atsuko, his wife, said to me after he died, "You were a <i>rikaishi</i> for him." I asked her what that meant. She said, "You were one of the few people who really understood him." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like, please read the chapter about him, Chapter 8, in the next few weeks. Even better if you want to read parts aloud to a friend. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those of you who got to meet him, please send me any memories, and I will put them on this blog. If you did not meet him, but were moved by anything in the chapter, feel free to email me with those at andy@theopening.org.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then, be sure to live your own "different kind of luxury" and pass it along to the next generation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More soon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaJwLjTJl5D8_m3P2UACzrjKlxC1t7lIJytNcj5omCPNN_ERP-QMb7rsBsMlCD_p_0sQiQWMO_Qk4LedteOlmzv6B_TQG0KNURCN6BWC85dJVO4uJsYaFl4I4eJUq9WJ-rDKjMn-G5vU/s1600/ADKL-80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaJwLjTJl5D8_m3P2UACzrjKlxC1t7lIJytNcj5omCPNN_ERP-QMb7rsBsMlCD_p_0sQiQWMO_Qk4LedteOlmzv6B_TQG0KNURCN6BWC85dJVO4uJsYaFl4I4eJUq9WJ-rDKjMn-G5vU/s1600/ADKL-80.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzXjNXMGsfppV5C_ehj-Lx9yhQmaVw12DLzkX_2oNMqvaahKGITkTsH2aVQZ054pbP3VH3o-ICozzG-pdpTfdOhPKQANu0atbOw2Ltj5BAU94tGQx3XoUDSA_n4-zf4lK1GCmjN2eZDA/s1600/gufuservingtea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzXjNXMGsfppV5C_ehj-Lx9yhQmaVw12DLzkX_2oNMqvaahKGITkTsH2aVQZ054pbP3VH3o-ICozzG-pdpTfdOhPKQANu0atbOw2Ltj5BAU94tGQx3XoUDSA_n4-zf4lK1GCmjN2eZDA/s1600/gufuservingtea.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMD-THHL3L629drewztTy9QGEKUwSshK7jepAhSWNzUmtN9ZJWZ1I5l_TJY62gpy3RaaAI8yhcSzA6t-LGh5FxwVBtqnECbaXn6qZEzkoXi1l48J0DfbDZ73LpjIw6ojkcz1-RO6pMmA/s1600/GufuNewYearsCard1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMD-THHL3L629drewztTy9QGEKUwSshK7jepAhSWNzUmtN9ZJWZ1I5l_TJY62gpy3RaaAI8yhcSzA6t-LGh5FxwVBtqnECbaXn6qZEzkoXi1l48J0DfbDZ73LpjIw6ojkcz1-RO6pMmA/s1600/GufuNewYearsCard1.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-45458280780006942542014-09-11T11:12:00.001-07:002014-09-11T11:12:16.273-07:00"It's all Buddha" Zen Abbot Takaoka on Death<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p>A short talk with Abbot Shucho Takaoka on his work during funerals. I had just seen the movie Departures, which I recommend very strongly, and it deals with this topic. I asked him about it. </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p>(Takaoka was mentioned in many chapter of A Different Kind of Luxury. He inspired many of the people in the book. Please read about him in the book to find out more.) </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_532A1y3e4EZ331Ico2dPUnEos0OTZYSqpZPhwzZKlqvKdyUjt9xdWPgwJzjZqzTS5Z3EOOPouymIiWkgh7d3PIO2fT-5TI_gvTpGR4Lhcmo6Y6utoc_gRmAdbjPQpwycymkWC5EWcWA/s1600/DSC_0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_532A1y3e4EZ331Ico2dPUnEos0OTZYSqpZPhwzZKlqvKdyUjt9xdWPgwJzjZqzTS5Z3EOOPouymIiWkgh7d3PIO2fT-5TI_gvTpGR4Lhcmo6Y6utoc_gRmAdbjPQpwycymkWC5EWcWA/s1600/DSC_0135.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shucho Takaoka, Abbot of Tokurinji Zen Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Everyone thinks of the
dead body as dirty, a disgusting thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They don’t want to touch it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But in the case of a loved one, the dead body is also the body of the person
they were very close to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that creates
a psychological distance or imbalance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And people have the need to “circulate” those feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Japan, we have a word, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hotoke</i> for the people who have died, and
it means that they have become a Buddha. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyiWyYaGNFpNFHCyY9CDuJFtDWHGVmIuLQ7f_suKZngnN7scgMLF45fR9ODm9moinF33Ql3MVit62sKlWvMX2D2eNZ2I5wxvfaYrrKAI1d1rQP0_9P2uoH2xSkkKQplIIL5U2K7iS8Ug/s1600/DSC_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyiWyYaGNFpNFHCyY9CDuJFtDWHGVmIuLQ7f_suKZngnN7scgMLF45fR9ODm9moinF33Ql3MVit62sKlWvMX2D2eNZ2I5wxvfaYrrKAI1d1rQP0_9P2uoH2xSkkKQplIIL5U2K7iS8Ug/s1600/DSC_0143.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As Buddhist priests
conducting a funeral, it’s our job to bring the people from one place to
another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a business of
decorating the body, making it pretty, and that may be part of the same
impulse, to bridge the distance, and to help people move from the feeling of “dirty”
to “clean”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But we know that every
single person dies—there is no one who doesn't die. You will absolutely and
without fail die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But usually
it’s not from fully alive to utterly dead in an instant though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things in the body break down bit by
bit, in small steps. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">From my point of view, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to show people that it is all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hotoke</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Living, dying, and dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all Buddha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMJfTI1SXe5HRByKFUgbZq7k2tAjTI1JuLFfXOlh3X4ofN9oUr-f9BVElgn8SywQoeESRTWfWNcyIsc7N-Sn1zbUdpVDoo8HHPyDBK9hZS7oPTObFcnGWtbH87bx0bhMhHU7GIX8_fLo/s1600/DSC_0121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMJfTI1SXe5HRByKFUgbZq7k2tAjTI1JuLFfXOlh3X4ofN9oUr-f9BVElgn8SywQoeESRTWfWNcyIsc7N-Sn1zbUdpVDoo8HHPyDBK9hZS7oPTObFcnGWtbH87bx0bhMhHU7GIX8_fLo/s1600/DSC_0121.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This drawing is by Hideo Ito of Akira Ito, <br />who passed away some years ago.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-49763941680953297442014-03-04T20:00:00.000-08:002014-03-04T20:00:05.585-08:00Film screening of Masanori Oe's movies in Santa Cruz, Sat Mar 8, 7PM<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I will be offering a free film screening of a few short experimental movies made in 1967 and 1968 by Masanori Oe, who I profiled in Chapter 11 of A Different Kind of Luxury. The screening will be at 7 PM at my writing studio in Santa Cruz CA, at 147 SOUTH River Street, above Mobo Sushi, by the Trader Joe's parking lot. It's upstairs in room 203, and the entry code to the outside door is 0497* (that's STAR at the end), you may have to try it twice. </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<br />
The studio is relatively small so most people may have to sit on the floor, although we do have some chairs. PLEASE RSVP so I know you are coming. <a href="mailto:andy@theopening.org">andy@theopening.org</a> Please bring your own popcorn or snacks if you want them, or just come as you are. </div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgytqbyP1S8VdPPqVitLKmX0S-AHfuDpU9n2Zrkfv-XXHWhYi4oyFCPU7y7F_gdCvMxj1K4Z2HN4KvBv1h-W4leSRNvh7V_DG-QQUXfUzBYQwruvbyd0wu-YDpFwM0IjW0ZAGeLJLmQRA/s1600/Great+Society003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgytqbyP1S8VdPPqVitLKmX0S-AHfuDpU9n2Zrkfv-XXHWhYi4oyFCPU7y7F_gdCvMxj1K4Z2HN4KvBv1h-W4leSRNvh7V_DG-QQUXfUzBYQwruvbyd0wu-YDpFwM0IjW0ZAGeLJLmQRA/s1600/Great+Society003.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen Shot from The Great Society</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsmcpc5Lb-L1dRAMNtmzFJ7oqfNaVy4_eci4vjvK6lHeoUcKb4_fXNINsBXdgJ-LSPk_2KHBytI-lr5cTtZNaRwHhzo-LSz94JUya6dMR85G9oRBoeNSgi1coSV9iaD-tUqXwiB0iduY/s1600/ny031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsmcpc5Lb-L1dRAMNtmzFJ7oqfNaVy4_eci4vjvK6lHeoUcKb4_fXNINsBXdgJ-LSPk_2KHBytI-lr5cTtZNaRwHhzo-LSz94JUya6dMR85G9oRBoeNSgi1coSV9iaD-tUqXwiB0iduY/s1600/ny031.jpg" height="293" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen Shot from Head Games</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
I describe these films in the book but have never shown them in public before. You can read a description of the movies below, but they are intense, beautiful, powerful and in the original sense of the term "psyche-delic", "to open the soul". This is a rare opportunity, and I'm not sure if I will do it more than once. </div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
The films are "Head Games" about the Great Be In in Central Park in the spring of 1967, "No Game" about the protest at the Pentagon in 1968, and "Great Society" a true masterpiece looking back at the entire sixties, DURING the sixties--no after filter-- projected on six simultaneous screens, with a wrenching musical score. These are intense movies of intense times. After the movies, we can talk, and if time permits, I will show some slides about Mr. Oe's life today in the mountains of Japan. </div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
Here are some quotes from the book, the first by Marvin Fishman, who was Masanori's filmmaking partner.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
EXCERPT FROM A DIFFERENT KIND OF LUXURY<br />
(<a href="http://amzn.com/193333083X" target="_blank">Do you have a copy of the book yet? </a> Please buy it so that it remains in print)<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
“We filmed the Great Be In in Central Park in the spring of that 1967. We titled the film Head Games to indicate that even though the event had the idea of protest of the Vietnam war to it, this kind of thing, a Be In, was not the answer to the war. Everyone was in costume.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
"By the time we went on to film the protest at the Pentagon in October of 1968, things had changed a lot. You could see how much the focus changed in the difference between the films. We called that No Game, to say that this was not a game anymore: this was violent. It went on to became a major film. The demonstration was a mind-shattering experience for all of us.</div>
<div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“The film shows how a
nonviolent demonstration became violent. The question was how do you take care
of each other, and how do you film violence and not get hurt.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">There had been a change in the mood of the country.
I don’t know what we expected, but the police became less tolerant; there was a
lot of talk of ‘lawlessness’ and here we were invading the Pentagon, the center
of U.S. military might. They brought in a lot of U.S. Marshals: you’ve seen
those images—redneck thugs with pot bellies, crew cuts, and truncheons.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“That movie we made was a real shocker. We were
trying to make a statement that this government was becoming repressive of free
speech, and we were trying to make it in as stark and shocking a manner as
possible. The black and white gave us a grainy look, and then we made it more
high contrast. We wanted to say, “Here is your government.”</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVA7_S7vtQ5y7xaXE7fbiMgv0wg2t-AljolEkUAdD4ObX7rL3pXFtL8Gv_qw_GXpQ2WEF_J1L-PVj2Vm0tTKYWKu6p9ITp1LK5LBdH3UXG2iyAfWY7alTGQlebLiAx3UE2x9GtLSquiM/s1600/ny1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVA7_S7vtQ5y7xaXE7fbiMgv0wg2t-AljolEkUAdD4ObX7rL3pXFtL8Gv_qw_GXpQ2WEF_J1L-PVj2Vm0tTKYWKu6p9ITp1LK5LBdH3UXG2iyAfWY7alTGQlebLiAx3UE2x9GtLSquiM/s1600/ny1-1.jpg" height="318" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin Fishman and Masanori Oe filmakers in the 1960s</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">[LATER IN THE CHAPTER, MY VOICE]</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Masanori now sets up the screen and projector,
turns down the lights, and then all of a sudden I’m plunged back into another
world. Even though I’m in this mud-walled house in the mountains of Japan, I am
able to witness the immediate and vibrant, chaotic ’60s counterculture world in
full blossom, “as is.”</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">People parade with signs
and painted faces, dispersed on the streets of a late-winter New York, some
perhaps high, or angry, or just playing guitar on the grass. It’s a slow-motion
movement of carnivalesque faces with soap bubbles floating in the air in the
war-torn fever dream of the Us-versus-Them, red-scare, Gulf-of-Tonkin,
daily-body-count sixties. These are more than documentaries, though. They are
art. It’s a controlled kind of wild: the hand-held camera shots at cockamamie
angles and the syntax of rebellion inherent in the cuts between police batons
and street protest, the voices shouting each other down. Yet neither are they
gratuitously shocking, or easy, or pat.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The camera movements don’t startle, but neither do
they settle. What’s next? What’s next? Who knows? Flashing lights, throbbing
and dreamlike, and absolutely unresolved, like dreams are. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The lights come up just slightly as Masanori
prepares another film, this one entitled “Great Society.” He says that his
studio was asked by the national CBS people to </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">do a major project, an
overview of the entire decade, for the annual CBS network convention in New
York, with permission to use footage from the CBS archive. He explains that it was
made with six different screens going simultaneously in order to show the
many-sided nature of the times.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now we’re into the
fast-cut, jump-at-you images, one after the other. The screen splits into six,
strobe lights flashing, soldiers marching, JFK shot, Oswald shot, miniskirts,
Vietnamese POWs, space walks, napalm-burnt children, fighter jets dropping
bombs, the American flag, LBJ driving home a point forcefully at a lectern. Too
much is happening at once for the mind to perceive. The soundtrack is riveting
and disturbing: heart beats, guitar distortion, gurus chanting, a woman
screaming as someone is shot, a koto twanging as a mushroom cloud fills the
sky.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The images jumping from
race riots to liquid light shows to atomic blasts are all in present tense
here, not an artifact, or shorthand for “the sixties” digested by some future
generation. The images are contemporary, and are rendered as such by the
hallucinatory film grammar, prompting again the dilation of the psyche.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When the lights come back
on, I am transformed. Only sixteen minutes. The film is a masterpiece, and
everyone in the room knows it. None of us can speak. He’s captured the
overlapping movements: a new spiritual consciousness not separate from the very
political, antiwar immediacy of the moment.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 24.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Masanori says that CBS refused to show it again,
and there were threats from affiliates to drop out of the network if this was
the kind of thing that CBS wanted to spend their money on. He explains the idea
of having six different screens was to show how everything was happening all at
the same time. “The overwhelm and disorientation break down barriers and open
people to the possibility of a change, a change in consciousness.”</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Talking afterwards together, drinking tea, Masanori says, “Today people
think the word ‘psychedelic’ means just taking drugs, but the main meaning is
from the Latin roots of the words, psyche-delos ‘to open the soul.’ So if the
method for doing this was drugs, that was OK, but it also included yoga,
meditation, and the exploration of thought itself.”</span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-64584470494309620192013-12-08T12:45:00.001-08:002013-12-08T12:45:59.491-08:00"Ordinariness in how they live, but complexity in how they view their lives." Guest Blog Post<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenhIS6jWrhlesNQuP6FLqFKI_rzKyCqNOios4RUaANYOYvj7S4BGxacYYxNtESpUSZMuAZ7G7PPbpM-cqLAKCkgfQXX_Aur51XB0wYEkLDTYPlvgStEOd7Ki_3IKU-5XDCmAPP2HejC0/s200/tedtaylor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ted Taylor<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many readers of A Different Kind of Luxury may not know that there live a tough and inquiring cadre of expatriates who have made their home in Japan and spend the days of their lives exploring the riches of rural culture there. (I myself have returned to California to teach my writing classes and to write new books, and also because I feel more at home here--I haven't lived in Japan since 2000.) Many of these expats have shared experiences with each other by blogs and via a Countryside Living forum (which I believe is no longer online). Of the blogs,<a href="http://kenelwood.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Ken Elwood's</a> is a great example.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Another one is by the steadfast Ted Taylor called<a href="http://www.notesfromthenog.blogspot.jp/" target="_blank"> "Notes from the Nog."</a> Ted and I have been in contact for several years and I invited him to submit a guest blog post. It's great. You can read it below. Ted is a contributing editor at <a href="http://kyotojournal.org/" target="_blank">Kyoto Journal. </a><span class="Apple-style-span"> He is currently at work on a series of books about walking Japan's ancient highways. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnf1RyMwcHA-4QpXcAQgno39Qzwxlu9wUIZv7QHuJnEalsTvu7Kc7HV-jojM1JT0YuaOoANQbiCCJYQoWYBsrs804OXGjWV9Jpk749q7sPSC15ecGE1F-LwxcTUeI7O4xrMdIGcbv5YQ/s1600/IMG_3389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnf1RyMwcHA-4QpXcAQgno39Qzwxlu9wUIZv7QHuJnEalsTvu7Kc7HV-jojM1JT0YuaOoANQbiCCJYQoWYBsrs804OXGjWV9Jpk749q7sPSC15ecGE1F-LwxcTUeI7O4xrMdIGcbv5YQ/s320/IMG_3389.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M1upldtIrkDFz0RbWvfJY7wBlLzYllYHDNRwrPYtyBoZKhzQZp4XSgZE6HjntCOGZC8zGKMNfOLfJXw0Q_cY6juZZtlE4fP7HlKHViEsh96kCTzBt1u8wHbrPVvYciYYz3VG2ZYXlSc/s1600/IMG_5052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9pO2bh0SAQ5F5EzU41wgMJU5-gDGpZixGWqa2AsfYPxzn7Y6KqB9TFdhPs0SqWtcVnZTez19mndAlcOE0yaN8sJqlwtvxVyf6mEWJIKmekxH6jFLAISJQCWgAKneBrgDAtWvhzcz3hk/s1600/IMG_5255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnf1RyMwcHA-4QpXcAQgno39Qzwxlu9wUIZv7QHuJnEalsTvu7Kc7HV-jojM1JT0YuaOoANQbiCCJYQoWYBsrs804OXGjWV9Jpk749q7sPSC15ecGE1F-LwxcTUeI7O4xrMdIGcbv5YQ/s1600/IMG_3389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9pO2bh0SAQ5F5EzU41wgMJU5-gDGpZixGWqa2AsfYPxzn7Y6KqB9TFdhPs0SqWtcVnZTez19mndAlcOE0yaN8sJqlwtvxVyf6mEWJIKmekxH6jFLAISJQCWgAKneBrgDAtWvhzcz3hk/s1600/IMG_5255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />It was alternative culture that led me to Japan. In my final couple years as a university student, I found myself ducking classes more and more in order to read the works of those whose viewpoints didn't necessarily align themselves with the conservative mainstream 1980's microcosm that was my school. Despite this, their words were available on the shelves of the campus library, and it is from this berth that my imagination began to sail in directions at odds with what I was learning in the classroom.<br /><br />The "radical" ideals of many of these writers had been honed in the temples of Asia, so it was only natural that I would gravitate there. When I arrived in the Japanese countryside in the very-much-analogue year of 1994, I found myself in an environment similar to the University I'd left a few years before, an environment of materialism and conformity. I learned quite early that even the people on the street who looked to be counterculture were most often merely dressing the part, and that eventually they too would be absorbed back into the greater society at large. I did eventually find a few artist-types or those who "aspired to" a simpler way of life (and there were also rumors of interesting happenings down in Kyoto), but for the most part I settled into this cultural outback of the countryside.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br /><br />Little did I know that this was exactly where where the kindred spirits dwell. In the late '90's, an article began appearing in The Japan Times, an article called "Alternative Luxuries." I would read Andy Couturier's pieces with great relish. I had found over the years that in Japan, people are allowed to have dreams, but it is only the brave few who actually act on them. Yet here in print were people who had not only followed their dreams, but had let those dreams shape their very way of existing.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpKjBx7uXN2CWDVQNBAK2Nvr8MJW-epWvL-I7FqcHwDGfjNnumBAH2sjQgdB8TuqObBnMGXNOjX8OTDpIgqVAa-g4qcL92Syi0ncC-VC84TMkxekM1mqWvHXhypyR96YwoF251-fPp48/s1600/IMG_3376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpKjBx7uXN2CWDVQNBAK2Nvr8MJW-epWvL-I7FqcHwDGfjNnumBAH2sjQgdB8TuqObBnMGXNOjX8OTDpIgqVAa-g4qcL92Syi0ncC-VC84TMkxekM1mqWvHXhypyR96YwoF251-fPp48/s320/IMG_3376.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />A handful of years later, I once again came across Andy's articles in this very blog. Not only had the articles been fleshed out further, but so had my own relation to them and to Japan itself. Some of the inspiration had rubbed off to the extent that I too had crafted my own semi-alternative life here (Not being Japanese in the first place, this isn't terribly difficult.). Like Andy, I had built my own friendships with people to whom a simple life is simply common sense. Though a few are based in cities, most live deep in the countryside, and share with the men and women in Andy's book not only the ordinariness in how they live, but the complexity in how they view their lives and their interconnectedness.<br /><br />I had a glimpse of the latter one autumn night, a few weeks before I was leaving Japan, a departure that had I assumed at the time was to be final. The night that my wife and I finished the Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage, we were put up by a few young people living in a valley in deep Tokushima. As the evening went on, my hosts and I found that we had many friends in common, and I began to sink into a certain melancholy, saddened to be leaving this country in which I had built strong friendships over 15 years. But then it dawned on me that I wasn't stepping away from the circle. In moving back to the States, I was helping that circle to expand.<br /><br />And there, upon arrival, I found <a href="http://amzn.com/193333083X" target="_blank">Andy's book, a book I'd been waiting all of those 15 years</a> to see published. And in rereading those familiar voices, and in reading the comments of those who praise this book, the circle continues to expand. </span><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9pO2bh0SAQ5F5EzU41wgMJU5-gDGpZixGWqa2AsfYPxzn7Y6KqB9TFdhPs0SqWtcVnZTez19mndAlcOE0yaN8sJqlwtvxVyf6mEWJIKmekxH6jFLAISJQCWgAKneBrgDAtWvhzcz3hk/s400/IMG_5255.JPG" width="400" /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><i>Based in Kyoto, Ted's work has appeared in The Japan Times, Kyoto Journal, Kansai Time Out, Skyward:JAL's Inflight Magazine, Outdoor Japan and Elephant Journal, as well as in various print and online publications. A Contributing Editor at Kyoto Journal, he won the top prize in the Kyoto International Cultural Association Essay Contest. He is currently at work on a series of books about walking Japan's ancient highways.</i><br /><a href="http://www.notesfromthenog.blogspot.jp/">www.notesfromthenog.blogspot.jp/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M1upldtIrkDFz0RbWvfJY7wBlLzYllYHDNRwrPYtyBoZKhzQZp4XSgZE6HjntCOGZC8zGKMNfOLfJXw0Q_cY6juZZtlE4fP7HlKHViEsh96kCTzBt1u8wHbrPVvYciYYz3VG2ZYXlSc/s1600/IMG_5052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M1upldtIrkDFz0RbWvfJY7wBlLzYllYHDNRwrPYtyBoZKhzQZp4XSgZE6HjntCOGZC8zGKMNfOLfJXw0Q_cY6juZZtlE4fP7HlKHViEsh96kCTzBt1u8wHbrPVvYciYYz3VG2ZYXlSc/s320/IMG_5052.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-64048626078708363432013-11-14T14:07:00.000-08:002013-11-14T14:07:06.716-08:00Want to live off the grid? Look to traditional cultures.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Jnwb2HHh2nPPDUmCsJRhQlfP4SF8ycWLYXLJT0UwucoIvOjZIToW9wLIzP0Iw1qxLCgXUBGdSHCYoqZQoc-oIxKyeDLkumTj5YhEXF4w1w8BAnSoagjepZ-Rin6Md3Vn8sxuyHeuwIA/s1600/Forge+for+chisels+by+Nakamura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Jnwb2HHh2nPPDUmCsJRhQlfP4SF8ycWLYXLJT0UwucoIvOjZIToW9wLIzP0Iw1qxLCgXUBGdSHCYoqZQoc-oIxKyeDLkumTj5YhEXF4w1w8BAnSoagjepZ-Rin6Md3Vn8sxuyHeuwIA/s400/Forge+for+chisels+by+Nakamura.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodcutting chisel with illustration of<br />how to make a forge for iron (I saw many of these in India just 3 years ago) <br />drawing by Osamu Nakamura (chapter 2) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the things I admire so much about the people I profiled in the book is how they looked to Nepal and India and traditional Japan to learn, to re-learn, to reskill themselves, about ways to accomplish basic necessities. If we won't have petroleum forever, or if it is killing the other animals, which it is, and if reducing all actions to the action of one finger pushing a button diminishes our humanity, we don't have to reinvent the wheel. We can go to traditional cultures and learn from their ways. The people in the book did this by <i>drawing</i> what they saw. It's not the same as taking a photo. Forcing yourself to draw shows you where you are not paying attention. It teaches you how to make it yourself.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oec0dMARBJ-2t1LONTRvCtOR8Uth43nPxgK5iu83sk4xyvqn7Ehj6FWBIziUZyI53jkuoPccwCrKV3mRLeRzaVjBxy9W07pRZ2RRKHo71TXNywFH0UydViOa58cg7AtjSc-sAA7yhVQ/s1600/Chisels+and+Wheat+Grinder+by+Nakamura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oec0dMARBJ-2t1LONTRvCtOR8Uth43nPxgK5iu83sk4xyvqn7Ehj6FWBIziUZyI53jkuoPccwCrKV3mRLeRzaVjBxy9W07pRZ2RRKHo71TXNywFH0UydViOa58cg7AtjSc-sAA7yhVQ/s400/Chisels+and+Wheat+Grinder+by+Nakamura.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left side, a water-powered wheat grinding wheel, drawing<br />by Osamu Nakamura (chapter 2)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxYAp18suuFYZ8UKNWnCZz3z4AOYt1N-Inn2eUzXvhQBU4tSViyEg8JlIvPOq7moCKIgQ4LCJ4xsImkVYz3cf9_4RuSHcXZDll5-uiaeC9BO_DrOWerckxdW05jlMp1wC6GYzRfIn7pQ/s1600/butterchurns+gufu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxYAp18suuFYZ8UKNWnCZz3z4AOYt1N-Inn2eUzXvhQBU4tSViyEg8JlIvPOq7moCKIgQ4LCJ4xsImkVYz3cf9_4RuSHcXZDll5-uiaeC9BO_DrOWerckxdW05jlMp1wC6GYzRfIn7pQ/s400/butterchurns+gufu.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter churns sketches by Gufu Watanabe (chapter 8)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeG3nUuVqYasd5_5IqA1h38KZw9yqOUR_FMzao1s0MMlW-gvdbTRUNQivDX3CJW1XbkyEjydookMeFPaxMAdfBAEqbMbpQX9fZfa_Ng8w6-orv-OwrHxSpJ_CnsxYGB1LgILfNd6OYitI/s1600/Carrying+Paper+Bundles+in+Mountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeG3nUuVqYasd5_5IqA1h38KZw9yqOUR_FMzao1s0MMlW-gvdbTRUNQivDX3CJW1XbkyEjydookMeFPaxMAdfBAEqbMbpQX9fZfa_Ng8w6-orv-OwrHxSpJ_CnsxYGB1LgILfNd6OYitI/s400/Carrying+Paper+Bundles+in+Mountain.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrying bundles of handmade paper woodcut by Akira Ito (chapter 6) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLvaB-xAblfqbN4yTNWzhCVsDTUo0USUsHyxWgMuIwHFjP0X3rR4vUj2-adntXW_cFdLY8zjZCwSnYgHpgBDmM47mI1tcccpaxqmcxzp2LoHK7Y9LPYUbEPZDv79Y8fqM1O4O2xzjdNo/s1600/Ito+with+Tea+Press.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLvaB-xAblfqbN4yTNWzhCVsDTUo0USUsHyxWgMuIwHFjP0X3rR4vUj2-adntXW_cFdLY8zjZCwSnYgHpgBDmM47mI1tcccpaxqmcxzp2LoHK7Y9LPYUbEPZDv79Y8fqM1O4O2xzjdNo/s400/Ito+with+Tea+Press.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Akira Ito working a wooden tea press that he had built.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6eFzR_80Enc-DE3drhJybBdAiwLbv0tPnPTb7jW0zeJHQoOouMu0sUOu0iAhyqF_MdzROHOd9d1qp5kaeBvUkmtAanwQQmkrbv4DgM0t66Qrb67DPFKY3nGsZGW4CVN3IjrRIe6sEQM/s1600/NepaliRocketStove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6eFzR_80Enc-DE3drhJybBdAiwLbv0tPnPTb7jW0zeJHQoOouMu0sUOu0iAhyqF_MdzROHOd9d1qp5kaeBvUkmtAanwQQmkrbv4DgM0t66Qrb67DPFKY3nGsZGW4CVN3IjrRIe6sEQM/s400/NepaliRocketStove.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nepali rocket stove from Kathmandu, by Gufu Watanabe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyLVTQFuRZHnC2gTy1WOSLHe6y_Dgqai5mb6sYXYYbA1BQnKk3AkBeTwuJ9WzCS-ZvfxCV462heVkbWMbtTECFOxzp0MwaUUFF6fwVz9aoIE9ZUJEj-_HPi6K0d0iPLwj7I0CtgCpF7s/s1600/Paper+Making+Tools.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyLVTQFuRZHnC2gTy1WOSLHe6y_Dgqai5mb6sYXYYbA1BQnKk3AkBeTwuJ9WzCS-ZvfxCV462heVkbWMbtTECFOxzp0MwaUUFF6fwVz9aoIE9ZUJEj-_HPi6K0d0iPLwj7I0CtgCpF7s/s400/Paper+Making+Tools.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paper making tools. Drawing by Akira Ito.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-51141561925832000212013-11-13T10:50:00.000-08:002013-11-13T10:53:17.702-08:00Your book provided the last little kick in the butt I needed to sell my house and move into the hills.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXkMR7rh8h0c_XLy5SJIhHD1cDwq2b_K6uFynC8_RSzQ6tSAPVOoF1W1MOGpmZUBP1IN_5330V-tLjZcWp9tisVCwqShcgNsZLQMxVBWPiemEkZ_-aHUZvSss1pgTXm0-6jm1Kwuk60k/s1600/AmemiyaInRiceField.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXkMR7rh8h0c_XLy5SJIhHD1cDwq2b_K6uFynC8_RSzQ6tSAPVOoF1W1MOGpmZUBP1IN_5330V-tLjZcWp9tisVCwqShcgNsZLQMxVBWPiemEkZ_-aHUZvSss1pgTXm0-6jm1Kwuk60k/s400/AmemiyaInRiceField.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asha Amemiya (chapter 5) with her daughters at rice harvest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>There are many ways to radically simplify your life. It really DOES result in deeper fulfillment. Rita from Arkansas wrote
to me: </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Andy - I heard about your
book from a commenter on Nature Bats Last. Yesterday I posted a comment there
recommending the book again.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I live in Arkansas - in a
little cottage in the historic part of Fayetteville, with a permaculture garden
where the lawn once was. I liked the idea of using wood ashes in place of dish
soap. I hand wash everything and have no appliances or air conditioning/furnace.
I heat and cook with wood or a camp stove. My electric bill is under $20
year-round. But your book provided the last little kick in the butt I needed to
sell my house and move into the hills. I am not yet certain which hills those
will be. I am 64 with four grown daughters. I live like a Zen monk in many
ways, though I spend more time reading and writing than meditating.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fukushima is even more grievous
to me now. I can only imagine the anger and despair for all who are tied to
that land. </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>My friend Steev wrote me
after reading <a href="http://adifferentkindofluxury.blogspot.com/2012/12/put-your-body-in-situation-and-wait-for.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a> in which I wrote that he </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; line-height: 18px;">"spent 3 years living in the forest behind a university campus, and snuck into the woods late at night, living under a tarp in the rain or the cold, and now he can live within any means at all."</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.terrariamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/46610012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://www.terrariamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/46610012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steev Odell, of<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rabbits-Moon-Tea-Arts/581271028600571" target="_blank"> Rabbit's Moon Tea Arts</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Thank you Andy. That was
very beautiful article.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">A few corrections, just so
as not to romanticize my suffering too much. I didn't live under a tarp for
three years. I lived in a very well built yurt structure made from wire, twine
and large 12-feet-tall redwood </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">branches that I reverse
engineered from a friend's shelter I took down and rebuilt it exactly as was
100 yards away. It was cross-hatched and very complicated and when I took it
down after three years I thought to myself, "How did I ever do this?"</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was very well
maintained and had enough space for me to have a futon bed on top of crates on
top of plywood on top of four sheets of foam so the futon was extra comfy.
Like, deeply comfortable. I would get excited going home because I knew I had a
extremely comfy bed in the forest. I also had five blankets. It was warm even
in the winter.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The roof was actually
thick clear plastic sheets, it was malleable like a tarp would be but far more
durable and long lasting. I had to tend to it in the rain, like one would a
ship in a storm at sea, to make sure none of the riggings loosed themselves,
but it was an integrity that I am still astounded by to this day.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Not much suffering at all.
And especially, just for clarity on the subject of living situation. Not just a
trap in the rain. Lots of people did that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a curiosity cabinet, a tea area, two book shelves, all within
this little yurt.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Wish you could have seen
it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Steve</span></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvf0Mx4Fcm-PIoqVAMIimxYqCfi1UVp1BGzQM9m2fsZ2i-PlyDiimCIDEgI8CglyLeK8hAmyMokj4H5csoULfxvMUEMHGKO6dfp2xiyFMjbjXKA_SDu4TK6M1PMBMKmH94iKLAOO-KAQ/s1600/IMG_1728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvf0Mx4Fcm-PIoqVAMIimxYqCfi1UVp1BGzQM9m2fsZ2i-PlyDiimCIDEgI8CglyLeK8hAmyMokj4H5csoULfxvMUEMHGKO6dfp2xiyFMjbjXKA_SDu4TK6M1PMBMKmH94iKLAOO-KAQ/s400/IMG_1728.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simplifying your life does NOT mean deprivation. The rich life of the Oizumi family. I wrote about them in Chapter one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-28977841295740853322013-10-01T23:39:00.003-07:002013-10-01T23:39:58.244-07:00Meet Atsuko Watanabe in Berkeley, CA, once-only chance Wed Oct 16th<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Opening, A Center for Courses in Writing</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
in conjunction with</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/farleaves" target="_blank">Far Leaves Tea</a>, <a href="http://raisetheroot.webs.com/" target="_blank">Raise the Root Cooking Collective</a>, and <a href="http://www.stonebridge.com/" target="_blank">Stone Bridge Press</a></div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Present</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 24.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
An Evening with Atsuko Watanabe</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 24.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
and author of<i> A Different Kind of Luxury</i>, Andy Couturier</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Wednesday October 16th, 7-9:30 PM</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
A fundraiser for Fukushima children</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
at</div>
</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 17.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font: 17.0px Helvetica;">Far Leaves Tea, </span> <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/3ERIA" target="_blank">2626 San Pablo Ave </a></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 17.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://goo.gl/maps/3ERIA" target="_blank">Berkeley, CA 94702</a></div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Come join us for a warm evening with Japanese environmentalist and anti-nuclear activist Atsuko Watanabe, profiled in Chapter 3 of<i> A Different Kind of Luxury: Japanese Lessons in Simple Living and Inner Abundance</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVPZ5IrJSOqTsYLC-g_VXDLJn5JujA1IOheVaZmAPwjEFPDii6lT_mQk5ZfvTpXnAVQHf2K4ny0xweKFCEeKpvxyWsrtsBjCs8jPeNZhSRis8gEUYEsX9e9zaEsyxS7sOeG7A0mK5UeY/s1600/atsukoContemplating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVPZ5IrJSOqTsYLC-g_VXDLJn5JujA1IOheVaZmAPwjEFPDii6lT_mQk5ZfvTpXnAVQHf2K4ny0xweKFCEeKpvxyWsrtsBjCs8jPeNZhSRis8gEUYEsX9e9zaEsyxS7sOeG7A0mK5UeY/s320/atsukoContemplating.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>This is a once-only opportunity</b> to meet and ask questions of this pioneering activist, organic gardener and zero-waste crusader, and key collaborator in the production of this book. Ms. Watanabe will be leading a delegation of environmentalists from the village of Kamikatsu in Shikoku island, the first Zero Waste village in Japan. Since making this declaration a decade ago, Kamikatsu has become nationally known and a destination for people studying how to reduce their garbage. (You can read <a href="http://bbc.in/ytB4Z" target="_blank">an article about Kamikatsu by the BBC here</a> )</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Ms. Watanabe will be coming to Northern California on a research tour to visit recycling, waste recovery, solar energy and natural building sites. As part of this tour we would like to offer fans of<i> A Different Kind of Luxury</i> the chance to meet her, ask questions and engage in discussion with her and other people in her delegation. We will start with a short slide presentation by author Andy Couturier, who spent four years researching and 15 years writing this book.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh7fatQSeRu9nJcEsPCEPiHAUVT0FBOXX-kwDicyOvpi58vPWGlDbqCrEJpqEAtW7Pd6uQEBxRDV7MSm7C35jZALY6mmvBGP_BgPs2zXANpuNimzN5PCwWeoXA-iBJjqJ_cgtWepH2T0/s1600/atsuko+in+field.sml.2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh7fatQSeRu9nJcEsPCEPiHAUVT0FBOXX-kwDicyOvpi58vPWGlDbqCrEJpqEAtW7Pd6uQEBxRDV7MSm7C35jZALY6mmvBGP_BgPs2zXANpuNimzN5PCwWeoXA-iBJjqJ_cgtWepH2T0/s320/atsuko+in+field.sml.2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
The event will be held as fundraiser to bring children from the stricken Fukushima region to the much less toxic area of Kamikatsu--400 miles to the west--where their bodies can have a chance to heal and recover somewhat. The project is being facilitated by the village of Kamikatsu, where Ms. Watanabe is a town councilor. They are arranging to bring children out of the irradiated zone and house them for a short time in the village. We request<b><i> a donation of $20 or more</i></b> at the door. Please consider being as generous as you can afford. </div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
As part of the evening, we will provide organic tea from Kamikatsu,<i> Awa Bancha,</i> a rare rustic tea produced with a 'lacto-fermentation' method unique to this one small region of Japan.</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
We will also be serving some delicious appetizers made from seasonal, organic & locally-sourced ingredients provided by <a href="http://raisetheroot.webs.com/" target="_blank">Raise the Root Cooking Collective</a>. Raise the Root is a group of culinary educators that use food as a springboard to cultivate community & inspire conversation.</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 17.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font: 17.0px Helvetica;">LOCATION: </span> 2626 San Pablo Ave </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Berkeley, CA 94702</div>
</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 17.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
(510) 665-9409 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/3ERIA" target="_blank">MAP here</a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
PLEASE TRY TO COME ON TIME. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 24.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Ms. Watanabe has not left Japan in more than 10 years, and many of the other people profiled in the book rarely leave their villages. This is really a one time only opportunity.</i></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you cannot make the event but would like to make a donation to this fund you can click on this link:</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="NL6L4S3S4TA5C" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</div>
</form>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-21146663657377797562013-06-25T10:51:00.000-07:002013-06-25T10:51:12.865-07:00A picture, a plate and a pot, a flute, some vegetables, cooking a meal, reading a story.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few nights ago I went to a concert. It was a big splurge for us, and really meaningful. Hugh Masekela is a jazz great, who played with Miles Davis in the early 1960s, and who got a personal gift of his first trumpet from Louis Armstrong when he was a boy in South Africa. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reason I'm bringing it up here is that I was shocked by the actions of a few people in the audience. Here was this dignified man, a true master and he had personally asked people not to record or to take photos or especially flash photos. The MC had announced it twice and had practically begged people to give this respect to the musicians. And all around the audience people had their iPhones out some surreptitiously, but some, in the front row no less blatantly recording the concert, pointing their flashes in the musician's face. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I couldn't help thinking about HUMAN DESIRE. How much more do people really need? What an incredible honor to see this man, a true legend, giving us a fantastic virtuoso performance, and a great showman as well, and people couldn't just let themselves bask in the privilege. They had to have <i>more</i>. Even if that meant insulting the man, to his face. He squinted, shielded his eyes, and finally had to interrupt the show to tell people to stop it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's one of my favorite passages from <a href="http://stonebridgepress.wazala.com/widget/?nickname=stonebridgepress&profilepage=1&subdomain=1" target="_blank">A Different Kind of Luxury</a>. It's a translation I did of a piece of writing by Koichi Yamashita who I profiled in Chapter 9.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLhu819ZfROYcHq2fhfjCFjVRMpHHtqFeFh_6CJYO-DqeeI0mbKVZDnNTiBRkye3Ei9mdDCRzJYP0coVMkWN-zsbRCQklLYC90RlUB4zZxa9VrpIa69iIexFJNDE8ZnkQvUn05ekfUUU/s1600/Picture_16_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLhu819ZfROYcHq2fhfjCFjVRMpHHtqFeFh_6CJYO-DqeeI0mbKVZDnNTiBRkye3Ei9mdDCRzJYP0coVMkWN-zsbRCQklLYC90RlUB4zZxa9VrpIa69iIexFJNDE8ZnkQvUn05ekfUUU/s400/Picture_16_5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koichi Yamashita</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In Sikkim, in India, there is an aboriginal tribe</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">of people called the Lepcha. One time, leaving</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">the university for some time off, we spent about</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">three weeks with a family in one of their villages.</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyD9Z-ov3dH5cHVwSzAOJTqWCSi7rJrKd879KW55iseBafowy8fEraFEvGX8ObFczaBRpoE6uHL6jQDCn7LKVGmixftQUIhLv204XTwrm5sbwpXHK96HiX5RjCqGoS00QqNhacgJixkE/s1600/IMG_4996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyD9Z-ov3dH5cHVwSzAOJTqWCSi7rJrKd879KW55iseBafowy8fEraFEvGX8ObFczaBRpoE6uHL6jQDCn7LKVGmixftQUIhLv204XTwrm5sbwpXHK96HiX5RjCqGoS00QqNhacgJixkE/s400/IMG_4996.JPG" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">They had no electricity, and the only things</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">they bought were sugar and salt. They pressed</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">their own oil, they grew their own rice, they had</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">cows and pigs and goats, and they knew how to</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">keep silk worms. Their way of life was the real</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">thing.</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’d like to get my life back to just the</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">simple things: a picture, a plate and a pot, a</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">flute, some vegetables, cooking a meal, reading</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">a story.</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
So! <a href="http://www.create-the-good-life.com/enough.html" target="_blank">Here's a great essay on Enough</a>, by my friends and colleagues Beth Meredith and Eric Storm. Read it, please. Try the exercise at the end. It will help you. I'm sure.</div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeSOO7tcW8aipeGM4b92z80vjd7p4J0iqppsjz-MotJtObZf02dTxr48nnSnh41QCK1WpU0PqizQSUEJCMPWBzEKk6GGWh3GnxJe6jwvkY1vglgpf7KpZLhBADKQOs1XDNw66s8RDO1Y/s1600/IMG_7404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeSOO7tcW8aipeGM4b92z80vjd7p4J0iqppsjz-MotJtObZf02dTxr48nnSnh41QCK1WpU0PqizQSUEJCMPWBzEKk6GGWh3GnxJe6jwvkY1vglgpf7KpZLhBADKQOs1XDNw66s8RDO1Y/s400/IMG_7404.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
And if you are a fan of A Different Kind of Luxury, please insure that it stays in print and available by getting a copy for a friend, or yourself. And telling others about it too. <a href="http://stonebridgepress.wazala.com/widget/?nickname=stonebridgepress&profilepage=1&subdomain=1" target="_blank">Here's how.</a></div>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-50282340449032814662013-05-14T06:27:00.000-07:002013-05-14T06:27:20.459-07:00A quick taste of some of the wisdom in this book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A person identified only as "Sakuteiki" and who lives in Grants Pass Oregon pulled out a few of his or favorite quotes or scenes <a href="https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/community" target="_blank">in an Amazon review.</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Potter Oizumi creates Chernobyl shaped lanterns with permuted fenestrations of the date of the nuclear spill. A tea ceremony performed in a bomb shelter. Making pottery of clay from a nuclear spill site, bread from grain harvested near a nuclear facility, quietly gentling people to consider the meaning of polite behaviors which ignore the unpleasant, while cooperating in implied brutality and contamination.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38Ltw8ZxNNrDUBXswU7T7VbgxEqf1_eH-cdEGsf1oo0EY_QIyCKkRqTeQkW5OqzZIGkluOl1UtvvsMfd6Je_BKTh2c6TKtSJrhZZLCRLfcPIYN7WFUPMmb8wb6P48DgLU1yBRaciSqRI/s1600/DSC_0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38Ltw8ZxNNrDUBXswU7T7VbgxEqf1_eH-cdEGsf1oo0EY_QIyCKkRqTeQkW5OqzZIGkluOl1UtvvsMfd6Je_BKTh2c6TKtSJrhZZLCRLfcPIYN7WFUPMmb8wb6P48DgLU1yBRaciSqRI/s320/DSC_0431.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Osamu Nakamura woodblock carver, hand bookbinder, cook: "I looked at my life, and I knew that I didn't want to wake up one day and find myself an old man filled with regret that I hadn't seen the things of this world."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Batik artist Asha Amemiya: "Maybe it's just that humans are that kind of animal; they don't really want to move toward satisfaction. Or maybe it's just that the place where I'm satisfied is different. . . ."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWI-Djbo4z8YPuXDBeedd2rhaBc66wOUnBUHpGFgscxt3ABBNVwpWGODD2tV5b2WrVKIeCEIfNh4RN4zH1OqZVVOBk5rnE3C2NbD1NrIois783FARGjA1y8M_E7l4hbok-mJ53YU_F9p8/s1600/DSCF6240_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWI-Djbo4z8YPuXDBeedd2rhaBc66wOUnBUHpGFgscxt3ABBNVwpWGODD2tV5b2WrVKIeCEIfNh4RN4zH1OqZVVOBk5rnE3C2NbD1NrIois783FARGjA1y8M_E7l4hbok-mJ53YU_F9p8/s320/DSCF6240_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Akira Ito illustrator, writer, book designer: "The good things of the past, that's what we must preserve. They have passed through the hardships of history to become a tradition, and we who are alive today must treasure them, and take care of them for the future."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Gufu Watanabe potter, journal writer: "People in Japan used to make quality things too because the artisans didn't have any skills. . . . There was power in it. But then they learned all kinds of techniques and the energy and force disappeared."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The reviewer described the book like this: "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Thoughtful humble lives of simplicity if one is seeking alternatives, or merely inquiring about possibilities. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A Different Kind of Luxury is a gift of friendship from creative, generous people who engage fully in their communities and have lives full of meaning."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLYM7imaSo7-Ki_Fz75cs6_AQZsjhtqWPk6QJdKeRjfKDD2GEWpqhv66kc18M4UG_I7Pxixp1TBBYOxJ3dJOmysb5Ui9AF8yxCzMLB4cldi-YU3z56xfwAMyoht3731mwbSvYYM5Ec3M/s1600/ADKL-79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLYM7imaSo7-Ki_Fz75cs6_AQZsjhtqWPk6QJdKeRjfKDD2GEWpqhv66kc18M4UG_I7Pxixp1TBBYOxJ3dJOmysb5Ui9AF8yxCzMLB4cldi-YU3z56xfwAMyoht3731mwbSvYYM5Ec3M/s200/ADKL-79.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And here are some words of mine that he or she chose to highlight: "There is a larger world surrounding us, not just the resplendent world of nature, but also our own potential as people to live well, to connect with each other, to do meaningful work, and to forge a different kind of future for ourselves and for the next generation."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please, if you want to get the book for yourself or for a friend or family member, I would like to ask you to get it directly from the publisher<a href="http://stonebridgepress.wazala.com/" target="_blank"> here.</a> You will get a beautiful gift card of a piece of calligraphy from Wakako Oe that is not included in the book, with two great quotes on the back of the "folding screen" card from her as well. Here's that image. You may find that the more you gaze at it, the more you see.... </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgIDJyYERMQd8LiFKzHjEk1aDdBabH4i7VxUwzlUU6VZRXQUQsChAYwJZj4QRRS3BJi1iKh_9GgIBq8TBCPyHsAIL9WAceytCYkXE0cBHUx0-7_SfbdxEUViJLu2AsJyi3N7Rl7fJqLg/s1600/wakakoCalligraphy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgIDJyYERMQd8LiFKzHjEk1aDdBabH4i7VxUwzlUU6VZRXQUQsChAYwJZj4QRRS3BJi1iKh_9GgIBq8TBCPyHsAIL9WAceytCYkXE0cBHUx0-7_SfbdxEUViJLu2AsJyi3N7Rl7fJqLg/s400/wakakoCalligraphy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-30943147837470899982013-04-29T08:54:00.001-07:002013-04-29T08:54:36.737-07:00"I am practicing being talentless, but I find it very hard to do"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Potter Gufu Watanabe spoke to me about his ideal of achieving a flavorful line. Read more about him in Chapter 8. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some of his illustrations, from his</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> hand-painted </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Years cards that he sent me. Beautiful as these are, the ideas and philosophy behind them are even more amazing.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQH50AmVl6uMa_bKGVVOHlJQWhWQo7B9OrGrCbZHx0FcLbN1Zl3CwA1m8jhfzY4vzFiEQuVdoMg54cEf7NCr6yZ-Y7P7txu0I7z8y6Dx_ZPcy_zUkuRtLae0Y6x28TIam2_jeUmpggf0/s1600/GufuNengaJo_0002+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQH50AmVl6uMa_bKGVVOHlJQWhWQo7B9OrGrCbZHx0FcLbN1Zl3CwA1m8jhfzY4vzFiEQuVdoMg54cEf7NCr6yZ-Y7P7txu0I7z8y6Dx_ZPcy_zUkuRtLae0Y6x28TIam2_jeUmpggf0/s320/GufuNengaJo_0002+copy.jpg" width="221" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 120%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm practicing being talentless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I find it almost impossible to do.
If I could actually get bad at it…but to imitate being bad at it, that just
won't work."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both start
laughing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 120%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Those
pictures </span><span style="line-height: 120%;">from a thousand years ago in Persia came out of the life of poor people
then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if I lived a similar way,
then maybe I could draw such pictures, but I…I live in Japan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew up poor, actually, but all
around me, the culture was at a sophisticated level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's why no matter how I try, I can't draw a picture like
they did.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQMNquxWL-HBgmvndAidJgxB0XwdIYlbt7xE5axnfQ-FDvSrPOLzbwvRXcIH7UcEwITB_Jadj0g2ZOuGrlDqQxOjhSh9_v7AgDkAo53kye66EnyjzSf8l9CBL9283ehFgOCkX1XZf9hk/s1600/GufuNengaJo_0007+copy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQMNquxWL-HBgmvndAidJgxB0XwdIYlbt7xE5axnfQ-FDvSrPOLzbwvRXcIH7UcEwITB_Jadj0g2ZOuGrlDqQxOjhSh9_v7AgDkAo53kye66EnyjzSf8l9CBL9283ehFgOCkX1XZf9hk/s320/GufuNengaJo_0007+copy+2.jpg" width="220" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /> </span>"My goal is to draw a line with some 'flavor' to it.<span> </span>But somehow, I just end up drawing a clean and pretty line, </span><span style="line-height: 19px;">that is to say, a boring line.<span> </span></span><span style="line-height: 19px;">I have to destroy that habit."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Maintext" style="line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A flavorful line.<span> </span>Such a small thing, but such a big thing if you are trying to make good art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMD-THHL3L629drewztTy9QGEKUwSshK7jepAhSWNzUmtN9ZJWZ1I5l_TJY62gpy3RaaAI8yhcSzA6t-LGh5FxwVBtqnECbaXn6qZEzkoXi1l48J0DfbDZ73LpjIw6ojkcz1-RO6pMmA/s1600/GufuNewYearsCard1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMD-THHL3L629drewztTy9QGEKUwSshK7jepAhSWNzUmtN9ZJWZ1I5l_TJY62gpy3RaaAI8yhcSzA6t-LGh5FxwVBtqnECbaXn6qZEzkoXi1l48J0DfbDZ73LpjIw6ojkcz1-RO6pMmA/s320/GufuNewYearsCard1.jpg" width="220" /></span></a></div>
<br /></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-52563708922508069402013-04-17T22:15:00.000-07:002013-04-17T22:15:15.380-07:00Calling on you to be part of Community Supported Publishing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here's a big request to all the friends of this book. PLEASE share this widely. My publisher has gone the extra mile to do a 3rd printing, and they are offering a beautiful limited-edition 'folding screen' card with an original piece of calligraphy, AND<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> a signed copy of the book, all for $20, including shipping. Please buy directly from the publisher and keep this book in print for the future. You can send a link to this blog to your friends by email, or you can tweet or put it on facebook. If you can do more than one of these, even better.</span></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fH2KtsrGQ9bCKR3s8EJiolt1L6h3bwRI60Syb3btUq-WYNqvLePH4yRmKlTO38mMxizs_BCFS6bp84idfsT0YWLwntF9AMezjuLs0YxpO_3b-7O82CJ4FWDddCb4ydgZcfR0fFCOYXA/s1600/adkl+promo+photo+with+calligraphy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fH2KtsrGQ9bCKR3s8EJiolt1L6h3bwRI60Syb3btUq-WYNqvLePH4yRmKlTO38mMxizs_BCFS6bp84idfsT0YWLwntF9AMezjuLs0YxpO_3b-7O82CJ4FWDddCb4ydgZcfR0fFCOYXA/s400/adkl+promo+photo+with+calligraphy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get all these, including shipping for $20.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Peter Goodman at Stone Bridge Press puts it this way:</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We have just gone back to press for the 3rd printing of<i> A Different Kind of Luxury</i>. With its color pages and unusual format, it is expensive to produce. But we have kept the price under $20 because we think this is one of the most important books we have ever published and want to be sure it stays affordable to readers.</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, we need your help! We know you can buy it elsewhere. But as an act of Community Supported Publishing, if you believe in this book and its important message, would you do us the favor of<a href="http://stonebridgepress.wazala.com/" target="_blank"> purchasing from our website</a> for the regular price of $19.95? </span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We'd like to thank you for helping us out:</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1. A copy of the book<b> personally signed</b> by the author, Andy Couturier.</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. Our gift to you of a miniature “folding screen” featuring<b> inspiring art by Wakako Oe</b>, one of the rural artists from Japan featured in Andy's book.</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3.<b> Free shipping</b> within the USA </span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. The<b> good feeling</b> that comes from supporting a worthwhile project and sharing it with your friends and community. </span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We want to keep this book in print and need your help to find new readers. Community Supported Agriculture is all about many people sharing resources to support healthy food outside mainstream agribusiness. Why not Community Supported Publishing to share the message of people living, meaningful humble ways of life?</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Please post the link to this limited-time offer on your Twitter feed, Facebook page, or wherever you hang out in space and online. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;">http://stonebridgepress.wazala.com</span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhsCpInLv0Zkw3LbCmqk7HSDbBJ43s8T8B0ehEZkVx-JQ7Ir4xLWJJWcZY5H9H8RVzLkLnkKG35c1ob6VmWMQGoWs7kI9EQ8Nb1B0jpgy5ROaB1-QBSMjJp9I-BJJA6K-D_o8Ovw-JEU/s1600/wakakoCalligraphy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhsCpInLv0Zkw3LbCmqk7HSDbBJ43s8T8B0ehEZkVx-JQ7Ir4xLWJJWcZY5H9H8RVzLkLnkKG35c1ob6VmWMQGoWs7kI9EQ8Nb1B0jpgy5ROaB1-QBSMjJp9I-BJJA6K-D_o8Ovw-JEU/s320/wakakoCalligraphy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This fine piece of calligraphy has been made<br />into a folding card with two great quotes on the back<br />as an extra gift.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 17.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-28664883825907666622013-04-12T10:30:00.000-07:002013-04-12T10:30:23.857-07:00Three years after publication, the new five star reviews keep coming<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc1eKOsC50pmdw9a_jGUsEOjP2nm6kDFAr35yQ4QF9pDqC9ww7pCWK94EAWDq-ha7etiGE8-wE_V10eQAZEgeSt1931b-Pt9wjpVVC1ylU7yR2kffS_r9-HUHRBPSwKhjeB60Adkde-E/s1600/IMG_4912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc1eKOsC50pmdw9a_jGUsEOjP2nm6kDFAr35yQ4QF9pDqC9ww7pCWK94EAWDq-ha7etiGE8-wE_V10eQAZEgeSt1931b-Pt9wjpVVC1ylU7yR2kffS_r9-HUHRBPSwKhjeB60Adkde-E/s400/IMG_4912.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you have enjoyed the book, posting a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Different-Kind-Luxury-Japanese-Abundance/product-reviews/193333083X/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_recent?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending" target="_blank">review on Amazon</a> or on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5870377-a-different-kind-of-luxury" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <i>really</i> helps other people find the book. Here are some recent ones on Amazon:</span> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/common/sprites/sprite-site-wide-3._V375430972_.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -30px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><span style="left: -9999px; position: absolute;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>Eleven Signposts: This Is The Way!</b>, <nobr>February 2, 2013</nobr></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
As we make our way through life, we get guidance. The choices that eleven people made about what they could do to improve the quality and significance of their lives are set out in this book for you to consider. It will affect you deeply. Every time you read it, you will find some new insight into how you can change your life, for the better. When you are ready, a teacher appears.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5aVvZvwv8TVlW3jqp09R-ahnyjzE4D3Y3YZJl96shYVOUkON8nnCuDL8zpf9qE-CBZ5-pKK1suMVm_y7hOP__Lt9AzsQMIQawFXOi5hEvNkm74yHwsAk3Q6j3nUGArqX_O78d-egWtg/s1600/darjeelingline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5aVvZvwv8TVlW3jqp09R-ahnyjzE4D3Y3YZJl96shYVOUkON8nnCuDL8zpf9qE-CBZ5-pKK1suMVm_y7hOP__Lt9AzsQMIQawFXOi5hEvNkm74yHwsAk3Q6j3nUGArqX_O78d-egWtg/s320/darjeelingline.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Himalayan signpost and altar:<br />line drawing by Asha Amemiya<br />(profiled in Chatper 5)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">
<span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/common/sprites/sprite-site-wide-3._V375430972_.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -30px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><span style="left: -9999px; position: absolute;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>A Reassessment of Priorities</b>, <nobr>December 4, 2012</nobr></span></div>
This beautifully-written book is about how 11 people realized, usually through foreign travel and deeper investigation into different forms of Buddhism, that they could choose how to live their lives in ways that are far from the norm in modern Japan. Reading about them enables us to look at how we are living our days, weeks and years. Over and over again, Couturier stresses the fact that the greatest luxury of all is time. Slowing down, doing less and enjoying it more are some of the lessons I received from this delicious, luxurious read.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvkN5ajKRnrYtbSOuBWtOFOwzDjeBwq2maXomnXuFkwIKwYx0NkbdzgREhqycSE0Fz8bHvMCuvFyQANsNMXwYe_cBEmtytl565cESex4Hty6CZ3-Zvg666X38iQfXdIU_1phRKQ6Mm9c/s1600/Japan2_0106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvkN5ajKRnrYtbSOuBWtOFOwzDjeBwq2maXomnXuFkwIKwYx0NkbdzgREhqycSE0Fz8bHvMCuvFyQANsNMXwYe_cBEmtytl565cESex4Hty6CZ3-Zvg666X38iQfXdIU_1phRKQ6Mm9c/s320/Japan2_0106.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Nakamura's house<br />(Chapter 2)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">
<span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/common/sprites/sprite-site-wide-3._V375430972_.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -30px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><span style="left: -9999px; position: absolute;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>In Tune with Life</b>, <nobr>April 13, 2012</nobr></span></div>
I read this book some time ago after seeing the author at a local reading. It was written, of course, before the nuclear tragedy in Japan but is all the more urgent and timely a book because of that accident. Japanese people, along with those elsewhere who rely on nuclear power for their society's voracious power needs, are asking, "Is there another way?" This book points to that way.<br /><br />The author, who lived in Japan for four years and originally published the interviews in this book along with others in a series for the Japan Times, sought out a number of people who lived simple and happy lives. Mostly living in the countryside, they had dropped out of the frenetic Japanese way of life, instead preferring an abundance of time for contemplation and enjoyment. Each had a quite different story. Some were artists of various kinds, others were craftspersons, some gardened. Likewise, some lived alone, others had families. Some were off the grid but not all of them. But all shared a deep spirituality and sense of wonder that their contemporaries all too often lack.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWJEtqYq_n-UFNvz4Zq2A82PFnZj0vCPFfjr8rSV9tX33Wnxm8nNT2HX5oPu7g9BFyoFf5Gyqv5lqEdL5ugXr5HZYnLsiWib3SXQnURINtsSU-HAYE4Muep_84J0qkRi09g4XxYdxnc4/s1600/DSCF6372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWJEtqYq_n-UFNvz4Zq2A82PFnZj0vCPFfjr8rSV9tX33Wnxm8nNT2HX5oPu7g9BFyoFf5Gyqv5lqEdL5ugXr5HZYnLsiWib3SXQnURINtsSU-HAYE4Muep_84J0qkRi09g4XxYdxnc4/s400/DSCF6372.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life of the Buddha, hand painted<br />scroll by Akira Ito (Chapter 6)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />The author and interviewer chose wisely and edited wisely as well. I might add that the book is beautifully assembled, with pictures that bring the people interviewed to life. If you are looking for hope that a different, gentler way of life is possible, read this book.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
<br /></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-left: 0.5em;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxixQrdWza1GJxoWidF2dk4aEfedtn-mrPZ8Sjkd-TibA3phUYxLPfWRZzk2lB0C7wxCO2tvB6Nz2OXGIYCGbsnyMuCbhLwld_zV3pfSLVktSUV18I7V32AZ0I-WI-3ZwFLIGZ5qNmUc/s1600/DSC_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxixQrdWza1GJxoWidF2dk4aEfedtn-mrPZ8Sjkd-TibA3phUYxLPfWRZzk2lB0C7wxCO2tvB6Nz2OXGIYCGbsnyMuCbhLwld_zV3pfSLVktSUV18I7V32AZ0I-WI-3ZwFLIGZ5qNmUc/s320/DSC_0704.JPG" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand dyed fabric hanging by<br />Jinko Kaneko (Chapter 10)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">
<span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/common/sprites/sprite-site-wide-3._V375430972_.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -30px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><span style="left: -9999px; position: absolute;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>Inspiring and Insightful</b>, <nobr>February 29, 2012</nobr></span></div>
I found "A Different Kind of Luxury" a delightful read. It helped me relax and open my mind to a completely different way of living that is more sustainable, rich and creative. Andy Couturier is an excellent word smith who crafts a delightful image for the mind by combining many different elements of style, much like a delicious meal of many savory spices.</div>
</span></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-63529743559948630152013-03-11T09:05:00.000-07:002013-03-11T09:05:28.331-07:00"Requiring billions to change their lifestyle"? Hardly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">I posted an article today on <a href="http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/14205859-fukushima-not-a-natural-disaster" target="_blank">"All Voices" a political blog. </a> Part of it read: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">What does it mean to be truly and deeply humble about our presence here on the earth? It doesn't boil down to a simplification like "conservation." It does start with a radical reduction in consumption. Consumption is what we do with the ignition key, the thermostat, the appliance, the one-click purchase, the light switch, and the part of our paychecks that disappears into something disposable. Whatever it is we do that consumes something (or somebody) else. That somebody may be a human, or an animal, or a species, or an ecosystem, or a tree. Do we really need a limitless amount of free electricity lighting up every part of the planet?<br /><br />Humility is a training of the soul, to achieve within your day to day life the rich abundance implied by less and to achieve this despite the distractions and attractions, perhaps even<em> against</em> the distractions, is a victory of your spirit against the setup of the world as it is.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">And one man, Nathan, commented: </span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">You are correct that Fukushima should not be considered a natural disaster but a human-made catastrophe. Solving this problem and making sure it never happens again will not be accomplished by requiring billions of people to change their lifestyles. The continued existence of nuclear power plans is evidence of a breakdown in the ability of people to govern themselves. That is the challenge that must be addressed first.</span></blockquote>
To which I replied:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Thanks for the comment Nathan. I did not by the way however say that we should "require" billions of people to change their lifestyle. But if it's really a "style" isn't it changeable like the way bell bottom pants are no longer in style? Rather however, I think it's a *value* where we decide, consciously to use less. The good news is that the less I consume, the happier I become. That's the message of the people I wrote about in A Different Kind of Luxury, and they've been living truly sustainable lives for 30+ years. I would add that, lastly, wresting control of the government of Japan from the technocrats and anti-democrats in Japan may prove more difficult than turning off lights.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtq7H83W4I9rnkQt4mQO5rzRgMasJS_5PHzBn36OPlwfJYzkLzYQVrPYJwPXZokTd6pqSgJgn_ylYdLsw7MDJOljeyf-zGM4NElCegsWZPpzw7uaPYWJ0PVj_gL1AU6FH7UcVITzeJ3Ug/s1600/Oizumi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtq7H83W4I9rnkQt4mQO5rzRgMasJS_5PHzBn36OPlwfJYzkLzYQVrPYJwPXZokTd6pqSgJgn_ylYdLsw7MDJOljeyf-zGM4NElCegsWZPpzw7uaPYWJ0PVj_gL1AU6FH7UcVITzeJ3Ug/s400/Oizumi.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<br />
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-47436614922646544512013-02-26T18:41:00.000-08:002013-02-26T18:41:49.958-08:00 "I’m glad you convinced me to buy it"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 23px;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">I got this letter from a new friend Tom Herzog who had been following this blog but who hadn't gotten the book. I met him at a sustainability gathering here in Santa Cruz (we were meeting to trade home made preserves, what a great idea, and thanks to <a href="http://www.meetup.com/santa-cruz-sustainable-living/" target="_blank">Meetup</a>!). So at some point in discussing gopher control, he realized that <b>he knew about my book through the blog but hadn't bought it.</b> Boldly I said, "You should buy it!" He did. He took $20 out of his wallet, even though he was unemployed at the time, and money was tight, and then a few weeks later, I got this email from him. </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegznUl9yYosynZsSXPvvEJRF_0HzYu5j6eqNCZOylm0iMqCVFryFIBCxj4jZYyoL8nrSJIxji90AtP9wDnt7ggoZ61IlUePhaAOfMcz7woQcyVU1FrfPkiH8kjeYf4V0L5wnJX5vNQXI/s1600/Tom+Herzog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegznUl9yYosynZsSXPvvEJRF_0HzYu5j6eqNCZOylm0iMqCVFryFIBCxj4jZYyoL8nrSJIxji90AtP9wDnt7ggoZ61IlUePhaAOfMcz7woQcyVU1FrfPkiH8kjeYf4V0L5wnJX5vNQXI/s200/Tom+Herzog.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farmer Tom Herzog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">"It’s been a while since we
first met/talked at the Preserve Swap Meetup Manfred hosted a few months back.
I thought the Meetup was great and I’m glad I got to meet you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been getting <a href="http://www.stonemealfarm.com/" target="_blank">my little farming operation</a> up and going. You might remember that we were talking for a bit about
the Natural Process farming method I had learned while interning under Bob
Cannard at Green String farm in Petaluma. Then at some point during the
night I realized I had been following your blog for some time but had never
bought the actual book. Well I’m sure glad you convinced me to buy it that
night because you were right, I Loved it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"><o:p> </o:p></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Geneva;"><b>I just finished reading it and it’s almost completely covered
in highlighter marking. </b>So much I don’t want to forget! I’ll probably
end up reading it few more times when I’m in need of some more inspiration in
my life but for now I’m passing it on to friends that I know will love it as
well. I really needed to hear the bits about people getting by with so little
money and always being confident they will have enough to get by because that
has been a current struggle in my life. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5GZffd1hXRbe_TnvtUlMEy6Eg_mhNh7lee9vwzy8aVMOTAWEVw3wngrxSX6__NVbUwJPeW58NrdVtSjXpJ3lSc9rMl8BDt3Uz3HTUnOwufokuV9JqafuML_bO4EQJO2VcEDOJ4ASzR4/s1600/Picture_15_9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5GZffd1hXRbe_TnvtUlMEy6Eg_mhNh7lee9vwzy8aVMOTAWEVw3wngrxSX6__NVbUwJPeW58NrdVtSjXpJ3lSc9rMl8BDt3Uz3HTUnOwufokuV9JqafuML_bO4EQJO2VcEDOJ4ASzR4/s400/Picture_15_9.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murata and his son, by the rice fields that feed them</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me it was awesome to hear about all these different people successfully living
the simple life that I’m currently trying to attain in my own life
journey. I feel our Western society has done its best to hide these kind of people
from us. They want our role models to be rich people, celebrities or musicians with
all their expensive material things to trick us into thinking a life full
of money is what truly brings happiness, which couldn’t be further
from the truth. Most of these fake role models are so miserable and messed up
they are dependent on some kind of drug/alcohol just to make it
through the day. I know our national happiness has been in decline for
some time and I really think it has a lot to do with our disconnect from nature
and its daily destruction. I can only hope enough people wake up to this
realization before it’s to late to mend all the damage we have caused to the
mother of us all. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguao5RH5f5KzxQDKSVrufxVzp3UuTdcBuALm8xczzBZBQolrvLZE9mT_QfHN4qn7h1Gf6CsbfVsmJUaXApilwUA1e7U_ouYwOpar7g72BQMf9XjY9-bMse_QPQgOUH45ZRxbOXDifIzm4/s1600/IMG_4927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguao5RH5f5KzxQDKSVrufxVzp3UuTdcBuALm8xczzBZBQolrvLZE9mT_QfHN4qn7h1Gf6CsbfVsmJUaXApilwUA1e7U_ouYwOpar7g72BQMf9XjY9-bMse_QPQgOUH45ZRxbOXDifIzm4/s320/IMG_4927.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gufu Watanabe (Chapter 8) displaying the warm conviviality you will find at all of these people's homes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully I’ll make it to another one of these Meetups and
get to talk to you some more. Starting next week I’ll be out on my new farm
full-time and trying to get the land/irrigation all prepped to get a good head
start on this springs planting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Sincerely </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Tom Herzog"</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">So, if you've been lurking around the blog, you really are missing out on great material. We've just gone into our third printing (the first two have sold out), so please consider <a href="http://amzn.com/193333083X" target="_blank">getting a copy for yourself</a>, or for a friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-58074303819475908242013-02-02T14:18:00.000-08:002013-02-02T14:18:53.840-08:00Outside of Mainstream Bookselling Channels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Books are sold in cities, right? Book sellers and publishers focus on where concentrations of people are, and that makes sense. But what about a book about rural life? <br />
<br />
<a href="http://amzn.com/193333083X" target="_blank">A Different Kind of Luxury </a>is about person-to-person contact, about small-scale enterprises, about intimate connections with the natural world, and about doing for yourself. This happens of course in the US as well. <br />
<br />
One of the places that has sold dozens of books is the tiny "Kettenpom Store" in Zenia, CA. It's in Trinity County near where my partner and I have some land where we live some of the time. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisldcK9i0w2Gpn-r_LRMBmknuZiCGZrqLwCiA-2nuERA6OcNqjoyB0_yp0XjQls4Witz3kNuk7gxmcJCBX1LrGC1NWlNXQs0XD0J2mePVOi4cbb6LIXUWGGrI7ES9FjJBfc6Y9YE13eMw/s1600/IMG_6532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisldcK9i0w2Gpn-r_LRMBmknuZiCGZrqLwCiA-2nuERA6OcNqjoyB0_yp0XjQls4Witz3kNuk7gxmcJCBX1LrGC1NWlNXQs0XD0J2mePVOi4cbb6LIXUWGGrI7ES9FjJBfc6Y9YE13eMw/s320/IMG_6532.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kettenpom Store</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There are probably less than 200 people in the surrounding 50 miles, but they have stocked the book for two years now, and with a little "local author" sign, it sells. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJjx77aG3N4rYRrLORdOsDXunOY8s1XTmoL50d0MXy9AV9oUqu6KcBLsF-bHJA7hzNoXh7P-1y5s7arnd5E6vN_XnGpj1_ChDgj0yFJjOVSQ-JYIJUfcZUjJZ67OxQJIlXk1CoaOIRFU/s1600/IMG_6530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJjx77aG3N4rYRrLORdOsDXunOY8s1XTmoL50d0MXy9AV9oUqu6KcBLsF-bHJA7hzNoXh7P-1y5s7arnd5E6vN_XnGpj1_ChDgj0yFJjOVSQ-JYIJUfcZUjJZ67OxQJIlXk1CoaOIRFU/s200/IMG_6530.jpg" width="200" /></a>One day, when I was signing books, a bearded man in overalls walked up to me and said, "You are signing that as if you wrote it."<br />
<br />
"I did, actually."<br />
<br />
"Wow, I <i>love</i> that book, I've read all the way through it three times."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2OprlGcB67vIUsAom2SL0Mmdq5LCvw3Qh5XhuHUCMeHGcviAGsonuqg8r5y2tY7t1b4GtUf22LKJdBClGHTGf2n7Hs0x94VHYeWJfDxEZjQgi6z7WFQ7pCnARC3xLFhG5s-S2pHfq4w/s1600/IMG_6536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2OprlGcB67vIUsAom2SL0Mmdq5LCvw3Qh5XhuHUCMeHGcviAGsonuqg8r5y2tY7t1b4GtUf22LKJdBClGHTGf2n7Hs0x94VHYeWJfDxEZjQgi6z7WFQ7pCnARC3xLFhG5s-S2pHfq4w/s320/IMG_6536.jpg" width="320" /></a>It turns out that he lives in the same valley, and grows Japanese vegetables, including burdock root, or <i>gobo</i> as it is known in Japanese.<br />
<br />
I have been very adamant about this book not being "about me." Too many books about Asia focus on the Westerner's experience going there and learning about himself (usually it's a he). There's something vaguely distasteful about that focus to me. So when I've been asked to "talk more about yourself," I've resisted. The book is about these people who are so amazing. I try to move towards their ideal. <br />
<br />
However, I think one of the reasons people want to know is because they want to believe that "people like them" can do it too. And many Japanese people want to know if I live like the people I write about do.<br />
<br />
So, over the next few months, I will go ahead and write a bit about ways in which my life has parallels to the people in the book. But if this is your first visit to the blog, please, <i>please</i> read about them first. There are many excerpts on this blog, and if you like what you read, please do purchase the book. I don't make very much money at all on the book, but if it is going to continue to be available to other people in the future, it has to keep selling. It's only $20, or less, with shipping. ( The computer you are reading these words on is likely more expensive than that.)<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN4VkxeNHD9mEsvStHFV9kGxC6Ps5of-RnFRVGgDitatgxbD4EgKGALgZvkbKi8CBK5tAKw4-ND7n9A1hcrijXCrjFR73ks3vyQT1uWwUrOdTKGXUWJCRBA_dMtd7R5x9Kt8Goc8wq9M/s1600/DSC_0496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN4VkxeNHD9mEsvStHFV9kGxC6Ps5of-RnFRVGgDitatgxbD4EgKGALgZvkbKi8CBK5tAKw4-ND7n9A1hcrijXCrjFR73ks3vyQT1uWwUrOdTKGXUWJCRBA_dMtd7R5x9Kt8Goc8wq9M/s320/DSC_0496.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Winter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, for a bit of a start, here are a few photos of our land (about 15 miles from the Kettenpom store) and the house we built there. Hand tools only, no generators. Solar power and a little hydro electricity generator in the creek.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJh2fbdqhA6g3w5SAlannzpR42bxYgFd8q-Uaf7QYDF8AxNDPS999rSE6cVTnjCvgjLaf1yRUR2-CQz1F1y7wKZurcP1uvG68oPEe5K13AZGeOhyhG1EeyK15k7fjYw8cYKR1VgqLp7N4/s1600/IMG_6522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJh2fbdqhA6g3w5SAlannzpR42bxYgFd8q-Uaf7QYDF8AxNDPS999rSE6cVTnjCvgjLaf1yRUR2-CQz1F1y7wKZurcP1uvG68oPEe5K13AZGeOhyhG1EeyK15k7fjYw8cYKR1VgqLp7N4/s320/IMG_6522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Summer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwUNcrj1843iByL9SwtqZ7d61Fxqoc2_ZDUxats3iw05nCWC5LQf8B8IzlBrHKzUZZkSByUnfQmOVLCjgHznWP9zwg2x2Fk1zuv3Ii3Tnk8PNPQxQS_9VY4ZmVPXoZm11153g-J9eXXc/s1600/DSC_0875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwUNcrj1843iByL9SwtqZ7d61Fxqoc2_ZDUxats3iw05nCWC5LQf8B8IzlBrHKzUZZkSByUnfQmOVLCjgHznWP9zwg2x2Fk1zuv3Ii3Tnk8PNPQxQS_9VY4ZmVPXoZm11153g-J9eXXc/s400/DSC_0875.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand built house, from the front</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz9wsGDCfOsf1wuocF_NTMm0itVa9ec6sjg6PwdPD10Srkfo38H6-HJFnsYgMl3ofn4ChFmBnw6lfQjaGMHX4P7VsoQoVj_VKGlyMp1m9FbxV2oPp3UJtjQK7xl8Icanyz2lTyJ7PPdI/s1600/IMG_0367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz9wsGDCfOsf1wuocF_NTMm0itVa9ec6sjg6PwdPD10Srkfo38H6-HJFnsYgMl3ofn4ChFmBnw6lfQjaGMHX4P7VsoQoVj_VKGlyMp1m9FbxV2oPp3UJtjQK7xl8Icanyz2lTyJ7PPdI/s320/IMG_0367.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This window arrangement<br />is based on Japanese flower <br />arranging <i>ikebana</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
These solar panels were built in the early 1970s. We bought them in the early 1990s. In the summer, they give us more than all the power we need. Just a few lights and the laptop. They were $100 each, and boy was it hard to spend that much money!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFRC-T8IO6b38CU9An7nJ-3arsN5w0OvERu080DuymDOZHvaOX3SYgVT8vP1vgoemrhfpKL2VdZlhG-RsE0Y2H0uhbOV6LyHkO5KcfFbpA-zM08BAgc2RGiRCimDfaaM7MIfZSV6mN1g/s1600/IMG_6516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFRC-T8IO6b38CU9An7nJ-3arsN5w0OvERu080DuymDOZHvaOX3SYgVT8vP1vgoemrhfpKL2VdZlhG-RsE0Y2H0uhbOV6LyHkO5KcfFbpA-zM08BAgc2RGiRCimDfaaM7MIfZSV6mN1g/s320/IMG_6516.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No nukes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
So, yes, as I wrote in the introduction, "the good life <i>is</i> possible." This is our version of it. You too can create one of your own. Try hard. This is your time, and your life.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHXdOd8kz9k2LxnvQTPQ0jFefI99o9GYNN0f1KmL2rHpuKpWUEQ-MT7ppMr9IEj8j4c1QG5Q3EWwmQm74Gib341Q5tqZ-sEvo8GsV4V34l-_nMFbq2Tf0eL5fD0bVUJeFF8PopxxiqqA/s1600/DSC05394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHXdOd8kz9k2LxnvQTPQ0jFefI99o9GYNN0f1KmL2rHpuKpWUEQ-MT7ppMr9IEj8j4c1QG5Q3EWwmQm74Gib341Q5tqZ-sEvo8GsV4V34l-_nMFbq2Tf0eL5fD0bVUJeFF8PopxxiqqA/s400/DSC05394.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-33107341615302728732013-01-19T22:48:00.002-08:002013-01-19T23:27:28.638-08:00The Explosion of New Creative Work by Osamu Nakamura <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I visited Japan in October, I was absolutely astounded by the number of new creative works by Osamu Nakamura, who <a href="http://adifferentkindofluxury.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html" target="_blank">I profiled in Chapter Two</a>. This post will mostly be images of his new works. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He has completed his move to the next valley since when the book was published. He's living in a much smaller place, in fact, an old cow shed that he has converted, beautifully. <b>How does he have so much time??!</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So many of <a href="http://theopening.org/" target="_blank">my writing students</a> are desperate for more time to write. It seems so simple when I meet with Nakamura. Live in a very cheap and modest place, eat simply, do what you can for yourself, and the whole day is yours.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He introduced me to a proverb: "When you are lacking a little bit, just endure it. When you are lacking a lot, think hard and invent a way."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Included here are his works in paper cutting, "paper block prints," collages of matchboxes, collages of indigo cloth, colored pencil abstract designs, and amazingly, digital photo print books. Nakamura, who doesn't even have a telephone or a car, much less email, was given a digital camera. As he is fascinated by abstract art, he learned how to take photos of rubber bands, pieces of wire and a glass cup up close, and then bring them to a copy shop, print them on paper, then cut them up, and bind them--as always--into a hand made book.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click on any image to get a close up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy, and share with your friends. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBTpNY7I92GWfUOabL2Tmtfp1jVqCbkDjiVCBnyGXr891dcpZMkhGWN8zaU1ppMsoMsYLbEZ3Z5xc5QEPb-KRfYJvsFMZWJvxQZ8PBEy_PcTJcAObH7RQL-1evKqEbtBYeNKxPYcX1Jg/s1600/IMG_1231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBTpNY7I92GWfUOabL2Tmtfp1jVqCbkDjiVCBnyGXr891dcpZMkhGWN8zaU1ppMsoMsYLbEZ3Z5xc5QEPb-KRfYJvsFMZWJvxQZ8PBEy_PcTJcAObH7RQL-1evKqEbtBYeNKxPYcX1Jg/s320/IMG_1231.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZBhijhBCrYRzVnaQXraco-hizg2skawiof7Vr9earpH09v59Q3BzzsJJOQVujR8iP8L3zNP0gyjDqClPuFV63FcFYnnNIZWO6Y7ezUGG6y_UL9ICqE_-REfI1omPSldoZsXuJhayWpU/s1600/IMG_5072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZBhijhBCrYRzVnaQXraco-hizg2skawiof7Vr9earpH09v59Q3BzzsJJOQVujR8iP8L3zNP0gyjDqClPuFV63FcFYnnNIZWO6Y7ezUGG6y_UL9ICqE_-REfI1omPSldoZsXuJhayWpU/s320/IMG_5072.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjut89fTgRz4Gpm_ixBC1yJzVADEK_y6jIygMrIXulamFkt53z00jRCuFOhqKkhc22mfpQwhxLtTD7opjEgkLgDLbcHT5juS5A8Jgi-92e2xQVJRWcLOhPQHKdxGm37KdxxrHpK40dfj7Q/s1600/IMG_1291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjut89fTgRz4Gpm_ixBC1yJzVADEK_y6jIygMrIXulamFkt53z00jRCuFOhqKkhc22mfpQwhxLtTD7opjEgkLgDLbcHT5juS5A8Jgi-92e2xQVJRWcLOhPQHKdxGm37KdxxrHpK40dfj7Q/s320/IMG_1291.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBTpNY7I92GWfUOabL2Tmtfp1jVqCbkDjiVCBnyGXr891dcpZMkhGWN8zaU1ppMsoMsYLbEZ3Z5xc5QEPb-KRfYJvsFMZWJvxQZ8PBEy_PcTJcAObH7RQL-1evKqEbtBYeNKxPYcX1Jg/s1600/IMG_1231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBTpNY7I92GWfUOabL2Tmtfp1jVqCbkDjiVCBnyGXr891dcpZMkhGWN8zaU1ppMsoMsYLbEZ3Z5xc5QEPb-KRfYJvsFMZWJvxQZ8PBEy_PcTJcAObH7RQL-1evKqEbtBYeNKxPYcX1Jg/s320/IMG_1231.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLgD-OYxNxAkC54uDuVObNyu6TqPwkXUNJf2WFIGSE1RdmfVGRe6Tno8zfXZH2LdHR0m7bcnx3ncCF3XQEnF7f_BlAGH0nOzkdKgadIrmfU7B155LZZd2ALiwdm6WbaY8powTJ0zn6fk/s1600/IMG_1243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLgD-OYxNxAkC54uDuVObNyu6TqPwkXUNJf2WFIGSE1RdmfVGRe6Tno8zfXZH2LdHR0m7bcnx3ncCF3XQEnF7f_BlAGH0nOzkdKgadIrmfU7B155LZZd2ALiwdm6WbaY8powTJ0zn6fk/s320/IMG_1243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXmQ3KtumbxNevwqjVpjGejzBoMt9Dg5digVqd1YRU9aAxvpdMxZsFwdTGMQkTkvk7MTBVQ2e8SLWUqgghOVBG02uz2_8slPMgZVeUcuGFSf0D1y3tCfQtsiL2VPTR0kJu7pdTTRBP_g/s1600/IMG_1248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXmQ3KtumbxNevwqjVpjGejzBoMt9Dg5digVqd1YRU9aAxvpdMxZsFwdTGMQkTkvk7MTBVQ2e8SLWUqgghOVBG02uz2_8slPMgZVeUcuGFSf0D1y3tCfQtsiL2VPTR0kJu7pdTTRBP_g/s320/IMG_1248.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8Ym72jYdUa7Qcls44lb8ucTGJy4GDp3fAIhjDsrYFxlrncRCUzW8Vac1qyRNE_hzYGtsfFUpiec6WRDh5azHUmba87joc5EuQD18S-CdHUc8fuFxDe063Q1Upe4kjXmMoZRlhtX5h7M/s1600/IMG_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8Ym72jYdUa7Qcls44lb8ucTGJy4GDp3fAIhjDsrYFxlrncRCUzW8Vac1qyRNE_hzYGtsfFUpiec6WRDh5azHUmba87joc5EuQD18S-CdHUc8fuFxDe063Q1Upe4kjXmMoZRlhtX5h7M/s320/IMG_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkLrtXnpEs_h3MDEeC3e_fIaPzggDdq4Ne2MujlSr87tF5ZvHIVJU6uKixSV19AnhYg2rwl-MKPaQFv5agA4R6dibGEnvMBArbj2Lnv-JVXHivAK4vuyLFCFgwwx2Jizi4HLFZzrmhCs/s1600/KuruKuru_0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRkLrtXnpEs_h3MDEeC3e_fIaPzggDdq4Ne2MujlSr87tF5ZvHIVJU6uKixSV19AnhYg2rwl-MKPaQFv5agA4R6dibGEnvMBArbj2Lnv-JVXHivAK4vuyLFCFgwwx2Jizi4HLFZzrmhCs/s320/KuruKuru_0019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OV6J0yrvke38nfhP-di5toHbKBj5LVeSjMp21IAVv3Sh4omCFdXTcyEWSanZfO38xSnzUMc4nmr3i0UbxaGOOD8cFEZr32okuXuZp-EAPK6QTu4NUdxwdEdVkolI7rOP_gSOQILUdoA/s1600/KuruKuru_0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OV6J0yrvke38nfhP-di5toHbKBj5LVeSjMp21IAVv3Sh4omCFdXTcyEWSanZfO38xSnzUMc4nmr3i0UbxaGOOD8cFEZr32okuXuZp-EAPK6QTu4NUdxwdEdVkolI7rOP_gSOQILUdoA/s320/KuruKuru_0018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcEU-J3DWF9P6K9v05A5RPIw1xleKd30UIZZkRNBSf5vn3E1mkkCESm9PfWvVf6x5FyLS3-wP9D1Im-j3qKKer60FhUDw5O0449HS2tdZQrqazWjiocadMcggJPsJXjintEtaJseX_A4/s1600/KuruKuru_0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcEU-J3DWF9P6K9v05A5RPIw1xleKd30UIZZkRNBSf5vn3E1mkkCESm9PfWvVf6x5FyLS3-wP9D1Im-j3qKKer60FhUDw5O0449HS2tdZQrqazWjiocadMcggJPsJXjintEtaJseX_A4/s320/KuruKuru_0022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY_cWpgfjqWaFISm3wc5U3HbbsdFazzqY9l9yYgaFygc0ewBR49fq5VZWfM50VQjBCGZQgU90wihY3plG-b6jge-grR4hoCC_Tkom4LxTB3kdQF5D7gQaZ_0RUICur4rcSGXfNII6khk/s1600/KuruKuru_0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY_cWpgfjqWaFISm3wc5U3HbbsdFazzqY9l9yYgaFygc0ewBR49fq5VZWfM50VQjBCGZQgU90wihY3plG-b6jge-grR4hoCC_Tkom4LxTB3kdQF5D7gQaZ_0RUICur4rcSGXfNII6khk/s320/KuruKuru_0024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJX2OXGYmEA3LJuQ7kxftd6tux5FtlYQ92WKh7AdQCiJfRYWg1sK0SCtSfmUoEutigTWUsnA9xQ2dMx0D3Cj5D7GGbDkM3BY9_GJ3T8DbUgTKTOF__brYCzu90WekoHBfddLaO5hthrs/s1600/NakamuraEhon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJX2OXGYmEA3LJuQ7kxftd6tux5FtlYQ92WKh7AdQCiJfRYWg1sK0SCtSfmUoEutigTWUsnA9xQ2dMx0D3Cj5D7GGbDkM3BY9_GJ3T8DbUgTKTOF__brYCzu90WekoHBfddLaO5hthrs/s320/NakamuraEhon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKKHQrpHJ3FLlep6XyOizbhpW_Indn9xG-bwGBNFaQmPsVgq5BKA6bhlbdIALAxq3K4yE6Inh_DfaaQwW17AdUBxj32AQJXGDT9_Dvl36g1nqJoHPF9O4msSwqgUqnTiArCP3OZCswhk/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKKHQrpHJ3FLlep6XyOizbhpW_Indn9xG-bwGBNFaQmPsVgq5BKA6bhlbdIALAxq3K4yE6Inh_DfaaQwW17AdUBxj32AQJXGDT9_Dvl36g1nqJoHPF9O4msSwqgUqnTiArCP3OZCswhk/s320/NakamuraEhon_0015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7AfQ14TBw04HNtnQGx1DKu4zI23toPcmMZqTtOANFG9kYIm9_QE2Dk6PbmAsFtJqFYsVcDUe2TtORKRmBL2Gmm19OHHa4ZWqlW23vqvbUY9TN4MYe62EcmJiauHrxmc9KvsM6uW4d38/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7AfQ14TBw04HNtnQGx1DKu4zI23toPcmMZqTtOANFG9kYIm9_QE2Dk6PbmAsFtJqFYsVcDUe2TtORKRmBL2Gmm19OHHa4ZWqlW23vqvbUY9TN4MYe62EcmJiauHrxmc9KvsM6uW4d38/s320/NakamuraEhon_0018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkC4aRgZMk-cqQIzcdNdPeFDATVYtXu-yKW2NnNVKIAeTt8bvSseLn7hcy7ZV1qxYsU-o7gdWTKgxMs46f4sy7uPvcT8mozOi95bRuhgG4qsy_yBQk3NFrL2tavlSlzHVJp7vCG5QR2E/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkC4aRgZMk-cqQIzcdNdPeFDATVYtXu-yKW2NnNVKIAeTt8bvSseLn7hcy7ZV1qxYsU-o7gdWTKgxMs46f4sy7uPvcT8mozOi95bRuhgG4qsy_yBQk3NFrL2tavlSlzHVJp7vCG5QR2E/s320/NakamuraEhon_0021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga59bdi_M9X-CX6SZTWtBwMFZ0KOvQqWitsbKAZDQJIH5RtTRHlxYy6fphXHQGBJuHKDlcikGCaBZ8EDa9mWbY-_28GkQIR4rUOnvaAXsDkpYACvAWCT4Nk2x_AgD7CVSebb4q6VL4ylI/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga59bdi_M9X-CX6SZTWtBwMFZ0KOvQqWitsbKAZDQJIH5RtTRHlxYy6fphXHQGBJuHKDlcikGCaBZ8EDa9mWbY-_28GkQIR4rUOnvaAXsDkpYACvAWCT4Nk2x_AgD7CVSebb4q6VL4ylI/s320/NakamuraEhon_0029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW-wKmgaVzuQsBH2_tD3pp3lUeHJkxg2F3WG4cdLCUFQ_jEPcGSpB5bA4Rf_JrncxKN68mirZHucKzSCD68_V8MIx-TobqRq5b1NgbCSdsygi6oIcwGHGZOWCMvJiAEc1KAoCFRKZYhw/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW-wKmgaVzuQsBH2_tD3pp3lUeHJkxg2F3WG4cdLCUFQ_jEPcGSpB5bA4Rf_JrncxKN68mirZHucKzSCD68_V8MIx-TobqRq5b1NgbCSdsygi6oIcwGHGZOWCMvJiAEc1KAoCFRKZYhw/s320/NakamuraEhon_0031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TxP2gaPnncg5y3mgwqsFMEk-2rYs8hSw4Xpvw6S9EnLFqfQWAEUzlAFtiQISs3KlNa8Xi7cxGwbxlBF3ys54WanHDA2c9_28ckunMwXCeF0pBDQmRp0x0QVaxABF-PmYyAOjZq04o_o/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TxP2gaPnncg5y3mgwqsFMEk-2rYs8hSw4Xpvw6S9EnLFqfQWAEUzlAFtiQISs3KlNa8Xi7cxGwbxlBF3ys54WanHDA2c9_28ckunMwXCeF0pBDQmRp0x0QVaxABF-PmYyAOjZq04o_o/s320/NakamuraEhon_0042.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxgNF3HurNz0r-QHjdFyvB1fK4TroKiB82qTtZ97VfMZSTzP9nKtbO1X-cNvM8-KSWZ9HIgZk3wmaXUZfwcCWhtKhBLQGLg-kFnRExE28VBvrKm7UzuPpoR-NCoHikWnxCPC364FNrqE/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxgNF3HurNz0r-QHjdFyvB1fK4TroKiB82qTtZ97VfMZSTzP9nKtbO1X-cNvM8-KSWZ9HIgZk3wmaXUZfwcCWhtKhBLQGLg-kFnRExE28VBvrKm7UzuPpoR-NCoHikWnxCPC364FNrqE/s320/NakamuraEhon_0043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1v8bG1ZTEegEGhdpot_Elb2iytiIkWajPYcSo0ftYYg3fD1G3TPKrIj9pjcWX6v2hPYu27C_MTYTq3ep2ZM5C4vPAlEj_wZ_W70f1oe4ujOMARefUyKD9-SfT9CJqidpXW4XzpQN_U4/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1v8bG1ZTEegEGhdpot_Elb2iytiIkWajPYcSo0ftYYg3fD1G3TPKrIj9pjcWX6v2hPYu27C_MTYTq3ep2ZM5C4vPAlEj_wZ_W70f1oe4ujOMARefUyKD9-SfT9CJqidpXW4XzpQN_U4/s320/NakamuraEhon_0050.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBY5igsCjzzGZ-r0ZeB49jyerkNpir6jm_rlJIuyR_pR7r2DJwkxUYAFur6yb_3boHAosFplbGyeAoOuuziC2gmw6-vta7rlLmpvxI2yI6ZjKVGMNhDkOLT-1TnHp1VeqykaQCf22dNLw/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBY5igsCjzzGZ-r0ZeB49jyerkNpir6jm_rlJIuyR_pR7r2DJwkxUYAFur6yb_3boHAosFplbGyeAoOuuziC2gmw6-vta7rlLmpvxI2yI6ZjKVGMNhDkOLT-1TnHp1VeqykaQCf22dNLw/s320/NakamuraEhon_0052.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebCfP_Kv3lUIMf0QkgG2qp8MW683MRmRaPGm3Vxchyg7MwkQrkMeLDh7SYDsMKH78sAHnXmUSzFnAMHdk56dIUcbxZzmBoUfSatzmrkymmo3-tp5VuzYsWWhDyVY-Zmkv4lDa9uGDKUw/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebCfP_Kv3lUIMf0QkgG2qp8MW683MRmRaPGm3Vxchyg7MwkQrkMeLDh7SYDsMKH78sAHnXmUSzFnAMHdk56dIUcbxZzmBoUfSatzmrkymmo3-tp5VuzYsWWhDyVY-Zmkv4lDa9uGDKUw/s320/NakamuraEhon_0044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-0xPeqKuczDW2MUEg4NdM89UaiXwfYCoQ3TTDbeps1lBHMuwN_Xi11pu0dxYBv4khQbmLL9C9-5IToJ218z-09zoH57PsyfkKOe-e7HAEULtNCrXr-rHVDMXAmac0vKn39zf0uqCY2M/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-0xPeqKuczDW2MUEg4NdM89UaiXwfYCoQ3TTDbeps1lBHMuwN_Xi11pu0dxYBv4khQbmLL9C9-5IToJ218z-09zoH57PsyfkKOe-e7HAEULtNCrXr-rHVDMXAmac0vKn39zf0uqCY2M/s320/NakamuraEhon_0062.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvwafP7QXFpcndkvjZSXFWut0lEoiyyXUp1WAfpVxkYBGW-860qi7ahgzHm0Cf5uoffW-xsOeJqwBGR7fppqg8g0IoRWLDKvIumGopRvCxJgwAdRwpPJRcNfrfEUxbQlC48vsUEdaQhk/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvwafP7QXFpcndkvjZSXFWut0lEoiyyXUp1WAfpVxkYBGW-860qi7ahgzHm0Cf5uoffW-xsOeJqwBGR7fppqg8g0IoRWLDKvIumGopRvCxJgwAdRwpPJRcNfrfEUxbQlC48vsUEdaQhk/s320/NakamuraEhon_0064.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZXWDcJJDc-wnnFn2smGAMp7NqTMwJDOktjrukNWXyXrbUbkwd-BFN5m27zfQhyM4ebm48zUiw4BBr5IbFJKiUS2FJQl1Uja4wsgDDlNcFSIdmRK4GhA3O7nlBX75e4-YeebHnPBLfnk/s1600/NakamuraEhon_0065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZXWDcJJDc-wnnFn2smGAMp7NqTMwJDOktjrukNWXyXrbUbkwd-BFN5m27zfQhyM4ebm48zUiw4BBr5IbFJKiUS2FJQl1Uja4wsgDDlNcFSIdmRK4GhA3O7nlBX75e4-YeebHnPBLfnk/s320/NakamuraEhon_0065.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh7mraPHMpj9tk9k9lUmVAe3ZKtlFsVQ_DaTOXsYQWa7Tr76HP7RGbOyCQQkFJrdzoo3l4EAUzKrsfgEZsL-h8_YJYehTCLBUciFQCWrckQADJ0c1kxGLoFFg5e1lXIObj5pyr8eNZrA/s1600/Picture_22_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh7mraPHMpj9tk9k9lUmVAe3ZKtlFsVQ_DaTOXsYQWa7Tr76HP7RGbOyCQQkFJrdzoo3l4EAUzKrsfgEZsL-h8_YJYehTCLBUciFQCWrckQADJ0c1kxGLoFFg5e1lXIObj5pyr8eNZrA/s320/Picture_22_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7xMjjEBQnR50q6FqW69cgzJX4BYJHQYxZPrt5rWD_tV6mxd3mqJ-QCfbPvSjanjituYPCTwU5SqQ__l-TN_Hq9j1SAMOOrpts2O6_QqfOkv0NfExILsoCb5jvyfuWFR9EC27PE2xuCA/s1600/Picture_23_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7xMjjEBQnR50q6FqW69cgzJX4BYJHQYxZPrt5rWD_tV6mxd3mqJ-QCfbPvSjanjituYPCTwU5SqQ__l-TN_Hq9j1SAMOOrpts2O6_QqfOkv0NfExILsoCb5jvyfuWFR9EC27PE2xuCA/s320/Picture_23_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoEsrtC8I5Iql1rZ70MxYjSKKnCan7r_-4ejFET1Nn_9eWO5REQBm5EIoaIA3BO2Ow9BFMZ4O4G1RC1975nyz2OQEKUtmcA4aqz6ltqpi-liNrwK5aiGhwBr-tBak-TqIHq9L78J4BhU/s1600/Picture_3_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoEsrtC8I5Iql1rZ70MxYjSKKnCan7r_-4ejFET1Nn_9eWO5REQBm5EIoaIA3BO2Ow9BFMZ4O4G1RC1975nyz2OQEKUtmcA4aqz6ltqpi-liNrwK5aiGhwBr-tBak-TqIHq9L78J4BhU/s320/Picture_3_11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapkeJFwR2TbfKwDHrQmusjS6-WGPwwVRMHkYkQqeRvBD45wwwxPI3AGutUi8RDkrSZKB0Xo6zYuNtyALMVihKm9g__jnRxY7WyQjmSS-3f8UV8EX3hvTG2ikvtiDY4vCC_MEljPjNrJQ/s1600/Picture_27_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapkeJFwR2TbfKwDHrQmusjS6-WGPwwVRMHkYkQqeRvBD45wwwxPI3AGutUi8RDkrSZKB0Xo6zYuNtyALMVihKm9g__jnRxY7WyQjmSS-3f8UV8EX3hvTG2ikvtiDY4vCC_MEljPjNrJQ/s320/Picture_27_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8L87drzYbI7kW3Ca5-RmdqFazzeu5zMwWD2QJBEGIvpZt5Ot7HWkqC3G7vcZN5LWwr5Lh7hsm7_OFK1wCO17eb2eCOyzjkLcfBNrdkxbGhLpeQ-jGi_G_5hSZk1h-sj2WLJ7jMtZh-gM/s1600/Picture_26_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8L87drzYbI7kW3Ca5-RmdqFazzeu5zMwWD2QJBEGIvpZt5Ot7HWkqC3G7vcZN5LWwr5Lh7hsm7_OFK1wCO17eb2eCOyzjkLcfBNrdkxbGhLpeQ-jGi_G_5hSZk1h-sj2WLJ7jMtZh-gM/s320/Picture_26_8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsvo7JwqePhUUpZVa3v_EtLaep0FnhuFHBtFeio-UInfnc1NGKbquLjUlhnLoGbbpcd8z2b5rIaOgYkcUU9Gan6M7TC2HyOX1ZrkJ8KdCXvfi7c0B-0UG4AnCnwEirsNRyhJ5wZAAATs/s1600/Picture_6_9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsvo7JwqePhUUpZVa3v_EtLaep0FnhuFHBtFeio-UInfnc1NGKbquLjUlhnLoGbbpcd8z2b5rIaOgYkcUU9Gan6M7TC2HyOX1ZrkJ8KdCXvfi7c0B-0UG4AnCnwEirsNRyhJ5wZAAATs/s320/Picture_6_9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-35097725930972785522012-12-28T12:00:00.000-08:002012-12-28T12:00:03.444-08:00San Francisco Asian Art Museum Public Talk on ADKL!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are in Northern California, please come out to a <b>big headline lecture </b>I'll be giving on<b> January 13, a Sunday, from 2-4 PM</b>, at the <b>San Francisco Asian Art Museum. </b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555544; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102</span></div>
<div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll be serving the rare and rustic Awa Bancha, made by Nakamura (Chapter 2) himself (he gave me some on my recent trip). I'll also be joined by the magnificent Shakuhachi player Cornelius Shinzen Boots who will play a few tunes of Koku Nishimura, the teacher of Murata (chapter 4). I will show many beautiful slides that we didn't have room to put in the book as well. I hope you can make it, and share this blog post with people in your networks. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here's the announcement: </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Join Andy Couturier and musician Cornelius Shinzen Boots (<span style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Osaka;">深禅</span>) for an afternoon of conversation, rustic Awa Bancha tea, mellifluous shakuhachi, and a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"> a book signing for <em>A Different Kind of Luxury: Japanese Lessons in Simple Living and Inner Abundance</em>. Based on Andy's popular articles in<em> The Japan Times</em>, this lushly designed and warmly written volume is a treasure chest of stories about real people who have created an abundance of time for contemplation, connecting with nature, artistic practice, and contributing to their communities.</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7fdwSooJaWx8cYbNE7__XHJwXu0GnIryyZgaS5ejFur6cLBkfE94PDTi72NDOZdp3qMTlosmDi1unqT4UtpCjQUb_El549uD2KbSzTzgSe8ByPWxoOgr35VqBrNB8TIHVEmqWfM9lvM/s1600/wakako001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7fdwSooJaWx8cYbNE7__XHJwXu0GnIryyZgaS5ejFur6cLBkfE94PDTi72NDOZdp3qMTlosmDi1unqT4UtpCjQUb_El549uD2KbSzTzgSe8ByPWxoOgr35VqBrNB8TIHVEmqWfM9lvM/s400/wakako001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting by Wakako Oe, Chapter 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
Andy Couturier is a Pushcart Prize–nominated writer and the author of<em> Writing Open the Mind</em>. He has contributed to<em> Adbusters</em>, MIT Press,<em> The Oakland Tribune</em>,<em> The Japan Times</em>,<em> Kyoto Journal</em>,<em> Creative Nonfiction</em>, and<em> The North American Review</em>. Couturier lived for four years in Japan, where he taught, worked as a journalist, and participated in environmental causes. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and runs The Opening (<a href="http://theopening.org/">http://<em>theopening.org</em></a>), a center for courses in writing.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5R1DXAxijhHux-zD21cDgOYO8YZJr6FviUf2uS0QA1SHHchJrPM03Fuj12Y_snvu0ZBcDyOXGu6PLavoh1CPcWEcts31r4JpyOm9ZIEUD-PMl_fyTh3ieb7kMzC2TNxnD23ECpJdTB4/s1600/ADKL-66.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5R1DXAxijhHux-zD21cDgOYO8YZJr6FviUf2uS0QA1SHHchJrPM03Fuj12Y_snvu0ZBcDyOXGu6PLavoh1CPcWEcts31r4JpyOm9ZIEUD-PMl_fyTh3ieb7kMzC2TNxnD23ECpJdTB4/s320/ADKL-66.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koichi Yamashita, Philosopher, Chapter 9</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9gVgiRd2gCnN_tA9deU5V8cI-xnLPW9z17kCtApEQYP6idPZyP89EWtnzlC9p3M2zD6wAh2ZV2wQCbUHYIPt4R8lFd6lG_g2zEJsCyoF0LTpFuj-nEngU7KJtZAZhneTGsWYbGe3VWg/s1600/ADKL-61.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9gVgiRd2gCnN_tA9deU5V8cI-xnLPW9z17kCtApEQYP6idPZyP89EWtnzlC9p3M2zD6wAh2ZV2wQCbUHYIPt4R8lFd6lG_g2zEJsCyoF0LTpFuj-nEngU7KJtZAZhneTGsWYbGe3VWg/s320/ADKL-61.JPG" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting by Akira Ito, Chapter 6</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: black; display: block; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px; padding-top: 2px;">
<br /></div>
</span></span></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-64951922074736455302012-12-22T23:23:00.001-08:002012-12-22T23:23:18.301-08:00crimes against poetry, pleasure, sociability, and the very largeness of the world<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 20.0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">These are the first two paragraphs of an <a href="http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/346/" target="_blank">essay by Rebecca Solnit</a> in Orion Magazine.</span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Doesn't she say it well?</span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">THE
FOUR HORSEMEN OF MY APOCALYPSE are called Efficiency, Convenience,
Profitability, and Security, and in their names, crimes against poetry,
pleasure, sociability, and the very largeness of the world are daily, hourly,
constantly carried out. These marauding horsemen are deployed by technophiles,
advertisers, and profiteers to assault the nameless pleasures and meanings that
knit together our lives and expand our horizons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 20.0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I’m
listening to a man on the radio describe how great it is that there are websites
where musicians who have never met or conversed or had any contact at all can
lay down tracks together to make songs. While the experiment sounds
interesting, the assumption sounds scary—that the complex personal, creative,
and cultural collaborations of music-making could be unnecessary and you just
need the digital conjunction of some skill sets. The speaker seems to believe
that the sole goal is the production of songs, sundered from the production of
social ties and social pleasure. But music has always been an occasion for
people to get together—in rehearsals, nightclubs, parties, festivals, park
band-shells, parades, and other social spaces. It is often the soundtrack to
bodies in conjunction, whether marching or making love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-133710573501548712012-12-06T23:06:00.000-08:002013-04-17T23:00:48.172-07:00Put your body in the situation, and wait for your consciousness to follow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>I got an email this week that said, in part:</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I would like to read a book that maps out how to forget about pizza delivery, commercials, convienence, and embrace a different frame of mind. I don't want to see a Youtube of a small house with a woman performing as a Zen master cooking one pot meals. I need a book that clearly defines the core values and practice necessary to live a sustainable life and not feel deprived. I don't mean another homesteading book about building mud houses, raising chickens or growing a garden. I mean an exercise book for the mind to learn how to create an artform of living a sustainable life. To learn how to see the completeness of daily living, even if our lives have always felt like so much unfinishedness.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">I really appreciate such emails, and it is the core question of the book, perhaps. I believe that many of these values are woven in to the fabric of <a href="http://bit.ly/Qhtjdn" target="_blank">A Different Kind of Luxury</a>, and I want to suggest to people to just read the book, to read it slowly, and let the messages percolate into you. Taking time to read the book is actually taking part in the process. I didn't want the book to be a how to book.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"> Part of the answer however I touched on in directly in the book, when I wrote:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAs3udeqIHh201gqIjeTfw4q6Non6Vi7HOo53Gs1t3h1edIaDcg9uH8OkMQsGVI3BP-xsZ-IgFy75-2vKNCXee5E-VKzkI7aifUOG-cFcwd08kd-36KA9SSs1tuW9gEKGOwRwXjC03js/s1600/RhythmsOfAHimalayanVillage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAs3udeqIHh201gqIjeTfw4q6Non6Vi7HOo53Gs1t3h1edIaDcg9uH8OkMQsGVI3BP-xsZ-IgFy75-2vKNCXee5E-VKzkI7aifUOG-cFcwd08kd-36KA9SSs1tuW9gEKGOwRwXjC03js/s200/RhythmsOfAHimalayanVillage.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhythms of a Himalayan<br />
Village by<a href="http://www.mabian.biz/index.html" target="_blank"> Hugh Downs</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nakamura now goes into another room and brings out a book, <i>Rhythms of a Himalayan Village</i>. [by author Hugh Downs] “This book was written about the village where I lived,” he says, pointing to a black-and-white photograph of a misty, barren mountainside with several mud-and-tile houses scattered along the ridgeline and distant snowy peaks towering in back. “This is the monastery where I studied wood-block carving, and,” he turns the page, “this man is my teacher, Tapkhay Gendun.” He points to a photo of a monk sitting by a window, his face lined by years of cold-weather living and meager conditions.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Paging through the book, I lose myself in its beautiful photographs juxtaposed with quotes from the Sherpa villagers and passages from Tibetan Buddhist scriptures. As I read, I begin to sense how the villagers’ way of living, in its utter simplicity, could give Nakamura a physical, bodily understanding of how to live a life of reduced desires and reduced consumption when he returned to Japan.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“It was because I saw the Sherpa’s way of living, and had lived it myself,” says Nakamura, “that when I came to this valley here in Japan and first saw this house, I knew I could live in the same way right here.” </span></blockquote>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10Kzo-vWjcdmE4KhMPlLYfiLyWhs8ZRKv2HReraV6qED-OvGfqz52k9xuO_w4p6Hl6IPAUEdpvIOuxOf0NcBmUn9c7Re9mXlYzmju-_M_uN-XMv66QCZimSQO-U_R2TMt1e8NF5Z5en4/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10Kzo-vWjcdmE4KhMPlLYfiLyWhs8ZRKv2HReraV6qED-OvGfqz52k9xuO_w4p6Hl6IPAUEdpvIOuxOf0NcBmUn9c7Re9mXlYzmju-_M_uN-XMv66QCZimSQO-U_R2TMt1e8NF5Z5en4/s200/IMG_1227.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And this hits on another question I received, when giving a lecture on the book to a group of Japanese women in an English class, and one asked: "But do you have to travel to some foreign country to learn to live like that?"</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">To which I answered, "No, of course not."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But, that's not totally correct. I DO think you have to try out living on less, a lot less, to "get used to it" even if it's uncomfortable at first. That can be accomplished by travel. My partner Cynthia said once "Being comfortable is an utter <i>religion</i> in the USA, and no one can break that strict religious doctrine by suggesting that comfort isn't the ultimate value." </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My friend Steev, however, spent 3 years living in the forest behind a university campus, and snuck into the woods late at night, living under a tarp in the rain or the cold, and now he can live within any means at all. He <b>experienced it with his body.</b> Or to say it another way, he put his body in the situation, and waited for his consciousness to follow.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">Part of me wants to suggest to the emailer that she begin to make up her own book of exercises for the mind. My partner Cynthia said, "She's already on the way to writing this book herself!" (Perhaps people want to write to me and give <i>their</i> suggestions, and I can put them up on the blog? andy [at] theopening [dot] org ). </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">Some obvious ideas to try, if you ask me personally: stop watching all TV. Give up on spectator sports at least. Read and write more. Do physical work with your body, making real things, things that can be used. Spend more time outside. Move to a smaller apartment. Look at your budget and cut things out. Stop spending time doing things that don't feed you. If you just don't order pizza delivery for 6 months, eventually you will forget about it. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">But now I am getting a little bit "how to", which I said I wouldn't in the book. I think it's really about each person making up their own regimen of things to change about their lives. Changing is hard. It can be done. It feels good.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.create-the-good-life.com/image-files/eric_beth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://www.create-the-good-life.com/image-files/eric_beth.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric Storm and Beth Meredith:<br />
Coaches in the Good Life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">If you want to learn about that kind of change, here's another suggestion: visit my new colleagues' website: <a href="http://createthegoodlife.com/" target="_blank">Create The Good Life</a>. Because Eric and Beth are doing exactly that: helping people design a better life for themselves by slowing down, considering their choices </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">more deeply</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">, understanding their own personalities, and learning how to help others. As they say: </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Imagine ... </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 32px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal;">A good life-work balance. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal;">Feeling connected to people & place. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal;">Time for what really matters. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal;">Greater peace of mind. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal;">Helping others live well, too.</span></span></blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">But I also want to say to the emailer that those videos of women making one pot meals ARE a help, a pointer in the right direction, and those books about raising chickens and growing a garden are part of the solution too, but you have to try some of these things, and even if they aren't more convenient, or well advertised: they might help you along the way. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">Nakamura brought up this very thing when I saw him last month. He said: </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAdkDRXRw1MkK4_3DXbgujTGVbGJTHQBjNapJ20IU8wbV3J_CJ-DMMwfYzmZn_8x0XzMwa-I-nBhCYyVROhAwPAxJycaEfYY9zwPGQPnC93AxeTJKXId-iMLwiRgLdo2di0ScrC6TWNM/s1600/IMG_5202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAdkDRXRw1MkK4_3DXbgujTGVbGJTHQBjNapJ20IU8wbV3J_CJ-DMMwfYzmZn_8x0XzMwa-I-nBhCYyVROhAwPAxJycaEfYY9zwPGQPnC93AxeTJKXId-iMLwiRgLdo2di0ScrC6TWNM/s200/IMG_5202.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>"</b>What the people in the Sherpa village were experiencing was not something you could see visually, easily, with your eyes. It was something about the interior life, very much so. Of course, if you go to these villages and look, you can see what things they have, or how very little they have. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"I could see that they were living a life centered around firewood. I also observed, wondering—you know how cold it is, and all the other difficulties—I wondered, what is the enjoyment in living this way? What is the flavor, the taste of this way of life, that they enjoy? </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAeHedKfvJYNUAv49X4g3LS1JZIOol_43adonRWMq1hJ-gzqwN2CeM3aRCfQy3D5xs18aARWMCLXr9yOyaTGMogD4I7mxUHCpXB3QEFnePP74chYQ4ULiuEH2m9RPaolGSuyx198Bub8/s1600/woodcarrying.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAeHedKfvJYNUAv49X4g3LS1JZIOol_43adonRWMq1hJ-gzqwN2CeM3aRCfQy3D5xs18aARWMCLXr9yOyaTGMogD4I7mxUHCpXB3QEFnePP74chYQ4ULiuEH2m9RPaolGSuyx198Bub8/s200/woodcarrying.tiff" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Growing up in Japan, or living here as a young adult, I
might have had many situations to understand what I came to understand while traveling,
but I did not come to that understanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I could not
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only while in another
country that those kinds of situations had the power to really impact me."</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I asked Nakamura, "How did you eventually perceive it?"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">He replied, "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">It was not until I came back here to Japan, and found this
place, and started living this way that I thought, 'Ahh, that’s what this
enjoyment is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the flavor,
the richness.'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>You have to live it
yourself to understand</i>."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJo5rBusvyQZmyEvURNSdrR66boIlqfpa6Iy_O0-NltPljw11tXZ-oCkxXmqmfTr6kGSQsL7x9dtNVPIKq6Q0wEFDsjcOQpPc2VbYSCm03VDXW-pp6A2l3T76YfrSQn2cnMnYHPFmAyU/s1600/Himalayn+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJo5rBusvyQZmyEvURNSdrR66boIlqfpa6Iy_O0-NltPljw11tXZ-oCkxXmqmfTr6kGSQsL7x9dtNVPIKq6Q0wEFDsjcOQpPc2VbYSCm03VDXW-pp6A2l3T76YfrSQn2cnMnYHPFmAyU/s200/Himalayn+House.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">And then he said to me something wonderful,<b> "To have more <i>time</i> than <i>things to do in that time</i>, that is to say to have plenty
of time: it is a very rich kind of feeling."</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIimBtnvYH3NAfkhnt4YOfhCUcMQBKrm5u7V9n02e_9MZjDCczWSh6R7ONn5Zv4_jSHQW2ccNdYvKBLaS2tgNJrJ4o9XnI6kF6dW7fPsmx1QgHd-XchKhuBkGwa_Dj-yG6xizb6wJ3FLw/s1600/HimalayanSkyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIimBtnvYH3NAfkhnt4YOfhCUcMQBKrm5u7V9n02e_9MZjDCczWSh6R7ONn5Zv4_jSHQW2ccNdYvKBLaS2tgNJrJ4o9XnI6kF6dW7fPsmx1QgHd-XchKhuBkGwa_Dj-yG6xizb6wJ3FLw/s400/HimalayanSkyline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-33078553969013978452012-12-01T22:10:00.000-08:002012-12-01T22:10:29.887-08:00The silence was palpable<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here's a journal entry from my trip to Japan in October. It's not directly about the book, but anti-nuclear work is very central to many of the people's lives there. If you want to help, consider attending a protest at the Japanese Consulate. <a href="http://www.nuclearfreecal.org/nfcnet/2012/11/911the-monthly-action-at-japanese-consulate/" target="_blank">Here's one in San Francisco.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The silence was palpable: the kind of silence where there
doesn’t seem to be any more to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The topic is Fukushima. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, after lunch, the man at the
table with the spectacles has been explaining to the group how even though many
organizations and communities have agreed to accept refugees, very few
individuals have volunteered to leave Fukushima. He used his hands to indicate
how information was coming in from all directions, fingertips darting here and
there in front of his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And
no one knows what to believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
myself have become confused.” We all waited for him to continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How much was released?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What level is safe?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But one thing is known: it is the children more than anyone who will
sustain the most damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
adults, the teachers, the government, the electric company officials: all of them
have been saying to the children that it is completely safe, even in Fukushima
itself, and, you know children, they believe what they’re told.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sadness in my heart is hard and it hurts. What to do?
What to do?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This temple, this very temple here in Kyoto is the place where,
3 years ago, I had the incredible transcendent experience—a spontaneous feeling
of “enlightenment” or something like that. It lasted, perhaps, only 15 minutes
or so.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thus I have come back to this temple, and, it turns out,
today is the 11th. And every month on the eleventh, this congregation gathers
to offer the chanting of sutras for those who died on March 11, 2011, and for
those who live on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Japanese government permitted the restarting of two
reactors a few months ago, just upwind from Kyoto, less than a hundred miles
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>China was also mentioned by
someone at the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re
building reactors hand over fist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some vague reference was made to the government in China: you know how
they are about protests and the sharing of information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire vast country to the west of
this place: the prevailing winds sweep right round the globe from exactly that
direction…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Knowing: the knowing that was supposed to help us all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get information and to learn: it
does exactly no good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The man with the glasses, right near the end of the
gathering said, “Each one of us has to study, to learn more, has to get more
intelligent.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, looking round
the table, he said, “None of us here today, has that energy to produce
children.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I am certainly the
youngest person here with my 48 years.) “But those who can, they have to think
it over, think hard, and seriously, whether they should.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that, that is when the silence began. </div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-585584618779958938.post-31456055191299591642012-11-17T08:29:00.000-08:002012-11-17T08:29:23.373-08:00The intense and dramatic ceramics of San Oizumi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
This post is just photos. The first four are mine, and the rest, thanks to to the awesome photographer Hiromi Hayashi. Click on the images for a full sized version.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
If you would like to read more about the creator, San Oizumi, read some posts <a href="http://adifferentkindofluxury.blogspot.com/2011/03/they-called-us-idiots-says-oizumi.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://adifferentkindofluxury.blogspot.com/2010/01/doug-e-of-dallas-texas-asks-in-first.html" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="http://adifferentkindofluxury.blogspot.com/2012/11/nuke-waste-dump-research.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Or better yet (much better), read about him in the first chapter of <a href="http://bit.ly/Qhtjdn" target="_blank">A Different Kind of Luxury</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFKeXBV62nug9j6nnhk_zd1DoYbd8hNcq9Ew2BjnnDduyB-OQmOoFPcIFKd2oVPuwXNhYHLNHKXnAOA-RowarFJfCkk1jNPCeTIIgPOMrmzzG9S9wZpui2UdmvBxjsjXwW4RitNO4DEY/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFKeXBV62nug9j6nnhk_zd1DoYbd8hNcq9Ew2BjnnDduyB-OQmOoFPcIFKd2oVPuwXNhYHLNHKXnAOA-RowarFJfCkk1jNPCeTIIgPOMrmzzG9S9wZpui2UdmvBxjsjXwW4RitNO4DEY/s400/IMG_1639.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8DtB_Dnthnlsx2e0n93wVNL_tQ3LWdHb1h8Pa6K-nZnftdWOTI8KrOzsH1A-VkPiZ_hCZbiGLG1RS6ya6wTtJomlEAa5nQLHgea2SFlHHwhFsLvUaIn9zI1NDf64CuYD1CEDUjJFTtI/s1600/IMG_1641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8DtB_Dnthnlsx2e0n93wVNL_tQ3LWdHb1h8Pa6K-nZnftdWOTI8KrOzsH1A-VkPiZ_hCZbiGLG1RS6ya6wTtJomlEAa5nQLHgea2SFlHHwhFsLvUaIn9zI1NDf64CuYD1CEDUjJFTtI/s400/IMG_1641.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblLJ81os4He_Y5XzKs8nHVkQGYJtCroL_OO0Z_LjMRe2fG-S6aObwX2Xn_PvEEkqaZGQBt9S2lXXQQW2dSrLnf2GXTzF7DPbvQoodrCrPqQo2DNSPbmGVkvh53aLJZDfNYqHsknRaKM0/s1600/IMG_1658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblLJ81os4He_Y5XzKs8nHVkQGYJtCroL_OO0Z_LjMRe2fG-S6aObwX2Xn_PvEEkqaZGQBt9S2lXXQQW2dSrLnf2GXTzF7DPbvQoodrCrPqQo2DNSPbmGVkvh53aLJZDfNYqHsknRaKM0/s400/IMG_1658.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebMl2dW-gyRAJDC8FTe_oebgZLXqWYBblMZSiAxI2ryZ631HfZwavlEUj24t0KwCtf0f9HAc4COdw_rLO-v-wwAgNz32xnM4bZIzGaNXnALlsWeNYqq5M7bSj7BWibhnIr4Q5cMs9TYU/s1600/IMG_1708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebMl2dW-gyRAJDC8FTe_oebgZLXqWYBblMZSiAxI2ryZ631HfZwavlEUj24t0KwCtf0f9HAc4COdw_rLO-v-wwAgNz32xnM4bZIzGaNXnALlsWeNYqq5M7bSj7BWibhnIr4Q5cMs9TYU/s400/IMG_1708.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7VPg6u9iMfs9_1bEm6wkkGCYEQ6-bFD7J1mTR0wapj5w2U15sq60MkkrPU52ZK5VSPWaG7R-8dS8I6qezENUZd6LyZqIQIfOi9fFfE5_V_H6F0Upe89fAR2AWAUQKnGRkWYkhlyi9kY/s1600/Img17987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7VPg6u9iMfs9_1bEm6wkkGCYEQ6-bFD7J1mTR0wapj5w2U15sq60MkkrPU52ZK5VSPWaG7R-8dS8I6qezENUZd6LyZqIQIfOi9fFfE5_V_H6F0Upe89fAR2AWAUQKnGRkWYkhlyi9kY/s320/Img17987.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBde5Q-ZAsDDNDwc2WN1afDF7ipEJPPXUXXY48eYrtPt-1LwCICkqOmazw86_dPNcP9WkMnk65UTlPydWuUbCO59wVZ_9AawUSlnSQWTXTH360x7WR34BsP7Gd4Jl9F5nsbKT_mMRitco/s1600/Img18015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBde5Q-ZAsDDNDwc2WN1afDF7ipEJPPXUXXY48eYrtPt-1LwCICkqOmazw86_dPNcP9WkMnk65UTlPydWuUbCO59wVZ_9AawUSlnSQWTXTH360x7WR34BsP7Gd4Jl9F5nsbKT_mMRitco/s320/Img18015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdLavamo96X40A-dRTypbg_t9bf558EpuNYHVCMs-9YCUNNqEjpteaxwrt_gVnGW0UTiCfKXCE63dTi-pouFWa66SyJTJNu6DiRW6DYvr0eP5neWYuj_sV-ghrSH9ehBAY2nD4Z5ExSw/s1600/Picture_2_8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdLavamo96X40A-dRTypbg_t9bf558EpuNYHVCMs-9YCUNNqEjpteaxwrt_gVnGW0UTiCfKXCE63dTi-pouFWa66SyJTJNu6DiRW6DYvr0eP5neWYuj_sV-ghrSH9ehBAY2nD4Z5ExSw/s400/Picture_2_8.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjgpA8GPvUco3UfDdhO418Bw0UgWVxnMDjujFefjrPclZa4TWZ1r1LboHRz1jBfaLrG29v21vNNtafcuA0K4gF3gaI6LDwtYpDmruJZ2ipjOuSMd9CS55tZUDQuDHeZ_HJtwCIhkzrlU/s1600/_DSC3054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjgpA8GPvUco3UfDdhO418Bw0UgWVxnMDjujFefjrPclZa4TWZ1r1LboHRz1jBfaLrG29v21vNNtafcuA0K4gF3gaI6LDwtYpDmruJZ2ipjOuSMd9CS55tZUDQuDHeZ_HJtwCIhkzrlU/s400/_DSC3054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeiILY0VtzkyVYOCpLgtCD0Vm5GPu-yn8aYQWYeQCnhqofxIx0y-iiLScqbmzlwmK__fZbmY1yI5HFPnylGYe3BjWcae2H2XCE_PQOQ8tAk3qZaIBhR85qDnQodtVA9JPc1sr_QMnNfs/s1600/_DSC3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeiILY0VtzkyVYOCpLgtCD0Vm5GPu-yn8aYQWYeQCnhqofxIx0y-iiLScqbmzlwmK__fZbmY1yI5HFPnylGYe3BjWcae2H2XCE_PQOQ8tAk3qZaIBhR85qDnQodtVA9JPc1sr_QMnNfs/s400/_DSC3081.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GdXPnHctb1CRjaFXpgwE-SYhW4w64fKAHXuORoaLgoMLZuTnnta9P9s2QzUyhhSOmrx9J9cYf5QUfyJEJBIUwDrvDW72YMmgszZdetF1crQLXDYvBgg_ooQdlr6Ob_-t7EPZ9IKtVU8/s1600/_DSC5192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GdXPnHctb1CRjaFXpgwE-SYhW4w64fKAHXuORoaLgoMLZuTnnta9P9s2QzUyhhSOmrx9J9cYf5QUfyJEJBIUwDrvDW72YMmgszZdetF1crQLXDYvBgg_ooQdlr6Ob_-t7EPZ9IKtVU8/s400/_DSC5192.JPG" width="267" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Andy Couturierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299048706264213292noreply@blogger.com0