“ The fire hydrant muscle”.

 I learned about TFL, the muscle located on the upper thigh, in Anatomy class. It is used to lift the thigh to the side and has the nickname “ the fire hydrant muscle”. I didn’t get it during class, so I asked the teacher later.

 A-Ha!

Dogs show good examples of this muscles action when they see firehydrants :-)!!

"Light As a Feather" by RTF

"Light As a Feather" by RTF for a beautiful sunny day!

 I may have listened to this album more than 620 times ( **times/year X ** years =620 ), but it is as fresh today as when I first listened to it. Great album!!

Sakura 2011

March thoughts 3-11-2011

A gentle ray from the March sun, the comfortable crisp air contains a touch of warmth. I crouch down and watch dewdrops on a crocus petal. I rush to grab my camera. I am so gratefl that there are such moments in my daily life. Just having this moment...

I was visiting my family in Japan from the beginning of Febreary. I left there just two days before of the massive earthquake.The shocking feeling of a “narrow escape” also impacts on a person greatly.  Fortunately our family and friends in Japan are safe. But there are people whose precious moments-such small joys, like enjoying the beauty of nature in their daily lives -were taken away in a matter of seconds.The destruction of this 9.0 quake was more than we can imagine I am praying for the people in the quake/tsunami-hit area.

OBJECTS IN MIRROR

OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR

Happy New Year-2011 !!!

Happy New Year!!

The year 2011 is the year of the Rabbit (from the Chinese zodiac).

Those who were born in 1939, '51, '63, '75, '87 or '99, this is your year!!

Wish you a lot of luck!!

Winter Solstice

 

Do you have any customs in your culture on the longest night of the winter solstice? The winter solstice is called “Toji” in Japanese. In Japan the custom is to eat kabocha ( pumpkin) and to take a hot citron bath, called "YUZU-YU" . Yuzu is a small citrus fruit. Both are rich in vitamins and help us to not catch a cold. The yuzu trees in my Grandpa’s garden in Japan should be bearing a lot of fruit now. I would like to bathe in yuzu tub and breathe in hot steam with the scent of citrus!

Happy Holidays

and best wishes for the new year!!

"JACO PASTORIUS ('76)"

Today I am listening over and over to the legendary album, Jaco's "JACO PASTORIUS ('76)". Herbie's Fender Rhodes/piano is all over this album!! I loved it! and I still love it now, in 2010!

"The Trio in Tokyo" by Michel Petrucciani

Recorded live at the Tokyo club Blue Note, ‘The Trio’ features the late Michel Petrucciani (P), Anthony Jackson (B) and Steve Gadd (ds). This combination may sound a bit more aggressive than most traditional straight ahead jazz trios, but it sounds GREAT!! Petrucciani has been my #1 jazz pianist in recent years, not only because he’s an excellent pianist, but also because of his lively and “happy” feelings. In this album, especially with Gadd, his piano sounds even happier. He must have enjoyed this performance. Tokyo was a lively and exciting city back then, and I think this happy jazz live feel really represents to me the atmosphere in the Tokyo of the 90s.

The crafter return!

I have been beading all day today with my new glasses with the new prescription. I'm a bit sad about the fact that I need tri-focal glasses, but I am very happy that I am back to being a crafter again!!

 

Lapsang souchong tea

Tea sure tastes good when the weather cools down. I especially enjoy Lapsang souchong tea during this season. Black tea with the flavour of the pine smoke

Life is good!!

I have been waiting sixteen years for this boy to be able to open jam jars or move furniture for me. He gets the things from the top shelf for his vertically challenged mom. Life is good!!!!


Even before I became a mom, my dream was to someday play music with my children. Even though my precious music collection was messed up with drool or ice cream, I let my son play with my cds. Now He is a teenager who likes Stevie Wonder. YAY!, An excellent bassist (and a drummer), good at jazz-funk stuff! Life is good!!!!

"The New Standard " By Herbie Hancock

 Hancock  covers the songs by Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Prince, The Beatles, Kurt Cobain and more. I love most of the original songs and one of my favorite pianists Herbie Hancock has reworked them into jazz. Great album!!

Passport in his hand

A shy little boy used to panic and cry when he could not see his mama around.

 He disappeared at the departure gate all by himself with his passport in his hand ...all by himself, smiling and waving his hand...

May lots of happiness and joy come to that beautiful young man.