Laundry Day

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It’s a beautiful, sunny morning. As I have coffee, I’m watching my neighbor across the street hang her bedding out in the fresh air. This is a routine for many here on nice mornings. Futons (which are much thinner and lighter than the futons in the U.S.) and quilts are hung over balconies and on laundry lines.

It’s a little strange to see so much laundry hung out to dry in Japan. At least for me, I connect this sort of image with developing countries, where dryers (and even washers) are a luxury. But although almost everyone has a washing machine here, many people still choose not to use dryers, opting instead for a natural dry. It’s been a bit of an adjustment for me. Not only does it add some more time to the laundry routine, but the clothes end up feeling not quite as soft as I’m used to (from the use of dryer sheets back home). But that slightly-starchy feeling goes away quickly once the clothes are worn. Since I don’t have access to a balcony or clothes line outside, on laundry days my tiny apartment is packed with hanging clothes and sheets, creating something of a cave environment.

Strong Winds

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Japan is currently being buffeted by the strongest typhoon to hit Japan in the past 50 years. But here in Nagano, it’s been relatively calm. We’ve had a lot of rain, but that’s about it.

Most typhoons seem to track a path along the east coast of the country, and the mountains surrounding Nagano protect the area from the worst of the strong winds.

By tomorrow, the typhoon will have passed and the dry, warm air that follows will be covering most of the country.

Guestbook

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I’ve posted a guestbook for salutations and general comments. It’s pretty basic at this point; I’ll try to spruce it up a bit down the road.

Long Drive For A Hot Bath

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Sunday night I went with friends to Kusatsu, a small, famous hot springs town about two and a half hours from Nagano by car. We left Nagano at 9pm and arrived at half past eleven. Many of the public baths are open all night, and we wanted to be there when the crowds weren’t.

In the center of town, there is a huge spring where much of the hot water gushes out of the ground and is piped to baths in various sections of town. The area has been tastefully built up with boardwalks and waterfalls, so it looks very picturesque.

The public bath we went to was small, but the water was steaming hot and it felt great — not a fancy bath, just utilitarian. We arrived back in Nagano around 3am.

Loud Loud Loud

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Yes, it’s true. Americans are loud. And nowhere is that more noticeable than in Japan.
I spent a summer in Germany during high school, and I can clearly remember my first moment of shame at being in any way connected to America. It was on a bus that was filled with the inane booming of an older American couple who were oblivious to their surroundings and to the effect they were having on every other passenger on the bus. And Germans aren’t shrinking violets.

Here in Japan, I’m constantly amazed at how loud Westerners can be, and in the most inappropriate situations. (To be fair, it’s not only Americans — many Canadians, Brits and Aussies can crank up the volume, especially after a few drinks.) Several other foreign teachers live nearby, and there are many nights were I can hear one or more approaching from more than a block away. The neighbors can’t be happy.

Featured Food — Protein & Aminos

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food_supps.jpg

It’s a bit of a stretch to call either of these food; they belong more in the “probably-not-necessary-sustenance” category. But somehow I’ve gotten hooked, especially on the protein supplement shown on the left above.

I’ve been worrying about getting enough protein. I’m not really eating any meat or chicken, so my protein intake comes mostly from fish and beans (not a bad thing, I’m just concerned that I’m not getting enough). So one day last summer before going swimming, I tried the Protein In Body Make (or whatever it’s called). To say it’s strange is putting it mildly. The container is soft with a built-in straw, through which you suck the “liquid” protein. The texture is a mixture of not-quite-jelled Jell-O and tapioca pudding. Yum!
The Amino Supli is a Gatorade-style drink — basically lightly sweetened water. And it includes 1000mg of eight essential amino acids. Wow! It’s much better than one of it’s competitors, the tantalizingly-named “Pocari Sweat.”

It’s Time to Free the Mouse

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You may have noticed the “Free the Mouse” button on this page. It links to a site maintained by the plaintiffs in the Eldred v. Ashcroft case. Opening arguments in this important case will be heard before the Supreme Court later this month.

At issue is whether Congress has overstepped its Constitutional authority in extending the length of copyrights, giving corporate copyright holders additional profits at the expense of the public good.

From an article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

The original decision made more than 200 years ago to limit the length of copyrights was deliberate and carefully considered. The goal, which was expressed at the time in letters written by Thomas Jefferson and others, was to allow newcomers to build on and improve works produced by others, but only after the original creators of those works were compensated fairly for their efforts. The reason: Human progress builds upon itself.

Creativity doesn’t flourish in a world of closed and locked ideas. Throughout history, artists have used and built upon the creations of others. The most famous case in point provides the “Free the Mouse” slogan: Walt Disney “borrowed” the idea for Mickey Mouse from another animated character. In fact, much of the content created over the years by the Walt Disney corporation has not been original (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Magician’s Apprentice, Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, etc…). And yet it is Disney who pushed for the most recent extension of copyrights, in order to prevent Mickey Mouse from entering the public domain. Apparently, it’s OK for Disney to draw upon a rich pool of public domain ideas, but they wouldn’t dream of contributing to that pool after a reasonable period of compensation.

The outcome of this case will indicate whether our society is more interested in protecting the profits of large business, or in promoting the free exchange of ideas.