My friend, Sig, told me about this event and I love it! I wish I could attend it!!
There will be a 12-hour concert presented by Japan Society in Manhattan, NY this coming Saturday. And the benefit will directly be spent to help people affected by the earthquake and tsunamis. The guests include Ryuichi Sakamoto and Japanese traditional music players and more!
There also be various kinds of special activities for all ages, such as Origami or Washi Lantern.
And what is wonderful for me, as well as people living far from the place, is this entire concert will broadcast live via U-Stream.
For those who live in NY area, you should go there this Saturday, April 9, 11 AM — 11 PM!!
You can also enjoy some Japanese food some for free-sampling, other for purchase.
For more information, visit their website:
CONCERT for JAPAN
This Japan Society is one of the most memorable places in NY for me.
During my three months stay for learning English in NY in 2005, my favorite radio show on WNYC, the Brian Lehrer Show held the live recording event at Japan Society featured Asian countries. I joined the event, sitting very nervous because my English ability was very limited at that time and everybody except me sitting there seemed native English speakers. Then I made a good friend there and she became my special friend till now! Kayla sat next to me and we started to chat at the interval time and exchanged phone numbers after the event and promised to see each other again during my stay in NY. We had a date after a few weeks. After buying coffee and sandwich, we went to the Central Park and talked and talked! She told me about her volunteer trip to India and how she felt isolated there because she couldn't speak the native language. She said she understood my feeling a bit and I was glad to hear that. In the end of the stay, when my husband came from Japan to join me, she invited two of us and we had lunch together.
After coming back to Japan, we kept in touch with each other via e-mail, became pen-pals!
Then during my year-long stay in NY in 2008, we went to the musical "Hair" @ Central park together. We enjoyed walking along the river, enjoyed eating together and so on.
Japan Society is a special place because it brought me a wonderful friend!
I hope a lot of people be there not only to enjoy the concert and activities but also to help the people who are affected by the earthquake and tsunamis hit in our country on March 11th.
I felt much better this morning and no private student came so practiced and practiced almost all day! I had a good day. Tomorrow will be a better day for all people, I hope.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Naoko
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Jishuku -voluntary restraint-
The term, 自粛(Jishuku), meaning people voluntary hesitate to have fun, became so popular since the Tohoku Mega Earthquake. And also it's getting problematic or questionable.
The one or two weeks since the event, it seemed legitimate. People, not only living in the affected areas but also living outside of it, canceled their plans, traveling, eating out, parties, wedding ceremonies, going to theme parks, enjoying Onsen (hot springs) and so on. It seemed natural because all of the atmosphere was dominated by mourning for the victims, sympathy for the survivors who lived in temporary shelters with extremely inconvenience.
Then as time went by, we now don't know how we should behave, what we should do in this historic catastrophe. We want to help them, we want to be with them but if we don't do anything, our economy is getting worse and worse, national tax revenue would be decreased then less money would go to the reconstruction effort. We are getting to realized this fact.
Still some people insist we should mourn even more, we should hesitate to have fun. This "some people" often is someone not living in the affected area, I guess. The people like to judge others, interfere others' behavior. We often get influenced by those people's perspectives, then get reluctant to go out or to spend money for enjoyment.
Is it a right thing to do? Now questions for this atmosphere has been appeared in public and I would say yes to it.
A few weeks after the quake, I received a message from my friend who lives in Tohoku and lost some of her family. She said, "Now all of Japanese people seemed to be mourned so deeply. However I feel sad if people not living in affected areas, such as Osaka, would be so down. Please do what you would do usually. Please have a normal life because you can have it! Please write anything enjoyable you are seeing, having in your life on your blog so that I and my daughter enjoy seeing it! Then we would think, OK I'll do the same when everything is over!"
Her message encouraged me a lot and let me learn the important thing.
We are now having a cherry blossom appreciation time but due to short of the electricity, especially in Kanto area, public parks decided not to light-up the blooming trees at night. Hanami, having a party under the cherry trees after work with your colleagues or with your friends at daytime on weekend or so, has been our big spring event, but now it seems disappeared.
Then an message was uploaded on Youtube by an sake brewing maker in Iwate.
In this video, they encourage Japanese people to drink their tasteful sake. They say they feel so grateful all the help, donation, rescue efforts, aid supplies from all over the world. Then they tell you that the most needed help would be drinking their sake, buying the product that produced in the affected areas. I totally agree with them. What an excellent massage they send to us!
I remember, right after the 911, the mayor of NY encouraged New Yorkers to have a normal life despite the ongoing great amount of damage.
If we can, we should be active, we should go out., we should have have a normal life.
And also we must remember our people who are having a difficult time all the time, thinking of them all the time.
I think both things are important to make our country become a wonderful place again.
The one or two weeks since the event, it seemed legitimate. People, not only living in the affected areas but also living outside of it, canceled their plans, traveling, eating out, parties, wedding ceremonies, going to theme parks, enjoying Onsen (hot springs) and so on. It seemed natural because all of the atmosphere was dominated by mourning for the victims, sympathy for the survivors who lived in temporary shelters with extremely inconvenience.
Then as time went by, we now don't know how we should behave, what we should do in this historic catastrophe. We want to help them, we want to be with them but if we don't do anything, our economy is getting worse and worse, national tax revenue would be decreased then less money would go to the reconstruction effort. We are getting to realized this fact.
Still some people insist we should mourn even more, we should hesitate to have fun. This "some people" often is someone not living in the affected area, I guess. The people like to judge others, interfere others' behavior. We often get influenced by those people's perspectives, then get reluctant to go out or to spend money for enjoyment.
Is it a right thing to do? Now questions for this atmosphere has been appeared in public and I would say yes to it.
A few weeks after the quake, I received a message from my friend who lives in Tohoku and lost some of her family. She said, "Now all of Japanese people seemed to be mourned so deeply. However I feel sad if people not living in affected areas, such as Osaka, would be so down. Please do what you would do usually. Please have a normal life because you can have it! Please write anything enjoyable you are seeing, having in your life on your blog so that I and my daughter enjoy seeing it! Then we would think, OK I'll do the same when everything is over!"
Her message encouraged me a lot and let me learn the important thing.
We are now having a cherry blossom appreciation time but due to short of the electricity, especially in Kanto area, public parks decided not to light-up the blooming trees at night. Hanami, having a party under the cherry trees after work with your colleagues or with your friends at daytime on weekend or so, has been our big spring event, but now it seems disappeared.
Then an message was uploaded on Youtube by an sake brewing maker in Iwate.
In this video, they encourage Japanese people to drink their tasteful sake. They say they feel so grateful all the help, donation, rescue efforts, aid supplies from all over the world. Then they tell you that the most needed help would be drinking their sake, buying the product that produced in the affected areas. I totally agree with them. What an excellent massage they send to us!
I remember, right after the 911, the mayor of NY encouraged New Yorkers to have a normal life despite the ongoing great amount of damage.
If we can, we should be active, we should go out., we should have have a normal life.
And also we must remember our people who are having a difficult time all the time, thinking of them all the time.
I think both things are important to make our country become a wonderful place again.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
managed to go to my piano lesson
I woke up this morning with mild fever and slight join ache. Took cold medicine and practiced a bit after feeling better. I go to my piano lesson every two weeks so I didn't want to miss this time. I went to my teacher's place and had a good time. She has a keen ear and never fail to hear small differences or problems in my playing. Also she is willing to listen to my perspectives so it's a kind of cooperation of building up a good music between two of us. I like her!
On my way home I did some grocery shopping, bread, milk, fried chicken cutlets, and onions.
Finally I'll have nothing to do tomorrow so it'll be a perfect rest day then I should be better soon, I'm sure!
It was so warm today although I felt a bit cold due to my malfunction..... I saw several cherry trees blooming fully on my way to the lesson, so beautiful! Spring is really here! I'm glad we don't have to use much electricity for now!
Bad news never stop coming about the nuke plants. This time, radiation contaminated water with extremely high level (I don't feel how high it is any more since I've kept hearing the huge figures again and again, It's really fearful to feel like this... ) started to flow out to the sea a few days ago and the professionals have been trying so hard to stop it then failed again and again. Today they seem to be succeeded partly, the volume of water flowing out reduced after their putting liquid glass in middle of the flowing way. They had to let out the low radiation contaminated water to secure the storage for the high contaminated water. I don't know how bad we are now any more.... maybe really bad, then what? What we can do is just to pray for the situation getting better, that's it. I realized how powerless we humans are. After this bad situation is ended, we really live with the nature with great respect. I hope we can find a good way to work out.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
On my way home I did some grocery shopping, bread, milk, fried chicken cutlets, and onions.
Finally I'll have nothing to do tomorrow so it'll be a perfect rest day then I should be better soon, I'm sure!
It was so warm today although I felt a bit cold due to my malfunction..... I saw several cherry trees blooming fully on my way to the lesson, so beautiful! Spring is really here! I'm glad we don't have to use much electricity for now!
Bad news never stop coming about the nuke plants. This time, radiation contaminated water with extremely high level (I don't feel how high it is any more since I've kept hearing the huge figures again and again, It's really fearful to feel like this... ) started to flow out to the sea a few days ago and the professionals have been trying so hard to stop it then failed again and again. Today they seem to be succeeded partly, the volume of water flowing out reduced after their putting liquid glass in middle of the flowing way. They had to let out the low radiation contaminated water to secure the storage for the high contaminated water. I don't know how bad we are now any more.... maybe really bad, then what? What we can do is just to pray for the situation getting better, that's it. I realized how powerless we humans are. After this bad situation is ended, we really live with the nature with great respect. I hope we can find a good way to work out.
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
Monday, April 4, 2011
rest, rest, and rest
I felt much better when I woke up this morning then practiced the piano for a few hours then headache started again, oh boy! Took some cold medicine again and went out to the chorus rehearsal in the afternoon. It's not my senior choir but another one where I became the accompanist since last month. They are having a concert coming June and I'm going to accompany for them. We had sectional today. I rehearsed with the alto singers and the director was with the sopranos. I managed the time despite the headache and dizziness. I think the medicine worked a bit. Anyway I had a good time with them. There are about 30 singers gather every Monday at a music class room in an elementary school in Osaka city. They really love singing, I can tell from their shiny faces when singing!
On my way home, I bought some bento boxes and made tomato salad for dinner. After dinner is a rest time. I should have a rest I know....
Now I'm worried about tomorrow's piano lesson. I haven't practiced enough but I decided to have a rest to have a better day tomorrow. I'm going to get up earlier next morning and then there will be a few hours before going out for the lesson. God will help me.
A lot of moving stories continue to air about the quake survivors or victims. Sometimes I'd avoid seeing them to let my feeling peaceful because every time I see them, my heart aches. Especially the stories about kids, elderly people, and animals touch me deeply.
One among them I was touched is a story about a dog. It remained alive after three weeks since the earthquake when the rescue workers found it on the floodwood (maybe a roof of a house) far offshore. Its waving tale moved me a lot. It was so cute and lively! Then, today, the owner of the dog showed up and hugged it so tightly. Thank the dog for hanging in there. You moved a lot of hearts, I bet!
OK, I'll get to sleep. Good night!
On my way home, I bought some bento boxes and made tomato salad for dinner. After dinner is a rest time. I should have a rest I know....
Now I'm worried about tomorrow's piano lesson. I haven't practiced enough but I decided to have a rest to have a better day tomorrow. I'm going to get up earlier next morning and then there will be a few hours before going out for the lesson. God will help me.
A lot of moving stories continue to air about the quake survivors or victims. Sometimes I'd avoid seeing them to let my feeling peaceful because every time I see them, my heart aches. Especially the stories about kids, elderly people, and animals touch me deeply.
One among them I was touched is a story about a dog. It remained alive after three weeks since the earthquake when the rescue workers found it on the floodwood (maybe a roof of a house) far offshore. Its waving tale moved me a lot. It was so cute and lively! Then, today, the owner of the dog showed up and hugged it so tightly. Thank the dog for hanging in there. You moved a lot of hearts, I bet!
OK, I'll get to sleep. Good night!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday afternoon concert
I woke up this morning with terrible headache, too bad! It was started with coughing on Friday, then throat ache Saturday... so I took some cold medicine and practiced the piano for 2.5 hours in the morning. I felt a bit better and went to a concert in the afternoon.
My friend, Sanae, sang at the concert with the beautiful wood wind quintet. She sang two canzones, "Ciribiribin" and "Mamma" then moved on to "O mio babbino caro" by Puccini. The concert was held at a shrine so I enjoyed walking around after that to find beautiful cherry trees blooming fully!
After walking a bit, Takao joined me to the electric shop to look for a dehumidifier. I had my piano tuned last week and the tuner suggested me to put the dehumidifier in the room to keep the humidity for a good level. The piano room is next to the bath room so it's been always too humid. I knew that and was worried about it for a long time. This time we found a good machine for a reasonable price! I look forward to put it and see my piano in good condition!
OK, I know I might be having a cold. Go to bed early tonight (last night as well, actually...).
Good night everyone!
My friend, Sanae, sang at the concert with the beautiful wood wind quintet. She sang two canzones, "Ciribiribin" and "Mamma" then moved on to "O mio babbino caro" by Puccini. The concert was held at a shrine so I enjoyed walking around after that to find beautiful cherry trees blooming fully!
After walking a bit, Takao joined me to the electric shop to look for a dehumidifier. I had my piano tuned last week and the tuner suggested me to put the dehumidifier in the room to keep the humidity for a good level. The piano room is next to the bath room so it's been always too humid. I knew that and was worried about it for a long time. This time we found a good machine for a reasonable price! I look forward to put it and see my piano in good condition!
OK, I know I might be having a cold. Go to bed early tonight (last night as well, actually...).
Good night everyone!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Charity game: Buffaloes vs. Marines
We had a good time of both thinking of the survivors and enjoying the game.
Hi there!
It's been three weeks since then. I've been doing something every day then I realized every day life is disappeared if I don't write about it.
I decided today that I write something about the day every day from today to let my friends know what I'm doing also to cherish every precious time I'm having. Small things help us to remember how we are lucky to live our lives, right? I don't know how long I can keep committing this promise and I'm sure I'm making many mistakes as usual, but I believe I could improve my English by keeping this! It's OK if it's a line or a few, important to keep going!
Let's start talking about yesterday.
I had my senior choir rehearsal yesterday. I always feel relieved to see my choir members faces, so bright and soothing! We enjoyed singing together, chatting together, having joy together!
We had a cute guest yesterday. The pianist brought her 9-year-old son with her. She has three kids. Usually her mother-in-law takes care of the kids but this time her parents-in-law went to trip with her two daughters. It's spring break season for kids so her son was bored being at home every day.
After the rehearsal we, Takao and I, she and her son, went to lunch altogether then my husband went to work, other three went to the movie! It's called Doraemon, very famous animation character in Japan. We enjoyed the movie very much!
Later at night the pianist e-mailed me that he kept singing the songs we were rehearsing yesterday. When I asked him how was it, he said that he was bored hearing the rehearsal but actually he was enjoying hearing those songs! I was so glad to hear that! Then he said her mother, "when can I go see them again?" Wow!!!
I decided today that I write something about the day every day from today to let my friends know what I'm doing also to cherish every precious time I'm having. Small things help us to remember how we are lucky to live our lives, right? I don't know how long I can keep committing this promise and I'm sure I'm making many mistakes as usual, but I believe I could improve my English by keeping this! It's OK if it's a line or a few, important to keep going!
Let's start talking about yesterday.
I had my senior choir rehearsal yesterday. I always feel relieved to see my choir members faces, so bright and soothing! We enjoyed singing together, chatting together, having joy together!
We had a cute guest yesterday. The pianist brought her 9-year-old son with her. She has three kids. Usually her mother-in-law takes care of the kids but this time her parents-in-law went to trip with her two daughters. It's spring break season for kids so her son was bored being at home every day.
After the rehearsal we, Takao and I, she and her son, went to lunch altogether then my husband went to work, other three went to the movie! It's called Doraemon, very famous animation character in Japan. We enjoyed the movie very much!
Later at night the pianist e-mailed me that he kept singing the songs we were rehearsing yesterday. When I asked him how was it, he said that he was bored hearing the rehearsal but actually he was enjoying hearing those songs! I was so glad to hear that! Then he said her mother, "when can I go see them again?" Wow!!!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Message from Kayla
Since the earthquake occurred, I was seeking for what I can do, then came up with this idea.
I asked my friends to send messages to Japan.
Here is the one from Kayla.
*********************************************
Dear Unknown Japanese friends...I am sitting here in New York City and like so many others, thinking of you, your incredible trials, feeling inspired by your tenacity, courage and spirit of mutual support....Surely we are all connected and I wish you strength as I would my very dearest family, in this time of challenge. You are in our hearts and minds though distance may make that seem impossible.
My best to all of you,
Kayla
*********************************************
Thank you, Kayla!
For those who want to participate this project, please send your message to Japan via e-mail (naokosing@gmail.com).
I asked my friends to send messages to Japan.
Here is the one from Kayla.
*********************************************
Dear Unknown Japanese friends...I am sitting here in New York City and like so many others, thinking of you, your incredible trials, feeling inspired by your tenacity, courage and spirit of mutual support....Surely we are all connected and I wish you strength as I would my very dearest family, in this time of challenge. You are in our hearts and minds though distance may make that seem impossible.
My best to all of you,
Kayla
*********************************************
Thank you, Kayla!
For those who want to participate this project, please send your message to Japan via e-mail (naokosing@gmail.com).
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Message from Hsin
Since the earthquake occurred, I was seeking for what I can do, then came up with this idea.
I asked my friends to send messages to Japan.
Here is the one from Hsin.
*********************************************
I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to Japanese people. You have suffered such tremendous calamities. The images of tsunami were horrendous, but the most worrisome was the nuclear power plants. For many days, there was this helplessness that makes you wonder whether anything was being done or could be done. The reassuring messages from the authorities seemed to lose their credibility gradually. At least now the electricity has been restored to the plants and the water with it to cool the reactors.
Last night I watched Letterman (unusual for me) and Michio Kaku, a Physics professor from City College of New York where I work, was a guest. Of course, he is a Japanese and has family and relatives in that area. He
pointed out that the electricity company has the interests of protecting their investment, which could be in conflict with the concern of public safety. This may have resulted in the initial inept reactions. He also
mentioned that when Chernobyl happened, Gorbachev had the swift action of having Red Army dumping sands, concrete, and boron to entomb the whole plant. The reactor might still be hot today.
But now the water is in the plants and the things became a bit controlled, it is hopeful that the outcome in Japan will be much better than in Chernobyl. Who wants an entombed nuclear power plant that marks the whole
area as a waste land?
The nuclear plant issues in Japan has similarity with the Gulf oil spill in USA. Both incidents were so huge and so technology-intense that they relied, to a large extent, the industries themselves to solve. But their
interests may not be totally in line with the public interests. And these technologies are inherently dangerous. There are many issues, such as the public's right to know, how much we can trust the industries to police themselves, and how much patience should public grant them in such disasters?
There will surely be a tremendous rebuilding task in Japan. But Japan is one of the most technologically-advanced country and its people are among the most hard-working. So we can be optimistic about it.
Hsin Wang
*********************************************
Thank you, Hsin!
For those who want to participate this project, please send your message to Japan via e-mail (naokosing@gmail.com).
I asked my friends to send messages to Japan.
Here is the one from Hsin.
*********************************************
I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to Japanese people. You have suffered such tremendous calamities. The images of tsunami were horrendous, but the most worrisome was the nuclear power plants. For many days, there was this helplessness that makes you wonder whether anything was being done or could be done. The reassuring messages from the authorities seemed to lose their credibility gradually. At least now the electricity has been restored to the plants and the water with it to cool the reactors.
Last night I watched Letterman (unusual for me) and Michio Kaku, a Physics professor from City College of New York where I work, was a guest. Of course, he is a Japanese and has family and relatives in that area. He
pointed out that the electricity company has the interests of protecting their investment, which could be in conflict with the concern of public safety. This may have resulted in the initial inept reactions. He also
mentioned that when Chernobyl happened, Gorbachev had the swift action of having Red Army dumping sands, concrete, and boron to entomb the whole plant. The reactor might still be hot today.
But now the water is in the plants and the things became a bit controlled, it is hopeful that the outcome in Japan will be much better than in Chernobyl. Who wants an entombed nuclear power plant that marks the whole
area as a waste land?
The nuclear plant issues in Japan has similarity with the Gulf oil spill in USA. Both incidents were so huge and so technology-intense that they relied, to a large extent, the industries themselves to solve. But their
interests may not be totally in line with the public interests. And these technologies are inherently dangerous. There are many issues, such as the public's right to know, how much we can trust the industries to police themselves, and how much patience should public grant them in such disasters?
There will surely be a tremendous rebuilding task in Japan. But Japan is one of the most technologically-advanced country and its people are among the most hard-working. So we can be optimistic about it.
Hsin Wang
*********************************************
Thank you, Hsin!
For those who want to participate this project, please send your message to Japan via e-mail (naokosing@gmail.com).
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
mega earthquate and tsunami
Dear friends,
As you may know till now, we had the mega earthquake and tsunami, following by the nuclear plant issues. The death toll seems never to stop rising which saddens me so much every day.
My husband and I live in Osaka, far from the affected areas, so do all of our family. We all are just fine.
In this entry, I just can let you know that we are fine. I don't know how to put everything I feel now together. I maybe write something more later here. But just want to say the following:
Thank you, all the people in the world, for your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you, all the rescue workers, for coming from all over the world.
Thank you, doctors, nurses, public workers, firemen, police, construction workers, and the nuclear plant workers, for working so hard to save our country.
And thank you, all of the survivors, for your patience, courage, beautiful spirits, kindness to each other, honesty .... and just being alive.
I don't know how we can make the reconstruction efforts after such an incredible disaster but just want to believe we can make it somehow, altogether, not only with the people in our country but also with all the people in the world. I know everyone over there is thinking of us and helping us out, being with us. I just want to believe God make us work together. We need your help.
I feel so lucky and like a miracle to be alive.
I'm sure I'm lucky enough to be alive to do something for others. We are alive to work for each other. We all were born to help each other, right?
I love you all,
Naoko
As you may know till now, we had the mega earthquake and tsunami, following by the nuclear plant issues. The death toll seems never to stop rising which saddens me so much every day.
My husband and I live in Osaka, far from the affected areas, so do all of our family. We all are just fine.
In this entry, I just can let you know that we are fine. I don't know how to put everything I feel now together. I maybe write something more later here. But just want to say the following:
Thank you, all the people in the world, for your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you, all the rescue workers, for coming from all over the world.
Thank you, doctors, nurses, public workers, firemen, police, construction workers, and the nuclear plant workers, for working so hard to save our country.
And thank you, all of the survivors, for your patience, courage, beautiful spirits, kindness to each other, honesty .... and just being alive.
I don't know how we can make the reconstruction efforts after such an incredible disaster but just want to believe we can make it somehow, altogether, not only with the people in our country but also with all the people in the world. I know everyone over there is thinking of us and helping us out, being with us. I just want to believe God make us work together. We need your help.
I feel so lucky and like a miracle to be alive.
I'm sure I'm lucky enough to be alive to do something for others. We are alive to work for each other. We all were born to help each other, right?
I love you all,
Naoko
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