My mind was inundated with the Japanese language (Nihongo) – even though I didn’t understand a word of it. It was like I’d been transported to a world far away and had just started to awaken back into this world. Working on the internet does that to me. As the surroundings of my room came back into focus; I thought what an intricate language Japanese (Nihongo) is. When spoken slowly and clearly it has a hypnotic rhythm I find totally fascinating. It’s when taken up to speed that everything turns into gibberish - at least to my guijin (foreigner) ears.
My next thought was what in the heck am I doing up in the middle of the night totally immersed in the web site learnjapanesepod.com. I’m a Texan in Texas after all; why me; why Japanese… and how did this happen??? Then I remembered “Memories of a Wonderful Weekend”, the musical “Pigs from the Sea” and “My Close Encounter of an Alluring Kind” (links below) All these happened during a weekend where I was a Texan in LA with a bunch of Okinawans – now how’s that for a mix.
There is a story behind all this just so you know. And as you would expect it involves a pretty Lady - although, this story does not have any romance novel implications. Just a good friendship discovered through the portals of cyberspace.
The pretty Lady of the Story
I was in Texas and she was in Russia when we met – it’s a cyberspace thing. Although; she is not Russian - she is from California and was attending the Moscow Conservatory of Music studying piano. Even though she grew up in California she was actually raised in the Japanese culture; of the Okinawan variety - a first generation Japanese American. I have given her the Texas name of Missy.
A love of music from the performing, production and producing side is the link that keeps us in touch. Plus we are both naturally big thinkers. Just so you know; Missy herself is not why I became fascinated by the language. But that will come later. Let me stick to the story line for right now.
The Beginning of a Fascination
After graduating and returning to California; Missy took on the position of producer/pianist for Soto Group International. Their first project was a state side production of the musical Pigs from the Sea; the story of Okinawa’s struggles to get back on their feet after WWII. She invited me to attend the performance and of all the festivities surrounding the event. This in turn allowed me the privilege of writing the official review of the musical that was sent to the Okinawan Perfecture.
What a great weekend. I was totally facinated with the Okinawan culture and a first class musical production. The wonderful, warm hearted people that made up the gathering accepted me as if I was their tall, round eyed family relative living in Texas. I knew nothing of the Japanese or Okinawan culture - well, except for what I learned from the Karate Kid movies. But as Missy began explaining the nuances, customs and history of this new world I found myself in; I started to become intrigued and wanted to know more.
Even with all this though; I still didn’t have any interest in learning Japanese - mainly because it was so… well… foreign to me. I didn’t think my tongue could do all that.
The “Story” begins
Now this is where the “story” of this story comes in… and this is what caused me to be sitting at my computer that night immersed in a Japanese language web site.
In her later travels to The Land of the Rising Sun; Missy sent me a set of small porcelain Shisa’s. Being very popular in Okinawa she thought it would make a great gift. And it did. In fact; I was so taken by the little fella’s I started studying about them and their place in the Japanese culture. Ever since then my mind has been constructing a story about Shisa’s in Texas. With my mind working on the story I figured I’d better learn the language in order to make it more authentic. So here I am trying to learn Nihongo.
That all being said; this is the part where the ending of this piece should be crafted… but there is no ending yet. In fact, this could be called the beginning. Unfortunately; seeing as how other events in my life have shifted and currently hold my focus; this remains just a work in progress. I am working as much as I can on my Nihongo skills and there is a part of my mind that continuously works on the Shisa’s in Texas concept. So there is progress, albeit slow... but steady.
One thing you can bet on though; as the adventures of “Sammy & Steven – two Shisa’s in Texas” unfold in my mind; I will be back here telling you all about it. (Oh, Sammy & Steven are the Texas names I have given to the two little Shisa’s Missy sent me – Sammy being the guarding-dog and Steven in the lion.)
An Invitation
Well… looks like I’m getting ready to embark on a new journey in my life – a journey of Nihongo and Shisa’s in Texas - who would of every thought? Right now though; I am not sure where this journey is going to take me, but one way or other I would to invite you to come along for the ride.
Wish me luck,
Kiwotsukete and thanks for listening.
Jim
P.S.
I’ll tell you what; I have set up a Shisa MySpace page where I intend to start developing the individual characters and personalities of Sammy and Steven. Although; there is only a tiny amount of preliminary concept work posted at this time; but I will list the link below anyway. That way you can at least see what the little fellas’s look like - if you want.
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LINKS mentioned above;
“Memories of a Wonderful Weekend”
This covers my arrival and rehearsal the day before the performance.
The review for “Pigs from the Sea”
Sort of speaks for it self doesn’t it.
“My Close Encounter of an Alluring Kind.”
There is a quirk to our human nature I also encountered that weekend. A quirk I am sure plagues us all at some time or other. This piece is manly my introspective reflections of that quirk. But it does takes place during the Green Room gathering before the performance and the farewell party afterwards. So I thought it would fit nicely here.
Oh Wait; I didn’t tell you about Percy. Oh well, I’ll let you figure that one out on you own :)
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Thanks Missy; for a friendship that has shown me new horizons in this round blue-green world we live on.
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