Thank YOU from my SOUL

Dear Stefnee, Scooter, Shasta, Spencer, Simon and Silas,

This is just a brief blog to you all to thank you for an absolutely, positively, supercalifragilisticexpialidociously wonderful week and a little bit! It has been filled with so much FUN, so much family, so much EXCITEMENT, so much LOVE, so much BEING, so much GRATITUDE, so much APPRECIATION and so much more that I am having trouble expressing it to you all!

But even if you find me quiet, and thoughtful on the eve of the final night I am here until the next time I return, please understand that I am truly so indebted to you for letting me become a part of your family FOR REAL IN PERSON for this teeny weeny too short amount of time.

I will never ever ever ever forget the things we did together, the time we spent together, the laughs we shared together, the hugs we passed around together, the kisses we lavished upon each other together, and even the quiet times we had together.

I have appreciated each and every NOW moment, each and every single second of our time together. I love our time together, even at this very now moment as I am packing up my luggage, and preparing for the long journey ... home.

I feel that my visit to your family has become one more home for me and all of the kitchen elfy stuff I have done with you like the dishes, the meals, the floors, and so much more is just one part of everything, absolutely EVERYTHING that has just floored me beyond belief.

Scooter - Thank you for giving Stefnee and I the time to process, to talk, to walk, to just BE together, and breathe in the way we do. Thank you also for letting me overclean your home as I love to do. I REALLY REALLY REALLLLLY appreciate the time and the space you have given us, even at this very moment you came downstairs with the twins. THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU.

Stefnee - ... You have exceeded every possible thought I could have ever imagined about you! The way you raise your children, talk with them, love them, educate them, reprimand them... it is so full, sooo FULL of the love that you have for life that I can see how (*tears*) much you adore each and every one of their cells! You are simply the most wonderful mother/friend raising children who are going to carry on your Globalized Love and spread it out into the world. As all the friends in the blog say all the time, YOU ROCK! THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU.

Geek Squad - You four are the coolest kids I know! You may be sassy, you may be inquisitive, you may turn the house into a total mess (close the fridge door, guys...), but know this: you are truly truly truly vewy awesome kids! And Shasta, congratulations on becoming 13! (Don't drive your mom crazy, please? I don't want to be coming back here to a crazy woman, ok? Please???)

Again, thank you all so very much for letting me come and share my time, my presence, my love, and my soul with each and every single one of you.

And I must admit I absolutely LOVED eating out of your fridge until it looked empty. Really. Everything was awesome. ESPECIALLY the meat!

The Universe most certainly did an amazing job of finally bringing us through the looking glass, wouldn't you agree, Stefnee?

*I*

*LOVE*

*YOU!*

Cam

P.S. It has been a very long time since the "last time" we met, and this time will surely hold me over until the "next time" we meet. I most definitely WILL see you then!

Love, Tornado Style

Snacks... snogging... coffee all over my white shirt... whatnot... it was a fun afternoon making that video. And ... our primary video guy was Spencer! (and our chaperone, of course!!)

I love you!

Cam

P.S. Scooter, we saved the snacks for saturday morning so you can be off of pancake duty.... AND the kids can run around all day like sugared-up maniacs pelting us with water balloons and .. whatnots.

By the way... do you like chickory coffee? We are going to HAVE to brew that up and enjoy it (on video) with YOU, Stefnee, Simon, Silas, Spencer, Shasta, Toby, Mr. Skinny Winkles, Skippy John Jones, Lucy, Jackson and Sally ... OR.... Mander!

What? No rabbits? Oh... yeah... right... I ate Tubby & Terence the rabbits for lunch!

Today's Update:

We had a very late start today (well, not Scooter... he had an earlier start). Last night after we got back from Bunco about midnight, Stefnee started cutting out patterns for my sleep shorts.

Then it got really windy, and the rain started pounding down. Scooter was upstairs TRYING to sleep, and I ran out into the pouring rain and got myself nice and sopping wet turning up the windows. I didn't realize the car windows were way down. Scott came down, and said the car windows were down, so I went back out and closed them up (we opened them up first thing this morning to dry them out as best as possible - still open).

Scooter got Stefnee's Meditation Tapes and went back upstairs. I started drifting off on the chaise lounge as The Fabric Goddess stitched away.

Then suddenly she cocked her head... and ran to the front door saying, "are those the sirens?" And sure enough they were! The tornado sirens!

So immediately she pounded upstairs and got everyone up. They all came running down with blankets and pillows and we dashed into the basement and huddled ourselves far back into the basement away from glass, and stuff in case the tornado came our way.

Scooter brought down the laptop and we sat down there searching for news on the tornado siren warnings. In the end, they found a radio station that said McPherson had some electrical problems and the sirens were a result of that, and not a tornado.

It was amazing to see Momma Bear and Poppa Bear jump into action and all the little Baby Bears following along in perfect harmony, even though it was the middle of the night!

All was well, they sent the kids back up to bed, and life at 3am returned to normal.

Then at that time I think, I finally was able to get my YouTube Tornado video posted (it belched once in an electrical glitch). We used my computer and loaded it up to Stefnee's blog as well.

And as we were sitting in the chaise watching the video to see how it went.... we fell asleep and woke up about 3.30 or 4am or so with my neck killing me because my head was draped over the back of the chaise. Stefnee went off to bed and i went down to the basement cubbyhole to sleep.

So the day today started later than expected. The kids had cereal, and we cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs. Then the kids went off to the pool...

The kids went to the pool but the young uns were still too young to be let in so they came home. We took them back to the pool without towels (they neglected to inform us until we arrived that they had no towels...) and let them play around. A little later one of the lifeguards brought Simon back because he wasn't feeling well. So we brought him back home and set him up with movies and whatnot.

I was feeling a bit burned from the sun (yes, again) so had a nap. Stefnee worked hard on making me some sleep shorts out of the most awesome material. (I'll have to model them if anyone is interested in seeing her amazing skills in action! - Just let Stefnee know).

When I woke up, she was gone so Simon and I sat out on the porch and chatted a bit. Momma Bear came home with some V8 juice for Baby Bear, and now she is sewing again!

She started to get hungry so I pulled out some sandwich meat, added a half of a tomato and gave her some water... and all was well.

We are going out for dinner tonight for their anniversary (it was yesterday, but so was Bunco). I want to take just the two of them out so that they can have an adult night with me. In addition to that, I really want to give them a good time and show my love and appreciation for letting me be their kitchen elf, babysitter, launderer, vacuum cleanor, bedtime storyteller, cook, and all about playmate for the kids. I have been loving my week here as it is an absolutely FANTASTIC time!

Thanks so much, Scooter and Stefnee. I really really REALLY appreciate you letting me come to Stefnee, Kansas, and share your life with me. I will NEVER EVER forget this journey of being present, alive, aware and BEING!

I love you!!!!!

in..............................

out....................................

in.................................................................

out................................................................

(I'm hungry......)

Shameless Marketing Ploy for improving YOUR Health

Well, here I am in the offices of YES Supplements on my third day of work. It is an interesting place, this city Houston. We haven't had the chance to go into downtown Houston to see what is there but I am finding so many things different from Japan.

The biggest differences I see are NOT the obese people, although there are just as many fat, stupid, angry people in Japan these days, believe me... and violent they are! No. The biggest difference I see is the width of the roads, the speed people travel on those roads, and the amount of large gas-guzzling vehicles that are traveling at those speeds. And the fact that I see signs like, "Criminals Beware" posted on boulevards leads me to believe that crime is MUCH higher here than back home.

The temperature is like early Japan summer, the sun is high, and although the humidity is by no means low here, it sort of feels ... almost island-like in terms of the damp breeze blowing. It is actually more comfortable here (so far) than an equivalent summer-like temperature back home. I don't know what it will be like in August, but for now, it is OK (this does not mean I will be here in August, no. I am heading to Stefnee, Kansas next on Sunday, then home to Shangri-la, Japan a week later).

Last night I went out for dinner with Khanada, Brian and Ken, the CEO of YES Supplements. We went to Outback because Khanada was craving a big hunk of protein. The guys had big steaks and a salad, she had a full rack of ribs, and I had a roast beef salad.

We talked about their business plan, how they are marketing, and most importantly that because the products they are offering are actually based on true, correct science that cannot be refuted, it is critical that we do our best to get this knowledge and product out to as many people as we possibly can WITHOUT turning it into a product that just makes money. It was so nice to see that this is NOT their goal. The CEO has been for the past 20 years in finance with big companies and he used to run with that lot and believe like they do: namely that "he who has the most things wins".

But once he came on board here and read all of the literature, the science, tested the products intensively and more, he realized that we are on a mission to seriously improve people's health through science, knowledge, and a product that continues to prove the medical industry wrong by proving all of the science is 100% correct. He was very impressed to see that we are not doing this "to make money", but that we have a higher goal, namely our mission of spreading this truth.

After so many years, critical mass is nigh at hand and rather than struggling to defend the science and the product, and proving that we aren't just another supplement, people are finding us. Doctors are actually finally seeing the truth in everything Brian talks about and writes about; and they are coming over to our side more and more with the science. Today alone we are getting $500 orders from doctors around the country who are finally tired of not being able to do anything with their mis-science, and believing in what Brian has been talking about for nearly 20 years now.

In addition to that the results are repeatable over and over again such that it shows the real life results we always talk about (I always spout on my blogs) are based on science, not opinion, and can be backed up every single time with the science, and more importantly repeatable real-life results.

With no exception.

This really excites me to see how everyone here really has a mission to bring this science to the people who want to listen to the truth. The truth really is out there... and we have it right here. This means that you, the reader, have it as well, through me here on the blogs as well as Brian's websites (see www.brianpeskin.com, and www.professornutrition.com). I plan to continue sharing all of the science, and information that Brian provides which continues to be right over and over again, so that if you wish to share in it with me, and to learn and improve your chances of having a healthier, happier, longer-living life illness-free, and especially cancer-free and heart-disease free... then at least you can.

Most supplements are based on opinion; and the mass media parrot misinformation over and over again. Often the other crap out there is produced by big companies to turn dollars, or it is by small companies who are basing their product on the misinformation, or there are lobbyists pushing a corporate cause. YES Supplements are most definitely different.

Having said all that, I am here in the office right now. If you are interested in testing out the stuff I have been talking about for years now, and want to purchase some of YES Supplements' Parent Essential Oils for yourself, just call.

Call toll free 1-866-937-1124 and ask for Scott. He is sitting at the desk next to me taking call after call for product orders while I am doing other related-work.

If you call in today (or anytime, to be honest - I am not going to rush you), you can get a month's supply of Parent Essential Oils for $32.00 plus shipping. If you order three bottles (three months) or less, shipping is $7.75 total (in the USA).

Regular full retail price if you order straight off the web is $49.95 but if you call in, I can make sure that you get them for only $32.00 plus shipping! Just mention my name to Scott, OK?

Oh, and if anybody wants to purchase Brian's phenomenal books "The Hidden Story of Cancer" @ $39.95 + $5.95 shipping in the USA (via USPS), or "The 24-Hour Diet" plus a 50 minute audio CD @ $39.95 + $5.95 Shipping in the USA (via USPS) you can get them online through Pinnacle Press on Brian's site which is www.brianpeskin.com. Or you can call Khanada's sister, Annette, who works at Pinnacle Press and talk to a wonderful live human being with your questions, and order information. You can call Annette toll free @ 1-800-456-9941 .

There. I just had to get my marketing push in....

I told you that if I had something profound to share I would. And I do. So I am.

Get health... and stay healthy!!

I love you!

Cam

One More for the Off-Road

After I wrote my "Last blog from Japan" I went for a ride. I really wanted to enjoy the last ride of June before I headed out to be present (and away from exercise) for the next two weeks.

I loved being present throughout my hour, coming and going between thinking of stuff, my breathing, and bringing myself back to my breath by envisioning "a swinging gate" (this is a good way to "see yourself breathing"). Sometimes to see breathing is difficult because it is an autonomic thing, just like our heart beating; we don't control it, and our body knows how to do it without us even thinking. So to actually think about it... can be tough.

Anyway, just before the hardtop turned to gravel 20 minutes up, I happened to see Mr. Tanuki again. I heard him rustling away on the roadside. This time we spent some quiet time breathing and staring at each other. It was nice to watch Mr. T watching me.

As I was riding further up, and being aware of my present moment (you really need to be present to avoid hitting the sharp shale rocks on the road), something occurred to me...

Decades ago when I first started riding (and cyclists will understand this), I learned the following deceptively simple concept:

"Look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go."

Sounds pretty obvious, right? I mean you watch the road as you are riding, not staring off into the trees and the cliffs around you... Yeah. But guess what? That's not what this means.

Let me put it another way:

"Don't look where you don't want to go."

Let me explain what I mean with a very REAL example, and none of this NewAge Wackhead metaphysical existential crap...

When you are riding, there will be many things in your path that you need to avoid, such as glass, branches, rocks, and other things depending upon where you ride. This is true on-road, or off-road as all cyclists will attest to.

Usually when you ride if you are aware of what is going on in front of you, you will see these objects of destruction in your path. Here is where it gets tricky...

If you see the rock, and think "there's a rock! It's sharp! It could damage my tire and make me crash! I need to avoid that rock at all costs and make sure I don't hit it!!"...

you WILL hit it.

Yes, you will. Guaranteed.

Really, you will!

Even as you are staring at this rock screaming, "Noooo! I must avoid it!! I must! I ---- bang!" and you will run over it. (I did just that today).

It's weird, but it really happens.

The goal, of course, is to avoid this rock or debris. In order to do that, what you really need to do is the opposite of what we might think to do. You need to note it, accept that it is there, and then let it go. Instead of fixing your efforts on "avoiding the rock" you must instead focus your attention away from the rock, and on a clear path where the rock is not. Even if the path seems difficult, if you focus on the clear path, you will avoid the rock.

And now I take you on the path back to our breathing, and to that NewAge Wackhead stuff....

Take the rock in the above example and convert it to something that is in your way, a barrier, or a trouble, or a problem that you may have in your life. You need to circumvent that "rock". If you focus your energy on the problem, if you fix your attention on it (as in complaining about it's existence, how it is hampering, harming, causing you undue grief, etc.), your problem will loom up directly in front of you and slap you in the face. You will not be able to avoid that problem, but instead will only create a bigger problem than you previously thought you had.

What you need to be doing instead of focusing on the problem (i.e. ranting or complaining or bitching about it), is to recognize it, note it's existence, and then immediately "let it go" and take your attention away from it while looking for a clear path around the problem.

If you do this, you will always find a clear way to get around, or out of any problems you are in.

The road to your goals may be fraught with danger and hazards, but if you note their existence, and then let them go, stop focusing on the negative aspects, and instead pour all of your energy and soul into moving forward and picking out a clear path... you will succeed.

This is the thought that came to me today when I ran straight into the rock I so desperately wanted to avoid. As soon as I hit the rock I wanted to avoid but was fixing my attention upon, I stopped, and immediately recalled my early training regarding where to look and where not to look.

And then I thought of this comparison to the real world, and how "the rule" still applies.

Whether you are navigating rough terrain out in the wilderness, in the urban jungle, or whether your journey is a trip through life, always remember to look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go and many of the problems that you perceive will cease to be. It really works!

"I choose to see things differently".

I love you!

Cam

It's a Journey, not a Trip

This is my last blog from Japan for a few weeks.

Tomorrow morning at 7am Mayu is going to take me down to the local train station where I will start my journey to Houston, Texas, work there for a week, and then head over to Stefnee, Kansas to holiday for a week.

I have decided that these two weeks I am going to be taking myself on a "training journey" where I will be putting my money where my breath is, you could say.

I have been doing all this NewAge Wackhead talking about breathing, and being present, and aware, and conscious of the NOW moments for a while now, and some of you may be thinking, "has this guy been breathing too much fermented garlic juice or something? Did he hit his head on one of his bike rides and just not tell us or something? Is he dying of cancer or something?" No(w). No (w). No(w).

But I am serious about what I have been talking about.

And now it is time to take myself on some personal "shugyo" (training) like the monks might do alone up in the mountains by themselves to train their mind, body, and spirit.

The next two weeks, I am going to practice very hard at truly being 100% present in the moment of those 1,555,200 seconds that I will be away. I will follow Agreement #4 in "The Four Agreements" and DO MY BEST. And I will be very happy with doing the very best I can, even if it isn't perfect. I already am extremely happy with the excellent results I achieve during those two weeks. I can see it, feel it, imagine it, emote it and just simply (k)now.

"Be, all that I can be, in my breathing...."

What this means is that I will not be looking for things to blog about. I will not be taking photos to share with the world. I will not be making videos, processing, and uploading them at night after the day is done.

Instead, I will be spending every waking moment with the people that I am with, totally present with them, totally immersed in them, there, then, now, and as Thich Nhat Hanh says, practice "active meditation", or meditation in action. (Passive meditation occurs when one sits quietly in a quiet place immobile and meditates).

If I find something tremendously profound, sure, I may share it on the blogs, but I won't be focusing on "what can I blog about". In the evenings once I am alone, if I am still awake, I will spend the time focusing on my breath, on meditation, on being present and aware, on communication with my subconscious and superconscious, developing the connection through my NOW moments, and through my emotions.

I will not be taking a trip this time around. I will be taking a journey; a journey of spiritual shugyo, or training the spirit, and the mind to help me grow into the new person that I am working very hard to become. One day I will be ready to divorce the old me from the new me, and that will be a day for quiet celebration.

It is time for me to stop "just sucking air" and transform.

Here's a thought for you to breathe over...

If any of you who come to read me or visit my page regularly want to give this "breath thing" a try, why not take the time you would use visiting me, or commenting on my blogs, videos etc, and actively block off that time and just practice breathing, being present, being in the NOW.

If it is five minutes a week that you visit me, then why not try doing nothing but breathing, being present and saying to yourself something like, "I am aware of taking in a long deep breath...... I am aware of exhaling a long, slow breath...." for five minutes and thinking about nothing else? If you find your mind wanders to other thoughts (and it will, I guarantee you this), just be aware of those thoughts, note them, then envision a paper bag on the right side of your mind that you can take those thoughts and put them in. Then go back to your breathing. And when another random thought pops in (and it will, probably with a vengeance), just do the same thing... be an observer, and put the thought in the paper bag.

This may sound weird, but the results you get from practicing this are unbelievable. You can actually become a "third party observer" of your mind's thoughts and not be emotionally attached to them. It's wonderfully liberating because we are so linked to our thoughts through emotions and physical responses and don't even realize it. But by practicing this regularly, it seriously allows you to become unaffected by the thoughts in your mind. And when you realize you can do this, this is when you finally understand that you have a mind, and the mind has it's thoughts, but you are NOT your mind. You can separate yourself from those thoughts that come and go, from the memories, from the past pains, and emotions, from it all. And the only way you can actually separate yourself and observe your own thoughts is if you are not your mind. If you were your mind, you would not be able to do this. But it works. I've proven it to myself that it works.

It is liberating, believe me. This is how I have been rewiring my neural net these past six months. And I have to especially thank Dharma for helping me with this by providing me with the tools to allow me to start working at this. Without her assistance, I never would have been able to come to this first step in a lifelong positive, active transformation that I am heading on. (I love you, Abby!)

Jen knows this works. Stefnee knows this works. They too are working on doing this same thing, and if you think I'm too wacked out to make any sense, ask them. We are all running on parallel tracks heading into our own various destinations, at different speeds that suit our needs, and the lay of the land as we track through it, but we are all working on transforming into more aware human beings. It is a wonderful thing to see them transforming and growing, and and wonderful to know they see changes in me.

Enough of the NewAge Wackhead stuff, already, Cam!

OK, OK, Cam...

So if you don't hear from me until I get back to Japan in July... you know where I will be, and what I will be up to!

I love you!

Cam

Another delivery from Universal Genie Delivery Co., Ltd.

Do you remember what I asked for at the beginning of last week while I was riding up the mountain? Remember I asked to see a mammal, and then got to see the badger immediately after requesting that? Do you recall what I asked AFTER that as I kept riding?

I focused deeply on breathing, presence, emotions, and everything that goes with taking a message from the conscious mind to the subconscious, and ultimately to the superconscious mind (see? I told you I had three brains!). I asked to see a bear.

I have not seen a bear for probably over six or more years now.

Today my request was delivered! Go Universe! Thank you!!!!!

While I was not being very present and composing in my mind my "bon voyage" letter to you all as I rode up my "ura yama", I suddenly became very aware of myself being "out of sync" with me. I caught me unnecessarily writing that letter in my mind from me to you. It didn't need to be then, it was absolutely not necessary to be thinking about it then. And I caught myself. So I stopped myself.

And when I looked up again to focus on presence (and my breath) there was a bear right on the road, turning and running away from me into the bush. It was about half-grown, but the most beautiful inky black you can imagine. As it loped away for that one breath of mine

in..........

out..........

I was able to enjoy pure nature at its finest, right before my very eyes.

Thank you Universe, for delivering my request at just the opportune moment.

A coincidence? I don't think so any more. Too many things are coming in obvious alignment (to me) to be just coincidental.

The beauty of "pure nature" right there in front of me... to remind me to continue working hard to bring myself back in harmony with nature.

For so many years I have been "away" from the power of Mother Nature; I couldn't feel her in my soul, in my essence, in my being like I used to. But with concerted efforts, concentration, mindfulness and my breath, I am once again learning to recharge my soul. It has been a constant struggle, though. For six years I have been spinning out of control daily in my mind, but since finding "The Secret", and talking, and reading, and learning, and especially practicing daily from the opening of 2008, I am slowly making progress to a level of peace, tranquility, presence, and "nowness" that I honestly cannot recall ever experiencing.

I have had to constantly tell myself, "Don't give up. No matter how hard things may seem, keep plugging away at it, at my pace." How do I do this? I set a goal to achieve in the future, and then work one NOW moment at a time until that goal becomes "just another NOW moment". And then I set another goal and work toward that in the same way. Some goals are short-term goals, and some are long-term that will take years to achieve, but that's OK.

BE aware of your presence.
BE mindful of your breath.
BE conscious of everything around you in a peaceful, mindful way.

You probably won't be able to do this 24 hours a day every day (unless you are a buddha), but the more you actively practice, the more you will be able to do it. I am elated to get a few minutes several times a day! And I am aware of those moments.

Some days you will really feel "in the groove", and at other times "totally spinning out of control at every turn". That's OK. When you catch yourself doing the spinning, just focus on your breath, bring yourself back to right now, and breathe.

Do the same when you catch yourself totally in the present moment, too! It's no different, really. When you become aware of yourself doing something, note it, own it, and and then come back to your breathing, and be present.

Keep at it. Redouble your efforts when it gets tough. Keep stepping forward into those efforts. Keep breathing, and do. not. give. up.

God, I am so happy that I saw that bear today! I love you, Universe!!!

I created this quote many many years ago when cycling really did recharge my batteries. This is what I believe...

"The dirt from the earth we accumulate when adventuring is Mother Nature's soap, cleansing our souls of the grit, grime and ugliness of humanity." - Me

I love you!

Cam

Meet Jero, Enka Singer from America

Foreigners are starting to take over a lot of the traditional spots in the Japanese "talento" circuit. From sumo wrestling to traditional Enka (Japanese folk music) singing, these days you can find perfect-speaking performers who have won the hearts of Japanese while bringing life back to many of the traditional arts that seem to be lost to the youth of the country.

While enka is commonly associated with more elderly listeners, these singers are blending the genre with their own countries' cultures, bringing enka to the attention of younger generations.

One such performer is Jerome White Jr., or Jero, as he is known Japan. In April, merely two months after his debut single was released in mid-February, more than 2,000 people gathered in front of JR Kyoto Station to catch a glimpse of the 26 year old enka singer, singing with passion and perfect pronunciation.

Since late May he has appeared every day on television advertising Kirin Beverage Co.'s Fire Cafe Zero - a black, sugar-free canned coffee launched on May 20. In the advertisement, Jero sings the popular enka song "Hisame" (Sleet) while holding the canned coffee, finishing by saying "Jero!" - a play on words with his name and the name of the product.

With his sideways baseball cap and baggy pants, he may look like a hip-hop artist, but Jero's performance is 100% old-school enka. Even the more elderly were won over by his debut song, "Umiyuki" (Ocean Snow). Here is a compilation of Jero singing Umiyuki with his own style.

His frequent television appearances and nation-wide promotional campaign have quickly made Jero a familiar face. This has made for a demanding schedule which, he said he does not mind because it is necessary "to create a fan base." To keep up his strength, he added, he eats rice, miso soup and grilled fish.

Born in Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania, Jero is part Japanese, his maternal grandmother having moved to the U.S. from Japan after marrying an African-American soldier. His mother was also born in Japan. Owing to the influence of his family, Japanese culture and cuisine featured significantly in his upbringing.

You can watch some of his history through a Japanese/English interview here.

The first enka song he learned was a famous enka song which his grandmother often sang. He said his grandmother would be overjoyed when he sang the enka ballads he had picked up. Wanting to become an enka singer to please his grandmother, he came to Japan in 2003 to immerse himself in the genre.

While Jero is also a fan of American hip-hop music, he emphasizes that "singing enka is very natural to me." He laments that, "in Japan, enka is thought of as something for old people. It is sad that young people don't listen to it," adding, "I would be delighted if I could convey the appeal of enka to young people."

The majority of people who like enka are middle-aged or elderly, and few young people entertain the idea of becoming an enka performer. Indeed, no prominent young stars have emerged since Kiyoshi Hikawa broke onto the scene eight years ago.

Yet there is an enka following among young people in Japanese communities overseas. There are some places in South America where people like enka so much, they are said to be more Japanese than Japanese nationals themselves. Some professional enka singers in these communities find their way to Japan.

Italicized text taken from The Nikkei Weekly, June 9, 2008.

Touching One Soul @ a Time

I started my Free! Japanese lessons about 15 years ago, and then I stopped after a few years of doing it as I got too busy at work. But even though my site has sat without updates much at all over the past years, it still reaches out to touch people around the globe from time to time.

There was a time in the beginning where I was getting thousands of hits a month on my site. Now it isn't that often, but it still moves me greatly when a chance email comes in commenting on something I did so many years ago.

Here is what I received today:

Sensei:

Domo Arigato Gozaimasu !!! I just found your wonderful website and have sat with it for a week, copying it into my notebook the "old fashioned way" and will now go back to the beginning to really learn it! I am amazed by just going through it once, it makes so much sense. Thank you for all your time to do this website and making it available to people who want to learn.

I met a wonderful Japanese girl over 20 years ago and have been in touch with her until the past couple of years. I still have her address and e-mail. I hope to correspond to her in Japanese to surprise her and hopefully, get back in touch with her. She used to come to the US from Keio University where she taught English and we were wonderful friends. I hope to be back in touch with her.

Thank you again. I'll be practicing and hope to get my daughter to learn too!

Ali!

It is nice to get these letters of appreciation because usually when I do, I make one more lesson and add it to the pile. I've been doing this for 8 years or more.

Globalized Love is alive and well, and I'm lovin' it!

I love you!

Cam

P.S. You can see the lessons in shorter format over on my Free Japanese Lessons blog if you want.

Thich Nhat Hanh and Mindfulness

Recently Stefnee sent me a truly wonderful little book, "The Miracle of Mindfulness", which is an introduction to the practice of (mindful) meditation written in 1975 by the Vietnamese buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.

Carrie has posted a 51 minute show on Thich Nhat Hanh and his peace efforts over the past 60 years, "Peace is Every Step".

It is worth taking the time from your busy schedule, your hectic world, your life, and watch this. This is a fantastic 51 minutes, especially for those of you who, like me, are actively trying to grow spiritually, to understand peace on a deeper level than just "peace", and to truly transform yourself through your breath, through your mindfulness, and through your deeds in the world in which you step.

Here are the thoughts that I took notes of while watching this show:

It is not possible to just be alone; you need other humans, elephants, mosquitoes, and everything in order to BE. Therefore it is necessary to "INTERBE"...

To protect non-man elements is to protect man. To protect man is to protect non-man elements. That is the teaching of the Buddha.

Meditation is not to close your eyes and be unmoving; you can do it while moving.

There is a need to share the pain you hold inside with other people.

The practice of sitting and listening, is the practice of love.

Happiness should be understood in the concept of "interbeing". The best way to be happy is to make the other person happy.

When you hear the bell, stop. Calm and empty your mind, and BE.

If we don't touch our suffering, we can never know happiness. We can only know the idea of happiness, which is very different from true happiness.

You don't have to ask for forgiveness of God, or other people; you have a chance to begin anew.

First you take care of yourself...

Learn to sit like a mountain.

Learn to breathe like a flower.

Learn to sit, to breathe, to walk so you become your best...

"Peace is a vista; it turns the endless path to joy."

This was a wonderful 51 minutes of BEING, of INTERBEING, and of being present with my breath.

Right near the end, my village chimes rang out... and I stopped... just as they said about stopping in Plum Village... and I cleared my mind for those 30 seconds, and I breathed...

Peace is Every Step can be viewed here on Carrie's page. Let her know if you feel the peace, if you feel your breath, if you feel the mindfulness after you take the time to watch it from beginning to end.

And breathe...

I love you.

POSitively CAM

No matter where you go...

There I am!

Isn't it comforting to know? *wink*

Have a wonderful day full of smiles, happiness, and...

don't forget to breathe.

And I don't mean breathe...

I mean BREATHE.

I love you!

Cam

* poscam is a breath-freshening candy by Glico.

NOW

I think being present, and aware of the NOW suits me.

Why do I say this? Well, I have to admit, I have rarely ever dwelled on the PAST. This isn't a recent thing, and you can ask my partner of 20 years about this if you wish. I have always looked at my successes and my failures as things that have been part of my "total running education" that has helped me to grow into the person I am NOW.

I must also admit that I have repeatedly (year after year) failed miserably in my attempts to use schedule books, daily planners, calendars, and those things where you pen in your FUTURE. I just don't need them.

I have never been able to use a schedule book; they have never worked for me. I've tried for 20 years, but they always sit empty, unless I use them for scrap paper (which is also a good function I guess).

Whenever people have asked me what my FUTURE plans are (it frustrated Mayu to no end), my response was always, "it doesn't matter to me because what I am doing right NOW is more important". I have also said, "I don't know, but I'm comfortable with that." And when asked, "So what do you want in the FUTURE?" my reply has always been, "I don't know because I am happy with what I have NOW."

This was probably the biggest problem for my former employer because he always needed to have 5-10 year FUTURE business plans. Oh well..... That's one of the reasons I am not there anymore NOW, probably much to his relief.

I have come to understand in my own way that for me (maybe it is different for you, and that is perfectly OK), to move into the "FUTURE", I can only move through an infinite amount of NOW moments. By focusing on those NOW moments completely, I always get where I want to go (I have 42 years of experience to making me a pro). But by focusing on the next step before I get there (not "thinking" about it, but I mean worrying about it, focusing too much on that being more important than this now), I lose sight of where I am right NOW . That is when I start to have problems because in those circumstances (and they happen in life of course - they need to occur at time) I am not giving my best to the NOW moment. In these times the structure, the web, starts to fall apart.

So for me, this concept of being present NOW, and focusing on right NOW (like this blog to you.... nothing else matters at this moment than to share these thoughts with you NOW), comes with ease.

But for many others, this is difficult. I think that it really helps to keep me calm, and at peace. I feel this way because I know I can control what I do NOW. I also know that I cannot control what I might do tomorrow because all of the things I might imagine, or envision (with only part attention because I think about the day after tomorrow, and the day after that, too if I have to schedule future plans), all of the conditions will not be set until that very moment comes, "NOW". And at that moment, that "NOW moment", when faced with those motions right NOW ... that is when I can make my appropriate responses, take the appropriate actions that best suit the situation I face.

Right NOW .

I am aware of my breathing....
I am aware of my body...
I am aware of the energy connecting me to the Universe...
I am aware of the noon chimes...

NOW

And I am aware of you.

I love you.

Cam

Keeping the Weight Down

Because I'm so darn tall, my clothes end up taking up so much space all the time. It bugs me, yanno? I mean, when we go traveling, My one pair of gotch takes up about the same volume as a week's worth of Mayu's! It's not fair (and she doesn't wear thongs). Add to that a suit, a sportscoat, dress shoes, dress shirts, etc. for business travel and it all adds up substantially. The ties don't take much space, but still... sheesh! I wish for once I could just travel lightly!

So I am working on my packing list for this trip. Eighteen days usually requires a lot of clothes. Usually I can wash my gotch and socks in the sink in the hotel room so that's not soo bad, but still, it's nice to have enough, and not be putting on damp gotch in the morning.

This time I will not be staying at a hotel. Instead I will be staying at Khanada's flat for the week working in Houston, and then with the ghost for the time I am in Stefnee, Kansas. So I am hoping that they will let me use their laundry machine (ooh! we can fold gotch together! how thrilling!!!) which will cut back some on the amount of clothing I need to take, towels, and hair dryers (with short hair now I don't shed anymore). And of course a facecloth to do my usual eco-showering!

Also, YES is a casual place and Khanada said she often works in jeans. That's good. I'm not a jeans guy as I overheat in them, but it means no suits, no dress shirts, no coach black leather shoes, no ties. That will dramatically cut back the packing, let me tell you.

So, what have we got to pack?

Well, first of all I need to pack the CLOTHING...

• t-shirts (5) - easy to roll up and stuff
• short-sleeved work shirts (3) - don't need to work in long sleeves, can wear out in evening
• long-sleeved dress shirt (1) - just in case
• tank tops (3) - for that holiday heat
• gotch (5) - not a commando guy, and if it's hot, it's great to change into something "dry" after work in Houston
• pj shorts (2) - I don't sleep naked; especially when I'm a guest
• socks (5) - we wear socks in Kansas
• outdoor shorts (3) - I don't wear pants much in the summer at all unless I'm working
• casual pants (3-4) - for work, and going out where shorts are inappropriate
• sandals/shoes (2) - getting around
• thin sweater (1) - cooler nights, going out
• jean jacket (1) - in case it's cool on the porch in Kansas
• sports coat (1) - you never know
• airplane slippers (1) - keep feet cool, and fresher
• of course one set of clothes in this list I'll be wearing on the trip, so that decreases the total volume somewhat...

Then we have the TOILETRIES...

• toothrush/paste - fresh breath, clean teeth
• razor/cream - I prefer me without facial hair
• anti-p - necesarry
• just-in-case tylenol stuff - different time zones, different air, different living conditions, long flights... they all add up
• Airborne - to enjoy a "spritz" of effervescent vitamin bubbly once in a while
• YES Supplements - essential travel gear
• pi perfume - because I like it!

Can't forget the travel ESSENTIALS...

• passport - necessary for globalized ootnaboot travel
• airline ticket - obviously
• travel insurance - covers everything that might not happen
• train tickets - $160 to go to the airport and back.
• wallet - yep
• gaijin card - necessary to leave and come back into Japan
• USD/JPY - obviously
• credit cards

And add on to that the SUNDRIES...

• sunglasses - have sunnies, will travel
• lip chicken poop - traveling dries out the lipperoonies
• book to read - have a new one on order, recommended by Abby (more NewAge Wackhead shit)
• gifts - coming from / going to Japan you never ever ever travel gift-free. Ever. Got that?
• carry-on bag - Awesome new Eddie Bauer bag. I love it! best one yet
• stefnee sling bag - still waiting for it to come. something to carry books, passport, etc.

Lest we forget the ELECTRONICS...

• computer et. al - must do work (in Japanese), and keep in touch with outside world (this is the biggest pain in the ass of all to travel with - I hate traveling with computers)
• video camera / charger - cam without video? hahahahahahaha
• camera / charger - still shots for those folks still on squirrel dial up
• IC recorder - plan to see what happens when I sleep with a ghost for a week
• keitai / charger - need this for when I return

I think that's about it. Now I just need to pull this up as a checklist next week for travel.

I wonder if I'm going to get all this stuff into one check in bag (my big rolling bright red duffel), and then the other stuff into my carry on day pack, and the stefnee bag...? I hope so. I'm seriously going to try to do these 18 days without two pieces of check in luggage.

If the weather looks like rain, since Mayu will be away when I leave, I will pre-ship my suitcase to Osaka Airport a few days early (by wednesday next week) and then walk down to the local train pickup point to ride into Fukui. It's not a long walk by any means (nothing here is), but not something I recommend doing while pulling a suitcase in the rain. I will just take one of those little fold up travel umbrellas that keep your head and shoulders dry, and that's it.

I love you!

Cam

The Universe Delivers!

Why beat around the bush?

I'm going to Houston, Texas for work on June 14 - 22nd.

I will be meeting the YES gang and talking about "stuff".

I am hoping that I can meet Beth and Rachel when I'm in Houston, working. I know Rachel is a few hours away, but maybe she can meet me on Saturday before I leave? I hope I can hook up with Beth during the week at least once and "catch up" just like Internet Axe Murderer friends who have never physically met, do. Anybody else around Houston?

Then I'm going to Stefnee, Kansas for fun on Jun 22nd - 30th.

I am looking forward to meeting Scooter, and the 4Ss along with Toby, SkippyJohnJones AND their resident ghost. I hope to meet Stefnee's bikerDad and mom. I'm going to be sleeping with the resident ghost so that will be a very interesting experience for me. I am immensely looking forward to it. I'm taking my IC recorder and my video camera especially for those nights (computer too, of course as I have to do work for my business every day while I am there)!

I am hoping to meet Seamus, the hot neighbours, the cranky neighbours, Kent the postie, go to the fabric shop, visit the coffee shop, and hang out and be a bar fly in the evenings when Stefnee is working her bar magic, go to the park, the garden, the supermarket! Maybe I'll even take the kids for a few games of bowling when Mom is working!

I am also thinking of renting a bike in Wichita for the week, and using it to have a weekfilled fun with the kids riding in the park during the day, over to their garden to see where she is planting my seeds I sent, and also going out with her on her night runs, just to enjoy the dark, the cool, the breeze and the time with my Fabric Goddess!

I'm looking forward to a whole lot more, but we agreed to PLAN NOTHING as that is the BEST way to go. I would be more than happy to spend the entire week just sitting on Stefnee's lap on the porch and chatting. I know a ton of things will just flow forth naturally during that week. I am looking forward to it!

Shasta's birthday is on the 24th so I can be there! S&S's anniversary is on the 26th so I can maybe take the kids out to dinner at McDonalds and let the two of them have fun... *wink* vacuuming up cat hair, or repairing computers, or blogging or whatever it is they do. And I can hug them for their anniversary too! And I get to snog Scooter! I KNOW he'll love it (I smell like bacon...) and Stefnee will surely get it ALL on video for you!

And eating bacon, of course. I hope we can eat tons and tons of bacon! Maybe eat bacon at a highway greasy spoon until they kick us out! Let bacon cook on Ben Franklin while enjoying wine and other stuff. Yaaay!

Oh, and I'm looking forward to a couple of nights of chatting with Ben Franklin as well into the night as we sip wine, tell stories, and laugh. You know those belly laughs Stefnee talks about?

Maybe... Maybe Stefnee can even introduce me to her Bunco Babes! That would be sooo cool! I'll look into their eyes and see if I can make any of them swoon....

So, that's the story.

Oh yeah, and the insurance for the 18 days... is an insanely cheap $59.00 for amazing coverage. Just like the last trip I took to N.A.

I have wanted this for a very long time. Do you realize that Stefnee is the only Goddess I have not met (except for Amy?) Yep. Carrie, Jen, Paula, Robin... I'm hugged them all and basked in their glory. And finally I get to snog the Fabric Goddess!

Yaaaaay meee!

I took my conscious thoughts, passed them through emotions to my subconscious mind, and got that and the superconscious mind to have a chat so SuperCon could do his thing with the Universal powers and let the Law of Attraction work it's magic. And boy oh boy, did it work out well! I knew this would happen one day, just never ever thought about it being so soon. Believable! Those of you out there who manifest this kind of stuff (Song), you know exactly what I mean.

It's 4pm. Time for lunch. Gotta go.

Damn I'm excited!

I love you!

Cam

P.S. This time the Universe is delivering so much more than what I have gotten in the past, it's unbelievable. (Believe!) It works! I have said in the past that whenever I leave our drug store, I never have trouble getting into traffic from the parking lot. That's a big delivery from the Universe for me; the biggest in fact... until this!