A Few Words for This Wednesday - Sorta A Gripe

 This Cure Doesn't Work for Everybody

A while ago I could publish hundreds or thousands of words with no difficulty.

Articles, stories, reviews, and travel adventures just rolled onto paper with no effort.

Call it laziness, craziness, or whatever you like. Writing just doesn't get me excited anymore.

New Year's Day I  bought some notebooks to see any writing motivation would come along.

Two spiral-springy book things sat resting on a shelf next to the computer.

Some research was done (for a few months) and, finally, I decided to kick the writer's block.

There must be 100 methods writers can use to get their inspiration for writing fired up.

This one sounded like something which might work for me.

Every morning (for the month of March) I forced myself to write 500 words a day.

Most of the time, it was after looking at the news and social networks, early in the morning.

The house is quiet at 4 AM and I can sip my coffee without any distractions.

About halfway through my 500 milliliters of iced coffee, I'd get inspired and write.

"500 words," It really doesn't take lots of effort to write that piece.  In a few seconds, I was done.

If you have trouble writing, you might want to try this guy's method. It's not for me.

So, I'm thinking of giving myself another month of rest. Maybe, try something new in March!

Wordless Wednesday: Wilson in Okinawa 1917

Nanjo City Tourism Rocks !

Little Things They Do to Assist Travelers

 

 

The best travel information office, I've seen, on the island is located here.

Every now and then, I visit, to see if they have any new materials, written in English language.

This map, I've seen before but, I always check, to see if anything has been updated.

Bingo!  They drew a red line around the border of Nanjo City.

It's the first time I ever noticed, the place is in the shape of a heart.

Much more than a map written in Japanese and English, it's a complete guide, to everything.

They list driving tours, walking tours, historical, cultural and beach tours.

You can find restaurants, booze, gas stations, ATM's, athletic parks and cafes.

If, you drive one of those electric autos, you can find quick-charging stations, too.

The map, unfolded, is larger than two, big MAC desktops, side by side.

So, I didn't photograph it open; go get your own. They're free.

Stuff, I Like that Isn't Free

 

It always pays, to walk around in the gift shop, to see what's available.

Tourist trap prices, aren't for me but, there are exceptions.

A plastic document protector, like this may be worth 10 yen; 10 for a dollar, let's say.

This cost about a buck but, look what it says. It's Japanese and English.

From this, you can learn some basic Okinawa language (Uchinaguchi) if, you want.

Catch of the Day

 

 

On a camera trip, I never bring along my reading glasses; I had help here.

The professor, who does all the driving, was wearing his spectacles and, spotted this gem.

It's a rare occasion, that finds me, reading a book from cover to cover, before going to work.

That's what happened today and, get this - The author claims it's a children's book !

Maybe, I'm still young a heart but, it got me all fired-up !

Part legend, part history and, it's going to have me on the road again, doing research.

This looks like another folk story that needs some photography, to go along with it.

The author, also made the sketches accompanying his text and, they are works of art.

So far, I haven't had any luck with the ISBN 978-4-9906737-4-1.

Maybe, try Google Japan or, arrange the numbers differently than, what I copied off the book.

For sure, copies may still be available at the gift shop. Click the link above.

If any of my followers, know Tadashi Teruya, let him know, I want to meet him.

And, buy him some beers.

5 Things I Learned from this Book

Not in the Habit of Doing Book Reviews

The typhoon that almost hit us, gave me some time to get caught up on some reading.

The librarian told me, I had to return this one in two weeks and, I got it last Tuesday.

Imagine, how delighted she'll be, when it gets back to her a week early !

Real quick and without any drumrolls here's what I learned:

1. The author was someone named, Miyume Tanji.

2.  The ISBN 10: 041536500

3. In 1956 they had some awful differences in the wages people got paid, around here.

U.S. workers got paid $1.20 per hour.

Japanese received $.83 per hour.

Okinawan wages were $.10 per hour.

4. The word Myth, in the title was probably used, to be an eye-catcher.

5. It's a good thing the library, loaned me this book. It's $188.00 at Amazon.

That's all, I got to say.

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This Aint Exactly Gonna Win the National Spelling Bee

Sometimes Coming Up with a Title is a Chore

 

 

How many ways can you say, "Flower and Bee" when you have hundreds photos to name ?

That is, without repeating yourself a few dozen times.

 My solution is to misspell and find a catchy tune to go along with the title.

Today, I couldn't decide which of two tunes would be best so, I'll put both here.

 Don't Bee Cruel









Whatever Will Bee Will Bee




After listening to those classic tunes decide which of my titles you like best.

One More Misspelling

 

 

One of my bird photos was published on the cover of a book.

The Crackerhead Chronicles

Author, Jerry Beuterbaugh, emailed me and, I hope he sells millions of copies.

He assured me, if it becomes a big hit, I'll get a piece of the pie.

That could mean, I'll get a share of his prophets !

Check it out.

Flower Photos: Flamboyant Tree at Kin Town Office

What Do You See at Your City Office ?

 

It may not be in full bloom but, I had just had to shoot this beauty today.

See, I've been known to get lazy, at times, and this was easy pickings, for me.

That's partly because the Kin Town Office is just down the street.

Flamboyant (Delonix regia) are also known as Royal poinciana.

Locally, they'd be called ( ホウオウボク) something like, Ho Wo Bouqet !

 People driving by the city office see something like this.

But, I like to look at things differently.

The place can get busy and, I didn't want any people in my photos.

So, I run around and shoot from angles where I won't need model releases signed.

Remember, I said it was supposed to be an easy day ?

A book I found at the library made things a whole lot easier.

The Guide Book of Landscaping Plants in Okinawa was what I used.

It's Japanese (ISBN4-900668-63-x) if you're looking for one.

Now, I'm not very literate but, ホウオウボク gave me all I needed to know.

Once I got online, with that, links started jumping off the monitor at me.

If you want to learn more about Flamboyant Trees, checkout:

ARKive

DNA of Singapore

National Tropical Botanical Garden 

or,

Good old Wikipedia

With all that information at your fingertips, you should be able to grow your own Flamboyant Tree !

Titanic Sad -- Over 40 Other Ships Horror !

Many Disasters Worse Than Titanic Occurred at Sea

 

This is a book sent to me by the author, David L. Williams.

There won't be a Mad Mike Review for a few reasons. One being, I'm still reading.

Another reason, one of my photos was published in it and I like to be impartial.

It's pretty tough doing an unbiased review when the author sends you an autographed copy.

But, I will tell you, reading this, is educational and it is a true, horror story.

In more than 40 other disasters at sea the number of casualties exceeded those of the Titanic's.

 Who would have ever known ?

People are Standing in Line

All my Ryukyu friends are waiting for me to finish reading this book.

And, I told Mr. Williams, I'd try to read a chapter a day.

But, I'm a slow reader.  Every time I finish reading, I hide the book, somewhere.

Sometimes it's at home.  Sometimes it's in my office.

It took a half hour to find it today, stashed away in my backpack.

Hey !

  If you had an autographed book would you let it get exposed to Grand-kids or Ryukyu Dudes ?

Me neither.

Everybody should just go to The History Press and get their own books.

That's what I recommend.

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