A November Worth Forgetting

 Good Riddance NOV 2021

One of those months I missed out on half of and don't want to remember the other half.

One of the best parts was the change in weather.  The heat and humidity of summer departed.

It got so chilly outdoors I actually wore socks on a few of my morning walks.

Partial Lunar Eclipse

This event with the moon was advertised as something last seen hundreds of years ago.

So moon gazers were alerted and told when and where to be positioned in Japan for viewing.

About a week prior, a wicked chest cold snuck up on me.  I'd have to fix myself.

Not that I don't trust Japan's doctors.  I just hate going to hospitals and clinics.

Especially, since that Coronavirus thing came along, I don't wanna be around sick people.

To avoid getting a PCR test (where they shove a stick up your nose) I stayed at home.

Chest colds usually go away in about a week. So, I drank lots of water and rested.

This cold didn't seem to be going away but, I wasn't interested in seeing any doctors.

So, I went and talked to the lady in the drug store.  She recommended some cold medicine.

By this time it was the 19th of the month. The partial lunar eclipse would be tonight.

Google Translate would tell me all about this Japanese medicine.

It told me what the dosage was and mentioned it may cause drowsiness.

Don't operate any machinery.  Uh-Oh my camera is like machinery. 

With the big lens, tripod, and gimbal holding the camera, the contraption weighs about 15 KG.

So the first dose of medicine, I just took a little sip.  Maybe, half of a normal dose.

Instead of walking to some faraway location, I climbed up on the roof of my house.

Probably an hour and a half before moonrise I was on the roof waiting.

Once the camera is set up, I usually do some stretching and exercises.  But not tonight.

When you're coughing up globs of stuff the size of softballs, it's best to take it easy.

When out on a moon shoot I never sit down.  Tonight I sat down on the stairway, waiting.

It was cold and windy on that rooftop.  It even looked like it might start raining.

A golden-colored sliver of moonshine appeared. Fast-moving clouds sometimes blocked the view.

At 6:39 PM this photo was taken.  A few more shots were captured and, it was time to go home.

Almost an hour passed and the tripod was folded, when this scene appeared.

Quickly, I got set up again and captured the full moon, partially covered by clouds.

The following morning at 5:37 my clearest photo of the NOV 2021 Full Moon was taken.

Note: As the moon sets the rabbit turns upside down.

Back to Cold Medicine

That stuff really works.  The reason you shouldn't operate machinery:

IT KNOCKS YOU OUT!

Depending on which translation service you use, you will get different interpretations.

Like, "It contains herbal ingredients" or "codeine" or "other prescription drugs."

Some of the Japanese OTC Cold Medicines (when abused) cause serious problems.

Taking those three bottles (sips) over a period of two weeks cured me.

But, some folks who use drugs for thrills, end up differently.

Now We Have Omicron

Another thing that came along during this miserable month was Omicron.

The world hasn't quite yet decided IF WE SHOULD PANIC.

Hopefully, we won't go through extended periods of coronavirus restrictions.

Not sure about you but, I think this November was one worth forgetting!

Psychedelic at the Festival - Just One Photo

Mind Twisting Drugs

This won't be a long story, I promise. The doctor gave me these drugs.

For the second night, in a row, I went and shot photos at the Kin Matsuri.

Saturday, I took one of these pills, slept for 3 hours and, went to work.

They said, "Don't operate any machinery, until you feel used to the stuff."

That's why, I took a long nap.  A camera, on a tripod isn't really all that heavy.

At the matsuri,  I tried avoiding beer because, I wasn't sure it would be a good idea.

Eventually, I caved and, tossed a few before the fireworks even got started.

  

Then, shot a bunch of fireworks and, went out drinking beers until 2 AM.

Skipping the nighttime dosage, I slept fairly well. 

Next morning, I did an internet search on Lyrica, the pain killer, they gave me.

Oops. You shouldn't consume alcohol or, only drink in moderation if, you have to.

Well, moderation, to me, would be, no more that 20 and no less than 17 beers.

Just kidding. Taking the dosage the pretty doctor, put me on, I won't be drinking at all.

Pain killers and I, don't exactly, get along with each other, I told the doctor.

Why in hell, anybody would want their brain numbed beats me.

Figure out, what's causing the pain and, fix it. Numskulls.

Anything stronger than Aspirin, is too much, for me. Beer can make me numb.

With two women in the room (wife and doctor) telling me, I need these drugs, I groaned.

There's no sense getting in an argument with experts, who know everything about anything.

So, I'm taking this medicine for the next two weeks. I had to make a promise.

No heavy lifting. Can't lift a cement block, over my head 150 times a day.

That would be dangerous, with a numb skull and psychedelics on your mind.

One hundred and fifty push-ups, a day, doesn't sound too bad, though.

Processing Fireworks Images

All hopped-up on medicines, I'm going through about 300 photo files, for developing.

The bright light and colors was really getting to me, today. Dizzying.

Every 20 minutes or so, I went outside for a break and, a smoke, usually.

Do ten push-ups for each cigarette, you smoke and, it adds up to 150, quickly.

Without cleaning-up the images, I put 50 or more, in a Facebook album.

This one, had some editing done, to remove the smoke, trailing behind the explosion.

Some psychedelic GIF animations, could be in the making, at a later date.

For now, I'm limiting my work, to things which are simple and enjoyable.

Some reporter, wanting to interview me, had to be told, to go find someone else.

A guy, like me, might say something offensive, when taking mind-bending drugs.

We, wouldn't want that to happen, would we ?

Camera: Pentax K1

Lens: Pentax 18-250 at 18 MM

Exposure: f/11   1/sec  ISO 100

Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time: OCT 10 2017   8:58 PM  

Hold Your Horses But Don't Drink Their Pee

Where Did That Idea Come From ?

Using a bit of imagination, I'm guessing it had to be a menopausal woman, under a tree.

A horse decided to take a leak and, she was having some of those spells.

Maybe, she lapped up some out of the puddle and said, "I feel wonderful, now."

The next thing you know, women of a certain age, start demanding horse piss pills.

It Was on Japanese TV

Not a big fan of watching the boob tube, I saw this when the wife had the kitchen TV on.

They were showing black and white films of folks collecting horse pee.

Then, doctors started showing it being made into drugs for women.

A little research led me to the conclusion: Women Will Try Anything They See on TV.

Just bottle the stuff and tell them, "It's just what you need."  They'll buy the stuff.

What Doctors Say

Women need something called estrogen, after a certain age, to produce hormones.

Not all gals, only 50% of Japanese and 70% of American/Europeans, need help.

They either get hormone replacement drugs or, take something to help them, make their own.

Along came someone, who discovered good old horse urine and, that's how we got here.

The jar, pictured above, is a replacement for the horsy stuff, made in Japan.

It seems like PETA and people who disfavored horse pee, demanded some changes.

Premarin, was the name of the drug in the USA. 

The name came from PREgnant Mare's urINE because, that's what they used.

Folks got riled about the horses being cooped up so, piss could be collected.

And, the baby horses, weren't really needed so, they got sold for meat, to people and dogs.

Let's give them some credit for being nice towards animals. Yay PETA.

Only, those folks, don't know much about eating horses because, they are vegetarians.

Read about Basashi: Eating Raw Horse Meat, in Japan.

What's Wrong With Eating Horse Meat, in the USA.

The Launch of EQUELLE

Then, PETA People -  Can you tell me, Soybeans Lives Don't Matter to You ?

A non scientific observation: Wonder if more people around the world should eat horses ?

Footnote: Please, don't tell my wife about the photo.  She might rip my head off !

End of the Week Snapshot -- Gotta Go

Beer Is Great Medicine

Sometimes, I wish I'd have brought a camera along, when I'm off duty.

Things like this, just happen when I'm out at night, preparing for the next day.

There's sort of a custom, where you order two drinks at a time, I've developed.

One, is for me and, the other, goes to whoever brings my first beer of the evening.

The model, offered to let me take this photo, and she was smiling.

Well, I told her, not to worry about her hair and posing with a pretty smile.

All, I wanted was an image of her standing behind those beers. Good practice shot.

But, the beer mugs, are a little off center and, you can't read the Orion Beer part. Dagnabbit !

It's good enough reason, to go back and, do it right next time. Huh?

What's this Got to Do with Medicine?

In case nobody has noticed, I haven't done much work around here, this past week.

A couple of days were lost do to painkilling drugs, the doctor's been feeding me.

Whatever muscle, I yanked wrong, doesn't hurt anymore.  I'm fit and fine.

But, the doc says, I have to keep taking the stuff, until it's all gone. Groan.

Painkillers and muscle relaxers, make me feel like a wet noodle.

They trick your brain. Don't drive or operate machinery. But, can you drink?

That depends, on which kind of drugs you're taking, I figured it out.

Last visit to the doctor, I wore an Orion Beer t-shirt and, asked him if, I could drink the stuff.

He said, "Beer in moderation is OK."

So, I tell whoever is waiting on me, to bring my beers in moderation. No more than, 2 at a time.

Then, I joke and tell them, "Remind me to slow down, when I hit number 17."

An Important Notice

Readers of this blog might want to check the view meter. It's nearing 2,000,000.

More than likely, my celebratory giveaway will be closed after tonight.

The Rules Are Here

Arrangements for selecting winners, must be done tonight.

It could be next weekend, before arrangements, to pick winners are completed.

That means, I have to get outta here and do some more work.

In Japan, we call that nominicating. Drinking while talking, work stuff.

If, I nomicate properly, Miss Pick a Winner, could be discovered tonight.

All I have to do, is locate a beautiful girl, to make the selections.

Tell them something like, "Would you want to get some good exposure on my blog?"

Er, maybe I should say, "Just a little exposure."  Hah !

See you next week.

Holy Shakuyakukanzoto! Hachiko's Gone!

There Was a Dog Statue Here

 

 

The early morning walk, across the Kin Bridge, was for a reason.

In 2011, a photo was taken at this location late in the afternoon.

Hachiko, the most loyal and faithful dog in Japan, was there back then.

In my blog post, I mentioned, it would be best to take a photo of it, in morning light.

Thousands of dog lovers, read that blog.

Hopefully, somebody took my advice and, snapped a shot of Hachiko before it was too late.

Somebody must have came along and bought the dog statue.

And, they decided to replace it with a lion.

It was too early in the morning to ask where the dog statue went. Nobody was there.

One of these days, I'll have to go ask.

That dog statue must have weighed a ton and, I bet it cost someone a ton of money.

They couldn't have carried it too far away.

I'll find out where it went.

Shakuyakukanzoto

 

 

That's a new word in the ever-expanding vocabulary.

Don't worry, it's not a cuss word; you can use it around the children.

It happens to be, one of the medicines that got prescribed, to me.

Curious by nature, I researched them all.

The other three, you might call, traditional Western medicines or, drugs.

This stuff is a little different.

It's Chinese herbal medicine, manufactured in Japan.

All my other medicines, come as pills.

Shakuyakukanzoto, is like grains of dirt, in little aluminum pouches.

You rip open the bag and dump it down your throat.

It's sort of like swallowing a mixture of sand and brown sugar.

So, it's a good idea, to have an open bottle of water, standing close by.

Some folks, mix it with tea or, juice.

Kinda whimpy. Don't you think ?

Dosages and Precautions

 

 

Doctors, medical personnel, drugs and (recently) massage therapists, I don't fool around with.

Sometimes, you can't fix yourself and, have to go get help.

That's a last resort type of thing for me.

When, I turn myself in, they have to get the benefit of my doubt.

Then, I turn around and check them out. So far, the people are good.

Drugs ?  Eeeh, maybe.

There are warnings about this herbal medicine but, I like it the best.

It shouldn't be taken along with other medicines, without consulting a medical professional.

Got that covered.

Adverse reactions. None yet and I'm being monitored, whenever I feel like.

Use in Elderly Caution:

Shoot. Okinawans live to be 100. I'm just getting to be middle aged.

Pharmacology:

This deserves a quote, directly from the manufacturer, Tsumura Company:

"Administration of Shakuyakukanzoto in the duodenum suppressed tetanic contraction of

gastrocnemius induced by frequent stimulation of isolated tibial nerve in cramp model rats."

Whatever the hell that means, I ain't worried because, I'm not a rat !

More about Shakuyakykanzoto

Health at Yahoo

Tsumura Company English (PDF)

A Little Explanation About How I Missed the Last Typhoon

 

Way Too Much Sleep Had Something to Do with It

 

 

For the past three days, I slept about 20 hours a day.

A visit to the doctor with pain in the left calf muscle is how things got started.

An examination and some ex-rays were very revealing.

The doctor, determined the cause of my pain, came from my spine.

My freakin' backbone is too straight. Its supposed to be curved.

HUH ?

He showed me a plastic backbone.

One with wires inside it that, I guess, are supposed to represent nerves.

Well, when your backbone is too straight and stiff, those nerves go haywire.

Allegedly, one of those wires in my back, is causing pain in my lower leg.

So, the good doctor sent me for a massage and gave me lots of drugs.

Massage Was Terriffic

 

 

Some young gal got me to lay on a table and gave me the massage of a lifetime.

Not one of those where it feels like the Jaws of Life are crushing you.

Or, one that feels like a jackhammer is being used on your body.

She gently massaged with her fingers, like a grand-daughter would.

When she started rocking my hips and pelvis bones, I almost had to warn her.

Hey. Elvis ain't as dead as some folks think.

Be careful around that little devil. He may come back and try for another hit.

The gal, must have been a mind reader and, moved along down the line, to my legs.

After half an hour or so, the massage was over and I felt sort of relaxed.

Then, it was off to pick up the drugs the doctor prescribed.

Muscle Relaxers and Pain Killers

 

 

Normally, I wouldn't take anything stronger than Aspirin.

The good doctor explained what the four drugs he was giving me would do.

Mostly, relieve pain and relax muscles and, he could give me stronger stuff, too.

When he mentioned some experimental super drug, made from opium, I declined.

Man, I know some dudes who would volunteer to try that stuff.

"Sign us up, we'll be glad to help."  That's what they'd say !

Here's how the past three days went:

Take three different pills after breakfast.

Take the same pills after lunch.

Take them again after supper.

Take this other bag of drugs in between each meal and before bedtime at night.

When I take these drugs here's what happens:

The lower lip goes numb and I get real sleepy.

Drink lots of water and say "Goodnight."

Pain killer, doesn't really kill the pain. It just numbs the brain.

When I combine pain killers with muscle relaxers, I become like a wet noodle.

Typhoon Neoguri Blew Through or By Okinawa

 

 

A couple of times, when I was conscious, I saw the weather outside my window.

People, around the globe, watching TV probably saw more of the storm than me.

It doesn't appear to have done as much damage as predicted.

Mainland Japan, will probably get hit much harder.

Excellent Medical Care and Advice

 

 The Japanese medical professionals and therapists may be on to something.

It's time to start slouching.

We probably, shouldn't yell at our kids so much when they slouch.

They are putting me through some therapy and, I'm learning to take it easy.

Slouching, may be good for your health !

 

 

 

White Angel Trumpet Can Be a Real Killer (Flower Photos)

It's Nice to Know Which Pretty Ones are Deadly

 

These white flowers were spotted alongside the road in northern Okinawa.

Brugmansia suaveolens or, Angel Trumpets grow on a plant that could be called, a small tree.

Originally from South America, they can be seen blooming around here in September.

Over at Dave's Garden, you can see who grows them and, where.

People talk about what success or, failures they experienced growing them.

Some folks will even  trade or, sell the seeds and plants.

My good friends at Floridata gave me this information:

WARNING:

"All parts of this and other angel trumpets are narcotic and poisonous. Some people have ingested or smoked angel trumpet for its narcotic effects, and some of those people are no longer with us. The use of angel trumpet as a landscape plant is banned in some municipalities."

 The Missouri Botanical Garden will tell you this:

The plants were "Tried and True Recommended by 2 professionals." 

But, I think they should have stipulated that they were professional gardeners.

Because, some crackpots over on the Drugs Forum are crazy enough to smoke the stuff ! 

Have You Ever Pulled A Willie? Or Is It A Doozy?

No, I'm not talkin about sex, drugs or even rock n roll, here.  They have other channels for that sorta stuff.

If that's what you were thinkin, you took a wrong turn.  Get outa here, quick !

People who appreciate good music know exactly what I'm talking about.  Me and the guy from Texas (Rusty) gabbed our cameras yesterday and pulled a Willie Nelson by gettin ON THE ROAD AGAIN.



We took it literally and went places where we've never been and stayed out in the hot sun most of the day just so we could shoot a sunset from someplace different than anybody else's sunsets in Okinawa, Japan.


We found some cool places to get out of the sun while we were waiting.  And I got plenty of practice with my cell phone camera. I sorta malfunctioned my Pentax and it was given most of the day-off.

    We kept going through holes in caves splashing our way along the coast finding more stuff to shoot.

     My Pentax had to be saved for one last shot at sunset so, I shot Rusty doing stuff with a real camera.

Most of the time, when I wasn't cussing at myself for leaving the PANASONIC DMC-FZ50 at home I was sneaking around trying to get photos of Rusty.  This way, his Mom can see he's not goofing-off too much over here.  He's learning all kinds of camera tricks, foreign languages and a few new cuss words from me.

I can't tell you what I did to my Pentax but, it was a doozy, whatever I did.  Maybe, I'll have to send it back to the factory for a rebuild. That takes too long and the people who see what I do to their cameras might come chasing after me with a bunch of those guys wearing white jackets.

Rusty's Mom knows Willie Nelson.  Maybe, she could call him and ask him to send money for me to buy one of those brand new Pentax K5 cameras.  That's what I'd call pulling a real Willie. 

Or would that be a doozy?


Visit my Homepage for THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

Flower Photos: The Nicotiana Plant on Okinawa, Japan

                        These pink flowers caught my eye while over on the island of Ie Shima.

    They were growing on the tops of all these plants in neat rows covering acres and acres of land.

     Researching these flowers to find the exact scientific name for you, I came to this conclusion:

                                                                       WHO CARES?

There are so many different species of this plant it's best for me to just give you the family name, Nicotiana and you can get some seeds and dirt, plant your own, and when flowers start popping out all over them, name the things whatever you feel like.

If you haven't already guessed, the Nicotiana plant is TOBACCO and it doesn't just grow and get used in Okinawa, Japan.  It's probably one of the most popular recreational drugs in the world.

If you don't believe me, just ask MR. WIKIPEDIA.


Visit my Homepage for THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

Wildlife Photo (Bird) Mejiro in Cherryblossoms (桜) and Some Lindsay Lohan Stuff

The Japanese White Eye (Zosterops japonicus) is called a Mejiro, in Japanese. They are fast flying little birds that feed on insects but have a thing for sweet nectar, as well.  I'd have used the term "sweet tooth" but even Lindsay Lohan knows birds don't have teeth, I reckon, anyway.

Back to the birds who fly: The Mejiro really do flit and fly around too fast to catch a good shot with a camera, most of the time. But, when the cherryblossoms (桜) bloom they just can't resist them. And they'll slow down or stop for just enough time to focus on them and you can take a quick portrait.

Once the cherryblossoms are gone, for some reason, you have a hard time catching these birds.  I'm not sure if there's some kind of alcohol or drugs in the blossoms that make the birds act that way. Maybe we should ask Lindsay Lohan, she may know. Anybody seen her lately?