Animations: Don't Wanna Be No Dam Worker No More

It Seemed Like an Interesting Career

It's enjoyable, walking around the dam with a camera, Observing the wildlife.

When the weather is right, I may spend 10-12 hours of the day outdoors.

I might walk to the ocean and, follow the river, up to the dam.

Or, start by walking around the reservoir and, finish by walking the length of the river.

By now, everybody working at the Kin Dam, must recognize me.

Sometimes, I see the dam workers, driving patrol vehicles around on hot days.

Others, can be seen taking a boat, to do whatever they have planned.

It got me thinking, being a dam employee, might be a pretty cool way to earn a living.

But, one morning, no birds were flying so, I entertained myself, shooting this.

Three guys, in the bottom corner, were watching this guy, climb the spillway.

He, used a skimpy, little ladder, to get halfway up the dam spillway.

We can be fairly certain, he wasn't the foreman, of the crew.

Maybe, he was a new member on the team. What if the dam, sprung a leak, while he was up there?

Hah. I bet they told him, what to do if, something like that happened.

Just plug it with yer finger, until we get some cement to repair the hole.

The three crewmen, down below, departed the scene so, I watched the workman.

If he slipped and fell, I'd run and get some help. Where did everybody go ?

It's hard to tell. Maybe they went for a coffee break; it was too early to be lunchtime.

Once, I saw him get safely, back on the ground, I felt relieved.

A tune, from way back, popped into my head. Don't stick me on a dam, like that.

I'd come down off that spillway, go find the boss and, let him know something about the job.

What, I would tell him, is something similar, to this:

5 Animations (GIF) of Okinawan Dance

Centuries Old Tradition

The mayor of Gushiken and, newspapers say the Shinugu Matsuri is over 300 years old.

It's a festival held annually to pray for a good harvest and, catch of fish.

Only women, do the dancing. They thank god for a successful year gone by, as well.

There is drum beating and singing going on during these rituals.

Not more than about a hundred people were in attendance, including the dancers.

That made it a bit easier, to move around with the camera.

Elders and married women are on the outside of this circle.

Single gals wear the headgear, tied in the back,  White ribbon, streams down their backs.

The songs, they sing are in Okinawan dialect and, I couldn't hear them.

They might be saying something like, "Don't fool around with lazy, poor men."

"We'll use our hands to protect you and drive them away."

Or, could that just be, my imagination ?

A few years ago, I attended this event and, they gave me a pamphlet about it.

If, I recall correctly, it had the words to the songs and, sketches of the hand movements.

It's among a thousand, other things that, never get translated, around here.

One of these days, I'll get organized and find the paperwork so, someone can help me.

It was an incredibly hot and humid August day, up on that hill.

Under my breath, I was cussing the sun.  I don't believe in cussing around women.

But, imagine how hot they were, dancing in those dark robes.

The sun went down.  I'm out of here!

Tiled Roof Monster and Dragonfly

Shisa or Dragon We Can't Be Sure

 

 

A major plumbing overhaul on my office got me out in the hot sun today.

So, I walked around with 420MM of glass on the Pentax K1 and, did some random shooting.

Sort of an old fashioned person, I haven't got one of those Pokeyman gadgets, yet.

Watching kids and adults, walking around like drones, I decided, I really don't need Pokeystuff.

A dragonfly kept landing on the dead twig of a tree and, taking off again.

So, I got in position, to shoot the thing, with blue skies, as a background. 

And, I got thinking, it would be nice if, I could shoot that dragonfly from a new angle.

It took a little while, some patience and maneuvering around, to get it done.

Well, I still had a few hours to kill and, got thinking about stuff, again.

Plenty of people running around, doing that Pokeyman stuff, are old enough to vote.

Back in the USA, they have 3 more months of mud-slinging to do, before the elections.

The monster on that tiled roof, would make a better President than, what's available now.

If he'd promise, to build a wall and, contain all the Pokeyman addicts, I'd go vote for him !