Published: Okinawa's Sabani Sailing People -- Photo Essay

 

Before Taking the Shot

 

The man with the red flag appeared to be a very important person.

What I like to do, is ask, before I take any photos.

Things can get pretty hectic, during an event like this and there wasn't any time for chatting.



Once he gave me the Thumbs Up, I was good to go. 

Crawling down the seawall was the only way to get this composition.

I wanted to separate him from the surrounding crowd.

Standing, directly to his right, were two other gentlemen, helping start the sabani race.

One blows a conch shell, the other beats a gong.

There may have been another, firing a starting gun. I wouldn't notice; I too was busy.

Weeks Later I Found a Name

 

 

The man with the red flag is, Ken Uehara.

He is the President of the Itoman Uminchu Art and Craft Center.

And, he is the Commissioner of  NPO  Hamasuki and Chairman of the Itoman Sailing Club.

More About Ken Uehara

My Photo Essay: Okinawa's Sabani Sailing People

 

 

One of these days, I'll be going to see if I can interview that man and visit his museum.

First, I want to finish this class I found, on sailing.

They give you free college classes at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Reading about sailing is alright.

It would be a lot smarter to get your feet and paddle wet before calling yourself a sailor.

Dontcha think ?



Unbelievable: To Okinawa from New York -- It Cost What ?

Couldn't Wait 'Til  Xmas

 

The sweetest girl in the State of New York emailed me last week.

She said, "I just mailed your Christmas gift. I had to donate my left kidney to afford the postage."

Well, I figured she was joking. 

The package arrived last night.

Yeah, I know. You ain't supposed to open Xmas presents until the 25th.

So, I just picked it up and squeezed it.

Then, I noticed the postage stamp. It was enough to buy several cases of beer.

The package was really soft. Damn. Maybe there's a kidney in there, I got thinking.

So, I went to bed.

This morning, I decided to open the package and, have a peek.

Hah !  I got a brand new t-shirt and I'm wearing it today.

You can see a small portion of my office and where I take my naps.

Those old trousers don't make my fanny look fat.  Or, do they ?

I know how outrageous the postage from New York to Okinawa is, and I'm wondering.

Do you think my niece's kidney will ever grow back ?

Friday Photo: Soon the Cherry Blossoms Will Appear

It Could Happen Any Day Now

 

 

 

This was the scene back in 2009 in the northern hills of Okinawa.

We usually advertise Cherry Blossom Season, starting in January.

But, last year, the flowers began opening in late December.

So, I'll be keeping the cameras on standby, from now on, just in case.

Every few days, we'll have to travel up north and see how they are doing.

Who the heck needs snow ?

It would brighten up my spirits if we just had a Pink Christmas !



Danged If I Ain't Trazzeled About This !

Maybe Somebody Needs a Secretary

 

It's bad enough a man has to dust this place and scrub the dirt of the floor by himself.

Now, my redneck is in a pickle, trying to find photos for an article.

Well, I have several thousand of them, all over the place.

Like these Eisa Dancers on Kokusai Street.

That's a photo I gave to a place named, Trazzler, back in 2009.


 It seems like, Trazzler, changed their name to Open Places.

And, the editors, over there, featured four of my photos.

So What's There to Be All Trazzeled About ?

 

 

The article, I'm trying to put together has some strict requirements.

They want photos that are unpublished and unpublicized.

Now, I'm running all around the internet, looking at which photos were published.

So, I can eliminate them from the possibility of being submitted.

Maybe, I should ask them to give me a secretary, to help me out.

Or, at least, they could give me somebody to help clean up the mess, I make around here !

 



Kijimuna with a Bug on His Throat Reminded Me

One of those almost productive days happened, today at the office.

Don't ask why but, I decided to clean this place, really good.

The trash, I've been accumulating, got trashed.

Floors were swept thoroughly by moving all the furniture around.

I grabbed a bucket, swab and big jug of vinegar to sterilize the floors.

Then the Sun Decided to Come Out

 

  So, I stripped down to my t-shirt and sat down in the sunshine, smoking cigarettes.

 

Dang, that sun felt good !

It takes a long time for that vinegar smell to fade and, the floors to dry.

So, I went for a walk.

Then the Sun Disappeared

 

Well, most of the puddles from my most mopping job were dry.

And, the stench of the vinegar was fading.

So, I figured it was time to go to work and do a photo essay.

Some of the agencies, I deal with are government people.  Groan.

They give me headaches.

How come I have to: PROVE YOU ARE A HUMAN ?

What do they think my dogs are the ones doing all this work ?

Unfortunately, I never attended Captcha Code College.  Not to my knowledge, anyway.

So, I'm always screwing-up their codes.

Lots of those government folks give you the chance, to listen to the code.

But, that only works if you can hear.

After a few hours of guessing codes and passwords and proving I'm human, I gotterdun.

I hope.

 

Nearly 60% of the Audience Here Comes from Japan

 

 

The little praying mantis up there reminded me of something, I forget, sometimes.

Whenever you use slang, it should be explained to those who use English as a second language.

Well, after a day like today, it's time for me to bug out of here.

More About Kijimuna