Leadership. It's something that's missing in so many levels these days.

Much of the time, it is due to the lack of people who know how to lead. Sometimes it's due to levels of bureaucracy that have imbedded themselves into large institutions. However, all of the time, it results in a poor level of service for the people that deal with them.

We can see this in government, public institutions and large corporations.

Why is it that people seem to leave their humanity at the door when they enter the cutthroat world of business? Could it be the desire to obtain more money and things than the next guy? Or is it because we are losing our humanity?

Over the past couple of months, I have dealt with more than my share of people in public business and government who cannot see past the ends of their noses. Managers at transit companies that would rather save a buck than consider the needs of the environment and the passengers that they serve. Government that passes the buck when they make campaign promises that they knew that they could never keep in the first place. And world "leadership" (and I use the word very loosely), that starts a war supposedly to combat terrorism and to create "democracy" which instead is subversively aimed at securing oil reserves and controlling them. (Which, by the way, should be instead trying to wean it's constituents from oil and encouraging less harmful technologies).

If you ask me, it's all about the money.

After all, who cares if we can breathe fresh air and drink fresh water and eat foods that are not harmful to us. If these people have enough money, they will be the only ones who can afford those things leaving those average citizens to perish for their less selfish ways. It's about time that we all stop fighting to upstage the "Jones" or the "Suzukis" of the world and start looking out for ourselves as well as others!

Maybe this is too deep or ranty a post just before the weekend. I'm just pissed off at the lack of foresight that our so-called leaders are so famous for. Sometimes I think the world would be better off if run by people who actually participate in life than those who reside in ivory towers.

Mayuko, Yoko, Aya and any others I told about my vacation plans... Have had some time to think and probably won't make it this year. I will write when I have time to tell you about it. It's nothing serious I just had some thought since we last talked.

Take care and everyone have a great weekend!

Wow! XTC is ready to release box set of rarities! It seems that Andy Partridge has gone through the vaults and has come up with an amazing amount of material. It will be released on October 16.

I'm pretty excited about it. How about you?

Researchers warn of the perils of gender imbalance. Come on! Did we really need a study to tell us these things?

Here's an update on that restaurant in India called Hitler's Cross. It appears that the name upset so many people, that the owners will be changing the name only a week after the place opened in the first place. I'd be interested to hear what they finally decide to name it.

One can only imagine that this got them more publicity than they expected.

You know, there are sometimes that a person finds themselves doubting the decisions that they make in life because those choices are not really popular with the masses. However, there are also times that those decisions are reaffirmed in that, while they are not widely accepted, something happens to vindicate them. I experienced this over the last couple of days.

There are many people that I know, who often tell me that I should buy a car because it would make life much easier and I could have more freedom to come and go as I please. There are times when I find myself bending slightly to this pressure and actually start considering this notion and it is upsetting because I feel like I am bending to pressure because I'd like to be more accepted by my peers. Many of them just don't get how I can be a slave to schedules and why I wouldn't want to be more independent. To tell the truth, it doesn't feel that great to be judged by my decision to be more responsible to the environment by walking and taking public transit because I believe that it is important for every one to do their best to contribute to saving this planet. I just don't get why more people aren't more concerned about it and willing to "sacrifice" just a little by getting out of their cars once in a while. But, I digress.

Recently, I rented a car to transport some guests around feeling that it would be much more convenient. But, after driving around forever trying to find parking in some of the places we went to, the high price of petrol (and the rental) and the aggravation of dealing with the assholes out there that don't follow rules and do not know how to drive, I felt quite the opposite. For all of it's "convenience", it wasn't really that convenient at all...

And this past weekend, I had an interesting incident happen that unfolded into something that felt like a vindication of sorts. I went to Richmond to send some people off at the airport there and afterwards thought I would do some shopping and then catch the ferry back to Vancouver Island. I spent most of the time travelling by public transport and must say that after what I heard when I returned home, I realized that my decision was the best one. Too bad more people didn't do the same...

Sure, the schedule on a Sunday was pretty inconvenient. Buses only came every hour and it was a blistering hot day. However, armed with a water bottle, and eventually way too many packages, I managed to get around pretty well. I even missed a bus to the ferry which was irritating but one can always find people to converse with to pass the time. Anyway, while I was sitting at a bus stop, I saw what looked like someone I knew from here which I later found out was actually this person from my hometown. I was surprised to see them driving by and actually at one point thought it might have been nice to have a car that day. However, when I found out that while they had the convenience of a car, they had to wait 4 1/2 hours to get the ferry back because one boat had broken down, causing a huge backlog of cars waiting to get back.

I, on the other hand, managed to miss one or two buses, and still managed to get on the ferry at 7 pm with no wait. I walked off the bus - with too many packages - and walked the long walk to the ferry and got right on. No wait. (Oh, except for the 20 minute delay in the ferry departure.) This person arrived at the terminal at 5:30 pm and finally got on the 10 pm ferry. (It's rather ironic, really, as this person is also someone who thinks I should own a car.) While I don't wish misery on anyone, it seems that we get back what we put into things...

So, I ask you, is my decision to ride the "loser cruiser" (as many people who don't ride it refer to the bus) an inconvenience? From what I experienced, it appears not. I think that I am not only more relaxed, I have also learned some valuable skills from riding transit. One of those is patience, another is how to schedule my time properly and finally, it allows for some sort of order in life. It's nice to be able to read while the bus is moving or sleep or just enjoy the scenery. Which is another point...

Riding public transit allows for a leisurely look at the beauty of this place that I am trying to contribute to saving by making the decision not to own a car.

(Thanks for reading and have a beautiful day!)

I learned something today while reading an article about a new restaurant in Mumbai that has sparked quite the controversy.

It appears that this restaurants is called "Hitler's Cross" and has a picture of the evil leader himself as well as being decorated in the Nazi colours. The controversy is understandable however, while reading the article, I learned something new. That is that the swastika is a sacred symbol in Hinduism and Jainism. (It is, however, adorned with four red dots)

I have seen a reverse swastika used in Japan to denote temples but was unaware that it was used in India. It is used in religious and civil ceremonies there and has quite the history elsewhere in the world. And, it made me think of how a historical symbol can be twisted by someone for a cause much different from what it was intended.

I don't know how long this restaurant in Mumbai will last however, one is sure that the use of this symbol will continue for a very long time.

Well, well, well. It appears that I can have my Edward Norton fix this weekend. The Illusionist starts tonight.

Actually, I haven't seen much of Edward Norton much lately. In fact, the last time I saw him was in an interview with Larry King and he was discussing his program in which he encouraged celebrities and others with money to buy into the whole solar power thing. Apparently, he was working with a company that gave equivalent amounts of solar technology to low income families when high income individuals purchased the same products. That was quite some time ago.

I expect that it will be quite an uneventful weekend and besides the quick trip to Vancouver, I don't want to do anything more strenuous than being a couch potato. For some reason, this last month has been so busy that I just want to be very low profile... It won't last long, I suppose, because I am finding my head full of creative projects and I'd like to get started on them before the school year starts and people get busy. Besides, I have to start using all of the film that I've managed to obtain over the past couple of months.

This morning, I was reading a story on the online version of the Japan Times and there was an article about a new exhibit in Osaka. The photographic exhibit is by a woman named Tomoko Sawada and it appears that she has a penchant for including many images of herself in her work. I remember discussing this kind of thing in my B&W photography class a couple of years ago. It's interesting that there are those who like to use themselves as subjects. Personally, I can't think of anything more ridiculous than having a whole lot of images of myself because I don't find myself that photogenic. However, Ms. Sawada's work does make me think? I mean what is it about me that makes me feel that I wouldn't want people to see who I am?

Why do I take pictures of others, yet I feel uncomfortable about having my photo taken. I had no problem when I was younger because I felt more presentable. Now, despite the feeling that I don't feel any older, I still feel like a middle-aged person. I mean am I falling for the belief that youth is beauty? I love to photograph all kinds of people and find that there are some older people that have amazing stories to tell. Not the verbal kind, but the one's where their life is reflected on their face. So, why don't I feel this way about myself.

Perhaps I just feel like I have nothing to tell. I feel that I am more able to show other people telling their stories...

I know this amazing woman from Iran who should write a book about her life. It is full of hardship and yet it is one of great strength and success. It is full of uncertainty yet full of promise. I am sure that she doesn't feel that it is a story worth telling but I beg to differ. It is an amazing journey that she has been on and I think it would inspire others like it inspires me.

Maybe I should listen to my own advice. Our own perceptions usually differ greatly from those of people around us. Maybe I should remember that my story has equal value despite not having the hardship of others. Hardship is different for everyone.

And if you're wondering if I am having a bad day, don't worry. These are just creative musings that accompany my creative nature. Have a great weekend and get out there and express yourselves!

I'm just curious...

I have a reader that accesses this blog in Duncan, BC via Shaw Cable. Do you care to let us know (or at least me, via email) who you are?

I'd be interested to hear from you!

For those who don't know this about me, I love pottery.

No, not the type that you buy at Pottery Barn but that stuff that is hand-crafted. It doesn't have to be perfect or even made on a wheel but it has to be created with one's hands. I am in awe of so many amazing potters' works and have even spent my share of time either hand-building or with a kick wheel. It relieves stress to take out one's frustrations on a piece of clay and then come up with something that gives a person a feeling of satisfaction.

There is a coffee shop on Robson Street as well as the neighbouring Gyoza King that has some amazing pottery created by a guy named Hide. I love the "natural" feel that his pieces possess. He has such an organic style.

During my visit to the big city last week, I was reminded that he teaches classes and was thinking that I wouldn't mind commuting to take his classes on the weekends. I've done the commute to Vancouver for courses thing before while studying photography with one of the greatest instructors (you can see some of his work on the photography link page... from there, click on 02 and you can see a photo of him - he's the guy in the orange shirt) I've ever had before. And while I remember feeling really exhausted by the travel time yet exhilarated by the feeling of creating something that helped to express myself. However, now I digress...

I hope that you enjoy looking at Hide's page. And if you happen to be in Vancouver BC, you should drop by Chicco dall' Oriente Café located at 1504 Robson. They have amazing desserts and you can enjoy drinking from one of these amazing works of art!

Crayons for the new millenium?

Do you remember when we were children and they had only one crayon to denote flesh colour? Well, it appears that all of that has changed now. We can now provide children with a box of crayons that reflects the myriad of different skintones so that they can draw pictures that are more true to life. The only non-flesh colours in the box are a red (for lips) and blue (that rogue eye colour).

It never ceases to amaze me that there are some really clever marketing tools in this world but I suppose that this one actually might have a good reason. I mean, how sad could it have been to be a child that has a skintone other than the one in the crayon box?

I didn't have much time to take a look at the actual colour names but wonder if all of these colours weren't already in the standard boxes. Maybe they have different names for the colours in the multicultural package but I suppose that it was always unfair to call that lone peach-coloured crayon "flesh". Could it have caused insecurity in nonpeach-coloured children way back when I was a child? And, does this multicultural package make all children feel equally represented in regards to crayons?

Or, maybe I'm just overthinking this whole thing. Could kids just be kids and not spend much time thinking about it?

Can perfume make you sick? Or can it be made from sick?

Here's a news item about a girl who finds whale vomit and will make a whole lot of money selling it to perfume makers. The secretion is actually called ambergris which is defined as a "wax-like substance secreted from the intestines of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfume manufacture."

A couple of questions arise from this.

First, how the hell would one pick this stuff up if they were a 10 year old child?

Secondly, since when did Wales border a tropical sea?

Also, how do we actually know that this comes from a sperm whale? Does someone follow them around and watch them get sick?

And finally, who would have thought to use this secretion in the first place? I mean did someone just walk down the beach, much like this young girl and suddenly decide "oh, this is very interesting... let's make something out of it".

It takes all kinds, doesn't it?

I'm in Vancouver tonight and came to see a good friend who is leaving tomorrow to return to Japan. I had limited time to see her and had to fly in order to maximize my time with her. My flight here from Victoria was interesting. I flew harbour-to-harbour on a float plane which was for the most part smooth and definitely uneventful. However, the check-in was a little different...

When I arrived at the terminal, the people at the front desk asked if I wanted to check my bags or carry them onto the plane.

"That depends," I said, "Can I bring my sunscreen on or are there restrictions on it due to the new rules for face cream and stuff?"

To which the girl at the counter answered, "No".

However, the guy taking care of the bags said "Actually, all of our passengers are required to be nude on all flights". The grin on his face gave his sense of humour away.

What make this even more funny is that I had the same conversation with the custodian in my building earlier in the day. Only he added that there should also be onboard cavity searches as well. This conjured up all sorts of interesting images.

While visiting with my friend tonight, I mentioned to her what had happened. We actually believe that this would be a really good idea. We even went a step further and suggested that instead of being nude, we would be forced to remove our clothes and slip into some sort of company-issued jump suit to ensure that there was no chance of terrorist activity on aircraft. Your street clothes would be put in a bag and returned to you at the end of your journey.

These suits would also be pressurized in the event of loss of cabin pressure and also protect you from injury in case of a crash. They would inflate like giant marshmallows that would float down the the earth's surface. Of course they would have to be made of comfortable materials.

The truly alarming thing is that I can truly see this happening.

Maybe I am naive, but it seems all too convenient that this recent terrorist activity was stopped before it happened, yet they couldn't predict the disaster at the twin towers in New York. It really seems quite convenient that this one was stopped yet, the one in NY was not. The trouble is that I cannot see things getting better anytime soon.

In the meantime, if you are flying somewhere, remember to wear clean underwear...

Sorry. I haven't had much time to post lately.

Let's just say I'm still around and things are going...

It's been an interesting week since my birthday and mostly that means a lot of introspective thoughts about where I had wanted to be in life and where I actually am. I've been wondering which direction to take and how to accomplish things. One of the ways that I've been trying to do this is by being really honest with myself and seeing things for what they are. I'd have thought it was really difficult to take responsibility for the negative parts of myself but it's actually quite cathartic. It's like cleaning out a closet that is long overdue.

This week, I've made some decisions that aren't going to make me very popular with some of the people around me. I fear that they will take it personally but that is not in any way my intention. I am just taking responsibility for the things that I have now realized about myself. I am truly grateful for what they have done for me. I just think that it's best for everyone.

I won't spend hours and hours delving into the things that I have to do now but it's great being so clear in one's mind what has been bothering them. I'm just glad that I was able to be honest with myself and with those around me.

On another note, for the first time ever, I attended the 2006 Vancouver Pride parade last Sunday. I must say that, while I am happy that this kind of event is now acceptable in that city in this century, I thought that I would find it more "shocking". Instead, I got thinking that it was just commonplace now and that the mysterious side of gay culture seemed to be disappearing. It is no longer exotic. I know that's a good thing however, I cannot seem to think that demonstrating one's pride has lost some of it's lustre. It is now simply a beacon instead of a glitter disco ball.

Don't get me wrong, I think that everyone has a right to be accepted and I am glad that this exists. In fact, the world hasn't gone far enough to get over their fears and hatred of homosexuals. There really shouldn't be any reason to discriminate against gays as there should be no reason to discriminate against anyone. I simply lament, as I do with any person, the lack of glamour in life...

Regardless, I had a great time and said goodbye to someone who left us to return home to his country. It was also a reminder of a friend who passed away in the last year and fitting because one of the last times we were together, we attended a Pride Parade in Victoria celebrating his life.

So, I'd like to take this opportunity to say "So Long" to Yuji and "Farewell, my friend to Barry.

Yuji, until we meet again, take care and remember, you can always come back!

Barry, we all miss you very much. I am glad that your pain is over, yet we cannot help but miss your presence, your pride and your caring.

Thanks, and that's all from me this week. Take care everyone and thank you for all of the birthday wishes!

43

I awoke this morning, this day of my birth, and still felt sleepy.

I've not really been taking care to get enough sleep lately and, at time like that, I really do begin to feel my age. It's usually just temporary and I expect that this will be no different however, I came to the stark realization that I've become 43. And, really it no more bothers me than when I turned 40.

What is interesting though is that this is usually the time of year that I begin to assess where I am, what I am doing and all of those other introspective questions that one asks from time to time. I have come up with some of the most clear answers that I have in a long time. I won't bore you all with the details but let's just say that this is the year that I find happiness within myself without expecting other people or things to change my life.

It's quite comforting, really.

So, here, on the morning of my 43rd birthday, I wish to say that I am relatively happy with my choices so far and, while there is always room for improvement, that is for me to find in a positive way.

Thank you to everyone out there who has tuned in over the lifetime of this - my little piece of cyberspace - and I hope that your day is as good as mine is destined to be.

Ciao!