Seigakuin University Chapel

Seigakuin University Chapel is modelled after the Noah's Ark.

Omiya (Saitama) in an early morning

I stayed at this hotel near Omiya station.

Plum Pickling season

Here are bottled plum pickles for this year. Every year in June, my
mother makes plum pickles as well as bottled plum wine. As for
pickling, these bottles are still on the second stage. Red perilla leaves
will be added for coloring and to make sour flavor. It is already tasty
on this stage, though. I like the fresh and salty flavor.　Your face
becomes like ("0") when you taste a really classic sour picled plum.

Fulbright Reception at the Embassy

A recepion in honor of the 2008 Japanese Fulbright Grantees
were held on Wednesday, June 18 at the American Ambassdor's
Residence in Akasaka. It was a very nice and cozy party with new
Fulbright grantees. I was able to manage taking only a few pictures
for having been busy myself socializing. It was such a nice occasion
to meet everyone who has been somehow related to the program
throughout this year. Abe-san, Karen, Stephen from behid -- Sorry it is not
the best shot of these brilliant academics. . ;)

Lecture on David Cronenberg, Tuesday, June 17

Tristanne Connolly (St. Jerome's
College, U. of Waterloo, Canada)
gave a lecture entitled "'I Identify
With The Parasites': The Early
Films of David Cronenberg" on
Tuesday, June 17th at our Institute.
She introduced this gifted director's
early works such as "Shivers" and
"The Brood."


It was quite interesting to know his obsession on women's reproductive
power which he associated with extraordinary monstrous energy.
I wonder why this has been the case of obsessions seen among male
writers and artists. John Winthrop, the governor of the Mass. Bay
Colony, minutely recorded the monstrous birth by Mistress Anne
Hutchinson. There shall be some continuing fear to women's reproductive
power throughout the Western psyche. We went to Izakaya for dinner
afterword.

At Izakaya in Yotsuya Sanchome. From left to right: Ogawa-san,
Tristanne, Joe

BR

I am reading The Blithedale Romance with my juniors and seniors
this semester. Coverdale narrates as if he is intoxicated with wine
throughout the novel. We cannot trust his version of the tale. This
is my favorite book with many beautiful and impressive scenes in
each chapter. The whole novel is full of verbal tableaux vivants.

"Akumaki" from Miyazaki Prefecture

Our relatives from Miyazaki brought "Akumaki," pastry made of rice
lye. It is like a soft rice-dumpling and quite nutritious with minerals. "Akumaki" wrapped in a bamboo leaf