The above depicts a noise level monitoring display facing a residential street at a rather large site currently under construction for a big something in Mihara, Japan. I don’t know the “something” because I can’t read Japanese (yet), but it’s big and there are tonka toys involved. This is to infer that Japan has rules… Read More Bringing Down the Noise

Burned into all our minds and many memes is the Norman Rockwell image of the self-effacing man standing at a public meeting to awkwardly, but powerfully, offer his two cents on the matter. Some public meetings these days still include such standing up and solely talking before, say, ABQ City Council. There are time limits… Read More Tonight’s Public Meeting on Dolores Huerta Blvd.

I mentioned yesterday that I am visiting my Mom in Texas next week. I didn’t mention that I made a list of political demands to the Lone Star State and its citizens that, if not met, meant I wasn’t going. Fortunately, it appears all the demands have been met. Seriously, I did tell my Mom… Read More Arising From the Bunker

At 82, my Mom moved last year from a house in Branson, Missouri to a 2-bedroom apartment at an Over-55 complex in Wylie, Texas outside of Dallas. This move has meant many things, including my impending need to break my vow to never return to the state in which I was raised. I left Texas… Read More Going Back to Texas

I can’t remember whether November is the month where men are supposed to let their facial hair grow for a good cause or this is the month where people who want to be a novelist give themselves a one-month deadline to write a novel. Maybe it’s both, but I can’t remember. And that gets me… Read More A November Writing Exercise

Just back from a month cycling, hiking, and living in Central Japan (Osaka, Onomichi, Hiroshima, Kyoto). Since getting back a few days ago, I’ve scoured the Internet for a video capturing my single favorite activity over a month of great fun: Riding a bicycle in Osaka. I’d love to have shot my own little video… Read More Beautiful Chaos: Cycling in Osaka