They even sent stickers all the way to Japan for me! Thanks @jean!

Envelope from Portland to Osaka, 2 Micro.blog stickers, and a hand written note from Jean “Thank you for microblogging!”

Gonna be up in Tokyo on my annual retreat from Feb 18 to 21. What should I see? Who should I meet?

The high school volleyball teams brought home some silverware from the regional tournament this weekend!! 🙌🎉 Girls Volleyball team got first place 🏐 and the Boys Volleyball team got second 🏐🏐 💪💪💪 But, in a not-so-twist, I bet you can tell me WHO received the LARGER trophy??? 🏆 🤔🤔🤔 🫠🫠🫠

TIL that Wikipedia maintains a list of hoaxes, ie. times the org has been tricked, and how long it took to correct the record. Talk about institutional transparency! Can you imagine a {insert “trusted” institution} doing this? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_hoaxes_on_Wikipedia

“Change moves at the speed of trust.”

CO₂ emissions from Osaka to Tokyo:

🚅 Shinkansen is 4.2kgs/person

✈️ = 12x🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅

🚗 = 30x 🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅 🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅🚅

From www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023…

Tragic discussion

unseen-japan.com/noto-peni…

Spotted on the entrance to a Starbucks at Umeda St. Other than seeing one small pro-Palestine demonstration (4 people) I haven’t seen much here. Mostly just disbelief on the news. This might not even be related! 🤷‍♂️

Small sticker on a wall: Boycott Starbucks

Started listening to: His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik 📚

Saw a review: “imagine Aubrey-Maturin, but Stephen Maturin is a dragon.” Instant download!

cover of the book

SLIM lander press conference hence starts in 5 mins www.youtube.com/live/Udh6…

The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon was launched last September from JAXA’s southernmost facility at the Tanegashima Space Center. I visited last spring and got a tour and ate “moon rice” for lunch. Photos: 📸 🌙 🍚

www.flickr.com/photos/sa…

10km to the surface of the moon! Watching the SLIM lander live on YouTube

www.youtube.com/live/Udh6…

Screen full of monitors for different sensors of the SLIM moon lander, with an inset showing two commentators

“Ministry for the Future” is my fav radicalizing read about the #climatecrisis, filled with real-life proposals played out in the book. Watch KSR’s rousing speech about what he’s learned since, including initiatives like 30 by 30 that are making real progress.

First book read in 2024: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers 📚

🤖 🍵 🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out for some fresh air… and some castle! 🏯 Osaka Castle is an amazing facility. Although it dates back to the 16th C, it has been rebuilt (a couple times) and features a cool collection in its museum. Take an elevator to the top for a nice view!

Chad selfie on the outer moat pointing to Osaka Castle

It was a fun concert. In the third section they played mandolin renditions of hit songs from decades ago while the crowd sang along. Made me imagine being in my 70s at a concert singing “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Killing in the Name” 🤔 🎼

The curtain goes up on the mandoliners about to play their third actA lyric sheets with songs from the 1960s and 1970s

Current status: mandolin concert 🎶

Theatre from the back. The brocade curtain displaying Biwako scenery is down and people are seated waiting. A 24 piece orchestra of mandolins, guitars, and other stringed instruments plays on stage.

Started reading Becky Chambers’ acclaimed solarpunk novel about a tea monk serving up comfort and I think this prayer will be immediately understood by my comrades @fission.codes, @robin.berjon.com, and more 🙏 🤲 🙇‍♂️

Screenshot of a page with the following highlight: “Find the strength to do both.”

Started reading: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers 📚

Just watching this new show “Rainbow Closet” and it’s intense 😭

The power of a national broadcaster. (バリバラ is another good show!)

plus.nhk.jp/watch/ch/…