ゆく年くる年 is literally my favourite TV show. I look forward to it every year! #nhk
Sent out my final newsletter of the year! Now it is time to kick back, get the noodles going, and watch some end of year Japanese TV (for the last time…) 🎍🔴🎤⚪️🐲
Best of 2023
Sunday, December 31, 2023
I think this photo is my fav of the year. Historically my annual “best of” posts are a roundup of the best books and film I consumed, but this year I would like to add a little bit more about personal developments. With my father-in-law passing in 2022, this year was about cleaning up the estate, healing, and enjoying Japan before returning to Canada. We were able to get quite a bit of travel in: Tanegashima, Kagoshima, and Kirishima in the south; a summer break in Iki; and in the north Iwate, Fukushima and Aomori.
Hagia Sophia
Friday, December 29, 2023
As described in my previous post, Istanbul is a city of layers. Nothing demonstrates this more than one of the gems of the city: the Hagia Sophia. Built on the site of an earlier Christian church erected in 336 AD by Constantius II (son of the Emperor Constantine) the current building was made in the 532 AD by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. For a thousand years it was the largest building in the world.
Nice discussion with @becedo.bsky.social on how Nihon Shoki & Kojiki are treated through time newbooksnetwork.com/meanings-…
If you want to hear what’s IN the Chronicles, I recommend this great podcast by @tatsushu@historians.social sengokudaimyo.com/podcast
Got a nice snack pack for the winter holidays from the company. 🎁 It’s a nice tradition. This year I got a chocolate set 😋
Merry Xmas! 🎄 After opening prezzies we drove to Ako, famous for Chuushingura (The 47 Ronin), and had lunch with a lovely view of the Seto Inland Sea. So nice and warm 🥰
Christmas Eve on the water! Cruising around the Biwako on the Michigan
Last day of work for 2023 is done. ❄️ What a year! 🗓️ And I finished it with Inbox Zero 💪
Tonight I took a yuzu bath 🍋🛀 as I enter 10 days of rest, relaxation, and recharging 🧘♂️ with my books and my family ✌️🥰 Hope you too enjoy your hols! 🥂🍾🎊
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 →
11 year old: “OMG my friend she is SO ready for the zombie apocalypse! She can climb trees 🌲 she has a katana 🗡️ AND she has an iPad with OFFLINE games!” 📱👾
From Heatmap Daily: “Americans often refer to their electricity or gas providers as ‘public utilities.’ But only about 15% of the population is served by a government-owned, customer-owned, or member-owned electric utility.” The rest are private monopolies. #ClimateCrisis
Perspective on Palestine — Review of The Hundred Years' War on Palestine
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
In The Hundred Years' War on Palestine Rashid Khalidi takes us through six turning points of modern Palestinian history woven with family and personal history, including his frontline experience escaping Beirut during the 1982 Lebanon War. Khalidi has a long history as an advocate and an academic and writes a highly detailed account with an insider view. He covers the early Zionist movement, the Nakba of 1948, the Six Day War of 1967, the Lebanon War, the Intifadas and the rise of Hamas, giving context throughout as to who the geostrategic players are and how they change.
My copy of EMPTY KYOTO and 2024 Calendar from @hermosawave@photog.social has arrived! 📸🎋⛩️
hermosawavephotography.com/emptykyot…
My uncle-in-law was decorated with the “Order of the Rising Sun” 🎖️ for his contributions to basketball in Japan 🎊 This is his medal. When you tilt it in the light it really shines! ✨
Chili crab time! 🦀
Interesting ideological analysis of Cixin Liu’s popular Three Body series, especially this bit on how Chinese and American reactionaries use one another
madeinchinajournal.com/2023/12/1…
He also has this striking map showing countries coloured depending on if most of their wealth is owned by the bottom 80% or top 5%. (Luckily in this map New Zealand and Australia were not left out… still not suprised though)
From www.rubenmathisen.com/blank-2
Maps showing “% of Total Wealth Owned by the Top 1 Percent” per country by continent.
From www.rubenmathisen.com/blank-2
Another great video from About Here:
#density #urbandesign
It is Dec 15th in the year of our Lord Buddha 2566 and it is deva-damned 23°C out here‼️ 🥵
