L'épanouissement personnel

Thoughts and notes of a researcher in plant genetics and nutritional epidemiology in Japan and the U.S. with a wide range of interests - choral activities, photography, nature, travel, and drawing. L'épanouissement personnel means personal development and fulfillment. Still in the middle of it, enjoying the process. 農学部、酒類企業研究員を経て、米国ミシガン州立大学で博士過程を卒業後、植物遺伝学と食物疫学の研究に片足ずつつっこんでいます。趣味の合唱、自然観察、旅行、写真、絵描き、国際交流など、いろんな記録です。L'épanouissement personnelは自己研鑽、実現というような意味です。生涯に渡って一緒に旅する人生のテーマ。

11.27.2020

Thanksgiving dinner take out

I visited my friend who is living in my hometown while she's cooking some Thanksgiving dishes! She was cooking a lot of food - a whole chicken, meat stuffing (not bread!), broccoli and avocado salads, grilled pumpkin, dates with almonds rolled in bacon and baked, mashed potatoes, and gravy. This is Thanksgiving!!! It reminded me of the dinner I was invited to in the US some years ago.

It was too bad that I didn't actually stay there for a dinner, but now I think I should refrain from dining indoors with multiple households. She packed a lot of dishes for me so I can have them at home. It's very nice of her.. and I'm sure they are delicious as she's a great cook. It was fun to cook with friends. I hadn't done it for so long. Someday in not so distant future we will be able to have parties again.

11.26.2020

A trip to a driver's license center

It was time to renew my driver's license before I head back to the states. I should have done it earlier, but I waited for no reason. It tuned out that you could have it renewed at a police station which is much closer to me. But it takes over a month (why???) and so it was too late for me to get it done by the time I fly. So I had to go to the driver's license center which is 1 hour by bus from my place.

Got up at 6 am and took a crowded bus to the station first then took another one packed with high school students. There were so many students and people waiting for the bus that I was wondering if I can get in. I'm glad everyone fit in. It seemed like people are working on site and students are studying at school despite the surge of the number of cases again.

Everything was very smooth at the center. They distributed numbered tickets to visitors and served them in order so that we won't have to form a long line worrying about other people's sneezes. Everyone was wearing a mask, and we were encouraged to stay apart.

I got out about 10:20 am. It was an early morning mission complete. I walked though a spacious residential area (almost like that in Michigan) and took an hour bus ride back home. It's so veery inconvenient to not have a car, but there's a way to get around. Compared to the cost, safety, and responsibilities associated with driving, a car-less life isn't too bad. Especially if I'm working from home. From the environmental viewpoint, too. At least I should believe so for now.

There was a small park in the residential area with a tiny waterfall with some fall colored leaves.

Thanksgiving get-together over Zoom

Had a "Friendsgiving" party over Zoom with four of my friends. It was nice to see their faces again for the first time in a while.

We did a craft of drawing turkey with an outline of a hand. It's cute.

Almost all of my friends are not travelling home this Thanksgiving and probably Christmas. It'll be an odd and quiet one. Hopefully we will have something better next year.

11.21.2020

この頃の絵日記

近所にある青島神社。高台なので坂道だけどそのぶん眺めが良い。

ホットケーキミックスと絹ごし豆腐１：１でパンのようなケーキのようなものが焼けた。おいしいー

神社その２。

極主夫道にハマっている…　これは作者の方のツイッターに上がってた絵のほぼパクリです ƪ(‾.‾“)┐

耶馬渓に紅葉も見に行った！綺麗だったー

色紙用にちょいイラスト描いた。今なんでもググれるからかんたん〜

うちの極主夫（父）の手づくりハンバーグ。めちゃめちゃおいしい…市販品には戻れなくなるぜ。手間ってかける甲斐があるんだなあ。

11.14.2020

島旅行　ー３　ベネッセハウスミュージアム

おいしい朝食でございました

綺麗なお花でございました。

朝食会場でゆったり本を読んでいたフランス人っぽい人が粋だったなぁ…。

雨だったのでベネッセハウスミュージアムに行きました。見ごたえありました。

「三枚の正方形」George Rickey

外にも作品が。「茶のめ」片瀬和夫

瀬戸内っぽい風景

ブルーベリー？

"Seen/Unseen Known/Unknown" Walter De Maria

海に浮かぶ道

波の音が岩の中に反響する不思議な場所

美術館はけっこう小高いところにあった。よい運動だった～　雨も小降りになり散策しやすかった。

島旅行　ー２　直島散策

直島つづき。

ジャングルみたいになっている朝顔。朝じゃないのに咲いている。

Morning glory glorious even when it's not a morning. The plants are tall and huge like a jungle.

猫カフェにゃおしま～～　ぜひ入りたかった！！　営業時間14－16時って。

A cat cafe Nyaoshima is only open from 2 to 4 pm!

並み打ち寄せる海岸。これだこれだ、我々が求めていたものは……　夕暮れ時の贅沢なプライベートビーチ。

Relax on the beach at twilight with no one else around. This is what we wanted!

ざっぱーん

海を見ていると、いろんなことがまあいいやと思えてくる…

Soothing wave sounds make everything feel like less worrysome.

鳥居があった。

ベネッセハウスミュージアムなどがあるところの近く。ここからミュージアムや併設のホテルへは専用バスのみで、自動車や自転車は通れない。徒歩でゆっくり観光できる場所となっている。

南瓜第二弾がありました。海に突き出ていて潮具合によっては海につかるときも。

Yellow pumpkin, sometimes in the water!

焼きたて海鮮＆モッツアレラピザ～～～～～　焼きたてに勝るものはない。

Seafood and mozzarella pizza resh from the oven!! It was warm, crispy, and just scrumptious. Nothing beats freshly made foods.

アペリティフもついた豪華なピザセットだった。クーポン券ですごくお得だった。なんてありがたや。タンパク質がたくさんとれた！　もちろん取り皿はかぼちゃ柄で。

Appetizers came with the pizza, and of course plates with the pumpkin polka dots. They were delicious and filling with lots of protein! The local voucher was of huge help.

11.10.2020

瀬戸内海　島旅行　ー１

ピアニスト氏と瀬戸内旅に行ってきましたーー

寒くなる前、そして、感染者数がまた上がる前に……。

気を取り直して、岡山から宇野線に乗り換えて、宇野港からフェリーで直島へ！

A short ferry ride from Uno, Okayama

Japan Coast Guard の船！　写真取り損ねたけど、岡山県警もボート持ってた！！かっこいい！

A patrol boat of Japan Coast Guard! We also saw a boat of Okayama prefectural police. Cool!

直島へは20分の船旅。周りにも島々がたくさんで水平線は見えず、瀬戸内海～という感じ。

Just a 20-min ferry ride brought us to Naoshima island. Setonaikai sea has so many islands that you cannot see the horizen, but instead, you see lots of neighbouring islands.

草間彌生さんの作品、南瓜がお出迎え。小さな港町に、異彩を放つとはこのことか…

テントウムシにも見えました。観光客がけっこうたくさんいて、フェリーがちょうど出るところだったのですごい人だった！そしてみんなこの赤南瓜に入っていた…。

A sculpture made by an artist Kusama Yayoi welcomes visitors at the port. The black dots on a red background presents a stark contrast with the blue gray port scenery. There were lots of tourists coming and going; and they went into this sculpture and saw inside as well.