桜、木蓮、カリンバや再会、活元体操！ : Cherry blossoms, magnolias, kalimbas, reunions, and Katsugen gymnastics!
近所を探検：Explore the neighborhood
このところの気温のアップダウンや、雨が続いていたのと個人的に忙しかったこともあり、ハーレムのビデオ撮りが先送りになっている。幸い雨も止んだので、まずはお散歩。１０３〜１１６丁目は お気に入りなの。セントラル・パークの最北端、面白い教会やアッパーウエストサイドも近く、美術館もいろいろ控えている。
ずいぶん前になるが、あたしの父親はアナーキーでありジャズ狂でもあった。社会性ゼロの父は自転車屋を立ち上げ、咥えタバコでよくジャズを聴いていた。 ラジオから流れた ”ハーレム夜想曲” その時、小さなあたしは過去生を思い出してしまったのか？ハーレムに戻らなきゃあって。
Due to the recent rain, the temperature always up and down, and a busy personal schedule, I have been putting off filming a video of Harlem. Fortunately, the rain has stopped, so I started by taking a walk. I like the area from 103rd to 116th Street. It’s at the northernmost end of Central Park, close to interesting churches and the Upper West Side, and there are many art museums nearby.
A long time ago, my father was an anarchist and a jazz fanatic. He had zero social skills, and started a bicycle shop and often listened to jazz with a cigarette in his mouth. “Harlem Nocturne” from the radio, at that moment, did little me remember a past life? I had to go back to Harlem.
fundraising for ANERA/American Near East Refugee Aid/Gaza aid @ 5C cultural center :パレスチナ支援イベントでのパフォーマンス
トルディに呼ばれ、塩さん、ユマさん、そしてあたしが急遽、パレスチナ支援のイベントでのパフォーマンスを頼まれた。加えて、爆撃で子供を失った母親の悲しさをスコッティと即興で演じることも含め、数日でコンセプトを煮詰めねばならない。『シャボン玉』これしかない。
フランス在住の友が、近所の牧場でこの曲をハモニカで吹くと、仔牛たちがメロディをキャッチし、トットッって駆け寄って聞き惚れるって、その話を突然思い出した。仔牛たちはもちろん肉牛として売られてゆく。その束の間の牧場での命、そして、たまさか我が友人の『シャボン玉』のなんとも物悲しいメロディが、仔牛たちの心に響くのか。作詞の野口雨情の、我が子を幼くして亡くした悲しさ、命の儚さ、が淡く消えゆく束の間の喜びと重なる。
Trudy called Shio-san, Yuma-san, and I to do performance at a Palestine support event. We had to come up with a concept in a few days. As for me, including an improvisation with Scottie about the sadness of a mother who lost her child in a bombing. “Soap Bubbles” was the only choice.
I suddenly remembered a story about a friend who lives in France who played this song on the harmonica at a nearby farm and the calves caught the melody, running over and listening intently. The calves are, of course, sold for beef. Perhaps their brief life on the farm, and the sad melody of my friend’s “Bubbles,” resonate in the hearts of the calves.
The lyricist Noguchi Ujo’s sadness at losing his child at a young age and the transience of life overlap with the fleeting joy that fades away.
＊＊For me, this song “Shabon-dama/soap babble” represents the various sad realities of today, such as natural disasters, man-made disasters, and more broadly, children caught up in war who died before they could live out their lives. So, I did if I can express that, even a little.
chat chat and chat with Orin, and also “Live from the Plant room” music event : オリンとのチャット, とか, 友人の音楽イベントなど
最近のビビッドな夢；バスに二人して乗り遅れ、次のバスの時間と発着所をアタシとオリンはそれぞれ手分けして探すことに。アタシはバスターミナルっぽい建物の中にいる。案内の女性が、後少しで次のバスが発車するから早くゆきなさい、と。アタシは、オリンにそれを伝えなきゃあ、でもまたミスしても多分電車（？）で帰れるし、といささか余裕。携帯でオリンに電話するも繋がるどころか、携帯電話のスクリーンは月曜〜ずっと永遠（？）に、『チャット』の文字が羅列されている、で目が覚めた。勝手な解釈を試みる；そうか！アタシとオリンは永遠にチャットし続けてるのね。って。ありがとう（涙。。。）。
A vivid dream I had recently: Orin and I, we both missed the bus, so we split up to find the next bus time and departure point. I was in a building that looked like a bus terminal. A woman guide told me to hurry up because the next bus would be leaving soon. I knew I had to tell Orin, but even if we missed it again, we could probably get home by train (?)instead of take a bus, so I was a little relaxed. I tried calling Orin on my cell phone, but instead of getting through, the word “chat” was just hanging up on the cell phone screen, which had been displayed since Monday to continue forever. Like this; chat chat chat ~~chat with Orin…
After I woke up, I tried to interpret it in my own way: That’s right! Orin and I have been chatting forever. I thought. Thank you (tears…).
最近の創作詩：recent creative poem (topic/ full moon) March, 2025
My Surreal Big sister; Two Subjects
This is one of my top 10 dreams; I was at an unfamiliar train station with my big sister, she was carrying her little son. She urged me to look at the full moon above. “What?” I looked up again,
OMG! It was not the full moon, it was the Earth.
It was late September 2004, shortly after my big sister passed away. I was walking through Fort Tryon Park at night, crying. I felt I had to look at the full moon to my right, and what do you think? I clearly witnessed an oval shape, people call it a “cigar-shaped UFO/UAP”, that exactly the same length and diameter as the moon, that seemed to be stuck to its surface.
I wonder if my big sister really had existed? (even though she was a very practical and real person…)
アタシの超常的な姉、二題
これはアタシのトップ１０の夢の一つ；小さな息子を背負う姉と見知らぬ駅にいる。姉が頭上の満月を見る様促す。 ”なあに？”とアタシはもう一度見上げる、と、なんてこと！ それは満月じゃなくて地球だったの。
姉が他界して間もない頃、それは2004年の9月下旬だった。泣きながら夜のフォートトライアンパークを歩いていた。突然の胸騒ぎ。右手の向こうの満月を見なきゃいけない気がしたの、おや？満月にぴったり張り付いている直径の差し渡しの楕円形、人曰く”葉巻型円盤”をはっきり目撃した。
姉は本当に存在していたんだろうか？ （彼女はとっても現実的でしっかりしていた人だったのだけどーー）
第15回、恒例の311反核発（核発電）グループ展 を５Cカフェ・カルチャラルセンターにて開催：15th annual Anti-Nuclear Power Art Show @ 5C cafe and Cultural Center
Nihon Hidankyo event, also The African World Revolution :日本被団協イベント、そしてアフリカ音楽
Walk of Fame at the Apollo Theater: アポロ劇場前の、スターの歩道
数えて見ると、27人のミュージッシャンのネームプレートが埋め込まれていた。観客を狂喜させたジェームス・ブラウン、そうそうたるジャズメン達、スティービー・ワンダーは言うに及ばず、プリンスもマイケル・ジャクソンも。
By counting, there were 27 nameplates of musicians embedded on the street, including James Brown, who thrilled the audience, a string of jazz musicians, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Michael Jackson more.
やっぱりハーレム、されどハーレム。絶対に住んでやるって誓って半世紀以上経っちゃったけど、今ここが全て。 ずっと意地悪な底冷えで散歩は限界があるけど、後少しだね、ハーレム界隈のビデオを撮ったり、パークで思う存分カリンバを弾くのだ。
It’s Harlem after all, but it’s Harlem at all/anyway. Over half a century has passed since I swore I’d definitely live there, but for now, this is everything and just good timing. The perpetually bitterly cold weather limits my ability to take walks, but I’m not far off, so I’ll be taking videos of the Harlem area and playing the kalimba to my heart’s content in the park.
25 February, 2025 : 2025年2月25日
オリンちゃんが他界して、この日で丸々２年経ちました。やっと！ここまで来れたという感慨深い想いに身を置いています。中心核を飛び越えた奈落の底の底、、もう今となっては明るい諦め、そして妄想に追随しないって誓ってからの、あらゆるご加護、そしてサポートをひとまとめに受け取ったのでしょうか？ ありがた過ぎます。
アタシの義理の妹達、ティナとグレタの、兄オリンへの深い愛を感じた。素敵なメッセージどうもありがとう。そして、B、J、Yちゃん, Mさんの優しさに泣けてくるよ。
It’s been exactly two years since Orin-chan passed away. At last! I find myself overwhelmed with emotion at having come this far. I jumped into the depths of the abyss… then, slowly I’ve given up any hope and then since I swore not to follow delusions, but only acceptance. Perhaps I’ve received all the blessings and support I could ever ask for? I’m so grateful.
I really felt the deep love that my sisters-in-law, Tina and Greta, have for their brother Orin. Thank you so much for your wonderful messages. And the kindness of B, J, Y-chan, and M-san brings me to tears.
ハーレムに引っ越しました、悲願だったの。ガーデニングやカリンバ、書き物や活動全てに１００％を投じて行ける ”spring board” ですね。そして、数年先は飛んでってるよ。この流れに感謝。ひたすら全てへの感謝。
I moved to Harlem, which was my desire. It’s my “spring board” where I can give 100% to gardening, kalimba, writing, and all my activities. And I’ll have flown ahead in a few years. I’m grateful for this flow. I’m just grateful for everything.
ハーレムに落ち着いたオリンちゃん。今後ともよろしく〜。：Orin has settled into the harlem. I look forward to working with you in the future.
引越し狂騒曲、今はハーレム星人：Moving Rhapsody, Now I’m a Harlem Alien
大雪注意予報発令で引越し日がどんどん前倒しになって、2月19日（水）冷凍庫並みの寒さの中を無事に終了。心配をおかけした皆さん、情報をくださった皆さん、お手伝いを申し出てくださった皆さん、心からありがとうございました。あー、果報者ですな、アタシは。（しかも、ほぼ、オリンちゃんのものだけ引越し。あとは全て、３つの本箱、台所製品、家具や本、ベッドも何から何まで全てブルックリンに置いていったという経緯。）パッキング最終日は大笑い。『物はいらない』これ、アタシの実感よ。感謝とともに手放す快感に勝るものなし！
With heavy snowfall warnings being issued, the moving date was brought forward one after another, and we finally finished safely on Wednesday, February 19th, in freezer-like cold. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who was concerned, who gave me information, and who offered to help. Ah, I am truly blessed. (And what’s more, I only moved Orin-chan’s things. I left everything else, including three bookcases, kitchen appliances, furniture, books, and even my bed, in Brooklyn.) I laughed out loud on the last day of packing. “I don’t need anything” is how I felt. Nothing beats the pleasure of letting go with gratitude!
