ChanomiTalk

On the windward side of Oahu, in Haiku valley, there is a set of stairs reaching to the top of a mountain. Hikers have named it the stairway to heaven. It has become a thing of rumors and boasting, of stories and adventure, largely because ascending them is illegal according to state law.

The stairway has its origins with the military. Before the advent of orbital satellites, there was a need to maintain high elevation outposts for communications and surveillance. There were many such outposts on Oahu which mostly survive intact to this day. The stairway to heaven was sturdily built, but vandalism caused one of the segments to break, the fixing of which cost the state thousands of dollars. Not finding it within its budget to make sure the stairway remained in good condition, and also in response to complaints about hiking traffic in a residential area, the state closed off the stairway indefinitely. It now lies behind chain link fence and a full-time guard.

Be that as it may, I have climbed the stairway twice. One must arrive early in the morning, before the guard, and know exactly the right route to use in sneaking over the fence. After this criminalesque beginning, one faces a seemingly never-ending trudge up a pitch black nether world. Light begins to shine halfway through the sojourn, and if one is proactive and athletic, one makes it to the top of the mountain in time to admire the brilliant colors of the dawn. If one is in the company of a cunning leader, as I was, one may also benefit from cold beer and freshly roasted meat at the top of the mountain. That memory will be with me for the rest of my life.

Although the Stairway is thrilling, it requires the right preparation and knowledge, and the same beauty can also be seen in many of Oahu’s legal hikes. Particularly, I would recommend Konahuanui on a clear day. In spite of the stairway’s name, this hike actually reaches a higher elevation. The history and lore is also deeper, but I’ll leave that for you to explore.

Now that winter is in full effect here in Chicago, I’ve decided to take up snowboarding again. I first started skiing when I was about 6 years old and then took up snowboarding when I was 12 years old. I’ve been snowboarding on and off since then but the last time I went was 5 years ago. Because it’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to go, I was very excited to be able to start again now.

This past weekend, my friend and I drove an hour and a half north into Wisconsin to the Alpine Valley Ski Resort. I thought it was going to take me a while to get back into but after the first run, I was ready to go. It’s just like riding a bike I guess; after you learn once, you never really forget how to do it.

One of the main reasons I love snowboarding is because it’s really good exercise. Usually I don’t spend much time outside now during the winter but snowboarding gives me the opportunity to get some fresh air and get a good workout. At the end of the day, I was exhausted but had a blast! I’m hoping to go as often as I can these next coming months. Maybe I’ll get my own equipment? More to come…

ベンさんから、雪だるまの包み紙のプレゼントをいただきました。

「素晴らしい先生との一日は、１０００日の骨の折れる勉強よりもいいです」
という、言葉が書かれていました。

ベンさんの心の贈り物に心が温かくなりました。

I had a great Christmas vacation in 2012 but it almost did not happen! I was fortunate to get home when I did. I landed at the airport around noon and by six in the afternoon of the same day a blizzard struck. According to the last figure I saw, twelve inches of snow fell that day in total. Transportation stopped since roads were closed and flights were cancelled. Electricity was cut at my house for a day but some people lost power for several days. No power means no heat so I was glad that power was restored quickly. According to news reports, the snow storm was the worst in a decade. Just think, if my flight had been any later I might have been delayed several days in getting home. As it turned out, I made it home on time, and enjoyed a chilly but definitely White Christmas.

新年おめでとうございます。


新年とは関係のないことですが、毎朝、亡父の遺影にお線香をあげ、つづいてならす鐘の音がここ２、３日かすかに曇ったような、まるで鐘の中で砂が動いているかの如くに雑音が混じって聞こえました。ひょっとしたら鐘にひびが入ったのかもしれない。それならばも打たない方が良いかと、もう一つ鐘を買うことにしました。

ところが、昨年鐘（写真の小さい方）を買ったお店をのぞいてみると、鐘が見当たりません。このお店は瞑想訓練をするところなので、商品は何時入るかはっきりしません。それならと、たいして期待せずに中近東の商品を売る店に行ってみると、仏教の鐘とはいささか違った雰囲気ながら、打ってみると良い音がする鐘（大きい方）がみつかりました。

帰宅して２つの鐘をならべて打ってみると、それはそれで捨てがたいところありで、２つとも保持することにしました。となると、鐘用の布団がもう一つ必要になりましたので、今日、日本食品＆お土産店に行きました。

と、そこで目に留まったのが木魚です。木の彫り物はよーく見ると魚でなく獅子に似ていますが、打ってみるとまぎれもなくポクポクと木魚の音です。全く久し振りに聞く音です。かくして、箪笥の上にかざっている亡父の遺影の前は鐘２つに木魚が仲間入りして、急に賑やかになりました。

Here is a picture of our family on Christmas day….
Merry Christmas from Puyallup Washington!
I hope the season finds you well and the New Year bright with new prospects!