Daily Entries for the week of
Sunday, June 5, 2022
through
Saturday, June 11, 2022
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It’s Saturday, June 11, 2022
Welcome to the 1,468th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Genbaku Dome (原爆ドーム)
Hiroshima, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan
Oilstreet - Own work
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Commentary
A rainy day. Predicted.
Should I tough it out and stay on routine?
And get drenched?
Or is this a time for a bit of self- indulgence?
What a wus.
I chose self-indulgence.
I chose to listen to all the sports chatter re: the Celtics.
I made three social phone calls.
I did some writing.
And then at 10.00am the rain stopped.
It was supposed to rain all day.
So I jumped at the chance and ran out to W Foods for my shopping.
And outside was totally lovely.
Good choices.
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Today’s Word: UNESCO World Heritage Site
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Chuckles and Thoughts
I went to a fight the other night,
and a hockey game broke out.
~Rodney Dangerfield
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
This from our movie critic and expert: Tucker J:
Hey Dom,
Just read your sections on watching Kurosawa! He truly is a master.
I’m glad you’re watching and enjoying. You might get me going on a kick now haha
. Tucker
Blog meister responds: His movies are extraordinary.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Dinner from Roche Bros. Buyimng prepared food from a supermarket is a first for me.
I was interested in a chicken cutlet. But neither Roche Bros nor Whole Foods is selling loose chickens. Everything comes in packages. Tough for a single person: must buy a quantity you don’t need or want.
Then I saw a ‘Chicken Cordon Bleu’ in Roche Bros. and bought it.
In the event, it was fine.
I boiled some beets and broccoli and had a good meal.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Red Painting, Phillip Guston
Blog meister’s personal favorite.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Red Painting, Phillip Guston
Personal favorite.
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Short Essay*
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (広島平和記念碑, Hiroshima Heiwa Kinenhi), originally the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, and now commonly called the Genbaku Dome, Atomic Bomb Dome or A-Bomb Dome (原爆ドーム, Genbaku Dōmu), is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The ruin of the hall serves as a memorial to the over 140,000 people who were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II. It is permanently kept in a state of arrested ruin as a reminder of the destructive effects of nuclear warfare.
At 8:15 a.m. on 6 August 1945, the first atomic bomb to be used in war was dropped by the United States Army Air Forces from the Enola Gay, a B-29 bomber. The force of the atomic bomb effectively obliterated the city of Hiroshima, Japan.
Earlier, on 25 July, General Carl Spaatz, commander of the United States Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific, received orders to deliver a "special bomb" attack on selected cities in Japan. The first target city chosen was Hiroshima, which had an important port on southern Honshu and was headquarters of the Japanese Second General Army with 40,000 military personnel in the city. The bomb was assembled in secret and loaded on the Enola Gay. The bomb, code named "Little Boy", possessed a force equivalent to 15,000 tons of TNT. The plane dropped Little Boy over the city at 8:15:17 a.m. local time on 6 August 1945. About 43 seconds after being dropped, it detonated over the city, missing its target by 240 m (790 ft). Intended for the Aioi Bridge, the bomb instead exploded directly over the Shima Hospital, which was very near to the Genbaku Dome. Because the explosion was almost directly overhead, the building was able to retain its shape. The building's vertical columns were able to resist the nearly vertical downward force of the blast, and parts of the concrete and brick outer walls remained intact. The center of the blast occurred 150 m (490 ft) horizontally and 600 m (2,000 ft) vertically from the Dome. Everyone inside the building was killed instantly. The building's durability can also be attributed to its earthquake-resistant design; it has held up to earthquakes before and since the bombing.
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Definition of Today’s word:
UNESCO World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
*Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Friday, June 10, 2022
Welcome to the 1,467th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Eiji Tsuburaya
The "Father of Tokusatsu" and co-creator of the Godzilla series, as well as the main creator of the Ultra series.
キネマ旬報社 撮影者不明 - キネマ旬報社『キネマ旬報』5月上旬号(1961)より
Eiji Tsuburaya
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Commentary
What an amazing day.
I got my podiatrist appointment moved up to July 20, a full month earlier than scheduled. A strong plus.
I got quick and easy help to flip my mattress.
I finished two writing goals in the time I’d normally do one.
My butcher has lamb stew meat and is setting some aside for me for tomorrow pickup.
And it’s only 9.30am.
The biggest event for the rest of the day was the dawning on me that I can wear my sandals. They painlessly strap below my toes. I’ve regained the pleasure of walking. I took my first late afternoon walk of the season and it was FUN. Whee! Walking is incredibly important to me.
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Today’s Word: special effects
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Wellness
Without needing to wear my sneakers I feel very well, indeed.
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Understanding aging
This happy day does not count to my age.
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Social Life
Because of the fast-moving conversation centered on our late June group dinner I felt well-connected today.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
The Second Amendment says we have the right to bear arms,
not to bear artillery.
~Robin Williams
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
Our impending dinner party at the end of June got a shot of adrenaline when I posted a suggested menu. A half dozen emails flew around with volunteers and more ideas.
Blog meister responds: It was great fun.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Today I ate my dinner at Tatte. The sandwich, Turkey and avocado was delicious. But tiny. Not enough. Next time I eat here I’ll have to order two items. But I ate outside and brought my own Bloody Mary. It was a great break in my day.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Fleet Library at RISD.
I visited Providence to hang out with my twin great-nieces, Tessa and Savannah. And my niece Lisa and dear friend, David.
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Short Essay*
A special effects supervisor, also referred to as a special effects director, special effects coordinator or SFX supervisor, is an individual who works on a commercial, theater, television or film set creating special effects. They are generally the department head who defers to the film's director and/or producers, and who is in charge of the entire special effects team. Special effects include anything that is manually or mechanically manipulated (also called "practical effects" or in camera effects). This may include the use of mechanized props, special effects makeup, props, scenery, scale models, pyrotechnics and atmospheric effects: creating physical wind, rain, fog, snow, clouds etc.
Special effects (SFX) or (SPFX) are produced on the set, as opposed to those created in post-production which are generally called "visual effects" (VFX). In recent years, physical special effects have been increasingly overshadowed by computer-generated imagery (CGI) effects created in post-production."
Examples of special effects are explosions, car crashes and chases, gunshots, earthquake effects, special makeup, prosthetics, special set construction, snow and rain.
A special effects technician is a person working in the special effects department, under the special effects supervisor, who is responsible for creating and assisting special effects. Movies with many special effects may require many special effects technicians.
A special effects supervisor's primary responsibility ensuring the safety of their crew and everyone on set. Knowledge of laws and safety protocols are essential when using explosives, firearms, or any other potentially dangerous devices or materials on a production. Local safety officials may also visit the set and perform inspections before cameras are allowed to roll.
Specific health and safety education programs are recommended for special-effects workers, and specialized training is required for handling explosives, firearms, high voltage, and other hazardous equipment.
On set, the supervisor is in charge of setting up and operating physical effects. Being an effective special-effects supervisor requires creativity, imagination and experience, as they enable the supervisor to determine how effects can be implemented to convincingly render the events in the script. Strong communication, presentation and collaborative skills are also assets.
The head of the special effects team works closely with the production designer and art director. The supervisor plans an effects scene and presents it to the director, hoping it meets the director's vision. Photography experience is also an advantage in a supervisor's work, as it helps them plan such things as camera angles and special filming requirements. Although some courses in special effects are available, the fine points of the craft are often learned by directly assisting and apprenticing to experienced professionals in the course of productions. Many people interested in entering effects work begin learning about it at a young age, and seek whatever opportunities they can to observe and learn from professionals.
Entry into this career path is competitive. There are various paths that one can take in order to become a special effects supervisor. People with animation, computer science and industrial design backgrounds are often considered primary candidates for effects work. A formal education, particularly in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, is suggested. Some enter into this profession with degrees in film and television production. Students with fine art or sculpting experience may be well-equipped for special effects careers in modeling, illustration, animation, and other artistic aspects of effects. Experience with computer software and/or hardware (up to and including robotics and animatronics) can also be a particular asset.
Modern special effects tend to be computer generated nowadays, blending physical and digital techniques, so familiarity with computer graphics can also be advantageous for people who work primarily with physical effects. Special effects are a form of science, so courses in chemistry, physics and biology are recommended. Mathematics and finance skills are valuable for such things as effects department budgets, scheduling, and other administrative work. Several years of experience as an effects technician is necessary before one can be considered for senior-level effects roles, such as a supervisor.
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Definition of Today’s word:
special effects: illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual world.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Thursday, June 9, 2022
Welcome to the 1,467th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Ridley Scott
Director Ridley Scott participates in a question and answer session about NASA’s journey to Mars and the film ”The Martian,” Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, at the United Artist Theater in La Cañada Flintridge, California. NASA scientists and engineers served as technical consultants on the film. The movie portrays a realistic view of the climate and topography of Mars, based on NASA data, and some of the challenges NASA faces as we prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet in the 2030s.
NASA/Bill Ingalls - https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/20529773070/
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Commentary
I’m introducing low-end restaurants to my dinner rhythm. Mr. Bartley’s already tried and fits in very well indeed and Wednesday I’m going to Tatte. I’m going to try Clover next week.
These three restaurants are convenient: they are very close to where I want to be a couple of days a week: Harvard Square. What draws me to the square are the Art Museums and Peet’s coffee. I find Peet’s conducive to my writing, and this goes back 20 years. The cost of meals is very low when compared to the high-end options. Pls they don’t have liquor and it’s very easy to bring your own. Plus, their menus feature meals that are often unique to their establishments and provide a palatable variety to my eating habits. I note that the meals are shorter. For me, that’s not so good. They lack the elegance that I’ve come to enjoy with every meal I eat at home or in the finer restaurants. Oh well.
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Today’s Word: movie director
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Screen time
I am watching Mino’s recommended series, Midnight Diner, Tokyo Stories, and loving it. Only two seasons and not many episodes and they’re only 23 minutes. So I’m close to being done.
Some good news: My Brilliant Friend’s fourth and last season is possibly going to be with us in the winter of 2023.
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Wellness
My feet are an issue. Impeding my walking.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
Do I perform sometimes in a manic style?
Yes.
Am I manic all the time?
No.
Do I get sad?
Oh yeah.
Does it hit me hard?
Oh yeah.
~Robin Williams
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
Tucker and Scout continue to enthrall with their tour de force, The End of History. If you haven’t seen the episodes yet, do yourself a favor and get started. They run about 20 minutes.
Hi Dom,
Today we release episode 4 – What a Caesar You Would Have Made. In this segment we talk about the women at the heart of Ridley Scott’s films and how they are all fully realized as strong, intelligent people with real emotional depth.
The End of History - Chapter 4 on Vimeo
Thank you again for watching and sharing!
· Tucker
Blog meister responds: I’ve seen it. They get better and better. They have so much to teach us their work cannot be missed.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Tuesday I was back for another Burger from Bartley’s.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Reflections from RISD
The bright spere casts three reflections. Lovely. Impressive. Well-done.
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Short Essay*
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer. He has directed, among others, the science fiction films Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982) and The Martian (2015), the road crime film Thelma & Louise (1991), the historical drama film Gladiator (2000), and the war film Black Hawk Down (2001).
Scott began his career in television as a designer and director before moving into advertising, where he honed his filmmaking skills by making inventive mini-films for television commercials. He made his debut as a film director with The Duellists (1977) and gained wider recognition with his next film, Alien. His work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Though his films range widely in setting and period, they frequently showcase memorable imagery of urban environments, spanning 2nd-century Rome in Gladiator, 12th-century Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Medieval England in Robin Hood (2010), contemporary Mogadishu in Black Hawk Down, or the futuristic cityscapes of Blade Runner and distant planets in Alien, Prometheus (2012), Alien: Covenant (2017), and The Martian. Several of his films are also known for their strong female characters.
Scott has been nominated for three Academy Awards for Directing, which he received for Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and Black Hawk Down. Gladiator won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and he received a nomination in that category for the 2015 film The Martian. In 1995 both Scott and his brother Tony received a BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. In 2003 he was knighted for services to the British film industry. In a 2004 BBC poll, Scott was ranked 10 on the list of most influential people in British culture. He received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London in 2015 and the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement in 2018.
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Definition of Today’s word:
A film director makes their film's artistic and dramatic aspects with controlling the making and visualization of the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film's actors and filming crew in the fulfilment of that vision.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Welcome to the 1,466th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Ran
This is a poster for Ran. The poster art copyright is believed to belong to Herald Ace.
The poster art can or could be obtained from Herald Ace.
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Commentary
How about some splendid news for a change?
A tiny rectal cancer test, only 12 subjects, showed complete remission in every one of them. "I believe this is the first time this has happened in the history of cancer," paper co-author Luis A. Diaz Jr. of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center told The New York Times
The tests will expand.
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Reading, Writing, and Word of the Day
I’m not doing well in my editing of the sequel. Otherwise, my writing is on schedule.
Today’s Word: cancer
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Screen time
A shout out to my son Mino who suggested “Midnight diner, Tokyo Stories,” as a prep for my Japan trip. It’s great.
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Wellness
My feet have several pains at once. Waking is often not the enjoyment it’s been for my entire life.
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Understanding aging
I can’t believe that the fatigue I’ve been feeling these last several days is my fate going forward. Ever hope you are ill? And you’ll be your young self soon?
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Social Life
I had an impromptu meetup w old friend Cindy. We spoke for fifteen minutes. Lots of electronic contact.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
I only ever play Vegas one night at a time. It's a hideous, gaudy place; it may not be the end of the world per se, but you can certainly see it from there.
~Robin Williams
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
The emails were alive with comments on a dinner party happening at the end of the month. Like this one:
Dom,
Menu looks great to me - I'll make a HUGE charcuterie/cheeseboard appetizer to keep us all happy while cooking :)
Thank you Kim (cc:d) and Layne for hosting!
Can't wait to see everyone soon!
XOX
And this one,
Hi All!
It is going to be great having one of our dinners again!!!
We are going to be coming up from the Cape and there is a wonderful
fish store near by.
We love their shrimp and can bring some as am appetizer. Also happy to
bring wine (we will need help with which wine to bring). Also happy
to bring ingredients for dishes!
xoxo
And this one,
Dom,
Are you around later today to discuss menu/event plan?
I have a really good tiramisu recipe and we just made a batch of limoncello.
Maybe we can discuss this evening when you are free?
Blog meister responds: What fun!
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
I had a perfectly delicious dinner at Douzo.
The food was wonderful.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Prudential Tower
Still magnificent
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Short Essay*
Ran (乱, transl. "chaos" or "turmoil") is a 1985 epic action drama film directed, edited and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. The plot derives from William Shakespeare's King Lear and includes segments based on legends of the daimyō Mōri Motonari. The film stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-period warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons.
Like most of Kurosawa's work in the 1970s and 80s, Ran is an international production, in this case a Japanese-French venture produced by Herald Ace, Nippon Herald Films, and Greenwich Film Productions. Production planning went through a long period of preparation. Kurosawa conceived the idea of Ran in the mid-1970s, when he read about Motonari, who was famous for having three highly loyal sons. Kurosawa devised a plot in which the sons become antagonists of their father. Although the film became heavily inspired by Shakespeare's play King Lear, Kurosawa began using it only after he had started preparations for Ran. Following these preparations, Kurosawa filmed Dersu Uzala in 1975, followed by Kagemusha in the early 1980s, before securing financial backing to film Ran.
Ran was Kurosawa's third encounter with Shakespeare during his career. In 1957, Kurosawa directed Throne of Blood, based on Shakespeare's Macbeth. In 1960, he directed the film The Bad Sleep Well, based on Hamlet. Despite the changes in setting and language, all three films have received critical acclaim.
As Kurosawa's last epic, Ran has often been cited as among his finest achievements and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. With a budget of $11 million it was the most expensive Japanese film produced up to that time. Ran was previewed on May 31, 1985, at the Tokyo International Film Festival before its release on June 1, 1985, in Japan. The film was hailed for its powerful images and use of color; costume designer Emi Wada won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her work on Ran, and Kurosawa received his only career nomination for Best Director. The distinctive film score, inspired by Gustav Mahler, was composed by Toru Takemitsu.
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Definition of Today’s word:
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Welcome to the 1,465th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Kabuki
performance of Shibaraku
鹿島清兵衛 - http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp/17/012/17500.html
The November 1895 production of Shibaraku at Tokyo Kabukiza. Center on the state is Kamakura Gongorō Kagemasa, played by Danjūrō Ichikawa IX.
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Commentary
The pandemic is still with us. For myself, I don’t want a return to shut downs and mandatory masks.
But we must be on our guards. Wear masks. Wash hands. Avoid crowds.
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Reading, Writing, and Word of the Day
While my granddaughter’s class is on hold, my niece Lisa and I will continue to read “Killer Angels” in tandem and to discuss pieces that either of s finds interesting. A book club for two.
Today’s Word: sushi
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Screen time
I watched Kurosawa’s Yojimbo. Although not on the level of Seven Samurai, an excellent movie. ‘Ran’ is next.
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Wellness
It’s 7.00am on Sunday morning. The Celtics are playing. Am looking forward to it.
Am also looking forward to a visit to Douzo for lunch. I’ve got my order typed up.
But I’ve been working since 2.30am when I realized I awoke after three hours sleep and I wasn’t going to get back to sleep this morning.
I can tough it through.
I always have.
Please jump to next paragraph: Understanding aging
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Understanding aging
I always have but today is different. My legs are wobbly from lack of rest and the pain in my hips suggest that I am far from past strength. I’m feeling that I have to be more careful. That, going forward, I will be more susceptible to falling. And we don’t want that.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
Comedy is acting out optimism.
~Robin Williams
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
These notes from friend Jim as he thought of them:
1. To prepare for Japan you can also watch some of Kurosawa’s movies. The best in my view is Seven Samurai. Here is review of it: https://youtu.be/Y5CeDGV3wWA
His film Dreams is also on you tube for free: https://youtu.be/RcXk_PLrHp8
Look for Martin Scorsese making an appearance.
Jim
2. It is one of my top five!
Jim
3. I’m glad you liked it so much. I have said the same words – three and a half hours is not long enough.
Many of his others are not quite as good, but I think Ran is close. I recommend that one.
Jim
4. There is also Rashomon.
Jim
Blog meister responds: Am watching some of them. Kurosawa’s a master.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Lamb chops sear/broiled were delicious with broccoli rabe and spaghetti with a light tomato sauce.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Blooming on Newbury St
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Short Essay*
Kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate kumadori make-up worn by some of its performers.
Kabuki is thought to have originated in the very early Edo period, when founder Izumo no Okuni formed a female dance troupe who performed dances and light sketches in Kyoto. The art form later developed into its present all-male theatrical form after women were banned from performing in kabuki theatre in 1629. Kabuki developed throughout the late 17th century and reached its zenith in the mid-18th century.
In 2005, kabuki theatre was proclaimed by UNESCO as an intangible heritage possessing outstanding universal value. In 2008, it was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
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Definition of Today’s word:
Sushi is a Japanese dish of prepared vinegared rice usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of ingredients such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice", also referred to as vinegared rice.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Monday, June 6, 2022
Welcome to the 1,464th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Seven Samurai
1954 Japanese movie poster for 1954 Japanese film Seven Samurai.
Toho Company Ltd. (東宝株式会社, Tōhō Kabushiki-kaisha) - movie poster made by Toho Company Ltd. (東宝株式会社, Tōhō Kabushiki-kaisha)
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Commentary
I watched the Seven Samurai. One of the finest movies I’ve ever seen. My goodness! If you haven’t seen it, it is a work of art. Brilliant. Three and a half hours long, it is too short.
I am watching Yojimbo, another of Kurosawa’s movies. It’s not nearly as good.
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Word of the Day
Today’s Word: samurai
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Wellness
My good health continues. As does my aging. Except for my feet. My doggone feet. My doggone doggies.
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Understanding aging
It happens even if you’re not watching.
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Social Life
A quiet weekend socially. My social highlight: the Celtics on Sunday night and a call from fellow-Celtic fan, Dr. Mike A. But only if they are winning.
I enjoyed involving my niece and great-niece in the purchase and retrieval of a set of books hand-crafted by a RISD student. I should have them in hand by next Sunday.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
If it's the Psychic Network
why do they need a phone number?
~Robin Williams
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
At a recent art show at RISD, I was attracted to a set of books created by one of the students. I emailed her to effect a long distance purchase. Her response:
Hi Dom,
Thank you for being so interested in purchasing the books! One set of five books would be 45 dollars in total.
If that works for you, I only accept full payment by Zelle, Venmo, or cash in person!
I will be at the convention center on 6/5 in the morning, so I can deliver the books to you in person if you are available during that time. We can also meet up in person if you'd be in Providence after that. If you need me to mail the books to you, there will be an extra shipping fee.
Best regards,
Megan Chao
Blog meister responds: I will decide the method today and keep the ball rolling.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
On Saturday I cut up the remains of my roast chicken and braised it with sauteed shallots, fresh Roma tomatoes and leftover gravy. With a lot of salt and pepper, it was delicious. And lots of bones to pull and suck at. And no audience to annoy.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
RISD art show books
I think she’s got something going.
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Short Essay*
Seven Samurai, released in the United States initially as The Magnificent Seven, is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586[a] during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire seven rōnin (masterless samurai) to combat bandits who will return after the harvest to steal their crops.
At the time, the film was the most expensive film made in Japan. It took a year to shoot and faced many difficulties. It was the second-highest grossing domestic film in Japan in 1954. Many reviews compared the film to westerns.
Since its release, Seven Samurai has consistently ranked highly in critics' lists of the greatest films, such as the BFI's Sight & Sound and Rotten Tomatoes polls. It was also voted the greatest foreign-language film in BBC's 2018 international critics' poll. It has remained highly influential, often seen as one of the most "remade, reworked, referenced" films in cinema.
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Definition of word of the day
Samurai: the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Sunday, June 5, 2022
Welcome to the 1,463rd consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Memorial at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign
following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, which resulted in 60 people being killed and 411 non-fatal injuries.
Rmvisuals - Own work
The Las Vegas Sign on The Strip, as seen on October 9, 2017, covered in flowers in the wake of the 2017 Las Vegas Strip shooting.
CC BY-SA 4.0
File:Lasvegassignflowers.jpg
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Commentary
The Celtics played an inspiring first game against the Warriors on Thursday night. It’s been a very long time since a major league game has affected its fans so much. The comeback and finish were thrilling.
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Word of the Day
Today’s word: assault rifle
See definition below, just after the Short Essay.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
Sometimes over things that I did, movies that didn't turn out very well - you go,
'Why did you do that?'
But in the end, I can't regret them because I met amazing people.
There was always something that was worth it.
~Robin Williams
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Wellness
Feeling very well. except my feet. They hurt. It’s hard to walk. Am seeing podiatrist on 17th,
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Understanding Ageing
I met with my gastroenterologist and we decided that I would wait until 2023 to take a home test that might obviate the need for me to undergo another colonoscopy.
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Social Life
Feeling loved. Surrounded by so many people that I like and love. For example, on Thursday I had coffee with a gal I’ve known for over 70 years. We grew up in the same neighborhood. We had fun.
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
A coffee moment with my friend Patti to discuss going on tours (she has a lot of experience). And her takeaway advice: when you’re in the company of someone who is being rude, subdue your anger and play nice. Otherwise, the entire trip may fall apart for you.
Blog meister responds: I’ll work on it.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Thursday night I had a dry-aged steak. After the broil/sear of the steak I slathered on a gochujang sauce that I had thinned with a teaspoon of soy sauce and another teaspoon of Asian oil. It was delicious. I made a bunch of broccoli rabe with it.
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Community Photos**
Glass Sculpture by Kreg Kallenberger
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Community Photos**
Glass Sculpture details
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Short Essay*
Mass shootings are incidents involving multiple victims of firearm-related violence. The precise inclusion criteria are disputed, and there is no broadly accepted definition. One definition is an act of public firearm violence—excluding gang killings, domestic violence, or terrorist acts sponsored by an organization—in which a shooter kills at least four victims. Using this definition, one study found that nearly one-third of the world's public mass shootings between 1966 and 2012 (90 of 292 incidents) occurred in the United States. Using a similar definition, The Washington Post records 163 mass shootings in the United States between 1967 and June 2019.
Gun Violence Archive, frequently cited by the press, defines a mass shooting as firearm violence resulting in at least four people being shot at roughly the same time and location, excluding the perpetrator. Using this definition, there have been 2,128 mass shootings since 2013, roughly one per day.
The United States has had more mass shootings than any other country. Shooters generally either die by suicide afterward, or are restrained or killed by law enforcement officers. Mass shootings accounted for under 0.2% of homicides in the U.S. between 2000 and 2016.
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Definition of word of the day
An assault rifle is a weapon to be adjusted to fire in semi-automatic, fully automatic, and/or burst mode having a detachable magazine.
*The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Community Pictures with Captions are sent in by our followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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