Derek Wessman Blog

Land

The land, looking out my (office) back door

Authenticism

The day I learned of my naturalization was four days after it had actually happened. (I suspect sloth on the part of the Bureau of Legal Affairs guy in charge of my case. I could be wrong.) It was also two days before I was scheduled to leave on a trip to Indonesia to perform a mock FDA inspection of a medical device factory. Becoming a citizen was very good news. It also meant that I was a…

Natural

I became a citizen of Japan. Let me share about it. Some is my anecdotal experience, some my opinion, and some facts. Parsing which of these is what in each sentence is not going to happen. EDIT: I have seen some online reaction to this, and appreciate your kind comments. If you are thinking about applying to naturalize, I encourage you to go ahead and consult at your local Legal Affairs Bureau.…

Free Will

Much of the Internet has descended into crapulence, but honestly I enjoy the stimuli I receive from Instagram. It is an outlet where some friends are and where I can share photos (98% mundane, 87% from running). It is an easy place to not say things. Or to have things said at one. I am exposed through Reels to the kaleidoscope of sentiments and phenomena and funny of civilization. I would not…

Plain Sight

I am fond of this time of year in Japan. Everyone loves the blooming sakura. An aspect that pleases me greatly is the lone sakura or group of several up on a mountainside. All year I view the green on the mountains as a homogenous sea. This time of year, certain trees reveal their true identity for a week or two to dispel that impression.

Building

Fujiya

“The Main,” building in which we stayed. Our room was the one with the window to the left of the shorter pine tree at center. Clearly designed for 1800s aristocratic lounging and gazing down the valley toward Odawara. Bring back sitting in the sun in a room quietly. Our night view of the “Flower Palace,” where John Lennon and Emperor Showa and others stayed.

Chocolate

Din

2026

Yuzu

Daikichi

Country

(I could go on and on about this summer trip, but writer’s block had me overthinking so it was time to just type out a short account)

Tiny God

I’ve been reading Things Become Other Things , a book by friend-of-the-blog Craig Mod . As I expected, it is a great read. To be savored . If you are like me, it will put you in a pleasant state and inspire you at the very least to go for a walk. Here is one passage that resonated with me. It was a reminder of the kind of person I would like to be when interacting with humans, and offered a…

Moments

lol, I meant fire hoses .

Stay

Detritus

Area Man

(Sometimes in life one forgets to fill in letters that didn’t make it onto a typed line.)

Spare Me The Introduction

Reading is good. That’s my review of reading . Doing a lot more of it lately has done me good. I am making up for lost time by trying to read the books a person is supposed to read. By that I mean there is a feeling of inferiority inside of me resulting from not being as well read as I feel I should be. All standards implied herein are arbitrary and capricious. I should have read all the great…

Wiper

Inasmuch as you want to know where the windshield wiper fluid goes in the keitora *: Open the passenger door. That’s right, I’m showing you from the wrong side. In front of both the driver’s seat (shown) and the passenger seat is a fabric cover. Lift it up. Lift and disengage each latch. Now you can pull the horizontal cushion out to reveal the engine atop which you are sitting while driving /…