Ramblings and observations, but in Japan.
Lately I've been experimenting with different approaches in an effort to create an environment where I am able to readily consume content related to music and music education. Thankfully, there has been no shortage of ideas floating around and occasionally colliding in the expanse that is my noggin. I can't think of exactly where to consolidate them, so why not here? Hopefully it gives you some…
I'm really tired of AI conversations, too. But hear me out. I'm having so much fun! Building all kinds of crap. Pushing my macbook air to the limit with 5 instances of agentic dorks at my disposal. This sucker needs to be anchored to an outlet. I built an iOS app to help read Japanese sites on the go. And a local web app to help me download and navigate hundreds of guitar lesson videos that were…
Thirty seconds staring at a spider suspended above the private onsen bath. It’s white and nearly imperceptible. I thought it was dirt caught in a cobweb. It didn’t descend, only drifted with the air current. Thirty seconds of the seven spouts dripping from the cement bath faucet. It’s discolored, corroded. I don’t want to touch it. The wooden panel housing it is discolored, too. But it’s prettier.…
It's been a while! I've been meaning to get back into writing given how much I enjoy it and because greatly helps clarify my thinking. I have a lot of ideas on what I'd like to write about but not so much time to crank out a lengthy draft for each. So... I'm going to be less precious about it and focus on dropping a few bite-sized blurbs at a more regular cadence. More soon.
I'm nicer when I speak Japanese. It hadn't crossed my mind until a bilingual acquaintance heard me speak in Japanese to another group for the first time. When I met this person earlier that day, I was my usual self: goofy, inquisitive, laid back, often cracking bad jokes. After they heard in nihongo mode, they reacted as though I changed my outfit to a completely different style, suddenly became…
back to tokyo, back to work The sabbatical is over! I'm back from train-hopping around Kyushu and Osaka as of April. Met terrific people in every town I passed through and have a few fun stories to share, but a small blurb on this page won't do them justice - I think I'll share them in a more detailed post later on. People have been asking a lot about what it's like to not work for an extended…
I get a nagging feeling when I try to solve my problems in a search bar rather than on paper. Depending on the situation, I find myself readily delegating my thinking to Google and the like. I'm saving time in the short-term, but in the long-term I'm opting out of critical thinking. I’m foregoing the hard-earned experience that comes with analyzing a problem, forming an opinion, testing…
A delightful combination of food poisoning followed by a minor cold have left me with ample time and just enough brain power to stare at my television for seven days. I’m nearing the end of Parks and Rec on my second watch after many years, thinking about how a particular episode felt deeply nostalgic. The episode details Leslie and Ron reconciling their nearly 10 year long relationship after 3…
I find myself perpetually sucked into the vortex of my phone. Even with notifications effectively off and the more “dangerous” apps behind screen time and other lines of defense, it is too easy to pick it up and find myself searching the web or scrolling around looking for things. Why am I doing this? Because I have a microscopic amount of wait time with whatever I’m doing (yes, maybe vibe coding)…
no one wants a hobby In the past, I’ve found myself directionless and bored. Unsure of how to spend my time, and so it passes by without my consent. It's upsetting. Didn't I have things I wanted to do? Of course, it's ok to do nothing. It's healthy to establish a rhythm by which you cycle between doing and being . But sometimes you'll find yourself stuck in the being state for longer than you care…
A running list of lessons learned over the years. Don't dwell on things. Have a conversation or make peace with the situation before the story becomes amplified in your head. Explore your fears, commit to doing them. When you're feeling scared, sit down with your fear, unpack it, understand it, and plan your next step on how you will face it this week. That last part is crucial. Itemize and seek…
This year was undoubtedly the most difficult and the most rewarding year of my life, and still I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Gratitude toward the people in my life who exude positivity and compassion and are unfailingly kind. To those who inspire me to be a bit more like them. Gratitude toward the various bloggers on the web for wielding their voice to impart…
on the web I'm setting up this blog, er, digital garden? I haven't had much presence on the internet in the last 3 or 4 years, and I have never had a public one. I'm interested in seeing what comes from publishing my thoughts online. To that end, I've created a bluesky account to pair with this personal site. I'm hoping to get some golden-era Twitter-level content, but so far it's been various…