Trip to east coast

Dear KosNet Friends

From June 22nd to July 6th, I visited east coast. I first visited my friend who is running Bed & Breakfast in New Hampshire with her family. Isn't this a beautiful home?

B&B in NH

 This is a newly restored Victorian mansion overlooking the lake built in the 1860s for Eben and Eliza Sutton, who were early pioneers. My friend Thais, current inn keeper, is my friend from University of Massachusetts Amherst days, that means 35 years ago!! She came to our wedding. Well, it was my first experience to help B&B operation. It starts early in the morning, and we serve full breakfast. Fruit smoothie, eggs benedict florentine, and freshly made blueberry scone (I made this for the first time!) was the breakfast menu. After breakfast, of course we are busy cleaning up the rooms. Good news is usually things are done by 11:00 am or so. So, I enjoyed kayak in the lake. This is a beautiful lake district, where the famous movie "golden pond" was filmed. After spending one week in NH,  I moved to Cape Cod, visiting Kos's first project sponsor at GE 25 years ago. He and his wife are now happily retired and spend half year in Florida and half year in Cape Cod. What a life!! This is the view from their cottage.

Cape Cod ocean is so beautiful, calm, peaceful and more than anything warm!! I enjoyed swimming every day!! Well, in addition, there are a lot of things to do in Cape Cod. I enjoyed visiting Provincetown to watch Portuguese festival, boating, kayaking, musical, parade, ice cream, lobster and clamming!!  We caught 30 Quahog clams (I caught 6 of them). They are so big (as you can see), and so delicious.  We enjoyed Clam Casino. 

Yey, we got clams

So now I am back in California from this "dream come true" vacation. Couple more quiet weeks and will start working again. Hope you are all having good summer. 

Naomi 

It's summer

Hi KosNet Friends

Wow, it is already mid June. May went so fast.  Attending ME317 classes, playing golf, enjoying hiking, visitors, etc. Sad news is that I could not make a cut to Handicap Tournament. I shot 44 for front 9 and deteriorated for back 9 to end up 102. So, I participated in first flight (not Championship flight) of the tournament. It was a great opportunity to learn about mental part of golf. ME317 final presentation was great!!  It is always wonderful to see students enthusiastically participate in project and come up with many creative ideas to apply design methods to tackle the problems. What I like about ME317 design methods is that it allows everyone to participate in constructive discussion. That's why I use to ME317 design methods to design my life, too.

California poppies

Right after ME317 ended, I went for my first long driving trip to south California. On the way going there, I had a perfect friend to drive with me, Jeannie!! We talked so much in the car (of course all about her receiving theory), so before we noticed, we were already in LA. We went to Universal Studio one day and did EVERYTHING!! I dropped her off at Seal Beach where she attended her relative's wedding, and I headed to my friend's place in Newport Beach. They are my Sophian friends, and I enjoyed participating in Southern California 23 Japanese universities golf tournament.  By pure luck, I got nearest to the pin award!!

Naomi in air

Then I went to La Jolla, beautiful coast resort near San Diego. Do you know what I did? Yes, I tried paragliding for the first time in my life. It was a bit scary first, but after the initial shock, it became the most wonderful and spectacular experience for me!! I also visited couple other friends. I enjoyed watching my friend's daughter's tennis match, my friend's son's baseball match and my friend's daughter's softball match. It is nice to be "aunt", since being parents is a lot of work!!  I respect all parents who are working hard (in many ways) and who are giving so much love to their children. Thank you for including me to be a part of your family life.

OK, enjoy your summer break, whatever you do.

Cherry Blossom

Dear KosNet Friends

Wow, it is already the last day of April. Before May hits, I would like to share the scent of spring with you. I went to Japan for two weeks at the end of March, and I was fortunate to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms for the first time after 29 years!! When I arrived Japan on March 21st, all cherry blossoms are still in tight buds and no sign of opening up. But in two weeks, it went full bloom. I totally forgot how beautiful cherry blossoms are in Japan. It happens all of a sudden as if spring fairy touched every tree!! Since it was a short trip, I did not have chance to see many friends, but enjoyed time with my family and Kos's family.

So, now back in California, and it was really cold for a while, and finally I feel spring is here. Now my golf season starts!! On April 15th, I had three birdies in one round!! In May, I will have big tournament coming up, so wish me good luck.

Naomi

5 years has passed

Dear KosNet Friends

Wow, time flies and now already March 3rd. Amazing!! January and February passed so fast. I was working full time, had many guests, attended many study groups, went to see ballet and theater play, so no wonder when I realized it was already March. Good news is that my project at Oracle ended, so I will have couple months break. On March 2nd, I went to see ballet with my widow friend. Programs were The Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadere, Ghosts and Firebird. All of them had deep spiritual meanings. Choreographer of Firebird, Yuri Possokhov, wrote "The Firebird appears in Russian folklore and fairy tales as different images with different motivations. However, one constant was that the Firebird was always a symbol of light and fire associated with natural power and would fight and defeat the demonic, dark side of life." Five years has passed since Kos passed away. And in many amazing way, he helped me like Firebird in every situation when I had difficulty. So, I am grateful that I was able to see this ballet on his memorial day. This Saturday, I will have MML reunion at my house. Looking forward to seeing some of KosNet friends!!

Naomi

A Happy New Year

Dear KosNet Friends

Can you see?

Hope you had a great new year's day. After spending wonderful new year's eve with my friend's family from OSU days, I enjoyed luncheon with my California parents (Dr. A who picked up Kos at SF airport at the very first time he came to US) and then I went to my KPMG friend's place to watch Rose Bowl. I was sad to see Stanford lost, but I know couple Michigan fun friends, so I am happy for them. On 2nd and 3rd, I went to Lodi California to watch Sandhill Crane with my friend. It was the very first time for me to go to that area of California and I was amazed with the completely different scenery, very flat,

With sunrise

some flooded area and many wineries. Cranes are active at sunset and sunrise, so we got up very early, dressed up warmly and waited. We saw thousands of birds, cranes, swans, geese, ducks.... It was amazing to see them flying out into the sky at sunrise. In Japan crane is a symbol of happiness, prosperity, and anything good, so this was a wonderful way to start 2014 and I am happy to share these pictures with you. I was able to see more clearly with binoculars, but this is the best I could do with my iPone.  OK, one more rest day and work starts from Monday.  

Naomi  

Happy Holidays

Dear KosNet Friends

Wow, I cannot believe that 2013 is about to end. This year has passed so quickly, started working hard and ended working hard at Oracle. In addition, I experienced many new things, made new friends, while keeping the wonderful relationship with my old friends. Let me first share my experience in September to date.

From the end of September, I spent a month in Japan. This trip was fruitful in many ways. It started with attending the final presentation of Design Project (formerly known as ALPS) at Keio University. It was so nice to see many familiar faces and new energetic faces who are working on to learn applying many design tools in innovative ways. I was grateful for being invited to this wonderful presentation. The trip continued with one day escape to Hakone with Kos's family, trip to Gifu with my friend to enjoy Ukai (sweetfish fishing), golf with my parents and many more fun meetings with my friends. Highlight in November was Halloween Party (that was on November 1st). I dressed up as a fairy, and because the party was so good, before I noticed, I welcomed my birthday (November 2nd) as a fairy!!   What a way to start new year!! Maybe a bit too much watching of "once upon a time". December, the most memorable party was emeritus party at Stanford. No, I am not an emeriti, but thanks to Kos, I get invited to the party as a widow. So, this is the fifth year I go to this party with my super extravert friend Jeannie. Yes, she is the one who taught me her receiving theory. Wonderful thing is that President Hennessy remembered my name!! I met some of my professors from MS days, too. Now, I am busy cooking "osechi ryori (traditional Japanese New Year's dishes)".

Hope 2013 has been a good year for you and hope 2014 will be another wonderful year for all of us. May peace be with us all.

Naomi
   

Work Hard Play Hard

Hi KosNet Friends

 Well August theme was "work hard play hard".  Yes, I restarted working at Oracle. It is wonderful that everyone welcomes me. I really enjoy working there as a contractor. What is wonderful is that my schedule is so flexible. So, I worked Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and quickly went to Yosemite to enjoy hiking with my widow friend, just before fire kicked us out.  OK, which picture do I enjoy more? Well, actually I enjoy both. ....well, maybe more of Yosemite at 10,000 feet.