Visit to Japan

Dear KosNet Friends

OK, it is already December. Before I give you year end update, let me inform you what happened in October and November. I spent October in Japan. On November 1st, I gave Kos's 6th year memorial (nanakaiki) in Japan. It is a big Buddhist commemoration and I am happy to inform you that about 20 of family members got together including Kos's parents. I arrived in Japan early October, and my visit went very quickly including preparation for the memorial. Fortunately, I was able to put some fun events, too. Attending Prof. Maeno's workshop was one of them. The title of the workshop is "cultivate happiness through positive thinking".  Prof. Maeno is now teaching "how to become happy using systems thinking". I totally agree with him. There is a systematic way to become happy and create win win scenario no matter what the situation is. I attached Prof. Maeno's blog. Sorry, it is in Japanese. It was wonderful to see more than hundred very enthusiastic people (some young some old, male and female) who are seeking to build "truly happy society".

Needless to say November went so quickly catching up with work!! So, now coming into December, it is time to write holiday notes!!  Well, I am working on, so please give me couple days. This is the busy time of the year. Hope everyone is having good holiday season. Take care.

Naomi

http://takashimaeno.blog.fc2.com/

September update

Hi KosNet Friends

Wow, it is already October, but let me do September update. September was busy month with various house projects and guests and work. I got new insulation to attic. I went up to attic and walked on the beam for the first time!! OK, good news is no mice and no bats. Just a lot of debris. Now, I got "pink" insulation and I am ready for winter. Another big project is replacing the fence. This is really a good project to use ME317 tools. Well, first we got to have some process map. There are a lot of steps to be done. Talk to neighbors, clean up fence areas, cut down trees, getting estimates, compare estimates, talk with neighbors again.... I am fortunate to have such a wonderful backdoor neighbor. She is also a widow (a year after me), and we tackled this project together and we did it!! We learned a lot about fence and I think we chose the right company to do the work. We are both very happy so far. Look at our new fence!!

So, now I am into landscaping. It will be a long process and I intend to enjoy it!! One ambition I have is to make front yard to be a putting green with artificial lawn. Well, I think I have to do the cost worth analysis, since it is quite expensive. We'll see.

So from tomorrow, I will visit Japan. I am so looking forward to MML reunion. If you are MMLer and somehow you did not receive about reunion information in Japan, please e-mail me.

OK. I think I need to start packing.

Naomi

August update

Dear KosNet Friends

My ukulele

Wow, it is already the last day of August. August has been very busy with work starting (yes, I am back at Oracle), trip to Yosemite (it is always so beautiful there!!), various visitors, house projects and my new hobby Ukulele!! Yes, I started learning Ukulele and I love this instrument!! It is so cute and the sound is so lovely, though I am struggling to learn codes. So why did I pick up Ukulele? Because I love Jake Shimabukuro!!   I cannot remember how many years ago, but I saw Jake on TV and that left me strong inspiration in my mind, yet I forgot about him and Ukulele for a long time. It somehow just came back again to me this year. So, here I am, now fell in love learning Ukulele. I brought my Ukulele to Yosemite and practiced every day. Not that I got any better, but I enjoyed sound in beautiful nature. 

This time in Yosemite,I went to Saddlebag Lake area with my widow friend. This place is just outside of Yosemite park towards Mono Lake.

 You will get there by boat and can hike above 10,000 feet (above tree zone) visiting many beautiful lakes, looking at Glacier. Yes, we had to be careful with high altitude sickness. As soon as I landed, I felt like stepping into the different world, spiritual world. It was sublime beauty. It was really the world as it was made. I felt the cycle of birth and death. If I look at each item, it is not necessarily beautiful: rubbles, dead tree, yet I found tiny wild flower, gushing water from glacier running into lake... I realized that we need all to make this world.... 

So, I am now back work at Oracle. It is really rewarding to hear "welcome back".  Couple new things. Now, I have a roommate. She is my friend's friend and I am really enjoying her as my younger sister. I also finally started working on the "beautification project" of my yard. Many people are providing me great ideas and I am using ME317 Design Methods to put priorities to the projects. My first project will be replacing backyard fence. Hope in September, I can show the picture of my new fence. 

Naomi 

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