2023 in review Part 2

Summer still rocks. Maybe I am one of the few souls on this earth not too bothered personally by the warmer temperatures--yet. That said, it was a long, hot summer and the heat lingered through almost to the end of the year…

July

There is a park near our house where all the neighborhood festivals and gatherings happen. For the first time since the COVID pandemic social restrictions ended the community held its summer Obon dance festival. Marina was very excited and dressed up in cute summer yukata, which is a less ornate kimono-like garment that’s made of cotton or linen rather than silk. It’s much cooler for the wearer especially in the summer humidity.

I also went to a Seibu Lions game with Jun Kolanowski. Simple pleasures like watching the ballgame, drinking a few cold ones, and catching up.

August

We traveled to Naomi’s parents place in Hiroshima Prefecture for a visit over the Obon holidays. Our time there was filled with eating, catching up with them, more eating, drinking copious amounts of beer, and avoiding the heat. We went to the Japan seaside for an ocean swim and enjoyed the lack of traffic jams. I visited some friends and went to see two Hiroshima Carp games: one with my bud Scott Mackulski and the other with Lady E., which was a nice surprise.

This photo is Naomi and Marina paddling around a small pond with a fishing hole not far from where her parents live. Very relaxing, very pastoral.

September

Naomi and I celebrated our 20th anniversary this year. We found a new favorite seaside restaurant to have a nice dinner, mark the anniversary with away-from-kids time, and listen to nice jazz mixed with the sound of ocean waves. This photo is from our first anniversary.

October

Who is this? Meet Dick Desperado, famed Ontario outlaw. Or maybe a guy in a Hallowe’en costume. You decide.

November

I greatly enjoy the chance to go out hiking with the boys. November’s spelunking was another opportunity to have some quality time ragging on each other, get some exercise, and drink a frothy cold one at the end of the day. It was near Hanno in Saitama Prefecture, and I really liked the temple we visited up on the mountain that was dedicated to “zori”—Japanese thong sandals. Only in Japan, man.

December

My brother Steve-O and I have been trying to talk more online since our last trip home to Canada. It’s his birthday this month. So why not celebrate that? He’s a good person, a great sibling and he’s found a lovely, smart wife to round out his rough edges. Happy b-day, bro.

Oh yeah…in December the Rising Family™ took a trip to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. But I’ll cover that in a separate post, coming soon!

Photo credit: Alamy in Leeds

Let me conclude this review by expressing my gratitude to our metaphysical sponsor, Mr. Henry Rollins, for his ongoing support for the past three years. Interestingly, a recent photo of Hank unintentionally captured a pose that seems to embody the state of the world at the end of 2023.

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2023 in review Part 1

Here we are in late February, and I have yet to complete my reflections on the Rising Family’s™ past year with my traditional roundup of representative photos. No excuses, dear readers.

For me, 2023’s theme was war and place (no typo, bear with me).

First, we have the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza that provide more horrific images of human suffering and death almost every day. As these major wars persist and people become numb to the violence, it seems as though there are more active armed conflicts involving sovereign states than at any time since World War II. Depressing, right?

Adding to that sobering tapestry is the state of our planet’s living space. The omnipresent narrative of rising temperatures and the disheartening signs that efforts to curb global warming aren’t improving things has been presented with a monotonous, predictable sense of fear. This situation is unprecedented, and our collective efforts and words seem powerless to prevent the relentless progression of this catastrophic trend.

Personally, I believe there are still reasons to be hopeful. My Rising Daughters™ are still forming their worldviews and careening toward their futures. My optimism remains unwavering. Our everyday life experiences showcase encouraging developments that counterbalance the grim headlines of 2023. The promise of artificial intelligence, the growing prevalence of eco-conscious initiatives (and concrete grassroots action), and the intrinsic desire for peace among ordinary people all contribute to my sense of hope. Thus, I’ve boxed up all the shit news from 2023 and put it in my mental attic, and gaze toward to a better 2024.

January

It was a happy day because it was my firstborn daughter's birthday. 16 years: so far, so good, and “I am thankful” is an understatement. Lady E. is on a good trajectory and we celebrated that. As a “dad-ism” I told her: Never let anyone say you can’t do something, especially if it’s your own voice. Also, learn and have fun and enjoy the moment. But I don’t think she’ll remember any of that--ha ha.

February

I love Enoshima. It’s a small island south of Yokohama that is a popular tourist destination and a getaway for locals seeking some respite from the city. Every year the island hosts an illumination event with a bajillion festive colored bulbs lighting up the night sky, and with towering Christmas trees and freaky light shows. This year, Naomi and Marina joined in the gawking at the beauty assaulting our eyes.

March

My wife and I occasionally like to have some time away from our daughters. As the weather warmed up in March, we decided to go see some of the lakes surrounding Mt. Fuji. All of the “Fuji-go-ko” (Fuji five lakes area) are an easy day drive for us, and Lake Kawaguchi offered beautiful weather and lovely views of Fuji-san still ringed with snow on the day we visited.

April

Marina, a.k.a. “The M.”, entered her middle school phase in April AND celebrated her birthday, too.

May

Naomi and I took another mental health scooter jaunt southward to the coast. In this case it was to Jogashima Park just as the spring flowers were blooming. The flora were as beautiful as she was in this photo.

June

Not much happened in June. I did take a business trip to Bangkok. One of the perks after all the meetings is to hail a tuk-tuk and take in the buzzing vitality of that amazing city from the backseat. Who needs air conditioning?

To be continued...