Another BLOG?!

That's right fans! I've just launched a new blog, and this one is all ceramics all the time. This interweb sight is simply named A. Sartorius Ceramics , and you should go check it out! I have been hiding most of my photographed work since i came to Japan but no more.

In other, non-self promotive, news - it was COLD, COLD, FEAK'n COLD today. Susaki even got a a constant flurry of tiny flakes. The combination of cold and strong winds really makes bike rides substantially less than pleasant.

 I came home today and baked. I baked lemon short cakes for a friends birthday party tomorrow (to be topped with whipped cream and strawberries, transforming them into strawberry short cakes), but even more scrumptious is the make shift lox I concocted tonight. Make a quick and simple rye bread dough, top it with cracked black pepper, and bake it at 180C for about 20 min. Then spread black pepper cream cheese, layer on some sushi grade salmon, and top with tomatoes, red onion, and parsley in a lemon pepper dressing. DEVOUR in bliss. It has been a long time since I was so satisfied by my own cooking (not to toot my own horn or anything). In fact it has been a bit of a culinary dry spell. Guess I have been feeling a bit uninspired. NO more! God that was such a surprise good thing. GO MAKE TASTY THINGS!

More to come. 

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Quiet times

Susaki Wednesday, and the sun took her sweet time peeking out from behind the greying cloud cover. I had little to do today at work. The third year students are all finished for the year (4 of my ussual classes gone until April), and the second years are off on their school trip to Korea or Nagoya (another 3 of my weekly classes). This leaves me with 4 classes in 5 days, and a month and a half of less than busy teaching. Ceramics anyone? Despite the pain of cold hands and unheated studios I think it is well past time that I attempt to get my artist side back in action. I have been invited to two open air two day craft markets by a friend who frequently sets up a booth at them. One is in the beginning of March and one the beginning of May. I had orriginaly intended on not selling any of my work until I had some type of show or exhibition with it, but I am finding it more than a little difficult to get Japanese galleries on my side of the "Hey! let's help the new artist attempt to break into the feild, " equasion.   I am in the process of making a blog esspeicially for my ceramics. Just a space where I can post photos of my work, get feedback, and do a little shameless self promotion.

Two weekends ago I went to Osaka with 5 of the most wonderful folks to see my favorite band, Beirut. The show bordered on religious experience. I would see them again, again, and again x 1000! The openning act was a fantastic Japanese band called Shogu Tokamaru, and then Beirut blew the roof off. Two, four song encores, every song I was hoping they would play, and really close to the stage made it the best concert I've ever been to.

On the day to day front, I am REALLY enjoying practicing my banjo. I try to play about an hour a day if I can. That hour goes by very quickly. I made a modified version (have yet to find dill seeds in my super markets) of these pickled carrot sticks last night, and just finished scarfing down a delicious home grown kale, mushroom, and onion pizza (on rye crust!). Also (speaking of kale), check out my winter greens!

It's growning like a champ in my tiny green house. I am considdering buying another one in the hopes of starting more seeds this winter, but the reality of that has yet to be seen. I am not even 100% sure I need to keep the kale in that green house. I really miss having a garden. . . like you know, one you can stand in and don't have to buy the earth in plastic bags from the home and gardening store and carry it up like 8 flights of steps. Some day Andrew, some day.

Well, I would say this post has gone about as far as it will go for a time filler on my snailish day. Be happy, be well, and stay warm. More to come. . .

ALICEEEEEEE

Sorry for the several weeks of silence. I've been busy showing my sister all the reasons I love Japan. For those who many not know - I have a sister (from other parents), her name is Alice. Our paths crossed in college, we worked together at Kingsley Pines (the happiest place on Earth), and have kept in touch speaking at least once a week for two years of mutual international work experience (me in Japan and her in Zambia for a year and now in South Africa). Sometimes she writes about her adventures and work at this blog.

At any rate she came to Japan on Dec. 22 after something like 38 hours of traveling. I kept a bare bones diary of what we did day to day because for 12 days we were running full throttle to make the most of our time together. So much happened while Alice was here I am actually unsure what the best way to approach writing about and sharing it all. I think I will start with just the bare bones of the trip for today and follow that up with a more reflective post after I have some time to really workout everything that was taken in. So without further hesitation here's the nuts and bolts of what happened: 

Dec 22: Alice arrived in Susaki on a bus at 7:08 in the morning after a ten hour bus ride, two 8 or 9 hour flights, and an 18 hour layover in Doha, Qatar. She championed through a little drowsiness and spent the day meeting my students and coworkers. That night was also the bon enkai for my school so she cleaned all up and came out for the big end of the year party. 

Dec 23: Alice slept till 1:30 (just over 13 hours). We cooked together, and adventured down to the large local market to look for what we wanted to eat later in the week. We ate at one of my favorite noodle shops, and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and remembering those we both miss from Wooster. 

Dec 24: Went to Aki city to meet up with the usual crowd of Kochi's best and brightest for a huge Christmas party. There was feasting, drinking, festivities, a gift exchange, and even a bicycling santa appeared. 

Dec 25: Aki is right on a stunning stone beach. Christmas morning was spent throwing stones into the ocean, sun bathing, and cooking yet again. Came home to Susaki to make eggnog, skype with family and friends, and watch It's a Wonderful Life (it just isn't Christmas without George Bailey). 

Dec 26: Alice and another friend of mine went for a day hike along a beautiful mountainous stretch of the 88 temple trek that runs near Susaki, and returned to Susaki for another bon enkai (this time with the Susaki Broken English Club). Way too much good food, they dressed Alice up in kimono, and took us to karaoke after. 

Dec 27: Spent the day in Kochi City. Took Alice to Kochi castle, and then met up with the lovely Mia who helped us adventure around for the rest of the day. She spirited us up to Godaisan (a mountain overlook of the city that has a beautiful example of what the 88 temple temples typically look like). The three of us then went to Hirome for beers, more great food, and even better conversations. 

Dec 28th: This was a long day of travel. Susaki to Osaka and Osaka to Koyasan. Took all day, but Koyasan, even in the dark, was beautiful. We checked into our temple (yep we stayed in a temple), and prepared to wake up the next day super early for morning prayers with the monks. 

Dec 29th: Up at 5:45 for morning ceremonies and meditation. Delicious vegan (monk's standard diet) breakfast, and out early into the snow and cold. Walked through the huge and beautiful Buddhist graveyard. Spent most of the day going from temple to temple and reading about why Koyasan is so important to Buddhism and the 88 temple trek I am doing. In mid afternoon we returned to Osaka where we spent the rest of the day vigorously hopping from bar to bar sampling the many different classic snacks and treats the Japanese frequently dine on while enjoying a beer or three. Temples one night to neon uber city the next. 

Dec 30th: Spent the night in a capsule hotel and woke up to find out most of the museums we had planned on going to were closed for the new year. Spent the day in an Onsen (Japanese hot springs spa) instead, and worked our way to Nara (Japan's first capital). 

Dec 31st: Nara is infested with tiny deer! They are thought to be the messengers of the gods . . . spent the day going to temples and museums. Saw the largest wooden structure in the world, and one of the biggest Buddha statues I have ever seen. Issued in the new year in a huge crowd of people waiting to pray at the temple of this huge Buddha, and sipped on a bottle of bubbly while walking through the street fair that mysteriously popped up all over the temple grounds. 

Jan 1st: Coffee and doughnuts to start the new year, and a day spent hitting  the last few temples we missed in Nara. Enjoying a big final feast together and reflecting on the trip we had. 

Jan 2nd: Alice leaves Japan. . . . 

WELLLL there you have it. After Alice left I spent a few days in Osaka with some Japanese friends of mine. You can see all the photos of Alice's grand adventure on my lovely Flickr page, but for now I think this post has gone on long enough. It is safe to say I have had an incredible past few weeks, and I can't thank Alice enough for coming all the way here to spend sometime with her Brother Bear. I hope all my family and friends back home had equally wonderful holidays, and may your Year of the Dragon (yep that's right) be everything you want it to be! 

More to come. 

Mondays

Most people complain about Monday. It is the devious kick start to the week, and the death of all fun that was had on weekends. Monday doesn't care if you got home late from all your wild hullabaloo adventures. It just cares that you be ready for the hurt it plans to bring down on you before Tuesday and the settling routine come in to ease your weekly pattern. I, however, rather enjoy my Mondays. You see, we have an agreement, Monday and I. I agree to be very productive in the morning: teach my one class, plan my other lessons, organize my week, and be generally (though not indefinately) productive, and Monday agrees to let me relax for the bulk of the afternoon and not step all over my lingering endorphine rush from a weekend of fun.

"So what do you do while relaxing at work Andrew?"

Well dear reader, due to over active self motivation I rarely have quiet moments at school, but Monday is almost always a guarantee, and on that promised quiet day I typically catch up on my internet readings. So, in the interest of trying something new, here are three of my very favorite blogs. I check them almost daily for up dates, and enjoy the heck out of them.

1. The Field Lab is the ever evolving story of the Chicago born former New York City fasion photographer, John Wells. In December 2007 Wells took a complete life shift and went from big city to middle of the desert. On his home page he stays:

Rather than spend the rest of my life busting my ass so I can afford all the modern, pre-packaged conveniences that our "advanced" society provides - I am putting that energy into providing for all my own needs. To quote some new friends of mine who have also chosen this lifestyle,

" Every day, we get up, have coffee with the early morning, do chores, then get on with whatever project we have going… there’s often a choice. We go to bed tired, but very happy and peaceful."

Sparcely worded and beuatifuly photographed, I found this blog in a magazine sent to me by the parents, and was hooked after I went back and read the first few posts from oh so long ago. Despite my dislike of deserts and hot climates this blog has all the right elements of the back to the land/ sustainable living/ counter culture dream without the summer of love tinted glasses. I find it really impressive.


2. The Tiny House Blog is a jem I stumbled upon after watching a youtube tour of one of Jay Shaffer's Tumbweed Tiny homes.  The tiny house movement (if you choose to call it that) is all about cutting down on materialism. Many of the stories that come with the various tiny houses out there are linked to sustainability, the desire to pay less but still own a hom, being more active, and also there is a fairly consistant (though by no means required) do it your self train of thought going. This blog offers stories, pictures, resources, and listings for small dwellings all over the world. It is a facinating culture, and I find the designs and interiors of many of these homes to be absolutely beautiful.

One of the first interiors of a tiny home I ever saw from the fantastic book Rolling Homes

3. Lastly there is my go to cooking blog, Smitten Kitchen. If you know me at all you know I love cooking. It's how I destress, and is a skill I think everyone should know, preferably well. I found this lovely resourse through another blog written by my former baby sitter. At Smitten Kitchen you get consistently delicious recipies, cleanly and easily presented, and really, I MEAN REALLY, mouth watering photos (a.k.a. food porn). It's well writen creative food talk without pretension.


And that is all there is time for. Check them out! Read! Enjoy.

The wedding post follows suit shortly.

Total RECALL

25 Person Potluck Party in the Bear Den (two months ago)

The lingering gray of the summer's typhoon season decided to work its way out of mother nature's system on Friday. The morning started with that kind of mist that wasn't quite enough to make you put up your umbrella, but would undoubtedly swell as the day wore on into a constant and dreary drip. It's been a busier than busy, but I have reached a little lull allowing me to reflect on all the stories that I have accumulated and their relative importance.

What truly makes the cut for being worth reporting?

The truth is that much of my life isn't so different than any one else's life. Many, many weekends are spent having meals, drinks, or coffees with friends. Sharing on this blog has become a bit of a strange thing for me. I think I fell behind on posting partially because I was really busy, but more so because I have truly settled in after well over a year of being in Susaki. I think when I returned from home, after noticing so many differences and feeling really quite alien in my own country, I wanted to bask in the amazing familiarity of Japan. I take such comfort in the fact that I can contact friends to either side of my town and within an hour I can be certain I will be having a fantastic conversation that could (and always does) evolve into a grand night of fun. It is really easy to become so immersed in that immediate gratification that I tend to forget that I have ties just as strong (all be they flung far and wide) all over America.

Best beach find of my life. 

It's a bit like juggling two lives, but for some (those back in America) our life together is in a kind of suspended animation. We maintain all the vital signs and begin the auto defrost cycles on our cryogenic stasis pods to keep from developing freezer burn, but everything is slowed due to distance and the lack of shared experience. So, I guess it's my job to share more vigorously to prevent stasis lock.





In my past months I have:

• Oriented a group of 36 new JETs from all over the world to life in Kochi. That was a huge production and took a lot of planning with my fellow PA's. It went better than I could have hoped. 
• I floated down the Shimanto River numerous times with those friends I hold most dear whilst sipping on beers. 
• I hiked about 20 miles in seven hours for my first solo Henro excursion, which was beautiful, peaceful, and so dramatically different and vastly more gratifying than I expected solo hiking to be. 
• I sustained my first sorts related injury, due to the above mentioned solo hike, in the form of horribly shin splints on my right leg. (I am better now.)
• I returned to Tokyo, just two weeks ago on Wednesday, for another PA training session. 

Mike's surprise, Italian Mafia themed, dinner party. 

Amid all of this there were many dinner parties, cooking adventures (if you have never gone to this inter-web interest YOU MUST! She never leads me wrong in the recipe department), and other new and fantastic times with Colin, Marie, Mia, Jamie H, Jamie E, and the whole cast of favorite characters you may or may not know by name from the past year of posts.

Granted this isn't much, but it should at least paint a blurry picture of the past months for me. I will be making a bigger and better effort at keeping up with this whole writing thing. I like the idea of having a blog to look back on whenever I decided to return States side, and, after all, you've gotta keep those stasis pods at the right levels . . .


otherwise your friendships might go cold.
(too cheesy? That joke was made with my father in mind.)



As always
MORE TO COME.

Colin and Miss Mia (two of my very favorite people). 

Life!

Right folks! So, all of the new year`s adventuring photos are up, and to some degree described on my flickr page. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bearsartorius/sets/ ) Do it, go check them out.

Just a little sample of what awaits at Flickr.

It`s another frosty sunny day in Susaki. I think cold is colder in Japan than I remember cold being in the States. My fingers are quicker to turn that burning redish pink and for the life of me, the tip of my nose is numb most of the day.

I`ve been getting in touch with my inner wanna-be chef (You know? the career goal from way back in the high school dream days.) My mom forwarded me the blog of an ex baby sitter from my childhood, and I must say that Mrs. Heather`s writing, talk of gardening, and push for more more more homemade food has me all sparked up. (check out her page, seriously it`s a great read, http://heatergirlie.blogspot.com/ ). I have been plundering great recipes from her page for many days now. The pickled onions she recommends are fantastic (the recipe calls for red onions, but they are crazy more expensive for some unknown reason in my supermarket so instead golden onions were used) and then there were the Green Potatoes from Laurel's Kitchen.

Green potatoes and pickled onions

Lastly there was home made tortilla's and persimmon salsa with chicken and peppers! For all you devout followers out there, mexican food is near impossible to find in any form here in Kochi (hell I'm fairly safe saying in Japan). So, discovering a method of making tortillas from scratch was one of the most satisfying achievements imaginable.

Ultimate craving destructor.

Lastly, it's a grand hour and thirteen minutes until I turn 24. One might think that next to Christmas your birthday would be the time when someone working and living abroad would most miss their family and friends. However! I have already been sent this!

And tomorrow I'm off right after work to spend another weekend with the Benson. Promises of post birthday baking (Heather I may have borrowed your chocolate chip whiskey bunt cake recipe), and a gathering of the Kochi Christmas crowd plus frisbee team friends means I've got high hopes for a birthday filled with bliss.

As always more to come!