Creepy Sleepy Peepy

Let’s just pretend you’re a student at Wellesley College, a 233-year-old institution of higher learning, exclusively for women, located 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts. It boasts nearly 37,000 alumnae and a current enrollment of 2,300 students.

(Guys reading this will have to change their point of view.)

Okay, now just imagine it’s after sundown and you’re walking by yourself, and you see this ---->

It’s an almost-naked guy, wearing nothing but briefs (Hanes? Jockey? BVD?), arms extended and most assuredly freezing his acorns off,. Would you creep out? Would you think it’s a zombie? Or a guy walking in his sleep? Again, would you be creeped out?

Quite a few Wellesley students were/are. In fact, there’s a petition asking admins to get rid of the damned thing, and if not, then at least put it inside somewhere. “Sleepwalker” is a painted bronze sculpture by Tony Matelli, as part of his solo show at the Wellesley’s Davis Museum called “New Gravity.”

The sculpture and its placement are supported by museum director Lisa Fischman, so the chances of it being moved are quite nil.

Personally, I think it’s incredibly life-like and amazing work.

Appropriate Casting

Not to be missed – Imogen Poots in That Awkward Moment, now playing at your friendly neighborhood movie theater.

Leave the kids at home, it’s rated “R.” For good reason, I suppose. The sound effects are probably nauseating. Funny, maybe. Maybe even too funny for words. But I have a feeling it may be a stinker.

Imogen Poots in That Awkward Moment. Think about that for a second. An awkward moment, indeed. Maybe it's a good thing they haven't invented "Smell-O-Vision" yet.

I kid you not. And no, I am NOT fart-obsessed.

It's Setsubun

Today is Setsubun (SET-sue-boon), the division of the season, the day before the beginning of Spring in Japanese culture.

The Japanese believe it's the start of the Lunar New Year and the perfect time to rid the house of evil vibes that have accumulated over the past year.

No, they don't clean house. They throw beans around. Roasted beans known as mamemaki (MAH-may-MAH-key) are tossed into all of the rooms.

Mame, the Japanese word for "bean," is a homophone for the characters that also mean "ogre's eye." Consequently, when you roast them, you exterminate the ogres.

But you don't just throw beans around. You have to give the ogres a way to escape, and the good spirits a way to enter the house. So you have to open all the doors and windows before "beaning" the rooms.

And, you have to shout, "Oni WA soto!" (OH-knee WAH soh-toh, meaning "Out with the ogres!") and "Fuku WA uchi!" (FOO-koo WA oo-chi, meaning "In with good fortune!").

Finally, for added good luck measure, you have to eat a whole unsliced roll of maki-sushi (MAH-kee ZOO-shee). Make a wish as you eat, facing this year's lucky direction, east by northeast.

Akemashite omedetōgozaimasu!

Phone Pix 17: Flowers

Whenever I'm out and about, one eye is always kept open, scanning around to see if there are any flowers present. Most of time, I find them at home, gardening centers of big box stores, and grocery stores, but sometimes they're right there in front of me when I visit a tourist attraction.

So ... enjoy, because I already did.

Orchids, Costco, Aug. 20, 2013

Floral Bouquet, Beretania Safeway, Aug. 30, 2013

Purple Cattleyas, Driveway, Sept. 13, 2013

B.R. Cohn Winery, Sonoma, CA, Sept. 24, 2013

Home Depot, Fremont, CA, Sept. 26, 2013

Home Depot, Fremont, CA, Sept. 26, 2013

Home Depot, Fremont, CA, Sept. 26, 2013

Home Depot, Fremont, CA, Sept. 26, 2013

Chinese New Year: Superstition Explanations

Here are the promised explanations, re, the Chinese New Year (Friday, Jan. 31) advice I ran two days ago, based on ancient superstitions, per the International Business Times:

1. House Cleaning before New Year: Sweeping and cleaning should be done before New Year's Day, to remove bad luck from the house. It is also believed that before New Year's Eve, cleaning equipment like brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and others should be put away.
2. No Cutting: Chinese believe that nothing should be cut on the New Year as it will reflect on one's life and fortune.
3. Use of Firecrackers: Bursting firecrackers on New Year's Eve is one way the Chinese send out the old year and welcome the new one. Also, it is believed that there was a half-dragon, half-lion monster called "Nian." The creature would come down from the mountains and scare humans every year. So when people discovered that the beast abhorred uproarious commotions, they chose to beat it with the clamor from sparklers.
4. Guarding Parents: On New Year's night children are expected to sleep late. It is believed that sleeping late is related to guarding parents' life. The later the children sleep, the more years their guardians will live.
5. Broken Crockery: One should not start the New Year with broken crockery as it is considered to be bad luck.
6. No Ghost Stories: Chinese believe that whatever happens on the first day of the year will happen for the rest of the year. Using foul language, unlucky words or saying anything awful about others are taboo on the first day. Ghost stories generally talk about death, spirits and negative power, so children as well as elders are forbidden from telling ghost stories.
7. No Washing Hair: Washing hair on New Year's Day is considered as bad luck, because people believe that hair-washing sweeps away good luck for the New Year.
8. No Black Clothes: According to Chinese custom, black is related to death and bad luck, so they avoid wearing black clothes on the first day of the year.
9. No Crying: It is believed that if you cry on New Year's Day you will cry throughout the year. That is why children are not punished on the first day of the year.
10. Red is Good: Splendid red attire, beautifications and adornments are recommended for the Chinese New Year. Youngsters receive cash in red paper envelopes from parents who wish them a cheerful New Year. Red paper-cuts and couplets of favorable luck or bliss are utilized to brighten the family unit.

– International Business Times (http://www.ibtimes.co.in)

Chinese New Year: Fair Warning

Here are 10 things you should do before and on Chinese New Year (Jan. 31), which heralds in the year of the Wood Horse. Explanations will be forthcoming on Friday, but for now, take my word and:

1. Clean your house before Thursday then put away all the cleaning stuff.
2. Don't get a haircut on Thursday.
3. Light some firecrackers on Thursday night.
4. Put kids to sleep as late as possible on Thursday night.
5. Toss broken pottery and dishes before Friday.
6. Don't tell ghost stories or swear on Friday.
7. Don't wash your hair on Friday.
8. Don't wear black on Friday.
9. Don't punish your children on Friday.
10. Wear red on Friday.

Superstitions, yes, but they've lasted for centuries, so just do it.

Free Coffee Sample

On our last return flight from California to Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines, we were given samples of Hilo Hattie's instant 100% Kona Coffee, which I stuck in a drawer and promptly forgot about.

I found them this morning and decided to give it a try.

The verdict? It's okay, flavorful and fairly strong. But it's not really deep and full-bodied, if you know what I mean. There's something quite unsatisfying about pouring coffee crystals into hot water, vis-a-vis smelling it brew in a coffee maker.

So ... thanks for the sample, but I'll stick to my #2 grind Italian Roast from Peet's.

Sound Familiar?

Well, it does sound familiar to me. The wife has a big plastic bag full of plastic bags in the broom closet. She uses them for all kinds of stuff. If I toss one in the wastebasket after going shopping, she'll fish 'em out and save them.

I make fun of her all the time, but I do see the logic in what she's doing. And, in a year or so, these things are going to become scarce when Honolulu jumps on the bandwagon and bans plastic bags in stores.

Hmmmm, she might be wiser than I think.

Old Chevy Pickup

Since we were talking about Fremont, California, the last time you and I visited the other day, let me tell you about another visual experience I had there.

As I was walking back to my car after breakfast at Dina's Family Restaurant in the Irvington District of Fremont, I saw this beautiful Chevy pickup truck in the parking lot. Just had to take a couple of pictures because although I've seen some beautiful old cars before, chancing upon them is not an everyday occurrence.

I tried to find a picture of a similar pickup so I could date the car, but every one I found didn't have that grill protector attached to the front bumper. I'm guessing it was a custom addition the owner put on.

Anyway, the closest I could figure is that it's c. 1950. Anybody out there have other thoughts?

Old(er) Bicycle Club

While having a quick breakfast at the Prolific Oven in Fremont before our two-hour-plus drive to Sonoma Valley, A bunch of older bicyclists came in, obviously taking a break from their morning ride.

I've often seen a lot of bicycle clubbers riding together, but none quite like this group. For one thing, they were older than the usual people I see (I'd guess in the mid- to late-60s). They also had great bikes and great biking clothes and gear.

They didn't order eggs Benedict, as the wife and I were having, but they did load up on carb-rich pastries. They also took advantage of the restroom before filling up their coffee cups. Guess they had to make some room in their bodies for the new intake of food/drink.

More power to them!