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blog-L  (2005)

2005/12/31 21:25

"On to Bigger and Better things in 2006!"  (Final post of the year 2005)

December 31st, 2005 - the last day of 2005... where has the year gone?  I'm not sure, but it's gone somewhere, as tomorrow is 2006.  It's been a year of what feels like slowly plodding forward without making any sailing progress or engaging in exciting adventures.  That's not an entirely bad thing, as there has been some progress made on this website (although it still needs a vast amount of work), and nothing really bad has happened to me here in Tokyo, other than the irritation of seeing a major corporation here running an ad concept I developed for them back in 2002 - something that should be cause for celebration, except in this case, I was given no recognition or compensation for my creation.  Irritating that!  I sent an e-mail to my former colleagues asking about it.  I didn't expect nor did I receive a reply, but hopefully I at least made them think about the issue of stealing someone's creation, taking the money for it and - worse - taking credit for the creation.  Who says crime doesn't pay?  When it comes to ideas, it seems that only crime pays and honesty keeps someone near poverty.  Technically, since I was working for the company which was (and is) working as a subcontractor for the client company - a large car company with a name that begins with "T" - I can't legally complain, but it would have been nice if they had given me some credit for my creation.

About the ad - if you see one of the many variations they've made of it, think of me and know that I dreamed up the basic concept, which is this:

A successful businessman is shown in an opulent office, then he is driving through a city of skyscrapers, then he is driving in the green countryside, finally pulling up to an opulent building in the country, and the last scene is from the top of the building.  The original concept called for a party and the version on TV shows a "glamorous" looking woman talking (lips moving, but with no sound beyond background music) to the camera - which would be the main character, and by extension a customer wishing to emulate the success portrayed on the screen.  The original idea was to tie together a couple of seemingly opposing concepts - the city & the country (the vehicle's suitability for both), and (between the lines) the man of the party & the family man.  It was, in a way, gratifying to see it implemented - too bad I didn't develop it for a company willing to give me creative and financial recognition for my contribution to their success....

On to bigger and better things in 2006!

Happy New Year!!!

Lyle


2005/12/21

"One Cold December Day"

For whatever reason, a lot of things happened last Saturday, and it ended up being an interesting and rather fun day, so I decided to write about it - the story is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/BsySt1a.html


2005/12/18

"Photo Index" (updated alphabetized photo index)

I've overhauled and updated the alphabetized Photo Index page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/FAQ/IndexNew2.html

It's vastly easier to use now than it was before - just scroll down the page to look for places represented in the Photo Gallery.  (The Photo Gallery page itself is unchanged - in reverse chronological order with the newest material at the top.)  In the left column of the Alphabetized Index page are a number of links that are of interest of me personally and might be of some small interest.


2005/12/18

"Akihabara" (updated)

The "Akihabara" page has been expanded from its original single photo and paragraph of text to several photos with text pointing out a few of the shops that are good for those looking for computing hardware on a limited budget:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/AkihabaraLHS.html


2005/12/09

"LL-335" & New "Photo Index"

I've posted LL-335.  As I edited it purely on the screen and haven't printed it out, there are bound to be at least a few errors - if you spot one, I'd appreciate it if you'd send me a note pointing it out so I can fix it.  The link to LL-335 is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/LL_R/RArchive/LL335a.html

I redid the alphabetized Photo Index page - which is now much easier to use.  If you're looking for one of the photo & text pages on my site by name, this is the page to go to:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/FAQ/IndexNew2.html


2005/11/26

"From Koganei Park to Shibuya to Ebisu to Roppongi & Back"

A tale of a day spent out on the town - both in English:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Roppongi01a.html

- and in Japanese:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/jpage/f1/Friday1J.html


2005/11/16

J-Version of "Tokyo - Music Capital of the World?"

I've posted a Japanese language version of the concert hall page - here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/jpage/f1/TokyoCnertHls01J.html

Yes, my Japanese friends, my Japanese leaves something to be desired!  If you have any suggestions for how to improve the text I've written, please let me know and I'll try to incorporate the changes and bring the page up to speed as a proper language page.

Lyle


2005/11/16

"Tokyo Motor Show 2005"

The Tokyo Motor Show is a yearly event, but they alternate from cars and motorcycles one year to commercial vehicles the next, so the cars and motorcycle version of the show is only held once every two years (since the 1999 show).  Since the first motor show was held in Hibiya Park in April 1954, there have been many changes.  It was an exclusively Japanese show called "Zen-Nihon Jidosha Show" ("All-Japan Motor Show" - with "Tokyo Motor Show" written in English) until the 1964 show when the name (in Japanese as well as in English) was changed to "Tokyo Motor Show" (before that, there were some foreign companies involved, but only those with domestic production) to accommodate the appearance of the first handful of foreign cars at the 1964 and 1965 shows, followed by a gap of a few years, with several foreign cars again appearing at the 1970 show.  An amusing quote about the 1958 show says: "Japanese cars were beginning to be known overseas.  Visitors to the Motor Show included a few foreigners, another new feature at this Show."

Exhibits
The first Tokyo Motor Show (I'm sticking to that name for simplicity) was mainly of commercial vehicles and motorcycles, with only 17 of 267 vehicles being passenger cars.  Up until 1997, passenger cars and motorcycles were mixed in with commercial vehicles, but from the 1999 show (there was no show in 1998), they've been held as separate shows.

Venue
The venue has changed a few times - starting out in Hibiya Park for the first four shows, moving over to the "Korakuen Bicycle Racing Track" - currently the "Korakuen Amusement Center" (I think... I wasn't able to verify it via a few Google searches) - for the 1958 show, and then to the new Harumi Convention Center beginning with the 1959 show, where it stayed for nearly three decades, the last show held there being in 1987.  The most recent move was to Makuhari Messe (in Chiba - between the center of Tokyo and Narita Airport), with the first show there held in 1989.

Uuuggghhhh... I had only intended to toss some light background information on the screen and I ended up burning off too much time looking into the history of the Tokyo Motor Show!  It's interesting though, which is how I got sidetracked.  Hopefully the information is of some use....

I went to the 2005 show with my camera and have posted 294 pictures of it (mostly in combination pictures of 12 or 10) on the following five pages:

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/MtrShw05_1.html

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/MtrShw05_2.html

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/MtrShw05_3.html

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/MtrShw05_4.html

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/MtrShw05_5.html

To access the above from the Photo Gallery page, click here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/LHS_PhotoGallery.html

Copyright 2005, by Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon, Tokyo
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/


2005/10/27

"Tokyo - Music Capital of the World?"

It might not be widely known just how much music is studied, practiced, and performed in Japan, but over the decades, there has been consistent support and interest in music education and culture, with the result that Tokyo is awash with concert halls and musicians.  Indeed, there are many highly talented musicians who are unable to ever get into the spotlight due to the intense competition for the limited number of spaces available in the many orchestras here (many - but not enough!).  Just a few of the concert halls are highlighted in my article on concert halls in Tokyo and Yokohama, which can be seen by either clicking on "Tokyo Concert Halls" on the Photo Gallery page, or by clicking on the this direct link to the concert halls page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/TokyoConcertHalls01.html


2005/10/24

"Abstract #1"

I don't think I'll be making a habit of this, but the imagine I used for "Abstract #1" was begging for non-conventional treatment, so it got it.  I won't tell you the steps involved, except to say... wait a minute!  No!  Not even a hint!  I'll leave this one as a sort of mystery image.  To view it, click here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Abstract01.html


2005/10/19

"Reflexive Rain"

I took a few pictures of Shinjuku in the rain and just after the rain yesterday - two of which are on the "Reflexive Rain" page, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/ReflexiveRain01.html


2005/10/12

LL-334

There was too much material to get caught up with all of the letters I wanted to put into this letter (due to taking three months to put it together!), but I'll try to get LL-335 out soon and get everything caught up with that!  The direct link to LL-334 is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/LL_R/RArchive/LL334a.html


2005/10/05

"Focus - (Cosi-Cosi)"

There are countless numbers of restaurants in Tokyo, but still people have favorites and often they are places that outshine most of their competition.  That's one side of the story on the new page "Focus - (Cosi-Cosi)" - the other is one of how to best live in Tokyo through selective vision and appreciation via contrast.  The direct link to the page is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Focus01a.html


2005/09/27

"Nikko"

I visited Nikko last week (with a couple of friends) and remembered what an interesting area it is.  I've been there two or three times before, but I was the most relaxed on this trip, and so enjoyed it much more than before.  The first trip was in the middle of my first week in Japan, and I was more worried about what was to become of me than interested in the old temples and shrines - beautiful though they were (and are)....

Anyway - a few photos (with text) are on the following page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Nikko01.html


2005/09/13

More Movies...

I have three movie clips posted on the Movies page now:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/mv/lyle_mvs.html

One of a pedestrian crossing in Shinjuku, one of another pedestrian crossing in Shibuya, and one of cheering fans at a baseball game at Tokyo Dome.  In the baseball game clip, notice the plastic sticks that many of the fans are beating together - some kids behind me were (from time to time) banging those into my shoulders and head.  I didn't notice their mother saying anything to them about it, so I finally turned around and asked them to stop hitting me in the head!  I'm sure it was accidental and not malicious, but I have nothing good to say for their mother who must think it's a fine thing for her kids to be whacking strangers on the head with plastic noise-makers!

Hmmm... now I know I'm getting old - I'm complaining about the lack of manners of young people!


2005/09/08

"Random Views #2"

I put up a few more pictures - a mix of auto show, traditional garden, castle, new & old trains, classical concert, woods, and sunset - like the title says "Random".  The link is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Random02.html


2005/09/05

"Random Views #1"

Visually, Tokyo is a random experience.  Going about the city, you never know what you'll see next.  With that thought in mind, I've tossed some images from different parts of the city together:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Random01.html


2005/08/28

"Enoshima"

The amount of time spent on something is not necessarily an indication of its worth, but the "Enoshima" page took quite a bit of time to put together, so I hope it's of some interest.  With 50 photos of Enoshima Island and the nearby beach (plus a few access photos on how to get there), it should at least be informative regarding how it feels to visit Enoshima in August....

Have a look here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Enoshima.html

- and (if you have time) write and tell me what you think.

Sore dewa,

Lyle


2005/08/24

"One Evening in Minowa"

In another area of Tokyo - far from Shinjuku:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Minowa.html


"Tokyo Skyline" (Here & There)

I haven't done much with the "Here and There" page yet, but there are a couple of pages there and I just put up a new panoramic view of the nighttime Tokyo skyline (on the cover page):
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/03World/hat.html


"Lyle Movies"

There's only one there now, but I'll try to put up a different one from time-to-time.  I would like to build up a library of these, but they are too heavy, so I'll likely just post one or two at a time:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/mv/lyle_mvs.html


2005/08/16

"Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens"

Three images from the center of Tokyo, but seemingly of another time in the traditional garden dating back to 1629:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Koishikawa2.html


2005/08/12 23:11

"Meiji Shrine"

Meiji Shrine is an unusual spot in Tokyo in that you find yourself walking down a long tree-lined path that is long enough to (sometimes) make you forget that you're in a mega-city with 30,000,000 other people.  ("Tokyo", by the lines on the map, only claims something like 12,000,000 people, but it's seamlessly connected to Kanagawa, Saitama, & Chiba - the whole of the combination producing that 30,000,000 number.)
     Pictures and text are here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/MeijiShrine01a.html

Lyle


2005/08/05

"Kurihama"

I just have to set the record straight about Perry.  For some very strange reason, he's portrayed as a gun-toting wild man in the West, but as a proper diplomat over here.  Maybe he was a little of both, but the truth is far closer to diplomat than wild gunman!  For some more details, have a look at the pictures and text here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/Kurihama01a.html


2005/08/05

"Another Time"

A temple off the beaten track in western Tokyo:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/pgb/AnotherTime01a.html


2005/08/01

"Along the Way"

Images seen along the way... the destination never reached, the path becomes the actual destination:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/AlongTheWay.html


2005/07/30

"Looking Down or Over"

When I get behind the wheel of a car, I love cars - love to hear the engine and love to zoom down the road... trailing exhaust that I can't smell.  But on a typical day in the mega-city I live in, when I can't see all the way across the city due to the toxic gases in the air from the vast army of cars, trucks and buses, my beloved motor vehicles have suddenly turned into nasty fire breathing monsters destroying the air and damaging the planet in general.  I love technology and often envy the current crop of twenty-year-olds who have digital video to work with already at age twenty... and wish I'd had digital photography to work with about three decades ago, BUT I also envy the many generations who lived in a world with more trees and no fire-breathing monsters zooming around on four wheels delighting and destroying humanity.

Someday... someday... someday, we shall be free of the fire-breathers and be able to breathe clear air once again.  This I must believe, the alternative is too terrible to contemplate.

Related text and photos are here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/DownOver01.html


2005/07/29

New "Here & There"

I added a (very ugly now - hopefully to be improved upon soon) index page for the "Here & There" concept page, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/03World/hat.html

The original "Here and There" file can be seen via a link on the new "Here & There" index page, and the direct link is:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/03World/hat01/hat.html

There's a combination photo of some pictures of Kamakura - by a Japanese friend, also with a link on the "Here & There" index page and with the following direct link:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/03World/hat01/J01.html


2005/07/29

"Yokohama (Bayside & Chinatown)"

As I mentioned in LL-333, I visited Yokohama with a Canadian e-pal, and there are some comments and photos posted here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Yokohama01.html


2005/07/25

"Earthquakes & Videos"

The Tokyo earthquake on July 23rd was interesting.  I was watching a video presentation put on by a group of students at a nearby university when the shaking started.  The first thing I thought of was the solid concrete walls of the room all of us were in, and that there was nothing but the roof over us (no heavy second floor), so I just sat back for the ride and watched everyone's reactions.  Tokyo residents are used to the ground shaking from time to time after all, but it was a bit stronger than usual, so there was some nervousness in the air.  A few people uttered audible sounds of concern and a visitor from California looked my way - I gave a nonchalant return look....  California has them too, so it must not have been too much of a surprise.

The videos, by the way, were quite interesting.  The woman who did the camera work on the project I was involved in has great photographic and compositional sense BTW - I hope she continues to pursue the craft.

It all makes me want to get back into video!  I never should have invested in analogue video equipment back in... 1990?  I should have left that money in the bank and then bought into video when it went digital.  Any information out there about digitizing analogue Hi8 video tape?


2005/07/20

"Shibamata"

Anyone familiar with the movies series "Tora-san" will recognize the name Shibamata (in Katsushika-ku) as the movie hero's hometown (in the movie that is) and the shop-lined street in that area of Tokyo that leads to a local temple feels amazingly familiar after seeing just a few of the movies.  The link to more text (with photos) is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Shibamata01a.html


2005/07/19

"Tokyo Area Maps"

I've uploaded some maps to the site to assist in tourism and to tie in with some of the photos (for people who wonder where the photos were taken).  The links are as follows:

Tokyo Maps Main Page
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/TokyoMaps1.html

[Asakusa]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/AsakusaMap1.html

[Ginza]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/GinzaMap1.html

[Hachioji]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/HachiojiMap1.html

[Ikebukuro]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/IkebukuroMap1.html

[Narita Airport & Tokyo City]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/NaritaAirTokyo1.html

[Nerima]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/NerimaMap.html

[Shibuya]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/ShibuyaMap1.html

[Shinjuku]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/ShinjukuMap1.html

[Tachikawa]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/TachikawaMap1.html

[Ueno]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/UenoMap1.html

[Yamanote Line Area]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/maps2/YamanoteMap1.html


2005/07/13 17:24

It (finally) occurred to me the other day that the chronological order of the Photo Gallery (new stuff on top, old on the bottom) makes it hard to find anything.  So... I've begun the arduous task of making an alphabetized index for the site.  As it is today, it's not much, but as I get more of the site material into it, it'll make it much easier to find things.  Here's the start in any case (there are only links to this new index on the blog-L & Photo Gallery pages for now):
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/FAQ/IndexNew2.html


2005/07/12 17:10

"LL-333"

I posted LL-333 today:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/LL_R/RArchive/LL333a.html


2005/07/08 16:57

"Ome-kaido & The Washing Machine"

Not terribly fascinating material, but I thought it might be slightly interesting to have some photos up that were taken from inside a car (light truck actually) on the main road Ome-kaido, on which I drove in a rented truck to carry a washing machine across town to my apartment, thus the title "Ome-kaido & The Washing Machine", which is in the Photo Gallery on this page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/WashM.html

If you scroll down to the bottom, there are also three pictures of the busy side of Shibuya Station - taken in the evening.


2005/07/07 12:02

"Aoyama, Shibuya, Etc."

I took a walk from Aoyama to Roppongi in the rain, taking pictures as I went, some of which are in the Photo Gallery, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Aoyama01a.html

Also on that page are some photos from the window of a Chuo Line train, a Yamanote Line train, and a photo of Shibuya's busiest pedestrian intersection - taken, of course, "Through the Glass" of the walkway from the JR Lines to the Inokashira Line.


2005/07/04 01:31

"Caravan Books"

Caravan Books in Tokyo moved out of their old location and dropped their website for a bit.  They're back on-line, but be careful - someone has stolen their old site, and while it has a links page with the title "books", the site seems to have nothing to do with Caravan Books in any shape or form.  Either coincidence or theft, it's hard to say which....  In any case, here's the link for Caravan Books here in Tokyo:
http://www.naturalhealingcenter.com/creative/caravan_books.htm


2005/06/27 11:24

"Tokaido 53-Tsugi"

"53 Stages of the Tokaido Line" is a series by the master woodblock artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858).  I put this up after talking with a couple of Japanese friends who told that they hadn't seen the "Tokaido 53-Tsugi" series.  so - to those friends - have a look!  They're masterpieces!  The link to the new page (linked from the "Historical" page under "PDF Files") is:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PDF/PDF_History/PH_01/Tokaido53a.html


2005/06/18 17:04

"World Expo 2005"

An article I wrote was published with a few of my photos in a local area magazine - the title page for published articles (with new material on the bottom) is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/RPub/RP_Main.html

- and this link will take you directly to a scan of the article that is large enough to read the text:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/RPub/Expo2005/Expo2005.html


2005/06/15 13:41

"Car Factory" (Historical)

About ten years ago, I taught an English class out at Nissan's Higashi-Murayama factory, and at one point I was driven around their test course - including the high speed banked oval track at 180km/h.  A couple of photos from ten years ago are here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/CarFac.html


2005/06/04 18:18

"Out & About-2"

June 4th, 2005... just two days shy of the one-year mark for this website!  One year sounds like a long time, but it has gone by (maybe) a little too fast.  I'm not sure if I've been as productive as I should have been with this site.  I try, but one thing or another gets in the way, so I don't have as much time to spend on it as I'd like.

All of that said, there's a new page up - "Out & About-2" with some pictures of the type of scenes Tokyo dwellers tend to see in their daily commutes to and from work.  The link is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/OutAbout2.html


2005/05/31 10:08

Another Shibuya view - of the upper entrance to the office/hotel/shopping complex that was put up... um... when?  About ten years ago maybe?  I may eventually put this in the photo gallery, but for now it's sitting on the old PDF files front page, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PDF/PDF_01/PDF01.html


2005/05/22 00:54

"Train Life"

I've always liked the two double-exposure images I've used for "Train Life", but they've been sleeping in a box, so they're happy to be in electronic form now and sitting on hard drives.  Since I like these images myself, I'm interested in what other people think of them and/or see in them.  Have a look - here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/TrainLife.html


2005/05/22 00:52

"The Artist"

Still going through some last-decade photos of mine - taken with my (since stolen) first FM2.  "The Artist" is about... er... an artist.  Check out the artist, her art, and my text here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/TheArtist1.html


2005/05/20 12:40

J-Links.  There are only two links on this new page for now, one for this page and one for Melon Jobs, but I aim to put several links to Japan-related pages there.  Any suggestions?  The page is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/Links/maps/J-Links.html


2005/05/18 19:35

"1994 Wedding"

Pictures from 1994 paired with some text written today in 2005....  I had sort of a strange experience at a friend's wedding back then, and it's been in the back of my mind all these years, so maybe writing about it a little will help to get it out of the way and I can forget about it!  Photos and text are in the Photo Gallery, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Wed1994.html


2005/05/16 00:54

I just put a Japanese version of "Showa Kinen Park" at the site (on the J-page), here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/jpage/f1/ShowaKoen01.html


2005/05/15 16:11

Over the "Golden Week" holidays I visited Showa Kinen Park (formerly Tachikawa Air Base) for a barbecue with friends in the barbecue area of the park.  We rented a gas stove, table and chairs and had a good time.  It's a good setup for Tokyo, what with half the people coming by train, as not much of anything has to be carried in.  Some photos (with text) are here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/ShowaPark.html


2005/05/05 11:15

I got the English version of the page I first put up in Japanese ("Shibuya Sanpo"), which is titled "Shibuya Bound" in English (not a direct translation - which would be "Shibuya Walk").  The text is quite different, as I just wrote what I felt like writing both times.  Since they are both by me, I have complete license to do whatever I want with the text and am not constrained with the usual translation headache of trying hard to both stay accurate and also write readable text.  Also, due to my lousy J-language skills, the J-text is quite a bit shorter than the E-text....  The link for "Shibuya Bound" is here:

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/ShibuyaBound01.html


2005/05/01 16:06

J-Page - a page with only Japanese content, has been uploaded today folks.  A note to my Japanese friends; please forgive my mangling of your language - I certainly respect it and wish to write it correctly, but not having started in on it until I was 24, my comprehension of the grammatical structure is not what it needs to be for flawless writing.  Hopefully, my mistakes will not be insulting in some way.  If there is something really really bad on one of the pages, let me know and I'll set about fixing it!  The front page is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/jpage/jg01.html

As I write this, there is a photo page that is only on the Japanese page at the moment, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/jpage/f1/ShibuyaWalk01.html

I will be putting the same photos in the photo gallery with new English text.  A note about the J-text and E-text for any given batch of text is in order here.  It will not be a translation exactly, or even loosely really, as I will be writing with the intent of conveying how I feel in the language at the moment and the feelings of the English and Japanese languages are radically different.  If you want to see two perspectives on the same photos, it might be interesting to read both.


2005/04/27 12:24

For the second time this year, I stumbled into spring when I wasn't looking for it.  Unexpected pleasant surprises being more pleasant than planned for ones, it was lucky that my camera was in my bag and ready to record the scene.  Six images from yesterday are now in the Photo Gallery under the title "Spring", which can be seen by clicking here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Spring2005a.html


2005/04/26 15:58

I finished LL-332 and it's now on the site - here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/LL_R/RArchive/LL332a.html


2005/04/23 16:12

Expo pictures.  The fourth page of them!  "Enough already!" I hear someone saying.  Yes - indeed, I'm a bit tired of Expo pictures myself after looking at them so much over the past three weeks.  This is all I'm putting up - unless someone wants to finance another trip down for me and buy an expensive entry ticket.  There are many more photos, by the way, but the batch now on-line is all I feel like posting.  It would be nice to visit it again in the summer to see how it's changed and get some contrasting photos.  Anyone want to sponsor me for more pictures down there?  Contact me at lylehsaxon(at)yahoo.com!

The links for the third and fourth expo photo-pages are:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Expo2005c.html

- and:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Expo2005d.html


2005/04/22 04:38

More?  You got it!  More Expo pictures!  See them here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Expo2005b.html

And - I updated the "IroiroVar" page with a large photo of Expo-2005 that isn't anywhere else at the site.  See the IroiroVar page here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/iiv.html


2005/04/18 15:00

Expo Pictures!  Expo Pictures!  Get yer Expo Pictures right here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Expo2005a.html

Expo Pictures!  Expo Pictures!  Get yer Expo Pictures - hot off the CPU - Expo Pictures, Aichi Expo Pictures; 2005 Expo, in Aichi Japan pictures - right here folks, don't miss 'em!:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Expo2005a.html

Expo Pictures!  Expo Pictures.....


2005/04/17 20:05

In answering some questions from an e-pal asking about the history of the Yotsuya area, I put together some dual-maps that show different aspects and time frames for the same area of Tokyo.  One pair is of Edo-era Yotsuya beside current Yotsuya; and the other is of current Yotsuya (well - a few years ago actually) depicted as a map and also an aerial photograph.  The aerial photograph best shows the top of the rampart with the green trees - for some reason the regular maps don't show any green there, so it's hard to imagine where the photo was taken.

The "Yotsuya Rampart" page (at the same address as before) is:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/YotsuyaRampart.html

Note that you might need to use the "Reload" or "Refresh" button in your browser if you've recently seen the page, as the browser may just pull an old version off of your hard drive.


2005/04/12 03:17

"Best to Avoid Seagate Drives?"

I had a Seagate 80GB hard drive that was only two years old suddenly fail on me, and upon taking it apart, I discovered a couple of things that I think were very badly designed on that drive.  For details and photos, see:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PDF/PDF_History/PH_01/SeagateHDD.html

Has anyone else out there also experienced sudden-death-syndrome with Seagate drives?  Details of my dead hard drive are as follows:

Seagate
Barracuda ATA IV
Model ST380021A
80 GBytes
16,383 Cyl - 16 HDS - 63 Sect - 156,301,488 LBA
P/N: 9T6006 - 301
HDA P/N: 100165033
Configuration Code: SBG - 09
Firmware: 3.19
Date Code: 03295
Site Code: AMK
World Wide Web http://www.seagate.com

When I went to their site, I discovered the drive was "Out of Warrantee", with the expiration date "17-Mar-2004".  I only had it for two years, so the warrantee is only for one year apparently (I had thought hard drives had longer guarantees than that).

Anyway, if you have any info on hard drives - which ones are good, which are bad, etc., send me a line with the details please.


2005/04/07 16:33

The cherry blossoms have come out with a bit more speed than usual this year due to the weather suddenly turning warm.  On Tuesday, April 5th, I took a photo on the top of the Yotsuya Rampart, which is in the Photo Gallery, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/YotsuyaRampart.html


2005/03/29 17:44

LL-331, finished in much less time than LL-330, is now posted on the LL-Letters page, at:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/LL_R/RArchive/LL331a.html


2005/03/25 14:05

"By the River"

Three photos in one - I like the first one (on the far left) the best.  To have a look at "By the River", click here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/ByTheRiver.html

In hanging these pictures in the Photo Gallery, it occurs to me that Japan is probably a good place for interesting skies, what with it often being windy and having various weather patterns, etc.

As always, feedback welcome....


2005/03/24 18:07

Another article on paper... have a look on the IroiroVar page for more details:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/iiv.html

Note that the extra color images, while repeating on the Recently Published page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/RPub/RP_Main.html

- are largest (while still on the small side) in the image on the IroiroVar page.

About the blog - this blog I want to keep text-only, so the IroiroVar page is to function like a typical blog with pictures... (feedback welcome!).


2005/03/17 12:38

Whenever it snows in Tokyo, you have to rush out to sample it before it vanishes - sometimes within hours after falling when immediately followed by rain.  Sooo... during one such cold snowfall, I forced myself to get some pictures, six of which can be seen in the Photo Gallery by clicking here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Snow01.html

And then there is Shinjuku - the area of Tokyo that used to be called "Tokyo's skyscraper district", but now there are high-rise buildings all over the city and what used to seem futuristic is starting to look a bit dated, nevertheless, Shinjuku is still city-city all the way, as "Shinjuku Night" suggests, just zapped into the Photo Gallery and viewable by clicking here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/ShinjukuNight01.html


2005/03/15 17:56

The subway system in Tokyo has a deal with the private railway lines in the region where they all produce their own cards, but each company's cards can be used on all the other companies' machines.  Some of the cards - particularly from the subway system - are quite artistic.  I've scanned a few examples and hung them in the Photo Gallery - here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/JSubC1.html

PS - I also put some new stuff up on the "IroiroVar" page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/iiv.html


2005/03/14 00:00

"IroiroVar" - a completely new page with a new concept (for my site that is).  I've often looked at one thing or another and thought "This flyer would probably be interesting to someone not living here...", etc., so I've decided to put things like that onto the IroiroVar page ("iroiro" means "various" and "var" is short for "various", so it's - like - "Various-Various" don't you know, HoHo!  The link is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/i_i_v/iiv.html

Lyle


2005/03/09 21:03

"A New City with New Inhabitants"

(2005/03/09 16:20)  I figured it out!  I was feeling a bit lost and out of the loop regarding the radically different... nearly everything in 2005 Tokyo in comparison to 1984 Tokyo.  I wrote a sort of "mid-life crisis" type of article about that, which is posted under the "Shibuya" photo in the Photo Gallery:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Shibuya01.html

And after posting that, I've been mulling over what I am to do with myself and Tokyo.  Finally, the should-have-been-obvious answer came.  I've fundamentally moved!  I've simplistically thought of the city in terms of new buildings and new fashions, without considering the very obvious and far more important factor of new people!  With scores of new souls being born and scores dying every single day, 7,500 days of new inflow and outflow of others has created a different city.  What percentage of the souls here in 1984 are still here?  What percentage of the souls I'm interacting with in Tokyo weren't here at all or were in baby form?  Of the people who were here in 1984, not a one of them looks the same as they did then.  And so the city is 100% different in people and... I don't know... 50% different in buildings.  I've been looking at the half-changed buildings and wondering why things feel so different.  Stupid of me!  The buildings aren't the issue!  The city feels different?  That's because it *is* different!  100% changed!  So simple, so obvious (if somehow hidden), and so perplexing!

Yes, folks, again I say, verily truth is so very much stranger than fiction!  Now that I realize I've moved, I suppose it's time I spent a little more time getting out and meeting the new inhabitants of this new city and finding out what sort of place I've moved into!


2005/03/07 23:44

Kanji, the meaning of which is "Chinese character(s)" in Japanese (the kanji characters were long ago imported from China), is an art form.  If I live to be 173, I'll not likely ever be able to write them correctly myself, but an acquaintance of mine (ShoIchi) - who has long studied (and actually learned) the art form - can, so words can be ordered from ShoIchi for Y5,000 per word (which can consist of from one to four individual characters).  Four examples (place names) are here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/BizZ/Kanji/Kanji01.html

- which is linked to the BizZ page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/BizZ/BizZ.html

To order, send an e-mail to LLLetters@yahoo.com


2005/03/04 15:37

"Shibuya" is the name of the photo, but it might as well have been titled "21st Century Blues" or "Shifting Sands", etc.  To view it, click here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/Shibuya01.html

I'm interested in hearing from people about the text that goes with this one (scroll down from the Photo Gallery "Shibuya" page, it's below the photo) - as I'm in the middle of trying to figure out a strange thing that I've been experiencing lately... for details, have a read of the text at the above link and see what you think!


2005/02/28 17:02

"Reflex Motion" - is a combination image consisting of six views into the nighttime reflection of a Yamanote Line train from the inside, looking simultaneously outside and back in via the reflection.  The idea is to convey the perpetual motion of city life and... other unrelated ideas!  Have a look at:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/ReflexMotion.html


2005/02/15 16:51

"Ebisu Stage" - a new photo in the Photo Gallery - can be seen by clicking here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/EbisuStage.html

And there are a batch of five new photos with text on the LV10View page, here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/LV10View.html

As mentioned earlier on this page, the LV10View page is a sort of blog - one that I'm intending to regularly add text and "rose-colored-lens" photos to.  Let me know what you think of either page....


2005/02/09 17:01

LV10View - a new page and a new concept.  HoHo... that PR mumbo-jumbo must still be floating around in my subconscious!  But seriously, it is a new concept for me, as I've not yet put something with photos on-line that is really blog-ish.  This page, however, could (will?) fit the bill.  I'll try to regularly toss stuff onto this page, so if you want to see a blog-ish blog from me, you might want to bookmark this page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/LV10View.html

Shinjuku Lyle


2005/02/08 17:08

LL-330 is finally (finally!) on-line.  A direct link to it is here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/LL_R/RArchive/LL330b.html

This is the longest one yet (over 50 pages when printed out single-space), but I've linked the titles to the stories down the page, so you only have to click on the title of any one of the stories and it goes directly to that story.  Or, you can just scroll down the page.  If you do use the links to jump down the page, use the "Back" button of your browser to get back to the top (or else hit <Home> or <Page Up> on your keyboard).


2005/01/27 20:12

"Parts" & "Condensation"  Two photos together on one page, but they have no connection to each other, thus they get their own quotation marks.  The "Parts" picture is the type of image you can't take with a cheap lens.  It's been a long time since I've been able to try out different ideas with a proper lens.  I'm remembering both the creative possibilities and the difficulties involved in effectively using very-wide aperture lenses.

The two photos can be views here:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/PartsCondnsn.html


2005/01/26 02:12

"City Nights" - in the Photo Gallery, is a two-picture page that shows two aspects to life in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/CityNight.html


2005/01/23 14:51

"After the Last Train".  I've posted a short essay with photo on that topic in the Photo Gallery on this page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PhotoGlryMain/PhotoGlryA/AfterLastTrain.html

And - in case you missed yesterday's posting about the new "BizZ" page, have a look at yesterday's post and this page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/BizZ/BizZ.html


2005/01/22 23:17

I just uploaded a new page to the site - entitled "BizZ" (http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/BizZ/BizZ.html).  The idea being - as I say on the page itself:

"This page links to a page for each of the... the... items listed below.  This is mainly commercial in that most of the following people and/or organizations are people with something to sell.  I'm putting this information on my site as I strongly believe that artists need (that's need, *n*e*e*d*) to help each other out and create a virtual organization so they can... like, eat, ya know?  I think everything on this page is on the up and up but I haven't detail-investigated any of these people, so use your own judgement and realize that I will not, can not, be responsible in any way for anything on this page.  If there's something wrong, let me know and I'll take it off or do whatever I can (within my power, within reason, etc.)."

Lyle


2005/01/12 11:00

I finally figured out what was wrong with that PDF file - it was created on a computer with a low resolution screen setting, so when viewed on computers with higher resolution settings... or not... well, in any case, I redid it with a computer running higher screen resolution settings and it's fixed!  It should open with the pictures small enough to not be showing the .jpg artifacts and looking dirty.  The pictures are smaller now, but with better d.p.i. resolution as a result.  Again, a direct link to the file is:

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PDF/PDF_02/PDF02/Sagamiko01b.pdf

- and the link to the New Files PDF page is:

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PDF/PDF_02/PDF02.html


2005/01/12 01:45

I had a look at the Sagamiko PDF file on a friend's computer and was "shocked & dismayed" to see how the photos were opening at a too-large enlargement setting - something like 187%, which is making the photos look really bad.  To view that file, after it opens, readjust the enlargement to 125% or so (by clicking on the "-" mark in the toolbar.)  Actually, depending on your display settings, you might not need to - it looked fine on my home computer... which is why I put it at the site.

A direct link to that file is:

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PDF/PDF_02/PDF02/Sagamiko01b.pdf


2005/01/11 12:38

I took a trip out to Sagami Lake (Sagamiko) on the weekend and have put together a PDF file of photos from the trip, which are on the New Files page at:

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/PDF/PDF_02/PDF02.html

To either open or download the Sagamiko (PDF) file, click on "Sagami" at the top of the page.

Otherwise, what's to report?  I have a number of files that I need to edit and get into the wires for LL-330.  Hopefully I'll actually get that done in two or three weeks.

Ah!  There is something I need to mention!  I'm going to be putting up a new page that will have blurbs for some acquaintances who have some sort of on-line business activity or are headed in that direction.  As that's commercial, it's a departure from everything I've put up to date (other than blurbs for the LL-Book), but it doesn't change anything at the rest of the site - it's just a new page.  For a disclaimer, I hereby accept no responsibility in any shape or form for the activities of the acquaintances who will be listed on that page.  Naturally, if there is something clearly wrong, I will remove the links, content, etc., but use your own judgement when it comes to doing business with anyone, etc. etc.  If there's a problem, let me know, but - again - I am not legally or financially responsible for anyone I refer.

Ah... tiresome business it is, trying to protect oneself from... from... predators, etc.

But that's the legal thing - and I'm trying to be upbeat here, so let's help each other out through networking!

Lyle (on a typical cold & dry Tokyo winter day)