UP~COMING
January 13 2019
Zuse Meyer--artist and professor originally from Germany
On " Insights thru Visual Experiences"
February 10
Heather Steele (Ph.D Engineering from Birmingham U)
2017 Daiwa Anglo Scholar/ Now at Railway Technical Research
Institute, Tokyo
"Transport: Needs vs. Global Warming--Future Fuel: Hydrogen
Powered Trains "
W.E.L.L. Annual Conference and Retreat (for women)
February 8 thru 10 (noon) Theme: Empowering Women thru
Creativity
Registration open until Dec 22 ( bilingual) http://welljapan.org
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Our last meeting of the year (Dec 9) had your
moderator and members making a few remarks about Christmas being a season of
the happiness that comes from giving to others.-- with an emphasis on
family ties and returning to one's hometown (especially for expats) or
relatives gathering together.
Even as we get older (as quoted from Dickens) when we sadly remember
all those no longer with us at Christmas, those memories too bring a special
kind of joy. However, many people who are estranged or without family can find
these holidays a particularly miserable time.
Did you believe in Santa (the plump guy
with whiskers as well as a "symbol" of giving) , if so (as we shared)
when did you stop?
And finally I passed on a true story about sibling concern and
the magic of Christmas gifts for children (see bottom of page).
Then Chuck Olson in part from recent
experiences visiting with his temporarily dislocated young grandson (and
family) who have just moved, and traveling with his magician
Trump-supporting brother in
their ancestral Norway, made a presentation about gaining self-awareness
thru trying to understand
recent research on the neuro/endocrine/evolutional/environmental/biological basis for our
behavior and interactions with others. He provided a handout and presented some
of the ideas especially in the
books by Daniel Siegel and online courses by Robert Saplosky.
It is hard to do justice to Chuck's various points but i include
here the web links to his major sources. One idea he mentioned when talking
about the frontal cortex (in various parts) --which we now know is the
location of emotional control and rational future planning-- is that it does
not fully develop until around age 25. Dana as a teacher and counselor echoed some of Chuck's
comments and mentioned some of her strategies for defusing confrontations
and helping guide elementary school kids.
Daniel
Siegel’s Mindsight web site is at
a link
for the Mindsight book is at
For the
'No Drama' Discipline at
A link
to Robert Sapolsky’s Human Behavioral Biology lectures is at
Finally,
Stan Yukevich spoke and lamented the growing lack of "adult"
restraint of many Americans (indeed in contrast to many Japanese)
as he examined some of the finer (also weaker) characteristics and
legacy of GHW Bush--who now we most agreed looks better in comparison to those
(not only Trump) who have come after. Bush died November 30,2018.
Using a handout, Stan pointed out he was a
patrician not a self-promoter, a Republican with compassion and with a
traditional conservative "less is better" approach to
government. Although not agreeing with some of his positions/actions
(such as Bush's reluctance to support AIDS research and GLBT rights) Stan
mentioned Bush's war record in WWII--at 94 the last statesman/politician of his
generation. Bush showed willingness to work across party lines and to
sacrifice reelection by raising taxes in order to preserve programs and hold
down the deficit.
In the end we did not have time to sing any
carols (which is probably just as well as we did not have a leader this year
who can carry a tune). Next year maybe we can also delve more into other
religious traditions of this holiday time.
At dinner some of us video-chatted with former
member Bonnie McClure who is doing well in Berkeley.
Join me in thanking all who have
contributed to this year at fellowship, especially FUKAI Naoko who has stepped
in to help TAKAMATSU Yasuyo with membership and setup.
Again best wishes to all for a happy and
safe holiday season and a good coming year.
Peggy Kanada, moderator
A Christmas Story
Because of my father’s poor health during World War II, our family moved from a
tenant farm in the Virginia hills to the city of Harrisonburg so my mother
could work in a silk mill making parachutes for the boys overseas. On Christmas
Eve, I felt lonely and misplaced as I listened to the strange city noises, so
different from the familiar sounds of the countryside. Much to my dismay, the
family had been so busy moving that we had no tree to decorate. As a
5-year-old, I yearned for a real tree; my older brothers had always enjoyed selecting
a cedar or pine from the nearby woods when we lived on the farm.
My brother Gary sensed that
something was bothering me and asked, “What’s the matter, Janie? Why are you so
sad?”
“We don’t have a tree and It’s
Christmas Eve,” I replied. “Where will Santa leave our presents?” To soothe my
nostalgic tears, my older brother found a large paper grocery sack, upon which
he drew a beautiful green Christmas tree with big red and blue bulbs and
bright yellow tinsel.
“This will
have to do this year,” Gary explained. “I’m sure Santa will understand.” The
next morning, I received a tiny toy phone from Santa and homemade popcorn balls
from Mother and Daddy, but my special gift was my brother’s work of love: the
paper tree hanging on the wall. — Jane
Allen, Alabama.
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