Today nothing much is gonna happen for the rest of the day so I figured that I'd write this now since I seem to be forgetting before I go to bed. Well I tried to to my practice but only got about 20-30 minutes in. It was just too rainy. After yesterdays fun, today seems to very dull. I went to Naomi san's house, but no one was home, next time then. I met with Yamamoto san and we discussed what to write for the website, I guess he never got my e-mail. He commissioned me to do several drawings, one of a shakuhachi and one of the front of Yurakuso. In exchange he took off about $100 from my last months rent. Seems like a nice trade to me. This will also give me something to look forward to drawing. I've already gotten started on both drawings. The shakuhachi one I will do several and see what he likes.
It is interesting how the rain changes depending on how you feel. Yesterday the rain was very welcome and made my day with Masami that much more enjoyable. Today the rain makes me feel alittle lonely. Walking in the rain last night holding the umbrella for Masami so she would not get wet, laughing, talking forgetting the cold. Today the cold rain seemed to beat down on me, staying outside in the rain just didn't feel right. There is a difference between the rain in the forest and the rain in a city. In the forest rain makes everything come alive, the sound, the dance of the greenery and the chitter of birds. In the city unless you have someone to share the rain with, or to complain how cold it is, it just feels dead. I need to hike in the forest rain here in Japan. Normally I love the rain, but I have never lived in such a big city before, the feeling is different. I still do love to open my window and listen to the rain, but a city street is certainly not the best place to feel the real essence of rain. Dark sky, blowing leaves, the falling rain are what fall is about, but the concrete and noise of the traffic defeat any real wonder of the season that is fall. Sometimes I wonder if people who dwell in the thick life of the city truly have a place to quiet their souls. Many escape to the forests, but still many more nary enter a forest, it had become foriegn to them.
Another thought while I'm at it. Is chivelry truly dead? I feel it is left to a slowly dying breed. Do we not expect certain behavior from a man towards a woman? It shouldn't only be shown towards a lover. A stranger, friend, girl-friend, wife, mother, grandmother. I was raised to respect women. Open a door for a woman, shield her from the rain, use respectable language and manners, give her your coat is she is cold. To make sure a woman feels loved and respected is important or just to show kindness to a stranger, it is fleeting these days and will be something a person will remember. Without women the human race would literally cease to exist. I would make sure a woman is comfortable over my own comfort. It is not that women are incapable, certainly they are much more capable than any man is willing to let on (hehe). It is a showing of respect for the gender that has had it difficult all through time. Being treated as second class citizens even in many places today. They should always feel like queens, they do so much work with little credit. I like that nowadays many places have given women more freedom to work or do what they wish with their lives, but chivelry should not die with this, but work to fit with the new times. I will pass these values to my children in the future and I would only hope they do the same.