The "Supahboru Ekusupuresu"

Just want to share and forgive me for posting it very late. Last summer, my tekido no hito＊ invited me to come to his place. He told me that we will go somewhere together with his family. I thought we are going to dine in a fine restaurant (c0z' it's always like that everytime he calls) but it's not what I thought it was. He told me that we will attend Natsu＊ Festival in Uchida Chou. Unlike any other festivals, Natsu Festival is held in one area. No parades and the likes. No liquors and any other alcoholic beverages. Just a simple festival for kids with candies, balloons and games. I was surprised when he told me we are going to sell supahboru to kids.

Small stage for a mini- show.

Father and son.

Itteirashai!...Ikutsu?...Ganbate ne!...Arigatou!...(Welcome!...How many?...Good luck!...Thank you!...) were my few words while selling. We have a lot of customers that time 'coz we only offered a very cheap price. I was the only foreigner in the group. People were amazed seeing me selling and interacting with them. Funny because one Japanese mother couldn't help but asked me to have a picture together with her children ( now I know how it feels like to be a celebrity haha joke!).

Asking Miwa san about the game policy.

Su-pah-bo-ru E-ku-su-pu-re-su . It's not some sort of "abra kadabra" spell nor a kind of Japanese food. It's simply superball express (yeah right). It's just the way how they say it. They don't even have a local term for that. Superball game is very popular to Japanese children. It is a high-bouncing rubber ball submerged in water where children have to get certain number of balls in exchange for a bigger one. That time, the policy was 25 catches ＝ 1 two-inch superball. 45 catches＝2 two-inch superballs and so on... They have to use a catcher made of Japanese paper .They have to do the catching carefully so as to prevent the paper from tearing. Once torn, the player is no longer allowed to continue the game.

The superball on katami (Japanese carpet)

It's almost 8 pm when we finished the activity. I was so happy and fulfilled eventhough I was so exhausted. My boss told me that all the proceeds will go to his favorite charitable institution. They do the fundraising venture once a year. I am very proud that I was once part of it.



＊Tekido no hito- a moderator. Every AOTS Japan scholar requires a tekido no hito during the specialization of his/her training.

＊Natsu- summer.

That`s When I Knew It Was Danjiri

Soria! Soria! Soria! I roused from deep slumber after hearing those loud chants and yells coming from the outside. It was only 6:00 in morning when I heard the pandemonium. At first I thought our apartment was burning so I rushed outside (really it`s true) but I was wrong. I was about to hit the ceiling after learning that it was only the rowdy people pulling the DANJIRI*. Feeling secured, I went back into my room, saw my mesmerizing bed and went to sleep again (yeah I admit I`m a big sleepy head) hehehe...

A view from my unit early in the morning.

9:35 am, my phone rang. Itess baby, a friend of mine called me and asked if I can be with her for some shopping in Namba City. We have agreed to meet around 1 pm at a nearby convenience store. As we`re about to leave the place, six Danjiris of six different groups suddenly came in. We didn`t knew that that place is one of the Danjiri`s routes. Since we were riding a bicycle, we have to wait for the parade to over before we could proceed.

Members pulling the rope.

A daiku-gata is dancing on top of the Danjiri. A daiku-gata or the carpenter is one responsible for the construction and the making of intricate carvings of Danjiri.


I was following the last group.


I was smiling `coz it`s almost over hehehehe...

We headed to the train station as quickly as we could. Paid hundred yen for the parking charge of bike, got the ticket then rode the train. We arrived at Namba City and started to saunter around 3:00 pm.

One jealous Japanese guy was staring at me joke!!! jijijij

The Danjiri Matsuri. Every year, different cities and districts of Japan holds this kind of event to pray for abundance and good harvest. Here in Izumi City, Danjiri Matsuri is celebrated in the month of October. This festive activity is not new for me `coz I was once part of the pulling of the Danjiri two months ago in Osaka City. It was really tiring I must say considering that we paraded and raced the four-ton wooden wagon through the city streets. But I had fun. I am glad that our shacho* invited me to attend that one-of-a kind experience.

A tired body with a happy smile. I joined Danjiri last August in Osaka City. I was still bald at that time.

*Danjiri- is a shrine made of zelkovah wood constructed by woodcarvers/ crpenters with intricate scenes depicting past wars, heroes and symbolic animals.

*Shacho- Japanese term for president.

Alam `nyo ba?

Three months ago, ako`y tuwang tuwa kasi nakabili ako ng mura pero magandang uri ng kamera. Ipinagmayabang ko kaagad sa mga tropa ito, siyempre proud tayo sa nabili eh. Pero nitong nakaraang dalawang linggo, napansin ko na ang isa kong kamera ay ayaw nang gumana. Inisip ko baka kailangang i-charge lng pero ako`y nagkamali, sira nga talaga ito. Hindi ko nga nagagamit ng ilang buwan `yon tapos hindi ko na talaga siya magagamit ngayon. (sighs)

This post is for you bloggers, photographers, and camera owners. Ito ay patungkol sa kung paano alagaan ang ating mga kamera. Kadalasang dahilan ng pagkasira nito ay nabagsak o dili naman kaya ay nabasa. Paano kung sabihing ang dahilan ng pagkasira ay `yon mismong camera bag na pinaglalagyan natin? Ano daw? Oo tama kayo sa nabasa `nyo. Kahit ako nagulat sa sinabi ni Al Eugenio* tungkol dito. Sinasabi kasi na may mga elemento sa ating kalikasan na hindi natin nakikita ngunit nagiging dahilan ng pagkasira ng ating kagamitan.

Habang nakasilid kasi ang kamera sa lalagyan nito lalo na at nasa loob pa ito ng cabinet na kung saan ay hindi pa tinatamaan ng kahit na anong liwanag, sabayan pa ng humid na panahon at paligid na mamasa-masa, ay tuwang-tuwa naman ang mga fungus o amag na tumira sa loob ng ating kamera. Habang tumatagal, lumalago naman ang mga amag na ito na maaring manirahan sa lens na siyang sisira sa kalidad nito. Kahit gaano pa kamahal o katibay ang isang kamera kung pinanirahan na ito ng amag lalo na sa parte ng lens, ay mawawalan ito ng saysay.

Ano ba ang dapat isaalang alang para maiwasan ang ganitong problema? Itabi ang kamera sa mga lugar na nasisilayan ng liwanag. Iwasang ilagay sa mamasa masa at maalikabok na lugar. Upang makasiguro, paligiran ito ng silica. Kung wala namang available na silica, maaring magbalot ng uling sa papel ng dyaryo at ilagay sa tabi ng kamera. Tumutulong ito na sipsipin ang moist sa hangin.

Mas mainam din sa pag iingat ng kamera ang hindi pagpatong o pagtabi nito sa mga bagay (like television, players and the likes) na kung saan malakas ang discharge ng electrostatic. Maraming bagay na maaring maapektuhan sa electronic circuitry nito. Alam ko ang concept ng ESD kasi dati akong nagtatrabaho sa isang electronics/semiconductor industry hehehehe...

Isaisip din natin ang pagtanggal ng baterya ng kamera kung ito`y hindi ginagamit o kung itatabi ito ng matagal. Makabubuti sa kamera ang makapagpahinga. Kung nagkataong may baterya pa kasi ito sa loob kahit naka-off ito ay nade-drain ang baterya na maaring ikasira nito.

Kaya pala ganun na lang ang nangyari sa kamera ko kahit di ko ito ginagamit. Ang saklap hehehehehe...Pero sisikapin kong makahanap ng bateryang pamalit nito kung hindi ay mapipilitan akong bumili ng bagong kamera huhuhuhuhu...sana ay nakatulong ito kahit papaano lalo na sa mga may kamera.

Enjoy the use of your camera longer!

* Al Eugenio: Professional Photographer, Feature Editor of Philippine Digest.