Monday, March 29, 2004
What a game.
The cherry blossomed streets to the Tokyo Dome
were filled with fans of both teams.
I was thrilled to be in that number.
The Hanshin Tigers showed the NY Yankees
some real Osaka style hustle,
and kicked the Yankees' butts:
Hanshin Tigers 11, NY Yankees 7.
Some great moves, some great hits-
There was a story and picture in today's Daily Yomiuri
about NY Yankees slugger Tony Clark's homerun.
It was a 159 meter hit that caught the video screen,
blacking out a few bulbs.
He made himself a personal dent in Tokyo!
I love it when this kind of stuff happens...
It takes me back to the kids in the sandlot,
hitting a neighbors window.
As a kid, my neighborhood gang all played ball.
Till it was dark.
All of us kids, girls and boys
played together.
The boys would lend us their mitts
when they were up at bat...
Yesterday's game was a great sign
of future international games-
Although there were a few oddities:
The strike zone, for one.
The Japanese strike zone allows for lower and more inside pitches.
I think this may have thrown the Yankees pitchers off,
as there were four changes made.
The noise.
I'm not talking about an occasional
go, team, go-
This is incessant horn-blowing,
semi rhythmic banging of drums and loud chanting-
kind of defeats the purpose of relaxation, really...
But you can't argue with hits.
The Hanshin Tigers hits consistently went where they weren't.
My friend Hiroshi had field glasses, so I was getting a good look.
I have to admit I like looking at the boys in pinstripes,
I've even changed song lyrics to show it-
There were also some impressive looking guys wearing the Tigers' uniform, too...
I looked at the roster for the Tigers' team, and the shortest guy on the team is 178cm [5'10"] tall.
I wore my NY
cap all the way home,
on the crowded Tokyo trains, to my neighborhood...
How About You?
from my CD of the same name:
I like New York in June,
How about you?
I like a Gershwin tune,
How about you?
I love a fire-side, when a storm is due ...
I like potato chips, moonlight and motor trips,
How about you? ...
I’m mad about good books, can’t get my fill,
And The New York Yankees looks,
they give me a thrill ...
Holdin' hands at the picture show
when all the lights are low,
may not be new, but
I like it, how about you?
Ralph Freed-lyrics
Burton Lane-music
Maybe one day there will be a World Series
that is just that...
Till next time... 'Mela
8:05 PM
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Tomorrow, I will go to the Tokyo Dome to see the pre-season ballgame
between The Hanshin (Osaka) Tigers
and the New York Yankees.
My friend Hiroshi was able to score tickets to this game.
I haven't seen The Yankees in a good long while,
and I am looking forward to this match-up.
I wonder if there will be singing of the National Anthems?
PLAY BALL!
Till next time... 'Mela
7:51 PM
Saturday, March 20, 2004
Today is my son's birthday.
Michio turns 18 today.
I feel so full of pride looking at him...
Being his mom has taught me a lot-
It has given me more challenges and peace
than anything else in this world.
I remember years ago, in NYC,
a girlfriend of mine had a talk with me.
She was a mom herself, with a son a few years old-
She had watched my trials and tribulations
in the music world,
she was also a fan of my music-
What she said to me will remain in my memory forever:
Being a mom will not get you a Grammy, or an Oscar,
it won't win you any type of award, except the simplest and most fulfilling, the love of your child,
and the knowledge that YOU had something to do with bringing a baby into this world
and raising it up to be a wonderful adult person.
There is no bigger award than that.
I remember giving an expectant mom smile to Terri...
I've found I'm 18 by Alice Cooper to play for him today.
I'm sure he will hate it.
He is so completely different from me.
But this is as it should be.
His name in Kanji means
walking your own road.
He has always done that.
He has done things in his own time, and space.
He has enchanted my life.
This job of raising him has made me feel special and needed
when the rest of the world
seemed indifferent.
My obstetrician, a wonderful man
named Dr. Gleis told me after he was born:
You will never be alone again...
The Aries Fire Tiger...
Happy Birthday Michio!
Till next time... 'Mela
8:06 PM
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
The Irish Rover (with The Dubliners)
On the Fourth of July, 1806
We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the Grand City Hall in New York
'Twas a wonderful craft
She was rigged fore and aft
And oh, how the wild wind drove her
She stood several blasts
She had twenty seven masts
And they called her The Irish Rover
We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags
We had two million barrels of stone
We had three million sides of old blind horses hides
We had four million barrels of bones
We had five million hogs
And six million dogs
Seven million barrels of porter
We had eight million bales of old nanny-goats' tails
In the hold of the Irish Rover
There was awl Mickey Coote
Who played hard on his flute
And the ladies lined up for a set
He was tootlin' with skill
For each sparkling quadrille
Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet
With his smart witty talk
He was cock of the walk
As he rolled the dames under and over
They all knew at a glance
When he took up his stance
That he sailed in The Irish Rover
There was Barney McGee
From the banks of the Lee
There was Hogan from County Tyrone
There was Johnny McGurk
Who was scared stiff of work
And a man from Westmeath called Malone
There was Slugger O'Toole
Who was drunk as a rule
And Fighting Bill Tracy from Dover
And your man, Mick McCann
From the banks of the Bann
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover
For a sailor it's always a bother in life
It's so lonesome by night and day
That he longs for the shore
And a charming young whore
Who will melt all his troubles away
Oh, the noise and the rout
Swillin' poitin and stout
For him soon the torment's over
Of the love of a maid
He is never afraid
An old salt from the Irish Rover
We had sailed seven years
When the measles broke out
And the ship lost its way in the fog
And that whale of a crew
Was reduced down to two
Just myself and the Captain's old dog
Then the ship struck a rock
Oh Lord! what a shock
The bulkhead was turned right over
Turned nine times around
And the poor old dog was drowned
I'm the last of The Irish Rover
-The Pogues
Till next time... 'Mela
5:19 PM
Sunday, March 14, 2004
I heard the enchanting song of the Nightingale
this morning.
A definate harbinger of Spring.
I made it to the parade yesterday,
I was so envious of the hats everyone was wearing-
Cartoon-style huge green leprechaun hats with the name of the pub emblazed on it.
I am no longer a pub goin' gal,
so I missed out on the hat detail-
'Seems to me there could be a lucrative business opportunity
on parade day for one crafty individual.
People are walking around parched, with drinks a fair walking distance
to the vending machines...
No memorabilia or refreshments are sold on the streets.
I personally would have invested in one-a-doze green leprechaun hats...
I saw a few old friends from my days at the pub.
It was nice to see them all again.
I saw a couple of guys from NY
I met on the train the day before
westbound from Narita.
I told them of the parade, and sure enough
Michio & I are walking, and I hear:
Pamela!
So, they got to check out Tokyo's version...
On St. Pat's Day,
I will do the corned beef & cabbage at home,
minus the Craic-
Erin will go Braghless...
I go to Isetan's basement floor food court for the corned beef-
They sell it already cooked, and they slice it as you like
tous le jours
so it is not a specialty item.
I also buy fresh horseradish root.
When you grind it yourself, it is much fresher and has a better taste than the prepared stuff.
I put the corned beef in a Chinese steamer,
to fashion after the Eighth Avenue steam-table style eateries.
Works like a charm.
Daffodils are waking up from a long sleep-
They stretch their arms
and look up at the sun...
Till next time... 'Mela
5:10 PM
Friday, March 12, 2004
Getting ready for the Wearin' of the Green tomorrow
at the Irish Network Japan's St. Patrick's parade.
Viewing and/or marching in this parade has always been a tradition of mine-
One I take with me from NYC's Fifth Avenue event.
I would get such a feeling of pride when the Port Authority Police
would don their Irish regalia for the parade.
First, the drums...
Then, the bagpipes,
then onward they would promenade.
Everyone on the street is wearing the green.
It is said in NYC that everyone is Irish that day...
There will always be one particular St.Pat's parade, 18 years ago,
that will remain a special memory...
Five days before my son's birth, I walked from Port Authority to Fifth Ave,
to the parade.
Afterwards, I remember the corned beef and cabbage dinner.
The yuppies scattered to their trendy boiteries for an expensive version
of what we would get at the great Irish bars on Eighth Avenue,
which serve this fare daily.
A much more interesting clientele as well, with Irish music on the jukebox.
Tomorrow, my son Michio & I, and a multitude of Tokyo's own
will march down Omotesando Dori for Tokyo's version...
Till next time... 'Mela
7:02 PM
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Another cold Tokyo March day.
To brighten up the forecast,
my Austin Resonator will be delivered today.
I'm doing the Snoopy happy dance.
Today is also the birthday of the legendary jazz pianist, composer and arranger, Dick Hyman.
We met a few years ago at Orchard Hall, Tokyo.
I was singing with Nobuo Hara and his Sharps & Flats Orchestra
for a recital celebrating Mr. Hara's 45th year in show business.
Dick Hyman came over to perform as well
as the guest pianist and bandleader
with THE JAZZ ALLSTARS.
After I finished my section of the show,
Mr. Hyman came over to me and said "Nice set!"
I bet he liked my singing too.
Happy Birthday Dick Hyman!
Till next time... 'Mela
8:26 PM
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
H A P P Y
B I R T H D A Y
to my blog
One year old today...
I am listening to celebrate:
Metroid Techno Mix- Tangerine Dream
Zen Garden- Tangerine Dream
Dream of Techno- Tangerine Dream
Spacelab- Kraftwerk
Blue Mango Cafe- Tangerine dream
Solaris- Kraftwerk
Someday Sweet Samba- Abdullah Ibrahim(Dollar Brand)
Earth Bird- Dollar Brand
OFF MINOR- John Coltrane/ Thelonius Monk
Trans Europa Express- Kraftwerk
Sous le soileil du Bodega- Les Negresses Vert
Face a la Mer- Les Negresses Vert
Into Morrocco - Deep Forest
Autobahn- Kraftwerk
Tour La France- Kraftwerk
I don't know if I'll get to go see Kraftwerk tonite,
but my mind will be there...
Till next time... 'Mela
7:41 PM
|
|
Photo: Michio Yves Ueda
