How is that happening of middle-aged and older.

I read an article in the newspaper that a number of shoplifting of middle-aged and older is more than such young people these days.
According to the article, it's not that the middle-aged people don't have money to buy things.
Some say they want to feel a thrill.
It is calls to mind that sometimes I come across those who become out of control in a train or on the street.
Although I'm also middle-aged, I can't understand their mind.
My image of middle-aged is that physical power reduce, but mind get mature.
What do you think about it ?

Learn to laugh at yourself.

"Learn to laugh at yourself"
I came across the sentence in a newspaper.

I often make mistakes. I was socially awkward from childhood until I was a young adult.
Sometimes I said something inappropriate to the occasion.
Some of my close friends said ( and occasionally still say ) endearingly "It's just the kind of person she is."
There were times when I felt blue, but I decided to feel amused by myself.
Mean while I don't have awkward times now.
So I can realize what high school students say now. There are various students in my class,
a girl who always says extremely negative things, a boy who talks offensively to everyone except his close friends, a girl who never looks directly at my eyes, a girl who just nods when I talk to her, etc...
They must have some reasons why they behave so.
I don't know, it may be due to domestic circumstances or due to their character.
I have tried not to get angry and imagine their hearts.
I hope they learn to laugh at themselves and they will overcome it.

The power of Art.

There are various sorts of arts in this society.
I roughly classify them as: music, stories, pictures(2 dimensional) and sculpture(3 dimensional).
Music can give the biggest impact of all. It has mass appeal.
Next, I think is stories, novels.
Movies have music and stories combined. That's why it has massive appeal.
What about drawing and sculpture? In the modern world, the power of these is less than before.
However, I like stone sculpture, although it's a little bit old fashioned, I love the feeling of stone which doesn't change.
When I see a mossy stone sculpture, sometimes these are at temples or shrines, I can feel the history and value of timelessness.

Secrets Protection Bill

What the government is trying to do is
Hiding inconvenient truths and emphasizing self serving information.
Arresting people who wanted to know the truth and detected it.
They also threaten whistle=blowers, even journalists.
It doesn't say commonwealth, developed country.
Everyone can understand that.

The Japanese government is trying to take away our right to know. This is a crucial moment.

On the other hand, there are many people who are not concerned about it. People who voted the government in in the last election are also such ordinary people.
Some live hand to mouth, the others are interested in how to get money, not reading the newspaper.
They are unconcerned about politics.
They don't think it is their problem.
I wonder if democracy of Japan hasn't become mature yet, because Japanese have a sense that you can't fight city hall since early times.
They don't have a habit of thinking about something by themselves.
They have still believed the government as " They must be doing good things for us."

If I was forced to teach students patriotism, I might quit teaching at high school.

Making sculpture

Making things balances my mind. When I feel that I have an unstable mind, I can calm down my heart by making things.
I bang down a hammer on a chisel.
I can hear the clang of it.
So I'm calmed down bit by bit, and the stone is going to change shape.
I receive no benefit, no offering from anyone.
I just make it because I want to make it.
I think artists are a kind of selfish living creature.

Ridiculous mode.

Japanese high school students usually wear the uniform of each school. Girl students wear skirts.
The length is unbelievably short. Even if winter comes, they wear them.
I ask them "Don't you feel cold?"
They answer "Yes, of course I feel chilly! But I don't wear a long skirt, because nobody wears it."
They are not able to act individually because they don't want to stand out from their friends.
Besides that I guess they make a situation in which they are in danger of being molested.
I hope the ridiculous mode will vanish someday.

The easiest a way to make a dish.

Put some of the clay on the table.
Put the clay with your palm to pat it moderately flat.

Put two thin wooden boards of the same thickness on both sides of the clay.
And put rolling pin on that.

Roll the stick on the clay until the clay becomes the same thickness with the wooden boards.

This is the plaster mold.
Put the clay on the mold.
Make the shape along it.
Leave it there for several minutes to dry it moderately.

Several minutes later, turn it over.
Take the mold off the clay.
You can adjust the shape that you want to make.
It's all done. Shall we make it ?

Handmade bags made of leather.

If you buy leather bag at the shop, you would spend much money.
However, if you make it, you can get it what you like at a low price.
I bought the materials of leather at wholesale in Asakusa（浅草　あさくさ）. There are many wholesale of it in there. Asakusa is familiar as sight seeing place in Japan, many foreigners visit there.
And I made these hand stitch. It's a pleasure to think about what I design,
And then I do hand stitch the process bit by bit.
After finished it, there are times it's clumsy to use it, but I enjoy it.

My shop to show handmade goods.

A child of seal.

Shelves full potteries like a storeroom.

no houseroom of baskets.
I want to have a shop to show my sculptures, potteries and baskets even if it's a small. As I mention that before, I work at high school as a par time art teacher, because it is hard to make living to sell my works and others. So if I quit the teaching , I wouldn't make living. However, I have many sculptures, potteries and baskets. There are times to sell it to a person who wants these works. I'm thinking that how to get a space to show my works somehow.

Eating orange in the kotatsu.

Speaking of winter in Japan, kotatsu and mandarin orange. A kotatsu is a small table with an electric heater underneath and covered by a quilt. Eating mandarin oranges can resupply a person's vitamin c stores. during the winter. There was no central heating in Japanese houses long ago, so kotatsu were efficient heater for them. When your lower body feels warm, you will want to eat an orange. This is a natural thing to do while relaxing in the kotatsu.

Origami （折り紙、おりがみ）

These are crabs made of paper. It's origami（折り紙、おりがみ）Have you ever made origami ? It can transform a piece of paper into anything. You don't need any tools to make it. Everyone is able to try doing it. If you don't have origami paper, you can make it with wrapping paper or any other kind of paper.

Importance of feeling things directly.

It is important to meet in person, not by way of internet, face to face, doing things directly. For example, using a pencil to write literature, using a saw to cut wood, touching things with your own hands and body. So you can feel the texture, weight, temperature and scent. The feeling stimulates you. Many people play computer games. It doesn't provide literal feeling. I think if you play them for a long time, you will be irritable. Because the lack of the sense makes you get irritated. The number of such people is increasing these days. You might be unconscious of the irritation. There is evidence in the fact that some say " I calmed down while making things." I have thought that for a long time , but I think it these days even more.

Student's feeling.

What almost high school students are like, I tried to write about becoming them. " Although I said I'll go there, I won't,because it's a hassle. Although I was going to do that, I won't do it,because I might fail. I don't want to do what is tired. But don't ignore me. I'm careful about having a place where I can stay. Anyway I will definitely do what can get benefit from for myself. I don't have anything special that I want to do. Announcers talk about some big news on TV,but it's none of my business. I want to dye my hair such color. I have been going out with girl/boy friend for several month. My cell phone broke. I have to take on another job. Ah, well whatever. Is there anything interesting ? " I want to tell them that if you try something hard, I'm sure you can get good things. However, my words have fallen on deaf ears.

Making glaze

Usually I buy some glaze available. Sometimes I make it by burn the trees what I cut in my yard. I'm going to make glaze made of cherry blossom tree's ash. It can expect irregular pattern in the dish, not colorful, subdued texture and view. It looks like Bizen ware, Japanese old pottery. The pleasure of pottery is in the fire finishes it. It's kind of the power of nature.

Hibachi brazier （火鉢 ひばち）and fishes （秋刀魚 さんま）

These are a charcoal brazier hibachi（火鉢　ひばち) and grilled fishes on the charcoal stove(七輪 しちりん）. Speaking of autumn, it is it in Japan. The fishes さんま has plenty of fat. You can eat it with grated radish and fresh lemon and soy sauce. This is a best combination. And during the winter,you can eat baked rice cake（餅 もち） on the hibachi brazier. It's a warm and delicious.

Japanese's bad habit.

I often hear many families who lives in Fukushima can't evacuate. Why don't they evacuate from Fukushima ? Some say neighbors blame those who are going to do evacuating. Japanese blame a person who derange their harmony. I know that harmony of relationship with their neighborhood is important. However this is something life-thretening to their children. Mind your own business. Why they don't make mention of an individual person. They should allow in their beliefs that they have an obligation to protect their children.

ぼんさいのはち（盆栽鉢）

This is a"Ume" tree of Bonsai(ぼんさい　盆栽）. Bonsai is miniature potted plant. It can enjoy the form to cut the branch. One of members of pottery's class made it. There are two lizard(made of clay) on the edge of the pot. Did you notice?

Card stand

This is a post card stand. It's a little bit scaring, but it's convenience.

School bullying.

It won't be long before the end of the autumn,the winter comes. One of my jobs is teaching high school as part time Art teacher. The students are connected to their friends. They act as a group all day long, even if they don't want to be with them. If someone falls away from the group, he/she might be bullied by friends. It looks like everybody is there under unavoidable circumstance. The other hand, students who bully someone might have serious problems in their family. I don't allow myself to speak only fine words when I talk about people who grew up at the bottom of society. It's a complicated things. Even though a teacher can't bear their life, I think I want to help them as much as possible.

Choosing dishes

When you have a dinner or lunch, do you think which dish do you chose depends on each meal? What is measure choosing it, color, texture of the material and season. That moment is one of amenities of life.

Potato baker.

This is a potato baker. Put some potato or sweet potato into the baker. And set afire it on a range. Thirty minutes later, you'll be able to eat delicious baked sweet potato. It made of heat-resistance clay.

Phrasal verbs

When I read a book, I realized that there are many phrasal verbs made of simple words. For example, go for, count on, blow out, look up, figure out etc.... Of course I know several of these words, but I need to increase them more. I need to understand the nuance of it in sentences not only just meaning. So I might be able to express myself in English writing with a wider range.

猫ちぐら

Guess what ? It's called "Nekotigura"　ねこちぐら、a house of cat. Japanese traditional Nekotigura made of straw, but I tried to make a paper tape. It's also not fragile. It suffice for a cat staying in it.

Going to A Bakery with the basket

One of friends runs Bakery. That is good,I like it.It is not too soft, it has resilient texture.When I go to there,I bring the basket.It's really convenient.

Light sculpture.

Tese are a kind of lampshade. It has warm atmosphere. It made of clay. You can enjoy it as light sculpture.

A Short story.

This is a short story what I encountered one year ago. One day I got commuter train in the morning. Fortunately, I was able to sit down, because I stood in a at the head of line. However it was really crowded in the train. A young girl sat down next to me. And young guy stood in front of her. I noticed a strong alcoholic smell from them. Apparently they were woke up all night and drunk. They were talking saying something ,she said "I want to sleep." He answered "Year, me too. I'm going to go to your apartment with you, and I want to sleep." She said "No,No,nobody can stay at my room. It7s a rule of the apartment." She was really upset. He said "if I missed you now, I guess you would never contact me. I will definitely follow you." After going through two station, many people got off the train. Then he could sit down in front of her. He started to set about sleep. Several minutes later, he was sleeping deeply slept deeply. So she left the seat and moved to the next car quietly. He didn't notice that. And she got off the train at the same station that I got off. She looked around restlessly, but he wasn't there. She looked relieved, and left gone away. I felt like that I had seen a watched short human drama. I wonder what will they happen with them after that day?

おちょこ

As Ｉ mention about him before, one of friends fired these in his a climbing kiln. It's called Japanese "おちょこ". You can use it when you drink Japanese "Sake".

The imitation やまぶどう basket

That made of paper. It's not fragile. You can use it as same as bag which you use.

Trial pieces.

These are trial pieces. White dishes.

The Olympic in Tokyo

I know there are many opinions about the olympic 7 years later. I think this is no time to do the olympic in Tokyo. It's time to manage the Fukushima nuclear plant. The government hasn't controlled it yet. I can't understand why they are making merry on TV. Actually, there are many people who live in Fukushima. They are suffering from radiation now. Even though the government can't protect Japanese people, they would invite foreigners. They don't think anything straight.

Convenient basket

This is one of baskets I make.

The climbing kiln of Rosanjin、魯山人（ろさんじん）

This is a climbing kiln what Rosannjinn 魯山人 used. He is widely known cook and artist. For now one of friends use it. He is good craft potter.

口は災いのもと

The least said, The soonest mended.Japanese people tend to do so.

Trial model

These are Baskets what I made. Making a motion with my hands is good for my brain.

The sea otter

This is a Sea otter what I made. They have a beautiful shape.