Anniversary

Thirty years ago today on December 23, 1988, Elin Schweickart and I got married in Osaka,  secular and unceremonious. It was also Emperor Hiroshito's birthday. We called home then from a pay phone in a hotel. Luke warm responses as I recall, like polite approval. I remember her saying to her father, "No, I took Chadwick," and "Schweickart is a man's name too and anyway..." I hesitate to quote there because she said rather strongly that she was dying to get rid of that last name.  Now she's Elin Powers, happily married to Dave. I do indeed look back fondly on the years with Elin. She calls me her Wasband and I call her, at her brilliant suggestion, my past wife experience.

There's a chapter about it in Thank You and OK! - Marital Bows

Another photo from the wedding earlier this month

Katrinka and DC greet the bride.

See it larger and better at the page for this event.

Puritan Hangover determines what we all can see

Friend looking to self-publish art book with Bookbaby was told that there's a problem. Three pages have bare breasts and if there's one complaint they'll pull it from distribution including ordering online. What a gutless pile of perverted nonsense. Reminds me of how a small group of fanatics influenced what was permissible in history textbooks in Texas and it was such a big market that they were dictating what history kids studied all over the country.

Meanwhile, a giant tsunami is rushing toward us.

Video of A Message Especially for Today's Youth

Welcome Good Members of the World Suicide Club

WSC page

On Human Extinction

Would Human Extinction be a Tragedy? - NYTimes Dec. 17, 2918

Added to the WSC page

 - thanks Elizabeth Sawyer

At a Ramen Shop

Katrinka and I ate lunch at a little ramen shop today in Sanur tucked back off street in a guest house garden owned and run by an old Japanese guy with a beard. Two Japanese men sat on stools at his counter and ate and talked with him. Both other couples that were there while we were there had a Japanese. I heard a local man talking Japanese to his wife. He'd lived in Tokyo and owned the Japanese retaurant where Katrinka and I ate a week ago in a more touristy area - oh yes, we remembered seeing each other. I spoke a little Japanese with them but can't do that well at all right off - Indonesian words start coming out. Super frustrating. His wife who spoke English and Japanese but little Indonesian said she doesn't go to her husband's Japanese restaurant. I told her this place is the honmono, real thing. Right she said. I gave her the name of Zen Is Right Here in Japanese and the publisher (Zen wa Ima Koko - Samgha) and told her Crooked Cucumber is coming out in Japanese in two months. Had a fun time talking with the owner for a moment but couldn't get far. Talked to a waitress  who was new to Bali. Poor woman had to communicate with the owner in English and a little Indonesian he knew and she had learned a few Japanese words. She'd just arrived from Jakarta. I asked what religion she was because I could see she was Chinese Indonesian. She said Catholic. I told her we were Buddhists. She said that really she's a Buddhist too but at the school she went to she had to sign on as either Muslim, Catholic, or Protestant, and choose Catholic because, like Buddhists, they use incense.

Photos from Wedding reception

Here's the groom and bride
and the rest are at the
wedding reception page

Congratulations Komang and Nopita!