Last day of preschool (#12)

I know, NaBloPoMo is supposed to be about me blogging and writing every day.  I committed to it, but really, I am using it to catch up on this blog.  If you're on FB, chances are you saw these photos back in August.  Here's Maiya and Devin's last day at preschool.  We carpooled with Devin for 5 months.  I think it was a good challenge for the two of them in terms of learning how to get along with others, and that you don't always get your way.  Looking at these pictures, you would never know that on this last day of school they fought in the car almost the whole way.

Cutie pies!

I took a picture of Maiya by this rock 2 1/2 years ago.

  See?  First day of preschool February 2008

Devin looks so grown up here.  He's like my 2nd child.

Here, they were bickering, as they often do, but it looks like a catalog ad for striped clothes.

 Maiya with Justin and a book that the kids in her class made for her.

 Maiya and Ryan, first "boyfriend," or maybe 2nd

 That night, we went to Mickie's going-away party at 410 Boyd. 

 Yes, that's preschoolers hanging out at the local bar.  

Actually, these kids kind of grew up there.

 Saying Sayonara to Mickie.

NaBloPoMo#12... so you know that coming soon will be pictures of the first day of school.

Ikebana, preschool art (#11)

Here is Maiya's first Ikebana.  She made this in Japanese class at preschool back earlier this summer.  I love that the Japanese cultural art of flower arranging, is part of Maiya's preschool curriculum.

We took this picture for Grandma Machi, who used to do flower arranging when I was growing up.  It took me a few minutes to clear off the table to take the picture.

NaBloPoMo#11

2 Tired 2 Blog 2 Night

Tony bought me a new camera for my birthday!  It's a Canon PowerShot S95.  Lots of cool things on it.  Here's me and Maiya at Uncle Bill's.  She's wearing my reading glasses.  Yes, I now have 2 pairs of reading glasses.

Too tired to blog tonight... stay tuned.  NaBloPoMo#10

Tanabata, Tanabata (#9)

Maiya and I walked from her preschool over to the 2nd Tanabata Festival back in August 2010, part of the Nisei Week Festivities.  My sister Gayle drove out to Little Tokyo from the Valley on a Friday evening.  Afterwards, we went to dinner at Suehiro's.

Maiya and Cousin Kaylee

Gayle with Kieth, Kaylee & Maiya

Sisters, Cousins (Photo Credit: Kieth)

Ms. Tanabata Kikuchi (haha)

Chris and Evelyn, Sansei Sisters of J-town

Tanko Bushi Mob Flash Dance attempted

If you haven't seen the Tanabata Festival, I recommend you go next year.  It's a pretty cool sight to see.  It's also neat how different community groups make their own, and each is very different and unique.  This year some really big ones came from Japan.

Oh, wait!  I just realized I never posted last year's Tanabata photos in 2009, so with this blog, you get 2 for the low, low, price of 1.

2009 Jenni and Maiya at 4 years old

2009 Maiya and Nancy Kikuchi pass out ribbons

Well, that's NaBloPoMo#9.

School-age Maiya (#8)

Kindergarten Photo 2010 *Age 5 1/2

For the past five years, I've been working in the Early Childhood Education field, actually as I write this, I realize that yesterday was my 5 year anniversary at work.  As Maiya grew from infant to toddler to preschooler, I've followed the development of her learning as I learned about child development through my work at LTSC and developed my own philosophy of the kind of parenting I wanted to practice.  The term "school-age children" was always something that was beyond me and my knowledge.  I didn't need to know it for work (other than generally), and I wasn't there yet at home.

But all of a sudden, Maiya has started Kindergarten.  So we have been adjusting to things like homework, adjusting to 3 separate programs, including morning program and after school program, getting there on time and beating the gates as they close, learning how to read, write, speak, understand and pronounce Japanese, going through the 10 step program to become a parent volunteer in the classroom AND the school, starting Nihon Buyo dance class, starting JA basketball, and meeting new classmates, teammates and their parents.

There's a lot going on for this little girl and while she's doing well in school and is enjoying Japanese, new friends and homework, her emotions have been pretty intense and a challenge.  For me, a big change is that I am now driving in to work alone.  After carpooling with Maiya for 5 years into Little Tokyo, our radius has now shifted, with most of Maiya's activities being centered west of where we have been, and both Tony and I working downtown.  And while we were able to remain relatively active in the JA community and as activists with Maiya the baby, toddler and preschooler, I can definitely see why there aren't a lot of people our age (and younger) with children who are able to remain active in the community.  It wasn't that hard when she was coming with me to Jtown every day, but now we have to make much more of an effort to stay active.

Well, now I think I'm rambling, and I don't know exactly what I'm saying here, but my baby is growing up, and things are changing.

Here's a life-size drawing of Maiya that we did 

when she was 'Person of the Week' recently.  

NaBloPoMo#8.

Saying Goodbye to Larry's House (#7)

Well, today was our last day at Grandpa Larry's house.  Larry's house is in escrow and should close this week.  Tony and Hector went up yesterday and moved and gave away all the furniture.  Today, we drove up and packed up the rest of the kitchen, bathrooms and loaded up what was left of the garage.  

Last Summer, we went up almost every weekend, packing up and cleaning up the house.  We went back and forth in trying to decide whether to sell, rent or turn the house into a vacation rental.  While we were spending time in the house, it reminded me of my family's condo in Mammoth and many years of happy memories.  Maiya and I enjoyed going down to the "beach" at Lake Gregory 1/2 a mile away while Tony worked at the house.  It's been a year and a half since Larry passed away, and almost 3 years since he got sick, so saying goodbye to his belongings and his house has been a long process.  

Kind of a sad day.  The house is empty now--but our garage and our memories are full.  

Photos taken on my new Canon PowerShot S95.  NaBloPoMo#7.

Supporting the JLA's is urgent! (#6)

I am sharing this email I received to support the Japanese Latin American issue.  One of my first columns written back in 1996 and was about the JLA's:  Justice Now, Redress Now for JLA's.  


~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Supporters of JLA Redress:

We need YOUR HELP to urge Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to support our bill.  This email campaign is directed to our supporters and is NOT a broad public appeal.  Good news!  Our Japanese Latin American Commission bill (H.R.42 / S.69) is positioned for passage in both the Senate and House.  This bill would establish a Congressional commission to investigate what JLAs experienced at the hands of the US government during the WWII Latin American rendition program and to recommend appropriate remedies. 

URGENT!  This is time sensitive!  
1)   Please email Nancy Pelosi TODAY (or no later than Monday, Nov. 8) with this message.  
2)   Please forward to others who will support, especially folks who reside in Pelosi's 8th District.
3)   Also, please call or email me so we can keep track of how many emails are sent in.


Dear Madam Speaker:
I urge your support of The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act (H.R.42/S.69) .  The language of H.R.42/S.69 is currently included in S.3636, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Appropriations Act, 2011.  Please support keeping the language of H.R.42/S.69, including the related funding, in S.3636 when it comes to the House of Representatives for consideration. 
 
This legislation is crucial for our nation to learn about the violations suffered by the Japanese Latin Americans during World War II at the hands of our government.  We must understand the lessons from our hidden history to better uphold our Constitution and human rights.  We ask you to stand with us for truth and justice.

Thank you for your consideration.
[add your name]

Here’s the link for residents of Pelosi's 8th district:https://pelosi. house.gov/ contact/email- me.shtml  
Here’s the link for everyone who lives outside of her district: http://www.speaker. gov/contact/
Please remember to call or email Grace gshimizu7@gmail. com or 510-459-7288.
Thank you so much for your help!

Grace Shimizu
Campaign For Justice
~~~~~


Ok friends, it took me a whole 25 seconds to click the link, paste the email and send to Nancy Pelosi.  I  know she is supportive of Japanese American redress and education about the WW2 camp experience because she supported Manzanar After Dark and the Manzanar Pilgrimage events over 10 years ago, when she was based out of San Francisco area.


(NaBloPoMo#6)

Everybody's Fine (#5)

Just watched a DVD "Everybody's Fine"with Robert DeNiro, who is fantastic in the film.  This movie is about a man whose wife recently passed away and all 4 of his grown children cancel out on visiting him.  He sets off on a road trip around the country to surprise visit and connect with his children.  I had never heard of the film before I saw it in the video store.  I enjoyed it, and cried like I haven't cried in a movie in a long time.  And I loved the beautiful song at the end of the movie  "(I Want To) Come Home" which Paul McCartney wrote after seeing the film.  Sweet movie.



And there we go, NaBloPoMo #5, with 25 more to go.

Letters from Daddy (Aug-Sept) (#4)

Most mornings when we wake up for school, Tony has already left for work, but these handwritten letters with little drawings are waiting for us on the pillow.  Maiya and I read them together in bed, or if we're running late, we read them on the potty.

Maiya and Daddy on the first day of Kindergarten

8/27/10:
Dear Maiya, I think today will be special.  Why?  Because it is your last day as a preschooler.  You can always go back to visit Nishi, but you are 3 days away from beginning Kindergarten.  It's a German word, Kindergarten. That's another language and country.  Kindergarten means "Kid's garden."  They call the class that because it's where kids grow into beautiful, smart and creative young people.  And I think you're going to grow into a beautiful flower tree.  Strong like a giant tree and beautiful like a flower.  Will you share your fruit with others?  Will your leaves and branches make shade for people and animals on hot days?  Will your trunk be a home to chipmunks?  Will you let kids climb and build a tree house?  Will people wear your beautiful flowers in their hair on special occasions?  Like a wedding.  Will you have a swing on your strong branch arms?  Have a memorable day at Nishi.  Love, Daddy

9/13/10:
Dear Maiya, Good morning sweety.  I wish I could take you to school, but I need to go to school myself.  it's my first day back to work.  Summer vacation is over.  Have a great time today.  I will pick you up in the afternoon.  I'm going to call your name, bend down on one knee and then give you a really, really, really giant, humongous, jumbo super duper big hug.  Okay?  Love, Daddy

9/15/10:
Dear Mai Mai, Oh my gosh!  It's your 12th day of school.  Did you know that 12 is also called a dozen.  Like a dozen eggs are called a dozen eggs.  Here's morning quiz.  What are these things? (Pictured are pencil, eraser, circle, glue and scissors - which she learned the Japanese words for the week's homework).  Mommy, you be the teacher.  Good luck Maiya.  Love, Daddy

9/21/10:
Dear Maiya, When I think about you, I feel happy and good inside.  I'm proud of you.  Love, Daddy T. P.S. Let's do some fun homework tonight.

9/22/10:
Hello Maiya Grace, I am writing with a purple marker.  I heard you read my letter yesterday.  Are you reading this one?  I have a teacher's union meeting tonight.  I'll see you tonight after shower.  I will give you a hug and try to capture you.  Love Daddy.

Photo taken by Daddy T on the school playground the first day of school

There's NaBloPoMo#4.

On Becoming a Democrat (#3)

I don't know when or how it happened, but in the last 6 years or so, I've become a Democrat.  Officially.  In yesterday's election, I voted strictly down the party line, no Greens, no Peace and Freedom candidates, no Independents.  I remember a few years ago my friend Tarabu asking me who I voted for and I told him the Green Party candidate (whose name I can't remember) and he said, "Wow Jenni, you sure do go for the long shot."  I've been disdainful of the Democrats as well as Republicans and I've been proud of being a left-leaning progressive activist.  In my heart I am really a Green, but in this climate with all the backlash against Obama on both the right and the left, and those crazy Tea Partiers, I have become more cautious.

Anyways, I am pretty happy about Jerry Brown becoming Governor again.  The youngest, and now the oldest.  I remember liking him when I was a kid.  I loved in his speech last night how he held his victory party not in some meaningless corporate hotel, but in the theater that had been vacant for 30 years that he helped to reopen, and worked to create the Oakland School for the Arts.  Very cool.  To say that he is going to do his best to support education and the arts, now that goes a long way with me.

Maiya's first time voting at one-month old (March 2005)

I hated Arnold from the time he was elected (or even before) and every time I heard him speak, hold a stubborn line, threaten, bully,  or take services away from people who really really really needed them.  I hated feeling like he didn't care about poor people and immigrants.  The worst was when he completely eliminated state-subsidized center-based childcare in this year's budget (which is why I am an active early childhood education advocate)  I know I was feeling the same feeling of dread every time I heard Meg Whitman's voice, and I could not support anyone who didn't vote until she was 46 years old, the age I am now.

I know we have some pretty rough losses around the country, but aside from some of the state initiatives I voted for that didn't make it, I feel pretty good about California about now.  Almost, dare I say, I have a feeling of hope.  Anyways, like I always used to say:  Peace. Out.

She got her sticker, did you?  (November 2008)

NaBloPoMo#3.

Forty-Sicks! (#2)

I wrote "Forty-Sicks!" on my Facebook status today.  A few people thought I meant forty sucks.  Except that I am not 40, I am now, 46!  Can't even believe it.  The bummer is that I spent my 46th birthday at home with what I think was a quick and mild flu?  Had a fever the night before, then a bit of vomit.  Haven't eaten anything since yesterday at lunch... I vomited my liquid breakfast (3 juiced oranges) and had been feeling nauseous and weak.  Anyways, sick is not a good way to spend your birthday.

In addition, I've been living with asthma since the end of August and it's been a real drag what with all the coughing, wheezing, phlegm and difficulty breathing going on.  Going to make some time to do my annual self-care birthday gift to myself coming soon to a spa or Thai massage!  Well, right now I am vowing to make my 47th year a healthier one.

Oh, which reminds me of a story, I was at Rockett (5) & Zoe's (4) birthday this weekend and a woman asked me if I was Rockett's grandma!  Which is not that bad really, I mean I have friends my age and younger who are grandparents, so it's not inconceivable, but then that would make me Steve or Leslie's mom, and that is just not cool!  Well, I mean it would be cool to be the mom of such great people, I would be lucky if Maiya turned out to be like Leslie or Steve, but really, do I look like I could be either of their parents.  Please.

Steve and Leslie with Rockett & Zoe on the left

Ok, well anyways, hoping to change Forty-Six to Forty Lucky Seven in the next year!  NaBloPoMo#2.

It's that NaBloPoMo Time of Year Again (#1)

So, for the last 3 years, I have participated in NaBloPoMo, National Blog Posting Month.  Does anyone actually blog anymore?  Hello out there?

Anyways, I'm going to try it again this year, ignoring how busy we are.  If I can spend time every day on Farmville, at least I can try to do this as well.  Maiya starting school, basketball and having her own social life seems to have taken a life of its own.  Except that we are the ones driving her to all of these events.   At least it'll give me a chance to blog about all the things I missed this year while not blogging.  Well, hang on here we go!

West LA Obon - July 2010

NaBloPoMo#1

What happens in Vegas...

After not taking any trips the last two summers, I was determined to go somewhere this year for vacation. So, me and Maiya went to Las Vegas with Grandma Machi and Grandpa Walt for 3 days in August.

We did this alot.  Can you say that 3 times fast? 

 "Flamingo Las Vegas. Flamingo vas legas, Famingo fos faygas."

Enjoying the 3 pools and giant slides at the Flamingo Pool while grandpa gambled.

15 acres of pools at the Flamingo.

I think this is the Mirage, no?  And yes, we saw the volcano, 

and the Treasure Island show in 105 degree weather.

Walking in the sauna called the Venetian at dusk.

More pool time.  I mean, really, what else do you want to do when you're 5?

We went down the big slide.  Maiya loved it.

Photo Credit:  Maiya.  (Not bad, huh?)

We loved "Love" the Beatles show by Cirque du Soleil.  

Worth every penny, ahem I mean, dollar.

A new Beatles fan is born.

Guess who?  Storm trooper and R2D2 will take pictures for tips.

We did do a lot of eating.  This is Maiya's first-ever rootbeer float.  

This expression was her response after the first sip:  "Awesome!"

It was nice to spend time with grandma and grandpa.  Every night when Maiya and I went back to the room to get ready for bed, grandma and grandpa would go back out on the casino floor for more video poker, and get back long after we went to sleep.  After being in the sun all day at the pool, and walking around the Strip in the evenings, we were exhausted.  Grateful to Tony (and Hector) for staying home working on some home improvement projects.  Maiya really missed Tony a lot.  She wrote him a postcard and waiting for it to come in the mail was almost as fun as the trip itself!  She got to pick out a souvenir (budget $5) to take home... it took her about 20 minutes to select this pink Flamingo Las Vegas keychain.

Overnighter to DC 2010

I went to Washington D.C. on Thursday morning and came back on Friday night.  I was there to meet with fellow grantees from the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.  It was a much different experience from 6 1/2 years ago when I went to DC.  Very nice, unseasonably warm weather.  I stayed near Georgetown so I was able to walk there for dinner. There was a Trader Joe's there that I walked inside just to check it out.  No problems with parking as I would expect from Trader Joe's because there isn't any.  Everyone there looked like a young professional, no shopping carts, everyone had a hand-basket for their things--I guess everyone lives within walking distance.  I walked over a mile looking for a place to get a good healthy salad and never found anything.  I ended up at a fancy Indian restaurant for some so-so Indian food. 

On Friday morning, two fellow grantees and I, shared a cab over to the Barbara Bush Foundation's office for their Grantee Training for the 2010-2011 grantees.  We were able to meet the other grantees from around the country.  Our Little Tokyo Service Center Family Literacy program was 1 of 9 (and the only one from the West Coast) from across the country that was awarded this year!

We were each asked to make a 10 minute presentation of our program, so I put together a Powerpoint to describe all the various aspects of our Family Literacy program.  After lunch, we were able to break up into small groups to talk about things like Recruitment, Retention, Sustainability, Curriculum, Program Design and Assessments.

It was very cool to learn about and meet (mostly) women who run these inspiring Family Literacy programs from urban neighborhoods in places like Chicago and Miami, to very rural communities like the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Northern Michigan, and the Dakotas.

Our meeting finished relatively early so with my map (and my rolling suitcase) I walked over to the White House.  I wanted to see if I could see Michelle Obama's organic vegetable garden on the South Lawn.  I was able to see it, but from a pretty far distance (it's behind me to my right at the corner of the photo).  I went to the White House Visitor's Center eager to find info about the First (Black) Family in the White House-- but was disappointed to find that it is really an outdated historical display with no sign or mention of the Obama's.  The most recent stuff I saw was from the Eisenhower years.  Lots of stuff about the building and gardens in the early days.  I was able to find some Obama stuff for my daughter Maiya at a t-shirt vendor parked a few blocks from the White House--an Obama family postcard and key chain for $1.25.  I also went over to Lafayette Park and found Conchita still there--she has been the White House's closest resident since 1981.  Same signs and photos from my first trip in 2004.

It was a long commute trip for just one night.  But all in all, a productive trip to D.C.

Blog killer

I think FB killed this blog.  Oh well.  If you want to know what's happening with Kuida-Osumi, Facebook us.

Signs of Peace in Little Tokyo

P - E - A - C - E 

Kuida-Osumi at the Candlelight Vigil 9-9-10

supporting Muslim Americans with NCRR

On 9-11-10, we went to the Peace Vigil
at the Islamic Center of Southern California

Maiya performing at Tuesday Night

Youngest Open Mic on Tuesday Night Project from Gary San Angel on Vimeo.

Thanks to Tuesday Night Project folks for allowing Maiya to join the Open Mic on August 3rd for her debut on the Tuesday Night stage.  Thanks to Joe Reilly for performing this at the Children's Social Forum in June in Detroit.

B.Y.O. Chopstix

Here's a Great Leap project I am excited to have been a part of. It's Nobuko and Luke (Aidge) performing B.Y.O. Chopstix--a cute music video encouraging us all to be a little greener... and do our part to help save the earth, one hashi at a time... Bring Your Own Chopstix.

This project was so much fun! I helped organize the background extras, and helped with some of the pre-production stuff to get the project organized. As part of craft services, we bought all the breakfast goodies and snacks. On the day of the video shoot, Tony and I got there at 5am to start setting up the craft services area. One of my jobs was to prep the food and set up the dishes for all of the food you see on the set. That boiling water (me). The edamame and California rolls were plated up by me and Dora.

It was really fun being part of the production, getting to see inside all the drawers and fridges for a small Japanese restaurant. I also got to be "stage mom" for a bit when they decided (it had been tentatively set for another day) that they had time to shoot Maiya holding the Chopstick Art that we created together for the video. I ran to the car to get a different shirt and quickly ran a brush through her hair and put on a cute headband (since her hair was a bit crazy from her first overnight visit to Auntie Keiko's and from running the Chibi-K earlier in the morning.

So, B.Y.O. Chopstix... if you want to see it screened, it will premiere at the Collaboratory performance: Order to Go. It will be music, theater, movement and dance... on the theme of throwaway take-out containers. Nobuko will perform, and there will be a reception and Q&A with special guests to follow. Sept. 11 at 7pm at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City. Go to the new, improved Great Leap website for more info.

Nat'l Breastfeeding Week

As a lactivist, I proudly nursed Maiya for 3 years and 3 months.  It was not easy at the beginning.  It took us about 5 months to get her latched on properly, but I was determined not to give up because I knew how breastmilk was building her immunity for a lifetime.  I was visiting a lactation consultant for months and relied on blogger mama friends for advice on natural parenting for years. I breastfed exclusively for 6 months and for the first year or more, I was nursing about every 2 hours, nights included (benefits of cosleeping by design).  It was worth all of the effort because it is the best gift I could have given her.  This photo was taken by Parmley Photography in 2005 when Maiya was a newborn for a calendar of mamas nursing in public spaces.  The photo was taken at the Farmer's Market on Fairfax.