Go Vote Campaign!

You won't believe this. 

I didn't believe it either at first.... 

I was asked by a good friend to do some sort of narration for some organization (I suspect is funded by the LDP - Not sure) to make a commercial narration for people to go out and vote today (Dec. 14, 2014) in the Japan General Election.

I didn't tell them that I was an anarchist and that I do not condone voting.

Why? Well, I thought it was quite jaw-dropping that; 1) I am a foreigner in Japan and, as such, have no right to vote anyway so it's weird that I would be asked and then, telling people to go out and vote (isn't it?) and, 2) Like I said, I am an anarchist so I don't believe that voting changes anything and it is a waste of time.

I saw famous inventor and genius, Dr. Nakamatsu campaigning in front of Futakotamagawa station the other day. I'd vote for him (or some of the hot babes running) any day... 

I mean, if I voted; which I don't.

Like Mark Twain said, "If voting could change anything, it would be illegal."

So, I did the narration anyway, just to be able to say, someday, that "I am one of the few foreigners in Japan who (sort of) helped Shinzo Abe get re-elected."

Regular readers of this blog will know what I think of Shinzo (or any of the rest of them!)

So. I did it. I made the commercial. I write this down now because I don't want any skeletons in my closet. I have no idea where this is being broadcast, but was sent a Youtube link a few hours ago.

Here it is. Please watch on Youtube and give it a "Thumbs Up" if you like it!...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaHpm0vqAj0

It was fun recording this, though. The people who are making these announcements are good folks with good intentions.

Dear Mother-of-all-that-is-gravy, please forgive me for what I've done!

It doesn't matter anyway... Abe will get re elected and continue to ruin this country and her currency with his insane "Abenomics.".

Three Generations to Become a Great Pianist

In classical music circles, they say that it requires three generations for a child to become great at the piano. Why is that?

I'm told that this is how it works:

Grandpa is a laborer. He works hard and toils and sweats in the fields or in his work. One day, he saves enough money to start his own business. He struggles with that too and, one day, becomes successful.

He raises a family and doesn't want his children to grow up to work in coal mines or in the farms. He wants them to be doctors or lawyers. He wants them to have culture. He wants to give them a life that he never had. He sends them to proper schooling and to study culture and the arts. He sends them to classical piano lessons too.

The children grow up to fulfill their father's dream to become professionals.

Alas, while children, they never really do become excellent at piano, even if they do show talent, because at piano lessons, even with the best teacher's in the country, when they come home, they have no one to play and practice with. And, of course, no child can become a master when they only have lessons once a week... So that child grows up and never becomes a grand master of piano.

But the grandchild? Oh, the grandchild is different.

The grandchild goes to piano lessons and, then when they return home, there is someone to play and practice with. There is someone who can read music and give them the extra help that they need... So, with talent from god, a loving parent (who knows how to play and read music) and hard work and a little luck, there is a possibility that an excellent pianist is born...

Possibly even what is called a genius.... When you stop to think about it, that's why American country musicians are so great; they grew up even playing with grandpa as children!

This video below is my son. I'm so proud of him... His mother graduated from a very famous classical music university in Japan... Of course in classical piano...

Is my son a piano genius? Probably not. But I am so happy that he has this gift of music in his life.

I'm hoping that, someday, my son can be like one of my favorite classical pianists of all time: Pianistar Hiroshi: