Caliber of the man — Calligraphy

I stumbled an Youtube post
showing the comparison of
calligraphy made by the
Japanese PM Abe and the
Chinese Chairman Shu.
(Abe=left, Shu=right)
Seemingly it was posted in China and the people commenting how
pathetic, the Shu’s hand were. Calligraphy expose the man’s caliber.
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Winter Cherry 2015

Someone might say,”Same again how boring”
though, it’s not only an accustomed tradition here
but this tree is more than a friend to me.
She is an indicator of Life.
Having had a rather unusual life style = flowering in
the winter and the last one tree left among the three,
— to see her flowering again in this year, really
gave me a sigh of relief.




By the way, they are the same flower though, right photo was taken
with a built-in flash of the Nikon D810, and I found it is rather useful.
(Though, flashlight was diffused by a white paper.)

So far, the weather in London is not cold at all. Still it is winter.
The photos here were taken by either Zeiss 18mm F3.5 for Nikon or
Homemade single glass lens/so-called Gaudy Lens on Nikon D810.
(Strangely, the Non-CPU lens on D810 was functioning well here —
I haven’t fully tested whether D800 and D810 got different OS/setting.
The setting was for Non-CPU/Zeiss 18mm Lens = the Lens, brighter
than F5.6 may be working but may not be with Pinhole unless AI ring
was set to the proper position.)
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Wasn’t that a Contradiction — or— Enlightenment ?
Somebody questioned me after this paragraph :
—– You have to see it by your eyes. Not from the stories.
Otherwise, Why You need to bother be a Buddhist.
To contact with all the fresh stimuli with your naked sense will
keep your brain young. —– Which was
the last paragraph of the last post = Meaning on the Hand.
“You (mean Me) been saying “See the world in Detached eyes.
Do the things like a routine without Emotion” but here you
say “Feel it with naked sense” — which is true ?”
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Aha, you are right. I didn’t pay enough attention.
It was a matter of the stage, while people gain the awareness.
= Going through the pathway, people gain the awareness and in
the same time perception, attitude etc everything will change,
but only stage by stage. It will not happen in one go.
—– With the endless repeated practice, the person may gain a
mentality to do the practice as a routine, out of emotion, and gain
an attitude to carry-out the work/dairy life in a detached mind.
Once the person mastered this mental state, in fact the person
became immune to the emotional up and down and became a
cool observer to his/hers own life. Once the person reached to
this stage, the person would be liberated from the Person itself.
This is the biggest Paradox in Zen. = As the person IS now free
from the SELF, there will be NO concern left = even the own life,
therefore free to commit anything. So, feel free, enjoy or cry free.
In fact, here is an Enlightened Person.
___/\___
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Meaning on the Hand

Well, this is the Post diverted and became its own from the previous post.
Hand is a body parts which got second highest concentration of
the nerve after the eyes. And especially we human got our hands
best developed among any animals, we have best and the most
delicate control of them. So that, not only its dexterity or the
physical function, its acquired the mean of expression as well.
We can read the meaning of what the hand is telling or symbolizes,
and the eyes tend to follow what the hand is expressing.
(I mean not only F**K or Peace kind of sign but also more delicate
mood of its operator as well.) 🙂
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Among the Buddhism, Tantra sect having not only their Dharani
(magic words) but also quite complicated form of the hand sign
(or finger twists which the followers do the same — and they are
showing off it each others “Look I can do better than you”).
It’s hard to guess where it was originated, = each
Buddhism Figures are showing their unique hand sign.
You may search their meanings or each name in the Wiki though,
I don’t think it would bring any worthwhile understanding of the
Buddha’s teachings. They are just the cosmetic style.
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= After all, the core of the teachings was, to reprogram the brain to
jump the process in the Emotional Region in Limbic System, where
the notion of Self-interests = Ego / Greed / Desire were induced.
It is the same situation to learn ride a Bicycle = reprogram the Motor
Region of brain to learn the body-balance on the bicycle = intellectual
understanding of “How to ride” wouldn’t work, but physical practice.
Lord Buddha’s last words in his death bed to the disciples was
“Don’t believe what others say or you head, but learn it yourself”
—– This episode signify
(1) His teaching could not be understood intellectually but only
a practical learning of the body and the mind could materialize.
Such as, you been reading this blog without noticing WHO is
reading this — ? = We are living without noticing the SELF.
Unless we assert “Me Me Me” Self is not there.
— With a practice, you will get a technique to apply this mental
mechanism to do the subject which was awkwardly entwined with
your Ego, without Emotion and without the so-called Self.
(2) The reason why
Lord Buddha had to say it in such a precious, last remaining
moment was that his disciples has yet necessarily mastered it.
—– And this fact explain why the Buddhism and its teachings of
“No-Self /Anatman” (No soul to Reincarnates) was misconceived
and mixed up with the Hinduism (which says Reincarnation) since
such early days.
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When we saw a hand and feel what sort of meaning it’s saying,
— we can feel but it can not be interpreted into the words.
Our hand express unconsciously = and we read it unconsciously.
= they are out of the lexical comprehension. —– The most of
Lord Buddha’s statue having the hand sign called “Semui” (in
Japanese) which said to mean “Don’t be afraid” — Can you see it ?
I can only see “Oh, what a big hand !” —– 😀
—– You have to see it by your eyes. Not from the stories.
Otherwise, Why You need to bother be a Buddhist.
To contact with all the fresh stimuli with your naked sense will
keep your brain young. 🙂
___/\___
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Selfridge Xmas Window 2015

Hand is a body parts which got second highest concentration of
the nerve after the eyes. And especially we human got our hands
best developed among the any animal, we have best and the most
delicate control of them. So that, not only its dexterity and the
function, its acquired the mean of expression as well.
We can read the meaning of what the hand is telling or symbolizes,
and the eyes tend to follow what the hand is expressing.
(I mean not only F**K or Peace sign but also more delicate mood
of its operator as well.) 🙂







































In old days, Selfridge’s decoration was based on the Children’s Tales
— though children themselves are not the shopper, and the Xmas
itself has changed its character too = Religious to Kid’ and to the
Grownup’s Shopping event. 🙂
= So, the window decorations now are, Grownup’s fantasy !
(often, bizarre one) —– and they are fun to watch ! 🙂
The lens used for those shootings were either Canon Fish-eye 8~15mm or
homemade, so-called Gaudy Lens and the Camera was Canon 5D Mk-III.
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Ai Weiwei Exhibition

Actuary, I went to the Fortnum & Mason again with different
lens (or hole ?) — Then, I just crossed the street to other side,
to the Royal Academy = where happen to have an exhibition
of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

Academy’s courtyard having trees or re-assembled dead wood.
It was an utterly odd view. Those trees were not in the original
shape nor well composed big “Ikebana” but the standing mess.
I wondered what’s going on the inside.

(Photo above = tons of building steel rod were piled up on the floor
=Ai Weiwei is not good to make the things by himself but to
organize the workers to do the job.)
I’m not a fun of Ai Weiwei.
I can see he is trying hard to MAKE something “looks like an ART”.
= in other words, he was not a born artist = so that, to squeeze the
brain to manufacture the piece, not spontaneously creates a shape.
Hence, the piece wouldn’t hit our emotion but just boggle the mind.
= So, the art critics needs to write about those “Boggle” = keeping
them busy and the art-media flourish. — The good art will hit the
viewer’s subconscious direct = no need of explanation nor critics’
blah blah. 😀

So, those were the pieces made out of the pretext of the earthquake
= the list of the dead (Left) and the debris (right).
— did such big disaster inspire him only those ? If I were him, I
would have put a school text book or a bunch of hair between the
debris = bad taste but such straight visual signal will hit the
subconscious of the viewers direct, without needs of blah blah.

Photo left showing “a chair IS a part of a tree” = I know,
a chair used to be a tree. = So what ?
And the photo right = nicely made cabinet having holes =
spoiling the effort and saying a twist = again So, what =
What a cheap idea. Can’t you conceive anything better ?

Yet again like the words of a second class art school
teacher = “Make a thing out of norm/Break a stereotype”.
TV camera (or that kind of shape) was made by plastic.
Chinese has been making so many utterly inconceivable
products such as fake eggs, fake protein (melamine) in
the milk etc etc = Ai Weiwei should learn from them if he
want to impress us with the eye-opening incredible idea !

Something scribble ? — or repeated print covering whole wall.

He might have thought = highly technical idea — a piece using
the reflection of acril plastic. = Yes I can see its funny reflection.
So, what ? A bit strange doesn’t mean “Impressive” 🙂

Everyday’s objects made out expensive jade.

Handcuffs made out of plastic. Useless and out of norm again.
(Chinese kid’s toy Handcuffs were all made by plastic ) ?

Fabricated trees in the room — not impressive though, they
still showed a kind of fun-full free structure he must have
enjoyed like a game. So, I liked this piece.

Thousands white plastic pieces covering the floor and one
baby buggy (= somewhat impressive fine work)
— is this related to the Chinese Scandal / billion of forcibly
aborted fetus by the “one child policy” ? (I only guess =
I didn’t get any information or bought an exhibition catalog.
= In my policy, I SEE the piece, not study it by the words.)

In this room, and the confined small box explaining what
Ai Weiwei himself has been subjected by the So-Called
Authority’s tenacious interrogation = kind of torture/
intimidation/suppression.
This is not an art but just an indictment.= may have a
political meaning still, visually boring exhibit. Not impressed.

So far, this must be the most impressive piece in this exhibition.
May be it was just a coincidence = still, how bizarre.

On this occasion, I had only Concentric-Double-Dencity Pinhole
intended to use for F&M Window shooting, which was not best
suits for this subject still, I think it wasn’t too bad.
—– If you want to see more info’ or clear images please
search in the net or go to the exhibition yourself. = don’t ask me.
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Cult Party

My friend’s Immersible Cult got 2 years anniversary and had
an end of the year party. Especially they organized “Tokyo Dream”
party this year which was even featured in the Evening Standard
ES magazine, the party got quite few Japanese guests as well.





Free meals and drinks — though, they were completely vegetarian
= boiled alive potatoes, skinned alive carrot etc etc.
= not much mercy for them. 🙂

In fact the guests are the staffs or the freelance artists who has been
involved into those projects etc = worked together, familiar faces.


Still, I do necessary know every faces neither who was doing what.
(In this time, those fuzzy photos were taken by a homemade
So-called Gaudy Lens — though some of them were out of focus)








Then the attraction started = Japanese singing/performing group
Frank Chickens. (Started here as the female Ninja !)


But, I’m not sure what are they doing. 🙂


The singers group Frank Chickens started 70s —–
and now having some new and young members.
(and even Irish and Polish men as well)





They sound something Rockefeller Building — ?
Don’t ask me what. 🙂

Then the party went into a dancing conclusion.


And so on, so on ~ ~ ~ till early morning.
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F&M Xmas Window 2015 (A)

Yes it’s the season to see one of my favorite subject = Xmas
show-windows. And they are the Xmas window of the
Fortnum & Masons. (It’s an annual customs. Sir.) 🙂
(And for me, to shoot them, it’s the annual custom too.)

And on this post, they are rather ordinary kind of the photos.
(In my standard) 😀

I mean ordinary = By widely available Lens in normal shot.
= no artificial lighting or stage up = Just clicked straight photos.


If you think it’s looks a bit strange — don’t blame me.
Blame F&M for their crazy decoration. And if you click,
a fish-eye lens, it naturally produces this kind of image
= It’s normal nothing special.









I think I took the pictures of the same man on the door so
many times = every year he is in the same place.
(And he might be thinking too, Gosh, that photographer again.) 😀
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New Year’s Card 2016

So, It’s the season again. 🙂 2016 is a year of Monkey !
The card samples here are from Japan Post and they are free to
download for personal use.
In their original site you can see lots lots more design though, you need
Japanese reading still, you can try click and find what’s there.









Some of the cards showed the pattern of 申 it is in fact the
letter of monkey. Normally, we (Japanese) use the letter 猿
for the monkey, but Chinese use the 猴 for the monkey.
Still, only to say the Year of Monkey we use 申 for monkey.
Don’t ask me why, it’s the ancient 4000 years tradition.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Those Links also provide Free Design Templates.
They are reputed, trouble-free good site. = Worth visiting. 🙂
http://cp.c-ij.com/en/categories/CAT-ST01-0016/index.html — (Canon)
http://www.designbank-nenga.com/
http://nengarank.com/html/index.html
http://www.wanpagu.com/top_illustration.html
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