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August 05, 2005
Taking the easy route
I have been in a creative funk for the last week (month?) or so, relying on numerous photos and a bit of drinking to keep you entertained. Eventually, I knew using my camera as a crutch would catch up with me and this morning it has.
Of course, one should always have a back-up plan and I do. Today, I will write a little about the cicadas (actually this has been my Plan B for a few weeks as they first appeared in late July, but if you do not live here, you could not possibly know that). Anyway, in Japan, the cicadas are the definitive sign that rainy season is over and that summer (meaning 30 degrees and 90% humidity) has arrived. Here is the weather forecast...as you can see there is no relief in sight.
You do not see the cicadas - you hear them. They stay in the trees and make this awful buzzing sound. The Japanese I know like this. Some even say it makes them think it is cooler. In contrast, I find this sound to be more akin to fingernails on a chalkboard. I grew up in San Diego. There were no cicadas and no massive heat or humidity.
By the way, the Japanese for this weather is "mushi atsui"...hot and humid - with my limited language skills I find I say this a lot in August. In fact, I will probably end up being known as the Mushi Atsui man in Tokyo.
(pretend this is in Japanses)
"look, there he is!"
"who? you mean that foreigner over there?"
"yes, exactly. he is very strange! whenever he talks the only thing he says is
"oh...it is the Mushi Atsui man. Why is he taking all those pictures?"
"apparently, his English is very bad too"