One of the best things about the north bedroom is the large window next to the bed. Unfortunately it’s made out of a sliding door and is fixed in place. Finally decided to solve that problem by installing some hinges and extending a small deck outside. The frame was originally made to handle being slid [...]

We’ve found several hundred steel straps lying in the bushes and are now experimenting with possible polyhedron structures to build. One option is to make it a chicken tracker, which is different from a chicken coop in that it’s mobile; the chickens clear the grass and fertilize the ground for farming. Other options are to [...]

This just in from Sally Suzuki:

Beholdmyswarthyface and I are currently compiling our own Encyclopedia of Modern Japan (so far it’s just a list), and we are looking for people to contribute. The project is turning out to be bigger than expected.

Unlike Louis Frédéric’s Japan Encyclopedia, ours will not include the pre-modern periods, nor will it [...]

A few surfing videos.

With Roxanne visiting from New York and Chelsey bringing flowers, the place has never felt so homey.
As far as work, we cleaned out the house and made some furniture but all in all it’s been a relaxing week.
Next week: Farm!

Dear Mom,
Remember how you always wanted to take a crash course in critical theory? Well, here’s your chance. I’ve compiled the most comprehensive hyperlinked glossary of modern and postmodern literary theory terms ever assembled. Consider it an early birthday present. (Non-Mother others, feel free to use as well.)
Before we start, you’ll want to read through [...]

Cluster 4: Post-structuralists and Deconstruction
OK, Mother, here’s the next installment. I’m running out of time, though, so there’ll be even less explaining here than in the previous post. Also, keep in mind that some of the links might not exactly match up with the terms.
Last week we discussed the first three clusters. Today we’ll do [...]

Cluster 7: Psychoanalytic Criticism
Mother,
OK, in this last installment we’ll be covering clusters 7, 8 and 9. Just in case you’d like to review, here are the first and second installments. I’m in a hurry, so we’re going to have to make this quick.
Cluster 7 is concerned with Freudian literary criticism. Key terms include [...]