Written on March 12, 1991 [Permalink]

February 28

English wiped out most of the last couple of days, but got a start on the next one (Sanuki [3-2]), touching up the hanshita, getting it pasted down, and doing a little bit of token carving.

Another phone call from the magazine yesterday, a doctor in Kanagawa. He wanted all back numbers and a subscription. I got the packages shipped off this morning. It feels great having the stuff here ready to go. I pull them out of the boxes, check them over, sign them, and out they go! It's also going to make a big difference to the bank this month, having these two guys take all the back numbers. We're broke. No translation for about two months, no print being sent in January, and no English classes while we were away ... just about wiped out everything we had. During the English class this morning, the bank called - "Excuse me, but it's the end of the month, and there isn't enough money in your account to cover the rent ...." I stole some from the post office account and got it over quickly, but there's not much left in there either. Please, ladies and gentlemen, don't delay with your payments!

March 3

Another weekend shot for work. Not shot for PR though. Saturday was a speech at the town Community Centre; an event bringing together five 'interesting people' from the community to make short presentations on their work and life, followed by a 'meishi' party, where everybody tried to introduce themselves to as many other people as possible. Prizes for those collecting the most namecards! The speech went well, even though it was a formal 'podium' type presentation, and I only had to ask Michiyo for help once. Lots of familiar faces in the audience made it easier....

Sunday was the demonstration/presentation at the 'People's University' in Kichijoji. Mrs. Otake, one of the new subscribers from the January exhibition had invited me to do the talk. It's a series they have going, where each Sunday a different person comes to make a presentation. It went very well, with me sitting at my benches and about 30 people sitting surrounding me. It became very informal, with lots of questions flying at me, and the two hours passed in a flash. They seemed legitimately interested in what was going on, and I think a did a pretty good job of making it interesting for them to watch. This is the first casual trip out with my big box, and despite being a 'bit' on the heavy side, it seems quite possible to be self-contained to go and do a demonstration - tools, paper, and blocks!

March 8

A crazy day of activity. Yamashita-san's place called to say that the cardboard was ready, so Ashida-san and Michiyo went over in the rain to pick it up with the rear car. Shintani-san came over and got busy making folders, with stuff spread out all over the floor. The printer came and delivered the newsletter, and everybody got busy. Folder making in one room, cardboard creasing in another, carving in another, and newsletter envelope labelling somewhere else....

March 12

I guess the magazine article has run out of steam. It was to be on the news-stands for two weeks, so I guess that we've heard from all those who are interested. Two definite subscribers, one possible, and one information package sent. Is that good or bad? Considering that it only cost me a 120¥ stamp in the first place, I suppose it's good. Considering that the magazine has national distribution .... Still, that's a couple more steps up the latter ....

Despite all the time out for speeches these last two weeks, the carving has continued apace. Last night, I finished the sumi block, and today printed the transfer sheets. Only one problem. I don't have any colour blocks. We've called Shimano-san, and are simply at his mercy. Whenever it comes down this close, I always remember back to the time when I was waiting for the blocks for Ono no Komachi a couple of years ago. They took how many months to come?

Payments have come in from both those back number orders, so the bank is looking a little better. That is, if I don't look inside my 'bills to pay' folder - 100,000 for the upcoming shipment of paper, 70,000 for the newsletter ....

A very interesting call today from Margaret Price, at the Mainichi Daily News. She had supervised the editing of the little article they did on me a couple of years ago, so I put her on the mailing list for the newsletter when I set it up last year. She received her copy of the latest issue yesterday, and was calling to see if I would consider doing a column in her paper. Actually, it's not really a column, but a short (five articles, or so) little series on woodblock printmaking to be part of a "How To do Japanese Culture" column. They're starting the new feature in April, and want me to lead off. Of course I accepted, and started to put an outline together of what I would write for the series. Only one small problem ... when am I going to get time to do this? The first print this year was a bit late, this one is going to be later, Michiyo today accepted a 45 page magazine article for translation (due in two weeks), she will of course be giving me her regular bio-technology translations, and the articles for the next newsletter are still up in the blue sky somewhere. I'm typing this in mid-afternoon, having just sweated over the blurb to go with this month's print, and the first student of the week is due to show up in a couple of hours, but my English day-book is still blank. At least there's one consolation, there are no more speeches scheduled!