Congratulations USWNT: 2015 World Cup Champions

The FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 is now in the books, with the United States defeating Japan 5-2 in the final. Congratulations to the US for their victory.

To all who took part, thank you for doing your best and for making this tournament a memorable one.

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A Memorial to Dallett Hemphill

I am saddened beyond words to hear of the passing of Dr. Dallett Hemphill, professor of American History at Ursinus College. I never knew her age, but whatever it was, it was too young. The world has lost a fine teacher, and a human being finer still. 

She will be missed.

My direct acquaintance with Dr. Hemphill began with two courses she taught--a history of the American Civil War, and a similar course on the American Revolution. Her classes were rigorous but full of interest; her style of teaching a mix of lecture and cultivated discussion. She proved a hearty conversationalist, both within the classroom and without, as well as a proponent of experiencing history beyond books. Though her driving left me car-sick on more than one occasion (accelerating to stop-signs was among her numerous specialties), I nevertheless enjoyed travelling with her and classmates to Valley Forge, Trenton, Princeton, and Old City Philadelphia to hear her digress on topics as wide ranging as battlefield medicine, Federal-style architecture, and the lengths to which many reenactors go to make their costumes authentic. 

She had a passion for history, teaching, and the welfare of her students. Her office and manner were equally welcoming and always open. 

This openness extended beyond graduation, as on the few occasions I found myself on campus I almost invariably ended up sitting across from her on the third floor of Olin, discussing life and where it had taken us. Our final meeting came as something of a surprise, as I had ended up on campus late one Tuesday evening last fall, and thought to check the third floor's "Free Book" table for any interesting selections. Dr. Hemphill was staying late that night, and was as surprised so see me as I to see her. We spoke for a while, like old times, she remarking on my drawings and latest employer, and I congratulating her on her appearance in a documentary. It was a good chat, and I am glad that our paths managed to cross once more. 

To me at least, Dr. Hemphill--much like Ursinus College--changed lives for the better. She pushed and nurtured; demanded and welcomed. I learned much and more from her teaching and example, and I miss her now more than I ever thought I would. She touched my life, as doubtless she had touched the lives of others across years. 

Many of us have lost a dear friend today. To those who share my grief, I can only offer my condolences and best wishes. To the memory of Dallett Hemphill, I can say only this:

Thank you for making my life richer, and for exemplifying so many admirable qualities in your life and work. Farewell, farewell...farewell, my friend. You are truly missed.

"Keep your face toward the sunshine--and shadows will always fall behind you."
-Walt Whitman 

*Welcome to the N.H.K., N・H・Kにようこそ!*

*Possible spoilers*

I'm referring here to the anime (24-episodes), not the novel or manga, neither of which I've read, and have heard are rather different from one another. That said, I recently watched the full series and came away with a very favorable opinion of it.

The story covers a year in the life of a reclusive 22 year old hikikomori named Tatsuhiro Sato, who through the help of some friends--Nakahara Misaki and Kaoru Yamazaki--goes through some pretty strange adventures, but in many ways begins to overcome some of the features of his past that led to his becoming a recluse.

The artwork is dazzling in its attention to detail but down-to-earth in feel, and mostly confines itself to a few locations that grow familiar to the viewer with time: the local park ("BEWARE OF MOLESTERS, Call 110 if you spot suspicious activities"), the train crossing, and the interior of Sato and Yamazaki's apartments. The scenes where Sato's furniture come to life and whisper about conspiracies are a little strange, but that's to be expected, perhaps, given the character's mental state, and is, to the show's credit, not overdone.

Dialogue is a strength of the show, I think, and rarely if ever goes over the top. In fact, on several occasions the story feels like a series of events with little dramatic connection, comparable, perhaps to "The Catcher in the Rye." Yamazaki brings this point home in episode 21 after Sato compares their lives to a drama. Yamazaki says, "A drama has a logical progression, outbursts of emotion and a resolution. Our everyday lives are just filled with nebulous and vague anxieties forever and ever." It's an interesting statement, suggestive of the notion that life--as we think about it, anyway--imitates art, rather than the other way around.

Another strength of the series involve Sato's encounters with unusual sides of modern Japanese society, in particular the anime-obsessed otaku culture, internet suicide pacts, video-game culture, and the destructive power of pyramid-schemes. Being emotionally vulnerable (some might say "gullible") and obsessive  to a fault, Sato finds himself embroiled in situations that better sense and some self-esteem might have spared him, yet with the help of Misaki and Yamazaki is ultimately able to resolve.

While the ending felt a little flat, "Welcome to the N.H.K." proved very enjoyable, and was unlike anything I'd seen before. Would certainly recommend.

**Perhaps my favorite scene of the series takes place here (watch from 13:45-19:50). It's full of passion and absurdity, juxtaposed in an interesting manner that captures some of the show's humanity.

Excerpt to ponder

"Despite the comparative sobriety of its architecture, Zen often seems to inspire in its adherents a supercilious attitude to the rest of mankind; an attitude that delights in one-upmanship, in riddles, puzzles, and the power of extraordinary experience. But Dogen maintained that in order to grasp the meaning of existence it was not necessary for a person to be unusually clever or to spend his life doing remarkable things. Simply by 'sitting still and doing nothing' a man could discover what there was to be learned about life. Prayer and ritual were important to Dogen, but not much more so than cooking or sweeping the yard. All functions of the body, including the most basic, became, in the temple he founded, limbs of Zen... It was Dogen's intention to make Zen not an abstract philosophy but a practice. The advice he gave his meditating disciples was blunt, straightforward, and mind-wrenchingly practical: 

                                                      Think of not thinking.

                                                      How do you think of not thinking? 

                                                      By not thinking."

From Alan Booth's, "The Roads to Sata" (1985), pp. 161-162

Solstice Day

Happy Summer (or Winter, as it were), friends, and happy Father's Day, too :).

Hope you're all having a lovely day.

Humorous Excerpt

"The badger is a magical animal in Japan, able to take on human form. So is the fox, but the fox is malevolent whereas the badger is simply mischievous. He is known for his phenomenal sake consumption, for the equally phenomenal size of his scrotum, for the nighttime drumming he performs on his belly, and for his skill in tricking innocents out of their cash."

         -Alan Booth, "The Roads to Sata" (1985), p. 33

10 things about the author

I don't enjoy writing about myself, but this post comes requested, so here goes:

1.) I suspect anyone who acts too much their own age or gender is missing something, but that's just my opinion.

2.) In college I majored in history, with a particular interest in ideologies.  The stories people use to explain the world to themselves is an interesting topic for me, approachable from many directions, and touching on a number of disciplines and experiences. Probably everyone has something to contribute to its description. Reading and listening are two ways (of many) of getting in touch with this stream of experience.

3.) I don't run much anymore, but I still enjoy watching it, and coaching those who wish to compete or use it for some other end (health, meditation, recreation, etc.). Walking and riding the bike are my preferred physical activities these days, though on occasion I'll take off for a while down a trail and enjoy the challenge offered by the uneven terrain. At some point, I would also like another crack at the Marine Corps Marathon, where in 2012 I sustained an injury at mile 21 and could not continue. That might be a worthwhile challenge.

4.) I suspect most people are mostly decent.

5.) I'm fairly skeptical of just about everything I think I know, and I'm not even sure about that.

6.) When I was younger, I believe I experienced something akin to "true love." Whatever it was, it was pretty grand.

7.) I've also had some really wonderful friendships, and in tough times I've leaned on them hard. Find a best friend if you don't have one already; they might just save your life one day.

8.) I don't drive much, and find the experience rather stressful whenever going somewhere new. That said, whenever I do drive, I always greet the vehicle by saying "hello car," when I enter, and "well done, car," if and when I've reached my destination. I also do this when boarding and leaving airplanes.

9.) The best coach I ever had was probably my swimming coach in college,  Mark Feinberg. He pushed me in ways other coaches never did, and brought out my best in the moments it mattered most (the consolation final in the 200yd-fly at conferences in 2008 was one of the pinnacles of my athletic life to date). To paraphrase Arthur Lydiard, when you can bring your athlete to the peak of their abilities at the right time, that's when you know something about coaching. I think Mark knew something. He's a good guy as well, and had my shoulders not developed problems, I might have stuck with the sport a while longer under his tutelage.

10.) Sometimes I find it difficult to be patient, but patience can be a very useful skill. As the saying goes, "Don't just do something, stand there!"