Journal

Setsuban

2010-02-03T13:38:51Z

Today is Setsuban in Japan, the demarcation of one season to another. While there are four through out the year the one marking the passing of winter to spring is associated more with traditions then the others. More rightly known as Risshun it is also called Bean Throwing Festival becasue of the association of traditional throwing of beans during this time. The male head of the family, the toshiotoko, will throw soybeans out the front door or at members of the family wearing demon masks to ride the house of evil spirts. They will do this while chanting "Demons out! Good luck in!' or in Japanies "Oni we soto! Fuju wa uchi!'.

At Buddhist and Shinto temples people will be choosen to throw beans to waiting audiences. These people will be both men and women, toshi-otoko and toshi-onna respectivly. They are chosen based on the year they where born in the Chinese zodiac. With 12 animals, one representing each year, the people who where born on the same year as the current zodac animal will have the honor of throwing the beans. At some temples it will not be just beans that are thrown, but gifts of candy, small envelopes of money and other small gifts. Celebraties are sometimes invited to these events and may even been televised.

So have a happy Setsuban!

Jeffrey

Update from after the L.A.O. Talent Show

2010-01-24T23:32:50Z

I wanted to do a quick up date, the show was great seemed like everyone had a good time and the performers did an outstanding job.

I had a few people come and talk to me about the table I had set up which was nice the there seemed to be some interest. I even talked with someone who would be a great co-host who is at least considering helping me out, more on that later after I get a chance to talk with her.

I will go ahead and let you know that for the next couple of days the blog may not have many posts as I have yet to find much in the way of holidays this week, but things pick up much more starting the week after. Remember if you know of something going on let me know.

Happy Holidays!

Jeffrey

L.A.O. Talent show in Nashville

2010-01-23T19:50:46Z

It has been a little while since I have made a post but don't worry this does not mean I have disappeared just getting things straight behind the scenes.

Today I am going to a talent show that is being put on by L.A.O. (Laotian American Outreach) a Nashville based organization that is helping to bring the Lao community and all it has to offer to the attention of the general public. They are a great bunch of people and I highly suggest going to their website and taking a look at all the wonderful work they do (but you may want to wait a little while as they are redoing their wedsite so it may not work at the moment, in the mean time check out their YouTube page)

Well, just wanted to make sure you didn't think I forgot about you and I will be posting more very soon and I will get a new Podcast up after the show and let you know all the great things that happened there.

Happy Holiday!

Jeffrey

P.S. you can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

New Podcast

2010-01-05T04:00:25Z

Podcast

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T23:21:05Z

January 1st in many parts of the world is celebrated as the beginning of a new year. These celebrations take different forms but people look to this day as a way of starting anew and find ways to to make a fresh start. The most common thing people do is go to a party, to celebrate with loved ones. Not only is this an extension of just wanting to party and have a good time but many people believe that what you do during the time of the new year is what you will be doing for the rest of that year. By trying to insure they are having a good time at the stroke of midnight means they will have a good time through the year. This is also a time to clean out the old, getting rid of those bad things that have happened in the past. We want to not keep the baggage of past mistakes or unfortunate events around to cause the coming year to be bad. While in the United States the celebrations are centered around parting with friends other countries look to this time differently. Russia is a good example where the new year is marked by exchanging of gifts with family and friends. Similar to the traditions that are found in the U.S. this is the time to get together with family and enjoy their company. The gift giving is reminiscent of Christmas in the U.S.. And just like in the holiday celebrated there the people of Russia will put off the buying of gifts and cause the last few days to be one of manic shopping at stores.

In the United States different areas will even have their own traditions, such as in the south east soaking lima beans over the holiday and eating them on the morning of the first to bring good luck.

So I am using this day to mark the beginning of my new blog and podcast. You will see many more things being posted from now on and I hope you will take a moment or two to let me know what you think of this endeavor as well as share with me some of your holiday traditions and even some of the special days you either celebrate or may know about. Please accept my wish for you to have the best year and enjoy all that life has to offer.

Jeffrey Johnson

Last post before the relaunch of the Blog and Podcast

2009-12-31T13:01:21Z

New and Improved video for YouTube

2009-12-12T05:53:09Z

My first YouTube vlog

2009-12-11T18:02:36Z

Anna's Day (December 9, Sweden)

2009-12-09T12:51:06Z

According to Sweden.se (the official gateway to Sweden) the 9th of December is known as Anna's Day, though I was unable to find out why. In the past this was the day the Christmas Brew would be ready and when you would start to prepare the lutfisk that would be eaten on Christmas.

For those unfamiliar with lutfisk, it is a white fish that gets soaked in lye with kind of a jelly consistency. It has a very strong small and taste. Typically it is made in a white sauce and poured over potatoes. For many it is considered very unpleasant. Either a person does not or does like lutfisk, there is no middle of the ground. I have actually heard that either they don't like it or they lie about liking it. A story I heard years ago describes it best I think.

A family is sitting down together for the Christmas meal and a grandfather and grandson are sitting next to each other. The lutfisk gets to the grandfather who loads up his potatoes with it. When he filially passes it to the grandson, the grandson just starts to pass it on and the grandfather stops him saying

"You have to eat your lutfisk"

Grandson "but I don't like it"

Grandfather whispers "oh course you don't like it, everyone hates lutfisk"

Grandson "then why do we eat it?"

Grandfather whispers again "If we don't pretend to like lutfisk, how can we prove to the rest of the world we are the best?"

This brings back many memories for me personally. My heritage is half Swedish and that side had only been in the United States for a few generations, so there where a number of traditions that we still followed that came from the "old country". The one that stands out most in my mind is going to my grandparents house on Christmas Eve and having a mostly traditional Scandinavian dinner. The two highlights where lefse with lingonberrys and lutfisk. In all honesty I can not verify that it does have this strong smell and taste, I actually love it. Though I have had many people, including my family, who says it does, apparently the whole house will smell of it and some people cannot even go inside. Of course now we have to hide this from the true Swedes as they don't even eat it and laugh at us Swedish Americans that do.

I know what you are thinking "I must have some of this, where can I get it?", sorry to disappoint you but it is not widely available, except in places like Minnesota where I grew up. Now of course living in Tennessee the fish monger at a good grocery store said that he had been working in the business for 15 years and never heard of it. We would go so far as having someone go on an 18 hour drive to bring some back so we could have it.

But if you get the chance you should try it, I am sure you wont like it and I can not understand that but it will be an experience that you can say you have had for the rest of your life.

Happy Bodhi Day (December 8th in Japan)

2009-12-08T13:37:08Z

Bodhi day is the day that Siddhartha Gautama attained Enlightenment making him the first Buddha, according to the Buddhist traditions. Celebrated on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month it is now celebrated in Japan on the 8th of December. It is said that he was sitting under a bodhi tree at the time. While this is not as popular a day of celebration as the day of his birth (celebrated on two different days) it is still a day to reflect on the world and meditate on how we are all connected. Happiness through truth is one of the underling principles of the faith.

One source says that a way to celebrate is by taking a tree in the home and decorating it with multi colored lights and beads that represent how we are all interconnected. Of course meditation is always welcome in any Buddhist ceremony.

This seems like a great holiday to get back on track, I have been absent for a very long time but plan to be committing much more time to this project. I have been doing a number of things in the background to make this a better and more consistant endevor, so hope you will come along with me on this and would love to hear any feedback you may have, holidays I may be missing or information on them, things I can do to make this better. While this project is something I love I want to make it something that others will enjoy as well and maybe learn a thing or two, I know that every person who finds this blog will have their own traditions they hold dear, please share with the rest of us.

Have a great Bodhi Day!

Jeffrey