Road Show

Sunday morning: subway to Roppongi to attend a mass at the Fransciscan Center in memory of the Pope. Meet P’s friend M in Ginza. Drove to Uneo to see the cherry blossom festival and view the Tokyo National Museum, where P bought an authentic wood cut print. Drive to another undisclosed location where we had tempura donburi, aka fried battered foods on rice. We parked at a garage where the car is put on a carosel and then put into a computerized elevator. Visited another temple site were we all received bad fortunes. Went to the 100 Yen Plaza, the Japanese equivilent to our 99 cent stores, where we picked up instant ramen, drinks and unusual cotton swabs with ear wax scrapers. Went up to the top of Tokyo Tower, which is basically a 100 m version of the Eiffel Tower. Good views though. Hello Kitty tourist trap on the ground floor. Went back to the hotel tired and beat, and hoping for sushi in the morning.

The Long and Winding Road

Quick recap of today’s trip: went down Shinjuku Dori (Ave.), saw oodles of camera and computer shops, found Isitan department store, had lunch at an Okanowan restaurant, took the train to Shubya, bought sake, crossed the maddening intersection in Lost in Translation. Searched for my friend’s bakery, which turned out near the Norway Embassy and a commuter train station. Had apple pie and cheese cake, took the train back to Shubya. Walked up Meiji Dori (Ave.) Encountered a New York hot dog vendor. Crossed through Harajuku, which is mostly like the East Village (and saw the girls with wild outfits and big blond hair). Had crepes, then walked north past Times Square and back to Shinjuku. Total trip about 2 miles.

This trip has been overshadowed by the path towards the boundaries of life and death. My father, Terry Shrivo, and now the Pope, may they rest in peace. It has been a time of reflection that everyone needs to consider in their own lives as it goes from beginning to end.

Friday

On the CD player right now: the soundtrack for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” That Yo-Yo Ma and composer Tan Dun did great jobs.

Entertainment Weekly this week – with Boston Red Sox’s Johnny Damon, Red Sox fan Jimmy Fallon, and actress Drew Barrymore on the cover (to promote Fallon and Barrymore’s upcoming Red Sox/comedic romance movie). Cool article on the FOX show “House,” wherein it is more than conceded that the show thanks “American Idol” (its neighbor in the 8pm time slot) for helping with great ratings. Personally, I’m just glad that a show I’ve enjoyed since its season premiere isn’t getting cancelled (that doesn’t happen too often, I might add). For nostalgia’s sake, check out my original posting on “House.”

ABC’s Ted Koppel is leaving “Nightline” and the network at the end of the year. First Tom Brokaw, then Bill Moyers, then Dan Rather, and now Koppel.

The passing of Fred Korematsu, as reported by the NY Times’ Richard Goldstein. Interesting point:

Mr. Korematsu, a native of Oakland, Calif., and one of four sons of Japanese-born parents, was jailed on May 30, 1942, in San Leandro, having refused to join family members who had reported to a nearby racetrack that was being used as a temporary detention center.

Mr. Korematsu had undergone plastic surgery in an effort to disguise his Asian features and had altered his draft registration card, listing his name as Clyde Sarah and his background as Spanish-Hawaiian. He hoped that with his altered appearance and identity he could avoid ostracism when he married his girlfriend, who had an Italian background.

A few days after his arrest, Mr. Korematsu was visited in jail by a California official of the American Civil Liberties Union who was seeking a test case against internment. Mr. Korematsu agreed to sue.

“I didn’t feel guilty because I didn’t do anything wrong,” he told The New York Times four decades later. “Every day in school, we said the pledge to the flag, ‘with liberty and justice for all,’ and I believed all that. I was an American citizen, and I had as many rights as anyone else.”

I had no idea about the plastic surgery. Racial discrimination can be such damning stuff, I say. Korematsu will be remembered as quite an American.

Associated Press reports on the passing of Frank Purdue, the Chicken man:

Perdue was one of the first CEOs to pitch his own product on television in 1971, turning on the down-home charm as he delivered his famous line, “It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.”

Perdue remained the company’s public face for the next two decades, helping build an empire….

Perdue, whose prominent nose, small dark eyes, thin lips and high-pitched voice gave him the impression of a chicken, said he was initially uncertain about whether to take to the airwaves. He said a New York ad man persuaded him to run his own commercials, but also gave Perdue a warning.

“He said, ‘If you do this, you’re going to have some heartaches from it. You’re going to have people yelling at you or maybe screaming at you or criticizing you, but I think it’s the best way to sell a superior chicken, which I think you have,”’ Perdue said in a 1991 interview with The Associated Press.

“It was quite a shock to my nervous system because I’d never been in a school play or anything and I’m basically reticent about speaking in public,” said Perdue, who ultimately did 156 different ads….

When I was a kid growing up, it was Frank Perdue or that Orville Redenbacher (old guy, bow tie, hawking his popcorn) on the tv. These days, Frank Perdue’s son, Jim, is doing the commercials, yucking it up with the chickens. Or an animated version of Redenbacher. Or “Wendy’s” just putting up a photo clip of its late CEO Dave Thomas. Just ain’t the same.

Tonight, Pope John Paul II is inevitably in people’s thoughts.

Man, time’s a changing.