The textbook goes with the 4-part series. These are available in any major bookstore.　よろしくお願いします！

Comedians -- and regular folks too -- are at their best when they tell true stories from their experience that the audience can relate to. This is a classic example. I do not recommend you drink anything while watching this :-)

Actor Peter Falk died today. He was one of my favorite actors. A very, very interesting guy. He was my mother's age and she was a big fan of his. Very sad to wake up to the news that he is no longer with us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Falk Here's the Columbo Sunday Mystery Movie Theme Song below. I used to watch this every week with my mother. Ah, the '70s. Those were good times (tv-wise at least). This song should hit an emotional chord for anyone over 30 or 40 I suppose.

One of the best TV theme songs ever.
Below is a short piece by PBS on the legendary actor.

Bill Cosby is 73 now and many not be on the radar screens of a much younger generation, but ask any successful young comedian working today and most would say Dr. Cosby is the Obi-Wan Kenobi of comedy. Give yourself some time to watch him tell a simple story from his childhood. I have been a fan of his since listening to his albums back in the 1960s. As a drummer I really could relate to his story. He does so well what most leaders and presenters of all kinds should do: tell real stories from your life in a way that is relevant and engaging to your audience.

Daughter starts in on a piece of lightly toasted bread. Much of it may end up on the floor in time of course :-)

Parked outside our local market last night. I love these unusual little cars in Japan...

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I am the guest for all four shows in July - Friday nights starting July 1. よろしくお願いします！

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Michel Petrucciani was an amazing man on so many levels. He died in 1999 at just 36. So very sad. He was (is?) a great spirit. Someone so talented and yet so humble and funny. If you are a musician you will love this short documentary. But it should be of interest to others as well. Please take some time to watch this. It came out in 1995, just four years before Michel passed on. I love Michel Petrucciani's style of playing and his easy-going style.

7:00pm at Junkudo in Umeda tonight. I'll give a 30 min talk in English (w/ interpretation) with a meet & greet with people who stop by after that. Hope you can make it. Link to the event page and a map (scroll up) below.

http://www.junkudo.co.jp/tenpo/shop-osaka.html#talk0617

In the bonsai you can see the principles of restraint, simplicity, and naturalness. Shot before my talk at Kansai Gaidai in Japan.

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