brushing teeth
What methodologies do you follow?
fresh cut flowers
placed in water
placed in pot
…
what’s so special about
a mundane routine
we unconsciously partake in
morning, afternoon, and evening?
while our minds wonder
we appear to have forgotten
each of us have our own methods
backstage pass
What do you need?
faint vibrations
the spider circles
around the drain
…
how does a piece of paper
enclosed in plastic
attached to lanyards
represent status
when the value of experiencing life
draws not from public eyes
but from our nose, lips, ears, hands, and feet?
repair not replace
How do you fix what's broken?
lacquerware
golden powder coats
the cat’s tail
…
deeply resonates in
the Japanese artform kintsugi
which literally translates as
“golden joinary”
for mending broken pieces
with gold acting as the glue
for cultivating strength, resilience, and forgiveness
two squirrels
How do you resolve disagreements?
hollow oak tree
rain droplets form
a pool for squirrels
…
sit in a querelle
when it comes to collecting
acorns, walnuts, and hickory nuts
before the sun comes up
one prefers to sleep
while the other tinkers away
for surviving summer
subtract one
What have you lost?
on sandy beach
crashing waves lift
empty crab shells
…
when one of our senses
we regularly depend on
is taken away
people are prone
to feel lost as losing
a piece of ourselves
isn’t what we were taught to do
unfold
Do you practice visualization?
shall we fly today
paper cranes arranged
inside the portrait
…
these creases
that make origami
for visualizing our destination
gives us a framework
to make decisions
learn new skills
and appreciate our crafts
obsolete
What will never become obsolete?
carrying timber
beaver’s develop
another masterpiece
…
as technology advances society
objects like fax machines
wired earbuds
buttons on phones
once purchased off store shelves
find a new home
in the garage sale pile
flipping coins
What are your confirmation biases?
sitting at temple
burning incense sticks
the child’s first breath
…
our heads amplify
all of our biases
towards justifying
how we perceive the world
maybe it’s time
we pay attention
to our tails too
stabilizer
What balances you?
worn horse saddles
capturing the last
moments of sunlight
…
when we examine
how we teach
others new skills
our instincts lean on
fastening routine training wheels
for protection while neglecting
letting us find our own balance
the cherry, plum, peach, and apricot
How do you practice oubaitori?
growing plums
across the garden
we skip rocks
…
bloom alongside each other
for antsy audiences seeking their beauty
draws parallels
to the concept of oubaitori
amidst our growing comparison culture
nourish what makes each of us thrive
on our own schedules
we promised
What is your brand?
yakitori grill
makes a smoke plume
the laughter of chicken
…
to be ourselves
in doing work that matters
for people that care
is the foundation
to beautifully design
pieces and projects
for our culture
simply complex
Why may creativity be in short supply?
earthenware vases
stacked up behind
the pawn shop
…
the interactions between hands
and clay can form
infinite possibilities
from an abstract dot
to a summer yacht
creativity meets executive function
when we consider our surroundings
mind the rind
What is your favorite fruit and vegetable?
orange peel
fire ants carry
the blood moon
…
regarding fruits and vegetables
the most popular
parts reside inside
waiting to be consumed
however, what would happen
if we ate everything
instead of throwing away the scraps?
carousel
What is your most cherished photo?
house on the hill
morning glories bloom
in uncle’s dreams
…
filling the slots
from the dust covered box
with 35mm film
we are left to discover
how our ancestors captured life
through the lens
of their twenty-something selves
entry point
What habits need momentum to start?
rolling boulders
entering the valley
kids on the playground
…
in the world of habit building
whatever we decide
to spend our time on
isn’t about doing the activity
but realizing our initial choices
is like an entrance ramp
to how we shape our future
put on pause
What do you do when your life is put on pause?
spring ceremony
Nikkei honorary degrees
overdue purple sashes
…
when watching a tv program
freezing time
with the click of a button
is effortless and easy
however if history has taught
us anything,
we must learn
resilience, patience, and gratitude
…
President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on February 19th, 1942 which forcibly removed over 120,000 Nikkei from their homes, schools, and businesses to live in incarceration camps.
On May 18th, 2008, the University of Washington commemorated 449 Japanese Americans, who were students from 1941 to 1942, at “The Long Journey Home” event.
As a Gosei and third generation University of Washington alumnus, my haiku pays homage to the Japanese Americans, including my late grandfather, who were unable to complete their higher education journeys from 1942.
what does the cookbook say
How long is your attention span?
maple streams
cascading down
banana pancakes
…
when setting out
to complete a recipe
with multiple steps of preparation
leading into timely execution
maybe we should focus on finishing
single tasks first
over dividing our attention before things overcook
ask us anything
What is your favorite question to ask?
on the pond
lily pads separate
frogs and minnow
…
tea or coffee
what memory sticks out most
favorite new hobby
share a daily ritual
are inquiries audiences crave
as our answers distill new light
and provides us an opportunity to reflect
be formless
Why is showing empathy important?
melting ice
flowing into pools
the children play
…
too frequently we embrace change
with resistance and rigidness
unwilling to push past
our current states
before closing off
potential possibilities
explore the change’s nature with empathy
quintessence of
Is self-improvement helpful or harmful?
daybreak
racing against
crowing roosters
…
beauty and grace
health and fitness
active listening
to life itself
we sometimes lose ourselves
when looking at role models
for the sake of self-improvement