Month: March 2016

Photography – On the Rocks, Off the Rocks

Jeff

When we were hiking along the coast of Northern California, there were warning signs about “rogue waves” and advisories not to turn your back on the ocean. There is a good reason for this as indicated in the video below. The ocean is unpredictable. Don’t put yourself or others at risk for the sake of photography.

From the YouTube Channel:

“On a beach day, I decided to take a photograph on a rock that I found gorgeous. I was not aware my husband was making a video. While I was posing, he started to scream about the wave, and it really took me by surprise.” -Rosangela de Silva

Occurred: February 29, 2016 / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil”


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STATUS QUOtes — 20160312

Jeff

“When everyone is somebody, then no one’s anybody.” — W. S. Gilbert

“It is strange that only extraordinary men make the discoveries which later appear so easy and simple.” — George C. Lichtenberg

“Every mind is a building filled with archaic furniture. Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” — Dee Hock

“If government were a product, selling it would be illegal.” — P. J. O’Rourke

 

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Pickleball – Practice Need Not Be Dull

Jeff

In Malcolm Gladwell’s Book, “Outliers”, he asserts that to gain complete mastery of a skill one would need 10,000 hours of practice. He did this by examining the work of generally acknowledged geniuses or noted masters. There are those who will dispute the number Gladwell uses, but few argue with the idea that to gain mastery, one needs to practice.

The problem arises with the fact that practice may not be as much fun as using the skill for its intended purpose. A basketball player, for example, probably prefers to play a game rather than practice free throws to assure a ninety scoring percentage from the free throw line.

What if there were a compromise between practice and play? Now understand that I am not suggesting that this is better than just practicing. What I do propose is that perhaps this would help some players achieve a greater success in pickleball by focusing on ball placement during revised play.

An essential pickleball skill is to be able to “aim” the ball and what I mean by that is getting the ball where you want it to go. If you can’t hit the ball to your opponent’s backhand or down the middle, you will have trouble beating average to above average players. Learning to place the ball is a key pickleball skill.

Here is one way to practice placing the ball where you want it to go. Play a game with one other person (Yikes, not singles), BUT… the ball can only be hit to the side of the court the serving player serves from and the diagonal opposite court of the receiver. The game must be restricted to just those two diagonal courts. Anything on the other side of the court is a fault. Play this game to a score of fifteen when starting this revised play because faults will be much more prevalent at the start.

[ Looking at the graphic above then, play can only continue while the ball is hit to the courts indicated with the black arrow during even numbered points and only to the courts indicated by the red arrow on odd numbered points! ]

Once players have become better at this and the points are getting longer, the game can transition to opening play to any side of the court starting with the third shot. In this variation of play the server hits the ball diagonally, the receiving player must return to the server’s court and after that normal pickleball play resumes, i.e. hit the ball anywhere in the playing area.

Both of these revisions of play will force players to concentrate on getting the ball where it needs to go and thus practice placement. It isn’t practice per se, but it is one way to get experience with putting the ball where it needs to go.

STATUS QUOtes — 20160311

Jeff

“It’s in the space between our words where we meet.” — Carolynne Melnyk

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” — Confucius

“We can’t stop troubles from coming towards us but we can make sure we do not offer them chairs to sit on.” — Unknown

“I know of no more disagreeable sensation than to be left feeling generally angry without anybody in particular to be angry at.” — Frank Moore Colby

 

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Tokyo (2015) Day 2 – Off To Mount Fuji And…

Jeff

One of our most anticipated forays while we were visiting Tokyo was a one day journey to Mount Fuji. It was no problem rising early in the morning to catch the sunrise in expectation of the adventure ahead.

Tokyo Sunrise

We took a short bus trip to the larger transportation terminal where we picked up our guide for the day and boarded a pleasant motor coach. As we left Tokyo proper, we passed the Tokyo Tower (not to be confused with the Tokyo Skytree)

Tokyo Tower

On the bus ride to Mt. Fuji we were educated and entertained by our energetic docent. One of the facts she told us was that Japan is quite mountainous – “More than 50% of the country is mountainous and covered by forests.[emphasis mine]”*

Mountains of Japan

Here is a picture of our guide, Marie, explaining family customs and routines in Japan. She had a flip pad with drawings to highlight key points.

Docent Marie with her Flip Chart

As we approached Mt. Fuji we could tell that clouds and fog were setting in and that visibility would probably be poor. This is what it looked like at one of main staging points for those who want to hike the volcano.

Clouds and fog at Mt. Fuji

Some of the hikers were warming up or getting ready by doing some exercises.

Hikers Warming Up

Hikers Warming Up

While others reserved their strength for the climb ahead or perhaps resting while recovering from the climb they just finished!

Hikers Resting

After a brief stop at the visitor center and souvenir shop, the bus headed down the mountain. Luckily, as we reached one point, the sky cleared and Mt. Fuji became visible.

Mt. Fuji with Clouds Lifting

Mt. Fuji with Clouds Lifting

We were glad to catch this glimpse of the volcano as many of this day’s visitors were not so lucky. We headed to a town (which may have been Kawaguchikocho, but I am not sure) on the coast of Lake Kawaguchi where we had a traditional Japanese lunch.

During our Japan tour, we generally did not eat the raw fish, but the pot-like structure in the upper-left was actually set atop a heat source and was boiling. This was a tasty enough broth with noodles and vegetables. There were also other vegetables and cracker-like offerings on the prepared tray.

Tray of Food with raw fish

This was one of the first places we stopped that did not have a western-style bathroom. This is a more traditional Japanese unisex toilet. All personal business is done here mostly by squatting! Many attractions and more popular locations have both types of toilets from which to choose.

Traditional Japanese Toilets

NOTE: At our hotel, we had what could only be referred to as the Cadillac of toilets. This appliance had more buttons and gizmos than some entertainment systems. It had a heated toilet seat; amazing!

After lunch we took a walk along the street where one of our group purchased a lavender-flavored, soft-serve ice cream cone.

Street in Town

This town had a funicular which we were going to try to ride because it promised a distant view of Mt. Fuji. Lightning, however thwarted that plan.

View of Funicular

Before boarding the bus for our next stop, we took a quick jaunt down to the lake area.

A View of Lake Kawaguchi up Close

As you can see, there were swan boats (perhaps paddle boats) for hire during the more pleasant weather.

Swan Boats

Little did we know as we boarded the bus that further views of Mt. Fuji were not going to elude us for the remainder of the day…

* http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1000.html

Read more about our trip to Japan in 2015:

Tokyo (2015) Day 1 – Meiji Shrine

Tokyo (2015) Day 1 – Imperial Palace East Gardens

Tokyo (2015) Day 1 – Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon) Buddhist Temple

Tokyo (2015) Day 1 – Wrapping Up


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STATUS QUOtes — 20160310

Jeff

“A lifetime of training for just 10 seconds.” — Jesse Owens, Olympic Sprinter

“We live somewhere between what’s prohibited and what’s required.” — Wendy Guerra

“If someone is trying to impress you, one thing is sure; That that person is already impressed by you.” — Unknown

“One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.” — Oscar Wilde

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

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Zinnfully Amusing and Creative Art

Jeff

I like to think that I am a creative person. I enjoy experimenting with ideas and styles in several different formats, but I admit that I am only moderately creative. That is why I appreciate someone who is creative in the extreme, i.e. an “extreme creative.”

David Zinn is, what I would consider, an “extreme creative.” It is obvious that he is probably one of those people who has a mind that, for lack of a better term, is just wired differently. Let me explain…

Look at this picture below:

Hair Today, Lawn Tomorrow

The title of this print, which is for sale HERE is: “Hair Today, Lawn Tomorrow.” Obviously this is a play on the words “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow.” I am a punster and self-proclaimed wordsmith so I appreciate this type of creativity (even though my friends may not concur).

I could have seen the path in the picture and those patches of green, but I never would have imagined a patch of grassy weeds as a hair piece; obviously David did!

Another nice touch is the patch of dried vegetation which serves as a modesty cover or article of clothing. This is just “thinking different” to paraphrase Apple, Inc.’s slogan.

Let’s examine some additional artwork from David Zinn…

Fall Cleaning – Notice the use of what appears to be a twig that bridges the real and the artistic as well as the intentional placement of leaves.

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In The Cat Prisoner we once again see the mix of the artistic with the real. And that mouse, that mouse is little, but adds so much.

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A Little Light Reading – I could have walked past this light a dozen times and never have envisioned this as an element of an art installation. And how about the planning to get the torso positioned just right!

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Looking at Snowman Mishap, we see the detail to which David Zinn goes to render his masterpieces. That is a real miniature snowman on the wall with what is left of its head on the sidewalk. The green character, Sluggo, peers over the edge indicating that he most likely had something to do with the “mishap” while Philomena, a flying pig, stares back angrily with a snow-filled eye – cute!

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Sluggo and Philomena are two recurring characters in Zinn’s artwork which helps to build recognition and perhaps a small army of groupies.

David hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan so obviously this type of outdoor artwork is limited during some seasons, but he does manage to work in areas that provide “chalk-friendly tabletops.”

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Here are a few more images that I found especially interesting and/or whimsical.

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We can all salute David’s art work and appreciate his creativity, but adding to our admiration has to be the fact that these are temporary chalk creations that will be swished away by the first rain or snowstorm or perhaps some over energetic budding street artist wannabe. He has referred to his street art as “pointless” art, but I disagree. Any art that evokes a smile, joy or appreciation is far from pointless. Thank you David Zinn for the smiles and snickers you have added to our days.

Read more about David Zinn at his website HERE.

Learn more about David’s artwork from the video below where he explains his work and philosophy.

David Zinn Art from Create Michigan on Vimeo.

If you like the work of Artist Zinn, his book, Temporary Preserves, contains quite a collection and is for sale HERE.

Follow David Zinn on facebook and Instagram

Credit where credit is due: I first came to learn about David Zinn via this article on This Colossal webiste –
Quirky New Chalk Characters on the Streets of Ann Arbor by David Zinn

NOTE: I am not a relative or personal friend of David Zinn’s. I have no vested interest in writing this post except to recommend his work as a source of joy and inspiration for others who appreciate creativity and whimsical art. I have found his craft very imaginative and I hope you do as well.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous Creative and Inspirational Stories HERE

STATUS QUOtes — 20160309

Jeff

“A good anvil does not fear the hammer.” — Unknown

“No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently.” — Agnes de Mille

“To pursue a new idea, one must sometimes forfeit their deposit on an old idea [ed].” — Robert Brault

“I was raised as an only child… which really annoyed my sister.” — Will Marsh

 

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See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

STATUS QUOtes — 20160308

Jeff

“Those at the top of the mountain did not fall there.” — Unknown

“When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.” — Winston Churchill

“Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.” — Alan Watts

“I’m making some changes in my life. If you don’t hear back from me . . . you’re one of them.” — Tom Zegan

 

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See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Pickleball – Delayed Gratification with the Ground Stroke

Jeff

One of the first shots most people learn when they begin to play pickleball is the forehand groundstroke. If you ask players about this shot, they would probably say that they know how to do it and that may be true…to some extent for most of us!

We all probably learned the basics about the best way to correctly execute the pickleball groundstroke, but do we all maintain our focus and correctly perform all phases of the stroke?

The video below with Wes Gabrielsen demonstrates the groundstroke from both the right-hand and left-hand side. (Wes is a 5.0 player who switches hands for a groundstroke with either hand). Watch the video below and pay attention to the “hints” which are also detailed at the end of this post.

  • Keep your eye on the ball through the stroke; especially at the point of contact – watch the ball hit the paddle.

    **The reason this is important is that the ball may move along an unanticipated path and if you are not watching it, you cannot adjust your swing and you may mishit the ball or perhaps miss it all together. Don’t be tempted to look up to see how well you hit the ball. Delay your gratification and keep your head down, eye on the ball and follow through. I understand this is easier said than done!

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  • Bend your knees and get the weight of your body behind the shot.

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  • Follow through towards the target. Coach Mo suggests that you “kiss” the shoulder of the paddle hand to assure the follow through.

Quoted from the YouTube Video:

“What if you didn’t have one good forehand, you had TWO! You may not have this unique ability on the court, but we know you will enjoy watching Wes Gabrielsen, a top 5.0 pickleball player, demonstrate this move which he uses to his advantage. We have even included some pop up tips that apply to all forehands whether left or right! And the slow motion is just plain fun to watch besides being helpful when you study other players to improve your own pickleball skills. Watch this one today!”