Bass Player on the Mountain

When Mokoto asked if I would sing "Honky Tonk Woman", for the show in Obihiro, I said, "sure no problem". I had heard a few versions including Tina Turner's and really liked the feel and sound of the tune.

When I checked the lyrics online - I was kind of taken aback. I had no idea they were so raunchy.

A few days later we had a practice and I approached our bass player about my reluctance to sing the song.

He said, "Some people like to write and sing about the dark side of life. They are still good people inside."

I immediately decided to be "...a Honky Tonk Woman".

There are many times when I sing 'holy songs' and behave just the opposite when I walk through my front door.

And what is the dark side of life anyways?

I spent a few hours in the garden today picking weeds.

Some weeds are beautiful.

Who decides what is a weed and what is a plant?

More questions for my bass player on the mountain.

t

Makoto and the Band!

Some fun news...

Last night I performed with a band!!!! We did a road trip to Obihiro
(a city 2 hours drive away).

It was sooo much fun! I even sang "Honky Tonk Woman" with a Yukon theme:

...I laid a trapper man in Dawson City....

great to change up the lyrics this way.

...Sure hope the Rolling Stones don't mind.

Makoto sang and wowed us all with his amazing guitar playing and there were drums, bongos, bass guitar, banjo, electric piano and would you believe a didgeridoo too.

Another favourite I sang last night was Rivers of Babylon...a song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of The Melodians in 1972...Who knew!

Our car cassette player only knew the Boney M version that it cranked out on family road trips some thirty years ago!!!!! Was it ever great belting this tune out to a funky disco beat. I think you would have all been up dancing and singing along for sure!!!

So let the words of our mouths
and the meditation of our hearts
be acceptable in thy sight here tonight!


t

At Any Age

Teaching our students at the senior citizen's home has been quite an interesting, challenging and uplifting experience.

When preparing these lessons, we try our best to choose activities that are engaging and adaptable.

We need to consider the following:

We are teaching adults -lessons need to be clear
and repetitive, but not child-like.

English -Most of our students have never been outside of Japan.
- I am the first white person most have ever met
-The majority didn't learn English when they went to school
(for most, I am the first English teacher they have ever had)

Trouble with movement - choosing physical movement songs that allow active ones to touch their toes and the not so active ones to sit, stand or watch (often smiling and swaying to the music)
- in some cases hand over hand printing, drawing, and even colouring (It is hard to remember to ask first if they would like help)
- time to allow everyone to complete the activities

Trouble hearing- repetition, repetition, repetition.
- we often use microphones and sometimes have to speak right up close into their good ears(without the microphones of course)

Trouble seeing - big font for our printed lessons
and large printing for anything we write on the whiteboard

The sense of touch - as often as we can, we bring items that our students can touch like pussy willows or beach balls

Games - Everyone loves a little competition and prizes too!

Seeing our senior friends is the highlight of our week.

We are always tired afterwards but it's a good tired.
Our students smile, learn, and thank us many times over after every lesson.

Last week we saw our 101 year old student pushing
his friend in a wheelchair!

We certainly learn from our students too.

So why do we learn at any age?

Maybe because it's fun and because we can!