About how I wanted to write about Kakuozan matsuri and ended up writing about something else.

On Sunday I have also bought a ダラブッカ　(darabukka), a Turkish drum, so I can practice and so one day be able to join people by some fire or another.
I was slightly worried about possessing an absolute lack of rhythm in me however I decided to go on with the transaction anyway, for if I haven`t done so I would feel, well, not too much like some of those cheesy chain mail phrases say `Love like you`ve never been hurt...` or similar rubbish, I think I`d just feel stupid for not indulging in shopping in order to become cool. One should never allow for such a thing.
And so I bought it. And surely enough there was an email waiting for me stating `16 things that it took me over 50 years to learn`, an account written by Dave Barry, Nationally Syndicated columnist; ` Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that one amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.`
Cheesy it might be, but here, I give you all the 16 points, for on the whole, they do ring a wonderful, rather refreshing and indeed truthful, reflection:

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
5. You should not confuse your career with your life.
6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. (I wish I had!)
7. Never lick a steak knife.
8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 21.
12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
13. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
14. Your friends love you anyway.
15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
16. Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine . . . They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.
FINAL THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2030, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.