We skipped out on the Spring rains, which in Seattle are pretty much like the Fall rains and the Winter rains, for some rest and relaxation in Istanbul. We spent the month of April seeing the sights, wandering the city, and enjoying Turkish cuisine.
Seven Minarets At The Evening Call To Prayer
Istanbul is a grand old city, but it exudes vibrancy and energy, too, especially in its contemporary art scene. The economy of Turkey is hot, which relieves their feeling of being snubbed by the EU, and with half its population under 30 years, there is a real feeling of confidence and moving forward.
News & Notes
We are delighted to report that Tomoko has been awarded US citizenship. J went to Atlanta to watch the ceremony, and to celebrate with Tomo and Dan.
Another Voter for the Good Side
Dave says, "It's Spring in Chicago and time for grafting." He means apple trees, not aldermen. His Chicago Rarities Orchard Project also announced a speakers series on Sustainability and Diversity Practices for those of you lucky enough to be in the Windy City on the right days.
Our ePostcards from Istanbul give a glimpse of what we saw, and how we spent our time, but as we were writing them, we kept thinking, "so many stories, so little space." (Actually, we were joking, "so many stories, so little postage.") Most of our experiences don't fit in 14 lines.
For example, what are we smiling about here? We're watching a new tactic from one of Istanbul's wily Street Shoe Shiners. They're everywhere. They're well rehearsed. They're not very successful.
If you're interested in hearing more, ask the next time we see you.
April In Istanbul
The 5th edition of the Fluency with Information Technology textbook is
finally finished and printed. Whew!
Speaking of new publications, our friend Imura Wataru has just published a book of his tanka poetry. Tanka is like haiku, but it has 31 syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern. Being almost twice as long as haiku, we're guessing tanka is even harder to write. Kazuyo designed the volume's cover. Congratulations, Wataru!
Imuras, Wataru and Kazuyo, with the New Poetry Book.
