Stayed up late

I stayed up late - almost until morning - just watching TV. I happened to watch a TV drama made in 2006 called "Jane Eyre." Yes, that Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Brontë. They showed the first half of it and it ended where Jane leaves Mr. Rochester's castle to look after her once mean now sick aunt Mrs. Reed.

I remembered having a copy of that story while I was watching it and actually found it far back on my book shelf. Dusty and smells old... I bought it when I was a sophomore at college but I don't remember the story. I don't even remember why I got it, either. Perhaps I was told to get it by a professor or something. Anyway, this TV drama made me want to read it. I was determined to do so until I opened the book. Oh no, the letters are so small! The story is so long!! I don't know if I can read it through. Well, just give it a try, maybe. It takes 4 or 5 chapters before Mr. Rochester enters... am already discouraged a bit.

I didn't read for a short while. Wasn't really interested in books. Last book I read was Mari Yonehara's "Ai no Hosoku (A rule of love)." Maybe early this month. Mari was a great Russian/Japanese interpreter brought up in Prague who also was a talented writer. She passed away a couple of years ago but her books are timeless and still inspiring. Even old books of hers tell me something new. Amazing!

The funny thing is, I just keep reading one after another once I find an interesting book and start reading it. No interest in music nor movies is triggered when I'm into books.  I listened to music a lot in the past 2-3 months. Then got slightly tired of it. So it's about time to go back to books. I never thought I would go back to something like Jane Eyre. I know a Japanese translation is easier and faster to read but am determined to read the original version. Will be fun.

I lived a quiet and boring life from late October to mid November. Not many interviews. But for the last 10 days, I ended up doing 3 interviews with 3 different artists, Aaron Parks, Donald Duck Dan and David Murray.

The one with Aaron Parks was interesting. My fellow editor Sanae was the interviewer. Since she got a transfer to Keyboard Magazine from Piano Style lately, the way she interviews people is still Piano Style-ish. I didn't have a chance to interpret a question like "What is your blood type?" for years. Aaron went "What the f**k?" (he didn't say anything but I could read that from his expression) and said, "It's a great question that I don't give you the answer." Then we all laughed. Everything goes fine when it starts with a nice laugh. Sanae, you did a good job! :)

Aaron said he was going to stay in Japan for 2 more weeks after the tour. He told us about a dream he had in September. He saw this small lake in it and it was a nice dream for him. He didn't tell us how nice it was though. A little later, he saw a Japanese movie called "Sukiyaki Western Django" and exactly the same lake he saw in his dream was right there! Spooky, huh? He did a little research and found out it was Okama Crater Lake in Zao, Yamagata. He feels he needs to go there for some reason and that seems the biggest reason he decided to stay longer in this country. Some people have a strong spiritual sense. Probably he is one of those people. I like people who don't hesitate to share interesting stories like that.

Well, it's getting cold in Tokyo - winter is definitely here. I began a long walk home 2 weeks ago. The cold air in the evening is nice. I kinda realize I'm from a snow country whenever I feel comfortable in the cold air. I always dreamed of living in a warm place but came to think I prefer the contrast of seasons recently. I'm from a mountain basin so...  Am I a mountain person or what? ;)