Aug. 6, 2020 - YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN TEXAS IN AUGUST WHEN…
- Trees are whistling for dogs.
- The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
- Hot water now comes out of both taps.
- You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
- You discover that it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.
- You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 am.
- The temperature drops below 95 (35 C) and you feel a little chilly.
- You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.
- You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
- Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, 'What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?'
- You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
- The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt, and pepper.
- Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.
- The cows are producing only evaporated milk.
Ah, what a great place to call home.
God Bless the Great State of Texas.
July 26, 2020 - Social distancing failure
Oops! Looks like someone's brain wasn't firing on all cylinders when
laying out these waiting lines on a Tokyo subway station platform. But
definitely worth a hearty laugh, ha ha!
Social distancing failure (photo credit: David Couvreur)
July 20, 2020 - I have ARRIVED!! :-)
I'm finally moving up in the world. At long last, after a remarkable
six decades, I've finally been granted my own personal parking space...
Gary's new personal bicycle parking space
July 13, 2020 - Lettuce face mask! :-)
Lettuce come together.
Romaine calm.
This may just be the tip of the iceberg.
July 4,
2020 - Happy Birthday, America! (お誕生日おめでとう、アメリカ！)
Today, on the occasion of America's 244th birthday, I just want to
share a song that has truly touched my soul. It's America's national
anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner," sung by a precious little
8-year-old girl named Malea Emma. WOW, what a BIG, beautiful voice from
such a tiny little person!
"The Star Spangled Banner," sung by Malea Emma
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
June 28,
2020 - Feeling the Wind (風を感じて)
One of my greatest pleasures while residing in the planet's most
populous metropolis is cycling up and down the nearby Edogawa riverside
on sunny days.
Yep, I'm the crazy guy who several years ago started the fad in
Japan of wearing ankle weights on my wrists while cycling along the
riverside. Since cycling exercises primarily the lower body, I felt I
needed to spend that time working my biceps and triceps as well.
A few years ago while I was out on my mountain bike, I took a breather
at the "Kaze o Kanjite" (風を感じて, "Feel the Wind") statue in Junsai-ike
Park (じゅんさい池公園) in Matsudo, Chiba (千葉県松戸市). In the pic below, I'm in my
usual attire, sporting 4 kg (~9 lbs) wrist weights on each arm.
And for some reason, this spring so far I've encountered an above
average number of days with fairly strong headwinds. So I'm hearing the
naked statue lady's message loud and clear, as I'm definitely "feeling
the wind"!
"Kaze o Kanjite" (風を感じて, "Feel the Wind") statue
Junsai-ike Park (じゅんさい池公園), Matsudo, Chiba (千葉県松戸市)
June 14,
2020 - Texas Longhorns rock!!
Not only is the Texas Longhorn the mascot for my alma mater, The
University of Texas at Austin, but it is also the name of my
university's sports teams and is the official "large animal" of the
State of Texas.
These huge, beautiful animals, as their name implies, are well-known
for their characteristic "long horns" which can measure up to 100
inches (2.54 m) tip to tip for steers.
A hearty thanks goes out to my good buddy Rick in Texas for sharing
this wonderful pic on his Facebook page.
Cheers from the great Lone Star State of Texas!
Texas Longhorn
May 30,
2020 - Wear your mask!!
We can never be too careful!
As a former traffic engineer, I wonder if we apply social distancing
guidelines to cars, whether we'll ever have to worry about traffic jams
again, ha ha...
car mask
May 12,
2020 - Words of wisdom from the amazing poet, Tarzana Joe
Choices...
I’m sure you’re sick and tired of
Those caterwauling voices
Lamenting each election that
We really have no choices
Or even of some pundit
Acting like a kind confessor
Advising, of two evils
You must always choose the lesser
I, for one, have always known
We’ll never find perfection
I bear that fact in mind
Each time I’m making my selection
But now I start to understand
This broad dis-satisfaction
For with this crisis growing
I see no clear course of action
No one with the power
Making Liberty their mission
No one in my government
Espousing my position
No one has the answer
There’s no course that they can teach
To say it’s safe to jog
But not to sit down on the beach
Or why if I buy barbells
At a Target I’ll survive
But not if I buy golf balls
Cross the street at the Big Five
Why science says that kids
Don’t transmit COVID as a rule
But government in panic
Says that kids can’t go to school
I am old and weak
And though I like to run and ride
I’ll do my civic duty and
Agree to stay inside
To the young among you
Take this challenge that I give
Tell the folks in power
They must let the country live
April 29,
2020 - GW rocks in Japan!
Today,
Showa Day (昭和の日, Shōwa no Hi), is a national holiday in Japan and kicks
off the week-long holiday period known as Golden Week, often
abbreviated simply as GW.
Well, GW has another meaning in my life.... not only my initials but
also my nickname, courtesy of my most beloved family and friends since
my childhood days.
Needless to say, GW is one of my favorite times of the year in Japan
because everywhere you look, my nickname is plastered on countless
advertising signs all over the city. It's nice to be so famous, ha ha.
The sign below I spotted just a few days ago at the local KFC. Yee hah!
KFC GW sign in Tokyo
April 18,
2020 - Gary's Spring 2020 self-intro for his Japanese university
students
Gary's Spring 2020
self-intro for his Japanese university
students
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
April
12, 2020 - Mariah Carey pays tribute to the many coronavirus heroes
On the occasion of Holy Week, blessings to multiplatinum diva and
5-time Grammy Award winner Mariah Carey for her heartfelt "stay at
home" tribute to all the first responders, frontline health workers,
and other selfless warriors who are keeping us safe in these troubling
times.
In her message of hope, Mariah Carey performed from her home and
reminded us in her 1993 hit "Hero" that...
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
I just LOVE this...
Mariah Carey - Hero (Live at Home Tribute)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
April 7,
2020 - Self-quarantine chip shot
An amazingly accurate chip shot with a roll of toilet paper during this
guy's period of self-quarantine. LOVE IT!
Self-quarantine chip shot
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
April 6,
2020 - CORONAVIRUS: Is the Cure Worse than the Disease?
According to worldometers.info, as of 12 noon April 6, 2020
Japan time, worldwide so far there have been:
15,548,576 deaths this year, including...
3,431,734 communicable disease deaths this year
2,171,109 deaths caused by cancer this year
1,321,513 deaths caused by smoking this year
661,173 deaths caused by alcohol this year
444,394 deaths caused by HIV/AIDS this year
356,853 road traffic accident deaths this year
283,479 suicide deaths this year
259,299 deaths caused by malaria this year
222,612 deaths caused by water-related diseases this year
128,541 seasonal flu deaths this year
80,370 deaths TODAY so far alone
and most importantly, since Jan. 22, only 69,456
coronavirus deaths.
As early as tomorrow, the Japanese prime minister will declare a state
of emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak for Tokyo and 6 other
prefectures including Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo, and
Fukuoka (source: NHK World-Japan).
But unlike in many other countries, lockdowns will not be imposed and
public transportation, supermarkets, and other essential businesses in
Japan will continue operations. In short, Japan's response to the
outbreak will largely remain unchanged from what it's already been the
past 6 weeks, namely to ask people to avoid closed and crowded places
as well as close contact with others, while maintaining economic and
social activities.
The declaration will give the governors of these 6 prefectures (Japan
has 47 prefectures) the power to request (not demand) that residents
refrain from non-essential outings and to cooperate with measures to
prevent the further spread of the virus, but the governors can request
or order (if necessary) school closures and restrictions on the
operations of department stores, cinemas, and other places where many
people gather.
Is there anyone besides myself who believes that shutting down the
entire world economy has been a gross overreaction? I hope we can all
go back to work soon, before we have a worldwide depression on our
hands. So sad...
April 1,
2020 - How to make
an emergency paper towel face mask
In emergency situations like natural disasters and global pandemics,
face masks can protect you in places with debris, in evacuation
centers, or even from killer viruses. Watch this 30-second video and
learn how to make an instant face mask using only a paper towel, 4
rubber bands, and a stapler.
How to make an emergency paper towel face mask
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
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Website
Updates
Aug 05, 2020
YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN TEXAS IN AUGUST WHEN…
- Trees are whistling for dogs. - The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance. - Hot water now comes out of both taps. - You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron. - You discover that it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car. - You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 am. - The temperature drops below 95 (35 C) and you feel a little chilly. - You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window. - You actually burn your hand opening the car door. - Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, 'What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?' - You realize that asphalt has a liquid state. - The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt, and pepper. - Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs. - The cows are producing only evaporated milk. Ah, what a great place to call home. God Bless the Great State of Texas. :-)
July 28, 2020 update: Wes Lang, the founder of the "Hiking in Japan" website and the "Hiking in Japan" Facebook group, has compiled a very impressive listing of the most recent information about 2020 trail/hut closures for the entire Japan Alps. In his words, "As you can see, the situation is not looking good, so I stand by my earlier advice to give the Alps a miss this year."
Listing of the 25 highest mountains in Japan, complete with pics, videos, and descriptions, based on the 2-decade climbing experience of Gary J. Wolff.
Oops! Looks like someone's brain wasn't firing on all cylinders when laying out these waiting lines on a Tokyo subway station platform. But definitely worth a hearty laugh, ha ha! :-)
Today, on the occasion of America's 244th birthday, I just want to share a song that has truly touched my soul. It's America's national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner," sung by a precious little 8-year-old girl named Malea Emma. WOW, what a BIG, beautiful voice from such a tiny little person! :-)
One of my greatest pleasures while residing in the planet's most populous metropolis is cycling up and down the nearby Edogawa riverside on sunny days.
Yep, I'm the crazy guy who several years ago started the fad in Japan of wearing ankle weights on my wrists while cycling along the riverside. Since cycling exercises primarily the lower body, I felt I needed to spend that time working my biceps and triceps as well.
A few years ago while I was out on my mountain bike, I took a breather at the "Kaze o Kanjite" (風を感じて, "Feel the Wind") statue in Junsai-ike Park (じゅんさい池公園) in Matsudo, Chiba (千葉県松戸市). In the pic below, I'm in my usual attire, sporting 4 kg (~9 lbs) wrist weights on each arm.
And for some reason, this spring so far I've encountered an above average number of days with fairly strong headwinds. So I'm hearing the naked statue lady's message loud and clear, as I'm definitely "feeling the wind"! :-)
Not only is the Texas Longhorn the mascot for my alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin, but it is also the name of my university's sports teams and is the official "large animal" of the State of Texas.
These huge, beautiful animals, as their name implies, are well-known for their characteristic "long horns" which can measure up to 100 inches (2.54 m) tip to tip for steers.
A hearty thanks goes out to my good buddy Rick in Texas for sharing this wonderful pic on his Facebook page.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, January-March, 2020
Posts include Ikspiari New Year's Eve 2019 Countdown Party, Caretta Shiodome Illumination, my Feb. 2020 Saipan vacation, and Odawara Plum Blossom Hiking.
The most frequently asked questions about climbing Mt. Fuji, including info on routes, maps, videos, transport access, traffic stats, weather, and climber stories.
Page 2 of the most frequently asked questions about climbing Mt. Fuji, including info on routes, maps, videos, transport access, weather, and climber stories.
We can never be too careful! :-) As a former traffic engineer, I wonder if we apply social distancing guidelines to cars, whether we'll ever have to worry about traffic jams again, ha ha... :-)
- Trees are whistling for dogs.
- The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
- Hot water now comes out of both taps. - You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good brandi…
July 28, 2020 update: Wes Lang, the founder of the "Hiking in Japan" website and the "Hiking in Japan" Facebook group, has compiled a very impressive listing of the most recent information about 2020…
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As a former traffic engineer, I wonder if we apply social distancing
guidelines to cars, whether we'll ever have to worry about traffic jams
again, ha ha... 
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Have your say about this page! Feel free to comment in the box below: