Unforgettable ham radio friend Mike WB4ZKA

I have been keeping a blog in Japanese for the past 19 years. When I started that blog, as a doctor starting own practice, I might feel separated from the society and have had a lot of problems with the administration or the medical system. That blog has been a place where I could utter whatever I thought or felt. 

Now, it has turned full of political propaganda. I have been trying to be as accurate as possible regarding the data or the information source, since I would review it as a data resource if not perfect. I am also trying to post on music or our daily lives as well.

Among those political posts, I still often mention of memorable QSOs or unforgettable ham friends there. In the genre of "People in Ham Radio", there have been more than 500 posts. I have repeatedly told about the same good old friends like Ellen W1YL and stories on them have been reiterated. Since I quit ham radio 2 years ago, not many more addition to it any longer. 

I just would describe a few old friends on the air. That is the purpose of the posts titled "An unforgettable ham radio friend". It is to renew my memories, which have been badly rusted these years. I still have a lot of friends to be written. It is only a private memoir but, secretly, I hope it serves to advocate the enjoyment of conversational CW to younger people.  

There are a few people whom I have met only a few times and they are not necessarily big guns or famous ham operators at all. They still left me a vivid and impressive memories despite of few occasions to talk to.

One of them is Mike WB4ZKA. I have met him only twice or three times. It was around 2010. He was living on a trailor house in Arizona. Putting up a windom several meters above the ground, he was running 4 watts with an Elecrat K1. He said he had been keeping the radio on throughout nights. He told he had prefered to set it on 7026KHz, where I and other gangs were hanging out late at night or early in morning there. There were guys who started ragchewing always across the Pacific Ocean. Lending ear to them, he might be falling asleep. Maybe, when the conditions were so good, he gave me a call. That was that few occasion we could converse. 

When I heard it from Mike, I was deeply impressed and felt we had been connected each other even if not conversing directly. Around that time, I heard from KA7YRL, that his motto was "Tell me your story". I thought Mike was the ham who lived that motto by himself. Ever since this episode, I have tried to do my best to live the same motto on the air, even though I am not sure if I could do that or not. John, WA9AQN, used to tell me Mike had been writing an essay on US CQ magazine and had mentioned this way of listening there.

On his page of QRZ.com, Mike wrote as follows;

IF YOU AND I ARE MEETING ON HF CW RIGHT NOW

I'd like to connect with you on more than a "drive-by" QSO level. I prefer to ragchew, but I can do an abbreviated contact, if you prefer.

I'm more interested in hearing about you than talking about myself. Where will we take the conversation?

Send any speed you like up to about 35 wpm.  I can head-copy just fine, but my old hands can't send so fast.  So, gallop along!  I enjoy it!

I wonder if he is still listening the band throughout a night somewhere in a desert of Arizona. Does CW still sound like a lullaby to him?

Horrible incarnation of greedy capitalism

At first, it sounded like a joke that Trump would annex Canada. It seems, however, he is still serious at that desire as this news tells;

 https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-vs-canada-51st-state-wildest-threats.html

Isn't Canada the closest ally for the US in diplomacy as well as economy? Could you do with friends in Canada while approving Trump's idea or being indifferent to this mess? Trump is greedy enough to obtain the natural resource in Canada. Isn't it a terrible imperalism, which we have overcome long time ago? 

His desire to make the Palestinians emigrated somewhere from Gaza and to own their land to build a resort was not a joke but a realty, either.

In addition, he would ally with or has already been an asset of Putin Russia. They would share authoritarean dictatorship in their countries. Now, I am pretty sure the scheme is already drawn in his mind.

If the US people let him go in this way, the international relationship especially in the free western side would be ruined. I don't think his desire would come true. But if they should resort to the military power incomparable with the other countries, there could be another era of authoritarean dictatorship in the world.

I wonder if the American people would overlook the present situation messed up by your president. I am sure demolition of democracy in the society would come on to you with much pain soon. He would materialize the dictatorship anywhere whether it might be oversea or domestic. Of course, it should be accompanied with recession of the economy.

Horrible incarnation of greedy capitalism is in the White House for now. 

Sagan's prediction

A renowned astronomer as well as a novelist, Carl Sagan, predicted the future of the US in his 1995 book "The Demon-Haunted World", warning of a time when critical thinking declines, misinformation spreads, and technological power is concentrated in the hands of a few. It is amazing how accurately he has foreseen what occurred in the US in 3 decades interval.

Quote~~~

I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time — when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.

~~~unquote

If I am allowed to add a few words to his excellent prediction. I would emphasize the class in the society who supports Trump and his administration. They have lost critical thinking about politics and society as Sagan predicted. I believe it is due to neoliberalism which lets them think only for themselves and for their profit at the moment. Thinking for themselves, they don't care for it it is a misinformation or not. They would disperse sayings whether they may be fake or not. Fakes and lies are so common. So far as it gives them any profit from their conducts, it is accepted. In that behaviour, whether it is true or not won't matter. They often deny even scientific truth. They are akin to conspiracy theories.

Oligarchies established from neoliberalism may acquire political power and try to dictate those enthusiastically following the oligarchies. It looks like a cult. The cultists are often exploited by the oligarchy guru. The oligarchies would look for their target in overseas and soon they would start exploiting domestically. The target would be their cultists who have been already exploited by the greedy capitalists.

History tells us politics always is often driven by religion or religious motivation. In this case, it is combined with greedy capitalism. The more poverty people are put into, the more enthusiastic they are for the guru. What an irony it is! Has Sagan imagined such a psychosocial dynamics would work in the present world when he wrote his predictory book? Needless to say, such cultist movement is easily propagated through the internet, which Sagan has never seen in his life.

Ume in full bloom Hot summer is expected

Ume is fully out. The 1st blooming this year. The winter has been rather cold and the flowers are slow coming out. This long chilly winter may be the reverse of extreme hot wave in the coming summer in this age of climate change. We might have cruelly hot and burning summer this year.

At another house in this property, my parents used to look at them from the dining room over the table. They have planted 4 of them around their house. Ume is a very viable tree without much illness etc. Ume fruits could be harvested later. That was the reason why my father had planted them. He was seriously considering of food crisisin the future, even though ume fruits could never be staple food. Planting a lot of fruit trees, he might be feeling less worried about hunger he has experienced during the war.

These ume trees have lived for more than 4 decades. I wonder who would appreciate this blooming in this season a few decades later.

I have started planting potatoes. A bit earlier than usual expecting that heat upcoming soon. We might have poorer harvest of vegetables this summer. We should get ready for that. 

 

An unforgettable ham radio friend Steve KW7Q

A few days ago, I received a short note from Steve KW7Q. It was an update on himself and inquiry about me. It's been a couple of years since he retired from Colo State Univ. As I wrote about it somewhere before, we used to enjoy chatting on 40m CW in early '80s. He was finishing the postgraduate school majoring in atmospheric science in Seattle while I was starting career as a pediatrician. My old log says we have had a lot of QSOs those days. His call was WA0UIR/7 then. When we met again after a long hiatus several years ago, I could not recognize him at once. Knowing of his previous call, memories of QSOs with him vividly came back. His "rushing" and smooth CW. I could not help smiling hearing his keying in the same manner as those days.

He has got a position at the university mentioned above. In the field of his profession, he seemed to have achieved a great sucess in research. He was awarded for honor of American Meteorogical Society. I didn't know Colo State University was the mecca of that science field in the world.   

https://www.atmos.colostate.edu/2021/09/american-meteorological-society-honors-steven-rutledge-melissa-burt-and-richard-johnson/

I am sure he had ground away at his research. Or he might have enjoyed all his career as a researcher judging from his enthusiasm in ham radio. He might have spent the same energy for his research as for ham radio. At retirement, as he told, he got a beam at home at last, which he had never had in his ham radio journey. He was always running a small set up with some wire antenna wherever he might be. A couple of years ago, he has joined FOC while I quit it almost at the same time. It was a shame we could not enjoy its membership together. But I am sure he will do credit the club for his enthusiasm and activity. 

Recalling of my own life, I wonder what achievement I have done in my life. Maybe, nothing comparable to his achievement. If I had to choose, the kids I have cared for and their smiles must be the only reward for me. Again, I am deeply impressed at how long time has flown for us. I wish him fruitful and healthy retirement from now on. Don't forget riding bicycle as he used to. As they say, "Exerecise may be the single most potent medical intervention ever known." 

Measles

Regarding measles outbreak going on in TX and vaccination, this site should be worth reading through. Very informative and easy to understand. 

It is noteworthy the outbreak has occurred in the area most unvaccinated. It is regrettable it may spread world wide anytime.

 https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/a-child-is-dead-from-measles

During the course of the infection, the patient could be immunocompromised and could get infected with some bacteria leading to serious complication.

In addition to her description, when an infant gets infected, he/she would suffer from a fatal neurodegenerative disease named SSPE in several years or later. No effective treatment. It occurs only with a few cases in 100,000 patients. Not so many but still notable for pediatric field. I have seen a few patients in my resident days and know how miserable it is to children. IT IS PREVENTABLE with vaccine.  

If your children should get ill with measles, I am afraid, the top of HHS won't save them or take responsibility for that by himself.

Prof. Isoyama's 8th anniversary and encountering a few people related with him

It was 10 years ago today when I travelled to Toyama for a concert of Matthew's Passion by the local orchestra and choir. It was the only chance for me to listen to Prof. Isoyama giving us a short lecture. I knew that concert in his blog and decided to go there at once. I often visited his blog and enjoyed his erudition in music, especially, Bach's works. He was a man of good sense of humor. 

 http://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-concert-of-matthews-passion-in-toyama.html

It was Feb 22 of 8 years ago when he died due to fatal trauma on head fallen on an icy street. As I wrote before, it was right after completing his book on Johannes Passion. Even though his passing was an abrupt happening to us, he had lived a completed life. 

I might have mentioned about it before but remember he was an alumni of a high school in Nagano which a good friend of mine, a proficient pianist, graduated from. About 20 years or so ago, she has invited me to play Cantiqua de Jean Racine by Faure et al at an orchestra organized by the alumni of the orchestra. It seemed to be a commemoration of the orchestra. It was the time when I had regularly enjoyed chamber ensemble with her and other company in Tokyo. 

Prof. Isoyama was another graduate of that high school a bit older than my friend. He must be interested in classical music by that time and could be probably involved in the orchestra. I have learned about this story later than that chance of performance. I felt the world was small and we have been united by some means.  The cellist guy at the seat of the same row was a professor in music at certain university, maybe, vocal or other instrument. A very humble person. He must not be very happy to play the program next to me, an amateur cellist, but never showed disgusted look to me there.

Whether I like it or not, I should often mention those who had passed away in this blog. I am living such a chapter in the journey of life for now. Only thankful for every encounter with the people.

Inpatient sick children

At pediatric inpatient ward in a big hospital like a university facility, sick children are living tiring lives. They could hardly make friends there. They sure need friends to share pleasant things together and to grow together. Their parents or family members are visiting them only for a few hours late in the afternoon. In such a facility, the patient kids are always suffering from serious and/or long lasting diseases and it is inevitable that they should live in that way. 

What a pleasure it is for them to have an unusual event like having a singer visiting there! The guest sings some well known songs in solo or together with them. This is a singer named Hitoto Yoh visiting the inpatient ward at Nagoya University; the photos courtesy by Nagoya University. She has been not only a famous singer but also a poet/actress. Her bio says she has done volunteer activity for sick or handicapped children since her young days. 

Her countenance is fascinating. So are their audience children's. I was deeply moved by them all. 

I have spent several years as a resident and later a staff at two different medical school hospitals. I know it was meaningless and boring to children to spend days or weeks at the inpatient ward, where only the monitor of vital signs or respirators making beep noise endlessly at regular interval. Otherwise some crying. I could imagine what joy these children must have had at this event. In my experience, I also have played cello or string quartet with med students in the inpatient ward at such as Christmas event etc those days. I don't know how the children and their family members have enjoyed it. They have quietely listened to us then. The photos shown above have reminded me of that.

I often remember of the patients in the charge of me. I could not recall most of their names. I still own a file of resume of the patients I took care of those days. When I read them, their faces come back to my mind. I only wish they have recovered fully and are spending happy lives. Most of them must be around 40 years of age or so by now. The only defect of pediatrician as a career is that we could hardly know how the patients are spending their lives. It doesn't belong to us anyway.

 

 

Toru Takemitsu's 29th anniversary

The older I get year by year, the more I realize of the fact that life goes with death side by side. I may die anytime. Prepare for that. In such an attitude, everything I experience everyday would look brilliant and fascinating to me. 

The song I quoted in this post for Takemitsu's 22nd anniversary sounds not only a dirge but a song spiritually supportive to those destined to die in the future even if the lyrics doesn't say that. 

https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-22nd-anniversary-of-tohru-takemitsu.html

It is his 29th anniversary today. Far long, I have lived since I heard of his death.

Most basic thing among people

I am still almost addicted with Faure's nocturne. This No 11 in f sharp minor is most poignant and moving one. It is titled by Faure as "à la mémoire de Noémi Lalo". Noemi is told to be his friend's wife.

I don't know why but always feel relieved as well as soothed at this piece. It is a typical elegy still providing us with calmness. 

I am only ingnorant of musicology and am not capable of analyzing compositions. But they say some of Faure's works are based on Gregorian mode which he has been trained at Ecole Niedermeyer in his young days. And, as I recently heard from a musicologist, certain old Japanese mode has something common with Gregorian. I got inspird that there had been some mode in music common all over the world. Music must be originally born imitating sounds of nature and putting our emotion to them. It could be brought birth at various places in the history but that progress may not be so different in the beginning everywhere. The idea of similarity of modes in music has lead me to such a fanciful thought.

If this idea is right, why are people still fighting or even killing each other in the world? They emphasize the difference of races or cultures as the reason. They insist owning certain land on the globe, which only a few previous generations of their ancestors have had. When we leave this earth, what does it mean to own some land or resource in the world? We should return to the most basic emotion we share as mankind.  

What's going on in the world

It was an awful news that Trump would negotiate on cessation of the invasion to Ukraine by Russia in disregard of Ukraine. Trump seems unconcerned about Budapest memorandum which detrmined the security of Ukraine between Ukraine and the other related countires. While Trump said the US won't commit the peace keeping after cessation of the war, he requires the right for the rare-earth elements in the eastern part of Ukraine.

The vice president of the US told the leaders in Europe that the biggest security threat was not military aggression by Russia or China but their suppression of free speech. Free speech in his context includes blocking ultra right parties like AfD in Germany from governments. 

The chief prosecutor of International Criminal Court has been designated to be an objective for sanctions by the US government. Likelily, it was due to the determination of Putin as well as Netanyafu for war criminal by ICC. Trump seems to believe Putin has never committed war crime at all. 

 

These news seem to mean the Trump administration would cooperate with the other dictatoship in the world and approve their invasivions abroad. It may extend to illegal invasion to Greenland or Panama by the US. It will be an era of new imperialism. Those dictators have forgotten or neglected the history leading to the democracy and the international law ensuring the frame of democracy. 

Thinking the situation in this way, I feel almost cramped and depressed. What will the next generation experience in this world? It would be the world of "1984" by George Orwell. Dictators with power only rule and there is no ethics or moral in the international society. 

I don't believe this regime won't last too long. But destruction of the administration in the US and the international society would be serious and takes a long time and energy to recover, I am afraid.  

Izumi Tateno A pianist with the Left Hand

Izumi Tateno is an 88 years old pianist. I listened to him playing a piano quintet together with Iwamoto Mari string quartet, which I wrote about in a previous post. It was at a hall in Tokyo in early '70s.

He must be in his late '30s of age. He has confidently showed up on the stage. Maybe, it was not too long after he had started his career as a pianist. I must admit I could not recall of what composer's quintet he had played. Possibly, Sinding. I am not sure. The scene of the rendition is still clear in my memory. 

He might have achieved a fame as a pianist for Scandinavian composers. Having lived either Japan or Finland alternatively, he has done a great job. But in 2002, he has suddenly suffered from cerebral vascular accident which left him right paresis. It was an almost deadly trouble for a professional pianist. I heard of the news with deep sadness. 

He has revived as a left hand pianist not too far from that event. I have listened him playing the Concerto for the Left Hand by Ravel either on radio or TV. He seemed to have lost his Finnish wife recently. In a recent interview to him, losing his wife, he told he had been doing house chores by himself and was living by himself. He was telling that in a gentle smile. He was still practising piano for 3 hours everyday. It might be short for a professional pianist. But considering of his age, it's still amazing. He still carries on playing piano at various places, either in Japan or even in overseas.

In a concert cerebrating his 88th of birthday, he has played 4 pieces. Two of them were works composed by Northern European composers. The last two, one an arrangement of a nursery rhyme by Kohsaku Yamada, and the other Ave Maria by a baroque composer Caccini arranged for the left hand, are most impressive.

He said, in the end of the concert, his age might prevent him from visiting there again, far from his home. In a few seconds, he denied that and would visit there again in the future. In a big smile all through that statement.

What is making him so positive for the future? Despite of his handicap, or the event which looks like a handicap to us, and loss of his beloving one, he is still going ahead with that big smile. It seemed like a miracle to me.

  

Half a century since I listened to him in live! Wishing him good health and mellow performance activities. 

An unforgettable ham friend Bob W7AYN

As I told in the post regarding Jim K9JWV, I have always been thrilled and enjoyed to work with QRP stations. Especially, since I was equipped with standard or above standard set up. It might because that it brought me back to the beginner days when I struggled with the same kind of tiny and simple radio/antenna.

Bob W7AYN was one of such QRP operators. I have frequently seen him as NF7H in '80s through '90s. Later, he got his last call sign, W7AYN, which had been owned by his father. 

With stable and beautiful keying from a bug he has inherited also from his father, he always showed up on 40m early in morning in his time. We have talked a lot on trivial matters or family things. It was amazing his barefoot from a tiny Icom transciever shown in the photo with a wire barely above the roof was coming through and good enough for us to chat for a while. I have really appreciatd his keying from that old bug. I believed it was an art. 

He seemed to have had a lot of problems in his life. Regarding his family, his health and so forth. He never complained of those things but just simply told me as they were. He always remembered of what I had told him and asked about that later. It was not what I could expect from old timers.

In the last few years, he has moved to a new home near to his children. He could not put up an outdoor antenna but used a tiny loop in garage. We have often discussed with correspondence by e mail how to improve his antenna. But it was what he could afford those days. It was still tough for us then to chat like before.

He has had a lot of illnesses, I know. I remember whenever we met, he almost got a new health issue. As told above, he reported it only as a fact. He never complained of those things. In the end, he has suffered from heart attack. Our mutual friend, probably, WA7GIL, has let me know of his passing which arrived him all of sudden. It seemed like a fatal arrhythmia. It was 2017. I still miss this good friend of mine and would go after him. Before it gets too late, I should prepare a simple tiny station after him.     

Ambiguity in Bach's music

Whenever I listen to music by J.S. Bach, I notice ambiguous emotion in each melody of his most works. It could be called as a kind of polysemy in music. Whatever brilliant and pleasant music it might be, a kind of sorrow or sadness is on the background at the same time. I have reiterated about this double emotion in his music before. That characteristics makes his music sound serious and profound.

Professor Isoyama whom I also mentioned about a lot of times in this blog, a famous scholar on Bach used to say it was due to a couple of circumstances he had lived. First, it was soon after the Thirty Years' War, destructive and miserable to people all over in Germany. In the era of Bach, he must be influenced by the aftershock of that war. Second, Bach has lost his family early in his life. By age of 9 years, he has lost his parents and has had to live with his elder brother. Losing his parents, he must have felt he had to live helpless life. Lastly, Christianity of protestant by Luther taught him eschatological way of life, I believe. This might be the base of dual emotion in his music as well.

The final chorus of Matthew's Passion sounds a typical example of ambiguity to me. For a music of funeral, it sounds brilliantly radiant. The basso continuo still sounds full of sadness. What a great Aufhebung between opposite two emotions! I am always amazed at it when reaching to this final chorus. An irreplaceable comfort to me!

It will be his 7th anniversary on the 22nd of this month. He was lying on death bed around this time after having severly injured on the snowed street back home after serving as a referee at a chorus competition. It will be the 28th anniversary for Tohru Takemitsu as well. He has loved Matthew's Passion so much and has spent the last night on the earth listening to it as his wife used to tell. 

Tariff diplomacy? For what?

What is Trump's tariff diplomacy? In order to mess up the world economy? Or is he in a kind of memory dysfunction? So far, it serves only to make him look an idiot.

 

Probiotics would work when fiber rich food is taken together

Ultra prcessed food consumption may lead to higher all cause mortality, even if the degree of association is not high. 

 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38719536/

Natual fiber rich meal could redress certain species of intestinal microbiome and reverse the adverse effects of industrialized food. 

 https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)01477-6?fbclid=IwY2xjawIPQYFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTS52XB6KEbQD05wbP-urkIBqTrq6eg_3GggXNGcSOzzm38hEqCkkUyk9A_aem_9Bd9GYgEfs3FF53G4JfzRw

Reduction of chronic non communicable diseases may improve life expectancy since such chronic inflammatory conditions have been revealed to be one of the causes of aging.

Intake of only probiotics won't give us lasting beneficial effect. Such as ameriolating chronic inflammatory conditions including cardiovascular events and also cancer. We need taking fiber rich food in addition to them. 

Industrialization has made our lives convenient and easy going. But it could change our internal milieu, that is, intestinal microbiota into wrong way. 

Preference to sweets

Preference to sweets differs from one person to another. It may be related only with personal inherent preference but also with occurrence of type II diabetes mellitus and its control. When we try dieting, that could be the highest wall to overcome.

An article in recent Nature Microbiology reported that carbohydrate preference is regulated by the following mechanism. It is not confirmed by the other researchers yet and there could be other pathways of regulation. It is still an interesting finding.

Various long chain free fatty acids are contained in foods. Unsaturated free fatty acid may work as the starter of this pathway. At first, I thought long chain free fatty acid rich, that is, gourmet meal might upregulate the prefernce. But, in reality, it is the opposite. When we take the gourmet meal, it may down regulate appetite for sweets. 

The mechanism could be summarized as below;

A receptor for free fatty acid, FFAR4 reacts with long chain fatty acid on intestinal wall. >A bacterial flora in intestine, Phocaiecola vulgatus, proliferates. This is one of the intestinal microbiome. Breast milk feeding is believed to increase it. >Panthoteinic acid is produced by Phocaiecola vulgatus. >A gut hormone, GLP1, is secretd from intestinal secretary cell through panthoteinic acid. >A growth factor, FGF21, is produced in liver and circulates to brain by the function of GLP1. >At hypothalamus, carbohydrate preference is down regulated by FGF21.

Among the substances or hormone involved in this pathway, GLP1 or GLP1 agonist has drawn attention as a drug for type II diabetes mellitus and as a dieting drug. The researchers who have found this substance/function and its clinical use have recently been awarded for Laskar award in the US. It is an advantageous point as a drug for diabetes mellitus that GLP1 won't cause hypoglycemia on human in hunger. 

I was impressed at what elaborate pathway is present in living body. There could be other pathways as told before. With more amount of knowledge gained, we could control our health/disease. Intestinal microbiota has been believed to work as an internal milieu. It is believed to have immunological function on living body as well. With breast milk fed infants, intestinal normal flora may determine even preference of sweets. It's surprising a flora in intestine could work as a component of this cascade. 

When I was a med student, none of these findings were known. Nowadays, med students should understand and memorize them to be a doctor. Huge amount of new knowledge piled up. What a big task for them! 

An old logbook

 Before I started using a digitalized log, I had kept notebook logs in analogue since I started radio in 1963. Ordinary A4 sized notebooks with horizontal rule lines. Until I transfered from them to PC log in around 2010, when I realized my memory had got too rusty to remember even QSOs with old friends, I had kept almost 100 of the notebook log. 

One reason why I made so many log notebooks is that I have written down some key words in the conversation in the remarks. Some QSOs have taken a page or so to record them. That memo was quite imcomplete and sometimes difficult to recall of what I talked about with the partner. Still some are quite informative and make me recall vividly of the QSOs.

From the bookshelf, I took one of them dated from March to May in 1981. It is numbered Nr4. There were several I kept in '60s in addition to 90 plus after 1980. It made me chuckle at myself how long I have spent with ham radio those days. One note book for a couple of months. I was a senior resident by that time and was accoustomed with normal routine at work. That may be why. But how about the home chores? I have spent almost all my free time for ham radio.

A lot of old and fond call signs were there. W4BW, WA6IVN, W7KRU, VK2DO, 9V1UY, WB6BFR, K6TS and many more, whom I chatted with for a long time and each remarks space of over half a page or more was spent for a QSO. Most of the operators were older than me and have started ham radio in 1930s or even earlier. Real ham radio pioneers were still active those days. I was only in my early '30s of age. 

I was using only TS830 and a vertical on the roof those days. I could work with all over the world including the East Coast and Africa etc. It is amazing I often worked with Africans, mostly, southern part like ZS, ZE, 8Q, FB8 etc with that small set up. I still remember seeing Frank ZE1FN, ex G2DGJ. He was on the air, mainly, 20m when sun was sinking the horizon, that is, our mid night. Steve, WA0UIR, was active from Seattle, almost finishing his graduate school and starting his research career. There will be 3 decades of hiatus before we again meet often. He is now KW7Q retired in Colorado. In early spring, 20m was vigorously open to Europe. There are records of a lot of QSOs with Eu in a row on 20m. I stayed up early in the morning. Thar good conditions might have driven me crazy. Lireterally, crazy and hectic days. 

Again, I could not help asking myself if it was worth spending time and energy for this hobby that way. I could have done more with academic career or caring for family etc. Knowing that I got crazy for this hobby like in my teenage days, how much my parents have worried about me and my family! At least, I haven't ruined my life with it. But still that addiction in this hobby questions to me if it was good or not.

It was a good training for communication in English. I was reading professional papers in English. But, without ham radio, my ability in it won't stay as well as at present. I should admit knowledge in the colloquial English in ham radio was not so  practical in ordinary life.

Last but not least, friendships with those old friends and their memories have been indispensable for me. Living lives together, even apart each other, with someone away throuout our lives is an experience difficult to have for anyone. Throughout our lives in fact. Yes the relationship could be superficial in a sense. But through that life long relationship, we could know each other so well. This should be the best thing ham radio has brought to me.

So what to do with these 100 notebooks, worn and a bit dirty? I may preserve them until end of my life. My family may discard them then. Together with all my pleasure and dream since young days.

Oyster rice

Soon after graduation from med school, I have engaged with my wife, a classmate there. I have visited my wife's home in Shikoku in spring. Her parents have welcomed me so much. Mother in law has prepared a kind of countryside style sushi named oshinuki-zushi. It featured Spanish Mackerel and fava beans in season. So delisious that I have enjoyed the dish without thinking how much it took her to prepare for that. It seemed to require much pretreatment for the fish. Without knowing that, I have done with the dish quite diligently. Of course, I was too nervous to imagine how time and effort requiring it was for mother in law to prepare it.

Later, when I requested it to my wife, she instantly answered no. No recipe and no wooden model to press sushi in. Apparently, imagining she should spend too busy days as a resident, her mothr has not taught her how to cook this traditional dish. 

The other day, I have known of a recipe of oyster rice. Hearing about that, my wife told me mother in law used to cook it when she was a child and liked it so much. Oyster was an expensive material for cooking when I was young grown up in inland area. It seems to have been pretty ordinary material in Shikoku surrounded by ocean. On behalf of mother in law, I decided to cook it for my wife. The photo shows it.      

 It was seasoned only with soy sauce and sake. Pretty good. 

We owe much to mother in law. Recaling of her, I would try that oshinuki-zushi when the Spanish Mackerel is available here. Found its recipe on the internet. The only problem is the wooden model. I may manage it with some small wooden box. Fava beans are supposed to grow in my farm in this spring.

RF Kennedy. Jr and the position of the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the US

I was really surprised to read this sentence on her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., by Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg. It must be a difficult decision for her to comment on him in this way.

Whatever may happen, this guy should not be assigned to the position of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. As Caroline Kennedy said, he seems to have had a personality not suitable for the position. He has been a keen anti vaxxer based on conspiracy. He has been earning profit from HPV law suits. In the senate interview, he has showed least knowledge on the health care field. It seems he would replace Medicare and Medicaid to private insurances. 

Maybe, being not an American, I should not commit such a domestic problem of Trump administration. But the health administration especially in relation with international medical aid or medical research funding etc is not only a domestic problem in the US.  

Quote~~~

The full statement by Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg to members of the Senate, urging them to reject RFK Jr.'s nomination.

Dear Senators, throughout the past year, people have asked for my thoughts about my cousin Robert F.Kennedy Jr.and his presidential campaign

I did not comment, not only because I was serving in a government position as the United States ambassador to Australia.

But because I've never wanted to speak publicly about my family members and their challenges.

We are a close generation of 28 cousins who have been through a lot together.

We know how hard it's been, and we are always there for each other.

But now that Bobby has been nominated by President Trump to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, a position that would put him in charge of the health of the American people.

I feel an obligation to speak out.

Overseeing the FDA, the NIH, the CDC, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, agencies that are charged with protecting the most vulnerable among us is an enormous responsibility and one that Bobby is unqualified to fill.

He lacks any relevant government, financial, management, or medical experience.

His views on vaccines are dangerous and willfully misinformed.

These facts alone should be disqualifying.

But he has personal qualities related to this job which for me pose even greater concern.

I've known Bobby my whole life.

We grew up together.

It's no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because Bobby himself is a predator.

He's always been charismatic, able to attract others through the strength of his personality, his willingness to take risks and break the rules.

I watched his younger brothers and cousins follow him down the path of drug addiction.

His basement, his garage, his dorm room were always the center of the action where drugs were available, and he enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in a blender to feed to his hawks.

It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence.

That was a long time ago, and people can change.

Through his own strength and the many second chances he was given by people who felt sorry for the boy who lost his father, Bobby was able to pull himself out of illness and disease.

I admire the discipline that took and the continuing commitment it requires, but siblings and cousins who Bobby encouraged down the path of substance abuse suffered addiction, illness, and death.

While Bobby has gone on to misrepresent, lie, and cheat his way through life.

Today, while he may encourage a younger generation to attend AA meetings, Bobby is addicted to attention and power.

Bobby preys on the desperation of parents of sick children, vaccinating his own kids while building a following hypocritically discouraging other parents from vaccinating theirs.

Even before he fills this job.

His constant denigration of our healthcare system and the conspiratorial half-truths he's told about vaccines, including in connection with Samoa's deadly 2019 outbreak of measles, have cost lives.

And now we know that Bobby's crusade against vaccination has benefited him in other ways too.

His ethics report makes clear that he will keep his financial stake in a lawsuit against an HPV vaccine

In other words, Bobby is willing to profit and enrich himself by denying access to a vaccine that can prevent almost all forms of cervical cancer and has already been safely administered to millions of boys and girls.

During my time in Australia, I worked on the Quad Cancer Initiative, and I learned that cervical cancer is among the top three forms of cancer among women in a majority of countries.

Tragically, every year more than 200,000 children lose their mothers.

They are orphaned due to a lack of vaccines and screening.

Those are the real world consequences of Bobby's irresponsible beliefs.

We are a close family and none of that is easy to say.

It also wasn't easy to remain silent last year when Bobby expropriated my father's image and distorted President Kennedy's legacy to advance his own failed presidential campaign and then grovel to Donald Trump for a job.

Bobby continues to grandstand off my father's assassination and that of his own father.

It's incomprehensible to me.

That someone who is willing to exploit their own painful family tragedies for publicity would be put in charge of America's life and death situations.

Unlike Bobby, I try not to speak for my father, but I am certain that he and my uncle Bobby, who gave their lives in public service to our country, and my uncle Teddy, who devoted his long centered career to the cause of improving health care, would be disgusted.

The American health care system for all its flaws is the envy of the world.

Its doctors and nurses, researchers, scientists, and caregivers are the most dedicated people I know.

Every day they give their lives to heal and save others.

They deserve a knowledgeable leader who is committed to evidence and excellence.

They deserve a secretary committed to advancing cutting edge medicine to save lives, not to rejecting the advances we have already made.

They deserve a stable moral and ethical person at the helm of this crucial agency.

They deserve better than Bobby Kennedy, and so do the rest of us

I urge the Senate to reject his nomination.

Sincerely, Caroline Kennedy.

"Season's greeting mail"

I used to send season's greeting letter to friends 20 years or so ago. Later, it has been changed from mail letter to e mail. Recently, I felt it as a kind of mannerism and converted that e mail to an article in this blog. It is a trivial history but still an important milestone in my life.

Two decades ago or even before that, I have run across with Mary KA0OMX, who operatd mobile on the way, possibly, to a conference or something. She was a school nurse or a teacher involved in that field. I can't remember what we have talked then. It might be concerned about our professions both of which were related with children in sickness. After that, we have had a few more QSOs. Around Christmas, she used to send me a season's greeting mail which told me how she had spent a year with some photos. It seemed she had been doing that for her friends or folks and had added me in the circle. I always enjoyed them so much that I could not resist doing the same thing. That was how I had started that habit myself.  

She seemed to have changed her call to one by three type later. I have seen her once or twice. But no more QSOs and I haven't received that season's greeting any longer. Some 20 years have passed since then.

Here is another season's greeting like mail I got from an old friend of mine Joe, KC0VKN, several days ago. It was just to let me know he had moved from Iowa to Michigan and had started a new ranch home there. He used to work at a university in Iowa. He is still attending there once a week or so. His wife has got a work position in Michigan. Some cattle he used to care for have been moved to the new place as the photo in the letter shows. One of his daughters is already living away home by herself for now. The other is a teenage girl. Both were only toddler or a bit older when I used to talk to Joe.

What a big exodus he and his family have executed! As Joe himself told me, it must have been a hard and big peoject. He is still a young man, maybe, in his forties. That was the reason why he had planned such an event and had completed it. Without regular chat with him on the air, this kind of letter is good enough for me to know how he is doing. I just wished all of them blessing and progress of that project of move.

This mail has made me feel I would resume that mailing or e mailing to friends at the end of a year so far as I could.

I was chuckling when he told in the letter he had been keeping a regular sked on 80m with Mike W0VTT. Both of them are really great ragchewers, I know! I am afraid they might run out topics to talk about soon. 

Spring routine

This winter has been rather colder than usual. It may be the extremity in weather in the climate change. I was wondering when I should start seeding the spring vegetables. It may get warm earlier than usual this spring and seeding and planting seedlings should be done earlier. In the end of next month, I will be kept busy at the farm/garden. I am worrying it could bet too hot this summer. Schedule for seeding and seedling should be flexible according to the weather forecast. In this winter, almost all vegetables were expensive due to the aberrant weather in last fall as well as to high prices of agricultural materials. As for rice, our main food, middlemen are thought to get unjust profit. Inflation won't spare farming products.

Thinking of that spring routine, I recalled of ume which should be budding by this time in a year. Bingo! Tiny buds are ready to bloom very soon. I should have trimmed branches. Maybe, after they have bloomed. Lovely buds.  

In close up. 

Magnolia and daffodiles would follow this soon. 

Matthew's Passion again

Matthew's Passion by Stuttgart Bach Ensemble conducted by Helmut Rilling has been most important music for me. The CD set is recorded in 1978. Maybe, I have got it in early '80s when I moved here and had an audio set. 

Early in '70s, as I reiterated in this blog, the concert of the same ensemble with Rilling at NHK hall in Tokyo was my very first experience to listen to this piece in live. It has left me an overwhelming impression. That is the main reason why I have kept this source of the music like a treasure. A few years ago, however, I noticed the forte portion of the music like in the 1st piece had a slight but noticeable distortion. It made me disappointed so much that I put it away deep in the shelf not played any longer. I thought it could be deterioration over time as I experienced with some of the other old CDs. 

But the distortion like sound is clearly different from jittering sizzle noise particular for the noise over time. Recently, I have tried listening to it again. I found there had been no other portions with the same distortion even though the 1st piece still sounded the same as before. 

I have been listening to it repeatedly now. It sure brings me back to the concert of live performance first ever for me in Tokyo. I don't know why but it generally sounds heart warming and comforting my mind. 

Now whenever listening to any music I love, I am trying to concentrate on it as if it was the last chance to listen to it. Actually, at my age, it could be the last occasion for me. The situation is quite different, but I could not help being conscious that it is the same as the posthumous works of fragments Mozart has left. They have eternally lost into the darkness even though most of them had been materialized in Mozart's mind. Without experiencing such good music, they will be lost forever for me. From now on, encounter with any good music could be the only experience in my life. Once in my life. When I listen to them in that attitude, they sound even more overwhelmingly poignant to me.

In this CD set, the soprano part was sung by Arleen Auger. She was ths soloist at the concert in Tokyo I listened to as well. And, later in late '70s, when I listened to the same music by a Japanese ensemble, she took the part again, who left me a touching impression and I remebered her name then. This is a recording of an aria by her in Matthew's Passion with Amsterdam Concertgebouw conducted by Harnoncourt recorded in 1987. 

 

Felt disgusted

Is this a humanitarean news? 

https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-israel-bomb-gaza-hamas-war-023b36984c6116c128b5e47f117bba2a

In a second, I recalled this news. 

 https://www.thenation.com/article/world/gaza-2035-aec-neom-saudi/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGSJD5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfAt8tA-p9JHV_L5ULRY0Fc9KhCnCBK3uHUcRmJ6ule_GLp8b6FK5XU3Xg_aem_V0EqF33t8T0rJgTDwsrJVQ

And I desparately got disgusted.

PS; This is not a propaganda against the US. I would point out Trump's attitude toward GAZA is cruelly wrong. What he is planning with Netanyafu is to eradicate Palestinians

from GAZA and to deform the place to a "resort" for profit. It is a horrible trial of genocide of the Paletinian people and their culture. It is destined to be fault and would cause further conflict there.

A pleasant phone call from an old friend of mine

A good call from a good friend of mine, M, since the university days. A few years younger than me. We used to hang out in the university orchestra. He was a keen violinist.

We haven't talked for several years. M was a staff of a university. Having suffered from RA, he has retired a few years earlier than the ordinary retirement. With a proper drug for that illness, as he said, he could get along well without any physical handicap or complications. 

He has started taking regular lesson of violin by a teacher and found it worthwhile. He is practising a movement of Ysaye's sonata now, which he has loved for years. It might be a good rehab for his illness as well. His positive attitude toward life has amazed me. 

Being asked if I was still playing cello, I told him I got numbness on the ulnar side of arms when playing it. Hearing what happened to me, he, a neurologist, told me it could be cubital tunnel syndrome, a symptom due to compression to ulnar nerve at the cubital tunnel. It sounded to me quite plausible. Resting or certain med could relieve it, as he said, before considering of surgery. What he said was a relief to me. Since I barely felt that numbness at certain position of elbows which used to cause the symptom after taking rest for a couple of years, I felt I would consult to an orthoped doctor or even to start practising cello by myself.

I have not miss him telling me to do ensemble together again. What a pleasure it must be if I could play some piece with him! When we parted at my graduation from the med school, he gave me a part score of the piano trio of Faure. Will it come true all after such a long hiatus?

This photo was taken at a Christmas party in a women's university sometime in 1970s. I could not recall what piece we have played. M was playing the 2nd violin while the 1st violin was the guy who had whispered to me "The intermezzo of Brahms is mesmerizing, isn't it?" on the way back home from an orchestra rehearsal. It was in the darkness of evening at the women's university campus. The violist was an orchestral member of the women's university. A real fond memory.

 

Another candidate pathogen for pandemic

There are dozens of candidate pathogens for the next pandemic. This Oropuche virus reported in Science is one of them. 

Here. 

https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/science.adq8852?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3g0_t8T37sbdlpKOkxQdZryPpz4D_IWjmKKR225PDM5D8XnsdtTBvkuJ4_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

This virus is composed of three RNA segments, which could be recombinated in the infected cell and it could bring different pathogenicity of the virus. The recombination is thought to occur with another virus as well. It means this virus could be more contagious and/or more pathogenic. So far, it seems not fatal but could change its virulence any time in the future.

In this world of globalism, such a new infective virus could spread all over easily as well as quickly. A country could never be spared with spread of such a pandemic virus whatever quarantine it may carry out. We should deal with it in cooperation with the other countries all over the world. WHO has worked as such an organization. Without it, COVID19 could have been much worse and more devastating than real. WHO has been and will have been an important framework against pandemic.

In addition, deforestation is deemed as a factor causing such epidemic as this Oropuche virus as depicted in the article. Deforestation could result in global warming. Paris agreement is a treaty of world wide wisdome against global warming. 

Withdrawal from either of them is a wrong choice for a leadership nation in the world. Egoism of such a country would cause further devastating disaster.

An unforgettable ham friend Jim K9JWV

Jim K9JWV was a friend of mine to be remembered from a couple of reasons. 

Firstly, his love for QRP. Almost all of us have started ham radio with small set ups, whatever the size they might be. In my case, as told before, 5 tubes superheterodyne with a single 6AQ5 transmitter. The output must have been less than 5 watts. The antenna was a dipole fed with ladder line with chop sticks for the separator. Undescribable joy when I could work with Walt W6ASH for the 1st ever US with this set up. Ever since, I have tried to improve them in order to work far away with better signal. In that process, howevr, I was apt to forget what excitement and joy I had had in the beginning. Possibly, most of us have gone through the same milestone. But, as you know, there are few exceptions. That is a QRP operator or QRPer. Such a ham sometimes should go in that style due to his limited circumstances. There are real rare exceptions who enjoy that minimum way of ham radio.

Jim has seemingly been adherent to QRP and simple antennas throughout his life. From '00s to 2016, while we knew each other and enjoyed a lot of conversation, so far as I know, he has used 5 to 35watts at max with different verticals. I didn't dare to ask why he loved such small set up. In every QSO, however, I always felt he had enjoyed his own style. We often met on 40m in our early evening when it was getting dark here. Without that damn woodpecker, his signal was always good enough to converse for a while. I was surprised to find myself enjoying talking to him with such a QRP on his side. After putting up a tower and beams on it in the end of '80s, I had forgotten that thrilling joy. His style has reminded me of that. QRP operation always requires us much skill and expertise. Such a ham operating QRP should imagine how his signal goes to the partner or he could not carry on a fine QSO. Jim was one of such great QRP operators.    

He had used a GAP vertical before putting up this vertical, 42 feet radiator with 40 floating radials and 3 top hat wires, shown in the photo below. I was sure his location on a height amid a flat desert might have helped him a lot. But this antenna seemed to have played the key role. He always used a Ten Tec argonaut with a small amplifiler with the output 35 watts at max. Twenty five watts was his navigation power. He sometimes operated with the tiny KX3 in barefoot. What a thrill I have felt to enjoy conversation with him running that tiny radio. 

He seemed to be a teacher at certain college. But I haven't asked much about such a thing or even his history. However, I sure have shared passion for radio with him.

The other point is how we should parted. In 2014 or 2015, all after a lot of enjoyable ragchewing, I heard him saying he had suffered from lung cancer. In 2016, he told me the cancer had invaded spine and he would have chemotherapy. It meant he would spend hard time with the treatment, I knew. After an interval for several months, I have abruptly received an e mail telling me the treatment was not successful and he decided to go into a hospice. His doctor told him the remaining life should be around 2 months. It was the summer of 2017.

It was a big shock for me. It is a tough and difficult question what I should say to a dying friend. I believed I could say almost nothing to him. Any words sound meaningless before death. I could not recall what I exactly had answered to him. Possibly, I have told my helplessness to him and would be beside him so far as I could, even though we were physically far apart of course. In the end of that mail, I told him, if he was interested in classic music, to listen for Matthew's Passion by J.S.Bach. I knew it could be a meddlesome advice for him. Or could it be any meaningful advice? It is a fact, however, when I should go through his situation in my life, I had thought I would listen to that piece as Toru Takemitsu used to do in his dying bed. 

In a few days, a short reply has come back from him. It said he would look for the piece. It was the very last mail from him. I still wonder if it was a right advice or if there was anything else I could do. Was it what he had expected from me?

An old memorable CD

Years ago, I used to go to Tokyo regularly once a month or so. To play chamber music with friends or to do shopping. In 2008, when I was down in Tokyo, I accidentally found this CD shown below at a store close to my mother school. It was a fun for me to look around such a store for some CDs. It was a time when internet down loading was not popular and there were a lot of CDs in the market. This CD is a recording of a couple of string quartets of Mozart performed by Iwamoto Mari String Quartet in 1975. It made me feel more nostalgic than anything.

It won't take me a minuite to decide to purchase it. I used to be an audience member of their regular concerts for a while. It was held at a hall in Ueno once a month. At the very first concert I attended, they have played one of the quartets recorded in this CD, that is, d minor KV421 of Mozart. It was early '70s.

It starts with a lament song by the 1st violin. The 1st violin player, Mari Iwamoto, a long haired beautiful lady, sung it rather gallantly. The cello in charge of the bass part in the harmony has supported the whole ensemble. The cellist was Toshio Kuronuma, who was a professor at a music university. It is still surprising how vividly I could remember the scene at the concert.  

                      

This recording was taken a bit later than I listened that live performance. The hall was just not for music but for public use. It has dead acoustic not ideal for string music recording without suitable reverberation. But the dead environment rendered clearer articulation of each instrument than at richly acoustic halls. Simple sounds and, if I dare to say, idyllic. Ever since, this CD has been an important favorite for me. It always calms my mind down when it gets desolate.

The 1st violinist and the cellist have long been dead. The violist is still instructing an amateur orchestra in this area, even though I have never met him. I know little about the 2nd violinist. They have put an end to the quartet's activity in a few year since I listened them, that is, late '70s.

At that time, I was living in the dorm of the med school preparatory course in Chiba. When the concert was over, I often took a but back there. Possibly around 9PM, there were less lights seen through the window when the bus got out of Tokyo. Crossing a big river named Edogawa between Tokyo and Chiba, I could see several lights far away moving back in the sight. I vaguely thought my life might go on as if this kaleidoscope like scenary did. I should be too young to think own life that way but it was what came up in my mind on the way. This CD reminds me of such a thing, either.  

Exercise may be the single most potent medical intervention ever known

It's long been believed that execise works well to maintain or promote good health. It seemed epidemiologically true. But little is known as for its basic mechanism. Recently, there have been a lot of research papers published as for the effects of exercise to health/diseases covering genomics, proteomics, tissue level and individual cases. 

It is a program with the title MoTrPAC, the acronym of Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium. The web site of this program is here;https://www.motrpac.org/. You may see what a large aspects of research work it is covering and get its bibliography. 

I haven't read through the bibliography yet, too vast area of topics. Here is an interview to one of the organizers, Euan Ashley, a chair professor in Stanford University, a cardiologist, by Eric Topol, a famous researcher in Scripps Lab organizing this site "Ground Truths".

https://erictopol.substack.com/p/evan-ashley-exercise-may-be-the-single

Prof. Ashley and Topol make only general discusssion about how exercise works to improve health or prevent diseases. Still very inspiring and worth reading it through. 

What made me impressed at this program is that they have investigated about the topic in basic genom/protein level. It has revealed all tissues undergo remarkable changes. Exposure to low dosis of stressor;exercise potentially induces a stimulatory effect; hormesis. In multipe tissues, heat shock response is caused by exercise. Heat shock protein is prominent part of the stress response to exercise. Among all the tissues/organs like heart, lung, immune system or small intestine, adrenal gland is one of the most changed organ. At cellular level, repair mechanism is the main response to exercise and does preventive benefit against diseases.  

Higher intensity of exercise makes more benefit. One minute exercise gives us 5 minute extralife. One minute high intensity exercise 7 to 8 minute extralife. 

If exerecise is of low intensity, continuing it makes beneficial effects. 

These findings are not just historical legends among people but have been proved by epidemiology, genomics, biochemistry and physiology now. Why staying sedentary on chair all day? Start sessions of light exercise indoor and, if possible, moderate to strenuous one outdoor. It will keep you young and healthy.

It is what I am telling to myself!

Oblivion again

"Oblivion" is one of the most favorite pieces for me. I have written about it played by different ensemble/solist or just a topic in my memory as follows. 

https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/search?q=oblivion

As written elsewhere, I have played this piece in a piano trio some 15 years ago. The piano trio members have gathered at the violinist's home once a month and have played this one as well as several other piano trios. Every moment was really like time of gem for me. Sunray coming through the window and most intimate time was flowing slowly. We had continued the trio for a few years until both violinist and pianist got married 

At that time, I found this source in Youtube. The image/sound quality was not best. But these young musicians played it in most mesmerizing way. They seemed to be colleague at Juliard School. The violinist is outstanding. Technically perfect musicality and beautiful sound. I was chuckling at him in restless looking while the violin part was off the tune. He seemed originally from Phillipines. Recorded this piece in 2002, he has come back to his mother land and has been active as a violinist and, recently, as a conductor. The cellist, seemingly a Japanese, and the pianist both must have built up track records as musicians, respectively.  

https://youtu.be/ps6oylPDr98?si=PTrOKI3_A4tXdHHP

I have listened it as a reference that 15 years ago. The other players than the violinist must have accumulated achievements and have got certain position. Again, time has passed for everyone including me.

I have listned to various renditions for this piece. Among them, this trio named "Fournier Trio" sounds best to me. The cellist is really outstanding. This group still seems to go on their activity. The cellist seems to have got the seat of the principal cellist at an orchestra in Scottland.

I have introduced this ensemble as shown in the past post in this blog. I found John AC4CA had left a short but considerate comment to it which I had never noticed before. Another comment I missed. It was in 2017. What has he thought about at this time? I have lost the chance to hear that from him forever. Again, time is relentlessly pasing. Everything would fade away.