Remembering the Japanese: What a Difference Three Months Make

Today's posting is an "extra" for this week as I usually post on Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays as promised in a previous post. This posting comes one week before the one month anniversary (March 11, 2011) of the tsunami that has devastated Japan. I am posting now because three months and a little over one week ago, Masayo and Masahiro flew into New York City from Japan just to renew their vows. Their blessed day was documented in a DVD which was created and produced by yours truly, and I called it Miracle on 71st Street, because on the day that they had scheduled to renew their vows — December 26th 2010, New York experienced a huge snowstorm that nearly paralyzed the city. Many New Yorkers were unable to get around the city, and they made their complaints known, but I am told Masayo loved the snow, so I incorporated it into her renewal of vows DVD. This DVD like the memorial DVD that I created for a friend (whose close friend died last year), is very personal; capturing a moment in a unique way. I have posted a snippet of it above, however, you can watch a trailer of this DVD by clicking here.

The perils of the December 26th 2010 snowstorm pale, pale, pale, in comparison with the devastation in Masayo's home country, Japan, and has brought great sorrow to such a lovely woman, who just three months ago was filled with joy. The destruction in Japan has been felt by many persons, myself included, leaving folks at a loss of what to do to help in these troubled times. I have suggested in a previous post that if people can't help directly due to their limited  material resources or time, they can help by doing good works for the people they know that are dear (and not so dear) to them.

With today's post (a week before the one month anniversary of the tragedy in Japan), and accompanying film snippet, I want to announce my plan to donate a percentage of any fees that I earn from compiling wedding DVDs for my clients (from this day forward) to a charity that Masayo recommends (and put it in the client's name). I will announce details as soon as I have the information.

It's Pistachio Day, Bring on the Dumante!

Being an urban gardener as well as a designer of cards that go beyond communication, I often receive notices about how things grow and updates on unique holidays. Today, February 26th, encompasses both because it is National Pistachio Day, and if you are one who needs rationale to indulge in a treat, this is the day you can eat pistachio nuts with good cause knowing you are honoring a national holiday.

As for the observance of pistachio day, according to Christine Cadena (Contributor Network), "it is believed that individuals who stand in and among pistachio trees, and hear the ripening sound of popping fruits and leaves, will have prosperity, good luck and fortune. Unfortunately, with the peak time for harvest of the pistachio occurring in September, those who stand in and among pistachio orchards, in February, may find great difficulty in hearing the sound of cool temperatures of the evening. As a result, the National Pistachio Day celebrations may soon move to September, during peak harvest, to allow for the most benefit to those who wish to follow this tradition of good fortune." However for today, February 26th 2011, National Pistachio Day will be honored.

I am not sure why this occasion is limited to a national celebration since pistachios are enjoyed worldwide.The origin of this nut is in the Mediterranean, and it now grows in California (although a tree can take up to twenty years to reach full production, a fact not lost on gardeners who like to see more immediate fruits of their labor).  According to "Pistachio Queen", "Nearly half of California's crop of pistachios are now exported around the world where they are enjoyed by many cultures . . . In China, the pistachio is known as the 'happy nut' because it looks like it is smiling and is often given as a gift for the Chinese New Year . . . In India, they are used in a saffron pistachio drink, 'Shree Guruji Kesar Pista Sharbat. . . " 

Pistachios are also enjoyed in Israel, Russia, France, and by yours truly, where I don't need the excuse of a national holiday to enjoy pistachio ice-cream at Emack and Bolio's, or to serve Dumante (the pistachio liqueur from Sicily) when I entertain guests and clients to celebrate various seasons in my garden, as well as to announce any of my latest ventures of adding photo-art DVDS (introduced in a previous post and which can be accessed via the eighth box on the side-bar to the right of m blog), my selections of cards that are about more than communication, my invitations that preserve a moment in time, and my program covers that enhance an event, (which you can view on my web-site) and for which you never need an excuse to send.

Just Released! Photo-Art Movie Trailer Designed and Produced by Yours Truly

If you have been following this blog, you will know that I have made an origami-style slide presentation as well as a mini-movie to promote products offered via Gifts by Helen (see this entry and this entry), and that I have made slide presentations in a virtual flip book form to introduce some of my works on paper (designed for greeting cards that are about more than communication, invitations that preserve a moment in time, and event program covers that enhance any occasion). These virtual flip books provided sneak previews and or samples of new works. Because my readers have enjoyed these presentations, I have now produced a DVD which is a trailer that includes snippets of all of these presentations, and in today's post, I am offering my readers a chance to view this DVD via Vimeo by clicking here where you.

 My goal in producing this is to reach out to people who need their products or services to be promoted via a slide-show or mini-movie by me for a very reasonable fee.