June 8, 2008 

Eighteen years ago Stanton Welch, the present Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet, heard a new work by the Hungarian composer Istvan Marta, called A Doll’s House Story for Percussion Ensemble, and decided that one day he would create a ballet around the music. This was the day, a world premier.  It is about a war between the toys after the toy store owner leaves for the day. They battled with their toy weapons, adding Kung Fu and the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira. No one wins. It delighted children and adults up to a critical point but ends tragically when an ultimate weapon kills everyone.

 Welch writes: “We have been living with this threat for a very long time. It would be amiss of us not to reflect what we are thinking and talking about. The message does not represent one political opinion, but a more global message. Some wars are simply not worth fighting and often there is no winner.”  

A Doll’s House 

A Doll’s House.

I thought Ibsen.

I was wrong.

A Doll’s House:

Magical mechanical movements,

Graceful against strong,

A Doll’s House.

Another World Premier;

Best of Year!

Choreographed by SW,

Made it clear-

Trip to childhood?

“Was it fear?”

“Oh yes, superior!”

Note: to see the costumes for A Doll's House, go to My Account pictures, called Some Images and double click on the ballet dancers.

Joe

"Some wars are simply not worth fighting and often there is no winner.”

You have to wonder if there are really any winners in any war.  The toll on all is so great.  Joe you always make us stop and think.

Carol Anderson

The recent passing of Tim Russert made me think just how unpredictable life really is.  In a blinking of an eye, things can change.  I am 100% guilty of always running, running, and running, and never stopping to smell the roses.   

I saw a clip of Tim's son, Luke speaking at his Dad's service.  There is no denying that Luke is his father's son.  At age 22, he displayed more maturity and professional demeanor than a lot of people twice his age.  I would not be surprise if Luke dove tails on his Dad's Best Seller.  I think a title such as "Big Russ and Me, the Next Generation" would be very appropriate. 

Take care everyone.

What a wonderful week, even though we did not get to attend the eClub ceremony, we met to many wonderful Rotarians. Today, Sherry and I had lunch with a PDG from the San Diego area. We were there to induct him into RGHF. Great sense of humor from this young 88 year old former Marine. Monday, we'll have lunch with an honorary member of RGHF. Ted Lollis is in charge of our peace monuments section and lives back East. Rotary everyday.

Jack  Selway, Founder & CEO of RGHF, Rotary Global History, Pueblo, CO, USA

Missing in "inaction".  That is what happens when we spend time in the mountains of Northern New Mexico.  I plan to get things done, but one step outside and everything goes by the way side. We finally are getting some much needed rain, and lovely afternoon clouds to cool the temperatures.  Sunday we head back to Albuquerque to pick up granddaughters Melissa and Tiffany, and then to California for family reunion.  We have the family gathered for more than a week.  Melissa and Tiffany will fly home, and Kayleen and Shayla will finish the trip with us.  I am looking forward to seeing family and attending the Chula Vista Rotary Club, to visit old time friends.

Carol Anderson

My wife and I have just returned home from a wonderful Rotary Convention and vacation in the wine country of California and in Santa Barbara.  Our dear friends from Santa Barbara treated us as family, and we traveled to San Francisco and to the Sonoma wine country (We had seen Napa before).  We spent a couple of wonderful days in Sebastapol and toured several wineries, including Chateau St. Jean and several others.  Although there were a lot fires burning in California because of the hot dry weather, it was still a wonderful trip and the weather in Santa Barbara and Carmel was nice. 

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the annual Seabee Days and Fesitivities at Port Huneme (pronounced y ne me), west coast home of the Navy's Mobile Construction Battalion. 

Although the gentleman who founded Homefront America with me served as a "Seabee" in both WWII and the Korean War, I really did not know the depth of their servie to our country.  I was amazed.

I thought I would share this with all of you. 

June 30-July 2, 2008

With the information that my granddaughter will be going away to “Y” camp for 13 days (her first time away from home on her own,) I decided to write 13 letters for her to read when she does not have television, no money (except what her parents put into an account at the “Y” store), no other electronics (like her Gameboy) and does not know anyone else who will be going with her. We will drive her the sixty miles to the camp this Sunday and I will give the camp counselors the pack of letters (typewritten and three to five pages long, so that she has reading material from back in civilization.) We will be sitting with her and Matt, who just turned five, from the 2^nd through the 6^th since their parents are on a date to Las Vegas for fun and frolic time.

Third Grade Session:  July 3, 2008

My granddaughter invited me to come to her class today, Thursday, and do my performance of a ”gestalt game” that gets kids thinking in a 21^st century fashion. I took with me a Ming Chinese scroll with a Chinese “grass writing” from a soldier, thinking of his home region in the mountains and showing him walking there. It is typical of that period in Chinese painting (except for the soldier walking instead of a priest): there is a place to get into the painting (a path in the mountains), then a space for the imagination, then the first low hills, another space for the imagination, then the high view of distant mountains, and finally the writing which tells the viewer about how the soldier felt. It says (I had Erin read it to her classmates after a rehearsal at home):

       “Enemies came into our country

I threw my brush and took up an arm

And now move on and on with

Countless numbers of army carriages

Now East and now West and everywhere,

Thinking of the Emperor and

Strengthening my spirit whenever,

Been to the furtherest South and to

The deepest end.Don’t think that I don’t want to

Go home, and I miss the beauty of

Rivers and valleys of my homeland.

But as one promised to keep

Our soldier’s spirit high and strong.”

Then I discuss the painting from my studies in Chinese art (at the Palace Museum in Taipei in 1966 and then each year after that.) I tell them about the low view with a place to enter the painting, space, middle view, space, then high view with the writing above it can be contrasted to the Renaissance, traditional, Western way of entering a painting: the use of perspective- foreground, middle ground and then background. The Western way is a logical, rational, scientific approach to space and how the mind adjusts to that space; whereas the Oriental way starts with self, a way to enter, gives room for the imagination, then lead to the high view of the Northern Sung mountains and finally back to self with the writing and its message. The Western way to approach the painting is linear, one directional, impersonal line into the distance; the Oriental way is a circle that starts and ends with “self.”

My problem, which I worked on years ago, was how to teach this new way of seeing to any Western audience: children, college students and corporate executives. I came up with a game: which I called the “Gestalt Game.” I write some marks on a surface, only enough to start the mind wondering what it could be. If anyone wishes to guess, they whisper to my assistant. I ask, “Do you need more information?” They must answer by raising their hand straight up (waving their hand and smiling broadly means that they wish to guess an answer.) I add some more marks to the example (which is 2 plus  2 = 4), still not giving the viewers enough to figure out the final message. Each time I ask, “Do you need more information?”, the viewers can guess what the figure on the surface may be. Finally, I say, “To figure out anything in the 21^st century, what you need are keys to open the vision, the solution,” and I cross the “- ” and add another stroke to the “=.”  At that point, the kids and the college student normally get the answer, therefore they become the teacher and I sit down (when a student knows as much as his teacher, it is time for the teacher to step aside and allow the student to teach him or herself.) The corporate executive many times take longer than the third grader to come up with an answer since he or she have more information to filter in their minds than the younger people. Little kids who are just learning about simple math and language solves this problem fast. They have less information to wade through. At last, when most of the audience has the answer, I whisper to the teacher-of-that-moment, “Let them have a verbal, choral response. You know, ’Everyone say it together.’ After all the whispering, kids are then loud.

Then I take over again, and draw the beginning of letters for “Thank you!” as the gestalt exercise, giving them the key of a question mark or an explanation mark over the period which is already there. At this point, the audience at least knows that it is language, not math. Knowing what system you are working in helps to speed up the process of coming up with an answer. When this has run its course, I do the whole alphabet, leaving out some letters so that it is not easy to see.

We move from here to Cubism (which is basically gestalt thinking), using just the broken up letters of each individual’s name to make a cubist portrait. It is a game that opens minds where some comprehend it fast; some slow; but all eventually get it.

My granddaughter, Erin, helped me since she had done this many times before with me. Even the teacher did not get 2 plus 2 = 4 as fast as some of her kids. As I had time, I got them to draw with shading (closer to Oriental thinking) instead of line (the Western way of delineating form and space.) The last idea and way of thinking that I showed them is how to draw in a Western (Greek and Renaissance proportions), tribal (African or Oceanic exaggeration of form) and Oriental (Far East, India and the Middle East with the roundness of form.)  All this took one hour (and most of my life to prepare.) When I left, I told the students that their regular teacher would show them more about what we started. Erin will tell me if her teacher follows up.

July 4, 2008

The four of us, Anne, the two grandchildren and me, spent the whole day playing in the swimming pool, then in the evening we watched the fireworks from armchairs by the pool.

July 6, 2008

We drove Erin to Trinity, Texas and YMCA Camp Cullen (with three packed bags), left her and her letters (numbered for each day’s delivery,) drove back to Houston, picked up Erin and Matt’s parents at the airport, took them home and late, late drove to our house for a few days to recover.

This year's 4th of July was a special one for me.  I had the honor and privilege to have lunch with members of the VFW, Serra Post and Marines from my city's adopted battalion, 1/11. 

Members of the VFW are from WWII, Korean War, and the Vietnam war.  To be able to hear their stories is a real treat.  One is a Pearl Harbor Survivor.  Les is the lone survivor from his gunners unit on that ill fated day.  He was on the USS Pennsylania when the attack happened. 

Hope your 4th was a great one too.

Hi -

It has been an interesting couple of weeks as things move forward at lightening pace!  As I have the privilege of strolling through my blessed life, I have had two opportunities that have called upon me to help others and I was happy to answer that call!

A dear friend is going through the breakup of her marriage.  I feel honored that she has confided in me and feels that she can turn to me in her time of need and she knows I'm available anytime for her.

 I also had the recent privilege of assisting my alma mater that hosted a Ph.D. residency here in Phoenix.  It was wonderful to offer encouragement and talk with students who are in the midst of completing their doctoral programs and feeling a little at wits end.  To let them know they will survive (with most brain cells intact) and that there is life after graduate school, was refreshing and reminded me of my own days of struggle and self-questioning.  It was wonderful to help them stay on track and be available to them throughout the week and now on e-mail.

Throughout all of this, it was a wonderful reminder to count my blessings - Tim & I will be married 20 years on August 6th, I have been fortunate to work in my chosen field and apply my Ph.D. to good use, and to know that my availability can assist others.

Sometimes, fate adds clarity to our cluttered lives - in this instance, fate dropped people in my path and offered me opportunity and joy of learning and helping others!

Sher 

I remember very vividly those days, weeks, and months when I was working on my dissertation to complete my PhD at the University of Washington.  I made the terrible mistake of taking a job before my dissertation was finished, and then I was appointed Director of International Programs for the State University of New York.  I worked for three years at the University of Madrid, and during that time I was not able to work on my dissertation very much.  I did take advantage of my time in Spain to do more research on my subject because I was dealing with the works of a Spanish author, although he was exiled in Mexico.  Upon my return to New York, I was very fortunate to be awarded a leave of absence with pay for one semester and I decided to return to the University of Washington to complete my PhD.  We had some very good friends in Seattle where I stayed for three months and completed the blessed thing.  I fully understand the despair that a lot of people experience when they are in dissertation stage.  One always has the feeling that it is never over until it is OVER!  I was fortunate to have survived and I also put my PhD to good use.  Like you, I feel blessed!  Thanks for a wonderful account of the good things that you are doing.

Carol Anderson

I enjoyed reading Sher and Frank's remembrance of using their PHDs, Mimi helping close to home and Carol enjoying the grandchildren again. It is refreshing to visit the thoughts and actions of eClubbers opening their experiences and thoughts, their private world which they share in fellowship. Again, I feel like the Ancient Mariner with an albatross around my neck (when I have a project that will not let me relax) and then I read other eClubbers enjoying the trip that we sail together, I am freed of this weight, this albatross. What I have been doing is:

I gloried for a day in the new Who's Who in American Art Gallery (a newly created gallery for American artists who have been included.) To see this new publication, go to: www.whoswhogallery.com/artists/joseph-kagle/215.

Last week, July 6th, I got a letter from the Dean of Students at the University of Hawaii, asking about my collection of Palauan storyboards and Micronesian crafts. He wanted to know what was left. For the past five years, I have tried to sell off all sections of the total collection, acquired from 1970-1980 in the Pacific. I did well with the Buddhist Hell Scrolls which are now part of the Reed College course on the Gods of the Underworld (all gone), the Chinese Puppets (gone to a collector in Pennsylvania) and the Taiwan Aborigine Collection of Paiwan tribal art (also all gone to a French writer living in Taipei.) About half of the Palau storyboards have been sold but that still leaves over 75 works (mostly large.) The Dean asked to see what was left, so from the 8th to the 16th I photographed and catalogued what was left in storage (unwrapping the plastic that protected them, making the photographs and then re-wrapping the works again.) It was Houston hot. I must have lost ten pound in body water, but the job got done, the images were sent to "the big island" of Hawaii and a message came back that they would like to look over the selection, pick out some works for their new Pacific Arts Center in the next two years.

It was a blessing to be asked about the works. I had not updated my website on these works since I came back from Mongolia on my last Fulbright in 2004. It was time to collect images and data in order to get these work out into the world again. As I told the Dean, the reason for my selling off the collection was: "A collection is only important when you own it. When it begins to own you, it is time to let it go."

Now that I am started on this, my next big chore will be to photograph the 200 Japanese Edo prints and sell them too. Thank God for eBay. What I have been doing is if an educational institution is interested and will use the works with students, then I donate 50% of what the market cost would be. Today, July 17, is a rest day as will this weekend. I will start photographing again next week on the 20th. On August 7, we drive back east to Pennsylvania and to Upstate New York for a "family reunion." This weekend, my granddaughter Erin will be coming back from YMCA camp and we will celebrate beside the family swimming pool. Like the use of any muscle, it is just as important to rest as to exercise it.

We return at the end of August when I start teaching again (Art Appreciation: morning and evening.) And giving free lectures on architecture at the Adult Learning Center.

Joe

Last month, wait, this month was such a blur.

I was in AZ, Scarlet went to NV.  I came back to NY and then picked her up in NV 10 days later and we went on to OR.

There we drove out to Lincoln City for a family reunion.  Great fun.  Took the red eye home and had a couple days before we drove to the Poconos (in PA) for paintball and white water rafting.  Only Class III but it was great fun.

We got back here in time for her to spend the day on Jones Beach and do a few things until tomorrow when she goes to Camp Blue Bay - Girl Scout camp  in Montauk - for a week.  

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!  No phones or phone calls.  She'll have a great time I'm sure.

Next month it's Quebec City or perhaps western Canada.  DC and Maine are also strong contenders.

Trying to get without first giving is as fruitless as trying to reap without having first sown.

It does not do to leap a 20 ft chasm in two ten foot jumps.

Greetings from one of your frequent guests!

I am in Osaka, Japan, with a group of students - spending no small amount of time keeping their spirits up for seeing another place in the face of heat and humidity that they are definitely a long way from being used to.  Feeding the Nara Park deer that bow to you when you hold a wafer up perked them up yesterday.

Will return to Santa Clara (California) next Tuesday after several days in Tokyo to spend time with my wife and our (Turkish foreign exchange student) daughter, who is visiting some five years after she lived with us for seven months in San Antonio, Texas.