I really have to get it together! The last couple of posts I have neglected to add the post title until after it has been published and all of you who are email subscribed have it sent “untitled” to your inbox. Opps. Sorry about that. Thanks for still reading anyway! Often I add the post title at the end based on how and where the Writing of the post goes. I title it based on where the post wanders. Then I forget to add it! Sheesh…
I have more of the tour to post here and will pick from the various stops we made to share those visits and my observations as well, but there has been something on my mind that I will talk about for a short bit first.
ChatGPT.
Both Constant Contact and WordPress are integrating this function now and Constant Contact rolled it out in a price increase notice trying to sweeten the “deal” saying they have added this great function (hence the price increase). I’d prefer to opt out of both the ChatGPT AND the price increase but it’s not set up that way.
Now I’m sure that this newish AI is suitable for certain things, but blogging like I like to do, both here and in my CC newsletters, is not one of those things. I want my writing and those who read my blog to feel like I am writing, not some internet crowd sourced prompted nonsense. Sure, I can create a good prompt, but why should I? I want to express myself writing and thinking with my own brain. Thinking as I go. Enjoying the process. Re-reading and editing to match what I am trying to express. Of course I have tested it out and found the resulting writing hilariously flawed and robotic especially when I include a prompt with my name. In any case, should you ever w o n d e r , there is no ChatGPT here. I w o n d e r what others are thinking about this. I want to connect with readers, I want to be genuine and have spontaneous thoughts here. I don’t even want to edit some ChatGPT created writing. I don’t want to read blogs that are not being genuinely written. Perhaps someday I won’t be able to tell the difference, I don’t know. I was going to include a sample of something here but it sounded so stupid and had so many inaccuracies I don’t even want it roaming around the internet (only to be sourced by some other ChatGPT generated nonsense about me).
Anyhoo… it’s the 4th of July. Some people in the band will show up in a bit after a gig and I will cook for them. Nothing fancy, just some backyard BBQ, veggies from the garden (some finally ripening after 60 days of clouds and low temps- thankful for that!!), lemonade, and maybe some lemon bars if I finish up this post. It’s hard to feel enthusiastic about this holiday these days.
OK… so broke it off here to cook and listen to nonstop explosions for hours! I’s July 5th and continuing…
Now, onto a couple of fun stops from the trip to Japan. I did a quick post of this on FB during the tour but I have much more to add about it. As we always do, we had a visit with indigo dyer Fumiko Satou in Yamanashi. It’s been 4 years since we were there and although I keep up with her online and via emails, I was not quite prepared for the impact this visit with her had on me. Here we were 4 years after our last visit. She has begun what I would call a lifework. It seems appropriate that she is located in Yamanashi not far from the Ichiku Kubota Museum (which we also visited), in that Kubota also worked in the area and built his museum there to create and house his own lifework. Of course both are shibori but completely different forms (which is one of the fascinating things about shibori). One makes it their own after learning and understanding the technique.
Fumiko has embarked on a large project which consists of 100 panels or 100 meters of panels (I forget which it is-sorry-will have to find my notes on this). The panels are mapped out first in small sketches and then assembled into a form where she can decide placement and more. She is in the process of working with a gallery which will be suitable to display the final work. I think she is about 1/3 of the way through dyeing the pieces. She still makes some pieces for sale- clothing, bags, scarves but most of her time right now is dedicated to this wonderful project.
Some of the finished panels were hung upstairs so she can visualize the installation. I can really imagine this complete. These are large works and will need a large space to install when complete. It was fun to look at them with other members of the tour and see and hear their reactions. I went up again myself to shoot this video when no one else was in the room. Again, another experience in and of itself!
We boarded our bus with our sense of wonder highly activated and headed for lunch and the Mt. Fuji and Five Lakes. But first lunch at one of my all time favorite places to eat!
Full of wonder and Hoto Fudo we were on our way to our hotel via the nearby ropeway with a view! Ropeways are all over Japan and offer some great views. This day it was a bit hot, the wait line was long, the ropeway cars were crowded to their max! The view was great though…
We had a walk along the lake, a lovely dinner at the hotel, a great onsen bath, and drifted off dreaming of Fumiko’s project, the mastery of Ichiku Kubota, and the many views of Mount Fuji.
And yes, I renamed this post from “don’t forget to name this post” to “another magical day on the Silk Study Tour”.
This post first appeared on Shibori Girl | ….practicing The Fine Art Of Shib, please read the originial post: here
