The Talandis Family in Japan: Archive

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TSC2: Ball Throwing Practice

Here’s another sport-related video, the second of our “Talandis Sports Channel” series. This one chronicles Luke as he goes about practicing ball throwing for the recent Chibiko Challenge. Last year he go ZERO points in this event, so we made a point of it to work on his form for this year’s competition. Shinobu and I worked with him in our back yard, but we ended up...

May 20th

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Super Chibiko Challenge 2012

Can you find Luke in this photo? Hint: He’s wearing red. Golden Week has rolled around again in Japan, and for Luke that means participating once more in the annual “Super Chibiko Challenge”, a sports competition where kids compete in five different disciplines to see who’s the all-around best. Luke participated last year as a 4th grader and did quite well in some events...

Apr 29th

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Apr 2nd

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Live blogging my 1st day of work on the new job

Here’s a running account of my first day of work at Toyama University. It’s not often I have days like today, I’ll take time to capture and reflect on what’s happening when I get some spare moments. 9:15am I leave home with the car packed full of boxes containing books, notebooks, and other various office supplies. Today I have the following tasks to complete: Meet the...

Apr 1st

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Mar 20th

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Mar 19th

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Mar 18th

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Mar 17th

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Talandis Family News Update (February 2012)

February was a busy month for our family. Lots of stuff has been going on lately with all of us, so instead of multiple posts, I’ll just put everything here together. Bionic Mama Gets an Upgrade My wife Shinobu had a heart attack about six years ago. She was given an ICD (Implantable Cardio Defibrillator) to jump-start her heart in case it when hay-wire. This month it came time to replace...

Feb 29th

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Feb 22nd

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Feb 17th

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Introducing the Talandis Sports Channel (TSC)

We’re a sporting family, plain and simple. I’ve been wanting to be share highlights more quickly, especially of Luke’s swim races, so I’m happy to announce a new Talandis family video series: the Talandis Sports Channel (TSC). With this series, I hope to provide the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in a timely manner. In this first episode, Luke participates in...

Feb 17th

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Papa's driver's license renewal

I’m at the Driver’s Education Center in Toyama, getting my license renewed. I’ve just gone through the processing process, took a simple eye test, had my photo taken (darn, I should have shaved this morning!), and am now waiting in a lecture hall for a 30 minute driver safety presentation to start. While we wait they are showing us a video promoting the benefits of wearing seat...

Feb 12th

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Live-blogging Luke's swim meet

We’re at the Toyama Shimin Pool for the annual All-Toyama Youth Swim Meet. Luke is participating in four events today: the backstroke leg of the 200m Medley Relay, the 50m free, 50m back, and 100m breast stroke. I’m the team videographer, so I’ll be busy filming all of the kids on Luke’s team, Yatsuo YBG. Mama is the coach, as usual. Between races I’ll post updates,...

Feb 10th

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Feb 2nd

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Jan 19th

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A shaky day at work →

I’m on the “shink” to Nagoya, where I’ll be teaching tomorrow at Chukyo University. Although I have two more Fridays there, my classes at Togaku end on Monday, January 16th. It has been a very busy week, mainly because I’ve had to wrap up classes, mark papers, and get my grades in. Basic end-of-term teacher stuff. Things are going well over all. The only shake-up...

Jan 11th

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Jan 11th

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Jan 10th

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Jan 9th

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Winter break is over; time to get back to work

I’m back in Nagareyama and after a very nice winter break. Work starts again for me tomorrow. My main job will be to wrap up my classes for this school year, which ends on January 16th. Then I’ll be free to work at home until April. I’ll be very busy with several projects, but I’ll have time to look ahead to that later on. Looking back, I really enjoyed my time off with...

Jan 9th

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Jan 8th

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Jan 8th

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Jan 7th

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Jan 6th

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Jan 5th

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Jan 4th

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Jan 4th

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Surviving swim practice

Since my wife manages and coaches at a swimming pool and my 10 year old boy is a completive swimmer, it’s inevitable that during my breaks from work I’ll be in the pool a lot. This has certainly been the case for me this winter break. One thing I love doing is to train along side my son. There is something really joyful and satisfying about that on several levels. Trouble is, Luke...

Jan 4th

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Jan 4th

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Jan 3rd

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Good article on realistic new years resolutions →

I like this article! Lots of simple and practical advice on making resolutions that you’re much more likely to actually do. My favorite suggestion: “Do something out of your comfort zone.”

Jan 2nd

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What are your New Years resolutions?

Each year at this time I think of the different areas of my life and plan out some things I’d like to achieve in the coming year. I’ve learned it helps if my goals are measurable. So instead of “I’d like to lose some weight”, it’s better if I say, “I’d like to weigh under 87 kg by this time next year.” Something like that. Anyway, here are...

Jan 2nd