FIFA Edition

14 June 2026

I don’t really follow soccer, but now a place where I used to work has been transformed into a giant soccer ball, so it is hard to ignore as the circus comes to town. Canada’s women’s soccer team has usually received more media attention until this point. I did see the highlights from the first game for Canada’s men’s team, which ended in a tie. I happened to have a Soccer Canada hoodie, which I bought on sale years ago.

Monday

The Deep Sky is an intriguing science fiction novel by Asian American writer Yume Kitasei. This story has a lot going on. Asuka, the mixed heritage Japanese American protagonist, deals with issues of identity and self-confidence onboard with an all-female crew, with various pronouns and affinities. A messy mix of corporations and global politics created the Noah’s Ark sort of mission to start a new society on a Planet X because the Earth has been screwed up. Looking at the comic now, I think I should have changed the order of the panels so that it ends on the killdeer.

Tuesday

The World’s Most Travelled Man is a whirlwind tour of some of the adventures of Mike Spencer Bown. He emphasized the value of talking to local people, although it seemed like he was mostly concerned with finding ways to get into countries that would not usually want him around. When I was younger, I might have been envious of him, but now, I am not so sure.

Wednesday

I have heard that going for a walk after eating is a good way to moderate blood sugar spikes. And although the weather has been nice lately, walking back and forth in my living room seems to be simpler. Crash Course World History episodes with John Green are apparently designed to be around ten minutes, which suits my requirements exactly. And even though I don’t really retain that much, they are fun and thoughtful, filling in some of the chasms of my ignorance.

Thursday

What used to be a sort of Charlie Brown christmas tree at the front of the house, has grown into a giant telephone pole sort of tree in the backyard. At the moment, it is pumping out cones furiously, which may be a sign of something. Although I was putting them into the compost, a friend has pointed out that I ought to be gathering them as microhabitats in my yard. To which I responded that is assuming that one respects the yard as a habitat, rather than as a form of exterior decorating.

Friday

I know I have mentioned the geese thing before, but it seemed to fit the premise of my comic, so I am reusing it. I don’t usually pronounce my own last name in the Japanese way, unless I am speaking Japanese, so it usually seems like I am discussing the Common Murre, as if I were a birdwatcher. I have realized that the mentioning of pronouns, besides acknowledging a form of identity, helps with people who have names with unfamiliar associations.

Saturday

I have mentioned the Mata Ashita Japanese Canadian writing group before. I like to participate in the free sessions online when I can. Even though I am not Buddhist or live in Winnipeg, it was interesting to hear about the story about how the story got written by Megan Kiyoko Wray, who had been involved with helping run Mata Ashita. I coloured this is in purple, because at least Japanese Buddhists seem to like that colour. I used to wonder why Crown Royal was Buddhist. My grandfather was Buddhist and after he passed away when I was kid, we would go to the Toronto Buddhist Church for services. They used the term “church” to sound more Western, but it seems that more recently, Buddhists in Canada have been reverting to “temple.” I remembered the smell of the incense and the sound of the chants and gongs, though I remain unenlightened.

Sunday

In this scene from Not Made in Japan, my graphic memoir in progress about my life studying marine ecology in Japan in the 1980s when I was in my twenties, I am trying it without the frames. I thought maybe they felt too rigid, though maybe it is less clear. I don’t know much about Okinawa, so I am just including my own observations from walking around on Zamami, but apparently it used to be the kingdom of Ryukyu and the main university is called that.

That was my week. I hope you had a good one, with a better one to come.