Deep in Thought Today

And then we remembered that there is still stuff to sell. We have put the store on a little diet, and we may take a little break from the pack and ship routine. We are reevaluating our Hi-Tech-And-Antique Store priorities and regrouping our efforts. We will continue to blog, but in general for the next few weeks we are going to be looking for more merchandise rather than just posting more auctions. Things were very busy over the last week, so we are happy with that, but the little blue rabbit is still in his plastic bag, and we are probably going to let him out to play. We may offer him again in the near future, since it would appear that the simple fact of being a collectible still in the plastic bag, does not make him any more appealing when photographed. And listening to the blue rabbit complain all night when we are working may definitely cause stress to the staff. "You promised that someone would buy me and let me out of this nasty bag!"

Shichimi, our resident Haiku Master, is also complaining that the Japanese poetry book that he wrote the special haiku for about "mouse clicking in Autumn" did not result in even a single extra bid. And so, his artistic feelings are hurt. He is now sulking, and has ceased his work on the design of the future Hi-Tech-And-Antique rustic teahouse. And we have a ton of unsold books that we need to liquidate through other channels. We may be floating them on the River That Dare Not Be Named.

We are instead watching an entire DVD about the remarkable Professor Leon Theremin, the genius inventor and musical expositor of the first electronic instrument, named as some of you may have guessed, the Theremin. There is an interview with his protégé, Clara Rockmore, and some of her even more remarkable performances. Many of you know the Theremin through that strange sounding music from 50's and 60's science fiction and horror films, but her performances predate that by 20 years and include both classical and popular selections. They are quite remarkable.

We caught the tail end of a TV special on the making of Samurai Swords also known as katana or 日 本刀 - Ni Hon To, (Characters for Japan Knife which may or may not be visible to you, please comment) where we marveled at the patience of the sword maker and the length of time and effort that it takes to make one of these fine swords. And their incredible sharpness, which is legendary - but it said that there are truly sharp swords that can cut through five bodies and are kept in the finest museums. That would be the gruesome tests called tameshigiri, and in times gone by, condemned criminals would be punished or executed by sword blades that were being tested. Quiet blue rabbit!