Kaede Ajanta's Blackberry Moment

Kaede's been riding the tricycle she inherited from her friend Austin around the apartment like the boy from Steven King's The Shining. She's been breaking around corners and skidding like an action hero. We knew she was ready for a two-wheeler, if just based on her energy level, so after watching How To Train Your Dragon and eating her first strawberry ice cream cone from Cold Stone we went to Carrefour at the Al Jimi Mall in Al Ain. That's when the sugar hit Kaede and she turned into the possessed child from the Exorcist... In any case, we knew what bike we probably wanted - her to channel some that energy into - so amidst a spontanous antiphony of screaming that miraculously upon closer inspection wasn't being emited from a megaphone, we purchased Kaede's first bicycle.

Using the video camera feature on my Blackberry I decided to document Kaede's first experience outside on her new strawberry-themed pink bicycle.

Ultimately, I created two videos. I couldn't decide which I wanted to post, so posted both. Maybe you can tell me which one should be kept. The purpose of these videos is to document Kaede's growing up. If you have any comments for her, ones she'll read someday when she's older, please write something on the Youtube site.

Enjoy!

Let us know: do we keep this one?

Kaede Ajanta's Blackberry Moment 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIaffYxcxfs

Do we keep this one?

Kaede Ajanta's Blackberry Moment 2

http://www.youtube.com/user/cassiuskenzaburo?feature=mhw5#p/a/u/1/lIaffYxcxfs

To see more videos, go to Kaede's Youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/cassiuskenzaburo

Kaede Ajanta Dances at the Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi

From the stretch of highway that runs between Al Ain to downtown Abu Dhabi the Grand Mosque simply glows as it rises into the air dreamlike.

Locating the entrance to the mosque, which was still under construction, proved a challenge. We passed through a gate just downhill from the mosque and stopped the car. Lines of newly-planted palm trees stood in rows leading up the rough dirt hill; their leaves tied to their trunks. Above us, the mosque towered; the sun glared from behind a minaret. Though we noticed a winding, bumpy dirt road leading towards the structure, a cheerful construction worker informed us that we could not enter from where we were, that we had to park on the other side. We turned the car around and found another parking lot. There, we were directed yet again to another lot. Finally, we located the mosque's public parking and proceeded on foot toward the entrance, passing the odd tourist wearing only a bikini and flip-flops who would soon, to their confusion, be turned away...

In the darkening blue of the of the late afternoon sky the great white domes were stunning. Beneath these, we entered, stepping onto the walkway between the rows of intricately decorated column clusters. Somehow, everyone else seemed to disappear and we were alone with this breathtaking wonder.

We were transported.

Kaede ran in circles...




To see more videos, go to Kaede's Youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/cassiuskenzaburo

Kaede Rocks out in Shinsaibashi - Japan

Right. I have no excuse for my eccentric behaviour in this video. I listen to it and am amazed how hysterical I sound in it. (I'm thinking Freudian hysterical here.) Unfortunately, Sachiko says that this is exactly how I sound ALL the time, which is, if nothing else, a wake up call for me to be more silent and mysterious...

Kaede was a month and a half old. We hadn't really left the house much - actually, I did regularly, being the bread-winner - so we decided to take the train into Shinsaibashi, Osaka to get some culture, and neon. On the way there I wondered how Kaede would react to all the sights and sounds. I found myself growing a uncustomarily anxious thinking how she might be over stimulated and, hence, overwhelmed by all the people, sounds and brightly lit billboards. She had already shown the world her proclivity towards yodeling - apropos to nothing - at shock and awe levels.

As you can see, she didn't let me down...



To see more videos, go to Kaede's Youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/cassiuskenzaburo

Kaede's Claire du Lune - Toronto, Canada

This was one of those magical moments. Fortunately, it seems we captured it on video.

When I thought about how I might edit this I decided I'd try to capture how the first four months of parenthood feel....

To see more videos, go to Kaede's Youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/cassiuskenzaburo

Wild Bill's Response to Sachiko's We're-having-a-baby Announcement, Nara, Japan

After countless months of hard and ver intense work in the small rural town of Nara, Japan we were able to finally able to declare success. This video was shot in Om Sweet Om, a small Indian restaurant owned by two groovy hippies just beneath the castle walls of Koriyama Castle.

Inspired by our declaration, our good friend William broke into song...



To see more videos, go to Kaede's Youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/cassiuskenzaburo