Kaz S. Matamura

about Life of Squid, Chicken Y Squicken

12
Oct

夢がエネルギー

by Kazmata
japanese / 日本語　

今週金曜、　ＣＯＳＭＯＳＰＡＣＥ　、ＵＳＡさまの２０周年記念パーティーに行ってまいりました。　やはり、類は友を呼ぶというのでしょうか、渡辺副社長、イズミさんをはじめみなさんいい人ばかりで　またまた”日本人でよかったナー”と感じてしまいました。

例えば日本人はひとの前を横切る必要があるときは　常に頭をさげて通ります。　この、”お邪魔様”というジェスチャーは　アメリカの競争生活が長いためでしょうか、いつも見るたびに　なぜかほっとします。　お食事の列はとても落ち着いていて　やはり日本人は　”がつがつ”していない気品があると思いました。

青木社長にはＣＵＬＴＵＲＡＬ　ＮＥＷＳの東さんのご紹介で知りあいました。　グレンミラーの大ファンの青木社長とは不思議な縁があり　社長は　私の親友豆吉の父上の高校の先輩でもあるのです。（もちろん北海道出身です。）お話しを伺うと　社長の人生のターニングポイントは　ジミースチュワート主演のグレンミラー物語り。この映画を東京で学生時代ご覧になり　戦後アメリカ人兵士が　キャンプのパーティーに若き青木社長をジープに連れて行ったくれたことを思い出したそうです。　私の　”アラバマ物語”ですね。　　ハリウッド黄金時代の映画はこんなにインパクト、影響力あったのですね。
そしてこの思い出を忘れぬ青木社長は、　小学生で成り立つジャズバンド、リトルチェリーズを　毎年夏にミラー生誕地アイオワ　クラリンダのフェスティバルに招いているのです！　（なんてラッキーな子供たち！！！　私の時代は牧場に遠足にいって喜んでいたのに！！！）　サンタクロースのような子供の夢をかなえる社長は　古きよきアメリカを象徴するグレンミラーのメッセージの体現としかいいようありませんね。　
また、夢を叶え　明るく元気に太平洋を架け活躍する社長の人生の映画化なんていいかもしれませんね。　次の世代の若者のインスピレーションになることでしょう、ジミースチュワートやグレゴリーペックのように。
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11
6
Oct

ＥＮＪＯＹ　酒　ＦＯＲ　ＧＯＤ’Ｓ　ＳＡＫＥ！　

by Kazmata
japanese / 日本語　

日本にいるときは　あくまでワイン派だった私ですが　渡米してからやっと日本酒をありがたーく　いただけるようになりました。それも不思議なご縁でお知り合いになった　岡山の桜室町酒造さんのお蔭。いままでいろいろおいしいお酒を頂くチャンスがありましたが　私の過去二年間のフェイバリットは　室町さんの大吟醸。　スルスルと滑らかな心が洗われるようなこのお酒を飲むたびに　やはりお酒には造る人々の魂がはいるのだなー、とかんじてしまいます。　

今週の土曜日、共同貿易社で行われた　
ＪＡＰＡＮＥＳＥ　ＲＥＳＴＡＵＲＡＮＴ　ＳＨＯＷにて、リスクテーカーの室町さんは　新作５種類のアメリカマーケットにはバッチリのリキュールを米国初公開。　純米吟醸に２年間つけた梅酒、手絞りのゆず酒、女性に大人気の白桃酒、ダイエットと血行にぴったりな蜂蜜生姜酒、そして癖にナルゾのピリ辛唐辛子梅酒をどんどんと　お客様に味を見てもらい　好評　だあああああい好評。　残念ながらこちら、　まだ米国では発売できない　マーケティングリサーチ商品なのですが　早く注文したいというお客様が大勢いらっしゃいました！　
これはヒット、とおもったので　室町さんから　サンプルを頂き　翌日日曜ディナーで　酒ティステインをしました。　ごらんの通りまた　大量に料理してしまいました。　
豆吉とサミーは具合が悪く参加できませんでしたが　（豆吉は翌日無事復活！！！）ゲストの　ウェイン（ギターとキーボードのアイの子クラビター発明者）、ジム　（テレビ番組スーパーナチュラルの父役、またデッドウッドの主役の役者さん）、キャロル　（脳波研究の学者さん）ラッセル（南カルファル二ア大学ビデオテクノロジーの教授）ＭＹハニーのマイケルと娘エリンと６人のアメリカ人にアンケート記入をしてもらいました。
とっても評判のいいこのお酒、早くアメリカに輸入できればナー、と思っています。
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9
1
Oct

始めまして！　また、又村です

by Kazmata
japanese / 日本語　

”和さんの本職って一体なんですか？”　とよく質問されます。　自分自身でもよくわからないので　少しでも説明しやすくしようと、私のＬＡ生活日記ブログを始めました。

本業は劇製作。現在、コーラスラインでトニー賞を受賞したサミーウイリアムズをはじめ　ＬＡ俳優の一人芝居を４作ほどデベロープメントしています。　今年の夏は　オニールインスティチューニ招かれ、レントやアベニューＱの製作者としておなじみのケヴィンマコラム氏より製作秘伝を学んでまいりました。

ノースハリウッドの　小劇場　ＳＥＣＲＥＴ　ＲＯＳＥ　ＴＨＥＡＴＲＥ　（イェーツの詩と花伝書にちなんで名づけました）を１１年ほど前に立ち上げ、現在、主に　ＦＩＲＥ　ＲＯＳＥ　ＰＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＳという非営利団体の事務所を通し作品を生み出しています。この事務所のなかに　ニューローズ（役者と作家の劇団）、ミニローズ（青少年劇団）そして何よりも将来が楽しみなＡＲＩＧＡＴＯ　ＫＡＩ　（日本語劇団）という３つの劇団をもち　運営しています。

昼間は　人前で話すのが苦手な方にパブリックスピーチやセールスを教えたり、子供に演劇や日本語を教えている傍ら　西洋演劇法の本を執筆中。　演劇強化合宿はアリゾナのセドナで行っています。多くのサポーターに恵まれ、１７年来の友人”豆吉”と２人でこの会社を切り回しています。

お祭り騒ぎの大好きな私たちがはじめた　１０分劇フェスティバルは今年で７年目を迎えます。

コミュニティー精神を忘れぬよう、毎週水曜日は　ゲッティー美術館で建築論ツアーのお手伝い。（単にべらべらと人のまえでしゃべるのが好きなだけという噂あり。。。）

生年、出身地、過去は　”不明”なんていうかっこいいプロフェールを書けたらいいのですが　”又村”なんていう奇妙な名前のため　プライバシーなしの一生を送っています。　ｇｏｏｇｌｅで出てくる又村は　９５％私の親戚です。　とても濃い一族なんです。。。とほほ。。。

１９９４年に渡米以来、夢のような人生を送っています。これから移住、留学を考えている方と少しでもインスピレーションを分かちあえたらうれしいです。

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7
16
Jul

What made Kazzy Run .. in 80s

by Kazmata
Essays

“What is your dream?”

“I don’t have one.”

And without exception, I get that reaction that looks like they just smelt a rotten egg.

Don’t get me wrong, here. I think reaching for things and dreaming dreams is great, but a lot of dreams are over-estimated, over-valued and over-glorified simply because dreams are too small nowadays, involving just one person – Me-Me-Me.

When did being successful begin to mean being just rich and famous? And once you are rich and famous are you entitled to do whatever you want to do? If you are a public figure aren’t you supposed to have social responsibility?

But who am I to mumble? I have sold my artistic soul to the Money Devil before.

I grew up in the bubble economy of the ‘80s in Japan: the Jazz Age of Tokyo. In those days by working just a little, I made money – enough money to buy just about anything. I owned three Chanel suits before I turned seventeen. I had many friends to party with. We were all bored and exhilarated. We wanted more of everything. We were at liberty. We didn’t have low self-esteem or shyness to overcome. We had arts education in our school, and there we played, performed and recited on stage. And when we finished school our generation took over. The entire world was our stage.

Then came the summer of ’89 and Tiananmen Square. The Chinese government tanks chasing after their own people, and we watched it all on live coverage. I was at that age when I criticized everything around me —parents, teachers, friends and government. I despised and felt ashamed of Japanese history. I wished I were Swedish, like Heidi.

Then I saw those tanks. “Hey,” I thought, “even Tojo didn’t go that far!”

If our neighbors, the Chinese, only 1300 miles away could be bulldozed by government tanks, how could we just sit around drinking from a champagne tower at a wrap party after a show?

As a child I was taught to be a responsible member of society before I experienced the pleasures of life. On that day in 1989, my genetic Zen mind kicked in. Pleasure, I realized, is an illusion. The bottom line Zen thinking rang true: Life sucks.

The gay 80’s were over. We exhausted ourselves by having too much fun. We felt insignificant and wanted to escape our self-centered universe. We wanted to get out from what we were; clueless spoiled brats. We had it all, but somehow at the same time, we were hopeless. When I first decided to move to the States, the American dream meant the freedom to maximize my abilities, whatever abilities they may be.

I was ready to become a pioneer, like the white man in the movie “The Razor’s Edge.” If that dude, played by a beautiful Tyron Power, could travel to the Orient to soul search, this Oriental could go search for her soul in the West.

Well, actually, I just wanted to live under the California sun, and besides, I’ve never met anyone who went off to soul search and came back with one. The soul is like the brain – if you don’t have one, you cannot get one.

Still, I left Tokyo to make more discoveries. I didn’t have any goals to accomplish. My bohemian brain cannot think long term.

I believe in reaching up and trying for things, but goal setting is meaningful only if along the way one’s personality and integrity grows. You don’t need to be what you are not if what you are doing makes you happy. Chasing dreams sometimes seems to me like a dog chasing a car – what do you do once you catch it? If a dog is smart enough, he can navigate his way to Petco to get some dog cookies using a credit card left in a car. But most of dogs aren’t that smart. Animals think about survival first, while humans think about thriving. What if we spend all the energy we use attacking and destroying others to nurture and connect with others? What moving here taught me was it’s good people around you who make your life worth living.

I want to keep believing in bright hearts, like the heart Dr. Martin Luther King had.

If I have to name one dream, I want to leave a society where being a good person is good enough and considered successful.

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8
15
Jul

Som ASSembly required …

by Kazmata
Essays

Here’s something that may totally change the way you think about Japanese women.

When you watch old Japanese films, pay attention to where women are walking. They ALWAYS walk behind men, and they are not looking up when they walk, but they have wandering eyes.

The reason for this is that they are checking out the men’s ASS

I don’t understand why some women get upset when men are only attracted by big bosomed women, instead of seeing the person inside. It works both ways. If it didn’t, advertisers would never spend so much money designing the perfect packaging for detergent and chocolate. Women have equal right to check out all packages.

Whoever invented the magazine PLAYGIRL was a moron. Great news for gay men, but we girls are not interested in what’s obvious. When a woman sees an erect penis, she doesn’t get aroused, she gets suspicious. We are more complicated than that.

There are girls who like abs, wide shoulders, a deep voice or a pretty face. But me, I’m an Ass Girl. Doesn’t mean I’m a jerk. I enjoy watching tight buns, not the wiggly kind, but the swishy kind.

When it comes men’s buns, I am as picky as Goldilocks, except three isn’t a magic number for me. And no matter how much I adore my own race’s intelligence, tidiness and sweetness, I cannot take 80% of Asian buns. They remind me of a flat computer monitor. Not too exciting. And if their owners don’t workout when they get older, their buns look like the face on Edward Munch’s painting, “The Scream”.

Then there are Black men’s buns. This is what I call the “real deal.” They are beautifully puffy. I especially like them when they shine like black pearls. But for my tiny hands, they are often too overwhelming. I often have the urge to just to grab on, but I refuse to look like I’m trying to climb a coconut tree

White men’s buns are friendly and non-threatening in my eyes. But I’ve noticed that when white men get fat, their buns don’t droop or puff out, but grow side ways.

So I decided the worked out Spanish buns are most ideal to my hands.

Regardless of race, I do not like petite olive colored buns or fat Tofu buns. Peach is okay, but I like it shiny not fuzzy.

I have found that my fingers are the best way to judge a comfortably cushioned strong buns. When they’re squeezed, you may see dimples on both cheeks. I call these ideal buns “tomato asses”.

When you are looking for the perfect tomato to pluck, proper assessment is key. It will make it easier if you give the subject A hug to be certain he has the goods. First, act friendly. Give the subject the kind of a hug that shows that you are not frigid, but more of an open free-spirited type of person. If you are short, take advantage of it. If you are tall, stand a step below the subject. Do not let him hold you under your arms. You must let his arms go over your shoulders. Then, step into his tummy area, and slowly hug him. If he is a big, like a mattress, and if you have short arms like me, it’s your lucky day. You should be able to land one hand on each cheek. Gently pat the material. Do not hold it for too long or squeeze too aggressively. Don’t get frightened or you may also frighten the subject. It may take a few tries to get the technique down.

The packaging is equally as important: Underwear.

To be honest, looking at a man in his underwear, even without socks, is definitely not a turn on. We are more into feeling and touching than watching. And when you see tight bikini briefs on a man, you feel like releasing “it” so “it” can breathe.

Elephant pants – they makes me want to drop everything and go home. This is what I call Jerry Lewis humor. You are sacrificing your pride to get laugh.
Men without pride is like a sugar free cotton candy. What’s the use?

No silly trunks – unless you are playing strip poker. I do not want my man to feel obliged to make me laugh all the time.

My favorite is the classic. A sparkling brand new pair of “Tighty Whities”. Younger women may be afraid of these; for fear that they may indicate that he is a “mama’s boy”. To me, it tells me he is a man who’s not afraid of letting go – he can throw them away once they start to thin, if the rubber waistband loses its elasticity, or turn yellow.

I don’t mind men not wearing any underwear at all as long as it’s with jeans, and safely worn, and nothing gets caught in the gaping maws of the zipper.

No matter what kind of underwear he uses, when you get married make sure he switches to the tighty whities for laundry reasons.

I’m hoping this may open a windows of opportunity for all couples to have a conversation that may start with something like, “Honey, what do you think about my underwear?” I just want all women to be able express their tastes, because I had to learn the hard way.

My expertise on this subject didn’t come easy.

When I was young and fresh, I dated a baseball player. It was during baseball season, and he was storing and using his energy for games ONLY. In the beginning, it was exciting and it was enough to just go out dinner or shopping to pick out shirts for him. After a while, just doing the “nice going out thing” was killing me. Later, I couldn’t even bring myself to the games, because I felt like a 300 lb diabetic woman in a candy store.

We broke up in one September afternoon. We were both heartbroken. I was able to say, “Can I just touch your buns?” It may have saved our relationship.

But if this pain has taught me anything, it is that I have learned how to set boundaries, while communicating each others needs. You cannot live on tomatoes alone. Balance of need, want and what we can have is the key to any healthy relationship.

Now that I’m older and wiser, I look for intelligence and nice conversations – at least while he is sitting. Conversations with men who can speak their minds without thinking about what others think, or those that do as they please, is what I love most. There are too many men who prefer to be liked rather than to be heard, and I can’t trust those opinion benders. I like men with guts who can fight me, argue with me and tell me I’m wrong. I know in the end I’m always right. And, because I am always telling them what to do, I like man who tells me what to do. I never do what he tells me to do, but again, I respect that the man’s has the guts to be an asshole.

Yes, that’s right. I love assholes, as in he’s a jerk. I can trust that breed of men, because I know that they are being up front and honest. Maybe I’m looking at their behind instead of their front because I feel like many men are castrated. I seek for passion – the kind of passion that there is between a matador and a bull. Like Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne – the “table-flipping” and “throwing-water” kind of passion.

Why do we try to act so civilized anyway? Why do we have to feel guilty when anyone if offended by any thing we do or say. We are too nice\to let the whiners and complainers get what they want. Taboos and rules are making us paranoid, and we need to be told what’s not to do before we figure out what we need to do. We are numbing our own judgment. We accept lies or double talk because that’s what civilized society does.

But wasn’t it the civilized people that were supposed to raise above from the uncivilized society, and lead the example of ideal society? It surely looks like other way around nowadays.

Maybe we should be little bit wilder, willing to break the rules. We have been tamed too long. We need to release our animal side and do something that feels right.

So here’s my message to all men kind:

Be an animal. Go wild. Speak the truth. And shake your asses. Eat tomatoes.

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