tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20523851391587598752024-03-13T11:53:33.862+08:00My Bio and more: About James at JamesBaquet.comA biographical sketch with more in-depth articles attachedUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-19428964707898296892009-11-17T22:27:00.002+08:002009-11-17T22:57:16.389+08:00Three Degrees from Helter Skelter<p>I'm sure you know the idea of "Six Degrees of Separation." It's the idea that we are all only six "handshakes" away from everybody else. (I wrote something about the background of the idea <a href="http://happiness.jamesbaquet.com/2009/10/hold-your-friends-close-quality-vs.html">here</a>.)</p><p>Well, we always like to think we're just a few handshakes away from our favorite celebrities, say, or from powerful politicians.</p><p>But the theory says we're connected to <span style="font-style: italic;">everybody</span>.</p><p>Exhibit A: The man in the foreground needs no introduction. That's the infamous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson">Charles Manson</a>, during his trial.</p><p align="center"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SwKzmA3LoSI/AAAAAAAABX8/JbhD9_O2yoo/s400/Digby.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>The man behind him on our right is then-Deputy Digby Rowe. "Dick" was one of my first and best mentors, when I was part of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Explorer Program.</p><p>I <a href="http://happiness.jamesbaquet.com/2009/10/know-your-neighbors.html">wrote about him</a> back in October, and another of my former fellow-explorers found my reference and contacted me through <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jamesbaquet">Facebook</a>. She sent me the picture of Dick you see here, from the L.A. Times.</p><p>Dick was a bailiff on the Manson case. At one point, Dick sustained an injury while restraining Charlie during an attempted attack on the judge. (This is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson#Ongoing_disruptions">mentioned</a> in the Wikipedia article cited above: "...Manson leaped over the defense table and attempted to attack the judge. Wrestled to the ground by bailiffs, he was removed from the courtroom...") So when I met Deputy Rowe, he was on restricted duty with the Community Crime Prevention Bureau. He later took a medical retirement and (I believe) became a criminal justice teacher.</p><p>(Another deputy I worked with was a jailer supervising Manson's cohort <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex_Watson">Tex Watson</a>. "We're on a first-name basis," he used to mock-brag. "I call him 'Tex,' and he calls me 'Deputy.'")</p><p>Anyway, if my honored mentor knows Charlie, and I know the mentor, and you know me, then you're just three degrees from Helter Skelter.</p><p>(In fact, I had another "degree" with all of the so-called "Manson Family": in my 30s, <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/lazarus-people-i.html">I worked on a TV show</a> with a woman named Rose Lundeen, <span style="font-style: italic;">nee </span>Spahn. Her father owned the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson#Spahn_Ranch">Spahn Movie Ranch</a> in Chatsworth, where the "Family" lived. Rose said "Family members" used to babysit her kids! Now <span style="font-style: italic;">that's</span> scary...)<br /></p><p>For those of you who want to know what I looked like back then, here you go:</p><p align="center"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SwK1pbhWdfI/AAAAAAAABYA/dyM_nXWRSgY/s288/PICT0052.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>Now which picture is more horrifying?</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-52127002385270640442009-07-27T09:00:00.002+08:002009-07-28T01:53:22.953+08:00Lazarus People II: Extras<p style="font-style: italic;">[Read more background on my "Lazarus" days <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/lazarus-people-i.html">here</a>.]</p><p>To make a TV show or film, you need authenticity. You can't just have the actors with speaking roles up there; you also need set dressing, furniture, props, and the kind of set dressing that breathes: extras.</p><p>Because I had lots of time on my hands when I worked on "The Lazarus Man," I had plenty of time to chat with extras, and take their pictures.</p><p>Here are a few:</p><p align="center"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5BFp46ovI/AAAAAAAABCs/CzQyGbGySqU/s800/laz-extras1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><i>There's a funny story about her:<br />One of the cowboys who wrangled for the show was hot<br />for this girl. She had been made up to look like a refugee,<br />complete with "dirt" makeup on her face.<br />So Bobby, the cowboy, screwed up his courage and<br />approached her with a pickup line only a cowboy could concoct:<br />"Ma'am, you got sh*t all over your face."<br />He never went out with her. But I did once.</i></p><p align="center"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5BFtjAWyI/AAAAAAAABCw/_bYXI_Hrt6Y/s800/laz-extras2.jpg" border="0" /><br /><i>Great face. As I recall, he was one of the many extras<br />who was always trying to "expand" his role.<br /></i></p><p align="center"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5BF11HOkI/AAAAAAAABC0/Kqu-E387QEY/s800/laz-extras3.jpg" border="0" /><br /><i>Real Indians, fake costumes</i></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-54409643763787610222009-07-20T09:00:00.001+08:002019-04-18T17:29:23.412+08:00Freedom ExpressCruise around this site and you'll learn a lot about my beliefs: <a href="http://ramakrishna.jamesbaquet.com/">Sri Ramakrishna</a>, <a href="http://buddhism.jamesbaquet.com/">Buddhism</a>, <a href="http://campbell.jamesbaquet.com/">Joseph Campbell</a>, <a href="http://mmm.jamesbaquet.com/">vegetarianism</a>; "sacred travel" in <a href="http://america.jamesbaquet.com/">America</a>, <a href="http://china.jamesbaquet.com/">China</a>, <a href="http://japan.jamesbaquet.com/">Japan</a>, <a href="http://philippines.jamesbaquet.com/">the Philippines</a>, <a href="http://asia.jamesbaquet.com/">other parts of Asia</a>--all paint a sort of cohesive picture, don't they?<br />
So you might be surprised to learn that the man commonly called "the Laughing Buddha" and "the Temple Guy" was once a member of an evangelical Christian rock band (named "Freedom Express") that played in prisons and on street corners, yeah?<br />
From somewhere around 1977 (I think) until 1981 or 2, I played the trombone in a group headed by James Samuel "Nick" Pratt ("Nick" was just a nickname--get it?) Nick had been a professional musician in his younger days, and since his conversion had been heading up groups that played to attract a crowd before a preacher preached. The whole thing was based at a peculiar institution called "The Canyon House," formerly located in Sierra Madre Canyon, near Pasadena, CA; I'll write more about my weird years there another time.<br />
Anyway, with this rock/R&B/gospel outfit, I've played in a drug dealer's front yard. I've played in rescue missions. And churches, of course. And I've been in more California prisons than I can count. Playing, I mean.<br />
So here's a look at the whole band, then individual shots of a few members. No one is being featured for any particular reason; these are just the shots I have from way back when.<br />
<div align="center">
<img border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A_BLEvuI/AAAAAAAABCY/f5JWYXyY2JA/s800/freedomexpress5.jpg" width="400" /><br />Start with Jere (sp?) Hernandez (vocals), the long-haired girl (seated) and go clockwise: Nick Pratt (in the hat), bass, guitar, trumpet, vocals; Jimmy Roy, smokin' hot guitar (frequently compared to Jimmie Paige); Steve Maurer, drums; Jim Shepherd, trumpet, flugelhorn; Bill Cates, the only full-time "pro" in the group, a music teacher who played sax, clarinet, flute, and about everything else; yours truly, with the usual Bible in hand; on the far right, Bob Murch, guitar; and (standing) Kathy Spurney (I think), vocals.</div>
<div align="center">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A4t1J7lI/AAAAAAAABCI/pdIkELk2JVw/s800/freedomexpress1.jpg" width="300" /><br />Nick on the bass (UPDATE: R.I.P.)</div>
<div align="center">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A4lLq7BI/AAAAAAAABCM/f2cS2nxYV84/s800/freedomexpress3.jpg" width="300" /><br />My buddy "Shep" (as horn players we stood side-by-side)</div>
<div align="center">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A4znc_HI/AAAAAAAABCU/jnvxpzpMQRI/s800/freedomexpress2.jpg" width="300" /><br />Our youngest member, when Jere started in the band, she was still coming to practices in a Catholic high school uniform</div>
<div align="center">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A4sJa-FI/AAAAAAAABCQ/pY6BPsj_lE0/s800/freedomexpress4.jpg" width="300" /><br />A long lost friend, Steve and I were at Pasadena City College and Cal State L.A. together; then we taught together for three years at Chaminade in Canoga Park (now West Hills), CA. He was also best man at my first wedding. He was a madman on the drums; now I think he's an M.D. somewhere with lots of kids; wish I could find him. (Yes, I Googled; lots of results, nothing concrete.)<br />(UPDATE: Found him on Facebook at last!)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-22973447469835193102009-07-18T12:58:00.005+08:002009-07-27T15:12:38.278+08:00Classmates: 1968-1969 Grade 8 (8-7) Mrs. Wojahn<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIEwpXIbI/AAAAAAAABFY/1Vwd92A_n_U/s800/1968-1969%20Grade%208.jpg"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIEwpXIbI/AAAAAAAABFY/1Vwd92A_n_U/s400/1968-1969%20Grade%208.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A1 Louise Hitchcock<br />A2 Jeanne Baker<br />A3 Patricia Schintz<br />A4 Jennifer Lamb<br />A5 Betty Bennett<br />A6 Ronnie Torres<br />A7 Trudy Honma<br />A8 Greg Vetti<br />A9 Rich Thayer</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>B1 Sandy Travanti<br />B2 Pat Larimer<br />B3 Janelle McKay<br />B4 Beauford (Boots) Blair<br />B5 Nancy Nelson<br />B6 Alan Werner<br />B7 Meri-Lyn Mitchell<br />B8 Tom Hughes<br />B9 Linda Jensen<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>C1 Diane Quinn<br />C2 Pete Talley<br />C3 Karen Hildebrand<br />C4 Jim Baquet<br />C5 Carolyn Bromley<br />C6 Ron D'Amico<br />C7 Virginia Clawson<br />C8 Mike Orth<br />C9 Huygen (Hogan?) Hilling</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>D1 Mrs. Karen Wojahn<br />D2 Tony Badura<br />D8 Judy Ecklund<br />D9 Mr. Bill Jones</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-57199745777818775412009-07-18T12:57:00.003+08:002009-07-27T15:12:26.589+08:00Classmates: 1967-1968 Grade 7 (7-3) Mrs. Lyall<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIE5D799I/AAAAAAAABFU/TcvnhHQP-IQ/s800/1967-1968%20Grade%207.jpg"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIE5D799I/AAAAAAAABFU/TcvnhHQP-IQ/s400/1967-1968%20Grade%207.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A1 Steve Yanagisako<br />A2 Louise Hitchcock<br />A3 Alan Werner<br />A4 Sandy Travanti<br />A5 Steve Ware<br />A6 Jan Johnston<br />A7 Bill Eberle<br />A8 Gay Cangelosi<br />A9 Tom Rauth</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>B1 Sharon Wheeler<br />B2 Mark Spencer<br />B3 Christine Kato<br />B4 Tom Hughes<br />B5 Karen Hildebrand<br />B6 Richard Ingram<br />B7 Michelle Walsch<br />B8 Lee Grey<br />B9 Meri-Lyn Mitchell</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>C1 Chuck Paling<br />C2 Beverly Throne<br />C3 Stuart Maude<br />C4 Diane Mayo<br />C5 Andy Hedrick<br />C6 Debra Hatch<br />C7 Robert Williams<br />C8 Carolyn Bromley<br />C9 Jim Baquet</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>D1 Cheryl Crook<br />D2 (?) Gloria Mapes<br />D3 Rich Thayer<br />D4 Karen Yagami<br />D6 Diane Quinn<br />D7 Huygen (Hogan?) Hilling<br />D8 Lindee Francis<br />D9 Doug Plummer</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>E1 Mrs. Esther Lyall<br />E9 Joanne Ledig</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-58573675115210724912009-07-18T12:56:00.003+08:002010-01-28T17:33:20.029+08:00Classmates: 1966-1967 Grade 6 Miss Webster<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIEsges7I/AAAAAAAABFQ/ibv6I5BD8no/s800/1966-1967%20Grade%206.jpg"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIEsges7I/AAAAAAAABFQ/ibv6I5BD8no/s400/1966-1967%20Grade%206.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>[First year in color!]</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A1<br />A2 Darnella Dorado (?)<br />A3 Mark Spencer<br />A4 Virginia Clawson<br />A5 Jack Smith<br />A6<br />A7 Scott (?)<br />A8<br />A9 Ralph Hernandez</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>B1 Shirley Kuntz<br />B2 Reid Gulley<br />B3 Gay Cangelosi<br />B4 Dale Myers (sp?)<br />B5 Carolyn Bromley<br />B6 David Rowden<br />B7<br />B8 Steve Alvarez<br />B9 Gabi (Gabriella) Reull<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>C1 Miss (Janice) Webster<br />C2 Claudia Boomer<br />C3 Valerie Vaughn<br />C5 Mario Barrios<br />C7 Ramiro Hernandez<br />C8<br />C9 Jim Baquet<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-37823377820184111642009-07-18T12:55:00.005+08:002010-01-28T17:33:38.783+08:00Classmates: 1965-1966 Grade 5 Mrs. Twomey<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIEjP2HHI/AAAAAAAABFM/t5kffWx41b4/s800/1965-1966%20Grade%205.jpg"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFIEjP2HHI/AAAAAAAABFM/t5kffWx41b4/s400/1965-1966%20Grade%205.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A1 Rick Thompson<br />A2<br />A3 Mr. William Breon<br />A7 Mrs. Twomey<br />A8 Diane Quinn<br />A9<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>B1 Mike Delk<br />B2 Kim Angles<br />B3 Jim Baquet<br />B4<br />B5 Jack Smith<br />B6 Valerie Vaughn<br />B7 Dale Myers (sp?)<br />B8<br />B9 Mario Barrios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>C1<br />C2<br />C3<br />C4 Shirley Kuntz<br />C5 Tom Rauth<br />C6 Carolyn Bromley<br />C7 Steve Ware<br />C8 Vickie Dutt<br />C9 Craig Guire</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>D1 Reid Gulley<br />D2<br />D5 Julie Garnant<br />D8 Cecelia Kelley (sp?)<br />D9<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-65265222015282226452009-07-18T12:54:00.003+08:002010-01-28T17:36:56.365+08:00Classmates: 1964-1965 Grade 4 Mrs. Briggs<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWup2NbI/AAAAAAAABFI/CHEd0BJLw6I/s800/1964-1965%20Grade%204.jpg"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWup2NbI/AAAAAAAABFI/CHEd0BJLw6I/s400/1964-1965%20Grade%204.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A1 Steve Yanagisako</span><span> (?)</span><br /><span>A2 Valerie Vaughn<br />A3 Mr. William Breon<br />A7 Mrs. Arlene Briggs<br />A8 Jan Johnston<br />A9 Jim Baquet</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>B1 Joe Oliveras<br />B2 Julie Garnant<br />B3 Doug Buchan<br />B4 Karen Hildebrand<br />B5<br />B6<br />B7 Mark Martinez<br />B8 Sharon Wheeler<br />B9 Tom Hughes</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>C1 Richard ?<br />C2 Diane Quinn<br />C3 Rick Thompson<br />C4 Cecelia Kelley<br />C5 Velma Ayala<br />C6<br />C7 Doug Plummer<br />C8 Carolyn Bromley<br />C9<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>D1<br />D2<br />D3 Diane Mayo<br />D7 Janelle McKay<br />D8 Colette ?<br />D9 Walter Kaye</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-44962115735564978922009-07-18T12:53:00.026+08:002010-01-28T17:45:28.879+08:00Classmates: 1963-1964 Grade 3 Mrs. Francisco<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWlE2vsI/AAAAAAAABFE/xbR0m_jzyaY/s800/1963-1964%20Grade%203.jpg"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWlE2vsI/AAAAAAAABFE/xbR0m_jzyaY/s400/1963-1964%20Grade%203.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A1 Dale Myers (sp?)<br />A2 Laraine ? (sp?)<br />A3 Mrs. Francisco<br />A7 Mr. William Breon<br />A8 Julie Garnant<br />A9 Don Walker</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>B1 Mark Spencer<br />B2 Louise Hitchcock<br />B3 Jeff ?<br />B4 Melinda Powell<br />B5 Alan Werner<br />B6 Robin ?<br />B7 Walter Kaye<br />B8 Lorie Alexander<br />B9 Steve ?<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>C1 David Rowden<br />C2 Barbara ?<br />C3 Jack ?<br />C4 Richard<br />C5 Craig Guire<br />C6 Debbie ?<br />C7 Jim Baquet<br />C8 Sharon Wheeler<br />C9 Arthur Ybarra</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>D1 Tom Hughes<br />D2 Kim Angles<br />D8 Collette ?<br />D9 Mark Martinez</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-46901195852567245712009-07-18T12:52:00.003+08:002016-05-07T20:01:24.682+08:00Classmates: 1962-1963 Grade 2 Mrs. Vanderveer<div style="font-style: italic; text-align: left;">
The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWe9ueMI/AAAAAAAABFA/j_CtbAGL5E4/s800/1962-1963%20Grade%202.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWe9ueMI/AAAAAAAABFA/j_CtbAGL5E4/s400/1962-1963%20Grade%202.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
(click on the picture to see a larger version)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
[One strange thing here: I'm shown twice! Both C4 and C9 are little old me. Weird, huh?]</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A1 Stuart Maude<br />A2 Ana Varona<br />A3 Mrs. Vanderveer<br />A7 Mr. William Breon<br />A8 Sharon Wheeler<br />A9</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
B1 Mark Martinez<br />B2 Collette ?<br />B3<br />B4 Melinda Powell<br />B5 Tom Rauth<br />B6 Kathleen Caputo (sp?)<br />B7 Joe Oliveras (sp?)<br />B8<br />B9 Rick Thompson</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
C1 Doug Buchan (?)<br />C2<br />C3 Steve Yanagisako<br />C4 Jim Baquet<br />C5<br />C6<br />C7<br />C8<br />C9 Jim Baquet (again!)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
D1 Arthur Ybarra<br />D2 Sharon Townsend<br />D5 David Rowden<br />D8 Janelle McKay<br />D9 Ricky Reed</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-54713739255667982652009-07-18T12:51:00.002+08:002010-01-28T17:48:46.611+08:00Classmates: 1961-1962 Grade 1 Mrs. Barker<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWROp0nI/AAAAAAAABE8/Xk5C-Moz5RI/s800/1961-1962%20Grade%201.jpg"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWROp0nI/AAAAAAAABE8/Xk5C-Moz5RI/s400/1961-1962%20Grade%201.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Many of these names were written by my mother on the back of the picture, probably based on what I told her. The rest is filled in from memory. HELP!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></p>A1 Arthur Ybarra<br />A2 Joe Oliveras (sp?)<br />A6 Ricky Reed (sp?)<br />A7 Robert ?<br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">B1 Leslie ?<br />B2 Rusty Spade<br />B3 Sharon Townsend<br />B4 Mrs. Marilyn Barker<br />B5 Valerie Vaughn<br />B6 Walter Kay (sp?)<br />B7 Andy ?<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">C1 Ricky Thompson<br />C2 Monica ?<br />C3 Patricia Schintz<br />C4 Karen Yagami<br />C5 Sabrina Salmon<br />C6 Jack Smith<br />C7 Craig Guire</p><p style="text-align: left;">D1 Tom Rauth<br />D2 Virginia Clawson<br />D3 Velma Ayala<br />D5 Kathleen Caputo (sp?)<br />D6 Jim Baquet<br />D7 Doug Plummer<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-87340936436943358522009-07-18T12:50:00.003+08:002010-01-28T17:51:40.474+08:00Classmates: 1960-1961 Kindergarten Mrs. Ristrom (PM)<p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">The Classmates Project is an effort to re-build my elementary and middle-school years by first, finding the names of all my classmates, and second, rounding them up into an online group. You can read more in the <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">introductory post</a>.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWPuJ0yI/AAAAAAAABE4/QSKPgUFYwxs/s800/1960-1961%20Kindergarten%20PM.jpg"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SmFHWPuJ0yI/AAAAAAAABE4/QSKPgUFYwxs/s400/1960-1961%20Kindergarten%20PM.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(click on the picture to see a larger version)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-project.html">Learn how you can help</a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Many of these names were written by my mother on the back of the picture, probably based on what I told her. The rest is filled in from memory. HELP!</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">A1<br />A2 Valerie Vaughn<br />A3 Don Walker<br />A7 Bobby Jolly<br />A8 Kathleen Caputo (sp?)<br />A9 (?) Walter Kaye<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">B1 Kent ?<br />B2 Julie Garnant<br />B3 Wayne Anderson<br />B4<br />B5 Mrs. Ristrom (sp?)<br />B6 Velma Ayala<br />B7 Jim Baquet<br />B8 Robin ?<br />B9 Ricky Reed (sp?) </p><p style="text-align: left;">C1<br />C2 Carolyn Bromley<br />C3 Craig Guire<br />C4 Tom Rauth<br />C5 Ricky Thompson<br />C6 Patricia Schintz<br />C7 Jack Smith<br />C8 Donna Speed (?)<br />C9 Bobby </p><p style="text-align: left;">D1<br />D2 Sabrina Salmon<br />D3 Arthur Ybarra<br />D4<br />D5 Lindy Barker<br />D6 Karen Yagami<br />D7 Steve Yanagisako<br />D8<br />D9 Alan Cash</p><p style="text-align: left;">E1 Monica ?<br />E2 Virginia Clawson<br />E8 Joyceann (sp?) Contreras<br />E9 Karen Hildebrand</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">See all of my <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">classmates</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-47667117611886455322009-07-18T12:01:00.005+08:002009-07-18T13:21:31.736+08:00The Classmates Project<span style="font-style: italic;">NOTE: I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles called Rosemead, a little place with a surprisingly stable population. There are lots of kids I went to school with for 13 years, as did my two brothers before me and my sister after me. This project is dedicated to them.</span><br /><br />On a visit to Rosemead in July 2009, I scanned a series of nine photos, representing my classes at Encinita School (K-6) and Muscatel Intermediate (7-8). These do not represent everyone in that grade, only those in my class (in elementary) or homeroom (at Muscatel).<br /><br />We completely covered the 1960s, starting Kindergarten in 1960 and graduating from Muscatel in 1969!<br /><br />If you were in my grade-level, I'd like to ask your help on three tasks:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">1. Help me fill in names</span><br />Even if you weren't in my class that year, you would probably know the names of classmates. Also, please check my memory on the ones I've already filled in (spelling counts, too). You can add names in the comments (by number), and occasionally I'll move them up to the main post for that picture. Please use question marks if you’re not sure, like this:<br /><blockquote>9F John (?) Smith=not sure of spelling of first name<br />9F John Smith (?) =not sure of spelling of last name<br />9F (?) John Smith=not sure of spelling of entire name<br />9F John (sp?) Smith=not sure of spelling of first name<br />9F John Smith (sp?) =not sure of spelling of last name<br />9F (sp?) John Smith=not sure of spelling of entire name</blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">2. Send more class pictures</span><br />If you have pictures from the same year/grade but a different teacher/homeroom, I'll be glad to post them so we can do something similar with those, as we were all classmates. Write to me (use the "Contact" link above) and I'll tell you the ideal specs for the scans (but I'll take anything I can get).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">3. Locate other classmates</span><br />If you know some of the people in these pictures, send them my way! Ask them to look at the pictures and contribute to Task 1 or Task 2 above.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For you:</span><br />I can send you the same scans as those here (roughly 8"x10" at 72 ppi) but without the ugly numbers. Or you can have the original scans (slightly larger, and 300 ppi--you can cut yourself out if these at a fairly good size!) Just tell me which size ("small" or "big") and which years you want.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The next step<br /></span>Maybe we could make a "closed group" on FaceBook to share old pictures and memories.<br /><br />To see all of the pictures and notes click <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/search/label/classmates">here</a>, or click the "Classmates" tag on any of the posts.<br /><br />To see an individual year, click below:<br /><ul><li>1960-1961 Kindergarten Mrs. Ristrom (sp?) (PM) (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1960-1961-kindergarten-mrs.html">view</a>)</li><li>1961-1962 Grade 1 Mrs. Marilyn Barker (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1961-1962-grade-1-mrs-barker.html">view</a>)</li><li>1962-1963 Grade 2 Mrs. Vanderveer (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1962-1963-grade-2-mrs.html">view</a>)</li><li>1963-1964 Grade 3 Mrs. Francisco (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1963-1964-grade-3-mrs.html">view</a>)</li><li>1964-1965 Grade 4 Mrs. Arlene (?) Briggs (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1964-1965-grade-4-mrs-briggs.html">view</a>)</li><li>1965-1966 Grade 5 Mrs. Twomey (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1965-1966-grade-5-mrs-twomey.html">view</a>)</li><li>1966-1967 Grade 6 Miss Janice Webster (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1966-1967-grade-6-miss.html">view</a>)</li><li>1967-1968 Grade 7 (7-3) Mrs. Esther (?) Lyall (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1967-1968-grade-7-7-3-mrs.html">view</a>)</li><li>1968-1969 Grade 8 (8-7) Mrs. Karen Wojahn (<a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/07/classmates-1968-1969-grade-8-8-7-mrs.html">view</a>)</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">More thoughts</span><br /><br />As I recall, there were two kindergarten classes, "AM " and "PM." I don't know how many classes there were in the other Encinita years (let's put our heads together?) And I'm pretty sure there were eight homerooms in seventh grade (7-1 through 7-8) and 10 in eighth grade (8-1 through 8-10). Anyone who has the yearbook from those years could settle that.<br /><br />Further, I remember this about "my hall" in 7th and 8th grades:<br /><br />7th grade, 1st hall:<br />Science: Mr. Erwin Florence (7-1 homeroom teacher)<br />English: Mrs. Curturillo (7-2 homeroom teacher)<br />Math: Mrs. Lyall (7-3 homeroom teacher)<br />Social Studies: Mr. Todd (7-4 homeroom teacher)<br /><br />Principal: Mr. Woodland<br />Music: Miss Jodie Boies<br />Band: Mr. Warren Lindgren<br />P.E.: Mr. Roger Young<br />Shop: Mr. Nikeloff (sp?)<br /><br />8th grade, 2nd hall:<br />Social Studies: Mrs. Karen Wojahn (8-7 homeroom teacher)<br />Science: Mr. Walker (8-8 homeroom teacher)<br />English: Mr. Kelley (8-9 homeroom teacher)<br />Math: Mr. Walter Emerson (8-10 homeroom teacher)<br /><br />Principal: Mr.<br />Music: Mrs. Jodie Adkins (she got married)<br />Band: Mr. Warren Lindgren<br />P.E.: Mr. Roger Young<br />Shop: Mr. Nikeloff (sp?)<br /><br />I can't remember other teachers (art, home ec) or the other halls in any detail (Mr. Blugrind?). Again, if you have a yearbook from those years, I'd appreciate your helping me out, either with scans or by adding info to the comments. (I'm sure I have yearbooks somewhere; I just haven't found them yet. Maybe next time I'm back from China.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-44764893703704055032009-07-13T09:00:00.000+08:002009-07-13T09:00:01.652+08:00The Lazarus People I<p>In 1995, I moved to Utah to live with Heather and Robert Urich and family. I was still not quite recovered from my divorce, and the Urich's job offer (a couple of hours of tutoring a day, with a nice stipend and room and board) provided a much-needed healing space.</p><p>At the end of the year, Robert asked me to come to Santa Fe and work with him on "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lazarus_Man">The Lazarus Man</a>," an intriguing western-cum-mystery.</p><p>I spent four months on set--ranches around New Mexico--with little to do except keep Robert company. As he was busy much of the time--carrying the show as its only weekly character, conducting interviews, etc.--I had lots of time to kill. I shot lots of pictures and chatted with cast and crew.</p><p>You'll be seeing pictures of some of those people off and on throughout July and August, culminating in a few precious pics of the great man himself--in cowboy duds.</p><p>Today: Crew.</p><p>Well, I say "Crew," but actually it's mostly the stand-ins; because they have a lot of time on their hands, they became some of my closest friends.</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A_NpuhEI/AAAAAAAABCc/UGPpQJC1XWI/s800/laz-crew1.jpg" width="300" height="400"></p><p>Bill Huckaby was an avid reader, Joseph Campbell fan, sensitive soul, and all-around good guy. Note the book in his hand (and his beloved vintage Stetson on his head) as he sits on the edge of a <i>horno</i> oven enclosure at historic <i><a href="http://www.golondrinas.org/">El Rancho de Los Golondrinas</a></i>, where we filmed for one episode.</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A_HR9OoI/AAAAAAAABCg/N6dHAUFt68A/s800/laz-crew2.jpg" width="400" height="212"></p><p>Here we see the three male stand-ins, all reading scripts. Bill's on the left, Jim Bowie (musician and Buddhist) in the center, and Jon (whose family name I've forgotten) on the right. All three were avid readers, a must for the stand-in, who spends most of his or her time waiting.</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A_c4VcKI/AAAAAAAABCk/X64jmo_pL4Y/s800/laz-crew3.jpg" width="300" height="400"></p><p>Here's Laura Auldrich, whom I called nothing but "Sunshine." She's holding my copy of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060926171?ie=UTF8&tag=jamesbacom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0060926171"> A Joseph Campbell Companion</a></i>; we had lots of great discussions of film and literature. I since spotted her in a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198021/">Natalie Portman movie</a>.</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A_WJKXCI/AAAAAAAABCo/lMgZRvToF5E/s800/laz-crew4.jpg" width="300" height="400"></p><p>OK, so this last old friend is not a stand-in, but I wanted to share this as a tribute.</p><p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934054/">Rod Wilson</a> was a veteran make-up man; the IMDB link given lists only a fraction of his work, which started back in the 60s. He also ran a make-up school.</p><p>When my folks came to visit in Santa Fe, he went all-out to meet them; I also saw him several times after we returned to L.A. Rod passed away in 2003, just shy of 70. IMDb lists "natural causes"; he was a heavy smoker, so maybe...?</p><p>Anyway, fare well Rod, wherever you are.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-36837229488999174422009-07-06T09:00:00.003+08:002009-07-10T15:57:21.349+08:00Every Dog Has a Story<p align="center"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sk5A4hs7UBI/AAAAAAAABCE/yHItce39_BA/s800/busternginger.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></p><p>And both of these dogs' stories has to do with escape.</p><p>My first wife and I owned these dogs (sort of), Ginger on the left, and Buster (Buster Brown, get it?) on the right. You can divide all dogs (and people?) into two types: Fidos and Rovers. Fidos stay faithfully by their masters' sides, but Rovers ... uh ... rove.</p><p>Both of these dogs were Rovers.</p><p>Ginger (named by her former owner for a famed <a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=blah%20blah%20ginger&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi">Gary Larson cartoon</a>) came to us from a neighbor, and only stayed a short time. When she belonged to our neighbor, she had been picked up several times by "Animal Control" (the dog catcher).</p><p>Finally, the neighbor gave up, and asked if we wanted her. We said "sure," and my then-wife went to pick her up from the "animal shelter" (the dog pound).</p><p>But because Ginger was a pit bull, only the registered owner could retrieve her. And the registered owner was not the neighbor, but her ne'er-do-well brother-in-law, who didn't want to be bothered to go get her. So it took a lot of finagling to spring her. (As I recall, the neighbor posed as her brother-in-law's wife--same last name, you know.)</p><p>She was the sweetest dog I've ever known. Despite what you may have heard about pit bull terriers, the greatest danger from Ginger was being beaten to death by her whip-like tail.</p><p>Well, when we got her, the neighbor kept her puppy. Ginger didn't like that at all, so she kept getting out to go see the kid. She not only dug under wire fencing, she chewed through it.</p><p>One day she left and didn't come back. We put up posters, and got a call from someone who had found her dead on the railroad tracks.</p><p>It's not as gruesome as it sounds. The tracks were high where she was found. She had been running along when a train came. She hunkered down to let it pass, and apparently died of a heart attack, not a scratch on her.</p><p>The ne'er-do-well brother-in-law owner retrieved her and buried her for us on her old home ground.</p><p align="center">☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼</p><p>Buster's story is happier. We found him in a park up in Altadena. (We lived in Simi Valley at the time.) He had been living on the streets, eating trash.</p><p>We took him home, still almost a puppy, and one or the other of us kept him until he died of old age on my ex-wife's Tennessee farm.</p><p>When you adopt a Rover, don't expect him to stay home. Hugo, an English professor who had moved in to Ginger's owners' old place, used to see Buster nearly a mile from home, cadging fries at a fast-food place. English professor that he was, Hugo nicknamed Buster "The Artful Dodger."</p><p>After my wife left and I stayed on in the house, Buster would get out one way or the other, and when the dog catcher came, he'd try to get back into the yard. Another neighbor saw him get picked up as he was scratching at the locked gate (even though he was on my property, he was clearly "free").</p><p>I learned to leave the gate unlatched. That way, he could just push it open; the dog catcher wouldn't dare enter a closed yard.</p><p>Another of the things I miss in Asia: the company of a dog. If I ever have another one, though, I'm going for a Fido.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-81196430208618599922009-06-29T09:00:00.002+08:002009-06-29T10:41:10.335+08:00Our Wedding<p>(This post is excerpted from a much longer piece I wrote about our wedding. You can download that article <a href="http://articles.jamesbaquet.com/2009/06/our-wedding.html">here</a>.)<p>On Sunday, April 29, 2007, Lila and I got married in Hong Kong, because two foreigners can't get married in mainland China (and getting married in the Philippines or the U.S. had their own complications).</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SjYhXEdMK9I/AAAAAAAAAwk/IkmoyJdv-wM/s800/wedding_couple.jpg" width="400" height="267"></p><p>Here's the happy couple, wearing a <i>kurta </i>(mine) and <i>salwar kameez</i> (hers) provided by our good friends Sunny and Vinnie Gupta, managers of the Spice Circle Indian Restaurant where we had our after-wedding party.</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SjYhXVBnqQI/AAAAAAAAAws/inzq6ayZw0E/s800/wedding_party.jpg" width="400" height="267"></p><p>This is our best man, Alan Rosenfield (left), and "person of honor" Adam Wood. Alan is one of my oldest friends here; he lives in Chicago, but visits Shenzhen frequently for business. We timed the wedding so that he would could stand up for me.</p><p>Adam, on the other hand, was a fairly new friend. A few months earlier, he had contacted Lila about yoga classes and, not knowing we were connected, had contacted me about a Buddhist discussion group I was running. We all three "clicked." So when Lila's chosen "maid of honor" couldn't make the wedding, Adam volunteered and, oddballs that we are, we chose not to stand on tradition, but instead we said "Cool! A 'person of honor'!"</p><p>So Alan and Adam were the official witnesses to our marriage.</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SjYhXMC67JI/AAAAAAAAAwo/qKz64LaRHbw/s800/wedding_guests.jpg" width="400" height="266"></p><p>These are the guests at the ceremony itself, standing in the lobby of the Marriage Registry in Shatin. Represented are Germany, England, America, the Philippines, Hong Kong, the mainland, and one we're not sure of: a typically broad range of nationalities in the expat life (and impressive considering there are only 13 people there!)</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SjYhXGAWSWI/AAAAAAAAAwg/2oww-NOPEnQ/s800/wedding_ceremony.jpg" width="400" height="266"></p><p>Hong Kong is a fairly stiff-upper-lip-conservative place when it comes to such things as weddings; a pamphlet in the Marriage Registry even discussed appropriate dress and behavior for the ceremony. So the ceremony itself was meant to be solemn; the Justice of the Peace certainly had no sense of humor. But as you can see in this picture, Lila and I were cracking each other up as usual. (The unsmiling lady J.O.P. is just visible in the top-right corner.)</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/SjYhXJkvwrI/AAAAAAAAAwc/IDDIG1TycDc/s800/crazy_kids.jpg" width="400" height="267"></p><p>Finally, MARRIED! This is us with a bunch of kids who happened to be outside the Marriage Registry; it's one of my favorites of all the pictures taken that day by our good friend Jesse Warren. All the pictures in this post were shot by Jesse, a pro who shot around all our wedding events for free. (Thanks, Jesse!) You can see more of his work starting <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessewarren/">here</a>, <a href="http://shenzhenphotos.com">here</a> and <a href="http://jessewarren.blogspot.com">here</a>.</p><p>More pics of all the fun:</p><blockquote><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lila75/sets/72157600216311357/">Lila's pics of the Shatin wedding and lunch</a></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lila75/sets/72157600217742636/">Lila's pics of the Spice Circle party</a></p><p><a href="http://photogiving.smugmug.com/gallery/2851113_Z7G4n">Jesse Warren's pics of both occasions</a></p></blockquote><p>And don't forget to look at the <a href="http://articles.jamesbaquet.com/2009/06/our-wedding.html">article</a> that tells the whole damned story in every sordid detail, from when we met, through my pre-wedding jitters, to the great day itself, and the subsequent honeymoon and more parties.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-31202362369059668522009-06-22T09:00:00.001+08:002009-06-22T09:00:03.099+08:00Shenzhen Vice<p>Once upon a time, I had a "friend" here in Shenzhen who was a power-monger. He would always go on about how he was a "humble man" and never expected anything for himself; then he'd send out pictures of himself with "the vice-mayor of Shenzhen."</p><p>Well, there's like a half-dozen "vice-mayors of Shenzhen," and I was with one of them at a party last Chinese New Year.</p><p>So here's <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span> picture with "the vice-mayor":</p><p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Si9hwSafH3I/AAAAAAAAAr0/tw1sRx0q4G0/s800/vice-mayor.jpg"></p><p>I'm a humble man, and expect nothing for myself...</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-24310897604670820252009-06-15T09:00:00.005+08:002009-06-19T16:38:37.642+08:00Meeting a Master: Venerable Ji Qun<p>In the summer of 2006, I celebrated my birthday by spending a week in a temple in Fujian Province, teaching the Buddha-dharma to around 100 young people.<p></p>One of the highlights of my week was the arrival of Master Ji Qun. He is a teaching monk who is widely considered to be one of the foremost Chinese monks of the 21st century. He is also delightfully humble and unassuming.<p></p>He has a "Center" in Suzhou, from which he publishes books. He travels around the country teaching. He has also taught abroad, but only in Chinese (like most Chinese monks I've met, he speaks no English).<p></p>I've written a fairly long article (previously published on the net) in which I relate a discussion we had, as well as a Q & A he conducted with the students. You can download the PDF by clicking <a href="http://tinyurl.com/lb53qx">here</a>.<p></p>Meanwhile, a couple of pictures:</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Si9ujtxFCYI/AAAAAAAAAr8/HMpdt8TXuPs/s800/venjiqun1.jpg"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Master examines a student's paper</span><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Si9uyzbM_tI/AAAAAAAAAsE/AJI9AU9IQ38/s800/venjiqun2.jpg"></p><span style="font-style: italic;">Master Ji Qun leaves the Hermitage</span><span style="font-style: italic;">to return to the Temple</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-1118699017284560742009-06-08T09:00:00.001+08:002009-06-19T16:34:50.284+08:00Hannah and Her Sitter<p>Lila has a niece named Hannah. She's as feisty as you would expect of a girl growing up in a household of all-male brothers and cousins.</p><p>Last January, we were in the Philippines for a quick visit, because Lila's grandma was ill. (She has since passed away, so the gathering was well-timed. It was the first time Lila had seen her own mother in years.)</p><p>We stayed out in the suburb of Marikina where Lila's mom's family is. On a lazy day, we went to the local mall (malling is the #1 sport in the Philippines). We visited a bookstore, where Lila bought several books for Hannah.</p><p>When the others went off to shop some more, Hannah and I hung together. We started reading her books. One was in Spanish (a mis-buy), and Hannah showed a remarkable ability to read it rapidly.</p><p>Here are a few pictures from our "Book Corner" in the mall:</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Si9fIhg7sSI/AAAAAAAAArc/OzM3JKEuB48/s800/reading.jpg"></p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Si9fp-BDdzI/AAAAAAAAArk/7pOUa3QfZ9g/s800/clowning.jpg"></p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Si9f2PKoW2I/AAAAAAAAArs/uveJZWCJLuI/s800/monster.jpg"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-35573206021929371562009-06-01T09:00:00.003+08:002009-06-08T07:12:12.485+08:00Achille Joseph Baquet, My Dad's Dad<p>I'll start these biographical notes in the proper place: with my forebears.</p><p>First, my dad's parents, Achille (ah-SHEEL) Joseph Baquet and Rosema Rose Morgan. I don't know much about Grandma; I'll gather more info and discuss her later. So most of this is about my dad's dad.</p><p align="center"> <img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sing7Nj2p4I/AAAAAAAAAqU/6LTR76lcqfg/s800/aj1.jpg" width="400" height="300"></p><p>He was a musician, and a little bit famous. You could call him a pioneer of Dixieland jazz. The personal matters I discuss below are what I recollect from family talk; the professional things are a matter of record, gleaned from the internet.</p><p>I never knew my grandpa; I was born in July of 1955, and he died in November of the same year (not 1956, as most sources--including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achille_Baquet">Wikipedia</a>--have it). Here he is with my older brothers, lucky barstairs:</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sing7ABImrI/AAAAAAAAAqY/Upwv_-IivQc/s800/aj6.jpg" width="400" height="300"></p><p>He was born in 1885, the son of Theogene Vitale Baquet, who led the Excelsior, third-largest of New Orleans's famous brass bands. Old T.V. was apparently a son-of-a-gun, a strict old-school taskmaster who, it is said, could scare new students off of learning an instrument at the first lesson. Achille's brother George, another well-known musician, must have had a gentler dispositon: he taught the renowned <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Bechet"> Sidney Bechet</a>.</p><p>So Achille grew up in New Orleans, at the time when the brass bands were melding into the new artform now known as "jazz." As we all know, "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz">Jazz</a> is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions." Yes, my grandpa was part of the Creole community in New Orleans.</p><p>The Baquets were known to be among the best musicians in New Orleans. Even today, as a relative said in a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/20/national/nationalspecial/20baquet.html"> New York Times article</a> after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, "It means something to be a Baquet in New Orleans."</p><p>Achille played with several bands, the most famous of which was the Original New Orleans Jazz Band. Fronted by well-known comic and musician <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Durante">Jimmy Durante</a>, it was based in New York, and was advertised as the "first all-white Dixieland band." Grandpa was <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/achille-joseph-baquet">passant blanc</a> (not at all unusual for the time).</p><p>My dad's four older siblings were born in New Orleans; then came the New York years (my uncle claimed he sold hot dogs at Coney Island); then dad and his younger sister were born in L.A. Achille had come out to the new "entertainment capital" for work. In 1929, irony struck: the new "talkies" put scores if not hundreds of musicians out of work, including Grandpa. In later years he only played for the chickens when he "wood-shedded," keeping up his skills until emphysema and arthritis made it impossible.</p><p>Family lore says "Grandpa wrote Tiger Rag," the jazz standard better known as "Hold That Tiger." This was in dispute; even the great Jelly Roll Morton claimed to have written it. I read later that Grandpa was in the band that wrote it, but no one knew if he was the actual composer. That seemed reasonable. Now, on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Rag">Wikipedia</a>, I see: "In one interview, Papa Jack Laine said that the actual composer of the number was Achille Baquet."</p><p>Some of Grandpa's recordings are on line, "<a href="http://redhotjazz.com/durante.html">Why Cry Blues</a>" and "<a href="http://nfo.net/usa/d3.html">Jada Medley</a>." Google his name and you'll find mention of him in several articles. I stole the pictures below from some of them.</p><p>I wish I had known him.</p> <p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sing7LqvFZI/AAAAAAAAAqc/XU8njdY31-M/s400/aj4onojb.JPG" width="400" height="256"></p><p align="center">Second from left (Durante in the center)</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sing7fudZ1I/AAAAAAAAAqg/5OvSATHdHZs/s400/aj3onojb.JPG" width="400" height="274"></p><p align="center">Clowning in the upper right (a true Baquet)</p><p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/Sing7X6BAFI/AAAAAAAAAqk/dFVDNjJyfRg/s400/aj5onojb.jpg" width="400" height="330"></p><p align="center">Behind the piano, at left end<br>(Note Durante's famous nose in profile, at piano)</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-51210049609733712112009-05-27T01:52:00.002+08:002009-07-20T09:46:48.774+08:00James in a Nutshell<p>I was born in the City of Angels, on the shore of the Peaceful Ocean. Yup, L.A. BABY! On the Pacific.</p><p>I grew up in the suburb of Rosemead, where my older brothers, my younger sister, and I all attended the same elementary, intermediate, and high schools.</p><p>After that, I took degrees at Pasadena City College (liberal arts), California State University at Los Angeles (B.A. in English and philosophy, two majors), and Loyola Marymount University (Master of Education).</p><p>Meanwhile, I became a "born-again" Christian; got married; became a high school teacher and dean (Chaminade College Preparatory), and then an elementary school principal (St. Martin-in-the-Fields School, Canoga Park), and then a junior high and high school teacher again (Campbell Hall School); went to Anglican seminary for a couple of years; got divorced; began exploring other religions; moved to Japan; and finally, in 2001, returned to Rosemead, where I studied for a PhD in Buddhism (but did not finish my dissertation).</p><p>Leaving my studies in 2004, I moved to China, where I live now. For three years I taught in a polytechnic college in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong; then I went to Yangzhou, Jiangsu (between Nanjing and Shanghai) for a year to live in a temple and teach monks; then back to Shenzhen and the polytechnic, where I work now.</p><p>In 2005, the best thing that ever happened to me...um...happened to me: I met Lila Jose, a smart, funny, spiritual, beautiful Filipina. We got married in 2007, and dream of someday relocating to the Philippines. This homepage will, hopefully, be of some help in making that possible.</p><p>Read <a href="http://about.jamesbaquet.com/2009/05/too-much-information.html">this one</a> for a more in-depth look at my life. Then, browse the various posts (maybe use the tags) for more on "The Life and Times of...Me."</p><p>Everything on these pages is © 2009 by James Baquet.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052385139158759875.post-70526686291385170162009-05-24T21:47:00.003+08:002016-04-08T13:59:09.415+08:00Too much information?<div align="center">
<img border="0" height="100" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/ShlQZg9JLQI/AAAAAAAAAlU/gcMvaGy0JOc/s400/banner-10j.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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In the picture above, you see ten faces, ten moments where a camera captured the flow of my life. Over time, I will be telling you stories--in a piecemeal way--from various parts of my life. But here you can get a sense of how the pieces fit.</div>
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Referring to the numbered key below, these ten parts are:</div>
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<img border="0" height="62" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/ShlQZkk47bI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/8hQqkqJXRCA/s800/banner-10j-key.jpg" width="250" /></div>
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1. Infancy: I was born a sickly child (after my twin miscarried), and the bets were on me not making it. Yet, as you can see in Picture #1 above, I was still capable of raising a sickly smile. There's not much to say about an infant's spirituality: they know everything there is to know, and when people ask about my current "spiritual quest," I often say that I just want to know what I knew before I started school and "they" taught it all out of me.</div>
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<img align="left" border="0" height="163" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/ShlUF5kISRI/AAAAAAAAAlY/56ysxWkYi88/s800/about-2.jpg" width="126" /><br />
2. Pre-school: Not shown in this photo are my two imaginary friends, Marky Spenders and Johnny Housemaker. Did I just have a wild imagination? Or is there some chance that children with "imaginary" friends aren't imagining them at all, but seeing something that, as we get older, we're taught not to see?</div>
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3. Elementary: Kids aren't supposed to have dark circles under their eyes. I did. I was still "puny" (as my dad called it), and school was always a struggle. "He's so smart," the teachers would lament, "if only he would apply himself." Nearly a half-century later, I'm still hearing the same damn thing.</div>
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<img align="right" border="0" height="175" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/ShlUF1dB7TI/AAAAAAAAAlc/wvC4ACqOmS8/s800/about-4.jpg" width="132" /><br />
4. Junior high: At age 12 or 13, I had my tonsils out, and in recovery I swallowed my tongue, bringing my lungs to a halt. An alert nurse got me going again, and when my family filled me in on what happened, my mom also told me about my miscarried twin. So, at the age when young people in more traditional cultures are being initiated, I developed a deep sense of having cheated death--twice. In fact, I was formally initiated at this time; I was confirmed in the Episcopal church.</div>
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5. High school: Lots of people claim that high school was "the best years of their lives." Not me. As always, school was too hard, my social standing would best be described as "gregarious loner" (still largely true), and while I knew there was something more than this material realm, I just couldn't see it, even with those big geeky glasses.</div>
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<img align="left" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/ShlUF5PHErI/AAAAAAAAAlg/6-jiWyTGDcU/s800/about-6.jpg" width="250" /><br />
6. College: After a couple of years out of school, I started junior college, and found God (whom I hadn't realized was missing). In the photo from which this head was cut out (left), I'm actually with a Christian rock band, in which I played trombone. (Yeah, rock trombone.) Meanwhile, my college classes lit up my intellect; the two years I spent lollygagging between high school and college gave me a chance to mature a bit, and I took to schoolwork like a pervert to porn.</div>
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7. First Marriage and Early Teaching Career: At the age of 26, I graduated from university (finally), got married (not so finally), and started teaching. I'm still teaching. But as most men in their 20s, I was pretending to be mature, playing the "climb the ladder" game. At 29 I became a school principal, but then went back to teaching four years later. And at 35, I became "single again." Cue the Mid-life Crisis.</div>
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<img align="right" border="0" height="177" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/ShlUGJjYUSI/AAAAAAAAAlk/XhEmvZ2u_AE/s800/about-8.jpg" width="250" /><br />
8. Post divorce: The Indiana-Jones-wannabe-in-need-of-a-haircut is me. During this period, I dated a TV star, lived with a couple of actors and their children, and soaked up as much of the native spirituality of the American Southwest as I could. This head was cut out of a pic (right) where I'm standing on the front porch of an adobe house in Taos pueblo with a family who had befriended me. It's a good indication of how, at this point, I was stretching beyond my "little world."</div>
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9. Japan: I stretched so far, in fact, that I ended up a few years later in Japan. Here I began to delve seriously into Buddhism, and I completed numerous pilgrimages. (You can read about the biggest one on my Temple Guy page.) Japan is a fascinating place with wonderful people, but it did force me out of my comfort zone in a dramatic way. It challenged me so much that I took up formal studies in Buddhism when I returned to the U.S. During that time, I also worked in language schools with Asian students, and worked in a Chinese temple near L.A. All of this kept me happy as my "Asian connection" persisted.</div>
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<img align="left" border="0" height="172" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/_BkEgZ-29Qmo/ShlUGC_qHII/AAAAAAAAAlo/ad-9mANstsY/s800/about-10.jpg" width="250" /><br />
10. Today: Finally (so far) I came to China. As I mentioned briefly above, I have been teaching English here--mostly to technical students, but for one year to Buddhist monks in residence in a temple, and occasionally to other Buddhists, such as an awesome week in the mountains in Fujian province teaching over a hundred kids.</div>
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And in April of 2007, I married Lila, who is far better than I deserve, and we are now working hard to shape our lives into something that sustains us: more thinking of spiritual things, more healthy food, more pleasing music, more incense, more good friends (and fewer annoying ones).</div>
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And eventually, a life that is freed from the tyranny of having to be in any particular place, as long as there's an internet connection to keep us in touch with our income.</div>
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<b>UPDATE: </b>Well, it's 2016, seven years or so since I posted this. We left China back at the end of last July, and have settled into our house in the Philippines. For the first time ever, all my books and other goods are here from storage, and I can buckle down to share pictures and stories of my life. Stay tuned!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3