Author Archives: journeysofabentmind

Unknown's avatar

About journeysofabentmind

Gordon is a Nisei, a second generation American of Japanese descent born in 1938 whose family owned a farm outside of Atwater, California in the San Joaquin Valley. His world was abruptly changed when on December 7, 1941 Japan’s Imperial Navy launched an early morning attack on Pearl Harbor. Thus began a chain of events that resulted in his family’s forced evacuation and internment in a “relocation center” in Colorado during the war. After the war Gordon spent his teenage years in school and working on the family farm. He attended U.C. Berkeley and graduated in 1960 and went on to the Graduate School of Social Welfare at Berkeley earning a Masters in Social Welfare in 1963. He worked in a number of social service settings and last worked as a case manager for developmentally challenged clients in San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin Counties until he retired in 2000. When his wife Barbara retired in 2007 they moved to Eugene, Oregon following their children and grandchildren. Gordon lives with his wife of 55 years and close to the four grandchildren and life is just good.

Forward

Posted on June 7, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

This is the story of two friends whose lives touched during the turbulent years of WWII. Nina and Gordon were both born in 1938 at Mercy Hospital in the San Joaquin Valley town of Merced. Their story begins in this … Continue reading →

Posted in Two Faces: A Memoir | Leave a comment

Black Heart, the Pirate

Posted on June 4, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

The sun rose on a glassy sea, and Black Heart and his crew faced their forty-third day becalmed and without the sight of land and little hope of wind. The canvas above hung limp, dry as the weary eyes of … Continue reading →

Posted in Short Stories | Leave a comment

Darkness Becomes the Dawn

Posted on April 26, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

Grey thunderclouds gathered over the Tehrasov Mountains to the west, as darkness deepened over the valley and the twilight’s last gleaming faded from the sky above. A moonless night with only the light from the starry host, and it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Short Stories | Leave a comment

Postscript

Posted on April 13, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

It was suggested by colleague in a Creative Writing course I’m taking that I give some explanation of how things turned out for me as a result of the experiences my family endured in the concentration camp during the war. … Continue reading →

Posted in Two Faces: A Memoir | 2 Comments

Executive Order 9066 for the Protection of Persons of Japanese Heritage

Posted on February 19, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

February 19, 2107: Today marks the 75th anniversary of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066 that authorized the evacuation and internment of 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry in concentration camps away from the West Coast. This began one … Continue reading →

Posted in Intro to My Writings | Leave a comment

75th Anniversary of Executive Order 9066

Posted on February 19, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

February 19, 2017: On this date 75 years ago President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law Executive Order 9066 authorizing the removal and evacuation and eventual internment in concentration camps of 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast … Continue reading →

Posted in Intro to My Writings | Leave a comment

Women’s March ~ Eugene, OR ~ January 21, 2017

Posted on January 22, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

On the day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States women all across the country and in Washington, D.C. marched in protest to the regime of the new president. Here in Eugene the … Continue reading →

Posted in Intro to My Writings | 2 Comments

The President of the United States…

Posted on January 22, 2017 by journeysofabentmind

I was recently chastised for thinking that Donald Trump wasn’t my president – I’ve never said that as I respect the Office of The Presidency. I believe that there is nothing we share in common in terms of issues, values, … Continue reading →

Posted in Intro to My Writings | 2 Comments

A Midsummer Knight’s Dream

Posted on December 31, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

Hillary stepped cautiously over the damp ground cover, and slipped behind a redwood tree. Sam followed close by her heels, panting lightly. The sun peaked through branches of tall trees overhead, but the dense cover above shielded the forest floor … Continue reading →

Posted in Short Stories | 1 Comment

The Normalizing of the KKK – Comparing Oranges to Tangerines…

Posted on November 28, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

I recently commented on a posting on Face Book of 20 million Muslims openly protesting ISIS in the Middle East and I called for a similar protest by American Christians against the KKK. Several FB participants chastised me for making … Continue reading →

Posted in Intro to My Writings | Leave a comment