Author Archives: journeysofabentmind

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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.

Grandson Casey on Cal campus…

Posted on March 23, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

Grandson Casey was around age 4ish and a favorite place to visit on our weekly Jiichan Outings was the Cal campus in Berkeley – for you Bear Alumni you’ll recognize the Campanile in the photo on the right – In … Continue reading →

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Maurie Jacobs Park

Posted on March 23, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

A summer’s afternoon at Maurie Jacobs Park, 2008 – On many lazy afternoons after supper the whole family would gather in the shade of the trees next to play structures for the children and the wide expanse of the soccer … Continue reading →

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Blarney, Patron Saint of Ireland…

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

In another galaxy far far away when I was still working as a social worker in an agency in Marin County, California, I’d hang this poster on the door of my office on St. Patrick’s Day – A take-off of … Continue reading →

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Granddaughter finger painting – The right touch…

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

Granddaughter Venice around age 4 doing finger painting – A masterful touch with her fingers on the pulse of creativity and art, but more because it’s fun to dabble one’s fingers and hands in wet and slippery liquids to create … Continue reading →

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Oaxaca Sojourn…

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

Back 20 years or so (1996…?) Barb and I went on a tour organized by our dear friend, Joyce Copenhagen, to Oxaca, Mexico for an extended stay over the Day of the Dead weekend – That’s the Halloween holiday for … Continue reading →

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Minimalist favorite…

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

Window into a bent mind: This is one of my favorite photographs – It’s a holly leaf with a spider web taken in the Sierra foothills above Fresno, CA during a photo weekend with my favorite instructor, Barbara Brundege – … Continue reading →

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Mr. Miyagi’s double…

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

This is a collage of photos on top of Pat Morita, the original Mr. Miyagi from the movie, “The Karate Kid” – the photos on the bottom row are of me taken at different times in my later life (note … Continue reading →

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Selfie from the past…

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

This is a selfie before selfies were a thing taken on a beach near Santa Cruz, California, circa 1997 (? – I’m bad with dating things) – I set my camera on a tripod and did an initial curving run … Continue reading →

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Keys to a day of fun…

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

When I was around 5 I had clamp-on skates and used these “keys” to tighten them on my shoes – You couldn’t wear sneakers because they didn’t have soles that the clamps could grip, you had to wear regular shoes … Continue reading →

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The Karate Kid

Posted on March 22, 2016 by journeysofabentmind

Daughter Diana took photos of me and my grandson, Casey, and inserted them in the original poster from the movie, “The Karate Kid” and juxtaposed it alongside the original – There is an eerie resemblance to the original – and … Continue reading →

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