New and Improving: Em Kiku
I have a book problem. It’s an excellent problem to have, but I read other people’s books when I want to send more of my own words out in the world. I taught college classes for many years, so I know how to ask questions that inspire people to speak up in class discussions or at dinner table chats. But when I open my mouth, I’m conscious of not hogging the conversation, and impulsively hand off the talking stick too quickly. Reading and writing solve this problem: I can lose myself in a book’s fascinating story or slam it shut whenever I like, and when writing I can take my time choosing my words.
“New and Improving” is the title for a series of posts I’m starting today. I adopted a pen name of sorts: Em Kiku. Kikuchi is my Japanese grandmother’s surname, but too many syllables confuse English speakers, so I shortened it to kiku. “Kiku” can mean the lovely flower pictured above, but also “to listen.” I hope readers will find what I write worthwhile, but mostly my goal is to go more public with (1) my writing, (2) Japanese study for me and my kids (sixth grade and eleventh grade), and (3) reading the books on my shelves (and my nightstand, and the basket in the living room, and oh gawd all those impluse-purchase books on my e-reader!) This is where I’ll post a kind of progress report about what I’m working on, for my own accountability, and also because when I see it written down, it keeps me inspired. Also (4)updates on the Little Free Libraries in Bozeman, Montana will appear here: where they are, the good books in them, the strange books in them, maybe even where they’ve been. I’ll try to make it thoughtful and not too boring.
I write a lot for myself and occasionally send something out, but want to put more out there. I get together sometimes with a couple of Japanese friends here in town, I talk to my uncle in Tokyo every couple of weeks and watch Aggretsuko on Netflix with my sons, but I want to bring more Japanese into their lives. I’m writing a memoir about my decades of learning Japanese, living with my Tokyo relatives, and excavating the Japanese side of my family my mother left behind when she married my Anglo dad.
Here’s half of one of my bookshelves (with a bonus photo of my frisbee-freak of a dog who had a fun 16-year life). A few of them I’m rereading or have as reference. Instead of their titles, most of them might as well have “When Are You Going to Read Me??” on their colorful spines. I read a lot — I’ll never empty my bookshelf, but at least I could crack open the ones I buy / borrow before a year or two goes by. Did I mention how many books I have on my e-reader?
I belong to two book groups, but want to talk about ideas and action more. I’m a teacher, but not teaching at the moment. I miss the toss-and- catch energy of the classroom. What a blast to jot down my thoughts on Slaughterhouse-Five or We Should All Be Feminists and share them with 18- and 19-year-olds, then listen to them riff or challenge or question. So do me a favor and if you feel like it, tell me: What are you reading, writing, or working on that makes you happy?
