Happy Fourth Hive Birthday to Me ~ And Happy Shūbun to You (notes from the Japanese 24 Sekki)

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Seems like today is my Hive birthday! I had another post scheduled to go off this morning, but I woke up to the happy Hive birthday message, so we’ll run an audible and go with this instead!

Four years on Hive/Steemit!

I remember I had first heard about Steemit sometime before, in spring or early summer. It sounded interesting, so I tried to sign up. I forget the reason, but I couldn’t. I think it was something like you either needed a phone number or had to pay in steem. My Japanese number wasn’t being accepted for some reason and I had no idea how to buy steem in order to pay for an account. I intended to keep trying with my phone, but work and kids put it out of my mind and it was soon forgotten.

Then in Sept I heard about it again, came back, and my phone number was accepted this time! So I signed up and made this post: Konnichiha Steemit! - Hello from Japan!

and included this photo

I had no idea what to do for the longest time, but then started posting haiku, which led to meeting @jonknight (who sadly doesn't seem to be active anymore) who invited me to the Writers Block, where I was quickly made poetry editor (I think one of my first conversations there involved @raj808, who is still active and doing great things around here). The Writers Block split apart a few times. I kept good relations with both sides during each split, but that particular writing community just was never the same, so I mostly drifted off my own way again, spinning haiku as I went.

Anyway, flash forward four years, and I’m still here. Still not crypto rich, but… maybe soon (if Hive or Cub ever moons!)

Here’s to the next four years!




It’s also the equinox today, which marks the beginning of Shūbun according to the Japanese almanac, the 24 sekki. Although the western calendar sets the beginning of autumn at the autumn equinox, according to the 24 sekki the equinox marks the middle of the season. Shūbun in fact means autumn divide.

24sekki_img_01.png

Look at the bottom. 秋 (aki) is autumn, and 秋分 is Shūbun, which you can see is at the beginning of the second half of autumn.

Shūbun is subdivided into three microseasons. From today until the 27th is 雷乃収声, which is read Kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu[1] and translates to something like thunder stops or thunder softens its voice. The meaning is that the typical summer storms are coming to an end around this time.




So happy hive birthday to me and happy shūbun to all of you! Let's all of us have a good one!


Hi thereDavid LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku.

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  1. Or rai sunawachi koe o osamu, according to the Japanese wikipedia (see here. There is no agreed upon way to pronounce many of the kanji that make up the 24 sekki seasons, so you will see variations. That said, most sources I’ve read give the reading as Kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu.



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(Edited)

Happy Hivaversary! We have been
Here the same amount of years. Got my badge recently but didn’t really make a celebratory post. I had planned to but wasn’t even sure what to write about. I’m gonna do it but for the 5th!

Interesting info about the micro seasons. I had no idea, makes sense though. So I guess leaf fall season starts after the 27th.

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Happy 4th Hive Day to you too Stranger!

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I'm not sure offhand. I'm thinking about making a "microseason" post every 5 days when it changes. If I do, I'll look it up for you and let you know.

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(Edited)

Happy hive birthday my friend, & happy Shūbun and best wishes for the changing of the seasons. It has been quite a journey, and honestly I still value the genuine friends I've met here over anything else.

Also, the great writers and video makers who have kept me entertained over the years.

The Writers Block split apart a few times. I kept good relations with both sides during each split, but that particular writing community just was never the same, so I mostly drifted off my own way again, spinning haiku as I went.

This made me slightly sad over the lost opportunity that those creative writing communities represent. I guess it was always going to go that way humans being humans... egos create perceived divisions, when in actual fact the schisms were just a creation of those egos. The chattering monkey brain over the aesthetic of the creative 😂

I tried not to get involved, but I'm still a little angry about what those arguments actually created which was an environment where the majority of the good writers didn't want to stay. And I'm pretty sure it is this among other reasons why none of them return, despite dedicated communities being set up. It was my fondest hope when I made theinkwell community to attract back high quality creative writers, and I actually went into discord networking hard upon launch to try and bring back some of the 'industry standard' (or close to industry standard) fiction writers. Only 2 returned and they quickly left as the community was being spammed hard by quite low quality, short form, posts.

Still, I shall stick around for a while yet myself I think, I like the freedom of hive 🙂

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One thing for sure is the community of Hive is so multi-faceted and vibrant, you really have to have patience to sift through and get to your tribe...or those you resonate with.

Hoping that you have an enjoying rest of the week, and may the spirit of magic stay with you always!

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Yeah, the Writers Block implosion always made me sad. It was such a great creative community and had so much support from well-connected people, but all the bickering chased everyone away. sigh but as you say, humans being humans. Anytime money gets involved, fights always seem to happen.

I'm not nearly as good at networking as you are, but I'm trying in my small way to bring back a poetry hangout like we had on the Writers Block. Things are going slowly, but I have big plans for Blockchain Poets.

Anyway, I'm glad you're still sticking around. You make this a better place. Thanks for the well wishes 😃

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Happy 4th Hive-day to you!! I used your Chonmage Japanese hairstyle article with my student in my class. Your posts are always interesting!

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I hope your students enjoyed it. Thank you 😃

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