By Hank Miller

Since I have been writing When East Meets West, commentary for a few years, I have received only two inquires regarding my commentaries and both have been from friends. I would have liked to have got many more feedbacks from the readers who enjoy my commentaries over the last few years, but that didn\’t happen.

 

I have attempted to compare a little humor as well as the social values and social behavior of the Japanese with those of Americans most from my own experiences, both living and working in Japan some 30 years now. Since both societies are different historically and geographically, it is only natural that their social values will be different as well. I attempted to bring to light all that a foreign person experiences living here in Japan for many years.

It takes quite a lot of time to put these commentaries together to post each week, some of them I have been working on for even months, I have to research most of the commentaries and prepare all the facts. Thus it requires time to do so, No, I don\’t have writers block and I enjoy writing these commentaries very much, it\’s just time consuming to do.

Besides my writing, I am Director of MILLER ENGLISH SCHOOL JAPAN; I have been extremely busy working long hours every day except on the weekends Saturday and Sunday. I will be 72 years old on June 27th. Thus, I need more free time to do other projects such as hobbies and to just relax with my wife Keiko. So this will be my last commentary for now.

I will occasionally write commentary for the ClearysNotebook when I find more free time to do so in the future. I\’m going to miss the contact with the Gloucester City people and the people of the surrounding communities who enjoy reading my Commentary.

Have a great and safe summer! Warm Regards from Kitakyushu City, Japan

Hank, Keiko Miller & Family

Note: Hank was born and raised in Gloucester City, NJ after he was discharged from the service he settle in Japan. 

Dear Hank,

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you have given to ClearysNoteBook over the past 20 months. I certainly appreciated you sharing your personal experiences with all of us. You will be missed. Please stop back every chance you get to give us an update on what is happening in your life. We will keep your sons, who are serving in United States Military in our prayers. And once again Thank You,

Sincerely, Bill and Connie

P.S. Happy 72th Birthday a few weeks early.

Hank\’s columns will remain on ClearysNoteBook under the category when EAST MEETS WEST.

Related: When East Meets West

 

 

EGAN

Brian T.

 Suddenly, On May 14, 2008. Age 25. Of Gloucester City. Formerly of Wenonah. Loving son of Martin J. Egan, III and Frances Egan. Devoted brother of Martin J. (Sandra) Egan, IV and Amanda (Sean) Egan. Beloved uncle of Rayna, \”Tin Tin\”, and Savannah. 

Also survived by his girlfriend Shannon, Aunt Jenny and Uncle John.

 Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend his viewing on Monday morning from 10 am to 12 noon at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (At Brown Street) Gloucester City. Methodist Service 12 noon in the funeral home officiated by Pastor Gary Brennan of Westville United Methodist Church. Cremation will be private at the request of the family. There will be no evening viewing.

 In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Brian’s memory may be made to his father, Martin J. Egan, III: P.O. Box 358, Gloucester City, New Jersey 08030. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Brian T. Egan.

 

By Michael Kazmar

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1930\’s, 40\’s, 50\’s, 60\’s, and 70\’s

READ TO THE BOTTOM FOR QUOTE OF THE MONTH BY JAY LENO. IF YOU DON\’T READ ANYTHING ELSE—IT\’S VERY WELL STATED!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn\’t get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren\’t overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!  

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.  

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. 

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes after running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo\’s, XBoxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD\’s, no surround-sound or CD\’s, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms… 

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.  

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend\’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!  

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn\’t had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!  

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!  

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!  

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.  

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!  

If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!  

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.  

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were. 

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn\’t it?!

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:
\’With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?\’  

For those that prefer to think that God is not watching over us…go ahead and delete this.
For the rest of us…you know what to do!  

Albert S. Waddington Sr., former Gloucester City Water Superintendent passed away on Wednesday May 14, 2008 at the age of 76. Al worked for the City Water Department for 29 years. He resided in Gloucester City for many years before moving to Sewell.

Albert proudly served our country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was 17 years of age when he entered the Army and volunteered to be a paratrooper. Mr. Waddington was awarded two purple hearts and a bronze star for his bravery and commitment to his country. He was a former president of the local Steelworkers Union. He was known for his dedicated volunteer service to the City of Gloucester as a longtime member of the Board of Education, Volunteer Fireman and Rescue squad member. Through all of his service to his country, city, and county, he stood above all others in his loving devotion to his wife, children and dogs.

Devoted son of the late Albert, Sr. and the late Gertrude Waddington. Loving husband of 53 years to the late June Adele Waddington (nee Gongloff). Beloved father of Deborah Waddington, Kathleen (Ronald) Garrison, Karen (Michael) Kozlowski, Richard (Kimberly) Waddington, June Waddington, Albert Waddington, III, and Elizabeth Lomboy.

Loving and caring grandfather of 13 and great-grandfather of five. Caring brother of Nanette Levins, Theresa Kuzmunick, Edward (Sandy) Waddington and Joseph and Nelson Waddington. Beloved uncle to numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend his viewing on Saturday morning from 8:30 to 10:30 am at the MCCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 am at Saint Mary\’s R.C. Church: 426 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030.

At the request of the family, cremation will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in Albert\’s memory to the American Diabetes Association: 150 Monument Road. Suite 100, Bala Cynwyd, PA, 19004. Please write in memo: Albert S. Waddington, Jr. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Albert S. Waddington, Jr. Funeral arrangements and inquiries may be made through: MCCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Phone: 856-456-1142.