Then, when Paul died, I suddenly have been swamped with papers needing my identity. I had to get my seal registered at the Ku (ward) office. BUT ... they would only take names in Kanji ... Chinese characters. Well, no problem ... My twin brother was an expert in Chinese with a Chinese wife and had given me a nice kanji name ... well, it says "Julie" in Chinese but in Japanese it is pronounced "shu lei". Anyway, I could use that to register my hanko using those two kanji and the kanji for Fukuda.
So now I own an official seal to be stamped on official documents and bank book etc. Of course we have tons of un-official seals as Fukuda is a rather common name and when my husband needed to put his seal on something, he just popped into a store and bought one.
Since then we have to get countless papers and documents to be filled out. Some have me as Julie Fukuda. Some as Julie C. Fukuda, and of course Fukuda Julie C. But wait! When I was born, I was named Julia (after my father's mother) and Carol (after my mother's favorite doll) So, the plot thickens because these can also be written in a number of different ways using katakana ( the Japanese way of writing foreign words ... that once are put into this form may or not be put back into the lettering as it once was). It gets confusing because I have never used the name, Julia. It was pronounced Yu li e as in Bohemian and spelling it with an e was closer and softer to my ears than when teachers called me JUL Yah.
But now I am stuck with many ways of writing and spelling my name and each paper to be filled out wants my name or signature but which one? Finally I just sign my name as it is on my passport and send a copy of that passport page. Why does life have to be so complicated? And, if I use my seal, anyone can get it from me and place it on the correct spot and I don't even have to be there. I guess something could be said for using a finger print ... but then, which finger?
Yesterday I put the final border on my nine-patch quilt. Now I will have to hunt around for something to use for the backing. The size is 224cm x 182cm. (or around 88" x 71"). I really have no plan in mind. For the quilting I was thinking just some in-the-ditch with maybe some feathered pattern around the one-inch nine-patches. Well, that is still a ways off.
It was fun having my quilt friends over and I am enjoying a clean-(er) house. Norie's family came Sunday and My SIL came too. Today was a national holiday and Norie and Leia stayed overnight and another friend (a daughter-on-loan) came tonight to join us all for dinner.
Now quiet has returned and order has been restored and I can contemplate who I am and where I am going ... not that it helps much!
Julie, I am glad you know who you are!! Your 9 patch is beautiful. Your quilts are always wonderful. We are very warm here in Georgia & I am ready for cooler days. I hope to get some sewing done this week, have been on a "no sew" for too long! You
ReplyDeleteinspire me to get my act together.
Down here,as with you, each day brings a new challenge. I am being strong and resisting new quilting projects, well the big ones, and concentrating on some finishes. But I need to make a bag for a friend by Saturday, for her birthday, She lives about 25 minutes from home, so an easy drive. Hope you are well, has your weather cooled a little? Love that huge quilt.
ReplyDeleteYes, using multiple languages would make it harder. Of course, we also have our maiden names, too. Confusion.
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness.. I though officialdom here was bad.. but that sounds like a nightmare!!.. Good Luck xlol x
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to have visitors .. and REALLY makes you appreciate home when they leave xx
Interesting to see how to write Julie in Chinese/Japanese. My husband don't trust stamp and I don't quite trust signage because I don't think I am not very consistent. So far I am surviving with ever changing signature of mine.... That grey border makes everything very calm.
ReplyDeleteI thought paperwork and red tape was hard in my part of the world, we know who you are, don't change, you are a lovely lady and I was so thrilled to finally meet you. Beautiful quilt, your 9 patch, great way to use up scraps.
ReplyDeleteIdentity crisis?? Me, too!! - ;)) At any given time - I have been/am a Left-Handed daughter - niece - cousin - sister - friend - student - employee/retiree - wife/widow - daughter-in-law - sister-in-law - mother - aunt - and Quilter - with name changes along the way - LOL - so if anyone asks - I shorten it all to "A Left-Handed Quilter" - ;))
ReplyDeleteLOVE your 9-patch - ;))
Who are you? However your name is spelled, read or written, you are a warm and generous person, a great teacher/scout leader, the most thoughfful and loving mother and grandmother, and to me, and lots of other bloggers, a dear friend. Add to that a champion quilter.
ReplyDeleteWhoever you are, it is easy to get tangled up in Japanese red tape.
Are you Bohemian? My great grandparents were from Bohemia.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine having to deal with all that, you are a strong woman and i know that you will continue to be the person you are, a caring woman who is always there for others. Love the quilt and so much beautiful piecing.
Debbie
Dear Dear,
ReplyDeleteThis clever nine patch is one of my favorites. COngratulations on finishing the top! YOu do such beautiful work, and all by hand!
HI Julie, best wishes in navigating all the bureaucratic red tape. Sounds as if you are remaining calm, courageous, and successful, which is to be admired ! And we love your Nine Patch quilt with its rich, vibrant colors and the border set "en pointe" like that ! Beautifully done ! Hugs and blessings, from Marina and Daryl
ReplyDeleteWhat a dilemma! Recently my daughter's ex died (50 years old) and because he left her as his beneficiary on many documents she is wading through paperwork fighting the divorce battle. Paperwork is awful! blessings, marlene
ReplyDeleteProving who you are is a nightmare the world over, and even worse when additional languages enter the fray, and probably the last thing you need following the death of a beloved. I'm glad you have time, energy and inspiration to stitch, that is your real signature.
ReplyDeleteLoving this Mom! Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteHMm, never thought about it. I have a family seal that someone bought at a home goods store ( and the preschool principal bought one to keep at the preschool so that the can hand it to me to stamp my own receipts. THAT seems like an odd way to keep thing secure!). Somewhere along the line I got registered with my whole name, including maiden name, and now I'm required to write that every time something needs to be authorized. The nurses also seem to have to try and call the full name when asking me to step into the examine room and though no tongue twister the nurses have to struggle with all that katakana.
ReplyDelete