French/Davis Family

Life Philosophy - Chan (Zen), photographer, healer, herbalist, singer, songwriter, poet, musician, martial artist, Feng Shui healer, teacher, businessman, designer,

Following a suggestion, for my heirs, here is my time line:
best as I can remember this day 5/14/99

I Spent most of my pre-college days, winters in Philly, Summers in VA.
Except 2-3 winters in school in VA living with Grand Pop Davis, working the farm and running the service station (gas) and at Aunt E. another year.

I hated Philly and the cold and could not wait to leave alway dreamed of California.
In Philly I always on the look out for gangs. My bike, the library, the YMCA ...those were my escapes

1968: Vietnam War missed it by a hair, with the new lotto system.
Va State college- automotive tech major

March 24, 1970 : Tyza- my first born. I missed the birth. Driving back to Philly from College

1971 came to California on Vacation following a draw and a dream ending up staying.

1972 : Moved family out to CA. I worked as a mechanic for a car dealer. Drove Tyza to babysitter on back of my motorcycle held on with a belt tied around me.

1973 Separation with Myra

1974 changed jobs several times.
Started to play music again, learning Bass, small club acts, doing more yoga, meditation, vegetarian, lots of motorcycles, more martial art training, hanging out in Hollywood learning life..

1975 Out of work due to car accident. Hit and run. Not a major problem, a opportunity. Took the time to learn harmonica, worked more at becoming a full time musician. Played with local bands in hollywood. Sometimes up to 4 bands at a time to earn any money. Average gig payed, $5.00 - $20 per night. Wrote songs trying for recording contract. Did studio sessions.

1976 Out of work as a mechanic due to layoffs and cutbacks. Went on the road touring as a road musician to Canada and Hawaii for a couple of years. Loved Hawaii... my favorite place...still so far

1978 moved back to Southern Ca. Started Shaolin Kung Fu training, Back to college to learn keyboards. Music Major. Dean list, 1st time. Worked as Part time manager for Health Food /Martial School. Under Martial Art TV and Movie star Kam Yuen.

1983 Moved to East Coast, married Chikako Sato, in Las Vegas. We drove across country in a 1958 Chevy Pickup truck towing her Honda with everything we owned, what was left after we had a robbery in our apt just before we left. I worked as Branch Manager for moving company in Richmond ,Va. While teaching Shaolin Kung Fu at night and playing in a local band.

Became first Black certified teacher of The Northern Shaolin Taiji Praying Kung Fu System- 35th generation master of "Shaolin Kung Fu ", 8th Generation master "Taiji Mantis Kung Fu"

1986: The passing of Aunt Mary. Weird I should be there in Va at that time. The last Funeral I attended was for GrandMa ( Bama) Davis. I first came to know of Aunt Mary when I saw her at Bama's layout there at Cook's corner. What a shock to a young kid. There I am looking at Bama in her casket ( in a room that I knew was haunted ) and in walks Aunt Mary looking just like her !!! I was sure a ghost a walked in. Worse, I could not run to Bama to tell her, because ...this time it was her!!! Hmmm some kind of message here...or ...

1987: Moved back to Ca, this time to the north. still working as company manager during the day, I opened my school Bay Shaolin Academy that winter.

1989: Resigned from the moving co management. Traveled to Japan. Went back to school Art Major, Learning Graphic art & design, at the local college. Still playing with local bands and teaching martial art.

1993: Jade born #2 son. I was there and cut the cord!!!

1994: Sold first Art piece at Art Show. A photographic piece.
Watched Jade take first steps at Christmas

1995: separation with Chikako & became fatherless this year. Moved school/studio location to Martinez/Pacheco,CA.
Established the Bay Shaolin Kung Fu Academy and Holistic Center teaching: Tai Chi, Qi Gong , other healing arts, herbology, martial art, meditation, homemade incense and candles. Sold First Ceramic Art piece.

1996 - Kung Fu training in Singapore

1997 - A Grandad!! me !! Ismah born to Tyza.

I become Senior Designer and Graphic Dept head for design firm in Walnut Creek , CA

1998 -visit Philly, re-meet my son Tyza now all grown, married with his own child. I hold my grandson and he smiles!!

1999 - Back to Hawaii, I take Art & Life lessons from the master designer...God

2000 -
First time playing music with youngest brother Gregory. With Gregory we recorded, wrote, produced, play all the instruments on a family reunion song CD to be presented at the 1999 Family reunion in the Pocono Mtns in Penna. This song features, The family members:
G. D. French, Gregory, Jade, Tyza, Azelia Moseley (Davis), Rev Raymond Moseley, Rebecca Inez ( fiancée to G. D. ). This was done while Tyza lived in Philly , Gregory lived in Southern Ca, Jade lived in Reno, Nv. and the others living in Northern CA. A techno milestone of the 90's.
I found out this year that Grand Pop Davis was a musician. I knew that he played violin, that is what got me started with formal music lessons when he gave me his violin. But I did not know he also played Tuba in a band. I guess that is where we got our music playing gene , not just singing. I wonder how much his spirit influence the making of this song for the reunion.

2002: after many years of working, mentally and physically to pay for it, I graduate Collage with Graphic Design degree.

Started a line of herbal products and incense...which never went anywhere. hahahah

2005 - Remarried to Chie Miyatani in Bodaga Bay Ca, by my Stepfather and mother, Azelia Mae Davis French Mosley was the witness.

2006 - awarded marine Captain License by US Coast Guard

2007 - Cut backs at work, laid off from the Corporate designer job.
Stock market fell, lost 90% of savings.
lost condo due to no work.

2008 - misc jobs to survive; " in the storm, be the bamboo"
" only the strong can survive"...grandmaster flash & the furious five.

Teaching sailing, Security Guard, Clerk and stocking at Yachting Store, Kung Fu instruction.

2009 - took last of savings invested in larger boat than the current one owned. Plan was to live on boat, sail to Japan, there start boat charter, day cruise, Boat and Bunch business.

2012 - Set sail for Japan on our Catamaran Sailboat. A 30 ft boat built in England.
We sailed down the Coast of California over the time of couple of month. We left Nov. and stopped in Ensenada, Mexico, Feb 2013. We lived in Mexico until July on our boat.

May 2013 - set sail for the South Pacific, Tahiti. Turned back after 2 days at sea due to weather and mechanical issues.

June 1st 2013 - set sail this time for Hawaii then on to Japan.

June 15th 2013 - rescued at sea by a Greek Oil tanker. Had to abandon our boat, our last major possession. Steering rudder was broken, difficult to hold a course. Storm winds approaching with 6-7 meter waves, expected. We had hoped for a tow, but seas were too rough. We had turned back 3 days before when steering first broke, and were trying to make it back to land. We had 200 miles to go.

July 1st 2013 - left Long Beach Ca, and fly to Osaka, stayed with family to start over, with mostly nothing. Feeling much like a failure, while trying to keep the mindset of a Buddhist monk. "The freedom of no attachments", "Oneness with the Great Spirit will bring resolution and blessings", " Be still and know that I am God", ( different words, same thought).

I adopted my Father-in-Law's family name. It is easier in Japan to have a Japanese name, for business and Japanese internal comfort in not having to pronounce a foreign word/name wrong . My father in law had no sons, we will have no children, nor will my Sister -in Law. I became Fuu Miyatani - French out of respect for him. The name Fuu is the shortened form of the Japanese pronunciation of French (Fuenchi) He gave us no hassle when we married and wanted to take me out on the town my first visit, even though he was very sickly.

Until now the only other family member I had heard of that left the USA, was the brother of my grandfather Davis. He went to England and was never heard from again. I would still like to track the Davis line, but there is little info of a trail left to follow, none-of the present-day left Davis children know/remember anything. I want to have a DNA test done on my last Uncle, or his son. It is hard contacting them, and I get little assistance.

Japan: 2014

Secure Marine Captain license from Japan.
Obtain 3rd degree black belt in Japanese Archery

Most foreigners work in Japan as English teachers. Besides my small social security income I have several jobs:

1.I teaching Sailing.
Years back I became friends with a sailing "Zen" master, via my study of sailing and Zen. We belonged to the same international organization. He owns the largest sailing school as well as being a yacht broker and manufacturer/ designer. I teach for his corporation in English and Japanese. I still find that amazing for a lil colored kid from Philly.
2. I do some product modeling
3. I play with a Blues Band
4. I work p/t for my local city/ town as a gardener
5. Teaching martial arts and Chinese Chan (Zen)
6. Occasional graphic work
7. Work in the sailing school boat yard

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Life keys;
Perspective, Timing and Who you know
.................................................................G.D. French ,1999

Do not be afraid to be different

Shape clay into a vessel
it is the space within that makes it useful.............G.D.French, 1999

"Be water"...Bruce Lee

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In dwelling, be close to the land
In meditation, go deep to the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true
In ruling be just.
In business, be competent
In action, watch the timing
.....................................................Lao Tzu, 6th century B.C., China

Nov, 8th 2003

Reflections:
As I start this saga, I sit in Jenner, California. It is autumn in a place most who read this or will read this have never heard of or never see. It is located in Northern California. A quiet little village which sits at the mouth of an estuary, where the Russian river flows into the Pacific Ocean. Seals sleep on its banks while pelicans float from air to water, a living display of yin and yang ( duality of nature). It has stormed all day and now all is settled. The sun breaks through the clouds in spots and reflects it's light on the now calm slowly passing river which reflects it's dancing colors and shadows back to the sky and the eyes of those who God has blessed to see this moment. Determined, it seems to be out in time for sunset a few hours in the future. A couple in a canoe now paddle their way slowly down stream all is calm. One who passed just a short two hours ago would not have believed such claim was possible as all were feeling the force of nature's dark side as it spoke only in tones of high winds and stinging rain, the trees bowed to the Universe in submission... kind of like us and ours our lives, mini storms and calms...we bow to the Universe when in the storm and reach for the clouds when the sun shines. The storms are mostly unknown when one sees only the colorful sunset and the water is calm.

I set here starting this tale of reflections thinking how far, how blessed I've been, because of God or those who have prayed for me, both or just my Karma (destiny). I sit here typing on my Macintosh laptop after finishing a international vegetarian meal done by my future wife, from Japan, watching the river change colors under the soft fading light of the setting sun, how far does the beginnings in Philly seem. ..How great are the blessings on a skinny boy of color from the streets of West Philadelphia. I never dreamed at times of surviving the streets, yet alone being here seeing the pelicans on the wing surfing the wind over the waves at sunset. But I did dream of better than where I was...nor cared about the roadblocks of other's opinions of what I could or should do...many were the lessons of life, the flow of tears and laughter swell like this river under the storms and flow into the ocean, as we do back to God, sometimes with no trace...

I am pleased beyond words that some of the family has taken up the task of persevering our roots for those of the future who, may only hear of us as a name with a birth number. I started years ago, with what I could do to gather and preserve our family past history. About the time as many after the movie "Roots". It is a long and difficult undertaking, rewarding and saddening, a path of tears and laughter. Sad having lost so much info when it was right there speaking with you, yet we did not think of the temporariness of the treasures we held, now lost forever. This journal and the others like it, are time machines, time capsule, and treasures. To think that perhaps with the diligence of someone(s) and major blessing of God that we do not kill off the world, someone 50, 100 years in the future will read this, perhaps and hopefully family will read this and we will not be forgotten in time, or a be just a name and some dates to a future descendant...perhaps inspire someone on their own life path.

The beginning
Aug 12, 1950 shortly after midnight came the painful birth cry of the new French male child, which was named Glenn. The place was Woodland Ave Hospital in Phil, Pa.
Being the eldest child after the other kids came and Dad left was no fun, too many restrictions on just being a kid, always the responsible one.
As I grew up I hated Philly, parts of it were interesting, educational, cool, but mostly I hated it. The gangs were a major bummer in life. Being a small skinny quiet kid was also a drag! I sometimes I did not think I would make it out of Philly alive. The library, museums, science institutes, were my escape, I left town when ever possible, I escaped on mini adventures on my bike, sometime to the park, sometime to nearby suburb towns, always feeling I belonged someplace else. Kind of like getting off the bus at the wrong stop and having no money to get back on and having to walk home, but not sure how to get there. My favorite of all escapes was to Virginia to stay summers and sometimes winter with the grandparents down in Saluda, VA. I loved the trees, open space, the feeling of being safe. Later I felt the call of California and then spent many years dreaming, planning, and waiting for my chance... what a long strange trip it's been.

The family - French
Wow, where does one start with this. Dad was not around that much, I do have some memories of him being home. Yet they are faint like old footprints in the sand, as I was young. He worked for the rich family, the Watkins perhaps was the name. He was gone alone with them in Florida in the winter, only in town in the summers. We would all run out when he came over for a short visit. I remember well going out to the summer home when the Watkins were away, to swim. Sometime I would even go out there to work at some minor thing. Perhaps that gave me the taste of the life beyond the streets as well as my time in Virginia of what could be had. Dad was a good cook, liked his cars and was fond of ladies, one could guess from his number of weddings. He held a strong belief in God and church and loved to sing. I remember asking him about the family, his mother and such, but was told little, mostly he spent most of his time working as a young boy and through his life. Little thought or time was put to family roots, surviving was the issue at hand. It would seem that he lived mostly week to week, day to day, as he passed away with only his offspring as his footprints in the sands of life.

Uncle Steve, I had little contact with him that I can remember. I do recall going to visit a few times in Philly, I always liked that, and he was nice. Uncle Fred was and is everyone's favorite Uncle, the youngest of the sons, but perhaps in ways the strongest. He was a cab driver of sorts. He had a big write up in the local newspaper at one time. I may have a copy somewhere. It was always a treat to visit him & Aunt Rose and the kids. I remember listening to the trains at night while visiting them. Fredericksburg itself was boring, but I liked to see the Fredericksburg family. I met at one time or another I think all the brothers and sisters of Dad, but do not recall much of them other than they were all nice to me and those around them. I seem to recall a preacher or two, the sadness of Helen's father's passing, the home place, where I visited Grandma and Grandpa French for a week. I was bored to tears almost, sadly I do not recall much thoughts about them. I recall they were pretty old by that time, of course everyone looks old to a lil kid, and mostly they were quiet. I think they had their fill of kids having raised so many. I never met to this day another from Grandma side of the family nor does anyone speak of them. I always thought that was strange. I think there is some hidden family thing there that has been buried. Uncle Fred one time said she was more Indian than anything, ( that is doubtful from my research so far) and she had a bad temper! Not much else is said. I guess after 10-12 kids most women of that time had bad tempers. Helen, came to stay with us in Philly when I was young. I was not sure want to make of it, but I do remember thinking of her more like an older sister after a while than a cousin. However that did not take away from the fact that I did not like being bossed around by a girl, since I was use to being the eldest/man in the house....

The family - Davis
During my youth I had more contact with the Davis side of the Family than the French's. My grandmother was my favorite person in the world. I was shattered when she passed away. My grandfather George L. Davis was my next favorite person. He was fearsome, and could be scary, but he was kind to me. I adored him. I was his first grandson and a treasure. But he did not spoil me I had to tow the line like everyone. I would go visit and spend almost every summer with him. I had chores, responsibilities, and limits, but also fun. It was kijd of nice to hang out with some of my cousins in the area. Being in Virginia was my favorite time. No gangs, and hassles from the street kids. Grandpop Davis was well known in the area and being his grandson gave me some prestige.

To be con't

Sept 2015:
Regrets at 65.

Had to believe I am this old. It is weird, but I still feel the same as 20, just a bit more tired now. I don't do those high kicks anymore.

So far the one regret that stands out, is not sticking with the violin. Some encouragement from the parental level would have helped...maybe.