So, if you follow my twitter, I apologize for what’s going to look like spam coming this month. All of these @tadokubot tweets are logging the amount of Japanese I’m reading for a contest.
So, sorry if it looks like spam, but it’s for a good cause! My Japanese literacy going up, that is.
I’ve been reading a lot over at All Japanese All The Time recently because I’ve been trying to refocus myself. Or unfocus myself. Let my wings soar. Or something. I’m not entirely sure.
Anyway, there was a Twitter post referring back to a post made about two weeks ago, which, while completely true advice didn’t quite sit with me well. It covers the basics very well, I think. To get reading Japanese books, one must own Japanese books. But as someone with a large stack of Japanese books, something didn’t feel right there. It has Heart, but Wind, Water, Earth and Fire are chilling outside wondering when it’s cool to go on in.
It makes me think of the metaphorical guitar in the garage. I didn’t have one, but I did get an electric piano for Christmas one year that I never really touched more than once. My stack of Japanese books makes me feel like I’ll get to them someday, but that’s not soon enough. I have to get the guitar out of the garage and into my hands. Like the kid who’s got nothing else and just plays his guitars until his fingers blister and bleed, I’ve got to pick up my books and get some paper cuts. I used to think these guys were torturing themselves, but today it hit me that perhaps they were too enthralled with what they were doing to notice what was happening to their fingers. And we all know what happens to those fingers after days of play. They callous up and completely rock that guitar.
So, the buying step is an important step. A very important one. And while it may seem obvious, they have to go right into the hands as soon as possible. I’ve not been doing my share so I’m going to pick a book as soon as I hit “Publish.” Â We’ve got to cut our fingers. Let ‘em bleed while we are too busy enjoying ourselves to notice the pain. We’ll survive, only stronger. And happier. And more awesomer.
Plus, everybody thinks scars are cool.
Sometimes I wish I lived in Tokyo.
That’s not entirely true. Probably not even remotely. The costs and the hustle of Tokyo would probably destroy me. I’m a country boy. What can I say.
Continue reading »
Ah, Japanese Language Proficiency Test time approaches. Somehow people have been convinced that this test really matters and that’s probably because some companies in Japan allegedly use it in hiring those not native Japanese.
The fact that I’ve failed the test as many times as I have and the fact that I’ve spent so much money on it isn’t the problem. It’s the fear that I will never achieve the fluency that I’m shooting for. It’s the stinging pain in my chest every single time I sit down to study or even just enjoy Japanese and I can’t do it. I do not know what mental block I have put up around myself that I cannot have fun anymore, but it is alive and well. The guilt I get from enjoying myself is so strong that I can barely breathe.
This is not a good time.
I’m currently enrolled in a Translation/Interpretation class in order to assist me in not being entirely inept at the Japanese language. You know, since I do intend on living here for the rest of my life and all.
Each day I’m supposed to read a passage, see how they translate it, do some passage translation of my own and then listen to some dialogue and translate. The essays and dialogue suffice well enough considering how much I am paying to take this course1 but that doesn’t mean I don’t expect some logic in their work. The definitions given to assist in the passage reading often have me throwing my hands up in the air. Alas, I am not waving them around like I just don’t care. Continue reading »
I have been teaching elementary school for slightly over three years now. That slightly edges me over my wife who is an actual teacher with actual certification. This makes me giggle from time to time. While most teachers have training, I came into this job with little but my wits. I have forty five minutes to teach these younglings some English and they better learn. But that’s not good enough. It better be interesting otherwise they’re not going to bother to learn. And as much as I try I can’t fault the students for not being interested at times. For all I know, Kumiko’s new haircut may be infinitely more interesting than going to an imaginary store. I mean, I know I can’t believe she came to school looking like that. The saving grace is that a good two thirds of my students were already interested just by proxy of them being under the age of 10. Very few things dull one at that age. Or, I’d like to at least think so. Continue reading »
For the third time I gave a little presentation on Japanese language studying. Here are some of the many resources that inspired me to do the presentation. Continue reading »
Driving around Japan you’ll often see adorable signs, some featuring popular characters, which are basically the equivalent of a “Children at Play” sign. Big difference is a lot of them seem to be home made instead of professionally. Last week I watched a drama which makes these signs now bring a bit of a tear to my eye. Continue reading »
Damn liberal hippie neo-cons.
Or something. I’ve got to find someone to blame for my troubles over the weekend and it may as well be someone who doesn’t exist so I don’t have to imagine their faces piercing me every time I think of the pain I’ve experienced.
Yeah, it was that bad.
交通遺児 [こうつういじ] (koutsuuiji)
child orphaned from a traffic accident
Huh. Came across this while studying today. I think one thing that is really interesting about Japanese is how the language can easily form “words” for things we in English would require a whole phrase for. An interesting thing, although is that the German language does this as well, although using the Roman alphabet we employ in English. If I remember correctly from my High School German class, a “Sunday afternoon walk” is Sonntagsnachmittagsweg. Interesting how languages can do so many similar things while being nothing alike.
