Kindle Paperwhite: Powerful for Japanese Study

 Education, Foreign Languages, Japan, Japanese Language, Technology, Travel  Comments Off on Kindle Paperwhite: Powerful for Japanese Study
Jun 052014
 

I finally bit the bullet and bought a second Kindle Paperwhite, this time for my Japanese language library. And I don’t regret it one bit. It has become an incredibly powerful tool for improving my Japanese, because I read more books, faster, with the Paperwhite than I have with any other reading platform.

And I’ve tried a bunch of different ways to read Japanese books.

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N1, Take Three

 Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on N1, Take Three
Dec 012013
 

Another year, another N1. I feel okay about how I did. If I passed or failed, I’m sure it was close either way. (I hope I passed!) In general, I’m going to focus more on writing to improve my Japanese, as well as reading “meatier” stuff, like literature, as opposed to light novels. That sort of thing. Heading home tomorrow morning. Also, my hotel room is creepy.

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Going Home in the Snow

 Travel  Comments Off on Going Home in the Snow
Nov 122013
 

I left New York to go back home today. It snowed a bit in the morning and in the evening, but it never stuck to the roads. Time to get into serious mode for the N1 now.

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Celebrating Pocky Day in Manhattan

 Food, Japanese Language, Photography, Travel  Comments Off on Celebrating Pocky Day in Manhattan
Nov 112013
 

I spent Pocky Day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then went to Kinokuniya. Dinner was with friends in Greenwich Village. Tomorrow I go back home. It’s supposed to snow.

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Off to Boston… Again.

 Travel  Comments Off on Off to Boston… Again.
Nov 062013
 

I’m off to the Boston Career Forum again, to see what’s going on in the world of bilingual workers. I got as far as Delaware again, and stopped at the same place I stayed at least year.

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Music School

 Education, Music, Technology, Travel  Comments Off on Music School
Sep 032013
 

This fall is going to be hectic. I’m going to take a couple of music classes at UNC’s new Community Music School. I’ll also be preparing for the N1, and getting ready for the Boston Career Forum by getting my A+ certification. Somewhere in there, I’m going to need time to breathe!

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Cash Is Still King.

 Travel  Comments Off on Cash Is Still King.
Aug 022013
 

Always carry some cash on you, just in case those servers go down, and the credit cards turn into useless slivers of plastic. This was reinforced for me today.

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Off to Boston.

 Travel  Comments Off on Off to Boston.
Oct 172012
 

I’m heading to Boston to check out the Career Forum there. Now if only my car can make there in one piece, all will be good. Also, I rant about speeding laws, which irritate me in how they’re implemented.

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Asheville Again

 Photography, Travel  Comments Off on Asheville Again
May 272012
 

I went back up to Asheville for Memorial Day, to help the folks out and to take a bunch of photos. I’m still a bit behind on the editing, so I’ll post them when they’re ready.

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Bargaiiiiins…

 Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Bargaiiiiins…
Feb 142012
 

I joined the Costco Zombie Army a few days ago. I realized that I could save a lot of money just by buying gasoline there. But I have to be careful when I go shopping there– it’s easy to wind up with more crap than I know what to do with. Heading off to Asheville

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Sayonara, Japan. Back in the US again.

 Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Sayonara, Japan. Back in the US again.
Dec 222011
 

I did a little shopping today before getting on the Narita Express and heading to the airport. I managed to get a business class upgrade for relatively cheap (yay), and made it safely back home to RDU. Tomorrow I have to drive 250 miles to Asheville. Whee.

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Harajuku, Akihabara, and a View I Won’t Forget

 Food, Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Harajuku, Akihabara, and a View I Won’t Forget
Dec 212011
 

Regardless of my sore throat, I pushed on today. I shipped out some boxes, went to Harajuku and had fish pizza at Shakey’s, bought more souvenirs for people, then went to Akihabara and looked at video games, manga, and electronics. After that, I stopped by Marunouchi and Maruzen, and then had dinner at Sou Hon Kei in Shinjuku again. The view was incredible. Tomorrow I go home. (Sad Face.)

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Toughing it out

 Food, Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Toughing it out
Dec 202011
 

I started the day late because I wasn’t feeling well. I went to Shinjuku to do some more shopping for people back home, then went to the post office to get boxes to send stuff home in. Dinner was in Roppongi again, followed by more Christmas/souvenir shopping.

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Great Luck, Good Food, Plastic Food

 Food, Japan, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Great Luck, Good Food, Plastic Food
Dec 192011
 
Great Luck, Good Food, Plastic Food

I went to Senso-ji, then Kappabashi (where they make the plastic food), had an interesting encounter with a toilet, then went to Jinbocho and finally had dinner in Shinjuku. It was a mix of plastic food and great food!

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Towering Over Tokyo

 Japan, Photography, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Towering Over Tokyo
Dec 172011
 
Towering Over Tokyo

First full day back in Tokyo. I looked around at electronics stores, went to the tourist info center near Tokyo Station, then went to the Tokyo Tower, missed out on some fireworks, got overcharged for “meh” yakitori, and wandered around Shinjuku a bit.

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Sayonara, Yamasa, Sayonara, Okazaki. Tadaima, Tokyo.

 Japan, Japanese Language, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Sayonara, Yamasa, Sayonara, Okazaki. Tadaima, Tokyo.
Dec 162011
 
Sayonara, Yamasa, Sayonara, Okazaki. Tadaima, Tokyo.

A whirlwind of a day as I thanked everyone at Yamasa during the closing ceremony, had lunch with all of my classmates and said goodbye, then rushed to finish packing and got out of town. I made it to Tokyo and passed out in my favorite hotel in Shinjuku.

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Last Trip to Anjo

 Japan, Japanese Language, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Last Trip to Anjo
Dec 142011
 
Last Trip to Anjo

Today was the last big testing day. I forgot to attach a file I was sending to one of my teachers, so I had to race home at lunch to send it. There was an earthquake in class, too. After class, I went to the calligraphy store in Anjo, where everyone was really nice again. I bought more packing materials at the Daiso, and frantically packed until 2 a.m. Oof.

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Jackson Pollock and The Tallest Toilet in Nagoya

 Food, Japan, Photography, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Jackson Pollock and The Tallest Toilet in Nagoya
Dec 112011
 
Jackson Pollock and The Tallest Toilet in Nagoya

Today I went to see the Jackson Pollock exhibit at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, then went to the Midland Square Building to see some great views of Nagoya. More book shopping after that, then expensive crepes for dinner, and a train ride back to Okazaki. I managed to take some really good photos with my cheap little IXY, too!

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First Night in Kyoto

 Food, Japan, Japanese Language, Photography, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on First Night in Kyoto
Nov 252011
 
First Night in Kyoto

I made it to Kyoto; discovered a few things about buying shinkansen tickets, ate some delicious food in Kyoto, and some not-so-delicious food.

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Okazaki-jo and Anjo

 Japan, Japanese Language, Photography, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Okazaki-jo and Anjo
Nov 202011
 
Okazaki-jo and Anjo

The Tokugawa theme continues from yesterday, when I did some local Tokugawa-related sightseeing today. I visited Okazaki Castle and the Ieyasu and Mikawa Bushido Museum, then went to Anjo to pick up some calligraphy supplies. This time, I took pictures!

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Makes Me Want to Eat My Phone!

 Japan, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on Makes Me Want to Eat My Phone!
Nov 132011
 

I went back to Nagoya for more wandering around. I found an international market that sells oatmeal, and some fake plastic candy to stick on my phone. I also found the dictionary I’ve been looking for!

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Shopping in Nagoya. In the Rain. Again.

 Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Shopping in Nagoya. In the Rain. Again.
Nov 052011
 

Went to Nagoya, got my money back at Bic Camera, found a nice international grocery story near JR Nagoya, got lost, bought more books, had to buy a bag to carry it all, then ate some organic food, bought a blanket, and even found a Krispy Kreme.

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ごろごろ and 電子辞書 (Gorogoro and Denshi Jisho)

 Japan, Japanese Language, Photography, Photos, Technology, Travel  Comments Off on ごろごろ and 電子辞書 (Gorogoro and Denshi Jisho)
Oct 292011
 
ごろごろ and 電子辞書 (Gorogoro and Denshi Jisho)

It’s Saturday, and for once it’s not raining. It’s not really sunny, but it’s not raining. I’ll take what I can get. My electronic dictionary is dying, so I’m off to Nagoya to buy a new one, among other things.

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And So It Begins…

 Foreign Languages, Japan, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on And So It Begins…
Oct 122011
 

Finally! My real first day of class! I still feel like hell, but my fever is gone, so I didn’t really have an excuse to stay home and lounge around. Besides, we’re on the fast track here at Yamasa. Every day I miss is like missing 3-4 days of Japanese at a univeristy. Keeping up

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Orientation and Okonomiyaki in Okazaki

 Food, Japan, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on Orientation and Okonomiyaki in Okazaki
Oct 052011
 

Orientation at Yamasa started today. We learned lots of things that don’t apply to me, because I’m on a short-term visa, and will be gone in 3 months. It’s kind of a bummer, but there you go. But there was a lot of really useful information, too, like what to do with my trash. I’ve

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Nagoya Again!

 Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Nagoya Again!
Oct 042011
 
Nagoya Again!

I decided to head to Nagoya one more time today, to pick up some odds and ends. Before leaving town, I stopped by the Post Office to take out some money. The postal ATMs are a great deal. There are no fees, other than whatever your bank charges, and there’s English support if you need

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Sunday Is For Laundry, and Another Trip to Nagoya.

 Japan, Japanese Language, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Sunday Is For Laundry, and Another Trip to Nagoya.
Oct 022011
 
Sunday Is For Laundry, and Another Trip to Nagoya.

It’s Sunday, a day for laundry, and for going to Nagoya again. So, laundry. I have this really long metal pole that hangs horizontally in the middle of my apartment, over the TV. It’s suspended from the ceiling by two other big metal poles. Apparently this is my clothes dryer. I come from a country

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It’s Saturday, So It Must Be Nagoya.

 Food, Japan, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on It’s Saturday, So It Must Be Nagoya.
Oct 012011
 

It’s Saturday. No classes, and it’s beautiful outside. So I went to Nagoya to do some shopping for some much-needed necessities. No photos on this trip, because I didn’t take my SLR with me. It was too heavy to carry around while I went shopping. I needed to buy sheets, a wireless router, and after

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Getting Used to Apartment Life

 Food, Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Getting Used to Apartment Life
Sep 302011
 

More classes today. I have a lot of gaps to fill in in my Japanese. Today I have my private lessons, then I’ll probably go to Nagoya to do some shopping. I need to get a wireless router and some kitchen supplies, as well as some sheets ASAP. Those are all top priorities. I’m getting

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Back in Okazaki!

 Japan, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on Back in Okazaki!
Sep 292011
 

Today I made it back to Okazaki and Yamasa again. I got up early, and grabbed a shinkansen, the Nozomi from Tokyo to Nagoya. I could have grabbed it in Shinagawa, which would have made more sense, but I know the way to Tokyo Station better, and I didn’t want to get lost and miss

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Eye Yai Yai

 Food, Foreign Languages, Japan, Japanese Language, Photos, Travel  Comments Off on Eye Yai Yai
Sep 282011
 
Eye Yai Yai

I had the hotel’s breakfast again, then went straight to the front desk to take care of two things: my eyes, which now hurt like hell and finding someone who can do something about the stink in the bathroom. Seriously, what is that? It’s not me. It was like that when I got there. A

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Tonkatsu, Point Cards, and Burning Eyes

 Food, Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Tonkatsu, Point Cards, and Burning Eyes
Sep 272011
 

This was my first full day in Tokyo. I started with the hotel buffet for breakfast. 1,200 yen for all you can eat, either Western or Japanese style. Some of the Western stuff is a little odd, but it’s good enough for me. Plenty of yogurt, and a decent strawberry sauce. Other stuff was available,

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Off to Japan! (Wait, Didn’t I Use This One Before?)

 Japan, Travel  Comments Off on Off to Japan! (Wait, Didn’t I Use This One Before?)
Sep 262011
 

It’s 3:30 a.m. Saturday, September 24th Sunday, September 25th. The driver is going to be here in an hour and fifteen minutes, and I’m trying to close my humongous Samsonite 29″ suitcase. My plan was to have a giant suitcase big enough to stuff Jimmy Hoffa into, but slim enough to fit nicely behind the

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Through the Trip Prep Looking Glass

 Japan, Photography, Technology, Travel  Comments Off on Through the Trip Prep Looking Glass
Sep 202011
 
Through the Trip Prep Looking Glass

Note: This is about stuff I did before the trip, but I’m actually writing it about 10 days into the trip, but I’m going to put this chronologically before it anyway, so that it makes sense. Because It’s There. Before this 3-month trip to Japan, I decided to do what I did before I came

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Going Back to Okazaki.

 Japan, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on Going Back to Okazaki.
Aug 162011
 

I mentioned earlier that I was dissatisfied with the way my Japanese was progressing when I took the JLPT N2 last month. After talking to Michele, I realized that I have completely neglected my spoken/written Japanese in order to prepare for the N2, which tests neither skill. I considered my options seriously, and realized that

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London School of Economics (Lessons Learned from London)

 Great Britain, Photography, Technology, Travel  Comments Off on London School of Economics (Lessons Learned from London)
Jul 202011
 

Whenever I travel, I learn some new lessons about what works, and what doesn’t. Here’s my list for the London trip. Now watch me totally over-analyze everything I packed. The Best Camera Bag That Isn’t a Camera Bag Camera Non-Bag: The Mountainsmith Kit Cube is very clever, and very useful. But, it comes with a

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Good Line Karma

 Food, Great Britain, Travel  Comments Off on Good Line Karma
Jul 122011
 

Well, I’m finally back home. Long day today. I got up at 5:15 a.m. after a 2 hour nap, got the last bits of packing done, had breakfast, and got out the door at 7 a.m. Base2Stay was a lovely hotel, and I thoroughly recommend it. Check-out was a breeze. Off to Earl’s Court, then

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You Don’t Know Where That Stick Has Been

 Food, Great Britain, Travel  Comments Off on You Don’t Know Where That Stick Has Been
Jul 112011
 

Today I managed to fit in Westminster Abbey, a visit to Grosvenor Square, a trip to Foyle’s, and dinner at Nando’s one last time. My throat was still sort of sore. I think it’s all the air conditioning when I really don’t need it. Who needs air conditioning when it’s 70F? The other major annoying

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Towering Over London

 Food, Great Britain, Photography, Travel  Comments Off on Towering Over London
Jul 092011
 

Today was a really busy day. I saw the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, then went to Piccadilly Circus yet again to pick up some tea at Fortnum and Mason. After that, I had some noodles and karaage, and picked up some Japanese confections at Minamoto Kitchoan. On the way I came across the

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Shooting Through the Gallery

 Food, Great Britain, Photography, Travel  1 Response »
Jul 082011
 

I had an ambitious plan today, and got whooped by the National Gallery. That’s one tough museum to get through, even on roller skates. I started out early enough, but made my first error when I headed out the door and down the street, having forgotten to brush my teeth. I hate it when I

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London Loves the BL.

 Food, Great Britain, Travel  Comments Off on London Loves the BL.
Jul 072011
 

It’s Thursday, and I had to move out of my double room today. Before I did that, I started to check over my camera from my trip to Westminster yesterday, and what do I find, but the UV filter on my 80-200mm lens is smashed to bits, and it’s bent into place. I forced out

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Pounded

 Food, Great Britain, Travel  Comments Off on Pounded
Jul 062011
 

It’s Wednesday, and I’ve crested the hill of my trip to London. Today I had to move out of room 114, a nice little room, so I spent some time throwing everything into bags. I had also decided to send two boxes full of unneeded books home. Using the mail turned out to be a

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Wandering Around Piccadilly Circus

 Food, Great Britain, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on Wandering Around Piccadilly Circus
Jul 052011
 

My first stop today was Piccadilly Circus, where there’s a neat used Japanese book store called Adanami. It’s in an old dry cleaner’s, and when I got there, I could still see the old dry cleaner’s sign. I got there just a little too early, because they were still closed. They open at noon, and

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Caution: 175 Steps.

 Great Britain, Photography, Travel  Comments Off on Caution: 175 Steps.
Jul 042011
 

The test’s over. My brain still resembles Jell-O, but it’s time to be a tourist. So let’s start off big. How about the British Museum? Is that big enough for you? It’s big enough for me. I headed off to the Russell Square tube station, and encountered a sort of tube station that I haven’t

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OMG Muffins @_@

 Food, Great Britain, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on OMG Muffins @_@
Jul 022011
 

I finally discovered Gregg’s, which has awesome sandwiches, and these evil chocolate chip muffins, filled with PUDDING. Or maybe it’s some sort of chocolate pastry creme? Either way, good God y’all, if you sold these in America, my fellow countrymen would start randomly exploding. The sandwiches at Gregg’s remind me a bit of some of

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Crossed Up at King’s Cross

 Food, Great Britain, Japanese Language, Travel  Comments Off on Crossed Up at King’s Cross
Jul 012011
 

I met up with Michele (pronounced the men’s way, not the women’s way) from Italy today. He’s someone who also posts on the RTK forums, and is really good at Japanese. He’s in town to take the JLPT N1. We had a bit of a mess at first trying to meet up. We agreed to

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