The March issue of DTM Magazine, a Japanese electronic music magazine, boasts 122 free VSTs. They do a good job breaking them down by 32/64-bit, plugin type, and OS. BUT! You need to know how to read Japanese. If you can do that, click on to the rest of the article.
Japanese Language
The JOI of the N1.
I signed up for the JLPT N1 again, and for classes at JOI. Meanwhile, I ditched Anki for now, and I’m working on improving my reading speed. We’ll see if there’s any change!
Kindle Paperwhite: Powerful for Japanese Study
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.
N1, Take Three
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.
Off to DC
Traffic was heavy on the way to DC today. I made it safely to my hotel, and studied some. I’ll study some more in the morning, then go take the N1.
Thanksgiving, Black Friday, N1 Coming
We had a nice Thanksgiving. Then I went deal hunting on Friday, all while getting ready for the N1 on Sunday. I’m leaving for DC on Saturday.
Celebrating Pocky Day in Manhattan
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.
Back in Manhattan.
I made it safely to Manhattan, went to Kinokuniya, then settled down for the evening.
Career Forum Day Two, etc. etc.
I was done with the Career Forum by early afternoon, so I went to the USS Constitution, took some photos, then went to Shiki again.
A+ Certified (Part Two: Pass!)
Man, that was nerve-wracking. Part two of the A+ exam was trickier than I thought it would be. I know a lot of this stuff just because I’ve been messing around with computers all my life. I’ve built every computer I’ve used for the last 20 years. (Except for laptops.) But if you ask me … Continue reading
A+ Part One: Pass!
Passed the first part of my A+ Certification. Woot. Now I have to get ready for my sis and nephew’s visit this weekend. Part two is in ten days. Gotta hustle!
Miku 3.0 Bundle
Crypton announced a great deal for people who own previous version of one of their Vocaloid sound banks, but getting it at that attractive price took a few extra steps. Still, it’s a great deal, and using a forwarding service, it’s pretty easy to get. (If you know Japanese!)
Anki Assault / Piano Practice
I’m dumping tons of new content into Anki now, which I’ve finally upgraded to 2.0. The upgrade wasn’t that bad. And I’ll need it for the N1 and A+ exams. Greenshot and e.Typist are making my exam prep a lot easier, too, helping me OCR stuff and dump it into Anki. Also, the piano class is a lot of fun.
Progress Report
I bring up a lot of ideas for personal projects… so what’s going on with them? Well, some are moving forward, and some are on the shelf for now. GTD helps me figure out what I have the energy and time to work on, and what I don’t.
Headed to Asheville
I’m headed to Asheville for a few days to help the folks out. Also, JOI is pretty good so far. I’m pleased with the classes and the pricing.
Grabbing the N1 Bull by the Horns
My calligraphy class in Raleigh has ended for good, unfortunately. So to fill that gap, I’m going to try taking some online classes at the Japanese Online Institute, which has an online speech/chat/whiteboard way of group learning for pretty reasonable prices.
3D and 2D Resources for Blender, Metasequoia, Inkscape, and Sketchbook
I picked up some Japanese books on using Blender and Metasequoia to help me get a better handle on those two programs. I also started working on improving my 2D drawing skills, because the 3D stuff was looking somewhat “bleh.” I tried Autodesk’s Sketchbook, and it’s okay. I fell in love with the open-source vector graphics program Inkscape.
Another December, Another Try at the N1. (Day Two.)
The N1 was a bear again. After the bear mangled me, I went to Georgetown for a bit, then headed back to the hotel. I’ll be heading home tomorrow.
DC and the JLPT (Day One)
I made it to Washington, DC today for tomorrow’s JLPT N1 exam. I listened to podcasts on the drive up.
Boston Career Forum, Day One
First day at the Boston Career Forum. I was there mostly to do some recon work, to see what the whole deal is like, and hear what the companies there are interested in.
Made It To Boston
A long day of driving, and I made it to Boston. You can read all the grisly details about the drive here.
Jamming With Meg
In one of my stranger ideas, I’m thinking about writing “Grammar Rock” style songs using Vocaloids to help me remember Japanese grammar. You know, writing this out makes it sound even weirder.
Buying Japanese Software Online
There are a lot of really useful online software stores you can legally buy Japanese software from, and it’s a lot cheaper than importing and shipping it all. They can be tricky to use sometimes, but if you already know Japanese, it’s a good way to go.
Rolling my own EPWING
I love cb’s EPWING to Anki program for getting sentences into Anki, but I’m not having any luck creating an EPWING file out of the copy of EIJIRO I bought. Still, E2A is great.
New/Old Teachers and GTD
I have a new tutor for business Japanese. We’re working over Skype. It’s helping me a lot. The more opportunities to use Japanese, the better.
Working on My Japanese
I met up with my first Japanese teacher from when I was a grad student about ten years ago. A-sensei is a great person who will always help a former student out, and I really appreciate it. We had a nice chat and she’s going to connect me with some local folks to talk to.
Keeping Up My Yamasa Momentum
I’ve been back from Japan for a month now, and I’m worried. Worried that my Japanese is going to rust and fall apart, because I don’t have much of a chance to use it here. So I’m getting into high gear to find a way to keep it going.
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.
Fushigi na Tokoro
I’m happy with my test results. Overall, I’ve learned a bunch since coming to Yamasa. We said goodbye in JBPP, had a big Christmas party at ZigZag, and I packed some more. Tomorrow is the closing ceremony, and I leave for Tokyo!
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.
A Master of Saying Nothing
Getting ready for the big test tomorrow; mastering how to say nothing; one last trip to Nagoya to pick up supplies and souvenirs. I’m going to really miss living in Okazaki!
Jiko PR, Entry Sheets, Shopping and Shipping.
Yesterday’s grammar re-test went well. I owe M-sensei a lot. She’s been great. I also learned about Jiko PR, Entry Sheets, and about the concept of bragging without bragging.
Re-testing and Re-testing.
Short update on handing in the writing re-test, more Japanese resume writing, and getting ready for the grammar re-test tomorrow.
The Aptitude Test Redux
After taking the aptitude test again, we took more phone messages in JBPP. Then I had tea with S-buchou, who had some great advice for me about my calligraphy.
More Tests
Conversation and writing tests today. I’m pleased at how I’m able to express myself in Japanese since I got here.
Calligraphy Lesson
Today was my first calligraphy lesson in Japan. I’ve been doing it for about five years in the US, but I’ve never had a chance to study it here. It was a lot of fun. Thanks to the teacher’s info, I’ll probably go to Toyohashi this weekend for supplies.
N is for Nagoya and N is for N1
I went to Aichi Gakuin University in Nisshin to take the JLPT N1, then did a little shopping in Nagoya. This was my first try at the N1, and it was a bear.
Nonbiri Saturday
A bit of a relaxed Saturday, with a few errands around town, and general chilling out before the JLPT N1 tomorrow in Nagoya. That’s going to be busy.
Kitsutsuki and Mokumoku
I love the food at Kitsutsuki on the Yamasa campus. Get the A set. I also went to Nagoya to do some shopping, and ate at Mokumoku again. Dumping food over the rice in the bowl is really tasty, too.
Genkan Confessional
I accidentally committed one of the big no-nos of living in Japan, but everything turned out okay. Also, next week is going to be full of tests. Yay.
Candy Ensures Exam Success
Lots of testing today: listening, grammar, and re-submitting my essay from last week. Also, good luck/bad luck superstitions around tests in Japan are pretty popular.
I Can’t Quit You…
I’m still learning how to say “No” politely in Japanese, and I’m finding it’s a lot harder that I thought. And I thought it was hard to begin with!
Postcards From the JBPP Edge, How to Read Japanese Food Labels
Final exam for N1 grammar, tests on Wednesday, and we’re learning how to mail letters in JBPP.
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.
My Manly Hat
I bought a 100 yen manly hat, found someone to take my extra supplies, and I found a room for one night in Kyoto, but not two.
Feeling the Heat, and the Cold
Today was my interview test in JBPP, and it was pretty stressful trying to remember everything I need to do in the proper order. Japanese-sized clothes still don’t fit. Also, Family Mart gloves save me from freezing.
Brief Update
I did well on my sakubun test, practiced asking for favors, and I’m going to try to go to Kyoto this weekend. (Along with the rest of Japan, it seems.)
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!
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
In spite of the pouring rain, I went to Nagoya, saw the Tokugawa Art Museum, shopped a bit, and made a full day out of it.
Cushion Words Are Not a Kind of Pillow Talk
I had a nice chat with P-san, learned all about “Cushion Words” in JBPP, and watched the bad mixing of beer and FaceBook (by other people.)
Not to Brag, But I Think I Did Well on My Tests…
The writing and conversation exams went pretty well. Even now, though, I still have a lot to learn about Yamasa. Today in JBPP, we covered job interviews and all of the things that need to be done the proper way.
I Regret Nothing… Except Maybe Not Buying a Decent Binder.
Sick this morning, but soldiered on. Still looking for a “regrettable episode” to write about. Also, I need to find a sure-fire way to organize all of these handouts!
I Thought I Smelled Smoke…
There was a fire in town today; I learned some polite Japanese.
Makes Me Want to Eat My Phone!
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!
Happy Pocky Day!
It’s Pocky Day! Which means nothing really, because I have work to do. Also, earthquakes and wild monkeys on the loose!
A Short Update
A short update on a few things, and I learned a new polite phrase.
They Got the Computer Store, Too!
Mid-week shopping to get supplies for class, something surprising happened to the computer store, and I heard some mysterious warning sirens.
Bow Like You Want to Get Hit on the Head
Today I learned how to bow, how to refuse something (but not sound like I’m being negative), and how to say nothing. JBPP is handy.
Tested!
Today I had my first big exam at Yamasa, I started learning how to write a Japanese resume, about 内 and 外, and writing about the seasons. Also, the bread truck lady came!
Gettin’ Busy.
Classes are heating up. Things are getting more intense and busier, with full weeks of regular class, JBPP, and electives. Also, I learned something interesting about how to deal with big electronics stores in Japan. And we learned how to answer phones politely.
ã”ã‚ã”ã‚ and é›»å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.
万能æœãƒ¡ã‚¤ãƒ‰ (Bannou Fuku Meido.)
For the past few days after class and in the evenings, I’ve been working with my small group to prepare a presentation for class today. (In Japanese of course.) We settled on an all-purpose laundry wish-fulfilling machine.
It’s Saturday, So It Must Be Raining. Also, Wingtown.
It’s Saturday, and it’s raining like hell. I can’t go to Nagoya, but I can go to Wingtown!
Running to Nagoya Castle
After hearing about an out-of-season blooming cherry tree at Nagoya Castle, I decided to go and check it out after classes ended.
The Daily AIJP/JBPP Life
It’s already time to pick electives! AIJP/JBPP take up a lot of time, so I’m not going to have a whole lot of choice in that area. Also, my classes are incredibly diverse!
And So It Begins…
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 … Continue reading
Hospital, Part Deux.
No post for the last few days, because I’ve been too busy trying to keep my head from exploding. It’s hard work. I felt a bit like death warmed up this morning, only not quite so chipper. So I called in sick again, and decided to go to the hospital next to the school because … Continue reading
We’re Not Through Orientating Yet!
More orientation today, and the å…¥å¦å¼ (nyuugakushiki, or school entrance ceremony.) We got a lot of info about various things, what to do, what not to do, and we introduced ourselves in Japanese. What I said before about this being the UN of Japanese Language Education? I’m serious. We have a bunch of different countries … Continue reading
Orientation and Okonomiyaki in Okazaki
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 … Continue reading
Placement Test!
Today was my last private lesson. But first, we had a placement test at 9 a.m. I knew were going to have it, but I didn’t know it was such a big deal. When I came to Yamasa four years ago, right after I got off the train and came into the teachers’ office, I … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
It’s Saturday, So It Must Be Nagoya.
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 … Continue reading
Back in Okazaki!
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
JLPT Pass!
As part of my trip to Japan to study at Okazaki, an important part of my plan is to take either the N2 again (if I failed it) or N1 (if I passed it.) The deadline to apply is 9/30/11, and by 9/16, I still didn’t have my results from London. I guess going over … Continue reading
Going Back to Okazaki.
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 … Continue reading
Wandering Around Piccadilly Circus
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 … Continue reading
JLPTeed Off
Well, today was the big test. The one I traveled 3,940 miles and paid a few thousand dollars for. I honestly don’t think I did any better than I did when I took it in December. So very frustrating. I know my Japanese is better. I know I can speak better, and listen better, and … Continue reading
OMG Muffins @_@
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 … Continue reading
Crossed Up at King’s Cross
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 … Continue reading
More Stupid Anki Tricks– Using the G15 Keyboard.
I don’t know how many Anki users are out there with Logitech G15 series gaming keyboards (mine is one of the older ones), but yes, they do work with Anki. And by that I mean that you can program the G-keys to do all the answering dirty work for you, just as you would with … Continue reading
Stupid Anki Tricks — Using a Gamepad
This is something I stumbled upon last fall while trying to find an easier way to go through a ton of Anki reviews in a short period of time. I mentioned it on the Reviewing the Kanji forums somewhere, but I never posted it here. Well, here it is for posterity’s sake. Problem: Using the … Continue reading
Android Apps For Japanese Learners
If you’re going to go Android for Japanese first you need a keyboard. I like Simeji. It’s ugly, but very useful… and really, the only good choice out there, to be honest: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.adamrocker.android.input.simeji Also, if you like to add Japanese-style emoticons, then Kaomoji List is a great add-on to Simeji. It’s activated through the “mushroom … Continue reading
Updates on Learning Japanese, Word Lists, and iPhone stuff
Things have been hectic. I decided to start taking JLPT exam prep classes offered at the NC Japan Center, and I find that that has been helping me to focus on acquiring new vocabulary and grammar. For some reason or another, I had gotten a bit bogged down doing the self-study thing. Maybe it’s just … Continue reading
Turning Your iPhone Into a é›»å辞書 (Denshi Jisho)
So what’s a é›»å辞書 (denshi jisho)? Japanese for “electronic dictionary,” it’s a gizmo that’s really handy if you’re learning Japanese. They’re usually full of all different kinds of dictionaries, and now they have things like a drawing pad where you can draw a kanji on the pad, and they will (usually) recognize the kanji you … Continue reading
Great iPhone Japanese Dictionary
I was looking for a good portable dictionary for my iPhone, and I’ve found a couple of programs. One is great, one is free. If you’re going to use either one of these, make sure you install the Japanese keyboard and the Chinese Traditional “draw the kanji” keyboard on your iPhone, and take the time … Continue reading
A Secret to Japanese Language Success: Post Less, Study More
I’ve gotten a lot of great advice and tips from reading all kinds of message boards and blogs, but to be honest, I think the best lesson I’ve learned is that eventually, you just have to stop drinking the bathwater and start getting things done. When I saw the 999th iteration of the same general … Continue reading
Iversen’s Method, Vocabulary, Japanese, Kanji, and Anki
After seeing this post by Vosmiura on the RtK forums, I’m going to try Iversen’s method of learning lists of vocabulary before entering them into Anki. I’m not usually obsessed with getting particularly high pass rates or having high long-term retention percentages (mine is already around 96%), but I have been noticing lately that there … Continue reading
How I Learn Japanese (Now) (part 3) (Kanji!)
In a previous post I talked about James Heisig’s Remembering the Kanji, Volume 1. (RTK1 from here on out.) It’s a really cool book, and I have drunk the Kool-Aid to become a believer in his approach to studying kanji. Sort of. First, I must dispel a myth. Learning kanji is NOT HARD. It’s very … Continue reading
How I Learn Japanese (Now) (part 2) SRS and You.
I want to talk about SRSing today, because it’s the one item that is overemphasized and underutilized at the same time. Using an SRS is a process that demands some care and feeding. It’s sort of like having a sick plant. Some people will nurture the thing for a while, it’ll start to get big … Continue reading
How I Learn Japanese (Now) (part 1)
EDIT: I put the links in at the bottom of the page, in a more coherent order. I also added a couple I found recently. This is something I’ve been wanting to talk about for a while, but I never really got around to doing it for various reasons. But now I want to try … Continue reading
Getting Japanese Books
UPDATED WITH 2013 INFO! If you have suggestions to improve this post, or have stores you recommend, please add a comment! If you’re like me, and studying Japanese, you probably want to get your hands on some books in Japanese. You may be tempted to just go to amazon.co.jp and buy from them. A lot … Continue reading