SOFTWARE, JAPAN, SELF-ACTUALIZATION AND

This weekend I received 2 boxes in the mail that I’ve been looking forward to having.

I now have over 1,000 Kanji flashcards to use as an additional tool for memorization. I’ve been doing quite well with the Nintendo DS routine, but it seemed best to have more than one interface / context from which to […]

I’ve been writing kanji every day for the past few months as I continue preparing for the next JLPT. The daily practice has really helped me recognize kanji when I see them. It also has helped spark a few conversations, particularly when it comes to difficult kanji.
I’ve been able to memorize 3 particularly difficult […]

I have no good excuse for not posting on Friday. I do, however, have some new photos of my turkey.

Cooking the turkey in the oven at COOKPAD on Saturday. It took all day to cook this turkey… partly because it took me 2 hours to figure out how to use the oven properly, and partly […]

Sunday I took the 日本語能力模擬試験　(Japanese Language Proficiency Practice Exam) at a University around Kunitachi station. That station is about 1 hour 20 minutes away from my apartment on the other side of Tokyo.
The test was an eye opener for me. I now realize that I can listen very good, and I can understand written paragraphs […]

In less than 1 week, I will take a full-length Japanese Language Proficiency Test (日本語能力試験) practice exam. The test is on Sunday afternoon on the far opposite side of Tokyo (over 1 hour to get there). The practice exam is a special offer this year for a sub-group of (perhaps randomly) selected examinees.
This year, 2010, […]

Perhaps this photo isn’t so amazing these days, especially since satellite imagery is easy to come by. But, that is where I live now, on that brush of green amidst a sea of blue. I found this photo at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in D.C. during my trip to the US in August.
It […]

I haven’t finished posting photos from the trip to the US, but I am taking a break. Today’s quick post comes after a very long day of work. Preparing and migrating a complete site into a new design / structure / code base takes a lot of effort. Now that the majority of fires […]

Willis Tower is the new name for the famous Sear’s Tower in Chicago. Before having a family reunion at my brother’s house, we got a chance to quickly tour the city for the day.
Places we went: Navy Pier, Downtown (for pizza and a little stroll), Buckingham Fountain, Grand Central, and Sears / Willis Tower Skydeck.
Here […]

写す (copy)
写真 (photo)
字
文字 (character)
漢
漢字 (kanji)

集まる (something / someone gathers)
集める (to gather something / someone)
考える (to consider, to think)
真
写真　(photograph)