![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I was kinda stunned today when I was teaching the singing lady. We had a great time catching up over new year's, of course and I was showing off pics from my trip. We got to sea turtle and seahorse from Kagoshima aquarium and she couldn't remember the kanji for turtle. I was kinda surprised and tried to explain that it was similar to the kanji for dragon but she didn't get it so I looked it up to show her (since I can recognize it but not write it, or rather, I couldn't earlier today and can now). Since seahorse is "dragon" in Japanese she had to write down that kanji too and saw what I had been getting at. But damn, how weird is it to know the kanji when your Japanese friend doesn't? (Even if I did learn it from Dragonball of all things...)
I've been working on my book a lot recently. It's much easier to write now that I've let the characters solidify though I could have started writing a lot earlier than this so it's only fair I feel guilty about it. Am only managing about half a page a day, but I can't seem to write any faster so it will have to do.
Have also found the perfect site to study Japanese that gives you tons of quizes tailored to common words, animals, common names or even words made up of familar kanji. The kanji tests are the most fun since I just have to guess about half of the time judging by what I know part of the kanji means (since I rarely know the other kanji). I don't remember much of any of these words that I'm aware of, but I figure it'll make a lot more sense when I see the kanji or word again. Repetition, at least for me, is the key and this way it's not so boring. This last trip was definately a boost for me language wise. Having to fend for myself for a week made me a lot less hesitant to speak and I seem to remember a lot more words that I don't remember learning.
Went back to kickboxing tonight even if it took a serious promise to myself that I was going to come home and be allowed to get as warm as possible right afterwards. I worry about the way you lose all feeling in your toes when you train, even on tatami. The training itself was excellent. The kinda, sub coach guy put me through my paces and taught me a lot of new little things. There's this karate black belt (a little old man who fits every martial arts cliche) who thinks it's so cool to have a woman kickboxing. He spent a lot of time cheering me on today (I guess he was bored). He dared me to attack him while he had a bokken and he's really good (I'd feel a bit better if I knew what he was saying though *L*). Anyway, aparently my defense is perfect cause they taught me how to dodge and then the coach couldn't think of any more advice to give me, though I certainly haven't got that weaving thing down right imo. After that, the sub-coach asked me to fight in the next tournament and I said yes before I could chicken out (It's not obvious, but I hate fighting in tests and tournaments. I only keep doing it because... well, I'm a masochist). After that, I had a break and practiced rolling (my side rolls have deteriorated in the past months but everything else is up to par) and then had some nice practice fights with the other guys. Ja ne!
I've been working on my book a lot recently. It's much easier to write now that I've let the characters solidify though I could have started writing a lot earlier than this so it's only fair I feel guilty about it. Am only managing about half a page a day, but I can't seem to write any faster so it will have to do.
Have also found the perfect site to study Japanese that gives you tons of quizes tailored to common words, animals, common names or even words made up of familar kanji. The kanji tests are the most fun since I just have to guess about half of the time judging by what I know part of the kanji means (since I rarely know the other kanji). I don't remember much of any of these words that I'm aware of, but I figure it'll make a lot more sense when I see the kanji or word again. Repetition, at least for me, is the key and this way it's not so boring. This last trip was definately a boost for me language wise. Having to fend for myself for a week made me a lot less hesitant to speak and I seem to remember a lot more words that I don't remember learning.
Went back to kickboxing tonight even if it took a serious promise to myself that I was going to come home and be allowed to get as warm as possible right afterwards. I worry about the way you lose all feeling in your toes when you train, even on tatami. The training itself was excellent. The kinda, sub coach guy put me through my paces and taught me a lot of new little things. There's this karate black belt (a little old man who fits every martial arts cliche) who thinks it's so cool to have a woman kickboxing. He spent a lot of time cheering me on today (I guess he was bored). He dared me to attack him while he had a bokken and he's really good (I'd feel a bit better if I knew what he was saying though *L*). Anyway, aparently my defense is perfect cause they taught me how to dodge and then the coach couldn't think of any more advice to give me, though I certainly haven't got that weaving thing down right imo. After that, the sub-coach asked me to fight in the next tournament and I said yes before I could chicken out (It's not obvious, but I hate fighting in tests and tournaments. I only keep doing it because... well, I'm a masochist). After that, I had a break and practiced rolling (my side rolls have deteriorated in the past months but everything else is up to par) and then had some nice practice fights with the other guys. Ja ne!
Tags: