Paul-Derek no Blog

Operator

2008-10-13T23:19:00.004-04:00

Hi, this is Basque-san once again...

If I've left a comment on your blog that directs you here, it's because I've been forced to use my old Blogger username because of your comment setup.

Unfortunately, this blog is no longer active. For the blog I'm using right now, follow this link:

www.honya-ch.com/frontier

Thanks!

さいごに

2008-04-26T01:39:00.006-04:00

I feel kind of sad as I type this. I've ignored this little blog for so long now, completely unlike the way it was at the beginning of last semester, and since I've recently opened my own website under a friend's purchased domain, this is probably the last post I'll ever write here.

This coincides with my Japanese class' year-end project, in which we were assigned to compile a CD featuring audio clips, images, and movies describing a major building on the UVA campus. I had the privilege of working together with Keem-san and Carandang-san (a fine group if I do say so myself), and we chose John Paul Jones Arena as the subject of our project.

John Paul Jones Arena, or JPJ for short, is one of the more famous buildings in the UVA-Charlottesville area, despite being only about 2 years old. It's a top-scale facility for both concerts, having hosted such popular acts as Maroon Five, Justin Timberlake, The Police; and basketball games, with Sean Singletary and his teammates gathering their fair share of glory under its roof.

I feel like it should take a while to explain how we managed to complete our project, but it's actually a very short story. All three of us had been to JPJ enough to know most of its brief history, so we were able to compile a draft in no time. Keem-san and Carandang-san were especially impressive with their work in collecting photographs of the Arena, and while all three of us edited our script at some point and time, I think they took it upon themselves to make the most important corrections. Things went so quickly and so well that, at the time of this writing, we've already recorded our respective audio clips and need to meet only once more, on Sunday, to put everything together in proper fashion.

In retrospect, I feel like I was pretty lazy during this project, and probably could have done a lot more - but with the school year winding down, I'm feeling less and less motivated to do much of anything. I don't really even feel bad about our Japanese class being essentially over for the year, as I expect to see Sato-sensei and several more familiar faces next year in Japanese 202. (I'm taking the 11:00 section next year, by the way.) This is more like an intermission than an ending.

But what a year it's been. I'd try to summarize it all, but it would be too difficult - besides, this is the reason blogs have archives. Suffice it to say that, looking back, Japanese class has been one of the most positive aspects of my college experience thus far, and looking forward, it's likely to continue to hold that distinction. If that's the last important thing I ever say in this blog, then I'm satisfied.

Recording

2008-04-11T21:33:00.003-04:00

If you press the "play" button, you'll hear a speech that I delivered in my Japanese class as a major graded assignment.

I'm afraid I'm always the sort to be harsh on myself - I can't say I really like what I hear, especially after I felt like I did so well on a similar project last semester. All I can notice are the times when I stumbled, stuttered, paused, and forgot.

I'm especially glad that I didn't ask Lam-san to record the questions that people asked about the speech later. I know for a fact that my replies were simplistic, poor, broken, and made use of far too many borrowed English words.

But as for the speech itself, I guess it wasn't ALL bad. I can't say that it was a total failure, because there are times when my Japanese sounds fast and fluent. I just really wish I could have kept that kind of proficiency throughout the speech, especially considering how much I demanded out of myself and how diligently I practiced beforehand.

スピーチ２

2008-03-24T22:30:00.002-04:00

Here's the second draft of my speech. I've cleaned up some grammatical errors and cut out a sentence or two, but I haven't been able to figure out how to add additional information or use new materials from today's lesson without changing the structure. I'll get back to this...

中学校の時に私はもう日本の文かがおもしろいと思いましたから、アニメを見るのがはじめました。その時に私の一番すきなアニメのタイトルは「きどうせんしガンダム」でした。今もガンダム (Gundam) は私のすきなアニメです。だから私はよくガンダムのものを買います。

新しいガンダムのエピソードを見るの後で、私はよくそのエピソードに出るロボットのモデルを買って、作ります。たくさんのモデルを作るのは私のしゅみですが、ガンダムのモデルと車のとひ行きのの中で、ガンダムのが一番たのしくて、おもしろいと思います。

中学校の時に私ははじめてのガンダムを作りましたが、小学校の時からほかのモデルも作っていました。でも、中学校の時に作ったガンダムはとてもむずかしかったから、私はてちがい (mistake) をたくさんして、おわった時にそのガンダムがぜんぜんかっこよくなかったです。

でも、すぐかんたんなのを買って、作りました。おわった時にそれはかっこいいと思いました。その時から、ガンダムを十二ぐらい作りました。今、私はしゅみをするのが上手だと思います。

さっきにこのしゃしんに出るガンダムデュナメス (Gundam Dynames) のモデルを買いました。先々週のエピソードでデュナメスの人気があるパイロットがしにましたから、デュナメスのモデルは高くて、とくべつ (rare) になりました。だから、今私はお金がありませんが、大じょぶです。このごろガンダムの中で、デュナメスが一番すきですから。

スピーチ

2008-03-16T19:41:00.004-04:00

So, here it is - the self-indulgent monologue I'm expected to turn in and perform towards the end of the semester. As mentioned, it might look a little similar to my entry of two weeks ago, but it's the sort of thing I'd love to write and talk about, no matter what the language.

中学校の時に私はもう日本の文かがおもしろいと思いましたから、アニメを見るのがはじめました。その時に私の一番すきなアニメのタイトルは「きどうせんしガンダム」でした。今もガンダムは私のすきなアニメです。それから私はよくガンダムのものを買います。

新しいガンダムのエピソードを見るの後で、私はよくそのアニメに出るロボットのモデルを買って、作ります。モデルを作るのは私のしゅみですから。それから、ガンダムのモデルと車のとひ行きのの中で、私はガンダムのが一番かっこういいと思います。たくさんのほかのガンダムがすきな人もモデルを作ります。「ガンプラ」と言います。

中学校の時に私ははじめてのガンダムを作りましたが、小学校の時からほかのモデルもつくっていました。でも、中学校の時に作ったガンダムはとてもむずかしいでしたから、私はてちがいをたくさんして、おわる時にそのガンダムがぜんぜんかっこうよくないだと思いました。

でも、すぐかんたんなの買って、作りました。おわる時にそれがかっこういいと思いました。その時まで、ガンダムを十二ぐらい作りました。今、私はガンプラをするのが上手だと思います。

さっきにこのしゃしんに出るガンダムディナメスのモデルを買いました。前のエピソードでディナメスのにんきがあるパイロットをしにましたから、そのモデルは高くて、とくべつになりました。だから、今私はお金がありませんが、大じょぶです。このごろガンダムの中で、ディナメスが一番かっこういいと思いますから。

Sound good? Tell me what you think, everyone.

Bridge

2008-03-14T15:07:00.006-04:00

Lately, I've had a lot of work piling up, so I've unfortunately been forced to put Japanese on the backburner a little bit. I really do wish I could take the time to get a firmer grasp on the new kanji, but thanks to the effects of Unlimited Reading Works and an exhausting 3-person skit-drafting session last night (the first time I've ever been a part of a triad skit), I don't even have the will to write this post in Japanese. Actually, I'm feeling just plain worn out right now.

But I have to talk about something, right? So let's go with some lighter fare. Last night, some friends and I got together to watch some old videotape episodes of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers that my friend Julie had discovered over the spring break. It was a healthy dose of nostalgia, for sure, but EVEN BETTER was the fact that it was still genuinely fun to watch. I feel privileged to have grown up watching such an awesome show.

We even had the Green Ranger Saga episodes. Anyone who remembers the original Power Rangers knows that those were the best.

On another note, I've been making good progress on this semester's speech draft. For those of my classmates who read my blog (I'm sure there are a few), it might sound a bit familiar, because it's definitely about Gunpla, the subject of my last post. I apologize, but lately I've been successful integrating elements of anime into my class projects, and I want to keep using this method.

But first, it's time to take a nap.

Gunpla

2008-02-22T23:11:00.009-05:00

じゃ、だれが「きどうせんしガンダム」(Mobile Suit Gundam)を見ますか。

私はたくさんのアニメがすきですが、「ガンダム」は私の一番大すきなアニメです。私はメッカ(mecha; giant robots)が大すきで、ガンダムはいつも一番クール(cool)なメッカだと思いますよ。それから、毎週もうインターネットデあたらしいアニメ「ガンダムダブルオ」(Gundam 00)を見ています。

そうですね。じゃ、みなさんはガンダムのプラモキット(plastic model kit)があるのがしっていますか。ガンダムたち(Gundam fans)は「ガンプラ」(Gunpla)と言います。私はプラモキットを作るのもすきですから、よくガンプラを作ります。さっき私はインターネットであたらしいガンプラを二つかって、せんしゅうの木曜日にもらいました。下にしゃしんがあります。

これはガンダムエクシアです。セーバー(saber)がたくさんあるガンダムです。

これはユーニョンフラッグです。ガンダムじゃありませんが、とてもはやくて、ちから(power)がたくさんあるきどうせんし(mobile suit)です。

今、私はもうガンダムエクシアを作っています。ガンプラをするのがあまり上手じゃないと思いますから、はやく作っていません。でも、エクシアを作るのがたのしいで、あとでディスプレイ(display)をするのもたのしいだと思います。それから、エクシアにペイント(paint)をします。まえに、私はぜんぜんペイントをしませんでしたから、今それはちょっとむずかしくて、こわいです。でも、がんばります。きいろいはかっこういいとおもいますから、エクシアにきいろいペイントをつかっています。おわる時のあとで、しゃしんを出して、フラッグを作ります。

じゃ、これはふるいガンプラのしゃしんです。しゃしんのきどうせんしは「さーぺんとカスタム」(Serpent Custom)です。今、ほかのガンプラ八つと父母のうちにあります。

みなさん、ガンプラをしませんか。それはとてもたのしくて、おもしろいと思います。それから、日本でにんきがありますよ。

それから、リンクがありますよ。

If you'd like to know more about Mobile Suit Gundam, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundam.

If you'd like to try Gunpla for yourself, visit http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/.

If you'd like to watch the newest Gundam series, Gundam 00 (currently airing in Japan!), visit http://www.mymenclave.com/. You'll need a torrent client, however.

If you have any other questions about Gundam or Gunpla, just ask me!

じゃ、またね。

Actually

2008-02-16T14:03:00.002-05:00

I don't know who I'm quoting when I say this, but it appears that reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. By myself, no less.

Despite my gloomy attitude in the previous post, I was able to get up on the morning of the 14th and convince myself that I should do something other than sulk this year. Besides, I had a skit to worry about, and until that was done I couldn't be bothered to think about anything else. Things got better after that - I bought some tasty homemade lollipops from a friend and had a laugh when some kids from Shakespeare On The Lawn crashed one of my classes to deliver a sonnet to someone. When I got home, I even discovered that some packages had arrived for me! The first one contained some new Gundam modeling kits, a gift I had bought for myself. The second was a package from home full of my grandma's oatmeal cookies. These tasted wonderful - I don't think anyone could possibly bake a better oatmeal cookie.

After that, I even decided to get together with some other friends and go to Applebee's for some late-night fun. It was a whole lot better than times in the past, when I'd just decided to stay home all day. Valentine's Day can still be rough if you're without a significant other, but I got by with a little help from my friends this time. *Beatles quote*

I kept it going on Friday, when I attended a housewarming party with another group of friends. We stayed up all night eating Chinese food and watching some great movies like "Shaun of the Dead" and "Pulp Fiction." And now it's Saturday, but I'm too worn out to worry about anything. At this point, I don't think there was a need for me to be as depressed as I was just a couple of days ago.

I still did watch Kanon, but unlike past years, watching anime by myself was not the highlight of the day. Turns out that Mai and Shiori were far from the best things about Valentine's Day after all.

ぜつぼう

2008-02-13T22:38:00.011-05:00

*sighs* じゃ、あしたはバレンタインデーです。私はガールフレンド(girlfriend)がぜんぜんいませんから、バレンタインデーは私の一番大嫌いな日です。その日に私はあさからよるまでカプル(couple)を見る、よくないです。カプルの人はうれしいですが、私はいつもとてもかなしい。

バレンタインデーに私は何もしたくないです。ダウンタウンへでかけたくないで、ビデオゲームをしたくないで、しゅくだいをしたくないです。だれもとはなしたくないですが、あした大じな日本語のクラスがあります。だから、行きます。でも、あしたクラスへ行くのがきらいです。

私はガールフレンドがいるのはいいと思いますが、たぶんしょうらいにガールフレンドがいません。ぜんぜんけっこんしますから、女の人がぜんぜん分かりません。ほんとうに。

あした私はたぶんインターネットを作って、かわいいフィギャーリーン(figurine)をかいます。チョコレート(chocolate)もかって、食べます。そして、たくさんねます。

でも、もちろんアニメを見ますよ。毎年のバレンタインデーに私は新しいアニメを見ます。そのアニメに、私のすきな女のキャラ(character)は私の「デート」になります。*cough**cough**gloom* 今年、私は「コノン」を見たいですから、「デート」が二人います。

じゃ、かわすみまいちゃんとみさかしおりちゃんにあいませんか。

このキャラはまいちゃんです。私はまいちゃんがすきです。まいさんはダンスをするのがすきな女の子ですから。私はダンスがすきな女の子がすきです。

このキャラはしおりちゃんです。しおりちゃんはとてもきれいで、ふしぎな女の子ですから、私はしおりが大好きです。しおりはとてもおもしろい女の子ですから、私はたいていふしぎなキャラがあまりすきじゃありません。

小学校の時私はみんなでバレンタインデーがすきでしたが、今大嫌いです。ほんとうに。

Three years ago, I even got dumped just before Valentine's Day, ending the one and only time I ever had a girlfriend...

I don't know how to say this in Japanese, but Mai and Shiori might end up being the only good parts of my Valentine's Day tomorrow. The despair...

Amazing

2008-02-06T19:37:00.000-05:00

In all my time as a Japanese student, I don't think I've ever been as shocked and surprised as I was last week.

I mentioned Tokyo University in my last post, but in no way did I expect that I would receive a comment from a real live Todai student! Apparently this person is currently right here at UVA for graduate school, and apparently my Japanese made enough sense that he or she was able to figure it out - in fact, if I've read it correctly, he or she might've actually been somewhat surprised with my skill. A Todai student, surprised at me - how crazy is that? Even if I'm just flattering myself, it makes me feel good, and gives me a reason to work harder.

I suppose that the rest of this post is directed at that person - though since I wasn't able to decipher a name, I've been mentally referring to him or her as "Todai-san" to now. So, Todai-san, to answer your question: if I were to enter Tokyo University, I would of course continue to study Japanese - but more importantly, I'd like to earn a Master's or Doctorate degree from the Graduate School of Education there. It's always been a dream of mine to live and work in Japan as a teacher, and I think that getting a higher degree in Education from the best school in the country - one of the best schools in the world, even - is one of the keys to achieving that dream to the fullest. In the future, I don't just want to do my job well - I want to be the best. I think Tokyo University is the best school for someone with a philosophy like mine.

And even though I've never visited the school myself, all I need to do is look at pictures of the campus to realize it's a special place. That big clock tower almost seems magical to me - an opinion that may or may not be influenced by some manga that I've read. *laughs* So, I guess there's a romantic side to my aspirations as well. *grins slyly*

I hope Todai-san will read this post, too. Oh, and how's this for one last shock: I have an "A" in Japanese right now. Let's see how long I can make that last...

もくひょう

2008-02-01T16:16:00.000-05:00

高校の時に私はすごい人に会いました。その時から、その人になりたいです。私はしょうらいに日本のきょうしになりたいですから、今日本語をべんきょうしています。

高校の時の人はマイク・バーさん(Mr. Mike Burr)でした。バーさんは私の一年の英語の先生でした。一番たのしくて、あたまがいい先生でした。バー先生のクラスに毎日おもしろい本をたくさんよんで、その本についてたくさんはなしました。バー先生は文学が一番すきでしたから、私はバー先生のクラスが一番すきでした。

私はバー先生とよくはなしていました。バー先生は私にストリーをたくさんおしえていました。その時まえ、バー先生はたくさんの国に英語をおしえに行って、たのしくて、おもしろかったです。それから、日本が一番すきでした。私も日本がすきでしたから、その時から日本語をべんきょうしています。

それから、バージニア大学の時のあとで、私は日本語をつかって、東京大学に入たいです。その大学は私のすきな学校ですから。そして、日本語をつかって、いい日本語のビデオゲームをしたいです。

私は、三つもくひょうです。いいですよね。

Aah, the Japanese I know doesn't really do this justice, but my goals are to follow in the footsteps of the best teacher I ever knew, attend Todai for graduate school, and play some sweet Japan-exclusive games. Ask me sometime if you ever want to know more.

大家族

2008-01-31T15:08:00.000-05:00

A little while ago, I was chatting online with Honya. He told me that he had been checking out 4chan and had found an amusing thread where users had made anonymous posts about their own ideal families of... anime characters. He had already made his own blog post detailing his perfect family and the reasoning behind it, and challenged me to do the same. So, after some deliberation of my own, here is my response:

__________________________________________________________________

Otou-sama: Char Aznable (Mobile Suit Gundam)
Honorable Mentions: Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop), Kakashi Hatake (Naruto)

Rationale: A father has to be the pillar of the household, someone with strength and compassion that the whole family can rally around. As the most famous and beloved pilot of the Principality of Zeon during the One Year War, Char used his strength and compassion to inspire thousands of his fellow countrymen - but with those qualities, he could just as easily be the head of a loving family. He's also someone that my "siblings" and I could look to as a role model. Spike and Kakashi don't even come close, and probably wouldn't want to be tied to a family. *laughs*

Okaa-sama: Haruko Harahara (Furi-Kuri)
Honorable Mentions: Haman Karn (Zeta Gundam), Sanae Furukawa (CLANNAD)
Rationale: This wouldn't seem to make sense at first. Haruko's an irresponsible, lazy, hard-partying maniac with an illegal scooter and a knack for guitar-based vandalism. But you know what? During those rare moments when her maternal instincts are showing, she's so sweet and moe that I can't think of anyone better for the job. That, and the prospect of all-night Guitar Hero sessions with "Mom" means Haruko wins - and she's tough enough to be an equal to Char, to boot. Haman's tough enough, too, but that would make for a military family (oh no!) and Sanae's just a little too sweet to be mixed up in all this.

Nii-chan: Renji Abarai (Bleach)
Rationale: He looks pretty tough on the outside, but Renji's actually got all the qualities you want in an older brother. He's hard-working and strong, and unafraid to stand up for the people or the causes he believes in. He'd definitely help me keep on the right path in life, and help me get out of any kind of trouble I might be in - and if you think I'm wrong, then take a look at the history he shares with Rukia Kuchiki, because he was practically a brother to her as well. Also, doesn't he look like he could be Haruko's son? No honorable mentions here because I couldn't think of a lot of "older brother" characters who were actually older than me.

Onee-sama: Rain Mikamura (G Gundam)
Honorable Mentions: Lynn Minmei (Macross), Tokiko Tsumura (Buso Renkin)
Rationale: While an older brother is someone who shows you all the fun hangouts in town and protects you from punks who make your life difficult, an older sister is supposed to teach you all the important life lessons and help you with problems at home and school. Rain has that kind of honest, dependable nature, and with her around, I wouldn't have to go to "Mom" and "Dad" for help so often. Rain's also pretty creative and tech-savvy, so I could depend on her to help me with that big project coming up. But don't think I'm just pigeonholing her into the "token older sister" role - she's got enough guts to take control of a Gundam and fight for what she believes, too. Minmei and Tokiko are close, but each lack an important trait - Minmei doesn't have enough resolve, and Tokiko would be hard to approach since she's pretty fierce on the outside.

Futago-no-Ani: Takumi Fujiwara (Initial D)
Honorable Mentions: Keitaro Urashima (Love Hina), Kaoru Kamiya (Rurouni Kenshin)
Rationale: Though I think Takumi's the best choice for my twin sibling, he'd probably be the black sheep in this family. Takumi's usually pretty aloof and doesn't seem to have many goals in life - he'd rather be staying out late and having fun, and he's always asking for the keys to the family car. So why is Takumi the choice for me? Besides actually having some kind of resemblance to me, and sharing my age, Takumi and I share a mutual understanding on one thing: the awesome power of a downhill mountain-road street race. Side by side in matching Toyota Sprinters, we'd easily be the strongest tandem on the downhill racing scene - and we wouldn't say a word about it to each other the next day. *laughs* Keitaro doesn't work because we'd just end up a pair of depressed underachievers together, and Kaoru doesn't stand out enough.

Imouto: Noriko Takaya (Gunbuster)
Honorable Mentions: Mahiro Muto (Buso Renkin)
Rationale: Noriko's not actually that much younger than me, but she still counts as a little sister. I'd be disappointed if my younger sister didn't work hard all the time to surpass me, so Noriko wins because she's got the drive to do that and more. Noriko's probably the hardest-working girl out there in anime, so in time our whole family could be proud of the way she achieved more than we could ever dream of. Plus, she's cute, and has some great tastes in music and anime (Van Halen and Totoro, hell yeah!) so "babysitting" her would be anything but a chore. Like Kaoru, Mahiro just doesn't stand out enough to beat out Noriko.

Otouto: Yuuno Scrya (Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha)
Honorable Mentions: Son Gohan (Dragonball Z), Yahiko Myojin (Rurouni Kenshin)
Rationale: Never mind Rain, I'd probably be better off asking Yuuno for help with my homework. When your little brother is a child prodigy with an affable personality, mind-blowing defensive magic, AND the ability to turn into an adorable pet ferret, you've got it made. The easiest decision I had to make.

Waifu: None. I just haven't come across the right girl yet. I'm hoping I'll find one in Kanon, but it's okay no matter what because getting married is for chumps anyways.

Musume (adopted): Nanoha Takamachi (Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha)
Rationale: I'll admit it, I'm protective of little Nanoha. I love to see her succeed, I hate to see her struggle, and when she breaks her armor/wand/self I always wish I could do something to help. If that can't translate into some kind of paternal instinct, then I don't know what it is. Later, Nanoha will make her adopted grandfather proud when she joins the Time-Space Administration Bureau and learns to cause mecha-scale destruction without actually needing a mech. Ah, that's a daughter to be proud of! No honorable mentions because there aren't any other lolis I'm willing to own up to. *laughs*

_________________________________________________________________

Honya told me that I'd surprise myself if I took this challenge, and I really did. Some of those characters came back from some long-forgotten archive in my mind and won the job outright, and even some of the honorable mentions would've made great choices. Rain and Haruko were especially surprising. I'm depressed that there's no one for the "waifu" slot, but I guess I'll just have to manage. I think I put together a pretty good family that might actually manage to live together - and that I'm sure I would enjoy living with in my own anime fantasies.

So, is anyone else gonna do this? Seriously, it's fun, and I want to see if there are any more anime fans out there.

じこしょうかい

2008-01-27T11:31:00.000-05:00

みなさん、はじめまして。そのじこしょうかいはとてもおそいです。だから、すみません。でも、こんしゅうのしゅうまつにしゅくだいがたくさんあります。

じゃ、私はポールデレック・バスクで、一年生です。きょ年一時の日本語のクラスにいましたから、このセメスターのクラスにしらない人がたくさんいます。でも、がんばりましょう。

私はしゅみがたくさんあります。たいていしゅうまつにフットボールを見て、アニメも見ます。それから、ビデオゲームがすきです。でも、今私はおんがくが一番すきなものですから、いつも行くの時にiPodでおんがくをきいています。英語と日本語のおんがくはいいですが、私の一番すきなバンドのL'arc-en-Cielは日本人です。

このセメスターのひまな時に私はたぶん日本語のおんがくのことをかきます。とてもおもしろいよ。

じゃ、どうぞよろしくおねがいします。

Return

2008-01-21T23:17:00.000-05:00

This is just a warm-up so I don't get out of blogging practice this semester. It's once again an assignment for me to post regularly about my Japanese class and such.

Sato-sensei certainly didn't waste any time, picking up right where she left off last semester. I just finished writing my first assigned sakubun. I'm more frustrated than ever at our lack of learned vocabulary, however - my winter break, the subject of the sakubun, was pretty interesting by my standards, and I could've written a lot about it in theory. However, with the little Japanese that I know and am able to use, I could barely muster a page and a half. Pretty depressing.

Hopefully, however, I can keep the same work ethic that nearly earned me an "A" grade last semester, and improve my knowledge to the point where all these frustrations are gone. I'd also like to improve this blog if possible, maybe with some creative new formats, more posting in Japanese, and some non-class related articles as well. I'm kind of jealous of what my friend Honya's done with his blog, and if I had the know-how I'd want to do something similar to that. Not that anyone reads this thing anyway, but there ya go. It's a hobby. I need to research otaku culture and learn about something Honya doesn't - though that's easier said than done. I can't beat him when it comes to anime. *laughs* Maybe I should research idols, like a true fanboy. That might be fun...

I don't know. Just expect changes here soon if you pay attention to this little piece of cyberspace. I'll figure out the rest later - it's late now, and I need to get more sleep than I have been getting.

Retrospective

2007-12-07T23:56:00.000-05:00

Well, the classes are over and only one final exam stands in our way. I'm feeling pretty good about myself. Not bad for someone who wasn't even in this class to begin with.

I still remember those first few days of trying desperately to find an open section of Japanese 101. It was trying, but that would be the least of my worries, as I was able to find a place in my 1:00 section quickly enough.

Things were pretty mellow for the first few weeks, but as soon as new material started appearing, I had to start adapting to what essentially became a strange and new experience for me. This Japanese class was nothing like the ones I had taken before - it was much more fast-paced, and Sato-sensei expected much more out of us.

For sure, I had my share of struggles. I forgot my homework, I didn't bother to memorize my skits, I never made enough time to study, and I even suffered through one week in which I was so incompetent that I even managed to concern Sato-sensei. Somehow, I managed to keep my class grade afloat, though. I could always count on Mallard for some easy, albeit inconveniencing, grades, and when it came time to take the chapter test, I managed to exceed my own expectations. Eventually, I started doing better on the skits, too.

But this week might have been the hardest of all. Between the brutal Chapter 6 test, the oral interview, and the prepared speech, I felt like my true abilities were being tested as often as possible. It was important to me to do well here - I was not planning to move on to Japanese 102 if I couldn't muster a respectable grade on those assignments, especially the interview - but apparently, I managed to do well. I might have even ended up enjoying parts of it a little bit - with the exception of the interview, which terrified me thoroughly from beginning to end. *laughs*

But I digress. This doesn't really feel like the end of anything, since in no time at all we'll all be back studying Japanese with Sato-sensei and some familiar faces again. A few less familiar faces for me, though - out of necessity, I'm forced to switch to the 11:00 section for next semester. So, I'm looking forward to meeting my new classmates, and I'm prepared to work harder to capture the one thing that has eluded me thus far - an "A" class grade.

I hope we'll continue this blog project at that time. I've ended up enjoying it when I've had the time to maintain it - it stands as a testament to all my struggles and triumphs thus far.

Editing

2007-11-30T17:00:00.000-05:00

Compared to the terrifying oral interviews that we're facing next week, this rehearsed speech project doesn't seem too bad. Anyway, I though the peer editing that we were assigned to do was even more helpful in conjunction with Sato-sensei's usual input. Since we as a class are all going to have to listen to each other's speeches, working with our own classmates helped us to write pieces that will hopefully be more enjoyable for everyone. Also, it's much less intimidating to receive input from our own classmates - it's easier to ask why they thought a certain change ought to be made, or even to argue to that person why a certain sentence or phrase should be preserved. Not to mention, peer editing is another great way to continue to get to know our classmates - I rather honestly believe that Sato-sensei does a good job of bringing all of us together as a community of friends.

I learned a few things even while I was editing other papers on my own. Putting myself in that kind of position, and focusing on the errors others had made, helped me to spot and correct a few errors in my own paper. Also, the fact that even the most well-written speeches had a few mistakes in them helped me understand why the written pieces I submit in class so often come back with a bunch of red marks on them. *laughs*

The only concern is that perhaps a few mistakes may have still managed to escape the notice of my peer editing group members and myself, but they can't be serious mistakes if they're that hard to catch. Now, the only issue is making sure that Sato-sensei comes away feeling as good about our speeches after hearing them as we did after writing and editing them.

ドラフト

2007-11-16T22:25:00.000-05:00

I'm posting this speech that I'm supposed to turn in for a big grade in class, but I don't feel like I know enough Japanese, nor do I know it well enough, to create a winning narrative. But here we go. Maybe over the break I'll put some more serious focus into this. What I worry about is if it's okay to say that in high school, I didn't study "the Japanese people's Japanese" - is that an acceptable idiom in Japanese?

今日本ごのクラスはいいです。でも、むずかしいです。

こうこうの時に私は日本ごをべんきょうしました。でも、私のこうこうの日本ごのクラスはあまりむずかしくありませんでした。しゅくだいがたくさんありましたが、やさしかったです。テストもやさしかったです。ダイアロッグをぜんぜんかきましたから。

こうこうの時に私の日本ごのクラスのせいせきはよかったです。でも、私の先生は日本人じゃありませんでしたから、いい日本ごをおしえませんでした。一ねんせいの先生はアメリカ人の女の人でした。それから、二ねんせいの先生はかんこく人の女の人でした。だから、私は日本人の日本ごをはなしませんでした。よくありませんでしたね。

それから、私のこうこうの日本ごのクラスに一人がいました。私は一人でべんきょうして、よくありませんでした。だから、ともだちと日本ごをぜんぜんはなしませんでした。

でも、バージニア大学の日本ごのクラスはいいです。まい日私はいい日本ごをべんきょうします。さとう先生とかわい先生は日本人の日本ごをはなしますから。それから、今、私は一人でべんきょうしません。クラスのともだちといっしょにべんきょうします。時々スキットもやります。スキットはとてもこわいです。でも、私はスキットで日本ごをたくさんはなして、たのしいです。

今、日本ごのクラスにむずかしいしゅくだいがたくさんあります。むずかしいテストもありますから、私のせいせきはあまりよくありません。でも、バージニア大学の日本ごのクラスはたのしいです。私のこうこうの時のクラスはちょっとつまらなかったです。

しゅうまつ

2007-10-23T22:39:00.000-04:00

わたしはせんしゅうと二か月まえに日本ごでぜんぜんかきません。でも、きょうのばんにわたしは日本ごでたくさんかきます。

じゃ、みなさん、こんすうのしゅうまつになにをしますか。

As for me...

金曜日にわたしはともだちとたんじょうびのパーティーをします。わたしのたんじょうびです。わたしはともどちと七時間ぐらい「ヘルシング」のあにめをみます。わたしはケーキをたべます。ソダものみます。

わたしのかぞくはこのしゅうまつにシャーロッツビールへきます。だから、土曜日にわたしはかぞくとモールでかいものをたくさんします。それから、レストランでたべます。ファイブガイズのハンバーガーはおいしいですよ。だから、たぶんわたしはかぞくとファイブガイズでたべます。

土曜日のあさに「Culturefest」があります。わたしは日本クラブと「そうらんぶし」のダンスをします。みなさん、みてください。

日曜日にわたしのかぞくは「Winchester」へかえります。だから、わたしはりょうへかえります。そこで、日本ごとフランスのれきしとけいざいをべんきょうします。

So ends my first clumsy attempts at a full post in Japanese. This was a big step forward - I'm happy about it.

Intimidator

2007-10-17T14:39:00.000-04:00

Was anyone else scared to death when they saw Sato-sensei, Kawai-sensei, AND Wilson-sensei in the same classroom today? I was so nervous I could hardly speak. My Japanese already sounds timid as I speak it, but today I felt like it was even worse.

Somehow or another, I think I managed to hold my own in class today, but it gets harder and harder for me to say the right thing as Kawai-sensei or Sato-sensei ask me more and more questions. I like to think out my answer before I speak, so that I don't make any mistakes - so usually my first question or response sounds pretty good, but when I'm asked to expand or change beyond that, I have trouble thinking of the new sentence. Rarely do I think well "on my feet."

Today, I was so overwhelmed that I finally adopted a new strategy - passing the conversation to someone else. Let's watch Transformers at Lin-san's place! Yeah! Now she has to answer questions instead of me! All right!

リンさん、ごめんなさい。I owe you something after that.

Timing

2007-10-12T14:07:00.000-04:00

After finishing today's Chapter 3 test, I've realized that the hardest part is finishing the dialogue section in time. In previous tests, I've blamed this on my lack of readiness. But I came mentally prepared for the test today, finishing the first three sections quickly (and correctly, hopefully... I didn't think it was that hard, but you never know). Despite having what felt like loads of time at the end to write a really great dialogue, however, I still fell short.

I already know that Kim-san and Sachdeva-san know what I'm talking about. After class, the three of us admitted to each other that we more or less knew what grammar to use, how to use it, and how to make it sound natural... but we all ran out of time. I don't think the three of us are alone, either.

I'm not really sure how to solve this problem, but if anyone's got a suggestion, I'll certainly try it.
On the other hand, the grade I received on that Economics midterm that so worried me last week was actually fairly good. I can borrow some positive energy from this as I head into what should be an exciting Homecoming weekend. I want to see the Cavaliers play a great football game against UConn. I would've liked to go to the concert, too - and there was even someone that I wanted to ask to come with me - but I seem to have missed my opportunity in both of those cases.

Oh well.

Demolished

2007-10-05T11:06:00.000-04:00

As if things weren't hard enough...

I'm pretty sure I just spectacularly failed my Economics midterm exam. I don't know how I managed to be that unprepared for such a big test. Did I somehow manage to convince myself that I'd studied more than I actually had? It looks like I need to add ECON to the list of subjects that require more of my attention.

Now my confidence is shot, and I have an Atlantic Revolutions midterm on Wednesday, right after break. What am I supposed to do about that?

I don't think things can get much lower than this.

しりません

2007-10-04T14:25:00.000-04:00

I really appreciate the fact that さとうせんせい talked to me after class - I'm a student who likes to know that someone is worrying about him. But it makes me feel really horrible for lying to her.

"I'm not just relying on what I already know," I told her this afternoon. It's a promise I've made to myself and others numerous times this year - that I won't let my prior knowledge of Japanese undermine the importance of my studies in this class. But my study habits to this point in the year clearly prove I'm not taking responsibility for that promise - and yet, somehow, I always manage to convince myself of the opposite when I'm asked about it directly. I've been able to be honest only in this blog, where I've admitted the need to improve my study habits again and again. In real life, I'm repeating a lie, and acting hypocritically.

In my heart, I really do want to turn the lie into truth, and put some real effort into my Japanese class. I want to work hard for さとうせんせい if she's honestly concerned about me, so maybe I'll finally be able to create positive changes - as soon as I get my feet back on the ground. The heavy workloads of this midterm week have caused some real struggles for me. I feel like this was my first real test as a college student, and I'm not really certain that I made the grade.

Sinking

2007-10-02T14:07:00.000-04:00

I tried to go against it, but I'm back to my old habit of worrying furiously about everything.

That time of year that I've heard senior students refer to as "hell week" has finally arrived for me. In Japanese class alone, I'm managing four whole projects at once - the sakubun, a skit draft with Patrick, the cultural presentation with McCarty-san, and this blog (which will graciously cease to be a problem once this is published). Add an Economics 201 midterm exam at the end of the week, and two more tests coming by the middle of next week, and you can see how full my plate is with work and study responsibilities.

Perhaps all this work is the reason why I have developed a compulsive concern for my grades. I wonder how the tests will affect them, and how my daily work has already affected them. In some classes - Japanese in particular - I fear the worst. At my high school, I studied the language on my own - I had no one with which to compare my progress, but I was a biggish fish in a smallish pond at the time, so I naturally felt that I was above average. Doing drills in classes now, however, shows me how wrong I was in this perception. There are days where I feel like I am speaking well and thinking clearly - but more common are the days where I feel dissatisfied with both my fluency and clarity. For the first time ever, I have shadows of doubt that I will ever be able to realize my dream of speaking fluent Japanese...

I have to sort this out. I gotta keep it together.

Secrets

2007-09-28T11:11:00.000-04:00

I will begin this post with a confession - わたしはあまりにほんごをべんきょうしません。

That's right, I've studied Japanese little if at all this semester. It's not that I don't have the time, but when it comes to the most important things to memorize - the vocabulary, the hiragana and katakana - I generally have prior working knowledge. (Not to say I'm perfect, though. I missed some words on the quiz today, so I might have to re-evaluate my opinion of myself.)

What I really need to work on are the little things that can only come with repeated practice and experience - namely, correct particle usage and fluency. I hope that I'll eventually master this in class. Really, that's my only option, unless someone is willing to frequently meet and converse with me in casual Japanese.

That said, I have some secret study methods that served me well in high school, and are probably still useful here at UVA. I'll share them now for the first time!

The first strategy is to adopt a mantra to motivate your studies. I have two. The first is this: "Anyone who ever told me I couldn't learn Japanese was a narrow-minded idiot." I feel that studying in defiance of someone or something always brings about the best results. My second mantra is the "Pokemon rule," which goes like this: If I could remember the names and powers of 151 Pokemon when I was a kid, then I should definitely be able to remember 23 hiragana, or 100 kanji, or whatever. (The longer you played Pokemon, the more valid this rule is. So I herd u liek Mudkips...?)

Anyway, my second strategy is to watch subtitled Japanese-language anime, and try to read signs or pick out words I know from the dialogue. It keeps me focused, it feels like practical application, and it dovetails with something I already enjoy. The only trouble with this method is that not every anime character speaks the way a normal Japanese person would! *shock* But seriously, don't let that discourage you.

My third strategy is to keep a constant stream of Japanese music flowing through my ears. This not only serves as a window into Japanese culture (you'll inevitably have to consult Japanese sources to find the popular bands), but is another way to get used to hearing the language. Again, I try to pick out words I know and understand as much of the song as possible. If I'm no good at that, I can at least enjoy the music.

Also, I'd recommend checking out the "Mainichi Shimbun" link that I've posted somewhere. The Mainichi, as it's lovingly known as, is one of Japan's top newspapers and is provided online and translated by MSN. Reading it every now and then will give you an understanding of current events and trends in Japan - which might come in handy for a future project.

And those, my friends, are my secret strategies.

Semester

2007-09-28T10:15:00.000-04:00

Last week, I was supposed to share how my semester's been going. I blogged about other stuff instead. Hopefully, it's not too late to add these two cents.

So, it's no secret that I'm in the middle of my very first semester as a college student - and despite the anxiety I felt before and during my move-in, a lot of the transition has gone very well. I'm getting used to living on my own - taking care of my own chores, getting my own meals, managing my own schedule, and making sure I get enough sleep. I feel like it's easy to adapt to dorm life as long as I have all the necessities. On top of that, Woody House is a really great place to live - the best, in my opinion.

Classes are really exciting, too. I never really imagined how much college professors would transcend my teachers in high school in terms of knowledge of and enthusiasm for their chosen subject. I'm prone to falling asleep during lectures, but Professor Griffin keeps me wide awake in HIST 338. I usually don't take detailed notes, but in PSYC 210, Professor Williams practically forces me to do so. College is forcing me to exceed my old academic limits - and that's exciting.

But while I can be happy about my semester in those two respects, other things didn't go so well. The days that I spent desperately searching ISIS for an available slot in a Japanese class left me continually frustrated and a bit depressed. It took me a really long time to make friends here, too - during the first few weeks of the semester, I constantly felt alone and miserable. I once counted my iPod as my only companion.

Thankfully, much of that is changing. I did, of course, eventually find a way into a Japanese class, and I feel lucky to work with such great people on a daily basis. I hold my classmates in high regard, and unavoidably I think of our class as a family of sorts (with Sato-sensei as the quirky matron, I suppose. *laughs*). After the Activities Fair, I became active in a lot of clubs, as well, which eventually ended my days as a lone wolf. I can usually count on finding someone from CAINE or the Go club or the Shotokan Karate club at lunch or out for a walk - and that means my iPod doesn't have to keep me company so much anymore. (Oh, and I'm in three more clubs as well - and I get the chance to do amazing things in all six of them.)

I guess I'll close with some random thoughts. I'm a really big fan of our football team right now, as they've really improved after bad games against Wyoming and Duke. Supporting the Cavaliers on the field has done a lot to boost my school spirit in general. On the other hand, I was really excited to meet people from other parts of the world, but I haven't gotten to know any りゅうがくせい as well as I would like. The cultural barriers are... more intimidating than I thought, especially in groups. (Case in point: I'm part of Japan Club, but I don't know a single Japanese person yet.) Also, in general, Charlottesville and UVA are much bigger and more diverse than my tiny little hometown, so my head is constantly spinning and I'm not always sure what to do or who to talk to or where to go next.

Oh, and now midterms are coming up. I hope I can study responsibly... I'm worried that I won't get anything done because I'll be distracted by manga or video games.

おなまえ

2007-09-23T20:43:00.000-04:00

I've been wondering... what should I call you if I run into you in "the real world," a.k.a. anywhere outside of Japanese class? I suppose that some of you might prefer to be addressed as (surname)-さん as we've been doing in class, but I imagine that most of you have first names or nicknames that you'd prefer I use.

Technically, I should try to use my にほんご even when I'm not in class, but it just seems too weird to my Western mind to work and talk with people every day and not be on a first-name basis with them.

For the record, I will answer to Paul or Derek, whichever you prefer.

Weekend

2007-09-23T19:50:00.000-04:00

I had what you would a call a pretty interesting weekend.

As mentioned earlier, my friend Danny came to visit on Friday. While it was too bad that I couldn't drag him along to any of my favorite classes or clubs (he arrived somewhat late), we managed to have some fun watching "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" in Newcomb, and catching Bandazian performing practically next door. The latter is of special note, since that was my first opportunity to sample some of our local musical talent - and I thought Bandazian sounded good, reminiscent of The Killers but with a slightly different flavor. Danny and I spent the rest of the night playing some old favorites on the PS2, before he had to leave early the next morning.

I slept in, but I certainly wasn't late to catch our Cavaliers in action against Georgia Tech. The football team's been improving, and this game was a good example of that. While I don't, and perhaps never will, agree with Al Groh's playcalling, I think that Jameel Sewell and Cedric Peerman may yet be breakout stars, and Chris Long continues to prove his dominance. My loyalty to the Cavaliers earned me a bright red sunburnt stripe under my eyes, as well as bragging rights over my "friends" at Virginia Tech. 'Hoos numbah one in the ACC?

My dad e-mailed me later that night telling me he was in China on a business trip... in fact, I think he's in Shanghai right now. I told him to bring back something fun - preferably something I can eat or wear. My friends Alex and Olivia also called, marking the first time in several months that I've been in touch with either of them.

Then, I woke up this morning with a cold - probably the same one that's victimized so much of our Japanese class lately. I wasn't sick enough that I would miss my beloved Green Bay Packers defeat the San Diego Chargers, though. In addition to that, the constant stream of vitamin C that I've been consuming since this morning (orange juice, citrus fruits, dietary supplements, you name it) has done much to keep my cold in check, particularly this evening, and hopefully I'll be in good health in time for the Japanese skit on Tuesday.

Also, congratulations to my hero Brett Favre on breaking Dan Marino's career touchdowns record. If #4 isn't the greatest quarterback in NFL history, he's certainly one of the best.

Worry

2007-09-19T15:23:00.000-04:00

Well, it's about time I got my required weekly blog post out of the way.

Our skit drafts are in, and I'm worried again. It seems like worrying about skits is going to be a recurring theme for me this semester. I guess I don't have a lot of faith in either my creativity or my Japanese speaking skills at this point. Working with Kan-san last night was a boon, though - he's quick to come up with good ideas.

I'm worried about many more things than just my Japanese homework, though. I'm worried that I don't have enough warm clothes to deal with the increasingly cool weather. I'm worried about the score I might have gotten on that test in PSYC 210 the other day. I'm worried about remembering the proper forms and movements for karate, Tai Chi, and the waltz and rumba all at the same time. I'm worried about eating right, and getting enough sleep, and managing my time correctly... and in my spare time, I worry about what my roommate's up to, as well. All that partying seems to have turned him into a nocturnal being.

My family came to visit me last weekend, though, which made me a little happier. My best friend Danny, currently こうこうよんねんせい, is also coming to visit on Friday to tour UVA. He's looking forward to being a Wahoo, and I very much hope he'll be accepted here in the fall.

First

2007-09-11T15:51:00.000-04:00

Now that I've uploaded a proper picture, it's time to get down to business. This is my first serious blog here, so I better not mess it up.

The first thing that comes to mind is this: I'm glad the skits are done. I worried about this project constantly. I felt like I had to expect more out of myself than the other students in the class, because I've already had two years of instruction in basic Japanese (though I'm far from fluent even now). I was determined not to let Yingsha or Sato-sensei down. For the most part, I think that I was successful in that. Yingsha and I found lots of opportunities to work together outside of class, and we didn't make any mistakes during the actual performance. I have to give serious kudos to Shum-san and Kan-san, who upstaged the entire class. I'm not superior to anyone here - even with prior knowledge, I still have a lot to learn.

It's application, more than anything else, that is challenging me in Japanese 101. I understand basic phrases and hiragana very well, so I don't feel the need to study very much for quizzes yet. Speaking from memory in class, however, and writing dialogue both cause trouble for me - since I was the only Japanese student at my high school, I'm not completely used to using the language in conversation with others yet. I think that I might be able to speak with a more natural flow if I could use some of the additional Japanese that I know, but sensei told me not to do that. I miss being able to use "demo" and "soshite."

Still, I'm doing all right. I need to check my syllabus more often, and I probably should spend a little time in the Language Lab on my own. I have very good reasons for taking Japanese, though, and I'll survive this class for sure!

Now I just have to remember to finish the rest of my homework. I'll be able to make Ballroom Dancing tonight if I hurry. I have to get the next volumes of "Death Note" ready for Lin-san as well.

I wonder if anyone else in my class reads manga...

Picture

2007-09-11T14:48:00.001-04:00

First things first. Before I start blogging, everyone needs to know what I look like. *laughs*

I took this picture at the Otakon anime convention in Baltimore this summer. It's a good way to preserve the memories.

The girls on either side of me are dressed as "Persocoms" from a manga called "Chobits."

I think this is my favorite picture of myself on record.