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Getting used to a new teacher
Sep. 21st, 2006 10:50 pmTonight's class was an exercise in catching up, and falling behind, and catching up again. Part of this is just getting used to our new teacher's style. At least, I hope that's it.
( details--skip if you're bored )
( details--skip if you're bored )
Yay for Japanese
Sep. 20th, 2006 05:37 pmI am apparently unable to read a registration notice and remember where and when my class is. And this is just one class! ( I've gotten really careless. )
( It's nice to see old friends )
Formal introductions in Japanese are always fun. Last year, we were required to stand up and bow at the beginning and end, but we don't seem to have to do that this year. However, we're asked to say more about ourselves than just our name and work/college status: what are our hobbies, what interests us about Japan and why are we taking this class. I gave a brief explanation of Worldcon, and mentioned that Japanese is also useful for watching anime and for my current job.
The review part of the class was somewhat painful. ( Details for those who are interested, with bonus hiragana )
Next class: new vocabulary, talking about time and past experiences (like "I went to Chicago last year", and "when I was a child I had blonde hair"), and new kanji (which look like the ones for a bunch of verbs we already know.) Fun!
( It's nice to see old friends )
Formal introductions in Japanese are always fun. Last year, we were required to stand up and bow at the beginning and end, but we don't seem to have to do that this year. However, we're asked to say more about ourselves than just our name and work/college status: what are our hobbies, what interests us about Japan and why are we taking this class. I gave a brief explanation of Worldcon, and mentioned that Japanese is also useful for watching anime and for my current job.
The review part of the class was somewhat painful. ( Details for those who are interested, with bonus hiragana )
Next class: new vocabulary, talking about time and past experiences (like "I went to Chicago last year", and "when I was a child I had blonde hair"), and new kanji (which look like the ones for a bunch of verbs we already know.) Fun!
New anime series!
Sep. 9th, 2006 04:40 pmTonight (well, technically early tomorrow morning, at 12:30), Adult Swim will start showing Bleach. I'm not good at describing shows without spoiling the first episode, but I'll try: Bleach is a supernatural adventure/horror show that's funny, smart, and has good character development. At least, that's what the manga is like; I don't know much about the anime, having only seen the first two episodes. When I first looked at the manga, I thought it was too much of a boy's action story for me; now I reread issues and wait impatiently for new ones.
The userpic for this entry is one of my favorite characters, Orihime Inoue. She's cute, sweet, a complete flake, and much smarter than you'd think. She's also very weird. There's a bit in the manga where she proudly shows off a class assignment: draw yourself as you'll be in the future. Her friends drew themselves as politicians, or sports heroes, but she drew herself as a giant killer robot.
I'll also be recording Trinity Blood, another new show, but all I know about that is that the ads show a lot of vampires. Since I usually like vampire stories, I'll be giving it a try.
The userpic for this entry is one of my favorite characters, Orihime Inoue. She's cute, sweet, a complete flake, and much smarter than you'd think. She's also very weird. There's a bit in the manga where she proudly shows off a class assignment: draw yourself as you'll be in the future. Her friends drew themselves as politicians, or sports heroes, but she drew herself as a giant killer robot.
I'll also be recording Trinity Blood, another new show, but all I know about that is that the ads show a lot of vampires. Since I usually like vampire stories, I'll be giving it a try.
Tomato bruschetta
Sep. 4th, 2006 05:40 pmI was going to put this in a comment to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tsuki_no_bara, but then I realized it was getting really long, so I'm going to put it here. I may try to take a picture of this the next time I make it so I can update this entry.
This originally came from a spa cookbook; Heather G. (does anyone know if she's on lj?) made it at one of the group-cooking nights we used to have at her place years ago. I've made it somewhat less healthy by upping the amounts of oil and bread.
You can make this recipe with low-grade tomatoes, but it's best if you make it from really fresh local tomatoes. The difference is astonishing.
( ingredients and a rough method )
tsuki_no_bara, but then I realized it was getting really long, so I'm going to put it here. I may try to take a picture of this the next time I make it so I can update this entry. This originally came from a spa cookbook; Heather G. (does anyone know if she's on lj?) made it at one of the group-cooking nights we used to have at her place years ago. I've made it somewhat less healthy by upping the amounts of oil and bread.
You can make this recipe with low-grade tomatoes, but it's best if you make it from really fresh local tomatoes. The difference is astonishing.
( ingredients and a rough method )
The move is finally done, and I can post again. Yay!
( I closed! And got an air-conditioner! )
I'm quite happy with the new house. The ceiling fans in the kitchen do help to keep it cooler, and I love my new air-conditioner. Current annoyances: the shower doesn't drain as fast as I think it ought to, and the front and screen doors hinge on opposite sides, which makes unlocking the front door a bit more of a challenge than it ought to be. However, if I get a new screen door that hinges on the other side, it'll mean that you have to walk up the porch steps and around the door in order to open it. Which is weird. So I have to think about that.
( I closed! And got an air-conditioner! )
I'm quite happy with the new house. The ceiling fans in the kitchen do help to keep it cooler, and I love my new air-conditioner. Current annoyances: the shower doesn't drain as fast as I think it ought to, and the front and screen doors hinge on opposite sides, which makes unlocking the front door a bit more of a challenge than it ought to be. However, if I get a new screen door that hinges on the other side, it'll mean that you have to walk up the porch steps and around the door in order to open it. Which is weird. So I have to think about that.
I really am a geek
Apr. 9th, 2006 03:48 pmThe latest bits of Japanese grammar from my class are: honorific mode (in which we use different verbs when talking to or about people who are given extra respect, like a teacher), and casual mode (in which bunches of particles are dropped, different verb conjugations are used, and sentence endings are changed based on the gender of the speaker).
( in which I use too many parentheses )
( in which I use too many parentheses )
Anime reviews
Mar. 18th, 2006 05:12 pmHaven't done this for a while. Let's see...
Series that I've seen all of: ( Scrapped Princess, Angelic Layer, Marmalade Boy )
Series that I'm in the middle of and really like: ( Princess Tutu, Last Exile, His and Her Circumstances )
Series that I've seen all of: ( Scrapped Princess, Angelic Layer, Marmalade Boy )
Series that I'm in the middle of and really like: ( Princess Tutu, Last Exile, His and Her Circumstances )
My first midterm in Japanese 2 will happen tomorrow night. (For whatever reason, this term we have two midterms and a final.) I've been studying all afternoon, and I think that's refreshed my memory of the topics from the earlier parts of the class enough that I'll be ok, but I'll only know for sure when I get the graded test back. Sigh. I'm fine on the kanji we've learned, and I know all of the vocabulary and how to do all of conjugations we've been learning, but I'm still weak on some of the particles.
( language geeking )
( language geeking )
I got an A in Japanese!
I'm happy, and slightly stunned. After getting only 75.5 (out of 100) on the final, I was sure that there was no way I'd do better than a B, and I wasn't very sure I'd get that. I was hoping I would, because my attendance was near-perfect, and I did reasonably well in class discussions, and my homework was usually good, but my final and midterm scores were much worse than I'd expected.
( more details about tests than you're probably interested in )
I'm happy, and slightly stunned. After getting only 75.5 (out of 100) on the final, I was sure that there was no way I'd do better than a B, and I wasn't very sure I'd get that. I was hoping I would, because my attendance was near-perfect, and I did reasonably well in class discussions, and my homework was usually good, but my final and midterm scores were much worse than I'd expected.
( more details about tests than you're probably interested in )
Musings on my Japanese homework
Jan. 7th, 2006 04:32 pmWell, I've mostly finished my first Japanese homework of the new year. This is still the same class; since this is Harvard, winter break is followed by the usual study period before finals. So, this fall-term class doesn't have its final until January 18. And then the first class of the spring term will be on January 30. Wacky. I've signed up for that already, because I'm really enjoying learning Japanese, and it is being useful both for watching anime and for running tests at work, so it's fulfilling its purpose.
( Probably too much detail about this homework assignment )
( Probably too much detail about this homework assignment )
Did anyone record Adult Swim last night?
Nov. 13th, 2005 11:22 amSpecifically, did anyone get Inuyasha and/or Fullmetal Alchemist? I went to bed early and forgot to set up my tape, and it looks like those episodes aren't going to repeat this week. I will love you forever if you can get them to me.
(no subject)
Nov. 6th, 2005 03:39 pmInterview questions by harrock
1. Leave a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I'll reply and give you five questions to answer.
3. You'll update your LJ with the five questions answered.
4. You'll include this explanation.
5. You ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.
( questions and answers )
harrock1. Leave a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I'll reply and give you five questions to answer.
3. You'll update your LJ with the five questions answered.
4. You'll include this explanation.
5. You ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.
( questions and answers )
We went to see March of the Penguins today, and it was as wonderful as everyone says. However, the fidgeting child in the row slightly ahead of mine with the blinky shoes really shouldn't have been there, for two reasons: blinky shoes have no place in a dark theater, and, two, I think the amount of fidgeting and playing with the shoes that was going on demonstrated that he wasn't really interested in the movie. For which I don't blame him--just because a movie is G-rated and full of lovely penguins and their adorable babies does not make it a children's movie. Sigh. Maybe I'll try the Somerville Theatre instead of the Capitol the next time I have to make that choice, since an 11:15 (am) show at the Somerville does not seem to mean a show that's full of children.
No spoilers here.
Went to see Serenity yesterday with a bunch of friends. We'd all been to one of the previews, but wanted to see the final version, and thought it was a good idea to go on opening weekend and help with those numbers.
I think this version is a lot better than the preview--the picture doesn't seem as dark, and there's background music, and I think there may have been some added or modified scenes, because things that had been a bit confusing the first time through were less so. It was useful that I'd seen the preview, too, because the theater people didn't remember to turn off the lights in our room, so I knew what I would be missing at the point that I ran out and asked them to.
It was a good movie. Funny at some parts, and serious in others. I'm always happy to see shows in which the bad guys have brains, and use them, and women are not there simply to be decorative and have emotions. I think it does make sense without having seen the series, (though of course everyone should rent or buy Firefly immediately), and the emotional impact of some scenes is obviously heightened by better acquaintance with the characters.
I hope it does well, and that there will be a sequel. *fingers crossed*
Went to see Serenity yesterday with a bunch of friends. We'd all been to one of the previews, but wanted to see the final version, and thought it was a good idea to go on opening weekend and help with those numbers.
I think this version is a lot better than the preview--the picture doesn't seem as dark, and there's background music, and I think there may have been some added or modified scenes, because things that had been a bit confusing the first time through were less so. It was useful that I'd seen the preview, too, because the theater people didn't remember to turn off the lights in our room, so I knew what I would be missing at the point that I ran out and asked them to.
It was a good movie. Funny at some parts, and serious in others. I'm always happy to see shows in which the bad guys have brains, and use them, and women are not there simply to be decorative and have emotions. I think it does make sense without having seen the series, (though of course everyone should rent or buy Firefly immediately), and the emotional impact of some scenes is obviously heightened by better acquaintance with the characters.
I hope it does well, and that there will be a sequel. *fingers crossed*
Anime first look
Aug. 29th, 2005 04:08 pmThese are a few series that I've just started watching. ( Marmalade Boy, Angelic Layer, Rurouni Kenshin )
