Language Learning and the Logic of Large Groups
Some thoughts about blog statistics and considering language learning as part of human nature.
Category Archives: Aside
実力 (jitsuryoku): “Expertability” and when skill really matters
In this I talk about the idea of classifying things in terms of whether real skill (実力) really matters or not, which I call “expertability”, and then talk about language study and translation in that context.
Japanese fairy tales now available free on Kanshudo (a Japanese learning site)
One of my translations of a classic Japanese fairy tale is now available for free on Kanshudo, a full-featured site for learning Japanese.
Ukemi: Aikido and the art of rolling with the punches
A discussion about “ukemi” (受け身), a core part of aikido and one of the things I really enjoy about this traditional Japanese martial art.
A prominent figure in Japanese SF and one of the first dystopian novels (+ a book sale)
(Update: the book sale referred to in this article is no longer active, but you can find a book of Juza Unno’s stories available here.) Science Fiction lovers have a lot to enjoy in Japanese literature, with great authors like Sakyo Komatsu, Taiyo Fujii, Project Itoh, and Kobo Abe. But if you go back a… Read More »
Oregon Ki Society: Learning mindfulness, self-control, and Aikido in and around Portland
In this article I give a detailed overview of Oregon Ki Society, an organization dedicated to spreading the teachings of Koichi Tohei that include Ki-Aikido and Ki principles. While Ki-Aikido is a martial art, the principles learned at OKS can be applied in many areas of your daily life, promoting things like mindfulness and self-control.
Juza Unno SF story available in audio narration form on Historyradio.org radio program
The other day I wrote a post about how one of the science fiction stories I translated was published on a site that deals with various historically-relevant pieces of literature and other historical information. But it turns out that the main focus of that website is actually a radio station which streams historically relevant content… Read More »
Dystopian SF Novel review: “Cash Crash Jubilee” by Eli K.P.William
I reviewed “Cash Crash Jubilee”, a dystopian SF novel I found terribly entertaining that’s set in an all-too-realistic Japan.
A new YouTube channel for piano music
I finally decided to share some of my spontaneous piano pieces in the form of a new YouTube channel: “J.D.’s Piano of the Moment”.
Hey man, where’s my drone? (a tale of a runaway UAV) [w/ Japanese vocabulary list]
I finally decided to shell out some serious money for a prosumer drone. Little did I know that our time together would only be a few days… (includes a Japanese vocabulary list of drone-related words)