Flash Me is a flash card program for phones running Windows Mobile. I'm a very big fan of digital flash cards (not so much of actual flash cards) as recall improvement tools.
It doesn't use any fancy-schmancy spaced-retrieval algorhythms or anything like that, but it does have a few nice features that many flash card programs don't have.
Firstly and most importantly, you can randomize the cards that are asked. It comes with a nicely designed desk maker, allowing you to split one deck into chapters and subchapters.
There are three modes, but you only need two. There's one for writing practice, great for Kanji, and another mode for vocab memorization.
Now, you have to be honest and tell the device whether you got the question right or wrong, so it's an honesty game in that sense, but all the ones you got wrong are stored in an automatically created revision deck.
Please find below the link to the evaluation version, which is the full version with a popup message in between cards. Annoying, but its only an extra button push to be honest. Get it!
And here you can find some decks, including a few made by me. Please upload your decks if you make any! FlashMe Group
Shutter is one of those American Japanese horrors. Like The Ring, The Grudge, Black Water (was that the name?), these are movies that incorporate the different-but-effective Japanese horror style with Hollywood's big budget.
I have to say, for creepiness, this movie definitely has one-up over The Ring, but you can see a lot of elements of this movie are borrowed from other Japanese movies.
The main idea of the film revolves around 心霊写真 shinrei shashin (see the previous post), or ghost photographs.
Unfortunately a few of Hollywood's movie traits come through. Namely the beautiful female lead, the American guy who can't actually speak Japanese (but his character can) 'oh wait it's not over yet' ending.
All round not a bad attempt at Hollywood Japanese horror.
Some people like to be scared, some don't. I recently read that this can be tracked down to DNA; apparently a gene exists that makes some people squeemish at scary things, while other get a sick kind of pleasure from it. I'm one of the latter, but it seems many, many Japanese are the squeemish type, especially women.
But when looking at some Japanese ghost photos, I can understand why they are squeemish. It's the middle of the day, and looking at these I got a chill run down my spine.
This will probably be a long article, filled with pictures, so please click the link below to keep reading.
Come on, every guy out there probably wished they were a ninja at some point in their lives. Or at least spin a plastic sword around when nobody's watching.
Anyway, I came across this blog randomly, and it had a few articles on traditional ninja weapons/tools that might be interesting to some.
I've talked briefly about this game before, but please let me explain again. This is a game for the Nintendo DS aimed at a primarily Japanese audience. It's basically a kanji-teaching game, but its done in a unique way.
Basically, what Professor Tsugawa (I'm pretty sure he's a professor) thought one day was, hey why don't we just circle the areas that are the hardest to remember, use all out mental energy to focus on that one spot and remember it that way?
Yeah sounds like a poorly designed X-men power, but surprisingly it works. So in this game, you can go through a few random categories, like business, or everyday life. Only problem with a kanji game like this is that it's not great for beginner to intermediate foreigners, though great for the upper level students.
So why go out of my way to praise a game that I've already talked about before and don't really recommend to all?
Let me explain. Along with this title, the same creators made another game, that was not as widely available (read: there was no downloadable ROM image *ahem*). Now this version is the beginner or lower intermediate's dream. It'll take you through kanji from the beginning of the Japanese elementary level to the end of junior high.
This really is great. You have an actual start and finish! And if you finish this game, then you can go ahead and start on the original version.
For those of you who own a DS and the appropriate hardware, I will just give you the following information. I can't openly condone ROMs, but I will note that the original version's release number is 1305 and the new one is 3454. Good hunting!
Contrary to popular belief, the DS is not only for kids; the Japanese game designer Square Enix has produced a game (and a sequel) that will give you nightmares.
"How scary could is possibly be?" you ask.
My answer is "surprisingly so." The first game, strangely titled ナナシ・ノ・ゲーム nanashi no geemu, or 'The game without a name," manages to simulate the atmosphere of the Japanese horror movie genre. Think The Ring, think The Grudge.
It is what I would call survival horror, in a sense, though the emphasis is on the storytelling.
The story follows a strange rumour of a game. They say if you play this game, but don't complete it within seven days, you will die. Okay so not too original, but meh.
Unfortunately these games aren't available (and won't ever be, officially) in English, so you'll need some pretty hefty kanji skills, even I struggled a little with the thick dialogue scenes.
Anyway, try Nanashi No Geemu, or it's sequel, Nanashi No Geemu: Me, for some scary DS inspired night terrors.
Any time I come across an interesting saying or utterance, I'll post it here. Mainly this is for my study, but it can become yours too!
For organization purposes, the following will be grammar points:
★要するに you suru ni - in breif, the point is ★ありとあらゆる ari to arayuruevery possible; every single ★除いて nozoite - except; save for. Example: １つ除いて、全部見つかった hitotsu nozoite, zenbu mitsukattaExcept for one, I found them all ★遥かに harukani - by far;far more. Example: 彼女は、僕より遥かに日本語が話せる kanojo ha, boku yori haruka ni nihongo ga hanaseru She can speak more Japanese than me by far ★途轍もない totetsu mo nai - unbelievable; absurd ★何が何でも nani ga nan demo - by any means; at all costs ★物ともせず mono tomosezu - in the face of; in the defiance of ★意図的に itoteki ni - on purpose ★恰も atakamo - as if, as it were, use with ～よう you ★猛然と mouzen to - fiercely ★単に tan ni - merely ★仮にも kari ni mo - even as a joke; even for an instant ★たださえ tada sae - even at the best of times; (even) under normal conditions ★とことん tokoton - to the bitter end; thoroughly ★さぞ～でしょう sazo ~ deshou - I dare say; It must be that; I am sure ★～価値がある ~kachi ga aru - It is worth ~ (doing) ★さて置き sateoki - setting aside ★各 kaku - every. Use it before any noun, just like English!
Next up, interesting sentences:
★この遣る瀬無さはとても言葉に表せない kono yarusenasa ha totemo kotoba ni arawasenai - words really can't describe this misery ★天才と狂気は紙一重だ tensai to kyouki ha kamihitoe da - There's a thin line between genius and madness. Kamihitoe literally means one fold of paper. ★彼女の巧みな言葉に翻弄された kanojo no takumi na kotoba ni honrou sareta - I was at the mercy of her sweet words. ★俺、夢でも見てんのか ore, yume demo miten no ka - Am I dreaming? ★テニスではあの子に歯が立たないね tenisu de ha ano ko ni ha ga tatanai ne - I'm unable to compete against that girl at tennis. ★何らかの理由で、学校をやめることにした naniraka no riyuu de, gakkou wo yameru koto ni shita - For some reason or other, he decided to quit school. ★それって俺へのあてつけ sore tte ore e no atetsuke? - Are you implying something? (about me) ★明日は明日の風が吹く ashita wa asita no kaze ga fuku - A new wind blows tomorrow; Tomorrow's another day ★豚に真珠 buta ni shinju - does not go well together; casting pearls before swine ★猫に小判 neko ni koban - similar to above, but can also mean a waste of resources ★蛇の道は蛇 ja no michi ha hebi - send a thief to catch a thief ★のみの心臓 nomi no shinzou - heart of a flea; coward ★信号は青だ shingou wa ao da - the traffic light is green ★うまく行かなかったら、ま、その時はその時だ umaku ikanakattara, ma, sono toki wa sono toki da - If things don't go well, we'll cross that bridge then.
Other words that don't really count as grammar or full sentences:
★一時的 ichijiteki - temporary. Example: 一時的な感情 ichijiteki na kanjoutemporary/fleeting emotions. ★気を回す ki wo mawasu - to read too much into things ★すっぴん suppin - a (girl) not wearing make-up ★しばく shibaku - cool way to say hit/strike someone ★命取り inochitori - fatal, literally means take life, smart huh ★紅一点 kou itten - the only woman in the group ★すれ違い surechigai - a chance encounter ★早とちり hayatochiri - jumping to a conclusion ★逆襲 gyakushuu - counter attack; retaliate ★恩返しをする ongaeshi wo suru - to return a favour ★交換条件 koukan jouken - a sort of deal where for example "if you win, then X, if I win, then Y" ★起立 kiritsu - standing ★着席 chakuseki - sitting ★混同 kondou - mixing, merging ★合体 gattai - combine, unite, fusion
Below are four-kanji-characters. I won't go as far to say they are 四字熟語 yoji jukugo though, because some are made up of two two-kanji combinations.
★得意分野 tokui bunya - one's field of expertise ★全身全霊 zenshin zenrei - complete devotion. It is made up of (all body, all spirit). You can use it as 全身全霊をかける・込める zenshin zenrei wo kakeru/komeru meaning to do your best. ★一世一代 issei ichidai - once in a lifetime; for the first and last time. ★車間距離 shakan kyori - the distance between two cars ★正確無比 seikaku muhi - unmatched accuracy ★荷重移動 kajuu idou - weight transfer ★対戦相手 taisen aite - the competition, the opponent ★他流試合 taryuu jiai - contest between two schools/styles ★全開走行 zenkai soukou - to travel at full throttle ★一か八か ichika bachika - sink or swim, all or nothing ★試行錯誤 shikou sakugo - trial and error ★過小評価 kashou hyouka - underestimation, use with する suru ★前輪駆動 zenrin kudou - front-wheel drive ★百戦錬磨 hyakusen renma - veteran, literally '100 battles practice' ★独立独歩 dokuritsu doppo - self reliance ★短期決戦 tanki kessen - decisive battle of short duration ★日常茶飯 nichijou sahan - an everyday occurence, literally everyday's tea and rice ★一発逆転 ippatsu gyakuten - reversing the tides in one quick motion, for example, winning a losing battle by a sudden knock out punch ★一発勝負 ippatsu shoubu - make-or-break game, a contest decided by a single round ★将来有望 shourai yuubou - promising (as in a promising musician) ★起死回生 kishi kaisei - revival of the dead, recovery from a hopeless situation. Can be used as a verb ★意気投合 ikitougou - when used as a verb, means to hit it off with someone
I realize it's an older drama, but Bambino is a good one, that touched close to home. The story revolves around Ban (伴), a wannabe chef who goes from a small Fukuoka Italian restaurant to a super-popular one in Roppongi, Tokyo.
The story follows his hardships, and his struggle to become a good chef. Great story, plays out like a manga, wouldn't be surprised if that's where it's from.
Anyway, it might come in handy if you want to learn some new words relating to restaurants, especially speaking to the customer.
Of course you can also refer to this page to learn a lot of other restaurant-related words, but here are a few more phrases from the show.
ご案内いたします goannai itashimasu - I'll show you to your seats
ごゆっくりどうぞ goyukkuri douzo - Take your time and relax
お決まりになりましたら、お呼び下さいませ okimari ni narimashitara, oyobi kudasaimase - When you have made your decisions, please call for me
ご無沙汰しております gobusata shite orimasu - Long time no sea (polite)
またいらっしゃって頂けたんですね mata irassahtte itadaketan desu ne - You came again (friendly)
確か、福岡の方ですよね tashika fukuoka no kata desu yo ne - If I recall, you're from Fukuoka, right?
素敵な女性は忘れたくても、忘れることが出来ません suteki na josei wa wasuretakutemo, wasureru koto ga dekimasen - I couldn't forget a beautiful women even if I tried.
In the YouTube video below, the interpreter did not correctly translate what the reporter was saying. This is an (admittedly very extreme) example of why it is very important to translate correctly when one is in the position of interpreter.
The woman (apparently, in Portugese) said something more along the line of: "A man is stronger than a woman, so how long would it take for a woman to choke someone?"
Just working and living in an 'international city' like Auckland can be study in itself, as far as sociology goes. With such a wealth of ethnicity and language surrounding you, you can really get a free ticket to a higher understanding of the impact and implications of culture.
Why talk about culture? Well, as I may have talked about before (or definitely should), culture and language are and intertwined interlocked; there's no separating them. The language of a group (nation, community, family) will reflect their beliefs, values and morals.
Anyway, back on track. It's the little differences that can really surprise you. One that I use as a prime example is what I call 'Korean Restaurant Culture.'
If you've ever been to a Korean restaurant (you know the ones, BBQ Pork, cheap, relatively tasty) you'll probably notice the difference between the service there and say the service at a Western restaurant. Auckland's main street must have about 20 Korean restaurants, and I've been to a few of them and the trends are there.
One thing I've noticed is rarely do the staff wear uniforms, save perhaps an apron, and most of the time you can forget the excessive politeness that you would usually get at a Western restaurant. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, just pointing out a few observations. Is this what restaurants are like in Korea? I really should go some time.
Working in a restaurant myself I'd have to say there are three types of customers that annoy me: Old, rich, pompous customers, the noisy young customers, and rude Koreans. Perhaps rude is not a word I should use when trying to talk about differences in culture. What I perceive as rude may be commonplace in Korean culture.
Oftentimes Korean (though of course not limited to Korean people, the majority are) customers will slide the door open, and head straight on in, ignoring the staff who wait at the entrance to greet, as about reservations etc. and go and sit down at the biggest, best positioned table. It's a lot of fun to see these customers bewildered when surrounded by 'RESERVED' signs on every table, and even more pleasurable to tell them that there is nowhere for them to sit. Evil delights.
But yes, that is just one example of how cultures can conflict when one side does something seemingly harmless. Another interesting little example is a regional culture difference that I first heard in a lecture at university. Although in my hometown (and to varying degrees, Auckland), it is normal to thank a bus driver, in the nation's capital apparently this isn't common practice. Yes, even a little thing like this can come down to a cultural question - is it necessary to thank a bus driver in your city?
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