I love tea I do.

Lyons tea, 2 sugars, good bit of milk, leave the teabag in (that’s the new thing).
I love my tea, like any other Irish person, so it’s weird to find those who don’t like it or don’t drink it. Especially when they’re not lactose intolerant or anything similar. My friend Natasha simply just never had tea up until I offered her one on day, which I think is extremely strange and I think she is the only person in Ireland who happened to “never have tea”. Since any where you go, any house you go to, even the Garda station.Somebody offers you tea. When certain friends of mine come over I always offer a cuppa, but if they’re the type that don’t drink tea, I still ask anyways, because it’s a natural thing to assume they want tea. Not coffee.
I like coffee, don’t get me wrong (black coffee, no sugar) but I really only drink it in the mornings, or in café’s. I love my cafe’s. Coffee, fags and convo’s. Bes combination going. I am yet to find a cafe that make’s a decent cup of tea. They need a kettle, not a water tank thingy. Herbal tea I love too, but I only drink them in phases of trying to be healthy, weight loss for a big night out, and to fix my skin. Oh, and for hangovers, that are extreme, I’ll drink a herbal tea of some sort. One that’s gentle on the stomach and won’t leave me in bed for days after.

The whole point of this post, was no point, I have nothing much to write about. But now that I say that, I actually do. Which I will do…. Now.

I’ve been religiously following my favourite blogs, ones which have loads to read, and the ones which update everyday, or most days. Which are two. The Japan Guy and AJATT. The Japan Guy is entertaining and is about what I like and what I wanna know. AJATT is about what I like and what I have to know to experience what I like in the flesh. Which is JAPAN!

Anyway, AJATT has got me thinking about the “Immersion Process” and how to become a hermit. Which lately, even pre-AJATT, I have started to become. It happens a lot. Not all the time, but now and then, I don’t answer my phone, I have no free texts, so I’m not replying, not bothering with WebTexting anyone back. Not going out (which is a huge one for me), and locking myself in my room away from family and the outside world. I think my “immersion” is starting well, because I am doing a lot of Japanesey things, not as much as I’d like and not in the way I want to do it. Like not watching my Anime without subtitles, etc. I am listening to the Anime and understanding the few words I know, but I am now in the process of taking down the words I know to find tha Kanji or Kana. But now learning them is hard. So, my plan is, to watch over old Anime series, for the next week, take all the words I know, find the translations, also keep up the random 15 words and 10 sentences a day translations I’ve done, and next week start from there, because if I get a few basic words and sentences down I can probably understand that bit more. Which I think is what he’s on about in AJATT, while doing it my own way, not exactly his way.

I still am trying to find Manga websites with the Manga in Japanese. Preferably with Manga from the Anime I have watched, because, well, I’ve never been into Manga, I don’t own any Manga. But I definitely think it’ll help, especially when I’ve already enjoyed the Anime so much. Tomorrow I’m going down to Dublin City Comics to check it out, since my friend works there, I’ll have help, they might have some Anime in Japanese already there. Let’s hope so. I reaaaally wanna get this show on the road. ASAP.. Getting “Remembering the Kanji” today or next Saturday. So I can start that. But for now, I must use what I already have access to and some inititive and creativity. Time and Japanese wont wait for me, and Japanese won’t miraculously plant itself into my brain. I have to chase it down till its stuck with me for life.

So, wish me luck. I’m off to continue becoming “Japanese”!

Bye Bye!

Yes.. More Japanese

After finding that marvelous website “AJATT”. (Type that in Google, I’m to lazy to link it) I have found more, yes more, inspiration and even MORE motivation. I’m beside myself, what a wonderful site, but, I am yet to find a wonderful site with Kanji lists that I like. I can learn if it’s all over the place. So, if anyone knows one, please let me know.

I am officially setting my fake goals, which means I’m not actually setting any goals I’m just gonna get things done and see where I end up. If someone can become relatively fluent in Japanese in 18 months, so can I. Maybe not that timeframe, but my own. I am yet to know what my niche is when it comes to learning languages, since they’re forced on you in school, you come to hate whatever language you have chosen because of your interest in it. I did Japanese in school, and it was never the case, I enjoyed that class. I think that shows an actual interest. Don’t you?

So, my plan now is: Get my equipment. Which is a Kanji book, a few Manga written in Kanji, some ear candy in Japanese and obviously I already have a tonne of Anime I “plan to watch” on my Anime list. I have more “watched” Anime though. Which is bad since, I can’t watch the same thing twice, unless I forget, which is the case in a few Anime. I remembered watching the certain Anime, but not what happened or anything. I’ll hopefully find a few more. Please God.

Before I get all my reading material, I’ll have to depend on the interweb! Good ol’ interweb, never lets you down. I’ve got some reading material on Chokochoko and hopefully I find a few snippets elsewhere. I also wonder if the big bookstore in Dublin sells Japanese Magazines and Newspapers. One or Two will do. I don’t think you would have to buy it weekly since the amount of Kanji would be more than enough. Obviously until you know everything in it off by heart.

Later I’m just going to find the numbers in Kanji and my Basic Hiragana and learn them by the end of the week, or not. Oh and 5 Joyo Kanji. I’ll do that and maybe stick with that same idea until it isn’t fun anymore and I can change it!
Right now, I’m going to find a new anime, I find the subtitles for the intro music is always good to recognise the new Hiragana etc that you’ve learned since they’re so basic and on the plus side Japanese songs are really sweet and kind on the ears. So no worries!

I’m off to do what I need to do in the now!

Goodluck and what not

Becky