Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Japanese Words of the Day

mizuhiki
washi
noshi

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Japanese Phrase of the Day

hara hachi bu: 80% is best
腹八分 【はらはちぶ】 (n) eating moderately
腹八分目 【はらはちぶんめ】 (n) being moderate in eating; stopping short of stuffing oneself

Friday, October 28, 2005

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Things Aya and I Did Our First Year Together

Weekend trip to Toronto (Casa Loma, Totonto Zoo, CN Tower, Old China Town, Museum).
Long weekend trip to Florida (Tampa, Miami, the Keys).
Weekend trip to Chicago (MWKF Tournament).
Thanksgiving at my mother's.
Day in Detroit (Greektown, Casino, Belle Isle).
Two months apart! (One in winter, one in summer).

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Monday, August 29, 2005

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Japanese Words of the Day

米製日本語 "beisei nihongo" Amercan-made Japanese

渋い 【しぶい】 (adj) (1) tasteful (clothing); cool; an aura of refined masculinity; (2) astringent; sullen; bitter (taste); (3) grim; quiet; (4) sober; stingy;

伝 【つて】 (n) intermediary; good offices; connections; someone to trust

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Fall Reading List

All the books that I didn't read this summer, plus...
Ecce Homo - Friedrich Nietzsche

Monday, August 22, 2005

Factoids

From NPR: Since the 1950's, the average American family is 25% smaller; however, the average home is twice as large.

From work: In the US, 80-90% of healthcare expenses are during the last 6 months of a person's life.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Words of the Day

Thaumaturge (alt. thaumaturgist)

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Kendo Philosophy

sutemi
捨身 【しゃしん】 (n) (Buddh) renouncing the flesh or the world; becoming a priest; risking one's life for others
捨て身; 捨身 【すてみ】 (n) at the risk of one's life

zanshin
残心 【ざんしん】 (n) follow-through (e.g., in archery)

rei
礼 【れい】 (n) expression of gratitude

Japanese History

Jomon
Yayoi

Monday, August 01, 2005

Sunday, July 31, 2005

Summer Reading List

William S. Burroughs - Naked Lunch
Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse-Five
Iris Chang - The Rape of Nanking
Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange
Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451
Aldus Huxlex - A Brave New World
J.D. Salinger - The Catcher in the Rye
William G. Golding - Lord of the Flies
Hunter S. Thompson - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Alvin Toffler
Max Weber

Friday, July 29, 2005

Words of the Day

sororate marriage
levirate marriage

Monday, February 07, 2005

"Unique" Works of Ludwig van Beethoven

Balletic:
Opus 43: The Creatures of Prometheus, Overture and Ballet music (1801)

Operatic:
Opus 72c: Fidelio (1814)
Opus 84: Egmont (Overture and Incidental Music) (1810)

Vocal:
Opus 46: "Adelaide" -- song (1794-1795)

Oratorio:
Opus 85: Christus am Ölberge or Christ on the Mount of Olives (1803)

Choral:
Opus 123: Mass in D major (Missa Solemnis) (1822)

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Useful Latin Terms and Abbreviations

et al. (abbr.): et alii (m), et alae (f), et alia (n); And others.
i.e. (abbr.): id est; That is.
e.g. (abbr.): exempli grata; For example.
etc. (abbr.): et cetera; And others, and so forth.
per se (adv.): Of, in, or by itself or oneself; intrinsically.
ad hominem (adj.): Appealing to personal considerations rather than to logic or reason.
sic (adv.): Intentionally so written (used after a printed word or phrase).
viz. (abbr.): videlicet; That is; namely. Used to introduce examples, lists, or items.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Japanese Cultural Words

A collection of Japanese words which are culturally specific to Japan.

下駄 【げた】 (n) geta: wooden clogs.
くノ一; くの一 【くのいち】 (n) kunoichi: female ninja.
詫び寂び 【わびさび】 (n) wabisabi: humble simplicity.
随筆 【ずいひつ】 (n) zuihitsu: essays; miscellaneous writings.
風呂敷 【ふろしき】 (n) furoshiki: wrapping cloth; cloth wrapper.
お土産 【おみやげ】 (n) present; souvenir

Tuesday, January 11, 2005