This is the first in a series about Metaphysics and how they relate to the new Social Network Paradigm- the Internet and real-world networks beginning to come together. This article is focusing in particular upon the ability of the Social Network to enhance the power of manifestation.
Many people are becoming more and more familiar with the potential of the Social Network to share news and ideas, connect business with customers, share artwork - from music to visual arts- and foster links between people worldwide. However, an overlooked principle is the ability to utilize these networks for the benefit of metaphysical manifestation.
For those new to the topic, 'Manifestation' refers to the ability to create or call into your life the people, resources and circumstances you desire through the processes of forming a thought, followed by injecting energetic intention, followed by acting upon the opportunities created.
The idea of leveraging large groups of people for the purposes of manifestation is not a new one. Church establishments, in particular, are very good at getting multiple congregations to pray for the same thing- literally vocalized intentions, in this case being filtered through a specific deity figure, that serve to increase the amount of conscious intention applied to the object of the prayer.
My first experience with the phenomenon, in fact, came while I was attending Keats Camp- a summer camp that is, like most of the camps in BC, funded by Christian organizations and geared towards converting impressionable youth. One of the staff was a survivor of a rare birth complication- so bad the doctors didn't give him much chance of survival, and if he did survive there would likely be serious brain damage. In response the Pastor of his parents church coordinated a nationwide cycle of prayer in order to help him, and it was these prayers that not only saved his life but let him be a functional member of society. This man would tell the story with such veracity that, though I will never call myself a Christian nor pray to the god of Abraham, I am certain of the inherent truth behind his words. The harnessed intention of humanity is a powerful thing!
Thanks to the wonder of the Social Network, however, one no longer needs the support of a large religious organization to utilize this power of collective manifestation.
The individual manifestation potential of the Social Network became apparent to me when I began my Japanese Language project. While I had some idea of what I wanted to explore about Japan and an idea of where to start, thanks to Khatzumoto at AJATT and Tofugu.com's 100 Best Japanese Learning Resources, there were a few obstacles in my way. With a limited budget I had no idea how I was going to find Japanese in print (the Internet is a great resource, but there's something about turning pages- and I just can't whip out my laptop on the bus!). What sort of Japanese culture could I find in Victoria? I also had to meet some Real Japanese People and didn't quite know where to begin.
Undaunted, I began where I could and started engaging with my project. Along with writing in this blog and posting links on Facebook and Twitter, I would discuss the project in my status updates, with friends, at parties, workshops and the like.
Suddenly, I was finding Japanese in the most unlikely of places.
A friend unearthed a box of classic Japanese manga (circa 1994) in his garage and donated it to the cause. A lovely goddess gifted me with two books on Shinto, Shinto Norito: A Boook of Prayers in the original Japanese with English translations- and a companion book The Meaning of Shinto, which helped fuel my interest in Japans indigenous spiritual culture in addition to giving me a unique way to practice the language! A member of the Brojo loaned me several DVDs featuring Bujinkan Soke Masaaki Hatsumi instructing martial arts techniques in Japanese. To top it all off, a TESL colleague of mine introduced me to a language resource center for Japanese students here in Victoria- all within a week of me starting the project.
All of these returns were completely unsolicited and based entirely on putting the idea into the greater consciousness. The more the Project was shared across the various groups I am engaged with, the more 'feedback' I received. Status updates, progress reports and the like ensured that the project remained alive in the collective consciousness.
Ultimately, my use of the Social Network helped to maximize the number of people aware of the Project, increasing the amount of conscious intention applied and, therefore, enhanced my ability to manifest the tools and situations I've needed to succeed.
Another person who I've observed using this potential to great effect is Dolan Gadoury from Quantum Transformation who has been successfully using Facebook and other social media as part of the manifestation strategy for his Human Potential project, among other things.
The potential for the Social Network to spread and amplify your intentions is endless, so put your dreams and desires out into the conscious space- be it cyberspace or realspace- and harness the Social Network as your Manifestation Station!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Hibernation, amongst Other Things
Foxes may not hibernate, but I really envy brother Bear these days! The sun starts going to bed early and, apparently, so do I... and while this has contributed to an extremely fallow period for this blog, not even shorter days can stop the inevitable flow of determined progress. Like an ice stream, really.
Thats not to say things been moving at a glacial pace- I spent November gettin' me some learnin' so's that I can be a half ways competent ESL teacher, as well as discovering that I really like teaching (go figure!).
I also had a wonderful time putting together the JET Programme's monster of an application which was slipped in just under the deadline, cuz I'm super like that. Now I face the most grueling portion of the JET process: the period of interminable waiting.
At least I have lots to keep my pretty little paws busy with!
The Japanese project is coming along swimmingly- I've discovered smart.fm, a wonderful learning tool that has Japanese vocabulary packages (among other things) on easy to use flashcards. The site provides the 6000 most common words in Japanese in 200 word blocks, placing each vocab word in a sentence as well as having a built in SRS to keep track of when to study! It takes 10-15 minutes to do a module of 10 new vocab, with times decreasing as I get more familiar with the words on the list.
The system also provides a nice mix of new words to review- 2/10 are new, until you've run out of words to review. This keeps it fresh, and the learning moving. I have had to run several blocks at a time, however, in order to give myself a continuum of new material.
I have also been introduced, through the vast and benevolent powers of the interwebs, to Tae Kim's guide to Japanese Grammar an eldritch tome of Nihongoodness that I should have read months ago. While glory of this guide generally defies description, aside from a comparison to a certain guide for hitch-hikers, it will suffice to say that every time I read through a bit of it I understand Japanese a whole lot more.
The next step, of course, is to put all this into practice in a real conversation- easier said than done! Fortunately, I have been able to establish some good connections within the ESL community in Victoria and have had no problem finding Japanese people to... well, mostly help them with their English to this point! I'm still shy when trying to speak in Japanese- so conversations this weekend will be a real test!
I've also got a number of other irons in the fire for the coming year, including some slightly cooler ones to report from the most recent Solstice, so stay tuned! Kitsune-kun has lots of tricks up his sleeves!
TTFN!
狐くん
Thats not to say things been moving at a glacial pace- I spent November gettin' me some learnin' so's that I can be a half ways competent ESL teacher, as well as discovering that I really like teaching (go figure!).
I also had a wonderful time putting together the JET Programme's monster of an application which was slipped in just under the deadline, cuz I'm super like that. Now I face the most grueling portion of the JET process: the period of interminable waiting.
At least I have lots to keep my pretty little paws busy with!
The Japanese project is coming along swimmingly- I've discovered smart.fm, a wonderful learning tool that has Japanese vocabulary packages (among other things) on easy to use flashcards. The site provides the 6000 most common words in Japanese in 200 word blocks, placing each vocab word in a sentence as well as having a built in SRS to keep track of when to study! It takes 10-15 minutes to do a module of 10 new vocab, with times decreasing as I get more familiar with the words on the list.
The system also provides a nice mix of new words to review- 2/10 are new, until you've run out of words to review. This keeps it fresh, and the learning moving. I have had to run several blocks at a time, however, in order to give myself a continuum of new material.
I have also been introduced, through the vast and benevolent powers of the interwebs, to Tae Kim's guide to Japanese Grammar an eldritch tome of Nihongoodness that I should have read months ago. While glory of this guide generally defies description, aside from a comparison to a certain guide for hitch-hikers, it will suffice to say that every time I read through a bit of it I understand Japanese a whole lot more.
The next step, of course, is to put all this into practice in a real conversation- easier said than done! Fortunately, I have been able to establish some good connections within the ESL community in Victoria and have had no problem finding Japanese people to... well, mostly help them with their English to this point! I'm still shy when trying to speak in Japanese- so conversations this weekend will be a real test!
I've also got a number of other irons in the fire for the coming year, including some slightly cooler ones to report from the most recent Solstice, so stay tuned! Kitsune-kun has lots of tricks up his sleeves!
TTFN!
狐くん
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
There is my Father, and there is Myself. And in between are the Doors
"Yeah we're goin to the Roadhouse,
we're gonna have a reeeeal
Good time!"
As my father and I sat alone at Skinny's Grille in Hope, the last diners of the night amidst the 1970s throwback decor, I heard the Lizard King singing in my head- loud enough to drown out the multiverse.
We had just spent the weekend in Penticton attending a Shamanic Practitioner workshop and journeying with the incomparable Dawn Dancing Otter- but the drive home became a Shamanic journey in and of itself.
I never thought my life would have a Hollywood moment. You know, those scenes where you sit in the theater with a tear in your eye and say "Man, thats cheesy!" ?
Some things seem just too perfect in Celluloid...
I watched from the dark outdoors as we made small talk over a mountain of greasy poutine and a couple of nearly-cooked burgers, letting the past slide away in all that was left unsaid.
I half-expected the moment to be shattered by the Director shouting: "Cut! Its Perfect! Print it!"
Instead, we ate quietly while the music played on...
"You gotta roll, roll, roll,
You gotta thrill my soul, all right!"
The Doors' music was an indelible part of my fathers life as a young man. He turned 18 during the fabled "Summer of Love" and, in spite of the fact that the Canadian Prairies are so far removed from the madness of Haight-Ashbury, the spirit of the age left its mark.
My father, a rather private man, had never really shared that passion with me... But isn't it funny how some things never change?
Nearly three decades later I found my own road to the spirit of the 60s. My fascination with The Doors and their enigmatic front-man forever altered my path.
It was through Jim, in fact, that I was first introduced to the possibility of Shamanism as a modern practice- a road that has been calling me with growing insistence ever since.
As a depressed and despondent 21 year old, I spent night after night cocooned in darkness, lost in the melodies and soothed by the words of Jim Morrison, that sonorous psychedelic shaman.
My father found me that way one evening. "Oh, The Doors! I was a big fan of them when I was your age!"
"Mmm... they're pretty good," was all I could say in return, terrified of unpacking my heart.
Amazing that it would take a roadhouse meal to make me realize that I never needed to.
"Ashen lady, Ashen lady
Give up your vows, give up your vows
Save our city, save our city
Right now"
"I had Orion ask my Spirit Guide whether I would retire by the end of the year. He said 'No, but you'll change the way you work.'
The conversation from Penticton had, naturally, focused on our experiences at the workshop.
"I've been looking at scaling it back for a while now. I'll probably work through the end of the year, before I begin phasing it back over the next 12 months."
He paused.
"I think the doctors appointment on Thursday will probably be it. They said the fact that its back means that they can only slow it down, not stop it... there's no way I'm going to spend the rest of my life working."
I barely responded, digesting his words. Though I knew he had been battling prostate cancer for the past several years I wondered how difficult it had been for my father to tell me that his number was coming up.
It is impossible, still, for me to find the words of gratitude for all that he has done for me, let alone for the opportunity to make amends for my failings as a son.
Back in the car after dinner, my father asked me if there was any moment in my life that stood out as a turning point. I answered... but not with the truth.
How could I tell him that we had just lived it together, eating quietly, listening to a song that was not there?
Not with a thousand lives could I find a more perfect moment to remember- the two of us frozen in time as a song wafts across the ages...
"The future's uncertain, and the end is always near"
we're gonna have a reeeeal
Good time!"
As my father and I sat alone at Skinny's Grille in Hope, the last diners of the night amidst the 1970s throwback decor, I heard the Lizard King singing in my head- loud enough to drown out the multiverse.
We had just spent the weekend in Penticton attending a Shamanic Practitioner workshop and journeying with the incomparable Dawn Dancing Otter- but the drive home became a Shamanic journey in and of itself.
I never thought my life would have a Hollywood moment. You know, those scenes where you sit in the theater with a tear in your eye and say "Man, thats cheesy!" ?
Some things seem just too perfect in Celluloid...
I watched from the dark outdoors as we made small talk over a mountain of greasy poutine and a couple of nearly-cooked burgers, letting the past slide away in all that was left unsaid.
I half-expected the moment to be shattered by the Director shouting: "Cut! Its Perfect! Print it!"
Instead, we ate quietly while the music played on...
"You gotta roll, roll, roll,
You gotta thrill my soul, all right!"
The Doors' music was an indelible part of my fathers life as a young man. He turned 18 during the fabled "Summer of Love" and, in spite of the fact that the Canadian Prairies are so far removed from the madness of Haight-Ashbury, the spirit of the age left its mark.
My father, a rather private man, had never really shared that passion with me... But isn't it funny how some things never change?
Nearly three decades later I found my own road to the spirit of the 60s. My fascination with The Doors and their enigmatic front-man forever altered my path.
It was through Jim, in fact, that I was first introduced to the possibility of Shamanism as a modern practice- a road that has been calling me with growing insistence ever since.
As a depressed and despondent 21 year old, I spent night after night cocooned in darkness, lost in the melodies and soothed by the words of Jim Morrison, that sonorous psychedelic shaman.
My father found me that way one evening. "Oh, The Doors! I was a big fan of them when I was your age!"
"Mmm... they're pretty good," was all I could say in return, terrified of unpacking my heart.
Amazing that it would take a roadhouse meal to make me realize that I never needed to.
"Ashen lady, Ashen lady
Give up your vows, give up your vows
Save our city, save our city
Right now"
"I had Orion ask my Spirit Guide whether I would retire by the end of the year. He said 'No, but you'll change the way you work.'
The conversation from Penticton had, naturally, focused on our experiences at the workshop.
"I've been looking at scaling it back for a while now. I'll probably work through the end of the year, before I begin phasing it back over the next 12 months."
He paused.
"I think the doctors appointment on Thursday will probably be it. They said the fact that its back means that they can only slow it down, not stop it... there's no way I'm going to spend the rest of my life working."
I barely responded, digesting his words. Though I knew he had been battling prostate cancer for the past several years I wondered how difficult it had been for my father to tell me that his number was coming up.
It is impossible, still, for me to find the words of gratitude for all that he has done for me, let alone for the opportunity to make amends for my failings as a son.
Back in the car after dinner, my father asked me if there was any moment in my life that stood out as a turning point. I answered... but not with the truth.
How could I tell him that we had just lived it together, eating quietly, listening to a song that was not there?
Not with a thousand lives could I find a more perfect moment to remember- the two of us frozen in time as a song wafts across the ages...
"The future's uncertain, and the end is always near"
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Softly and Often
"The most important thing about brushing your teeth is to make sure you do it softly and often."
Sitting in the dentists chair, receiving a lecture on oral hygiene, my first thought was "Huh, that kinda sounds like something that Khatzumoto would say!" Maybe: "Japanese is like your molars and your ignorance is the plaque. Brush your Japanese softly and often to fight that ignorance. Have you brushed your Japanese today?"
And then there was this other gem: "Flossing once a week, or a couple times a month, isn't going to do anything. But if you take a couple minutes a day and floss, you'll notice a significantly healthier mouth."
Not only are dentists far less scary than they were in my youth, they seem to have an innate understanding of the effects of steady, consistent progress.
Softly...
Why brush softly? Apparently intensive brushing can damage your mouth and cause your gums to recede. An ominous fate- unless you're an Emo kid with a hardcore vampire fetish...
How does this apply to learning, do you ask?
When I first wanted to study Japanese (institution style), which was not offered at my high school, I had to wait until college. I was SUPER stoked to go- I'd been obsessed with Japan since visiting the country in 9th grade. I knew how to count to 10 from karate and a few words from all the anime I watched. I was ready to cut my teeth on some Japanese.
And first thing we heard in that class was this: "This is an intensive Japanese course. Not only are there 7 hours of class each week, you'll be responsible for at least 20 hrs of homework per week and time in the language lab. And you should probably find a speaking partner for a few hours a week."
Notice that intensive there?
Its no secret that I'd never been a seriously dedicated scholar in a 'traditional' setting- But the kind of workload sensei was demanding not only seemed unrealistic for wet behind the ears freshman; it felt like punishment.
I made it through the first few weeks alright before the work piled up and that ominous kanji mallet came down upon my head. One of the first characters we were responsible for was the horrible composite 電話- でんわ, 'telephone,' which has 26 strokes and is made up of two individual kanji with four distinct components. Not only that, the demand for output was increasing at a rapid pace.
I'm not sure the exact moment, but know I wrote the task off as impossible.
By the midterm I was hopelessly behind and my interest (both in the language and the culture) waned through extreme frustration. The final oral exam was one of the most embarrassing moments of my academic career.
The gums on my Japanese baby teeth had receded from too much hard brushing!
But that was not the only problem....
...and Often
Everyone knows that brushing often gives you nice things. Like kisses from pretty girls. But if you neglect regular brushing... ever spent a weekend camping and seen how quickly you get grossed out with your OWN mouth? Bad things build up fast- its easy to fall behind!
One of the major hurdles that held me back in my Japanese odyssey was that I stopped inputting popular Japanese media. This arose from Sensei's insistence that you could only learn 'properly' from academically proscribed material. Proscribed material is BORING, which really killed my motivation to study it. Worse, her assertion that anime and manga were a waste of time for language learning drove me away from the things that had attracted me to the language in the first place.
Japanese that I found fun and beautiful was laid aside, replaced with dreary textbooks.
My exposure plummeted. I started avoiding what I liked because it apparently didn't teach what I needed to know. I avoided homework because it was boring. I would halfheartedly study for the quizzes and exams I was dreading- a few hours a week- instead of the frequent doses of 'useless fun' I'd experienced beforehand. My retention sucked, I was getting bogged down with debris from earlier lessons.
I just didn't brush my Japanese teeth often enough!
Fast forward to today. I've learned more in 6 weeks of AJATT than I did in 3 months of intensive classes. I'll be halfway through Remembering the Kanji by the end of the week. My vocabulary is growing at a steady rate. My listening and reading comprehension is still slow, but miles ahead of what I had achieved in class.
Now my learning teeth are clean and sharp. I make sure I brush daily to stay fresh. If it feels like I'm brushing too hard, I ease up and stop trying to force it.
For now, its time for me to sink these incisors back into some Kanji...
So until next time remember this: No matter what you want to accomplish, brush it softly and often. Don't hurt yourself for it. Enjoy the soothing bristles. Play fun brushing games. Just make sure you brush!
Sitting in the dentists chair, receiving a lecture on oral hygiene, my first thought was "Huh, that kinda sounds like something that Khatzumoto would say!" Maybe: "Japanese is like your molars and your ignorance is the plaque. Brush your Japanese softly and often to fight that ignorance. Have you brushed your Japanese today?"
And then there was this other gem: "Flossing once a week, or a couple times a month, isn't going to do anything. But if you take a couple minutes a day and floss, you'll notice a significantly healthier mouth."
Not only are dentists far less scary than they were in my youth, they seem to have an innate understanding of the effects of steady, consistent progress.
Softly...
Why brush softly? Apparently intensive brushing can damage your mouth and cause your gums to recede. An ominous fate- unless you're an Emo kid with a hardcore vampire fetish...
How does this apply to learning, do you ask?
When I first wanted to study Japanese (institution style), which was not offered at my high school, I had to wait until college. I was SUPER stoked to go- I'd been obsessed with Japan since visiting the country in 9th grade. I knew how to count to 10 from karate and a few words from all the anime I watched. I was ready to cut my teeth on some Japanese.
And first thing we heard in that class was this: "This is an intensive Japanese course. Not only are there 7 hours of class each week, you'll be responsible for at least 20 hrs of homework per week and time in the language lab. And you should probably find a speaking partner for a few hours a week."
Notice that intensive there?
Its no secret that I'd never been a seriously dedicated scholar in a 'traditional' setting- But the kind of workload sensei was demanding not only seemed unrealistic for wet behind the ears freshman; it felt like punishment.
I made it through the first few weeks alright before the work piled up and that ominous kanji mallet came down upon my head. One of the first characters we were responsible for was the horrible composite 電話- でんわ, 'telephone,' which has 26 strokes and is made up of two individual kanji with four distinct components. Not only that, the demand for output was increasing at a rapid pace.
I'm not sure the exact moment, but know I wrote the task off as impossible.
By the midterm I was hopelessly behind and my interest (both in the language and the culture) waned through extreme frustration. The final oral exam was one of the most embarrassing moments of my academic career.
The gums on my Japanese baby teeth had receded from too much hard brushing!
But that was not the only problem....
...and Often
Everyone knows that brushing often gives you nice things. Like kisses from pretty girls. But if you neglect regular brushing... ever spent a weekend camping and seen how quickly you get grossed out with your OWN mouth? Bad things build up fast- its easy to fall behind!
One of the major hurdles that held me back in my Japanese odyssey was that I stopped inputting popular Japanese media. This arose from Sensei's insistence that you could only learn 'properly' from academically proscribed material. Proscribed material is BORING, which really killed my motivation to study it. Worse, her assertion that anime and manga were a waste of time for language learning drove me away from the things that had attracted me to the language in the first place.
Japanese that I found fun and beautiful was laid aside, replaced with dreary textbooks.
My exposure plummeted. I started avoiding what I liked because it apparently didn't teach what I needed to know. I avoided homework because it was boring. I would halfheartedly study for the quizzes and exams I was dreading- a few hours a week- instead of the frequent doses of 'useless fun' I'd experienced beforehand. My retention sucked, I was getting bogged down with debris from earlier lessons.
I just didn't brush my Japanese teeth often enough!
Fast forward to today. I've learned more in 6 weeks of AJATT than I did in 3 months of intensive classes. I'll be halfway through Remembering the Kanji by the end of the week. My vocabulary is growing at a steady rate. My listening and reading comprehension is still slow, but miles ahead of what I had achieved in class.
Now my learning teeth are clean and sharp. I make sure I brush daily to stay fresh. If it feels like I'm brushing too hard, I ease up and stop trying to force it.
For now, its time for me to sink these incisors back into some Kanji...
So until next time remember this: No matter what you want to accomplish, brush it softly and often. Don't hurt yourself for it. Enjoy the soothing bristles. Play fun brushing games. Just make sure you brush!
Monday, September 20, 2010
So, whos a delinquent?
That delinquent would be me! Its been two weeks since my last update! Unforgivable! Good thing I'm a forgiving kind of guy!
Seriously though, I've put off posting behind a wall of excuses- mostly this one: "Gee, I'd like to have my photo and video content done before I keep blogging." This attitude is extremely unproductive, so it stops now.
Where I HAVEN'T been delinquent, however, is in my studies of Japanese! There is lots to report, so here goes!
I'm up to 853 kanji (as of this writing) and there are Kanji post-its appearing on various objects around the house. Its taken me approximately 6 weeks to get this far and I seem to have settled into an average input of between 30-50 new characters a day, while reviewing 100-200 more on Reviewing the Kanji. The website employs the Spaced Repetition Studying system (SRS), similar to Khatzumoto's Surusu that I use for sentences (there are other SRS programs out there too, this is just my setup). SRS is an AMAZING study tool- there is a great description of how effective over at AJATT. I wish I'd known about it years ago. The SRS makes study sessions painless and entertaining!
I've also discovered that Victoria is a GOLDMINE for learning Japanese. There are several ESL schools or Student Centers catering specifically to Japanese in town to learn English. And there are LOTS of Japanese students here learning English! Victoria seems to be a popular destination for the Japanese! So popular, in fact, that some hotel and restaurant job postings appear with "Ability to speak Japanese an asset."
The language schools and resource centers are an AWESOME way to meet Japanese people without... you know... hiding around the corner with a huge net, or setting live capture traps baited with 茶 (tea) and 和菓子 . I even had my first 'language date' last Friday with Akane, a lovely young lady from Hiroshima. My ability to speak/comprehend Japanese is still in the 'epic fail' stage (I was asking for simple query phrases) but she was impressed at my kanji knowledge!
The University of Victoria also has a ton of resources for learning Japanese. There is even a student club dedicated to Japanese language sharing/cross cultural immersion for exchange students and JSL learners (or just 日本オタク like me). I'll probably go hang out at the Anime club too- get some new shows and instead of hanging around the 洞の狐 (Den for foxes) watching anime, I get to socialize... while watching anime :P.
On the immersion front, everything is going well. I have a playlist on Youtube of Disney movies dubbed into Japanese, as well as Star Wars: A New Hope and Attack of the Clones. Its like reliving my childhood! In Japanese!
My mp3 player is also good to go, with the audio for Princess Mononoke and a couple anime episodes loaded up. I need to get in the habit of carrying a music device around again though! I've also begun expanding my collection of Japanese language music- finding 'alternative' stuff is pretty hard- but Bandcamp has been an awesome resource. Not only have I found some pretty good music- with the lyrics online!- I've been able to add some artists to my twitter who post (in Japanese) about other artists and music events in Japan! I'm compiling a list of different Bandcamp links and have it posted in the near future for your listening pleasure!
I really need to be seeing more written Japanese (I've been dragging my feet on changing over to a Japanese OS) but I've experienced noticeable improvements in my comprehension- mostly thanks to all the Kanji I've learned.
A final note: The thing I love about this immersion method is the constant feedback on my progress. I don't need a test to tell me where I'm at... I just have "Wow, I understand that!" moments more and more frequently. Each one is like an intellectual cookie... and boy are they delicious!
Seriously though, I've put off posting behind a wall of excuses- mostly this one: "Gee, I'd like to have my photo and video content done before I keep blogging." This attitude is extremely unproductive, so it stops now.
Where I HAVEN'T been delinquent, however, is in my studies of Japanese! There is lots to report, so here goes!
I'm up to 853 kanji (as of this writing) and there are Kanji post-its appearing on various objects around the house. Its taken me approximately 6 weeks to get this far and I seem to have settled into an average input of between 30-50 new characters a day, while reviewing 100-200 more on Reviewing the Kanji. The website employs the Spaced Repetition Studying system (SRS), similar to Khatzumoto's Surusu that I use for sentences (there are other SRS programs out there too, this is just my setup). SRS is an AMAZING study tool- there is a great description of how effective over at AJATT. I wish I'd known about it years ago. The SRS makes study sessions painless and entertaining!
I've also discovered that Victoria is a GOLDMINE for learning Japanese. There are several ESL schools or Student Centers catering specifically to Japanese in town to learn English. And there are LOTS of Japanese students here learning English! Victoria seems to be a popular destination for the Japanese! So popular, in fact, that some hotel and restaurant job postings appear with "Ability to speak Japanese an asset."
The language schools and resource centers are an AWESOME way to meet Japanese people without... you know... hiding around the corner with a huge net, or setting live capture traps baited with 茶 (tea) and 和菓子 . I even had my first 'language date' last Friday with Akane, a lovely young lady from Hiroshima. My ability to speak/comprehend Japanese is still in the 'epic fail' stage (I was asking for simple query phrases) but she was impressed at my kanji knowledge!
The University of Victoria also has a ton of resources for learning Japanese. There is even a student club dedicated to Japanese language sharing/cross cultural immersion for exchange students and JSL learners (or just 日本オタク like me). I'll probably go hang out at the Anime club too- get some new shows and instead of hanging around the 洞の狐 (Den for foxes) watching anime, I get to socialize... while watching anime :P.
On the immersion front, everything is going well. I have a playlist on Youtube of Disney movies dubbed into Japanese, as well as Star Wars: A New Hope and Attack of the Clones. Its like reliving my childhood! In Japanese!
My mp3 player is also good to go, with the audio for Princess Mononoke and a couple anime episodes loaded up. I need to get in the habit of carrying a music device around again though! I've also begun expanding my collection of Japanese language music- finding 'alternative' stuff is pretty hard- but Bandcamp has been an awesome resource. Not only have I found some pretty good music- with the lyrics online!- I've been able to add some artists to my twitter who post (in Japanese) about other artists and music events in Japan! I'm compiling a list of different Bandcamp links and have it posted in the near future for your listening pleasure!
I really need to be seeing more written Japanese (I've been dragging my feet on changing over to a Japanese OS) but I've experienced noticeable improvements in my comprehension- mostly thanks to all the Kanji I've learned.
A final note: The thing I love about this immersion method is the constant feedback on my progress. I don't need a test to tell me where I'm at... I just have "Wow, I understand that!" moments more and more frequently. Each one is like an intellectual cookie... and boy are they delicious!
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