“Sasuke is trying to leave the village, and Sakura implores him to give up that idea. In response to her wish, Sasuke answers her with a simple “You’re annoying”. They are the same words that he uttered back when Team Kakashi was formed… but so many missions have passed since then,and now the meaning that he puts into those same words differs greatly”
Textbooks:
- An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
- A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
- A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar
- Read Real Japanese Fiction
Dictionaries:
- ALC (I use this everyday)
→Expression encyclopaedia- Goo dictionary
- Weblio
- WWWJDIC (with audio clips)
- JWPce (downloadable dictionary for Windows)
- JEDict (downloadable for Mac users)
- Idiomatic Expressions
- Idioms dictionary [Japanese only]
- Counters dictionary
- Hovering dictionaries:
→Rikaikun for Chrome
→Rikaichan for Firefox
→Floating Dictionary for Mac- Current Affairs dictionary
For kanji.
- Jisho (I use this for spelling kanji for if I can’t read it)
- Yamasa (I use this for learning to write)
- A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters
- Associative Kanji Learning (stroke orders)
Online reading:
- Hukumusume Fairytales
- 竹取（Bamboo-Cutting） (vertical writing)
- 吉田秀幸の日記（Hideyuki Yoshida’s Diary） (recipes)
- Chokochoko’s reading texts to help with JLPT
- TED Talks (with Japanese subtitles and transcripts)
- Learning through Films [Japanese subtitles/scripts]
Manga.
- Free online manga
- Vomic (free online manga with voice actors)
- Sound Effects (in manga, etc)
Improving your speaking:
- Japanese pronunciation guide
- Interactive Hiragana Pronounciation table
- Topics for Language Exchanges.
- Bubbly (a Twitter-like app where you can record yourself)
- Audioboo (similar to Bubbly, but also a website)
Listening:
- “Real World” Japanese
- 泣きたいときのクスリ 2007 - ‘08 (radio drama)
Writing practice:
- Lang-8
- www.Japan-Guide.com
- 原稿用紙の使い方 (How to write an essay with Japanese writing paper)
- Shiritori (Japanese word-chain game)
News:
- NewsWeb Easy
- NHK News (audio news with speed controls)
- Mainichi Primary School student Newspaper
YouTube:
- Afternoon Hirusagari
- Jet Daisuke
- バイリンガール英会話
- Analog TV Forever (collections of adverts)
Japanese sign language.
TV:
- Japanese subtitles for anime
- KeyHole TV (to stream Japanese TV and radio)
- 風雲LIVE日本語（Feng Yun LIVE Japanese） (to stream TV)
- 映画で学ぶ実践英会話
Tumblr:
- Kanji-a-Day
- Holy crap Japanese
- Nihongo ga Suki
- Jumpstart Japanese
- Nihongolog
- Nadine Nihongo
- That Japan Addict
- ChilliMuffin
- Japanese through Fandom
- F-Yeah Native Japanese
- J-Vocab of the Day
- ぶらりめし [Japanese only]
- Peaceful Chef [Japanese only]
Those studying in Japan.
- Japanicking in Yamanashi (at Yamanashi University)
- Samxuel (at Kyushu Sangyo)
- Katy in Japan Town (at NUFS)
- Chocotastie (at Seinan Gakuin)
- Kim in Sapporo (at Hokkaido University)
Blogging:
Learning websites:
- JapaneseClass.jp
- The Japanese Page
- Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese
- Erin’s Challenge (with listening and reading practice)
- Maggie Sensei
Other resources:I’ve added more to the list since first creating it. As always, if anyone has anything they would like to add, let me know!
We are like fireworks…: Surnames Master Post.
Surnames are just as important as given names. So, I compiled a list of the websites I use to find my surnames.
“Initially it was A4B1, but to pronounce B1A4 was easier. It’s more interesting to have the alphabet B infront, hence it’s B1A4.”
Paint Bucket Resources: Tutorial: plastic keychains
I know a ton of you have been waiting for this one. Teaching you to make your own plastic keychains!
To start off, I think the biggest question everyone has is what I use to make them. I work with shrink film. You might be familiar with Shinky Dink brand shrink film as a kid. I use Grafix brand white inkjet shrink film. The inkjet kind is relatively pricey compared to the regular kind. If you’re using regular, I don’t recommend you stick it in your printer. Sharpie markers would be good for that.
Alright, now open up the file with the images that you’re working with. Make sure your images are a lot bigger than you want your finished product to be since they shrink significantly.
You’ll also want to lighten the opacity to about half. I go somewhere between 50-60%.
Now print your image out! I’ve found that it works best for me when I have it at the plain paper setting, and standard print quality.
Holepunch with a 1/4” holepuncher BEFORE you shrink them. It’s so much more work to have to punch holes when your plastic is thick!
Cut out your design, leaving the amount of border you want.
Set them on a tray for convenience. An aluminum foil sheet works too, but I recommend cookie trays because they are easier and quicker to get out of the oven.
Preset heat. Your shrink film package will tell you what temperature to set it at, but I find that it isn’t always accurate for me. I generally set temperature to 350 degrees or so.
Put them in the oven. Remember to keep track of time! I leave them in for about a minute and a half.
After time is up they should be super small! Magic!
If your charms are not flat, put something heavy on it right out of the oven when they are still hot and malleable.
If you’d like to, you can seal them now. In my last two batches, I used clear topcoat nail polish. The problem with that is that I need between 3-5 coats of it, and it takes a while to dry. I’ve been experimenting with modpodge.
For lariats, you can use jump rings or lobster clasps.
Here is one that I made that wasn’t sealed. The finished texture after shrinking is a little bit rough. There’s nothing wrong with leaving them unsealed, but because they are inkjet printed, the colors wash right of without protection.
This is one that was sealed with modpodge. The colors become a little more vibrant and smooth and water resistant. Things often get stuck on when applying or drying so be careful.
These ones down here were sealed with clear nail polish. They come out shiny if you put enough coats, but the grainy texture will still be there.
Well, there ya go! Have fun making your own keychains!
SOBBING.
SO MUCH SOBBING.
IT WON’T END.
For anyone who didn’t see it, let me tell you.
The Doctor’s a time traveler. He brought Vincent Van Gogh (who was severely depressed and lost hope in his ability and himself) to the future, to a museum where they are celebrating his art.
I don’t know if any of you are artists (drawing, writing, whatever), but being a writer, this scene moved me to tears. You’re your own worst critic, and feel like your stuff is complete shit sometimes…maybe even to the level of despair like Van Gogh. But imagine someone brought you to a world where people love and appreciate your art. Or it means something so special to them. The thought of it is overwhelming.
I’m probably just rambling, lol, but this is one of the most perfect episodes in the series.
Reblogging again for Krys’ commentary.
I didn’t even watch the episode and I’m tearing up
This episode!!
