Long Time Expat In Japan
I kind of like my kanji submission this month. I still feel awkward and clumsy with the size, especially with the non-cursive style I have to use. But this month was fun if not skillful. Below is my kana submission. While I think I could have done better, I feel like I know more specifically … Continue reading January Shodo
Kanji hasn't really improved since last year, but my rankings among the 3 kyu skews a little to the top. I'm going to try to test up in February. Until then, I plod along with the following, which means think a thousand (times), ponder ten thousand. Which is kind of saying the same thing twice, … Continue reading December Shodo
Book Review Artemis By Andy Weir Note to readers: I spoil as the mood takes me. Understand this in advance. I will not point out when spoilers appear. Assume they start now and continue, willy nilly. I really enjoyed Andy Weir's first book, The Martian, which seems to have been a bit of an internet … Continue reading Book Review – Artemis
image thanks to bladerunnermovie.com Thoughts and impressions. Spoilers may ensue as I write, and I intend no editing. Readers beware. Overall impression; wow. Detailed impression; wow, but... Slightly more detailed impression; I like the following things, in no particular order. The visuals. The pace. The sound. The music (with some reservations). The characters. OK, so … Continue reading Movie Review – Blade Runner 2049
I feel like I'm starting to get the basics. The below is still pretty pedestrian, but the balance was good, and I feel like I started to "get it" a bit more than usual. This month's kana is a waka (和歌), a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable poem. When I was writing it I didn’t really understand the … Continue reading November Shodo
Book Review Dark Matter By Blake Crouch I enjoyed Crouch's first two books in the Wayward Pines trilogy, liked it so much, I bought Dark Matter and Abandon, which I will review later. I was not disappointed. Dark Matter is what Crouch does well, a mix of elements; thriller, science fiction, and love. It reads … Continue reading Book Review – Dark Matter
Shodo has a weirdly important place in my heart. I go with my daughter on Saturdays. My Sensei is a peach. I struggle and progress slowly, yet I look forward to it. I enjoy it because I get time together with the little one, but I also learn, and it is art. I have a … Continue reading Shodo – October
Book Review Born a Crime By Trevor Noah I finished listening to Amy Schumer's Memoir-ish thingy, and I wanted more. I listened to this book on audio as well. I am glad I did. I didn't know much about Mr. Noah. If you're new to this site then you wouldn't know, I live outside the … Continue reading Book Review – Born a Crime
Book Review Wayward By Blake Crouch Book two in the series was very middle book-ish. Good, a complete story, but very clearly the middle of an arc. I spoil like crazy below, so forewarned and forearmed and all that. There is virtually no gap between books one and two. Story wise, it is the next … Continue reading Book Review – Wayward
Book Review The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer I did not so much read this as listen. Ms. Schumer read her own audiobook. This is part of the reason I wanted it in this format. I have liked some of her shows, so I thought that listening to her read it … Continue reading Book Review – The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo
B.S. Donovan 