Long Time Expat In Japan
I feel a little better about my kanji this month. I took a break for about a month for summer vacation and also work. But I came back with a fresh perspective. And the characters kind of reflect that. The following say (basically) precise pen, spare ink, where spare means not too much. If you … Continue reading August Shodo
How they are remembered...
I don't usually write with a cursive style with kanji. In my shodo society, they want you to know the basics first. Makes sense. Sensei does an annual art show at the local bank. This year, I'm contributing the following. Since it's not the regular submission, I can do whatever I want. And I wanted … Continue reading Cursive
Most of the kanji we practice in my shodo society comes from Chinese poetry. Sometimes it's obscure and indecipherable, others it's pretty straightforward. Most of the time, I just write it and try hard to make it pretty. Hey, that's the idea, right? But this month, I looked into the origins. This month is from … Continue reading Reflections of an Early Spring Journey in ChangAn
The pressure is on. Now that I'm 1kyu, I'm worried I can keep the same level of quality. The below ain't bad but is it 1kyu ? Same here for 3kyu in kanji.
I'm starting to think that I should have taken these leveling tests a long time ago. The monthly grind is good, but progress is gradual. Then I take this test and Bam! 2 levels, or 3. Kana has been my strong suit all along, much to my surprise, and this time is no exception. I … Continue reading Results
I just submitted some kana for a level up test. This is the first time that I get to choose what to write, how to write it, and how to arrange it on a page. It was like trying to play improvisational jazz after two piano lessons. I was paralyzed. I finally struggled through and … Continue reading Testing Up
Kanji for Feb, a little better than usual. Still struggling, but at least it's balanced. Kana is still about right. No leveling here, but solid stuff, imho.
A little over 2 years back I started shodo with my daughter. On the surface, it was all about helping her get over a slump at school. She had gotten a bad test grade in kanji, and she needed a boost. Or maybe it was about making it fun, or maybe she could teach her … Continue reading Testing Shodo
It's been a long time since I've leveled up in shodo. I've been plodding along for months now. One or two times, I was at the bottom of the pile even. You see, they rank your submissions. The better you write, the further to the right they put your name. And when they think you're … Continue reading Long Time No See – Level Up!
B.S. Donovan 