Long Time Expat In Japan
It was in my second year of college that I learned the meaning of the word sophomoric, conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature. It kind of hit hard. And it was kind of true. It was a time when I learned enough to know I didn’t really know anything. The below … Continue reading 3rd-Dan
I’m not usually one to crow. I learned humility well and early, often with good reason. Tooting your own horn is unseemly. I am from a different age, I suppose. But I am disproportionately proud of this one bit of calligraphy that I did for a level up test recently. So enamored of it, in … Continue reading Proud – and a Little Ashamed of Being So
Ancient Chinese wisdom shows up in my calligraphy all the time. That’s kind of the idea. This week’s pulled on my heart strings a s being particularly true. 翰逸神飛 When the pen flows, the spirit flies.
My kana practice from last month is another waka poem. The rough translation is below. The fragrance of plumsAmong the sounds around youThe familiar chirp of the bush warblerMountain village in Spring 梅が香に、類へて聞けば、うぐひすの、声なつかしき、春の山里 As a side note, the bush warbler doesn't really have the poetic punch that another bird might have, say the nightingale or … Continue reading Shodo – Mountain Village in Spring
Working on another waka for kana practice. It goes kumo nakute, oboronari tomo, miurukana, kasumi kakareru, haruno yonotsuki 雲なくておぼろなりとも見ゆるかな霞かかれる春の夜の月 Which I think means Despite the cloudless sky, it’s still obscured, can one see, the haze covered moon on this spring evening
A short poem by Mantaro Kubota, who I’d never heard of till I tried to write his poem in my Shodo class. Pretty cool though. It reads: shiragikuno yuukage fukumi someshi kana しらぎくの夕影ふくみそめしかな -久保田万太郎の句 Do the white chrysanthemums, in the evening shadow, seem tinged red
My kanji for the month is part of an 8 kanji phrase, like many are. See below for the whole thing. I wrote the last four. 天地玄黄 宇宙洪荒 But I’ll start with the first two. Tenchi means sky and ground, or for the poets out there, heaven and earth. It basically means everything and everywhere. Then … Continue reading Shodo – Universal truth (not a fortune cookie)
My Shodo Sensei is too cool. She’s a master of the craft, of course. Her specialty is modern style. You have a lot more freedom, and has a lot more “meri-hari” which means curves and bumps, sort of. She’s creating a piece for a museum exhibition, and rather than just go for the traditional stuff, … Continue reading Ride the Wind of Flowers
I haven't been away from the brushes, to be honest. I just haven't posted about it. I still go every Saturday (except Xmas and New Years was damned busy at work). All the kanji I write seems to contain a lot of wisdom, so I figured I'd share. Below is my kanji for December. It … Continue reading Back to the Brushes
I started Shodo four years ago as a way to help my youngest on her kanji tests in school, never with the intention of pursuing it seriously. Something about how my Sensei teaches, and the regularity of studying together every week changed my attitude. Below is my official certificate that I reached shodan, first dan … Continue reading Shodan
B.S. Donovan 