📚📚 Read every day challenge - Summer 2021 🏖🏖

[chrisosaurus]

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July 20th. Wow what a day!

TL;DR からかい上手の高木さん 9 difficult pages (and a few trivial / picture-only pages), this is a lot at least for me.

Longer version of my abnormal day

The longer version is that I didn’t get to sleep until 2am and then at 5am a nasty tooth ache woke me. I took the day off work to see a dentist, thankfully it looks to have just been my gum (?!?) and there is nothing wrong with the tooth, but after all that and only a few hours sleep I wasn’t feeling up to work even after the pain subsided.

I decided to instead spend what was left of the afternoon on the balcony reading and trying to relax a little so that today didn’t feel like a complete write off.

Reading からかい上手の高木さん, today all up I read the final 6 pages to finish chapter 7, and started chapter 8 )reading pages 2, 3, and 4). I then wrote out the next 5 pages to make tomorrow smoother.

I timed myself for part of it. Reading the last 6 pages of chapter 7 took me 1 hour and 40 minutes. This included writing out and breaking down every line by hand in a notebook. I didn’t time the rest, but I’d guess in the realm of 2.5 - 3 hours total today, although a lot of that was me being inefficient.

This means I’ve met my stretch-ish goal of finishing chapter 7 before the volume 2 offshoot club starts. Although now I’m a few days early… so I’m going to see how much of the remaining chapters I can squeeze in, or at least write down.

EDIT: I finished chapter 7 in 4 days =O

[Belerith]

19.7.
Yesterday I read 13 pages of 使ってはいけない日本語, finishing chapter 3.
I also read the remaining pages of chapter 6 and chapter 7 of 1Q84. Commencing catching up!
Then I read the free manga recommended in the extensive reading thread, ルックバック. I really, really liked it. Not gonna lie, I cried. Really good.
And then I read SとN, which is an actually very cute BL manga. Much appreciated after the roller coaster that was ルックバック.

What can I say, it was a slow day at work. Today’s log is going to be much shorter. Or at least contain less books.

[maykeye]

Extremely tired today, taking a nap didn’t help and feel only worse, as result read only 6 pages of Forbidden Scrollery(2). Well, actually it was 2 pages and 4 pages with no text to be honest, but whateves, I managed not to break the streak. I might lost the count for the streak, but I didn’t break it.

[Natsuha]

main post
Today I finished the first volume of the 聲の形 manga. What should I read tomorrow? Maybe that pervy manga. Shouko is so cute I would totally hug her. I’m sorry but cute things are my weakness. All this bullying made me really sad. Why can’t people be nice to each other?

[Belerith]

20.7.
I think I’m done reading for today, so I’ll do today’s log on the day!
Today I read a bunch of manga! Volumes 3&4 of 異世界妹 (the 電子版, which are only around 80-90 pages each), and chapters 1&2 of volume 1 of かしましめし, which is about food, and enjoying life or making life bearable by enjoying food. It’s actually nice so far. The art is kind of… Flowy? Stylish? I like it.
I also read a chapter of 1Q84. 3 more chapters until I’m caught up again.

[Redglare]

Summary post
July 20

・Read 冷たい密室と博士たち, ch. 6, part 3-6. (40% → 49%)

@Redglare

(38% → 40%)

^From yesterday
Bookwalker app told me I was at 40% in the book when I left it yesterday, but at 43% at the same location when I continue reading today? This is the third day in a row that the percentages have been inconsistent between sessions

[Belerith]

@Redglare

This is the third day in a row that the percentages have been inconsistent between sessions

You must be reading too fast, bookwalker just can’t keep pace!

[sycamore]

Summary

Today I was so exhausted before I even started reading and so it was difficult zzzzz. I read another 3% of NO.6 (which according to my rough maths based on page numbers listed on Amazon is around 6 or 7 pages) and I really wanted to keep reading as I was half way through a really interesting dialogue but could barely keep my eyes open. I will be back for you tomorrow, conclusion of interesting dialogue!

Something else that’s semi-related to this challenge (well, reading at least). When I first started learning Japanese, I had some spare audible credits so I downloaded the Japanese versions of harry potter 1 & 3 (if I knew then what I know now about some of JK Rowling’s views about trans people…maaaybe I wouldn’t have but at the time I was just like “oh hey I loved these books as a kid and they are available on UK audible”) Even though when I got them I pretty much could understand nothing, up until now ive usually put them on for half an hour when going to sleep at night (when I wouldn’t have the energy for.more active listening anyway). And then yesterday night I put it on and after a bit just kind of realised “oh wait, this is understandable content now?”. I listened to some more on a walk today and yep, while there are obviously some words I don’t get, on the whole it’s gone from “this is just pleasant noise with some names I recognise” to “I can follow along comfortably and get most of this”. I’m probably helped by having read them in English as a kid but still it feels very cool! I’m not sure I’d reccommend my method of “just listen to things even if you understand nothing”…but it does make for some fairly fun comparison lol.

[chrisosaurus]

@sycamore

(if I knew then what I know now about some of JK Rowling’s views about trans people…maaaybe I wouldn’t have but at the time I was just like “oh hey I loved these books as a kid and they are available on UK audible”)

I keep thinking HP might be a good way to eventually branch out into books rather than just manga, and that reading along with the kindle version while listening to the audible version might aide in looking up unknown words, but… eugh Rowling. I’m not yet sure how to resolve these conflicting feelings.

@sycamore

And then yesterday night I put it on and after a bit just kind of realised “oh wait, this is understandable content now?”. I listened to some more on a walk today and yep, while there are obviously some words I don’t get, on the whole it’s gone from “this is just pleasant noise with some names I recognise” to “I can follow along comfortably and get most of this”.

That’s amazing progress!
I’ve previously grabbed some shorter Japanese audiobooks (e.g. some version of the wizard of OZ?!?) to try this with, but I haven’t been able to stick with it enough to know if it actually works.

@sycamore

I’m probably helped by having read them in English as a kid but still it feels very cool!

I feel like I’ve forgotten most things except for the major plot thrusts and some random moments I presumably found particularly interesting as a kid.
Do you remember most of the details from your reading as a kid?

[rikaiwisdom]

Main post

Day 50
Satori Reader: Secret, Episode 4.

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Day 50, let’s go. I go on vacation for several days starting on Monday next week. I wish to keep reading one Satori Reader episode a day, which would just take 15 or 20 minutes at night, but I also don’t want the challenge to get in the way of my enjoyment of those days. So whether I find time to keep the streak from breaking will depend on how tired or relaxed I end up by the end of each day. But the idea is that if I can, I’d like to keep reading I’m sure I’ll find 20 minutes at some point.

[windupbird]

Summary post

Day 50: July 20th
What did I read?: しまなみ誰そ彼 Vol. 1
How much did I read?: 32 pages (1 chapter - finished the volume)
How long did it take me?: 47 min

Wow, this last chapter was really beautiful. Tiny gushing: Tasuku thinking about Tsubaki is just about the cutest thing - right next to the way that Haru and Saki smiled at each other. Omg ok the last page though xD Who the heck was that?? (Guess I have to buy the next volume and find out. Oh dear, I’m so sad about that ) What I’m actually sad about is that I don’t have the next volume right now D:

@Belerith

SとN

Ooh, Amazon was recommending this to me Maybe I will add this to my ever-growing list of Things to Order from Amazon. (It’s gonna be a big shipment, folks)

[sycamore]

@chrisosaurus

I keep thinking HP might be a good way to eventually branch out into books rather than just manga, and that reading along with the kindle version while listening to the audible version might aide in looking up unknown words, but… eugh Rowling. I’m not yet sure how to resolve these conflicting feelings.

It’s definitely a tricky choice to make! It is a very good audiobook, I like the Japanese narattor a whole lot. I’m not sure it’s a great pick for an early book to read, as JK Rowling has a pretty descriptive writing style and loves just inserting huge big long lists of nouns (eg if they are eating then everything on the table will be listed lol) as opposed to the light novel I’m reading now which has much more challenging vocab but the writing style itself is way more simple and straight-forward. I’m presuming there are probably better choices for first novels that also have audiobooks…but I don’t really know them hahah (I’m also reading Kikis and have the audiobook for that but I just don’t like the narration as much - that is probably mainly personal preference though!). I know a lot of folks in this thread use Satori reader which seems close to the combo of reading + audiobook so that might also be a good option, but I’ve never used it.

@chrisosaurus

Do you remember most of the details from your reading as a kid?

For these two (HP1 and 3), yeah, I remember them pretty well. I think I reread them a lot as a kid, especially 3 cos Remus lupin was my favourite character. I think this is helpful as if I lose track a bit in the audiobook (ie. after one of those previously mentioned massive lists of nouns haha) it doesn’t take much for me to get back into the story. But at the same time it probably gets in the way sometimes as well in that my brain can be lazy and not actually try to figure out the Japanese as much.

[chrisosaurus]

@sycamore

JK Rowling has a pretty descriptive writing style and loves just inserting huge big long lists of nouns

That’s a very good point, I had been a little worried about the complexity of her writing, but I hadn’t put enough thought into her descriptive soups…

@sycamore

I know a lot of folks in this thread use Satori reader which seems close to the combo of reading + audiobook so that might also be a good option, but I’ve never used it.

I haven’t tried Satori reader so maybe I should.
I do have some ASK graded readers which include audio narration, but they’re all very short and quite tightly constrained - they all seem to either be short stories or folk tales, so nothing to really get invested into long term - but the higher levels might at least serve as stepping stones, so maybe I should keep going.

@sycamore

I think I reread them a lot as a kid,

I still vividly remembering thinking that HP was only books 1-4 and wouldn’t have any more follow up, and I couldn’t get enough, so I just kept re-reading them over and over. 3 was my particular favourite and the one I read the most, Sirius Black is my favourite character followed by Remus Lupin.

Despite that, I don’t think I can remember any of the smaller details like Harry’s classmates names or hair colours, but my memory never was the strongest.

[Natsuha]

I have a Satori reader membership now. No idea how useful as a study resource it really is, so I just got a one month membership for now. The normal price is pretty expensive so I nicely asked and they gave me a discount on it.

[Axazel]

Days 49 + 50

Reading 僕はブルー。I finished chapter 8 between yesterday and today!

Also read 藤本タツキ’s one shot manga ルックバック (can read it in Japanese here!) It’s sooo good.

[chrisosaurus]

Home post

July 21st からかい上手の高木さん translated 2 pages from chapter 8, and then wrote out another 5 pages make that 7 pages

Since I met my goal of finishing up to the end of chapter 7 before the offshoot club starts on the 24th, my current goal is to write out all the remaining pages (while still reading everyday) so that when i start volume 2 I don’t have to fret about how many pages to leave blank to fit volume 1 in (as volume 1 will already be filled into my notebook) =p
This’ll probably mean I’ll have a few days of less than stellar reading progress, time shall tell.

EDIT: went and wrote out another 2 pages, finished the writing for chapter 8 in 2 days, I’ll probably still be translating from volume 1 while working on volume 2.

[Aislin]

@chrisosaurus

I haven’t tried Satori reader so maybe I should.

I can vouch for Satori Reader wholeheartedly.

@sycamore

audible

Meanwhile I also hesitantly started playing with Audible. I don’t know how long I manage to last before running away (I’m really feeling uncomfortable with any kind of audio content), but I’m trying to do audiobook + ebook combo for カラフル (@Axazel ). I picked this one because it was a standalone, had an audiobook version and because Axazel mentioned it
Language-wise it’s quite approachable and I also like the narration. I don’t have too much of comparison, but I think it’s better than Kiki’s audiobook (dropped it along the way, finished only the written version) and I also like it more than Konbini Ningen sample.
It was also a nice surprise to find this audiobook on US Amazon. While I use Japanese Amazon for ebooks, it’s fine to have a fake address for Kindle in your addresses list, but still use a true address with your credit card. And Audible didn’t want to allow it this way. So it was nice to discover that I actually have a much simpler way to access this audiobook (I’m from Poland, but we don’t have our own Audible shop, so we do belong to .com version officially and legally). It means I can’t put it on the same Kindle I use with the Japanese account but I don’t mind because…
…as far as I know it’s impossible to have both ebook and audiobook open on Kindle at the same time anyway and that’s what I’m doing for now - audio on the phone, text on the Kindle, simultaneously. I decided pure audio would be too challenging for the time being. Trying to follow the text at the natural speaking speed is challenging enough as it is Of course I’m stopping to check the words, but I’m trying to limit it in this case.
Ah, and as for the plot of カラフル itself, so far it’s better than I expected! I honestly became engaged.
I was wondering which category it would fall into - is it a light novel? and was surprised to find that Japanese wikipedia counts it as YA小説 I thought light novels = YA, more or less… Ah, and it won Sankei Children’s Book Award so I guess I’ll just put it on my “children literature” bookshelf on my Bookmeter. But it feels like it’s for older children than Kiki or Zenitendou.

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Summary post

Day 24
July 19

• Hanako weekly portion (twist was nice, but still not sold on it)
• カラフル (0% → 3%)

Day 25
July 20

• 乙女ゲームの破滅フラグしかない悪役令嬢に転生してしまった…5 (13% → 18%)
• カラフル (3 → 11%)

Day 26
July 21

• 乙女ゲームの破滅フラグしかない悪役令嬢に転生してしまった…5 (18% → 23%)

[sycamore]

@Axazel

Also read 藤本タツキ’s one shot manga ルックバック (can read it in Japanese here!) It’s sooo good.

Thanks for sharing! I just read it and loved it!

[maykeye]

I’ve been busy today, so I’ve limited my reading to just 6 more pages of Forbidden Scrollery(2).

[Natsuha]

I read the first chapter of the もっと半熟女子 manga. It’s about two cute girls who are in a relationship. They are hiding it from other people, thus they meet in secret and kiss each other, how cute.

I only have the first chapter so I will have to read something else tomorrow.