July 7 Update
Today has been another busy day, so I spent my time reading manga. I finished out the first chapter of ホリミヤ which only took about 30 min. Not difficult, and very cute. I’d forgotten how cute the first bit of this manga is, so it’ll be fun to read through the rest of the volume.
I imagine I won’t have too much time to read while traveling, so it might be worthwhile to (finally) buy some digital manga and read those instead of carrying around too many physical volumes.
I see, well that’s good to hear you’re already with an employer you like! Sounds like a cool field to work in too.
I definitely understand the frustration! It sucks when you think you did well in an interview but it doesn’t turn out. There are so many factors, I try not to think about it, but I always end up agonizing over all the things I could’ve said differently that might have landed me the job.
I’m looking for work as a translator/interpreter in the entertainment industry, probably like coordinating business between Japanese and English speaking employees. I do that kind of work now, but at a board of education in Japan, so the industry transition is the biggest hurdle.
Been slowly looking since last fall, sped up recently and got several interviews with companies I like, so maybe the end is near! Thanks for the encouragement!!
Started reading a book in English, for the first time in a while. My friend is trying to read the same book in English so I’m gunna help her out with words she doesn’t know/grammar etc, so I’m looking forward to reading more.
It’s the English translation of 色彩を持たない多崎つくると、彼の巡礼の年, another 村上春樹 novel.
Day 37: July 7th
What did I read?: レンタルおにいちゃん Vol. 2
How much did I read?: 78 pages (2 chapters)
How long did it take me?: 48 min
Time to get back to another book club series I bought all the volumes of but never finished 
It’s been quite a while since I read the first volume…like most things, I don’t remember why I stopped. 
Meanwhile I’m procrastinating on my current book club book, because that makes a lot of sense
Day 9: July 7th
At the library and at SO’s apartment.
Read:
気のきいた短いメールが書ける本：メール術
・書類などの送付（4 pages)
精霊の守り人（like two pages before falling asleep mid sentence)
Feeling pressed for time lately, but still going. I really want to improve my literacy, just gotta stay focused on that.
July 7th からかい上手の高木さん chapter 5 pages 7 and 8.
So in 2 days I’ve read 8 of the 16 pages in this chapter, which is well and truly a new chrisosaurus-world-record. I was hoping to do more last night to maybe finish this chapter in 3 days, but the Great House Move is still ongoing so that is sapping most of my spare time and energy.
Day 37
Yeah, it’s not getting easier 
Three pages of chapter 3 in ぼくはイエローでホワイトでちょっとブルー. Gonna keep going though–I think it’s going to be really worth the effort.
Finished this week IBC (5 pages of Coffee…)
Summary post
July 8
・Read Kono Oto Tomare vol. 10 last night
・30% of vol. 11 today
edit: almost forgot to update table again
Day 10: July 8th
At lunch.
Read:
気のきいた短いメールが書ける本：メール術
・心をこめて贈る（2/4 pages）
Today I did not meet my goal of one section a day. Normally I head up to the library after work, but today I was just too tired. But I did read a little at lunch, so the streak remains!
Day 38
Satori Reader: The River Sanzu, Episode 12.
I was out today, wanted to read IBC but I’ll have to catch up tomorrow.
Day 38: July 8th
What did I read?: 囀る鳥は羽ばたかない Vol 1
How much did I read?: 20 pages
How long did it take me?: 1 hour 10 min
Well I stopped procrastinating today and caught up with this book club. …Actually I’m a week ahead now, because I went ahead and finished the chapter xD Why is this manga so hard 
Stg, I never know who’s saying anything and it makes me misinterpret things constantly. Please give me my context, I’m powerless without it 
Despite my complaining, I’m not not enjoying this manga story-wise. Just wish I was better at understanding it.
July 8th からかい上手の高木さん chapter 5 final EIGHT PAGES - finishing chapter 5 in 3 days \o/
I was aided by a few pages being very light, using DeepL to get hints on grammar constructs I was unsure of, and the ABBC threads.
In the morning I read for ~ 30 mins, and at night maybe an hour an a half, so call it 2 hours all up - although I didn’t time it at all.
I took a break from The Great House Move which allowed me to make more progress. But for the next few days that won’t be possible. I have to disassembling the final pieces of furniture, and Saturday morning bright and early everything will be loaded into a truck - so I’m not sure how much (if any) progress I’ll be making over the next few days.
20 more pages of 1Q84, up to 136 pages now, around half way through. I honestly feel like I could read for longer but I limit myself to an hour, for habit’s sake. I guess in a sense I don’t want to accidentally read too much and burn myself out on it, so I’ll stick to my guns for a bit.
I so far have 5 days which I have not read. Preety good and at least on the Satori Reader Level I understand more and more!
Would not mind reading about rock collecting mhm…
Day 13
July 8
I splurged on Kindle Oasis. I already had Paperwhite and was using it for the past year, and generally really liked it, but was constantly bothered by the lack of warm light in the evenings. I changed my decision 20+ times before making this purchase, but after the first day of testing, I’m glad I bought it. Warm light really does make a difference, reading is way more comfortable, and I agree with reviewers that the screen itself is a better quality too. I was afraid it will be too big, but it actually feels fine.
Random: I registered Paperwhite on July 7th 2020 and Oasis on July 8th 2021. Seems I really like to buy e-readers around Tanabata.
I think I got into the reading habit. Reading everyday and looking forward to it.
Almost finished 蜘蛛ですが、なにか？ Just 20% left. I will finish it in a few days. I finally got to the new material not covered by the anime, so I’ve been binging a bit 
One of the interesting things I learned lately is the usage of 龍 and 竜. I thought they essential meant the same thing. But the book had sentence that used 龍と竜 which meant there was a difference!
Apparently 龍 is only used to mean a Chinese style dragon.
And 竜 can mean both Chinese and European style dragon (ドラゴン）
But if both of the terms are used in a sentence then it must mean both types of dragons.
By the way, the only correct spelling for 恐竜 (dinosaur) is with 竜. I guess that shows that 竜 is more closely related to the Western idea of a dragon.
Wow thanks for the explanation! I’d had dragon on my list of vocab to add to Anki, but I had put them off once I saw there were two forms. Those images are great for separating the concepts.
Kou Yoneda is one of my favorite mangaka, read the manga in English like five years ago. I think in English it was still confusing to read now and then. There is a lot of reading between the lines. Love to see other people enjoying his works ^^
Wide awake at 6 this morning - got to use the hour before my usual morning routine starts to get my reading done for the day. Finished Volume 5 of Love so Life - on to the next one. I keep worrying that I’m reading it too fast because I don’t really want it to end, but really, there are 17 volumes - I have plenty of story left 
