📚📚 Read every day challenge - Winter 2023 ☃❄

I finished わたしの幸せな結婚 on the last day of January through sheer force of will. I didn’t end up liking it any more than I did earlier in the book, so I was happy to finally be done after avoiding it for a few days.

I started reading 乳と卵 and it is such a refreshing change, even though the first page/paragraph was pretty much about how everything is 厭. I’m only ~9% in, but I definitely like this more. It is interesting how much satisfaction 緑子 seems to get from dissecting the components of words.

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Late home post:

I’ll be reading クマのプーさん until this challenge ends and slowly working my way through 世界から猫ガ消えたなら at the same time.

Reading progress:

  • クマのプーさん: ch 2
  • 世界から猫ガ消えたなら: ch 1 (月曜日)

Reading habit tracker:

Feb
01 02 03 04 05
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28
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:cup_with_straw: Home :it:

February 1st

ジョジョの奇妙な冒険8
66 - 71

I didn’t get to eat dinner until after 8pm so I just didn’t have a lot of time last night. Tonight’s only chores should be dishes and laundry though I think :thinking:

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Went ahead and read 3 sections of 夜は短し歩けよ乙女 during lunch. I am starting to get more comfortable with the ambiguity and I know what part of the movie I am reading which is cool! I really just wanted to get to that level where I could read and know what is happening but I am happy to see enough new words that I gotta guess via context and what I know of the movie (it’s been 4 years since I watched it so my memory is just cloudy enough there is a challenge).

Read 3 chapters of 推しの子 on the way to work, I might be able to read 3/4 more chapters today but like I said yesterday it is probably gonna take me until tomorrow to finish as there’s a LOT of dialogue (for real just make it a book).

I saw a book that looked super up my alley that I want to buy but 推しの子 is filling that itch so maybe once I finish or get caught up with that I will go and buy that book.

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January 31st
Just Aomi Japanese today.
I need to stop this only reading every other day nonsense already! :confounded: It’s really mostly due to me not managing my time very well…

February 1st
What did I read?: 魔女と猫の話
How much did I read?: 4 pages
(Started 3rd Story )
How long did it take me?: 54 min

A new story, a new cat! Although this time it’s actually a prequel story about Suzu’s grandmother Chise, and her cat Sei.

Kitty Pictures~


He has a very particular look to him… Is he maybe a Devon Rex or Cornish Rex, I wonder? :thinking:

This is a Devon Rex.
image

And this is a Cornish Rex.
image
I’m slightly leaning towards him being a Devon…

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Ooh, ヨルシカ albums! :eyes: The 夏草が邪魔をする album has some really solid classics, and I really like “詩書きとコーヒー” and “五月は花緑青の窓辺から” from the だから僕は音楽を辞めた album~

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February 1 :snowflake: Home Post

New month, new chaos! I finished up this session’s BU$TAFELLOWS chapter; I think it ran a bit shorter like others have said, I just wanna keep playing :eyes: Things are definitely getting wild, but I will be patient haha.

Then I got in a mood and played some more Steins;Gate! It’d been a while, I feel like it seemed harder last time but honestly I think I just wasn’t in the right headspace for it before :joy: I’d say it generally runs a bit harder than BU$TAFELLOWS, but that’s at a reasonably comfortable level for me so it’s not like an impossible challenge. The worst part is definitely all the glossary items lmao, though they are interesting! I’m learning so much internet slang from 10 years ago :laughing: It’s pulling me in more for sure, I’m starting to see the spike chunsoft characteristics :eyes: I’m in for a ride to be sure.

Oh no I’m so sorry, my condolences :sparkling_heart:

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Total of 1 hr 40 minutes reading today. My best Japanese reading session because I was so bored today. Woot woot. Still graded readers though but improvements bit by bit.

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Home Post

Day 31-32 Progress:
お隣の天使様 5.5 SS冊 - 16.54% → 23.67%
お隣の天使様 六冊 - 0.28% → 18.11%

Yes… I’m back to reading 天使様… and I actually started reading volume 6 (and quite a lot of it today too) just because I couldn’t stand the boredom of the short stories anymore, lmao.

I’ll start であいもん tomorrow and maybe nibble at the yuri LN I bought the other day too.

Word of the Day: くせ - kinky hair, frizzy hair, curly hair. I like the idea of curly hair having ‘habits’ of their own. Would certainly make a lot of sense…

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:open_book: :desktop_computer: :snowman_with_snow: :snowflake: February 1

Started Vol. 8 of 青のフラッグ and read the 1st 2 chapters. Then I played BU$TAFELLOWS for half an hour, got started on chapter 4.

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Read 10 pages of ウチの娘は彼氏が出来ない!! I really really really loved the drama so it’s a read I don’t mind taking my time with. Something I’m noticing between ウチの娘 and 夜は短し歩けよ乙女 is that they feel a lot more to the point than the light novels I’ve been reading. Light novels tend to dance around things more and I wonder if that’s because of the format.

It’s like reading a one shot vs a ongoing manga series. Probably the same principle applies. Anyways, I had a good time reading today.

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Home post

2 月 2 日
コナの大冒険 第 36 & 37 話 :black_cat:

Decided to read two episodes today!

New words

Episode 36 Vocab

  • 驚く [おどろく] to be surprised, to be astonished
  • らしい seeming…
  • 辿り着く [たどりつく] to to struggle on to; to arrive somewhere after a struggle; to grope along to; to barely manage to reach; to finally arrive at; to finally hit on
  • 隙 [すき] chink (in one’s armour)
  • 荒らす [あらす] to invade; to break into

Episode 37 Vocab:

  • やつ fellow, guy, chap (derogatory)
  • 価値 [かち] value, worth, merit
  • 見逃す [みのがす] to turn a blind eye, to ignore
  • さっさ promptly immediately quickly
  • 現れる [あらわれる] to appear, to come in sight, to become visible
  • 二度と [にどと] never again (with negative verb) [adverb]
  • 力が抜ける [ちからがぬける] to become weak, to lose strength
  • 込み上げる [こみあげる] to fill one’s heart
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Love the kitty picturessss! I think I may drop by a book off this weekend to find this manga! :sweat_smile: Not gonna read it just yet but I feel like I just need it on my shelf :joy_cat:

On a cat related note, I bought this back in 2019 when I went to work for Japan and only had a day to explore. I found this in a random stationery store and just had to buy it. Never read it. But since I’m taking Japanese seriously now I should!

Presenting Neko Manga:

And here’s the table of contents:

And some random panels:

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home post

2nd feb

chapter 4 of volume 4 completed! another one with unnatural birth oh no :joy:this one was weirdly more disturbing to me than the last one, even though the overall tone of the chapter was lighter. another easier one to follow, for the most part - either they’re getting easier or i’m actually getting the hang of it!

words that stuck out: 竹林 (ちくりん, bamboo grove - this turned up a lot), 他所様 (よそさま, outsider, stranger), and 地点 (ちてん, point on a map, site, spot). also learned another meaning for 株 - clump of roots, plant with attached roots or stem, stump

i had no idea you could do this! that’s great!

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:spiral_calendar: Day 32: February 1st :ice_cube:

spacer:girl: からかい上手の(元)高木さん Volume 11 (0% ➨ 10%)

spacer:baby_chick: ひよ恋 Volume 1 (17% ➨ 28%)

Plan: Start the month off with lots and lots of reading.

Reality: Spent time making seed-starting soil and planting seeds.

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Sounds like a life-saving choice you made here! :rofl:

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In a pinch, one can eat manga to survive.

Unless they’re all digital. As I am.

You may be right.

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Technically, one would need the stomach of an ox, though, no? :grin:

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What are you planning to grow? :eyes:

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Feb 2, Thu of Week 6 of Winter Q1 2023 :snowman::snowflake:

  • はたらく細胞 Black Vol.8 Ch.42-44 (start volume)

MC never dies, nor does archenemy. Upcoming seems to be autoimmunity.

  • 一度読んだら絶対に忘れない日本史の教科書 Ch. Preface

Japanese history. That Youtuber one. I also have another book, but a good point of this is, the text is selectable and Google Translate works (mere Android, not iOS). Otherwise, just highlight. There are some pages and diagrams that selection doesn’t work. Not that Google Translate is particularly good.

  • うたわれるもの
Words of the day
  • あられもない = unladylike
  • あぐらをかく = to sit cross-legged. I know of 胡座(あぐら), but not the verb.
  • 爪痕(つめあと) = scars (of war; calamity). Alternate reading is 爪痕(そうこん), but it doesn’t get suggested by IME.
  • 復興(ふっこう) = restoration; reconstruction
  • 母校(ぼこう) = one’s old school and have been graduated from
  • 疲弊(ひへい) = exhaustion / financial crisis
  • 疲労困憊(ひろうこんぱい) = total exhaustion. In context as 疲労困憊(こんぱい).
  • 胸腺(きょうせん) = thymus gland
  • 善玉菌(ぜんだまきん) = good bacteria
  • 湿潤(しつじゅん) = damp; moist
  • 土器(どき) = earthenware
  • 狩猟(しゅりょう) = animal hunting
  • 讃岐(さぬき) = Sanuki Province
  • 黒曜石(こくようせき) = obsidian stone. 曜 meaning to sparkle; to shine = 耀.
  • 石斧(せきふ) = stone axe. The last Kanji is axe ((おの)).
  • 化石(かせき) = fossilization. As if Kanji swap places…
  • 丹精(たんせい) = earnestly; working with efforts
  • 一肌(ひとはだ)()ぐ = to lend a helping hand
  • 一目散(いちもくさん)に = at full speed; run for life
  • いきり()つ = to lose temper

SFX

  • ぽりぽり = munching (on crackers; pickles)

Kanji

  • (おの)
    • axe; hatchet
      • 石斧(せきふ)
    • (おの)
      • 手斧(ておの)
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:raccoon: :books: The Tanuki Kotatsu Reading Den :snowflake: :raccoon:

February 2nd
新書太閣記 progress: 06.43% // Volume I: 74.54% :horse:

Lots of new names today, so glad that furigana is always given for them.

Words found under the kotatsu

「とき」ー Battle cry / war cry (can also be: 鬨の声)
鷹狩「たかがり」ー Falconry (also: 鷹狩り)
帷子「かたびら」ー Light, thin kimono for summer use
端麗「たんれい」ー Good looking; beautiful; handsome; elegant
「やじり」ー Arrowhead
莞爾「かんじ」ー Smiling
氏神「うじがみ」ー Patron god; guardian deity
眉目秀麗「びもくしゅうれい」ー Handsome
金枝玉葉「きんしぎょくよう」ー Member of the imperial family; beautiful clouds

Character Name List

Probably some spoilers, but this is a historic novel, so can spoilers really exist for things that have (for the most part) actually happened :thinking:

Volume I: 1535 - 15??
(Currently 1554/5)
日吉「ひよし」- Hideyoshi (as child)
Nicknames: 猿「さる」/ 針売り「はりうり」

Family
木下弥右衛門「きのした やえもん」- Father
– – 乙若「おとわか」- Old friend (serves under 織田)
筑阿弥「ちくあみ」ー Step-father
大政所「おおまんどころ」// also お奈加「おなか」ー Mother
おつみ - Older sister
小竹「こちく」- Baby brother
加藤清正「かとう きよまさ」// also 弾正「だんじょう」- Ojisan (only distantly related (before marriage))
– Married to: おえつ (sister of お奈加)

Friends & Acquaintances
仁王「におう」- Big kid friend
於福「おふく」(Nickname - full name: 福太郎「ふくたろ」) // 楊景福「ようけいふく」(Chinese name/birth name) - Timid kid friend (older than Hideyoshi)
– 五郎大夫 「ごろ だゆう」// 祥瑞「しょうずい」(Chinese name) - Father
– 梨琴「りきん」- Mother
捨次郎「すてじろう」- Previous servant to 五郎, later the adoptive father of 於福, and owner of a tea ware shop - and employer of, and master to, Hideyoshi

Hachisuka Clan
蜂須賀小六「はちすか ころく」(also 正勝 「まさかつ」) - Head of the Hachisuka clan
– 七内「なない」- Younger brother
– Married to 松波「まつなみ」
– – 亀一「かめいち」- Son

Retainers:
稲田大炊助「いなだ おおいのすけ]
青山新七「あおやま しんしち」
長井半之丞「ながい はんのじょう」
松原内匠「まつばら たくみ」

Others:
国吉「くによし」- Gunsmith/blacksmith
渡辺天蔵「わたなべ てんぞう」- Deserter - Nobushi (Nephew to Koroku)
難波内記「なんば ないき」- Spy disguised as a Komuso
仁田彦十「にった ひこじゅう」- Subordinate

(蜂須賀正利「はちすか まさとし」- previous head of the Hachisuka clan)

Saito Clan
((questionable) Alliance with the Hachisuka clan)
斎藤 道三「さいとう どうさん」- Head of the Saito clan
– 斎藤義龍「さいとう よしたつ」(also: 高政「たかまさ」) - Son

明智 光秀「あけち みつひで」(common name: 十兵衛「じゅうべい」) - serves under Dosan
– 又市「またいち」- Underling / foot soldier

弥平治光春「やへいじ みつはら」- Retainer (cousin to Jyubei)
– 明智光安「あけち みつやす」- Father

Oda Clan
織田信秀「おだ のぶひで」- Daimyo
– 織田与三郎「おだ よさぶろう」- Younger brother
– 織田 信長「おだ のぶなが」- Son (Successor to the Oda clan)

Retainers (Under Nobuhide rule):
平手 政秀「ひらて まさひで」
林 秀貞「はやし ひでさだ」(common name: 新五郎「しんごろ」)
青山 信昌「あおやま のぶまさ」(common name: 与三右衛門「よそうえもん」)
内藤 勝介「ないとう しょうすけ / かつすけ」

Others:
市川大介「いちかわ だいすけ」- Archery master/instructor
平田三位「ひらた さんみ」- Master of military strategy

Shiba Clan
斯波義統「しば よしむね」- Head of the Shiba clan, at Kiyosu castle

Imagawa Clan
今川義元「いまがわ よしもと」- Daimyo

Retainers:
松下之綱「まつした ゆきつな」(common name: 加兵衛「かへい」)
飯尾豊前「いのお ぶぜん」
多賀能八郎「たがのう はしろう」(nickname: 能八「のうはち」)

Takeda Clan
太郎義信「たけだ よしのぶ」- Commander
(Married to the daughter of Imagawa Yoshimoto to tie the clans)

Non-affiliated
上泉 信綱「かみいずみ のぶつな」(also: 上泉 伊勢守「かみいずみ いせのかみ」) - Founder of the 新陰流「しんかげりゅう」school of Kenjutsu
– 疋田小伯「ひきた しょうはく」- Disciple
– 神後五六郎「かんご ごろくろう」- Disciple

塚原 卜伝「つかはら ぼくでん」- Kensei; legendary swordsman

Historical People
  • 阿倍仲麻呂「あべ の なかまろ」ー Japanese scholar & poet (700s)

  • 白楽天「はく きょい」ー Chinese poet (Bai Juyi / Bo Juyi) also known as: 白楽天「はく らくてん」in Japan. (Late 700s)

  • 道元「どうげん」(or 道元禅師「どうげん ぜんじ」ー Japanese Buddhist Priest, writer & poet (also known as 栄西禅師「えいさい ぜんじ」) (Early / mid 1200s)

  • 空海「くうかい」ー The one and only Kukai or Kobo Daishi - a Buddhist monk. Posthumously given the title of: 弘法大師「こうぼう だいし」born as: 佐伯 眞魚「さえき の まお」(late 700s / early 800s)

  • 源頼政「みなもと の よりまさ」ー Prominent poet and warrior (1100s)

  • 平 重盛「たいら の しげもり」ー Military commander and court noble, claimed to be an ancestor of Oda Nobunaga (Mid-1100s)

  • 桓武(天皇)「かんむ(てんのう)」ー 50th Emperor of Japan, claimed to be an ancestor of Taira no Shigemori, thus ancestor to Oda Nobunaga (Mid-Late 700s)

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:snowman_with_snow: :snowflake: January 31 - February 2 :snowflake: :snowman_with_snow:
Home Post

February 2 only…
BU$TAFELLOWS :moneybag:
Reading in English :books:

I didn’t read anything for two days. Time kinda flew away and I watched a lot of an esport tournament that happens at this time every year (zelda: ocarina of time randomizer, standard settings). I wanted to get fully caught up so I could lower my daily watching amount. :sweat_smile:

Well, today I’ve read some nonfiction/memoir stuff in English and I read some Bustafellows. I should probably read more Bustafellows but Kiro finally awoke after a long nap and wanted some cuddles, so I finished the conversation and I’m about to go have dinner.

After dinner I hope to read some fiction in English, before going to bed at a good time. I really need to watch my sleeping schedule because if I can get that sorted, I’ll have so much more energy each day…

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