📚📚 Read every day challenge - Winter 2023 ☃❄

:open_book: :desktop_computer: :snowman_with_snow: :snowflake: January 16

I want to catch up with the BU$TAFELLOWS club so I’m prioritizing that over ユージニア for a bit. I feel like before I was better at reading several Japanese things in one day because I’d run out of stamina and want to change things up, but now that my stamina is better and I’m reading interesting things it’s kinda hard to stop reading one thing. Thus I read BU$TAFELLOWS for ~2h and then I figured I’d at least read a little ユージニア but it was already so late and I was so sleepy that soon I couldn’t understand anything I was reading so I stopped having read less than 1%. Hopefully next time I can balance them better.

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home post

17th jan

蟲師 continues to be very good fun, even if i was deceived by how simple this chapter would be :joy: the opening lines were a little tricky to parse (was in a poetic style) but then i flew through the next twenty pages or so, and then it got difficult again. it also doesn’t help that there were some slightly choppy timeskips in this one.

words that stuck out: 露骨 (ろこつ, open, undisguised), 暗示 (hint, suggestion), 破滅 (hint, ruin, destruction, fall)

a question

(first kanji of the bubble, apologies it’s a bit blurry) is this a font thing? an old version of the 父? something different entirely? what’s that extra stroke doing there? i did some googling around but couldn’t find anything. it’s not a mark on the page cos it turns up a few times and looks like that every time

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I’m not sure I read that fast in English and it’s my native language!

I’ve been a bit MIA last few days as I’ve been trying to fit in too much (which does include browsing various BookOff stores in the evening).

14/1 1 page 夜カフェ
15-16/1 missed due to busyness!
17/1 skimmed short mission 1 of Spy Family

I may properly read that section of Spy Family before bed, I was trying to read it in a ramen place and couldn’t concentrate.

I’ve picked up a fair number of manga plus a few books over the last week. Was tempted by a set earlier that I think is too heavy, but I could probably squeeze it in (Blood on the Tracks, 10 volumes for ¥3000). I was put off by the weight and the fact that I think it’s a 13 volume series, but I may go back tomorrow evening, it’s near my hotel. Anyone read it? I gather it’s a bit disturbing, but I enjoyed Happiness, if that’s the right term for that series.

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:snowflake: Day 17, 17th of January :snowflake:

:open_book: Back to my Home Post

I like to make these comments to make sure I at least try and engage with the text more intesively. Sometimes I get confused by story logic. Sometimes I get to learn a new grammar point! None of my reactions or comments are supposes to be judgements of the quality of the content, so feel free to simply be amused by my silly notes. :wink:

That said, here are some more today. It seems in today’s story we’re talking about something near and dear to my heart: pixelart! Someone who wants to be a game designer shows us how to draw them. 猫 and the 描 appearing here are so similar, yet I haven’t had trouble with them? Some more usage of the と, this time two different functions in one sentence!

In the next story we’re greeted by three magic users. A lot of these Kanji I’ve already read in Kiki, though the 大鍋(おおなべ) only appeared in Hiragana - maybe because it was a pot and not a cauldron?

I wanted to get a preview of the next story and I met this guy!

css

Another CSS friend. He reminds me of something, but I don’t know what.

Wait.

Krtek

There he is. They’re cousins!

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:snowflake: :red_gift_envelope: 1月17日 :red_gift_envelope: :snowflake: (Home Post Link)

Read:

  • 夜カフェ pg 7 → 17 - GOD this is so melodramatic it’s hilarious. I love it so far, some parts my comprehension are a little iffy, but eventually context comes in and helps out. Lots of new words, some new grammar, but noticeably easier to read than when I did my test read at the end of december! Even just 2 weeks of reading magic treehouse made a huge difference. I saw 「残り少なくなった桜の花びらか涙のように舞い落ちてくる」 and couldn’t stop myself from laughing it’s so cheesy (in an endearing way)
  • ホリミヤ ch 79, 80, 81, おまけ - volume 11 down!
ネズミ由紀 is a menace to society

Good Words

夜カフェ
埋める「うめる」ー to bury
あからさま ー plain, frank
音痴 「おんち」ー tone deaf
鈍い「にふい」ー dull, blunt
目立つ「めだつ」ー to stand out, to be conspicuous
塾「じゅく」ー cram school
舞い落ちる「まいおちる」ー to flutter down
掲示板「けいじばん」ー bulletin board
紺色「こんいろ」ー deep blue, navy blue
しぼむ ー to wither, to wilt
ニヤニヤ ー grinning, smirking
呪う「のろう」ー to curse
肉じゃが「にくじゃが」ー meat and potato stew
疎かにする「おろそかにする」ー to neglect
せめて ー at least

ホリミヤ
怪談「かいだん」ー ghost story
お団子頭 「おだんごあたま」ー bun (hairstyle)
いじる ー to tamper with, to mess around with (here, with someone’s hair)
崩れる「くずれる」ー to break down, to get out of shape
人災「じんさい」ー man made disaster

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:raccoon: :books: The Tanuki Kotatsu Reading Den :snowflake: :raccoon:

January 17th
新書太閣記 progress: 02.42% // Volume I: 28.05% :cat2:

Finished the chapter, onto the next one: ねこめし

… anddd managed to finish that one too!
Granted it was relatively short, but still, two chapters read today

Words found under the kotatsu

化石「かせき」ー Fossil; petrification; fossilisation
むざむざ ー Easily; helplessly; without regret; without resistance
半信半疑「はんしんはんぎ」ー Half in doubt; half convinced; dubious
血膿「ちうみ」ー Bloody pus
寒々「さむざむ」ー Wintry; very cold looking; bleak; desolate
野放図「のほうず」ー Wild; unruly; arrogant
煎薬「せんやく」ー Medical decoction; infusion

Forms
暢気 = 呑気「のんき」(Carefree; optimistic; easygoing; careless)
呶鳴る = 怒鳴る「どなる」(to shout; to yell)

Character Name List

for easy referencing later, because these will take some remembering
Also 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:

Main
Hideyoshi: 豊臣秀吉「とよとみ ひでよし」
– – – Childhood name: 日吉「ひよし」
– – – Childhood nickname: 猿「さる」

Volume I: 1535 - 15??
日吉「ひよし」- Hideyoshi (as child)
Nickname: 猿「さる」

Family
木下弥右衛門「きのした やえもん」- Father
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

Others
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
今川義元「いまがわ よしもと」- Daimyo
斯波義統「しば よしむね」- Daimyo (head of the Shiba clan) at Kiyosu castle
渡辺天蔵「わたなべ てんぞう」- Nobushi

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

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

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

  • 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 to early 800s)


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This is great to hear that your studying is going well!!

I also have this problem, I have hardly any free time anymore because of this :rofl:

Happy 4th Waniversary! :crabigator:

That face :joy:
And congrats on your first manga! :tada:

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Jan 17, Tue of Week 4 of Winter Q1 2023 :snowman::snowflake:

  • うたわれるもの

  • Super Doctor K Vol.2 Ch.8-9 (end volume)

Too contrived and questionable, not only the medical part.

Interesting words
  • たかが = merely. Also, (たか)が, but I don’t feel that Kanji form help much.
  • ボロい = easy money / worn-out. From 襤褸(ぼろ) = rag; shredded clothes.
  • かしましい = noisy = (かしま)しい. Similar to a meaning of (やかま)しい.
  • (ひら)く = to clear up a land (bush, trees); to open a path. The Kanji is in Level 49.
  • 魅入(みい)る = to entrance; to be in a trance. First Kanji is from 魅力(みりょく).
  • ()() = naked sword. It’s actually ()()(かたな) in context.
  • 人好(ひとよ)し = good-naturedness
  • 同列(どうれつ) = same level; same rank
  • 赤茶(あかちゃ) = reddish brown color. Compare with 紅茶(こうちゃ) (black tea) and 緑茶(りょくちゃ) (green tea), which are real tea, and use On readings.
  • () = arsenic (chemical element; poisonous). There is also Kanji form = 砒素(ひそ).
  • 豊富(ほうふ) = plentiful
  • 殺到(さっとう) = a lot people rushing in
  • 外車(がいしゃ) = imported car
  • 円高(えんだか) = appreciation of the Yen currency. Depreciation counterpart is 円安(えんやす). Can also be other than Yen, e.g. ドル(だか).
  • 窮状(きゅうじょう) = wretched condition; plight; distress
  • 面会謝絶(めんかいしゃぜつ) = No Visitor Allowed. 謝絶(しゃぜつ) = politely refusing.
  • 上流階級(じょうりゅうかいきゅう) = upper class of the society
  • 口車(くちぐるま)()せる = to deceive with a smooth talk
  • ()()げる = to give up; to admit defeat. Use () in context.

SFX

  • コリコリ = firm/crunchy texture when biting. Has a feel from teeth.
  • ぼつぼつ = gradually / before long; soon
  • きっかり = exactly (of time, amount) = かっきり

Looks like a font thing, and I have noticed this weirdness for a while. I can’t find the exact font, though.

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Home Post

Day 16 Progress:
お隣の天使様 5.5 SS冊子 - 11.34% → 13.47%
スロー ループ - 16-21話 三巻完成!!!

Not being punctual with these posts always feels pretty bad.

Of my own volition I ended up reading like 3/4 of a volume of manga yesterday. Reaching the point where I can casually just open up another chapter of (SOL at least) manga without feeling like I’m pushing myself on a mental level has definitely felt like a blessing. The number of fishing-related terms that are not on jisho and also require more than a cursory explanation are wearing at me a little though…

Word of the Day: うお - flying fish. Good to know Japanese and Western naming sentiments are exactly the same on this one.

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Thanks lmao, I’m also kind of at the point where I just get kind of annoyed at excessive kana usage because being a new learner means I can’t really “distinguish” stylistic choices, if there are any, to using hiragana instead of kanji (for instance, kids’ speech bubbles in kanji vs hiragana are like the exact same to me. Hopefully this’ll change as I get accustomed to the language. Or maybe not. Either way nothing to do but get used to it I guess,

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such a weird font :sweat_smile: thanks for clarifying! :slight_smile:

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Hey guys!

New to the community but I’ve been speaking Japanese for about 12 years. I lived there a couple years, married a girl from Japan and speak fluently but have limited reading capacity so decided to be doing this challenge before even learning about Wanikani.

Just got back from a 3 week trip to Japan visiting my wife’s family and friends yesterday so I am counting the reading done while there that was on signs, texting friends and such as my reading but officially starting my reading today. I’ll be reading 私だけがいない街 for my manga reading and ノーゲームノーライフ for my light novel because I picked up the first 10 volumes of each from a bookoff while I was in Japan this last time. Looking forward to getting to know everyone and learning to actually read (finally)

Jan
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 29
30 31
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

Jan 22

Got a few pages of 僕だけがいない街 in this evening. The story is beginning to unfold now that I’m a few chapters in. The main plot is starting to be unveiled and I am excited to see what I can pick up from the manga (that is 8 volumes long) that doesn’t exist in the anime that I watched years ago. (That only has 12 episodes)

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Homepost

Finished Harry Potter 1 - Chapter 8 today. I just read because of this challenge today. Otherwise I would just have skipped it, because I’m very tired today. So thanks reading challenge!

After yesterday’s phrase: 話をそらす: to change the subject of the conversation
Today’s phrase is: 目をそらす: to turn one’s eyes away/ to look away

Nice to see the same word used in different situations.

Happy reading everyone!

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:snowflake: :snowman: Home Post :snowman: :snowflake:

January 16th and 17th.

What: A blog post (I forget the author) yesterday, ピーチガール today.
Pages: 300 characters yesterday, 20 pages today.
Time: 12 minutes yesterday, 12 minutes today!

Seems like 12 minutes is what I can manage when I’m tired. I’m in this awful place where I feel like I might get sick any minute. Slightly itchy throat, but not enough to say I’m unwell. I need to have worked two months at my job before I can call in sick without a doctor’s note… Immune system, please hold on for a while longer!!

I’m so over ピーチガール now.

Spoilers

In this latest chapter, the protagonist’s boyfriend is in the hospital because he suddenly got a stomachache? The thing is, he collapsed in the middle of a phone call with her, which made her think he was angry. The next day, MC is late for school, so she misses the announcement of her BF being unwell and in hospital. So of course, rival girl volunteers to bring the notes and homework to him in her stead. While there, she plants all kinds of lies about the MC. Boyfriend asks rival girl if she can tell MC he’s sorry, and of course rival girl lies through her teeth and does not :heartbeat:

I knew I was vaguely angry at this series last summer, but this is something else. I can’t believe I read manga like this all the time in middle school and thought it was great :sob: The only character I like now is the other boy involved in this love triangle, mostly because he’s a chaotic idiot.

Tomorrow is Japanese class again, which I’m looking forward to :confetti_ball: Have a nice day, everyone!

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One of the pains of getting older is realizing the aberrations of an earlier part of one’s life :rofl:

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Yup. You’ll see it with other characters too where it seems to just be the font rather than a variation, I suppose something like serif vs sans serif. (If it were a variation, it’d get furigana, even with how similar it looks to the usual kanji. Like, 繫がる is immediately obvious it’s just a different way of writing 繋がる, but it still gets furigana anyway.)

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Day 15
I was working on my japanese test and because of that I didn’t have that much time for reading. But I still managed to finish the second volume of Bakemonogatari manga and started reading the third one.

1409 pages read 18591 to go

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Ain’t that the truth! I even feel that way about the person I was like, 3-4 years ago… I suspect it never ends. Then again, it’s a sign of growth :sunglasses:

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January 17th :snowflake:
Home Post

Hella long day, been out in the city all day so I had no time to read manga but I read a few articles on NHK webs easy while on the train. Time for sleep :zzz:

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:bookmark: Home post // Jan 17 :snowman_with_snow: :snowflake:

・ 本好きの下克上 16 (71% → 75%)

I promise I’ll pick up Saikawa and Moe book again soonTM :eyes: I’m kinda bad at staying consistent when it comes to book clubbing.

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Wiii, thanks! :cake: :crabigator:

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January 13th-17th :snowflake:
Home Post :house_with_garden:
Hello everyone!
Managed to keep up with daily reading these past few days, I’m happy about that :blush:

  • 13/1:
    :teacher: 教養366、26min and
    :ring: 私の幸せな結婚, went back to volume 2 to read the novel excerpt at the end since there were 2 pages I had left, and I just wanted to reread them in the morning. around 20min.
  • 14/1: :dragon: 暁のヨナ for the bookclub read-aloud. having to read ch103 twice this week was heartbreaking…
    :teacher: 教養366, 7min.
  • 15/1: :teacher: 教養366, 20min.
    :orange_book: 10ぷん10分で読める伝記, Ieyasu’s biography this time. Honestly, all the 歴史366 from last year has me rather well-acquainted with names of that period and reading this was literally a breeze!
  • 16/1: :cherry_blossom: 花野井くん、less than 10min before bed, too sleepy…
  • 17/1: :cherry_blossom: 花野井くん, ch. 5-6, 50min. Story is progressing, I still have my quelms about the lead character 花野井くん, but we’ll see where this goes…
some words

いい迷惑(めいわく) = real nuisance
(こい)バナ = talking about one’s love interests;girls’ talk
人見知り(ひとみしり) =shyness;fear of strangers;stranger anxiety
儒教(じゅきょう) =Confucianism
老荘(ろうそう) =Laozi and Zhuangzi
老荘思想(ろうそうしそう) =Taoism;philosophy of Lao-tse and Chuang-tse
無為自然(むいしぜん) = ①abandoning artifice and just being oneself ②doing nothing and taking things as they come

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Oooooooooh!!! Finally someone! I’m loving this story so much! I wante to ask you, did you read both novel and manga? I wonder if i should try the novel, I’m dying to know more about this story and characters… :pleading_face:

oh my goodness this looks soooo cute!! I’ll be looking forward to more kitties, if you care to share as you read!

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January 17th!

Today was a busy day at work for me so I’m kind of worn out. But I managed to read a chapter of Shadows House.

(Home Post)

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