Kit Kat 大人の甘さシリーズ

Kit Kat has a strong presence here in Japan. They have this 大人の甘さシリーズ (roughly translated: mature sweetness series) that introduces flavors more appealing to adults or those with a "more mature" palate.

This thing here is the raspberry flavored KitKat. It's pink like the strawberry and Sakura flavored KitKats. But I think I prefer the citrus flavored one I got from Ehime. Maybe I should stop by one of the specialty stores at Shinjuku to see wht else they've got.

George Carlin

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”

I laughed when I first heard this quote. It sounded so ridiculous! The idea that the fact that there are people stupider than you are should affect you somehow was incredulous. It also assumes that you live in a perfect world where perfect bell curves exist and that outliers or skewed graphs do not exist.

Assuming this fact is in some way true, how would this affect you?

Or is it human nature to look for people with similar minds? Who gets what you say or what you want to say or why you said what you said? Someone who can figure you out?

Feature Request: Copy Text to Clipboard

Looking through my past feature request post I found a solution to one of them. I found a keyboard shortcut that works with rikai-kun (for chrome) that lets me copy the words that pop up. Here's a list of all the keyboard shortcuts for rikai-kun. The copied entries are tab-separated so you can paste it directly into Excel or a text-based file to export to flash card software or applications.

Keyboard shortcuts when popup is visible

A	Alternate popup location
Y	Move popup location down
C	Copy to clipboard
D	Hide/show definitions
Shift/Enter	Switch dictionaries
B	Previous character
M	Next character
N	Next word

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Japanese Dictionary
jisho.org

I was using Weblio for translations but it has a lot of advertisements so loading the page takes too long. Jisho.org is a simpler site that loads faster. Kanji characters have furigana so you can read the example sentences or words you are looking up. The site also uses hash tags to help narrow down searches. You can even use them to call up specific word lists for studying.

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Japanese to English Translations
Linguee

Linguee comes up with common translations for words and this site also gives example paragraphs of how the words are used. You get the context in which the words are used.

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New link for Jim Breen's WWWJDIC EDict
wwwjdic word search

No one reads anymore!

It finally occurred to me that no one reads anymore. They skim, scan, or glance over articles, posts, or tweets but they don't read. No one reads anymore!

Is there anything sadder than this?

You read all sorts of comments after reading an article and realize, no one reads the actual content.

(Fine, it might not be a new concept and I might have been in denial all this while believing in the human race but my bubble has finally burst.)

Vocabulary Grabber

As an English tutor, it's sometimes difficult to juggle between preparing for a class and my day job so I rely on many, many online resources to generate instantaneous materials. I love flash cards and quizzes but I don't have the time to make either of them. Here's a few links to flash card/quiz resources that may be helpful to you.

Vocabulary Grabber
Copy any text from any reading material you plan to use and paste it into this lovely vocabulary grabber. It grabs all the words in your text based on frequency and difficulty. And it gives you the option of choosing to list only the top 10 words (most used? most difficult?) or you could scan through the list and choose which words you'd want to help your students with. Or just choose everything.

Otherwise, vocabulary.com is a great place to look for word lists that you think your students should know.

Exam English
I was recently required to sit for TOEIC. An English test for listening and reading that most people in Japan would have to sit for. Especially when applying for a job. They also have a speaking and writing test but that costs almost twice the fee it costs for the listening and reading test. I'm not even sure if I should consider taking that.

I digress.

This website has quizzes for major English proficiency tests. Have fun using it. They have a level check too, which should be fairly accurate.

English Grammar
English Grammar is a grammar guide with grammar rules and online exercises. Perfect for reviewing your language ability.

Edufind English Grammar Guide
More English grammar guide! Always good to have more than one reference point for accuracy.

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Previous Post: ESL Learning Materials

JLPT N1 Preparation Course (Memrise!)

Once you've passed JLPT N2, you're ready to speak to Japanese people, read signs, and be able to live a normal student life in Japan as a foreigner. Your Japanese isn't perfect but you get the gist of most conversations and you are able to build your own lexicon of Japanese vocabulary used only by you and those around you.

So, if you think you're ready to take on JLPT N1, you might have to think twice. I found out the hard way that the leap from N2 to N1 was massive! First of all, you will need to know 2000 漢字（かんじ・Chinese characters). That's twice the amount you were required to know in N2! Next is a list of advanced grammar patterns that you've never seen or heard of. It's almost impossible to learn them on your own without someone to explain them to you. Especially if you don't have a good grammar book.

Anyway.

The test consists of the following sections as far as I'm concerned: Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, and Listening. Since it's Japanese, vocabulary comes in two parts: recognition and recollection. Or being able to read the 漢字 and being able to recall the 漢字. The following online resources listed are what I intend to use to prepare myself for the JLPT N1 in July. The list I have compiled includes flash cards made with Memrise; an excellent SRS app that does what I expect flash cards to do. (I've vetted each deck to suit my learning style.) I'm using a drill book concurrently to keep track of my progress weekly.

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VOCABULARY (Memrise)

Phase I (Must complete to pass, at least)
JLPT N1 2000 Vocabulary Words

Tanos N1 Vocabulary (non-cumulative list; alphabetical order)
Tanos N1 Vocabulary (non-cumulative, random order)

(Drill Book Supplement)
Verbs, Na-Adj, Nouns
Adjectives
Nouns
Wago Verbs
Combined Verbs
Combined Words
Difficult Readings

語彙まとめドリル。新日本語５００問。
文字まとめドリル。新日本語５００問。
文法まとめドリル。新日本語５００問。

Phase II (To get a better grade)
JLPT N1 Comprehensive
JLPT N1 Kanji
JLPT N1 Revision
JLPT N1 Vocabulary (1)
JLPT N1 Vocabulary (2)

Phase III (If you have the time)
JLPT N1 Vocab and Readings
N1 Vocabulary
完全マスター漢字N1 (1)
完全マスター漢字N1 (2)

Phase IV (After you're done with JLPT) - not so much for preparation but if you have the time why not? xD
読み方が同じになる漢字
日本語の小説

http://m.nestle.jp/recipe/from1/cook/scene/cut 料理に用語辞典

Japan's Prefectures
Complete Japanese Keigo
Japanese Cooking and Ingredients

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GRAMMAR
JLPT N1 Resources
JLPT N1 Grammar Usage
Old JLPT Level 1 Grammar Guide

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READING COMPREHENSION
Free N1 Quizzes
Fun Reading Materials
Reading Practice

JLPT Practice Test (free trial)

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LISTENING
JLPT Official Practice Workbook
Shadowing Practice (Core Sentences)
Shadowing Practice (Full List)

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EXTRA
A Guide to Japanese Grammar - Tae Kim

This is just something extra if you're interested in learning Japanese. This flash card deck should be used with the source website (Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide), which is an excellent starting point for learning Japanese as a beginner.

2015

It just occurred to me that it's the end of 2015. Today is the last day of the year 2015. 

All I knew about today was that it is the only day I planned nothing on my itinerary and it's the only day rain was expected all day. It didn't occur to me that this was the last day of the year. 

Perhaps I thought I would be washed over by a wave of nostalgia or that I would be reflecting on my year this very day. But nope. I'm too preoccupied with my winter trip to notice. 

Overall it was an okay year. It was more of a roller coaster ride. I've been to more places this year than any other year. I keep forgetting that I've now been to at least 4 countries instead of 3. In 2016, I hope to visit one more country. 

This year I forgot myself. Forgot who I was and what I can do. Forgot why I am who I am. I sought to appease an inner conscience that had no care for my future or my life. An inner conscience that could take over my entire being without difficulty and wreck my life. 

In 2016, I hope to remember how to be myself again. To find joy in the pleasures I enjoyed. To find peace in the comforts I seek. To find stability in the rolling waves that come my way. 

I wish that remembering was a choice I could make instead of something I can only hope for. 

Freelance Jobs

This post is for those wishing to make extra pocket money for themselves. If you have a full-time job but want to moonlight,and if you want to do this all in the comfort of your own home, you may want to consider becoming a freelancer.

Many years ago, as a teenager, my impression of a freelancer was someone who took random pictures for newspapers and magazines. I had no idea what does it mean to be a freelancer until I came across this option as a young working adult. It turns out that the Internet houses a network of people who wishes to hire anyone who can do some of the most menial tasks to complicated tasks that require certain expertise and experience. These are the people who want you to build websites for them, write articles, design logos or even be their virtual assistant.

You could land a full-time free-lance job as a virtual assistant. I am reiterating this because I had no idea you could have a full-time job being someone else's personal assistant without actually being there with them. All you need to do is be available to them by phone or email and be sure to do your job.

Everything, however, comes down to how well you sell yourself and how cheap is your labor. Look around at other proposals by your peers to find out what sort of skills or requirements that those you intend to work for are looking for. While providing cheap labor may be a good way of starting out, you still want to make sure you are getting your dues. If you sell yourself short, the quality of your work may come into question.

Anyway, if you are interested in becoming a freelancer, these are the two sites I have been using that I think are great. Both websites are up-to-date and jobs are constantly being added by the minute. Both sites provide a desktop app that tracks your working hours. This lets potential employers to know how much freelance work you have been doing.


Upwork (formerly Elance or oDesk)

Formerly known as Elance or oDesk, the two freelancing websites have merged to give us Upwork. You could still login through the old oDesk or Elance site but I recommend going through the oDesk platform for new freelancers. People hiring on oDesk are more forgiving of newcomers and they are generally more likely to hire you if you do not have any experience.

I like that the website allows you to indicate your availability, your previous freelancing experience (even if it was accepted on another site), and your average rate per hour. You are given 60 connect points as a free or basic user. These connect points are used to make bids or submit proposals for jobs; each proposal uses between 1 to 5 points. This means you do not have an unlimited amount of bids to make. The points however are renewed at the start of every billing cycle (monthly); so you will get 60 connect points per month. If you wish to pay for their services, you will be able to bid for more projects. It is not a bad idea if you plan to be a full-time freelancer.

They also have free tests you can take to let people know the level of your skill. You can upload other certifications you may have gotten in order to indicate your level of proficiency at your said skill.


Freelancer

Freelancer literally has new job postings every other minute. They have a pop-up notification at the bottom left of the window to tell you when new jobs are posted. You are allowed to make up to 100 bids per month with the Plus membership. Otherwise, the free membership allows only 8 bids per month.

The way Freelancer works is basically the same as Upwork with the exception that you need to be able to link a payment account (usually PayPal) in order to start using it. The tests they provide cost USD 5 per test. So if you want to use this website, you might have to consider investing in it to get more jobs. It will cost you nothing to use their bare minimum services. However, if you are serious about freelancing, you might want to invest a little in their services to be able to promote or sell yourself better.


Happy job-hunting. :)

The Japanese and Debates

I've noticed that ever since I came to Japan, the Japanese have been very accommodating and polite when it came to differences in opinions. They rarely say what they dislike or like openly without being sure they're not insulting anyone by just saying their preferences. In Malaysia or Australia, a difference in opinion often results in a lively debate that I miss so much. My conversations in Japan have mellowed down to mostly explanations, descriptions, and asking about current events. There are no debates here. Lively, healthy or otherwise. I miss having to reason out my opinions.

A healthy discussion helps work your brain. It keeps the cogs and wheels turning when you have to keep thinking of reasons to back up your opinion. I like open discussions because of that. It's rare to find people who are not stubborn about their opinion and is open to challenge or is accepting of differences in opinions.

It doesn't even matter if something isn't well thought out. When you start talking about it, you start reasoning it out and it helps you see their perspectives and your own. It's how you get to know if a person is just shallow or if they know what they're on about. It lets you know more about the person you're talking to.

I think I just figured out why I'm so irritated. The people I don't understand have no opinions of their own or are simply too shallow to have a conversation with. They won't argue with you or persuade you. They won't try to see your perspective or even think that there may be more than one way to do something.

Facets. It's what's so fascinating about our 3D world. There is always a side we can't see. It's something you can only see with the help of someone else. Or a mirror. But still, you need help to see every side of an object. Much more a person. If you can't hold a conversation with someone, how are you going to see them for who they are?

That is why I think it's very important to be with someone you can hold a conversation with. If you can't even talk to each other, what's the point?

Streaks of Blue

There are only certain periods in your life when certain behaviors are acceptable. Wailing and fussing in public as a babe. Throwing tantrums as a toddler. Being friends with anyone and everyone as a child.

When is it ever acceptable to dye your hair blue? 

The way we dress is somewhat dictated by our age group in that we try to be as appropriate as possible while being unique.

Workplace ethics would require a working adult to appear conventional, trustworthy and conforming to the social norm. Blue hair does not portray such a person.

The most logical time of your life to have blue hair would therefore be in college. Right? That and when you're retired.

Whatsapp Web

Why does whatsapp only work when my phone is connected to the Internet? What's the point?

Should I start a tour company?

Planning holidays is kinda fun. Should I help people plan their holidays?

Running out of storage

It's been a little more than 2 years since I got my iPhone. It's been 5 since I got my Nexus.

I've had to clear up space in my iPhone every 5-6 months. I have almost 300 apps in my Android and I've never had to clear up storage space. I even have friggin music in my android and no other media in my iPhone! They're both 16gb. They both do not support external storage devices.

That just added one more reason I can't understand why do people want to insist that iPhone is the best. It's so frustrating to use! I keep going back to my Android just to breathe better. Just so I know I have a better option here.

iPhone. You may have a longer battery life, but you're not all that.

Do you keep a journal?

There are many benefits to keeping a journal; from expressing emotions to logging daily events, the reasons are plenty.

What are your reasons for keeping a journal?

I am a sporadic journal-keeper. I had diaries during my pre-teen years. Then I kept online blogs and took to typing my thoughts as opposed to penning them down. It wasn't something I did every single day but I knew I had to do it. It was in my soul. There was a yearning that kept me looking for empty pages to fill with my handwriting. I just had to write.

Granted my musings may not always been inspirational or amusing or in any way interesting to the general public, I did have a sense of satisfaction in simply writing things down. Be it making a list of things to do or a list of things I am thinking about to organize my thoughts. It helped create a sense of fulfillment. A sense of accomplishment in my otherwise quotidian life.

Mostly, I had to write because I was afraid of forgetting. I have this fear that I'll forget everything one day and I won't even recognize myself. I am afraid of forgetting who I am, what I stand for, what I believe in, or simply forget what makes me, me.

So I write, to remember. To remember what I want to do. My aspirations. My inspirations. My opinions. I write so that I will be able to remember that this was who I used to be. However embarrassing my past self was. (I know I am embarrassed of my past self; I've read my old diaries.)

Even so, I don't think I will ever stop.

Boingo Free WiFi

It turns out, Boingo is a great service for using free WiFi near train stations and other public places with lots of WiFi services.

I couldn't use it at school because there were no public WiFi services nearby. We have a private school WiFi that's free to students anyway so that's not a problem.

I couldn't use the service at home for the same reason.

In my last trip to Beijing, there was no need to use the service at all in the hotel considering free WiFi was provided by the hotel.  McDonald's also provides free WiFi but you can only use it if you have a working mobile contact number. That works in Beijing.

In Japan, Boingo provides me online access as long as my phone can connect to any of the public WiFi hotspot provided by Japanese network providers (DoCoMo, Softbank, etc). These public WiFi services often require you to register with a working Japanese mobile phone or phone mail (not the same as email). Or they require that you own a password that you have to pay for first. But with Boingo, you can connect to them for free as long as Boingo recognizes them as a Boingo affiliated service.

Just register for an account with Boingo and you're good to go. They also provide a premium service if you're willing to pay for it. It's probably worth it if you're going to be travelling every month or at least frequently enough to need it. It's cheaper than getting a portable WiFi device but be reminded that it only works best in public places.

Portable WiFi devices on the other hand works like a mobile phone that lets you connect multiple devices to that one WiFi service. Kind of like a portable router. Its versatility is worth the money you pay for it.