The barrel of the gun is gonna make you speak another language
And, amigo, I ain't talkin' 'bout Spanish

-Jin, Learn Chinese

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In the process of rewriting my JET Statement of Purpose because I focused too much on what JET can do for me. And because I've gotten advice to the effect of: ask not what JET can do you for but what you can do for JET.

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I don't remember the last time I dreamed in Vietnamese, the truest indicator that a language belongs to you and you to it.

-Monique Truong, Into Thin Air

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I rode backseat of the family Expedition with Frenchie. Mom and Dad rode frontseat. Dad was taking us to get something translated from Japanese, but we largely ignored Frenchie. We spoke in ( Read more... )

We need to do more than find diversions; we need to restore and expand ourselves. Our idea of relaxing is all too often to plop down in front of the television set and let its pandering idiocy liquefy our brains. Shutting off the thought process is not rejuvenating; the mind is like a car battery-it recharges by running.

-Bill Watterson, SOME ( Read more... )

I see you're drinking 1% milk. Is that because you think you're fat? Because you're not. You could probably be drinking whole milk.

-Napoleon, Napoleon Dynamite

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Hatanaka-sensei returned out second written test today. I got a 47/70. 67%. Four worse than the first test.

The test had 3 parts: the last 2 chapters we read and a new reading. This ( Read more... )

Tell me why, どうしてすれ違っていくの

-Ryouhei Yamamoto (+ m-Flo & Melody), Miss You

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Dai Lo tells me that he's also applying for the JET Program, but after today, I don't think he can get a recommendation from Tanaka-sensei.

In Business Japanese, we learn business situations and then practice the accompanying dialogue. Lotta times, we break up into pairs ( Read more... )

Ever since the cold front hit, every morning's been harder and harder to get out of bed. This morning, I awoke, curled up in a ball because the cold had pierced through my blanket. The blanket is old, older than some of my siblings, even. I've kept it for so long because it's perfect for Texas weather--that is, when Texas weather stays above 40°F, ( Read more... )

Went back to Houston over the weekend to vote, switch cars, and see Dad before his trip. When Ông Ngoại died, Ông Nội told Mom that his last wish was to return to Huế, and so Dad's taking Ông Nội to the Đoàn family ancestral homeland, somewhere near Huế.

Anyway, I left on Friday at around 5pm, just in time to crawl through Bastrop traffic, right ( Read more... )

Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better
Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together

-The Postal Service, Nothing Better

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I've been reading again, sneaking chapters at the bus stop, before bed, in the john. For me, it takes a surprising amount of control to keep myself from running through the book in one ( Read more... )

Dijit You could get a lot done in 30 minutes.
Me Yeah, but those 30 minutes gotta be right before class.

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There are 5 varieties of chess pieces. Each have a set pattern, use, etc. And it's quite easy to pick up chess over one afternoon, maybe even beat some novices at it. It's the same way with Japanese. Learn some particles, demonstratives, and ( Read more... )

Leftover Roadtrip Pics:

In Seattle, from this home on Alki Beach:


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