私的に

[nnozomi]

Daily life: The kids at the weird high school are giving me life, both Japanese and foreign-born. Big chubby irreverent Arapon (nickname), who chats cheerfully all the way through class to all and sundry, teachers included, but also does his homework meticulously in two colors; elegant Nida, Farsi-speaking, Afghanistan-born, Dubai-raised, who wants to practice her English conversation; little bespectacled Kotaro v2 (there are three Kotaros) who asks a string of questions, all starting with 先生的に ("as by you, teacher...") and so on, bless them all.
Also I made the world's best error in a translation project, finding via spellcheck that I had referred to a weather phenomenon as a "typohoon."

Music: Among other things the Good Soldier Schweik Suite by Robert Kurka, yet another composer who died too young to become really well known; a gorgeous jazz-influenced dark-toned wind piece.

Books: Another WWII diary, Vere Hodgson; she has some good things to say. "Irate Mother to daughter in one of the raided towns: 'For goodness' sake put that book down, and listen to the Air Raid!'". "The News shows no sign of improvement, so I am disregarding it. It is against the law to worry, so I just don't think--" . "Mr. Booker was saying that though he hates onions, when once more we can get them he will sit down and really enjoy one. I think we shall go in for onion binges when the war is over."

Chinese: Duolingo says, and my friend P confirms, that it's common to say 坠入爱河, not just falling in love but falling into the river of love. I was trying to think of fictional non-metaphorical examples of this; Peter Grant is the obvious one, and also Prudence from one of my favorite Zen Cho stories. Do any others come to mind?

Writing: A few days stuck, on account of headaches and work, but getting started again now. Finish the current scene and do one, maybe two more and I will actually have arrived at the part where dramatic things happen, I've waited for it so long I'm starting to lose confidence...

Photos: Two views of veranda tomatoes (they taste good, sweet and tart with a nice snap in the skin), and the world's most durable post box.


Be safe and well.

Comments

[trobadora]

"typohoon" is brilliant! :D

[nnozomi]

Talk about self-referential ;)

[skygiants]

Sen and Haku in Spirited Away! Chalk one more up for river spirits.

[nnozomi]

How could I forget! I saw Spirited Away three times in the theater, which for a non-movie-going person like me is practically unprecedented...

[clevermanka]

"Typohoon" is my new phrase for that cycle you get in when you mistype something, go back to fix it, fuck up the fix, and proceed to error your way through the next five words.

[nnozomi]

Oh yes! Or when I think "I can retype this faster than I can copy-paste it" and end up making six typos in a row and having to go back and fix all of them.

[laireshi]

TYPOHOON. Amazing.

[nnozomi]

;) Not on purpose, I swear.

[tinny]

Typophoon makes me giggle soooo much! :D

Lolol my popup dictionary says "ai he" = "the river of love, a stumbling block on the way to enlightenment" - yep, Buddhist scholars, better not fall in love! :D

[nnozomi]

the river of love, a stumbling block on the way to enlightenment
Good heavens. Well...I suppose if you're not in a hurry to get to enlightenment...

[tinny]

Why not take the scenic route? ;D

Although now that I think about it a bit longer, this insistence that love is not compatible with enlightenment is such typical religious fanatic nonsense. I mean, Christians have also insisted that sex is bad, women are bad, priests must not marry so they can better concentrate on God, bla bla bla. It's the same thing, isn't it?

I feel like people who love and are loved are better for the world that those who disdain it. But maybe "world betterment" is not the same as enlightenment. Maybe enlightenment is all egotistical. What do I know. I always looked on enlightenment in a positive light, but this makes me doubt.

[china_shop]

but also does his homework meticulously in two colors;

Awww! <3

Also I made the world's best error in a translation project, finding via spellcheck that I had referred to a weather phenomenon as a "typohoon."

Ahaha, that's awesome!

not just falling in love but falling into the river of love.

Ooh, that's lovely. I can't think of any more...

Finish the current scene and do one, maybe two more and I will actually have arrived at the part where dramatic things happen, I've waited for it so long I'm starting to lose confidence...

*waves encouraging pompoms wildly*

[nnozomi]

Thanks! Getting to chatter a little bit at a time at Write Every Day has been a big help. ♡
Oh, I have a hibiscus postcard for you! If you want, send me a message with a mailing address I can use (no worries if you'd rather not, feel free to help yourself to the image either way). ;)