Shitsurei, ne! (aka my learning log and other random musings)

[shitsurei]

So I’ve been thinking lately…

I’ve been making really steady progress on NANA―ナナ― | L28 lately reading along with a WK offshoot bookclub. We’re reading a chapter a week, and each book has about 4 chapters, so we get through a book a month. Which seems really slow, except compared to alllll of the books that I’m not reading, it’s actually pretty decent progress.

So… can I replicate that for something that I’m reading on my own? One book a month might be too slow for me, but what if I set that as a minimum quota, with no issue with going faster…

…because (and this will come as no surprise to you, dear reader), I plan to do this with more than one book at a time

My new thought is to have 2 series in rotation. One somewhere in the 27-29 level range and one in the 20-23 level range. My goal is to finish one level 27ish manga a month and one 20ish level a week. I’m allowed to change what series I’m reading, but not until I finish a book… and ideally not until I’ve finished 2 books from the same series (but that’s very negotiable).

I’m hoping that I both will start to read more manga, and also not do the thing where I have like 5 books in progress and don’t actually finish any of them bc I’m busy starting new books all the time… My now reading is out of control.

[暁のルナ]

@shitsurei

My new thought is to have 2 series in rotation.

I find that’s good / similar to what I’m trying to do - basically 1 ongoing novel, 1 manga at a time (and then book clubs)

@shitsurei

and also not do the thing where I have like 5 books in progress and don’t actually finish any of them bc I’m busy starting new books all the time…

Good luck with that. I’ve decided I’m fine with jumping around, as long as I put the old book to Stopped, so I don’t start stressing myself out. I can always just pick it up again when I finish, or feel like it

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Anyway, your plan seems like a good one. Hope it works out

[shitsurei]

@shitsurei

My goal is to finish one level 27ish manga a month and one 20ish level a week.

I did not do that.

Because I have exactly zero chill, I finished 東京BABYLON―A save Tokyo city story 2 | L25 which had been sitting in my now reading since January or whenever the CLAMP book club was was still active (rip), and started 気になってる人が男じゃなかった 1 | L24 on a whim and finished it in two days. And started vol 2. I don’t know what we’re gonna do with me

I do want to finish out みなと商事コインランドリー | L21 as my easy series. I have 3 more books (and I bought them all on sale last month) so it would be a good one to close out. I don’t know what I’m going to do for my harder series… I’m thinking either 神様はじめました | L28 or 夏目友人帳 | L26 since I have all of both…

[shitsurei]

Does anyone else get a little thrill when they read or hear something like 私たち日本人? Like, hahaha, you fool, I have infiltrated your base and know your secrets!!

…just me?

[mitrac]

Raises hand

[shitsurei]

One of the first books I read after finding Natively about 2 years ago was 少女マンガじゃない! 1 下駄箱からラブレター...じゃなくて果たし状!? | L22. Last summer, not really on purpose, I ended up reading book 2 about a year after I read the first book. Since it has become somewhat of a tradition, I ended up picking the third book up last week and read through the first chapter.

Not only did it feel a lot easier, I actually was doing a fair bit of timing my reads last summer (something I find a little annoying to do regularly, but sometimes I am in the mood for it), and this happened to be one of the books I had timed my reading of.

Not sure why the last 10 pages I read was so much faster than the rest of it, lol. Maybe bc I was reading in the daytime and had a lot more light to read by? And/or wasn’t falling asleep as I read?

Whenever I get annoyed with tracking things, I always remember how great it is to have objective measures of things. It definitely felt easier, but not 80% easier, which is how much faster I read the pages this year compared to last. Honestly, I think a lot of the increased “speed” came from my lack of lookups. I think I maybe looked up 1 or 2 words in the 75 pages that I read.

I didn’t finish #3 because I both got a little bored of the book, and decided that I’m going to pick up the later chapters in the book as another test. Maybe next summer I can see how my reading speed itself improves, as I’m assuming I won’t really have many lookups for the rest of the book.

I should probably do something like this with a book without full furigana at some point… but we’ll see.

[shitsurei]

July

Total hours	30.9
Audiobook	16
TV	13.1
Podcast	2
JLPT Prep	.4

Total Pages	1,719
Manga	1,002
Book	717

Got a lot more pages read, but listening hours were down from last month. I’m not taking any art classes over the summer, so my driving time is down considerably. Not enough to make up for the difference from last month, but it’s def contributing to it. I also picked up a monthly subscription to 日本語の森 this month. I had seen their videos on YouTube before and enjoy them well enough. I’m focusing on the N2 grammar and reading sections (as I’m pretty sure that’s what’s going to trip me up the most in the test) and adding the grammar points to jpdb when I can. I’m a little sad because at this point I can’t say that I didn’t study for the JPLT, but I’m not studying very hard, so maybe that’s enough of a win.

Finished this month

Quite a bit less impressive as last month, but like I said in my June writeup, I specifically tried to clean up books and series that had been hanging around for a while. That, and it was the end of seasonals so I had a ton of those too.

I watch DanDaDan with my partner, which means I watch it with English subs, but this week had the absolute banger of a song and a very clear tribute to X Japan. Anyway, it’s been on repeat since I saw this week’s episode, and this show continues to be probably my favorite airing show right now.

TVアニメ『ダンダダン』HAYASii「Hunting Soul」【lyric video】

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Manga Challenge
So I’m not exactly doing what I set out to do above. I’m in way too many book clubs right now, but I don’t know that I want to drop any of them (Children’s book club is probably the lowest on the list, but it’s such an easy read that I feel silly dropping that one).

Since I’m in two book clubs for orange leveled manga (NANA―ナナ― | L28 and 角川まんが学習シリーズ 日本の歴史 | L28), I’m going to call that good enough for right now and then stick to my chapter a day of an easier manga. I managed to finish reading of all what’s released of みなと商事コインランドリー | L21 like I had wanted to, and it feels so good to be through a series that was languishing in my now reading for so long.

Thoughts

It’s got a pretty sizable age gap, but the younger character is very much the one pursuing the older character. And the older character has made it very clear that he won’t be involved with the younger one until he is of age, which I can mostly respect. There’s been a few iffy moments around consent but this is BL, you’d better get used to that around here.
I’d put the series in the 4.1-4.2 territory. Solid, a few really good moments, but nothing unmissable.

Conversation Lessons
Been going well. I hate them, I can’t tell if it’s helping my output or not, but I do think an hour a week is short enough that I should just suck it up. I still get stuck all the time, and some weeks have a better time of talking around words that I can’t think of. But I like my teacher quite a bit, and at the very least, she has me do homework that is N2 reading and grammar.

JLPT Study
Speaking of which…

@shitsurei

I’m going to start trying to commit to 4 days a week of some kinda of JLPT study

I have not done this.
I was better towards the end of the month once I started with 日本語の森, but those I’ve probably not even done 4 days a week. I’m starting to realize that December isn’t that far away (), so I should probably try and do what I can to get more study in… I have a group that I’m a part of that has some daily body doubling sessions, so I’m going to try and go to those more often and try to do at least 15 mins on weekdays…

[暁のルナ]

@shitsurei

(Children’s book club is probably the lowest on the list, but it’s such an easy read that I feel silly dropping that one)

That’s a good reason to drop - easiest to catch back up with later, if you’re still into it (and if not, did it really matter)

@shitsurei

and 角川まんが学習シリーズ 日本の歴史 | L28)

I really loved that volume, and looks like there’s some fun discussion - might just have to join

@shitsurei

And the older character has made it very clear that he won’t be involved with the younger one until he is of age, which I can mostly respect.

Wanna take bets on how long that will last? I’m scrolling through the preview, and literally thought they were the same age lol (I can tell them apart of you mentioned, and the uniform basically)

Anyway I like the art style, and stop far things look kinda soft, so I might just give this a try later

@shitsurei

There’s been a few iffy moments around consent but this is BL, you’d better get used to that around here.

That is my vague impression of a lot of the genre… which depending on my mood, and how it’s written…

As an aside, the idea of a laundromat having employees who (seemingly?) aren’t part of the family that owns them is kinda novel for me

@shitsurei

I watch DanDaDan with my partner, which means I watch it with English subs, but this week had the absolute banger of a song and a very clear tribute to X Japan

えぇぇ, decent power metal in an anime - can’t say I was expecting that (well can’t say I’m ever expecting like 70% of anything that happens in ダンダダン, but still). I dropped it (again), but good for them

[shitsurei]

@暁のルナ

That’s a good reason to drop - easiest to catch back up with later, if you’re still into it

For the next few weeks, I think I’ve decided to read the entire chapter at once (so I think that will be 3 weeks) and we’ll see how I feel once we get to that week

@暁のルナ

Wanna take bets on how long that will last?

As of volume 6, シン (younger one) is now 18, they’ve both 告った, and are 両思い, but 湊 won’t be with him until he graduates high school. So… by a number of measures he’s already fulfilled it. (spoiler for the whole relationship, you have been warned ).

@暁のルナ

That is my vague impression of a lot of the genre… which depending on my mood, and how it’s written…

This series def does not bother me, but I’ve been reading the genre since the late 90s, and am somewhat inured to it. If I put on my modern day goggles, there’s like two iffy scenes I can remember, but they’re both discussed afterwards and I think there are even apologies for both of them. Like red flags irl, but it’s BL, so it’s honestly used so that you as the reader get some action, but they also haven’t changed the status quo of the relationship.

@暁のルナ

the idea of a laundromat having employees who (seemingly?) aren’t part of the family that owns them

I think it’s just 湊 that works there and it’s his grandpa’s laundromat?
It’s been a few months since I read vol 1, and it doesn’t come up a lot, lol, but iirc 湊 is the only one that works there and people just come to hang out there. (I don’t get the impression that they’re in the super 田舎 because there’s a 商店街 in their town, but they definitely aren’t in 東京).

@暁のルナ

well can’t say I’m ever expecting like 70% of anything that happens in ダンダダン

This is definitely a pro for me, but I do appreciate that the randomness is not for a lot of people. As someone who tends to correctly guess plot lines a lot, I either need a lot of well done random, or a reason to watch a show other than finding out what the main plot line is doing, and ダンダダン gives me both of those.

[暁のルナ]

@shitsurei

For the next few weeks, I think I’ve decided to read the entire chapter at once

good strategy, if I understood correctly. It’s like you get a break for a few weeks

@shitsurei

(spoiler for the whole relationship, you have been warned ).

You might wanna put that before the spoiler next time (not annoyed - just amused that after I compulsively clicked, I saw the warning). Anyway that’s boring, but also refreshing

@shitsurei

there’s like two iffy scenes I can remember, but they’re both discussed afterwards and I think there are even apologies for both of them.

That is something I appreciate reading very much

@shitsurei

Like red flags irl, but it’s BL, so it’s honestly used so that you as the reader get some action, but they also haven’t changed the status quo of the relationship.

Right, some amount is expected (particularly in an age gap). Tho I’m more sensitive to some red flags than others - and sometimes it just depends on the story

@shitsurei

I think it’s just 湊 that works there and it’s his grandpa’s laundromat?

Ahh still in the family then

@shitsurei

This is definitely a pro for me, but I do appreciate that the randomness is not for a lot of people

It’s not randomness I mind. It’s that a lot of it is mind numbing and dragged out

@shitsurei

a reason to watch a show other than finding out what the main plot line is doing,

I feel like Okarun and Momo give a very solid one. Their relationship is like 80% of what kept me going till I dropped

[shitsurei]

@暁のルナ

You might wanna put that before the spoiler next time

tbf, volume 6 is as far as has been released, so that was more of a secondary courtesy

@暁のルナ

I feel like Okarun and Momo give a very solid one.

Yeah they are great, and have had a few moments this season that I really liked. I’m also a big fan of Jiji and his golden retriever energy. He took a bit for me to warm up to, but now I love him. I’m still struggling with Arisa (? the pink haired girl… you can tell how much I like her ), but I think she’s a good foil for Momo. This week’s episode title was something like We Became a Family and basically, I don’t care all that much about what’s happening in the outside world that much, I care about our extended cast and their relationships.

[shitsurei]

This is why I watch 光が死んだ夏 in the daytime

(From ep 5)

無理無理無理無理!

[eefara]

My roommate looked up at that exact scene, shook their head, and just said, “no”.

[Pashmina]

@shitsurei

daily body doubling sessions

literally no idea what this means but in my head it sounds like you switch bodies and then force the other body to study lol

But yay, December N2 buddies

[暁のルナ]

It’s this: Body doubling - Wikipedia

Basically having someone else around (possibly doing their own thing) while you do your thing. Helps with motivation for some ppl (self-included)

[shitsurei]

I think I like @Pashmina’s idea more

[暁のルナ]

Idk two bodies sounds like a pain to maintain. One is annoying enough

[Pashmina]

Ahh, that’s what my colleague and I do, we do pomodoro together

(Plus it helps that MS Teams shows you in a call and other colleagues won’t bother you as much)

[additionalramen]

みなと商事コインランドリー volume 6

@shitsurei

As of volume 6, シン (younger one) is now 18, they’ve both 告った, and are 両思い, but 湊 won’t be with him until he graduates high school. So… by a number of measures he’s already fulfilled it.

A couple months ago I blew through vols 1-5 of this series (in English) in one weekend, and then impulsively bought and read volume 6 on Bookwalker because I really wanted to know what happened next. I probably wasn’t totally ready for a purple-level text at that point, so I didn’t catch everything, but am I understanding correctly that at the end of the volume, 湊 goes to シン’s parents to ask for permission to date him? I remember thinking it was funny I had gone to the trouble of struggling through this whole volume in Japanese because of volume 5’s cliffhanger, only to get smacked with yet another one.

I think the series is adapted from a novel? Or a light novel maybe. Have you checked that out at all, or just the manga?

[shitsurei]

Yeah, in the hospital Shin kinda convinces Minato that now has to be the time because he’s literally worrying himself sick, so he’s going to go meet his parents. I forget how much of that is literally said and how how much of it is implied, but yeah, you got it right

The unfortunate part about reading manga to find out what happens after the cliffhanger is that you’ll usually just find another cliffhanger

Is it based on a light novel? I know that the author writes the light novels, but I thought they weren’t a direct adaptation? Honestly I don’t know a ton about the series; I saw the books in Animate when I was in Japan this year and really liked the art. Then the first 2 or 3 were free to read, and shortly after the rest went on sale for pretty cheap, so I snagged them.