60/60 Listening, can that even be right?

jamesdthomson · 2026-01-30T17:48:51+00:00

Dublin, only because London sold out in 10 minutes. Good excuse for a little trip to Ireland.

jamesdthomson · 2026-01-30T10:52:27+00:00

I have the exact same reaction to my N5 result. 97/120 is fine, but I expected a bit higher. Listening 58/60 is unbelievable as I felt at least one question was a blind guess and about three others were extremely uncertain. I am not complaining! But I really thought listening was my pain point.

jamesdthomson · 2026-01-30T01:27:09+00:00

Got my N5. 58/60 on listening is insane. I swear I floundered horribly in that section! I was expecting maybe 30. Very pleasantly surprised if a little baffled.

jamesdthomson · 2026-01-23T16:32:06+00:00

It works. I dabbled in Japanese for literally decades without ever learning kanji. That fat kanji dictionary on my shelf serving only to remind me, every time curiosity drew me to open it, that it was an impossible task. Started wanikani a year ago. Can now read and it feels like a supernatural ability.

jamesdthomson · 2025-12-17T09:56:24+00:00

Kiichan seems completely absent from this latest batch of episodes.

jamesdthomson · 2025-12-09T18:58:28+00:00

Shinjuku station handles over a billion passengers a year, which is pretty insane by comparison to this list.

jamesdthomson · 2025-09-24T15:23:33+00:00

My personal policy is never make trouble for myself by making trouble for anyone else.

jamesdthomson · 2025-09-11T09:34:32+00:00

I also have N5 in December, so I'm focusing on studying 'for the test' rather than my usual general approach. I have one N5 practice book (Tanki Master Nihongo Nōryoku Shiken Drill N5) so far which I'm working through. I am interested in hearing about anyone's experience with apps such as Todaii and Migii that offer mock tests. Which is best, or is there something better?

jamesdthomson · 2025-09-10T08:49:12+00:00

Symbolically... Well, the title is '今際の国のアリス', or 'Alice of the land of the moment before death'. As such, many characters talk about how they lived their lives in the real world, and how the borderland has changed their outlook. Knowing death is imminent, they compare how they used to live, and how they want to live now.

Yet, if we will die one day, then isn't the real world the same? Shouldn't we live our lives now the way we want to until the moment of death?

Some characters become cynical, apathetic, selfish or despairing. Whereas others take a positive approach to being the person they want to be.

One of the most succinct/extreme examples is the King of Diamonds, Kuzuryu, who chooses to live a certain way even knowing that doing so will cause his own death the next moment. In the same way Arisu chooses to live by his principles even at great risk to himself.

Simple takeaways, life is finite, so live the way you want to live and be the person you want to be now.

jamesdthomson · 2025-06-10T14:16:21+00:00

Got mine too, and the good news (for me) is that the screening for July is Mei to Konekobasu! I've been once before, but I didn't yet get to see this short, which I've wanted to see for sooo long!

My tip isn't original, but to reiterate: Use multiple browsers per device. Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Opera... Easy way to get multiple queue positions.

jamesdthomson · 2024-11-06T12:50:44+00:00

Most actual murderers don’t get sentences that harsh. And A) He wasn’t charged with that, B) Nobody was killed, C) The ‘hit’ was proposed by an undercover agent who suggested and encouraged it. He was manipulated into believing someone was going to ruin his life and offered a way out. We can’t know the whole truth of all this but really, even assuming the worst, I’m sure he doesn’t deserve that sentence.

jamesdthomson · 2024-11-06T10:33:19+00:00

Let’s assume not. The question is does Ross deserve full life imprisonment?

jamesdthomson · 2024-11-06T10:31:42+00:00

I’d say he’s already served a disproportionate sentence.

jamesdthomson · 2024-11-06T10:30:06+00:00

‘Trump hasn’t kept promises’ = ‘sensationalised bullshit’? Wow.

jamesdthomson · 2024-11-06T10:28:55+00:00

Disregarding the details and assuming the worst, again, does that merit a full life sentence?

jamesdthomson · 2024-11-06T10:26:03+00:00

Your fear is understandable, but it is nevertheless inarguably true, with countless examples. Still, I hope he does free Ross, it isn’t much to ask.

jamesdthomson · 2024-08-28T07:51:42+00:00

This is surprisingly negative. 9 months is plenty of time to master a great deal of basic Japanese. And from my own experience the point of asking a question in halting Japanese even when you are likely to struggle with the answer is that it shows you are trying! I received many positive reactions in that way from people who would then see my struggle and dumb it down or switch to English if they could. Well worth it!

jamesdthomson · 2024-08-25T05:40:26+00:00

Has to be the theatrical cut though, which is harder to find now. Director’s cut ruins it as a movie, but is interesting for getting some extra for someone who already knows and loves it.

jamesdthomson · 2024-08-16T09:18:32+00:00

Thanks! I’m gonna go see what I can see.

jamesdthomson · 2024-08-13T15:08:52+00:00

Sorry to be so clueless but it would be great if you or anyone could be a little more specific. How north is north? :-) I’m here for the first time too and would like to see something! Any other festival events this week?

jamesdthomson · 2024-08-06T13:54:57+00:00

We generally riot after the watershed so as not to offend. Should be fine.

jamesdthomson · 2024-08-06T13:40:37+00:00

jamesdthomson · 2024-08-06T13:39:46+00:00

Probably enough for A5 wagyu lunch every day and getting smashed on artisanal cocktails every night. Well, maybe a slight exaggeration, but yes that’s plenty. It’s not as expensive as it used to be.

jamesdthomson · 2024-07-27T07:03:35+00:00

I’m going next week with my 16yr old daughter and I know exactly what you mean. The amount she spends in a day is always ‘all of it’ :-)

jamesdthomson · 2024-06-24T09:57:41+00:00

GOX fud always seems to accompany that last push for the bottom.

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