Handy: Look up Kanji by Drawing your Query

If you are studying Japanese and come across kanji you do not know how to pronounce, you might find this link very handy.

http://kanji.sljfaq.org/

This website allows you to look up kanji by writing it using your cursor.  I have made use of it numerous times while studying the language.  One of my favourite methods is to watch Japanese television shows like NEP LEAGUE, a game show that features hiragana, katakana and kanji writing and recognition.  If I can't recognize a kanji character and I don't know how it sounds, I come to the kanji dictionary site to draw it and look it up.  This often occurs when I see kanji from signs, brands and questions on the game show.  It's a great exercise for stroke order and for learning by association to the character and the images that accompany it on the show.

People Power

I've been working at a University for about three years on a part-time basis in the IT department. The thing I've come to value the most about working here is the people and the levity and support they bring.

My boss appended a comic to the end of our next meeting agenda.

Not one to keep her feet firmly on the ground.

Timing is a challenge in photography. For photographer and seemingly levitation master Natsumi Hayashi, it takes persistance to overcome it.

It takes her over ten seconds minimum to set up for each photo attempt. She can try a hundred times a day before she gets the photo she wants. She also shoots solo sometimes - Without someone to hit the shutter button for her, she uses the timer on her camera to delay the shot until she can get into position. The results appear to defy the laws of physics. Hit the link for her website with more photos. http://www.yowayowacamera.com