The holy grail

The UK university system does have some rather impenetrable and inexplicable points - the university I went to in Dublin (near enough) didn't give firsts on principle. And it's kind of the same with the Sheffield MA - anything over 80 (not even sure it's out of a theoretical 100) and you should be deleriously happy.

And today I am - 83 for my latest J-E translation! It was a great source text, "Don't make children write poetry!" by a literary critic and novelist Maruya Saiichi. You can feel his immense frustration with schools and worship of poetry in every line. It was great fun to translate.

Pity not all the translation material in the world is like that, as I well know.

Uh-oh

Serious impediment to study... my other half has very sweetly got me Final Fantasy III for the DS. Wheeeeee!

Something's got to give...

Why am I finally getting around to posting some haiku? I'm at home sick, went in feeling okay, but went downhill rapidly and by 12 was unable to type my own name. Various problems kept me from leaving until after 2:30, but I'm now home and feeling a little better. Wouldn't surprise me if it's stress...

MA work not going so well either. I got good marks on Japanese-English translation, but not so good on my transcription (although coming down from almost-perfect last time) and really disappointing marks on my first essay. Fair point that there were probably important sources I didn't use, but the content of the essay didn't crystallise for some time, and by the time it did I didn't have time to go into SOAS to get more books.

I know we're all grown up, but I would appreciate more assistance (even if people want to call it hand-holding) from the university... giving us a massive Handbook - which covers more than just our course - and then throwing assignments at us later isn't working for me, and I'd be surprised if it was for others.

Or maybe I'm just not taking criticism well, as has been noted since primary school. But hey, at least that's something unique about me.

Haiku!

I'm worth more than this!
my soul screams - regardless, the world is not paying

Haiku!

I tell my brother
He sneers, gives reasons why it's a bad idea

Haiku!

skin hair nails face eyes
misery shaping them all
long, long and heavy

Haiku!

green LEDs surge
and scatter prophecying
the end of the world

(after watching a broken LED signboard on a slow train back to Reading while muchos tired)

Future technical

After miserably failing to contribute much to the discussion on media and politics at the online course, had a look at next year's options... including patent translation. I think I need to seriously improve my Japanese...

Google Patents: http://www.google.com/patents

See, you can connect everything

The BBC shows you a connection between whaling and Buddhism.

A slightly different aspect of the translation industry...

The cost of Polish translators in Slough, where I work.

Foldin', foldin', foldin'...

www.britishorigami.org.uk

Ah, gahwan! Shure ye will!

I do feel incredibly put upon by the whole IJET thing. But as my friend says, it will be an opportunity to be known in the translation community, which I still entertain vague dreams of joining.

And after talking about work and how stupid it can be on the train on the way home, and discovering that no-one told me about the job above me going up for interview, that may move up the list. Management seems to be the root cause of corporate inefficiency.

So, here goes. Hope they recognise me as a student or I'll be even more out of pocket...

On the platform somewhere on the London Underground

turn the music on
wind from the tunnel flows and caresses your face

Fuji-san!

Today's BBC News Science and Nature page has an amazing satellite photo of the crater of Mt Fuji - no idea how to link to it though...

Hey, that's my line!

Well, in defiance of the IJET-18 committee deciding my talk topic for me (humbug) I am talking to some people at work about the future of translation - what agencies like us see coming in the next few years.

I was pointed to this very interesting site, which has loads of informative articles. Happily reading through it now!

EDIT: 21 April 2011
TranslationDirectory.com have been asked to remove the text above from their site, along with my personal email address and blog address.

Edit: 1 April 2012

Although TranslationDirectory.com said they had removed the text above and my personal email and blog address from their site... they haven't. I was alerted to this when yet another person emailed me at my personal address to ask me about their directories. Just to be clear:

I have never purchased anything from these people. I do not recommend them. They have failed to remove the text - and the personal information which they were never given permission to use - despite having promised to remove it a year ago. Draw your own conclusions.

Not so bad, not so good

Got my first Assessed Assignment for Japanese to English translation back - it arrived yesterday but I only read it this morning.

I was seriously dragged down by one grammar mistake, and the corrected English reads very strangely... but I'm probably being defensive. Still not happy with the mark, but I've learned long ago that arguing with college professors is a good way to lose even more.

Oh well. It is only the second assessed work I've done. Try again next time.

So long, partner...

As Japan makes it possible for women to access their ex-husbands' pensions, divorces are expected to rise...

BBC News article

Dining with a twist

Namahage is the restaurant that my clients brought me and a friend to when I was over there - I think it was the Roppongi branch. But it was absolutely fantastic, both the food and the Namahage themselves!

Pottery!

One of my great loves in Japan is pottery... I'm home sick at the moment, getting over a bout of food poisoning (still can't look at an egg) and trying to finally upload the photos from my holiday last year. While going back through some of the brochures, tickets and pamphlets I found the inserts from the beautiful mino-yaki mugs I bought in Tajimi. And they have a website!

Minoyaki Oribe

Why the Imperial Family is bad for your health...

I'm not much of a royal-watcher in any nation, so this came as a bit of a surprise... I knew Princess Masako wasn't too happy, but not that it went this far.

BBC story on the commoners (Empress Michiko and Princess Masako) in the Imperial Family