Late Again

Sorry I haven't posted anything in recent days (though in my Japanese help site I got a list of basic prefixes up), but I'm again avoiding using the computer. Despite four exchange students having laptops and every family I meet offering use of their computers, it's still considered scourge of the West at the Matsumoto's, as far as my using it goes. I almost got into an arguement of how useful it is as a means of communication with my host father, though I stopped talking when he raised his voice loudly (With Skype for telecommunications, instant chat, video conferencing, email with delivery to Japanese cellphones and records of all of it, I think computers are more reliable, whereas he thinks telephones are better because they're more direct. In my home, with me answering the phone and all our tech, my mom will tell you that phones are not reliable.

Speaking of whom, She's currently enjoying a trip to a country south of here where the humans are outnumbered by sheep. Thanks for the letter, which arrived quite early since you're only a sea away, and the pictures and emails are great. I love the shot of the bike on the beach. Pictures with out bikes leaning against something in the scenery seem common in our family. Moving on...

I saw 007 with the other gaijin a few nights ago. It has a lot of well done action but I miss the old Bond (the gentleman, the gadgets, etc). Afterwards we had fun in the arcade. This was in Toyama, a prefecture away and we had to take an hour-long train there, talking all the way.

Things with the host family are okay now (though I'm avoiding the computer as much as possible to help keep it that way). I still wish they weren't so against me on a cellphone and exword .The cellphone because Japan is a country with near perfect connection and fewer computers, hence cellphones reign as the high (dual meaning) of technology here. The exword so that I don't need to carry around two heavy books (kanji and dictionary, which I find too heavy but too necessary) and so that I'll have a means of understanding what I haven't learned when I return.

Next I'l breifly mention that I've come to realize that there are two ways of translating, and an interesting difference between the two. The first is actual translation where words and phrases are explained to the other party. I, and many other fans of other languages, prefer this to: Interpertation, often called translation, though it is slightly different. Interpertation is changing the text, context, and sometimes even meaning of what is presented to something easily understood by the other party. Most official translators (especially for movies) use the latter, while most fans prefer the former. Personally, as a linguist, I prefer the former, but I think a universal language would be best.

My schedule now consists mostly of school (running from class to class, maybe doing a lesson , trying to socialize), followed by kendo (two and a half hours of attacking, yelling and injuries), to "home," (a meal, wishing I could be more direct about what I want to do (most of it being against rules or laws), to sleep (not enough) and on weekends, going around searching for something to do (long, often slow but more so lonely days).

Sorry I don't have picutres, this computer doesn't have a driver for my camera, I'll get more out later. For now, bye.