What is The Little Red Dao of AJATT (LARD)?

• Every major AJATT post
• Condensed to 5 or fewer bullet points
• In an ebook (save the people’s forests!)
• I like to call it “LARD” for short.
• ‘Nuff said.

So a summary of AJATT. I thought that’s what the QRG was about?

Not quite.

• The QRG is like a video game strategy guide. Not a summary.
• The QRG is entirely about the how. Nuts and bolts. It’s a quickstart action guide.
• The Little Red Dao of AJATT (LARD) is the executive summary.
• LARD says what every major AJATT post says. All the take-away points.
• LARD is the Cliff’s Notes.

But I’ve read AJATT top-to-bottom already.

Great.

• Then you don’t need this.
• Remember: you don’t need any of the products that have ever come out of AJATT
• And you never will
• All this stuff is made for convenience.
• It’s convenient to have a big blog all boiled down and bound together into one ebook.

So:

• If that big, bad Table of Contents is intimidating you.
• If you want to get straight to the point
• If you’ve read through AJATT before, but you want to re-read it without re-reading it
• If you want totality without verbosity
• If you’re marching in the army and you feel something funny…

…then ask your doctor if LARD is right for you.

What Else?

• LARD is made up of 4 volumes.
• Volume 0 → Covers Section 0 of the AJATT Table of Contents. You get volume 0 today.
• Volume 1 → Covers Sections 1 ~ 3 of the Table of Contents. Ships to you on July 31.
• Volume 2 → Covers the rest of (get this) the Table of Contents. Ships to you on August 31.

You Choose Your Price

• I don’t actually know how much to charge for this.
• Besides, AJATT is of different value to different people.
• You pick your price. Choose from any of three.
• Pick whichever one you feel good about. Pick whichever reflects AJATT’s value to you.
• By the way, you know I care about you, right?

Marx, Lenin, Ho Chi Minh! We will fight! We will win!

Show your solidarity with the working peoples of the world by rewarding their hard effort!
El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!

Exploit the proletariat! Keep the workers underfoot!

What If I Don’t Like It?

• You will like it. Trust me.
• But in the unlikely event that you’re not simply overjoyed, you can have a full, no-questions-asked, for-shizzle 100% refund. Just email me ( refund at ajatt dot com ) with one word: “refund”. You don’t have to give any reason whatsoever, but you can if you feel like expressing your opinion.
• Remember: I don’t even know what I’m doing. I’m just making stuff and seeing what’ll work …Y’know?…I dunno…whatever, dude.
• Look at it as an experiment — for both of us.
• If it works: yay! If not: reset, take all your money back, and play again .

Wait, wait, wait…Can I see it before I buy?

Sure.

• Here’s a sample of the LARD.
• And here’s one of the QRG, for good measure.

• @JSand4325 Which post was that again? Hit me with a link! in reply to JSand4325 #
• About to start digitizing my books here. I think this svc. is especially promising for all you overseas AJATTeers http://bit.ly/9c6ZWs #
• Would you deny yourself food *because* you were hungry? Then why would you give up on something *because* you currently suck? #
• [iPhone][無料] IP Messenger for iPhone | iPhone/iPod touch/iPadアプリ検索するなら BuzzApp! http://bit.ly/cGDdqV #
• エドワード・サイード – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/912hIa #
• 薩伊德 – 維基百科，自由的百科全書 http://bit.ly/d2pnDr #
• "広東語を覚えるときでも全く同様です。何回も聞いて頭に染み込んでいれば、その頭の中の音に引っ張られて口が自然に動きますから、とても楽なのです。" http://bit.ly/cn0a7v #
• Valve Corporation – Wikipedia "Valve Software（バルブ・ソフトウェア）は、アメリカ合衆国のコンピュータゲーム製作及び他社多数のゲームを配信している会社。" http://bit.ly/cA5DBf #
• Don't be jealous of children. No one gets to inherit a language. We all earn it by exposure. Go expose yourself…Crap…wait. #
• CiNii  -  罰なき社会 http://bit.ly/az9aN1 #
• Close Tabs to Left – Google Chrome 拡張機能ギャラリー Extensions
  http://bit.ly/bZKPnU #
• 電子本普及へルール作り…総務・経産・文科省 : ニュース : ネット＆デジタル : YOMIURI ONLINE（読売新聞） http://bit.ly/9E1wcG #
• @sonsofloki Me neither >:| lol in reply to sonsofloki #
• "電子書籍では、アマゾンが１月、米国で販売価格の７割を著者に報酬として支払う事業モデルを発表し、印税が約１割にとどまる紙の書籍などのビジネスを脅かしつつある。" http://bit.ly/9E1wcG #
• "No product of human thought is inherently complex or incomprehensible." http://bit.ly/ax1t1K #
• "The difference between easy subjects & difficult ones can always be explained by representation & volume" http://bit.ly/ax1t1K #
• Woz is telling us that there are no easy/difficult subjects, only good/bad representations (e.g. too much info, too few steps) #
• 2 teachers. 1 subject. Radically different experiences. Why? B/c of how the info is being presented: granularity, sequence, quantity #
• アスペルガー症候群 – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/bDTbAb #
• ChromeRIL – A Read It Later Extension for Google Chrome « Read It Later Blog http://bit.ly/cmLwcL #
• Adobe信者「appleは敵対的で卑劣である。故にappleを不買運動を推進する」 by　うるさい黙れ☆(ゝω･)つ http://bit.ly/cGvBHH #
• Apple社とAdobe社が喧嘩しているそうですが。｜ "MacではAdobe社にお世話になってると思うのですがどうなんでしょう？" http://bit.ly/cxjBfC #
• ジョブズ、iPhoneアプリの開発制限について直メールで回答
  http://bit.ly/awIhVC #
• 國語日報 ㄅㄆㄇ 發音練習 http://bit.ly/dj2nxt #
• YouTube – 大陸政協委員提案：恢復繁體字！ http://bit.ly/9a9L5u #
• YouTube – 繁體字教育該不該恢復_1/5 http://bit.ly/cHT63L #
• @TheoOliveira It's not…that's…some direct Khatzumoto randomness right there in reply to TheoOliveira #
• YouTube – 繁體字教育該不該恢復_2/5 http://bit.ly/cXPSf4 #
• YouTube – 繁體字教育該不該恢復_4/5 http://bit.ly/a3VBMJ #
• Japanese Children's Books
  "Science Comics / NHK Special: LIFE – A Long Journey over 4 billion years" http://bit.ly/aa3iyZ #
• KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS – HIDEOBLOG http://bit.ly/bJGPrl #
• TBS RADIO podcasting 954 http://bit.ly/cgTu1b #
• 道産子女子高生のしゃべり場！まりもえお！ http://bit.ly/drQSIk #
• 科學人電子雜誌給您完全不同的閱讀體驗！ http://bit.ly/aKngug | Digital editions of Chinese-language "Scientific American" #
• 科學人電子雜誌給您完全不同的閱讀體驗！ http://bit.ly/98SBtW | Looks like you can get individual issues as well… #
• @popeofdiscordia What episode was that? Or is it every episode? (I haven't started listening to it yet …) in reply to popeofdiscordia #
• YouTube – Japanese Get A Mac CM 9 Subtitled "Microsoft Office" http://bit.ly/agOOLv #
• NirCmd – Windows command line tool http://bit.ly/byJCAt #
• YouTube – Japanese Get A Mac CM 8 Subtitled "Steps" http://bit.ly/aH8DDl #
• Paper-based Japanese-Japanese dictionaries for children and "children" http://amzn.to/9vaLMC http://amzn.to/aNV3iP #
• "くたくたにくたびれて、ごろんと横になっていることしかできないような状態でも、テープを聞くことならできます。" http://bit.ly/cn0a7v #
• YouTube – 繁體字教育該不該恢復_5/5 http://bit.ly/9vGGBX #
• "How could I, a college graduate, fail to learn as much Spanish as…" http://bit.ly/aYftHA #
• "moving to a new country absolutely does not guarantee success in learning the language. " http://bit.ly/aYftHA #
• "how much exposure you receive is still up to you. " http://bit.ly/aYftHA #
• 世界をすくえ！リサイクラー！ | Cartoon Network http://bit.ly/aFSXl4 #
• If you're getting distracted, it's not because something is wrong with you, it's because something is right with the distraction. #
• Figure out what's right about the structure of your distraction, copy it, and "serious" things can become as fun as distractions for you. #
• "brainstorming for new psychological locks and keys" | http://bit.ly/coBkQW | I love this man…:P #
• "Experience points" and leveling up instead of grades for class…my gosh. http://bit.ly/coBkQW #
• One thing the talk hasn't taken into account is random reward scheduling
  http://bit.ly/coBkQW | http://bit.ly/aztLXt | http://bit.ly/akf1vj #
• "ＩＨ－ＩＨクッキングヒーターの電磁波は大丈夫！？" | ま～た瓦斯(ｶﾞｽ)側のデマかよw
  http://bit.ly/9nkw52 #
• @IvanMeredith I…don't…watch…PowerPuff Girls either. Nor have I ever been reduced to fits of ROFL by Mojo Jojo's verbosity… in reply to IvanMeredith #
• Don't wait for your good equipment to arrive before you start practicing. Start practicing now on the crappy gear. Habit > gear. #
• Practicing on crappy gear is infinitely more valuable than owning or awaiting good gear and doing 0 practice. #
• "しかし、もうすぐカラーが得意なｉＰａｄが発売される（Ｋｉｎｄｌｅは白黒のみ）。はたしてＫｉｎｄｌｅとｉＰａｄは併存するのか、それともどちらかが他方を駆逐するのか。" http://bit.ly/bQpMnz #
• "Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed." http://bit.ly/9UM92E | Translation: if ya wanna learn anything, don't do boring crap #
• Never try to listen to Japanese 24hrs/day. Instead, listen to Japanese for 60 seconds at a time, 1440 times/day. Frequency > quantity. #
• Assuming 3m30s length, 1 day = 411 Japanese songs. #immersion #
• Each SRS card must have max only 1 new thing. 1 new word/idea. 1 tiny step outside where you are right now. 1. No more. #
• This goes for cloze deletions, too. Blot out max 1 word. I often blot out less than that (0.5~0.75 words). #
• The Movie Method http://bit.ly/cBLjoQ #
• If you can make time for "Farmville", you can make time to SRS. Treat SRS like "Farmville", not schoolwork. #
• SRS is a lot like "Farmville" in that if you don't go…the cards die. Plus there are weeds — crappy cards — to pull out. #
• @e_dub_kendo Don't add it. Just keep having fun. Keep getting exposed. Something will come along. in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• @e_dub_kendo I mean, that's why when you first start, you start with 1-word sentences…. in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• @e_dub_kendo 1 -word phrase. 何？then 何これ？ then 何だ、これ？ in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• @e_dub_kendo xactly in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• Never do nothing now just because you can only do a fraction now. Do the fraction now, and save the rest for later. #
• 1 new thing at a time. Eat too much at once –> choke/vomit. Learn too much at once –> procrastinate/forget. #
• "Starting small is not a waste of time." Mark Victor Hansen #
• @e_dub_kendo For shizzle. in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• Take tiny steps. Shuffle your way there. No leaps and bounds (they'll take themselves via compounding effects). #
• There is no "hard". There is only "needs smaller steps". #
• "…consider the metaphor of the stonecutter. How does he break open a giant boulder? He whacks it as hard as he (cont) http://tl.gd/22q136 #
• One way to view your Japanese is as a series of domain-local fluency journeys, instead of one journey toward overall fluency. #
• YouTube – Neon Genesis Evangelion Opening – Cruel Angel Thesis ( Multilanguage) http://bit.ly/duIu4t #
• YouTube – Evangelion OP Cantonese http://bit.ly/bSW1Mr #
• Never refuse to take a step just because you can't make an instant jump. We do this a lot, and it's dumb. #
• @tokidokinihongo How do you combat the boredom of boring TV shows? in reply to tokidokinihongo #
• Don't worry. You probably won't make it out of life alive. And probably you won't read every book you wanted to read. #
• Since your lifespan places a hard time limit on the number of books you can read, read the books you REALLY want to read. #
• Even with preloaded decks, you'll never SRS every sentence that exists in Japanese. So you might as well stick to the fun ones. #
• 劉德華電影全集【魔幻廚房】 – 56網視頻 http://bit.ly/9SLST3 #
• YESASIA : 魔幻廚房
  http://bit.ly/beuD61 #
• 「老鼠愛上貓」數碼修復版 – 56網視頻
  http://bit.ly/9y05kl #Chinese #movie #
• YouTube – 劉德華-包青天（老鼠愛上貓） http://bit.ly/bwqxow #
• 「特定のスキルを早く身に付ける効率的勉強法→当面はその分野の勉強だけをする 」http://amzn.to/b5kU8G #
• Nothing is "hard" to finish. It just needs a lot of starts. So, start. Then start again. And again… #
• 蘋果日報 http://bit.ly/c9jXCV #
• You don't need a plan. You just need to do something small. How many times have we planned something and then done *jack*? #
• Don't worry about how long or how much Japanese you do. Focus on how *often* you do it. Frequency = repetition = habit = destiny #
• How to disable QuickTime in Chrome | "Open chrome
  go to chrome://plugins/…" http://bit.ly/b4UtPC | Useful for #Surusu audio #
• 火星文 – 維基百科，自由的百科全書 http://bit.ly/9uFCFi #
• Tools will not save you. Doing something small now, will. That media collection means 0 if we don't push "play" frequently. #
• I find it useful to learn names of L2 actors [helps you find more stuff you like]. I do it with this hack: http://bit.ly/cgX6x0 #
• YouTube – ICAC I Corrupt All Cops (金錢帝國) – Trailer http://bit.ly/abbin3 #
• YouTube – "I Corrupt All Cops" Trailer 金錢帝國 http://bit.ly/bIGs6d (WAY better quality…also bilingual subs, which is fun) #
• YouTube – Chandni Chowk To China (2009) Movie Trailer http://bit.ly/9pQHfq lol #
• There will never be a shortage of disabling excuses. We need to start finding enabling excuses instead. #
• "J-keyword Kanji" + Decremental Timeboxing http://bit.ly/ckY7N1 nice #
• The Power of Passive Listening « 我輩はブリートである。http://bit.ly/dc0QVy #
• KANJIDAMAGE http://bit.ly/cb3XtT via @burritolingus #
• 「言ってはいけない!!危ないにほんご 」 via @burritolingus
  http://amzn.to/cg32dm #
• Beating yourself up and feeling like a chump won't learn you a language. Turning on your iPod will. Get up and walk on #immersion #
• YouTube – 你有冇搞錯呀 宜家算點呀　｜　わしょく 言葉 http://bit.ly/cQiiXB #
• J-STAGE [科学技術情報発信・流通総合システム] 電子ジャーナル 論文 http://bit.ly/dnUVHz #
• Don't try to do big things. Instead, repeat small things. #
• Repetition is the new speed. Do small things many times over. #immersion #SRS #
• Thoughts & notes "Introduction to Deliberate Practice" http://bit.ly/9ThThJ #
• Microsoft、タブレット型コンピュータ『Courier』の開発を中止 – japan.internet.com Webビジネス http://bit.ly/bP0XQn #
• faq-slashmeta – Slashdot Japan Wiki – SourceForge.JP "スラッシュドットについて" http://bit.ly/bPOm1G #
• Thoughts & notes "Points are the new money" http://bit.ly/cidMxA #

• 旅行広東語会話 – 広東語辞書JCanExpress – http://bit.ly/9QOVkQ #
• がり勉とは – はてなキーワード "がり勉にいそしむ児童を白眼視するキャンペーンが張られた。" http://bit.ly/cZO8kb #
• "You can bet Michael Jordan practices…because he loves shooting hoops, not because he wanted…a championship ring. " http://bit.ly/8jLUCo #
• Language proficiency as a metaphor for video game proficiency
  http://bit.ly/d4zNEF #
• 買一送一Photoshoot. http://bit.ly/dwhUn3 #
• "repetition…is not [s]imply repetition. Because each time I repeat, I…have…[a]…new [u]nderstanding" http://bit.ly/9PwPbh #
• YouTube – 成龍大哥教戒煙 http://bit.ly/9HRd32 #
• YouTube – 戒煙經歷分享(蘇施黃) http://bit.ly/dvJsRf #
• Do more than nothing and less than perfect. #immersion #
• You can't start bonfires if you think matches are a waste of time. Value your small steps. Take the small steps. #immersion #
• 科學人雜誌網站 "打造雲端上　另一個台灣奇蹟" http://bit.ly/9Hpbxs #
• 甲骨文公司 – 維基百科，自由的百科全書 "甲骨文股份有限公司（NASDAQ：ORCL，Oracle）是全球大型資料庫軟體公司" http://bit.ly/bNPEdo #
• Chill. The only language-learning method that's bound to fail is the one where one makes no contact with the language. #
• If you open more books, you'll read more. Focus on opening more books more times. #immersion #reading #
• If you truly love Japanese, then you will #delete the boring cards that threaten to drive you and Japanese apart. #SRS #
• [The absurdity of] accepting limits http://bit.ly/bkrFtL #
• what makes it hard isn't the language itself, it's
  the mindset of people trying to learn it. | アメド #
• "If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking." http://bit.ly/anPjxW #immersion #
• The one sure-fire way to never become literate in the L2 is to keep avoiding L2 text. #
• ハイディ・モンタグ、整形後の顔をTVで初披露:ハリウッド・セレブ・ニュース
  http://bit.ly/9YITiS | You people thought I was kidding about #trash I am not joking. #
• "ネイティブを凌駕する表現能力をつけることも夢ではありません。" http://bit.ly/cn0a7v #
• In my experience, if you touch Japanese right on waking up in the marnin', the rest of the day +/- handles itself. #
• YouTube – 開卷八分鐘20100610 — 《真的不用讀完一本書》 http://bit.ly/bHDGEZ | #Chinese book show | Thx WB! #
• NHKオンライン http://bit.ly/bSoj61 #
• "小川 直也（おがわ なおや、男性、1968年3月31日 – ）は、日本のプロレスラー、総合格闘家。元柔道選手（五段）でバルセロナオリンピック銀メダリスト。" http://bit.ly/aTpnKz #
• YouTube – Very Funny Korean commercial ! http://bit.ly/dzaPbN #
• Hunch: if we can basically get a "Skinner Box" effect going with Japanese, then we'll learn it whether we want to or not! #
• "ソ連解体後の現在でもロシア語は方言差が殆どない大言語としても知られ、移民で成立した国に方言に差がない代表例である。" http://bit.ly/a7cMro #
• @zhongruige Oooh! Nice one! Saves you a few $ as well in reply to zhongruige #
• Human beings will naturally learn any language given the appropriate conditions. Your only "work" is to prepare these conditions. #
• You don't have to "learn" a language. All you have to do is set up conditions whereby the language can't not be learned. #
• 牛海綿状脳症対策特別措置法
  http://bit.ly/a56Dtu #
• "stop *trying* to learn and *let* your brain do the work" http://bit.ly/d9vP2F #
• YouTube – 人を怒らせる方法 「もらい捨て」 http://bit.ly/9vRpm6 | via #ajattplus #
• Amazon.co.jp: 人の怒らせ方: DVD http://amzn.to/9PNb8J #
• YouTube – 人を怒らせる方法 「放棄」 http://bit.ly/aqgNae #
• You're always learning a language. The only question is which one. #
• "人口減少時代の日本は、移民一千万人計画に基づく移民の受け入れや、留学生三十万人計画に基づく留学生の受け入れなど正門から入れる道を広げる一方で、裏門から潜り込もうとする外国人を徹底的に取り締まらなければならない。" http://bit.ly/cXgcPl #
• SAKANAKA CHANNEL:移民国家の理念　11 "正しく入ろうとする外国人には門戸を大きく開き、不正にすり抜けようとする外国人には水も漏らさぬ態勢で臨む。"
  http://bit.ly/cXgcPl #
• "産業界は低賃金で外国人労働者を雇用したいと望んでいるようであるが、それは絶対にダメだ。" | SAKANAKA CHANNEL:移民国家の理念　11
  http://bit.ly/cXgcPl #
• "出入国管理が十分に機能しなければ、移民政策に対する国民の理解も得られない。もし、日本人の外国人像が犯罪やテロといった負の要素と結びつけば、移民の受け入れは頓挫してしまう。" | 移民国家の理念
  http://bit.ly/cXgcPl #
• "また、移民にアパートを貸さないというようなことはあってはならない。" http://bit.ly/dkroHT #
• YouTube – 吳雨霏 Kary X Hardpack 耳王十四一心 [MV] http://bit.ly/cVYFtg #
• 吳雨霏．Hardpack – 耳王十四一心 | 小奧堅詞
  http://bit.ly/9vVP3A #
• 再推Google Chrome有趣擴展程序 – [ 科技區 ] →★電腦腦中心★← – 下一站…紅磡 – Powered by Discuz! "不過當然也有一個bug，那就是這個程序是可以被直接關閉或者卸載的" http://bit.ly/9FH1Yc #
• "StayFocusd是一個限制、管理你上網時間的Chrome拓展" http://bit.ly/bvPAkS #
• 日本の伝統色 和色大辞典 – Japanese Color Names and hex values http://bit.ly/caeilw | via #ajattplus #
• 緒形拳 – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/cZaqmC #
• It doesn't matter how small the action is. As long as you repeat it enough times, you'll get big results. Frequency is quantity. #
• "「ネイティブに誉められたら自殺しろ」" http://bit.ly/cn0a7v #
• モスト　オブ　ユア・・・ローションズ？ http://bit.ly/90pLea #
• "Success is how you collect your minutes." http://bit.ly/bqEOqU
  http://bit.ly/d4iILu #
• WIRED VISION – “明るい”未来を考えるニュースサイト http://bit.ly/8tyUu9 #
• モホロビチッチ不連続面 – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/dAy85R #
• "まずは2ちゃんを「嗤う」リテラシーを身につけなくてはならない。" http://bit.ly/a21Mrk #
• You're only awake for about 960 irreplaceable minutes per day. Why insist on spending these 60 at a time? Why not 1, 2 or 3? #timeboxing #
• @e_dub_kendo 最後の「イッチ」抜けてるぞ（＾＾）「Mohorovičić」だから。確認しといて　ﾊﾊ　むずいっしょ、東欧の名前？（笑）まあ、結局「不慣れ」の問題に過ぎないんだけど・・・
  http://bit.ly/dAy85R in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• Whenever you think of doing something righteous and complex…cut your expectations in half, and then start on 0.001% of that… #
• "大腦暗能量
  在我們發呆恍神時，大腦中有一些區域 卻依然活躍，那裡可能藏著了解神經疾病、甚至 意識本質的關鍵線索。
  撰文╱賴可（Marcus E. Raichle）
  翻譯／涂可欣" | 科學人雜誌網站 http://bit.ly/bskefA #
• 科學人雜誌網站 "腦部在休息時仍有持續的背景活動" http://bit.ly/bskefA #
• A lot of our problems are caused by our desire to FINISH quickly. Screw finishing. Don't finish now — *start* now. #
• La Pacifica http://bit.ly/9wZpc0 | The most amazing 英会話 on Earth (they practice "AEATT") | via #ajattplus #
• ウォーターシップ・ダウンのうさぎたち – Wikipedia "この物語のウサギたちは典型的な架空の動物物語に比べると、面白いことにあまり擬人化されておらず、習性や身体的能力は現実のうさぎに近い。" http://bit.ly/caNFij #
• Never force yourself to do Japanese. Just make it impossible to not do it. Don't change your behavior, change your environment. #
• ＭＨＫ魔王放送協会:「ダーリンは外国人」を読んだ外国人の感想 – livedoor Blog（ブログ） http://bit.ly/dal8xY #
• At every turn, simply choose the easiest, funnest [:D] Japanese thing you can do. #immersion #
• If people did their cigarette-smoking like they do their study and work, they wouldn't get much smoking done #timeboxing #
• カシの木も初めはみなドングリ | "Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow"
  http://bit.ly/98Q4mr #
• If people conducted their TV-watching like they conduct their study and work, they wouldn't get much TV-watching done #justDoOne #
• 利息制限法施行令 http://bit.ly/aGZxE8 #
• Adults go into the game trying to not lose face. Kids go into the game trying to have fun. Guess who wins both victory and face? #
• PLの塔 – Google 検索 http://bit.ly/9djuZR #
• Amazon.co.jp: ルールズ: 本 http://amzn.to/cpR4mB #
• 「フェッセンデンの宇宙」 http://amzn.to/bpFGMO #
• フェッセンデンの宇宙 – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/9riyfY #
• ヘンリー・カットナー – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/bY4UMO #
• C・L・ムーア – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/9ZleWe #
• Wow. Talk about mindset. | "one-legged golfer Manuel de los Santos finds the perfect balance to his game." http://bit.ly/acGtSg #
• 岡田斗司夫のひとり夜話【GyaOジョッキー】｜無料動画 GyaO![ギャオ]｜バラエティ・スポーツ http://bit.ly/aqq2h7 #
• If people ate ice-cream the way they try to study and work, ice-cream consumption would be down like watership (wth?) #
• Gene Kranz 地上管制官 – Google 検索 http://bit.ly/c1iSYW #
• Where do you start?
  Wherever you can.
  On whatever's easiest for you.
  As long as you're making progress, you're winning. #
• ブログ – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/cTWaUs #
• @ 倪小明香腸國日記 :: 痞客邦 :: "They all say Chinese is difficult, I think European langauges are more difficult." http://bit.ly/93QhrL #
• Don't be a hero. Don't do the right thing. Don't become better. Don't change yourself. Change your environment. #
• "香港に住んでいる必要はありません。とにかく聞いて聞いて聞きまくり、しっかりと頭に染み込ませることです。" http://bit.ly/cn0a7v #
• 蝗持ち込むなっつのｗ #feline #shenanigans #
• アップル – Apple TV http://bit.ly/8ZuH32 #
• Politeness ruining your L2LE [L2 Language Environment]? « A Place in Your Life http://bit.ly/aNAuR2 #
• Perhaps there is no such thing as true delayed gratification — only "instant gratification by other means". #
• Grammar is to a language as beta carotene is to carrots. It *seems* like a good idea to isolate it. Until the cancer… #

The essence of learning Japanese is in the almost meaninglessly small things you do.

When you find something so small, so apparently meaningless that you think “that couldn’t possibly help”, but it’s something that puts you in more contact with Japanese, then that, my friend, is your sweet spot. Because you have found something that is easy for you to do. You have found an “atomic action”. Now, just take that atom…and do it. Then repeat. Make that chain (reaction) go…

We’re always trying to make work harder, we’re always trying to make things more complex. When, in fact, the real “work” is in finding these simple, tiny, almost unnoticeable building blocks, and then duplicating them. We all have an action that we can painlessly (and even pleasantly), thoughtlessly, absent-mindedly, effortlessly, automatically perform over and over and over again. For me, it’s…I dunno…mouseclicks.

Click your mouse, just on Japanese stuff.

Power is in the small (repeated). Power is in the subtle (noticed).

Sure, one atom is small. One seed is small. One push of the “play” button on your Japanese media is small. But if we ignore every atom, every seed, every second, every chance that comes our way because it is “too small”, then we are left with, as the Chinese say…bupkiss.

「海不辭水故能成其大，山不辭土故能成其高。」

「海は水を辞せず、故によくその大を成す。山は土を辞せず、故によくその高さをあらわす。」

The sea is deep because it doesn’t look down on water. The mountain is tall because is doesn’t look down on soil.

We’ll never light bonfires if we look down on matches and kindling. We’ll never make it to our roadtrip destination if we refuse to even walk to the car. People who look down on atoms as “too small to be worth the bother” aren’t going to make nuclear weapons.

Take what you have, wherever you find it. Have your tools at the ready. Have the mp3 player with you, have the manga in your bag, have the smartphone with all the menus set to Japanese. Your chances will come; they’re always coming. And they will be small. A 15-minute walk here, a 30-minute wait in line there. They’ll seem too small; they’ll seem too easy. Good. Take them. Let them be easy. Let life be easy.

When it comes to learning, I think people plan too much and do too little. All the time I get emails from people going: “Khatz, tell me what schedule I should have”; “Khatz, give me a day in the life of Khatz”. You don’t need a day in the life of effing Khatz. Screw that Khatz kid! And his schedule! And his couch!

All you need to know is that anything (and everything) you don’t have to do in English can be done in Japanese. Any (and every) moment that you don’t have to listen to English can be spent listening to Japanese. Any (and every) English book that you are not required to own or read can be replaced by a Japanese book. Any (and every) English song or data file…you get the idea. It really is that simple.

The habit of giving any spare moment to Japanese, wherever you may find it is much more valuable than any plan. A habit, good or bad, will wipe the floor with any plan. A habit, good or bad, will trump any resolution. So, if you must, treat Japanese like cigarettes. One at a time. 90 seconds of song here, 90 seconds of SRS there. Tiny snippets of Japanese. Frequency over quantity. Don’t try to put 60 cigarettes in your mouth all at once just because these “cigarettes” are good for you…enjoy them one at a time…enjoy those tasty bite-sized pieces.

Finally, relax. Don’t get worked up and overwhelmed. Just do more than nothing. That’s all you have to do. Whenever you feel down, out, wasted and/or confused just do…one. Just do more than nothing.

OL2L: ハリウッド・セレブ・ニュース: when I said “be a couch potato and read trash, just in Japanese“, I meant it.

• foobar2000 http://bit.ly/9arVfb | Worthy Winamp replacement #
• 新城廣播有限公司 Metro Broadcast Corporation Limited http://bit.ly/9cocsg #
• 健康好生活 – 生育、不育大解構 – 健康 – 新城知訊台資訊網 http://bit.ly/bCVSl6 #
• @xatlasm Do it. Make it happen. If AJATT's making itself unnecessary, that's a good thing. in reply to xatlasm #
• @arashikat Well, if Japanese is worth knowing…it's worth knowing 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 + years from now, too. The time will pass anyway in reply to arashikat #
• No need to let the first decade of your life make all the rules. After all, most of your life will be spent in the other decades. #
• #Immersion in 3 words: "better than nothing". As long as you meet/beat this goal…you're in. #
• function immersion { while(breathing) { if (getJapaneseExposure() > 0 ) return WIN; } } #
• Don't try to become fluent in Japanese. Just try to know more Japanese today than you did yesterday. #
• 粵語劇本 – Google 搜尋 http://bit.ly/aZw3Za #Cantonese movie scripts #
• 粵語(電影/小品)劇本-粵語學習網 http://bit.ly/8ZT8ac Lots of #Cantonese movie scripts (transcripts) #
• Drama Fever: Watch popular Korean dramas for free, the best of kdramas http://bit.ly/cJWonO #
• English Translations, Where and Why Not « Mikoto's Adventures in Japanese http://bit.ly/ajtkwa #
• "学習者が自分でいくらでも出来る繰り返し練習に時間を割いているような教室に通うぐらいなら、自分でテープを聞いていたほうがましです。" http://bit.ly/cXRy4G #
• In a way, the only difference between a good habit and an addiction is the sign of the results (+/-). #
• When we say "I want to build good habit X", what we're really saying is: "I want to develop an addiction with net + results" #
• @Kanjiwarrior うう～ん、全然。（＾＾） in reply to Kanjiwarrior #
• If you want some ideas on how to structure your Japanese learning: オペラント条件づけ – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/bUEhaZ #
• "ヒトを含む動物が自発する広範な行動が条件づけの対象となり、日常生活の中のいたるところで偶発的に生じている。" | オペラント条件づけ – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/bUEhaZ #
• The less creative you are within your L2, the more you win. Do not be an innovator. Simply regurgitate native usage. #
• "I…apply…SRS to University studies…I know things much better one year after taking a course than a (cont) http://tl.gd/1mmqoh #
• "the human brain remains plastic, changeable and trainable well into old age" http://amzn.to/deBtPL #
• "no matter how old you are, if you’d like to be smarter–get to work!" | or play as the case may be http://amzn.to/deBtPL #
• デンさんの広東語相談室 http://bit.ly/aiBfUM | Thx, 慈英武素! [Think of this site as a #Japanese AJATT for #Cantonese #
• 全球定位系統 - 維基百科，自由的百科全書 "恰當" http://bit.ly/cTXFLp #
• Don't be ashamed of your commitment to your L2; you're not a freaking drug dealer or murderer. Read, watch and listen with pride #
• @papajohn 呵呵. Not everyone's gone over to "the other side" (地理cally & 心理ly) like 你 and I have in reply to papajohn #
• @papajohn If your「老外」are anything like our「外人」, a lot of them are afraid of 被看為 "noobs”/"posers" & losing face... in reply to papajohn #
• "Everywhere you step takes you one step closer to somewhere else" [via @funnyav]
  http://bit.ly/dpIcEp #
• @papajohn I'll buy that in reply to papajohn #
• @UnclePolyglot Wow, really?! Would you mind introducing me/giving me his contact? I'd really like to meet/interview him in reply to UnclePolyglot #
• "自分でできることは教室ではやらない" | Website of デンさん's #Cantonese school, where they don't do stuff you can do on your own! http://bit.ly/abDW6G #
• The quantity of your L2 exposure is much more important than its quality. Read and watch all the L2 trash you want #
• Oftentimes, the crappy, half-buttocked job you actually do is ∞ly more valuable than the perfect job you merely imagine. #SRS #
• Don't hold out for the perfect time to start. It'll never, ever come. Do the Japanese that's in front of you right now #immersion #
• Hate That I Love You 歌詞 | 歌詞 | Cheung Hins 張敬軒's Lyrics http://bit.ly/ahgbXj #
• YouTube – Hins Cheung 張敬軒 – Urban Emotions – Hate That I Love You http://bit.ly/9MqsRD #
• 開心果 – 楊千嬅 http://bit.ly/cItDMb I love how this song has a pure R&B sound to it, something I'm always looking for #Cantonese #
• YouTube – 楊千嬅MOOV Live專訪-《開心果》 http://bit.ly/dcdfOz #
• YouTube – 楊千嬅 – 楊千嬅KTV http://bit.ly/bAwts2 #
• "ネイティブと話すチャンスは全くなくてよい" http://bit.ly/cXRy4G #
• Learning a language isn't about discipline or commitment. It's about greed. You're a thief, stealing words from people in broad daylight. #
• "the brain is MADE for learning language. It naturally notices grammar and internalizes it." | The Arabic Student #
• The Arabic Student: Arabic Travel Show: Aishha Marra عيشها مرة http://bit.ly/9H4RW0 #
• @papajohnCould have been some overenthusiastic caching. Changed settings. How is it now? #
• YouTube – FAMA 農夫 – I BELIEVE U CAN FLY MV http://bit.ly/bNdb4v #
• YouTube – Fama農夫 – 舉高隻手 http://bit.ly/bAtpiS #
• YouTube – 農夫 – 農夫係你老死 http://bit.ly/bYGEUH #
• YT：Liza Wang 汪明荃 & Fama 農夫 再見 http://bit.ly/9M5fOG | My favorite Fama農夫 song to date Lyrics:　"咁多年黎 都對住你" http://bit.ly/ckW9Cx #
• The longer the trip, the earlier you depart, right? Japanese is a long trip. If you want to make it in this lifetime, start *now* #
• The direction of your vector is much more important than its magnitude. If you're touching Japanese, you're already winning. #
• Waiting until you're "good enough" to use native materials is like waiting until you're no longer thirsty to start drinking. #
• それいけ！アンパンマン | キャラクター情報 | 株式会社バンダイ "空腹な人に自分の頭を割って差し出す「僕の顔をお食べ」の台詞は有名。" http://bit.ly/bEJTF5 #
• @JermaineJustice Exactly…it seems so reasonable. But of course, as long as one goes that way there'll be no fluency and no appreciation. in reply to JermaineJustice #
• onairpower.com – 24小時網上電臺 http://bit.ly/cKSXG8 24/7 #Cantonese Internet radio #
• I'm not showing off, I'm just saying that I now have GITS:SAC in #Cantonese
  I'm just saying… | Sent from my non-iPad #
• Prediction: we'll see huge leaps in people's language ability once media crosses borders and becomes readily (cheap + easy) available. #
• If more people are able to get, say, Chinese on tap, they'll become as good at Chinese as many Dutch kids have at English. #
• The reason Dutch kids know English but Anglosphere kids don't know Dutch is just that…(undubbed) media availability. #
• Drop by your cable/satellite provider in the US and ask for the Dutch Cartoon Network. 99.9% guaranteed "WTF?" stare. #
• @rikaisuru LoL. Surusu on the road? L2 eBooks and websites? Haha. in reply to rikaisuru #
• @rikaisuru Really, though…Everything's a toy anyway. Don't even bother make up BS reasons. Just find a decent way to get it if you want it in reply to rikaisuru #
• YouTube – 青山ワンセグ開発　ワンカットドラマ　山手線の女 １週目 http://bit.ly/9UUeDn #
• バスケットボール定型英語表現（ネガティブ編）: エア～ボール http://bit.ly/bJrU66 #
• スポーツ英語 NBA編 http://bit.ly/ccnC9r #
• There are no foreign languages. There are just native languages you're learning with a time offset. #
• "At the beginning of Gretzky's NHL career, many critics opined that Gretzky was "too small, too wiry, and too (cont) http://tl.gd/1nmdtd #
• "Gretzky's basic athletic abilities were not considered impressive." http://bit.ly/ayeJgL #
• Gretzky spent more time on the ice in just one winter of his youth than most spend in their entire lifetimes. Coincidence? #
• So what if someone calls you a show-off? Japanese and faster-than-light travel…are worth showing off about. #
• YouTube – スターウォーズの効果音を必殺仕事人にしてみた http://bit.ly/d8jKhi | Star Wars as Japanese period drama | via #ajattplus #
• オペラント条件付け http://bit.ly/cXb0Zx #
• オペラント条件づけ – Google 検索 http://bit.ly/dfEdhP #
• ココロのカラクリ: 学習のココロ　～オペラント条件づけ～ "レスポンデント条件づけが受動的な条件づけなのに対して、
  オペラント条件づけは、能動的な反応を条件づける、条件づけです。" http://bit.ly/db7ymt #
• Don't ever "believe" in your methods. There's nothing to believe. You're just an experimenter tooling around, trying stuff out. #
• Once you stop dis/believing in methods, then you have no position to defend. You just have stuff you're messing around with. #
• @e_dub_kendo Yeah. Often, things seem to take care of themselves if you just leave them for a while (days, wks, mnths) and come back later. in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• Japanese survey links video games to learning English — Joystiq http://bit.ly/acIoRC | via #ajattplus #
• Go for good enough most of the time. More than nothing, less than perfect. #immersion #
• 「ネイティブと話す機会は全く無くてよい」
  「留学するな」| デンさんの広東語相談室 http://bit.ly/aiBfUM #
• "you are building a base that you can't even feel is there" http://bit.ly/aejDES | ダンちゃん of #ajattplus on the benefits of Heisig #
• "Keep listening to music. Keep watching comedy or kids' shows. You're building a 10,000 brick house 1 brick at a time" | ダンちゃん of #ajattplus #
• 心理学COCOROの法則: オペラント条件づけ http://bit.ly/cyTojU #
• 5 Creepy Ways Video Games Are Trying to Get You Addicted | Great ideas on how to structure your work/study http://bit.ly/9cZxxe #
• More interesting ideas on how to structure your work/study. Again, operant conditioning meets video games. http://bit.ly/bIyz3Z #
• De-hewd. The GOM player command line handles wildcards. #
• @yuki_satoshi Write yours so I can read it and link to it! in reply to yuki_satoshi #
• @yuki_satoshi in reply to yuki_satoshi #
• @yuki_satoshi You could even write a "contrast"style article, with your corrections? Maybe? in reply to yuki_satoshi #
• asahi.com：朝日新聞　新戦略を求めて　―ニュース特集― "アジアの多様性を生かしながら、市場の力と互恵の実益を重視して共同体づくりを進める。" http://bit.ly/bxYmcd #
• @yuki_satoshi Speaking of which….any BhvPsych books/papers you can recommend? in reply to yuki_satoshi #
• "innate intelligence…doesn’t really exist…Intelligence…is a dynamic, diffuse, and ongoing process" http://amzn.to/deBtPL #
• Any amount of time is an opportunity. #timeboxing #
• "make the levels really short so it's like eating potato chips. " http://bit.ly/9cZxxe #timeboxing #
• "ゴールに到達することよりもそこに近づき続けることに重きを置く" | 吉井雅之 #
• 1% done is better than 100% imagined. #timeboxing #
• 71 Year Old Bodybuilder Jim Shaffer http://bit.ly/bQAynX | Not a language learner. But learning languages is a sport anyway, so… #
• Don't try to lengthen the amount of time you do Japanese. Try to *shorten* the amount of time you *don't* do Japanese. #
• Focus your energy on shrinking and cutting into the gaps of time where you're not touching Japanese. #
• Seed even your most serious, hard-as-concrete English (L1) time with Japanese (L2) weeds. #
• The more you put your body into Japanese, the more Japanese puts itself into your body. http://bit.ly/ck8Lh3 #
• @bahiaportfolio Delete first, ask questions later. Yeee-haw! #SRS in reply to bahiaportfolio #
• Don't ever "believe in" your methods. There's nothing to believe in. You're just an experimenter, tooling around, trying stuff out #
• @don_rivers ' "believing in a method" can also make you stick too long to something that doesn't actually work for you.' > v. true #
• Don't believe in the method. Believe in you. #LackOfReflexivePronounsAddsImpact #
• "留学が出来る状況にない方は、自分がなかなか習得が出来ない理由を、
  留学が出来ないという状況に求めてはいけません。" http://bit.ly/dx9MZq #
• AJATT is a non-method. AJATT is the absence of method. AJATT is the willingness to try whatever's fun and works. #LaoZiMoment #
• Free yourself from belief in the method, and all you're left with is a tool. And that's precisely where you want to be. #
• The method isn't alive. You are. The method is an inert tool. You are what gives life and meaning to the method. #
• @sutefeni Japanese Bands: The List http://bit.ly/drVn5Z
  Japanese Bands: The List 2 http://bit.ly/a5Y425 in reply to sutefeni #
• "You'd be surprised at how many things have been claimed to be genetic.

  I was especially amused recently to see (cont) http://tl.gd/1on5f0 #

• "語学教室はなるべくさぼれ→ 少なくとも授業中は、お金を払う上に、時間も無駄にしなければならないのです。" http://bit.ly/cXRy4G #
• スタートレック ＶＯＹキャストリスト http://bit.ly/99xCN8 #
• "女性にしては低音の声質を持っており、アニメーションの声優としては少女～年配の女性を多く演じる・・・基本的には海外ドラマ・洋画の吹き替えが中心で、特に後者ではキャメロン・ディアスを当てられることがある。" http://bit.ly/a8cBob #
• 星際牛仔 – 維基百科，自由的百科全書 http://bit.ly/aH5pkM #
• "日本国内では英会話の必要性が乏しい" http://bit.ly/crOnlr #
• Remember, the trick to "winning" at #immersion is to forget the quantity of Japanese you do and focus on the frequency. #
• "Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other" | Walter Elliot #
• The only difference between work and play is freedom. We put in obscene amounts of effort if we're having fun. Work = boring play #
• Lessons from the doctor's office: mispronouncing/Japanizing your English isn't just a fun exercise…it's a necessity #
• sustainable “deliberate practice” is much easier and much more enjoyable than most people currently believe http://bit.ly/crFiPf #
• Japanese is like food. We need it every day, multiple times per day. And if we skip meals…we start to suck i.e. get hungry #
• YouTube – 歡樂台 女人我最大 http://bit.ly/9Jkebz My favorite #TW variety show #
• @bri_tyan You're right. Poor choice of words. Although I do think "Toe-key-oh" is…とうきょう mispronounced lol But still, it is very…上から目線 in reply to bri_tyan #
• @bri_tyan …and just like you pointed out with 英語, no one says 音読み is mispronounced Chinese Dang, I'm one of those languagemixing ppl in reply to bri_tyan #
• "East Asian learners exhibit superior learning styles and academic performance to their Western counterparts" http://bit.ly/a5y0nT #
• @bri_tyan しかも海外の「大和言葉だけが本当の日本語だ」論者みたいに、誰も英語に対して真剣に「これからはアングロサクソン系単語だけでやって行こうぜい」なんて言わないしね。虐められてるね、日本人は（＾＾）。可哀想。 in reply to bri_tyan #
• @RavinDave Yah. Or sentence–>sound. Or…you could simply use English anyway if you're just starting out. in reply to RavinDave #
• @RavinDave Remember that "personal preference and convenience" is an element of the effectiveness equation, too in reply to RavinDave #
• The more you stick to Japanese, the more Japanese sticks to you. #
• "Too hard" just means "hasn't been cut up into small enough pieces".
  Potatoes suck raw. But they're awesome as chips. #
• A lot of the time, 1% done is better than 100% imagined. #
• Often, doing the imperfect anything you can do is better than imagining the perfect everything you "should" be doing #immersion #
• @upyourbottom OMG. That's just cruel. LOL. in reply to upyourbottom #
• @o_delite You can. Remember, you don't "learn"Japanese. You develop a habit of contact with it, so frequent that you memorize chunks in reply to o_delite #
• Cantonese Phonetic IME – Cantonese Pinyin Input Software – http://bit.ly/bPsA4o #
• 「架空の登場人物にスポットを当てた、
  虚構のシルバーモキュメンタリー。 」http://amzn.to/cVcCra #
• Seems that a good number of famous HK film people (e.g. 林雪, 王家衛) actually moved there and learned Cantonese quite late in life. #
• For all the scaremongering, HK is actually an immigrant society, and Cantonese is a language that gets learned (very well) a heck of a lot. #
• YouTube – Stephen Chow full interview (周星馳)- PART 1 http://bit.ly/bx5kxN #
• YouTube – Stephen Chow full interview – PART 2 http://bit.ly/debJJn #
• Use an app like this to convert YouTube interviews to mp3 format, for listening to later | Video2mp3 http://bit.ly/cI4CoR #
• YouTube – 72家租客 – 林雪買電話 http://bit.ly/9raxQB #
• "一切発明しないためにはどうしたらいいのかといえば、発明しなくても済むように、予め全て暗記しておけばいいのです。" http://bit.ly/cn0a7v #
• YouTube – Jin 歐陽靖 'ＡＢＣ' MV http://bit.ly/ckh8CQ #
• YouTube – 星期日大班第8集嘉賓︰歐陽靖 (MC Jin) http://bit.ly/bfsugd #
• YouTube – sims2でFRIENDSを再現してみた。season3-7(part2) http://bit.ly/bNVIYH #
• 擬音語・擬態語　- 日本語を楽しもう！ – カテゴリー別 Index http://bit.ly/9injho | #Japanese onomatopoeia dictionary w/examples. Thx, D-star! #
• - Bodhi 開心 Family – http://bit.ly/aLfqny Children's #comic in #Chinese #
• YouTube – 小琳 –事必關己 "事必關己" http://bit.ly/blideq #
• YouTube – 梁家輝"黑社會"訪問(上) Tony Leung Ka Fai : Interview on Election http://bit.ly/aoYqGZ #
• YouTube – 梁家輝-小寶寶食蛋糕 http://bit.ly/afsfl6 | This kind of thing is why 梁家輝 is the dawg (he's the one "singing" in this clip) #
• YouTube – 梁家輝-你回來吧 http://bit.ly/9DmQ1L #
• 美人すぎてクビの元シティ行員、また解雇？ – Ameba News [アメーバニュース] http://bit.ly/c4dA1m | When I said #trash ..I meant it #
• 【セクシーすぎて解雇】 http://bit.ly/caFpOh | When I said L2 #trash ..I meant it #
• セクシー過ぎるためクビになった女性
  http://bit.ly/93zVpY | No, like, I really meant it when I said…go for #trash in your L2 #
• 「解雇されたのは魅力的過ぎるから」、元社員が米シティ提訴 | 世界のこぼれ話 | Reuters | yup…more L2 #trash http://bit.ly/b6ghsr #
• てか何語？（＾＾） #
• @e_dub_kendo lol 先輩's beside me 分析ing this case right 今 in reply to e_dub_kendo #
• Tip: identify keywords (usually names of people) connected with low-brow L1 news, and Google them in L1, limiting search results to your L2 #
• Don't worry about getting "good" at Japanese. Just try to suck less today than you did yesterday. #
• Don't be a hero. Don't be an innovator. Copy. Copy that Japanese. Pretend you're doing impressions. #speaking #
• @asiababymama Bonnstance, I never said you could read my blog in reply to asiababymama #
• @cosleia And it was good #
• @asiababymama No, really, though…I don't at all recall permitting you to read my blog…really… }:| in reply to asiababymama #
• "暗記された文の量がどんどん増えてくると、自分が今しゃべっている文がどこに出ていた文だか意識できなくなってくるでしょう。" http://bit.ly/cn0a7v #
• YouTube – BoA AKIRA Zeebra – Palm Drive – Holiday http://bit.ly/dwZ2qq #
• "It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little – do what you can" http://bit.ly/cV5PPZ #
• 中古パーツのアップガレージ｜日本最大級の中古カー&バイク用品チェーン http://bit.ly/auNHjW | via #ajattplus | used Japanese car parts #
• Remember, you're not choosing whether or not to learn the other languages, you're just choosing what to learn *first*. #
• You're not excluding other languages from your life, merely postponing them. They'll still be there when you're ready. #
• Animal trainer Karen Pryor shares operant conditioning techniques you can use on yourself and other humans http://amzn.to/bvz6Yz #
• FastCopy http://bit.ly/a11Tx1 #
• Be sure to change your default search engine to a Japanese one (small change…works wonders) http://bit.ly/bhoMfL #
• YouTube – Jonathan Wong 王梓軒 《你們好》(世界大同版) featuring MC Jin, INK @ Union http://bit.ly/9QQYQE #
• YouTube – 陳奐仁(feat. 歐陽靖)-買一送一　Mc Jin,Hanjin – 買一送一 (CD Version) http://bit.ly/cgM7SK #

Maddie and Khatz go way back to university days when they studied together in the computer science department. Now, as a video game programmer in a major company, it would seem Maddie has it all. There’s one dream, however, that has remained elusively beyond the reach of this avid anime fan, gamer, and cosplay seamstress — the dream of learning Japanese.

In Part 1, Maddie explained the problem: she keeps getting distracted (especially by English TV shows), discouraged, and giving up. In Part 2, Dr. Khatz encouraged her to view language as a habit instead of a skill or intellectual pursuit and give herself credit for learning things in context. In this last installment, Dr Khatz reveals “the secret” of how he managed to learn Japanese on his own while still functioning as a busy college student in the U.S.

(continued from Part 2)

Maddie: Ok, so at the end of the day, I do want to do this, but I still live in America. I still have to go to work and do my bills and talk to my family, and this all has to be done in English, so it’s not like I can go and live in an all-Japanese place. I still want to learn more about code and read stuff and actually understand it, etc. etc., but I would like to learn Japanese.

I can easily, or at least relatively easily, switch my background “I live alone, and I don’t like a quiet apartment” stuff to Japanese, and I can even dedicate half an hour or so to learning to read everyday. But is this enough? I know that I won’t learn as fast as some, but I want to learn. I can’t sacrifice my life to this, but it is important to me.

Khatz: Good question. Obviously, the more you give it, the more and faster you get. As you recall, Maddie, yes, I gave everything to Japanese, but I was still a functioning college student. I mean, we talked, we hung out.

Here is what I did… Here is “the secret”, if you will…

The Secret (The Secret, The Secret…)

K: I removed any and all English that was not necessary — not necessary to my livelihood, safety or a basic minimum maintenance level for key relationships. For example: when I would talk to Momoko’s dad, I often didn’t take off both earphones (just one side).

To some that’s going a bit far, but I wanted Japanese, and I wasn’t going to make excuses. I was going to give myself, as far as possible, everything that a native speaker gets — a so-called native speaker, that is (this term is very flawed).

So, yes. My college classes were in English…but my home/bedroom needn’t be. My college assignments were in English…but why does my iPod have to have English on it? The university webpage was in English…but does my Gmail have to be?

And people say: “But what if I don’t understand?”
I’m like, “I’m a [simulated] native… If I don’t understand, then I LEARN TO UNDERSTAND, and I don’t get to do this stuff until I do.”

Sounds strict, but, like I said, I had a very playful, experimental attitude. It only comes out [sounding] strict to make me seem “good” and “disciplined”, but you know me, Maddie…

You know me… YOU’ve been to my house here… We went to school together… We took classes together… We TA-ed together in the Computer Science Building… You saw my desk area… You know I’m just a…scruffy little kid who thinks the world is his bedroom…

M: Hehe.

K: Oh yeah, I changed my OS to Japanese Windows XP well before I was “ready” because I felt (and the action proved it):
We don’t learn the language in order to be exposed to it.
We learn the language BECAUSE we are exposed to it.

M: Ok.

Touch the language

K: Now, if all that seems hard to do, one simple hack is this: increase the FREQUENCY with which you are exposed to Japanese. Focus on just touching Japanese — coming into contact with it — even if it’s, like, have a batch file that plays a Japanese song or opens a Japanese YouTube video once an hour, every hour. Something, anything — touch the language.

Seems silly, sure, but think of all the years of starting and stopping and classes and giving up and teachers leaving and books bought but unopened and hating yourself and blaming yourself and doing hulu [watching anime but only with English subtitles] instead. How intelligent was that? How efficient was that? At least you’re having fun, with YouTube…those Japanese commercials and game shows are hilarious.

M: Ok, it’s good to know that just trying a little is still trying and worth it.

K: Everything is worth it, everything counts. None of this “it was in context” nonsense.

M: And I can at the very least choose 5 shows that I like on hulu, watch those, and then the rest of the time, just watch, or listen to anime. That in itself could be huge — you don’t want to know the number of hours I’ve listened to shows I don’t even like…

K: Exactly. AND you could, if you want, watch those shows IN JAPANESE. What now, woman? I mean, it’s not essential, and you get to watch them anyway, right? So why not.

Get a solid grounding in PLAY!

K: Some people say, “What about the serious stuff?”
…What, like the Japanese tax code? Gimme a break!
(1) Play IS serious stuff.
(2) Play is serious stuff.
(3) Native kids always play, play, play, play first.
(4) Serious stuff will handle itself once you have a solid foundation in PLAY!

The playing around part is fundamental.

Think of how you can game and even use a computer. It’s all because you played around with these things. Same thing with speaking English — it’s ALL play.

Think of the people you know who can’t game or speak English or use a computer. It’s because they never tried to PLAY at it, always trying to be serious…

M: Ok, I feel more heartened.

K: Stepping off soapbox…

Kay, I’m back to normal now, I think. So yeah…no pressure…no techniques, Madz. Japanese isn’t something you “go do”. It’s just part of who you are.

Get a solid grounding in play. Play first. Fun first.

Whatever I can do for you or get for you here, let me know.

M: Thanks muchly!

*The End!*