Epic quote:
"Emphatically it will not work. There are thrilling moments, doubtless, for the spectator, the amateur, and the aesthete, but there is one thrill that is known only to the soldier who fights for his own flag, to the ascetic who starves himself for his own illumination, to the lover who makes finally his own choice. And it is this transfiguring self-discipline that makes the vow a truly sane thing."
G.K. Chesterton
強調して = emphatically
確かに = doubtless
見物人 = spectator
素人 = amateur
審美眼のある人 = aesthete
ゾクゾク・わくわく = thrill
苦行者 ＝ ascetic
飢える = starve
明るくすること = illumination よくすることかもしれないし
姿を変える = transfigure
自制 = self-discipline
誓い = vow
正気 = sane
ま、分からなかったら教えてね。
ああ、やっぱり分かりにくかったっしょ。。。
次のは翻訳じゃないけど説明じゃないし両方だ。
最初のは皆の経験に味わいたくても出来ない。 最高の一瞬でもある、傍観者も アマチュアも、美眼のある人にも、 でもそういう特別な感動は人のタイプによって その人だけが体験できる。。。兵士が自分の国旗のために戦っている体験。。。 苦行者が自分の価値を高まる為に飢えっている体験。。。恋人がやっと自分で決めた体験。 この姿を変えている自制から誓い事を本当に正気のものにするんだ。
分かった？
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Heroes
人間は考える葦である Man is a thinking reed.~ Pascal.
I am still not sure what exactly that means but I've noticed something lately about the austere beauty that simple expressions have.
So, the simple question is why even bring up Pascal after naming your post "Heroes"? Well, Pascal, just so you know, isn't my hero. He's cool and all, but there is someone who was influenced by Pascal that is rapidly becoming my hero. Actually, let me phrase it this way: If you were to have asked me what Japanese person, living or dead, it was that I looked up to, about three years ago, I would have probably told you Fukuzawa Yukichi.
For those of you who don't know, Fukuzawa Yukichi-san is essentially the father of the Japanese school system, but that is most certainly not what makes him cool. Having read his autobiography, I can tell you that it was something about his pursuit for knowledge and his unquenchable desire for it that caught my attention. Far more important though was how he dealt with and eventually became infatuated with the West during his studies post-Meiji.
I have recently found another figure, a certain Takashi Nagai with whom I am far more enamoured. Nagai-san was not only a doctor like Yukichi-san and therefore dealing with the wave of medical changes brought in by the west, but he had a role to play in the aftermath of the bombing of Nagasaki. It was through his experiences with the victims of that tradgedy that led him to write The Bells of Nagasaki (長崎の鐘）. Having not either read the book nor seen the movie that followed, I am quite enthralled with how he sought to bring the people of Nagasaki a sense of forgiveness.
Addendum to this post
Zombieland Rule #17. Don't Be a hero.
I am still not sure what exactly that means but I've noticed something lately about the austere beauty that simple expressions have.
So, the simple question is why even bring up Pascal after naming your post "Heroes"? Well, Pascal, just so you know, isn't my hero. He's cool and all, but there is someone who was influenced by Pascal that is rapidly becoming my hero. Actually, let me phrase it this way: If you were to have asked me what Japanese person, living or dead, it was that I looked up to, about three years ago, I would have probably told you Fukuzawa Yukichi.
For those of you who don't know, Fukuzawa Yukichi-san is essentially the father of the Japanese school system, but that is most certainly not what makes him cool. Having read his autobiography, I can tell you that it was something about his pursuit for knowledge and his unquenchable desire for it that caught my attention. Far more important though was how he dealt with and eventually became infatuated with the West during his studies post-Meiji.
I have recently found another figure, a certain Takashi Nagai with whom I am far more enamoured. Nagai-san was not only a doctor like Yukichi-san and therefore dealing with the wave of medical changes brought in by the west, but he had a role to play in the aftermath of the bombing of Nagasaki. It was through his experiences with the victims of that tradgedy that led him to write The Bells of Nagasaki (長崎の鐘）. Having not either read the book nor seen the movie that followed, I am quite enthralled with how he sought to bring the people of Nagasaki a sense of forgiveness.
Addendum to this post
Zombieland Rule #17. Don't Be a hero.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Of Hearts and Keys
Over time it would seem my own little obsessions with symbolism evolve and change.
自分の象徴の好みは時間と同時変わっていくんだそうだ。
When I was first studying Japanese, Kanji fascinated my mind. The more complex the better. If the Kanji was simple too, I liked it. The kanji for water even 水 still fascinates me with its simple beauty. Kanji that were semi-complex and normal were somewhat boring to me though. They were just too abstract and everbody already expected me to have to learn them.
最初の日本語を勉強して始まった時漢字は僕に悩殺された。 もっと複雑のほうはもっとよかった。 でもその漢字は単純でも好きだった。 水は今までその漢字の単純な美しさは僕のこころを捕らえている。 もしある漢字は普通とちょっとだけ複雑だったらあまり面白くなかったと思ってしまった。 意味は抽象的しすぎて勉強するのは当然だったしです。
黎明, imagine that. This kanji is still probably among my top. The first Kanji is an uncommon Kanji for black. That makes it special to me since my favorite color is black. These two Kanji together represent a transition from darkness to light. A movement both used to refer to incunabulum (post-enlightenment) and the simple dawn. When I came to understand this Kanji, I came to understand hope.
黎明はね、多分まだ一番好きな漢字の言葉だ。 黎はくろという意味を示している。 黒は僕の一番好きな色だからこの漢字は特別になっちゃった。 この言葉は闇から光までの意味を示している。 夜明けという意味くらいだけど啓もう運動とも含まれた。 この漢字のために希望が納得できたと思う。
悪魔, yes, I liked these kanji. Why? Simply because no one would expect someone who could barely mumble out sentences in Japanese to be able to write this word. Ayako, thank goodness, put up with me and did some wicked awesome calligraphy that I still have in my room. The little orange poster translates to "That person (way over there) is a demon."
悪魔、はい、この漢字が好きだった。 なぜなの？ この漢字が書ける日本語を勉強しているアメリカ人は少ないからと思った。 あやこは作ってくれた書道はこの漢字にも含まれた。 まだ部屋で貼っているけど書いてあった事は「あいつは悪魔」だ。
薔薇、yes I can write these kanji, don't ask. Unlike the Kanji, Roses are simple. They have natural beauty and much meaning. However, like a girl, handle them wrong and expect to get stung. These kanji taught me that kusakanmuri nearly always meant the Kanji was related to a plant.
薔薇、うん、書けます。 この漢字と反対だけど本当の薔薇は単純。 自然な美しさと沢山の意味がある。 でも 女のように間違えって扱ったらさされちゃう。 薔薇の漢字に勉強させた事は漢字は草冠があったらその漢字は植物と関係がある。
堀鼠 or pocket gopher. You guys wanted to know why my facebook is a gopher on facebook? There is a long story, but basically it goes like this. I drove some friends crazy one year by using the English word "gopher" as a catchphrase. Then it just came to represent to me. To some friends, all I have to mention is "gopher," and they remember who I am. So, I just had to know how to write it in Kanji.
掘り鼠 ホリネズミ、針鼠と異なっている。 僕のフェースブークを見たのか。 僕の写真は掘り鼠だ。 ゴーファーは僕とちょっと長い付き合いということだ。 高校の時代で友達をからかうためにゴーファーと何回も言った。 僕の象徴となってしまった。 ある友達にはゴーファーだけを言ったら僕は誰だということを早くおもいだすんだ。 だからゴーファーを日本語の漢字で書きたかった。
「ごめん、寝たいからここまでの日本語バージョンだけをやってきた。 後で全部やるかもしれないけどとりあえずこのままには貼る。」
Heart Strings. I made a desktop wallpaper with this subtitle in High school. It is still the backdrop for my laptop too. I've always had this image of the heart as a bundle of strings that can be stripped away and torn without permanent damage. The heart however is the most difficult thing to unravel so I treasure this image. This image is connected with two songs for me. Yuki Kajiura's Open your Heart and the Reprise. If I ever need a pick-me-up, those two songs never let me down.
Now, because of my time in Japan, two symbols come to mind.
命 and 鍵
命 was the kanji for the year I was in Japan. Of course, a certain Japanese comedian capitalized on this, but I'm not complaining. The popularity of "inochi" allowed me to get T-shirts with this kanji on it. I see life as a precious fundamental. Since my first name means guardian, I also take the defense of life as important.
鍵 or key. As long as I can remember keys always represented so much to me. They open things. In my case they also close things away into my heart and memories.
However, they are now inimately connected to my time in Japan. The last day I was in Japan, I bought myself a key on a necklace(Thanks Asami for that help!). Now, everytime I see that key, I vividly remember my last days in Japan and sometimes I nearly cry from the memories.
That necklace also gives me an area to focus my partings. I try and wear it whenever I must part with someone, even if it is for a short time. This has been important for my mental health because I'll never get used to saying farewell to all the international students I've known over the years.
月 I suppose you are wondering why anyone would like this Kanji. It's so common. However, if you've seen my notebooks over the years, you'd know why though. The kanji 命 placed over a fading gray moon is my personal symbol. The moon possesses a mystique few can understand, and is one's light in the darkness. Putting the Kanji for life in it, only emphasizes this understanding.
Well, I hope you enjoyed that. ^_^
自分の象徴の好みは時間と同時変わっていくんだそうだ。
When I was first studying Japanese, Kanji fascinated my mind. The more complex the better. If the Kanji was simple too, I liked it. The kanji for water even 水 still fascinates me with its simple beauty. Kanji that were semi-complex and normal were somewhat boring to me though. They were just too abstract and everbody already expected me to have to learn them.
最初の日本語を勉強して始まった時漢字は僕に悩殺された。 もっと複雑のほうはもっとよかった。 でもその漢字は単純でも好きだった。 水は今までその漢字の単純な美しさは僕のこころを捕らえている。 もしある漢字は普通とちょっとだけ複雑だったらあまり面白くなかったと思ってしまった。 意味は抽象的しすぎて勉強するのは当然だったしです。
黎明, imagine that. This kanji is still probably among my top. The first Kanji is an uncommon Kanji for black. That makes it special to me since my favorite color is black. These two Kanji together represent a transition from darkness to light. A movement both used to refer to incunabulum (post-enlightenment) and the simple dawn. When I came to understand this Kanji, I came to understand hope.
黎明はね、多分まだ一番好きな漢字の言葉だ。 黎はくろという意味を示している。 黒は僕の一番好きな色だからこの漢字は特別になっちゃった。 この言葉は闇から光までの意味を示している。 夜明けという意味くらいだけど啓もう運動とも含まれた。 この漢字のために希望が納得できたと思う。
悪魔, yes, I liked these kanji. Why? Simply because no one would expect someone who could barely mumble out sentences in Japanese to be able to write this word. Ayako, thank goodness, put up with me and did some wicked awesome calligraphy that I still have in my room. The little orange poster translates to "That person (way over there) is a demon."
悪魔、はい、この漢字が好きだった。 なぜなの？ この漢字が書ける日本語を勉強しているアメリカ人は少ないからと思った。 あやこは作ってくれた書道はこの漢字にも含まれた。 まだ部屋で貼っているけど書いてあった事は「あいつは悪魔」だ。
薔薇、yes I can write these kanji, don't ask. Unlike the Kanji, Roses are simple. They have natural beauty and much meaning. However, like a girl, handle them wrong and expect to get stung. These kanji taught me that kusakanmuri nearly always meant the Kanji was related to a plant.
薔薇、うん、書けます。 この漢字と反対だけど本当の薔薇は単純。 自然な美しさと沢山の意味がある。 でも 女のように間違えって扱ったらさされちゃう。 薔薇の漢字に勉強させた事は漢字は草冠があったらその漢字は植物と関係がある。
堀鼠 or pocket gopher. You guys wanted to know why my facebook is a gopher on facebook? There is a long story, but basically it goes like this. I drove some friends crazy one year by using the English word "gopher" as a catchphrase. Then it just came to represent to me. To some friends, all I have to mention is "gopher," and they remember who I am. So, I just had to know how to write it in Kanji.
掘り鼠 ホリネズミ、針鼠と異なっている。 僕のフェースブークを見たのか。 僕の写真は掘り鼠だ。 ゴーファーは僕とちょっと長い付き合いということだ。 高校の時代で友達をからかうためにゴーファーと何回も言った。 僕の象徴となってしまった。 ある友達にはゴーファーだけを言ったら僕は誰だということを早くおもいだすんだ。 だからゴーファーを日本語の漢字で書きたかった。
「ごめん、寝たいからここまでの日本語バージョンだけをやってきた。 後で全部やるかもしれないけどとりあえずこのままには貼る。」
Heart Strings. I made a desktop wallpaper with this subtitle in High school. It is still the backdrop for my laptop too. I've always had this image of the heart as a bundle of strings that can be stripped away and torn without permanent damage. The heart however is the most difficult thing to unravel so I treasure this image. This image is connected with two songs for me. Yuki Kajiura's Open your Heart and the Reprise. If I ever need a pick-me-up, those two songs never let me down.
Now, because of my time in Japan, two symbols come to mind.
命 and 鍵
命 was the kanji for the year I was in Japan. Of course, a certain Japanese comedian capitalized on this, but I'm not complaining. The popularity of "inochi" allowed me to get T-shirts with this kanji on it. I see life as a precious fundamental. Since my first name means guardian, I also take the defense of life as important.
鍵 or key. As long as I can remember keys always represented so much to me. They open things. In my case they also close things away into my heart and memories.
However, they are now inimately connected to my time in Japan. The last day I was in Japan, I bought myself a key on a necklace(Thanks Asami for that help!). Now, everytime I see that key, I vividly remember my last days in Japan and sometimes I nearly cry from the memories.
That necklace also gives me an area to focus my partings. I try and wear it whenever I must part with someone, even if it is for a short time. This has been important for my mental health because I'll never get used to saying farewell to all the international students I've known over the years.
月 I suppose you are wondering why anyone would like this Kanji. It's so common. However, if you've seen my notebooks over the years, you'd know why though. The kanji 命 placed over a fading gray moon is my personal symbol. The moon possesses a mystique few can understand, and is one's light in the darkness. Putting the Kanji for life in it, only emphasizes this understanding.
Well, I hope you enjoyed that. ^_^
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