I've put this together for no other reason than it's good to look back and see what got clicked over the week. Even if I don't get enough time as I'd like to comment on blogs, I do make a habit of scrolling through my feeds for Japan related content. Stuff I find interesting then gets thrown out to Twitter, where you guys vote with your mice. No not those mice.
I only learnt about @lloydvincent and his blog Nihon Shock in the last couple of weeks but he has some good posts. There are many ways to say 'I' in Japanese, and each one paints you in a slightly different light. Not satisfied with watashi (わたし) or boku (ぼく) when referring to yourself? Why not try uchi (うち) or ore (おれ) for a slightly harder edge?
Michael Werneburg discusses the troubles he has living with a foreign name in Japan. on @reesan's loneleeplanet blog. An interesting discussion of bureaucratic blindness and a rigid syllabary ensue. There are also some helpful tips for making sure you don't get trapped with something that is unworkable.
When we got married my wife took her name (はせがわ) and mine (ファイフィールド) to ensure the kids could use either. We haven't had too much trouble. After reading this post about Google's "auto-suggest" feature and Japanese marriage I'm glad I don't have search history turned on.
You've just got to love urban myths, the best ones gain traction because they have an element of truth, they are slightly believable and are easily transmitted. They also rely on irrational fears and suspicions. Exploring this quirky side of human nature as they do so well, Edo @PinkTentacle is blogging weekly on Japanese urban legends. The ‘Ririkan’ may be fast-food mystery meat, but there is no mystery about the hard labour at McDonald's in Japan. I suppose it's not too much too ask for a dignified discussion of the issues on LetsJapan?
On a slightly lighter note, we've come back full circle to Nihon Shock, where Llyod has some flavor success with chocolate soda. At last! It was difficult to watch him pour Sapporo's chocolate beer down the sink. Probably not more difficult than drinking it however.That's me closing out this post! If you want all this linky goodness feed to you intermittently through the day follow me on twitter, it's fun!
