Welcome to back to Japanese Phrase of the Month!
This month’s phrase is…
Japanese Phrase of the Month – November/December 2020
Modified from an image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
Modified from an image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
Japanese Phrase of the Month – October 2020
Modified from an image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
I kept meaning to do a “commonly mistranslated phrases” type thing for my crew at Funimation, but then I thought, why not do it in my Copious Spare TimeTM instead, so that I can share it both here and there? Welcome to my (possibly-not-monthly) Japanese Phrase of the Month! 「何が悲しくて」・「何が悲しゅうて」 Have you been translating … Read more
Word Usage Quiz for Writers #4
Want another word usage quiz to keep you sharp during quaran-times? Don’t worry; I’ve got you covered. If you missed the first three quizzes, you can find them here: Which Word? #1 Which Word? #2 Which Word? #3 © 2020 Sarah Lindholm © 2023 The Detail Woman LLC
Stuff You Missed in History Class – Black History Episodes
A lot has happened since my last post. George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officers, protests against his killing are being carried out across the country (and around the globe), and many cities have imposed curfews.
We’re a nation in crisis, but there are 400 years of history behind this crisis. And not all of us were taught that history in school. This week, many fellow non-Black people on my Facebook feed have expressed a desire to learn about it. I need to learn more about it, too.
I’ve seen a spate of posts about books and articles white people can to read to better understand the history of racism in the United States. That’s a great thing. But some people have trouble reading that much material. Are there audiovisual things people can reference?
Yes! Marie Claire suggests Documentaries About Black History to Educate Yourself With.
There are podcasts that can help, too. I’ve talked about my love of the podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class in at least one previous post. Since I happen to know that podcast well, tonight I put together a list of episodes on African-American history. That doesn’t mean this is the One True History Podcast–just the one I know best and could put together a cheat sheet for in a few hours. I hope it helps someone!
Word Usage Quiz for Writers #3
If you’re like me, any healthy distraction is welcome in these quaran-times. The smaller, the better. And ideally, something I can do without guilt. So it seems like the perfect time to resurrect “Which Word?” If you missed the first two of my word usage quizzes, you can find them here: Which Word? #1 Which … Read more
#SongsOfComfort During Physical Distancing
Welcome! This pinned post is where you can find links to my COVID-19 playlists.
Read on to learn about the playlist initiative and what you’ll find in each list, or boldly click on one of these quick links to start listening.
Sacred #SongsOfComfort: YouTube | Sacred #SongsOfComfort: Spotify | Secular #SongsOfComfort: YouTube
Free Ways to Ease Your COVID-19 Experience
Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
My last post, 8 Movies to Distract You from COVID-19, was about catching up on classic movies to distract yourself during this crisis. Distraction is a valuable mental health tool, because it gives us the space to not be anxious all the time. And movies seemed like a good bet, because they only take a couple of hours, which is great for those of us who still don’t have much free time.
But what if you don’t have access to Netflix or Amazon Prime? What if you need something fun and interesting that’s free?
Well, my friend, there is plenty out there to explore. Here are a few audio & visual options from your friendly neighborhood audiovisual translator.
8 Movies to Distract You from COVID-19
Do you need a safe, fun distraction from the global pandemic engulfing all of us? I think we all do, and I love that so many artists are doing their part from within their areas of expertise.
Orchestras around the world are offering free live concerts online. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has started a #SongsofComfort initiative. Art historian Ada Palmer has popularized the hashtag #SomethingBeautiful on Twitter. And in the crowdsourcing domain, readers of The Guardian have put together a recommended reading list.
As a film & TV translator, the first thing that occurs to me is, why not catch up on some classic movies you’ve always meant to get around to, or revisit your favorites?
So, here’s a list of classics to watch on Amazon Prime and Netflix while you’re quarantined or self-isolating. (…Okay, maybe the sushi documentary isn’t a classic, but sushi is classic, am I right?)
Enjoy!
Human Rights and the Size of Your Imagination
Here in the United States, we’re talking about another mass shooting. It doesn’t matter what day you read this post on; that opening sentence will still be true. We have a lot of them here. We talk about them a lot. We typically don’t do anything beyond talking, but that part may change one day. … Read more
A Portrait of the Artist as an Older Man
Watching artists over a long arc of years reveals a lot of interesting things: What changes, what stays the same. What you thought were their strengths, what their strengths turn out to be.
James Galway was one of my favorite flutists growing up. My aunt bought me his CDs and at least one book about him. Like so many, I liked the twinkle in his eye. The way he was more accessible to the viewer than Jean-Pierre Rampal; the way both of them made it look easy, but Galway made it look like he was having fun. I once called him a “jolly elf.”
As an adult, I went to see him perform live with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. My significant other at the time was mystified by my “jolly elf” characterization, because by then he was no longer young. The twinkle in his eye was still firmly in place, but much of the bounce was gone. And yet, I was truly touched by this performance.