はじめまして、桜さん

桜さん、

マークスです。どうぞよろしく。今、プリンストン大学の学生です。に年生です。私は生ぶつが好きなので、せんこうは生ぶつがくです。プリンストンのじゅぎょうはとてもむずかしいので、ぜんぜんひまがないです。
でも、しゅみがあります。えいがをみるのがやまんがをよむのが好きです。まんがの中で、ワンピースは私のいちば大好きなほんがです。
ね、桜さん、あなたのいちばん好きなまんがは何ですか。
すみません。今、友だちとばんごはんにいきます。
じゃ、また。

マークス

もっと、一週。また、私のブローンコース！

一週までやすみのひ。ばんざい！
やすみのひで、デンバーにかえります。
まいばんに、ごご１０じぐらいにねます（たぶん）。
そして、ごご２じぐらいおきます。
いいですね。
でも、プリンストンデご日があります。たいへんですね。大テストがありません。
ラッキー！

デンバーのフットボールはブローンコースです。
ばかです。
でも、毎週、かつ！
テーボーさんはわるいです、でもかつ！
みってください：

がんばります、デンバー！

今、何をしますか

Cycle 2は末です。本はとてもむずかしかったです、でも今あまりむずかしじゃない。毎日べんきょします、そしてわたしは improving。I have seen marked improvement in my speaking and listening, as I had hoped, specifically with regard to timing. My graded pronunciation exercise for this cycle went well, which is evidence that when I know what to say I'm relatively competent.However, I have plenty of room to improve.I think I can do more shadowing during this cycle to help get in the flow of speaking now that I have caught up with my grammar and vocabulary. I will look to mix in 2-3 PEs per week in addition to my current menu of vocabulary study and speaking, and in doing so will focus on understanding the words not only when I listen but also as I speak. I anticipate that at first I will struggle with my pace and will fall behind the recording; intime, though this should help my speaking and listening abilities considerably. Next time まで！

すごいあにめのすごいえいが

One Piece. Not a creative choice for me to post, but the most creative anime/manga I've ever seen/read.

Cycle 2 Goals

I've noticed a worrying trend with my speaking and listening; I can't keep up. I feel that there are three primary explanations and causes for this.
First, I don't know the vocabulary as well as I must. I have dropped a class, as in the first half the the semester I was truly swallowed by work. This will hopefully free up enough time on a nightly basis for me to put in at least 15-20 minutes each and every day with my flashcards, going over both current and historical vocabulary lists. This increased familiarity should allow me easier access of words when I'm forming sentences and quicker comprehension when listening.
Second, my grammer skills are weak when I speak. I skip and miss a fair portion of my particles, and my understanding of tenses is still shaky. I will aim to resolve this problem in coordination with the steps below.
Third, I often find myself saying things I don't mean to, and, when I can't find the right word, spouting nonsense. For example, in class today I was describing the house from Totoro. My response: "にほんじん." I was attempting to expound that the house was of Japanese variety, not say "Japanese person." (あのうちはにほんのうちです) I know how to say things, yet I stumble. The only suggestion I can make is to speak more often. In addition to reading my textbook, then, I must also set aside time (~1 hour per week) to simply talk to myself, out loud. I don't feel that shadowing is my best activity for this. My focus here is more fundamental than pronunciation, pitch, rhythm, etc. First, I need to be able to say what I mean.
じゃ、また。

やた！デンバにいきました。

せんしゅうにデンバにかえりました。ほんをよみました、ねました、そしてオクピデンバにいきました。
オクピデンバはとてもたいへんでした。
じゅうにじにこうえんにきました。
The crowd, which had been camping there for weeks, was furious when a riot squad came to tear down their tents. They resisted, and some shouting and shoving resulted. The police then began to fire rubber bullets and pepper spray into the masses, who scattered in fear and pain. Soon, people were handcuffed and arrested, and the police formed a line guarding the street. Only mild brutality occurred from then onward.
たいへんだすね！
いつよじにうちにかえりました。おおとさんとおおかさんはテレビーをみました。
せいかつですか。いいですか。
はい、はい。いいです。
しつれいします。

Reflection

This first cycle didn't go as planned. I had a hard time sticking to my plan due to time constraints from this and other classes. I particularly had no time for the anime aspect, nor did that activity feel greatly beneficial. The speakers' level and speed was simply too far beyond mine.

I was not thrilled, though not completely disappointed, with my oral exam performance. I felt much more comfortable in conversations with other students (particularly my partner, Takahashi-san) than I did during the real test. Thus, I think I was too conservative in fear of making grammer and vocabulary mistakes. Instead of utilizing full questions and answers, I used abbreviated sentences like "Takahashi-sanも?" However, I feel good about my comprehension, for the most part, and I'm sure I'll continue to improve as the semester and years continue.

まいにち、まいしゅう

まいあさ　はちじに　おきます。シャワーを　あびます　そして　あさごはんを　たべます　までに　はちじごじゅう。よく　はちじごじゅうごふんに　じゅぎょうに　きます　そして　べんきょします。まいあさ、わたしは　さん　じゅぎょうを　あります。じゅうにじはんごろ、ひるごはんを　たべます。あまり　しゅくだいを　しません　いま。うちに　かえります　と　ほんを　よみます、テレビを　みます、そして　なかまを　みます。ごじはんに　ばんごはんを　たべます、そして　しゅこだいを　します。そして　しゅこだいを　します。そして　しゅこだいを　します。いつ　わたしは　くたくた、ねます。（バンザイ！）

せんしゅう、テストを　しました。べんきょうしました　と　べんきょうしました。コーセプトを　わかりました、でも　スコールを　わかりません。

あなたの　スケジュールは　はんですか。

まんが vs. まんわ

あにめか：だいすき。
まんがか：ぜたい　まいにち。
でも、かんこくのまんわか。わかりません。
よく、ネートーのまんわを　よみます。ベリタス　と　ダ　ブレイカを　おにがいします；
ノレイス　と　シースス　わかりません。
わかりません　なにを　します。
もと　また　よみます、ぜたい。
じゃあ、また。

ぜつたい

Goals: I want to be able to sync my rhythm and pitch with the native Japanese style (as opposed to the foreign speaker’s style, which I’m currently using). I feel better about the state of my rhythm, though I'm sure that that too could use some work.
Plan: I will practice speaking using the materials on Blackboard and by emanating various animes 5-7 times per week.

A Little About Myself

グラウチョマークスです。プリンストンだいがくの　にねんせいです。
わたしは　あめりかじんです　そして　えいごを　わかります。
わたしは　かいぞくか。いいえ、すみません。

まいにち　わたしの　ブログを　よんでください。
じゃあ、また。

Why Japanese? Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

     おはようございます。

     This anime is the most powerful show ever produced. I was so moved by the show that I spent the last 5 years watching anime and reading manga and wrote a 35 page senior thesis in high school in an attempt to capture the magnitude of this work. This journey certainly has provided me endless entertainment, but I have also begun to reevaluate my understanding of language, culture, and humanity based on the principles carried in Japanese media.

     I've attached a AMV that includes some of the most stunning scenes from this show, for your entertainment.

　 みてください。

     Warning: Wear headphones and let yourself be blown away!

     じゃ、また。