As I discover interesting online communities, I will update this list:
06 January 2013
10 November 2012
On Free Loot and XP!
After weeks of play, the game crashed and my friend’s character lost all his skills; you can imagine, he was upset. I prefer games where the skill is located outside the machine, preferably inside me. This game starts with terrible items that randomly miss, but you play long enough so that your character gets better. They fake skill improvement; fun, but still fake.
I think these kinds of games can make us a special kind of stupid. We can’t help but learn from everything we do. And what lessons do these games teach us? Things randomly happen, material items are important, and rewards come from time spent butt-in-seat. As a player, I don’t want to spend hours inside that kind of warped world view. I switched games.
The ideal game would store all skills inside the player. Digitally there would be nothing to lose. The lessons taught could be useful in the real world. That material things are just tools. Empathy. Teamwork. The achievements of others proves the possibility of your further success.
Can we imagine new games starting from life lessons?
I think these kinds of games can make us a special kind of stupid. We can’t help but learn from everything we do. And what lessons do these games teach us? Things randomly happen, material items are important, and rewards come from time spent butt-in-seat. As a player, I don’t want to spend hours inside that kind of warped world view. I switched games.
The ideal game would store all skills inside the player. Digitally there would be nothing to lose. The lessons taught could be useful in the real world. That material things are just tools. Empathy. Teamwork. The achievements of others proves the possibility of your further success.
Can we imagine new games starting from life lessons?
15 August 2012
Study Success or Extra Stress?
Physical and mental condition are keys to success with learning. That is why I pay attention to foods, sleep, exercise, and social activity. Over the years I've figured out the right balance for me to feel good. And when I feel great, my brain can learn.
This year I'm even more careful with foods, after reading the research. Some foods do give me a brain boost, and others make me feel like wasting away in front of the TV. I quit french fries, ice cream, and cola because they made my brain tired. And appetite problems are strongly associated with stress and sleep problems.
Over the years I figured out that I feel smarter in the morning, so that is when I do the tough stuff. Monitor your focus throughout the day too. You might be surprised how much it changes.
I hear friends say they're "not good at learning". Well, when I stay up late, eat junk food, and watch a lot of TV, then I'm not good at learning either.
What else can we do?
- Get Lots of Sleep
- Watch Less Crap
- Eat Better
- Walk & Take Stairs
- Find Your Peak Brain Time
- Reduce Noise
This year I'm even more careful with foods, after reading the research. Some foods do give me a brain boost, and others make me feel like wasting away in front of the TV. I quit french fries, ice cream, and cola because they made my brain tired. And appetite problems are strongly associated with stress and sleep problems.
Over the years I figured out that I feel smarter in the morning, so that is when I do the tough stuff. Monitor your focus throughout the day too. You might be surprised how much it changes.
I hear friends say they're "not good at learning". Well, when I stay up late, eat junk food, and watch a lot of TV, then I'm not good at learning either.
What else can we do?
15 July 2012
3 Kanji Study Tips
Many busy students ask, "how can I learn all these kanji?". There are a few schools of thought on the topic, so I thought I would give you my two cents. Some people study each kanji, from a book, and others buy or make flashcards. There are various software tools too. I know that I've spent too much time and money on all three.
Whole-word flashcards seem like a better/cheaper choice, until you actually try it. I have a box of thousands of flashcards I purchased in Japan, and let me tell you it's a mess. You need a backpack to carry it. Searching and sorting the deck takes hours. And it isn't fun or interesting. I only have so much time to study, and there is much to learn, so I want every minute to count.
There a dozens of books that "explain" kanji. I've spent hundreds on textbooks, and my experience can be summed up as, these things are expensive. In addition, books that focus on kanji can be interesting, but they often don't teach whole vocabulary. Native speakers learn words first, and how to write them second. We should study in much the same way by learning whole words, and that study should map directly to language ability. Learn how kanji are used in context.study whole words
Whole-word flashcards seem like a better/cheaper choice, until you actually try it. I have a box of thousands of flashcards I purchased in Japan, and let me tell you it's a mess. You need a backpack to carry it. Searching and sorting the deck takes hours. And it isn't fun or interesting. I only have so much time to study, and there is much to learn, so I want every minute to count.
I believe software can solve these problems. But software that duplicates the old problems isn't what we're looking for. With the right software we can learn whole words, lower costs, and keep study interesting and fun. The world of software is full of fun examples, and that is what we should aim for.use software
How much study is right? It depends on your level of focus and the tools you have, but about 20 new kanji-words per day is probably the max for me. I recommend 45 minute sessions reviewing both new and old material. Many people keep this up almost daily, for several years, to steadily improve their working vocabulary.20 words for 45 minutes
16 June 2012
Japanese Video Log
Movies and video are a fun way to exercise some language skills, and so I watch when I can. This list is a way for me to remember the interesting stuff, and where I found it, so I can recommend it to others.
- Japanese Movies & Video
- Netflix: The Twilight Samurai
- YouTube: Gegege no Kitaro
- YouTube: Ore wa Teppei
- CrunchyRoll: Polar Bear Cafe
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