Watch The World Learn

Watch complications were the apps of a hundred years ago - and they were expensive. None of my complicated watches have an alarm, for example. That alarm complication costs as much as an Apple Watch - so it's clearly the economical choice.

Also I wanted a Kanji Solitaire watch complication, so I made one. It displays a different kanji character at a glance, every thirty minutes. Tap the complication to flip through a flashcard quiz. The large crown dial will also roll through a thousand quiz characters.

I own a fancy $80 box of analog flashcards, and it's impractical to hold a hundred of them. But this watch has amazeballs tech, so thousands of digital cards is light work.

Part of my objection to smart watches has been the look - it's great to see Apple partner with outside design to create some style variations. I got the Nike Version with the perforated band, and this includes the Nike watch face which is also great looking.

Character Recognition

Learning Japanese kanji is like meeting new people. At first this neighborhood is full of complete strangers, but we will begin to remember the faces we've seen before as we go about life.

Introductions are made, and we hear the names of a bunch of characters, then quickly forget. In order to really understand a character, we need to see them in context. So we watch what they do in various situations - how they work with others.

Time goes by and the neighborhood seems less strange. We've finally learned some names, and know several characters well enough to guess what will happen in new situations.

Finally, we begin to notice familiar details in new characters - patterns that hint at meaning and pronunciation. Kanji do not mind being grouped.

Study Success or Extra Stress?

Hanabi, a photo by Tuzen on Flickr.

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.

• 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?

3 Kanji Study Tips

photo by tuzen on Flickr.

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.

study whole words

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.

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.

use software

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.

20 words for 45 minutes

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.