Reading ebooks with iPod Touch

I am very happy to say that I found a great iPod Touch application to read ebooks on the iPod Touch: a free application called STANZA.

Unlike some other ebook applications for iPod Touch I tried, it is easy to use and has a great library of free books. These books are classics, out of copyright and available for free in the Stanza library (you download them onto your iPod touch through wireless connection).

Most of them are also available on Gutenberg, but they had even two books of Agatha Christie.

The library carries mostly books in English. I found books in French too and they are starting to have books in German.

Some of the features I really like (and was missing when reading ebooks on my Nintendo DS) are:
1) one can go from and to any chapter (for example, to view one's favorite parts, hehe)
2) one can easily scroll within a chapter
3) one can easily change the font type and size
4) one can easily change the background and font color

I have now to figure how to transfer self made ebooks into the iPod Touch. It can be done only wirelessly (unlike notes on the iPod Nano).

When reading...

When browsing chapters, etc...


PS: it also works on iPhone...

New Japanese word: Natsubate

OK, let's try to remember this new Japanese word: Natsubate.

Means Summer Fatigue.

Japanese summer is pretty tough for the body, between the heat, the humidity, the temperature changes every time you go anywhere (hot and humid on the streets, cold in trains, subways, stores, etc), food poisonning (got a light one two-three weeks ago, one friend is not yet over a pretty tough one), etc. etc.

I try not to use air con too much, because my body does not agree with it. But there are times we don't really have a choice.

Let's look forward autumn (but not typhoons) and winter (but not very dry air).

Accepting one's limits

This week, I had to face a hard fact of live: we all have limits and need to accept and embrace them. Even moi ;-)

I have been having a hard time recovering from the PE incident last March (pulmonary embolism), with high daily doses of Warfarin (blood thinner), a busy life and now the terribly hot and humid Japanese summer.

I had the PE incident just three days after registering (and paying for) the Japanese intensive class. I had therefore no choice, but take the course. Which I did for 3 months. I registered to the next level and paid half of the course. Pace was getting faster, amount of material to know heavier and quizzes/tests more difficult.

It was getting too stressful and on Tuesday, I had a panic attack in the classroom. I left and rested for a while. And decided then that I would just quit the course. I felt much better afterwards. Surprise, surprise...

I had thought about it before, wondering and pondering what would be best for me. And I got the answer.


This does not mean that I am quitting my studies of the Japanese language. In the contrary. I will just do it at "my pace" (how they like to say it here).

I am working steadily on my kumon worksheets, both nihongo and kokugo.

I also registered for JLPT Level 2 test in December and will try. Honestly, I am not yet there, but hey, I have nothing to loose.

In addition to Kumon, I am also trying to improve my reading, among others with a book called "kanji from the start" (out of print, but available at second hand bookstores). The Nakanuma reading serie is also on my table, never out of sight.

Gambarimashou...