Feeling Pressure

I am feeling the pressure to get more into my studies as my daughters first day of Japanese kindergarten is quickly approaching. I feel like I would like to be really at a decent place with my Japanese by the time she finishes kindy so that I can understand what her teachers are saying to them at the kindy promotion event. I put in several hours of listening while parenting and 15 minutes of reps. At the park with the kids I made sure to sit near some Japanese women who were chatting a lot so I could listen to more Japanese and even more natural than my podcasts. I wanted to talk to them, but I don't really know many nouns or verbs or advers or adjectives so just spouting off hello and really? seemed like a weird thing to do. I should have done some shadowing or copycating to see how those work, but I didn't. I also need to buy some more dramas. The hubby started Pimsleur last night and I am hoping to be able to keep up with him too. It is stressful because he is learning the meanings of the things he is saying so he is closer to being conversational than I am. I have been spending time on Fluent in three months while nursing to hear his ideas on speaking quickly. A lot of it makes sense and I may try it for another language since it is too late to consider anything in Japanese soon. He makes me jealous with all of his traveling though. I want to go places too.

Day 2!

Minimal Kanji reviewing while waiting for Miss S to finish preschool. Watched some Tokyo Dogs subbed, some Real Clothes Raw, and an episode of Nihonjin no shiranai Nihongo. Listened to the daughters Japanese Disney mix in the car on the way to and from preschool. I got sucked into tumblr collecting and posted about 1000 Images. That is hyperbole. I am about to do some smart.fm right now.

Doramas That I Have Watched

I am currently a Dorama addict. I am surprised that I can say that. The first one I tried to watch was painful to me. I couldn't get past the first 15 minutes. That Dorama was Gokusen. After that I was watching Keyhole TV and caught a rerun of Proposal Daisakusen in the fall of 2009. I was in love! Even with no subs I could kinda know what was going on and that was so great. I have watched it again twice through once with English subs and once raw. I have to admit that I do cheat. I watch every dorama through the first time with English subs on and then if I like it I watch it without.

Here is my list of doramas to date. Some are still in progress listed most recently to oldest:

• At Home Dad: アットホーム・ダッド / Attohômu daddo
• Tokyo DOGS: 東京DOGS / 最悪で最高のパートナー / The Worst and Best Partners / Saiaku de Saiko no Partner
• My Boss My Hero: マイ★ボス マイ★ヒーロー / 我的大佬我的英雄
• Shiroi Haru: 白い春 / White Spring
• Dare Yori mo Mama wo Aisu: 誰よりもママを愛す / I Love Mama More Than Anyone
• Tumbling: タンブリング / 新体操が、オレ達をオトコにした / Shintaiso ga, oretachi o otoko ni shita
• FACE MAKER
• Juui Dolittle: 獣医ドリトル / 獸醫杜立德
• Reinoryokusha Odagiri Kyoko no Uso: 霊能力者　小田霧響子の嘘 / 靈能力者 小田霧響子的謊言
• Ogon no Buta: 黄金の豚 / 私たちが払った税金を追え！/ Watashitachi ga Haratta Zeikin wo Oue!
• Hana Kimi (Complete): Also known as Hanazakarino Kimitachie / 花ざかりの君たちへ / For You in Full Blossom / Ikemen paradaisu
• Q10: Also known as キュート / Kyuto
• Binbo Danshi: 貧乏男子 / ボンビーメン / Bomb bee men
• Gokusen: as ごくせん
• Freeter, Ie o Kau.: Also known as フリーター、家を買う / 家族、やりなおし / Kazoku, yarinaoshi
• Tiger & Dragon: Also known as タイガー＆ドラゴン / Tiger & Dragon
• Moyashimon: Also known as もやしもん / Tales of Agriculture
• Ninkyo Helper: 任侠ヘルパー / Care Worker Gang / The Chivalrous Helper
• Unubore Deka: うぬぼれ刑事 / Conceited Detective / I sentence you to marry me. / Detective Lovesick / 自恋刑警
• HAMMER SESSION!: Also known as ハンマーセッション！ / 叩き直されたい、生徒（ヤツ）はどいつだ! / Tataki Naosaretai, Seito (Yatsu) wa doitsuda! / 震撼鮮師!
• Gakeppuchi no Eri:  崖っぷちのエリー / Kono Yo de Ichiban Daiji na 'Kane' no Hanashi / この世でいちばん大事な“カネ”の話
• Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku: 夏の恋は虹色に輝く / Summer Romance shines in rainbow color / Summer Love Shines in Rainbow Color
• Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo: 日本人の知らない日本語 / 日本人不知道的日語I
• Give My First Love to You: Also known as 僕の初恋をキミに捧ぐ / Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu / 属于你的我的初恋
• Tsuki no Koibito: Moon Lovers / 月の恋人 / 月之恋人
• Gold
• Happy Flight
• Around 40: 注文の多いオンナたち / Chumon no Oi Onna-tachi / Demanding Women
• Hotaru no Hikari 2: Hotaru's Light / It Is the Only Little Light in My Life / Light of the Firefly / ホタルノヒカリ 2 / 螢之光 2Naka nai to Kimeta Hi: 泣かないと決めた日
• Sunao ni Narenakute: 素直になれなくて / Hard to say I love you
• Hana Yori Dango Final: Fainaru / Boys Over Flowers: Final / 花より男子～ファイナル～ / 花より男子ファイナル
• Hana Yori Dango Season 2: Boys Before Flowers 2 / Boys Over Flowers 2 / 花より男子 2
• Hana Yori Dango: 花より男子 / Boys Before Flowers / Boys Over Flowers
• Love Shuffle: ラブシャッフル
• My Girl (TV Asahi): マイガール
• Ohitorisama: おひとりさま / Party of One
• Real Clothes: リアル・クローズ
• Oh! My Girl: オー！マイ・ガール！！
• Atashinchi no Danshi: アタシんちの男子 / My Boys / More Than Family But Less Than Lovers / 家族以上、恋人未満 / Kazoku Ijo, Koibito Mimanl?
• Attention Please: アテンションプリーズ
• Buzzer Beat: ブザー・ビート / 崖っぷちのヒーロー / Gakeppuchi no Hero
• Nodame Cantabile: のだめカンタービレ
• 1 Litre of Tears: １リットルの涙 / Ichi Rittoru no Namida / One Litre of Tears / A Diary with TearsAbsolute Boyfriend: 
• Zettai Kareshi / 絶対彼氏 / Kanzen Muketsu no Koibito Robot / The Completely Perfect Boyfriend Robot
• Hotaru no Hikari: ホタルノヒカリ / Glow of Fireflies / It's Only Little Light In My Life
• Proposal Daisakusen: Operation Love / プロポーズ大作戦

None of these have been terrible. I left those off this list. I just think they are so much fun though they do have the drawback of making me crave onigiri and sushi because I feel like I become Japanese when I am watching them. I should calculate how many hours of listening this makes. Anyway I will probably over time write up reviews of these.