Author Archives: Confanity

About Confanity

I love the written word more than anything else I've had the chance to work with. I'm back in the States from Japan for grad school, but still studying Japanese with the hope of becoming a translator -- or writer, or even teacher -- as long as it's something language-related.

Keeping the mood, and the pocket, light

Posted on September 18, 2019

軽薄短小 kei.haku.tan.shou Literally: light – dilute – short – small Alternately: Of a thing: small and light. By metaphorical extension, a person whose character is shallow; a hollow person with no substance to them. Notes: The physical meaning has apparently … Continue reading →

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Magic Monday: AI Magic 3

Posted on September 16, 2019

Week 3: Magical Happyfun Singalong Time This is the old magic, the magic of voice and drum. Words are magic, and math is magic, and some spells combine these in the sorcery of song. Strict GMs may require a Perform … Continue reading →

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Like borrowing a cup

Posted on September 15, 2019

(Not a cup of sugar, mind you. Just a cup.) 人の褌で相撲を取る (Hito no fundoshi de sumou wo toru; “Doing sumo in someone else’s loincloth”) Definition: Using something that belongs to someone else for your own benefit or profit. Taking advantage … Continue reading →

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Gettin’ biblical before the match

Posted on September 11, 2019

緊褌一番 kin.kon.ichi.ban Literally: tense – loincloth – one – [ordinal counter] Alternately: To brace yourself mentally for something. To prepare to face difficulty or hardship, or at least a high-level competition of some sort. Literally, to gird one’s loins. Notes: … Continue reading →

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Magic Monday: AI Magic 2

Posted on September 9, 2019

Week 2: Unnatural nature Why would you, the discerning magician, be satisfied with normal plants and animals when you could make things weird? Conjure Bark You enclose yourself, or somebody you touch, in a magical semblance of a tree, which … Continue reading →

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The fish not taken

Posted on September 8, 2019

By Robert Frost? 釣り落とした魚は大きい (Tsuriotoshia sakana wa ookii; “The fish that got away is big”) Definition: The things that you lost your chance at, or failed to get, seem all the more appealing because of the pain of missing out. … Continue reading →

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On the up and up and away

Posted on September 4, 2019

立身出世 ri-.sshin.shu-.sse Literally: stand up – person – go out – society Alternately: Success in society; specifically, establishing oneself in a high (and well-paid) position. Achieving fame and fortune. Notes: This is a repetition-type compound; both risshin and shusse refer … Continue reading →

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