Author Archives: Confanity

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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.

Save perhaps Eärendil at the Door of Night

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Confanity

送る月日に関守なし (Okuru tsukihi ni sekimori nashi; “Time has no gatekeeper”) Definition: Time passes quickly. There is no guard blocking the paths of months and days, and they cannot be stopped. “Time and tide wait for no one.” Breakdown: We begin … Continue reading →

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Much travel makes the boatman hoarse

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Confanity

The American version: 車車車車 南船北馬 nan.sen.hoku.ba Literally: south – boat – north – horse Alternately: Going from one place to the next without stop or rest. Always on the go. Wandering restlessly, or traveling busily. Notes: This compound comes to … Continue reading →

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Magic Monday – Asëa Aranion

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Confanity

Hero’s Sleep (Knit Flesh Bind Bone) Natural healing is slow and uncertain; this herbal magic accelerates the process dramatically, which in turn reduces the chances of infection or atrophy. The patient must drink an infusion of herbal medicine, after which … Continue reading →

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Making light of parental influence

Posted on June 16, 2019 by Confanity

親の光は七光 (Oya no hikari wa nanahikari; “A parent’s light is seven lights”) Definition: Children benefit from their parents’ fame, fortune, and status. This is less about hereditary succession to a position, or straight-up nepotism, than it is about the fact … Continue reading →

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Poetry. Poetry never changes.

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Confanity

What falls away is always? 不易流行 fu.eki.ryuu.kou Literally: not – simple / divination / change – flow – go Alternately: One of Bashō’s principles for writing haiku: that the essence of haiku lies in both the unchanging (不易) and in … Continue reading →

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Bear little; bee large

Posted on June 9, 2019 by Confanity

小さく生んで大きく育てる (Chiisaku unde ookiku sodateru; “Birth small; raise large”) Definition: It’s wise to bear a small child and then raise it large. A small baby tends to mean an easier birth, and a child who grows well tends to be … Continue reading →

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Three men CAN keep a secret

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Confanity

…if they’re tzaddikim and the secret is hidden helpfulness 陰徳陽報 in.toku.you.hou Literally: yin/negative/shadow/secret – virtue – yang/positive/sunlight – reward Alternately: Performing acts of benevolence and charity in secret will nonetheless benefit the doer. It’s tempting to publicize one’s good deeds … Continue reading →

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Like chopping radishes with Excalibur

Posted on June 2, 2019 by Confanity

大根を正宗で切る (Daikon wo Masamune de kiru; “To cut a daikon with a Masamune”) Definition: Overkill. Bringing force, talent, or material to a job or problem far in excess of what is actually needed; often, assigning a task to someone who … Continue reading →

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Cognitive development: pics and puns!

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Confanity

It’s been a long time since I used this blog to publicly marvel at the kid’s development, but this one’s too good to let pass unremarked-on. In his preschool they’ve been working on drawing, and on writing letters and numerals; … Continue reading →

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A real eye-opener

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Confanity

開眼供養 kai.gen.ku.you Literally: open – eyeball – offer – nurture Alternately: This is the name of a Buddhist ceremony in which the eyes are added to a Buddhist sculpture or image, completing it and investing it with a soul. By … Continue reading →

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