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.

Empty Ron, Full Harry

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Confanity

空理空論 kuu.ri.kuu.ron Literally: empty – logic – empty – discourse Alternately: A theory with little relation to reality and thus of no use. Flights of fancy far from facts.

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Seedling

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Confanity

(Shortly after leaving college, I think, I had an idea for a cyberpunk retelling of the Lord of the Rings, crossed with a hefty dose of Lovecraftian Dreamlands mythos and a bit of The Matrix. This fragment is all that … Continue reading →

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Still buff from all that weeping

Posted on January 27, 2019 by Confanity

The Romantic ideal? 泣く子は育つ (Naku ko wa sodatsu; “The child who cries, grows”) Definition: A baby that cries loud and often is a healthy one that will grow well. A strong cry is evidence of good health. Presumably this is … Continue reading →

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We’re gonna have to go right to…

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Confanity

Ludicrous speed! 迅速果断 jin.soku.ka.dan Literally: fast – fast – fruit – sever / decide Alternately: Quick and decisive action. Bold moves made without hesitation. Notes: For synonymous phrases the order of the elements may be reversed as 果断迅速, or 断 … Continue reading →

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Not the same chamberpot, though

Posted on January 20, 2019 by Confanity

同じ釜の飯を食う (Onaji kama no meshi wo kuu; “To eat rice from the same pot”) Definition: Leading the same lifestyle together and working together; going through good times and bad together; being extremely close friends. An intimate, familial sense of closeness … Continue reading →

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All sincerity

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Confanity

(No tricks) 志操堅固 shi.sou.ken.go Literally: intention – operate / fidelity – solid – harden Alternately: Strict adherence to one’s principles and beliefs, or even to one’s chosen style in an art. Unwavering, uncompromising loyalty to an ideal. Notes: Even though … Continue reading →

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A Flash of Feathers

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Confanity

(This bit of “flash fiction” was inspired by a writing prompt found on Reddit. It seemed to be fishing for a story about “How I got wings.” And I, apparently a bit of a contrarian at heart, decided to make … Continue reading →

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Yertle take note

Posted on January 13, 2019 by Confanity

雁が飛べば石亀も地団駄 (Gan ga tobeba ishigame mo jidanda; “When the goose flies, the turtle stamps”) Definition: To try to mimic someone else without any understanding of one’s own limitations. Like a turtle who sees a goose taking off in flight, tries … Continue reading →

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This will be the year of the boar, though

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Confanity

Not that the last couple of years haven’t seen their shares of poorly-educated and tasteless behavior…. 一竜一猪 ichi.ryou.i-.ccho Literally: one – dragon – one – boar/pig Alternately: A saying that expresses the value of education. The difference between someone who … Continue reading →

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If you eggplant, it will call

Posted on January 6, 2019 by Confanity

ナスなら鳴る 為せば成る (Naseba naru; “If you do it, it will happen.”) Definition: A person can do anything if they really put their mind to it. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. The only way to get a thing done … Continue reading →

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