Thank you, /u/wilontherun for /u/Lil_Giygas, for your compliments! I really appreciate your feedback!


I feel like I'm still in between the N4 and N3 level (except for Kanji, as I know about 1600 so far because they're lots of fun), but I'm still learning and trying to review the grammar and vocabulary I learned thus far for those levels. In the meantime, I bought books and some architecture magazines to practice reading, but novels are still a bit above my level in terms of vocabulary. My hope is to start studying N2 material (grammar and vocabulary in this book) to make reading and using the language easier. I'm still working on the listening portion, as I find it can be hard to pick out words or understand completely stuff I hear from TV shows and in podcasts (aside from words, I find people speak a bit too quickly or almost mumble, like with old people).

I don't get too much of a chance to speak because I'm self-studying in Canada and haven't yet visited Japan. I think those two things I need to figure out a way to improve those two. I have some JLPT listening books, and I try to listen to audio recordings and TV/ movies to bring my listening comprehension and speed up. As well, I'm now trying to practice writing composition. It's still a bit slow and take my time, and I need to edit what I write. I'd like to improve to the extent that I can write university-level essays coherently like native speakers can.


I'm sure with more work I'll get there eventually. :)

Well I certainly wouldn't want to ruin my first impression of fountain pens, but as someone new to them, it does look a tad intimidating.
Is this what you were talking about? I do have a few questions, I hope you don't mind.

Are fountain pens refilled like rollerballs via ink cartridges?

What is this about cartridge converters?

Does being left handed affect how well I'd be able to use it?

Thanks for you help, I really appreciate it.

yeah I probably should write on the line, I like the look of it off the line, and I knew someone who could do that and it would look like she was writing on a nice straight line a little above the actual line. it was beautiful and meant that the descenders from her letters didn't interfere with the ascenders on the next line.

As for my meal planning notepad :) It's the Knock Knock What to Eat notepad, it's got a magnet on the back so you can mount it to the fridge, I also have their All out of one on my fridge so I can quickly mark things off when I run out of them and use that when creating my grocery list the next week

I will definitely check those out, thanks! I'm a big fan of the beauty of Spencerian so something that comes close but is good at speed means I'm definitely interested. I may wind up switching from...whatever it is that I'm learning.

You may also like the Platinum Preppy, which draws a finer line than the Varsity. Found here!

Also, non-fountain pens that I love for scrapbooking and journaling are Pigma Microns available in several sizes found here. They are archival, which makes them amazing for what you're doing, and smooooth!

Another suggestion are the Papermate Flairs. They are felt pens and come in awesome colors. Found here

Well I found this but it is $43 which is a bit wild lol. I’ll check out art stores thanks! https://www.amazon.com/Moleskine-Notebook-Cover-11-75-Plain/dp/8862931956

As someone else commented, it is from the opening (and ending) of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. You can play the games, I loved all of the prince of persias (even the DOS versions). If you want to read a book then prince of persia was mostly inspired by Thousand and One Nights. Which is more or less an evolution of Hazaar Afsana. The most accurate translation (without the forged and manipulated stories) of this is by Husain Haddawy.

Interesting video....it is a shame that it is not historically accurate. A much better source is Michelle Brown from London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_P._Brown Her book is generally accepted as a reference A Guide to Western Historical Scripts from Antiquity to 1600s https://books.google.ca/books/about/A_Guide_to_Western_Historical_Scripts_fr.html?id=ptkHujKjIj0C

Another accepted reference on script development is Stan Knights Historical Scripts From classical times to the Renaissance. http://www.amazon.ca/Historical-Scripts-Classical-Times-Renaissance/dp/1884718566/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453927880&sr=1-1&keywords=stan+knight

Sorry it took me a while, I'm italian and I tried to look for the same items in Amazon.com instead of Amazon.it. Here's the complete list (from left to right, and from top to bottom):

• Speedball 2-Ounce India Ink, Super Black (https://www.amazon.com/Speedball-2-Ounce-India-Super-Black/dp/B0007ZJ8TM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1535785514&sr=8-3&keywords=india+ink+black)
  
• Nikko G nibs
  
• Leuchttrum1917 Hardcover Medium Dotted Journal (https://www.amazon.com/Leuchtturm1917-Medium-Size-Hardcover-Notebook/dp/B00FWRVVFE/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1535786131&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=leuchtturm1917%2Ba5%2Bdotted&th=1)
  
• Tombow 62038 Fudenosuke Brush Pen, 2-Pack. Soft and Hard tIp Fudenosuke Brush Pens for Calligraphy and Art Drawings (https://www.amazon.com/Tombow-62038-Fudenosuke-Calligraphy-Drawings/dp/B01M71S9DU/ref=sr_1_4?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1535785738&sr=1-4&keywords=tombow+brush+black)
  
• Rhodia A4 dotPad
  
• Tachikawa Comic Pen Nib Holder, Model 40 (T-40) (https://www.amazon.com/Tachikawa-Comic-Holder-Model-T-40/dp/B000UF2774/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1535786248&sr=1-1&keywords=nib+holder+tachikawa)
  
• Nib + Ink: A Modern Calligraphy Sketchbook (https://www.amazon.com/Nib-Ink-Modern-Calligraphy-Sketchbook/dp/1419724347/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535786354&sr=1-1&keywords=nib+and+ink)
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  ​

try this

seems like it may be helpful!

Quit squeezing your pen so hard. Really focus on not holding it so tightly.

Try using liquid ink pens (fountain pens are good for this, so are pens like this and experiment with writing without putting pressure on the paper or squeezing the pen. Try holding it [like this.(http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/monthly_05_2007/post-6336-1179647944.jpg)

I'm using this to improve my print:

https://www.amazon.com/Write-Now-Getty-Dubay-Program-Handwriting/dp/0982776225

I've worked through it every night for a week and already seen a lot of improvement.

Yeah Korean grammar is completely flipped backwards if you're starting from English. Probably has to do with romance language root vs Chinese language root.

I think that part will come more eventually if you do a lot of listening.

I've taught Korean for a couple years now using [Elementary Korean](Elementary Korean: Second Edition Audio CD Included https://www.amazon.com/dp/0804844984/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CcXFybBHJEVNP). It's an English (vs American) textbook, but I've found it to have decent pacing.

I'm a fountain pen enthusiast, and you're helping me procrastinate, don't worry!

Grab yourself a Metropolitan, it can write on any paper no problem. The Platinum Preppy runs a bit wet.

If you find yourself in want of a notebook that can handle any fountain pen at an affordable cost, grab yourself a black n' red from Amazon.

It looks like they used the paper that is reinforced on the left side (see here).

This style is produced by flexy nibs, most usually dip pens. For example something like this http://www.amazon.com/Manuscript-Pen-Leonardt-Copperplate-Shadow/dp/B000VVLFQ6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1427572992&sr=8-2&keywords=copperplate+pen

You can get some fountain pens with extra flexible nibs (e.g. the Pilot Falcon - but this is quite expensive).

Oh gosh it's not a basic question at all, it took me a while to find something that worked well to do this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R4NFCZQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 <-- I used that.