"Y'wanna...butter my biscuit?" #amtranslating

🗣️📣 NEW BLOG POST ALERT! After playing the masterpiece that is Xenogears, I felt compelled to talk about how compromise can intrinsically enhance the creative process and create something that's infectiously charming. Read more: www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2026/2/...

Been an age since I was at a wine bar. One nice glass among friends at the end of the night with some old cheese & figs is a luxury unrivaled even in the bowers of paradise.

I'm doing these again!! The workshop will be in April and May! It's gonna be a lot of fun (and a lot of work…) www.d6learning.com/course/how-t...

BitSummit 2025 Tour! I made a video tour of Japan's biggest indie game show, BitSummit! Includes PlayStation and Nintendo Indies booths along with lots of cool indie games! Also a live performance by Final Fantasy Composer Nobuo Uematsu! A small taste of Japan! WATCH: youtu.be/goor21AD9Nk

A dresser inside a museum in New York City has been discovered as a secret stop on the Underground Railroad — the first of its kind discovered in Manhattan in over 100 years

I'm so excited that my essay "Passionate Women, Vengeful Spirits: Female Ghosts and the Japanese Gothic Mode" has been published in Manusya: Journal of Humanities! Thank you to Kasia Ancuta for editing this special issue👻 It's open source and free to read here: brill.com/view/journal...

Translator buddies! I've a lot of dialogue to do for a character with a sorta faux Midwestern/Southern US accent. Does anyone have any movie recommendations I can put on while I work to keep the voice in my head as I go?

I'd like to think that I'm not old enough to really be nostalgic about part of my localizer life thus far, yet the SaGa years gave me some valuable experiences & good memories.

Big news! Our Japanese-to-English subtitling trial lesson is now available in VOD format - you can download the video and worksheet and do the trial lesson at any time! Click on the graphic that says J-E Subtitling Trial Lesson on this page to get access to it!➞ www.jvtacademy.com/english/

Anyone in Japan have good medicine recommendations for a really upset stomach? A bit gassy & really bad cramps—like I can barely move. Found some meds to help with the pain, but doesn't seem to cure anything. (And yes, I already have Sprite & saltines.)

"Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work." Why are all these regular nouns capitalized like it's German? Is this a legacy thing?

JLPP posted their translation competition for 2026. Submission window is in May. www.jlpp.go.jp/competition1...

someone stole the top of the Tokyo Sky Tree

Swung thru Ito Yokado for s.thing, and checking out, I was briefly stymied by a rebate. In my indecision, the checkout clerk explained it to me in kind English. I was genuinely surprised how clearly she spoke; of course, I complimented her. It might be a comfy job, but I hope she gets paid well.

Need advice from someone with PC audio knowledge. I have Steelseries headphones with a GameDAC (plugged in visa USB-A). I can hear music, but the voices on videos don't work well (incredibly subdued). I turned on Speaker Fill and that's sort of fixed it. Anyone know what's happening?

Localizing a character to have a sort of Midwestern/Southern US accent can be a heckuva lotta fun. But when ya hafta spellcheck before submitting the file, it ain't all it's cracked up ta be 😅

If you watch nothing else today, this week.

Join me & linguist-anthropologist Dr.Debra Occhi this Saturday 9am for insights on Japan's cute characters & mascots @debraocchi.bsky.social #seeksustainablejapan #talkshow www.youtube.com/live/DsDS7RD...

The two most thoughtful and impactful reviews earned by Dilemmas of Working Women ran in the AP and the Washington Post. And now neither of those book sections exist. www.washingtonpost.com/books/2025/0...

Translating the horny scenes in dating sims throughout the years has taught me there are certain scenarios for which I lack a diverse vocabulary.

www.worldofreel.com/blog/2026/2/... #twinpeaks

Kinda weird that there's Homerun Pizza-flavored Pringles during the off-season.

" Sherlock & Watson enter. Sherlock absentmindedly scratches his palm. Watson: So how did the killer do it, Holmes? Sherlock: He began by seasoning the soup with sumac. Watson: Ah, yes, sumac, excellent spice. First had it in India. Sherlock: POISON sumac! "

Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college: 1. Human Anthropology 2. Novel Writing 3. Bowling 4. Intro to Japanese Linguistics 5. Intro to Symbolic Logic This is somewhat misleading in that 75% of my courses were on literature and writing, and I am a terrible bowler.

Am I an old man if I think Cratz is one of Japan's best snacks?

Listening to the audiobook of Sir Patrick Stewart's autobiography, and hearing him say "Fuck yes!" alone is worth it.

Opening an oden food stall called Odin's Oden is still on the bucket list.

After 8 years, I finally ordered a new laptop. If my current one is unplugged it crashes & can take 2 hours to get everything running again. I can't rely on it for work when deadlines are pressing, so it was time. I do look forward to playing some of these new games y'all have been talking about!

How about... "Thing That Was Cute -- now it's NOIR!" "Night never really settles over The Hundred Acre Wood; it more trickles, fiddles, and bops. Sometimes it giggles. Sometimes...it holds its breath."

Interviews with Localizers is back (again)!!! This time with an interview with Japanese to English video game translator and project manager @japantaloons.bsky.social! #InterviewswithLoc j-entranslations.com/carrick-loma...

The giant cat from KPop Demon Hunters is the Akita of cats.

GAWD! I gave up too soon...

🎼 They took the credit for your second symphony / rewritten by machine on new technology / and now I understand the problems you could see 🎶 "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8r-...

As I've aged, I've moved from more competitive to the "I hope we all win" camp. I think a myriad of influences placed me on this trajectory, yet I can't help but wonder how much having almost the entirety of my professional life in Japan was a factor.

go.bsky.app/7VDRbJ4 Still collecting accounts for the book club - we've been gathering people from ALL over to try and get these comics read. I PROMISE you it's chill.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Catherine O’Hara. A beloved actor & comedian, she was a two-time Actor Award winner & a current nominee this year. Her brilliance left an indelible mark on film & TV. Our condolences to her family, colleagues & legions of fans. 💔 #SagAftraMember since 1980

Stumbled across this picture of a student's homework from my JET days. I'm going to guess the student was in the 7th or 8th grade. I got a kick out of @ktnguyen.bsky.social's students calling him Mr. Kevin. I forgot that I once was Mr. Matt. "Oh, call me Matt. Mr. Matt's my father."

Grocery store had deep-fried lil crabbies 🦀 They're meatier than you'd expect! Really nice!

My new video on Modern Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Games is out now! Link in replies youtu.be/ieSWkjp1NzQ

✨ STICKER MEGA SALE! ✨ ▶️ all stickers $1-$3 (sheets $5) ▶️ US shipping $1, INT'L $2 (no tracking) ▶️ new LEON stickers!! othatsraspberry.storenvy.com

"... between all the soft moonlight streaming through ornate stained glass windows, expansive libraries, and disused chapels, there’s no question this is the flappy capes business turned up to eleven, and as “Castlevania” as a game can be." kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2023/08/11/c...

I like it! I could see it for daily-use. The cap's a bit finicky, & I don't grip that close to the nib, so the grip feels short. Still, I like the finish, the feel, and it writes great for taking notes while working. I'll use this alongside my Pilot Capless for everyday stuff & see how it goes!

A new website about PC games, from me, @brendyc.bsky.social and @jonhicks.com. Reader-supported, which means no ads, no guff, and lots of games blogging about delightful things to play. If you liked our work on RPS, we think you'll like @jank.cool.

One of the 7/11 x Netflix collab products is this Midnight Boost drink. It has no calories and no caffeine, so it's a curious concoction. Not sure on efficacy yet. It has a very light citrus taste. It's so light this might be good for people who hate that typical energy drink taste.

Some absolutely madlad has ported Super Monkey Ball to a WEBSITE. monkeyball-online.pages.dev

#writingstudies #genai+writing #cdnwrds #teamrhetoric

Many thanks to @judydarley.bsky.social for this lovely post about The Weather in Normal (Seren, 2018). judydarley.wordpress.com/2026/01/25/h...

Oof, big week of work, which I'm actually enjoying, but my guts are just in knots. I don't have time to be wasting lying around! Argh!

I've never been into using bath salts and the like, but my partner does. It has been a nice change, especially when feeling less than top drawer, to have a warm bath with some seasoning thrown in.