Comments about Zen Pencils
Chie - 10/10/2019 [Not edited yet]
I read “Take a moment” in Zen Pencils. This is a quote made by Kurt Vonnegut. He was born in America, in 1922. He was an American writer known for his unique novels that combined memoir, humour, satire, cynicism and science-fiction.
In this comic, there are five situations, and the characters are a woman and boss at work and a dog. First, when she works with a PC, the boss comes to her bringing a large amount of material. And he puts it on her desk and move away. I think that he left overtime work to her. She become nervous. Second, when she visited the coffee shop, she wants to eat a muffin. But it was sold out. She become nervous. Third, she walked the outside, it started to rain suddenly. Because she doesn't have an umbrella, so she feel nervous. fourth, return takes time by a traffic jam. finary, when she get tired and get home, greets her at the door her dog always greets her at the door happily. At the end, she said “if this isn't nice, I don't know what is”. When I see this comic, I think that even if some unpleasant things happen, the unpleasant thing is forgotten if any one may be good.
I learned a few new words. The first word is “exclaim”. It means “叫ぶ” in Japanese and “call out” in English. The second word is “murmur”. It means “つぶやき” in Japanese and “speak softly” in English.
I read “Take a moment” in Zen Pencils. This is a quote made by Kurt Vonnegut. He was born in America, in 1922. He was an American writer known for his unique novels that combined memoir, humour, satire, cynicism and science-fiction.
In this comic, there are five situations, and the characters are a woman and boss at work and a dog. First, when she works with a PC, the boss comes to her bringing a large amount of material. And he puts it on her desk and move away. I think that he left overtime work to her. She become nervous. Second, when she visited the coffee shop, she wants to eat a muffin. But it was sold out. She become nervous. Third, she walked the outside, it started to rain suddenly. Because she doesn't have an umbrella, so she feel nervous. fourth, return takes time by a traffic jam. finary, when she get tired and get home, greets her at the door her dog always greets her at the door happily. At the end, she said “if this isn't nice, I don't know what is”. When I see this comic, I think that even if some unpleasant things happen, the unpleasant thing is forgotten if any one may be good.
I learned a few new words. The first word is “exclaim”. It means “叫ぶ” in Japanese and “call out” in English. The second word is “murmur”. It means “つぶやき” in Japanese and “speak softly” in English.
Tsubasa - 10/10/2019 [Not edited yet]
I read "The life of art" in Zen Pencils. This comic is a quote from Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonnegut is an American novelist, essayist and playwright. He was the most influential of 20th century American writers.
In this comic, Art is not essential for living. Art is a human way to make it more tolerable in life. When we get the art, we can grow ourselves better or worse. Even if it is lousy, try as much as you can. If we do them, there will be a big reward. And we will create something.
I read this comic and didn't think that art would be useful in my life. My hobby was music and I was very sympathetic to this comic because I could do my best in my life. I think people should do art. Art often supports even the most difficult things in our lives. I think anything is possible, such as playing music or drawing pictures. We can have new encounters and enjoy life more because of art.
I learned some words in this comic. First, I learned "bearable". The meaning is "耐えられる" in Japanese and "able to be endured" in English. Second, I learned "enormous". The meaning is "巨大な" in Japanese and "very large in size, quantity, or extent." in English.
I read "The life of art" in Zen Pencils. This comic is a quote from Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonnegut is an American novelist, essayist and playwright. He was the most influential of 20th century American writers.
In this comic, Art is not essential for living. Art is a human way to make it more tolerable in life. When we get the art, we can grow ourselves better or worse. Even if it is lousy, try as much as you can. If we do them, there will be a big reward. And we will create something.
I read this comic and didn't think that art would be useful in my life. My hobby was music and I was very sympathetic to this comic because I could do my best in my life. I think people should do art. Art often supports even the most difficult things in our lives. I think anything is possible, such as playing music or drawing pictures. We can have new encounters and enjoy life more because of art.
I learned some words in this comic. First, I learned "bearable". The meaning is "耐えられる" in Japanese and "able to be endured" in English. Second, I learned "enormous". The meaning is "巨大な" in Japanese and "very large in size, quantity, or extent." in English.
Wataru - 10/10/2019 [Not edited yet]
I read “Got a little further” in Zen Pencils. This comic is made by Gavin Aung Than. This story is about David Bowie. David Bowie is one of famous rock singer all over the world. I know a little about David Bowie. My father has many his audio CD. However, I didn’t know in detail of his Achievement. It was good opportunity for know about him. In many cases, The story of musician is success story. However, this story is after his success.
At the beginning of story, he think about how to express himself. In he take a look at himself ,he got hook on cocaine. He moved to Berlin from Los Angeles for change him attitude. He impressed from new city and new art, German expressionism. after staying Berlin, he changed his music style from rock sound to electronic sound. He got how to express himself in Berlin.
I learned some new English expressions on Zen Pencils. The first one is “fulfil (満たす)”. I think this word is similar to “make full”. The second one is ”expectation (期待)”. I think this word is similar to “hope”.
This time I read a story of rock musician. I learned new English expressions and his attitude. When something is wrong, change environment is maybe useful. It was good for me.
I read “Got a little further” in Zen Pencils. This comic is made by Gavin Aung Than. This story is about David Bowie. David Bowie is one of famous rock singer all over the world. I know a little about David Bowie. My father has many his audio CD. However, I didn’t know in detail of his Achievement. It was good opportunity for know about him. In many cases, The story of musician is success story. However, this story is after his success.
At the beginning of story, he think about how to express himself. In he take a look at himself ,he got hook on cocaine. He moved to Berlin from Los Angeles for change him attitude. He impressed from new city and new art, German expressionism. after staying Berlin, he changed his music style from rock sound to electronic sound. He got how to express himself in Berlin.
I learned some new English expressions on Zen Pencils. The first one is “fulfil (満たす)”. I think this word is similar to “make full”. The second one is ”expectation (期待)”. I think this word is similar to “hope”.
This time I read a story of rock musician. I learned new English expressions and his attitude. When something is wrong, change environment is maybe useful. It was good for me.
Kaito - 10/9/2019
I read “Give a man a fish”in Zen Pencils. This is a Chinese proverb, but it was first used in English by Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie. I looked up about her. First, she was born in 1837 and she died in 1919. Second, she was a British writer and she was the first daughter of William Makepeace Thackeray. She was born in London. She had two sisters. She got married with Richmond Ritchie. He was a British civil servant. They had two children. She published her first Elizabeth story in 1863. It was successful. The most famous work was “Village on the Cliff”. She also published a novel.
This proverb means that in the long run, it is better to teach people how to do something than to do it for them. There are 3 characters. The man teaches a boy how to fish. By doing so, the boy can eat for the rest of his life. I think that this is absolutely right. I have also had a similar kind of experience. For example, a down coat's price is too expensive, but if I buy it, I can wear it in the future. [?] I think this man teaches good things to the child.
I learned new word, “Lifetime”. Lifetime means a product that can be used for a lifetime. [?]
I read “Give a man a fish”in Zen Pencils. This is a Chinese proverb, but it was first used in English by Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie. I looked up about her. First, she was born in 1837 and she died in 1919. Second, she was a British writer and she was the first daughter of William Makepeace Thackeray. She was born in London. She had two sisters. She got married with Richmond Ritchie. He was a British civil servant. They had two children. She published her first Elizabeth story in 1863. It was successful. The most famous work was “Village on the Cliff”. She also published a novel.
This proverb means that in the long run, it is better to teach people how to do something than to do it for them. There are 3 characters. The man teaches a boy how to fish. By doing so, the boy can eat for the rest of his life. I think that this is absolutely right. I have also had a similar kind of experience. For example, a down coat's price is too expensive, but if I buy it, I can wear it in the future. [?] I think this man teaches good things to the child.
I learned new word, “Lifetime”. Lifetime means a product that can be used for a lifetime. [?]
Kazuki - 10/9/2019
I read the Zen Pencils comic “11 ways to be unremarkably average”. This is a quote by Chris Guillebeau. He is an entrepreneur and writer. His blog is famous, and “The Art of Non-Conformity” helps people follow their passion and find a meaningful way to use their talents. He is a fan of Zen Pencils and knowing his life through this comic is a life study [?].
This comic is about understanding what you want to do in your life; be mediocre or have an extraordinary life. My life is mainly based on following the instructions from my teachers and parents, and doing the same thing every day. If I continue like this, my job will probably be general work, like the man in the comic who is "a person who has a normal and mediocre life" and who works as directed by his boss.
I read his quote comic and think that a mediocre life is boring. I hate to live my life as instructed and decided by other people. I feel that I want to live a life of doing what I want to do and work toward my dreams and goals. Anyone who wants to live a mediocre life can understand just by reading this. But in the end, it is very important that I decide my life by myself. I think that understanding this comic will help people have a good life.
I read the comic and learned some new English words. One word I learned was "eventually". The meaning is “結局、やがて" in Japanese, and "in the end, especially after a long delay, dispute, or series of problems" in English. The other word is "authority". The meaning is “権限” in Japanese, and "the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience" in English.
I read the Zen Pencils comic “11 ways to be unremarkably average”. This is a quote by Chris Guillebeau. He is an entrepreneur and writer. His blog is famous, and “The Art of Non-Conformity” helps people follow their passion and find a meaningful way to use their talents. He is a fan of Zen Pencils and knowing his life through this comic is a life study [?].
This comic is about understanding what you want to do in your life; be mediocre or have an extraordinary life. My life is mainly based on following the instructions from my teachers and parents, and doing the same thing every day. If I continue like this, my job will probably be general work, like the man in the comic who is "a person who has a normal and mediocre life" and who works as directed by his boss.
I read his quote comic and think that a mediocre life is boring. I hate to live my life as instructed and decided by other people. I feel that I want to live a life of doing what I want to do and work toward my dreams and goals. Anyone who wants to live a mediocre life can understand just by reading this. But in the end, it is very important that I decide my life by myself. I think that understanding this comic will help people have a good life.
I read the comic and learned some new English words. One word I learned was "eventually". The meaning is “結局、やがて" in Japanese, and "in the end, especially after a long delay, dispute, or series of problems" in English. The other word is "authority". The meaning is “権限” in Japanese, and "the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience" in English.
Shota - 10/9/2019
I read " The happier man" in Zen Pencils. This comic's quote was made by Hunter S. Thompson. He was born in 1937 in Kentucky,USA. He died in 2005. He worked as a journalist and writer. The reason he became famous was his book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He also wrote news articles and created "gonzo journalism". Gonzo journalism means that it places importance on infiltrating the subject itself and telling the essence. He wrote the article, "Gonzo journalism in critique" [Really?] in 1970. A new journalism style centered around him was born.
This comic is about two people; a happy person who has overcome the storm of life, and a person who has safely stopped on the beach. When I graduate from university and become a member of society, there will be various things I must decide, but I think I want to have interesting experiences and I want to challenge various things. I think I am inspired by this comic. I also want to take risks and have various experiences in my future life. My impression of this comic is that the artist conveyed thoughtful content to readers with only a few sentences and pictures.
An interesting expression is "braved". The word tells me that he was really brave after overcoming the storm of life.
I read " The happier man" in Zen Pencils. This comic's quote was made by Hunter S. Thompson. He was born in 1937 in Kentucky,USA. He died in 2005. He worked as a journalist and writer. The reason he became famous was his book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He also wrote news articles and created "gonzo journalism". Gonzo journalism means that it places importance on infiltrating the subject itself and telling the essence. He wrote the article, "Gonzo journalism in critique" [Really?] in 1970. A new journalism style centered around him was born.
This comic is about two people; a happy person who has overcome the storm of life, and a person who has safely stopped on the beach. When I graduate from university and become a member of society, there will be various things I must decide, but I think I want to have interesting experiences and I want to challenge various things. I think I am inspired by this comic. I also want to take risks and have various experiences in my future life. My impression of this comic is that the artist conveyed thoughtful content to readers with only a few sentences and pictures.
An interesting expression is "braved". The word tells me that he was really brave after overcoming the storm of life.
Yusaku - 10/8/2019
I read, "What if my money doesn't become a thing?" [?] with Zen Pencils. This story was created by quoting the teachings of Alan Watts. Alan Watts was an English philosopher and writer who played a major role in the spread of Western Zen Buddhism. He moved to the United States and gained wide support after publishing numerous books on Zen and Oriental philosophy. In the 60s and 70s, he toured extensively on college lecture circuits and became a famous person in the growing youth movement.
The comic begins with Alan Watts asking his students what kind of job they want to do in the future. However, the students thought they couldn't make much money if they did what they really wanted to do. At that time, Watts asls his students, "What if money was no object?" And Watts says to the students, "You do that! And forget the money." What Watts wants to say to his students is that it is better to spend a short life full of what you like than a long time doing something you hate. And if you really like the job, you can eventually become a master of the job. It is very important to ask yourself "What do I desire?" Because you can make a good living by mastering the work.
In addition to learning the teachings of Alan Watts, I also learned a few words. One of them is the word "desire (望む). In other words, it means “want”. Finally I read this comic and learned that it's important to keep doing what I like, not how much money I can earn.
I read, "What if my money doesn't become a thing?" [?] with Zen Pencils. This story was created by quoting the teachings of Alan Watts. Alan Watts was an English philosopher and writer who played a major role in the spread of Western Zen Buddhism. He moved to the United States and gained wide support after publishing numerous books on Zen and Oriental philosophy. In the 60s and 70s, he toured extensively on college lecture circuits and became a famous person in the growing youth movement.
The comic begins with Alan Watts asking his students what kind of job they want to do in the future. However, the students thought they couldn't make much money if they did what they really wanted to do. At that time, Watts asls his students, "What if money was no object?" And Watts says to the students, "You do that! And forget the money." What Watts wants to say to his students is that it is better to spend a short life full of what you like than a long time doing something you hate. And if you really like the job, you can eventually become a master of the job. It is very important to ask yourself "What do I desire?" Because you can make a good living by mastering the work.
In addition to learning the teachings of Alan Watts, I also learned a few words. One of them is the word "desire (望む). In other words, it means “want”. Finally I read this comic and learned that it's important to keep doing what I like, not how much money I can earn.
Chiharu - 10/8/2019
I read “Books are awesome” in Zen Pencils. This is a quote made by Carl Sagan. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1934. He was an astronomer, writer and science fiction writer in the US. He was NASA’s planetary exploration leader and he established the Planetary Association.
In this comic, a woman chose some books and she thought that books were amazing things. In minutes, she could be in the mind of another person by reading a book. Some people who wrote books died a thousand years ago, but across the millennia an author is speaking clearly and silently inside her head about historically great things. She thought writing is the greatest of human inventions, because books are connecting people who never knew each other. Books break the rules of time, which means you can meet different people from different times in your head if you read books.
At the end, Carl Sagan said, “A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic”. When I see this comic and read these words, I think surely I can meet some historical people in my head. I am very interested in this comic. To be honest, I don’t read books so much, especially historical books, but books are a really awesome way to know great people. I will try to read some historical books and I want to travel between epochs.
Also, I learned a few new words this time, such as "astonishing" and "shackles". The former means "surprising" and the latter is "restraint (束縛)". I am inspired by this comic so much.
I read “Books are awesome” in Zen Pencils. This is a quote made by Carl Sagan. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1934. He was an astronomer, writer and science fiction writer in the US. He was NASA’s planetary exploration leader and he established the Planetary Association.
In this comic, a woman chose some books and she thought that books were amazing things. In minutes, she could be in the mind of another person by reading a book. Some people who wrote books died a thousand years ago, but across the millennia an author is speaking clearly and silently inside her head about historically great things. She thought writing is the greatest of human inventions, because books are connecting people who never knew each other. Books break the rules of time, which means you can meet different people from different times in your head if you read books.
At the end, Carl Sagan said, “A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic”. When I see this comic and read these words, I think surely I can meet some historical people in my head. I am very interested in this comic. To be honest, I don’t read books so much, especially historical books, but books are a really awesome way to know great people. I will try to read some historical books and I want to travel between epochs.
Also, I learned a few new words this time, such as "astonishing" and "shackles". The former means "surprising" and the latter is "restraint (束縛)". I am inspired by this comic so much.
Mayu - 10/3/2019
I read “The Two Wolves” in Zen Pencils. This legendary story has come down to us from the distant past according to a popular explanation. However, in 1978, Billy Graham wrote this story again, and in his story, there are two dogs, not wolves, This is a different from the original.
Anyway, in this story, there are two wolves. One is an evil wolf. He has anger, sadness, pain, and so on. The other one has hope, peace, joy, etc. The two wolves began to fight, grandfather said to his grandson. Grandson asked, “Which wolf will win?”. Grandfather said, “The one you feed.” I think it means “it depends on you and you must determine the outcome.” After reading this, I think that if the wolves appear in my mind, I will wonder which will win. Also I think that I want to be positive.
I learned some new vocabulary words. The first is “greed.‘ It means 貪欲 in Japanese and "have an itch" [no] in English. The second word is “benevolence.” It means 慈悲 and “charity” in English. I think Zen Pencils is very interesting and I want to find some other good ones. Of course, "Two wolves" is my favorite one. Also Zen Pencils has some pictures, so I don't feel bored. Zen Pencils is easy to study and there are good stories and vocabulary.
I read “The Two Wolves” in Zen Pencils. This legendary story has come down to us from the distant past according to a popular explanation. However, in 1978, Billy Graham wrote this story again, and in his story, there are two dogs, not wolves, This is a different from the original.
Anyway, in this story, there are two wolves. One is an evil wolf. He has anger, sadness, pain, and so on. The other one has hope, peace, joy, etc. The two wolves began to fight, grandfather said to his grandson. Grandson asked, “Which wolf will win?”. Grandfather said, “The one you feed.” I think it means “it depends on you and you must determine the outcome.” After reading this, I think that if the wolves appear in my mind, I will wonder which will win. Also I think that I want to be positive.
I learned some new vocabulary words. The first is “greed.‘ It means 貪欲 in Japanese and "have an itch" [no] in English. The second word is “benevolence.” It means 慈悲 and “charity” in English. I think Zen Pencils is very interesting and I want to find some other good ones. Of course, "Two wolves" is my favorite one. Also Zen Pencils has some pictures, so I don't feel bored. Zen Pencils is easy to study and there are good stories and vocabulary.
Ikushi - 10/11/2018
I will introduce the Zen Pencils. comic I read, 'There are no limits.". This quote was made by Bruce Lee. He was a very famous action movie actor And he was also a film producer. He was active in various positions.
The quote has cartoon illustrations of Bruce Lee. The contents are like this. He encounters various difficulties. But he overcomes the difficulties. He says that 'I have no limits'." In addition he is very stoic. He will also try various things and make his best effort. And he will succeed in various things. He is very cool in this story.
I learned two words from this story. The first word is 'constantly'. It means '常' in Japanese. This word shows that Bruce Lee is trying hard on a daily basis. So it remained in my impression. The second word is 'morality' It means '道徳' in Japanese. I think that this word can be thought variously, but it is difficult to explainthe word. These are the words that left an impression on me in this story.
I will introduce the Zen Pencils. comic I read, 'There are no limits.". This quote was made by Bruce Lee. He was a very famous action movie actor And he was also a film producer. He was active in various positions.
The quote has cartoon illustrations of Bruce Lee. The contents are like this. He encounters various difficulties. But he overcomes the difficulties. He says that 'I have no limits'." In addition he is very stoic. He will also try various things and make his best effort. And he will succeed in various things. He is very cool in this story.
I learned two words from this story. The first word is 'constantly'. It means '常' in Japanese. This word shows that Bruce Lee is trying hard on a daily basis. So it remained in my impression. The second word is 'morality' It means '道徳' in Japanese. I think that this word can be thought variously, but it is difficult to explainthe word. These are the words that left an impression on me in this story.
Yuki - 10/11/2018
The title of the comic I read in Zen Pencils is "The Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas" The quote was made by Shel Silverstein. He was born in Chicago in America, and he was active in many fields, such as a poetry, music, cartooning, and children's literature. Also, he had Grammy Awards twice.
The quote means you regret something. For example, there might have been something you could have done, or would have done, or should have done before something you regret happens. I was really inspired by this quote because I think all people have experienced this in their own lives. Of course the same is true for me. [Well, OK, if this is what you think, but I think this quote is encouraging us to be the person who does something, not the person doesn't do it and just regrets it. - Kevin]
There was no word that I didn't know in this comic, but let me explain the meaning of the title, "The Woulda Coulda Shouldas". means that it is of no use to dwell on (~をくよくよ考える) what would have (woulda), could have (coulda), or should have (shoulda) happened or been done in English. And the Japanese meaning is "たられば".
The title of the comic I read in Zen Pencils is "The Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas" The quote was made by Shel Silverstein. He was born in Chicago in America, and he was active in many fields, such as a poetry, music, cartooning, and children's literature. Also, he had Grammy Awards twice.
The quote means you regret something. For example, there might have been something you could have done, or would have done, or should have done before something you regret happens. I was really inspired by this quote because I think all people have experienced this in their own lives. Of course the same is true for me. [Well, OK, if this is what you think, but I think this quote is encouraging us to be the person who does something, not the person doesn't do it and just regrets it. - Kevin]
There was no word that I didn't know in this comic, but let me explain the meaning of the title, "The Woulda Coulda Shouldas". means that it is of no use to dwell on (~をくよくよ考える) what would have (woulda), could have (coulda), or should have (shoulda) happened or been done in English. And the Japanese meaning is "たられば".
Seira - 10/11/2018
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “Around the corner”. The quote was made by Charles Hanson Towne. He was active as a poet, author, editor and celebrity. He was born in Kentucky in 1877. When he was 11 years old, he created and published a magazine, “Unique Monthly” for himself and his friends. He worked as an assistant for a year at “City College” in New York. After that, he got a position as an editor of Delineator, an urban magazine. And he continued editing many other popular magazines such as “McClure’s”, “Designer” and “Harper’s Bazaar”. He died in 1949, leaving behind a legacy of simple, direct poems. [I don't think you wrote this sentence. - Kevin]
https://mypoeticside.com/biographies/charles-hanson-towne-biography
I read this quote and my feelings changed a bit. I read the story of "Around the Corner," It was a sad story. He had a friend who was a good friend since he was very young. He was always playing with that friend. He grew up and he got married and had a child. However, he was too busy with work and meeting friends was postponed. After that he got a call and he learned that his friend died. When I read this, I thought, "I don’t know when it will happen, so I want to meet many friends and talk a lot now."
I learned a new word. “vanish”. It means “消滅する、消える、見えなくなる” in Japanese, This same meaning is “disappear”.
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “Around the corner”. The quote was made by Charles Hanson Towne. He was active as a poet, author, editor and celebrity. He was born in Kentucky in 1877. When he was 11 years old, he created and published a magazine, “Unique Monthly” for himself and his friends. He worked as an assistant for a year at “City College” in New York. After that, he got a position as an editor of Delineator, an urban magazine. And he continued editing many other popular magazines such as “McClure’s”, “Designer” and “Harper’s Bazaar”. He died in 1949, leaving behind a legacy of simple, direct poems. [I don't think you wrote this sentence. - Kevin]
https://mypoeticside.com/biographies/charles-hanson-towne-biography
I read this quote and my feelings changed a bit. I read the story of "Around the Corner," It was a sad story. He had a friend who was a good friend since he was very young. He was always playing with that friend. He grew up and he got married and had a child. However, he was too busy with work and meeting friends was postponed. After that he got a call and he learned that his friend died. When I read this, I thought, "I don’t know when it will happen, so I want to meet many friends and talk a lot now."
I learned a new word. “vanish”. It means “消滅する、消える、見えなくなる” in Japanese, This same meaning is “disappear”.
Koji - 10/11/2018
Zen Pencils is an online comic site by Gavin Aung Than. This site introduces inspirational ideas from famous people of the world. Gavin Aung Than is a cartoonist in Melbourne. He has been making cartoons since 2012. This site is wonderful to study and remember inspirational messages or famous people because the English is easy to understand by 3 or 4 pages of comics [?] although it sometimes has some difficult topics, but we can read willingly. I read looking for topics in random at movement time or free time. This site creates an opportunity to study.I want to continue using this site. It's very interesting.
This time I read “On The Mindless Menace of Violence” by Rovert [Robert] F. Kennedy. He was former U.S. president John F. Kennedy's brother. He was attorney general, and he strongly worked on the race problem before he was assassinated. After reading, I learned that this comic is from one of his speeches, “On the mindless menace of violence” on April 5, 1968 and I listened to his speech for the first time. The comic story is when a boy and father are watching TV, a different race of people appears. And the father insults them and tells the boy that he should remove them, The boy thinks that's right and he believes it. When the boy wants to use violence on a different racial classmate at school, the other boy was going to take revenge with a weapon in his house, but his father said, “We must admit the vanity of our false distinctions among men and learn to find our own advancement in the search for the advancement of others.” The classmate learns to be peaceful and wants to be reconciled with the first boy. Finally they were reconciled when the second classmate helped the first boy by buying ice cream to eat together. The last coment is “We must recognise that this short life can neither be ennobled by hatred or revenge" by Rovert [Robert] F. Kennedy. I think we can understand and appreciate this story.
I learned some words such as “confront” which means "deal with head on". If you use this word in a sentence, you can say “ We must confront the problem.” The next word is “common desire” which means "our wish". If you use this word in a sentence, you can say “Our common desire is to marry.”
Zen Pencils is an online comic site by Gavin Aung Than. This site introduces inspirational ideas from famous people of the world. Gavin Aung Than is a cartoonist in Melbourne. He has been making cartoons since 2012. This site is wonderful to study and remember inspirational messages or famous people because the English is easy to understand by 3 or 4 pages of comics [?] although it sometimes has some difficult topics, but we can read willingly. I read looking for topics in random at movement time or free time. This site creates an opportunity to study.I want to continue using this site. It's very interesting.
This time I read “On The Mindless Menace of Violence” by Rovert [Robert] F. Kennedy. He was former U.S. president John F. Kennedy's brother. He was attorney general, and he strongly worked on the race problem before he was assassinated. After reading, I learned that this comic is from one of his speeches, “On the mindless menace of violence” on April 5, 1968 and I listened to his speech for the first time. The comic story is when a boy and father are watching TV, a different race of people appears. And the father insults them and tells the boy that he should remove them, The boy thinks that's right and he believes it. When the boy wants to use violence on a different racial classmate at school, the other boy was going to take revenge with a weapon in his house, but his father said, “We must admit the vanity of our false distinctions among men and learn to find our own advancement in the search for the advancement of others.” The classmate learns to be peaceful and wants to be reconciled with the first boy. Finally they were reconciled when the second classmate helped the first boy by buying ice cream to eat together. The last coment is “We must recognise that this short life can neither be ennobled by hatred or revenge" by Rovert [Robert] F. Kennedy. I think we can understand and appreciate this story.
I learned some words such as “confront” which means "deal with head on". If you use this word in a sentence, you can say “ We must confront the problem.” The next word is “common desire” which means "our wish". If you use this word in a sentence, you can say “Our common desire is to marry.”
Tomoe - 10/11/2018
I read “Fearful things” in Zen Pencils. The quote was made by Clive Barker. He is famous as a writer of horror and fantasy novels. He is also a film director and a visual artist. He wrote a short story series, “Books of Blood”, which won won many awards.
The quote is about something that feels horrible. He says that the most horrible thing is not a ferocious animal or illness, but himself reflected in the mirror.
I thought that there were two ways of interpreting this quote. The first interpretation is that by looking in the mirror, he notices that he gets older slowly. The other interpretation is that he feels horrible to see another himself in the mirror gazing at him every time.
I always see a mirror, but I never felt horrible. However, I felt a little scared because I realized that I was getting old compared with the past. Also, I didn’t know what the other me in the mirror was thinking, so I thought that was scary.
This time, I learned two words. The first is “gaze”. It means “to look for a long time at someone or something”. The second is “rabid”. It means “a serious disease that people can get if they are bitten by an infected animal”.
I read “Fearful things” in Zen Pencils. The quote was made by Clive Barker. He is famous as a writer of horror and fantasy novels. He is also a film director and a visual artist. He wrote a short story series, “Books of Blood”, which won won many awards.
The quote is about something that feels horrible. He says that the most horrible thing is not a ferocious animal or illness, but himself reflected in the mirror.
I thought that there were two ways of interpreting this quote. The first interpretation is that by looking in the mirror, he notices that he gets older slowly. The other interpretation is that he feels horrible to see another himself in the mirror gazing at him every time.
I always see a mirror, but I never felt horrible. However, I felt a little scared because I realized that I was getting old compared with the past. Also, I didn’t know what the other me in the mirror was thinking, so I thought that was scary.
This time, I learned two words. The first is “gaze”. It means “to look for a long time at someone or something”. The second is “rabid”. It means “a serious disease that people can get if they are bitten by an infected animal”.
Natsumi - 10/10/2018
I read “ Books are awesome ” in Zen Pencils. The quote was made by Carl Sagan. He was famous as an American astronomer and was a science fiction writer and a university professor. He is also known as a leader of planet exploration at NASA. This quote means that a book is not mere printed paper, but it's an awesome thing. By reading a book, you can know various things such as history and the ideas of human beings who died thousands of years ago. A book is the greatest invention of humans. Reading a book is like you are in a different person's mind and the author speaks directly in your head.
I have been influenced a bit by reading this quote. I don’t read autobiographical and historical books much, but I thought that a book that I can read the author’s message and life by reading this quote [?] is very awesome. And people who died thousands of years ago are still living in books. Also, I thought that I will continue to live as a memory in the heart of those who read my writing.
I learned two new words. The first one is “autobiography”. It means “自伝”, “自叙伝” in Japanese and “it is biography written about oneself” in English. The second one is “capable”. It means “能力のある” in Japanese and “ability to accomplish things” in English.
I read “ Books are awesome ” in Zen Pencils. The quote was made by Carl Sagan. He was famous as an American astronomer and was a science fiction writer and a university professor. He is also known as a leader of planet exploration at NASA. This quote means that a book is not mere printed paper, but it's an awesome thing. By reading a book, you can know various things such as history and the ideas of human beings who died thousands of years ago. A book is the greatest invention of humans. Reading a book is like you are in a different person's mind and the author speaks directly in your head.
I have been influenced a bit by reading this quote. I don’t read autobiographical and historical books much, but I thought that a book that I can read the author’s message and life by reading this quote [?] is very awesome. And people who died thousands of years ago are still living in books. Also, I thought that I will continue to live as a memory in the heart of those who read my writing.
I learned two new words. The first one is “autobiography”. It means “自伝”, “自叙伝” in Japanese and “it is biography written about oneself” in English. The second one is “capable”. It means “能力のある” in Japanese and “ability to accomplish things” in English.
Shogo - 10/10/2018
I read “The life of art” in Zen Pencils. This quote was made by Kurt Vonnegut. He is an American novelist. He was born in 1922. His writings are humorous and he writes about love and irony and the despair of humanity. Vonnegut is a writer who won much popularity in his time. The quote is a story about art. The part which I liked in particular was, “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow”. I feel that it is a sentence with much depth. When I looked at the pictures at first, it seemed to be simple. The picture of two small children making a good relation looked nice. However, profundity of the art is drawn in the contents. [I guess it's nice that you think so, but you didn't really explain the meaning. - Kevin]
I have some words that I learned from “The life of art”. They are ‘bearable’ and ‘rewards’. ‘Bearable’ means ‘耐えられる’ in Japanese. ‘Rewards’ means ‘報酬’ in Japanese. I felt that I learned various things as well as vocabulary words from Kurt Vonnegut.
I read “The life of art” in Zen Pencils. This quote was made by Kurt Vonnegut. He is an American novelist. He was born in 1922. His writings are humorous and he writes about love and irony and the despair of humanity. Vonnegut is a writer who won much popularity in his time. The quote is a story about art. The part which I liked in particular was, “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow”. I feel that it is a sentence with much depth. When I looked at the pictures at first, it seemed to be simple. The picture of two small children making a good relation looked nice. However, profundity of the art is drawn in the contents. [I guess it's nice that you think so, but you didn't really explain the meaning. - Kevin]
I have some words that I learned from “The life of art”. They are ‘bearable’ and ‘rewards’. ‘Bearable’ means ‘耐えられる’ in Japanese. ‘Rewards’ means ‘報酬’ in Japanese. I felt that I learned various things as well as vocabulary words from Kurt Vonnegut.
Yoshikatsu - 10/10/2018
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “The happier man”. The quote was made by Hunter S. Thompson. He acted as a journalist and writer in America. He was born in Kentucky. He dropped out of high school, joined the Air Force, and worked in several occupations after his departure. He killed himself in 2005 with a hand gun.
The meaning of the quote seems to be whether I can be happy living a mediocre life without any danger. I was inspired by quote. Every day, if I just live an ordinary life, I will repeat the same thing over and over again. However, if I seek change and challenges, a better environment may appear in my life, I think that a better life is not available unless we accept challenges and seek adventure.
I leaned several words. The first word is “shore”. It means “海岸” in Japanese and “ the land along the edge of a large area of water such as an ocean or lake” in English. The second word is “merely”. It means “単に” in Japanese and “used to emphasize that nothing more than what you say is involved” in English. The third word is “exist”. It means “存在する” in Japanese and “to happen or be present in a particular situation or place” in English.
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “The happier man”. The quote was made by Hunter S. Thompson. He acted as a journalist and writer in America. He was born in Kentucky. He dropped out of high school, joined the Air Force, and worked in several occupations after his departure. He killed himself in 2005 with a hand gun.
The meaning of the quote seems to be whether I can be happy living a mediocre life without any danger. I was inspired by quote. Every day, if I just live an ordinary life, I will repeat the same thing over and over again. However, if I seek change and challenges, a better environment may appear in my life, I think that a better life is not available unless we accept challenges and seek adventure.
I leaned several words. The first word is “shore”. It means “海岸” in Japanese and “ the land along the edge of a large area of water such as an ocean or lake” in English. The second word is “merely”. It means “単に” in Japanese and “used to emphasize that nothing more than what you say is involved” in English. The third word is “exist”. It means “存在する” in Japanese and “to happen or be present in a particular situation or place” in English.
Mutsuki - 10/10/2018
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, "There's no struggle in our lives". This quote was made by Dean Karnazes who is an American runner, author and was named one of the world's top 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2008.
I think this quote is about everyone should do favorite things. [Really? I don't think so.] I felt this comic is very stimulating and I decided to live my life as I like again.
This time I learned "struggle". It means ""奮闘する in Japanese and "effort" in English.
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, "There's no struggle in our lives". This quote was made by Dean Karnazes who is an American runner, author and was named one of the world's top 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2008.
I think this quote is about everyone should do favorite things. [Really? I don't think so.] I felt this comic is very stimulating and I decided to live my life as I like again.
This time I learned "struggle". It means ""奮闘する in Japanese and "effort" in English.
Keigo - 10/10/2018
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, "A WORTHY CRISIS". This quote was made by Epictetus who is a Greek philosopher of the Stoic school. He was born as a slave, but he opened up his own philosophy school in Ancient Rome. When Emperor Domitian banished all philosophers from Rome in the Christian year 89, Epictetus fled to Nicopolice of Greece and continued his teachings. He became famous and visited emperor Hadrian. Although, there are no actual writings of his in existence, Epictetus’s philosophy was written and published by his student, Arrian.
This quote is about what happens to a hero when a crisis occurs or does not occur, Epictetus focuses on Hercules and discusses it. I thought it was fun and I was impressed when I read his ideas. Especially, the ending was interesting. I thought the ideas of Epictetus can be illustrated by hero movies such as Spider-Man. If there are no villains or criminals in his world, Spider-Man cannot be a hero. He's just a human being who can shoot a spider's thread. I learned the importance of enemies and crises in movies and legends.
I remembered two words thanks to his sentences. The first word is "obviously". It means "明らかに" in Japanese and "used to say that a particular situation or fact is easy to see or understand" in English. Another word is "stir". It means "(人)を奮起させる、駆り立てる" in Japanese and "somebody (or something) that makes somebody excited or makes them feel something strongly" in English.
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, "A WORTHY CRISIS". This quote was made by Epictetus who is a Greek philosopher of the Stoic school. He was born as a slave, but he opened up his own philosophy school in Ancient Rome. When Emperor Domitian banished all philosophers from Rome in the Christian year 89, Epictetus fled to Nicopolice of Greece and continued his teachings. He became famous and visited emperor Hadrian. Although, there are no actual writings of his in existence, Epictetus’s philosophy was written and published by his student, Arrian.
This quote is about what happens to a hero when a crisis occurs or does not occur, Epictetus focuses on Hercules and discusses it. I thought it was fun and I was impressed when I read his ideas. Especially, the ending was interesting. I thought the ideas of Epictetus can be illustrated by hero movies such as Spider-Man. If there are no villains or criminals in his world, Spider-Man cannot be a hero. He's just a human being who can shoot a spider's thread. I learned the importance of enemies and crises in movies and legends.
I remembered two words thanks to his sentences. The first word is "obviously". It means "明らかに" in Japanese and "used to say that a particular situation or fact is easy to see or understand" in English. Another word is "stir". It means "(人)を奮起させる、駆り立てる" in Japanese and "somebody (or something) that makes somebody excited or makes them feel something strongly" in English.
Yuka - 10/10/2018
I read "Ultimate self-help book" in Zen Pencils. The quote was made by Stephen Fry. He is modern day Renaissance man, and is famous as a comedian, author, TV and radio host, journalist, and more.
This quote's meaning is about self-help according to the title. The worst vice or sin that a person can have is self-pity, because self-pity will destroy everything. It is easy for people to feel sorry for themselves, but they should try to be happy by breaking it. The man in this comic also felt self- pity. However he decided to change himself after reading these words by Stephen Fry: "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and you will be happy".
I agree with Stephen Fry's words. Sometimes, I want to feel self-pity, but I should stop feeling so after reading this quote. I think bad things come when people feel sorry for themselves because they have an unhappy aura. So if outsider say sorry, you don't think sorry yourself [?] you can recover more quickly from a bad situation.
I learned some new words. First, I learned "pity". It means「同情」「哀れみ」in Japanese and " to feel sorry for someone" in English. The second word is "cardinal sin". It means「大罪」in Japanese and "to do something that is against religious rules and is considered to be a very important or basic offense against God".
I read "Ultimate self-help book" in Zen Pencils. The quote was made by Stephen Fry. He is modern day Renaissance man, and is famous as a comedian, author, TV and radio host, journalist, and more.
This quote's meaning is about self-help according to the title. The worst vice or sin that a person can have is self-pity, because self-pity will destroy everything. It is easy for people to feel sorry for themselves, but they should try to be happy by breaking it. The man in this comic also felt self- pity. However he decided to change himself after reading these words by Stephen Fry: "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and you will be happy".
I agree with Stephen Fry's words. Sometimes, I want to feel self-pity, but I should stop feeling so after reading this quote. I think bad things come when people feel sorry for themselves because they have an unhappy aura. So if outsider say sorry, you don't think sorry yourself [?] you can recover more quickly from a bad situation.
I learned some new words. First, I learned "pity". It means「同情」「哀れみ」in Japanese and " to feel sorry for someone" in English. The second word is "cardinal sin". It means「大罪」in Japanese and "to do something that is against religious rules and is considered to be a very important or basic offense against God".
Takuya - 10/10/2018
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “Make the most of this life”. This quote was made by Carl Sagan (1934-1996). He was a famous American astronomer, cosmologist, professor and author. He contributed to the investigation of space and he received prizes from NASA. His documentary television series, Cosmos, was broadcast in 64 countries.
The quote means that we can’t live twice, so we should spend a great time in our short life. The pictures with each sentence of the quote help me to understand the quote's meaning, and also the comment section helps me to understand more. I am inspired by this quote. I have a normal life everyday without thinking about anything, but when I read this quote, I think I should live carefully and with awareness.
I learned a new word, "vulnerability". That word means able to be easily hurt, or 脆弱性, 傷つきやすい, in Japanese.
I will introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “Make the most of this life”. This quote was made by Carl Sagan (1934-1996). He was a famous American astronomer, cosmologist, professor and author. He contributed to the investigation of space and he received prizes from NASA. His documentary television series, Cosmos, was broadcast in 64 countries.
The quote means that we can’t live twice, so we should spend a great time in our short life. The pictures with each sentence of the quote help me to understand the quote's meaning, and also the comment section helps me to understand more. I am inspired by this quote. I have a normal life everyday without thinking about anything, but when I read this quote, I think I should live carefully and with awareness.
I learned a new word, "vulnerability". That word means able to be easily hurt, or 脆弱性, 傷つきやすい, in Japanese.
Yuta - 10/9/2018
"The Two Wolves" is a quote that appears to have started in 1978 when a Christian minister named Billy Graham wrote it in a book. Throughout the times, the story has adapted the main character to being of Native American descent. This latter story has been popularized such that the origins of the quote became lost throughout the times. As such, even though the quote is famous, the original author isn't famous.
This is a fable of wolves. Two wolves, EVIL and GOOD, are making a fight among ourselves. The EVIL wolf creates pain, anger, sadness, grudges, etc, against which a GOOD wolf creates peace, joy, hope, trust and so on. As for which of the EVIL or GOOD wolves will win, win who you have raised the bait [?]. Or is the story about which side you will do?
What inspired me by reading this is that conflicts have arisen in my mind like this "The Two Wolves" when I am deciding things. To decide something means that you have to sacrifice one or the other. It is somewhat painful to compare it with animals. I think that I have to decide things carefully.
The last sentence of "THE ONE YOU FEED" is impressive. Winning or losing is not determined by the conflict between the wolves. Eventually I have to decide for myself.
"The Two Wolves" is a quote that appears to have started in 1978 when a Christian minister named Billy Graham wrote it in a book. Throughout the times, the story has adapted the main character to being of Native American descent. This latter story has been popularized such that the origins of the quote became lost throughout the times. As such, even though the quote is famous, the original author isn't famous.
This is a fable of wolves. Two wolves, EVIL and GOOD, are making a fight among ourselves. The EVIL wolf creates pain, anger, sadness, grudges, etc, against which a GOOD wolf creates peace, joy, hope, trust and so on. As for which of the EVIL or GOOD wolves will win, win who you have raised the bait [?]. Or is the story about which side you will do?
What inspired me by reading this is that conflicts have arisen in my mind like this "The Two Wolves" when I am deciding things. To decide something means that you have to sacrifice one or the other. It is somewhat painful to compare it with animals. I think that I have to decide things carefully.
The last sentence of "THE ONE YOU FEED" is impressive. Winning or losing is not determined by the conflict between the wolves. Eventually I have to decide for myself.
Takeru - 10/9/2018
I read “An ordinary chap” in Zen Pencils. This quote was made by Edmund Hillary. He is famous as a New Zealand mountaineer and adventurer. He reached the summit of Mt Everest in 1953 for the first time along with his Nepalese sherpa.
The quote is about a man who doesn't have any special talents. He doesn't have special abilities, but he has strong determination and it helps him to succeed. That's why Edmund Hillary succeeded as a mountaineer and adventurer.
I think that determination is very important. There is a high chance of success if you have strong determination. It doesn't matter whether you are humble [?] or not.
I learned some new vocabulary words. First, I learned "expedition". It means 探検 in Japanese, "exploration" in English. The second word "blessed" means "恵まれている" in Japanese, "comfortably fixed" [?] in English.
I read “An ordinary chap” in Zen Pencils. This quote was made by Edmund Hillary. He is famous as a New Zealand mountaineer and adventurer. He reached the summit of Mt Everest in 1953 for the first time along with his Nepalese sherpa.
The quote is about a man who doesn't have any special talents. He doesn't have special abilities, but he has strong determination and it helps him to succeed. That's why Edmund Hillary succeeded as a mountaineer and adventurer.
I think that determination is very important. There is a high chance of success if you have strong determination. It doesn't matter whether you are humble [?] or not.
I learned some new vocabulary words. First, I learned "expedition". It means 探検 in Japanese, "exploration" in English. The second word "blessed" means "恵まれている" in Japanese, "comfortably fixed" [?] in English.
Taisei - 10/8/2018
I read "When one door closes," by Helen Keller. Helen Keller was born in 1880. She was deaf and blind, but she was an American educator and social welfare activist. The quote that I am interested in is, ''When one door closes, another opens." The meaning is that there is only one way of life as a new door, so If we stop walking, we can find a new door [?]. I read the quote and I thought that if I quit my job, certainly I can find another employment place. And let's do my best not to let me leave my job. It is expressed as the way of life as a door. [?] The main character appearing in the talk is received by a number of companies. [?]
I learned an expression, "The Big Cheese" 「お偉いさん、ボス」in Japanese. The meaning is "one's superior, one's boss and the company higher-ups" in English.
I read "When one door closes," by Helen Keller. Helen Keller was born in 1880. She was deaf and blind, but she was an American educator and social welfare activist. The quote that I am interested in is, ''When one door closes, another opens." The meaning is that there is only one way of life as a new door, so If we stop walking, we can find a new door [?]. I read the quote and I thought that if I quit my job, certainly I can find another employment place. And let's do my best not to let me leave my job. It is expressed as the way of life as a door. [?] The main character appearing in the talk is received by a number of companies. [?]
I learned an expression, "The Big Cheese" 「お偉いさん、ボス」in Japanese. The meaning is "one's superior, one's boss and the company higher-ups" in English.
Aya - 9/29/2018
I read "What, me worry?" The quote was made by Shantideva. He was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist scholar. He wrote the famous Buddhist text, A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Shantideva studied at Nalanda, India in the 8th century.
The quote means if you can solve your problem you don’t have to worry about it? Are you worry if it can’t be solved? I think that the comic made me think deeply. I think that people tend to think about commonplace easily, but it is a drawn to empathize everyone as a picture. [Aya, I can't understand any of the parts in red. - Kevin]
In other words, you shouldn’t think too deeply and worry too much. I also seriously worry about small things, so I will try to think less stressfully. A Japanese proverb says "Worry is a body poison" Worrying too much causes trouble and is harmful to our physical health.
I learned a new vocabulary word, "renown". It means fame. In Japanese, it means 有名.
I read "What, me worry?" The quote was made by Shantideva. He was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist scholar. He wrote the famous Buddhist text, A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Shantideva studied at Nalanda, India in the 8th century.
The quote means if you can solve your problem you don’t have to worry about it? Are you worry if it can’t be solved? I think that the comic made me think deeply. I think that people tend to think about commonplace easily, but it is a drawn to empathize everyone as a picture. [Aya, I can't understand any of the parts in red. - Kevin]
In other words, you shouldn’t think too deeply and worry too much. I also seriously worry about small things, so I will try to think less stressfully. A Japanese proverb says "Worry is a body poison" Worrying too much causes trouble and is harmful to our physical health.
I learned a new vocabulary word, "renown". It means fame. In Japanese, it means 有名.
Hisato - 10/12/2017
I read “Hero worship”. This quote was made by Jack Kirby. He is one of the greatest comic artists in the world. He created many masterpieces, such as "Fantastic Four" "X- men" "Incredible Hulk" and "Captain America". Many of his works are being made into films. I like the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I thought that this quote could teach us a way of growth. This story is about a boy who draws a comic but he has no ideas. He looks at the work of other comic artists. Then he grows up and draws comics. It is important to imitate the skills of those who are masters. You should imitate and then make your own power. I noticed that comics are not only funny. We can learn important things through comics.
I learned some new vocabulary words. First, I learned "stimulation". It means 刺激、興奮. The second word I learned is "posterior". It means 後の、後ろの. [Meaning in English? - Kevin]
I read “Hero worship”. This quote was made by Jack Kirby. He is one of the greatest comic artists in the world. He created many masterpieces, such as "Fantastic Four" "X- men" "Incredible Hulk" and "Captain America". Many of his works are being made into films. I like the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I thought that this quote could teach us a way of growth. This story is about a boy who draws a comic but he has no ideas. He looks at the work of other comic artists. Then he grows up and draws comics. It is important to imitate the skills of those who are masters. You should imitate and then make your own power. I noticed that comics are not only funny. We can learn important things through comics.
I learned some new vocabulary words. First, I learned "stimulation". It means 刺激、興奮. The second word I learned is "posterior". It means 後の、後ろの. [Meaning in English? - Kevin]
Haruna - 10/12/2017
I read “Inconvenience or problem?” in Zen Pencils. This quote was made by Robert Fulghum. He is a writer who is famous for writing a self-help book.
The quote is illustrated with a story about a business woman. She didn't seem to understand the difference between an inconvenience and a problem. She didn’t notice she had a real problem in her life. At the hospital, she found she had a lump in her chest.
I felt that I must not put off taking care of serious things because I'm preoccupied with minor inconveniences. When an inconvenience is confused with a problem, it may lead to a bigger problem. I think that it is necessary to learn the difference.
I learned a new vocabulary word, “lump”. It means “しこり” in Japanese and “stiffness” in English.
I read “Inconvenience or problem?” in Zen Pencils. This quote was made by Robert Fulghum. He is a writer who is famous for writing a self-help book.
The quote is illustrated with a story about a business woman. She didn't seem to understand the difference between an inconvenience and a problem. She didn’t notice she had a real problem in her life. At the hospital, she found she had a lump in her chest.
I felt that I must not put off taking care of serious things because I'm preoccupied with minor inconveniences. When an inconvenience is confused with a problem, it may lead to a bigger problem. I think that it is necessary to learn the difference.
I learned a new vocabulary word, “lump”. It means “しこり” in Japanese and “stiffness” in English.
Kobayashi - 10/12/2017
I read “The Power of One”. This quote was made by Dr. Jane Goodall. She is a British primatologist and anthropologist. She has been studied [?] about chimpanzees and she is known for that.
The quote means if you are just one person out of seven billion people, you still have power, so you can try to solve big problems for the entire world. The story of the comic takes place on the future earth. People must put on air masks to go out from their shelters because of air pollution. The outer world has a red sky and is full of garbage. The main character is a woman and she is a mother of a baby. She invents an oxygen generator for her son. The oxygen generator converts plastic into oxygen. After her son grows up, he sees the beautiful blue sky.
I found two words that I didn’t know. The first word I learned is "apathy". "Apathy" means being not interested in things generally. The second word I learned is "ingenuity". "Ingenuity" means the intelligence of humans.
I think Zen Pencils is good. I searched the quote and I found Dr. Jane Goodall’s original text on TIME. There were the same words as the Zen Pencils comic. You can see the same words, so having pictures is better than having only text. You can imagine the meaning of the quote by the story of the comic.
I read “The Power of One”. This quote was made by Dr. Jane Goodall. She is a British primatologist and anthropologist. She has been studied [?] about chimpanzees and she is known for that.
The quote means if you are just one person out of seven billion people, you still have power, so you can try to solve big problems for the entire world. The story of the comic takes place on the future earth. People must put on air masks to go out from their shelters because of air pollution. The outer world has a red sky and is full of garbage. The main character is a woman and she is a mother of a baby. She invents an oxygen generator for her son. The oxygen generator converts plastic into oxygen. After her son grows up, he sees the beautiful blue sky.
I found two words that I didn’t know. The first word I learned is "apathy". "Apathy" means being not interested in things generally. The second word I learned is "ingenuity". "Ingenuity" means the intelligence of humans.
I think Zen Pencils is good. I searched the quote and I found Dr. Jane Goodall’s original text on TIME. There were the same words as the Zen Pencils comic. You can see the same words, so having pictures is better than having only text. You can imagine the meaning of the quote by the story of the comic.
Miyu - 10/11/2017
I’ll introduce the Zen Pencils comic, "On the mindless menace of violence". This quote was made by Robert F. Kennedy. He was the younger brother of the 35th United States President John F. Kennedy. He also served as Attorney General.
This story is illustrated with pictures of a boy and an alien. The boy recognizes the color of his skin is different from the alien, and he thinks that those who have a different belief are the enemy. The boy tries to conquer his friends and bully the alien. The alien also thought of revenge in a different way. But the alien's father taught him not to take revenge but to peacefully make progress. The alien bought two ice creams and shared with the boy. This story means that nothing can be born from hatred and revenge. I think so, too. I think that it is impossible to fight indefinitely with the way to think back when it gets done. ? I think that peace will be born by concession and compromise.
I learned a new vocabulary word, “dwelling”. It means "house" and "residence" in English and "住居" in Japanese.
I’ll introduce the Zen Pencils comic, "On the mindless menace of violence". This quote was made by Robert F. Kennedy. He was the younger brother of the 35th United States President John F. Kennedy. He also served as Attorney General.
This story is illustrated with pictures of a boy and an alien. The boy recognizes the color of his skin is different from the alien, and he thinks that those who have a different belief are the enemy. The boy tries to conquer his friends and bully the alien. The alien also thought of revenge in a different way. But the alien's father taught him not to take revenge but to peacefully make progress. The alien bought two ice creams and shared with the boy. This story means that nothing can be born from hatred and revenge. I think so, too. I think that it is impossible to fight indefinitely with the way to think back when it gets done. ? I think that peace will be born by concession and compromise.
I learned a new vocabulary word, “dwelling”. It means "house" and "residence" in English and "住居" in Japanese.
Mina - 10/11/2017
I’ll introduce a comic from Zen Pencils, “The happier man”. This quote was made by Hunter S. Thompson. He was an American journalist and author. In addition, he became famous because he created a new journalism style, Gonzo journalism. “The happier man” means when two men’s lives are compared, which man is happier? The first man faces difficulties in his life. In contrast, the second man lives in a safe and has a boring life by only watching others. The graphics help us understand two men’s different lives. One of the men is a pirate with a lady fighting enemies and punching sharks, while the other man is just a usual person. The differences in their lives are clear to me.
The quote inspired me a little bit. I think the first person's life is difficult for most people. I’m just floating in the stream of life and sticking to a routine. In my life, there is no chance to be brave. This quote may be good trigger to think about what a worthwhile life really is.
I learned new vocabulary word, “merely”. It means "just" and "only" in English and 単に in Japanese.
I’ll introduce a comic from Zen Pencils, “The happier man”. This quote was made by Hunter S. Thompson. He was an American journalist and author. In addition, he became famous because he created a new journalism style, Gonzo journalism. “The happier man” means when two men’s lives are compared, which man is happier? The first man faces difficulties in his life. In contrast, the second man lives in a safe and has a boring life by only watching others. The graphics help us understand two men’s different lives. One of the men is a pirate with a lady fighting enemies and punching sharks, while the other man is just a usual person. The differences in their lives are clear to me.
The quote inspired me a little bit. I think the first person's life is difficult for most people. I’m just floating in the stream of life and sticking to a routine. In my life, there is no chance to be brave. This quote may be good trigger to think about what a worthwhile life really is.
I learned new vocabulary word, “merely”. It means "just" and "only" in English and 単に in Japanese.
Shunya - 10/12/2016
“There’s no struggle in our lives” - The quote was created by Dean Karmazes. He is an American ultramarathon runner and he was named one of the world’s top 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2006. He ran 560 km in 80 hours and 44 minutes without sleep in 2005 and also he won the Competitor magazine Endurance Athlete of the Year Award winner in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
The quote means that in our lives, we always face a hard fight against everything.. In this comic, the man started running, and he kept running to get high achievement. We need to struggle and make our best effort. I’m so impressed with this quote, because, the most important thing is the struggle, not reaching the goal. Certainly, the goal is important, too. But without the struggle, we can’t complete our achievement. We need to struggle and try hard in everything.
I learned a vocabulary word, “struggle" (n). It means “a fight; an effort.” It means [努力- doryoku, 取り組み- torikumi] in Japanese.
“There’s no struggle in our lives” - The quote was created by Dean Karmazes. He is an American ultramarathon runner and he was named one of the world’s top 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2006. He ran 560 km in 80 hours and 44 minutes without sleep in 2005 and also he won the Competitor magazine Endurance Athlete of the Year Award winner in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
The quote means that in our lives, we always face a hard fight against everything.. In this comic, the man started running, and he kept running to get high achievement. We need to struggle and make our best effort. I’m so impressed with this quote, because, the most important thing is the struggle, not reaching the goal. Certainly, the goal is important, too. But without the struggle, we can’t complete our achievement. We need to struggle and try hard in everything.
I learned a vocabulary word, “struggle" (n). It means “a fight; an effort.” It means [努力- doryoku, 取り組み- torikumi] in Japanese.
Natsumi - 10/12/2016
I read "Around the corner". This quote was made by Charles Hanson Towne (1877-1944). He was an American poet, writer, publisher and editor. He was a popular New York celebrity.
I thought that it's not good to put off doing something with an excuse and about the importance of good friends. This comic makes us think that we should cherish our friends. In fact I also had an experience similar to this cartoon. One day, my friend who lived nearby suddenly moved away. I thought that we would be able to play together, but I have not met her again even now. But it is too late to regret it. I sympathized with the main character of this cartoon. I also would like to cherish the friends.
I learned some new vocabulary words. "Terrible" means 「恐ろしい、ひどい」in Japanese. The next word is "foolish". It means「愚かな、ばかげた」 in Japanese. The last word is “swift”. It means 「速い、迅速」in Japanese. For example “a swift current”.
I read "Around the corner". This quote was made by Charles Hanson Towne (1877-1944). He was an American poet, writer, publisher and editor. He was a popular New York celebrity.
I thought that it's not good to put off doing something with an excuse and about the importance of good friends. This comic makes us think that we should cherish our friends. In fact I also had an experience similar to this cartoon. One day, my friend who lived nearby suddenly moved away. I thought that we would be able to play together, but I have not met her again even now. But it is too late to regret it. I sympathized with the main character of this cartoon. I also would like to cherish the friends.
I learned some new vocabulary words. "Terrible" means 「恐ろしい、ひどい」in Japanese. The next word is "foolish". It means「愚かな、ばかげた」 in Japanese. The last word is “swift”. It means 「速い、迅速」in Japanese. For example “a swift current”.
Koji - 10/12/2016
I read No.60 “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Robert Frost is a famous American poet and this is one of his most famous poems. He left many famous poems and sayings. He got many prizes. This poem expresses a branch road of life. A certain man stood between two roads, but he can’t choose two roads. One road is maintained and passed along by many people. Another road, grass grows thick and nobody passes on that road. He was fascinated and chose the road other people don't choose. He knows He knows that he cannot come back. The road was very steep, but he thinks that the choice was right.
I understood this poem much, because our life has many decisions and I think they are very important. I think if I chose different decisions, I might spend a different life, but I think my decisions were right, because I’m very happy now.
This time, I learned new vocabulary words. First, I learned“perhaps”, it means “probably”, in Japanese it means (たぶん). Second, I learned “equally”, it means “impartially”, In Japanese it means (等しく). Third, I learned “diverge”. It means “branch off”. In Japanese it means (分かれる).
I read No.60 “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Robert Frost is a famous American poet and this is one of his most famous poems. He left many famous poems and sayings. He got many prizes. This poem expresses a branch road of life. A certain man stood between two roads, but he can’t choose two roads. One road is maintained and passed along by many people. Another road, grass grows thick and nobody passes on that road. He was fascinated and chose the road other people don't choose. He knows He knows that he cannot come back. The road was very steep, but he thinks that the choice was right.
I understood this poem much, because our life has many decisions and I think they are very important. I think if I chose different decisions, I might spend a different life, but I think my decisions were right, because I’m very happy now.
This time, I learned new vocabulary words. First, I learned“perhaps”, it means “probably”, in Japanese it means (たぶん). Second, I learned “equally”, it means “impartially”, In Japanese it means (等しく). Third, I learned “diverge”. It means “branch off”. In Japanese it means (分かれる).
Kaho- 10/12/2016
"Those who mind, don't matter" - This quote was made by DR. Seuss (1904-1991). He was a picture book writer and children's author from the United States. He began his career as a picture book writer in 1973. After that, he wrote a total of 46 works. Wacky colors and a unique sentence of rhythm are great symbols of his work.
This quote means that be who you are and say what you feel, because it is not necessary to worry about people who quibble. This comic is drawn about homosexuality. I agree with this quote. There are a lot of people in the world, so the way of thinking is different from person to person. Even if other people laugh at your ideas, I think there are people who understand your thinking.
I learned a new vocabulary word. The word is "wacky" (むちゃくちゃな)It means "crazy".
"Those who mind, don't matter" - This quote was made by DR. Seuss (1904-1991). He was a picture book writer and children's author from the United States. He began his career as a picture book writer in 1973. After that, he wrote a total of 46 works. Wacky colors and a unique sentence of rhythm are great symbols of his work.
This quote means that be who you are and say what you feel, because it is not necessary to worry about people who quibble. This comic is drawn about homosexuality. I agree with this quote. There are a lot of people in the world, so the way of thinking is different from person to person. Even if other people laugh at your ideas, I think there are people who understand your thinking.
I learned a new vocabulary word. The word is "wacky" (むちゃくちゃな)It means "crazy".
Shougo - 10/12/2016
"The Two Wolves" - This quote was made by an elderly Cherokee Native American. This story seems to have appeared in 1978 from a passage in the Evangelical Christian Minister, Billy Graham's book, “The Holy Spirit: Activating God's Power in Your Life.” In this quote, an elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren ‘A fight is going on inside me.' And he says 'The same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.' This means "each person has a fight between "hope" and "despair" going on inside of him." The graphics are simple. The same thing appears in me.
I thought after reading this quote that such a thing happens everywhere. "White hope" and "black despair." These forces in our mind are always in conflict, and we don't know which will win.
I learned some new vocabulary words. First, I learned "ego." It means when someone thinks of himself first. In Japanese 自我. Second, I learned "faith." It means a belief in something; relying on it. In Japanese, it means 信頼.
"The Two Wolves" - This quote was made by an elderly Cherokee Native American. This story seems to have appeared in 1978 from a passage in the Evangelical Christian Minister, Billy Graham's book, “The Holy Spirit: Activating God's Power in Your Life.” In this quote, an elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren ‘A fight is going on inside me.' And he says 'The same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.' This means "each person has a fight between "hope" and "despair" going on inside of him." The graphics are simple. The same thing appears in me.
I thought after reading this quote that such a thing happens everywhere. "White hope" and "black despair." These forces in our mind are always in conflict, and we don't know which will win.
I learned some new vocabulary words. First, I learned "ego." It means when someone thinks of himself first. In Japanese 自我. Second, I learned "faith." It means a belief in something; relying on it. In Japanese, it means 信頼.
Shotaro - 10/12/2016
89) Stephen Fry: "Ultimate Self-help Book" - “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and you will be happy.” This quote was made by Stephen Fry. He is a comedian, author, actor, director, TV host, radio host and journalist.
The meaning is literal. If you feel sorry for yourself, you will not be happy. Trust yourself. The graphics help to understand it. The man was feeling self-pity, but after reading this inspirational quote in a self-help book, the man decided to change himself. This quote is simple, but I think it's the most important way to live. If everyone has confidence in himself, the world would be better.
89) Stephen Fry: "Ultimate Self-help Book" - “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and you will be happy.” This quote was made by Stephen Fry. He is a comedian, author, actor, director, TV host, radio host and journalist.
The meaning is literal. If you feel sorry for yourself, you will not be happy. Trust yourself. The graphics help to understand it. The man was feeling self-pity, but after reading this inspirational quote in a self-help book, the man decided to change himself. This quote is simple, but I think it's the most important way to live. If everyone has confidence in himself, the world would be better.
Aoi - 10/12/2016
I read "The Power Of One" by Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall is a famous ethnologist of the United Kingdom. She studied the behavior and social relationships of chimpanzees. She got a lot of awards. This comic says that the worst danger of the future is apathy. In this story of saving the people, a woman uses technology to use garbage to make a better world.
I learned some new vocabulary words, such as "ignorance", "helplessness", "extraordinary". First, "ignorance (無知)" means the lack of knowledge or education. Second, "helplessness (無力)" means a feeling of being unable to manage. Finally, "extraordinary (非凡な)" means beyond what is ordinary or usual.
I thought I am an apathetic person after reading this comic. I am not even interested in larger issues such as environmental problems and the aging population. These problems relate to us and our children and our grandchildren, so they will affect their future. But I have never been interested dangers of the future. I learned that the thing that can change the future is action and interest in the world by even one person. I also want to let interested little by little in the world's problems.
I read "The Power Of One" by Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall is a famous ethnologist of the United Kingdom. She studied the behavior and social relationships of chimpanzees. She got a lot of awards. This comic says that the worst danger of the future is apathy. In this story of saving the people, a woman uses technology to use garbage to make a better world.
I learned some new vocabulary words, such as "ignorance", "helplessness", "extraordinary". First, "ignorance (無知)" means the lack of knowledge or education. Second, "helplessness (無力)" means a feeling of being unable to manage. Finally, "extraordinary (非凡な)" means beyond what is ordinary or usual.
I thought I am an apathetic person after reading this comic. I am not even interested in larger issues such as environmental problems and the aging population. These problems relate to us and our children and our grandchildren, so they will affect their future. But I have never been interested dangers of the future. I learned that the thing that can change the future is action and interest in the world by even one person. I also want to let interested little by little in the world's problems.
Erika - 10/12/2016
No.18 : "Watering your dreams" - This quote was made by Lao Tzu. He is an ancient Chinese philosopher, People say he was the founder of Taoism. (Note: Lao Tzu was not a Taoist). The name Lao Tzu is considered an honorific title, “Lao” (old)(老) means "fine" or "old," “Child”(Tzu)(子) is leading to the matter. He is a person of the Spring and Autumn Warning States Period. Taoism was born by his thought. He is said that he have written a book “Lao Tzu”, but there are many questions about its history. Or his existence has been questioned, and intense debate has been performed on the era he lived in. Lao Tzu was worshiped as a deity by most of the Taoist sect. In a word, he is a mysterious person.
This quote helps people's thought. If you feel worry and fear, it will be not good. If you feel happy, everything will be all right. The words and picture are well matched.
I like this quote. Depending on whether you feel happy or sad, everything will be OK or bad. I want people to read this. If people read this, they will be positive. When I feel painful, I will remember this. I will continue to live my best.
No.18 : "Watering your dreams" - This quote was made by Lao Tzu. He is an ancient Chinese philosopher, People say he was the founder of Taoism. (Note: Lao Tzu was not a Taoist). The name Lao Tzu is considered an honorific title, “Lao” (old)(老) means "fine" or "old," “Child”(Tzu)(子) is leading to the matter. He is a person of the Spring and Autumn Warning States Period. Taoism was born by his thought. He is said that he have written a book “Lao Tzu”, but there are many questions about its history. Or his existence has been questioned, and intense debate has been performed on the era he lived in. Lao Tzu was worshiped as a deity by most of the Taoist sect. In a word, he is a mysterious person.
This quote helps people's thought. If you feel worry and fear, it will be not good. If you feel happy, everything will be all right. The words and picture are well matched.
I like this quote. Depending on whether you feel happy or sad, everything will be OK or bad. I want people to read this. If people read this, they will be positive. When I feel painful, I will remember this. I will continue to live my best.
Ayako - 10/12/2016
“Never give up” - This quote was made by Calvin Coolidge. He was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. This quote means that to keep trying and if you have difficulty or trouble, never stop working for your goals. The important thing is to press on with your persistence and determination. The graphic is very simple, so it is easy to understand for everyone.
I agree with this quote because if you have difficulty, to avoid doing something is not a good solution. In addition, if you are afraid of failure, you will never accomplish anything. I think we can learn many things from mistakes. I learned a new word “persistence”. It means when something continues to exist or happen, especially for longer than usual. (粘り強さ).
“Never give up” - This quote was made by Calvin Coolidge. He was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. This quote means that to keep trying and if you have difficulty or trouble, never stop working for your goals. The important thing is to press on with your persistence and determination. The graphic is very simple, so it is easy to understand for everyone.
I agree with this quote because if you have difficulty, to avoid doing something is not a good solution. In addition, if you are afraid of failure, you will never accomplish anything. I think we can learn many things from mistakes. I learned a new word “persistence”. It means when something continues to exist or happen, especially for longer than usual. (粘り強さ).
Natsuko - 10/11/2016
"The Most Astounding Fact" - This quote was made by Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is an astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York. He is also a TV host and one of the current rock stars of the science world. He's gained mainstream and pop-culture fame thanks to his books, TV show and frequent appearances on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
This quote means that many people feel small and the universe is big, but you are also big because your atoms come from the galaxy. All components of the universe are found in atoms of your body. This quote and the story are based on science, so if there were no graphics, I wouldn't understand what Neil deGrasse Tyson wants to say. I'm very inspired by this quote. I don't like science because it is difficult for me, but his message is simple. Sometimes I feel how small I am and the earth turns without me. But after I read this quote, I felt stronger and like I'm a part of the universe. I'm awesome just the way I am.
I learned a new vocabulary word, "astounding." It means so surprising that it is almost impossible to believe. In Japanese 驚くべき.
"The Most Astounding Fact" - This quote was made by Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is an astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York. He is also a TV host and one of the current rock stars of the science world. He's gained mainstream and pop-culture fame thanks to his books, TV show and frequent appearances on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
This quote means that many people feel small and the universe is big, but you are also big because your atoms come from the galaxy. All components of the universe are found in atoms of your body. This quote and the story are based on science, so if there were no graphics, I wouldn't understand what Neil deGrasse Tyson wants to say. I'm very inspired by this quote. I don't like science because it is difficult for me, but his message is simple. Sometimes I feel how small I am and the earth turns without me. But after I read this quote, I felt stronger and like I'm a part of the universe. I'm awesome just the way I am.
I learned a new vocabulary word, "astounding." It means so surprising that it is almost impossible to believe. In Japanese 驚くべき.
Asuna - 10/6/2016
I’ll introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “Books are awesome”. This quote was made by Carl Sagan. He was a famous American astronomer, professor and author. He was a pioneer in the study of the origin of life. The quote, "Books are awesome," means that a book is not only printed papers. Rather, it is the greatest human invention, because people can know the ideas and history of other humans who have been dead for thousands of years. The graphics help me to understand the meaning of this quote, and its graphics are simple.
I’m a little inspired by this quote. I don’t often read books, such as autobiographies, histories and so on. But after reading this quote, I thought that books hold a lot of good messages for us, so reading books is important. But when I read this quote, I felt the cartoon turned this quote into a fantasy, because I don’t believe that books can break open and people, who have been dead for thousands of years will appear from inside the books.
I learned some new words. “Flexible” means “ 曲げやすい・しなやかな ” in Japanese, or easy to bend in English. For example, a narrow tree branch is flexible. “Autobiography” means a biography which was written about oneself. It’s “ 自叙伝 ” in Japanese. “Proof” means "evidence of fact," and it’s “ 証拠 ” in Japanese.
I’ll introduce the Zen Pencils comic, “Books are awesome”. This quote was made by Carl Sagan. He was a famous American astronomer, professor and author. He was a pioneer in the study of the origin of life. The quote, "Books are awesome," means that a book is not only printed papers. Rather, it is the greatest human invention, because people can know the ideas and history of other humans who have been dead for thousands of years. The graphics help me to understand the meaning of this quote, and its graphics are simple.
I’m a little inspired by this quote. I don’t often read books, such as autobiographies, histories and so on. But after reading this quote, I thought that books hold a lot of good messages for us, so reading books is important. But when I read this quote, I felt the cartoon turned this quote into a fantasy, because I don’t believe that books can break open and people, who have been dead for thousands of years will appear from inside the books.
I learned some new words. “Flexible” means “ 曲げやすい・しなやかな ” in Japanese, or easy to bend in English. For example, a narrow tree branch is flexible. “Autobiography” means a biography which was written about oneself. It’s “ 自叙伝 ” in Japanese. “Proof” means "evidence of fact," and it’s “ 証拠 ” in Japanese.
Mai - 10/20/2015
92) 11 Ways to be Average
The quote is by Chris Guillebeau. The last sentence says, “You don't have to live your life the way other people expect you to.” I read this comic and noticed it is not good to do only what is expected and to live your life with no meaning. The chief character of this comic studied from childhood and graduated from a university. And he worked not only at his desk but also from the beach side. He was recognized for his work by the boss, but it was only a watch. However, he never bothered to learn other languages. And he intended to write a book, but he never did it. He was going to have his own shop, but he didn't do that either. So he just worked until retirement age. To see his life, I think I should take some chances and do the things I want to do to have a substantial pleasant life.
92) 11 Ways to be Average
The quote is by Chris Guillebeau. The last sentence says, “You don't have to live your life the way other people expect you to.” I read this comic and noticed it is not good to do only what is expected and to live your life with no meaning. The chief character of this comic studied from childhood and graduated from a university. And he worked not only at his desk but also from the beach side. He was recognized for his work by the boss, but it was only a watch. However, he never bothered to learn other languages. And he intended to write a book, but he never did it. He was going to have his own shop, but he didn't do that either. So he just worked until retirement age. To see his life, I think I should take some chances and do the things I want to do to have a substantial pleasant life.
Yuya - 10/13/2015
60) Robert Frost: The road not taken
I'll introduce and explain a poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Frost is a famous poet who has written many wise remarks. This poem that I read is famous and symbolizes the American Dream. A certain man stood at a place where one road forks into two. One way is easy to walk because the road was rutted. But the man chose another way where the grass grew thick. He was going to reclaim the way by himself. He chose this way while knowing that he could not come back anymore. The way is steeper than he imagined so he sighed over his choice. But his choice made his life interesting and splendid. The man chose a big gamble in his life. The way was difficult to go, but he didn't feel regret. He accepted the passage of time and he thought that if he chose another way, his life might have become dull. I could never gamble my future or risk my life, even if there is a splendid thing over there. But I want to become like the man in the poem who doesn't regret his choice.
60) Robert Frost: The road not taken
I'll introduce and explain a poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Frost is a famous poet who has written many wise remarks. This poem that I read is famous and symbolizes the American Dream. A certain man stood at a place where one road forks into two. One way is easy to walk because the road was rutted. But the man chose another way where the grass grew thick. He was going to reclaim the way by himself. He chose this way while knowing that he could not come back anymore. The way is steeper than he imagined so he sighed over his choice. But his choice made his life interesting and splendid. The man chose a big gamble in his life. The way was difficult to go, but he didn't feel regret. He accepted the passage of time and he thought that if he chose another way, his life might have become dull. I could never gamble my future or risk my life, even if there is a splendid thing over there. But I want to become like the man in the poem who doesn't regret his choice.
Keita - 10/13/2015
36) Bruce Lee: There are no limits
This quote was made by Bruce Lee. He was a famous action star, but he especially became famous after he died. He made Jeet Kune Do, a Chinese practical martial art and a philosophy about everything. This quote encourages you to try harder. If you feel that you've reached a dead end, then this quote is meaningful and gets you moving again. If you make limits for yourself, then you should stay, "That’s not good enough." Moving forward means going beyond your limits, which is an important idea to make you stronger.
I didn’t know this quote from Bruce Lee. I wish I’d learned this quote earlier, because when I was a high school student, I was captain of the Track & Field club. If I knew this quote then, it would have made me physically stronger. I like this quote and I am inspired by this quote.
36) Bruce Lee: There are no limits
This quote was made by Bruce Lee. He was a famous action star, but he especially became famous after he died. He made Jeet Kune Do, a Chinese practical martial art and a philosophy about everything. This quote encourages you to try harder. If you feel that you've reached a dead end, then this quote is meaningful and gets you moving again. If you make limits for yourself, then you should stay, "That’s not good enough." Moving forward means going beyond your limits, which is an important idea to make you stronger.
I didn’t know this quote from Bruce Lee. I wish I’d learned this quote earlier, because when I was a high school student, I was captain of the Track & Field club. If I knew this quote then, it would have made me physically stronger. I like this quote and I am inspired by this quote.
Tomohiro - 10/13/2015
93) Charles Hanson Towne: Around the Corner
The quote "Around the corner" was made by Charles Hanson Towne. He is an American poet, author, editor and general celebrity. He was well-known and regarded by many as a successful New Yorker. This quote means when we are young, we make good friends, but when we grow older, we concentrate on our studies, our work and our family life, so we lose touch with our old friends. The message of the poem is to not let anything get in the way of those cherished friendships. The graphics help me to understand the meaning of the poem and the emotion of the situations. I feel this poem is touching and it makes me think about the importance of friends.
93) Charles Hanson Towne: Around the Corner
The quote "Around the corner" was made by Charles Hanson Towne. He is an American poet, author, editor and general celebrity. He was well-known and regarded by many as a successful New Yorker. This quote means when we are young, we make good friends, but when we grow older, we concentrate on our studies, our work and our family life, so we lose touch with our old friends. The message of the poem is to not let anything get in the way of those cherished friendships. The graphics help me to understand the meaning of the poem and the emotion of the situations. I feel this poem is touching and it makes me think about the importance of friends.
Mei - 10/13/2015
12) Carl Sagan: Make the most of this life
This quote was made by Carl sagan. He was a Science writer. His research field was Astronomy. He proposed that nuclear war would cause a global glacial epoch in his book. "Make the most of this life" is a comic created based on Sagan's quote. I think this quote means life gives us an opportunity when it is magnificent though it is small. I didn't know him until I searched about him, but this quote is a great quote. I felt that we should live our time carefully not to miss the opportunity. And I found a new vocabulary word: brief. Brief means 短い生涯 in Japanese.
12) Carl Sagan: Make the most of this life
This quote was made by Carl sagan. He was a Science writer. His research field was Astronomy. He proposed that nuclear war would cause a global glacial epoch in his book. "Make the most of this life" is a comic created based on Sagan's quote. I think this quote means life gives us an opportunity when it is magnificent though it is small. I didn't know him until I searched about him, but this quote is a great quote. I felt that we should live our time carefully not to miss the opportunity. And I found a new vocabulary word: brief. Brief means 短い生涯 in Japanese.
Sho - 10/13/2015
18) Lao Tzu: Watering Your Dreams
Lao Tzu is an ancient Chinese philosopher and he is said to be the founder of Taoism. So he is very famous. I think maybe "Watering your dreams" means how to fulfill our dreams. To put it simply, if you do nothing but worry and have fear, you can't fulfill your dreams. So you should go looking for solutions to achieve success under any circumstances, regardless of your problems. Then you will be able to command success. In these graphics, his dream is painted as symbols on a plant. I think these are very nice and simple graphics to explain the quote's meaning. I feel that is exactly right. I think it's important to be able to adapt to the moment and deal with the situation to achieve my dreams.
18) Lao Tzu: Watering Your Dreams
Lao Tzu is an ancient Chinese philosopher and he is said to be the founder of Taoism. So he is very famous. I think maybe "Watering your dreams" means how to fulfill our dreams. To put it simply, if you do nothing but worry and have fear, you can't fulfill your dreams. So you should go looking for solutions to achieve success under any circumstances, regardless of your problems. Then you will be able to command success. In these graphics, his dream is painted as symbols on a plant. I think these are very nice and simple graphics to explain the quote's meaning. I feel that is exactly right. I think it's important to be able to adapt to the moment and deal with the situation to achieve my dreams.
Masanori - 10/13/2015
86) Randy Pausch: The Brick Walls
Randy Pausch was a professor of computer-science and human-computer interaction. After he got terminal cancer, he could only live for 3 to 6 months. He had his speech called "The Last Lecture : Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" which is now a famous speech. After that, his talk video was uploaded to a famous video site and finally he appeared on Oprah and he wrote a best-selling book. The comic has only 4 sentences, so I couldn't understand enough information of the story. However, only its short frames transmitted to me an impression because the story has terrible description. What is the story is that some people are climbing a brick wall while frightened. They're going toward the top of the wall because there is a monster opening its mouth at the bottom of the wall and people falling from the wall are eaten by the creature. At end of the story, a man could arrive at the top of the wall and then he recognized that the wall is fear and he decided "I should tell how the wall is dangerous." There were only 4 sentences, I didn't know one of the words in the title "brick." "Brick" means "レンガ" (renga) so "brick wall" is "レンガ壁" (renga kabe) in Japanese.
86) Randy Pausch: The Brick Walls
Randy Pausch was a professor of computer-science and human-computer interaction. After he got terminal cancer, he could only live for 3 to 6 months. He had his speech called "The Last Lecture : Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" which is now a famous speech. After that, his talk video was uploaded to a famous video site and finally he appeared on Oprah and he wrote a best-selling book. The comic has only 4 sentences, so I couldn't understand enough information of the story. However, only its short frames transmitted to me an impression because the story has terrible description. What is the story is that some people are climbing a brick wall while frightened. They're going toward the top of the wall because there is a monster opening its mouth at the bottom of the wall and people falling from the wall are eaten by the creature. At end of the story, a man could arrive at the top of the wall and then he recognized that the wall is fear and he decided "I should tell how the wall is dangerous." There were only 4 sentences, I didn't know one of the words in the title "brick." "Brick" means "レンガ" (renga) so "brick wall" is "レンガ壁" (renga kabe) in Japanese.
Akiko - 10/13/2015
98) Alan Watts: What if money was no object?
Alan Watts was philosopher and writer who played a large part in popularizing Zen Buddhism in the west. He published many books on Zen and Eastern philosophy. Watts had over 25 books published and recorded over 400 lectures. I think this quote's meaning is people shouldn't think money is the most important thing. This quote says if you do something to get money, you will waste time, so you should do what you like in your life, and you should forget about money, so you can enjoy your life. I like the graphics. The girl removed her brain; it so amazing for me. I understood people should forget what they have to do and they should enjoy their life. I am a little inspired by this quote. I want to do what I like, and I want to become a master of the things I like. But It is difficult for me because in the real world, money is the most important thing, We have to earn money to live life. So I roughly agree with this quote. If I can say something selfish, I want to both earn money and enjoy my life.
98) Alan Watts: What if money was no object?
Alan Watts was philosopher and writer who played a large part in popularizing Zen Buddhism in the west. He published many books on Zen and Eastern philosophy. Watts had over 25 books published and recorded over 400 lectures. I think this quote's meaning is people shouldn't think money is the most important thing. This quote says if you do something to get money, you will waste time, so you should do what you like in your life, and you should forget about money, so you can enjoy your life. I like the graphics. The girl removed her brain; it so amazing for me. I understood people should forget what they have to do and they should enjoy their life. I am a little inspired by this quote. I want to do what I like, and I want to become a master of the things I like. But It is difficult for me because in the real world, money is the most important thing, We have to earn money to live life. So I roughly agree with this quote. If I can say something selfish, I want to both earn money and enjoy my life.
Yuki Ku. - 10/12/2015
30) Dean Karnazes: There's No Struggle in Our Lives
This quote was made by Dean Karnazes, and he is famous for being an ultra-marathon runner, which is someone who runs longer than the normal marathon. This quote means there is some kind of mysterious attraction in misery. For instance, in this case, Dean feels an attraction in misery when he is running, I guess. I don't know exactly what attraction he feels, because when I'm running, I just feel suffering by the way. I think reading comic books is easier than reading books that were written only letters since graphics help me to understand, and if I can't figure out the meaning of a word that also helps me. I also agree nowadays there's no struggle in our lives, but if I can find a something that I have to do my best, I can see new world because there's magic.
30) Dean Karnazes: There's No Struggle in Our Lives
This quote was made by Dean Karnazes, and he is famous for being an ultra-marathon runner, which is someone who runs longer than the normal marathon. This quote means there is some kind of mysterious attraction in misery. For instance, in this case, Dean feels an attraction in misery when he is running, I guess. I don't know exactly what attraction he feels, because when I'm running, I just feel suffering by the way. I think reading comic books is easier than reading books that were written only letters since graphics help me to understand, and if I can't figure out the meaning of a word that also helps me. I also agree nowadays there's no struggle in our lives, but if I can find a something that I have to do my best, I can see new world because there's magic.
Kouhei - 10/11/2015
50) Neil Gaiman: Make Good Art
This quote was made by Neil Gaiman. He is a famous SF and Fantasy writer. For example, The Sandman is a famous comic book that he wrote. He gave this speech at the Philadelphia’s University of the Arts. This quote means that when you are in not in a good situation, you should make good art (or something like that) so you may change the situation or get happy. The graphics showed me that 「art」has various meanings, and 「art」doesn't mean only drawing a picture, but can mean making a movie, or creating something or writing a book. I am inspired by this quote, because this quote gives me a positive attitude. I feel this quote tries to encourage people who feel bad when life goes wrong. Right now, I think I don't feel bad and my life isn’t going the wrong way. but if I get a bad feeling or something like that, I’ll read this quote.
50) Neil Gaiman: Make Good Art
This quote was made by Neil Gaiman. He is a famous SF and Fantasy writer. For example, The Sandman is a famous comic book that he wrote. He gave this speech at the Philadelphia’s University of the Arts. This quote means that when you are in not in a good situation, you should make good art (or something like that) so you may change the situation or get happy. The graphics showed me that 「art」has various meanings, and 「art」doesn't mean only drawing a picture, but can mean making a movie, or creating something or writing a book. I am inspired by this quote, because this quote gives me a positive attitude. I feel this quote tries to encourage people who feel bad when life goes wrong. Right now, I think I don't feel bad and my life isn’t going the wrong way. but if I get a bad feeling or something like that, I’ll read this quote.
Kanami - 10/11/2015
54) Ray Bradbury: Jump!
“You’ve got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down.”- This quote was made by Ray Bradbury for entrepreneurship. He is an American fantasy, science-fiction writer. His most famous novel is Fahrenheit 451. This novel was made into a movie in 1966. This quote means that entrepreneurship needs boldness and audacity to create. When I read this comic, I couldn’t understand the quote’s meaning at first. But as I searched, I could understand. I’m not an entrepreneur, but I have a passive personality. So I thought I need to jump off cliffs too and I’d like to try to do everything more aggressively.
54) Ray Bradbury: Jump!
“You’ve got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down.”- This quote was made by Ray Bradbury for entrepreneurship. He is an American fantasy, science-fiction writer. His most famous novel is Fahrenheit 451. This novel was made into a movie in 1966. This quote means that entrepreneurship needs boldness and audacity to create. When I read this comic, I couldn’t understand the quote’s meaning at first. But as I searched, I could understand. I’m not an entrepreneur, but I have a passive personality. So I thought I need to jump off cliffs too and I’d like to try to do everything more aggressively.