Tofugu Is Becoming A “Full-Time Job”… In Two Weeks

by

Crazy stuff has been afoot. Turns out my lease in the very expensive San Francisco (we’re talking $1800 /month for a studio & parking!) apartment I’m living in is up soon, and it’s time to make some decisions. In a nutshell, I’ve decided to take this opportunity to move to a less expensive city (Portland, OR) and turn my focus on Tofugu & TextFugu, full time. How cool is that? Writing on the internets for a living… take that, realism.

That being said, though, I’m going to be moving for the next two weeks and won’t be answering too many e-mails, writing all that many posts (anyone interested in guest posting?), or doing much of anything except driving 12 hours a day shuttling, shuttling, shuttling things in my little car.

Just wanted to let folks know that I’m looking forward to the time after May 9, when posts should start coming on a 4-5 times a week basis, and TextFugu lessons will flow freely. Thanks to all of you that have made this possible – all the support, all the comments, all the e-mails, and especially all the TextFugu subscribers. You all rock my socks off.

Wish me luck over the next two weeks. Any suggestions for great audio books to listen to on the road? I’ll need at least 40 hours worth, I think :(

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  • http://www.cassandraland.com Cassandra

    I think it's awesome that you are taking TextFugu and Tofugu full time! (I'm a subscriber on TextFugu and love it).

    I don't have any experience with audio books, so can't help you there. But I just wanted to say congratulations and good luck with your decision! I'm also incredibly jealous you get to live in Portland. :)

  • http://www.tofugu.com koichi

    I don't know if Portland is worth being jealous about, but thanks for your warm wishes! What about books in general? Often times a good book will have an audio version

  • Robin

    We'll welcome you to Portland! There's plenty of cool Japanese stores and culture up here, too.

  • http://kirstenwinkler.com KirstenWinkler

    All the best for you. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you (no, I won't take the next flight from France to help you move) ;)

    But from beyond that… :)

  • Maki

    If your focus will be on Tofugu and TextFugu all time, they'll become even better! Amazing *_*
    I really hope you'll find the way not to get bored stiff during that 40 hours (I'm sorry, I don't have any audiobooks to suggest you…)…
    And…Good luck! :)

  • Kali

    Would it be too incredibly dorky of me to suggest Harry Potter on audiobook? Both Jim Dale and Stephen Fry are great to listen to lol. Just don't fall asleep on the road. :-p

  • http://www.tofugu.com koichi

    Who says I'm going to work 40 hours!? Haha. I'm going to sleep in sometimes too, I think ;)

  • http://www.facebook.com/marek.bernat Marek Bernat

    Hi. Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is a classic. I always wanted to listen to the audio version (voiced by the author), but still had no chance for 10hr ride to try it out :-)

  • http://www.rukinet.com/ Rukishou

    I wouldn't mind guest posting once or twice, but I really don't know what I would write within this area… besides an actual Japanese lesson which doesn't really seem like something that you'd guest (“guest” here being a verb… yes) so… well, I guess I'll have to pass this time.

    Good luck with the move and all, anyway!

  • http://deblanck.org Morten

    Listen to some Haruki Murakami. That will definitely rock your socks off (once more)!

  • orbitalinquiries

    Portland..hmm…i guess its what works haha.. but I [like many of your subs] am pretty stoked about the more frequent updates and info. Given that I am taking on the challenge of learning Japanese on my own textfugu and tofugu really comes in handy. A bit of 2 pronged attack on learning culture and language. Cheers mate. If I can help out im always up for a bit of ghost writing haha.

    Audio books no..but check out Robert Ludlum Books [The Janson Directive I recommend] same bloke who wrote the Bourne Books. If you're a fan of that genre.

    Cheers mate. Good luck with everything

  • orbitalinquiries

    if you're ever on the east coast..stop by in NYC we can jam and fun some udon up in this beezniz…[i fail at being gangsta] don't judge me :( haha

  • http://mokudekiru.com/ mokudekiru

    Koichi!! Congrats :) I'm very glad to hear you're going full-time. Ahh, tis my dream to one day do the same. Anyway best of luck and enjoy Portland!

  • http://twitter.com/jintymac Janet

    This is fantastic news, I wish you good luck with the move and can't wait to read more of your posts in the future as well as benefit from more textfugu lessons :D

  • http://lizlearns.wordpress.com/ LizLearns

    本当におめでとうございます！＾＾　うらやましい～ Best of luck in moving and with your new job and digs! Can't wait to see what you come up with in the future!

  • Autolycus84

    I hear “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,” is great on audio book. The reader is either John Cleese or Eddie Izzard. “Lord of the Rings,” can be good too, although you have to get past the first few chapters.

  • http://www.myspace.com/redbrainmatter YoyoKirby

    Long time no comment.

    Good luck to ya. Does it pay well?

  • http://www.zonjineko.com zonjineko

    Great news – I remember the day when my previous web project turned into a full-time job. I couldn't believe I was getting paid to sit around and do something I loved all day :)

    Well done and best of luck.

  • sumi

    Good luck!
    I have moved 7 times, so I know it's hard!
    Thanks for all your good work.

  • Kodiou

    Great stuff Koichi, tofugu must be reeling in the dollars, 'kerching!'

    I'm going to suggest any Jack Reacher audio book, by Lee Child, thriller genre. Also get some rocking tunes on the go, like Scorpions, Van Halen, etc etc. Also, get an audiobook/podcast on SEO, might help you even more with your site.

  • Kitsune_the_Feytouched

    Check out a few of the Podio books by Phillipa Ballantine. She offers both Chasing the Bard and Digital Magic online… Both are brilliant! If you're more of a riske type of guy, she even has an erotica podio cast. Certainly that should keep you awake while you're driving cross state lines!

    http://www.chasingthebard.com/
    http://www.digitalmagicnovel.com/
    http://www.eroticaalacarte.com/

  • Kitsune_the_Feytouched

    Hey, if you're up for Podio Books, check out Phillipa Ballantine's stuff. Chasing the Bard and Digital Magic are awesome, and offered free online!

    http://www.chasingthebard.com/
    http://www.digitalmagicnovel.com/

    Good Luck and may your new apartment be inexpensive!

  • alicia

    Congratulations, and good luck!

    Harry Potter exists in audiobook form in Japanese, though I don't know where specifically to get it. A Japanese bookstore would probably have it though.

    I'd suggest podcasts, if you listen to any, especially the longer (45min+) ones.I find that if there's a really good one I've just found, I'll power through whatever episodes are available. Slate's Culture Gabfest is really good, as are NPR's Fresh Air and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.

  • http://www.tofugu.com koichi

    oh man, I've listened to H2G2 I don't know how many times already (and read it who knows how many times…). But, I could always use another listen, great idea!

  • http://twitter.com/stephano stephano

    路平安を祈る

    http://www.yelp.com/biz/yuzu-beaverton
    http://www.yelp.com/biz/anzen-hiroshis-portland

    The rest are pretty easy to find ^^.

    Welcome to Portland.

  • tekuno

    Welcome back Koichi! Portland missed you.

  • http://threeamcomics.wordpress.com/ teax2

    Get the Pocket and the Pendant from podiobooks.com. It's about a town where time stops, and it's really fantastic.
    I've heard good things about Portland…

  • http://gakuranman.com Gakuranman

    Awesome news man! Really happy for you :). No plans to move to Japan and work on Tofugu then? Lots of resources over here you know ;). As for audio books… Not listened to many myself, but if you are a fan of the Harry Potter series, those can be good, or anything read by Stephen Fry.

  • http://blog.rainbowhill.com.au/ Rainbowhill

    That really is awesome Koichi, it's a big win for all of us that read your stuff. Congratulations! Seeing how hard you work at it is really inspirational.

    I happy to pitch in and keep the content rolling with another guest post. Perhaps I could write a piece on Vogon poetry to keep you amused while reading H2G2?

    I listened to Seth Godin Tribes last year and really got a lot out of it if you're after something non-fiction. Have a safe trip back to Portland!

  • ashley468

    Ahh! Vogon Poetry!

  • http://kellydolljapan.blogspot.com/ KellyDoll

    Congrats! Sounds like a great future :)

  • zaccraven

    Shouldn't you rent a truck for the day?

    Then you can get back to posting =D

  • MrRunnels

    40 hours would about cover the Book of the New Sun( 4 books ) by Gene Wolfe( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_the_Ne… ). Author's like Le Guin and Neil Gaiman constantly refer to Gene Wolfe as one of the best writers still breathing.

    Also, Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles( basically a much more realistic Arthur story ) is fantastic( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Cornwell#T… ).

    Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon is brilliant.

    Good luck and congratulations!

  • ko

    Good luck with moving! I have friends in Portland, and (as far as I know) they like it, haha.

  • c_a_t_d

    Wow, good luck with your move! I'm looking forward to more posts. And hey, since you'll be in the neighborhood (sort of) please visit Willamette!

  • mastercoldrice

    Ah, how exciting! I live in Portland too

  • http://JapanDave.com David LaSpina

    Wonderful news, Koichi! Best of luck with this bold move.

  • http://JapanDave.com David LaSpina

    Oh, btw, my vote in the audiobook suggestion contest… how about “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”. If you have any interest in zen, philosophy in general, or just in travel stories, it's a fun read. The unabridged audiobook version is very well read.

    (replying to my comment because Disqus isn't letting me edit it)

  • Geekly

    That's fantastic. Congratulations!

  • http://twitter.com/redmotman Wendel

    Congrats ^_^ Koichi I'm very glad to hear you're going full-time. and enjoy your new home

  • GojiMaji

    I would recommend James Clavell's Shogun series audio books. That would be Shogun, Tai Pan, Gaijin, King Rat, Nobel House, and Whirlwind. (Asian Historical Fiction) Or maybe Ken Folett's The Pillars of the earth and World Without end (English Historical Fiction) Bernard Cornwell also has a lot of historical fiction books (which im sure you can tell is my favorite genre) about Old England, which i find to be very entertaining. A couple favorites of mine by Cornwell are Agincourt, The King Alfred series, and The grail quest series.

  • SarahXin

    Oooh exciting! Good luck! :)

    I'm an audiobook noob but if you've ever seen the British show Torchwood they have some really cool audio dramas out. If you haven't seen the show before, though, it would probably be hard to understand (both the plot and their crazy Welsh accents lol).

    I've also heard the Series of Unfortunate Events audiobooks are good, if you're looking for something a little ridiculous. :D

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  • liz

    sweet deal! i live in portland. maybe i'll run into you somewhere and say hi :p

  • c. ladner

    On my long drives, I like listening to j-dramas that I've already watched. Just the audio of 花より男子 brings back sweet memories of when Domyouji finally stopped being a jerk and professed his love for Makino.

  • http://blog.daryn.net daryn

    Good luck! Come visit us at TeachStreet HQ in Seattle some time.

  • Martyna

    Audiobooks? How about podfics of fanfiction? You might find something here: http://amplificathon.dreamwidth.org/

  • Shelly

    That's AWESOME!!! How exciting to do something you enjoy full time. Congrats and I know I'm looking forward to subscribing to Textfugu. Good luck!!

  • Musouka

    Don't know about specific books but at least you can download these for free:

    http://www.booksshouldbefree.com

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