Next, remember that there is often no such thing as an exact translation. Basic nouns are one thing – a table is a table is a table, after all. But abstract concepts, like Semper Fidelis (the motto of US Marine Corps), can be notoriously difficult to translate well.

Once you have grasped this background material, you are ready to meet with tattoo artist. That’s right – meet. Don’t get anything done yet. At first you just want to talk. Specifically, you want to find out how familiar he or she is with issues mentioned above. If after an hour or so on internet you know more about Japanese than your tattoo artist, then you need to be very careful about kanji she suggests.

So what can you do if your tattoo artist doesn’t know his kanji from his katakana? How do you go about getting kanji yourself?

Well if you are confident in your new-found kanji knowledge, then there are a number of online dictionaries such as this one http://kanjidict.stc.cx/dict that can help.

Otherwise I would recommend getting a translation from a site like one I run - http://www.japanese-name-translation.com/ . A good translator will be able to offer you a number of different options as well as explaining exact meaning and pronunciation of different kanji. They should also be able to offer you a number of different styles, from basic kanji calligraphy fonts to genuine Japanese shodo calligraphy.

At end of day, how you decide to go about getting your kanji tattoo is up to you. Just remember that preparation is key to making sure your kanji tattoo doesn’t get “Lost in Translation”.

In Australian culture, there are several variations on term ranging from uggs, uggies, etc. through to ugz and uglys. Just why they were called uggs has remained a bit of a mystery. There are two main schools of thought;

1) ugg was derived from term ugly because original boots were little more than two pieces of sheepskin stitched together with a soft sole and weren’t exactly pretty, or

2) ugg is derived from term “ugh” meaning a groan of shock or horror. Either way, these definitions show just why general public either love ugg boots or hate them. Fashion aside, most people who purchase ugg boots end up being addicted to them forever because they perform one most important and basic function mankind needs and that is to keep warm.

Based on history, we can say real ugg boots come from Australia, are Australian made by different manufacturers and from genuine sheepskin. Next time you wish to purchase genuine uggs then you need to confirm they are in fact made in Australia. Importantly, don’t let tags or business names fool you. Just ask where they are made or read fine print. Often “Made in China”, “Made in Macau” or “Made in somewhere other than Australia” tag is hard to find! I wonder why?

Copyright © 2005 Michelle Jansen Website: Aussie Things (http://www.aussiethings.com.au)