There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

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MamaPata
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Mon Aug 27, 2018 12:10 pm

Ani wrote:Nice! I like it already. Thanks for the rec. I was looking for a new podcast.

FYI -- I misspell vieille the same way every time :)


Damnit, I knew it didn't feel right, but autocorrect let me have it. Thanks for the reminder!
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MamaPata
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Mon Aug 27, 2018 12:25 pm

Refusing to start this post with "not a lot to report" like a do every week! :x

Though, tbh, this is the case. I've been in a bit of a reading slump, so there's not much to report in that sense. I had a trio of terrible romance novels translated into French (even worse than the Nora Roberts I've been reading in Russian) that I read on my commute over two days, which felt like a good way of getting a bit of French in and managing the slump. But I'm not counting them for the super challenge, and it hasn't quite helped me figure out what to read next.

I did however, finish watching "La Mante" on Netflix. I've been watching it in sort of 15 min intervals here and there but then I finally had an empty evening and was into it enough to finish it off. Overall, I did like it, but I will say that there are two major plot points (and the way that they are treated) that I think are ... politically insensitive? and I am absolutely not on board with. They're pretty big spoilers so I'll leave it there, but if anyone has watched it, let me know. But I thought the acting was good and they manage to build the suspense. It does make me want to watch a few more thriller/crime programmes, which is most of the French TV I have access to, but I really haven't been into. So we'll see what I move onto.
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Sat Sep 01, 2018 11:47 am

How is it September?! When did that happen?! I swear it was May five minutes ago. But life is feeling pretty good - I feel like I'm finding a good balance, but hopefully life will get a bit more interesting now that the summer holidays are done (more events, more at work, etc).

The other day someone posted in the Super Challenge discussion about how far through we are into it and how everyone was doing. :shock: I am... definitely not on track. (Well, I'm not that behind on Spanish watching and Russian reading, but everything else...) Because of my laptop dying, I don't have access to my spreadsheet, which is a pain. I think I had a few things listed there that I haven't recorded with the bot. Oh well. It's so nice to see how well people are doing though - Xmmm already has 100 films for Italian (and 67 for Russian)! RadioClare has read 100 books! You're all so committed and impressive. I like being able to share in the successes of everyone on this forum - language related or otherwise.

So how is it going for me?

Russian

*crickets chirping*

Ahhh... yes. Russian. Exists. I think I read an article the other day? I'm trying to book a lesson, but italki is being a pain. I also have a few books to read, but have been focusing on English and French. (I finally finished a Philip Roth book I started nearly two years ago! Such a relief.) I am not too worried, I am sure Russian will work its way back in. While my Russian is not at the level that I would really like, it also isn't really a priority - I am unlikely to go back soon (visas so expensive!), it's not really that useful workwise... I want to keep improving and I definitely don't want to lose it, but I am happy to take a very slow ambling path. Maybe when I'm 80, I'll finally reach C1 level! For now, a few lessons a month, a bit of watching, a bit of reading, will suit me. I'll concentrate on passive skills and see how it goes.

French

This has been a bit more successful! I listened to another episode of La Vieille Branche (correct spelling this time ;) ). And I finished Cheri! (Let's not think about when I started it). It's another one where I definitely missed a lot, but I followed the story. I have some other French books lined up, but if anyone wants to recommend classics that are out of copyright and freely available, please do! I don't love serialised stories a lot of the time - I wasn't really convinced by the Three Musketeers and I'm not a huge fan of Zola or Balzac, which does cut down the options a little. I'm also considering what to watch next in French - probably another detective.

I am hopefully starting a French course soon, so I am hoping that that will help me focus my studies. I know I said that I don't really think group classes are very useful at a B2+ level, but I have fingers crossed for this one. I've done a trial version of the class before and I really enjoyed it. It's a DALF prep class and the teacher is very disciplined and does really interesting exercises. For example, we had to differentiate between synonyms, which I found really difficult. I can talk about basically anything I want in French (not always well! but I can make a point), but I don't know the *correct* vocab a lot of the time, or I don't understand the nuances when I hear things. I think this will really force me to work on that. That said, I have to do a level test and I don't know that they will definitely take me yet.

Spanish

I was watching the Gilmore Girls dub, because I know the story but I was getting pretty bored with it. Elenia and Ani were talking about Good Witch on Ani's log, so I have somehow ended up watching it. It's so bad guys. Why have you done this to me? The writing is terrible, it's so cheesy, the acting is not great. And yet. Somehow I'm on like episode 9? :oops: (On the bright side, this binge that is clearly happening will likely just push my Spanish a bit higher)

I'm struggling with Spanish a little. I have so far to go! And that's normal and to be expected, but oddly surprising for me. When I think about Spanish, I assume it is the same level as my French, because they both were at the same level for so many years. (I did them simultaneously throughout school). So when I watch or read stuff, I kind of expect to understand, because that's where I was. Also, I don't notice the progress that I have made with French over the last 1-2 years, so I still think of them as pretty much the same level. I forget how much my French listening improved because of the super challenge and I think that my French was where it is now when I started, rather than where my Spanish is now. I do suspect that once I've made it through a super challenge, my Spanish will be what I want from it and I'll be able to have fun with it, rather than feeling a bit like I'm working through a fog.

So I am torn a bit, as to my goal. I want to pick a language as my main one, but basically what I do to "study" is watch and read stuff (largely crap). So it isn't really like I have a main language. Which means no goal. Which is alien and weird for me and I don't like it.

Not sure any of that was comprehensible, but this is the problem with not having goals. Summary: I'm reasonably happy and bumbling along, but bumbling along is both A) exactly how I approach languages and B) totally alien to my personality. It's an odd balance.
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby DaveAgain » Sat Sep 01, 2018 1:20 pm

MamaPata wrote:Frenchif anyone wants to recommend classics that are out of copyright and freely available, please do! I don't love serialised stories a lot of the time - I wasn't really convinced by the Three Musketeers and I'm not a huge fan of Zola or Balzac, which does cut down the options a little. I'm also considering what to watch next in French - probably another detective.[/url]

Ces Dames au Chapeaux verts was OK.
Tartarin de tarascon (first half better than the last half)
Letters de mon Moulin: the short stories mentioned in this post, but not the whole collection (too many sad ones)
Messieurs les ronds de cuir (I've only read one chapter, but it looks fun.)

TV - Reineke mentioned an Arte documentary series called Le dessous des cartes, if you add a country name to that you can see any number of 10 minute doccys ... with maps!
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby Elenia » Sat Sep 01, 2018 2:10 pm

MamaPata wrote:Elenia and Ani were talking about Good Witch on Ani's log, so I have somehow ended up watching it. It's so bad guys. Why have you done this to me? The writing is terrible, it's so cheesy, the acting is not great. And yet. Somehow I'm on like episode 9? :oops: (On the bright side, this binge that is clearly happening will likely just push my Spanish a bit higher)


I'M SO GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME. Ani, you have ruined us :lol: I'm really bad at binging, so I'm still on episode eight. Maybe I'll get another episode in today...?
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby Ani » Sat Sep 01, 2018 5:19 pm

Elenia wrote:
MamaPata wrote:Elenia and Ani were talking about Good Witch on Ani's log, so I have somehow ended up watching it. It's so bad guys. Why have you done this to me? The writing is terrible, it's so cheesy, the acting is not great. And yet. Somehow I'm on like episode 9? :oops: (On the bright side, this binge that is clearly happening will likely just push my Spanish a bit higher)


I'M SO GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME. Ani, you have ruined us :lol: I'm really bad at binging, so I'm still on episode eight. Maybe I'll get another episode in today...?


Bwahaha ... My evil plot to get everyone addicted to terrible tv :).
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MamaPata
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Sat Sep 01, 2018 5:39 pm

Ani wrote:
Elenia wrote:
MamaPata wrote:Elenia and Ani were talking about Good Witch on Ani's log, so I have somehow ended up watching it. It's so bad guys. Why have you done this to me? The writing is terrible, it's so cheesy, the acting is not great. And yet. Somehow I'm on like episode 9? :oops: (On the bright side, this binge that is clearly happening will likely just push my Spanish a bit higher)


I'M SO GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME. Ani, you have ruined us :lol: I'm really bad at binging, so I'm still on episode eight. Maybe I'll get another episode in today...?


Bwahaha ... My evil plot to get everyone addicted to terrible tv :).


I've reached the second season, this is not okay! What have you done to me?
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby Elenia » Sun Sep 02, 2018 9:15 am

MamaPata wrote:
Ani wrote:
Elenia wrote:
MamaPata wrote:Elenia and Ani were talking about Good Witch on Ani's log, so I have somehow ended up watching it. It's so bad guys. Why have you done this to me? The writing is terrible, it's so cheesy, the acting is not great. And yet. Somehow I'm on like episode 9? :oops: (On the bright side, this binge that is clearly happening will likely just push my Spanish a bit higher)


I'M SO GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME. Ani, you have ruined us :lol: I'm really bad at binging, so I'm still on episode eight. Maybe I'll get another episode in today...?


Bwahaha ... My evil plot to get everyone addicted to terrible tv :).


I've reached the second season, this is not okay! What have you done to me?


Netflix has informed me that season 4 is now available. How did this show get four seasons?! Clearly, we're not the only one caught by its highly dubious charms!
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby Ani » Mon Sep 03, 2018 3:57 am

Elenia wrote:Netflix has informed me that season 4 is now available. How did this show get four seasons?! Clearly, we're not the only one caught by its highly dubious charms!

Aww, I just checked and it's not available for me. :( I started watching an even stupider movie called "All the boys I've ever loved" or something like that. :-p Great common-ish language and teen romance.
If you need something less terrible, Black Mirror is pretty good (if you like light scifi and are ok with some murders/sex).
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby Elenia » Mon Sep 03, 2018 4:09 pm

Ani wrote:
Elenia wrote:Netflix has informed me that season 4 is now available. How did this show get four seasons?! Clearly, we're not the only one caught by its highly dubious charms!

Aww, I just checked and it's not available for me. :( I started watching an even stupider movie called "All the boys I've ever loved" or something like that. :-p Great common-ish language and teen romance.
If you need something less terrible, Black Mirror is pretty good (if you like light scifi and are ok with some murders/sex).


How strange! I would think that, if any Netflix had it, it would be Netflix US, not Netflix Sweden! As for the awfulness - the fact that it's bad is probably what's keeping me going with Good Witch. Really serious and intense dramas, especially ones that have longer plot arcs, stress me out so I never finish watching them. I Wikipedia the content instead :lol:

EDIT: Mama Pata... sorry to take over your log with awful television! But also not sorry at all! Mu haha! :twisted:
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