A language learners’ forum

Grazie, StringerBell. I started part II of the OA with Italian audio/English subs today. Caught some words/phrases that I know.

Then moved on to the Easy Italian Reader, stories 3 & 4. Added vocab to my Quizlet. And of course Pimsleur continues.

Trying to sked a DLPT for Italian for after the last day of class, so sometime around Memorial Day. Aiming for a 1/1.

Had a rather trying weekend with my elderly father. Suffice it to say, no Italian study Friday-Monday. So -4 plus the -7x4 penalty so now I'm -32 plus the previous -8 for one miss a few months ago so -40 for the year. So today is julian date 106, so as of today I'm at 66 for the 365 challenge, if my math checks. Sigh...

And, not like I needed the verification, but when I went back to Pimsleur this morning, I really was not doing well reproducing phrases I'd been learning the past 2-3 lessons. Daily study is a must!

And after one full day at home (16th) I was back at the airport for another trip, from which I just returned home. But this time I did manage to get Italian studying in! I did two full lessons in my Italian textbook as well as some Pimsleur. Class again on this coming Monday.

Class last night was great!

And scheduled my Italian DLPT. May 22nd. And May 20th will be last day of class. Starting to intensify my studying now. (I can't usually do such intense studying more than a month before a DLPT.)

Keeping up with my Italian, mostly in my Living Italian and Ultimate Italian texts. No Pimsleur on the weekends. Only a few classes left (4, I think) so gonna make the best of it till the 22nd. After that, back to reading Esperanto in prep for the US/Canadian National Congress here in June. Really miss listening to Pola-retradio and the other podcasts I've found. And of course all my Esperanto books.

Remembered about my ReadLang account today so went and switched it to Italiano, and searched around for A1-A2 fiction. One thing came up, Pasta per due, which I'm working my way through now, trying to not click on a word unless context just doesn't help me. So far so good!

In other news, in other pursuits, open water swim season has begun, at least for me. It was sunny (enough) on Sunday so I went to Revere Beach. Knew I wouldn't be able to swim, but hopefully (hopelessly?) took my goggles and cap. Water was 46F (7.7C), so I just stood in the water to my upper thighs for 15 minutes to acclimatize myself for the upcoming season. Damn cold! I dunked myself at the end, then got out. Will try for longer and perhaps some strokes next weekend. It's gotta warm up sometime, right?!

IronMike wrote:...It was sunny (enough) on Sunday so I went to Revere Beach. Knew I wouldn't be able to swim, but hopefully (hopelessly?) took my goggles and cap. Water was 46F (7.7C), so I just stood in the water to my upper thighs for 15 minutes to acclimatize myself for the upcoming season. Damn cold! I dunked myself at the end, then got out. Will try for longer and perhaps some strokes next weekend. It's gotta warm up sometime, right?!...

Another reason I'm glad I live in the Caribbean. I gripe if the water temperature is below 80F (26.7C)!

iguanamon wrote:Another reason I'm glad I live in the Caribbean. I gripe if the water temperature is below 80F (26.7C)!

My dream...

OK, so I'm starting a new challenge. All are welcome!

Unsure of a name for the challenge. Polyglot Fitness Challenge? Whatcha think?

Here's the dealio. I am going to set myself at least one physical and one language goal for 2019. I'll update here and celebrate (hopefully) when I succeed by the end of the year.

Fitness goals:
a) I've done a swim in Chattanooga a couple times, called Swim the Suck. It's a 10-ish mile swim in the Tennessee river. Last year I did it in 5:15. I'm doing it again this year. I'd like to do it in under 5:00. Fitness goal #1.
b) I've been lifting for a little over a year. I started primarily because my lower back would start to affect my swimming at the 4-hour mark. So I thought lifting would strengthen my back and sure enough it has. Along with that I've become stronger and I've liked lifting heavy. I lift three days a week except between about mid-May to end of August when I lift just twice a week (spend more time swimming). The wife and I did a power-lifting competition last year at our Y; she of course destroyed it getting 2nd and 3rd in squat and bench. I only did deadlift and hit a PR for myself (325lbs). That was September. Next one is...wait for it...in September. Not sure if this goal is too much of a stretch but I'd love to deadlift 370lbs. Fitness goal #2.

Language goals:
a) Been doing the Italian class since end of January. It's a slow class, so I've supplemented with my own studying. I've scheduled myself for an Italian DLPT on 22 May. The Italian DLPT is a IV, which I love: 65 questions in the listening test and 65 in the reading. Just under 4 hours for each section. I'm not aiming for anything crazy here, but I think I can realistically study for and possibly earn a 1/1 on the DLPT. Language goal #1.
b) Russian is my strongest language and I haven't taken a DLPT in a while. And my history of DLPT prep has proven to me that I can only study hard for about a month before I get burned out. So maybe in November or so I'll cram and take the Russian DLPT and OPI. I think I can realistically get a 2+/2+ on the DLPT and a 2 on the OPI. Language goal #2.

So there's the challenge. The Language Fitness Challenge. Or Polyglot? Or something. I don't know what to call it, but that's the challenge. First checkpoint is 22 May. I'll let you all know how it goes!

IronMike wrote:a) I've done a swim in Chattanooga a couple times, called Swim the Suck. It's a 10-ish mile swim in the Tennessee river. Last year I did it in 5:15. I'm doing it again this year. I'd like to do it in under 5:00. Fitness goal #1.

Wow. Swim the Suck sounds amazing! I'm a triathlete, but a sprint triathlete (so far). I recently swam 2km continuously for the first time. I can't even imagine swimming nonstop for hours. You rock!

I've got lots of races coming up in June. I usually don't have very specific goals. More like "be faster this time". I'd really love to get my 5km run time under half an hour. And not come last in my age group in a triathlon.