CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

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CarlyD
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Location: California, USA
Languages: English (N), Spanish--A2, German--now studying, A2
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Mon Aug 22, 2016 8:23 pm

Half way through the 6 Week Challenge.

I'm currently working on my main textbook (with two backup textbooks that I dip into every week), my paper flashcards (using the Leitner method), Memrise, reading fiction books and watching easier stuff on tv. I talk as much as possible--but it needs to be more. Still looking for classes or groups in my area.

My push for the last 3 weeks:

* The subjunctive chapter. Then when it confuses me, pull out Demystifying the Spanish Subjunctive and start that.
* Review por and para again. The last exercise it came up twice and I got it wrong both times.
* Increase my daily Memrise time and start Duolingo (at least review ones I've already done) again. Need to increase my vocabulary.

I finished one of my Memrise classes yesterday--the one on verbs. I think I'm only doing 5 classes now--2 on vocabulary, 1 on verbs, 1 on grammar and 1 on phrases.

For this week, my plan is to finish the chapter on reflexive verbs and try for a good chunk for the SC--at least 50 pages and 60 or 120 minutes. I have the books ready and the shows already on DVR.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Posts: 608
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Location: California, USA
Languages: English (N), Spanish--A2, German--now studying, A2
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:33 pm

In closing out August, I had good and not-so-good. I never did start the chapter on the subjunctive, but there was a ton of new vocabulary in the previous chapter so I slowed down for that.

My reading goal was 122 pages--I ended up reading 352 pages. :D
I did Memrise nearly every day, and finished two courses so far. I'm currently doing five.
I made very little progress on watching movies or tv, though.

For September I have the following goals:

1. Subjunctive chapter in main textbook
2. Nine chapters in my secondary textbook (review of previous material, reinforcement)
3. I've pulled books to read totaling 1,058 pages--combination of paperback and Kindle, ranging from "easy" to "regular".
4. I plan to find Youtube videos in Spanish that interest me. I can't seem to hack the telenovelas any more and the shows on tv that interest me are still a bit above my level. There's got to be tons of videos online I can sit and watch. My watching goal for September is 15 hours.
5. Make language "scripts". I self-talk--or talk to my dogs--as much as possible, but I'm mostly using the same vocabulary. I want to make some new scripts based on everything I do during the morning to refer to instead of falling back on just what I already know. This morning I spent more time trying to remember the word for "to get dressed" than it took me to get dressed.
6. Leave my carefully guarded comfort zone and submit writings at least 3 times to Lang 8 or somewhere.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Posts: 608
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:44 pm
Location: California, USA
Languages: English (N), Spanish--A2, German--now studying, A2
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Sun Sep 04, 2016 4:05 am

Last week of the 6 Week Challenge!! I have no plans for this 3-day-weekend, so I'm trying to really push my reading. (Of course that visit to Thrift Books and buying 15 more Spanish fiction books didn't help.) I'm trying to read as many books as I can before the new ones arrive--79 pages today. I swear it seems easier each time even though I don't think I'm making progress that fast.

I've also changed how I'm reading. I used to dead-stop whenever I hit someone I didn't know. Now I'm writing it down in a notebook and moving on. Then I look everything up during my "vocabulary" time and decide whether to put it on a flash card or not.

I went to Book Depository today and finally bought Gramatica de uso de español. This was based on a thread here about how to move from B1 to C1. Since I'm not actually B1, I bought the A1-B2 book.

Why am I afraid to start the chapter on subjunctives? Hmmm.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Posts: 608
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Wed Sep 07, 2016 2:49 am

I finished my first "big" book today--156 pages!! I still have to go back through it to capture new vocabulary to look up or put on flash cards, but wow. Now just 9400 more pages to read..... :lol:

Joke I found on Facebook:

Ich weiss, wie man einen Idioten neugierig machen kann.

Ja, wie denn?

Das erzähle ich dir Morgen.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Location: California, USA
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Sun Sep 25, 2016 6:14 pm

I'm having a crisis of faith, so to speak.

I'd commented before about wavering on continuing with Spanish for the August 6WC or changing back to German. I waffled, I wavered, and I ended up doing the challenge in Spanish. I've read 15 books so far for the Super Challenge, with a whole bookshelf still to go.

And I'm just over Spanish. I had to force myself to start a new book last night--only did 9 pages. Yet I find myself actively searching out German posts on Facebook. Yeah, it's time.

So I'm cutting back on "active" Spanish--textbooks put away, but I'll keep the fiction books out. I want to continue reading for the Super Challenge, with no pressure. I do really look forward to many of the books I found--Sherlock Holmes, a bunch of other mysteries--and want to enjoy reading them.

So until I find a short-term tutor to get my German pronunciation semi-human, I'm just going to be doing fun stuff--books, some easy tv shows I taped, and dip into some easy German stuff again.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Location: California, USA
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Sun Oct 09, 2016 6:26 pm

I was talking to a friend at knitting group--she had 4 years of Spanish in high school and a further 2 years in college. She has no memory of ever learning the Spanish subjunctive. At all. I thought I was just being crazy because I was thinking I'd never learned it--but now I'm thinking they just don't teach it in school. Still plugging away at that chapter in my textbook.

I'm in the U.S. (California) and feel like I'm being bombarded with election stuff from all sides. Candidates, multiple propositions (they're wanting to end the death penalty and legalize marijuana here) and between constant radio/tv ads, mail ads, telephone calls, Facebook, every social site I go to, even people in the stores--I'm about ready to scream. And we have another month of this.

I've been hiding out in books and the Cartoon Channel, but I'm wondering how I could make a month of hiding out actually accomplish something. I could easily change the tv and radio to Spanish-only stations. I've found some wonderful Facebook likes on learning basic German, but have found extremely little for Spanish. I can't even find decent news feeds in Spanish--guess I need to try harder.

So if I really step up my Super Challenge work, Memrise courses and textbook, I wonder would that be enough to keep me from being constantly irritated at the latest election "news/scandal"? Worth a try at least.

Oh, and after the last post--I'm still plugging away at Spanish and doing a little bit of German every day. I want to finish the Memrise courses and get more comfortable with verb tenses before I set it aside again for full-time German.

Still haven't decided on the November 6WC, though.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Posts: 608
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:44 pm
Location: California, USA
Languages: English (N), Spanish--A2, German--now studying, A2
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Sun Oct 23, 2016 6:14 am

Survived the subjunctive. I'm sure I haven't really learned it, but I remember a good number of the rules and recognize it when I see it.

Just two more chapters left in the Spanish textbook--both are verb tenses that I've done a bit with before, so not totally new material, just re-learning. Then I'm DONE with the textbook.

I'll be doing Spanish--hopefully for the last time--in the November 6 Week Challenge. If I finish both those chapters, finish the reviews of some other chapters, stay up with Super Challenge reading--then I hopefully should be Intermediate level by the time the next Challenge rolls around. If I'm not it'll be my own fault.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Posts: 608
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:44 pm
Location: California, USA
Languages: English (N), Spanish--A2, German--now studying, A2
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Sun Oct 30, 2016 12:47 am

This is my planning post for the 6WC.

Spanish Step by Step--chapters 14 and 15, both verb chapters.
Spanish Verb Workbook--chapters 4, 5 and 6
EZ Spanish--skim though the book for review--read the conversation, review the vocabulary list, read the grammar topic.
Memrise--30 minutes minimum every day.
Taped movies and tv shows, fiction books--counting for both the 6WC and the Super Challenge.

I'm planning on a 2 hours a day average for the challenge.

New show--Cesar 911 al rescate :D
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Posts: 608
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Location: California, USA
Languages: English (N), Spanish--A2, German--now studying, A2
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:12 am

Day 2 of the 6 Week Challenge.

I was #1. For a minute, and probably never again, but ahhh, it felt good. :D

I was reading Spanish in 90 Days--I think it was a free ebook--and he's talking about learning 30 words or phrases. A day. Every day. I'm doing both Memrise and my vocabulary box and I don't think I'm doing 30--is that even reasonable? 30 new + yesterday's review + prior review. Interesting concept. I'm getting reading to go sit down with my vocabulary box and I'll see how many words are reasonable (for me, anyway.)

Tonight: vocab box, finish the last pages of the garden book, watch an episode of the vet show.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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CarlyD
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Posts: 608
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:44 pm
Location: California, USA
Languages: English (N), Spanish--A2, German--now studying, A2
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Re: CarlyD's Spanish and German Log

Postby CarlyD » Sat Nov 05, 2016 10:46 pm

Reviews:

(Memrise) Paul Noble Complete Spanish (No Typing). Apparently he visitado means I visited, but He visitado doesn't. I'm wondering if this type of thing is why so few people have done the course. On hold for now.

Dr. Vet: Los Angeles (on either V-Me or HITN) Wonderful show. The (four) vets and vet techs generally speak slower because they're explaining a health issue. Plus for each pet problem, they have an on-screen Pet's Name, Symptoms and Diagnosis that's very helpful. Most of the people live in the Los Angeles area so the accents are fairly standard. It takes me about 75 minutes to watch (watch, rewind, replay) a 60 minute show.

Dr. Vet (Chile version) This is starring only one vet--very cute, but really hard to understand and speaks very quickly. I won't be continuing this one until my comprehension is better.

Los Nuevos Detectives is good. It works slowly through each case and you can get a lot of the meaning from what they're doing. Takes about 70 minutes for me to watch a 60 minute show.

VMM--this is three private detectives--those are the initials of their names. This is a "for fluent people" show--lots of fast speech with little visual clues. Looks good, so I will keep trying with it. Takes about 120 minutes with only partial success to watch a 60 minute show. I'm not counting this one for either 6WC or SC until I actually think I'm accomplishing something or I'm confident that I truly know what happened.

I still haven't watched the Cesar Milan shows yet--but have about 10 of them taped so far.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000


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