Re: PM’s French Re-entry into the Matrix - Phase 1: 500 Hours Extensive Reading

[Cavesa]

I wish you all the best in 2022, PM!

And yes, take the bloody exam already! This is no longer about any "objective" requirements, this is about you having been obsessed about it for a long time. If I may give you one more piece of advice (but I know, you know it all already): stop obsessing about perfection. Good enough is totally ok and more than respectable. You can definitely sign up for DALF C2 this year and do well enough. Until then, cover everything well enough, not perfectly. You won't be perfect anyways even after C2, nobody is. We are people, not gods.

You need the peace of mind after the exam and the French ego boost. There is nothing wrong about such a need. Just allow yourself to satisfy it.

Really, if I could pass DALF C2 with much less structured and much less consuming preparation, you can definitely do it! And then do anything else you want, don't turn your originally beloved French into a major obstacle in your life and happiness.

And yeah, you will find out a lot of bad things about any country, including Norway. From what I heard (primarily from friends having lived there), especially the education of free thinking children is a huge challenge there, as one of the main values of that country are conformity and one of the major problems is a spoilt youth. Really, every country sucks in many ways. There is no paradise on Earth. Just find one that YOU will be the most compatible with, one you can tolerate and enjoy the best.

[PeterMollenburg]

I wish you all the best in 2022, PM!

And yes, take the bloody exam already! This is no longer about any "objective" requirements, this is about you having been obsessed about it for a long time. If I may give you one more piece of advice (but I know, you know it all already): stop obsessing about perfection. Good enough is totally ok and more than respectable. You can definitely sign up for DALF C2 this year and do well enough. Until then, cover everything well enough, not perfectly. You won't be perfect anyways even after C2, nobody is. We are people, not gods.

You need the peace of mind after the exam and the French ego boost. There is nothing wrong about such a need. Just allow yourself to satisfy it.

Really, if I could pass DALF C2 with much less structured and much less consuming preparation, you can definitely do it! And then do anything else you want, don't turn your originally beloved French into a major obstacle in your life and happiness.

And yeah, you will find out a lot of bad things about any country, including Norway. From what I heard (primarily from friends having lived there), especially the education of free thinking children is a huge challenge there, as one of the main values of that country are conformity and one of the major problems is a spoilt youth. Really, every country sucks in many ways. There is no paradise on Earth. Just find one that YOU will be the most compatible with, one you can tolerate and enjoy the best.

Thanks Cavesa for your kind words and kind advice. You are right about countries and finding problems with any of them.

I love France as is quite clear, but were I to ever live abroad again as it stands currently I would have to pick another country more in line with my values and those of my family - so a country as you say that is more campatible with me and of course my family. Currently that remains Australia and if we ever venture abroad (to live) well, who knows what the future holds!

For now it's French mission, I must seek perfection before I take this exam! No, just joking. I'll return with good news eventually Good luck, Cavesa in 2022 with everything (languages, work, relationships, adventures, health)!

[PeterMollenburg]

To quote from a seasoned language learner:

As I've said innumerable times before, momentum is very important in language-learning. Maintaining momentum is part of "consistency".

And I have lost my momentum. I think realistically, part of the issue here is that I'm simply too busy now. I have a farm, I have an orchard, I work shift work, I work casual work at five locations, I've got back in the kayak and I'm serious about it, I've three children. whom we homeschool and my wife's trying to get a business off the ground. However, I'm responsible for my role in this as the central character in this French floundering mission.

It appears that I'm to remain in the Matrix for some time yet. Perhaps I'll find a unexpected exit. To take full ownership - I'm eating poorly, sleeping poorly and as the wise man whom I quoted above once (recently) said, new year's resolutions are doomed to failure. Perhaps I've not quoted him precisely just there, but that was the gist of it I believe. My resolutions health wise and language wise have failed. This ship is going down, and in fact I'm already in the lifeboat reconsidering my strategies.

I started January with a bang. Then reality kicked in and I had to take a step back due to my language learning time encroaching on other commitments. That was enough for the threads to begin unravelling. Then I helped it along by getting back in the kayak on a three-times-a-week-at-minimum basis. Language learning time dropped, and momentum was lost, particularly when I added to it all by staying up late, rising early and losing the plot with my diet. It seems that there is so little room to move in my routine (if you can call it that), that when something so much as sneezes at my routine I'm destined to come unstuck.

My conclusion is that it's just life, and despite my seemingly damning self assessment, it's just reality. If I want this, I'll have to reassess my goals language learning or otherwise, reconsider my approach taking my goals into account and perhaps reconsider when I sit the Dalf C level(s) exam(s) as well. In actual fact, I still believe I can pass a C-level exam this October (next time the exam is open here) 2022, but that would take extreme levels of commitment and sticking to my goals, routine, choices (food, sleep, distractions) with fierce determination and I am just not convinced I can do that. Later is better than never, but I still might attempt it in October.

What frustrates me a little is reading about someone's C2 success from beginner to Dalf C2 pass in just 18 months. I'm really dragging my feet here and while that person admits a less than perfect accent (which got better over time, as reported), my accent has been under control for several years, so pronunciation work holding me back is not an excuse. 8 months should be more than enough time for me, but the question is whether I can apply myself enough and juggle several balls in the air at the same time all the way to October. I have my doubts.

Conversely, I'm very happy with the kids progress in French, Dutch and Spanish. French is holding at a really decent level in which seemingly nothing is a challenge, Dutch is holding at a modest level while Spanish grows ever so slowly in the background. So, while my French C2 progress has slowed gradually to a stop, I do continue to use the three languages above regularly throughout the week with the kids at home. At least we have that

[iguanamon]

To quote from a seasoned language learner:

As I've said innumerable times before, momentum is very important in language-learning. Maintaining momentum is part of "consistency".

And I have lost my momentum. I think realistically, part of the issue here is that I'm simply too busy now. I have a farm, I have an orchard, I work shift work, I work casual work at five locations, I've got back in the kayak and I'm serious about it, I've three children. whom we homeschool and my wife's trying to get a business off the ground. However, I'm responsible for my role in this as the central character in this French floundering mission.

Well, I wouldn't call myself a "seasoned" language-learner, but yes momentum is so critical to what we do and so often not included into the equation. It is important at the beginning and I think even more important when trying to take a language from B2 to C levels. Momentum allows the learner to consolidate and polish.

It's easy to lose momentum. It takes some time to get it back... but it does come back. I can assure you.

I started January with a bang. Then reality kicked in and I had to take a step back due to my language learning time encroaching on other commitments. That was enough for the threads to begin unravelling. Then I helped it along by getting back in the kayak on a three-times-a-week-at-minimum basis. Language learning time dropped, and momentum was lost, particularly when I added to it all by staying up late, rising early and losing the plot with my diet. ... My conclusion is that it's just life, and despite my seemingly damning self assessment, it's just reality. If I want this, I'll have to reassess my goals language learning or otherwise, reconsider my approach taking my goals into account and perhaps reconsider when I sit the Dalf C level(s) exam(s) as well. ...

Yeah, people have good plans and good intentions, then life happens and it gets in the way. It really is amazing that someone with a wife or partner and family, with a job, and (shudder!) other interests outside language-learning can even manage enough time to learn a language. There is never enough time. So, we have to take what we have and make the most of it when we have it.

I could and should be writing and speaking more in Catalan right now. Being busy right now, I've got time to read and study a bit, so that's what I'm doing until things quiet down a bit more. What helps is having resources always to hand, so in whatever hidden moment or chance of time I get, I can do something to move me along. The more languages you have, the harder of a process that gets to be. Which is why I have twitter do it for me. Having curated a twitter feed for myself, I need only to peruse it for a bit and there's something in several languages that I am going to like and I don't have to spend any time looking for it. I also have pdf's audio and video, plus books on my phone to read and enjoy. These days, I almost always have my phone with me.

...What frustrates me a little is reading about someone's C2 success from beginner to Dalf C2 pass in just 18 months. I'm really dragging my feet here and while that person admits a less than perfect accent (which got better over time, as reported), my accent has been under control for several years, so pronunciation work holding me back is not an excuse. 8 months should be more than enough time for me, but the question is whether I can apply myself enough and juggle several balls in the air at the same time all the way to October. I have my doubts.

Most people would. You know why nobody like you ever writes that story? Well, yeah you do. I'd be more impressed to see someone with a full-time job, a wife, kids and a life outside language-learning move in a language like that. At least you're not trying to learn Ancient Greek; Mandarin; and Japanese on top of it all. . So, cut yourself some slack and throw a fry over your shoulder!

[MorkTheFiddle]

Keep on with the kayak, but please take care of your health. You've been part of my world ever since LingQ years ago, when you were that Peter from Australia who always had something solid to say. Your family needs you even more than LLORG does, but I don't need to be telling a fellow of your profession about eating and good health.
Also, if you ever pass the C2, what will you write about? A joke, Peter. Best wishes.

[BeaP]

Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I'm happy that you're back. I'm selfish, I know. I have a question for you, again a selfish one. I'm planning to take the DELE in November, but I might postpone it, if I think I'm not fully prepared. Actually, I might even try it in May, sing-up is still open. What if we don't go fully prepared but we just try it? I've titled my log 'Trying to take it easy', and sometimes I think I should rather tattoo it on my arm. What happens if we fail? Or fail some parts? I'm not afraid of the oral part shame, because I've been an examiner myself, and I know that they won't go around for weeks talking about the stupid woman who didn't speak Spanish. I know it's only a job for them, and they'll forget me the moment they leave the Cervantes. What do you think?
Sometimes I think that my preparation is hindered by the pressure that I put on my myself. The constant feeling that I should have done more by now.

[PeterMollenburg]

To quote from a seasoned language learner:

As I've said innumerable times before, momentum is very important in language-learning. Maintaining momentum is part of "consistency".

And I have lost my momentum. I think realistically, part of the issue here is that I'm simply too busy now. I have a farm, I have an orchard, I work shift work, I work casual work at five locations, I've got back in the kayak and I'm serious about it, I've three children. whom we homeschool and my wife's trying to get a business off the ground. However, I'm responsible for my role in this as the central character in this French floundering mission.

Well, I wouldn't call myself a "seasoned" language-learner, but yes momentum is so critical to what we do and so often not included into the equation. It is important at the beginning and I think even more important when trying to take a language from B2 to C levels. Momentum allows the learner to consolidate and polish.

It's easy to lose momentum. It takes some time to get it back... but it does come back. I can assure you.

Encouraging. Thank you, iguanamon.

I started January with a bang. Then reality kicked in and I had to take a step back due to my language learning time encroaching on other commitments. That was enough for the threads to begin unravelling. Then I helped it along by getting back in the kayak on a three-times-a-week-at-minimum basis. Language learning time dropped, and momentum was lost, particularly when I added to it all by staying up late, rising early and losing the plot with my diet. ... My conclusion is that it's just life, and despite my seemingly damning self assessment, it's just reality. If I want this, I'll have to reassess my goals language learning or otherwise, reconsider my approach taking my goals into account and perhaps reconsider when I sit the Dalf C level(s) exam(s) as well. ...

Yeah, people have good plans and good intentions, then life happens and it gets in the way. It really is amazing that someone with a wife or partner and family, with a job, and (shudder!) other interests outside language-learning can even manage enough time to learn a language. There is never enough time. So, we have to take what we have and make the most of it when we have it.

Wise words I've heard/read many times and I am not tired yet of being reminded of the importance of such insights (and applying them), since such things need to be said many times (or run through Anki several thousand times ) until we (okay it's just me more than likely) get the idea. I've gotten better at the application part. I've had to.

I could and should be writing and speaking more in Catalan right now. Being busy right now, I've got time to read and study a bit, so that's what I'm doing until things quiet down a bit more.

Not good enough, period. I expect a warrant to be issued in your name and sent globally via interpol. Don't think you can get away with this, iguanamon. We'll haul you in at any time of day or night, rain, hail or sunshine.... ...ummm to force you to provide us with more wise language learning insights. In truth, I don't mean to come off derogatory, if it seems that way. What I'm trying to say (via a long-winded joke) is that I am not alone in valueing your wise insights into language learning. Thanks man!

What helps is having resources always to hand, so in whatever hidden moment or chance of time I get, I can do something to move me along. The more languages you have, the harder of a process that gets to be. Which is why I have twitter do it for me. Having curated a twitter feed for myself, I need only to peruse it for a bit and there's something in several languages that I am going to like and I don't have to spend any time looking for it. I also have pdf's audio and video, plus books on my phone to read and enjoy. These days, I almost always have my phone with me.

Another very decent reminder. I'll pass on Twitter. What works for some.... Although, never say never. I'll be using Twitter like a madman before you know it!

...What frustrates me a little is reading about someone's C2 success from beginner to Dalf C2 pass in just 18 months. I'm really dragging my feet here and while that person admits a less than perfect accent (which got better over time, as reported), my accent has been under control for several years, so pronunciation work holding me back is not an excuse. 8 months should be more than enough time for me, but the question is whether I can apply myself enough and juggle several balls in the air at the same time all the way to October. I have my doubts.

Most people would. You know why nobody like you ever writes that story? Well, yeah you do. I'd be more impressed to see someone with a full-time job, a wife, kids and a life outside language-learning move in a language like that. At least you're not trying to learn Ancient Greek; Mandarin; and Japanese on top of it all. . So, cut yourself some slack and throw a fry over your shoulder!

Which shoulder? My middle shoulder, right? I have contemplated learning Japanese of late I must add. Nothing serious though. It doesn't overly interest me but my kids are quite keen on it. Who knows, perhaps a bit here and there over several years and I'll be fluent before you know it. And you know what 'fluent' means, don't you (because it's a very precise term)?

Thanks for dropping by iguanamon. Thanks for the support and the praise. Throw a bacon rasher through your left steak before you rake up the leaves on a bright and sunny cold summer's day. Know what I'm sayin'?

[PeterMollenburg]

Keep on with the kayak,

Another 10km today. Very windy, but getting better with handling the choppy water. If anyone's familiar with a K1 (like the sprinters use in the olympics) they're tricky to balance. They're not designed for rough water, so waves that seem smallish to a speedboat can be problematic in a K1, especially when they're coming at you side on. Mind you like reaching an advance level in a language, or perhaps like learning to ride a bike, the ability doesn't wane that much over the years, you just get a little rusty and dabbling over the years aside, it's been many many years since i've clocked up this much time and effort in the boat.

but please take care of your health. You've been part of my world ever since LingQ years ago, when you were that Peter from Australia who always had something solid to say.

Thanks MorkTheFiddle, that's a pretty solid piece of commentary right there. Cheers.

Your family needs you even more than LLORG does,

Yep, trueford, true-olia, true and the crew, true and the gang, true strikes back.

, but I don't need to be telling a fellow of your profession about eating and good health

Ah, yes you do. You ever noticed how many nurses out there smoke, how much crap too many nurses and doctors eat, how little focus there is on nutrition in modern medical systems in general? Sure there's the odd really decent nurse and doctor with something to say on nutrition, but there's many more with very little room for acknowledging the connection between what you put and your state of health. Just throw another pill or three at the latest problem and pffft, side effects, nah, they don't exist! Still, I know what you were saying MTF, I just found an opening to rant

Also, if you ever pass the C2, what will you write about? A joke, Peter. Best wishes.

Aha! Finally! Someone has come to that realisation. Yes I did pass it, 4 years ago now. I'm actually onto my 16th language now at the C1 level. Thanks MTF. You too, keep up the good stuff!

[PeterMollenburg]

Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I'm happy that you're back. I'm selfish, I know.

I'm offended. I'd like an apology in full in perfect French presented on the news just after (and at the same location as) Macron's apology speech (i'm asking him for that telepathically, pretty sure he spoke back to me) for.... never mind.

I have a question for you, again a selfish one. I'm planning to take the DELE in November, but I might postpone it, if I think I'm not fully prepared. Actually, I might even try it in May, sing-up is still open. What if we don't go fully prepared but we just try it? I've titled my log 'Trying to take it easy', and sometimes I think I should rather tattoo it on my arm. What happens if we fail? Or fail some parts? I'm not afraid of the oral part shame, because I've been an examiner myself, and I know that they won't go around for weeks talking about the stupid woman who didn't speak Spanish. I know it's only a job for them, and they'll forget me the moment they leave the Cervantes. What do you think?

I thinks it's an excellent idea. My own owner disclaimer is that I've got to get some serious momentum going again and keep it going for me to be convinced to go through with it. I wouldn't (pay to) sit the exam tomorrow with the little amount of preparation I've done, otherwise I'm wasting my money. I'd only just started my mission really, and had not even got to the exam prep books yet. And that is definitely needed. I also do have some experience as I failed the C2 in 2019 (just passing the oral component, failing the written portion). For the record, I've no concerns about what examiners might think (except for receiving decent feedback). They're free, like anyone else to judge me and what I don't know isn't going to hurt me. I doubt I'm that important in their minds anyway. So yeah, let's do it, provided I can feel at least somewhat prepared. Whether I decide to sit C1 or C2 though is still up for debate.

Sometimes I think that my preparation is hindered by the pressure that I put on my myself. The constant feeling that I should have done more by now.

I guess many of us could suffer from this affliction but ultimately it's a waste of time. What's done is done, move on. We've done what we were capable of even if it was pretty poor at times. That was just what we decided to do or could only motivate ourselves to do at the time, for whatever reason. We can only try to improve, but life has more to teach us too than just passing (or failing exams), so I don't think fretting over what could've been is a good use of our time. Thinking of our lives for a moment only in terms of how much better we could've studied (and I did exactly that a couple posts back) is flawed given our lives contain much more than just language learning objectives if we're realistic and fair on our self assessment.

Let's do it! October/November here we come (unless of course you decide to sit it earlier)!

[PeterMollenburg]

January 2022:
90 hours, 30 minutes of French

February 2022:
41 hours, 48 minutes


February numbers started to drop seriously as my interest and commitment to kayaking grew. Now I'm in a regular pattern of kayaking several times a week and so I feel that towards the end of Feb my French numbers started to improve again. Particularly given I've been actively improving in other areas too, such as diet and sleep.

Given I'm not likely to reach the targeted 3 hours per day of focused study, I decided too towards the end of Feb to make my first hour of focused study each day (and I won't necessarily be able to do that every day either) the writing hour (okay 40 minutes, since 20 min/hour of focused study is used on vocabulary building). This morning, on my last day of the month it was my first writing session in too long.

I watched a Japanese film (in French) with the kids today. They're really getting into the Studio Ghibli films and I must say that I quite enjoy them myself. Then I watched something in the evening that I wouldn't normally watch - a French film (as opposed to a series). I was almost taken aback at how poor my listening comprehension was. It wasn't perfect during the kids film either, but here was a police beat 'em up almost American-style action film and I caught a minimal amount of the dialogue. Not my typical choice, but yes, shocked somewhat I was. I still still still have a long way to go and the biggest problem I have now is just remaining consistent with any kind of routine week in week out. It's not enough to write once in a blue moon. It's not enough to listen here and there without actively training listening and gradually moving onto trickier series. It's not enough to read loads to the kids and not do that much reading at the adult level. This is just not enough to make real progress overall, since even if I am doing all those things regularly progress is slow anyway. Therefore, I'm aiming in March to do it all - kayak regularly and bring my French numbers back up to a more respectable level.

I'm enjoying the use of my new Kindle when I do use it. It's just nice to have another option.

My work situation has evolved yet again and finding the down time to study at work in quieter moments from here on could prove trickier, which is another reason my numbers started to drop in Feb. Previously I could almost get an hour done every day at work (life in the country is a little slower paced), but that's under threat. I've also found myself getting lazy on listening to podcasts at times from general fatigue or my mind being elsewhere and just wandering off while the podcast plays in the background. I have been listening to audio while kayaking probably 50% of the time, but given my main focus is exercising I probably only take in 25% of what I'm listening to. Better than nothing.

So, with my writing planned as the first hour on any given day (just creative writing currently, to move onto essays and exam writing soonish), I should at least be able to arrive at October with my writing skills having improved, and that was the section I was weakest on last C2 attempt in 2019. Surely with several months work of even semi-consistent writing practice I should be able to bridge the gap between my score and the pass mark. And if I don't get anything else done but writing from here till then, I'll have a shot at potentially passing the exam on the whole anyway, but hey I'd better slow down, progress is lightening fast here!

Throw a half eaten already half eaten (we're down to a quarter of the original now) nibbled on pancake crêpe over 7 pannekoeken now dammit! Know what I'm zegging? Parlay-vooo Frensay?

Bonne nuit !