Ani's 2019 Log

[Ani]

I'm not really sure what's going on with me right now.

I'll probably never really learn a third language because I can't commit.

My family & my extended family just booked a vacation to go back to the home town in Italy for the town festival next summer. My dad j really wants us both to learn Italian before we go and he just proposed that he and I go to Italy this fall to "practice".

I don't know. I mean, I like doing things with my dad. Part of me is like "why not, it can't possibly be that hard" and the other part of me is like "hey stupid, every language is "hard" in that it still takes an awful lot of hours, which you've consistently demonstrated unwilling to invest"..

So yep.

Also if I don't study Italian, he probably won't take me to Italy. But then again I was planning to go to France with my cousin and I probably can't do both ....

[IronMike]

Is it similar if I do three 5 minute presentations?

Anyone with ideas is welcome to throw them out here

Sorry, I missed this.

This is your challenge, dear Ani. Three 5-minute presentations. Five 3-minute. Whatever you want! If you want ideas: In my French 101 class at UAA back in 1994 (oy) I did my presentation (10 min with 5 for questions) on homebrewing. Time-wise, I've set mine to calendar year 2019. Again, this is your challenge (and I'm glad you're taking part with me!) so set what time you want! I could see you doing your presentation(s) on homeschooling!

As for physical, it really can be anything. Why not being able to do a split? That's a great goal! I could see someone wanting to do a yoga pose they'd been working on. (Wife and I did yoga for a couple years back in the early 2000s and I so wanted to be able to do Feathered Peacock Pose (Pincha Mayurasana). Never got that far and now...boy that'd kill me!)

[Ani]

As for physical, it really can be anything. Why not being able to do a split? That's a great goal! I could see someone wanting to do a yoga pose they'd been working on. (Wife and I did yoga for a couple years back in the early 2000s and I so wanted to be able to do Feathered Peacock Pose (Pincha Mayurasana). Never got that far and now...boy that'd kill me!)

There's no reason you can't do pincha. You can do it. That should be your new challenge.
Thank you for the leniency -- I think.. I might actually be able to do the presentation thing. Right now I'm thinking I'll present something new that I learn, like maybe talk about an artist's life & work. I'd get too bored doing something I already know about. I can always do three artists if I need more concise projects.

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Why doesn't this forum have more emojis? I need dozens. I just had the nicest visit with jonm. He didn't know when he agreed to come over that he was signing up for a three hour show and tell of every Lego creation my kids have ever made, but he was super chill with it. We talked in French for a few minutes just to say we did, chit chatted a little, and started to plan a broader August LLORG get together. Happy happy. I love this forum & all the cool people on it.

[jonm]

Why doesn't this forum have more emojis? I need dozens. I just had the nicest visit with jonm. He didn't know when he agreed to come over that he was signing up for a three hour show and tell of every Lego creation my kids have ever made, but he was super chill with it. We talked in French for a few minutes just to say we did, chit chatted a little, and started to plan a broader August LLORG get together. Happy happy. I love this forum & all the cool people on it.

I had such a great time! And I'll just note, we're talking about some extremely cool Lego creations here... I would definitely watch a movie featuring the intriguing Lego characters Ani's kids have dreamed up. I also got to see a text in Egyptian hieroglyphs that has a very cool story behind it. Thanks so much for a wonderful time, Ani! And I wholeheartedly agree with your closing sentiment.

[Ani]

More long time, no update, but here I am.

I started studying Russian again. I found I really need it on the internets which is good motivation. I'm getting annoyed pushing the translation button and trying to sort through a terrible mess, and of course I can't translate any of the videos or graphics easily.
I decided to use Tandem heavily this time and do everything "wrong". I made some friends. It might not be efficient but it's fun. They're teaching me conversations word by word and then I'm using those words back on other people for reinforcement. It's funny all you have to say on Tandem is привет, как ты? (Hi how are you?) And they say "wow I see you already speak great Russian" so sweet. Thank goodness for deepl or I wouldn't even know they were saying that to me.

I've stopped actively studying French, like a long time ago if we're honest. I still have a list of faults I keep meaning to sort out --> almost entirely spelling & conjugation issues I just can't ever remember, no matter how often I look it up. It's annoying that I didn't fix these things that I could have done in a week, but I'm very low on motivation.
I do speak & write in French every day though and don't plan to stop. My writing for casual chat is pretty good. I've had multiple people think I was française and a few even get mad at me for tricking them, saying I'm American when I'm really a French native speaker, so I must be doing ok.

And I'm making marked progress on my splits for IronMike's challenge. I also finally chose a presentation subject :: happy dance:: and I roped a few guys into proofreadlng my yet-imaginary presentation when I finish it.

I might try to resurrect my Russian log and continue it... That must be buried pretty deep

[Ani]

Look at me, back so soon

I forgot to mention I am also studying Italian (I need my monkey covering his eyes emoji!!)
I did the first 26 lessons of assimil. I plan to finish them all by the end of the weekend. I'm going for speed acquaintance, not accuracy, and trying a true (sorta) "first wave" where I don't worry about anything. I want to get out of beginner land asap and I see no reason why I can't.

Also, I solved the Netflix VPN issue. I don't know if I'm allowed to post that info though? It's a legal program (that needs to be paid for) but it's not according to Netflix's terms.

[jonm]

Hey Ani, that's so cool that you're studying Italian and that you're going full speed ahead! I just started back up with Italian too. Out of curiosity, are you doing the most recent Assimil course or an older one? Do you like it?

Divertiti!

[Ani]

Hey Ani, that's so cool that you're studying Italian and that you're going full speed ahead! I just started back up with Italian too. Out of curiosity, are you doing the most recent Assimil course or an older one? Do you like it?

Divertiti!

I have an older one from.. I dunno.. 2010? Not sure exactly. It still has lire it it. I just made my dad buy the newest one so I have access to that one too. How about you?

I do like it. I haven't thought much about it but I actually think that I like that it only has 105 lessons. I don't know the lesson count on the new one, but it's a thicker book. I just want to be done quickly

[jonm]

Ah, cool, we're doing the same one. I think it's originally from the 80s, at least the French-base version. Yeah, lire, smoking, phone booths... I like it too. I like how the older Assimil courses have stories that continue from one lesson to the next, at least in the early lessons. Great how you're cruising through it and getting out of beginner territory fast. I'm sure I'll be a lot slower. Although I am tackling a book written for native speakers and understanding... well, enough of it, anyway. Enjoying the boost from knowing another Romance language. By the way, Deinonysus recently started Italian too and has been logging about it, beginning in this post, I think.

[Ani]

It's going to take me another week to finish Assimil Italian. I needed to travel for a funeral and didn't pack and language material. I dunno if I would have studied anyway. Heading home tomorrow.
<3