CarlyD's 2018/2019 German log

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CarlyD
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby CarlyD » Sun Dec 02, 2018 7:13 pm

Benny's Bootcamp started today. It was amazing. For experienced language learners here, it probably wouldn't be worth it. But for not only new learners, but those (like me) that struggle to stay focused and cast around trying to decide what to do next, it's great. He's presenting a plan--what works for him, and how to change that to make the plan of what will work for you. Already looking forward to the next session.
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2024 15,000 pages Reading Challenge--pages: 1180 / 15000

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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby MamaPata » Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:46 pm

GLad you are enjoying it! I look forward to hearing how it goes!
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CarlyD
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby CarlyD » Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:50 pm

MamaPata wrote:GLad you are enjoying it! I look forward to hearing how it goes!

Thank you! Our next Bootcamp is tomorrow morning.

I've found my happy place with Clozemaster. I was just hitting "Learn" for new sentences and found that I should have been hitting the down arrow and choosing my level. I'm doing the Top 100 words section, and although I know (or hopefully know) all those words, it's how they're used in different sentences that I'm enjoying. Some I get right away, some are totally new uses, so I'm finding it helpful. I just wish there was a way to print them out to look over and look at the grammar later, like I can do with Memrise. But maybe that's the point, to learn without analyzing.
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CarlyD
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby CarlyD » Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:08 pm

And another 6 week challenge is (possibly) over. (I might do some reading after dinner.) This time, as I also wind up my personal 175-day challenge, I spent a lot of time on comprehension, worked on improving my (bad) accent, and acquiring vocabulary. Generally, then, everything except serious speaking.

The comprehension part was harder than just doing grammar exercises. Hearing a word I knew was one thing--hearing it in a phrase and understanding the whole phrase was entirely different.

I'm taking a somewhat break until the 1st. I'll still do Memrise and Clozemaster to maintain my streaks (184 days for Memrise right now) but everything else will be a if-I-feel-like-it, so probably just 40 to 60 minutes a day.

On the 1st I'm starting my 365-Day Challenge, which, other than German every single day, I haven't totally worked out yet. I'll be setting goals and shorter goalposts during the break--right now besides a general Know All The Things, I don't have any set goals yet. My hope is to be upper intermediate by next November's challenge, but I would settle for a strong A2 by then.
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby Cavesa » Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:04 pm

CarlyD wrote:On the 1st I'm starting my 365-Day Challenge, which, other than German every single day, I haven't totally worked out yet. I'll be setting goals and shorter goalposts during the break--right now besides a general Know All The Things, I don't have any set goals yet. My hope is to be upper intermediate by next November's challenge, but I would settle for a strong A2 by then.


365-Day Challenge????!!!! I need that too!
Thanks for the inspiration! I am thinking of a version that would fit me, not endanger my other studies, but help me feel better about myself than these inactive times I've been going through.
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CarlyD
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby CarlyD » Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:46 pm

Cavesa wrote:365-Day Challenge????!!!! I need that too!
Thanks for the inspiration! I am thinking of a version that would fit me, not endanger my other studies, but help me feel better about myself than these inactive times I've been going through.


So far, it's mostly just German Every Day. I have a spreadsheet where I check off what I did each day, with a goal of doing something every day. For me at least, I've found that 30 minutes (or more) every day is more beneficial than several hours a couple of days a week.
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Cavesa
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby Cavesa » Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:05 pm

Morgana wrote:
CarlyD wrote:
Cavesa wrote:365-Day Challenge????!!!! I need that too!
Thanks for the inspiration! I am thinking of a version that would fit me, not endanger my other studies, but help me feel better about myself than these inactive times I've been going through.


So far, it's mostly just German Every Day. I have a spreadsheet where I check off what I did each day, with a goal of doing something every day. For me at least, I've found that 30 minutes (or more) every day is more beneficial than several hours a couple of days a week.

Just mentioning the Seinfeld calendar, as a method for “do something everyday” and to also have it be a kind of gamification on paper (streaks anyone?) to keep one’s motivation. Not mentioning it because you need it, CarlyD, or because Cavesa needs it, but maybe it’s useful to someone else. I am a big fan of the “just do something everyday” goal, which is the sentiment :)


My main problem: the streaks demotivate me. Considering the fact my life is full of unexpected unfortunate days, the streaks make me feel like it doesn't matter anyways, as the streak is only a countdown to the next problem falling on my head. It is very depressive and demotivating to lose streaks all the time, and very often for reasons out of my power.

Perhaps that Seinfield calendar could work like a game. You know, leaving as few days empty as possible. And perhaps with the option to fill the missing days with a different colour later, perhaps with a condition of doing twice the amount or something like that, to not leave much space for depression or anxiety. All that could work only if I sent small daily goals though.

Ladies (do I assume your gender correctly?), you are an awesome source of inspiration.
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CarlyD
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby CarlyD » Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:17 am

Cavesa wrote:My main problem: the streaks demotivate me. Considering the fact my life is full of unexpected unfortunate days, the streaks make me feel like it doesn't matter anyways, as the streak is only a countdown to the next problem falling on my head. It is very depressive and demotivating to lose streaks all the time, and very often for reasons out of my power.


I have "official" streaks right now on my Memrise and Clozemaster--I think I'm at 189 for Memrise. And no matter what I do, I know that that will only last until the next time my internet fails and it takes 3 days to get it fixed. Again.

So I don't dwell on individual streaks that I might not have control over.

My spreadsheet has a list of everything possible for me to do. Online stuff like Memrise, textbooks, flashcards, reading. Even on my worst going-to-die-from-allergies days, I can at least flip through (paper) flashcards blearily. So that I can still do something. So far I've made it through allergy days, the pounding headache days of the forest fire smoke and the other-hobbies-are-calling-me days to complete my first 175-day challenge. So I think this is working for me.
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CarlyD
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby CarlyD » Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:20 am

Morgana wrote:Just mentioning the Seinfeld calendar, as a method for “do something everyday” and to also have it be a kind of gamification on paper (streaks anyone?) to keep one’s motivation. Not mentioning it because you need it, CarlyD, or because Cavesa needs it, but maybe it’s useful to someone else. I am a big fan of the “just do something everyday” goal, which is the sentiment :)


I remember seeing that a while back--I don't remember if it had to do with language learning or something else. At the time I remember thinking that it seemed "too hard" to maintain. But he's totally right.
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CarlyD
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Re: CarlyD's 2018 German log

Postby CarlyD » Sun Dec 16, 2018 6:12 pm

Bootcamp this morning at 8 a.m. Theoretically ok, but he talked a lot about mnemonics that I'm not a fan of. And apparently, I'm too old for Bootcamp. When it started, I had to open up a Youtube channel so I could post during the class. Ok, not a fan of that, but did that.

This morning, I went to the class site, switched to my Youtube channel so I could post--and found, at 7:59 a.m. that he'd changed it to a Discord-only class. So I had to rush to set up a Discord account. Which apparently only works (class and chat on the same screen) if you're doing it on your phone. Meh. So I ended up toggling back and forth between the class and the chat page, with all its game symbols that looked like it was designed for kids.

Yep, too old.

Next class is this Thursday. At 5 a.m. In the morning. :(
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