Learning a Language: Spanish

I am currently taking Spanish classes at my local college through their Continuing Education program. I originally started the classes at the beginning of the summer for something to do that would be fun, exciting, and interesting other than work. I'd rather spend my money on fun things that bills (wouldn't everyone?) and if I was going to spend my money on something interesting, I'd rather I get my money's worth and learn something new.

I chose Spanish because The Boyfriend speaks Spanish as his first language and most of my foreign language education has been in Spanish. Before these Spanish classes, I took Spanish for 6 years in middle school and high school. My last Spanish class was an AP level class, and I was finally reaching the point were I began to think in Spanish, rather than thinking in English and translating to Spanish in my head.

Sadly, college did not immediately require language classes, I was tired of Spanish at that point, didn't want to take the placement test or start with Spanish I, and didn't know The Boyfriend yet, so I ditched Spanish for one year of Italian.

Boy did that mess up whatever meager Spanish skills I had... I still instinctively think "sorella" (Italian) when you tell me to translate "sister" (English) instead of "hermana" (Spanish).

When I met The Boyfriend, I thought taking Spanish classes again might be a good idea. At first I thought I could study with him, and not take a formal class, but when I would ask him to speak to me only in Spanish, he would quickly forget, because his default language with me is English and I tend to give up when I don't know a word, and then it's ALL down the drain... so I decided a formal class would be better.

In a formal class I would practice with strangers and I would be less willing to get frustrated and give up.

My teacher for the summer cycle and the fall cycle which I am just finishing up is from Peru. She's very patient and thoughtful. She doesn't require us to purchase a text book and she prepares all of her lessons herself, writing out worksheets and activities for us to complete.

Best yet, she let's us dictate the classes. If we show a preference for discussions, we can spend the whole of class, having conversations in Spanish and practicing our comprehension, speaking and vocabulary skills. (Fall cycle)

If we show a preference for more structure--grammar lessons, conversation activities etc. she prepares lessons for us to work through during class. (Summer cycle)

I can say with certainty that these classes help me with my comprehension skills. I understand a lot and my listening skills have improved. My speaking skills--not so much. I am considering taking a class geared solely towards speaking skills, but the times/days offered makes it somewhat difficult.

The next cycle doesn't start until January, so it's good I have a month or so to think about what I will do for next time.

Hasta luego!

Review: KONG Kickeroo Tiger Print Catnip Cat Toy

This cat toy is fantastic! My little kitty loves this toy. I initially had bought her the little frog kickeroo (on the right) and she loved it so much, I decided to get her the full size version (on the left). She loves them both. The frog is small enough that she can carry it around in her mouth and the big one has enough bulk that she can fight with it and lay on her back scratching it like crazy!


Perfect, when kitty has toys she loves, she doesn't mess with the furniture (too much)!

Review: Petstages Orkakat Wiggle Worm

This kitty toy was recommended to me by a friend of mine who has three cats of her own. She said her kitties loved chewing on this toy and go crazy for it.

I thought it was perfect for my kitty who must be crazy, because she chews on any plastic or paper she can get her paws on. I find her chewing on any plastic, like the kind from package wrapping, all the time. This toy is said to be:

• Infused with catnip
• Textured surface massages gums while kitty chews
• Made of non-toxic durable synthetic rubber
• Floppy material adds wiggly movement

Which I thought was perfect for my plastic chewing kitty. But when I unwrapped it from the packaging and held it out to kitty to play with, she backed away from it, not wanting to touch it. When I would shake it in her direction, making it bounce, she would lean away from it and reach out with paw to quickly swat at it, and hunch away from it again. If I held it out close enough that it touched her, she would meow at it/me and run away. Always facing the toy as if it were an enemy that you don't want to turn your back to.

I suppose I will take it over to mom's house to see if her cat likes it, if not, it goes to my friend's cats who love this thing...

...cat toy fail...

Thoughts: Projects

Yay! For projects! I have a few in the works... although... right now I must say I am still in the thinking phase... cause, yeah... I don't have time to write... unless I want to sacrifice sleep... and well, me sacrificing sleep is never ever a good thing. I am only at my peak if I get about 9 hours of sleep. Any less and I am still functional, but prone to be irritated more... and the less sleep, the faster the irritation ensues...

Anyway, back to projects. I am working on a major collaboration: a comic book with my friend. Yay! I am excited about this. So I don't have a lot of time to write right now. However, in about a week, I am taking some time off and I plan to do a whole bunch of writing at that time.

Inspiration: Palenque, Mexico:

What is Love: Conditional vs Unconditional

But my husband has seen me at my worst, at my most vile. And he has seen me at my best. He knows the things I don’t tell anyone, and the lies that I tell everyone but him. I have made sacrifices for him and been angry about it. Sometimes his flaws are so egregious, so blatant, they are all I see. And sometimes his kindness is so stunning that I am humbled.

And that’s love. Big, epic, fairy-tale love. The kind of love people write about. The kind of love that could inspire a poem.

Sarah Healy

When the Words Don't Fit

Unconditional love is fully accepting a person for who they are; their graces and their faults. Unconditional; without conditions, without reservations, whole-heartedly, fully, entirely.

Don't hold anything back; just leap!

Review: The Rum Diary

Based on the debut novel by Hunter S. Thompson. Tiring of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper, run by downtrodden editor Lotterman. ~Rotten Tomatoes

The Rum Diary was a thoughtful, interesting, period piece of a detour on the life of the protagonist, Paul Kemp in the 1950's in Puerto Rico. Paul takes a writing job at a newspaper.

According to Wikipedia, "During the 1950s Puerto Rico experienced rapid industrialization, due in large part to Operación Manos a la Obra ("Operation Bootstrap"), an offshoot of FDR's New Deal, which aimed to transform Puerto Rico's economy from agriculture-based to manufacturing-based."

The opening scene shows Paul waking up in the morning drunk after what appears to be a very crazy night... his hotel room is a disaster. His was apparently drinking rum... and he doesn't ever stop drinking rum throughout the entire movie.

Johnny Depp is, of course, exceptional... though I am biased as he is my favorite actor of all time (except for anything Tim Burton, but that is another topic entirely). He managed to be a drunk character on screen without reminding me of Jack Sparrow. When Johnny Depp is Jack Sparrow, that is what he is... when he is Paul Kemp, he is Paul Kemp... and though they are both drunk, they are neither the same, nor identical... their only remote similarities are Johnny Depp's voice... which in my book, means that Johnny Depp is an amazing actor! End Johnny Depp rave...

Back to the Rum Diary... this movie received a 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, because, it well, does try to be thoughtful, but in the end... rambles... there's not exactly a clear ending. It goes here, it goes there.

Perhaps that it what it is like to be in a rum stupor?

Review: Voices For All

"Are people always telling you that you have a great voice? Do you often find yourself listening to your favorite audiobook, commercial or cartoon character and thinking, “I could do that”? If so, then you could have what it takes to begin working as a professional Voiceover Artist. Being a Voiceover Artist is a fun and rewarding job! The current Voiceover trends have made it easy and affordable for just about anyone to get involved. In this fun and empowering 1 hour Introductory workshop, you will learn about the different types of voiceovers and what tools are needed in order to find success in the voiceover industry." ~Voices For All

Voices For All, LLC offers varying levels of professional voiceover education for students pursuing success in the voice over business. I had the opportunity to take an Introductory voice over class for them. Boy was I surprised!

I took the class as part of my plan to do fun and interesting things with my life besides work a steady 9-5 job that pays the bills. I was one of those people who was always told you have a cute voice, good for anime cartoons. I thought it sounded like fun to be a voice actor.

When I entered the classroom, the teacher was immediately engaging and it was clear he used his voice as a tool and adjusted it with skill to convey what he wanted to say in exactly the tone and the pitch that he wanted to use. I was impressed. That takes talent.

And for the first part of the class, I was sure that voice acting was something I wanted to do, something I could do... but then we got to the part where the teacher explained that "every can be a voice actor... right from their own home."

What? This was a work from home job? "Yeah," he said, "You can set up your own studio and not only market yourself, locally and nationally, but internationally as well! Sounds great, right?"

Sure, yeah, sounds wonderful, except for the part where a home studio set up costs around $2,000 dollars, and the part where he said further voiceover education and demos are highly recommended... right, yes, of course, you can't just say you'll be a voice actor and go out and become one... it takes work... and apparently money resources as well... Voices For All master classes including a demo disk cost $3,000.

Are you kidding me? Now this is starting to sound like those signs you see on the side of road that read:

"Work from home... earn $2,000-$3,000/mo."

Okay, so maybe this is the way to go to become a voice actor... but it certainly seems as if it is as expensive as getting an AA degree at a community college. In the end... I still would like to be a voice actor, but there is no way I have $5,000 in funds to get me there...

...dream bust...