Begin project: Learn Mandarin

We may call it Chinese, but in this case, it's Mandarin, specifically.

Ah, well... long story... I've been here over a year... I should know something of the language... I don't remember anything I don't use... I'm surrounded by non-speakers...

But I've decided that, for the remainder of my time, here, I need to cram in as much language-learning as I can. Realistically, I could spend years just studying and still be far from fluent, but I'm determined to come away with a bit more than I currently have, which is a feat that can't help but be accomplished. :D

I don't want to learn reading/writing, because I feel it would be a waste of any learning time... I wouldn't learn enough anyway, so just want some language/vocabulary, to know more of that more good-er... but they always start off teaching you the child's version of the reading/writing and take you from there... that really doesn't go according to my desires, but it seems to be the approach of this one study option (free, 3 nights a week, 2 hours at a time, 1 hour "travel" time there and back). I'm a little skeptical re: any real progress being made in so little time (from now, till I leave), but it largely depends on the teacher(s)... will see how it goes... will also be exhausted. Suddenly, I feel way too Taiwanese for my pants. They work way too hard... hours are way too long... and "work" may be either actual work or study or what have you... anything besides relaxing. When do these people relax?! My long-term project will be "to aid in relaxing". :D

In any case...

If I sit in on enough of these classes, something's bound to stick (?). The teachers babble on in Mandarin only, and although I don't understand a thing, maybe at least proper pronunciation will be subconsciously absorbed, the complication of the tones being what they are. I get a lot more of what's being said by interpreting people's actions and expressions, here... they use their actions and expressions a lot, it's pretty interesting... they talk with their hands and face, but it says a lot more -- well, in an entirely different way -- than Italian gesturing does... Like... I could figure out what's going on just by watching how they're expressing it... Or maybe I'm just really intiuitive, harhar. Doubt it, but whatever it may be, it's much easier for me to figure out what's going on by what's not being said than what's being said that I don't understand.

Good talk.

Anywaaay... besides these evening classes, I might also start attending 1.5 hours of classes on Saturdays (plus 1.5 hours travel time). I'm guessing these classes will be much more to my liking, as I might be able to get the teacher to teach me what I want: that is, conversation and vocabulary and grammar, ehe. But I'll have to pay a little something for these classes, so they'll need to be very worth it. :)

Total financial investment in classes, so far: pencil, eraser, pen. Gasp! It was quite an investment. In consequence, I plan to take it seriously, to make my investment well worth it. :) Well, transportation will start to add up, as will fees, minimal as they may be.

I also plan to have as much "language exchange" (you practice your English with me, I try to learn your Chinese) as I can swing... have already been propositioned by the Buddhist master (lady)... and may be able to get some time in with the kid I used to tutor...

Why, you may ask? Why even try to learn this language?

Well, besides the embarrassment of having been somewhere and not knowing any of the language, I also think that Chinese language and culture are an important part of the present and upcoming world. I don't have specific plans for use of my Chinese-y-ness, but it'll come in handy, some day, you'll see! The culture here is sooo different from anything we're used to... even from other Asian countries... If I can "get" any of this Chinese culture thing, I think that'll be another boon, in future, with the direction things are going and all...

Anyway, if nothing else, at least it's a good goal in the "skills/knowledge" department, something I wouldn't be able to do anywhere else. Okay? Okay. :)

Since I'll probably be pretty engrossed in learning, from today's class on, I'll try to keep track of what I do, Chinse language/culture-related, for my future reference and for anyone who wants to get a general idea how it goes...

And done-d!

When I started posting my ambitious ambitions, I mentioned that I wanted to read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, at the suggestion of a friend. Well, I got a about 1/3 through it around the beginning of the month. Then, yesterday, remembered the month was nearing its end. Since I had a moment or two to spare, in the evening, before trekking over to Vince's/Lance's for one of Lance's last dinners in Taiwan, I devoted some time to reading the book. Through. Straight. I've never done that, before. Read a book all the way through, in one sitting. That I can recall. Though, at my age (harhar, heh), you often don't recall. Important things. Oh well.

It was delightful! I laughed out loud (O-M-G -- yuck, why are people so into that, these days...) sooo many times, in the privacy of our emptied apartment.

I also had Bob Acri playing in the background. Which might've helped. The mood. (Nicely enough, Vince put on a little jazz over at their place, too. That was swell. And we had cheese. And rolls. And salami. And beer.)

In any case, if you haven't read it, or haven't read it recently. Please. Just do it. Now. And try not to think of nonsensical me when you do, ahahahaha. Well, apparently, literary nonsense is quite intentional, really.

But is it... ...

And the moral of that is--"If your bloomers are blue when you cross the sea... well... you know what to do."

Begin project: Drive

It's come to that: I MUST learn to drive. Cris and Patricia, you’ve effectively convinced me it's vital. Fiona, you've inspired me. Lance, you've graciously agreed to give me a few hours' lessons. For which I thank each one of you.

I shall conquer this inability!

Actually, I've already had a couple hours' "instruction", since determining this would be one of my "for the remainder of my stay in Taiwan" goals.

I have to humbly admit: it seems to come quite naturally for me, thankyouverymuch.

Of course, _what_ comes naturally for me is an entirely different matter.

But we'll dwell on the positive.

And that is: I was made to be a race car driver. To make speedy turns with one hand and to let the steering wheel slide back into place without two hands on it. (This is what comes of restricting all your past “driving experience” to “avoiding collisions in the bumper car arena”. I’m really quite good at _that_, I’ll have you know. You should see the siblings I grew up with and the terror they strike in the bumper car field. :D )

Well, the first class, Lance told me how evil I was to not be following strict instruction. I then proceeded to analyze his driving -- something that’s easy to do when you drive to and from the office on a daily basis with the same drivers, aherm -- and he blithely pointed out that, with 12 years’ driving experience, he’s allowed to not-follow the what-you’ll-be-tested on rules. The only lesson this taught is that, instinctively, I turn to the path of least resistance and go with what will make things simpler and more straightforward. PTL.

It also taught me that I am a rebel.

Which was quite a shocking discovery. >:)

In any case, it’s somewhat empowering to have a challenge set before you, that you never thought you would be able to conquer, and to feel like maybe you will someday be sortta adept at it. Shamefully, I tend to surround myself with tasks and “challenges” in areas that I’m naturally okay in, which means they aren’t really challenges and they don’t push me to overcome.

Driving has always frightened me because I’m not good on focusing on more than one thing at a time (it sounds like I’m just saying that, but really, seriously, honestly, both in work and interacting with people, I can only focus on one thing at a time -- extremist). So I’m still not convinced I’ll be able to focus on what’s ahead of me, what’s on the sides of me, and all the finicky little vehicle thingies… but maybe it would also be wise not to drive in a country like this. Ever. As it would be to drive in a much smaller vehicle -- try half the size -- if/when I actually do drive.

Yeah, that America driving is sounding better every day… So, a few lessons here, get the general idea, then, when I’m back in the States, get some practice and America-based instruction, study for written test, then test.

I may yet be a great ballerina!! Er… driver…

(And to all my lady friends who don’t drive: Just do it. At least get a little instruction. In a parking lot. It just might be mucho fun. If nothing else. :D )

Done!

Actually, it was accomplished last week, I just didn't report it...

This book:

On Writing -- A Memoir of the Craft -- Stephen King

Done and over with! I've even gotten one other person into reading (an ebook version of) it and passed on my book to someone else. (Drop me a line if you want to know where to get a copy of the ebook.)

I plan to re-read it in a few months and pull out all my favorite lines, because the man is just too clever. For his own good. And mine.

Cris, I deserve a prize. Thank you, thank you, thankyouverymuch!!

Committing

So, it's like this... My brother has been collecting Stephen King's books, in hardback. He has several in paperback, so I found one in hardback for his collection, but it wasn't actually a novel... though it WAS one he didn't have in hardback, yet, so we swapped, with his parting remark of: "not like you'll read it..." The cynic.

It's "Stephen King -- A Memoir of the Craft -- On Writing". I had actually thought to myself: "Fancy! If he already has it, I'll have a groovy book for myself." And now I do, in paperback. And now that he has thrown down the gauntlet, I commit to reading this book.

Within a month.

All 288 pages.

And the cover.

If you know me and the expanse of my interests and how fleeting the focus and attention given to any one of those million interests is, you know what a great feat this will be, should I accomplish it. But you don't know all that, so you don't have reason to doubt. Hrm. Doubt away! I WILL do it! Having a little brother taunt you so is incentive enough, all personal interest in the book aside. (You don't know how many books I've read a couple chapters of and haven't finished.)

Okay, so, Cris, you heard it here: I WILL read it. And I will finish it by the end of August. I'm even cheating myself out of a few days, making this statement on the evening of the 4th, but that's just how determined I am. :)

To make life even more impossible for myself, I also plan to read "Alice in Wonderland", because a friend mentioned it and its clever-ness and I realized I haven't read it as a grown-up. Neither have I read it in English. :)

I also plan to learn as much Mandarin as I possibly can, given the time constraints, in the next year.

Hrm, life is starting to sound unrealistic, again.

Maybe I should start with getting to bed at a godly hour, tonight, after 55 hours of travel. :D