I’ve mentioned many a time, how difficult it can be to see your own progress, especially after finishing the courses/levels.
One of the things i have been doing is making videos, the latest of which is in the 'be dach chi’n gwneud rwan" thread. Along with reading, writing and lots of radio cymru.
So, can i see improvements?
Hell yes.
For a start i can read welsh and sometimes manage without looking new words up.
Secondly i can write. Emails, journals, even poetry (well sort of).
Thirdly radio cymru is times intelligible as opposed to just hearing the odd word.
And my recordings of myself reflect the same progress i think.
This isn’t a “wow look at me post”. It’s something think about when we have those moments when we think we’re standing still. We think we are because the daily progress we make is of course slow…but over time we travel an enormous distance.
As long as you measure your progress like this it’s great thing to do. It can be fun and the thing you like to do rather then pure aim to measure something. Just don’t do what I’ve done in the past. You can clearly see all my “stupid” measuring in my Tatjana - progress reports thread from post 125 on. The progress or stagnation can be seen too clearly and too mathematically. Measuring can’t be done this way (I know that now but I didn’t (want) to know that before.)
And, besides, you’re doing just great! Keep going with what you’re doing. Videos are fun, poetry can be inspiring, fun or can give you some comfort in your mind and soul. Listening to radio can also be fun and interesting to establish how much you can understand and how many words you didn’t hear for quite amount of time you can find familiar nad understandable …
And, despite your difficult times right now, don’t stop playing guitar and singing! You’re doing this well too.
I think I agree with Tatjana. I think she’s saying, 'Do what you enjoy and, if you notice you are getting better, that’s great, but don’t obsess, don’t get hung up on trying to improve or worry if you aeem to slow down or stop. Well, let’s face it, if you actually reached perfection:
A. You would be Buddha or Iesu Christ or…
B. You wouldn’t care
C. You’d have nowhere to go but down!
And don’t keep on doing something if you no longer enjoy it!
This is intended for general chat from aged ddraig to Forum at large, Pete is doing so well, I’m sure he realises he hardly needs advice from someone who is a very slow rememberer of Cymraeg! (And very bad at listening and actually hearing!)
Tatjana fach, it worked for you as it was something you needed to get out of your system.
Many of us have and will feel the same, but are not as good with numbers. Now you are really helping others learn, so a gold star would not be enough.
At the moment i’m waiting for the henddraig to stop hitting herself with a big stick, but it is improving.
Pete has done incredibly well and i expect time i meet him he will be well ahead of me, but i’m sure he will be nothing but helpful.
We are all going in the same direction, so hooray for progress no matter what the speed.
NB I never hit myself with a stick of any size, I am just a realist. Comes with the territory of scientific research! I am in the best possible place to know how much/little effort I put in to learning and how much/little talent goes with it. You, dear John, have sat there and watched me end up in English at Skype practice so you know about my lack of vocabulary!
