jellyfishcandyy

[jellyfishcandyy]

Duolingo Sucks, Now What?: A Guide

Now that the quality of Duolingo has fallen (even more) due to AI and people are more willing to make the jump here are just some alternative apps and what languages they have:

"I just want an identical experience to DL"

Busuu (Languages: Spanish, Japanese, French, English, German, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Arabic, Korean)

"I want a good audio-based app"

Language Transfer (Languages: French, Swahili, Italian, Greek, German, Turkish, Arabic, Spanish, English for Spanish Speakers)

"I want a good audio-based app and money's no object"

Pimsleur (Literally so many languages)

Glossika (Also a lot of languages, but minority languages are free)

*anecdote: I borrowed my brother's Japanese Pimsleur CD as a kid and I still remember how to say the weather is nice over a decade later. You can find the CDs at libraries and "other" places I'm sure.

"I have a pretty neat library card"

Mango (Languages: So many and the endangered/Indigenous courses are free even if you don't have a library that has a partnership with Mango)

Transparent Language: (Languages: THE MOST! Also the one that has the widest variety of African languages! Perhaps the most diverse in ESL and learning a foreign language not in English)

"I want SRS flashcards and have an android"

AnkiDroid: (Theoretically all languages, pre-made decks can be found easily)

"I want SRS flashcards and I have an iphone"

AnkiApp: It's almost as good as AnkiDroid and free compared to the official Anki app for iphone

"I don't mind ads and just want to learn Korean"

lingory

"I want an app made for Mandarin that's BETTER than DL and has multiple languages to learn Mandarin in"

ChineseSkill (You can use their older version of the course for free)

"I don't like any of these apps you mentioned already, give me one more"

Bunpo: (Languages: Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Korean, and Mandarin)

[jellyfishcandyy]

I love them so much.

[jellyfishcandyy]

Artist

[jellyfishcandyy]

[jellyfishcandyy]

🆂🆃🅰🆁🆅🅰🆃🅸🅾🅽 ⚰

From the heart of unimaginable suffering, I want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported my family 🙏🏻

Right now, famine is hitting us harder than ever, my heart cries whenever I go to the market to buy any basic necessities! The prices are crazy, and most days my children survive on just bread Hunger and thirst are destroying us, and cooking on fire increases our suffering unbearably! Severe eye and chest sensitivity, in addition to constant stomach pain due to the type of food and the way it is cooked.

All this while we flee from one place to another in fear of bombing, bullets, and imminent danger! I cannot describe what I feel, but it is a feeling beyond exhaustion!

Despite the exhaustion, your support gives us strength and I hope you will not let us down

If you can donate, please do so, or at least help us by sharing, so we can reach those who can

Your kindness truly keeps us going

>> Our campaign is vetted by gazavetters list at Momen & his family

Gaza is full of oppression #The worst is yet to come #Genocide #A resilient people

[jellyfishcandyy]

💬 Just a Small Update, and a Big Thank You

Dear friends, kind hearts, and everyone who has stood with us,

When I first opened my heart to the world and shared our story, I never imagined the amount of love and solidarity we would receive. Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve now reached $12,837—a milestone that brings real light to some very dark days.

From the deepest corners of my heart, thank you.

💔 A Journey of Loss, but Also of Strength

As many of you know, I’ve lost 25 of my loved ones during this devastating war. That grief lives with me every single day. It’s in the silence that once held laughter, in the empty spaces where we once gathered as a family.

But through your help, I’ve also felt something else: hope. And that hope is priceless.

“21/Oct/2023 Before It Reached Us: The Day Our Neighbor’s House Was Destroyed” A quiet moment of fear, filmed just before everything changed.

“22/Oct/2023 The Morning After: Our Family Home in Ruins” This is what was left behind after the bombing of our home.

🌿 What Life Looks Like for Us Now

Despite everything, we’re still here. Still surviving. Still hoping.

But things have only gotten harder.

The war has returned, more brutal than before—and for over a month now, Gaza has been completely sealed off. No food is coming in. No medical supplies. No aid. No trade. No one is allowed to leave, and no one is allowed to enter.

We’re trapped.

🏚 We live with the fear of tomorrow, every single day. Airstrikes, drones, and the uncertainty of what might happen next. 👨‍👩‍👧 Our family is forever changed—we haven’t just lost people; we’ve lost pieces of ourselves. 📉 Basic needs go unmet—even clean water feels like a luxury now. Medicines, if they exist at all, are unreachable.

And yet…

Your support reminds us that we’re not forgotten. It reminds us that someone, somewhere, is still listening. That someone still cares. That we’re not completely alone in this.

Every message. Every share. Every dollar. It tells us: You’re walking this road with us. And that gives us the strength to keep going.

💖 What You Can Do

If you’ve already donated—thank you beyond words. If you can share our story again, it could reach someone who can help.

Even $5 means warmth, comfort, and a chance to breathe a little easier.

✨ Why It All Matters

This isn’t just about reaching a fundraising goal. It’s about surviving war with dignity. It’s about believing in tomorrow. It’s about making sure my daughter grows up knowing that the world did not look away.

Thank you for your kindness, patience, and belief in our humanity. You’ve helped me find my voice—and I will use it to keep hope alive.

🙏 From the Heart: A Quiet Apology

There’s something I need to say—something that’s been on my heart for some time.

When I first began sharing our story, I didn’t know what the right way was. I was scared, grieving, and trying to protect my family in any way I could. I reached out to many people, hoping someone, anyone, would see us. In that process, I now realize I may have overstepped, and I might have made some feel overwhelmed.

If that happened, I am truly sorry.

Please believe me when I say it was never out of disregard or pushiness. It came from a place of fear—fear of being forgotten, fear of not being able to keep my family safe, fear of watching everything I love slip away in silence.

I’m learning as I go. I’ve slowed down. I’m more mindful now, trying to share our journey in a way that feels respectful of the space and hearts of those listening.

If my words ever came at the wrong time, or in the wrong way, I hope you can understand where they came from—and I hope you can forgive me.

Thank you for seeing past my mistakes. Thank you for still being here. It means more than I can ever explain.

Vetted by @gazavetters ( #309 )

With love and endless gratitude, Mosab and family ♥️

[jellyfishcandyy]

[jellyfishcandyy]

Artist

[jellyfishcandyy]

@0dde11eth @help-help-i-need-an-adult @catscraftsandcommentary @fandom-junk-drawer @random-apollo-child @thequeeninyellowlace @awitcheress

[jellyfishcandyy]

Latin from The Witcher books translated

This took a bit longer than I expected, but I finished them :] Keep in mind that I've only been studying Latin for 3 years and that I've had to translate these into Finnish first (all my Latin dictionaries are in Finnish) so there might be some slight mistakes. I've sorted these by book and marked the page number (which might be slightly off due to translations and editions of the books). A few of the phrases are used multiple times in the books, I've only included the first page where the phrase was used for the first time in the book. Some of these have the translation right next to them in the books, but I've also included them here. Also some of these have multiple translations, but I've chosen the one that best fits the context in my opinion.

Blood of Elves

p. 209, ad valorem - according to value p. 309, casus belli - cause for war

Time of Contempt

p. 254, victoria - victory

Baptism of Fire

p. 34, persona non grata - person not welcome p. 35, quod attinet - which is related (to) p. 36, justitia fundamentum regnorum - justice is the foundation of kingdoms p. 36, crimen horribilis non potest non esse punible - a horrible crime can not be without punishment p. 36, lapis super lapidem - a stone on top of a stone p. 37, fundamentum regnorum - the foundation of kingdoms p. 37, primo - firstly p. 37, secundo - secondly p. 37, memoria fragilis est - (the) memory is fragile p. 37, raptus puellae - abduction of a girl p. 38, sempiternum meam* - forever mine p. 179, perpetuum mobile - perpetual motion machine (lit. perpetual motion) p. 186, vagina dentata - toothed vagina p. 344, summa cum laude - with highest praise

The Tower of the Swallow

p. 15, vulnus incivisum - incision wound p. 18, rubor, calor, tumor & dolor - redness, fever, swelling & pain p. 115, crimen - crime p. 204, delirium tremens - alcohol-induced delirium (lit. mental disturbance with shaking) p. 217, per fas et nefas - by right and wrong p. 230, cui bono? - to whose advantage? p. 340, de non preiudicando - without prejudgement p. 349, casus belli - cause for war p. 356, pacta sunt servanda - agreements must be kept p. 408, de profundis - from the depths p. 409, propria manu - with one's own hand p. 461, societas leonine - partnership with a lion

The Lady of the Lake

p. 27, ad usum delphini - for the use of Dauphin / for the use of the heir p. 27, summa summarum - all in all p. 77, pericolosus - dangerous p. 171, omnia mea mecum porto - I carry all my possessions with me p. 378, exitus - passed away p. 496, post factum - after the fact p. 497, per acclamationem - by acclamation p. 498, persona turpis - ugly/disgraceful person p. 502, ad futuram rei memoriam - for future reference p. 502, nihil ad rem - nothing to do with the matter p. 502, status quo - existing state (or just 'status quo') p. 503, pro publico bono - for the public good p. 503, salus publica lex suprema est - the health of the people is the supreme law p. 504, verba volant - words fly p. 504, non possumus - we can not p. 505, ad referendum - for referral p. 506, ultimus familiae - last of the family p. 537, vivant - long live p. 537, digitus infamis - infamous finger p. 539, perpetuum mobile - perpetual motion machine (lit. perpetual motion) p. 577, et cetera - and so forth (or just 'et cetera')

Season of Storms

p. 15, status quo - existing state (or just 'status quo') p. 16, ipso facto - by the fact itself p. 35, primo - firstly p. 35, secundo - secondly p. 35, tertio - thirdly p. 37, notitia criminis - notice of a crime p. 38, probatio de relato** - proof concerning the telling of events p. 39, praeiudicium - prejudgement p. 39, Testimonium unius non valet. Testis unus, testis nullus. - One testimony is not strong. One witness is a worthless witness. p. 39, ergo - therefore p. 39, praesumptio - presumption p. 39, in dubio pro reo - in doubt, on behalf of the accused -> in doubt, favour the accused p. 42, cautio pro expensis - security for expenses p. 81, nil admirari - don't be surprised / let nothing surprise you p. 102, summa cum laude - with highest praise p. 102, quadrivium - 2nd group of 7 liberal arts (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music) p. 102, Sphera Mundi subdividitur - The sphere of the world is subdivided p. 102, aer - air p. 102, aether - aether/sky p. 102, firmamentum - support p. 102, erratica sydera*** - roving stars p. 102, fixa sydera*** - fixed stars p. 102, sydera cadens*** - falling stars p. 103, quod erat demonstrandum - which had to be proved p. 109, causa finita - (the) case ended p. 125, unguentum ortolani**** - ortolan ointment p. 133, sine ira et studio - without anger and enthusiasm p. 137, bene vale - be well -> goodbye p. 172, fulmen sphaericus, sagitta aurea - lightning ball, golden arrow p. 193, ad rem - to the matter p. 196, tapetum lucidum - a layer of tissue in the eye (lit. bright tapestry) p. 238, post Resurrectionem***** - after the Resurrection p. 309, Illustrissimus et Reverendissimus - Most illustrious and Most venerable p. 309, Magnus Magister - Great Teacher/Master p. 309, Honoratissime - Most honored p. 309, anno currente - during this year p. 310, non compos mentis, eo ipso - not in control of his mind / not of sound mind, thereby p. 310, impune est admittendum quod per furorem alicuius accidit****** - it must be admitted with impunity that something happened out of anger p. 310, ad interim - temporarily p. 311, item - also p. 311, non sufficit - not enough p. 312, bene valere optamus - I wish you good health p. 312, semper fidelis vestrarum bona amica - always faithful to you, good friend p. 312, manu propria - with one's own hand p. 345, ad libitum - to please p. 351, deus ex machina - god from the machine p. 359, crescite et multiplinicamini******* - increase and multiply p. 393, quarto - fourthly p. 393, quinto - fifthly p. 394, persona non grata - person not welcome

Latin that I can’t find the page for or isn't in my books (trans. Tapani Kärkkäinen), but are in other versions

Baptism of Fire, incognito - unknown

Bonus

Regis - genitive singular of rex, regis m.: king

-

*I have no idea how this fits into the context **should be probatio de relatu ***I have no idea what Sydera is, since astrum, astri n. is 'star' in Latin ****ortolani might be a latinisation of ortolan, not sure though *****probably talking about the conjunction of the spheres and not a resurrection ******I spent so long trying to crack this one, but I'm not sure the translation I decided to go with is correct (I might ask my Latin teacher about this sentence) *******should be crescite et multiplicamini

I might've missed a few, if so, do tell me!! I'll gladly discuss and read your thoughts about these, especially if you have differing translations!! :]

[jellyfishcandyy]

doodle

[jellyfishcandyy]

Chord.

[jellyfishcandyy]

pick up your banjo

[jellyfishcandyy]

Alejandra Pizarnik, tr. by Yvette Siegert, from “Psychopathology Ward”, Extracting the Stone of Madness: Poems 1962 - 1972

[jellyfishcandyy]

when i say “girl” randomly as an interjection i’m speaking to the omnipresent all knowing being of Girl. asking her for mercy. taking girl’s name in vain

[jellyfishcandyy]

A bit of Moby-Dick oceanography context:

Up until the mid 1870s, it was generally accepted that life could not exist below a depth of 550 meters. This is why some of Ishmael's whale theories are so off and why Ahab pictures the sea floor as a vast wasteland of bones and shipwrecks. 🌊

[jellyfishcandyy]

I'm about to deep clean my apartment (I'm moving out soon) so I'm looking for fiction podcasts recommendations to binge while cleaning! Please recommend your favorite podcasts to me!! I'm looking for something sweet with feelings and good vibes if possible but I'm open to anything good <3

(podcasts I've already listened to / I'm currently listening to below)

The Magnus Archives, The Penumbra Podcast, The Bright Sessions, Wolf 359, Unseen, Starship Iris, The Two Princes, Dreamboy, Passenger List, Time:Bombs, Greenhouse, In Strange Woods, Kaleidotrope, Seren, arsPARADOXICA, Me & AU, EOS10, Alice Isn't Dead, 36 Questions, Rebel Robin, Look up, Erraticus, Shipworm, Roommates, The lost city prince, Maxine Miles, The deca tapes, Road X, The Tower, The Cipher, Keep It Steady, Camp Here & There