#appreciate...

[rigelmejo]

So anyone following me for an example (lol i appreciate you if this is u) just keep in mind that: my primary goal for any language I studied was to READ. I think I'm fairly good at reaching that goal. A lot of what I did, personally, as a beginner, was tailored to learning to read. (Read a grammar summary, study word translations for 1000-3000 words, start reading graded readers, work up to intensively reading materials - so looking up key words for the main idea, then extensively reading materials I understood the main ideas of).

For the other skills:

Listening - I am working on it now as it's a weak spot I would like to be better at. I think my study plan has been working well. Which amounts to intensive listening (looking key words up for understanding the main ideas), and a lot of extensive listening. The same strategy I had for reading, which worked well for reading. Start with materials for learners, which for listening is CI Lessons and Learner Podcasts. Then ramp up the difficulty, and do intensive and extensive listening. Mostly extensive listening, since I already know many words from reading.

Speaking and writing - I am NOT a good example of success lmao. I am a 3-5 year old level at best when it comes to writing or speaking. The best thing I studied was "300 words in a language to say anything" post on tumblr, reblogged with various translations for languages, because you can indeed say a LOT of stuff on a very general level with that word list. That's about as good as my speaking/writing ever got, in terms of active study. After that, everything I've studied was in the service of learning to read or listen, and you don't need Active Production skills to read or listen. You don't need perfect pronunciation or grammar to read, you just need to recognize the general idea. If I'm being really fucking generous with myself, I am perhaps A2 at speaking and writing in French, HSK 3-4 in Chinese, if I have recently read/listened to those languages for a few weeks beforehand so I can actively recall more words. Could I get by if traveling? Sure. Could I ask my way around topics to ask how to say X? Yeah, that 300 words list was fucking awesome for a general preparation to talk around topics/ask about words. Is it good enough to do anything detailed like write an email or a journal entry, absolutely fucking not. I still have a LOT to work to do on my production skills. I'm honestly hoping the listening skills transfer to active skills a bit...

[babushkaat]

let’s hang on mama (of another species)

[pirateprincessjess]

When I was early on in my transition I got in a Lyft, and the driver was this big country guy. I was a little nervous so I just sat quietly in the back.

After a moment he changed the music on his phone to what sounded like a Hatsune Miku song. Curiosity got the better of me, so I finally spoke up and said “is this Hatsune Miku?”

And he said “Yep. You looked uncomfortable, and I know Transgender women like Hatsune Miku, so I thought it might help.”

I think about that interaction a lot.

[hexjulia]

so hard not to become the most annoying person on earth if you're a little excitable and just learned a little about a topic literally no one around you has any interest in

[archivegeo]

got a major pest problem this year actually

[pkaykim]

Valentines gift for my girlfriend

Please don’t repost on other platforms!

[goldensunset]

my thing i haven’t made is so good 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[kallypsowrites]

Imagine being JD Vance, who makes such a huge part of his personality being catholic. The pope himself takes time to lecture you on compassion then promptly DIES. The pope uses one of his last hours on earth to tell you that you suck at your religion on EASTER. And then DIES. Anyway RIP Pope Francis

[cilantrhoes]

[mewvore]

Sometimes you need to read something twice to get it. You might need to watch a movie three times to understand it. You might have to have that album on repeat for a week until the lyrics make any sense. You're allowed to engage with it and can keep engaging with it until it means something to you. People will see a painting at a museum and laugh about not getting what the big deal is but like you can come back, you can see it at another time, and maybe that next time it'll be different for you. I'm of the belief the "media literacy crisis" would solve itself if more people just sat down and did it again. Watched, read, played, listened, etc like I don't think people are getting more ignorant necessarily I just think we're not glorifying personally replaying things nearly as much as we should be.

[captainjonnitkessler]

>Join a union

>Hear people constantly complaining that the current union leadership is super corrupt, it's all just the same ten guys making all the decisions in secret and nobody else in the union ever gets to know what's going on

>Go to the monthly union meetings that are completely open to all 1200 union members

>The only attendees are the same ten guys every month, giving detailed reports about everything that's going on

[etherealspacejelly]

i think we should all start using arabic words and phrases more often because its a beautiful language and also theres not really. english equivalents that have the same vibes

theres also the comedy potential of it. you guys dont know the joy of having your muslim friend text you "hopefully the racists in our city will all get sick and cant go to the protest" and you, as a pasty white guy, responding with "inshallah they get covid"

its a one hit KO every time. its fucking hilarious. theres no english word that has the same effect.

he also once texted me that he got over a mysterious illness he came down with (i think? i cant remember the exact context) and i responded with "subhanallah he is cured"

again, one hit KO. he lost his shit.

what im saying is we gotta normalise arabic. its just a language like any other, and it has some great words. its just like saying "thank god" or whatever, but theres so much variety and nuance. its beautiful

[valkugo]

[redisnotonfire]

shout out to suzanne collins for, in the middle of Everything Else she was doing in sotr, dropping a paragraph that’s just “btw fuck ai”

[filibusterfrog]

types of wizards :)