---- Finshed my tests. They were not at all what I was expecting - I figured that the General Language would not be as hard as it was; after that, I figured that the Listening and Speaking would both be harder than they turned out to be. (I mean the listening especially - I went into the test thinking, "awshitson, it's going to be as hard as in class," and then the questions were like, "I have visited china two times. QUESTION: what visit is this?" and I was like, " . . . that's it?" and possibly did better than I hoped! :D ) And then speaking was every bit as awkward as it could have been, because a big part of it was about Reading Aloud A Text, which I am notedly not good at.
Things to focus on, now that I know what to: Listening (as usual); reading dialogues aloud) both for future tests and for future not-making-dumb-of-self-s); characters (as per usual).
~:~
---- Looks like I'm signing back up for Martial Arts class! It started with about 12, 14 people, and as the weather got colder and the time closer to exams, fewer and fewer people came regularly, until where we stand now is 5 people, who all, however, want to continue.
I won't pretend that I'm any good at it. I'm learning, but I've never been particularly graceful, or particularly coordinated, and I'm sure I look rather hilarious. (I know I do, from the day it was really cold and we practiced inside, in front of a mirrored wall. GO AWKWARD GO.) But I'm learning. Slowly, and looking like someone jsut out of clown college all the while, but learning, right?
Our teacher's an interesting sort. You'd think a guy teaching people how to punch and kick would be fairly badass, right? Naw. He doesn't need to be badass. He's quiet and tired-eyed and asks his students how to say things in English, and took until the tenth class out of twelve before getting comfortable with joking with us, and then, before or after practice, we see him warming up with stuff you'd see in a movie. He can move like - I don't even know what to use to compare, but when he demonstrates moves, we tend to tell each other, "okay, I am never going to get into a fight with this guy, ever."
(And that description is entirely inadequate, but well.)
~:~
---- Finished Salman Rushdie's Grimus yesterday. I'm curious where the line is between Fantasy and Magical Realism, because that book could be classified as either with no problem at all, and yet you get people thinking "oh, fantasy, that's kid stuff."
Oh no. No, Grimus is not kid stuff.
But it's interesting, I'll tell you that. It's another of these "put lots of elements together, and it works" kinds of books. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's easily squicked, but it's good, and, if you love playing around with languages, a delight to read. And, if you're an English teacher at heart, a delight to analyze. :D
~:~
Going to go write NaNo now! Bye!
Things to focus on, now that I know what to: Listening (as usual); reading dialogues aloud) both for future tests and for future not-making-dumb-of-self-s); characters (as per usual).
~:~
---- Looks like I'm signing back up for Martial Arts class! It started with about 12, 14 people, and as the weather got colder and the time closer to exams, fewer and fewer people came regularly, until where we stand now is 5 people, who all, however, want to continue.
I won't pretend that I'm any good at it. I'm learning, but I've never been particularly graceful, or particularly coordinated, and I'm sure I look rather hilarious. (I know I do, from the day it was really cold and we practiced inside, in front of a mirrored wall. GO AWKWARD GO.) But I'm learning. Slowly, and looking like someone jsut out of clown college all the while, but learning, right?
Our teacher's an interesting sort. You'd think a guy teaching people how to punch and kick would be fairly badass, right? Naw. He doesn't need to be badass. He's quiet and tired-eyed and asks his students how to say things in English, and took until the tenth class out of twelve before getting comfortable with joking with us, and then, before or after practice, we see him warming up with stuff you'd see in a movie. He can move like - I don't even know what to use to compare, but when he demonstrates moves, we tend to tell each other, "okay, I am never going to get into a fight with this guy, ever."
(And that description is entirely inadequate, but well.)
~:~
---- Finished Salman Rushdie's Grimus yesterday. I'm curious where the line is between Fantasy and Magical Realism, because that book could be classified as either with no problem at all, and yet you get people thinking "oh, fantasy, that's kid stuff."
Oh no. No, Grimus is not kid stuff.
But it's interesting, I'll tell you that. It's another of these "put lots of elements together, and it works" kinds of books. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's easily squicked, but it's good, and, if you love playing around with languages, a delight to read. And, if you're an English teacher at heart, a delight to analyze. :D
~:~
Going to go write NaNo now! Bye!
