I'd say this is a pretty good time to start a resolution thread

2009 language-learning reflections:
1. What resolutions did you fulfill? (or are almost done fulfilling)
2. Which ones did you not fulfill (or are hopeless at this point)? Do you plan to try again this year?
(feel free to also mention non-language related resolutions on the side)

2010 resolutions:

1. What goals do you have planned for language-learning for the upcoming year?
2. What goals in general aside from language learning do you have planned?

Also use this thread to talk about things you accomplished that were not related to resolutions you made.

2009 resolutions:
I had set a goal in 2008 that I'd be fluent in mid 2009. Lol.
But I'm pretty happy with my Japanese. Even if I'm not that fluent, I feel like my goal was achieved. I know that I only need a bit more of daly work to turn into an awesome Japanese speaker. Btw, notice I already consider myself a Japanese speaker.

2010:
- I'm addicted in Japanese stuff. I'll get rid of this addiction.
- I'll learn good French. Good enough to talk confortably. I think it is doable because French is close to Portuguese.

2009 language-learning reflections:

1. Two resolutions met: Reached 6000 sentences and can understand around 60-85% of new material I listen to (radio shows, interviews, movies).

2. Resolutions not met: Awhile ago, using the kanji poster, I started to color over each kanji with a red white board marker whenever I learned the reading. The goal was to have a completely red poster but I have found that this is impossible, since I only want to actively learn common words (words with at least 800,000 results in google). And there are many kanji here and there that aren't used in such common words. So my kanji poster currently has 150 or so non-colored kanji.

Non-Japanese resolutions: I didn't get my driver's license in June as I had planned (I didn't even get it at all, actually). My other goal was to exercise each and every day... didn't happen >>. One goal was to improve my posture and I did fulfill this.

2010 resolutions:

1. Language-learning goals (they're going to be very specific. I've learned that I don't keep goals if they are vague):
- Reach 10,000 sentences before 2011.
- Be able to hold an over 3-minute conversation with no English. (I've yet to have had a real conversation in Japanese)
- Be able to understand nearly 100% of new listening material. (90-99% range)
- Finish iKnow core 6000 (I'm on step 9 so this should be in the first half of the year)
- Update lang-8 once a week (when something interesting comes up or on Sunday)

Non-Japanese: Get driver's license by April (for the permit expires then...)

The last post was getting long so I will post non-resolution related accomplishments for 2009.

- Native speakers no longer seem to be puzzled by what I type/write in Japanese.
- I've made a local native Japanese acquaintance (we've had conversations with Japanese scattered here and there)
- The books I'm reading no longer require me to have a dictionary by my side for me to understand 95% of it.

I'm really not happy with what I've achieved this year. I've had a nightmare with decks ever since I started SRS. My typing capacity is limited (using Dragon NaturallySpeaking now), so I've always tried to use premade decks. This has basically cost me over a year because I used the absolute trash on the Anki server, which got me nowhere. I gradually made a little program to make flashcards how I like them (J-J definition and example sentences, both production and recognition), and I'm 1000 words (2000 cards) through a JLPT1 list. The production has really helped my speaking, and the J-J definitions have helped me grasp the words much better.

2010 resolutions:

- finish 2000 remaining words from JLPT1 list.
- learn all JLPT1 grammar.
- do more shadowing!
- extend my program to work with my iPod dictionary vocab lists and learn at least 4000 words.
- hopefully pass JLPT1 exam in the winter (or whatever it'll be called by then).

I don't have many resolutions. I plan to pass JLPT1 around this time next year.

Post your goals. Get encouragement. Make profit.

http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?tid=1666

2009 resolutions:

-Be at an advance level in Japanese.

Reflection: I got to about an intermediate stage (~2,600 sentences, 1,600 kanji, around JLPT2-level vocabulary) before I quit in September, after 14 months of study.

I've started Korean in September, started adding sentences in November, I have around 250 sentences right now.

2010 resolutions

-Be at an upper-intermediate level in Korean.
*4500 sentences (currently 250 sentences)
*2800 listening hours (currently 420 hours)

-Live Korean
*Speak/Chat in Korean daily (get pen/eFriends), some time in March-August - whenever I feel confident.
*Read 5 novels by the end of the year.
*Watch a Korean movie every Friday night.
*Have over 200 songs on my iPod
*Be able to read KPop news, having to look in my dictionary only 0-4 times per article.
*At some point in March-August, start writing entries in Lang-8 every Saturday.
*Abandon most if not all my English websites and replace with Korean ones.
*Write in my Korean Journal everyday - helps to stay on track!

Note: I don't really concentrate on long-term goals such as those listed above, but more on short-term goals that help me reach those above. For example, right now I have a goal where I try to listen 550 hours of Korean by the end of thh year.

-- Install LeechBlock. I feel that I'm reaching the point in my development where language fora are more temptations to flame wars than places for me to learn useful techniques. If I'm tempted to shoot of my mouth, it would be better to have some serious success to back it up. Timeframe: today.

-- Add 30-50 stripped-down from a monolingual dictionary per day. Reassess after 30 days or 1000 items. Timeframe: beginning with Core 2000 reviews falling under 10 minutes per day, continuing for a month or so. This is to support my next goal:

-- Remove J-> E translations from review.

Other, somewhat longer term goals for this year.

-- Begin blog. In Japanese, of course. Topic: whatever I'm reading / watching. Post once per week. Timeframe: begin on or before my 20th birthday.

-- First pass through Tae Kim example sentences deck and Core 6000. Timeframe: finishing around mid-May. Possibly, Kanzen Master or other sources.

-- Take 2010 JLPT N1. I don't care too much if I pass or not, I just want an objective measurement of my passive skill and I want to be sure I don't encounter the ceiling effect. J.TEST would be better, but New York is far enough to travel.

-- Complete RtK 3. Timeframe: finishing before mid-May.

-- Complete layout design for my input method. Add all characters from RtK 1+3. Ultimate goal is all characters from JIS X 0208-1990 and JIS X 0212-1990, but that's for much later.

That's enough on the "goal oriented" front though. I've found I much prefer to stay busy than watch deadlines fly by.

Squintox, assigning an activity to a day of the week is a pretty good idea. I think I'll use your 1 movie and lang-8 update per week idea for 2010.

Also, I forgot to add that I've been visiting the forum on this site on only Mondays now (I skipped last Monday so I'm replacing it with today). I wrote myself a note in Japanese strongly telling myself to stay the hell away from the RTK forum and hung it on the wall as a reminder. I was spending a little too much time on here and away from Japanese

Squintox Wrote:I got to about an intermediate stage before I quit in September, after 14 months of study.

May I ask why?

No resolution last year. Probably no resolution this year either. I do have a lot of goals though. I want to have read at least 10 Japanese novels in enjoyment mode. I want to have extended my vocabulary by at least 3000 words, preferably over 5000. I want to pass JLTP1 with a good score. I want to get a monbukagakusho scholarship so I can get a masters degree in Japan.

harhol Wrote:

Squintox Wrote:I got to about an intermediate stage before I quit in September, after 14 months of study.

May I ask why?

Sometimes I ask myself that lol. It's a combination of being bored and being addicted to Korea. Also, the two months before I quit I only added around 100 sentences, mainly because my computer broke down and a crappy drama season.

I tamed myself not to quit Japanese or even have any thoughts about quitting, so it was pretty difficult to make the move.

2009:
(failed) work out

2010:
work out

In all seriousness, though... I fully expect to reach my 2009 goal of finishing RTK 1 by the end of the year. Actually it will probably be around January 5th or 6th due to family obligations around the holidays and not being able to keep up with the review of 1900+ kanji, but that's fine with me. I wanted to spend some time learning Old English this year, but nothing much became of that, and since I started cracking down with RTK my Japanese studies have even languished.

For 2010, I plan on learning readings for 1000 kanji by June 1. Doesn't matter which ones, but at least 1000 is my goal. Probably will get a kanji poster like Nuriko mentioned and X-out the ones I know readings for as I go along. Learning vocabulary won't be a priority, but will happen as I learn readings for kanji. I'm going to focus more on speaking proficiency and fluency in Japanese, but I'm not sure how to set a goal for this. Also, I plan on working (VERY SLOWLY) through RTK 3 in the process as a way to fight withdrawals from RTK 1. If I end up having time maybe I'll give Old English another shot.

I'll be studying abroad in October of next year at Saitama University, so my goals for 2010 through October are:

-10,000 sentences
-Finish デスノート and 20世紀少年 (at least...)
-Finish トリック and a couple other dramas

Hopefully by the time those things are done, I will be at a much higher level than I am now.

Of course... if one were starting from 0, you'd have to add ~28 sentences per day to get to 10,000 in a year... that's pretty hardcore.

Need to start speaking in Japanese to the GF. I've wasted a great opportunity these past 2 years by defaulting to English 24/7. So damn lazy...

EDIT: Afaik, changes to the JLPT have been delayed again so it should be the same deal next year.

2009: Learn a new language
2010: Work out, get healthy. Find a PenPal/Make a lang8 account. 360 Flip a 9 set.

slivir Wrote:Need to start speaking in Japanese to the GF. I've wasted a great opportunity these past 2 years by defaulting to English 24/7. So damn lazy...

EDIT: Afaik, changes to the JLPT have been delayed again so it should be the same deal next year.

So many people wish they could have a Japanese speaker by their side! Especially one they're comfortable with. You're so lucky! Definitely take good advantage of your situation

FL1PPY Wrote:2009: Learn a new language
2010: Work out, get healthy. Find a PenPal/Make a lang8 account. 360 Flip a 9 set.

lang-8 is one of the best things you can do for your Japanese output. Once you warm up to it, you'll wonder why you didn't sign up a long time ago~

FL1PPY Wrote:2009: Learn a new language
2010: Work out, get healthy. Find a PenPal/Make a lang8 account. 360 Flip a 9 set.

Man, I'd be happy if I could do a kickflip. Then again, I haven't skated for like 10 years.

2009: A pretty crappy year for me, honestly.
- I started KO2001 multiple times, but never liked how it was going, and kept restarting it, trying things a little differently each time.
- I'm disappointed by the small amount of vocabulary I learned this year.
- I'm also disappointed by the very small amount of immersion that I tried.
- Went to Japan for 2 weeks, found out that my listening and speaking skills are FAR worse than I imagined.

However, there are some good points.
- I read a complete volume of a manga
- I played through a complete rpg (though I didn't understand most of it)
- I think I passed jlpt level 3 this year
- In preparing for jlpt, I finally actually went through all of tae kim, and re-learned all the grammar that I had forgotten from my japanese classes that I took a few years ago.
- I managed to keep up with my srs reviews, though I usually add less than 10 cards a day
- Found an awesome penpal who I write email to every day. I only write about 20% Japanese, and understand about 50% of her Japanese. But I think it helps me a lot.

Goals for 2010:
- Play through Chrono Trigger in Japanese at least twice.
- Complete book 1 of KO.2001
- Read a lot more of my manga
- Work on listening comprehension.
- Switch to a monolingual dictionary.

Non-language goals:
- Get my Rubik's cube speedsolve down to under 20 seconds.
- Learn to solve it blindfolded.

Tobberoth Wrote:I want to have read at least 10 Japanese novels in enjoyment mode.

I cracked up at this. I'm going to steal the phrase "...in enjoyment mode". Less of a phrase more of a philosophy! Enjoyment mode is so important for me, especially if it's a novel.

二千九年：
Finished Heisig, Finished KO, Did KM2kyuu and Sat JLPT2. I think in a year I accomplished a lot! Probably the single most important thing that happened this year in terms of my learning was learning Anki's ins and outs and arriving at a method that for me is sustainable, enjoyable and measurable.

I went from watching RAW Anime this time last year and catching 15% - 20% to catching 80% - 85%.

二千十年：

First and foremost my biggest Japanese learning goal of 2010 is to complete my vocabulary. It will be between 15,000 - 20,000 words.

Second KanKen Sitting ６級 in feb and I'm going to own it. It's offered 6 months later and at that point I'm aiming for either ４級　or ３級.

I think that keeps it nice and simple for me

Zarxrax Wrote:Goals for 2010:
- Play through Chrono Trigger in Japanese at least twice.

I played Chrono Trigger in Japanese! At the time it was tough for my level and was tiring at times. Many many higher level jukugo scattered throughout. But I think it'll be a great learning experience

mezbup Wrote:First and foremost my biggest Japanese learning goal of 2010 is to complete my vocabulary. It will be between 15,000 - 20,000 words.

Whoa seriously? How many do you know now?

2009:
Live in Japan and see where that takes me... (08/08->12/09)

2010:
Move to Australia and get back into "real" work(02/10->)
Finish KO2001 Anki deck
Read all of the Japanese books I bought since I'll be leaving (lots of Murakami and some others)
Lang-8- I'm so inconsistent with lang-8 but I love it when I'm doing it- maybe I should just go for once a week and see where that takes me...

Luckily, I'm moving to Australia with my Japanese girlfriend, and I'm hoping she's so sick of speaking English during the day that she'll be keen to speak Japanese when we're together. My Japanese is heaps better than when I moved to Japan, but I still have a long way to go- I thought about sitting 2級 this year but there wasn't much point since I'm going to Australia. I also didn't really feel like busting my ass to get all the grammar down If I'm not moving around too much this time next year in Australia, I plan on smacking 2級 around.

2009 -
Language goals: Didn't have any until I decided to learn a second language in late August. Figured Japanese would be interesting, bought Heisig, finished in 3.5 months. Now I'm working on Understanding Basic Japanese Grammar, mixing in phrases from Khatz's My First Sentence Pack on occasion.

Non-language goals: I'm not in the Marine Corps, but I decided to score 100% on their physical fitness test (18:00 three mile run, 20 pullups, 100 crunches). Made an Excel doc, trained every day, and achieved all goals!

2010:
Language goals: Finish UBJG, Khatz's sentences, move on to native materials. Keep bombarding myself with Japanese video/audio (260 hours of video watched in the four months I've been learning, I think I should bump this up but I hate tv...).

Non-language goals: Maintain daily physical training. Figure out what I want to do with my life and go at it on all cylinders.