[Zgarbas]

If I had any 2011 resolutions then they would have all been failed. It is my most fail year to date *sigh*.

So, most importantly
1. Get back on my feet and actually stay that way.

Then
2. JLPT N2 by December and all that entails.
3. Try to manage to read at least an easy novel cover to cover, without a dictionary/parallel text.
4. Get my Spanish to C1 level.
5. Manage to actually speak Japanese without reverting to caveman-level speech.
6. Manage to write coherent Lang8 posts which don't make me cower in sadness half-way through.
7. Actually pass this year at Uni.
8. More culture. More anime, more books, more movies, more everything.
9. Less panic attacks, more results.

So, just for next year's looking back sake.
RTK 1
core 10k(with core 6k done by May and the next just randomly popping up. Or maybe Iknow decides to man up and make core 10k happen*crosses fingers*)
Sou-matome N2
DELE C1
(Deutsch Zertifikat maybe?)
Year 3 at Uni.
Please, more than 30 books this year? And say more than 10 hours of anime at least?
JLPT N2, preferably leaving the exam room without crying.

Well, 2011 was a very important year to me. After having stopped studying Japanese in late 2008 (at which point I only knew kana, 50 kanji and 300~500 words anyway), this was the year I resumed my efforts and actually, for the first time ever, really dedicated myself to learning the language. Of course, this also being the year I started my Japanese major at university gave me a much needed encouragement.

So, here's what I accomplished:
- Relearnt kana (had forgotten some occasional hiragana and katakana was pretty troublesome)
- Grammar pretty much equivalent to Genki I+II
- 300 kanji needed for the N4
- took the JLPT N4 (which, unfortunately, I'm sure I failed miserably)

Here are my goals for next year:
- Study Japanese every day (at least doing my Anki reps and adding something to the decks)
- Finish RTK1 by the end of February
- Read, listen and watch as much Japanese content as possible, trying to at least finish one manga series and one fiction book
- Regularly practice speaking with my Japanese friends over Skype
- Take JLPT N3
- Try to set things up so I can take advantage of my university exchange programs with Japanese universities, so that I can go there in 2013 or 2014

Accomplished:
-Getting back to Japan
-Restarted core decks. Current only have about 2.3k left to do in core6k.

Goals in no real order:
-Finish core6k and mature the entire deck
-Finish RTK haha....
-Possibly enter Graduate school here or resign for another year as an ALT
-Get a house (if I resign)
-Get a house (if I do grad school)
-Take the N2

and for shits and giggles
-Find a like minded JP g/f

@captal: Saw your post and just wanted to drop in to congratulate you on your recent marriage! What an amazing couple of years you've had. Good luck with your new business and all your upcoming decisions. :-)

Back on topic: I hope everyone makes their 2012 goals (or at least has Fun™ trying, as they say.) ;-)

I've decided on a few things for next year. Maintain a certain pace of srs reps in a variety of ways(recognition for vocab, recognition for sentences, recognition for MCD-style sentences. Production style cards(for writing vocab/kanji) and lastly, maintain those RTK kanji). That's for my SRS-Studying.

My immersion studying is simple: copy/try to say it like they say it. Keep listening to it and repeat. Add new vocab/sentences into your decks for sources you enjoy and repeat.

Speaking/writing: Improve these and set goals so that I can get good by the end of next year.

Lastly, I've stopped worrying about fluency now. It's all smooth sailing for me now, all that I need to do is, set goals and keep achieving them. Of course I could say more but I know that would be boring to read, so I'll close with just this: enjoy what your doing and you will get to your goal.

Thora Wrote:@captal: Saw your post and just wanted to drop in to congratulate you on your recent marriage! What an amazing couple of years you've had. Good luck with your new business and all your upcoming decisions. :-)

Back on topic: I hope everyone makes their 2012 goals (or at least has Fun™ trying, as they say.) ;-)

Thanks Thora! It's definitely been a wild ride...

Right now I'm focusing on job hunting (again, unfortunately) and doing some certification work. It's a bit weird being back in Chicago... I saw some Project Management openings in Hawaii- maybe we'll head there

I definitely need to get back into doing more Japanese things in 2012! I'm with ta - do what you enjoy and you'll get there.

2011: Exercise regularly? I did put on quite a bit of muscle earlier in the year but got lazy when I got a gf again and lost much of it. Oops

2012:
-Be able to sight read sheet music (piano/flute/guitar)
-Practice instruments more regularly (daily?)
-Read more of the books I have stacked up on my shelf so I can get rid of them
-Maybe get a DSLR to replace my G10 and level up my photography skill

[Zgarbas]

Jarvik, sheet music is awesome and all, but why for guitar-playing purposes? Unless you're aiming for classical then it's not going to be much help=/.

Zgarbas Wrote:Jarvik, sheet music is awesome and all, but why for guitar-playing purposes? Unless you're aiming for classical then it's not going to be much help=/.

Zgarbas: I am already somewhat decent at playing electric/acoustic guitar but suck at piano and am just starting flute. I figure supplementary sight reading practice on an instrument I know well will get me up to speed faster since technique won't get in the way. I do plan on focusing on piano though.

I'm not ruling out classical guitar someday either though

Jarvik7 Wrote:2011: Exercise regularly? I did put on quite a big of muscle earlier in the year but got lazy when I got a gf again and lost much of it. Oops

2012:
-Be able to sight read sheet music (piano/flute/guitar)
-Practice instruments more regularly (daily?)
-Read more of the books I have stacked up on my shelf so I can get rid of them
-Maybe get a DSLR to replace my G10 and level up my photography skill

Reminds me of when I kept jogging to get slimmer. It was working for me for a while but I got lazy. I feel like starting it up again but I know I'll get lazy again. So instead I made a simple bet with myself. All I need to do is "some" sort of exercise daily. It takes me 1hr to 1:30hr to get to work and it takes the same time to get back home. I do walk about 20mins back to my house. Plus my shifts are usual 8 hour shifts that require walking around+lifting. I was surprised that I lost 7-8 lbs without really doing much. Then again, if I include all the things I do at work+the trip getting back home. These add up.

So for next year, maintain something, eat less and "exercise" to loose weight. My goal is to loose 30-40lbs within 8 months or so.

Jarvik7 Wrote:I figure supplementary sight reading practice on an instrument I know well will get me up to speed faster since technique won't get in the way. I do plan on focusing on piano though.

Kind of. It depends on the instrument, too. Flute is treble clef and has different ranges than, say, clarinet. I can't read the lower half of my clarinet friend's music, and she can't read the upper half of my flute music (I played flute for eight years). Sight reading is one of those things that gets better with practice. There's some software out there that will supply the music as well as a recording of it so you can test your sight-reading against the actual recording. Helps with rhythms and whatnot.

I miss my flute. Lovely instrument.

I just recently bought a cheapo Chinese unit on an xmas sale after wanting one for awhile. Was considering buying a used Yamaha but that's kind of gross and I doubt they have been properly serviced & sanitized after someone traded them in.

I figure I'll get to upper beginner or so on that and then get a proper student model if I think I'll continue. Gf's uncle is on the board of directors of Yamaha so maybe I can score a free one har har.

I don't know anything about clarinet but I guess you're saying it's bass clef? Piano uses both treble and bass clefs and I play both guitar and bass guitar, so I have to learn both anyways..

I taught myself every instrument I play so far but I don't know if I'll be able to get anywhere /w flute without a teacher. It's a challenge just to hold the damn thing properly and have a good embouchure (this is the first wind instrument I'll learn unless you count harmonica or ocarina). Know any good internet resources aside from youtube?

Jarvik7 Wrote:I just recently bought a cheapo Chinese unit on an xmas sale after wanting one for awhile. Was considering buying a used Yamaha but that's kind of gross and I doubt they have been properly serviced & sanitized after someone traded them in.

I figure I'll get to upper beginner or so on that and then get a proper student model if I think I'll continue. Gf's uncle is on the board of directors of Yamaha so maybe I can score a free one har har.

I don't know anything about clarinet but I guess you're saying it's bass clef? Piano uses both treble and bass clefs and I play both guitar and bass guitar, so I have to learn both anyways..

I taught myself every instrument I play so far but I don't know if I'll be able to get anywhere /w flute without a teacher. It's a challenge just to hold the damn thing properly and have a good embouchure (this is the first wind instrument I'll learn unless you count harmonica or ocarina). Know any good internet resources aside from youtube?

Nah, clarinet is treble clef too, but it deals a lot in the low half of the register while the flute goes above the register. I can count bars up and figure out the note, but have no idea when the notes go far below the bars. Clarinets go down to low E or F or whatever, and flutes go all the way up to...lots of bars above the register. I have...crap, I don't remember what it is, but it's an open-holed amazing pretty solid silver flute I think. Yeah, it was awkward to learn at first. Hrm...I learned through classes, but I'll take a look tomorrow (I'm headed off to bed) and see if I can find anything for you. I haven't played in a couple years, and would be semi-rusty if I picked it up today, but I still remember most fingerings, a couple scales, etc.

Anyways. It really is a wonderful instrument.

There is a lot more to sight reading than just knowing what each note is. I think accurate rythm and pattern recongition are the main things, and they definitely carry over from one instrument to the other.

Jarvik7 Wrote:I taught myself every instrument I play so far but I don't know if I'll be able to get anywhere /w flute without a teacher. It's a challenge just to hold the damn thing properly and have a good embouchure (this is the first wind instrument I'll learn unless you count harmonica or ocarina). Know any good internet resources aside from youtube?

It might be easier to start off with a teacher just to get going. I remember my first few lessons and practices mainly consisted of me just using the flute head. If you're not used to playing wind instruments you might get headaches/feel dizzy as well so you might have to do short periods of practice at first and build up.

nohika Wrote:I have...crap, I don't remember what it is, but it's an open-holed amazing pretty solid silver flute I think.

When I got a new flute I tried out a few open-hole ones but I just couldn't get used to it. Did it take you a while to get the hang of?

In the interest of keeping on topic
2012
1) read things I'm not interested in to build up new vocabulary. Mainly politics/business stuff *yawn*
2) Make myself do anki reviews for said new vocabulary

pudding cat Wrote:

nohika Wrote:I have...crap, I don't remember what it is, but it's an open-holed amazing pretty solid silver flute I think.

When I got a new flute I tried out a few open-hole ones but I just couldn't get used to it. Did it take you a while to get the hang of?

In the interest of keeping on topic
2012
1) read things I'm not interested in to build up new vocabulary. Mainly politics/business stuff *yawn*
2) Make myself do anki reviews for said new vocabulary

Yes it did. I had to be far more accurate in my fingerings and it took probably a month or two to get the "hang" of it. If you can, get one with little plugs that go in the holes. Take one out at a time and get used to fingering that one correctly, and then continue removing them until they're all out. And then...(oops) promptly lose all of them. Oops.

I do miss it, but playing solo is a lot different than playing in a band. And my family would complain if I was loud. xD Maybe I should make a resolution to play something once a month or so. Just to keep in practice. I have a bunch of sheet music...somewhere.

Oh! And Jarvik, as much as it sucks, start off with lower-grade music and slowly build up. (Ie, simple to more difficult). "Hot Cross Buns" and the like suck, but work until you slowly build up the muscle memory you need to do the faster, more complex runs.

nohika Wrote:Yes it did. I had to be far more accurate in my fingerings and it took probably a month or two to get the "hang" of it. If you can, get one with little plugs that go in the holes. Take one out at a time and get used to fingering that one correctly, and then continue removing them until they're all out. And then...(oops) promptly lose all of them. Oops.

Sounds like too much effort to me... I think the last flute I bought will be my final one though. I've spent too much on it to get another one!

@Jarvik
If you're going to get any flute music, I think the first book I used was called A Tune a Day. I can't remember what it was like but the reviews seem good

Well, 2011 was sort of an important year for me. It's the year that I discovered RtK and this site. Since I started late in the year, I didn't really have any goals. 2012, however, shall be riddled with them

big goals for 2012:
- finish RtK (should be finished late January. I'm currently at 815)
- finish Tae Kim enough to get through KO2001
- start and (hopefully) finish KO2001
- study abroad in Japan over the summer (through my university)

smaller goals:
- begin reading light novels/manga and srs-ing the stuff I don't know
- beef up my immersion environment

Jarvik7 Wrote:I just recently bought a cheapo Chinese unit on an xmas sale after wanting one for awhile. Was considering buying a used Yamaha but that's kind of gross and I doubt they have been properly serviced & sanitized after someone traded them in.
...
I taught myself every instrument I play so far but I don't know if I'll be able to get anywhere /w flute without a teacher. It's a challenge just to hold the damn thing properly and have a good embouchure (this is the first wind instrument I'll learn unless you count harmonica or ocarina). Know any good internet resources aside from youtube?

Since I'm a flutist I have to jump in here...I would really recommend lessons in person with a teacher who can help you develop good habits for embouchure, breathing, hand position, posture, etc. I teach students all the time who started in school band without much specific flute instruction (there is only so much a band director can do) and they almost always have tons of bad habits. It's a lot easier to build good habits in the first place than try to change bad habits later.

Also, definitely start in the low register and don't be in a hurry to play the higher notes.

And if you end up having problems playing on a "cheapo Chinese" flute, the problems could be the flute and not you. Some of the cheap no-name flutes out there are complete crap.

Wonder how much a teacher costs in Nagoya.. Maybe I can trade 英会話 lessons for flute lessons

Do you want me to see if I could get a recommendation for you? I studied music in Japan (flute repertoire and the Suzuki method) so I'm still in touch with a lot of musicians there.

Good luck with the flute!

If it's not too much trouble that would be great.

zigmonty in 2010 Wrote:My number one priority this year is to get better at conversation. I still freeze up and generally avoid speaking japanese whenever i can, which is not a recipe for improving. I could take a crack at N1, but i think i need to stop focusing on tests and try to improve my real-world ability.

Well... the only part of that i achieved was the "not taking a crack at N1" part. Sigh. I still can't speak for crap, although my listening has improved tremendously. In 9 months or so, if all goes well, i'll be transferred to the head office of my company in japan for 12 months. So it's all getting a little more urgent. With that said, i guess my goals for 2012 are:

- Seriously, LEARN HOW TO SPEAK already. Probably should get a couple of regular conversation partners or something.
- Stop relying on translators at work for stuff i don't need them for.
- Speak to japanese people at work exclusively in japanese.
- Take a crack at JLPT N1 (should be an easy pass by then)

And not relating to japanese:

- Lose 10 kg. I've been packing it on the last few years.

For me, all my 2011 resolutions went out of the windows, as I moved to Taiwan, gave up Japanese and started studying Mandarin. I'm not even going to look back on the, too much has changed.

2012 is going to be interesting, as it's highly likely I'm going to get married here sometime late next year, at a traditional ceremony organised by the brides parents. Therefore I need to be at a basic conversational level in Chinese by then; it would be frustrating/ridiculous if I couldn't understand what's happening at my own wedding!

2012 language goals:
- Finish zhongwen red/green, and move onto a more advanced grammar book
- Have at least 2000 words in my vocab deck (and be able to use them all in speech)
- Concentrate on listening/speaking more than reading/Anki reviewing (a mistake I made with Japanese) using Chinese movies and drama.
- By the end of 2012 I expect to be able to hold a simple day-to-day conversation, and read childrens manga books.

2012 Life Goals
- Get married!
- Get a new job (preferably IT related), save up some $$$.
- Released at least 1 mobile app (I've been so lazy with programming recently..)
- Lose some weight (damn tasty taiwanese food)

My goals for 2012:

1. Read at least six Japanese books, including at least one pre-1950 work by an author of literary significance.

2. Watch at least 52 hourlong episodes of drama/variety shows (or twice as much if it's 30-minute anime shows)

3. Study for the 5級　漢字検定 test... I have no particular plans to pass the test, or even to take it, but I want to get my kanji skills up to that level.