Blog
Modern Greek: Underway!
I begin a new language, and I like it.
Day 1 of Greek began with my being awakened by the sounds of garbage trucks picking up Memorial Day weekend garbage. I didn’t mind as much as I might have on another day—I wanted to get going with the…
Greek Day Two
In which I try out a bunch of different products and (so far) like them all.
The day began with more of the technical and logistical hurdles associated with the beginning of each new language. I had to set up my new iPod Shuffle, purchased yesterday after the tip of my old headset broke off in…
Spanish Test Results In!
I am a little sad about my Spanish results, but Greek cheered me up.
Today I got my Spanish test results from ALTA Language Testing. I received a score of 9, described as “advanced,” on both the oral and written exams. The highest possible score is 12. I have to say I was disappointed with…
Greek: Some Materials to Learn By
Thoughts on being one's own Greek teacher, and tools you can use.
I am starting to feel pretty optimistic about my Greek prospects. And it also seems so useful. I didn’t study Latin or ancient Greek in school, but this encounter with the modern version of Greek—which, yes, I realize…
On Greek Punctuation and Other Stuff
Musings on Greek semicolons, numbers, colors, and more.
I did a 5K race this morning in Central Park, organized by YAI Network, which works with people with developmental and learning disabilities. It seems like a great organization. Tina Fey was at the start, which made me happy, because…
Rosetta Stone Emergency!
In which an urgent headset situation arises.
I woke up at 4:51 a.m. today and did the eighth lesson of Greek Pimsleur. It was already pretty light outside. I noticed an elderly couple from the adjacent building sitting out on their balcony. They didn’t appear to…
Greek Vocabulary and a Free Learning Tool
I learn Greek words and visit an online language community.
I am doing a lot of yoga to give my foot a chance to recover after my last race. Having to switch from running to yoga is preventing me from doing Greek Pimsleur lessons while working out. Today I went…
Greek: Going Great
I have so many different ways to learn Greek.
I am feeling very, very happy with all my Greek materials. Between Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone, and my various books I have what feels like an endless supply of ways to learn. I couldn’t do any one of these things…
Limping and Lisping
I encounter a couple of pronunciation challenges in Greek.
It has been eight days since my last run. Grumpily, I went to midtown this morning to swim; this is all part of my cross-training plan, to give my injured heels a chance to heal. I hope it works, because…
Pimsleur Productivity, and Some Thoughts on Respect
There are too many ways to say "you" in this world.
I am doing at least a couple of hours of stretching daily, accompanied by Pimsleur to make it more palatable. All the stretching is helping my Greek skills, but I am not sure I am getting any more flexible, which…