Do it until it hurts, then do it some more.
Do it until your brain screams at you "Just stop! PLEASE!
Then do it some more.
Then do it some more.
You do it until your brain discovers a new paradigm of thinking. That's how I visualize it anyway. And that's how you learn another language. And that's what I've been trying to do. My brother, who is fluent in Spanish, concurs with my assessment of the situation.
So I've got Michel Thomas cd's in the car which I listen to every time I drive. I go over my textbook for 30 minutes a day. I'm starting to listen to pod casts in Spanish. When I'm speaking to my kids or Dammy I try and figure out how to say what I was saying in Spanish.
My brain hurts. I must be doing something right.
Chemistry ... it is the language of precision and accuracy, of charges and cats. And bodily emissions. I'm serious-my professor likened alpha decay to throwing up, and beta decay to the opposite of that. Gamma doesn't really do anything, just gives out light. And positron emission and electron capture? Bodily functions as well. Cats I threw in there because a cation is "paws"itive and because protons are like cats and really really don't like to be near each other.
But if you'll notice, I just listed off several important terms and what they did. Without looking at a book. Made simple, of course-you'll not get technical terms from me (not without a book, anyway). So her examples have done their job. Handy mnemonics.
The two courses I've been slacking in are my history courses. (this is where Wulfa reveals herself to be a history nerd) I've kept up with the assigned reading and gone to each class. And that's it. I really really really want to dive into the many intriguing things we've gone over but chemistry and Spanish call to me, taunting that I will fail if I don't come their way NOW.
But tonight I shall put the books and the worry down and play. And stay up late. And feel like a person for just a wee bit of time.
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