Sprechen Sie Deutsch? – Open Book Blog Hop #131

July 16, 2018 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #131

What language have you always wanted to learn? Do you think you will try?

Welcome back to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop! If you’re new to the series, the authors included are grateful for your reads and appreciate, even more so, when you share our writings with your friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Be prepared to become a regular reader.

This is an easy question. Yes. Absolutely. I’ve already begun that journey.

Lifelong learning is a passion of mine. There are groups dedicated to it in most universities—the goal being the study of learning throughout the lifetime, and coming up with ways to encourage and provide education for everyone. I believe in it. It’s more than independent study, although that can be a large part of it. I also believe in mentoring and the structure of a classroom. It works. We cannot learn to the greatest effect without a guide and someone to ask questions we aren’t thinking of.

Language learning is a great example of why we need someone else to help us obtain the knowledge we want. I cannot remember a time when I didn’t want to learn another language, and the opportunity to study was the only thing that kept me away from it. When I reached high school, the field of choices had been narrowed, and my top choice was closed down. They forced us all into Spanish class in junior high school, which would have been fine if we actually had been given an option, instead of a directive. It still formed the base for my French studies later. Still, there was only the choice between the two. Neither was on my list. Absolutely they’re useful here in the United States, but they were of no interest to me, regardless.

That held me back from doing my best. You have to really want to learn a language to spend the time and give the effort required to learn it at such a late stage (yes, even as a teenager). If I had been blessed to grow up in a bilingual family, it would have been second nature to gain fluency in two languages (like most of the rest of the world). The real language that I wanted to learn was German. I honestly have no idea where the desire came from, but I can’t tell you if there was ever a time that I wanted to learn any other language in my youth. in the past decade or so, I’ve longed to learn both Welsh (for reasons of heritage) and Mandarin (to continue learning about Chinese culture).

What propelled me forward on this goal was my term as Graduate Studies Secretary in the English Department of The University at Albany. Their requirements for a doctorate degree include fluency in two languages outside of English. This is for research purposes. It should also reflect your area of focus. German and Mandarin reflec my interest in film. The history of German cinema is the history of Film Noir, and Chinese film is fascinating. Have you ever seen the series Red Cliff (2008)? I recommend it. Yes, you will need to read subtitles. I would love to be able to watch the film without the use of subtitles, to know the language in which it was filmed, so that I can better enjoy it, and understand. Language is the key to unlocking a culture.

German also plays a large roll in my life because of my spy thrillers OP-DEC: Operation Deceit and OP-GHO: Operation Ghost. I had to rely a great deal on those who are native speakers and those who have already learned the language. My contacts were wonderful, but I couldn’t help but feel that I should have had a better grasp on my own. There was no reason, only excuses, for not having another language under my belt, especially one that I needed to complete a book. It’s a lot of work to have someone comb through your writing to make sure you’ve written things properly, even when it’s only a limited amount. But, authenticity was on the line. (OP-DEC also utilized my French lessons from High School.)

I was able to finally realize the first step of my dream to study languages via the relatively new app Duolingo. You can track my development through my german language learning blog series (19 entries and counting). Duolingo is a free learning app available to anyone, that teaches you with all the same learning theory as a classroom. You must learn to read, write, and speak. Yes. The app analyzes your speech. It’s just excellent!

Last month, I added Welsh and Mandarin to my lesson plan. I am not certain when I will begin those languages, but I don’t want to disrupt my German learning. Confusing myself at this stage could bring an end to my endeavor. I’ve been going since 2014 with only limited interruption. Let me tell you, Mandarin will be a whole new world. Unlike German, the characters that make the written language will be completely foreign to me. What a challenge it will be!

I’m looking forward to more journeys in language learning. Nothing is more rewarding than a friend sharing a meme in their native language and being able to read it without an interpreter. It’s been a lot of fun to watch German television and movies and catch a lot of the words. I still have a long way to go before I won’t need subtitles. The difference in a voice can/pronunciation can really hinder communication.

Let’s hop on over and see what the other authors have to say about language.

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The Best Advice I Received – Open Book Blog Hop #98

June 26, 2017 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #98

What Advice Has Stuck With You? And Who Gave You That Advice?
Did someone give you some great advice at a certain time in your life?
Think back to that time and write down the advice as you remember it.

Welcome back to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop! If you’re new to the series, the authors included are grateful for your reads and appreciate, even more so, when you share our writings with your friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Be prepared to become a regular reader.

Throughout our lives, we will receive advice on a daily basis. That advice isn’t always helpful, let alone appropriate. Much of it just gets shrugged off as noise. It doesn’t even matter if the person is well-meaning or subversive. We tend to filter things out that simply don’t serve us, or we feel in the moment that such words are useless.

Once in a great while, we come into contact with someone who has the right combination of words for the moment. Sometimes they’re a stranger. Sometimes they’re much closer to us. Loved ones have given me advice throughout my life, and I have treated it diplomatically. More than I should have, I tried to apply that advice only to find it didn’t work. In more recent years, it has made me more upset, as I wonder if they know me at all, if they paid attention to me at all.

Giving advice, because you believe that you care about the person to receive it and that it comes from the heart, gets a lot people into a corner. One must really consider if the advice is appropriate and truly benefits the situation. Advising someone on a writing career, for instance, and having zero experience in publishing, is ill-advised. Instead of advice, try asking questions that help the person view alternative perspectives, so they can better see a solution. Be aware of their boundaries, as well. If you care, this matters to you. There are many points at which a person will communicate they are not receptive to the discussion, or they are not getting anything from it. Know when to quit. Tough love really only has a place in a few cases. Don’t damage your relationship because you believe you know best or insist on helping the shit out of them. The timing may not be right for you to assist them, and your wisdom a boor. The person has to be ready to receive the information, not in a mood to reject it. Lastly, are you absolutely certain you’re imparting wisdom? (That’s my advice for all of those reading this.)

Receiving advice can be hard. Just like those giving it out, we feel we know best about the situation. However, being in the thick of it can cloud our perspective. Some outside perspective often helps us examine the situation in ways we were not thinking of at the time. Add stress to the situation, and this perspective switch doesn’t matter. We’re feeling too much. Some processing needs to happen. Unfortunately, if someone gave advice to us in the midst of this, we’re more likely to forget it than ever consider heeding it.

Today, advice given to me is taken and considered on multiple levels: who provided it, does it pertain, is it doable, and how do I feel about it. I have learned to take the emotional mostly out of my decision process regarding advice (unless it’s utterly rude and then back up). The time to test out advice is also a factor. Who has time to spin their wheels trying bogus suggestions? I really don’t want to waste my time.

Let’s get to answering the question now…

The best advice I ever received, which I believe came from my parents first, was to stick with school and get good grades. The meaning was to buckle down and learn whatever was being taught in school. They did not say to accept the lessons without question. It was meant to set me up with a base in which to function at my highest ability in the real world, which was coming to a doorstep near me fairly quickly.

Why is this the best advice? Because improving yourself is something that you can be proud of and no one can ever take away. The advice also empowered me to become a strong writer, to discern better choices for myself, and to achieve a lifestyle that is relatively comfortable. Sadly, it did not prevent resentment from those who were comfortable with rejecting a love of learning, and choosing less discernment and less knowledge. Sadly, these people also think that their opinions should have as much value as the facts the educated have learned. Facts are facts. They’re not up for debate. Opinions are personally held beliefs and ideas based on what one knows. When you know less than someone else about a topic, your opinions do not come from an informed place and hold a lot less merit. Once in a while, they could be right, sure. The likelihood is extremely narrow. (You can tell that I don’t coddle this thinking. I won’t apologize for it either, because, in recent years especially, it has become dangerous.)

This advice came back throughout the years, most recently before I signed on to get a Masters Degree. That push came from my boss at the time. I feel lucky to have had her supervising me and offering her advice. She’s a super person, full of heart, and highly intelligent. I respected her opinion in that capacity. Thus, I thought long and hard about what the benefits would be and if I could possibly do it. In the meantime, I carried on as usual, so I didn’t waste any time in either of my careers. The good news is, I took her advice. It cost me two courses a term for three years. The payoff was affirming my sentiments that I wrote better when learning. My game was upped, so to speak. My writing got a polish. I also obtained credentials that open doors once closed to me at my previous level. That alone was priceless (even though tuition is the price tag).

Let’s hop on over and see what the other authors share about the advice they’ve received…

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Before You Start Grad School, 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

June 5, 2015 By Captain Maiel

June brings on thoughts of graduation in a lot of people. You’re watching friends, family and loved ones achieve a dream and move onto the next portion of their life. It’s exciting and inspiring, and some people get swept up into thinking they too might like to get a higher level of education.

Starting Grad School is a life changing choice. When I began my journey in 2011, there were many considerations I took into account. I had been looking at the possibility since 2000. When I couldn’t answer the questions favorably, I did not advance on attending Graduate School. I wasn’t about to let anyone bully me into it either. What helped? Knowing what I was facing and learning what I could do about it. There are a lot of questions to be answered before making any life changing moves. This is mostly what debilitates us in completing the move.

So what are the three things you need to ask yourself Before You Start Grad School?

1. Do you really want this and need this?

A lot of rhetoric goes around media surrounding the necessity of graduate school in obtaining a job, or higher position at your current company–a promotion, maybe, elsewhere. Is all this work, years of it, necessary for what I want to do? Or, can I get by with just taking a few courses and getting certified?

The question of needing the degree should be paramount. Your investment in yourself can be costly, and turn into more of a burden than a help. The rising costs of higher education are just one aspect of this journey that will make you faint at the thought. So honestly answer the question of do you need it? If the answer is I want this degree, then that is a good enough answer. Don’t let others tell you that you need to, or that you are being foolish. This is your life, and they do not have the responsibility of feeling the consequences.

2. How am I going to pay for this? I work all week and barely make ends meet.

The reason this doesn’t come first on my list, though it’s a deciding factor that will make or break your Graduate Degree Dreams, is that unless you want to go, there’s no need to even think about it.

Now that you’ve decided you want to go, and you need this degree for whatever personal reasons you have, you have to be honest with yourself about affording the tuition. Some schools are going to be very high-priced. Online for profit schools will likely leave you with substantial financial burden. If you’re only scraping by now, things can get a lot tougher. Can you handle that stress with the long hours of work/school/life balancing that are coming?

To find out if you can afford it, don’t stop at your wallet or your savings account. Look into scholarships, grants, loans, fellowships, and other sources of aid. Are you a member of a Union or married to a member? The likelihood of a high education program presented by that union to cover tuition costs is extremely high. Almost all of them offer continuing education perks. Take advantage! Don’t be a fool. They’re paying! That’s what your dues are paid for. So take that money if you can get it.

In addition to unions offering benefits for continuing education, many employers have similar programs. Again, don’t be a fool. Let them pay for your school. In the long run, you’re hedging a bet on a promotion, you’re bettering your future, increasing your marketability and earning more for your labor. Everyone wins!

3. I Want to Go to Grad School. I Can Afford to Go. Can I Handle the Work?

That’s a tough question. We can’t really know if we can handle the work until we get into a course and do some of the work. Some ways you can assess this is to take an online skills assessment with the college you’re intending to apply to, or have applied to.

Basic skills for today’s grads are: Research skills, Basic Computing, Advanced Level Writing and Reading, and Critical Thinking Acumen.

In some cases, if you’re lagging behind on these skills, you’ll make them up as you go along. A good number of Graduate School dropouts didn’t assess their skills, or thought they had the level required for this level of study. There’s a reason that something like 20% of Americans have a graduate level degree: no time, money or their skills are lacking. Undergraduate level study is as different from Graduate School as High School was to college. But, don’t fear. You can take adult continuing education courses or job training seminars that will improve your skills.

Another way to gauge your ability to handle Graduate level work is to take the opening course at the college you’ve been accepted to. Take the course on its own. Give yourself to adapt to this with the best foot forward. I took two classes a semester, only because I am single and childless. That is a special circumstance that not many adults have. If you’re just starting out in your mid 20’s, you’re far more likely to have the time and ability to focus on a graduate degree. This doesn’t mean that an older adult cannot pursue graduate level credentials. It means that their plan is going to be different, and might take them a little longer to complete.

Regardless of these questions, wanting to achieve something is the main impetus for getting there. You will make the time, if you want to. You will find the money, if you want to. And you will succeed in the work, if you want to.