All this and resolutions, too.

[heliopausa]

Well, "all this"  is probably false advertising, but here's two things which caught my eye in the morning's news:

Horse-snowboarding!  A new snow sport. (link goes to German broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, with link to video, 1 min 40 seconds.)

This one doesn't reflect well on me, because the article is about serious stuff (refugees in Belgrade) but I

Comments

[changeling72]

I think you are doing well with the Chinese characters! I have been meaning to learn Italian for years...

I hope you pluck up the courage to submit your story. I have wanted to be a writer since forever. And here I am at 44...

By the way, do you mind me asking where you live?

[heliopausa]

I hope so, too! I'm Australian, but I travel a lot for work.

[todayiamadaisy]

A sock and a bit is definitely proof of intention to meet your resolution! A definite pass.

Have you tried Duolingo? They do Vietnamese. I am on a 103-day streak for French and Spanish. I could already speak French, but started Spanish from scratch and can already listen along to a News In Slow Spanish podcast.

By Palliser, do you mean the books by Trollope? I would guess so, but whenever I see someone mention Palliser and books together, I am filled with hope they mean The Quincunx by Charles Palliser. It's quite the maddest book I've ever read.

You know I am in favour of keeping records of books read. I enjoyed the first review. :-)

[asakiyume]

I'm very admiring of your 103-day streak! I've been learning Spanish via Duolingo, but haven't managed more than a 12-day streak.

[todayiamadaisy]

I am on an extended break from work, so I don't have anything better to do with my time. :-)

[heliopausa]

:D Thank you for the sock-pass! It's like having Mary Berry pass one's scones!

And also for the Duolingo suggestion. I'll have to install a VNese keyboard first, but I can see how it would help. Your proficiency in Spanish is impressive. I'm like asakiyume - admiring.

I did mean Trollope; I was thinking that I'd read them through paying a lot more attention to the politics this time. But I'm intrigued by your mention of the other Palliser, and will see if it's available by library. :) The maddest book you've ever read sounds worth chasing up!

[asakiyume]

I think small-scale goals that are achievable are better than large-scale ones that aren't. We can sometimes berate ourselves for small-scale goals because of a vague notion that we can achieve it without much effort, but in fact, without making it a goal, we might very well not achieve it at all, so rather than being embarrassed by its smallness, I think it's good to note our diligence. (This is a very self-interested argument ;-)

I'm impressed by how well you did at all your last-year's resolutions, and I think your this-year's ones seem excellent.

[heliopausa]

Thank you for the (much-needed!) encouragement. :) It's lunch-time, and bolstered by your support of small goals, I'll go and do twenty minutes' recorder practice!

[sovay]

It struck me as very Caravaggiesque, in the bold perspective as well as in the light-and-dark of it.

It does look like a Caravaggio. I didn't understand they were both on their phones until I looked at the picture at its largest scale.

I think it is very cool that your Vietnamese and Chinese improved over the course of the year!

[heliopausa]

I didn't understand they were both on their phones

No, nor did I at first! I think that's why the picture seemed charged with mysterious significance. If I were an artist, I think I would poach it. (Luckily, I'm not.)

Thank you! I hope to improve both further. This week's character: 子 (which I believe signifies child, or son).

[puddleshark]

I've seen vidoes of horseboarding before and thought it quite mad - I prefer to be sitting on the horse, so I can at least pretend to be in control!

That is a stunning image...

I've not made any resolutions, but the Duolingo site looks like fun. I learnt the basics of the Cyrillic alphabet last year, so maybe now I'll try and learn a few actual words and a bit of grammar!

I've only read the first four Palliser novels. Maybe this year I'll have another go at finishing The Prime Minister...

[heliopausa]

a stunning image...
:) Yes, isn't it? It made me think of Nativities (moon_custafer pointed out that it's not so much Caravaggio as De La Tour, and I realised then what that lifted hand had been reminding me of) and Rembrandt's Autopsy, and somebody's drastically foreshortened Lamentation over the Dead Christ. Full of silence and significance.

Cheers for language-learning! Is it Russian, that you'll be tackling?

My plan is to read the Palliser novels being particularly attentive to the politics this time. :) I admit, I'm rather quailing at another round of Can You Forgive Her?

[puddleshark]

I'm rather quailing at another round of Can You Forgive Her?

Oh, yes - the vacillating Miss Vavasor! Perhaps she will be more sympathetic on renewed acquaintance...

Russian might be a good choice - I come across it every day on LJ.

[heliopausa]

more sympathetic on renewed acquaintance...

:) I'll try to be an open-hearted reader!