Yo no hablo español.

But I'm going to learn!

I've been interested in the Spanish language since I was really young.  I remember learning some words like "agua" and how to count to 10 in Spanish on Sesame Street and wishing they would teach more Spanish on each show.  I've always looked at the Spanish words on store products and tried to learn which word meant what by comparing them to the English words.  I've been learning some Spanish words using free apps and the internet but now I'm going to take a free class from MIT.  It is an older class that they have made available for free for home study.  There are several classes available. Here is a link for anyone interested.  I went to a private school that used a self-study based curriculum so I'm used to learning from books.  My husband actually found out about the free classes they offered and shared it with me thinking I would like to take some history classes.  I didn't learn a lot of things in school that kids in public schools learn. Just from reading books I've learned things that I found really interesting and when I tell my husband or my boys about them they are not surprised because they learned that in school.  Mostly it is history and geography that I missed.  I also want to learn more about politics but I know that was a subject that I was reluctant to learn when I was in school so I can't be sure just how much they did teach (when I wasn't ready to learn) and how much I really missed out on learning.  I will definitely take advantage of this opportunity and take as many classes as I can.

I found the text books online on Amazon.com and I can't wait to get them.  I bought a used copy to save money.  These textbooks are from 2002 but they are still expensive to me.  The textbook for the class I'm taking comes with a CD when it is new. Most people must have lost their CD since the used copies all seem to be missing them.  I did find out that the audio and video files are available online for free and also I could get them at my local library.  My library just doesn't have the book for some reason. There is also a study guide that is needed which has the assignments in it and a Spanish/English dictionary. I found a Spanish/English dictionary website that I'll be using.  So it is only going to end up costing me around $62 total counting shipping.  That's not bad.

The apps I've found most useful are duolingo and Mimrise.  These also have websites so you don't have to have a smartphone to use them.

I can't wait to get my books!

-D

Long time no post

It's been awhile so I thought I should get on here and post something.  I had a great birthday which was Thanksgiving Day this year.  My husband surprised me by getting me 2 things I'd been wanting for a long time.  I had added them to my amazon wishlist and was planning on saving up for them. So far every time I'd saved up some money something would come up and I'd end up spending it on one of my boys.  Of course I could have asked my husband to give them some money but sometimes (and especially some things) I want to come from me.  The look on their face when I give them the money when they thought I didn't have any is priceless.  They know I don't have much money so it means more to them and they are always more than willing to help

me with things around the house to make up for it.  My oldest son had a job for a while and he was always buying me gifts.  He even bought me a Keurig for Christmas and I know that cost a lot.  So that shows that it comes back around and it isn't about the gift but the love.

Anyway, speaking of love, my husband told me there was this big box by the door and I should go check it out.  This was a few days early.  I was shocked that the box was so big.  It was HUGE.  I had been feeling really bad the past few weeks.  My hands hurt and I've very weak all over so both my boys helped me open the box.  They both had this grin on their faces and I could tell they already knew what it was.  They got me a Kitchenaid mixer in the prettiest shade of pistachio green.  I have been wanting one of those since forever.  There was also this small gift and it turned out to be Rocksmith 2014 for the xbox 360. It comes with a cable that has a usb plug on one end and a standard guitar hookup on the other end.  I've wanting to play the guitar for a long time and I have a very nice electric guitar that was another gift from my husband.  It is an Eddie Van Haylen Wolfgang special which they stopped making around 97 I think.

I've been wanting to learn how to play my guitar for so long but something always got in my way. My health was my biggest obstacle and by the time I got the guitar out, hooked up and tuned up I would be exhausted. Rocksmith basically simplifies everything so I can start playing quicker and that helps a lot. I just plug the guitar in to the xbox and it acts like the amp.  You tune the guitar with the program which is very quick.  I'm usually tuned up in less than a minute.  The electric tuner I got is not just for guitar so it could be used for my son's violin as well.  My problem was that I would be trying to tune to the wrong octave (when I first started out) and I'd break strings.  Rocksmith's tuner has this line that moves up and down and you line it up with the string to get it in tune.  It also has numbers that are positive or negative so you can be sure you are turning the peg the right direction. After a week of using it I've already gotten to where I can hear when it is off and can tune it myself.  Mainly the big E string is what I start with and I tune it to what sounds good to me and then I check myself to be sure.  Then I've been tuning the other strings off of that one.  The first few times I checked it with the rocksmith tuner after that and it was in tune.  Now when I feel bad and have no energy I can just sit back on the couch and play without it plugged in.

I am still learning about the Rocksmith program and there are still things to learn but it was bothering me that most of the time it doesn't show the name of the notes or the strings (like the strings played open are E A D G B E in order).  They use a graphic of the neck of a guitar that lies horizontally across the bottom of the screen.  The strings are color coded and they indicate which note to play by color.  I was getting frustrated because I didn't want to learn red string, green string, yellow string.  I wanted to learn by the notes.  I used to play piano in high school and learned to read music so it is weird to not know which note I'm hearing.  I have some books and I've been looking online for more information.

My favorite website so far is www.justinguitar.com.  I have been going through his free beginner lessons and I have been learning a lot.  My fingers are very sore now but I can feel the tips starting to toughen up already.  I've learned two cords now and I really want to play a song!  Maybe I could learn a simple Christmas song before Christmas.

Some goodies I've gotten recently

You know how on Amazon.com you can have a wish list? I have a few things on there that I've been drooling over for a long time. Now I have managed to get two of the things on there this year. I'm so spoiled loved. The first thing was my sewing machine. I had a sewing machine that was too difficult for me to figure out. I wanted something with a button that says "sew" or better yet voice activated. Whenever I feel like I can use my sewing machine I know I don't have much time before I get tired or start having pain and by the time I would get the bobbin thing opened up, the lint cleaned off of it, and new bobbin loaded and inserted into the alien looking piece of metal half circle and the thread pulled up to the top I would be exhausted and needing a nap and a pain pill. I needed something way more user friendly. I looked at several sewing machines online and thought I knew what I wanted and I knew they had the one I wanted to get here locally but when I went in there they didn't have it anymore. After I explained what I was looking for she showed me a Brother machine and I fell in love with it right away. It was better than the one I went in there looking for and it was cheaper too. My husband got it for me for an anniversary present which was September 1st. It was our 23rd anniversary! Of course I've been feeling bad ever since I got it and I haven't been able to check it out yet but it is there ready for me when I'm ready.

It is a Simplicity SB2139 and it isn't available online which is why I didn't see it.  This is only available through local brother dealers.  It came with a free pattern, which is not my size but oh well, and also comes with the sewing table thing that gives you extra sewing surface.

The other thing that has been at the top of my Amazon list is this set of Rose Tulip Etimo crochet hooks.  I wanted them so bad I could taste it (tastes just like chocolate, really).  I noticed they went on sale and mentioned it to my husband and he bought them for me.  I love them too.  They are so comfortable to use and the case is so pretty!  I never was a "girly girl" that liked pink until I turned 40.  Not sure what has happened to me.  It must be the hormones or something.

The CD I got is great too.  It is an import.  The band is called Feeder and the album is Pushing the Senses.  I first heard one of the songs from the album on the first season of Bones, which I just started watching again.  The song is called "Pain on Pain" but I really like all the songs on this album.

So anyway, I've been listening to my new music and crocheting away.  I also bought a few other songs that I heard on Bones on itunes.  For some reason that album above is not available to download which is so barbaric!  It has been so long since I had to buy a CD and wait for it to come in the mail to listen to it.  I could have recorded it off the radio onto a tape by then but of course they don't play good music on the radio anymore. Anywho, there really are some great music in that series.

I am also making a sweater for my sweet beagle Blue. She is getting pretty old and arthritic and it gets pretty cold here in the winter. She has some health problems that make her belly distended so I'm adjusting the pattern to fit her. I hope she likes it.

It is a pretty, sunny day outside today and I'm hoping to get out in it since I'm feeling a little better.  I think I need a new fish in my fish tank and want to make a trip to Petco.