Do wet want some new challenges in August?
How about wearing one non-black neutral per week (whatever is a neutral for you)
How about wearing one non-black neutral per week (whatever is a neutral for you)
2025 Resolution: Shopping my own Bag and SLG Collection
- Thread starter papertiger
- Start date
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I took French in elementary and high school. When I first started learning German, every word was mentally: English; French; German. Now when I try my French it’s German first.
My German teacher also has the issue of confusing languages, but she’s fluent in: Spanish, French, Italian, English, and natively German. And she worked in China for a year.
But written Romance languages are really easy to mix up! I know Spanglish is a thing, and here people talk about Denglish - I wonder if there are Francalian or Spancais along those borders.
@Sparkletastic I’m working with a tutor at mid-level and I’m really getting quite a bit out of DuoLingo Max (paid version). I have a lot of theory under my belt, but need day-to-day reinforcement of conversation. I was also lazy and able to slide through a lot of basic grammar without learning it (which I suspect is not a problem for you) and DL forces me to get it correct, which my friends are too polite to do. ETA my point was, I think one really needs the structured grammatical rules, which DL does NOT teach well, but it’s great for reinforcing them.
I don’t have anything for January stats, really. Things were weird and hectic all month. I did buy 2 scarves, neither one even silk! (Crappy polyester, actually. Horror!) One’s an adorable tourist/citymap of my city from 50s/60s and one is a charity scarf I got at a silent auction. I actually really like the looks of both of them but they may or may not ever end up on my neck.
Today I made up for it by overspending, but I love what I got: A long wide black cotton skirt with a paper bag waist from the new Scandinavian-style-but-actually-German boutique. Unexpectedly 30% off, which takes it from “ridiculous” to, um, ridiculous. And then almost next door, in a “cute housewares” shop that has a tiny selection of clothes (I don’t know why) a Donna Karan double breasted wool/cashmere coat straight from the 90s. I feel like I’m 20 years old lusting after DKNY catsuits again.
And then because I’m not 20 years old, I boringly bought a vegetable peeler. On the bright side, I know how to cook now.
Today I made up for it by overspending, but I love what I got: A long wide black cotton skirt with a paper bag waist from the new Scandinavian-style-but-actually-German boutique. Unexpectedly 30% off, which takes it from “ridiculous” to, um, ridiculous. And then almost next door, in a “cute housewares” shop that has a tiny selection of clothes (I don’t know why) a Donna Karan double breasted wool/cashmere coat straight from the 90s. I feel like I’m 20 years old lusting after DKNY catsuits again.
And then because I’m not 20 years old, I boringly bought a vegetable peeler. On the bright side, I know how to cook now.
Oh, and then I bought a purse at Oxfam. A fur muff, to be exact. And I have one! And I never wear my fur coats! (Never cold enough, too small, will probably end up as sofa throws when I get the nerve up to cut into them.) But it’s super cute. 
My primary residence is in Texas (which I hate and plan to leave) but I haven’t picked up any Spanish. I’m surprised I don’t get the exposure you get to the language.
I took 2 years of French in high school which essentially gave me nothing. However, I feel like I’m picking up quickly so maybe that had more value than I give it.I took French in elementary and high school. When I first started learning German, every word was mentally: English; French; German. Now when I try my French it’s German first.
My German teacher also has the issue of confusing languages, but she’s fluent in: Spanish, French, Italian, English, and natively German. And she worked in China for a year.
But written Romance languages are really easy to mix up! I know Spanglish is a thing, and here people talk about Denglish - I wonder if there are Francalian or Spancais along those borders.
@Sparkletastic I’m working with a tutor at mid-level and I’m really getting quite a bit out of DuoLingo Max (paid version). I have a lot of theory under my belt, but need day-to-day reinforcement of conversation. I was also lazy and able to slide through a lot of basic grammar without learning it (which I suspect is not a problem for you) and DL forces me to get it correct, which my friends are too polite to do. ETA my point was, I think one really needs the structured grammatical rules, which DL does NOT teach well, but it’s great for reinforcing them.
Reading any language is easier for me. I can usually guess the general meaning by knowing synonyms, latin root words, context clues, etc. I can also form a few easy sentences in French - just enough to ease travel in Francophone countries. Where I REALLY struggle is in interpreting spoken French. It still sounds like a jumble to me. And my accent is pretty bad since the rolling of “R” for that throaty “ghr” sound in many of the words is extremely difficult for me. I sound like I’m choking while gargling.
But! I’m determined to speak French with some reasonable fluency by the end of 2026 so I can start a third (tbd) language in 2027. I love to travel and want to be better at connecting when I do.
Sometimes this happens to me. I take a screen shot. Hugs
I have similar problems! I can't roll my Rs. It is 10 times harder to understand spoken language than written as you can't tell when one word ends and the other begins, plus you can't think as fast as they talk. French is hard because of all the silent letters.My primary residence is in Texas (which I hate and plan to leave) but I haven’t picked up any Spanish. I’m surprised I don’t get the exposure you get to the language.
I took 2 years of French in high school which essentially gave me nothing. However, I feel like I’m picking up quickly so maybe that had more value than I give it.
Reading any language is easier for me. I can usually guess the general meaning by knowing synonyms, latin root words, context clues, etc. I can also form a few easy sentences in French - just enough to ease travel in Francophone countries. Where I REALLY struggle is in interpreting spoken French. It still sounds like a jumble to me. And my accent is pretty bad since the rolling of “R” for that throaty “ghr” sound in many of the words is extremely difficult for me. I sound like I’m choking while gargling.
But! I’m determined to speak French with some reasonable fluency by the end of 2026 so I can start a third (tbd) language in 2027. I love to travel and want to be better at connecting when I do.
We live in an ag area. More than 50% speak Spanish so we are exposed to Spanish all the time. When my daughter worked at McDonald's during high school, she was the only employee who didn't speak Spanish. I really should be better at speaking Spanish than I am.
If it helps, I can’t roll my Rs in French, Spanish, Italian, or German. And they’re all different rolled Rs. (I hear Turkish and Russian rolled Rs on the street - no dice either.)
Absolutely French is so hard to hear the difference between vowels and all the silent letters. Much easier to read. I gather the grammar is also complicated at a certain level, but I’m not advanced enough to tell yet.
I’ve looked at this bag, but can’t get past the chain strap. I found it so chintzy! If you do check it out, would love to hear your thoughts. I have a Diorama WOC from 2017 in gold. Like your Fendi, it looks a bit worn (to me) because of the metallic finish; however, I can’t find anything of comparable quality in today’s market.
Thanks for the heads up. If I still have an interest, I’ll have to see it in person. But, I don’t see me getting over the price. I don’t love the bag so I can’t pay a “love the bag” price.
I have the medium metallic Diorama in silver and it doesn’t look worn yet, thankfully. Metallic bags do have a bigger risk of showing wear more so than non metallic which is why I’d prefer a calfskin or lambskin that I could possibly have refurbished (vs say a patent leather.)
In any case, I don’t feel like hunting for a small silver bag so my decision on this will be to keep until a great alternative appears.
Now this means I only have one last bag to evaluate - my mini navy Gucci Dionysus. The fate of this bag will take a little while to figure out as I’ll need a few outings where I can wear it to see how I feel.
I completely agree. I’m only a week and a half into this and the frustration is starting. It sounds like they speak at a breakneck pace and I struggle mightily with comprehension.
What I’m reminding myself of is there’s no need to rush and make this painful. I have no deadline and can do this at a moderate speed so I enjoy it as I intended. Being a type A perfectionist with this would just be manifesting old trauma from how my mother raised me. I need to shed that and enjoy the journey.
Of course I don’t understand spoken words at this point. Who builds a working vocabulary of foreign words in 10 days? LOL!
Your planned holidays will help a lot-living with the language is very different and you will pick it up, don’t worry❤️.I completely agree. I’m only a week and a half into this and the frustration is starting. It sounds like they speak at a breakneck pace and I struggle mightily with comprehension.
What I’m reminding myself of is there’s no need to rush and make this painful. I have no deadline and can do this at a moderate speed so I enjoy it as I intended. Being a type A perfectionist with this would just be manifesting old trauma from how my mother raised me. I need to shed that and enjoy the journey.
Of course I don’t understand spoken words at this point. Who builds a working vocabulary of foreign words in 10 days? LOL!
Do you speak any other languages already? In the past when I was going to a country where I don't know the language, I made a list of things of questions to learn in that language. Like where is the bathroom? Ordering food ? Which way is ? That kind of stuff and built from there. I practiced speaking it. It helped a lot and made it more fun.I completely agree. I’m only a week and a half into this and the frustration is starting. It sounds like they speak at a breakneck pace and I struggle mightily with comprehension.
What I’m reminding myself of is there’s no need to rush and make this painful. I have no deadline and can do this at a moderate speed so I enjoy it as I intended. Being a type A perfectionist with this would just be manifesting old trauma from how my mother raised me. I need to shed that and enjoy the journey.
Of course I don’t understand spoken words at this point. Who builds a working vocabulary of foreign words in 10 days? LOL!
We have had so much foul weather and when it is good weather, I have been working on the houses[ plastering and such]. Which means I have not been able to wear my pretty bags very much. I can't wait to have a reason to dress nicer and wear a nicer bag. In the meantime I am glad I bought a lot of useful all weather bags.
I don’t have anything for January stats, really. Things were weird and hectic all month. I did buy 2 scarves, neither one even silk! (Crappy polyester, actually. Horror!) One’s an adorable tourist/citymap of my city from 50s/60s and one is a charity scarf I got at a silent auction. I actually really like the looks of both of them but they may or may not ever end up on my neck.
Today I made up for it by overspending, but I love what I got: A long wide black cotton skirt with a paper bag waist from the new Scandinavian-style-but-actually-German boutique. Unexpectedly 30% off, which takes it from “ridiculous” to, um, ridiculous. And then almost next door, in a “cute housewares” shop that has a tiny selection of clothes (I don’t know why) a Donna Karan double breasted wool/cashmere coat straight from the 90s. I feel like I’m 20 years old lusting after DKNY catsuits again.
And then because I’m not 20 years old, I boringly bought a vegetable peeler. On the bright side, I know how to cook now.
I can so relate.
I was so good for a while, not a single scarf for 2 seasons (apart from a gift) and then blew it on RTW, sunglasses and lipstick.