ACCOUNTABILITY TIME -It's good to look back in order to move forward. Hope you all had a good 2013! A look back: in 2012 these were the resolutions: eb -wanted to quit smoking b_b -To start frequenting the local record and book stores again zindagi -Wanted to find a girlfriend dombofix -To learn piano kleinbl00 - Pregnant (his wife) and finish the novel caio -To finish college lessismore - to buy the minimal amount of material items and spend money instead on experiences. I know that kb accomplished both of his goals though I think the novel took more time than he thought, I could be wrong there though. I'm guessing that caio accomplished his goal as we see less of him these days and this tends to happen post graduation :) -I wish you well if you're reading this old friend. I know that lessismore went on a long trip to China and therefore lived up to his 2012 goal. In 2013 these were some of the resolutions kurmit -to be less judgmental and more confident kleinbl00 -sell the novel rorifer -To change jobs kitinnitik -To be more confident, more productive, learn a new sport, get better grades and say yes more. hiss -To write and shoot a film of their own speeding_snail -Finish bachelors, 5 pull-ups and chin-ups, start doing parkour, read a book a month, 2 hours of internet a day max. littlebirdie -write a poem a day, be outdoors an hour a day, finish three nearly completed novels. Thunderclaww -Learn Python "the hard way" illasinsick -create something worth consuming. briandmyers 1366 x 768 -smartass :) i_am_minthe eat healthier and branch out socially ike -only A's, learn to ski, play more piano and become more outgoing syncretic -quit drinking pop Astral -less stress, work on website possibly write a book... possibly. thefoundation -Better grades and exercise, exercise exercise leer10 -Get QSO Saydrah -Continue using "Doing the Right Thing" the default even when it's the more difficult choice caio - more creative writing and less "academic" writing Rotten194 -Do 1 game a month Owl -Learn attic greek in 6 months, Learn to play this on piano, 100 push-ups in a row, woman of his dreams.... rozap -finish the website OmnomoBoreos -do a push-up a day AnSionnachRua -Run more, be more productive, quit porn and masturbation, save money, walk barefoot, Cold showers, Learn french bintshaqra -Take care of self physically, mentally and emotionally princecold start working out, live healthier and no cola. BLOB_CASTLE -Be like the man who quit money ME -To quit eating junk food, lose 15 pounds through proper diet and exercise. - To run my first full marathon -Be a more attentive husband and father Don't feel bad if you didn't accomplish all you wanted, today is a new day I didn't lose 15 pounds, I lost 5 and I still sometimes eat junk food though I have reduced that drastically. I have not run a full marathon and don't intend to any time soon. I'd rather play tennis, which at the time of writing my 2013 goals I didn't even know I'd ever enjoy. I have been a very attentive father, though I could be a better husband. I'll work on this.
Overall the year's resolutions didn't go too well, but I did have some successes. 1. Running more: This actually went pretty well, up until I started doing a TEFL course. I finished C25K (again), but when I started the course I was super busy and couldn't make time for running, so it went on the backburner. I do hope to start running again soon. 2. Be more productive: Yeah... no. I'm still just as much of a timewaster as I used to be. 3. Quit porn: This went fantastically after I started going out with my current girlfriend, for fairly obvious reasons. It started to creep back in lately (we've been living on opposite ends of the country, and for a while were in her parent's house, where we weren't even allowed to sleep in the same room). This is something I hope to continue to work on. 4. Save money: I don't even know. I didn't really watch what I was spending, so I guess I failed this one. 5. Walk barefoot: A resounding success! I walked barefoot almost constantly from March to October (only wearing shoes when I was told to in pubs or shops), stopping only because I started the aforementioned TEFL course and couldn't show up barefoot. I've been wearing shoes since I started it; it's time to take them off again. 6. Cold showers: This went really well up until about May. Then I started showering with my girlfriend. She likes really hot showers. I can no longer take cold showers like I used to. 7. Learn French: Never even started. 8. Learn 52 tunes for mandolin. Well, this went perfect for the first four months - I learned 16 tunes. Then I discovered that my picking is bad, and I need to learn alternate picking, which means I have to re-learn everything. I was so dissuaded by this that I haven't really touched my mandolin since May.
Get the mint app. It's amazing at keeping track of you automatically.4. Save money: I don't even know. I didn't really watch what I was spending, so I guess I failed this one.
What made you choose TEFL over CELTA? I was under the impression that CELTA was more common in your neck of the woods. I have a TEFL myself, and I haven't had any real trouble, but I understand that it's easier to get accepted to DELTA programs and work for various employers like the British Council and to become an IELTS examiner, for example. thenewgreen, TEFL is Teaching English as a Foreign Language certification.
Actually, I did a CELT, rather than TEFL; I just chose to use TEFL because I thought more people would know it. I'm under the impression that CELT is supposed to be the Irish equivalent of the CELTA, although I know someone who did a CELTA in Galway here in Ireland, so I'm not so sure.
It looks like the CELT is accredited by the Irish Department of Education, while CELTA is accredited by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. TEFL is not necessarily accredited, but may be by a company such as Accet. This is one reason why TEFL certification is generally seen as being of lower or dubious quality, so for me it was important to list my certification as "+150 hour, Accet accredited" for certain employers. I don't know how you plan to use yours, but I'd recommend getting a YL (young learner's) extension. Most newly minted teachers get gigs teaching kids because employers tend to see teaching kids as "easier" (it's not, if you're doing it right). Anyway, right off the bat, you'll be getting a higher salary (if the employer is worth their salt, which honestly, a lot of them are not). Anyway, with that credential it's easier to get a good paying job in a decent location.
Thanks for the tip! That might be a very good idea - I've already heard that new teachers are usually assigned young learners.
I stopped running for a while and just ran a couple of miles yesterday for the first time. My calves are killing me today. I'll go again tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the point when it feels good to run. I think on the whole you did pretty damned good with your resolutions. Nice work. You mentioned in another comment to me that you are trying to get to Dublin to be closer to your GF. Good luck with that! Glad to see you here.Running more: This actually went pretty well, up until I started doing a TEFL course. I finished C25K (again), but when I started the course I was super busy and couldn't make time for running, so it went on the backburner. I do hope to start running again soon.
-What is TEFL? I'm sure I should know, but I don't.Quit porn
-Girlfriends help :) Good luck with that.5. Walk barefoot: A resounding success!
-Awesome! How do you think this has impacted you?7. Learn French: Never even started.
-Vous êtes un fainéant8. Learn 52 tunes for mandolin. Well, this went perfect for the first four months - I learned 16 tunes. Then I discovered that my picking is bad, and I need to learn alternate picking, which means I have to re-learn everything. I was so dissuaded by this that I haven't really touched my mandolin since May.
-You ever just put on music and play along for fun? Just sort of "jam." Mandolin is a fun instrument to noodle around on to tunes.
Y'know, I don't think running itself ever felt good for me - always the time immediately after. As you've said before, running sucks. Barefooting is fantastic! My feet got tougher, and I think I stopped caring about what strangers think about me. It was kind of annoying, though, getting asked to leave certain places or to put shoes on. And the questions - oh the questions - that you keep on getting again and again. "Are you not wearing any shoes?!" The problem with my mandolin playing is that I don't actually know any chords... I've always just learned individual tunes. Chords are something I need to learn (not that learning a few chords is very difficult).
2012 goal: accomplished.
NICE! Congratulations caio. Have you been able to parlay that degree in to a career? You were studying linguistics, correct? Are you working in your chosen field?
Overall, I've reached one goal. I've finished my bachelors degree. The 28th of august to be precise. Glad I did and the master is next :) The 5 chin-ups/pull ups did not make it. Too busy during the summer finishing my bachelor... I did get back into lifting in november/december and I intend to continue the habit. Parkour. Tried it, wimped out when I realized I would have to teach myself without guidance and got into judo instead. The fifth lesson or so resulted in a shoulder injury which kept me from participating the rest of the year. I start again next week. A book a month. Nope, did not make it. I did start reading more though. 2 hour max internet time. I did cut back on my internet time (as you might have noticed here as I visit less often). Not to 2 hour max, but I did cut back. This year I will start a blog :P EDIT: Spelling...
This year I will start a blog :P
-That's exciting s_s, what will the topic/theme/concept be? Any ideas?
I'm thinking about engineering as that is something I know quite a bit about. However, it might also be about free software (hobby) or politics (as I am also planning on at least orienting on the political parties here and maybe joining one as there is a need for more technical people in politics. Way to make a difference). All in all, I'm not sure yet. Suggestions?
Take your time, homelessness isn't going anywhere. How are your travels going?
Does homelessness exist? I've been back in the States now for about two weeks. Guatemala was an incredible time.
What was your favorite place you visited while there? How did the filming go?
San Lucas Toliman hands down. It was the smallest town we were in (about 30,000 people). This was the view from our hotel:
On that mountain in the mornings, you could hear the birds passing a message along from one end to the other.
At night we'd go to the roof and drink beers. Every night we'd see shooting stars. The minimun was 5 a night, 15 was the max.
Also on that roof, I smoked a joint a bought for 5 Quetzal (64 cents).
We spent most of our time here filming at a reforestation center and the interviews with the organizer were to inspiring. When people ask me how the trip went, I normally respond "indescribable."
That's great B_C, I'm glad you were able to experience this. The photo is beautiful and the idea of laying down on a roof, counting shooting stars and smoking a joint that cost less than a dollar is pretty romantic.
It very much was an experience I'll cherish forever.