tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68241136508368296852024-03-18T22:06:45.015-04:00Here there be dragons..."I'm telling you stories. Trust me." - WintersonLauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.comBlogger1596125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-37452026249898748702024-03-18T21:30:00.003-04:002024-03-18T21:43:34.892-04:00Mexico - The Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpXAS3LxrP678HsjzLKrR-Qweu7H9jxNborsx-l3ZXO0nfU1i_sRL4XQ148kAiSFwAE1PUtSPsbXIGmBgBrtXlQTNvtnnuBTYKNw7ukdU5AHrfVntL4I-PtxuCNdYdAMftkXQY9ebOsHsNYvI2Pd-l3RE-L2jlcrNxpA42WGZRwDNNY5Q6ZcAspLMMAQ/s4032/IMG_9723.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpXAS3LxrP678HsjzLKrR-Qweu7H9jxNborsx-l3ZXO0nfU1i_sRL4XQ148kAiSFwAE1PUtSPsbXIGmBgBrtXlQTNvtnnuBTYKNw7ukdU5AHrfVntL4I-PtxuCNdYdAMftkXQY9ebOsHsNYvI2Pd-l3RE-L2jlcrNxpA42WGZRwDNNY5Q6ZcAspLMMAQ/s320/IMG_9723.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Work has been, shall we say, intense for quite a while now. With both Chris and I feeling stressed and worn out. So we took a break and ran away to Mexico. There were some significant changes to our usual travels and they worked out beautifully for what we needed this vacation.</p><p>Things such as:</p><p>- we travelled in March instead of February; therefore places that are not quite warm enough for me in Feb, were now open options</p><p>- we went for as-simple-as-possible. All inclusive. I even fairly quickly gave up and called in the expert as to where to start - Kes Smith (<a href="https://www.expediacruises.ca/en-CA/KesSmith/About" target="_blank">find her here</a> if you need or want to book anything - she put a ton of effort into solving a challenge we had while away, AND also was the one who recommended this resort, having been there herself, which we absolutely loved). We had no plan for excursions although I'll admit I did a bit of digging after picking the location to find what I'd like to do if I were so inclined, but it didn't drive anything about the planning or selection. (in the end, we only left the resort one day - I'll give it its own blog post.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBoIzUOrTX_Vf7FLhuFEcjp_GaWMDEW3ltCtR5Z2jwFApzl5qXzdwDUbG0bOZlNyMcpd25iZKwS7v6pgNv0fzCJ6oOY0zcr-QzdjzVgh62XDxuizr3I2fcGwU5GrFmBoADuUPs7aQtvp1shfuye06_TZ8ckgjPQCy5JTMe5TDijTuxtYNBnZxDD6wUVY/s4032/IMG_9563.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBoIzUOrTX_Vf7FLhuFEcjp_GaWMDEW3ltCtR5Z2jwFApzl5qXzdwDUbG0bOZlNyMcpd25iZKwS7v6pgNv0fzCJ6oOY0zcr-QzdjzVgh62XDxuizr3I2fcGwU5GrFmBoADuUPs7aQtvp1shfuye06_TZ8ckgjPQCy5JTMe5TDijTuxtYNBnZxDD6wUVY/s320/IMG_9563.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This, or very close to this, was our view for most of the week.<br />With a *few* more people, but never crowded.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>- we were on a HUGE resort. By far the biggest we've done. Usually I intentionally look for smaller ones / more personal / etc. BUT - what this allowed was that even though they were full, we could always get a seat at either pool or beach, there were three different pools and each one was dedicated to a different preferred experience: the games pool, the high energy music pool, and the tranquil pool. One guess where we spent most of our time ;). Also, the tranquil pool was farthest from the accommodations, so it wasn't the one people would just "stumble" over first. Which meant those with kids, those who just couldn't be bothered, etc ended up at one of the others. It also had no swim-up bar and lots more trees. Win all around. It WAS closest to the beach, which was a win for me since every day I went there at least for a bit :) </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-sEI_qchVpvYlKMRGi7Ytay1oVs3dvyrn-zEkwygM7OY-jQaObeTYPnEHc0pi9dpKz02w7sfdlmyXFU-kxufAGYkt8V0_lobFzLkwNNsMsXaS_obp3CGXjBvxjzAfEN-4cAVi7gEoK3fPnJ_mQD1ET6ssLrqUyrq5YHb8nhx9RhWPoTImVyWeTY03RM/s4032/IMG_9759.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-sEI_qchVpvYlKMRGi7Ytay1oVs3dvyrn-zEkwygM7OY-jQaObeTYPnEHc0pi9dpKz02w7sfdlmyXFU-kxufAGYkt8V0_lobFzLkwNNsMsXaS_obp3CGXjBvxjzAfEN-4cAVi7gEoK3fPnJ_mQD1ET6ssLrqUyrq5YHb8nhx9RhWPoTImVyWeTY03RM/s320/IMG_9759.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were even hammocks available!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>- it was comparatively far from the airport. Usually we try to limit transit time - that sweet spot between not hearing the planes and not having to drive for hours to start your vacation. But this time - I think it saved us a mountain of children. SO many other resorts closer to the airport and closer to the excursions likely to appeal to families, that it wasn't a kid-heavy experience despite being March Break. I heard also that they actively discourage "spring break" groups of any age. Our room was in an "adults only" area, said on the booking 18+, but I'm not sure what that means since for at least a few days we had a baby in an adjoining room. Not a big deal though.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbMfjQ4g6klzEVui60NKD5OBMyLyFsxa2Ygu438s4qdQJlpV_LZNZgb4bj1pD7PEAHopnoILiKa5BidzMOIxspSm4kFosHtdNCTFqRu-k_zWKrb6mrR-ykf_nqftsWq1Z9OOth_7f3AmQfC1H_NEUWOY1WkRkgHhgCFwoPvq62TEKJozKuzBaaMBkuX4/s4032/IMG_9483.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbMfjQ4g6klzEVui60NKD5OBMyLyFsxa2Ygu438s4qdQJlpV_LZNZgb4bj1pD7PEAHopnoILiKa5BidzMOIxspSm4kFosHtdNCTFqRu-k_zWKrb6mrR-ykf_nqftsWq1Z9OOth_7f3AmQfC1H_NEUWOY1WkRkgHhgCFwoPvq62TEKJozKuzBaaMBkuX4/s320/IMG_9483.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I sat out on our balcony at some point pretty much every day.<br />Sometimes monkeys visited :)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So all of this made for a lovely vacation. Our room was clean, a really good size, and generally kept up. We were on the ground floor and still had a little balcony that faced trees where occasionally monkeys came to visit. I would say the maid service was not quite up to the standard we've seen at other places, but it wasn't bad by any means. It was also comparatively well located as we could get just about everywhere without too far a hike once we knew our way around. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUF0MSrAFzuZvGfLCag_OSNT28lLqsIP7zm2x639-ZXUZcilKVWsYpbhYSGSnUSS-JLw7s3SK90jfoEg8sIACCFs5JbCtv9_rAwBS1qlh6pMQX_oA7JieFu3SIxKozSTjxk1cqjEm80U_Gg7TJxt-esufBof-xtus-ijEFEPd4LLX_7psavjDq17nBlc/s4032/IMG_9730.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUF0MSrAFzuZvGfLCag_OSNT28lLqsIP7zm2x639-ZXUZcilKVWsYpbhYSGSnUSS-JLw7s3SK90jfoEg8sIACCFs5JbCtv9_rAwBS1qlh6pMQX_oA7JieFu3SIxKozSTjxk1cqjEm80U_Gg7TJxt-esufBof-xtus-ijEFEPd4LLX_7psavjDq17nBlc/s320/IMG_9730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running was the opposite of our objective, but this gives an idea of the size.<br />Our room was in the "Chac" section, "our" pool of choice was the horseshoe-shaped one.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>That being said, the resort is huge, if you do the loop of only the main part of the resort it's about 3km. I averaged 17.5k steps a day. Now, I partially did that on purpose cause I like to walk and we were eating a LOT and at home if I don't make an effort I'll walk less than 3k (home office remember - and it's winter). There are shuttles all day going all over the resort - electric golf-cart types, so they're quiet (although Mexico drivers, so slightly terrifying lol). </p><p>Re food and drink, there were all the typical all-inclusive type things: many bars (incl swim-up bars in two of the pools), multiple buffet options, a la carte restaurants (pro tip: book them all the day you get there, they fill up fast), beach snack bar (hot dogs / hamburgers / nachos, etc), etc. What it had that was awesome that I haven't seen before were:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the Italian a la carte restaurant would make pizzas at lunch (think medium size) - you could have 2 per room (C and I together couldn't finish one). These were thin crust and surprisingly just right after several days of way too much buffet food. Also, portable - you could easily eat them by the pool or beach or room.</li><li>there was a coffee shop (still included) that was absolutely lovely. Multiple coffee options (both hot and cold, and of course alcohol addition options) AND hot chocolate (for she who doesn't drink coffee). They also usually had light snacks (think tiny wraps, breakfast pastries, etc). Chris was there multiple times a day :). But I really loved going there after dinner, where for at least a few nights there was a woman singing salsa music. Very much outdoor cafe style, had our coffee at a little table and watched the woman sing and a few of the guests dance.</li></ul><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGL_rbC2xdZyHmQGw_7YB7R4VjZpL6yRfTn1oHDmSQ6dlJsHoPHDSzACfOGy_OZfzTb08F86XsqwWVuV35fg3gRmivHid_0LMd548_fGE5eVrJWwr8yPoUWLg1waCCESPIdu1iFdtuCYfNL_dAXRF_gy1CRDhuoW0PH0DqMn0_Mn8W3mCSB6qqi3d2Xo/s4032/IMG_9766.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGL_rbC2xdZyHmQGw_7YB7R4VjZpL6yRfTn1oHDmSQ6dlJsHoPHDSzACfOGy_OZfzTb08F86XsqwWVuV35fg3gRmivHid_0LMd548_fGE5eVrJWwr8yPoUWLg1waCCESPIdu1iFdtuCYfNL_dAXRF_gy1CRDhuoW0PH0DqMn0_Mn8W3mCSB6qqi3d2Xo/s320/IMG_9766.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the sleeves of the coffee cup had words to make me smile.</td></tr></tbody></table><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>my daytime spot which I'll admit I visited more often than Chris was the ice cream bar. Ideally at the FAR end of the resort from where we were, so helped me get my steps every day. The ice cream was really good, and they even had sprinkle options :) Coconut became my go-to, but of the several flavours I tried, there weren't any I wouldn't do recommend. It was by the loudest pool, so reaffirmed each day that we chose the right location</li><li>right next to our pool of choice was a smoothy bar. It and the ice cream bar were the only two that had no alcohol at all. The smoothies were actually healthy which means, of course, I did not partake as they all had some form of vegetable smuggled in. But Chris enjoyed them and they were always busy, so I have to feel the option was appreciated.</li><li>re a la cartes: this resort had WAY more options for a la carte than others I've seen. We chose Steak, Brazilian, and Mexican. Next time I'd pass on the first two; Steak we do better at home, while Brazilian was interesting and I'd recommend others try it, but too much meat for me. The Mexican I'd do again and I'd love to try the Mediterranean and the Italian ones. For real foodies there were lots of others too, but they appeal less to me since I am the extreme opposite of an adventurous eater with the preferred diet of the average 8-yo child lol. But options include French, Japanese, etc... I'm definitely forgetting at least one, possibly more. </li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqzoz68jSiJJXQHNJFX2nZDrxaDlCb6xzukjRQ94YFzSgaB3WLT5MpAAir84T-8BpQGCZsuT3fFeYxYEyQS-tK5Q8XnjZ4xHs2oajh-xFlvylJcHKmMDrnXnVDN2ALOrAmOYsbC01TLq-YSLnWjuKwDIA78r58MaplN2KpHNhPvLm1AMcEPO1gy7lc8s/s1388/Image%202024-03-17%20at%202.13%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1388" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqzoz68jSiJJXQHNJFX2nZDrxaDlCb6xzukjRQ94YFzSgaB3WLT5MpAAir84T-8BpQGCZsuT3fFeYxYEyQS-tK5Q8XnjZ4xHs2oajh-xFlvylJcHKmMDrnXnVDN2ALOrAmOYsbC01TLq-YSLnWjuKwDIA78r58MaplN2KpHNhPvLm1AMcEPO1gy7lc8s/s320/Image%202024-03-17%20at%202.13%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the lazy river - "our" pool was attached via the cut through at the right.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now - the true highlight was the lazy river. It's NOT fully connected, it has a stop and an end and one lap is about 15 mins. But it is extremely well done, very lovely, we never had a problem getting tubes and rarely even found it crowded (even when we knew fully well almost all the tubes were in use). It twists and turns and most of the time you're under trees. You go past the loud pool and hear the music for a bit, and other areas you hear more birds or critters. We did many laps every day and it will be missed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CewAPiRVeoSXdxJ3m-V_8jBFVRoVXwV3OrGY3f13PaatAklDgb0vV9mNrQ74E5p7xqbGrifjn0ChvkZVaEq5pI_6pWgqhFnHKwrneD_0eLP2D-INsMXx8eYdn5Mc9W23KM26N0EN_tTlLzbBfEGmeuaT1wpVRQdj0krR7-aLMUBPL6LJ7xx1u11E4xw/s4032/IMG_9670.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CewAPiRVeoSXdxJ3m-V_8jBFVRoVXwV3OrGY3f13PaatAklDgb0vV9mNrQ74E5p7xqbGrifjn0ChvkZVaEq5pI_6pWgqhFnHKwrneD_0eLP2D-INsMXx8eYdn5Mc9W23KM26N0EN_tTlLzbBfEGmeuaT1wpVRQdj0krR7-aLMUBPL6LJ7xx1u11E4xw/s320/IMG_9670.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gratuitous lazy river shot</td></tr></tbody></table><p>That being said, because we knew there was a lazy river and that it was March Break, we were concerned about ability to get tubes so brought some of our own. We didn't need them for the lazy river but did it ever up our general resort water enjoyment. The days the ocean was safe (yellow flagged instead of red) we floated on the waves - paddle out, float back in, rinse and repeat (the beach was such that it had very easy/obvious stop points to ensure we didn't end up beyond a safe point). Other times we floated in the pool (which was not crowded so this worked - other resorts we've been at floaties wouldn't have been a good idea at beach or pool but here it worked, and worked well enough they sold them in most of the shops on the resort).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKsNXQ4UP7y1HjnkyM_O5IprPjK2TUjUk2HghfWCpfLg7D4zGGFQILuPCNtpedFhidM5tPyoqiGnroItros43FFrzgeX2q-Ou2nR9LVvwmv82VbbRiMBUuclcvDVsGWM1g6X1SSe1QYb0xDBbizUJjOoF59SuLyKu5U-BrKpogZFrzgSUmPdTGU8kRIo/s2219/IMG_3169.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="2219" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKsNXQ4UP7y1HjnkyM_O5IprPjK2TUjUk2HghfWCpfLg7D4zGGFQILuPCNtpedFhidM5tPyoqiGnroItros43FFrzgeX2q-Ou2nR9LVvwmv82VbbRiMBUuclcvDVsGWM1g6X1SSe1QYb0xDBbizUJjOoF59SuLyKu5U-BrKpogZFrzgSUmPdTGU8kRIo/s320/IMG_3169.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There really isn't any better way to relax</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The beach was stunning, broken naturally into three sections. There was a lifeguard on duty but they were mostly hidden in the trees. One of the three sections always had a ton of fish, so usually people there snorkelling or fish watching (super shallow so snorkelling was tricky there). The other two were more likely to have people swimming. We tended to go to the farthest one which tended to be smaller and have almost no people.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hrUKY1oTRWlfshtqujbLx7LaQfEmOGjbvD2x2JMGvhuG0g9QH4vbIoft-40DUa1OxNl4weaOm6HpQq-vJr3Kk3Fhvod6nv46jQ1AkLrBeVJmxQr9COl7kfDnadYLDtTBSHPSEKfSbzLuxx_A1RZg-EvpcscU2kaKwsUcz2IbHrDfAO8FIT18QXmCXN8/s4032/IMG_9764.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hrUKY1oTRWlfshtqujbLx7LaQfEmOGjbvD2x2JMGvhuG0g9QH4vbIoft-40DUa1OxNl4weaOm6HpQq-vJr3Kk3Fhvod6nv46jQ1AkLrBeVJmxQr9COl7kfDnadYLDtTBSHPSEKfSbzLuxx_A1RZg-EvpcscU2kaKwsUcz2IbHrDfAO8FIT18QXmCXN8/s320/IMG_9764.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About half the week the beach was yellow-flagged and we went in.<br />The rest of the week was red, and we respected the warning.<br />The area we usually swam was the other side of the ruin from this viewpoint.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There was a ruin on the property that you could get to with just a short wade. Thought that was really cool (if you squint or make the picture bigger, it's in the photo above :). It was tiny but still great that it's there and protected.</p><p>Also, it seems that the resorts here own property all the way to (and possibly into?) the ocean, which meant down-side: paying spa rates for a beach massage (that was *awesome* btw), but serious up-side, no hawkers trying to sell you stuff endlessly on the beach (looking at you Grenada) or just off the beach in the water (Jamaica comes to mind here!). Potentially it's the tight security at the gate that keeps that under control too, but either way, was appreciated.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1mJpF6aWOCGuHu0Yh4LeQ1hwnumT3PhYlsIzYYmFDjzcLpor4IFmKfXMmevT3Q7X_GAq_xuuWqwSNZyyX_qOLt_6FgzmKYmZZs59Y5bRF_yrfD885eUo1DUqk9ZhojakMGoIh9b3DWQrUda7IyHM1ENI361N8fDgf9a5_N5PDz88Au1EAh3uZHd9wFs/s4032/IMG_9802.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1mJpF6aWOCGuHu0Yh4LeQ1hwnumT3PhYlsIzYYmFDjzcLpor4IFmKfXMmevT3Q7X_GAq_xuuWqwSNZyyX_qOLt_6FgzmKYmZZs59Y5bRF_yrfD885eUo1DUqk9ZhojakMGoIh9b3DWQrUda7IyHM1ENI361N8fDgf9a5_N5PDz88Au1EAh3uZHd9wFs/s320/IMG_9802.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would not want to get in-between these guys and their food<br />I'd consider them Mexican racoons, except they *also* had actual racoons! Albeit skinny ones. <br />Probably because their daytime cousins ate all the food.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There were lots of animals on the resort; some of which I recognised ;). MANY of which would consume any food left out, which resulted in people being less sloppy than normal about leaving stuff around the pool. lol the 30 or so Coati's swarming somebody's pizza box was fascinating - esp when they came single file from another side of the resort. Well-organized critters. Also many cats, monkeys (equally likely to steal food), racoons (dusk and evening), and Sereque. Those were rat-type critters that I saw a few times but not as many of and know very little about.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ076_SNW9x0QoO-sMSFz_xa9Hr7sFJFaQLNUMJSMITmPIP9yPUFuuZaSVsPxMDLpqaKb7nUHqeglD41MeshDn-2XfG8bZTtRxxoeZI2L9BmwKIXp6n6NO83Gvw7GpgWp8zIM-P3l0-kXHeLdi_dfCf-bFaMCQXhI3PxviWRNl0tLSQZgkAmuvSpta3R4/s4032/IMG_9731.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ076_SNW9x0QoO-sMSFz_xa9Hr7sFJFaQLNUMJSMITmPIP9yPUFuuZaSVsPxMDLpqaKb7nUHqeglD41MeshDn-2XfG8bZTtRxxoeZI2L9BmwKIXp6n6NO83Gvw7GpgWp8zIM-P3l0-kXHeLdi_dfCf-bFaMCQXhI3PxviWRNl0tLSQZgkAmuvSpta3R4/s320/IMG_9731.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of learning opportunities around the resort</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The people working at the resort were awesome - they're definitely hiring and/or training for friendly and customer-service oriented. The resort IS a chain, albeit a small one, and I would definitely consider other versions of it. I would say it ranks in the middle of the Riu type ranking - it's not top end by any means, but it's a lot better than many and we had a very lovely week there despite them being fully booked (I almost find it hard to believe they were fully booked because it never felt crowded. If it was, they did something really right). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlzIu42lls2aLLDKWsYXi0ELEYNzYZvQKHcjPcWRHEFQrKZ0efBHs1f1iffrzlj3FByN3GYEmXIYjNpMq6cqgHQu1HKwTZAbQivzBJIp7e0yMYJ4UIcrYvK7F5I3ay-RswurO7H-0llegp7q2hwmj6e8V_4-oqRVJlPkeWT58NgVKhoU8ZrjRb1DwZOE/s4032/IMG_9830.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlzIu42lls2aLLDKWsYXi0ELEYNzYZvQKHcjPcWRHEFQrKZ0efBHs1f1iffrzlj3FByN3GYEmXIYjNpMq6cqgHQu1HKwTZAbQivzBJIp7e0yMYJ4UIcrYvK7F5I3ay-RswurO7H-0llegp7q2hwmj6e8V_4-oqRVJlPkeWT58NgVKhoU8ZrjRb1DwZOE/s320/IMG_9830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything was beautifully lit at night. This was "our" pool after dark.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The only challenges we had on this trip were with Sunwing/Nexus and, well, at least Sunwing has been bought so hopefully service will be better under new ownership. I would just book the resort and flight directly next time to get around that. </p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-49764087935879098112024-03-18T20:53:00.004-04:002024-03-18T22:06:09.994-04:00Random Mexico things :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrVeco9GWFHjtu5JHoF1rIdGW1pvfdmtHo-3kj7rorXvGljUYgGBIbI0LpoQXktt5JmvQw0bCYEZHoO-Rzl888jIYntSOw9HooGDMIWsmmoEFPIktFpLw0TvvWUGqH9WyhcHHE9zx63rDucWZjBLa4q8jseeoSfNM1MHw_nl7EFRl-8biTPsim1QXvoY/s4032/IMG_9839.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrVeco9GWFHjtu5JHoF1rIdGW1pvfdmtHo-3kj7rorXvGljUYgGBIbI0LpoQXktt5JmvQw0bCYEZHoO-Rzl888jIYntSOw9HooGDMIWsmmoEFPIktFpLw0TvvWUGqH9WyhcHHE9zx63rDucWZjBLa4q8jseeoSfNM1MHw_nl7EFRl-8biTPsim1QXvoY/s320/IMG_9839.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>So our March Break escape lead us to the Riviera Maya and except for one day, we didn't leave the resort we had booked. So I can't by any stretch say we experienced the "real" Mexico, but we did experience a lovely dream. But some random things I learned:</p><p>- "Retorno"s are terrifying part of highway life 😂 and I would have a very hard time driving without dying in Mexico. So this situation occurs because their divided highway has no overpasses, so if you need to reach something on the other side, you drive past it, and essentially pull a u-turn at a designated space so that then you are pointing the right direction to reach your destination. Except this means you're turning from fast lane to fast lane, and - to add to the drama - cars will do this two deep. Now - technically the speed limit in the fast lane drops to 60 right before each retorno, however - when speedlimits were clearly just suggestions at best and is 80 or 100 before, definitely nobody was slowing down simply cause other people were trying to merge from a halt. And of course, all the resorts are on the same side, so either going out from the airport (our situation) or coming back (if you were the other direction), this has to be done at every resort you go to, and then again to get back out. Speedbumps are also an extreme sport in Mexico (at least this region of it) but, fortunately, only a couple of them on the highway at police checkpoints. On the side roads though they were significant.</p><p>- People also cross the highway on foot, on bicycle, carrying an infant... It is beyond terrifying. Our taxi driver sadly acknowledged "there are lots of accidents" - uh, you think?!?! </p><p>- Heavily armed police everywhere and nobody seems to think anything of it. I found it a jarring reminder that we clearly were not experiencing the reality, but rather a carefully structured tourist experience. And honestly, I was grateful for it - although some day I would very much love to see Mexico City. Not this trip though. </p><p>- Safety is an interesting contrast: lots of people riding seatbelt-less in the back of a pickup truck on the highway (incl armed police with sirens blaring), people crossing said highway on foot, construction zones that would make and health & safety inspector cry (hard hats are definitely not a thing), and yet... my can of coke had health warnings on it (too much sugar and caffeine apparently - shocker!). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8_xhrV_ewr9jqB6ECcyr76j0BOzPsMQ2cLAy1KtgmiZqxYJUvdoBobXGl1SVp0rGMGSnkJp6Oxhmgfk4qVn6Ko-f8IkCpMcvxUPRVTBcroO0U4N2mKF-nRwSgAadrCojmrR1xWNbzJtoqH2ptTII8xrHSEmohBIE1PQeu68ujzpkIMnFbo6kgmdN6zM/s4032/IMG_9558.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8_xhrV_ewr9jqB6ECcyr76j0BOzPsMQ2cLAy1KtgmiZqxYJUvdoBobXGl1SVp0rGMGSnkJp6Oxhmgfk4qVn6Ko-f8IkCpMcvxUPRVTBcroO0U4N2mKF-nRwSgAadrCojmrR1xWNbzJtoqH2ptTII8xrHSEmohBIE1PQeu68ujzpkIMnFbo6kgmdN6zM/s320/IMG_9558.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somehow this just encouraged me to drink more ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>- Likewise, security at the resort was more than we've seen at other places. No difference at all once we were in, but every time we crossed the gate the driver's name was written down and they needed our names (and room number after we were checked in). Even when we left the resort-proper to go for a brief walk to a convenience store (still in the broader gated community which included a lot of condos) we had to show our armbands to go back on the resort property; we were on foot, past the first check point, wearing nothing but beach wear and coverups, but still proof required. That being said, we had zero security issues. Even in the airport, there were constant messages, in English, of how and where to book a "safe" taxi and not to get in a car that wasn't explicitly airport-approved. We had our ride pre-booked so less of a concern there but I was aware of it.</p><p>- I'm not bad at math for figuring out Canadian currency in USD, GBP, and even usually the Euro (advantage to having to manage multi-country budgets for work). I failed horribly at trying to calculate Peso exchange rate; thankfully Chris took on that responsibility for us ;) In Tourist Mexico, USD is accepted everywhere, but peso rate is sometimes cheaper. Also, if you pay cash with USD, odds are you'll get pesos in return (this was actually helpful as I failed to acquire pesos before we left due to timing and living far away from anywhere likely to keep them on hand).</p><p>- People - across the board - were incredibly friendly, positive, and - importantly to me - patient with my efforts at Spanish, even when they were fluent in English. Picture trying to speak intermediate French in Paris and what a horrible experience that is (if you have't had the pleasure, trust me on that one) -- this was the extreme opposite. Again, this could be Tourist-Mexico rather than real life, but I have met enough other people from there to suspect it might be fairly wide-spread.</p><p>- the pace of things is slower, but not slow. I didn't ever feel like we were on "island time" or "tico time" (the Costa Rica variant). Again though, IDK if that's Mexico or Tourist-Mexico. That being said, organisation was a bit of a flexible thing. I would not want to have to deal with anything government-based (passports / visas / etc). </p><p>- tacos come with pineapple!!! I wondered if this was just for tourists 😂 or to cause a war like pineapples on pizza, but a Mexican friend confirms it's legit. And while I was a little unsure of the concept of it (fruit and meat aren't usually two things I combine), I actually loved it. Also, if you haven't had real Mexican tacos before, what you're thinking of is not the same. I hated tacos all my life till I had *actual* tacos and they are now a favourite food. Yup, that's right, I'm a taco snob. lol. But only because North American tacos generally make me physically ill. Although I admit I really do like cheese and sour cream on my tacos which is definitely not the Mexican take on them ;). There's a taco truck near our house that makes amazing tacos and the ones we had in Miami last year were, not surprisingly, fabulous. So they can be found, but you've got to be committed to the search *g*</p><ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy6vGgBf-1XZeDbgpY9EVkOic9lqTU7bFIaTBZRH_bP2Wx9Kdq8RZRQbrevu2-KUlYQgg46Fq5qpXm7-8hXPsk3v2n-frnv42l06l8uY3XzFEtlZaBbz6lIitLItIuSVBxTGphf9SKT_MRTyM_tCo2AVJ9zrlperUCtj2cA1JOjP7vq4ciWnkhjnEUxU/s4032/IMG_9828.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy6vGgBf-1XZeDbgpY9EVkOic9lqTU7bFIaTBZRH_bP2Wx9Kdq8RZRQbrevu2-KUlYQgg46Fq5qpXm7-8hXPsk3v2n-frnv42l06l8uY3XzFEtlZaBbz6lIitLItIuSVBxTGphf9SKT_MRTyM_tCo2AVJ9zrlperUCtj2cA1JOjP7vq4ciWnkhjnEUxU/s320/IMG_9828.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm tacos...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></ul><div>- that being said, I found all food had less flavour than I'm used to, and I never quite figured out the difference. Sweets obviously have to do with the amount and type of sugar, but other things? I'm really not sure. Was still good, and arguably healthier since I wasn't inclined to keep eating just for taste, but curious. I know with a lot of things the locals season with super hot/spiciness which I'm sure is awesome if you can eat it without dying lol, but just the scent of most of that does me in. So plausible, at least with the meats, is the issue is I need an in-between level of food that doesn't exist (I tried the tiniest drop of 'hot' on a nacho before starting in on the above tacos - wow. I swear my eyes start to water at just the thought of it now). But not sure about things like eggs, cheese, grapes (?!?! - the grapes were huge, but again, less flavour). Or maybe it's all just me. Fully plausible.</div><div><br /></div><div>- I googled whether or not Mexico was considered a developed country and found a really interesting read that for the life of me I can't find the link to right this second. The 2-second summary is they're considered a Newly Industrialised Country (NIC) which means they're growing fast financially; however, there are still some pretty significant human rights components that have a ways to go.</div><div><br /></div><div>- overall, I had a great time; I really loved getting to speak Spanish; I would 100% go back to both the country and / or the same resort; and I feel like there's a whole lot we didn't experience that was probably very different, but I don't actually have any thing to base that on. I think I'd go back here again before returning to Ocho Rios in Jamaica -- and I truly didn't expect that going in. The people made all the difference. </div>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-83340720076391136752024-03-03T14:58:00.000-05:002024-03-03T14:58:21.595-05:00TIL: Even adults can "earn" participation awards ;)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6BYuJgbY2DB2fEYbvuYXuMccxwViS4XTV5LvIeoo_y3lH4mOk4MmdVg9xZ6GkSFxMw8mGUQsL3_G8GHZveLu-GBxPES5n-cluea1ctoaWkZQ10DTaOkFXyUHaoAN4RFfTW8I_zOyOCPYxW6x03JdYm1TLZY0AXH_3yiWltd3N-h3DsmbvAYUeaE98Zw/s2194/tiger2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="2194" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6BYuJgbY2DB2fEYbvuYXuMccxwViS4XTV5LvIeoo_y3lH4mOk4MmdVg9xZ6GkSFxMw8mGUQsL3_G8GHZveLu-GBxPES5n-cluea1ctoaWkZQ10DTaOkFXyUHaoAN4RFfTW8I_zOyOCPYxW6x03JdYm1TLZY0AXH_3yiWltd3N-h3DsmbvAYUeaE98Zw/s320/tiger2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I can't pat one, maybe I can learn to draw one?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I don't even really know where to begin. Okay - well I'm definitely chuckling that I got a legit participation award for a free online course. But hey, I'll take what I can get ;). And it made me and some of my friends laugh, so obviously it had SOME benefit. And, to Jael's point - somebody, somewhere, for sure has this participation award on their LinkedIn ;-P</p><p>So, as those who follow this blog will know, I've been playing with the idea of learning to draw, and recently discovered that "coloured pencils" isn't as simple a concept as I'd thought. And while most of the YouTubers tend to use primarily "normal" (in my head) coloured pencils (eg wax or oil based - not that I knew either were a thing until very recently), the pros who do primarily animals seem to like pastel pencils. Which are, of course, even more expensive ;). </p><p>But I like animals... I don't remember how exactly I ended up there, but I found the <a href="https://school.colinbradleyart.com" target="_blank">Colin Bradley School of Art</a> -- and he had a free "for complete beginners" class that only needed 6 pastel pencils to create an impressive looking tiger. Hmmmm potentially I could justify that for a new experience (they're about $3 each! At least at the only place I could find to buy them individually - which was conveniently less than a 20 min walk from work on a week I had to go to the office anyways).</p><p>Well. The top thing I learned is this is NOT the medium for me. Ugh. Sad. Which is a shame cause I LOVED the class. And while he does have a handful of classes for coloured pencils, the things I'd really love to draw are all pastels. Blah.</p><p>So - first of all - things I loved about the class. It is friendly, patient, calm. It's kinda like sitting with a storybook grandfather teaching you the basics (if your grandfather happened to sound and teach like David Attenborough lol). Patient, relaxed, and once in a while unintentionally made me laugh (eg "you don't have to follow my way." *pause* "But I suggest you do."). They tell you up front what you'll need, including the exact brand and colour of pencils, paper, etc (easier to follow if you have the same materials). I'll admit, I only got the pencils - mostly cause none of the rest was easily available around here, but I did at least get "pastel paper", if not the specific brand, having learned my lesson about impact of paper before! I believe the whole site is run by the artist (who my guess would be in his 80s? Said he didn't start learning to draw until he was in his 30s) and his either son or grandson (I think son, but not 100% sure on that) who seems to take care of the online portion of the business while the artist does the drawing and teaching component.</p><p>He provides a sketch to start you out and suggests printing it directly onto the paper (like with an actual printer) which was my first indication of the difference in medium because, of course, you can't erase those lines! However, A - my pastel paper wouldn't fit in the printer, and B - I also would like to actually learn how to draw so... I did my best to copy his example and sketch it myself. I used a grid, so that certainly helped. It wasn't perfect by any means, but I would argue it was close enough (hey - when I took a pic of my finished work, my phone identified it as a tiger, so I'm deeming that a win!)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNKRWj3U92eLPb8AmRdZVeB0OYxFc1G8yvHhhbbBjJxdamcGsqIFI2AgnzEmKfhFRgCTR2ZdN1MThi1wGk6uWAYSsSo48BULdmStLWnHRRXtKmsgpMpSXVILajeSwjXzYvgKxP25-7cCTVne198lHPhzLbCPMjuVdl2VnEdr-zhROUyN9zyLpzjIabro/s4032/Sketch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNKRWj3U92eLPb8AmRdZVeB0OYxFc1G8yvHhhbbBjJxdamcGsqIFI2AgnzEmKfhFRgCTR2ZdN1MThi1wGk6uWAYSsSo48BULdmStLWnHRRXtKmsgpMpSXVILajeSwjXzYvgKxP25-7cCTVne198lHPhzLbCPMjuVdl2VnEdr-zhROUyN9zyLpzjIabro/s320/Sketch.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably kinda hard to see, but my attempt at copying his sketch.<br />So that I could *start* lol.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now - this course is 1.4h long. I know from prev YouTube to double or triple the time depending. This one... We're not even going to discuss it. I was likely an hour in before he started (aka with getting the sketch in place!) Probably a good life choice to go back to learning some sketching basics first!</p><p>I came to learn pretty quickly why pastels wouldn't be for me... The first thing is, part of learning to draw was a hobby I could do on the couch while C was watching TV. Pastels kinda need a desk. I already have lots of "in my office" hobbies - piano, Spanish, handstands... So that in itself wasn't a strong start, but could certainly be worked around fairly easily if it were the only blocker. The next was enforced structure. Because of how smudgy pastels are, you really do have to fully complete one section at a time. There is no agile to this approach ;). You can't stop in the middle and have a usable project. So I'd have part the was amazing and I loved and part that I hadn't even started yet. I'm not great a lifetime commitment projects ;). I'm here full for the quick wins. I have a lifetime commitment stabby that I'm working on - one is enough!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KTPhc_o0Yk0bZejU4kKegjmtRfBRDx2JIJs4CGE2DcoGOafWaJObB2EZzOvJDREOmoVexPAaJ-5fC4bMzEXKXZMqOWDEa2vP4Qb_fyYQFHTi997LElweH09AN6ro-HpJPDnggFW3RQDqLpXf1iQuZoW9FKNN4SDZcKCgixlKADAW_KgsiMH6MJ_TTFA/s4032/Ears%20and%20starting%20markings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KTPhc_o0Yk0bZejU4kKegjmtRfBRDx2JIJs4CGE2DcoGOafWaJObB2EZzOvJDREOmoVexPAaJ-5fC4bMzEXKXZMqOWDEa2vP4Qb_fyYQFHTi997LElweH09AN6ro-HpJPDnggFW3RQDqLpXf1iQuZoW9FKNN4SDZcKCgixlKADAW_KgsiMH6MJ_TTFA/s320/Ears%20and%20starting%20markings.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great ears! But that's a lot of work to still have the rest look like... Well this ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>One thing that made this course more of a course than just a follow-along video is the nature of the picture lends itself to repetition. So he'd teach how to do one ear, and then let you go off and do the other. Teach how to do one type of fur, and then let you extrapolate that to the rest. Super frustrating if you just want a pretty picture at the end but actually awesome for teaching you to figure it out. And after the face, it was pretty much a DIY approach with a "you don't need to watch me do this, I'll meet you back here when you're done". Again - great for learning, less good for successful results 😂 Although I certainly could've replayed the video from before to help refresh that for sure.<div><br /></div><div>I think the above picture is about where I stopped on day 1 (or day 2 actually - day 1 was the sketch, day 2 I started with colours). I was now a couple hours into a 1.4h video ;)</div><div><br /></div><div>The eyes were my favourite part by far. I'm so amazed at them, I loved doing them, and they were totally worth the effort for the results. It really helped me to pay attention to details of colour and the impact of shading = realism/depth. And I know that's really 101 level, but come on - I AM 101 level lol.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeQo_z3gMt_RnJa6X9Re1aYHDz2BGDOdQeg5KDqNgcad3fju8mGk8FpotdSm6KzfUbvFZblFY-Kw1w_6QqiTWtRTteh0m497ytliYi6_o0ugi4DKKqSrglcPIXq3Eex_YDT8HP3BEwChkj04qoPwtNDDlfC0DLWICSEa27woUCQ94T6c_lmdsia7Ygz4/s4032/Eyes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeQo_z3gMt_RnJa6X9Re1aYHDz2BGDOdQeg5KDqNgcad3fju8mGk8FpotdSm6KzfUbvFZblFY-Kw1w_6QqiTWtRTteh0m497ytliYi6_o0ugi4DKKqSrglcPIXq3Eex_YDT8HP3BEwChkj04qoPwtNDDlfC0DLWICSEa27woUCQ94T6c_lmdsia7Ygz4/s320/Eyes.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even after all was said and done, the eyes remain my favourite part.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>They warn about smudging, and keeping a piece of paper over any work you've already done. What I didn't clue into was the paper itself could cause smudges 🤦♀️, so I found that an added degree of stress that wasn't necessary for a complete beginner ;). Now normal pencil crayons do the same, but nowhere near the same degree.</div><div><br /></div><div>The layering of colours I still don't entirely understand why it works in areas that you don't need or want to ever see all the colours, but I definitely appreciate that it does ;)</div><div><br /></div><div>Part way through a technique was introduced that I could *not* replicate. SO far beyond my skill and capability level it was laughable. So I gave it a go, but yeah. A definite miss. And combine that with a complete inability to get my pencils sharp (apparently the trick is whittling them with a knife - which, thanks to C, I have a knife. Alas, I have no skills). And now smudgy paper and colours being flattened, my frustration level was definitely growing. The smudgy paper was easy enough to manage once I knew about it - so that's simply a newbie mistake. Skills it's fair not to have on day one, but still sad :( </div><div><br /></div><div>And then I had to disappear for basically two weeks for work. lol so when I came back, I finished off what I could, decided not to include the background mostly cause I didn't have the patience for it today and I wanted it done, and partially cause I'd have to tape the paper and I wasn't sure that would be a good life choice at this point ;) Whiskers were pretty much a complete fail lol. I got one or two that I think looked right, but man are they a risky edition - the same skill I had 100% failed throughout the whole drawing, but has to be done fast, in one stroke, with confidence or it doesn't work AND risks a complete redo of significant parts of work (plus side, I now know it's reasonably easy to redo pastels - far more than coloured pencils). So not sure how I'm feeling about that atm, but I'm calling the tiger done. </div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOadZzEFnM8HRZMFDJg4L-OFMnrRu9RwGECT7DS7jAYFvl3up95JFKCR-PS2dO-6pGBT1grNZX8Jgc9_CTH2IwOMc1g6CZQtw7SykudcRFtFytxJoY3k4EydSrPT85Zn62NmRSuiN2EmSimTwvOXJ1NCLkG_VP6tZqtf2h5eNdYMvDtJiZiie9narpVI/s4032/Tiger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOadZzEFnM8HRZMFDJg4L-OFMnrRu9RwGECT7DS7jAYFvl3up95JFKCR-PS2dO-6pGBT1grNZX8Jgc9_CTH2IwOMc1g6CZQtw7SykudcRFtFytxJoY3k4EydSrPT85Zn62NmRSuiN2EmSimTwvOXJ1NCLkG_VP6tZqtf2h5eNdYMvDtJiZiie9narpVI/s320/Tiger.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm gonna take this as a win for a first effort!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>First experience with pastel pencils taught me a LOT, I *loved* this particular school and would 100% sign up for their paid stuff too if it were graphite or coloured pencils. But likely again some day. We shall see :). After all, they did give me a participation award! Nobody else has done that in decades ;-P. But I can't imagine how long one of the LONG videos would take me! lol. This was pretty close to the shortest option.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUYepZO9FGbPLo2qO6HAcumHV7JK_6rk_1GGZEzlI41XgN1EhEvNQ4X6gYLH6VQx7ep76qgY7wxa4x1XLuUSxl5qEDX-j_ydLN5H82cUM7Jmz_Xfyw9wCy_SyFsfudUoOQ1_MjXCSY1-E94-afme70NFgvs_S9XaAr5vjAnmnM3skCXPW2hsp79hHsmo/s1896/Certificate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1896" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUYepZO9FGbPLo2qO6HAcumHV7JK_6rk_1GGZEzlI41XgN1EhEvNQ4X6gYLH6VQx7ep76qgY7wxa4x1XLuUSxl5qEDX-j_ydLN5H82cUM7Jmz_Xfyw9wCy_SyFsfudUoOQ1_MjXCSY1-E94-afme70NFgvs_S9XaAr5vjAnmnM3skCXPW2hsp79hHsmo/s320/Certificate.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not even kidding! ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p><br /></p></div>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-7069724157946917402024-02-15T22:13:00.000-05:002024-02-17T22:14:30.257-05:00Beginner drawing adventures<p>As always, I'm forever amazed by the learning curve when I target something really new; especially things that seem so obvious once you know them. These are some of the things I've discovered in the last few weeks:</p><p>- there is a distinct difference between tutorials that aim to teach a drawing skill and tutorials that aim to have you successfully draw an image at the end. I'm getting much better at following the second type (see pics below ;). And honestly, still so green I've learned something from literally every one, so Follow-the-Leader it is. For now. As to actually learning to do anything on my own - I'm being a little facetious - I do try those too and it IS making a (slow) difference. But I very much love the "follow along and get results" version for now (yeah endorphins!). Except there's a sad dearth of dragons, so at some point will need to apply those skills to creating my own.</p><p>- there are coloured pencils that are wax based, coloured pencils that are oil based, coloured pencils that are really pastels in disguise, and who knows how many others lol. And while the online pastel enthusiasts tend to be serious purists about it, the others tend to mix and match intentionally. All of the above are friggin expensive. I should go back to a nice affordable hobby. Like riding.</p><p>- Pastels generally, but of course not always, are layered dark to light. The others go light to dark. In both cases they need WAY more layers and colours than I would ever have imagined. And some of those colours are wildly not something that would ever have occurred to me; this is an example of the difference between ability to follow and ability to do it myself ;).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UYJ8qPdQrIl9wdG3Iua9sLeLLDuX5EpSrzhyphenhyphenaa3CkxCJTHNSUc-_PEZmvCoghw5q0U9-8DcKCFjitNrWsx-9jrTdJH__S4pKSH7iqVq-a18V3TSgDKTqcZ9S1mV2AwMqCs8o-Do4qcb8QL3mXic_PhoCCNAIJvBzZKDkAD_UhALLvLKP_CEcMm7tU9E/s4032/IMG_9153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UYJ8qPdQrIl9wdG3Iua9sLeLLDuX5EpSrzhyphenhyphenaa3CkxCJTHNSUc-_PEZmvCoghw5q0U9-8DcKCFjitNrWsx-9jrTdJH__S4pKSH7iqVq-a18V3TSgDKTqcZ9S1mV2AwMqCs8o-Do4qcb8QL3mXic_PhoCCNAIJvBzZKDkAD_UhALLvLKP_CEcMm7tU9E/s320/IMG_9153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one theoretically took 22 pencil crayons, of which I had about 15 ;)<br />By far my favourite in-colour follow-along artist (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@BonnySnowdonAcademy" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Bonny Snowdon Academy</a>) so far.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>- my thought of learning to draw with pencil first seems to be the right track - all the others seem to start with very light pencil (cause it's erasable) and then build up from there.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqn9ZonvdhXC7kfQCZWEeSfu_co9KBelj7LTHD3QWz95d6Zm5SOo_xTbgmO_8O4LCckxygrOKEnsN7T7bGRfxAkwIJOGD_7NM5rwUB3iwgbZQPSGhHdgFTbwSm0AYaAhjxoB8I6X25m6WCYH4Pmep-EZa5AP6O3fVSiB_iD4CHW59TeB8oCf11Mvv-lY/s4032/IMG_9018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqn9ZonvdhXC7kfQCZWEeSfu_co9KBelj7LTHD3QWz95d6Zm5SOo_xTbgmO_8O4LCckxygrOKEnsN7T7bGRfxAkwIJOGD_7NM5rwUB3iwgbZQPSGhHdgFTbwSm0AYaAhjxoB8I6X25m6WCYH4Pmep-EZa5AP6O3fVSiB_iD4CHW59TeB8oCf11Mvv-lY/s320/IMG_9018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one of the first, and still a favourite.<br />Follow-along instructions by my overall favourite YT instructor I've found yet: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBiW8y5LSHK5D-eaX6QqD5NM8B-Tpmvew" target="_blank">Mark Crilley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>- many "beginner" tutorials still often assume more skill than I posses. Also, some of the ones for pencil crayons will share a sketch to trace first for colouring - I tried this a couple times and found it even more confusing since sketches for colouring often don't look much like what I would consider sketches lol. So now I either take their version and use a grid to try and draw a simpler version myself (this is most reliable although still involves a ton of erasing) or I just do the outline and make up the rest as I go along. Kinda depends how much patience I have at the time (eg - the kitten was a grid, the flower below was 100% freehand DIY lol - I just can't bring myself to care about the flowers at this point). </p><p>- paper matters. OMG does paper ever matter. These two pictures were a day apart (first coloured pencil effort), with no practice in-between, following the exact same instructions, using the exact same materials. All I changed was the paper. Unfortunately though, I generally have no idea what paper to use for what and why -- and of course the internet has ALL the opinions ;). In some cases it makes sense (if you're water painting you prob want something thick enough to handle being wet), theoretically all the pencils need to be layered so something with texture to allow layers is good. But too MUCH texture gives what happened here. And then on the flip side - the kitten above would've had whiskers if I'd had thicker paper lol - apparently the trick is to emboss the whiskers into the paper before ever starting anything w colour, except it was just in my little sketch book; there wasn't enough paper depth to emboss anything lol.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01CLempWqgONhB2-EwcsrMjDQXFnEQUTcu9I8kc3oVfAX_R-4RCH9EA0SV2a970Drb6wGUwI4xyaOmkKQjncQu2Ron0r7W0OL9rTCmKEUtFKhRz53Z4b7WIBK9Ikzr695n1cWsyld4C5Q5ZA6td7-oR3LJUvAttduShEYLC2wpJeciMXw5HpEIlvs-cY/s5798/Playing%20w%20paper.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3400" data-original-width="5798" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01CLempWqgONhB2-EwcsrMjDQXFnEQUTcu9I8kc3oVfAX_R-4RCH9EA0SV2a970Drb6wGUwI4xyaOmkKQjncQu2Ron0r7W0OL9rTCmKEUtFKhRz53Z4b7WIBK9Ikzr695n1cWsyld4C5Q5ZA6td7-oR3LJUvAttduShEYLC2wpJeciMXw5HpEIlvs-cY/s320/Playing%20w%20paper.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The difference the paper can make</td></tr></tbody></table><p>- my social media doesn't know what to do w me having another hobby - mildly amusing to see it trying to figure out whether I want drawing, embroidery, handstands, fitness, dance, or something else completely random ;)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-56632906084911236252024-01-13T20:42:00.002-05:002024-01-13T20:42:28.184-05:00I see a long hot bath with a ton of epsom salts in my future ;)<p>So the free week of Ninja Warrior / Yogi Flight School classes has come to an end. Although apparently they'll continue to provide feedback for another week, so if I manage to Stack my Shit anywhere in that week I will take advantage of that.</p><p>Day 2 was Wed and the focus was headstands. I watched the video to see if there was any good learning (spoiler alert - there was! But far too much of a visual aid required to translate to text - had to do with a cue for how to engage your core upside-down), but I actively don't want to stand on my head so I just did a normal workout to replace that day in my week.</p><p>Day 3 was on Friday, which I tried today, and was the one I'd been waiting for - handstands. It was super useful because it helped me solidify some concepts which I've heard before in my adventure but hadn't yet fully grasped. Some reason I used to both go to riding clinics (even when I had awesome coaches at home) AND encouraged my students to do the same thing. Sometimes it's a different phrase, expression, approach - whatever - that makes the light go on. And then you go home and do the hard work :)</p><p>So nothing really new here - less focus on strength and flexibility, although I am *completely* toasted rn, so obviously still required. But they just acknowledge that if you don't have it, it will be harder for you (and you prob won't be straight, but conceptually can balance upside down), and move on. </p><p>Their philosophy is the warmup should get the body ready for the movement you're trying to do. While this is not stated in Karin's course (that I've been taking), certainly all of her w/u exercises are relevant in exactly the same way so not life changing. Except for two things - one, when I'm NOT following the program and just do my own warmup, I'd never even considered that. And two, this one called out which w/u exercises were *also* relevant to the modifications. THIS was key for me. </p><p>In particular - we were doing hollow body hold (those who know...) and w/ one knee bent I can do it solidly (aka back firmly attached to the floor and straight leg hovering just above the ground), with both legs straight I'm not even close. And never have been able to. Last summer, through Karin's program, is the closest I've ever come to having the lower-back strength to have both legs straight and low with back connected (Squirrel note: to be fair, I'm 90% sure that program fixed it NOT through repetition of this exercise but through the flip-side which she calls body-line hold but when I google that I get a million things so not sure what it really is. It worked though ;).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lOJCyrSZfAMCyjgc7h2UZYuEURDE7O4LrVZ75FLDwTARhdusFJy8m7EFYx34P9O_U7BwvVUrD7OiOsB9xQnrb-mbip7XDVJ4nldjNkRP3jRkin7ILQPLqlt2FpFr1WDvl3418KejU9q25-YHM_DlFcfa_9z7C_gef4JucHkg2ufYBZ7wBloWMNbxXw0/s398/Image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lOJCyrSZfAMCyjgc7h2UZYuEURDE7O4LrVZ75FLDwTARhdusFJy8m7EFYx34P9O_U7BwvVUrD7OiOsB9xQnrb-mbip7XDVJ4nldjNkRP3jRkin7ILQPLqlt2FpFr1WDvl3418KejU9q25-YHM_DlFcfa_9z7C_gef4JucHkg2ufYBZ7wBloWMNbxXw0/s320/Image.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now... to execute what I've learned ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Back to our story -- the in-person clinician before xmas of course also had hollow body hold in his warmup, as has every other pilates class ever, and he came around and checked that everyone could get their back connected which is pretty standard. But with both him and the online program, I took it as a strength building exercise. Super useful, super brutal, but somehow my little brain didn't make the connection to mirroring the handstand (because - well - NOTHING is straight lol). But in today's workout, it introduced the modification (again standard) of bringing one knee to the chest. Which I can do. Cool. And then the line that turned on the light - "you're now in the position you'll need to be in for X modification when you're upside down".</p><p>Because it showed me how easily, lying on the floor, I could correctly perform the movement for one of the modifications (one knee bent) that I CANNOT do with both legs straight. But since I mentally filed it under "building core strength", I never clued it that the fact that I can do it w one knee bent means I'll be potentially able to engage that same part if one knee is bent when I'm upside down. </p><p>Not that you can't do a handstand w/o - just that it will likely have a fairly dramatic banana bend to it ;) </p><p>So yeah, that was key. There was also "the wall is lava" lol - point being, once you can kick up, the wall is only for strength building. Move a bit further off the wall and kick up, but if you touch the wall, you fail ;). Honestly, I'd figured this out ages ago, but I just loved the idea of turning it into a kids game - made it way more entertaining. They also suggested trying this one with a split stance, which was new to me so I gave it a go.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVISzQe5evFXZxUgTzRGtTP3Ylg6FkI9b1sIRJYljO32aakWzdVqtN0LKJw5c5Vf1iPrb1yFAPZ9xFtu1O4VPctNZtvhYeCGbJR4z6mKJOGEM0-CJDJr4Z0LyEPm32RkKbRB9WAWm8cIgzuFDHxChknWTOAKZKPoY7AbVlwFjGvxYr72nvXVFCjEjS0og/s1334/IMG_8748.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVISzQe5evFXZxUgTzRGtTP3Ylg6FkI9b1sIRJYljO32aakWzdVqtN0LKJw5c5Vf1iPrb1yFAPZ9xFtu1O4VPctNZtvhYeCGbJR4z6mKJOGEM0-CJDJr4Z0LyEPm32RkKbRB9WAWm8cIgzuFDHxChknWTOAKZKPoY7AbVlwFjGvxYr72nvXVFCjEjS0og/s320/IMG_8748.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wall is lava!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>And then lastly was the feedback from when I sent them my video for coaching from my free-standing handstand (with said bent knee), in the middle of the room. "...squeeze the glutes to stabilize the hips. Your hips opened to the left side and that's why you needed to bail out." I, wait, what??? lol. If it had ever occurred to me to consider it, I would've figured my hips opened *because* I was bailing. But she's absolutely right, at that point I wasn't focused on squeezing my glutes (which 100% requires attention, but so does pushing away from the floor, and engaging the core, so since you start bottom up, I have to just keep cycling through them. Lol in some videos you can actively see when my mental focus shifts). And when I looked at the video *many* times after it's obvious once a pro has clearly identified it for me ;-P</p><p>Alas I was exhausted by then so will have to wait a day or three before I try that again. That pinpoint accuracy though is super useful. If I'd shown up to the live instead of watching the replay, that's what they do in the breakout rooms. And what the clinic I went to before xmas in-person did as well.</p><p>So the adventure continues. I'm hoping to get at least one more coaching feedback set in, so we'll see. Right now though my body is on strike. lol, happy, but on strike. If I get off the couch there might be consequences that I can't risk. </p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-21686785532501947542024-01-13T02:28:00.001-05:002024-01-13T21:37:00.863-05:00Down the rabbit hole...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNGhYyQNHHKSVdLSnBINVGS-Tgz2l3IZalSoVkpHX3CimTiSRIfwLaudRV1xNYGpqFjBPAv4xonmWb6-Jxdw2ezO6Gy2HMAzcOycjcA2XzLEz58kE-x8Xq4eg78gJZoa5O1kQGEC0ifMDbl3ZPYdOk1NAi0ksLKGp6oucKGSz05Cgeq7k1MDqIksRUnQ/s500/drawowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNGhYyQNHHKSVdLSnBINVGS-Tgz2l3IZalSoVkpHX3CimTiSRIfwLaudRV1xNYGpqFjBPAv4xonmWb6-Jxdw2ezO6Gy2HMAzcOycjcA2XzLEz58kE-x8Xq4eg78gJZoa5O1kQGEC0ifMDbl3ZPYdOk1NAi0ksLKGp6oucKGSz05Cgeq7k1MDqIksRUnQ/s320/drawowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes this is how it seems ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div>This meme has been around for years and exists with most "how to draw" things, but have to admit, sometimes it seems all too accurate!<br /><br /><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Also - hyper focus much? I started about 8:00pm, give or take a bit. C went to bed I think 10:30 or 11 - I know it was before 11:15 cause I sent a text then and wondered at that point if he was still awake ;) I took one break when C went to bed to let the dogs out and chill them out, and relocate upstairs where it’s quite and comfy and doesn’t spin the animals that OMG FUN THING SHOULD HAPPEN. And shortly after that I finished and was thinking about whether I wanted to do some Spanish before reading my book and going to bed, and realised it was only a min or two shy of 2am. Oops. So I’m writing this post and THEN heading to bed. Targeting 2:30 ish ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Was an interesting experience though. I WAS able to follow the tutorial (if you're selective, YouTube is way more helpful than books that teach as per the meme) - I know it's teaching me to duplicate rather than draw myself and I'm okay with that - for now, because it's also giving me the basics and teaching me to notice details and visualise the world differently (squirrel note - it now drives me insane to see the dots that Nola's whiskers grow out of - I never really clued into how defined they are and that they're in rows before I tried to draw a cat 😂. A degree of detail that has just never been relevant in my life).</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In today's adventure though, The most frustrating part was that I could NOT replicate the level of black seen in the tutorial with my black pencil crayon that also broke EVERY time I tried to sharpen it; it’s prob a decade old Crayola so…. Fair enough. I did just buy some new pencil crayons but for some reason that pack doesn’t have a black. Sheesh. And I was super disappointed cause for all the other issues with the fact that this was drawn by a complete beginner, it would’ve looked WAY better with a deeper black and layer upon layer upon layer wasn’t really changing anything.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">SO - then I figured, what about a different medium? Lol one of the books I’ve been entertained by suggests pens every once in a while. I had some very real doubts about this and - consider how many hours were invested - it’s not like there’s an undo for a sharpie. Honestly, for all the crazy things I’ve done randomly in my life, this one took the most internal convincing. AND - I should’ve gone w my gut, cause I liked the original better. Fail. Lol certainly not tragic and actually looks better if you don't look too closely, but it's too obvious if you do ;). But the end deciding factor was - it’s in a super cheap sketchbook and is not something I’m super proud of, does it really matter if I wreck it? Well…. Turns out, a little bit ;). But the rest holds true so some day, that’s not today or this week or next week, I will try it again and see what happens if I do the same thing with:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: "— ";">
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Better paper (I never in my life thought I’d know or care about different drawing papers. Although given how much of a difference *writing* paper makes to me, I can’t believe I didn’t clue in to that earlier.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>A really good superstar black pencil crayon (or 6!)</li></ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I am more proud of myself than I should be for testing out the marker though - I’d rather learn that lesson ruining something that was really hard but the end result wasn’t awesome than something I’m thrilled with. I DID do a practice run on another page, but it wasn’t enough to give me a real feel for if it’d work. My compromise was to take a pic of the "finished" pencil drawing before adding marker. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I also learned that I have absolutely no idea what a “rubber pencil” is or why one would want/use one. But it definitely did NOT do what I’d hoped it would ;). A set of 4 of them, all white, came with my other pencils. On that thought - a few weeks ago I learned about different weights of pencils lol - I made it all the way through life without ever knowing what existed beyond HB or why anyone would care. For the most part, this exact situation is why people might care lol. But even that doesn't get to true black. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Next step - colour! Lol. OR maybe 30 steps from now. But some day!</p><div><br /></div>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-13024919315290279012024-01-09T17:17:00.032-05:002024-01-13T17:57:19.399-05:00Stack your sh*t<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQN6oGyUM1TTq4BJp1J00sYyhvtc5j1MZ1nVwLhhi-cedLDAHagoaY7XINaOC1M1Bu2_MXXC4SjeexBlixWgrp_Vx4P40tBnoXqQtgqlOQiaHH-gH_8Fay03i73cVQhHw3gOtqcH6ztFGlfl9KgcrTk-rj2mh2OQqSQtJUHWQGmdhlotl_JiYJCQJNRDE/s528/Image%202024-01-13%20at%205.49%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQN6oGyUM1TTq4BJp1J00sYyhvtc5j1MZ1nVwLhhi-cedLDAHagoaY7XINaOC1M1Bu2_MXXC4SjeexBlixWgrp_Vx4P40tBnoXqQtgqlOQiaHH-gH_8Fay03i73cVQhHw3gOtqcH6ztFGlfl9KgcrTk-rj2mh2OQqSQtJUHWQGmdhlotl_JiYJCQJNRDE/s320/Image%202024-01-13%20at%205.49%20PM.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So I’m doing Yoga Ninja Bootcamp at <a href="https://www.yogiflightschool.com" target="_blank">Yogi Flight School</a> this week in an attempt to learn how to “stack my shit” (their phrase, not mine, but I kind of love it.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now - I’m thinking maybe it’s worth a minute to unpack that sentence ;). This is not flight school in the learn to fly a plane sense but more in the learn to balance without your feet sense. When I first decided to learn handstands there were two online programs that quickly came to the top of my possible options - <a href="https://practice.karindimitrovova.com/courses/" target="_blank">Karin Dimitrovova</a> and, shortly after, Yogi Flight School. For a large number of reasons, I chose Karin’s program and am SO glad I did because for me it was, and is, exactly what I need and nothing I don’t AND a fixed price (forever access). I’ve since also acquired her flexibility program which is equally awesome.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">However, targeted advertising being what it is, I still get many Many MANY ads for every possible competitor out there. Consistently though the one that has caught my attention was the flight school. So when they offered a free week, sure, why not. Not even a credit card sign up and cancel later situation. What I didn’t realize was it’s live sessions (thankfully recorded) AND 1-1 coaching if you’re willing to send them a video of you trying stuff (either post on FB or email). </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hmmm interesting. The live was never going to work - esp once I realize it’s TWO HOUR sessions that start at 11am MWF in my timezone this week. Right. I’m doing well if I can cram all my work into a 10h work day; I’m not taking 2h out for misc fitness. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So I missed Monday but that night I figured I’d sign in and see how useful, if at all, the sessions would be. Now at this point I’d already seen a lot of very excited posts from people on FB about learnings from the session so maybe? They’d already released a half hour session before that was not my cup of tea but prob a lot of other people’s (ditch the “story” - aka excuses, any body type possible, basically barring a medical reason if you’re willing to put in the work, you sb able to do “it”. Note “it” is not fully defined. One of my original hesitations was their focus is yoga, not handstands. And, well, I’m not a yoga-y type person ;). I agree there are great benefits, but I get SO aggravated by the mindset lectures that it defeats said benefits. Mindset is one of this team’s top things, but they also do a whole lot of swearing and practical reality so I figured I could go along with it. Interesting take on ensuring the warmup targets exactly the muscles that will be used for the target exercise in the same way it’ll be used (eg “core” isn’t enough - side crunches aren’t the best choice if your target is a super-straight handstand).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So the first hour of the video was all theory that I paid partial attention to on high speed and skipped all the mindset stuff cause really - self doubt and lack of motivation aren’t really my thing ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The second hour though was an actual coaching session, which I did on Tuesday, and also at high speed but DID the exercises. Alas, handstands aren’t till Fri but today was crow, which I have tried - not well - before so figured worth a go. AND, at the end it said if you’d send vídeo they’d help. I guess the next two sessions they’re doing breakout groups for actual live coaching. We’ll see. And you know what? It made a big difference. Although I definitely have gotten so used to my arms being straight that I neglected to bend my elbows and was having a very challenging time 🤣. Apparently that’s a quite advanced move and they don’t recommend doing it often because of the strain on your wrists (remember the ones that less than a year ago I couldn’t even have flat hands in a plank? Yeah - those wrists ;)).</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcijia1XuodulDG7eYQckkOJ9jdy9rXYPcTUdFYZujs6_MU5p_DWGDhFZjywp8mb7R9gO8yx9cdDeEGKiy1AGkoun0EgkA_Qg1dbMjK-w-V_uQoAy3PDLix_5SdiIVK0Fm_yWZ4cQyQJNUSuf5tVUkdEu-YgaENUqGo4-cHhWTu15NNdk4SF9ZnXW0ks/s600/Crow%20-%20May%2023%20vs%20Jan%2024%20w%20no%20practice.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="600" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcijia1XuodulDG7eYQckkOJ9jdy9rXYPcTUdFYZujs6_MU5p_DWGDhFZjywp8mb7R9gO8yx9cdDeEGKiy1AGkoun0EgkA_Qg1dbMjK-w-V_uQoAy3PDLix_5SdiIVK0Fm_yWZ4cQyQJNUSuf5tVUkdEu-YgaENUqGo4-cHhWTu15NNdk4SF9ZnXW0ks/s320/Crow%20-%20May%2023%20vs%20Jan%2024%20w%20no%20practice.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May last year vs Now w zero practice in-between other than this course</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So once I actually did it properly it was 100x better than when<a href="http://laur-eventing.blogspot.com/2023/05/my-latest-adventure.html" target="_blank"> I learned it before handstands</a> while trying to build wrist strength. So now I’m actually fairly excited for Friday’s. Tomorrow is headstands which I actually actively don’t want to do. So I will watch the video to get any learnings / building blocks / etc, but I’ve done too many scrunchy things to my neck over decades of horseback riding to be willing to actually balance on my head.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Friday might make for an interesting blog post though ;)</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-67515720826162286502024-01-08T22:15:00.000-05:002024-01-16T11:24:44.356-05:00I've been told ;-P<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So TalkPal, the AI I’m using to practice speaking Spanish is, obviously, new tech - with all the challenges one might expect and then a few given the whole generative AI concept.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This one happened today and I’m still highly bemused by it, so thought I’d share. I tried the “phone call” option (ie - no text shown since it’s mimicking being on a phone.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(Squirrel moment - skip this paragraph if you just want the actual story). Some notes on this one:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: '— ';">
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>the visual display is very similar to what you’d see if someone were calling you on a generic smartphone. It causes the same anxiety as when a real person does it ;). I imagine if you actually enjoy your phone ringing, you will enjoy this too. Super smart approach.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>You can still translate what the AI has said and see the text version; you can also get her to repeat herself</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>You get feedback on what you’ve said if you click the feedback button but it wasn’t as obvious to me whether there was feedback there or not, and all comments from my original post still apply on the questionable quality of said feedback (validated, might I add, by my actual real-life Spanish teacher).</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>There doesn’t appear to be any way to “teach” the app - which seems fairly short-sighted since that’s kinda the whole point of generative AI (regardless of which approach, this doesn’t just apply in phone mode).</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Conversation memory is still quite short.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4KxNFZPMLRPFq7VFDaGg9fpTKZyNt2_YPmmjyYqrNyI3FsuIK2ysZFwCznL8yOiFnViO3E6Yd_fbAn4GU7-F7NGp57dvZQdZcEs0a-W51YX-mdtDHpI85kbnJfiUs8xS3gP8GWSKDicwPs7yro2_Lj7oxViifcVciqqXeSGbYOtLAxT-Wk_mJxIExuE/s1334/IMG_8776.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4KxNFZPMLRPFq7VFDaGg9fpTKZyNt2_YPmmjyYqrNyI3FsuIK2ysZFwCznL8yOiFnViO3E6Yd_fbAn4GU7-F7NGp57dvZQdZcEs0a-W51YX-mdtDHpI85kbnJfiUs8xS3gP8GWSKDicwPs7yro2_Lj7oxViifcVciqqXeSGbYOtLAxT-Wk_mJxIExuE/s320/IMG_8776.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AI Phone Screen</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now back to our regularly scheduled program. She (AI’s name in this one was Emma) had asked me something generic about my plans for the day and I gave a pretty basic answer along the lines of relaxing by reading a fantasy novel and playing outside w my dog.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And I got this answer:</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfyeAHv89OYE2khWtSywn7w8hMVDNxyHaEXGwH49Asb92eVqig5UH6nj-B2MRpsLmZvmvVUCOGnNxUQyPw4LK5rR2O4NelMP7txcwKivq2xHWo2MMjvOvoEzil9WvWAKncgwWj3uhNYLqL2pa0BPibTGQNhV1B5eZn_lvMRMCCTcbWEnvxva_8cHlkdsk/s1334/IMG_8766.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfyeAHv89OYE2khWtSywn7w8hMVDNxyHaEXGwH49Asb92eVqig5UH6nj-B2MRpsLmZvmvVUCOGnNxUQyPw4LK5rR2O4NelMP7txcwKivq2xHWo2MMjvOvoEzil9WvWAKncgwWj3uhNYLqL2pa0BPibTGQNhV1B5eZn_lvMRMCCTcbWEnvxva_8cHlkdsk/s320/IMG_8766.PNG" width="180" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">🤣 so, I mean, it does tell me my pronunciation was clearly off in a potentially fatal way somewhere because let’s be honest - that's not a challenging sentence to construct. I *know* the words (at least the ones I was *trying* to say) were correct. And completely innocuous. And yet twice I got this error. On the third time I managed to get it to understand and the conversation continued. But because this version doesn’t script what you said, I couldn’t see what it *thought* I was saying in order to fix it. And once you get that error, you can’t click through to where it’ll give you a translation ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So yeah - idk what that was about, and probably never will, but I’m still mildly amused. If nothing else, if I can get it to understand me, people sb super easy!</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-28374536288990614742024-01-05T21:32:00.002-05:002024-01-05T21:38:27.924-05:00Exploring some AI possibilities with Language Learning<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Today I booked a hotel for a March Break trip, ordered a coffee and cookies, and had an in-depth conversation with the Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War. And I did it all in Spanish.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">And honestly - that's the coolest part of this post. All the rest is boring background on how that came to be. Read or not as you see fit :). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So one of the biggest things that’s holding me back in comfort and usability of Spanish is the ability to practice speaking on a regular basis and a variety of topics - esp when work gets crazy so I struggle to fit in lessons which require a committed time that spans a large number of time zones that don’t include my evening.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">And, well, if I’m getting up super early it’s either to exercise or to commute, not to think or talk! </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">And, well, to the best of my knowledge I have exactly one friend who’s a native Spanish speaker and more often than not there are others with us who do not speak Spanish, so not super appropriate to practice.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A bit before Xmas (? I think - little fuzzy on dates between extreme work chaos and then Xmas “does the calendar even exist” period ;) the guy behind the Storylearning concept started pushing the<a href="https://talk.yourteacher.ai" target="_blank"> Your Teacher AI</a> platform. I wasn’t holding my breath and they were very clear that it’s new and buggy and developing tech, but I gave it a try since I’m usually pretty willing to be an early adapter, but OMG it couldn’t hold a conversation past 3 exchanges. And I hate small talk w a passion. Now, to be fair, apparently “memory” is up soon on the roadmap, so maybe in few months or so it’ll be good, and it would be good to just talk at, but I was ready to strangle it in seconds (worse than trying to convince the grocery machine that the item IS in the bagging area), so noped out of that one. BIG plus, I’ve since come to appreciate, was the thoroughness and accuracy of their grammar corrections (which you could set how picky you wanted it to be) AND its speed of both recording and displaying answers. So I may go back to that one some day. Today is not that day, because despite the advantages, if I’m not willing to talk to it, there’s no point at all. I was truly amazed at how quickly it drove me insane. Not a great start. Although…. Part of that frustration is I could see so clearly how useful it *could* be.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So then I started exploring other options.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Next up was <a href="https://languatalk.com/" target="_blank">Languatalk</a>, which is where I currently source my instructors from (5/5 stars for teachers - highly recommend! - WAY better than Italki, Verbling, Busuu, or literally *any* other teacher platform I’ve used since starting this adventure) since it seems to be the only one w any significant kind of quality control re competency of the teachers. They also have a fairly good collection of level-rated videos and podcasts etc. They have recently started offering a subscription-based AI web-app (<a href="https://languatalk.com/langua?oc=true" target="_blank">Langua</a>) that I was curious about, but it’s not super affordable and I was hesitant after the above exp.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So targeted ads being what they are, I started getting ads for MakeYouFluent - another platform that offers AI learning. Something about it felt really scammy though, and as I read more reviews I decided it probably wasn’t for me. This was reinforced when every day they started sending me an ad for a reduced amount off the subscription. As of this evening I’m up to 85% off ;-P. Which means if you DO decide it’s for you, I’d suggest doing the intro “placement” test and then ignoring it for a week or so ;). But to me, that means it’s really not particularly worth paying for.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Moving on, I fell down a rabbit hole but one that proved fairly awesome, in that I found all sorts of options and eventually decided to give <a href="https://talkpal.ai" target="_blank">TalkPal AI</a> a try - whose app is brand new but apparently has had a web version for a bit (app on the Apple Store only had 1 review and it was 1 star - I will have to contribute something to help fix that). This one has both free and subscription options, as well as a free trial. So did read some reviews, but given the whole free option I was mostly just doing due diligence that the company was legit.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And this - for what I need - so far seems fairly excellent. To be candid, and fair, it’s NOT nearly as good about transcribing the conversation (and the AI is working from the transcription so I’ve at times be marked “wrong” for my spelling or punctuation - when IT did both!) but it’s mostly good. My biggest complaint there is it’s VERY slow - I keep thinking the app has frozen while I wait for it to figure out what I said. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">BUT - for me - it’s worth the wait, because not only can it carry a conversation, but it can prompt all kinds of options. I figured I’d start out simple and see what happens. The first choice was “chat” - I told it to ask me something interesting and we had a whole conversation about what we would do if we could control time, what time periods we’d like to visit and why, and eventually how to bring about social equality in the future.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now - it definitely still has significant frustrations, and if your answer is long, it won’t show all of it, but the conversation was enough that it got me to talk, and to think, in Spanish. And that - for me - is the whole purpose. Other options include: </p>
<ul style="list-style-type: "— ";">
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Role Play (both common and completely fictional scenarios - examples: “booking a hotel” (basic - I did this one and a coffee shop one just to test it out; also cause real life interactions are where I struggle the most), “reporter interviewing a witness” (intermediate), “yearly review” (Professional), “planning a strategy to defeat a dark wizard” (fun). Lol that last category also includes (amongst others): </li>
</ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaheqN6aWOHi8JqC6PBXcIg3ZFE7BzjsK5e_BTQ97bX4keBRhR_A_RdvC2rOqKWBfRMkubZxPvafG2uZSmZxKxnU9RA8MlgLhJSyBXyxytdo_xo807-IumW8aGgkVao5aU-nI2tv5XWXc6G1G0G0DTfWNp4rDOhzgaNl4E7fx6OUeZicmC44FSaXSWY8I/s1334/IMG_8565.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaheqN6aWOHi8JqC6PBXcIg3ZFE7BzjsK5e_BTQ97bX4keBRhR_A_RdvC2rOqKWBfRMkubZxPvafG2uZSmZxKxnU9RA8MlgLhJSyBXyxytdo_xo807-IumW8aGgkVao5aU-nI2tv5XWXc6G1G0G0DTfWNp4rDOhzgaNl4E7fx6OUeZicmC44FSaXSWY8I/s320/IMG_8565.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just the concept of some of these made me laugh</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: "— ";">
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Characters - chat with a historic or fictional character (awesome range of people, no idea how much of a “personality” each will have, but they give you a brief bio when you start up a conversation and go from there. So far I’ve spoken with Athena (goddess of wisdom and war), and Queen Tamar of Georgia. Lol the list is wild and interesting - I’ll definitely chat w both Loki and Shakespeare at some point ;). </li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Debates - so many topics, not sure I want to debate w an AI but we’ll see :). Here’s the first few options. I haven’t done any of these yet (common - I only found this app yesterday!)</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmJHPLcIOhAPLKp_abc-wJcZQaOPal_rH3ZEu6KOnaoXq5wq8L53W0Hfd-yUe_DBStu_JVTg6-tLjTMPywvxQm42BX6POmQv7GMqqZXDDDJecIQdLzRoaNCbvc_W8oVeDbl2rVFDEQFBCUMTBJ1VBM1NrJIM1sGA55md615F1Rb_CvblBE_Dvft2BdYc/s1334/IMG_8566.PNG" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmJHPLcIOhAPLKp_abc-wJcZQaOPal_rH3ZEu6KOnaoXq5wq8L53W0Hfd-yUe_DBStu_JVTg6-tLjTMPywvxQm42BX6POmQv7GMqqZXDDDJecIQdLzRoaNCbvc_W8oVeDbl2rVFDEQFBCUMTBJ1VBM1NrJIM1sGA55md615F1Rb_CvblBE_Dvft2BdYc/s320/IMG_8566.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of topics for people to have opinions about ;)</td></tr></tbody></table>
<ul style="list-style-type: "— ";">
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Photo mode (describe what you see in a photo). This one is particularly relevant to me personally as it is one of the questions on the Dele B2 exam. However, I didn’t love how it “corrected” the answer so will be good practice if I do it and send the screen shot to my *actual* teacher ;). It’s also good for those whose anxiety kicks in even talking to a robot because there’s no opinion or creativity required. Literally just talk about what you see.</li></ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now, in reality - Teacher AI (the first one) is definitely the better for actually learning the language (and even they are clear it’s not for true beginners) but TalkPal is stronger - at least for me - for just talking. Maybe the truth there is in the name :)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What really gets me is that my notes in the first 5 mins were super frustrated w TalkPal as well, but after that I got increasingly excited. If it has enough variety to hold my attention for a week, I’ll deem it a win :). I will say though, the ONLY reason it’s useful to me is because my grammar knowledge well exceeds my speaking ability; this means I can critically consider the feedback it gives and reject it if it’s wrong. Conversely the feedback in Teacher AI was almost all correct.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Neither system lets you go back, or lets you save/print a script of the conversation (would be super useful), and both have the frustrations you’d expect from talking to a machine. But if they could combine those two systems, it’d make for one very powerful tool.</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-43818281337768411952023-12-08T21:48:00.001-05:002024-01-14T21:50:45.396-05:00I feel seen.<p>I have never related so much to a meme in my life. Not the specifics, but conceptually. It's part of what makes this blog what it is ;)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwPLbwBriP2x1obrml13YI4U0JCgb4V6cOnfXTDRlpaUa1Rrsk9MMmW-9dHg_reQp4Z7G40U-y3GxmN8wF2QcX5VzYD7-K-CuD6tE_MaGlQ-PpBlCpQWSN-ZPSP5h7_dQbpP9SqCQFFwmWUnh3gIVOvvllX6iB3HLUZ96dnp-HpWy9mzYb8jNKwiqtzI/s1200/IMG_8212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwPLbwBriP2x1obrml13YI4U0JCgb4V6cOnfXTDRlpaUa1Rrsk9MMmW-9dHg_reQp4Z7G40U-y3GxmN8wF2QcX5VzYD7-K-CuD6tE_MaGlQ-PpBlCpQWSN-ZPSP5h7_dQbpP9SqCQFFwmWUnh3gIVOvvllX6iB3HLUZ96dnp-HpWy9mzYb8jNKwiqtzI/s320/IMG_8212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-78090708474162209022023-11-27T20:50:00.042-05:002024-01-13T21:10:49.272-05:00Cause, you know, I needed a new hobby ;)<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-small;">So last weekend my young cousin Z had some very cool drawings of dragons that led me to think, hey - maybe I could learn that too ;). And while dragons are what convinced me to see if I could actually learn this, a few other things contributed, most notably:</span></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: '— ';">
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>about a week before Z’s dragon, I tried to sketch a laptop in my calendar and chose to laugh rather than cry at the fact that it was unrecognizable. The car from the wk before could be identified, but definitely did not resemble anything anyone would want to drive in ;-P. Before that I didn't even try to sketch anything, ever.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Literally the day after Z shared his dragons w me (there were three, but the blue one stole my imagination), a friend posted artwork online that she had created in one of those “paint nights” where you go w friends and even with zero skills end up w a painting that looks like someone w skills had drawn it. I’ve seen these before and been interested but never enough to A commit and find one to go to or B be willing to try and track down one that I’d actually like to paint ;)</li></ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So - if a good artist can teach a room full of people how to step by step recreate a full painting, surely I could learn enough to recreate a few simple stick figures? Except, you know me, I really want dragons. And not simple ones ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So I compromised - both. And the only person I told about any of it was Z (well and his Mom since Z isn’t old enough to have his own phone yet ;)). Thanks to Amazon and Michaels I stocked up on drawing pencils (although I had to Google what the difference was between them) and a “how to draw dragons” book, and not one but TWO sketch books - one big and one small. Which sounds really committed until you realize they were on a buy one get one sale. We won’t discuss whether or not I realized that before going to the checkout ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYbGTqdnR11pnqJuMq-9EzhcggNyoWW9VpkUQ8KJzmvjqieIE-s6lP9-HgqCau86pfPJi00Zi7FgnGbP_FdIuR1QrYBSbIq-d6ajtVChTa84nTmZSgOeWQxSirpnvfvKUK3EhG0wmIb2tGElVst48UNOzFV2pPFQZw4yp29Cf0lqMxvVa9T16csNe1_E/s4032/IMG_8083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYbGTqdnR11pnqJuMq-9EzhcggNyoWW9VpkUQ8KJzmvjqieIE-s6lP9-HgqCau86pfPJi00Zi7FgnGbP_FdIuR1QrYBSbIq-d6ajtVChTa84nTmZSgOeWQxSirpnvfvKUK3EhG0wmIb2tGElVst48UNOzFV2pPFQZw4yp29Cf0lqMxvVa9T16csNe1_E/s320/IMG_8083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let the games begin ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So my “big” sketchbook, which is actually small as far as sketchbooks go, but is bigger than my tiny one is for - atm - dragons and dragon related things. My tiny sketchbook (about the size of a coaster) would be for learning little sketches.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwH4iZeLbE3Qu0aS80gNy-0HrTeL8gQ6Jon235EsUhN33iMJ6Jm0WU2KPmOnGxZvuNOnk-G8AR5y0Baf2SYVu8gOTfy_iGUWGbO3LuuCCoXBBY28gsdH21xvJ45mk5fQHyEy5hycd33kuK0yofzpMB5LHx-rH1PqKCHh7I9yYFUxObInqW35uO5Q6JpkY/s4032/IMG_8132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwH4iZeLbE3Qu0aS80gNy-0HrTeL8gQ6Jon235EsUhN33iMJ6Jm0WU2KPmOnGxZvuNOnk-G8AR5y0Baf2SYVu8gOTfy_iGUWGbO3LuuCCoXBBY28gsdH21xvJ45mk5fQHyEy5hycd33kuK0yofzpMB5LHx-rH1PqKCHh7I9yYFUxObInqW35uO5Q6JpkY/s320/IMG_8132.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out of curiosity, I measured. Lol *literally* the size of the coaster)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So I ordered a 5 minute drawings book to fill the small sketchbook and went about learning.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So far, C has been able to identify each thing I’ve drawn. Honestly, after the unrecognizable laptop incident, at this point that’s a win. Z has been super positive about my dragons :). I’m hoping to try one with some colour soon 😂 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So, some things I’ve learned. I now - through a legit accident that had Amazon tell me not to bother sending back a book, have TWO books both titled a variation of 5 minute sketches. They are of a dramatically different skill level and have dramatically different learning objectives.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHi2K7yvJ4TPbFLD3X9A56z67NHek-YRtHrxV4Tw6N39P1Rqpy24Jm-Ftcowibrw5Gg38-EY_KAXQP3gOtU8mDsAP9yx90WjTkynrhqRIImbsdAFFpXSq0mYWQ7lG45ZxXwXCR82e737F34xB_QBHcKVXNabul6NffzOrMijLZeFavmAB8t6fxHEvBAw/s4032/IMG_8127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHi2K7yvJ4TPbFLD3X9A56z67NHek-YRtHrxV4Tw6N39P1Rqpy24Jm-Ftcowibrw5Gg38-EY_KAXQP3gOtU8mDsAP9yx90WjTkynrhqRIImbsdAFFpXSq0mYWQ7lG45ZxXwXCR82e737F34xB_QBHcKVXNabul6NffzOrMijLZeFavmAB8t6fxHEvBAw/s320/IMG_8127.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the left, I can do in less than 5 mins;<br />On the right, more likely to be 30-45 ;)</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The one on the left is quick and easy, but has no realism and little (if any), shading. It does, however, have volume ;). I was able to draw a laptop that C could recognise as one, but not one that I would ever be proud of. It was my 5th drawing in the little book, and significantly less good than drawings 1-4. Because those are from the other book, which is definitely more valuable to me at this point. It has much more complex sketches and while not amazing instruction, it's usable, esp when combined with dragon book instruction. They are not, however, five minutes. 😂. The laptop was less than five minutes. I didn’t time it so I can’t say for sure, but definitely less than 5 with no distractions. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now I know the other book takes me much longer so out of sheer curiousity I decided today I’d do two “simple” sketches ;). But for that one, once I found the one I wanted (one of the simplest) I decided I’d time it. And I would treat it in the spirit the book intends - recognizable but not perfection (as if 😂) quick practice to learn to focus on skills. I did NOT go for speed but I also didn’t really try to fix things even when I could see quite early they weren’t right. And I would’ve said in the end it took prob 10 mins…. My phone said 25 😂. Tomorrow am me is NOT going to appreciate that! And definitely not going to appreciate that now I’m writing about it ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But honestly- that tells me it’s a good thing for me rn. It’s hyper focus in a good way and when I’m done, I’m done till next day. I’m not putting any rules whatsoever around it other than “draw something” most days ;). Some days it’s a 2h dragon while watching a movie and some days it’s a stick figure. But because I’m a *complete* beginner, literally every day I learn something. And I love learning stuff ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Is it a forever for me? Probably not, realistically - I’m going to hit the same thing as always that I have no eye for colour and that will be followed by colour fear paralysis and that will be stressful. Hence x stitch that comes w colours already defined rather than embroidery that usually does not. But who knows? It’s fun for rn, it’s very in the moment, it’s getting me out of my head and off FB. It’s a win. And I didn’t expect it to be 😂. So that makes it more fun somehow.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The real question is, when will I find some coloured pencils and brave that step?</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-19038031930809966752023-11-19T22:58:00.018-05:002023-11-23T19:03:53.685-05:00Kid wknd!<p>So this weekend we did a cousin's sleepover party. Two adult cousins (myself and T) and three kid cousins ages roughly 10 and 12 (they all have bdays this month so I'm not 100% on who's what age rn!). It was SO much fun. Those who know me, are aware that I greatly prefer kids in the double-digit phase of life ;). So this was fairly ideal. And a super interesting experience.</p><p>We started with bowling. We (adults) offered a choice of bowling or laser tag -- fully expecting we'd be playing laser tag (I'd actually gotten myself pretty excited at the idea). All three kids, adamantly and with conviction voted for bowling. Wait what?!?! Yeah I still don't know - but cool - if that's what they want, that's what we'll do. And the place we went was kid-friendly for sure which also helped (although for a child-free adult, sensory overload in a BIG way).</p><p>Things I learned bowling (I'm keeping it to me, cause I'm not super comfortable writing about other people without their permission):</p><p>- not shockingly, as with everything, this is also a brilliance or disaster situation. I was dead last until the second last frame, and then I won. Apparently my options are gutter balls or strikes lol.</p><p>- I also apparently need at least 8 frames to warm up ;-P</p><p>- I literally can't remember the last time I bowled. Plausibly it's been decades. And before that not more than a handful of times. Ironically, C went like a week ago randomly with people from school after a similar time away from the activity. The timing of that just struck me as odd.</p><p>- But I *do* remember, when kids were involved they used to put bumpers in the aisles -- they were like big inflatable bags so the ball almost couldn't miss the pins. These still exist -- BUT they're a lot more subtle and done electronically. Which means you also have the choice of having them for kids and not adults, or only one player, or any other combination. We played the first game without and the second game with (well, half game - you pay by the hour not the game). And if *everyone* is playing with, it makes it a different game - a game of angles. Adds a whole new entertaining dimension.</p><p>- The score screens had all kinds of entertaining options; idk if that's cause it's a kid place or if the adult versions do this too now (again, decades....), but if they don't, they 100% should. Some were trivia, some were critters randomly popping up, some were cartoons being scribbled, etc etc</p><p>So after bowling (where we all remembered to change our shoes back. After a couple tries ;-P), we got some supplies to make pizzas and went to T's home (identified sleepover location, conveniently 15 mins from bowling). There was a bit of creativity required due to our pizza shells not being as edible as we potentially would've liked, but end result was more than enough pizza, for all five of us AND Sasha :)</p><p>Next up - Gingerbread houses! I'll admit we cheated and bought kits ;). BUT we got all three houses constructed and the kids decorated in whatever style suited them. It was highly entertaining and some of the houses got tweaked again the next morning :). I do NOT remember gingerbread houses taking so long for the icing to solidify sufficiently to provide structure though. It wasn't even really *that* long - it just felt like it!</p><p>Then (are you exhausted yet?!?! lol) everyone got into PJs and ready for bed -- including rolling out air mattresses and sleeping bags on the floor (kids only on this one - alas, not quite enough room for the adults so we retired to bedrooms ;-P). BUT it wasn't *actually* bedtime yet (well actually it might've been, but at sleepovers the rules don't apply!). So we looked for a movie to watch. They had a few suggestions that, well, I'm not grown-up enough to watch. lol while I'm all for completely destroying all healthy habits for a night, I'm not at all into giving myself nightmares. Thankfully T was of a similar mindset and we settled on the more age-appropriate and definitely less terrifying, Home Alone 2. lol which somehow I had never seen before. </p><p>After that we chatted for a bit and then kids went to bed. It was well before midnight, so I deemed that more than reasonable ;)</p><p>Next morning we had a lazy start (I mean, earlier than Sash and I would choose normally but lazy...). I took Sash out for a short walk before her breakfast and came back to hot chocolate; which I'm sure was already potentially breaking healthy rules, so I compounded it by introducing the kids to the concept of dipping chocolate chip cookies into it. AND they were cookies the kids had made that were SO good. Then T made the most amazing French Toast. Idk what she did that's different from every time I've ever made it, but wow. Along w some cinnamon buns (cause there hadn't been enough sugar yet!) and bacon - of course! </p><p>And just as we were finishing tidying up, kids' parents arrived. Basically perfect timing.</p><p>So yeah - it was a ridiculous amount of stuff in a short time (you're not new here) but it was so much fun. I'm not convinced the sugar crash that afternoon would've been lol, but from our standpoint it was a blast - that's the fun part when they're not your kids ;-P</p><p>Oh - and I might've found a new challenge? One of the junior cousins had brought some drawings he had done - of Dragons!!! lol I sincerely doubt he had any idea of my interest in fantasy. But now I'm wondering if she who hasn't drawn a thing since... probably single digits myself... could learn to draw a dragon ;). hmmmm. Then didn't help that that same day a friend posted about a painting night she'd done (not dragons, but conceptually... if adults can be taught to do a full on painting, surely they can learn to sketch a dragon? hmmmmm *hamster wheel spinning frantically*)</p><p>The only sad thing? I forgot to snag an extra homemade cookie for my commute home. lol not like cookie day isn't in a couple weeks and I'll be baking more cookies than I know what to do with, but still! Somehow it's always more decadent when somebody else makes them.</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-41793290941778210722023-11-11T23:27:00.002-05:002023-11-11T23:27:24.247-05:00A new (only to me) dimension to music<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So I was never into music videos as a kid - nor as an adult for that matter - but they play at the top of the screen in the lyric app I’m using for Spanish active listening practice.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And for the most part I see the first few seconds and the last few seconds cause otherwise I have to pay very close attention to which words I need to tap and when and I can only look one place at a time.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But one I was doing today (that was random selection) the few seconds I saw at the end of the video proved the intent was the opposite of the literal words - which I admit I had guessed because I’m not new at interpreting text, just new to Spanish context. But this one was made so powerfully disturbing as a result of the contrast between what was being said and the action being shown that now I’m wondering how much I’ve missed out on as a result of not watching videos over the years.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">That being said, I kinda have to acknowledge I have zero patience or interest in music videos - I can appreciate the appeal for others but it’s not my thing (kinda like podcasts!) but I have a new respect for plot twists that are purely visual. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">I feel like there's a literary or dramatic term for this (where the action reveals meaning different from the words) but for the life of me I can't think of what - if you know, please share! I'm getting stuck on dramatic irony, but that's not correct - although I suppose it could *lead* to it if it weren't the end of the song ;)</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Reminds me - I had a Shakespeare prof in uni who was adamant that to appreciate Shakespeare you had to treat it as a play not as literature. Which of course makes absolute theoretical sense but, with zero stage background, I had no idea what was meant…</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Prof was awesome though and by the end I had a whole new appreciation for the art of directing. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some examples for those as lost as I was: consider: the script says Huey, Dewie, and Louie are all on stage - Huey and Dewie are talking to each other. What about Louie? Is he standing where he can hear their conversation? Do they *know* he’s listening? What’s the impact if he’s hiding behind a tree? What if he *doesn't* hear any of it? Does it change how other scenes might play later?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkh_6cCJevg_mOrPYahSTsCVmypXZCy3NhBaWiAZ1I82qy90f8bAH-5BgMqdvu5HP86wWe04gbBJnSVUHJrUVIPuiNCUaLxReMumTfCLtodzt_eXPoPMpv3TGvewUDUJmI-zLj2wSxwfX8ZEMn6A7bBgajtJxQaH-5gJaHMXPFZj-yF-XB1al9n0oLKek/s850/Malicious-person-eavesdropping-on-a-conversation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="850" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkh_6cCJevg_mOrPYahSTsCVmypXZCy3NhBaWiAZ1I82qy90f8bAH-5BgMqdvu5HP86wWe04gbBJnSVUHJrUVIPuiNCUaLxReMumTfCLtodzt_eXPoPMpv3TGvewUDUJmI-zLj2wSxwfX8ZEMn6A7bBgajtJxQaH-5gJaHMXPFZj-yF-XB1al9n0oLKek/s320/Malicious-person-eavesdropping-on-a-conversation.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The modern version ;-P</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Alt there’s a line about “take this from this if this be false” (paraphrasing here cause I’m on my phone and it’s a pita to google - pretty sure it was Hamlet, but it’s been a long time since I was fluent in Shakespeare!) - so wtf is happening? Gestures are everything here. Are we taking his head from his neck? Are we taking a ring from his finger? An apple from a pie (not a game you’d want to play in Titus Andronicus), etc etc </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyways - that was one of the single most impactful uni courses I ever took wrt expanding my horizons and it just really struck me that this is essentially the music version of the same. And I kinda love it.</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-62515077990513744902023-11-07T21:19:00.006-05:002023-11-08T19:59:09.646-05:00This term's dance adventures and other random babbling<p>Right, so... A lot has happened in the last little bit - we're going to focus here on the dance and related things ;). And I use the word focus lightly - partially cause I'm tired and partially cause I can't see my screen. So consider yourself forewarned ;)</p><p>About 2 wks ago was the last dance class for the last 6-wk session. That whole session was a blast. It was way over my head, but a lot of the focus was on cha cha, which I love. And it was convoluted enough that I once again found myself watching videos in slow motion, and practicing in front of the mirror while brushing my teeth lol. But I loved it. It was also an insanely stressful time at work, so that didn't help with my mental state or available time to learn. That last class of the session was a blast - even though I had to go to the office that day so it was a *very* long day and I was completely fried at the end.</p><p>Why is this relevant? Well because when I had a slightly sore throat before bed, I didn't think much of it. Office days are exhausting and talking all day somehow requires a lot more physical effort than talking into my computer mic all day lol.</p><p>Oh my sweet summer child. By Wed morning I was sick. Like full on raging fever somebody stabbing knives into my throat sick. Sick enough that even though I was working from home I legitimately and officially wrote it off as a sick day and went back to bed. Thursday was worse. I don't recall the last time I missed two days in a row of work. By Fri my fever was much more under control and I at least addressed anything time sensitive (remember - year end). On Fri Chris pinged me from work to say he had a sore throat. Frig.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WseqKz5BkbxS-hJ9rmMo5bfebfheQ27QL_gAv855rXO5JYInVkIQfCTaVRGJIxgDXz-uhoA1zyquneIU4nNYbOpL61C-B2j9QR_SNKxwXEVNntBqKJ0_2NIXBrA6BCqzUUE6nImTE2NKyMcy-rdadS6nBS7-Rt1hyphenhyphenp4o66nSP9mD0AZzqoMipxmlRvA/s259/Unknown-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WseqKz5BkbxS-hJ9rmMo5bfebfheQ27QL_gAv855rXO5JYInVkIQfCTaVRGJIxgDXz-uhoA1zyquneIU4nNYbOpL61C-B2j9QR_SNKxwXEVNntBqKJ0_2NIXBrA6BCqzUUE6nImTE2NKyMcy-rdadS6nBS7-Rt1hyphenhyphenp4o66nSP9mD0AZzqoMipxmlRvA/s1600/Unknown-3.jpeg" width="259" /></a></div><p>Sat we were both sick but I was improving and by Sunday I genuinely felt okay. I napped before dinner and crashed really hard after dinner, so still not normal, BUT - I actually ate and kept food down and got to see my Mum for her bday so deeming that a win. Mon no appetite and only managed about half day at work. Forever grateful there was no dance class on Tues cause I somehow relapsed and was back to not eating and zero energy. This did not make for a fun Hallowe'en -- I didn't even get to snack on candy! Rinse and repeat - most of the week.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3lbdRsgWYKxi7d-kV8sge2mksna-7Q655wulPH9qij3_KfkeQVnVzJBw0Ai1lHYxrtePbf6GIt5ItKiEcmIlsNDUEfEXI8hINkg0DSGGe3wkb_IZVmMXhKgnq4M7Z64uS43GlE53S1Inzg7FtjT6LecbZjDrdKVxVrvn-uemCrEl1aG_ae2MIGiYtv8/s241/Unknown-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="241" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3lbdRsgWYKxi7d-kV8sge2mksna-7Q655wulPH9qij3_KfkeQVnVzJBw0Ai1lHYxrtePbf6GIt5ItKiEcmIlsNDUEfEXI8hINkg0DSGGe3wkb_IZVmMXhKgnq4M7Z64uS43GlE53S1Inzg7FtjT6LecbZjDrdKVxVrvn-uemCrEl1aG_ae2MIGiYtv8/s1600/Unknown-2.jpeg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's *really* hard to get work done this way</td></tr></tbody></table><p>And I was wavering between doing anything mission critical at work and not much more (again, fiscal YE - it's the one time of year some very important things are unwaveringly time sensitive) and being worried about whether I'd be able to go to dance on Sat.</p><p>Why dance on Sat? Well not only was it one of the special 2h classes, but ALSO, Mum was coming with me! It was actually her Mother's Day present but timing hadn't worked earlier in the year. So I *really* didn't want to skip it. And I was okay - I had a horrible headache and low energy, but other than that it was okay. I won't say it was my favourite Sat session ever -- but I don't know that I was in a fair mindset to give it an unbiased assessment. lol certainly others seemed to enjoy it and I was really happy that Mum was able to come AND seemed to enjoy it. Sad that there were no pictures cause one person objected fairly vehemently to any filming even if the school was willing to ensure she wasn't included in it.</p><p>Anyways - after dance on Sat I went home and slept for several hours and when I woke up on Sunday, I was suddenly human again. And *really* human again, not just trying to convince myself I was fine. lol. </p><p>So Monday after work I went to the trainer for the first time since being sick. And it went really well actually. And I was feeling all proud of myself that while I could feel muscles today (Tues) I wasn't horrifically sore (that’ll be tomorrow). Until I went to dance.</p><p>Let me set the stage. It's a new six week session. The focus of the session is Samba and West Coast Swing. Neither of which I've ever done or know anything about (not shocking). And the first thing Michelle (our teacher) told us was she wasn't 100% today. Now any small business owner who teaches will have a strategy for working while sick. Esp when you know that while it's "just another class" for you, it's often the highlight of the students' week. For me, I would focus on something that would be really easy and low energy for me to teach, low risk for my students if I wasn't 100%, and something really hard for them. Usually if indoors this meant low jumps with a highly technical component. If outside it might be fitness exercises (no stirrups, hill work, short stirrups, etc). With more novice riders it might be playing games or learning a "dressage test". All things that they have to pay a ton of attention but it takes very little from me beyond instructions and supervising. </p><p>Now in dance, people are less likely to die if the instructor messes up, BUT in our classes, our instructor is a key and enthusiastic participant. More often than not, if she's not dancing, we don't have a shot. A little like telling a beginner who has never seen a horse before that they have to tack up on their own -- they aren't yet functional on their own. It was the first lesson, we aren't functional on our own yet. So, similar to my technique, she focused on technical components. We learned the new steps, how they work, some basic info about the dances, etc. But while the pace was slower, it was definitely NOT standing still. It was so much worse.</p><p>Why worse? We started with Samba. "Just bounce" (I'm sure the actual instruction was better than that, but that's how it registered in my mind). Ummmm remember the gym yesterday? After deadlifts, squats, and lunges, "bounce" was possibly the single most physically challenging exercise she could've picked. Then it was figure 8s with our hips - which usually I love, but she called attention to when her knees were straightening or bending -- which was the exact opposite of mine. This was at least a fun puzzle to solve rather than a physically difficult one -- and turned out to be a lack of understanding on my part -- I was actually doing it right (maybe not gorgeous, but the parts were moving generally the way they should).</p>
<strike><div style="text-align: center;"><strike><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OaM8DALTFOY?si=8c5BMwUrF28a14F0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></strike></div></strike><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I guarantee you it looked nothing like this!</i></div><p>The rest of the class went really well. For day 1, I had way more fun w Samba than WCS but that could change as we go. But man - that "just bounce" after leg day was completely unreasonable expectation ;). And for me - just like w riding - I *love* the technical days. And esp found that focus on day 1 super helpful, cause now I can spend the week learning it and have something to build off next time. I love the attention to detail - are my toes pointed the right way, should I cross in front or behind (spoiler alert - it's usually the opposite of whatever my body wants to do by default), what should my arms do (we didn't get to that today - that's for the best lol), what angle should my upper body be on, etc etc etc. That sort of stuff I can spend hours at just trying over and over till all the pieces line up. I do get that I'm not exactly the target audience of the class lol and that most people would die of boredom long before I was satisfied, but it means that for only my 3rd day back being human again, it was a really great end to an absolutely insane (albeit mostly good) work day.</p></div>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-40915104738669891322023-11-05T19:09:00.001-05:002023-11-05T20:24:27.057-05:00Learning a language through music?<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So I’m having fun w a new (to me) language learning app that an acquaintance told me about that they used to learn English.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The premise is to learn language through songs - which, there’ve been a lot of studies about the impact of learning and music, as well as “natural language acquisition” (which is basically the same premise the StoryLearning courses use). Up till now, I’ve found some Spanish songs, and read the words along while they play (thanks Apple Music Lyrics ;). And while it’s been an interesting few train rides, I wouldn’t have been able to say if it was helping or not.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzXUgxOC5hRwA48JkzyqZa89XFIVjiXSWgrQRQvgf__Msx-d1MJa4ZPFnG8QXCCkQSCmsmKI-dTeXaq7G5Xt_RG9LYVZ4EZx9E_CA3S_Lsn8WdC1dTMkAz8IuNi_jo-2wtqZt2IIAlKKQIt8BpdpchgPRl9G6Prw-G_cb4Te-YHPBY8dZY5cnz1e6lkM/s1334/IMG_7670.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzXUgxOC5hRwA48JkzyqZa89XFIVjiXSWgrQRQvgf__Msx-d1MJa4ZPFnG8QXCCkQSCmsmKI-dTeXaq7G5Xt_RG9LYVZ4EZx9E_CA3S_Lsn8WdC1dTMkAz8IuNi_jo-2wtqZt2IIAlKKQIt8BpdpchgPRl9G6Prw-G_cb4Te-YHPBY8dZY5cnz1e6lkM/s320/IMG_7670.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I picked this one solely for the pony,<br />but it ended up being a fun song anyways ;)<br />This is the screen at the start of the song.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This app (<a href="http://lyricstraining.com" target="_blank">lyricstraining.com</a> on computer, or <a href="http://lingoclip.com" target="_blank">lingoclip app</a>), which is ingenious in its simplicity, takes that to another level. The music video plays while the lyrics scroll - but every once in a while a word is replaced w a dot. You are given four possible answers with which to fill in the blank. Wrong answers, taking too long, or needing to repeat the line all lose “life”. The goal is to get to the end without too many mistakes. It does a number of languages other than Spanish, but reviews suggest is only good for languages that natively use a latin alphabet).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So simple. So irritatingly difficult ;). There are four levels - I mostly play on “intermediate” which is the second level. On the plus side, I play that level whether I know the song or not - which is kinda cool. On the down side, songs I would’ve thought I know every word to, it turns out I do not ;). If I’m having a bad day, I’m a pro at beginner level ;). Almost never miss one there!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So here are some things I’ve discovered that I never really absorbed from just reading the lyrics alone:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: "— ";">
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>When I read lyrics it’s for comprehension and meaning. With this app it’s for literal word recognition- it’s a much closer detail focus</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>it’s natural language. So for instance, you get pa' instead of para and various other things. There’s also slang and definitely nsfw vocabulary. If it’s really bad they’ll blank the text but not mute the word in the song so that’s helping me learn the degrees of offensiveness ;). </li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>it really forces me to pay attention to details. “Real” words I almost always get right but if I have el, tú, lo, and tu as options fml. They’re going to be super fast, slurred or blended w another word, and I’ll have to remember if there sb an accent or not. If it were just a grammar exercise, no problem, but this is at the speed of someone singing - there’s no time to think it through. Esp as I don’t tend to pick slow songs ;)</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Some songs I thought I knew really well I realized I was just making stuff up 😂. The actual words are at times not even close.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>The app tells you where the song is from, and it makes a big difference. Latin America in general is way more expressive tones and likely to have spaces between their words than Spain. Although both are super fast. Argentina (and a little bit Uruguay?!?!) has it’s own take on the language - wtf?!? Lol. Like not just pronunciation but an entirely different verbs (sos anybody?) that would’ve been insanely confusing except that I’d seen it before (thanks Netflix!). Columbia is the one I find easiest but that could well be cause my first two Spanish teachers ever were from there, so that’s what I have the most experience with. Side note - I’m getting better at identifying flags from Spanish speaking countries ;)</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>You don’t actually have to understand the words to score well on a song but I found I was picking up far more of the meaning than I would’ve expected given that I was putting zero effort into understanding it. Presumably because of the focused attention to detail and repetition if I replay a song two or twenty times.</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>There’s a karaoke version that just lets you read the words with nothing missing. Also apparently in any version of you click on the word it’ll give a translation, except my phone is still in Spanish for the other course I’m doing so this is less useful 🤦♀️ (edited after to say - I tested this out and it lets you pick the language you want to translate it to)</li>
<li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>There’s also a version where you have to write the missing word (as opposed to select it); I was warned “it’s impossible”. I admit I haven’t tried it yet ;). Maybe when advanced is easy. </li>
</ul>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Opportunities:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I wish it had a way to preview the songs - I’m now at the point where I’m picking them based on the cover photo 😂. One I picked solely cause it had a dancing pony; lol it was a riot and kept me going a whole train ride one day. I also just learned that Moana is available in Spanish but has a different name - Vaiana. Clearly I will have to watch this some afternoon ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I also wish you could see what your top score on any song was (I play a lot harder if I’m trying to beat a previous score). And to see at a glance which songs you have/have not played before. They have this data but it’s not easily accessible.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Overall, is it going to teach a language on its own? Probably not easily. But it definitely can help refine both understanding and fluency. And it’s fun and addictive so why not?</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-5950419703260596062023-10-23T19:51:00.002-04:002023-10-23T19:51:56.265-04:00Weird things I've learned about my brain while trying to learn Spanish<p>So I've been mildly amused to discover completely random things about how my brain functions as a result of going so completely out of my comfort zone to try and learn Spanish.</p><p>The first is that I *really* struggle to focus on audio alone. So listening to a track of people speaking - very hard for me to tune in more than a few seconds. Listening to that exact same track if I can see the talking heads? No problem. For language learning, that kinda makes sense, but it struck me that it explains why I can't handle podcasts (in English I mean) - even ones that I'm theoretically fascinated by the topic and very much *want* to enjoy. Can't do it. Same with audio books. And both I've tried SO many times because of the amount of my life spent driving. </p><p>The related piece is if somebody reads something to me in English that they have written and want my opinion on (eg positioning, writing, etc) I will 100% of the time tell them to just let me read it. Which is safer anyways since native speakers, esp if they were also the author of the document, will often subconsciously correct errors as they speak. But - that was never the primary driver, the primary driver was that I could offer a high level opinion for sure, but I couldn't say with any confidence that the specific details were right unless I read it to myself - again, even if I am actively listening and care passionately about the subject. Whereas a couple people I work closely with, I would guess are the opposite. Because if they give me something they think is solid and I read it back to them, they can usually hear the issue, but they generally won't see it.</p><p>Then on a slightly different note, which may or may not be related, is that in Spanish, I can read words aloud OR I can read for comprehension. But not both. I realised this *very* early, because one of the recommended learning techniques is to read aloud because of the connection it makes in your brain between sounds and words. Which is good in itself, but I also need a connection between words and meanings lol. I realise logically this makes sense in a new language because I still have to think about the process of saying the word - so the mental power that would be aligned to translating is used up by speaking. </p><p>Now - follow me down this rabbit hole that I fell into literally as I was writing this. </p><p>So as a test, I - just now - picked up the closest book (in English) at hand and randomly opened to a page past the bookmark. This particular book is a collection of short stories, so makes it even more valid as there's no context from one to the next. All good. And, as expected, no problem to read aloud AND understand.</p><p>Except - I realised what I'm *actually* doing is reading silently several words ahead of what I'm saying. So I've already read and understood before I'm ever vocalising. In Spanish, I can't read and understand fast enough for that technique to be effective. </p><p>So then I tried another document in English and covered it up and only uncovered each word at a time as I read it (side note - this is remarkably hard to do for people who read ridiculously fast - I had to literally uncover one letter at a time to slow it down enough to get the word aloud before my brain read it silently). And what I found was I absolutely CAN read aloud and understand the word at the same time (*phew* - that should NOT have been as much of a question mark as I'd momentarily feared); HOWEVER, doing it one word at a time makes me lose the flow of the sentence. So I definitely get what each word means, but if it's adult-level writing, I have to pause and put together what the sentence means (literally a fraction of a second - but it doesn't happen at all if I can read ahead). This has now clarified why when we had to read aloud in class in grade school I would count forward the number of students to pre-read "my" piece before I had to read it aloud. Here I always just thought I was shy and hated public speaking. I also am very aware I am not the only one who did this ;)</p><p>So then, going back to Spanish, I wondered what would happen if I *could* read ahead and translate (or literally not need to translate, just *know* what the word meant) effectively enough that I could APPEAR to read aloud and understand at the same time. How to test that? Well - clearly I needed easier material. 😂 I googled "A1 Spanish Story Sample" and the first site I clicked on gave me perfect material (<a href="https://snappyspanish.com/beginner-spanish-stories/">https://snappyspanish.com/beginner-spanish-stories/</a>). Squirrel Note: A1 from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages" target="_blank">CEFR</a> language skills scale is the barely above the level of Spanish you absorb if you walk past a Spanish-speaking person. lol. It is the "See Spot Run" level. So it turns out, when the text is easy enough, I do in Spanish *exactly* what I do in English and it works just fine thankyouverymuch. So theoretically, some day, I should be able to read aloud and understand in Spanish exactly as I do in English. Although why on Earth I'd ever want to, I have absolutely no idea ;). </p><p>So that's my completely random story. I'm somewhat shocked you're still reading this lol. Oh - one more! The other thing I discovered, when reading aoud in English, I'd either forget to keep speaking and switch to the voice in my head narrating (which for me is not QUITE the same as reading silently, but is also not actually aloud - it's more my editing voice) OR I found myself zoning out the same way I do in podcasts. I was reading it myself but the rhythm of the speech made the words mean nothing after the first few seconds. Wild. I have no idea what that's about and I can't imagine any single instance it would ever matter. But it amused me to realise it. </p><p>And - just now, looking for an image to support this post. OMG the amount of stuff written about reading aloud. Apparently I'm not the only one who finds it mildly interesting. Although the vast majority seem to think reading out loud is a great thing to do. This one, in particular, made me laugh: "Reading out loud is a better method if you are reading for higher comprehension" lol hard no on that for me - in any language! </p><p>I would also like to add that this post was all silliness that evolved before writing the post that I actually turned on the computer to write. But I feel like going to bed is probably a good life choice, so that can wait for another day ;)</p><p>I'll stop now ;). Night!</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-23001436364157472462023-10-16T21:51:00.003-04:002023-10-16T21:51:56.483-04:00I need to clone myself to learn everything I want to learn...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tgEi6WVaLeJSS-Zmp7fsde-tQtbRGAXGQgQ9eRjhiZjiHwc_Ik0zLjwmBQKpBoQcMal-M95PDJR2XPjKtLW9B6wAQUfFgtrvWgOtxGuyNlyA19rNcnF_Z4Vd2ep8iPNseI9VrgLkrnGwYFvrKP5XSko6D_HcogsgmyRuggJChuKarCuc8cs1FnOHFkg/s259/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tgEi6WVaLeJSS-Zmp7fsde-tQtbRGAXGQgQ9eRjhiZjiHwc_Ik0zLjwmBQKpBoQcMal-M95PDJR2XPjKtLW9B6wAQUfFgtrvWgOtxGuyNlyA19rNcnF_Z4Vd2ep8iPNseI9VrgLkrnGwYFvrKP5XSko6D_HcogsgmyRuggJChuKarCuc8cs1FnOHFkg/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sooo the miscellaneous hobbies... It's been an insane few months so figured I'd give a quick update...</p><p>Piano. Poor piano was the sacrifice hobby. But I still follow all the things on socials and am still sad I didn't get good enough to just play cause it's fun once in a while. Some day. I decided back in May when I wanted to really drive Spanish that I wouldn't be able to do both *and* fitness and made the intentional decision to put a hold on learning that until after the Spanish exam. </p><p>Which... Was *supposed* to be November. But then I overcommitted to commuting to work for a while (2-3h one way is *not* sustainable) and work itself got incredibly busy and and and eventually I decided that stressing myself out to meet an arbitrary deadline was not a good life choice. I *really* struggled with delaying that one - especially AFTER having stopped piano. But it was absolutely the right thing to do. I'm still targeting the B2 exam, but likely spring (schedule isn't posted yet -- I'll have to go to Ottawa to take it anywhere "near" here). I'm on a pretty ambitious schedule that fits with my life as it is these days and should still get me there about the right time ;). I have one teacher who thinks I'd pass with no problem, but the one who's a certified examiner is not so sure so I think I'll wait.</p><p>That being said - StoryLearning started their first "advanced" class (theoretically B2/C1 level) so I'm on week 3 of that (10 week program). It's definitely a stretch for me, but I'm pulling it off and learning a lot just need, as per always, more time ;)</p><p>And then we have fitness - the handstand practice got me stronger than I've ever been. I am both shocked and thrilled by that. Except - then I hurt myself (completely unrelated to handstands) and took pretty much a solid month to recover. I just started back this week and am *appalled* by how much strength I've lost in that time, BUT - I have high hopes I'll get it back comparatively quickly. Today was day 2 or 3 back at handstand practice and for the first time ever I was able to adjust my balance when I started to lose it (the program I'm doing calls it "heel pulls" and has exercises to teach it, but even when I've tried, I've never felt it). Anyways - was a complete accident and dramatically ungraceful 😂. BUT I really got it?!?! As in I could replicate it the next two times I tried. And then my back screamed at me and I figured I should stop. Tomorrow me will pay for sure. But it's amazing how the tiniest things are so revitalising. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGepQeQEilK8F_FjXhyphenhyphen3-0Q1-w_H_n1sBJomniQnSQyJqXHr1_cji2QdDi4qd3Np5Fj5HhiPElcxUCOiuQvbt3afNlo-wuZSQmxLzrbqQ_4ncOHwiwdwlmO7Fg2HfQgyS2vd9VbHBLXS7q9Uq7s8nAtsE0mlqL2qp-NlcKpe9paIWMn2WQKiG9caEg24E/s1334/IMG_5551.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGepQeQEilK8F_FjXhyphenhyphen3-0Q1-w_H_n1sBJomniQnSQyJqXHr1_cji2QdDi4qd3Np5Fj5HhiPElcxUCOiuQvbt3afNlo-wuZSQmxLzrbqQ_4ncOHwiwdwlmO7Fg2HfQgyS2vd9VbHBLXS7q9Uq7s8nAtsE0mlqL2qp-NlcKpe9paIWMn2WQKiG9caEg24E/s320/IMG_5551.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gratuitous handstand pic cause I Did A Thing!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>And speaking of tomorrow - that's dance night :). Which has started again and is *significantly* more advanced this time around and I am absolutely loving it! And completely hopeless at it, but I can evolve my skills while brushing my teeth, so sometimes it helps to be *really* beginner -- there's nowhere to go but up!</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-39103774591117674462023-10-10T20:53:00.039-04:002023-10-16T21:27:48.096-04:00Happy are those who can laugh at themselves because they'll never cease to be amused ;)<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Okay so I need to write about today’s adventure cause I’m still chuckling about it and I think it will amuse horse people, dance people, and particularly the intersection of both ;). </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">And anyone else who enjoys physical comedy ;-P</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What happens when you take a very confused beginner dancer with a lifetime of riding exp (particularly jumping - it’s relevant here), and try to incl a “booty roll” into the choreography? </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">TLDR: a ridiculous mess that with the aid of that nasty little gremlin Hindsight, makes perfect sense.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Long version:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So - this class is definitely beyond my current capabilities. And, those of you who’ve been here more than a heartbeat, will have guessed that I’m loving it ;). Hey - at least in this activity, I’m unlikely to die from trying something beyond my abilities! We’re gonna call that an adulting win and move on.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The first one part I was confuzled about (squirrel: you wouldn’t believe how hard I had to fight w autocorrect in TWO languages to allow me to make up my own word there - but it’s the perfect one so it’s worth the fight). Anyways - the first one was a half turn. I love turns, and usually not a problem, but what I hadn’t realized was this was a lazy turn. 😂. The right foot had to stay in place and the left did all the moving. I kept trying to move both and, suffice to say, that had me off by a beat every timel. But once I learned to “leave the right foot behind” I never missed that one again. Win. That, to me, is a normal dance learning curve. Maybe not?!?! 😂 I don’t have enough exp to judge that. But it logically makes sense and the instructions for how to fix it were very clear and problem solved quickly. All good.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So after that half turn, we logically need another half turn to be facing back where we started (in some worlds, this would be facing our partner - but this is a women-only styling class so my lack of dance partner isn’t such an issue ;). Okay so half turn w lazy right leg cha-cha our way over a bit (that part’s easy and logical from the rest of the dance to this point), but then the next half turn is a booty roll?!?!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">😂 I’m not sure I’ve ever even heard of that and was absolutely sure I had no idea how to do it. While some people make it look graceful and/or sexy, I was (and still am) pretty convinced my version would look somewhat like an intoxicated robot.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NiixWK41eW_gT3EHxPxPizTVFIgbIGwMorLQzRrf8h4Yj2sTnJz4YkUb2G-meMIgNNfPFOkFimnqHDC3psK9iLDQlFpCr1GsJlMykI7omK9MV8-hQxognwP0eqWW2IPseLjnOa9uzBz7GNXJTWbBUY7OY7EyuwPV36VlwjuOeiTXs42prz9JRIYqtHw/s400/DF927F021D4749FD4A1300B79A2216D7A8204C9C.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NiixWK41eW_gT3EHxPxPizTVFIgbIGwMorLQzRrf8h4Yj2sTnJz4YkUb2G-meMIgNNfPFOkFimnqHDC3psK9iLDQlFpCr1GsJlMykI7omK9MV8-hQxognwP0eqWW2IPseLjnOa9uzBz7GNXJTWbBUY7OY7EyuwPV36VlwjuOeiTXs42prz9JRIYqtHw/w139-h139/DF927F021D4749FD4A1300B79A2216D7A8204C9C.gif" width="139" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I feel like this might actually be<br />*better* than my version</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Fortunately - while pretty much everyone in the class has more dance exp than I do (and, plausibly, more natural talent), there wasn’t a lot of confidence w this one, so our fearless instructor broke it down. And, conveniently, the woman next to me has belly dancing exp and suffice to say, nailed it on the first try. Which gave me an example to work from ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So the standing still version I could do. I mean - it felt awkward af, and I’m pretty sure when I try it later in the bathroom mirror, it’ll look just as awkward as I imagine. But conceptually- my booty went out behind me and the rest of my body stayed pretty much where it should be. (In related news - this requires the back to arch. Today was the first workout since hurting myself a few weeks ago. My back flexibility is currently in negative numbers. Ow.)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Okay but then when we tried it w the turn?!?! I did NOT fall. For the record. Cause a lifetime of balancing. 😂 But wow. Upper body was forward, booty was NOT rolling anywhere, and there seemed no way to make it move and turn at the same time.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“Keep your shoulders up - you shouldn’t be leaning forward” 😂 yup thanks. Got it - but WHY am I leaning forward. What on earth triggered in my brain that when my hips go back, my shoulders go forward? And why would that *stop* them from moving sideways? Anybody??? ;-P</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Ladies and gentlemen (and any other interested parties), might I introduce you to the 2-pt position. Where survival is based on your ability to absorb a lot of motion by folding your hips. And generally keeping a straight line is important if one wants to keep the horse between oneself and the ground. And the shoulders come forward just enough to counterbalance the hips - so if the horse were photoshopped out, the rider should land, in balance, on the ground.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcM9x6Kjrt3hkAcn3KDq80JX2RXmCYJTVap60r69qD0SsfSa6vYfhpOdTvv0rsayqHYK-AvI6JWZFml36vqETDfEHbGbsl64cpa3ILi1OqKh8aFYIZLvK4gDv9f2nqn3HL2hsAIDbispNh7d_VIhZ1qFjlm6RFUtkHJgaRn4u7GF-GRtmXPeCP9VG7AI/s770/danielle_fritz_on_donner-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="770" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcM9x6Kjrt3hkAcn3KDq80JX2RXmCYJTVap60r69qD0SsfSa6vYfhpOdTvv0rsayqHYK-AvI6JWZFml36vqETDfEHbGbsl64cpa3ILi1OqKh8aFYIZLvK4gDv9f2nqn3HL2hsAIDbispNh7d_VIhZ1qFjlm6RFUtkHJgaRn4u7GF-GRtmXPeCP9VG7AI/s320/danielle_fritz_on_donner-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those who know me know why it pains me to use this photo;<br />however, erase the horse and it's a great example of the position I ended up in on the dance floor ;)<br />PC: <a href="https://www.horsejournals.com/riding-training/english/dressage/develop-stronger-riding-position" target="_blank">Horse Journals</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Huh. So, now we know why those two pieces are connected, but why could I do it correctly standing still and not moving? I figured it out watching my classmate who excelled at it (and huge thanks to her for her patience! She’s new too, so couldn’t slow it down, but could do it naturally and allowed me to stare at her multiple times while I figured it out. She may be on the other side of the studio next week ;-P). Anyways - lightbulb moment: she had her legs straight - almost locked. When moving, mine were bent - absorbing the jump as it were. When standing, they were straight. As soon as I tried it w legs straight, it worked.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But omg what a journey to get there 😂. All the help and instructions that were technically correct and likely the ones 98% of people learning need, but not the one piece I needed for my little brain to put it together. Those who’ve been around for a while will know that’s status quo, but always interesting when learning a new thing from people who don’t know me. It takes a while for the lateral thinking to kick in ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyways - it was a riot. I’ll put some time in over the week and hopefully be less bad next week. And I really am just shooting for “less bad” lol today was technically correct but horribly bad (and still hands free of course!). Baby steps ;). But so much fun on the way.</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-73203223702091943392023-10-08T22:55:00.002-04:002023-10-08T22:55:25.636-04:00Even the smallest thing can be an adventure with a curious cat<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">It turns out my excellent but large and old(er) photo printer is now very difficult and very expensive to buy ink for. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> Boo.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So I made the executive decision that I’d buy a new, significantly cheaper AND smaller version that is supposed to be more reasonable about ink usage. It has all kinds of limitations for sure and is nowhere near as nice as my lovely old one but it has one big advantage: it works. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQuQIpDuiQhhnuSgQaVl84nqQT9252JsvS8Dup3R4VaewCdXatF9eMwA2P-MAgv8FrlChG9xk3Rzkat-bLQofi2qFw9A6kdVpUK3ntLMCV4aUMTyUM_eHUZPXBZV-eFxisDCKS58GQPDWYyIxT0LfEisBcMBRUc374wjh13wa-Kml0gla0BEJrq74M68/s4032/IMG_7486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQuQIpDuiQhhnuSgQaVl84nqQT9252JsvS8Dup3R4VaewCdXatF9eMwA2P-MAgv8FrlChG9xk3Rzkat-bLQofi2qFw9A6kdVpUK3ntLMCV4aUMTyUM_eHUZPXBZV-eFxisDCKS58GQPDWYyIxT0LfEisBcMBRUc374wjh13wa-Kml0gla0BEJrq74M68/s320/IMG_7486.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Printer w Nola, paper feeder, and plug for scale ;)</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I hooked it all up - rather impressed that it actually connected hassle free - and hit print. All good. Starts printing…</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">…. And the whole thing is yellow?!?! Like vibrant yellow. While I’m trying to figure out what I could possibly have done wrong, it steals the photo back! </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Lol and photo starts coming through again - this time w blue…</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Yup - sure enough it repeats 4 or 5 times until photo comes out and looks honestly much better than I’d expected.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwIWrHQFTMMQBM54vz9-Xta9bi-apqCLjQTWbnFGYE5HqUiPdDvx1XYlL2QSATwtynZYC5DP8HZEDVAeTDLcLwyg1UwTdQmTXWHtGX5lNiQwWs4jHMmDhxYxhghQUXwfUmX-8IqqjPCkGmRmjtdO1P6HeWV7A1PHkeSRVnPoEtSnvhJSD-a7pUIf6TOI/s4032/IMG_7480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwIWrHQFTMMQBM54vz9-Xta9bi-apqCLjQTWbnFGYE5HqUiPdDvx1XYlL2QSATwtynZYC5DP8HZEDVAeTDLcLwyg1UwTdQmTXWHtGX5lNiQwWs4jHMmDhxYxhghQUXwfUmX-8IqqjPCkGmRmjtdO1P6HeWV7A1PHkeSRVnPoEtSnvhJSD-a7pUIf6TOI/s320/IMG_7480.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enola is fascinated by printers to begin with,<br />but one that teases her with the paper going in and out of both sides?!?!</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Except - Enola saw it going back and forth and went into curious hunter mode. Which continued long after the photo was finished. Lol which means I’ll wait to print the photo I was actually after until she’s not ready to protect me ;)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Life’s little amusements.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1FmpNRi778CHDxeaLJXFEO7xSPgmNYQnHoDwvDzbIUGH13QGjQdL62i_L4MDCLhjNHp8Gfend5NfEQBH6-Y3ysNkMxYGQccGAyEQxF3uB3XT0z4sGgz1789lHHmyL92ytx1O141oqzKBGCMoDVtU8ZITC8PcV3KOIGAU74PJE0ortNuIAfYGMp6XTSw/s4032/IMG_7484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1FmpNRi778CHDxeaLJXFEO7xSPgmNYQnHoDwvDzbIUGH13QGjQdL62i_L4MDCLhjNHp8Gfend5NfEQBH6-Y3ysNkMxYGQccGAyEQxF3uB3XT0z4sGgz1789lHHmyL92ytx1O141oqzKBGCMoDVtU8ZITC8PcV3KOIGAU74PJE0ortNuIAfYGMp6XTSw/s320/IMG_7484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With her bounty ;-P</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-10563234005839508502023-08-12T19:13:00.000-04:002023-08-12T19:13:20.525-04:00The hardest part about learning handstands is the ground<p>So of all the things I learned growing up riding horses, it would *never* have occurred to me that a disproportionate lack of concern for falling would be a benefit?!?!</p><p>😂 if you’re going to ride, you’re going to fall. People fall at the Olympics and the World Equestrian Games — ie the best riders in the world.</p><p>
I hit the ground the hardest yet in my handstand practice today - hard enough I actually bounced. I swore, rolled my eyes, got up, and did better on the next try. Because really, that’s how I’ve been conditioned to respond to temporary gravity increases. And comparatively - falling out of a handstand (esp w no momentum whatsoever since part of the intent of this game is strength building) is highly unlikely to ever be as impactful as falling off even the smallest pony. However, it IS far more likely to be on a solid surface (today was on our deck).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_w_1pEAtvVFaV-8lJjuEe-SgWYrpI5dLjMGUC_Ipt4TmHZCHEFkSCdoGs-v0AzF_zCxgVlCZ0FfDct86yJPQrGUHfiwm6_emYssLUbkvYQiCIqyKgz90DkIblJsTMidhXoNE5NHn96L85BAkHpS8Htk-bAA8rxLFSoQXwJIZjK9NPisVCJZs37rInca8/s422/Image%202023-07-15%20at%204.49%20PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="343" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_w_1pEAtvVFaV-8lJjuEe-SgWYrpI5dLjMGUC_Ipt4TmHZCHEFkSCdoGs-v0AzF_zCxgVlCZ0FfDct86yJPQrGUHfiwm6_emYssLUbkvYQiCIqyKgz90DkIblJsTMidhXoNE5NHn96L85BAkHpS8Htk-bAA8rxLFSoQXwJIZjK9NPisVCJZs37rInca8/s320/Image%202023-07-15%20at%204.49%20PM.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lol in transparency, this one was not today<br />but it made for a way funnier photo ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>That being said, I'm pretty sure that tomorrow, middle-age-me will hurt far more from my accidental seat on the deck while exercising today, than teenage or twenties me would've had from being legitimately *launched* from a 16hh horse. Cause, well, there's a reason people complain about aging. Of course, ironically the reason I'm doing things now that generally make me sore the next day is so I'll be *less* sore forty years from now ;) Time will tell...</p><p>As to the handstands themselves? I'm getting better at finding the balance and my strength and flexibility are improving noticeably - HOWEVER, alas, my ability to stabilise and hold it for any *longer* is not improving. Which is super frustrating. But I will keep at it and see if - like with so many things - the consistent practice on a plateau eventually leads to jumping to the next level? Here's hoping anyways. My focus r/n is on improving core strength and shoulder flexibility, so the handstand learning exercises are secondary (although the handstand practice itself is still happening every exercise day). I will likely circle back after this 6-week program and give the handstand program another serious go to see if I can apply more and am strong enough to do all the exercises.</p><p><br /></p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-87421972760040790022023-08-05T19:20:00.003-04:002023-08-12T19:34:59.429-04:00Choose your own adventure - language learning style<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d_iJS5yCsiwf-qzXXiguw64HxsvSrx8DERrPfrjjs4RO5yq84GIvmnytz1zewfeuvyTu8BSiICFfWpv-6LF7SsQ2Q_k95YDCCavIu45fQ77ZSiZIVC-9rtRsvra82cKxJ3U9Bk2kLCoMDvEPs8rC5j8RHBFaKumk9uUq6-ab8J0KA2ocZuLDvgJAGYE/s300/71zz2YWv2gL._SY300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d_iJS5yCsiwf-qzXXiguw64HxsvSrx8DERrPfrjjs4RO5yq84GIvmnytz1zewfeuvyTu8BSiICFfWpv-6LF7SsQ2Q_k95YDCCavIu45fQ77ZSiZIVC-9rtRsvra82cKxJ3U9Bk2kLCoMDvEPs8rC5j8RHBFaKumk9uUq6-ab8J0KA2ocZuLDvgJAGYE/s1600/71zz2YWv2gL._SY300_.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choose your own adventure language learning<br /><a href="https://a.co/d/7yd6fjO" target="_blank">Link here</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So one of the Spanish learning programs I like focuses on teaching language through natural learning - stories mostly.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-small;"> Which, let's be honest, as one who reads a LOT, books written for language-learners generally suck. Mostly because they're written by people who know what grammar/vocabularly is "allowed" at whatever level, not people who are good writers or story tellers *sigh*. BUT, if they're even vaguely capable, it's still more fun than endless grammar drills. Anyways, a few days ago this one was released that is exactly level-appropriate for me and</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> I have to admit, I kinda love it.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Not only is there the nostalgia factor, but you’re engaged in the material because you are impacting the outcome.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">AND you’re likely to reread sections if, like me, you don’t particularly like the results of your first choice ;).</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Let’s be honest, choose your own adventure is a great chance to live out “well I would’ve liked to have done X, but I wouldn’t have dared” - lol suffice to say in this particular adventure X got me fired pretty quickly so prob just as well it wasn’t my real-life choice ;)</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But yeah, having way more fun w an otherwise average story than I would’ve expected so win on that. And also - I had to go look - for the record, choose your own adventure books DO still exist <span style="font-family: ".Apple Color Emoji UI"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">😂</span>. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-82052279325973268042023-07-27T23:57:00.001-04:002023-10-03T21:42:24.319-04:00NYC: Day 4 Stats<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIiMzjZlEOuy7hN1AmLFaAugsRIJv2HoEaE7DmKe8ZuT94GIjJyWnP0hV7C46vvp90KfR4HePI7ailnbd3d6QyzismdFXfoAJzk3wuaGG_U52HQxcfHDaKJ434Z0a-rI4tSAVpR0CVWSOA9FABxPgUpwLIWkzLGHa6Uz86esEN0XIUfv-MwoCKYvGfwU/s953/IMG_6693.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="749" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIiMzjZlEOuy7hN1AmLFaAugsRIJv2HoEaE7DmKe8ZuT94GIjJyWnP0hV7C46vvp90KfR4HePI7ailnbd3d6QyzismdFXfoAJzk3wuaGG_U52HQxcfHDaKJ434Z0a-rI4tSAVpR0CVWSOA9FABxPgUpwLIWkzLGHa6Uz86esEN0XIUfv-MwoCKYvGfwU/s320/IMG_6693.jpeg" width="252" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Activities:</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- ALL the walking ;)</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Catacombs tour</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- West side, less touristy travel</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Fun photography games</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- High Line</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Stairs to nowhere</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Nightime Milkshake run</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Impressions:</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- I really enjoyed the high line, but found it surprisingly poorly signed to locate or to navigate the closed sections</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Surprising moment:</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Decision fatigue kicked in at the same time as hangry; all the restaurants in the world, and we went back to one we already knew!</div><p><br /></p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-14828912417117995612023-07-27T23:44:00.061-04:002023-10-03T21:29:10.657-04:00Our last afternoon and evening in NYC<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So we wanted to go on the high line, but part of it was closed during the day so we saved it for when we could do in the afternoon.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Except when we got there, that section was definitely still not open for real.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Fail.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But let’s back up. The highline is essentially similar to a rail trail, but think a mono-rail-trail in that it’s elevated. The starting point was a ways from the hotel and I quite enjoyed the hike there since it was far less touristy (which I completely ruined by having a blast w my camera; but to be fair, I do that in Toronto too lol). </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvNSM_VHGGXkSfQgNvpajrL2sNPYnlftj8zcmjiU6N9amyxKeD0vqLtpBLEdR9Sw5M8FILIVZDbPToGNp50uX57y6mP_KISkD2Z4cBVB-74jE0tSE0684DZUErQjfnvbfIF5p7Tt82whoGHwF5rkChGZJoTAvr7MaIs2uSmNCly_-kKgrwk5dvMHAjfg/s3498/IMG_6514b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2655" data-original-width="3498" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvNSM_VHGGXkSfQgNvpajrL2sNPYnlftj8zcmjiU6N9amyxKeD0vqLtpBLEdR9Sw5M8FILIVZDbPToGNp50uX57y6mP_KISkD2Z4cBVB-74jE0tSE0684DZUErQjfnvbfIF5p7Tt82whoGHwF5rkChGZJoTAvr7MaIs2uSmNCly_-kKgrwk5dvMHAjfg/s320/IMG_6514b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris made a new friend!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We eventually found one end of the trail and admittedly got a little turned around but eventually sorted ourselves out (yeah finding a map with “you are here” lol - there’s a surprising shortage of those in NYC anywhere! Subways, tourist areas, shopping malls…. Surprisingly few of them tell you where you’re starting when you’re trying to figure out where to go; if they exist at all!)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoAcoxAFppubE5KbOKJ1C2kjWZvCX5bwdLTnAkOZMzNZT93gJ7_i5cIgVyFPLhHpX0E4c6xkSBn8zK08CohJJ2liqPZ31MC9TBoMAR5NkM7PpUH29GOQMsV6K_x0_FjeCi2BME4oPRRg7RrhpWQK5xkedAnK8CBQylQHIha-EpnQbYdWTRjH4HjDtSGg/s4032/IMG_6522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoAcoxAFppubE5KbOKJ1C2kjWZvCX5bwdLTnAkOZMzNZT93gJ7_i5cIgVyFPLhHpX0E4c6xkSBn8zK08CohJJ2liqPZ31MC9TBoMAR5NkM7PpUH29GOQMsV6K_x0_FjeCi2BME4oPRRg7RrhpWQK5xkedAnK8CBQylQHIha-EpnQbYdWTRjH4HjDtSGg/s320/IMG_6522.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure I loved the tree itself, but I did enjoy this photo</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyways we got there and it really was gorgeous and very well designed, with some calm spaces, some history spaces, some kid spaces, and some 'just enjoy fewer cars and more tress' spaces, but when we got to where we had to skip a few blocks for constructionwe weren’t really sure where to pick it up again and tbh, my hips were *not* happy with me. This is the first time ever I haven’t been able to walk as long and as far as I want for endless days in a row with no issue and I was *not* impressed. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDN7vDW2uEV38G6lBHXgXReBagse9NTptM2zLsw5GAYkdisj3-u6J7nrm-mRJW9SgUdQKqOqE0Nmuj2_zSbMOJn9QiYrpmiRzZGWAJJ0IB9nsWNVrWAmi-QfW3t7hFRyjBtBsr5HU_Nwo6fcwHhNo1Db22MoxrJ-dKcLI7RXMy-UERSI_rq7GIwVAl4s/s4032/IMG_2606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDN7vDW2uEV38G6lBHXgXReBagse9NTptM2zLsw5GAYkdisj3-u6J7nrm-mRJW9SgUdQKqOqE0Nmuj2_zSbMOJn9QiYrpmiRzZGWAJJ0IB9nsWNVrWAmi-QfW3t7hFRyjBtBsr5HU_Nwo6fcwHhNo1Db22MoxrJ-dKcLI7RXMy-UERSI_rq7GIwVAl4s/s320/IMG_2606.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pausing to take a break is never a bad thing;<br />*needing to* can be humbling</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So I wasn’t super into wandering aimlessly without knowing where we were going even though I very much wanted to do the whole tour. So when we accidentally saw something else really random, we abandoned the rest of the high line and went to visit it.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNp-qrKhzpmJDM2r-82DdkKpmohvriqGhPVuaG0zU9LRcs5PY9dOsTzu715OZ_3LkMbfv-gpLlYu5LohxqVnE-ofetZZPBR-on1rTyPy6WcrlBrvpOiPQlnxWOhzO1vRU86njA3r60SMLby80NiLCTvQ_c6Aa3BIlWbj_kbA4qiBUBOq9_mLwGu-clNU/s4032/IMG_2622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNp-qrKhzpmJDM2r-82DdkKpmohvriqGhPVuaG0zU9LRcs5PY9dOsTzu715OZ_3LkMbfv-gpLlYu5LohxqVnE-ofetZZPBR-on1rTyPy6WcrlBrvpOiPQlnxWOhzO1vRU86njA3r60SMLby80NiLCTvQ_c6Aa3BIlWbj_kbA4qiBUBOq9_mLwGu-clNU/s320/IMG_2622.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If nothing else, it made for a good photo</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What was “it”? Well we really weren’t sure but looked kinda like the most random staircase in the world. That was closed indefinitely lol. Classic. There was a screen set up w relaxing chairs for an outdoor viewing of some sort. And a mall nearby for those with more disposable income than we have lol. We went in there partially for a few moments of AC and partially to use the facilities before returning to tourist-central.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">On the way back we picked up a few souvenirs - went to see if there were any more cheap broadway tickets, but nothing in our price range we were interested in seeing and, well, three days in a row seemed excessive ;-P. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnSZqMn_N8foZbyaNSvMzQBmrLFxvBiPzJHnz3AdmzFgrzFbjtp3SBufvAgZbcpZ6wWHc0CkCeoC5ugSDmKZJJmfZ0jSgLPtnFcWotFshJwIgzNpTHepopmSoolmkfmt_BPoySN4594Swk-zimpSzWvg7BglaEVsbsD8pNjlsDG8yFRo-jeuaHPC61E0/s3293/IMG_2624.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3293" data-original-width="1938" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnSZqMn_N8foZbyaNSvMzQBmrLFxvBiPzJHnz3AdmzFgrzFbjtp3SBufvAgZbcpZ6wWHc0CkCeoC5ugSDmKZJJmfZ0jSgLPtnFcWotFshJwIgzNpTHepopmSoolmkfmt_BPoySN4594Swk-zimpSzWvg7BglaEVsbsD8pNjlsDG8yFRo-jeuaHPC61E0/s320/IMG_2624.jpeg" width="188" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the closest we got to Broadway shows today ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">By this point we were tired and hangry and had failed to find food that appealed so we ended up going to the same place as before - lots of beers for C to choose from and slushies available both alcoholic and non. We went back and vegged at the hotel for a bit, packed and generally got ready to go home tomorrow before one last milkshake run (walk!) </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL8FJclnn_CMSU3t9-3cp8qZcCIEaxjaaukRbfZQ7VSfNhxAWxmIDhbTX4D1r3bjJ59PzXa82d0loFuIXKuuw9Q3OKVa9NfA88U2tES3kFgRhOQAaPS2lhH-F_kyug54kB5tT9hCr9JOdJWFrRT_ig5gvMxaNyxFWAMOT4pE7cWc3oLahYXU-I3LsX1E/s4032/IMG_6604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL8FJclnn_CMSU3t9-3cp8qZcCIEaxjaaukRbfZQ7VSfNhxAWxmIDhbTX4D1r3bjJ59PzXa82d0loFuIXKuuw9Q3OKVa9NfA88U2tES3kFgRhOQAaPS2lhH-F_kyug54kB5tT9hCr9JOdJWFrRT_ig5gvMxaNyxFWAMOT4pE7cWc3oLahYXU-I3LsX1E/s320/IMG_6604.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a bad way to wrap out a lovely long summer day of walking</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Overall I'm really glad we came, and incredibly ready to go home.</p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-81299130810562964292023-07-27T02:00:00.037-04:002023-08-29T21:58:20.962-04:00Did you know NYC has catacombs?<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pWwcNeOirlF0m0XcceEBsj-glM1TNsFvnmE091N3kpBl25HF9rrY7B6tYiCGhe30_K7JPpMtSq_cehtzsF9LrwKL4YHF4ch-omdpT_qBimxCarq8U7tL7eYPKpGg4igFnQVi4BSN-zc5gtI6Gzzo1MgwMo38Sp_PxlrJ6Qg9-Vx2JQs2JDUADza9sMs/s4032/IMG_6490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pWwcNeOirlF0m0XcceEBsj-glM1TNsFvnmE091N3kpBl25HF9rrY7B6tYiCGhe30_K7JPpMtSq_cehtzsF9LrwKL4YHF4ch-omdpT_qBimxCarq8U7tL7eYPKpGg4igFnQVi4BSN-zc5gtI6Gzzo1MgwMo38Sp_PxlrJ6Qg9-Vx2JQs2JDUADza9sMs/s320/IMG_6490.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This church was stunning;<br />Alas, it was not the one with the catacomb tour ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">So we had planned to go on a catacomb tour this am; the challenge is we didn’t realize when we booked it that we needed the OLD St Patrick’s not the current one.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">The one that’s a good 55 min walk away.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">When I was tired and very sore. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Ugh.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">We made it of course but not super how I wanted to spend the morning.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Plus side - it was a really nice walk w some gorgeous architecture and a couple parks, so that was awesome. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FoNqCC8Kb0WkvKfYB-GE5HWNwgoHcmTLGvMJQnlSR0VM7m518cpmDK-9Fsn3KrIt-ovhOaTv4vG-_LUadxzGYKYzV4y66L1QWnJIk7RP2Rt1DESw0LG6nMeqChPzYbCYt5eF21a1_E4YeQxE7hDTjDcXdrgirDE6CvXyxbRS_bIQYzf1o6xPi_CPJ9A/s4032/IMG_6366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FoNqCC8Kb0WkvKfYB-GE5HWNwgoHcmTLGvMJQnlSR0VM7m518cpmDK-9Fsn3KrIt-ovhOaTv4vG-_LUadxzGYKYzV4y66L1QWnJIk7RP2Rt1DESw0LG6nMeqChPzYbCYt5eF21a1_E4YeQxE7hDTjDcXdrgirDE6CvXyxbRS_bIQYzf1o6xPi_CPJ9A/s320/IMG_6366.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also, being NYC, some random chaos ;)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The tour itself was good - the guide knew her stuff and was highly passionate yet also respectful that her audience might have different religious views than her. So her spiel was routed in history - facts about gangs and what happened when between the religions and the various iterations of their church as a result. She spoke of people from the 1800’s as though she’d known them personally, which is the kind of passion you want in a guide. The photographer in me also appreciates the opportunity for some unique photos in the garden, the cemetery, the church, the catacombs, and of nearby architecture. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvnTOCyWAePdRBuQFKpxIlr6TZPMl2JyFY10baV5lsaDsQ3nyQb3tj_YmD383-FBNGPeePRoBDeZuJ3XdWF_pgW1cqr65AEMpHGYNgPXuaXEw67JR_puMzxJRFxNXjx2UbLj7ZB84SCtD61UEUo0ke4X-B-t_61pX_XXnn-4S2-CxcMoK4VvmnvzuaI0/s4032/IMG_6387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvnTOCyWAePdRBuQFKpxIlr6TZPMl2JyFY10baV5lsaDsQ3nyQb3tj_YmD383-FBNGPeePRoBDeZuJ3XdWF_pgW1cqr65AEMpHGYNgPXuaXEw67JR_puMzxJRFxNXjx2UbLj7ZB84SCtD61UEUo0ke4X-B-t_61pX_XXnn-4S2-CxcMoK4VvmnvzuaI0/s320/IMG_6387.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the calmer places we saw on our trip ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Being not a church type person, my interest is more artistic and historical than religious, although I will admit I was fascinated to find 2023 dates on some of the spaces in the catacombs. So clearly it is still actively being used if you either belong to one of the two families who have founding crypts that still have living and interested members or pay enough to the church for the honour 😂. Also learned about some tombstones that signal - at least here - underground family crypts (or maybe vaults? Memory blank and I acknowledge my knowledge of catholic burial vocabulary is exceptionally limited lol). But the idea of a whole family under one stone is sort of interesting. Those ones in Manhattan cannot be added too - no more bodies in the ground (legally) since about a century ago. (give or take a bit - I didn't write down the details!)</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cQ3nodnIO4CFuRPqzamWxA_FON9t9n6V6G1UMS-X-TXwHiRlY-NvXGwamyFWPSSx3mY6pBHpQdIq0vb-MM4B9YsJaZYsF1bqUcz4jxpTTd2NGHZbPr8xyvhLFs59fJUoS8VLmdM7LydQqbaMQbSLLayFKFO3S5tkFESMliLzJPmKLPq7vcQO7MUEXYA/s4032/IMG_6403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cQ3nodnIO4CFuRPqzamWxA_FON9t9n6V6G1UMS-X-TXwHiRlY-NvXGwamyFWPSSx3mY6pBHpQdIq0vb-MM4B9YsJaZYsF1bqUcz4jxpTTd2NGHZbPr8xyvhLFs59fJUoS8VLmdM7LydQqbaMQbSLLayFKFO3S5tkFESMliLzJPmKLPq7vcQO7MUEXYA/s320/IMG_6403.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church had a wall around it for protection <br />when being Catholic wasn't socially acceptable</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So after the graveyard spiel we went into the church. There was a “no tank top” rule stated - as per most churches - so I’d hauled a sweater w me the whole way (35-ish deg), and then the guide was wearing thinner straps than mine. So fair enough - it was hot! - but I wouldn’t have carried that sweater all the way if I’d known my comparatively conservative sundress would be acceptable. The only rule was “anyone identifying as male need to remove their hat indoors” lol no idea why women wouldn’t need to but okay. None of the women were wearing hats so moderately irrelevant in this case.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVVGl2MzSiO2st2sbb1xyUVGflu6jCxZvv1eS23s_Ecj45rEopxbh1IR_0iq6TX1h9R7S2udoH6HIbgm4womWn7k-qnOHyGcmhPRBTPOZ4VG5m_XqpsqTOawrX07Bl3bO1m7uLc84YdWwlxgS0IoiMIagVz0kNvTg0oGQS2UqOCr_TvuL2dpp7i4c_Uo/s4032/IMG_6401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVVGl2MzSiO2st2sbb1xyUVGflu6jCxZvv1eS23s_Ecj45rEopxbh1IR_0iq6TX1h9R7S2udoH6HIbgm4womWn7k-qnOHyGcmhPRBTPOZ4VG5m_XqpsqTOawrX07Bl3bO1m7uLc84YdWwlxgS0IoiMIagVz0kNvTg0oGQS2UqOCr_TvuL2dpp7i4c_Uo/s320/IMG_6401.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original entrance to the catacombs;<br />Now sealed but with glass to allow light in.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We explored the church a bit and went down to the catacombs. Since they’re all sealed there was no visible evidence of human remains - I’d had in mind something like the Paris catacombs and it was nothing like that. This was more a cross between an indoor graveyard and a bank vault. The display they’ve set up was well done though - battery powered candles at every vault and for most of them a tablet with a screen giving some of the key things about that person’s life (who decided what to tell?!?! I have no idea, but most of them focused on church related stuff or doing good in the community etc). They were all respectfully written to position the person in a good light.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZcZSXCvme1wir9BREP3m3aII4nFuwijJKk4WsRTJQWD-lWxii6Ds2pRtk6ePMhKZ0C6vUGwAR4xLkpJQNbgSVKuKRoyh8IKGjZPhkiaLtm5u4ScUgiTRt4pDNvJku4DER1Awm1E214XWIzx1We0T7WJciWuxwbLVtaQW2TOPo0HKf39owBDpmnrUKb4/s4032/IMG_6449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZcZSXCvme1wir9BREP3m3aII4nFuwijJKk4WsRTJQWD-lWxii6Ds2pRtk6ePMhKZ0C6vUGwAR4xLkpJQNbgSVKuKRoyh8IKGjZPhkiaLtm5u4ScUgiTRt4pDNvJku4DER1Awm1E214XWIzx1We0T7WJciWuxwbLVtaQW2TOPo0HKf39owBDpmnrUKb4/s320/IMG_6449.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the catacombs;<br />The light you see is from the original entrance</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There was an end spiel but C and I left before that (our guide had said there would be but that often people preferred to leave before and no issue).</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlJbRuIbiCwr-KnVIkcWv6HlxrIy6yyOx-BdAaVI3cz7aSa-m_CspgJf9beFIxabk-fTSvIMxqWiHqRf6cZL6L_81WEWNNHWTu9Ynd_pYzelj-9PHJbZHu_l0p3N71fxu07ikXhqgrQeXKwrcUalhm_xmYZ91dujosiSHyowMwfGtV49Gzbn6zWWBB6s/s4032/IMG_6474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlJbRuIbiCwr-KnVIkcWv6HlxrIy6yyOx-BdAaVI3cz7aSa-m_CspgJf9beFIxabk-fTSvIMxqWiHqRf6cZL6L_81WEWNNHWTu9Ynd_pYzelj-9PHJbZHu_l0p3N71fxu07ikXhqgrQeXKwrcUalhm_xmYZ91dujosiSHyowMwfGtV49Gzbn6zWWBB6s/s320/IMG_6474.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris breaking us out of... church ;)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824113650836829685.post-42977217901448091332023-07-26T23:59:00.000-04:002023-08-12T20:30:58.584-04:00NYC Stats<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eXpLXFYR4BKQSn2o7yY28IybjxpRDGMfcn5DdVyKYe8Fm-QG1xit5BrrqdStdKKYai2wNwj2I7tpDYnOxukKLi2kuIShL77O5glsG_hocsSvJohXBhQm6g89w41kU6UV7HbWLtYKQpIncLI9FtxpkJLyzKjHq4xox96G8B-034hWKDd5ev1-j4gCTk8/s961/IMG_6692.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="749" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eXpLXFYR4BKQSn2o7yY28IybjxpRDGMfcn5DdVyKYe8Fm-QG1xit5BrrqdStdKKYai2wNwj2I7tpDYnOxukKLi2kuIShL77O5glsG_hocsSvJohXBhQm6g89w41kU6UV7HbWLtYKQpIncLI9FtxpkJLyzKjHq4xox96G8B-034hWKDd5ev1-j4gCTk8/s320/IMG_6692.jpeg" width="249" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Activities:</span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Walking away from Times Square</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Several parks</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Merchant House</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Katz'</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- NY Pizza</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- NY NY</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- Night Tour</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Impressions:</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- A good day for education, helpful strangers, through the right lens, the lights of NYC are magical</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Surprising moment:</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">- The number of smaller parks around outside of the primary tourist area</div>Lauren Cude Horsfallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15713938333921978342noreply@blogger.com0