OK, Enough dawdling... time to get back to work...

[sr3nitygirl]

I've been away, dealing with other stuff.
It's been dealt with.
Time to get back to work and make up lost ground.
And there is much lost ground to make up.

It's surprising what you lose when you don't use it (or at least, use it as much).
I find myself having to look up to confirm words that I used to know off by heart, which is a sad state of affairs.

So, no more dawdling... it's time to get back on the rails, and it's not going to be an easy ride at first.

[GunChleoc]

Don't worry, they will come back as you use them

[faoileag]

And the bug will bite you even harder this time!

[Seonaidh]

Oh bugger!

[faoileag]

OMC, a Sheonaidh!

A Steaphanaidh,

Tha mi a' smaoineachadh gum bi na cùrsaichean AGA seachad a-nis, agus thusa ag iarraidh sùil air ais, beagan 'revision' a dhèanamh a-nis, gus comas a bhith agad cùrsaichean ùra a leantainn bliadhna sa tighinn.

Tha cothrom agad sin a dhèanamh an seo. Sgrìobh rudeigin gach seachdain agus tha mi làn cinnteach gum bi cuideigin ann an seo ga cheartachadh.

Ceart?

Post on here weekly for summer practice and someone will correct it!

[sr3nitygirl]

Bidh sin ceart gu leor. Mòran taing dhuibh

[sr3nitygirl]

Hello again, everyone.

Well...Where do I start...

Needless to say, I've been away for a while, and sadly, to my eternal shame, I have not been keeping up with my Gaelic as much as I probably would like to have been. I feel like I've "lost" a lot of what I learned, and when I do dip my toe in now and again, it's frankly pathetic how much I end up having to look up!

I withdrew from the AGA course in the middle of the second year, and didn't sign up for the 2013-14 year, so all of the people I was working with are now moving far beyond me at this point. I had a number of reasons, mostly personal, why I withdrew. It certainly wasn't the fault of the instructor, who was wonderful. I did have some issues with the way things are run there, but I'm not going to go into it since I feel that after withdrawing, I don't really have the right to say more.

As much as I tried to not let it happen, I became very discouraged - and I've kinda gotten to the point where I think the only way I'm going to make any real headway is to be in a place where I can immerse myself in the langauge. Some of my former AGA classmates spent a week or two up in Alba Nuadh last summer, immersing themselves in the culture and language and they got a real boost from that. Sadly, several circumstances made such a trip for me, impossible.

So, right now, I'm really not sure where I'm going with my Gaelic, and that is a sad and depressing statement in, and of, itself.

[MonaNicLeoid]

I've been at that point several times with several of my languages. The only way to solve it is to do something, little things, and slowly work your way forward.

It is no use dreaming of things that cannot be, you have to make do with the resources you have at hand. Try to listen to Gaelic as often as possible, this is something you can do in between everyday tasks without investing too much time and energy. Listen to Radio nan Gaidheal while you are at the computer, or get some audio books.
Try to read a little bit of Gaelic every day, even if it is just a sentence or two on a forum, blog or news site. Keep notes. Write down those sentences you have read, or new words you have encountered. After a week or two, when you happen to have some quiet time, go through your notes. You'll be surprised how much has accumulated.

[faoileag]

Halò a Steaphanaidh,

How about linking up with the Skypers, via Doug, as per the Skype thread? There seem to be various levels involved.

Take Mona's advice and JUST START, small things often rather than than mighty efforts. There's this forum (where we have missed you! ) and various Facebook groups, often with light-hearted content too, and Gaelic tweets.... lots of opportunities for short, easy contributions in unthreatening contexts, and short easy things to read as well.

Don't just see it as a personal thing - you're a part of Gaelic revitalisation, and everyone counts. YOU count. Siuthad!

[sr3nitygirl]

Sorry for the whiney post earlier - I was just at a rather low-point...

I still have a lot of stuff I can use. I have Muriel Fishers course, the entire 'Speaking Our Language' set and a bunch of other books, dictionaries, etc, so I have no shortage of materials to use. I just need to get my arse into gear and do it

Plus, all of my mail signatures (work and not) and such are in Gaelic & English as well - which is amusing when people ask "which langauge is that? Is that Irish/French/Dutch?".

I do actually listen to my friend Derek's show, Siubhal Gu Seachd pretty much daily on a daily basis (M-Thu) on RnG.
Indeed, I was just remarking this week that my first attempt at learning the language was back in 82 with the repeats of "Can Seo" on BBC Radio Scotland - if only I'd kept that up at the time.


You're both right - all I need to do is make myself a promise to do something every day.


On a side note, I am putting myself up for election to the Board of the ACGA later this year...
And I'm still running my radio station with lots of Ceòl Ceilteach

[faoileag]

Math sin a chluinntinn, Steaphanaidh - cum ort!

[GunChleoc]

We all have our ups and downs. Math d' fhaicinn a-rithist!

[sr3nitygirl]

...and wouldn't you know it, I've gone and got myself elected to the Board of An Comunn Gàidhealach Ameireaganach (ACGA) for the next 3 years...

Well, if that isn't a shot in the arm, I don't know what is.

[GunChleoc]

Nach tusa a' bhana-ghaisgeach! Gura math a thèid leat

[sr3nitygirl]

A' bhana-ghaisgeach?
Ha! Chan eil mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil!
Ach, tapadh leat, co-dhiù a ghràidh