I'm having trouble setting 2012 goals

[querido]

I have Chinese speaking friends now, above all my laoshi. Real-life communication with her is now the overriding goal.

She taught putonghua in Hong Kong through the middle school level (to me a quite high level, more than I'll ever master), but her native language is Cantonese.

On December 30th she and I will try to select something.

I'm thinking CSLPod Intermediate (as we've worked through Elementary).

She's also fond of my children's books, as I am. I could happily return to them.

Since I'm helping her with her English, it would be very nice to find something we could study together.

Her English is much better than my putonghua; I'd simply have to catch up.

[abcdefg]

Not really a suggestion, just a comment. If you have worked your way through all of Chinese Pod Elementary, you have come a long way and I sincerely congratulate you on that. You by now have lots of useful vocabulary under your belt and you may be functioning at a higher level than you realize.

I remember your fondness for Chinese Breeze, among other series. I also like them very much. Last year I used some of the small stories in an informal language exchange. My Chinese friend and I would read the same book. I would summarize one section for her off the cuff using Chinese, and she would do the same with the next section using English. We both discovered fairly basic things we did not know how to say and could then undertake improvements. It made for a non stressful and pleasant interaction.

[putonghua73]

I too, like the Chinese Breeze series. It's extremely enjoyable reading something in Chinese other than a textbook.

I'm sort of in the same position as Querido re: need to spend time thinking about my (Chinese) goals - other than date as many Chinese / Japanese women until the day I croak and/or meet someone whom has the potential to develop into something more (and doesn't live 5-6'000 miles away).

In actual fact, it's time to stop thinking and start doing. Anki flashcards by themselves don't cut it - I need to incorporate them into an overall Chinese study framework which I can fit into my lifestyle (full-time work in London and Professional qualifications):

1. Find Chinese tutor online for a couple of hours 1-2-1 tuition at weekends

2. Read and go through my textbook (structured learning)

3. Cement grammatical foundations

4. Daily flashcards

5. Practice listening skills

6. Improve my fluency through language exchanges

In fact, I know what I need to do - that's invest time and dedication to develop a structured programme, focusing on speaking and listening. Reading, grammar and vocab are the foundations but fluency only comes with using the language i.e. 用进费退.

2012 for me boils down to commitment. I know what I need to do - I now need to apply focus, effort and sheer single-minded effort to making it happen. I must stop my slacker ways.

[querido]

Thanks, you two.

abcdefg, I'm thinking about the method in your second paragraph.

We're both focused on listening/speaking (as we can learn reading/writing on our own).

I'm thinking of recording CSLPod Intermediate for her in English, as I study it in this year in Chinese.

She thinks CSLPod's lessons are very practical for me, and I can't think of anything better to provide her, than what I've chosen for myself.

I wish our vocabularies and our usable-language would converge; we spend six hours per week together, and one hour per night on QQ, and exchange emails daily, and it is all so difficult! :-(

[abcdefg]

I wish our vocabularies and our usable-language would converge...

I would imagine they will converge over time. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. it is just an innately slow process and one which can only be rushed at some peril.