Opportunities for Volunteer Musicians

Opportunities for Volunteer Musicians Suzy S. You’ve been practicing and taking music lessons for a while. Are you looking for your next musical challenge? Playing with other musicians is one of the quickest ways to improve, and with National Volunteer Week coming up (April 21-27, 2013), why not make a impact in your community by volunteering your talents? Here are some ideas to get you started Volunteer at events and galas Non-profit or community events always need entertainment! Often these events are for great causes, and its also an awesome way to get your name out there, network, and find new fans! If youre already part of a group or band, try reaching out to specific organizations and expressing your interest in helping out. Better yet, why not organize your own benefit concert? Volunteer with specific organizations There are tons of organizations and non-profits that deal specifically with the music industry and music education. The San Diego Music Foundation, for example, coordinates several events throughout the year that require volunteer help. Their Guitars for Schools program provides Taylor guitars for San Diego-area elementary and middle schools for use in classroom and after-school music activities. Musicians on Call is another amazing program that sends volunteer musicians to hospitals and other healthcare facilities to share the power of music.  Its branches are located in New York, Nashville, Philadelphia, Miami, DC, and Los Angeles. Not in one of those major cities? Not to worry. VolunteerMatch.org is an awesome resource for finding organizations in your area that are looking for help! Volunteer directly at hospitals or nursing homes Music is used as a therapeutic tool in many hospitals and nursing homes across the country. Try contacting your local hospital to see if theyre accepting volunteer musicians. Opportunities at hospitals can range from performing to actually teaching music to patients. If youre considering music therapy as a career path, try looking into internship positions, also! Volunteer at festivals and concerts Even if you dont play an instrument, music fans can get involved with the community by volunteering at music festivals and concerts. If youre interested in music promotions or event planning, you can learn a lot about this important part of the music industry, as well as connect with other music lovers! Church groups Music is a huge part of many different religions, incorporated into worship services, religious ceremonies, and of course, weddings and funerals. Check with your congregation to see if there are opportunities to perform and help out. Piano and guitar are perhaps the most popular instruments found here, but solo opportunities exist for practically any musician, depending on your communitys style. Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Mark Brannan

What Can I Expect From Life Coaching Sessions

What Can I Expect From Life Coaching Sessions Preparing For  Life Coaching Sessions ChaptersWhat is a Life Coach?Think About What You Want From CoachingGo In With An Open MindProcesses and TechniquesOutcome of a Life Coaching SessionWhat Your Relationship with Your Coach is LikeDo Life Coaches Have Qualifications?Once you've decided a career coach is the way to go and you've scheduled your first session you’ll want to make the most of your time and your money!Before you meet with a coach, take some time to prepare. If you don't know where to start, it's perfectly OK to show up empty-handed and let the coach guide you. However, good preparation can make the process easier and get you a closer to reaching your goals, faster.  We’ve compiled some tips to help you prepare.Think About What You Want From CoachingIdentify how you want the coach to help you. Do you need to improve your CV? Do you want to achieve a work goal, a health goal or find love? Whatever it is you need to decide what it is you want from a coach. The clearer you are the easier it will be for a co ach to help you. Do Some Self-AssessmentBefore seeing a coach to clarify your goals, do some initial self-assessment. Ask yourself the following questions and take some notes: What do you enjoy doing? What are you naturally good at? What do other people say are your greatest strengths? What's most important to you in life? What motivates you in life? Share these answers with your coach. They will serve as a good starting point for further assessment. Go In With An Open MindBy choosing to work with a life coach, you're taking a leap into an exciting opportunity that could really make a difference in your life. Remember to keep an open mind and take the guidance of your career coach seriously. Your coach will ask you to do things that are challenging or outside your comfort zone. This won’t be easy but it will be worth it when you can work towards your goals.   The coach won’t force you to decide on anything until you are capable. Sessions are confidential to enable you to investi gate your thoughts, opinions, beliefs and values.At your life coaching session, you should already have the motivation to work with the coach and be truthful concerning your aspirations for your life. Once your life coach understands your current situation, they will guide you through a positive process aimed at making internal and constructive changes. Go into coaching with an open mind (Source: avi_acl)Do Life Coaches Have Qualifications?Currently, in the UK, life coaching is an unregulated profession. This essentially means that anyone can call themselves a life coach. Because of this, it is essential you do your research.Having said that, many coaches are associated with professional affiliations that include published codes of standard set procedures and moral values. Many of the institutions offer certification to guarantee that their associates are prepared enough to be employed as life coaches. To be given their credentials, life coaches must have a mandatory number of train ing and coaching practice hours. For example, to achieve certification as a professional certified coach from the International Coach Federation (ICF), an individual must accumulate a minimum number of coaching and training hours.Make sure you find the right coach for you. Search online directories and organise a meeting before you commit to a coach. You should feel comfortable with your coach.Choosing the right life coach can make a significant difference in your outlook, energy, stability and happiness in life.

6 Bands Wed Like To Eat On Thanksgiving

6 Bands Wed Like To Eat On Thanksgiving Suzy S. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and all around the U.S. people are scrambling to get the last-minute ingredients for the big meal.   Of course, if youve already done your grocery shopping or if youre lucky enough to have someone else doing the cooking this year sit back, relax, turn on the tunes and take a look at this list we found over at Loudwire.   Here are some bands wed love to invite to our Thanksgiving feast this year: 1. Buckcherry You may think of Warrant when you think of cherry pie, but for the ultimate cherry pie we only use the best, Buckcherry. Frontman Josh Todd and his crew are as sweet as can be since not only did they tour nonstop in 2011 but they also held a charity concert earlier this year for a great cause. If Buckcherry isnt your cherry of choice, theres always Black Stone Cherry. 2. Meatloaf Forget the turkey, this Thanksgiving is all about Meat Loaf. The artist known as Meat Loaf, whose birth name is Marvin Lee Aday, is not only a successful musician but a bit of a veteran actor, making appearances in films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Wayne’s World and Fight Club just to name a few. He even showed off his own cooking skills as a contestant on the most recent season of Celebrity Apprentice. 3. Pearl Jam Most people can’t have their biscuits without some sugary jam. Pearl Jam have been rocking since the early 90s and gave Nirvana a run for its money during the height of the grunge music era. PJ just celebrated their 20th anniversary with a festival in Wisconsin and a documentary film. Our list would be incomplete if we were to leave out Eddie Vedder and the rest of the sweet Jam. 4. Korn Corn is a great side dish for any feast whether it’s frozen, in a can or on a cob. But when corn becomes Korn, it turns into delish dish of nu-metal goodness. The bands upcoming album ‘The Path of Totality’ incorporates dub-step into the mix, adding a new chapter to the storied career of Korn. With a new single called Narcissistic Cannibal, we just hope Korn stick to eating a traditional meal at Thanksgiving this year. 5. Red Hot Chili Peppers For the lovers of spicy food, no meal would be complete with some Red Hot Chili Peppers, which spices up any of the dishes on this list for Thanksgiving. This band remains as flavorful today as they were when they first started out in 1983. Jump ahead to 2011 where they have released their 10th studio album ‘I’m With You.’ Let’s face it, who doesn’t like a little spice in their life â€" whether it’s on their plate or on their iPod! 6. Smashing Pumpkins Pumpkin Pie anyone? What Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a little bit of the seasons favorite dessert. And how do you get the filling for this delicious treat â€" by Smashing Pumpkins, of course. What other bands would you add to the list?   If you can think of any, stop by our Facebook page and leave a quick comment.   Have a safe, happy and filling Thanksgiving! Like these posts?   Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!   Click here to subscribe.

Taking Great Photos with Smartphones

Taking Great Photos with Smartphones How to Take Great Photos With Your Smartphone ChaptersThe Smartphones with the Best CameraWhat Are the Modes on Smartphone Cameras?Which Are the Best Smartphone Filters?10 Tips for Taking Nice Photos with Your Smartphone“You don't take a photograph, you make it.” - Ansel AdamsTaking great photos is within everyone’s reach. 95% of people in the UK own a mobile phone and an increasing number of them are smartphones meaning that anyone can now take photos whenever they want.This allows them to express their creativity as long as they understand the depth of field, framing, zoom, editing, and how to perfectly capture their subjects.So how can you take great photos with your smartphones? How can you carefully take aesthetically-pleasing photos?In this article, we’re going to take a quick look at how to get the most out of your smartphone when it comes to photography. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tuto rs TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Smartphones with the Best CameraSmartphones are quickly becoming everyone’s best friends, especially when it comes to taking great photos. Of course, if you want to take great photos, your smartphone will have to have a great camera. When it comes to taking photos with a smartphone, you need to choose the right one. Apple, Samsung, Huawei, and many others make smartphones with great cameras. (Source: laura6)You need to work out which smartphones have the best cameras on them. You can shoot photos with your smartphone using the flash or just natural light.Here are some smartphones with good cameras:Apple iPhone 11 Pro, a smartphone with a professional-grade camera built-in.Huawei P30 Pro, a versatile smartphone that takes great photos both during the day and at night.Google Pixel 4 XL, a good smartphone with a great portrait mode.Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, a great phone with 4 cameras that take sharp pictures.Google Pixel 3A/3A XL, great value for money and a good smartphone for those wanting to start with photography.Xiaomi Mi Note 10, with 5 cameras, this smartphone will produce fantastic photos.Any of these phones will take decent photos if you know how to use them correctly.What Are the Modes on Smartphone Cameras?“A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” - Edward Steichen To get the most out of your smartphone camera, you need to be shooting in the right mode. (Source: Pexels)Have you found the perfect smartphone?  Are you ready to get some great photos?Perfect! Now you need to get to know your smartphone.A smartphone camera will have different modes with different uses and functions and you’ll need to get to know them if you want to get the most out of your photography. While each smartphone won’t have the same modes, a lot of them are commonly found on most models.Classic camera mode. This is usually the mode that’s active when you turn on your smartphone’s camera.Selfie mode. Since most smartphones have a selfie or front-facing camera, selfie mode allows you to take a photo of yourself while looking at the screen.Night mode. This mode is designed for low-light and increased contrast in the dark.HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode. This mode allows you to improve the overall quality of a photo by taking a few snaps to make into a single photo.Port rait mode. Whether you’re in the default mode or selfie mode, this mode is designed to take better pictures of people.Square mode. This mode allows you to take square photos, which is particularly useful for social networks like Instagram.Panoramic mode. This mode allows you to take super-wide or super-tall photos of landscapes, for example.Video mode. While not a photo mode, this mode will be found in the camera settings.Slow-motion or fast-motion mode. This is another video mode that alters the playback speed of recorded footage.As you’ll have understood, if you want to take good photos, you’ll need to use the right tools and modes on your smartphone’s camera. The different modes on smartphone cameras are also a great place for aspiring photographers to start. Whether you’re taking close-ups or entire landscapes, smartphone cameras are often more versatile than they look on the surface.Most smartphones have a good digital camera lens and settings that you can alter to ch ange the shutter speed, white balance, or focal length.Which Are the Best Smartphone Filters?After you’ve picked the right mode and taken your photo, you can go a step further by changing the style of your photo in just a few clicks. A filter is a quick and easy way to get the most out of your photography. (Source: Alexas_Fotos)How?With filters, most smartphone cameras can make your holiday snaps or portraits more colourful or beautiful.There are a few filters on smartphones you can apply to photos. These include:Black and white filter. This will add a greyscale filter to your photos.Sepia filter. This can give photos a dated look.Warm filter. This will increase warm colours like reds, yellows, and oranges.Cold filter. This will increase cold colours like greens and blues.High contrast filter. This will increase the saturation and contrast of the photos, making the colours more vibrant.Colour filters. These filters tend to be more for fun and apply a single colour over your photo.Depending on the brand and model of your smartphone, you may have more or fewer filters. These allow you to create great photos with little effort.10 Tips for Taking Nice Photos with Your SmartphoneIn addition to filters, we have even mo re advice for taking great photos with your smartphone. These tips are useful for most brands and models and can help you to take better photos.Here’s how to take better snaps! Since your smartphone goes with you everywhere, you should learn how to take better photos with it. (Source: reenablack)Firstly, avoid backlighting. Similarly, make sure that the lens is clean as it means you’ll have less to clean up once you’ve taken the photo. To take better photos, you can get clip-ons and accessories like fish-eye or wide-angle lenses. Similarly, it’s better to use accessories to get the desired effect when you take the photo rather than add it later.Focus on the sharpness and tones when taking your photos so you won’t have to add them in Photoshop later. You need to think carefully when taking your photos. Think about what you’re using your photos for as photos for your albums won’t be the same as your photos for social media.Of course, since it doesn’t cost anything to take photos with your smartphone, take as many photos as you like and just delete the ones you aren’t going to use. This will give you plenty of good photos to choose from.Avoid u sing the zoom as this can pixelate the image. Similarly, try not to rush your photos. Many subjects won’t be going anywhere quickly, especially if you’re taking pictures of landscapes.Make use of the HDR mode. While moving as little as possible, your smartphone will take several photos and combine them into a single photo with the best possible lighting.Finally, avoid using the flash when possible if you want natural-looking photos. If the lighting isn’t ideal, try using night mode or just taking the photo the next day.With just a few tips and tricks, you’ll see the quality of your smartphone photos greatly increase. The rest is up to you!If you'd like more help with photography, there are many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof who'd be willing to help you. There are three main types of tutorial and you can choose the one which best suits your preferred learning style and your budget.Group tutorials tend to be the cheapest and best for those on a budget as all the students in the tutorial are sharing the cost of the tutor's time and expertise. However, this does mean you'll get less one-on-one time with your tutor and the lessons won't be tailored to just you and what you want to learn.Online tutorials tend to be slightly more expensive than group tutorials but are just between you and your tutor. This means you can benefit from tailored lessons and learning programmes as well as enjoying the tutor's undivided attention throughout your tutorials. However, without the tutor physically being there with you, it can make certain hands-on aspects of learning a little bit more difficult.Finally, face-to-face tutorials have the benefits of the previous two types of tutorials without the drawbacks of the tutor not being there or there being other students in the tutorial vying for your tutor's attention. If you want to learn with these types of tutorials, however, you will have to pay more than the other two types as you'll be paying for your tutor' s expertise, travel costs, and all the time they put in outside of your tutorials to ensure that they're tailored to you and exactly what you want to learn about.Think carefully about which type is best for you and discuss all this with any potential tutors before hiring them!

How my trips to Iceland have enhanced my tutoring

How my trips to Iceland have enhanced my tutoring Following his trips to Iceland every summer, Chemistry tutor Andrew M has been able to imbue his lessons with fantastic examples and anecdotes from his time there.   Here, Andrew recounts his trips, discusses how it has benefited his tutoring, and, most importantly, shows how he has used his experience in Iceland to engage students: Students perform better at subjects they enjoy and have a genuine interest in. That is a well-known fact. However, one subject in particular does seem to have a problem stoking the imagination of its students: Science. “Why are we studying this?” “What relevance does this have for me?” “This is boring!” These are all questions science teachers dread to hear. Classroom teachers can often turn to the classic classroom demonstration:   alkali metals in a water bath to watch it fizz and pop, ester synthesis to smell the fruity aroma.  Students want to see science, touch it, hold it their hands! From personal experience, these demos do make a difference…for some.  But what can the science home tutor do to spark an interest in the subject? Iceland, the global science class room 3 years ago, I took a summer job leading large groups of students on scientific tours around Iceland.  As well as exploring all 4 corners of this mystical land, I have had the honour of meeting the president of Iceland, NASA scientists and even Barack Obama’s Chief Science Advisor, Harvard physicist John P. Holdren. Nature really has had a field day with the so called ‘land of fire and ice’. The science behind its awe-inspiring landscapes has provided the perfect educational resource to rouse an interest from my home tuition students.    Therefore, a quick anecdote, a video clip or even a basalt rock sample to supplement the curriculum teaching really does work wonders! Engaging students through experiences For example, take climate change.  This is such a hot topic but seems to be taught in an unnecessarily dry way.   The greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide, rising global temperatures â€" you can just imagine a student flicking to the next page of the textbook and yawning. However, show them a clip you took of a gigantic glacier melting in front of your eyes, the roar as a huge chunk of brilliant blue ice tears away and crashes into the sea, and the questions will come flooding in: “Why is that happening? How big is the largest glacier, why is the ice blue?” To answer these questions the tutor must talk of hydrogen bonding, ideal gas laws, the vibration of molecules and refraction. “By the way did you know Iceland, a country just outside the arctic circle, grows all its own coffee, bananas and tomatoes?” Cue the explanation of green houses and geothermic activity. Linking in topics In essence, we are covering a lot of GCSE content, and dare I say, enjoying doing so! I could go on and on about the Northern Lights, geothermal power stations, bubbling sulphur mud pots, exploding geysers, tectonic plates…the list is endless. But all of these can be linked to what the student has learned in class and give context to otherwise abstract concepts. I once took a sample of the ash produced by the infamous 2010 volcanic eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull to a student who hated science with a passion. As soon as I explained what this strange dark power was, his eyes lit up. “This is the stuff that stopped all the planes?” he asked. That lesson we covered kinetic, thermal and mechanical energy. That same student magically seemed to lose his hatred for science and even persuaded his parents to take a short family holiday to Reykjavik. There has been quite a lot of talk recently about the decline in the studying of science by young people. For me, the solution is simple: take them to Iceland! Let them see science, touch it, taste it and smell it! Andrew M is one of our top Chemistry tutors on Tutorfair. An experienced tutor and teacher, in the summer he also leads science-based tutors around Iceland. You can find out more about him and contact him  by visiting his Tutorfair profile.

Help a Child Become Comfortable with Learning

Help a Child Become Comfortable with Learning Successful tutors, teachers and educational psychologists have a few techniques that are highly effective in helping students reach their full potential. Most of these techniques centre around the removal of stresses that are limiting those students. One technique involves helping learners to become comfortable with discomfort. When they can let go of the idea that there’s something ‘wrong’ with not knowing all the answers, learning becomes easier and hopefully a lot more fun. During the last two years of his life, a young soviet psychologist called Lev Vygotsky developed a concept called the ‘zone of proximal development’ (ZPD).[1] This zone is essentially the range of skills that a student can perform with help, but cannot yet perform on their own. Vygotsky believed that a student learns by imitating a teacher, gaining, over time, the ability to do a task alone, thus moving that task out of the zone. It is the role of an educator to keep the ZPD constantly moving forward, encouraging the student to grow.[2] Karl Rohnke, an American expert in experiential learning, later suggested that people react to situations in three different ways: comfort, stretch and panic. He developed a beautifully simple model that I’ve tried to show in this diagram: In the ‘comfort’ zone, the learners are highly familiar with the situation. This includes everything they already know and tasks they can do almost without thinking. Students are comfortable here, feeling like they are in full control. But they are not learning. At the other end of the scale, in the ‘panic’ zone the situation is highly stressful or can seem dangerous to the learner . In this zone there is often a perception that the skill required for success is so far out of reach that it’s not even worth trying. Students in this zone can be overwhelmed, feeling like they have no control, and may ‘shut down’ entirely. The trick to growth is to be somewhere in the middle, where the student is slightly uncomfortable but still learning. Tutor tip: Try drawing the diagram above for students helps them to realise that there’s nothing wrong with feeling uncomfortable when learning: like Vygotsky’s ZPD, the best thing about the ‘stretch’ zone is that it’s constantly moving as we learn. This helps students who feel ‘I’m never really getting anywhere’. When students can see that they are getting somewhere (the zone is moving after all!), stress, that would otherwise inhibit learning, is reduced.That said, it’s important for everyone to find a balance between stretching yourself and taking care of yourself in your comfort zone. The diagram also helps pupils to recognise when they’ve been pushed into the panic zone. A student who knows it’s normal to feel overwhelmed at times is much more likely to speak up about it, and to seek help; one of the hardest jobs for any teacher or tutor is knowing who’s ‘got it’ and who hasn’t. A child who feels shame may find it hard to approach the teacher, but if your students are comfortable approaching you with concerns you can solve problems early on. The same thing goes for a parent. Opening up this dialogue with children helps them feel comfortable about coming to you if they ever feel overwhelmed in the future. This week: see what activities you can undertake to place yourself in your stretch zone. Then find ways to help your children or students to do the same. Fancy getting a  tutor to help stretch your child’s learning? Have a look at the Tutorfair website and take your pick. Here’s a small selection: Oliver G - Calm, patient tutor who likes to make learning engaging. Subjects include English, History and German Helen J - Experienced and enthusiastic tutor who is a qualified teacher. Subjects include French and German Allan G - Experienced tutor, motivator and life coach. Subjects include Maths, Physics and Computing â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"- 1] Vygotsky lived from 1896 to 1934. His work had largely remained unknown until the 1970s, when it eventually became a central component of the new theories in developmental and educational psychology. [2] His concept led to the idea of scaffolding, Wood et al. (1976), in which a student should be given regular support and guidance in learning until they are able to undertake these tasks on their own. This is also known as guided or cooperative learning.

The Challenge of Learning US English

The Challenge of Learning US English This is  a  guest post from our enthusiastic user Attila.    You can find the original  post here:  â€œThe Challenge of Learning US English” I launched a new blog called “The Challenge of Learning US English”.    Why did I begin this  blog?  I have had many thoughts about learning English that I’d like to  share.  I began to write these thoughts in an article, but then I realized  that one article wasnt enough.  Instead, I would need to write a series of  2-3 entries.  However, a series was still not enough. My ideas were like a  tree and new branches of thoughts continuously sprouted from my mind.  So  why not begin my own blog about it.  Some of my topics are serious, some of  them are just for fun. First of all, let me give you some details.  I’m 45 and I’ve been learning  English for ages. I started at the age of 12, but had many breaks. If I  added up my most active periods of learning, the total wouldn’t be more  than 4-5 years. During this long period of time, I’ve met several challenges (I  intentionally wrote the word challenge, not the word difficulty.) A  challenge has the power to push you forward and motivate you.  To learn a  foreign language is not easy, but it’s beautiful. It’s a discovery of a different culture, different people.  I’d like to show how I discovered (and  am continuing to discover!) this beautiful language. I’m not a native  speaker, and I’m not a perfect English speaker. Nor am I a teacher.  So Im  not interested in teaching English at all.  Instead, I would like to show  language learning from the perspective of a language learner. I’m going to post my favorite books, websites, TV shows, and other  material related to my learning process.  I’ll show you my successes and  experiences (I’ve had a lot!).  Ive also had pitfalls and several  misunderstandings (when I misunderstood someone, or I was misunderstood). I  won’t keep them in secret since they’re also important when learning  English. I do love all kinds of English, but I’m going to concentrate on American  English.  So I’m going to follow the American spelling rules and try to use  the words, phrases, and idioms of American English.  Im focusing on  American English because of the great opportunity I had to spend 4 months  in the States in 2013. Please feel free to make comments or contact me.  I don’t guarantee that I  can answer every question, but I hope there will be comments from native  speakers as well, maybe from teachers, and maybe they can answer some  questions as well.  I would like to help people discover English together. You can find my italki profile here. My teacher (Gardeniafly) who I found on italki.com helps me by reviewing my  posts. Please visit my blog, and if you like it share it with your friends. The Challenge of Learning US English This is  a  guest post from our enthusiastic user Attila.    You can find the original  post here:  â€œThe Challenge of Learning US English” I launched a new blog called “The Challenge of Learning US English”.    Why did I begin this  blog?  I have had many thoughts about learning English that I’d like to  share.  I began to write these thoughts in an article, but then I realized  that one article wasnt enough.  Instead, I would need to write a series of  2-3 entries.  However, a series was still not enough. My ideas were like a  tree and new branches of thoughts continuously sprouted from my mind.  So  why not begin my own blog about it.  Some of my topics are serious, some of  them are just for fun. First of all, let me give you some details.  I’m 45 and I’ve been learning  English for ages. I started at the age of 12, but had many breaks. If I  added up my most active periods of learning, the total wouldn’t be more  than 4-5 years. During this long period of time, I’ve met several challenges (I  intentionally wrote the word challenge, not the word difficulty.) A  challenge has the power to push you forward and motivate you.  To learn a  foreign language is not easy, but it’s beautiful. It’s a discovery of a different culture, different people.  I’d like to show how I discovered (and  am continuing to discover!) this beautiful language. I’m not a native  speaker, and I’m not a perfect English speaker. Nor am I a teacher.  So Im  not interested in teaching English at all.  Instead, I would like to show  language learning from the perspective of a language learner. I’m going to post my favorite books, websites, TV shows, and other  material related to my learning process.  I’ll show you my successes and  experiences (I’ve had a lot!).  Ive also had pitfalls and several  misunderstandings (when I misunderstood someone, or I was misunderstood). I  won’t keep them in secret since they’re also important when learning  English. I do love all kinds of English, but I’m going to concentrate on American  English.  So I’m going to follow the American spelling rules and try to use  the words, phrases, and idioms of American English.  Im focusing on  American English because of the great opportunity I had to spend 4 months  in the States in 2013. Please feel free to make comments or contact me.  I don’t guarantee that I  can answer every question, but I hope there will be comments from native  speakers as well, maybe from teachers, and maybe they can answer some  questions as well.  I would like to help people discover English together. You can find my italki profile here. My teacher (Gardeniafly) who I found on italki.com helps me by reviewing my  posts. Please visit my blog, and if you like it share it with your friends.