Learning Chinese

So i've started learning Mandarin Chinese... and I LOVE it. About two months ago I discovered a podcast called "ChineseLearnOnline" or CLO. Chinese has got to be the hardest language on earth. Its a tonal language meaning that you can say one word, four different ways, and it means four different, unrelated things. Highly frustrating especially if you've been speaking english your whole life. In my opinion, language podcasts are the best way to learn besides actually being in the culture or having a private teacher. The staff on this site are all young (which helps in keeping up with the current culture) and each podcast progressively goes from all english to all chinese and completely in order, so by lesson 60, you will hopefully be fluent in chinese. You can download all 60 episodes onto your iphone or ipod via itunes, which makes it extremely convenient and most episodes are about 10 mins, so usually when im driving, I can play it during my commute.

The best thing about CLO is the actual website. Every episode can be listened to on its specific page and the interactive things you can do with them are key to your progression. There is a sentence builder that scrambles up words and makes you put them in their proper order. You're also able to see each character that is found in the episode and the stroke order that they go in, (most important thing about the site) and the pinyin version of each word for proper spelling. The podcast is free, but all of these website features are apart of the premium subscription and the first four lessons are free. Since im on the forth lesson now, im definitely going to have to sign up soon.

Other sites that are good for language learning are:

1.forzo.com for pronunciation 2.livemocha.com for classes 3.lang-8.com for writing and a very cool government site (that ive tricked myself into thinkin its how "Jason Bourne" learned his languages lol) 4.fsi-language-courses.org

Violin lessons

After years and years of wanting to play the violin, ive finally started taking lessons. Im two months in at this point and I absolutely love it. Its definitely one of the best decisions ive ever made in my life and I regret not doing it sooner. Im taking private lessons with a woman by the name of Lani Bortfeld, who is teaching me via the Suzuki Method. Its a very simple and fun way to learn and I highly recommend it. I have to say its extremely difficult though, so i wouldnt suggest taking lessons unless you're 100% committed. Ive just learned how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star lol, hopefully some Beethoven is right around the corner :)

Here are some pics of my beautiful new "toy", I havent named her yet...

ps i loveeeeeee the Tiger stripes on the back.








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MY CURRENT WORKOUT

I promised myself i wouldnt touch this until the 1st of the year lol.

My current workout plan is from the mens health big book of fitness, combined with some bodyweight exercises from the prison workout.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

3 days a week, alternate between workout A and B resting atleast a day after each session.

Workout A

Pick a workout from each category, 3 sets 15 reps rest a min. Do 1. in straight sets, then alternate sets 2A and 2B and 3A and 3B

1. Core (Swiss ball plank, swiss ball jacknife)

2A. Glutes and Hamstrings (Deadlift)

2B. Upper back (Barbell rows, dumbell rows)

3A. Quadriceps (Squats)

3B. Chest (Bench press, Pushups, dumbell press)

4. Cardio (Burpees, Muay thai on the heavy bag, running, stairs)

Workout B

Pick a workout from each category, 3 sets 12 reps rest a min. Do 1. in straight sets, then alternate sets 2A and 2B and 3A and 3B

1. Core (Swiss ball plank, swiss ball jacknife)

2A. Quadriceps (Squats)

2B. Lats (Pullups)

3A. Glutes and Hamstrings (Deadlift)

3B. Shoulders (Dumbell Shoulder Press, Shrugs)

4. Cardio (Burpees, Muay thai on the heavy bag, running, stairs)

After my workout, throughout the day i do "quick hits" every hour.

Theyre quick and easy and can be done almost anywhere.

Pushups, Dips, Pullups, Curls, Calf raises, Planks, Bodyweight squats, Kettlebell swing.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (optional)

Muay Thai on the heavy bag, Kicking drills, Cardio.

Besides this, there are other circuits that I do such as:

The Prison Workout

The Spartacus Workout

The Medicine Ball Workout

Enter the Kettlebell Workout

The Barbarians Circuit

The Sandbag Workout

The Superband Workout

The Gymnastic Workout

and hopefully one day:

THE SPARTAN 300 :)

All of these Circuits are interchangeable and allow you to mix up your routine to avoid boredom.

GOALS

In every category of your life, you should have a goal that you are trying to reach.

My goals are a mix between realistically doable to absolutely insane lol.

The Perfect Man Notebook is not time sensitive, it has no due date.

I will literally keep this until the day I die and document my progress using the same notebook.

HEALTH

Nutrition

Become 85% Vegetarian (Chicken and Turkey sometimes, i'd eat fish if i wasnt allergic)

Only drink water, tea, juice (pomegranate, blueberry, oj, cranberry(before 8)), coffee (in the mornings) and wine.

Stay away from sugar, salt, most carbs, fast food, and excess cheese.

Exercise

Run 4 to 5 miles

Complete the 300 Spartan Workout

Perform 20 Descending Knee tuck Burpees (1 min rest inbetween)

Perform 25 pullups, 100 pushups, 40 dips and 10 muscle ups

Continue to study Muay Thai, Jujitsu and Judo

Perform a Planche

POKER

Play Professionally

Play all 15 games at a high level

Never play tired, upset or unmotivated

Never play over my roll or tilty

Get Sponsorship (pleaseeeee)

Win a Bracelet

Win the Main Event (one time!!!!! lololololololol)

MUSIC

Play the Violin at a High level

Play the Piano at a High level

Play the Guitar decently lol

Buy or download every relevant album or song, ever.

LEARN

How to cook

How to play the Violin, Piano, Guitar

Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese and Albanian

How to play Golf

How to play Mahjong

How to play Badugi and Chinese poker

Become Ambidextrous

Learn something new, everyday, even if its as small as a new word.

BOOKS

Read every single book on my list (1000+)

Write a Philosophy book

Write a Novel

Write a Poker book

Switch to a Kindle

CHESS

Gain Red status on yahoo chess

Always have at least 5 games going on in "Chess with Friends"

Continue to study and improve

PEOPLE

Call or Visit at least 2 people in my phonebook (im bad at this)

TRAVEL

Visit one new local place a month

Visit one new major place a year

MOVIES

Watch every single movie on my Total Access list (500+)

Buy every movie on my notebook list

TELEVISION

Watch every series on my notebook list

COMEDY

Watch all stand up from all of the comedians on my notebook list

RECREATION

Improve in all games (gin rummy, backgammon, mah jong, pool)

SHOPPING

Buy what i NEED lol, not what I WANT. LOL

The Perfect Man Notebook

The purpose of "The Perfect Man Notebook" is to help me get organized (since i have a million hobbies and interests), and to help me improve on the things that are important to me. Obviously reaching perfection is unobtainable but in trying to get there, you will still improve greatly with whatever you're doing and have no regrets with the final outcome.

It took about 3 months to create this and I try to base my day around the red categories first (the most important things), the blue 2nd, and the yellow last(yes its color coded).

The Categories are:

Red: Health- Nutrition, Exercise

Poker- Playing, Studying

Music- Playing

Blue: Music- Listening

Books

Chess- Playing, Studying

Traveling

Staying in contact with people

Yellow: Recreation- Internet, Tv, Hanging out, News

Movies

Games- Video games, Board games, Card games, etc.

Shopping

The point of this blog is to help keep track of my

progress, and also to show me what i was thinking

at the time when I look back at this. Maybe, just maybe

someone reading this might also benefit from it. :)