emelee Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I'm nervous about starting school. I'm obsessed with my English, constantly thinking I'm wrong, obsessed with looking up words and spelling, putting myself down for not knowing more, etc. I mean, it's only one class, but I am getting cold feet! 10 days to go. My 5 year old will also be starting Kindergarten the same day, I could cry I think you should listen to many native english speakers. Many, and I mean many, aren't all that excellent. I am thinking that schools are lowering their expectations of pupils, as well as parents not expecting their children to respect everything that teachers say. And what happens is that each generation get worse than the previous at certain things. In many cases, foreign people are better at english than native speakers because they are like you, worried about getting it wrong. So they study real hard. But always know, no one expects you to know it all. You are not a dictionary, you are human. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) I think you should listen to many native english speakers. Many, and I mean many, aren't all that excellent. I am thinking that schools are lowering their expectations of pupils, as well as parents not expecting their children to respect everything that teachers say. And what happens is that each generation get worse than the previous at certain things. In many cases, foreign people are better at english than native speakers because they are like you, worried about getting it wrong. So they study real hard. But always know, no one expects you to know it all. You are not a dictionary, you are human. Such comforting words, thank you! I think slang has a lot to do with the English that is spoken in the US. That and a bad education system, you are right about that part. Parents don't help their children learn or with homework, they expect the school to do it all. I am always correcting my daughter with her brought/ bought, saw/ see, (not, I seen this one thing... ugh) etc. and she is only a month away from 6! I just don't get parents that can let things like that go. We even have adults in the house that speak this way. Honestly, I think it is because they don't read. AT ALL. The non- native speakers on here are much better than I am! Plus, I have that California thing goin' on We are on countdown to the 13th- the first day of school! Her outfit is down to two or three for the first day and I already have mine picked out lol Edit- I love your signature! Edited August 6, 2014 by Anna Begins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 So much is going on and I can't comment on it all. Life is simply happening too fast. Slow down people! Yesterday was my 46 birthday. I spent it quietly as hubby had to work and I had to travel back home for a meeting. Then it was bill paying and a little grocery shopping. Hubby and I did go to the movies on Sunday and to Rita's (homemade gelato and icees) before going to our cousins house for dinner. I got up this morning and took the dog for a nice long walk and it seems that I am to pay for it this evening. I don't know WHY my body aches so much. My neck is bothering me more since my spinal fusion surgery last year and I'm not sure what that's all about. The aches and pains make working out very difficult, ugh. As tomorrow is Wednesday, I'll have the grands for several hours as mommy and daddy have a prenatal appointment. Baby number 5 will be here soon! Hopefully I can get a few boxes packed and do the weeks budget and get my weekend bag ready for Friday's trip to visit my husband. We think we found a house and I hope it works out as its just what we need. The owner is renting with the option to purchase. We'd get to do any renovations that we want and trust me, we want! Guess I'll crash on the sofa tonight. The bedroom just feels different without him here. Happy birthday! I hope your body feels better soon . I hope the house works out for you . When do you see your husband again? Nothing much going, I am still looking for a job and helping my sister with the girls. I moved your post, since it's August now. I hope you find a job soon . I think you should listen to many native english speakers. Many, and I mean many, aren't all that excellent. I am thinking that schools are lowering their expectations of pupils, as well as parents not expecting their children to respect everything that teachers say. And what happens is that each generation get worse than the previous at certain things. In many cases, foreign people are better at english than native speakers because they are like you, worried about getting it wrong. So they study real hard. But always know, no one expects you to know it all. You are not a dictionary, you are human. Emelee is right . I think you will be allright . Such comforting words, thank you! I think slang has a lot to do with the English that is spoken in the US. That and a bad education system, you are right about that part. Parents don't help their children learn or with homework, they expect the school to do it all. I am always correcting my daughter with her brought/ bought, saw/ see, (not, I seen this one thing... ugh) etc. and she is only a month away from 6! I just don't get parents that can let things like that go. We even have adults in the house that speak this way. Honestly, I think it is because they don't read. AT ALL. The non- native speakers on here are much better than I am! Plus, I have that California thing goin' on We are on countdown to the 13th- the first day of school! Her outfit is down to two or three for the first day and I already have mine picked out lol Edit- I love your signature! I don't know much American nor English slang and it always confuses me. I wish you both lots of luck with school . Since yesterday I've been feeling crappy so I hope to feel better today. I'm talking to my psychiatrist later today so hopefully that will go okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I think a lot of people are feeling like that at the moment Athena, so you are not the only one. I am just feeling knackered. I am also mourning for the loss of my Kindle keyboard. The battery had been draining a bit since Iceland really, but after I got back it seemed to need charging every four days, so thinking that a new battery would be cheaper than a new Kindle (and with a wedding to pay for), I got a new battery. That seemed to be working until Monday when it kept freezing. I would be reading one moment and then everything would freeze, and after a few minutes it would reboot. I managed to get it working on Monday night and it seemed fine, but then yesterday lunchtime it did it again - three times before it completely froze again. I rang Amazon when I got home and they talked me through various things on the phone, trying to get it work before finally admitting that it was knackered and I had to get a new one. They offered me a large discount on a refurnished 3G Paperwhite which would have been a good deal if I had the money, but given the wedding and everything else, I ended up going to Curry's for a new £59 one. The Paperwhite would have been nice, but the main thing is I can read again - I hate being without my books ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 Awww I'm sorry to hear about your Kindle . I'm glad you can read again though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I think a lot of people are feeling like that at the moment Athena, so you are not the only one. I am just feeling knackered. I am also mourning for the loss of my Kindle keyboard. The battery had been draining a bit since Iceland really, but after I got back it seemed to need charging every four days, so thinking that a new battery would be cheaper than a new Kindle (and with a wedding to pay for), I got a new battery. That seemed to be working until Monday when it kept freezing. I would be reading one moment and then everything would freeze, and after a few minutes it would reboot. I managed to get it working on Monday night and it seemed fine, but then yesterday lunchtime it did it again - three times before it completely froze again. I rang Amazon when I got home and they talked me through various things on the phone, trying to get it work before finally admitting that it was knackered and I had to get a new one. They offered me a large discount on a refurnished 3G Paperwhite which would have been a good deal if I had the money, but given the wedding and everything else, I ended up going to Curry's for a new £59 one. The Paperwhite would have been nice, but the main thing is I can read again - I hate being without my books ! Glad you got it sorted June Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 So am I - given the fact that that Paperwhite (which I admit I was tempted by) cost £50 more and more importantly would take a few days to arrive, I decided to go and get a new one from Curry's. Well, there was no way I was going to go 3 days without reading ! The new Kindle is different of course to my old Keyboard, but I am sure I will get used to it. It is slightly smaller and lighter which always helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen.d Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) It's really warm here so I haven't had the energy to do much lately. I had to go with my dad to the doctor's this morning. The doctor has put him on a special diet for a while, so he's not a happy bloke. On the positive, I seem to have regained my reading mojo which is great. The book I'm reading, so far, is brilliant. Oh and I'm really looking forward to tonight, as it's the start of a new series of 'The Great British Bake Off' Opps posted this in the wrong month Edited August 6, 2014 by karen.d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 My Kindle keyboard has had a few funny moments lately too, June, but fingers crossed, it's still working. Occasionally, when I go to the next page, I just get a black screen, or half a black screen, but if I go back a page then forward again, it seems to sort itself out. I also takes about 20-30 seconds to come out of sleep mode sometimes too, which gives me a heartstopping moment, and then a huge sense of relief! I think if mine goes, I'll probably go for a Paperwhite, but for now, I'm hoping my trusty keyboard version keeps going for a while longer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) I think if mine goes, I'll probably go for a Paperwhite, but for now, I'm hoping my trusty keyboard version keeps going for a while longer! Paperwhites are so nice, but Kindle Fire's are better (Do they have a devil smilie??) BTW- What do you all use your keyboards for? Edited August 6, 2014 by Anna Begins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) I would never get a Kindle Fire as I need a Kindle with the e-ink technology. I can only read a backlit screen for an hour maximum, whereas the e-ink technology I can read just like a book with no headache. I don't use it for any other function, as I have a tablet and a laptop for everything else. ETA: Sorry forgot to say, the keyboard is useful for typing in search items, naming collections, and as I remember, at the time, it was the default with the Kindle so I guess there wasn't much choice! Edited August 6, 2014 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 Opps posted this in the wrong month I waved my magical wand ! I would never get a Kindle Fire as I need a Kindle with the e-ink technology. I can only read a backlit screen for an hour maximum, whereas the e-ink technology I can read just like a book with no headache. I don't use it for any other function, as I have a tablet and a laptop for everything else. Same here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I would never get a Kindle Fire as I need a Kindle with the e-ink technology. I can only read a backlit screen for an hour maximum, whereas the e-ink technology I can read just like a book with no headache. I don't use it for any other function, as I have a tablet and a laptop for everything else. ETA: Sorry forgot to say, the keyboard is useful for typing in search items, naming collections, and as I remember, at the time, it was the default with the Kindle so I guess there wasn't much choice! wow- that's interesting- I had no idea about the e-ink technology. I didn't notice the Fire was any different in reading from the Paperwhite! Except in glare. That is a bit of a problem- which they advertised so heavily for their Kindles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Re the Kindle Fire, we've found that if we change the background to black, with the white font it's much easier on the eyes. I'd had sepia for a long time, then husband tried the black background, and it works a treat! Just sayin'. My internet wouldn't go through this morning, then we had to go out. Still was out when we got home, but when I ran the HP fixer...whatever they call it, it fixed something and (obviously) it works now. Strangeness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 My internet wouldn't go through this morning, then we had to go out. Still was out when we got home, but when I ran the HP fixer...whatever they call it, it fixed something and (obviously) it works now. Strangeness. I'm glad it works again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) Re the Kindle Fire, we've found that if we change the background to black, with the white font it's much easier on the eyes. I'd had sepia for a long time, then husband tried the black background, and it works a treat! Just sayin'. How do you find that option? I know where the brightness is, but I can't change anything except font size. Do you have an HDX? Edited August 6, 2014 by Anna Begins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen.d Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 I waved my magical wand ! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Such comforting words, thank you! I think slang has a lot to do with the English that is spoken in the US. That and a bad education system, you are right about that part. Parents don't help their children learn or with homework, they expect the school to do it all. I am always correcting my daughter with her brought/ bought, saw/ see, (not, I seen this one thing... ugh) etc. and she is only a month away from 6! I just don't get parents that can let things like that go. We even have adults in the house that speak this way. Honestly, I think it is because they don't read. AT ALL. The non- native speakers on here are much better than I am! Plus, I have that California thing goin' on We are on countdown to the 13th- the first day of school! Her outfit is down to two or three for the first day and I already have mine picked out lol Edit- I love your signature! Thanks And I agree with you. Parents have probably too much on their plates these days to find time to help their children with school work. And while teacher tries their hardest, they just cannot raise their pupils. They can't teach a class of pupils to respect school and homework if they only see these pupils 2-4 hours each week. Even a well-behaved child can easily get caught up in anything the classmates does. Teachers are just not as respected today. And while I hate the "blame the parents" routine, in many cases, parents need to be more active. They need to realize that their children are not perfect angels. So if they can take the easy way to get an assignment done, they will do that. It's shocking how good at cheating pupils are getting. But very obvious when they show such lack of skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 My Kindle keyboard has had a few funny moments lately too, June, but fingers crossed, it's still working. Occasionally, when I go to the next page, I just get a black screen, or half a black screen, but if I go back a page then forward again, it seems to sort itself out. I also takes about 20-30 seconds to come out of sleep mode sometimes too, which gives me a heartstopping moment, and then a huge sense of relief! I think if mine goes, I'll probably go for a Paperwhite, but for now, I'm hoping my trusty keyboard version keeps going for a while longer! I don't want to worry you, but mine started like that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Got accepted to the philosophy b course. Happy happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 How do you find that option? I know where the brightness is, but I can't change anything except font size. Do you have an HDX? Tap the middle of the page to call up the tabs at the top of the page, you'll see the Aa symbol, on that drop down you'll see the three color choices......white, sepia, and black. I have a Kindle Fire HD 7", Dolby Audio, Dual Band WiFi, 32 GB. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Oh, ok I know about that now you mention it. I haven't used it since I got my Kindle! Wish I had been smart enough to get 32GB. Mine is only 16 and I'm already feeling a pinch. Mine has the Mayday button, which I use incessantly I know they hate me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 Thank you! You're welcome . Got accepted to the philosophy b course. Happy happy. This is great news ! Today we have an appointment with the city council to hand in my boyfriend's birth certificate. We had the original but they wouldn't accept it because it didn't have an apostille (a validity stamp). Once we've shown it to them he'll be officially registered (well, he kind of was already but still) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 So the appointment went well , we just have to wait now for them to double check the document etc. In other news, we are baking the first cake in our new microwave/oven (combi). It smells delicious, and should be done any minute now. I'm still being very stressed and having palpitations etc. but just have to wait a while and see if it passes or not. My brother and I took the dogs for a walk so now they're exhausted but so am I . Good exercise, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 http://www.buzzfeed.com/harpercollins/13-things-book-lovers-are-tired-of-hearing-9npd Number 8 should sound familiar to some people on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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