lucky fire dragon DON'T PANIC

[lucky fire dragon]

Oh oh, the time has come... looking at the dates of this challenge I noticed I'll have to face a major milestone in my life this time round on Earth, whichever way I turn it, there is simply no denial, at exactly the first day of the next month I'll be turning

 

 

According to very reliable sources this seems to be the answer to EVERYTHING

 

 

... and yet I do feel more clueless than ever before  

What to do?

 

Well first things first

 

 

Secondly, maybe I should simply expand my horizons a bit and go travel for new perspectives....   

 

1) Get myself a good guide book 

re-read hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, it's been ages really and it's such a fun story to lighten any mood

Fun goals first, right  

 

2) Get familiar with navigation in spaccccccccccce

work with Dr. Joes meditations exploring the spacccccce the center of my heart takes up in spacccccce and more (he really does say it like that at times, it's so funny and yet they are simply some of the best meditations I have come across like ever)

gotta do those daily, no excuses!

 

 

3) Get fluid in languages

Maths, history, biology,... you name it. This goal continues on the past challenge with helping the kids study for their exams. No tracking in numbers as I'll have to take it as it comes, more like an honoring of the fact that this is challenging for me and yet I am tackling it bravely and my kids are even braver  

 

In addition, I'd like to finish translating hubby's book for easy English learning (so far I have translated 42 pages out of 99, total page number will increase as translation proceeds so don't be confused if it's more at the end)

 

4) Go FLY

Finally get my spins etc on again on the pole

Planning a fun pole PvP with @Mad Hatter (TBA soon) and am super excited and a bit scared at the same time so it seems a good goal   

 

 

 

literally my plan here  

 

5) Random movement points

This are treasures scattered all over the galaxy and I can collect them wherever I take the trouble to go move.

Walks give 1 movement point (MP), kriya yoga sessions give 1 MP, going for a run gives 2 MP as does going to yoga class (because I really should!!)

Every pole session will get another MP

 

Let's hunt down all the points

 

Ah, and yes, in case I haven't made it clear yet: most important rule, especially when it comes to work or financial things or the like ...

 

 

 

It never helps, so I might as well skip it  

 

With all this, hopefully I will enter the big 42 a bit stronger and well prepared for any glorious adventures to come

[annyshay]

YAS! Much excite!!!

 

[Mad Hatter]

I love this challenge theme so much!  

 

9 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

4) Go FLY

Finally get my spins etc on again on the pole

Planning a fun pole PvP with @Mad Hatter (TBA soon) and am super excited and a bit scared at the same time so it seems a good goal   

 

 

 

literally my plan here  

Haha a towel is literally necessary.  

 

Wanna set up the PvP?

[Ann of Owlshire]

This is fantastic! (I always wonder if the answer is that there is no answer....) 

 

(Following because you always had nice things to say to Annyshay so I checked out your thread ^_^)

[@mu]

Yessss! following up!

[Mrs Van]

21 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

With all this, hopefully I will enter the big 42 a bit stronger and well prepared for any glorious adventures to come

Oh honey! I can say with all assurance it only gets better after 40! Spring chicken, I've got almost 2 yrs on you! You always seem so much wiser and calmer and more collected and appreciative of everything and everyone.   Can't wait to see how much joy and fabulousness you are going to experience this challenge *hugs*

[Mad Hatter]

12 hours ago, Ann of Vries said:

This is fantastic! (I always wonder if the answer is that there is no answer....) 

 

Well no, the answer is 42. But what is the question?

[lucky fire dragon]

13 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

I love this challenge theme so much!  

 

me too, it got me really excited again, more than in a long time

 

13 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

 

Haha a towel is literally necessary.  

 

Totally!!!!!

 

13 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

 

Wanna set up the PvP?

 

Done  

 

 

[lucky fire dragon]

12 hours ago, Ann of Vries said:

This is fantastic! (I always wonder if the answer is that there is no answer....) 

 

In a way it is, because it doesn't explain anything. Yet, the life does work in mysterious ways and even though Douglas Adams (author of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) always said it was a joke and he just picked a random number, when I saw this theory going round, it does look like quite a nice answer to me

 

ASCII 42

In programming, an asterisk is commonly used as a sort of "whatever you want it to be" symbol, I've heard it called a wildcard.

ASCII language, the original way that computers run, the most basic computer software, in it, 42 is the designation for asterisk. The GIANT COMPUTER was asked what the true meaning was. It answered as a computer would.

Anything you want it to be.

 

 

37 minutes ago, Mad Hatter said:

Well no, the answer is 42. But what is the question?

 

It's the ultimate question about life, the universe and everything of course  not that that makes it any clearer...

 

 

12 hours ago, Ann of Vries said:

 

(Following because you always had nice things to say to Annyshay so I checked out your thread ^_^)

 

Oh, that is nice, thank you   it's so easy to say nice things to Annyshay though, isn't it, she's a bomb 

[lucky fire dragon]

13 hours ago, @mu said:

Yessss! following up!

 

YAY, welcome on board. Better hold on to your silks, I have no idea where this will be going

 

2 hours ago, elizevdmerwe said:

Oh honey! I can say with all assurance it only gets better after 40! Spring chicken, I've got almost 2 yrs on you! You always seem so much wiser and calmer and more collected and appreciative of everything and everyone.   Can't wait to see how much joy and fabulousness you are going to experience this challenge *hugs*

 

Aaaah, I'm not really worried about the 42 so much and yes, I do often still feel like a sping chicken, even though I should probably face it at some stage, that I'm not entirely any more, but I don't really bother too much about shoulds either

No, the "Don't Panic" meme showed up when looking for memes from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and considering how much I panicked about other things over the last weeks I considered it a helpful reminder to include  the whole thing is just perfect for me right now and helping me take myself less seriously again.

 

And yes, you are so right, 40 and onwards is actually awesome! We just become more and more ourselves, don't we

Awww thank you, that is a very kind thing to say! Appreciation is a big part of me, yes, I love easily and stubbornly and loyally and insist on the naive belief that people are good  With you guys it always gets confirmed too, so it's also your fault for keeping me going this way *blowing a cheerful kiss

 

YESSSSSSS joy and fabulousness it shall be, thank you!

 

 

[lucky fire dragon]

Week Zero Day 1

 

1) re-read hitchhiker's guide 

just the intro in between setting up the challenge 

 

2) Get familiar with navigation in spaccccccccccce

DONE - reconditioning the body to a new mind

 

3) Get fluid in languages

2 solid hours maths with my girl and she wants us to do it more often (well she wanted it then as today was her test, but I'm not sure she'll remember that wish in a few days still  ) anyway it went really well, I can see her improving and I hope it's enough to get her through for now and yes, we will have to do it more often because as she gets better they proceed to more complex calculations and she is in general still too insecure and slow to cope then.

 

translating hubby's book 3 and a half pages which got me to the stated 42 and I only noticed the irony of it afterwards.... coincidence???!

 

 

4) Go FLY

not yet

 

 

5) Random movement points

not that day.

 

 

Week Zero Day 2

 

1) re-read hitchhiker's guide 

not today

 

2) Get familiar with navigation in spaccccccccccce

DONE - tuning into new potentials

 

3) Get fluid in languages

ugh done - testing my boy on his learning about recent wars, now that they are finally done with the old wars.... can't they teach history a bit more diverse than that?! Meh

 

translating hubby's book not today

 

4) Go FLY

YEP  first move is up on our Pole PvP and I played for about 30-40 minutes with various spins and floor moves. The basement is cold and I didn't feel like shorts just yet, so no climbing yet. Still very happy with having started somewhat.

 

@Mad Hatter if it's any comfort I had to vaccuum the floor first as I hadn't been in that room for so long my hands came up black from the first floor move  the struggle is real

 

 

5) Random movement points

1 MP

it's a start

 

[Akura]

9 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

2 solid hours maths with my girl

 

How old is she?

[lucky fire dragon]

she's just turned 12 so 2 hours is a long time for her but doable and we worked together on her tasks so it was with a lot of communication. Until later when I pointed out how she just solved a task all by herself and she didn't believe me, so I clamped my mouth shut with both hands in order to keep quiet while she did the next one and she gave me very funny looks on that

But she did it! Next one as well. She's just really slow still and during the actual test at school couldn't finish all the tasks because of running out of time... grammar school is tough

 

Languages come easy for her and most other subjects are fine too, it's just maths

[lucky fire dragon]

oh man, I just came across an old pole training video - I want that strength baaaaaaaaack!!

 

 

2 years ago, I was so strong then!

 

Might have to try out where I am on these exercises now, but might not wanna share current state

 

[Mad Hatter]

You'll get there again!  

[lucky fire dragon]

browsing through my old challenges (while I should probably be working, but who cares, it's actually giving me a great boost right now and the day is long still)

 

want to bring this one in again as a reminder for proper self-love

 

 

22 minutes ago, Mad Hatter said:

You'll get there again!  

 

thanks! Determination is growing for sure

 

 

[Akura]

1 hour ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Until later when I pointed out how she just solved a task all by herself and she didn't believe me, so I clamped my mouth shut with both hands in order to keep quiet while she did the next one [...] But she did it! Next one as well.

 

Yeah... That's a common phenomenon, especially in math.

[lucky fire dragon]

16 minutes ago, Akura said:

 

Yeah... That's a common phenomenon, especially in math.

 

Thanks for the soothing

 

another thing is she says that at home with me at her side she can understand the stuff and think of it, but at school on her own she can't remember how we did what. But I think that could be solved by more practice surely?

Like hardwiring those networks at home until they click in at school... what do you think?

 

Are you a maths teacher by any chance

 

[@mu]

2 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Might have to try out where I am on these exercises now, but might not wanna share current state

 

aaah the nostalgia but look, you know you can do it at least! I'm sure it will come back if you decide to re-prioritize.

 

11 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Are you a maths teacher by any chance

 

my father is  a retired math teacher. I wouldn't recommend him though, he has very poor desk-side manners and is horribly sarcastic

 

12 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

another thing is she says that at home with me at her side she can understand the stuff and think of it, but at school on her own she can't remember how we did what. But I think that could be solved by more practice surely?

 

Yes, if she can't remember, it probably means that she has not "internalized" the solution yet or has a sort of mental block ("I can't do it").

[lucky fire dragon]

4 minutes ago, @mu said:

 

aaah the nostalgia but look, you know you can do it at least! I'm sure it will come back if you decide to re-prioritize.

 

well, still need to see if I can

 

4 minutes ago, @mu said:

 

my father is  a retired math teacher. I wouldn't recommend him though, he has very poor desk-side manners and is horribly sarcastic

 

oh no! Mine is a retired teacher too, for nearly all subjects as he was the main teacher for 5th and 6th grade in the branch where they have one main teacher and only religion, sports, music and arts by someone else. He was second head master, too, and he still has this really stern attitude when it comes to school, so I'm keeping my kids schooling a bit away from his business  we share their victories with him and that he enjoys  

 

4 minutes ago, @mu said:

 

Yes, if she can't remember, it probably means that she has not "internalized" the solution yet or has a sort of mental block ("I can't do it").

 

exactly. Which is why I think sitting quietly next to her was a good step in the right direction. 

[Akura]

26 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

another thing is she says that at home with me at her side she can understand the stuff and think of it, but at school on her own she can't remember how we did what. But I think that could be solved by more practice surely?

Like hardwiring those networks at home until they click in at school... what do you think?

 

Yes and no. Sure, more practise will always lead to improvement. But I have seen many students, especially in the age range of 11--16, that solve dozens of tasks perfectly and have forgotten everything the next day. Then, they have to relearn it from the beginning. And it seems totally random when this effect occurs.

 

In my experience, doing many low-key exercises spread over the day helps a lot to make children and teenagers get comfortable with the fundamentals. (I.e. "greasing the groove".)

For example, when the topic is "fractions" then you could ask her during breakfast "What is 2/5 of 10?" and similar questions for about five minutes. Then again when she comes home from school and again at night before going to bed.

This is very slow, but effective.

 

Another strategy is for you to act as stupid as possible and let her explain everything to you. Basically, whenever she answers something you ask "But why?" (Basically the Socratic Method...)

 

The problem is that for kids who have problems in mathematics these problems developed over years starting in elementary schools. And without a lot of effort it takes years again to correct it.

In the end it always boils down to practise, practise and practise. But you have to find out which practise method works best. (It's exactly the same as working out and dieting.)

 

 

26 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Are you a maths teacher by any chance

 

More or less. I studied mathematics and gave a lot of private lessons during the last 13 years. And in the last three years I developed an interactive school book for iPads as part of my PHD. And I teach a lot of first semester courses at my university.

[lucky fire dragon]

2 minutes ago, Akura said:

 

Yes and no. Sure, more practise will always lead to improvement. But I have seen many students, especially in the age range of 11--16, that solve dozens of tasks perfectly and have forgotten everything the next day. Then, they have to relearn it from the beginning. And it seems totally random when this effect occurs.

 

This is such a strange phenomenon  but yes my boy had that in maths often. It got better as he grew older, he's 15 now and still struggles with maths but the things he understood stick a bit better then in the past.

 

2 minutes ago, Akura said:

 

In my experience, doing many low-key exercises spread over the day helps a lot to make children and teenagers get comfortable with the fundamentals. (I.e. "greasing the groove".)

For example, when the topic is "fractions" then you could ask her during breakfast "What is 2/5 of 10?" and similar questions for about five minutes. Then again when she comes home from school and again at night before going to bed.

This is very slow, but effective.

 

That makes a lot of sense. I started asking her the main formulas they use in geometry at the moment throughout the day. Never thought of actual calculations - thank you!

2 minutes ago, Akura said:

 

Another strategy is for you to act as stupid as possible and let her explain everything to you. Basically, whenever she answers something you ask "But why?" (Basically the Socratic Method...)

 

 yes, good idea! She is slowly getting there, which is why it was such a win for her to solve things by herself. Usually she is the one asking "why?" or mostly "how?" as with many tasks she feels overwhelmed still.

 

2 minutes ago, Akura said:

 

The problem is that for kids who have problems in mathematics these problems developed over years starting in elementary schools. And without a lot of effort it takes years again to correct it.

In the end it always boils down to practise, practise and practise. But you have to find out which practise method works best. (It's exactly the same as working out and dieting.)

 

sigh, isn't it just.

 

Thank you!!! This makes a lot of sense

[Ann of Owlshire]

1 hour ago, lucky fire dragon said:

another thing is she says that at home with me at her side she can understand the stuff and think of it, but at school on her own she can't remember how we did what. But I think that could be solved by more practice surely?

 

Is she easily overstimulated? I ask because I struggle a lot with learning how to play new complex games or to solve puzzles in a group setting, but I'm fine if it's just me or a trusted companion in a quieter setting. 

 

(This may not hold true for all things, either. For example, my favorite writing spots are bustling, noisy cafes. But try to teach me a board game in one of those? It'll be torture.)

[lucky fire dragon]

2 hours ago, Ann of Vries said:

 

Is she easily overstimulated? I ask because I struggle a lot with learning how to play new complex games or to solve puzzles in a group setting, but I'm fine if it's just me or a trusted companion in a quieter setting. 

 

(This may not hold true for all things, either. For example, my favorite writing spots are bustling, noisy cafes. But try to teach me a board game in one of those? It'll be torture.)

 

distraction could be a factor at school as easily as at home (where there are so many other things tempting to be done, but that is a different story) but I don't think it's that, no. I think the teacher explains either too fast for her or too little or in a way that she doesn't get, because often it is really a lack of understanding what is being asked and how to approach it.

Once I go through it with her and look with her in her school book where the explanations are all there, she gets it and it's easier.

Without regular repetition she does then forget again though, like Akura was saying. Like when there are big numbers to be multiplied and she makes a side note for that, the first time she might have to ponder first how to do that again, the following times, she did it quicker and quicker.

 

A big part seems to be a lack of confidence by now as well. The teacher keeps telling them that "the dreamers" (aka those who aren't fast enough) aren't fit to go to grammar school and should rather go elsewhere, so she is now scared she is not "fit" for her school, which is nonsense. My boy would be lost at grammar school, yes, he'd be totally in the wrong place, but she isn't. She loves reading and learning in general, likes assembling presentations on books or biology things, she loves art and music both for which her school in particular has good offers and most importantly she feels at home there (apart from maths lessons)

 

I think, once she gets her test from this week back, I'll make a photocopy and let her do all the tasks anew with more time and as little help as possible in order for her to gain the tangible experience of "I can do this" and otherwise keep working with an extra training book which has nifty explanations along with the solutions.

 

Thanks for pondering it all with me! 

[annyshay]

On 4/17/2018 at 1:39 AM, Ann of Vries said:

 

(Following because you always had nice things to say to Annyshay so I checked out your thread ^_^)

You are both darling lights in my nerd fitness atmosphere. I am glad you have met! Shine on!

 

15 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Oh, that is nice, thank you   it's so easy to say nice things to Annyshay though, isn't it, she's a bomb 

*aggressive Irish blushing*

 

3 hours ago, @mu said:

my father is  a retired math teacher. I wouldn't recommend him though, he has very poor desk-side manners and is horribly sarcastic

This was always my FAVORITE kind of math teacher, but it came easily for me. Not as helpful for support.

 

36 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

 

Thanks for pondering it all with me! 

You're such an awesome mom.