Things to learn while in lockdown

Good Morning everyone! For all you lovely people wishing to learn sign language, there is a set of magnetic alphabet signs you can buy from the deaf society, if I remember correctly, £3 perhaps £4! Really worthwhile! ? Good Luck with them! Stay safe everyone?

Pushing the languages. I’ve been learning Dutch and Portuguese for a while so have added German. I like Duolingo but Memrise is also good.
Practising the ukulele-we started a group last year and at last I have enough time for practice-I just need a bit more inclination!
Sign language is a lot to take on but finger spelling is easier. Try this: there’s a chart to learn the letters then a challenge game. www.british-sign.co.uk/fingerspelling-game/So far I’m losing against my GD who learnt it at brownies.

Funnily enough, re the mention of Russian, the other day I was looking at dd’s old Penguin Russian Course (she took it up at university) which is the exact same version I was given before starting a crash, one year course for O level at school. (To save time, we were told to complete the first 5 lessons during the summer holidays.)

I went on to do A level but such ages ago, the level of rust is extreme. I was thinking of revisiting the old Penguin course for a major brush up, not to mention some much-needed exercise for ze little grey cells, as Poirot calls them.

I’ve joined the self-isolation choir, they’re doing Handel’s Messiah as I wanted something a bit more challenging than Gareth Malone’s. I don’t read music and it’s soooo very difficult for me but I’m trying to persevere with it.

Great fun though!

Like others I am making use of Duo lingo to brush up on my French ( had passed A level many moons ago and now sadly a tad rusty!)
I am working from home so professional journals and websites too
I am in lockdown with one of my daughters and her 3 young children so the rest of my time is pretty tied up with child care and housekeeping. I have been designated the home school teacher for my 9 year old grandson and we are currently also working our way through 11+ work books.

Keeping a lockdown diary. So far it's not very interesting!

I am on lockdown in Greece and was already doing Greek in Dualingo, so have carried that on. I also bought a drawing course on Udemy as I have always wanted to learn to draw, so am doing half an hour a day of that. Not terribly proficient but never mind.

Together with a seven minute Tai Chi each day, Joe Wicks and a Zoom yoga class from my UK class each week, I should come out of this like Wonderwoman!!!

Polnan
You can buy a light weight, first entry, Ukuele from Ebay for about £18, including p and p.
My local Sue Ryder charity shop sells new ones and I often see them for as little as £1.00 in car boot sales, but, of course, no access to these at present.
I started to learn Uku just over three years ago. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.
So many friendly local Ukuele groups locally. I’ve now got three Ukueles and have taught myself how to play washboard, spoons and harmonica.
Go for it!!

Languages aren't my cup of tea. I learn how do get rid of red eyes in the pictures, the is a good free program for that, it is called Photodiva, and also I knit a lot. I did that before but then quit for some time. Good to get back to it!

Recently moved to Wales so trying to learn Welsh with Duolingo.
It is so hard though
Also have now got a garden after 12 years with just a back yard so enjoying that.

Learning to manage my herb garden (started last year).

I had the same thought and bought an online 'Spanish for beginners' course on Wowcher, It is supposed to be 3 min a day for a year - did three days, now get:
'This Course can not be taken. Contact Administrator.'
when I try to sign in!

I haven’t actually although in the past I have taken any number of the free, university created courses on Future Learn www.futurelearn.com/ which I can massively recommend

Oxford University Department of Continuing Education is good for short online courses www.conted.ox.ac.uk/ I've signed up for one starting on 20th April about Victorian literature. It involves reading 5 books including ones like 'Jane Eyre', 'The Mill on the Floss' etc. You do have to pay though and I'm hoping it will have finished before I have to get back to work!

Am facing up to resorting - and lots of shredding - of all the paperwork that went with dealing with my parents' affairs for Attorney and Executorship for many years. This gorgeous weather (ironic, isn't it) is really helping me to do a chunk or two every day. I decided that I really didn't want to leave it for my children to have to clear, and this is the very best chance I shall have.

Lovetopaint037, you're quite right about quality of watercolours. I tried out my new set of watercolour brush pens. Looked lovely when it first went on, but after they'd dried thoroughly, looked absolutely awful.

Apart from that, I'm taking an online botany course - about time I learned more about these gorgeous spring flowers I'm seeing on my walks.

And I've challenged myself to learn more about the Anglo-Saxons. Why, I've no idea, it just seemed to appeal.

Im taking on line Futurelearn courses. Mind you since I took my first about 15 months ago I have been hooked and I usually have at least two on the go - Id forgotten how much I enjoy learning stuff.

All sorts of subjects, hosted by universities and free unless you want to upgrade and get the certificste.

I got the water colours out yesterday & painted 2 Easter Chick cards for DGC. I haven't painted for months now & I really enjoyed it.
I have cleaned out half of the larder- the other half can wait until the weather is not so good.
Now if I was REALLY in the mood my wardrobe needs a good clear out but that is such a big task I keep putting it off off- it's not something you can start & then go back to. Once all those clothes are out we couldn't get into bed if it wasn't done in one session- don't even mention the shoes!!

Trying to master some of the trickier crochet and knitting stitches via YouTube. Doing my tapestry, trying out new recipes, going back to reread old favourite books - I don’t feel like a challenge there at present. Watching the brilliant National Theatre productions on YouTube as I can’t get to the theatre. Last night for One Man Two Guvnors tonight - watch it if you can!
Thank you for the info about the isolation choir, I must dig out my old copy - I know it’s around somewhere!

Doing a photobook for my son's bday in August.

Well, that's learning, isn't ? How to upload and creat a photobook ?

Been doing various courses with Future Learn,there are so many and they are all really good, and keep the mind active.

I started the same course.
Really enjoying it.

I did a free short course on Children's Literature with the OU and got a certificate for completing it and now I'm doing another course on edx.org about Fairy Tales. It's really interesting, it's linked to Newcastle University in Australia, but there are courses from Harvard, the Sorbonne and other worldwide universities. Again these are free, but you can choose to pay a small sum (actually it does vary in price) to have them verified.

MamaCaz, I did an online free photography course, it was called A year with my camera. It was brilliant and really explained things simply. An email used to come each Thursday with a lesson and what to work on in the coming week. I think you can start on the first Thursday of each month if I remember. You can buy the workbook that goes with it if you wish bit it is not necessary although I found it useful to look back on and keep as a handbook. If you google A year with my camera you should find it.