Working on Italian

I just finished my third Italian lesson. I am not doing as well as I thought I would. I make stupid mistakes. I worry that I am not remembering things. And, during lesson three, the program made me go back and do parts of lessons one and two over again! I evidently don't pronounce everything as well as I should, although sometimes I think I am right and the program doesn't and sometimes I think I am wrong and the program thinks I am ok. So I am finding the whole process a bit difficult. Not surprising considering that I am a poor language learner anyway.

I really need to work on the Italian so that I can at least speak a little bit by the time we get to Venice. Presumably two weeks of intensive Italian there will help but I don't want to start at zero. Especially since I have actually taken a little Italian before. Not that I can say much besides hello, how are you, pleased to meet you, I am from Champaign, etc. Even some of that kind of conversation has been deserting me and the French tends to take over as I get nervous.

I am also still thinking about Ryan Air and our luggage. I think we will have to check our bags and carry on the CPAP machines. I really don't think we can put everything into our suitcases including the machines and still make the 10 kilo weight limit. I like think I pack lightly but I don't think I can do it. Especially if I have the catalog from the Charles the Bold exhibit with me.


We may have found someone to take care of the cats. It is not a sure thing, but a possibility. I hope to know soon so if it won't work out we can pursue other avenues. It gets harder and harder to find a housesitter when we go away.

I was hoping to get a little more cycling in this week but I am not sure at the moment. There is supposed to be a ride tomorrow night but the weather is looking less favorable than it was. We are also supposed to have a GITAP planning meeting afterwards. We may move that up if it rains. There is also supposed to be a moonlight ride Friday night but even if there is a full moon, it looks as if it will be mostly cloudy, which means too dark to ride, at least for me.

Tomorrow my study group meets and I have a feeling not many people are going to be there. I have already heard from several people who aren't coming. Still, we will see what happens. I do need to make sure I have a volunteer or two for the following week.

All things considered, I am starting to feel as if I am finally starting to get some things accomplished. I really do have to stop procrastinating, work on projects, and figure out what is really important and what is not so important. I am looking for a way to feel happy. Not in the sense of a crazy joyousness but just feeling at peace with myself. I need to get over the idea, which I have always had, that I have to keep making people pay attention to me as a scholar or teacher or whatever, so that I feel as if I get some respect. But now I sound like Henny Youngman, and who would want to do that!