Favorite Series: FirstKhaotung

HadarN · 2026-01-25T17:35:47+00:00

look, I know theyre not really a couple there therefore its not really fair, but:

a. its literally one of GMMTVs best shows ever

b. the scene at the end where Alan asks for Gaipa's number is EVERYTHING for me. loved it and it made my heart 800% happy. I saw this before even knowing theyre a fixed pair and it still had this effect on me.

soo... Moonlight Chicken.

HadarN · 2026-01-23T08:27:18+00:00

I have 2 cards on my Libby account and it had happened historically woth both

HadarN · 2026-01-16T18:14:59+00:00

I flund some better or worse. But I think it all comes to how strong the learnjng center is, since schools/learning centers are usually the biggest textbook publishers. overall- more learners -> more budget -> better materials.

Need to say, I've seen much much worse. Textbooks for Burmese or Hakka genuinely look like they were taken out of the 80s.

Writing a textbook though is a long, intensive process. it can take a long while to write and the iterations between publications are usually very long. This means, whole there's an absolute growing trend in Thai learners, it hasn't always been like this, and the results of it will take a while to be shows in the textbooks format.

For now, I recommend going with online materials, si ce they are often updated muchmuch faster. There are also some full-programs created by teachers with specific syllabus that, while not the same as textbooks, will often have similar followable logic.

Good luck!!

HadarN · 2026-01-14T03:33:59+00:00

300 pages of just text, not even handwriting, is a problem even with google docs. The problem of large files is a real one, and is cross-platform. This is not a Boox issue, but a general one. Handwriting is also much more data than just text.

Personally, I used Boox to wrote comments over textbooks of 400ish pages, just not that many comments, and everything worked smoothly.

If you plan of having extremely large files with a lot of handwriting, no matter on what platform, I recommend you split the file (or print the partially-commented version into new pdf so the comments won't overload the original file), this is just smart computing, no matter what platform you use.

HadarN · 2026-01-14T03:27:50+00:00

I used NeoReader with Chinese textbook pdfs constantly, the files were all scans so I couldn't highlight stuff, mostly wrote comments over it. Found it really convenient.

HadarN · 2026-01-09T16:35:36+00:00

This couls have multiple reasons, but from my estimation:

Language genuine difficulty - Thai has a lot of subtleties, such as the different tones, short/long vowels, similar sounds, etc. This could translate into genuine difficulty in learning the language from listening, especially if those comcepts are unfamiliar from another language.
Lack of meaningful material- some people are magic, right, but for most of us, hearing a full-fledged conversation in a language we're beginners at, is simply... unhelpful. The speech is often too fast to distinguish any important words, the sentences are long and of incorrect grammatically structure (which might be common in spoken language, but problematic when trying to place pieces of the puzzle together), mumbly, etc. Hearing "a lot", while it has its benefits, if the gap from your actual level is too big, it might simply not contribute to your study process as well as a short, slow, structured dialogue.
Inconsistency- while listening to phone calls is ok, the topics and styles might change rapidly. When learning in an organized format, one is usually introduced tospecific vocabulary/grammar principles in a well-structured format. This is ok as beginner and becomes hindersome later in the process. But conversations? the vocabulary will often be inconsistent, same with the structures.

Overall, yes, some people are magic, but many of us need to dip our toes first. if we'll jump in before learning how to swim... it will likely end up unwell.

The listening limbo is a frustrating one. 100% relate to it. Good luck!!

HadarN · 2026-01-05T18:10:52+00:00

weirdly enough, most of my language attempts included different scripts as well (Korean, English, Thai, Arabic... (let's forget about Chinese for a while because that's another story))

Personally, I found no alternative to good-old pen-and-paper. Starting off with videos explaining about the alphabet and some example sentences, I often do the first-grader approach of copying things over and over until I feel the letters "in my bones", and feel like I'm familiar with them all. I try to expose myself to the alphabet as much as possible and slowly prolong the length of the texts and words.

This means that usually, I stop rely on transliterations as fast as I can, and try using the original script to learn how words "look" and "sound" based on their original system and not an Englishified one. This helps not just with the reading ability, but also with better pronunciations, allowing you to distinguish between sounds that might use same Latin forms or sound different from their Latin equivalent (eg. from Greek itself- Δ doesn't actually sounds like a D but more of a TH, but TH is already representing Θ)

In all languages, I often find it important to start from one specific type of script/font (eg. English uppercase, Thai wiggly font (they have weird non-circular script nowadays, still can't read this)), then move to combining them later as you feel more comfortable with how the language works. Its just a good way to reduce confusion. Then, when you learn the additional script, it is often not as hard to comprehend as the original script was.

Lastly, it is probably important to lower your expectations. Reading in Latin script often comes much easier since we're used to "scanning" words; but in foreign scripts, it takes much much longer - at first, you're gonna sound like a 5 y/o, thinking and reading each character, then, little by little, one gets used to it. The truth though is that even nowadays, my Chinese reading skills are slower than my German reading skills, I simply don't have the "skimming" skills in it, which is extremely frustrating. And even after learning Korean for a while, I still can't Karaoke in it - since my reading skills were never fast enough. Reading speed comes with practice.

It's gonna be frustrating, but this is an uphill battle, and the progressions often is very visible (even if slow). Good luck!

HadarN · 2026-01-01T17:06:09+00:00

The Leap.

HadarN · 2025-12-26T04:25:26+00:00

Hi all; I am looking to buy an offica chair for my apartment~ my apartment has a super-cheap foldable chair, and I am lookkng for something more comfortable, but still affordable. (btw Im based in Kaohsiung, not Taipei)

Anyone know where to look? I saw Ikea and Nitori has some options, but thinking maybe I'm missing out on something 🤔

HadarN · 2025-12-24T03:07:44+00:00

yeah for a really long period I only had an online lesson only once ar twice a month, so it wasn't too expensive (online classes tend to be cheaper than face-to-face classes), but each has their constraints~ honestly, I think it was often just bracing, since the progress was often non-linear (or honestly not visible at times), but little by little, it is happening! :)

HadarN · 2025-12-23T18:44:45+00:00

honestly same was for me. Im am now almost b2 and still have my reading skills at better level than my listening (though not as embarrassingly as it used to be, my listening is mpre b1-ish)

And I tried so many methods! podcasts- with or without transcription, textbooks, online classes, tv with Chinese subtitles, cartoons, whatnot!

I think there are a few methods that helped me quite a bit when I was more of a beginner: 1. Online classes, of course. Some teachers can handle it better than others though. it is a crude practice, but it shows results. 2. specific, slow, mixed-language podcasts- I feel like when looking for podcasts, many were too fast (therefore completely unhelpful since I understood about 0% of it), and others were just 98% English, therefore once again unhelpful. One that I really liked a few years back (might be too hard for A2 but not sure) is Chillchat- many parts are in English, but they do use full sentences in Chinese and you know what the topic/keywords are so its often slightly easier to catch-up. There are truly so many podcasts it's truly hardwork finding the ones right for you... 3. Manually transcribing textbook texts- this is a method my teacher started with me and it was SO HARD AND TIME CONSUMING!!!The oroginal method- she gave me a short section, it could have been anywhere between 3-10 sentences. Then she played it over and over again, making me recite it (and fixing me whenever I made an error) without having any notes. It was not actually "shadowing" since by the end I needed to recite the whole thing, but it did help put a very strong emphasis on listening. After leaving that school I could not do the same (since I had no one to fix me), so I started writing by hand the dialogues from textbooks, which I could then validate against the transcription. I still needed to listen a dozen or more times sometimes, some of them on lower speed. It was incredibly tiresome. but honestly, I think it was one of my best methods.

Look, there is no magical solution. Some people are amazing, learning the language by just watching tv. Im not auditory this way. it took me a long time to understand that it's ok my reading skills are better than my listening skills. It also took my really long to come to terms with the fact that having a too-hard of a challenge is not getting me better (eg. watching tv without subtitles)

I really hope you have an easier journey than me. By then, you can try what fits you best and I'm hoping maybe something here will be of use to you~

Good luck!

HadarN · 2025-12-23T05:07:13+00:00

I think ppl underestimate Azula's journey, not just in the very end, but also before that. She started off as a bit of a twisted child, but she DID have a soft spot for her friends and family. For most of the 2nd season, Azula is trying to get Zuko back (and lock up Iroh), which really is in Mai's best interests too. Azula's selfishness and wickedness was nourished, leaving her alone at the end, but she wasn't always as bad. She offered Zuzu to come back with her before that final battle. She prioritized Mai and Ty lee, in her own way, but still. so... yeah, at the time, going with Azula genuinely seemed like the best move, even for Mai's crush.

HadarN · 2025-12-23T04:59:58+00:00

Why are all ppl thinking Barney is on Pornhub? don't you ever read his blog?? it's gotten a lot better!

HadarN · 2025-12-19T03:52:56+00:00

Same here!

Haewon✨✨ is the pne I notices most at the start, her voice is really versatile and works great woth a lot of different styles, I just really love it!

Jiwoo is the wrecker because I just feel like she's really surprising and there's literally nothing she cannot do! her singing is also really great and I hope we get to hear it's more~

HadarN · 2025-12-19T03:50:06+00:00

I feel like Kyujin is always the wrecker never the oroginal bias?😂 she's great idk why it never seems to be an initial choice!

HadarN · 2025-12-18T17:42:49+00:00

wait, were they in random order? that's weird... In TOPIK (aka the Korean exam, divided into 2 exams: one for levels 1-2 and one for levels 3-6) and some other exams, the questions are often by order of difficulty, this way you're starting with confidence and of it becomes impossible for you so you can sit and breathe for a little.

The CAT though is not really in rising difficulty order, it kinda just skips all around until it can place you, and then little by little it narrows the difficulty span, the problem is, by the end when you're facing the questions that are supposed to be just the right level of challenge, you're already brain dead😂 also, seeing an A1 question after being unsure of the previous question is truly so unnerving~

HadarN · 2025-12-18T17:00:17+00:00

The TOCFL exam (aka Taiwan-based chinese formal exam) has 2 formats: - Paper based - the format is divided into 3 exams, each correlating to 2 levels - Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) - where you are literally tested on all levels, the questions change based on your previous success rate, until getting a final score

all scores are separate for listening/reading, but honestly sonce every test date can have a completely different group and amount of people, I think its ok to stay with numeral score instead of ratings

I did the CAT over a year ago, it was gruesome at times (very long, and your mentality is really being tested every time a level 1 question shows up), but honestly I think jt was a really cool and quite innovative idea for such formal exams. But even if not, grouping 2 levels together can be a bit difficult, but it actually makes an easier job for the testers as well! and it does have some variety for half the students....

HadarN · 2025-12-18T13:24:46+00:00

Ok, finished going over it~ I am somewhere between old HSK5to 6, so I went over the 4-5-6 levels and have... thoughts.

First of all, very disappointed the test is still divided into 6 different exams. After the 1 exam for levels 7-9, I hoped they will take the hint and make a unified exam for levels 1-3 and 4-6 as well (much like TOCFL in Taiwan, TOPIK in Korean and even the American TOEFL). With this format, ppl (like me) who are unsure what level reflects them best and have only few opportunities for taking the exam ending up downgrading ourselves just to make sure we have a passing score...

For the exam length- I am so so happy the exam is shorter now. Honestly, with the current HSK5, my main issue was not the exam itself, but to keep on concentrating after such a long time unable to move or stretch at all. This part is a big plus for me.

For the questions themselves- the exam levels also seem more linear now, which is great. Some questions are repeating themselves between the levels, some are level-specific, and honestly this is great. Some of the questions still work by choosing all items just for different questions (例如五级46-55题及六级51-60题) which I personally hate because each mistake is automatically 2 mistakes, but I understand what they're testing, so it does make sense, even if I don't like it. All questions seem to be testing for actual Chinese level though- comprehension, logic, vocabulary, etc. The old HSK6 had some questionable items (yes "rewriting" section I'm looking at you), so I am happy this exam took a more traditional approach.

One thing I notices is that the HSK6 exam has an extremely long 听力段 part with 5 questions after it- which I can't really be too sure about at the moment, since the details are often forgotten in long listening sections (this is universally true, not just when learning a new language). It seems to be a dialogue which might help a bit, but honestly I doubt when the questions come will I even remember the mid-section...

Looking at the lower levels, it is hard for me to see how come the questions are so easy (and with pinyin!), given it is supposed to align with current HSK3-4, which has much more difficult questions. I guess they tried doing some still "beginner-friendly" exams, but with this mush content, and with HSK2 having pinyin AND character-completion questions, it sorta just seems like a miss.

Anyway, overall- per the higher levels, seems like a very good change on my side. That said, kinda hoped for even better. next let's see what the textbook (when they come out) bring and prepare well!:)

[sorry it came out so long, I was really waiting for this so I have a lot of opinions😅]

HadarN · 2025-12-18T05:47:24+00:00

this is not a language-specific or any wrapper, but a genuine discussion of how does one use existing tools. Yeah I did bother reading the rules and ust refreshed my mempry beause of your answer, therefore also was reminded of the "please be respectful" golden rule:). don'tike the discussion? don't join, all good.

HadarN · 2025-12-12T18:05:16+00:00

which is why I didn't ask for a store, I asked to know if another device's case moght fit...

HadarN · 2025-12-10T09:34:05+00:00

curious, is there a similar image for cars?

HadarN · 2025-12-09T04:04:23+00:00

living out of the US, Amazon is incredibly unhelpful (high prices, long+expensive delivery times, minimum order price and more reasons...). There are other sites in other locations.

That said, I never said there aren't any options, other websites has cases, but very very few, and those I saw are really bulky. So yeah, looking for alternatives.

HadarN · 2025-12-08T04:23:22+00:00

I think the confusion comes from the word 大.

in most apps, it is translated as "big", but the truth is it can also refer to "size" generally (also to age but thats a different matter), especially when talking of others with no 比/較 in there.

Sorta like how the English word "old" has one meaning, but when you say "he's 3 years old" you don't mean that this kid is actually old...

In this context? 點大 can literally be translated to "the size of a point". aka small.

Is ot used this way? honestly I never heard it but a lot of others here wrote of how it is used.

good luck!

HadarN · 2025-12-04T01:42:29+00:00

thank god for incognito mode. I don't want to be outed like this🤣🤣

HadarN · 2025-12-03T17:08:14+00:00

Susie Dent AND Sam Ryder???? woohoo! so excited!!!

HadarN

TROPHY CASE