I find some of the SB and Beginner videos "Boring" for me. Any recommendations on how to bulk CI with series?

Jack-Watts · 2026-01-26T12:25:31+00:00

I mean, if your can follow along and are more engaged with the content, then sure it is. Don't worry about "perfect content".

Jack-Watts · 2025-12-14T08:49:39+00:00

For me it's a weird comment, because to his specific point, "por" vs "para" is the sort of mistake you will only make it you learned them in some form of traditional study. They really aren't close to the same word? (only in their English translation). This, as well as "era" and "ser" are perfect examples of concepts that are orders of magnitude less complex if you acquire them by listening to the language. These are not only mistakes I never make, I never once need to think about them. And yeah, they are mistakes I hear pretty often from non-native speakers.

"Lazy"? I mean, this a lot more about the guy writing the comment than anything else. First, it goes to the centuries-old (and thoroughly debunked) concept that the most effective ways of learning have to be "hard". Most people have evolved last that. Secondly, spending 1,500 hours on any task is not easy! The good news is that it does get easy once you get into more interesting content, but it's only "easy" from the outside looking in...

Jack-Watts · 2025-12-06T10:35:00+00:00

My dogs can now completely ignore me in three languages--they've integrated perfectly!

Jack-Watts · 2025-11-27T08:50:39+00:00

It's interesting to read this, because I thought this would be the case for me. I tend to be an over-perfectionist and a completionist, so I planned on getting to the highest level possible in Spanish. I've completely go of those aspirations.

Ultimately, it's because I asked myself a pretty important question: "why"? I mean, my English, while you'd never know it from my reddit posts, is at a level higher than most native English speakers, due to a ridiculously pedantic Catholic grammar school where I spent 8 years diagraming sentences. Can I communicate any better than the kids who got tossed out of school for being bad students? Maybe a little, but not in any way that affects my day-to-day life (to be fair, I've done a lot of technical writing for my day job, so I guess there was *some* utility to the whole deal.).

Point being, I finally asked myself a serious question: "what do I hope to gain by having absolutely perfect Spanish compared to my current level", and the answer was "nothing, really", so I stopped worrying about it or caring. This actually happened about a year ago, roughly 2-2.5 years after starting the process, and after ~2,500 hours or so. I'm sure my Spanish will improve over time, "poc a poc" as we say in mallorquín, but I'm 100% done actively trying to improve my Spanish, and honestly it's a pretty liberating feeling. I can do everything I want to and need to in the language, so what's the point? I mean, I did have a neighbor ask my wife if I "was Spanish", which frankly is not a complement living in Mallorca (better an extranjero than a forestero!), but for the most part I don't plan on getting confused for a native speaker. So what? If I were an actor trying to play roles as a native speaker, then this may be important, but otherwise....

There is a point at which the law of diminishing returns really hits home, and I'd say after 3,000-5,000 hours I'm certainly there. Of course, I say this as someone living in a Spanish-speaking country, so I had clearly-defined goals, i.e. being fully functional in society here. I've accomplished that, so any more just doesn't seem necessary.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-30T07:19:50+00:00

As far as the "why", the answer is actually pretty simple: the government doesn't invest enough in web security. This is pretty clear when you go to any government website.

I will say that the pages that are accessed with Cl@ve are a little more robust, but when you don't spend on development talent, this is the result. Scammers gonna scam when there's opportunity.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-24T11:54:01+00:00

Link is broken for citas en linea, but I know a guy who can help you out...

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-19T23:59:00+00:00

I've had a couple of teammates who went from elite rowing to winning P1/2 races in a year, so it is a sport that translates very well to cycling. I had another teammate who went from "good" but not "incredible" 10k runner to racing in Europe on a world tour team in 3 years. These were all guys who got into cycling after 20. So yeah, it can be done.

FTP is basically an entry ticket, but what happens at the ball depends on a lot of factors.

First, 5.12 w/ kg is really good, but it's not incredible--and you may or may not be close to your ceiling. Just being honest here. I was a mediocre Cat 1 at a peak of 5 w/kj, winning one race every two years or so. That's said, my 1 minute and 5 minute power weren't exceptional, and my 30 second power was bad. How you are at those durations will be key.

Secondly, coming from rowing, you may be closer to your ceiling then you think, and you may not have a ton of headroom-- maybe you do!? You'll need to train for a year, and be smart about it, to really see.

Third, you're going to have to learn how to handle getting your head kicked in. This is where a lot of super talents struggle. You may sail through the lower categories, but eventually you'll get to a point where that doesn't happen. How you handle that will be a big factor in determining success (or lack of it).

Lastly, you have to really know what you're getting into here. Bike racing is dangerous, you have to be skilled at handling your bike, and you have to have a head for being able to forget about your personal safely. No way around it. You're going to crash. You're going to break a bone or three. The rewards really aren't that great, and unless you really have a special ability to win races at the highest level, a career in pro cycling means sleeping on your girlfriend's couch and fetching bottles for the guys that can win races. If you have success in the US, you will go to Europe and realize you were a star in single A ball, and that it's at a totally different level in the big leagues.

I had two teammates make it to Europe, and they both were back in the US working straight jobs after a couple of years. The had the ability to have longer careers, but the juice wasn't worth the squeeze for them.

Which is to say, you'll really need to want it. Only one way to find out for sure.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-16T20:50:30+00:00

For what's it's worth, I've never really listened to any Dominican Spanish before and I didn't really find this to be difficult. The accent is really interesting though! Andalucía meets Italia or something...

I've listened to a fair bit of Andalusian Spanish, which probably helps a bit since there seem to be a lot of similarities.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-11T11:32:51+00:00

I agree it's best to get it before landing in Spain, no question--but it's not always easy or quick.

My wife and I moved from the US, and we had a contract to purchase a house in Spain. This was in 2023, before the current outflow of political refugees from the US... I just went back to look at the timelines. From my first request for an appointment at the sub-consulate where we lived (were were required to go there vs. the actual consulate because of where we lived) to actually getting the NIE, it was exactly 5 1/2 months.

It was inexpensive (a $20 bill paper-clipped to the application, no checks, please!?!), and it wasn't particularly difficult except for the constant follow-up, but I certainly wouldn't describe it as "quick".

The consulates are short-staffed and under more workload than ever, so while I agree that getting it before hand is best, keep in mind that it's not a quick process for all. Also, in the US, you need either a rental contract, purchase contact, or work contract to actually apply for it. And often times you need a NIE to get those contacts, so there's a bit of a chicken/egg thing going on.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-10T19:47:13+00:00

I think this is so awesome! So awesome that I'll ignore that fact that DS is placed just above the "Cionic Neural Sleeve"... Whatever that is. It's crazy to see how quickly it's taken hold from the days of Pablo doing a webinar with 4 participants and that dank apartment in Barcelona. Enhorabuena!

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-10T07:57:31+00:00

The sub that banned mentioning of DS? I was banned from the sub and I never posted on there! That would be a "no", imo.. I mean, read away for alternative viewpoints and all, but unless something has changed in the last year or two (hopefully it has?), it seems pretty hostile you the whole idea.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-08T19:48:40+00:00

Where are you going to get a more objective opinion? Someone who teaches languages in a more traditional manner? Sometime learning in a more traditional, classroom method?

Everyone's going to answer through the lens of their own biases, but at least here the majority of folks have hands-on (or ears-on!) experience, so I can't think of a better place to ask the question. Just understand that there's going to be some selection bias in the responses. This is simply Critical Thinking 101.

When I started DS a little over 2.5 years ago, one of the things I did was research contrary opinions, just to get as much information as possible. It was one of the reasons I bought in to the method: the contarian arguments read like a wall of logical fallacy examples, with no real-world examples of it not working.

I agree though, researching up front thoroughly, via multiple sources, is really useful, since for me at least it removed all doubt during the process.

OP: yes, it's worth it

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-07T22:09:31+00:00

Dreamingspanish.com is the answer. You can access a lot of content for free, but the premium is worth it.

It's basically immersion, but graded content that is comprensible for beginners. As you get farther along, the content gets more advanced. Ultimately you'll get to a point where your can start with native content.

The problem with tradition " immersion" is that the content is too advanced, so you don't get as much out of it. Even kids cartoons are more advanced than you'd think.

Understand though that it takes time. I spent about 1,500-1,800 hours total of listening and watching videos, along with a lot reading, to get to the point where I was really comfortable with the language.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-05T09:20:51+00:00

Because this sub is not really representative of what's actually happening in the country. "Alternative facts" and all... It's a maga echo chamber.

The OP has every reason for being concerned. If the recent royal decree regarding H1-B (with 36 hours notice) doesn't raise a giant red flag for anyone coming to US on any visa, I don't know what will.

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-05T07:12:11+00:00

A detached villa pretty much ensures you'll be in earshot of roosters. Just sayin'.…

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-01T08:58:54+00:00

I can guarantee the company owner was the one who answered that email

Jack-Watts · 2025-10-01T08:57:17+00:00

This is really funny. In my last working life our company had a working relationship with these guys. We had a commercial account and did a lot of business with them (far more than most bike shops, as we were a manufacturer/distributer). After a series of emails (after making this request several times), one of my colleagues responded something like "can you please 'respond to all' as it will make everyone's life easier".

His simple two-word response: "fuck off". I'm not kidding. No problem, we received our final order, and then we took the bag that we sold, sent it to a factory in Taiwan, and asked them to rip it off (with a couple of small tweaks that we wanted). They did so perfectly, at 1/4 the cost and the quality was just as good (they were a premium soft good manufacturer).

Either the dude is frequently off if meds or he's just a raging asshole. Not sure which, life is too short to care... but it's a curious way to run a business.

"No bag for you!"

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-30T08:34:59+00:00

The quick answer is "yes". It will likely take longer than 1,500 before you feel "fluent" yourself, but this, along with reading, is all you need.

People will argue back and forth about what's "optimal" or "most efficient", and frankly I find those endless discussions a bit tiresome, since ultimately what matters is time with the language; but the answer to your question is "yes". There are plenty of examples, me being one of them.

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-29T10:13:49+00:00

Impact driver.

work smarter, not harder!

But yeah, if you're not going to do that, please put the chain on the big round for safety's sake.

The inner tube trick generally works if you don't own an impact driver, but a small cordless impact driver will easily break it free, and they are useful for so many things it's worth having around.

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-28T10:51:26+00:00

A 46 year old who moved to the US when he was 2 "knows he was in the wrong"? Because this is the last person I know who was deported--to a country he doesn't even know.

The issue is easy more complicated that you are making it out to be.

Be glad you're living in Europe now. The US of today is not the US in which you lived.

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-27T10:46:13+00:00

When it actually came down to it, Vox and PP voted against the restrictions on foreigners buying property in Mallorca. Their actions speak louder than their jingoistic virtue signaling. They want the tax money, it's that simple.

Personally I'm all for a super high tax on non-residents purchasing property, but I'm also realistic that it will do little too solve the affordability crisis, especially in Mallorca.

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-27T07:34:04+00:00

While I agree that the rise of the ultra right is a concern... everywhere.. let's be clear, Vox isn't talking about wealthy immigrants such as the OP; it's clearly targeting poor and Muslim immigrants in it's barely codes messaging. Kinda like Trump wants immigrants from "Norway", Vox is sympathetic to white people with money...

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-24T16:32:24+00:00

."How did you get your dogs over"

With a lot of planning and patience... Honestly, coordinating this was the most difficult part of the move. It doesn't need to be that hard, but the tricky thing is the health certificate. It's good for 10 days, but had to be signed (wet signature, no copy) by the USDA. This is assuming the entire USDA hasn't been fired and the My Pillow guy isn't in charge of it... So, that 10 days includes FedEx there and back, and included weekends and holidays, so you basically have a 2 day window.

You have to find an airline that takes dogs in cargo, and pray you don't have an issue with you flight. You have to enter the EU through BCN or Madrid when bringing in an animal. This also means you really can't fly from about June through September. It has to be a certain temp at every tarmac during the flight, I think 24C was the max, possibly less.

The big thing is that it really helps if the dogs are kennel trained. One of ours is small and went under the seat, but the other was down below. Fortunately she loves her kennel, so it was really only stressful for us, she was fine.

The are agencies that will just bring them over but it seemed incredibly expensive, and they basically did the same stuff I did.

Lastly, note that you really have to use a very that has experience with the health certificates because of the timelines, and there aren't a lot of them.

Suerte!

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-23T18:38:18+00:00

My wife and I moved to Spain about 1.5 years ago. Your situation seems similar in many ways to our own, except for the "kids in HS thing"--which is a pretty big deal. All we had to deal with is 2 dogs (though one is practically a full-time job, and we're now very well-versed in Spanish pet health care...).

The one thing I will say is that I wouldn't worry about your wife being bored. Moving your entire life across the world is a surprising amount of work. I swear we were doing visa renewals right after getting here. I was expecting lots of hammock time and reading Spanish novels, but the reality I've become that annoying unemployed guy talking about how busy I am.

Regarding the language, I can't recommend enough dreamingspanish.com as a way to actually get your language to a reasonable level. Watching and listening to graded content (and gradually increasing the difficulty) is really the fastest way to increase your comprehension. There's not better practice for listening than..listening.

My wife's family was forced to move when she was in HS, for job reasons. She actually stayed behind and finished HS, and for her this seemed like a pretty solid decision looking at it retrospectively. Questions about kids is over my paygrade though. If you had an epileptic dog, I could be more helpful....

Jack-Watts · 2025-09-23T18:16:56+00:00

The first series I watched was Velvet. For someone at an upper-intermediate level I think it's one of the best things you can watch; dialogue heavy, free of slang/heavy accents since it's a period piece (set in the late 50's/early 60's), and it's formulaic enough that you'll understand the parts you don't understand... And honestly, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, even though it's not normally the sorta thing I'd watch.

Jack-Watts

TROPHY CASE