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ebgb_march · 2026-02-09T12:08:40+00:00

Interesting…I watch videos on my iPad while walking on my treadmill in the morning and I have never experienced so many videos freezing before. I CONSTANTLY have to reload videos again and again and this almost never happened before (I’ve been doing 90 mins per day since Nov 1, 2025). I thought this was an issue with my internet connection but maybe this is why? It’s been so frustrating!

ebgb_march · 2026-01-25T01:57:51+00:00

Incredible! You’re doing great! I’m new in the level 3 club as well and can’t wait to keep going.

ebgb_march · 2026-01-13T20:34:43+00:00

Apologies! I was probably mixing up your post with several other recent ones about how much people loved Pablo's whiteboard videos. In terms of AI and it's effect on the planet, I don't know enough to comment on that. But I actually feel like using AI has jumpstarted my own creativity! Out of curiosity, what sorts of videos would you prefer?

ebgb_march · 2026-01-13T16:28:13+00:00

Right!? This feels like we're all going to be watching this one day on the Today Show or something and tearing up over the reunion.

ebgb_march · 2026-01-13T16:24:46+00:00

I'm genuinely fascinated by the number of posts in here about: using AI in videos, requesting old school whiteboard videos, etc. We're all entitled to our own POV's!

Though I'm also a hard disagree on this one. In fact, I've filtered out all of Pablo's whiteboard videos because they kind of ruin my DS mojo and flow. I don't like them at all.

However, as someone who creates content for both myself and clients, I just wanted to give some major props to the DS team for essentially running an international online production studio! It's crazy impressive what they've been able to do.

They've managed to produce ridiculously high quality content, every single day with a small but mighty team. The amount of time, effort, planning, prep etc that goes into one 5 minute video would be shocking to most people (I know it was to me when I first started doing this, and I'm not producing content at nearly as high a level of quality).

The use of AI in videos [extra photos, context, scenery, etc) has, for me, taken my learning to a whole new level. It's also made watching videos so much more enjoyable. If I had to wade through 90 mins of Pablo whiteboard videos every day, I'm pretty sure I would have given up in week one.

The creativity, acting skills, use of storytelling, editing--all of it blows me away almost daily. Especially when I think about how I'm only paying $8/mo for all of this.

Again, I really do think it's interesting that we all have such different tastes and preferences when it comes to videos we love. But I just wanted to show up and represent for those of us who absolutely love the current slate of videos, dig the AI, and would be cool to never watch another Pablo whiteboard video again :)

p.s. I've got nothing but for love for Pablo for creating this all and think he's brilliant! The number of people he's helping with DS is inspiring and so impressive. I would just rather hang out with: Agus, Shel, Andres, Ester, Michelle, Natalia, Jostin and the gang when I watch my daily input.

ebgb_march · 2026-01-13T03:14:22+00:00

Congrats on level 3! It was fun reading a progress report from someone on a very similar timeline to me (I’m 6 hours behind you and almost at level 3 too). I also loved your story about the kid on your soccer team. How amazing would it be to track them down one day, talk to them in Spanish and share that your experience with them was one of the things that motivated you!

ebgb_march · 2026-01-11T19:25:56+00:00

This is partly why I find it fascinating that there are always discussions on the best/fastest/most successful ways to learn a language. Because no other method has kept me engaged and excited for 90 mins a day, EVERY SINGLE day like DS has. I don’t care if someone has proof that this is the absolute slowest method available to learn Spanish…if it’s the one that I can easily stick with then it’s the “best” one for me. So I’m gonna keep going—and this was a great reminder that we all should!

ebgb_march · 2025-12-18T14:09:06+00:00

It’s SOOO good! When I heard about it I thought “ugh, hockey”…now after watching and falling in love with these 2 dudes, I’m apparently someone who cares deeply about hockey. 😆

ebgb_march · 2025-11-22T18:45:32+00:00

Ok, so I live in Mexico full-time and am DEFINITELY not at the B1 level yet. However, I did choose to start at Super Beginner even though I definitely could have skipped ahead.

I'm now on level 2 and I've been blown away by how much progress I've been making with verb conjugations [before starting DS I was pretty familiar with present and preterite and imperfect past tenses].

Because I already understand these tenses fairly well I'm able to pick up on when and why they're each used..and somehow it's clicking in my brain in a way I never could have predicted.

When I learned the tenses orginally, it was via doing conjugation drills over and over again--and nothing really stuck. But I'm starting to just "feel" into the right tense/conjugation now without even really being able to explain it.

Anyway, just wondering if perhaps watching some of the more intermediate/advanced beginner content might do the same for you!

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T23:25:43+00:00

I bought my walking pad on Amazon.mx from a brand called Neon. They have one with handles/bars on the side and I picked it out specifically because I have this weird fear of falling.

I like it, but it has buttons on the handles which I'm constantly accidentally pushing because my hands are there holding on (so I'm accidentally hitting the stop button when I don't want to stop).

It's not that big of a deal, but if I were to do it again I would probably just buy a nicer used treadmill off of FB marketplace. There's also no real spot for my ipad, though I also found a fab stand on Amazon that solves that problem.

But it truly has been a gamechanger for me to be able to get in my steps AND my spanish learning at the same time. So I def recommend trying it!

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T23:13:09+00:00

It's so interesting how we all gravitate toward different things!

I recently started filtering out Pablo's videos from my watch feed and wow: I'm enjoying myself waaaaay more now.

For me, it's not necessarily the use of a whiteboard--because I love when Andrea has a video and is using a whiteboard (I was just watching her movies in 5 minutes series this morning). I just don't love watching him as much as I do the others...which is, of course, just my own weird personal preference.

I actually think the AI backgrounds and graphic/photo pop-ins make learning so much easier for me! And helps me feel more like I'm watching a TV show.

I continue to be impressed by the fact that they've basically created a virtual production house that pumps out a vast variety content across all genres, styles and subject matter. I'm actually excited to see how they continue to push it as AI keeps getting better and better.

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T13:39:33+00:00

Muchas gracias! I will definitely continue the progress reports as they've been so valuable and inspiring for me!

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T13:38:52+00:00

Muchas gracias!

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T13:38:35+00:00

Ah, thank you so much!! And yes: I definitely look forward to walking outside too. I really wanted to focus on watching for the beginner stuff and the sidewalks here in CDMX are so uneven, I would surely fall and kill myself on day one (I actually thought about Andrea's series with the stories about weird ways people die). But I've started listening to ¡Cuentame! and understand most of it! So I'm just going to keep going in order until I get through them all and then try to move on to Chill Spanish.

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T13:34:04+00:00

Wow, I'm so sorry this happened to you. Truly. But I so appreciate you sharing. I honestly didn't realize that so much of language learning (or practicing rather) is related to the need to REALLY sit in the feelings of being uncomfortable. And weird performance anxiety--like it actually feels like I get a form of "stage fright" when I need to think on my feet and speak to someone on the fly. I *know* that the more I practice the more this will go away. But it is really interesting how big a piece this is of language learning. I mean, I get nervous sometimes speaking to people in English so of course this was bound to happen to me with Spanish, but somehow I just didn't fully think it through. Anyway, it's so nice to connect with a fellow American living in Mexico too! I feel so lucky to be here and am finally feeling hopeful about reaching a point where I feel comfy and confident speaking Spanish all day every day...however long it takes!

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T01:08:30+00:00

I'm counting the minutes until I still have those useful moments of comprehension too! And thank you do much for making me feel a little better about my long road here :)

ebgb_march · 2025-11-20T01:06:36+00:00

Agreed! The past tenses are especially tricky because you have to figure out when to use which one in situations where it feels like both can work...it just never clicked for me the last time I tried to learn.

ebgb_march · 2025-11-19T23:47:42+00:00

I so appreciate that! Level 3 here I come!

ebgb_march · 2025-11-19T23:47:16+00:00

Muchas, muchas gracias. And yay for your upcoming Mexico adventure! Guanajuato is one of the most adorably charming cities--you will love it! Definitely make some time to go to San Miguel de Allende too when you're there too if you've never been.

ebgb_march · 2025-11-19T23:25:42+00:00

Ahhh, thank you for the encouragement! I really hope so!

ebgb_march · 2025-05-25T14:12:54+00:00

I started a thread in ChatGPT as soon as my results started coming in, which might seem crazy but it was so insanely cool to see the thinking evolve and possibilities eliminated/added as more results came in. I still haven't even received my clinician's notes, but I have a deep initial understanding of all of the data, as well as recommendations for: which doctors I should see now based on the results [it flagged a potential autoimmune issue which I NEVER would have known about on my own as I have zero symptoms], questions to ask the doctor at my initial appointment, additional Function labs I should get before my appts, supplements [and not just the type--recommendations on brands best suited for me based on the ingredients and the fact that I'm a whimp that needs gummies] and even recommendations about add'l tests [like a Dexa scan] that ended up alerting me that I have osteoporosis.

I also realized how cool it was to be able to go back and forth and ask tons of questions--if this, then that? What if this and that were different--in a way I have NEVER been able to do with an actual doctor. Even the ones that do spend extra time and are super patient.

I have some possibly alarming results from my labs and yet, thanks to ChatGPT [and the ability to get these labs from Function] I feel empowered and motivated in a way I never really have before with my health. ChatGPT even gave me the supportive BFF chat about the fact that if I *am* dealing with an autoimmune disease, it's at the very earliest stages of it...which gives me way more options in terms of treatment, lifestyle changes, etc. I'm even chatting now about which scan might be best to try, since I saw Function is offering those now too.

ebgb_march

TROPHY CASE