#beginners tend to waste more time not knowing WHAT to do

[rigelmejo]

some basic language learning thoughts (based on some common questions i see on reddit forums). as usual, if you don't like the suggestion, feel free to ignore and throw it out! what works best for you will be what works best for you - everyone is different. at the end of the day, if you continue studying (hours add up), study some new stuff (expand your knowledge), and practice/review some stuff you've studied (improve comprehension of what you know), then you'll improve. You can achieve that in a ton of different ways, and any way which motivates you to keep doing it is great.

What's the easiest language to learn? My thought on this question is... it doesn't matter as much as it might feel like it does. If any language is going to take hundreds or thousands of hours of study, you will probably want to have goals that motivate you to study for THAT long, for years. If Danish 'takes less hours to learn' than Thai, but you watch Thai shows everyday and follow thai webnovel writers and twitter, and don't have much interest in anything Danish (and no friends that speak the language), then Thai is going to be 'easier' because you have more reasons to USE it. If Spanish and French seem to take a similar amount of hours to learn, but you're planning to go to school in a French speaking country and get a job there? Well you have a more pressing Need to learn French, that will hopefully help motivate you. The 'easiest' language to learn is the language you have REASONS to learn. The language you will use, and keep using. If you have no pressing reason to learn any language, but want to learn a language? Find reasons. Make goals that require the language.

(Here's one from me - I wanted to learn Japanese, in theory I can mostly do anything I want by just reading/watching/playing translations, however I am the kind of person that really enjoys reading originals in their original form... so that's motivating. My recent kick to study more? A show I want to watch is untranslated, so I better get to studying so I can still watch it.) Your goal can be anything from: I want to visit X, I want to talk to X friend/family better, I want to blog in multiple languages, I want to watch untranslated media, I want to sing my favorite musicians songs easier, I want to work in a country that speaks it, I want access to more recipes in X language, I am into history and want to read a history book from X time period in X language, I want to play a video game before localization, really the sky is the limit on goals you can set. Your goals, and how much you want them, and how often you do the sub-goals (so if reading untranslated cnovels by an author you love is your goal, maybe along the way you read easier webnovels to motivate you and find more writers you like), is going to push you to keep studying. Even if your goal is 'pass language B2 test' if it has a deadline, and it's a goal connected to other goals (like going to work in a country with the language, translating work, writing better), that will keep you motivated. Motivation is what will make a language 'easier.' If you can't find the motivation, even the languages which should take the 'least amount of time' will feel hard.

All that said, I am now about to contradict myself. While I really think motivation is the biggest factor in if you'll keep studying and keep learning... there are languages which due to their similarity to languages you already know, will take less Total Study Hours to make progress. As an English speaker, it only took me 6 months of very lazy unorganized studying (half hour most days) to be able to start reading non-fiction French with only a handful of word lookups per page. A lot of that was because French (especially science words and proper nouns like places) has so many cognates with English. I basically 'had' thousands of words of French I already knew, just because I knew English. It took about a year to read fiction books in French only looking up a handful of words per page, for 'general main idea' comprehension. When studying Chinese, it took me also about 12 months to read fiction, look up a handful of words, and understand the 'general main idea.' But I was studying 2 hours a day. So I studied around 182.5 hours to read French fiction with word lookups, and 730 hours to read Chinese fiction with word lookups. And the Chinese also took longer to learn to read with NO word lookups, since there was no english-cognate carryover to sound-out and over rely on like with French. (Although at a wonderful certain point, you know enough Chinese hanzi that new words are built of mostly hanzi you know, and you can use that to guess the gist of a LOT of new words when extensively reading with no word lookups - that happened for me at about 2 years). My point is: Chinese DOES take more hours of study to reach language skill milestones as an english speaker, compared to French! It took me the same amount of months, because I studied Chinese more hours per day (to make up the difference - and I had a better study plan with Chinese). But if you are a total beginner, and unmotivated and KNOW you will study maybe 1 hour per day and probably not more, then learning a language that is more similar to one you already know WILL take less study hours total to reach skill milestones. And that will hopefully be motivating.

(Another example: I spent 3 months of 1-2 hours a day studying Spanish, and can read Spanish nonfiction - thanks to the similarities to French and English. I can read fiction too but it requires word lookups. Japanese, due to kanji, also got 'easier' to read once I had learned more Chinese hanzi. So if your goals include learning languages with some similarities, then once you learn some of those similarities it will make future learning 'faster.')

I spent a month once studying Esperanto (a constructed language). Do I ever use Esperanto? No. Did I find the experience helpful? Yes. Because Esperanto is designed to be fairly easy for european language native speakers, has no exceptions, it had 1. a lot of similar-words to english so I could practice 'guessing similar words' (a skill I'd use a lot with French and Spanish later), 2. practice guessing what word endings mean grammatically (since Esperanto has no exceptions the grammar patterns are much more obvious than say grammar patterns in French). 3. Practice recognizing spelling to sound connections. Those 3 skills are useful in learning any language, but natural languages will have more exceptions to the patterns.

After spending a month on Esperanto, I saw HUGE progress after studying a few hundred words, noticed a huge amount of grammar patterns and how to notice them, and just generally got the experience of 'this is what skill milestones feel like.' Later, when studying French, I used that experience to recognize French word endings and what they tend to indicate, word functions, patterns in pronunciation, guessing with cognates/similar words, and I knew what the first 'milestones' I was aiming for would be. In a similar pattern: French milestones took me a few months each to hit, so when I studied Chinese later and it was taking 2-3 times as much study time... I knew which milestone to expect myself to 'work toward' and achieve next, and knew what making progress should feel like (even if it felt like it was moving slower) so I didn't give up. I was aware that Chinese language skill milestones might 'take more hours' so I didn't panic when it was taking me almost a year of reading graded readers in Chinese to move on to simple webnovels, whereas in French I'd only been reading graded readers for half a year before I felt ready to move on. I knew the general process, because I'd done it before in a shorter timespan with French, with Esperanto.

Is Esperanto useful to you? Only you know that. I personally did not find it useful in general for me, and didn't continue to study it. But it did teach me 'how' to study a language, what progress to monitor, and gave me the confidence that I was capable of learning.

If you really feel you're incapable of learning any skill in a new language, then spending some time on a language more similar to what you already know (if possible - a language you have motivating goals with), may help you see you are capable and can learn. An addition to this: spend a LOT of hours studying as a beginner, if lack of progress demotivates you. Once you push past the beginner stage, you'll be able to do goal-related things in the language you study and that will keep you motivated. But in the beginning, progress feels slow and you feel very confused. So the more upfront studying you do, the quicker you will push through that hard-to-motivate stage.

Is learning a language that is more similar to ones you know going to take less hours of study? Probably. But either way, motivation over hundreds or thousands of hours, for years, is going to be needed. So the goals you wish to achieve will be more important in your success, rather than how many 'hours' it will take.

What do you do if you get demotivated that it's taking SO LONG to hit the next language skill milestone? Fair concern. I got demotivated OFTEN by how much longer it took to reach milestones in Japanese compared to in French. First: try to keep perspective. It's normal for it to take more hours to understand certain things, if the language is not very similar to ones you know. You have to build a bigger foundation of understanding for lots of totally new stuff. Second: you're going to hate me but I'd suggest upping the study hours per day (or week). Studying Chinese RARELY demotivated me, despite it taking more actual hours of study to hit milestones compared to French, and why? Because I increased my study time for Chinese so I was still REACHING milestones in a reasonable amount of months (very similar to the months it took to hit French milestones). 2 hours a day of Chinese study was more than 1/2 an hour of French study, but 2 hours was doable. And it meant I still got to watch shows and read within a few months, and watch/read without looking many words up (depending on difficulty) by the end of year 1. Once you are doing the goals or sub-goals you have, it becomes so much easier to stay motivated. Once I could watch cdramas before they got translated, or read any novel I wanted using Pleco or Readibu to help? It was very easy to stay motivated and do things I WANTED to do in chinese. From there it was just practice/learn using activities I had the goal of doing.

Finally, similar to the suggestions above, if you find yourself in a motivation rut what can you do? I personally try to do 'study sprints' when I'm getting demotivated and need to see significant progress. What I do is pick a small goal, then spend 1-2 months studying as much as I can to improve in that goal. Suggestions: A beginner may make the goal to study the alphabet, a pronunciation guide, and 300 common words and see how far they get by the end of the month. (If at the end of the month the pronunciation is easier to hear and alphabet is easier to read then they succeeded - and they likely will). Another beginner may make the goal to read graded readers 1 hour per day or more all month and see how much they can read. (If the first graded reader they read is easier to read at the conclusion of the month, such as less unknown words or faster reading speed, then they succeeded - and they likely will see progress). A beginner/intermediate learner into flashcards might try to study as many flashcards in Anki as they can for a month. An intermediate learner may pick an audiobook and try to listen to AS MANY chapters as they can in a month, or may pick a novel and look up every unknown word while reading for 1 hour per day or more, until the end of the month. The idea is to pick a goal where you KNOW you're current skill level, work HARD on studying to improve that skill for a month, and then try to do the skill again and see how much progress you've made. I find it very motivating. It can take months to broadly notice progress milestones like managing to improve in your overall reading skill to tackle more difficult novels. But it can take just A MONTH to learn a few hundred new words and make the current novel you're reading become much EASIER to read, or the current show you're watching to become much EASIER to follow, or for the listening skills you're struggling with to become much more instant and reliable.

Example: one of my most recent sprints was to improve my Chinese listening skills. So for a month, I listened to audio flashcards of chinese-english sentences audio, and audiobook chapters (re-listening to each chapter a few times). I saw progress in 1. The audiobook got easier to understand over time, and 2. I tried watching a cdrama I've watched before, only this time I watched it without any subtitles, and it is now much easier to quickly comprehend and follow the lines (even without chinese subs). A sprint I did after a 2 year funk with minimal japanese progress was to cram study 2000 words in memrise Nukemarine's LLJ decks (took 3 months) then try to play a japanese video game I'd tried playing before the sprint. Another japanese sprint I did was listen to japaneseaudiolessons.com free lessons for a month, to work on improving my listening comprehension and recognition of word-order faster, and it did really help with seeing an improvement in those things.

As a beginner, I think the sprints can help with staying focused on small achieveable goals and seeing your progress (like reading daily, watching a show daily, studying X new words daily, going through a chapter of a grammar book weekly, etc). And then as you get farther and can actually do some of your sub-goals, can help with pushing yourself to some significant improvement in a particular area. (Like if you reached a sub goal of reading easy webnovels, it might be a month where you read a webnovel with more unique words that's 'harder' and look all unknown words up, and by the end of the month you see that medium-difficulty webnovels now feel as easy as the 'easy' ones did at the start of the month).

And then... if you study like me, which tends to be periods of a LOT of study followed by lulls where I might watch/read/listen to the language but not do much active study, then the sprint goal months tend to help cram in 100 hours of study every so often. So that you'll still (on average through the year) have studied 1-2+ hours a day. I do not focus well, and sprint goal months along with more relaxed months where I just watch/read/listen to stuff when I feel like it, is the only way I can get myself to study regularly. If you can consistently study daily, then sprint goal months can help you make Significant progress in a very specific area if some slow-progress area has been demotivating you. (And you can turn the sprint goals into challenges with friends, or tests to see what study methods work great for you versus bore you).

[tea-withnofixinsplease]

As a resident brown thumb, and beginner gardener I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to invest in perennials.

Yes it takes longer for a perennial plant to mature, (about 2 to 3 years if it's in a pot) but you can definitely grow annuals while you wait and won't even notice, I am TELLING you it is so so worth it guys trust me.

You'll have Fruits/nuts/berries/herbs/leafy greens for years to come after one install and very minimal upkeep.

Perennials also tend to be hardier and more forgiving when it comes to beginner gardener's in my experience as well.

My method is to always purchase 1-2 perennial plants On Sale for every 5-8 annuals i plan on growing that year. It may be a little expensive if ur just starting out, so 1 perennial + 3-ish annuals would suffice.

Plants do well when they're companion planted so it saves u time, energy, and pesticides to get recommended combinations.

My first year didnt count, I only planted a solid block of irish potatoes of the same variety. It was a plague of bugs and disease. Don't do that, always get Companion Plant combos.

So let's go over a 4 year garden plan to get an idea, when you know what you're doing.

The 1st year I started with: a blackberry bush kit. The kit had 2 blackberry plants in it, I got it from Sams Club. I planted them in cheap plastic pots.

-a grapevine kit (Red seedless and Concord pair I also from the same Sams club). I didn't know what a mycellium network was so I thought the roots molded and threw them away, I still feel the sting from that waste but i was able to buy a Disease resistant grape variety online and plant it in the same pot. But dont be like me.

-And for my annuals that year I went with a salsa garden combo kit (peppers, cilantro, tomatoes, basil) that I got from Lowes. I harvested the salsa ingredients that whole summer.

-The second year

i bought an Italian plum tree, and for my annuals, I planted a Salad kit.

By that time, the Blackberries were mature and I was able to harvest blackberries for the first time.

This year, the 3rd year I've expanded my kitchen garden to include a salsa garden, and the 3 sisters combo (squash, beans and corn planted in the same place).

The grapevine I planted is now mature and will give me grapes in the late summer.

I'm on my second year of blackberries.

The Plum tree will be ready next year. And I haven't decided on what to plant yet.

The fourth year It will probably be a greek salad combo kit (tomatoes, red onion, basil, parsley, garlic) with a tea garden kit (rosemary, lemon balm, chamomile, lavender, mint). By this time My plum tree will be mature and I will harvest my first year of plums, my third year of blackberries, and my second year of grapes. And for my two new perennials, I will go with two apple trees for $10 each online.

By That Time I will harvest my 3rd year of blackberries, my 2nd year of grapes and my 1st year of italian plums.

So that's how it works!

Grapes, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are cheap and widely available from big box stores during planting season, whereas fruit trees are cheaper and healthier when ordered online outside of planting season but pre-ordered for the next year, in my experience.

(this could be berry bushes, a fruit tree, a nut tree, a fruit vine, or a perennial herb you just have to shop around) They mature faster when you plant it in a pot, and you grow however many annuals you want that growing season.

I'm so focused on the routine spring radishes and summer tomatoes, that two adhd business days (seasons) later and boom

"now I have fresh blackberries this season too."

"Oh what's this? Now I have grapes to go along with this year's harvest"

COCAINE can't beat that high, check your growing zone and buy that f*cking dwarf tree.

[kikker-oma]

I saw your crocheting dilemma. I just want to say that it’s always hard in the beginning. I have been crocheting for years (I frequently have to go back to watch videos to re-learn some techniques, so I always rely on videos since they are they easiest way to learn) and have a few tips if you would like? If not, feel free to ignore this- start ignoring now, cause the rest is advice:

First, the crochet circle is very hard for a beginner, typically flat projects are best, so don’t get discouraged- also did you mention that you are learning this from a kit/book? Good on you, but videos may be a little easier to learn from if you want to see different hand positioning. If you still want to work on the circle, PRACTICE, it first. What I mean by practice is-set up a practice run, you should get a length of yarn, use a large crochet hook (larger than recommended for initial practice (if you have a larger hook)-it makes the stitches larger, so it’s easier to see what to do), also make sure your stitches are looser, one of the hardest things for me to learn when I started crocheting was to maintain yarn tension (same also applies to knitting). If the stitches are too tight, it’s extremely hard to continue stitching, but if it’s too loose, you’ll lose it’s form and it turns into a mess.

Like I said, the only way to get better is to practice. I think you are doing a double magic ring? I highly recommend watching a video, it is really hard to do this by just following a book. This one is pretty good, she even explains how it works:

https://youtu.be/bvQsM7VzRMo?si=7CMpQqG6Jr64NMcq

I wish you the best of luck, try not to get discouraged, yarn crafts are always hard in the beginning. Even the picture you posted looks better than my first attempts. The magic ring is more intermediate than for beginners, so don’t worry, you’ve got this, just go slow.

Alright, I will stop advising, I’m sorry if I got a little too lecture heavy, especially if you didn’t need it. I just wanted to help since I know how hard it is to start.

But you’ve got this, it may just take some time. YOU CAN DO IT!! Soon you’ll have friends asking for you to make something for them.

Aahhh these are wonderful tips, thank you so much!❤️

The kit I bought includes some videos, and I thought it was gonna walk me through the whole thing but it went , "this is not for beginners""magic circles are hard" and basically only showed how to do a slip knot and then was like, "now you're ready to do the pattern on your own😀"

It was really funny honestly😂😂 thankfully I only paid $7 for it so it wasn't a giant waste of money lol

I'll definitely be looking up videos and should probably start with something simple until I get a bit more knowledge on how different patterns work. Thank you for the encouragement! I need to practice so I can make ALL the plushies haha.

Even tho this was a frustrating start, new things tend to be frustrating so it's ok. And honestly I can already see why people love it. I know I will too!....eventually😂😉

[softausterity]

Don't Take Art Advice from Strangers on the Internet - Art advice from a stranger on the internet

(i'll be discussing drawing within this post because that's my oeuvre but i would like to think it applies to a lot of things. really it's more 'advice on how to take advice' but i couldn't resist.)

If you are anything like me, you have made a thing or two in your time, and 90% of your knowledge on making those things was gained by looking up "How to (blank)" on the internet. There are many excellent resources available for free online! but who's making these resources? Usually, people -- people who are biased and don't know you personally.

Let's say you find a tutorial online telling you how to improve a part of your art you've been struggling with. The person making this tutorial has great art, and they explain the points in an easy-to-follow manner. before you pull out your sketchbook or tablet, (because you should be immediately practicing advice as soon as you see it otherwise it will slide directly out of your brain) you need to think about if you should actually follow that tutorial.

How can you tell? It's not about how good the person's art is, or even if they're a good teacher. What you need to be thinking about is if the tutorial is right for you, specifically.

Almost all "art tutorials" are tutorials on how to draw more like the person making them. it's something beginner artists admit to pretty often with titles like "how to draw this thing in my style" where instead intermediate artists will throw around "the better way to draw this thing!" or "stop drawing this thing like this!"

I'm not saying that's a bad thing! it's how art is, right? Good artists copy, great artists steal, so it makes sense that an art tutorial would simply be a guide on how to steal from the person making it. but it's something you need to be aware of.

people tend to raise a stink about tutorials using language like "this is the wrong way to draw something - this is the correct one" and in a lot of cases i think it's a valid complaint, but what's happened is that it's just resulted in changing the phrasing to "this is a good way to draw something, but this is a better way." which is just a nicer way of saying exactly the same thing.

since this language is so common, if you're going to find art tutorials online, the onus is on you to figure out which tutorials are good or bad for you and your art.

When you're looking at someone who's a professional artist, they're usually going to be clearer about who their advice is for. Take Ethan Becker, for example. His videos are excellent and i'd recommend him to basically anyone asking for visual art advice. However, as you can pick up on pretty quickly, his advice is for people looking to get into the animation industry!

If you're, say, looking to get into illustration, maybe more painterly stuff, his advice is still helpful, but you need to pick and choose what you need. The point about not wasting time learning muscle groups is great advice if you're only focused on working as a storyboarder or concept artist for an animation studio, but if you're interested in pretty much anything else, learning human anatomy is one of the most helpful things you can do. this doesn't mean he's wrong, of course. he's teaching the thing he knows, which is working in the animation industry.

If someone is saying that their way is "the better way to draw this thing" you need to look at their art, and what they're explaining, and figure out what they actually mean. is it "the better way to draw this thing for webcomic artists" or "the better way to draw this thing if you want to be popular on instagram"? what are your personal goals with your art?

this does not transition into my point about learning the fundamentals as well as i wanted it to and this post is already too long. more posts sometime soon because i love listening to myself talk. watch ethan becker.

[cyanocoraxx]

Hello! You have cool snakes and know a lot about them too, could I have some of your advice? I've recently been really into snakes, and seen tiktoks of how happy their owners are with them, it makes me really jealous and wishful for a snake companion of my own.

Except I know NOTHING about them, their care, needs or expenses. My experience with pets is a typical low to average maintenance dog, that's it. Never handled reptiles in my life. BUT SNAKES ARE SO ENTICING, and supremely cute too

I was wondering if you have any advice for a complete beginner on what kind of snake to get that's easy and as I said, for beginners (if it even works that way, I don't know a lot about snakes). If you have any resources and such.

Or even like, a checklist to see if I'm even eligible to own a snake (it could be hard idk). Want to know if it is even within my capabilities, the lifestyle needed and stuff like that.

Could you also give tips on their body language? I remember you mentioning in one of your posts that body language is important, and I wouldn't want to mess up. I want the potential cutie to like me after all.

Thank you anyway for your time! Appreciate it <3

so sorry for the late response i wanted to sit down and give a proper thought out guide and just haven't had time <3

checklist for eligibility:

you will need: a terrarium/vivarium, a heating device (heat mat, ceramic emitter or heat bulb), a thermostat (to control the heating device), a water bowl, a hide, substrate, and enrichment (sticks, leaves, decoration etc). make sure you have all of this on hand before you bring your pet home

you'll need to be comfortable or at least willing to feed your snake frozen prey, which means being able to consistently provide mice or rats (most common). most reptile stores will stock frozen!

depending on the species you want you'll need space for a vivarium. if you want a snake that can grow to be 4ft for example you'll need a space to put a 4ft viv.

you'll need to have time to regularly spot-clean their enclosure, which means binning their waste and removing shed skin. a full clean out once a month if not bioactive.

best "starter" snakes (imo):

rosy boa (2-3ft long, 25 years+)

royal python (3-6ft long, 20-30 years+)

corn snake (4-6ft long, 15-20 years+)

rosy boa - these little noodles don't get enough credit! they stay very small, they're very docile, and easy to care for. due to them being so small they only need small prey items which won't take up a lot of space in your freezer. they're very good eaters. downside is they're less common than royals and corns so depending on where you are you may struggle to find one near you. they can also be more food-motivated than royals and when they have food on their mind they can be a little more bitey - but with their tiny size, i promise you can't even feel it (from experience)

royal/ball python - a very common snake that can be found in most reptile shops. they're well known for being extremely docile and easy to handle as well as being super duper cute. they live longer than corns and rosys. downside to royals is they can be "fussy eaters" which can make new owners nervous - they're known for going off their food for months. they will also need larger prey items as they grow, so if you're not keen on keeping larger mice/rats in your freezer this is a downside. they're also more sensitive to improper temperature and humidity than corns.

corn snake - very common so can be bought easily! they also tend to be some of the cheapest snakes, especially if you want to get a "normal/wild type" morph. due to them having a large range in the wild they can tolerate a wider range of temperatures and humidity levels. corns are much more active than royals and rosys, so if you want a snake you can watch do its thing then a corn is a good shout. with this being said, they can be more "squirmy" when being handled compared to royals and rosys as they kind of struggle to stay still.

however, you're not limited to a choice of just three species. as long as you research your snake thoroughly and make sure you have everything you need, you can keep whichever you prefer. my first snake was a brazilian rainbow boa which is a more "intermediate" species and "not suitable for beginners" but he's been great. with their more extreme humidity requirements, i just made sure to keep a hygrometer on hand (to measure humidity) and provided plenty of moss, a large water bowl, and regular mist spraying. never had an issue <3

basic body language:

it's important to note that when a snake is preparing to shed its skin it will be vulnerable. its eyes will cloud over and its skin will feel irritated. we call this being "in blue" because the snake takes on a milky blue colour. during this time your snake might become defensive and this is normal. you should leave a snake in blue alone.

signs of a calm snake: short tongue flicks, loose and relaxed body, moving slowly, fluidly moving towards stimuli, curiosity, regular breathing. a calm snake may sit in an "S" position but it will not be coiling up or fixating on you.

signs of stress in snakes include: long and slow tongue flicks, tail rattling, tail wagging, hissing, striking, open mouth breathing, regurgitation, body flattening, gliding (moving very quickly away), coiling with the head raised (preparing to strike)

this is a very obvious example of a defensive corn snake: their body is coiled into an "S" shape, the head is raised. it takes this position so that it can 1. have a clear view of you 2. to strike upwards/forwards at you if it feels threatened 3. to look bigger to frighten you off. this is a snake who doesn't want to be touched at ALL

let me know if you need anything else <3

[the-casbah-way]

Hey. So I saw you mention a while back that you were a harpist at one point. How did you get into that? And, was it hard? Asking because I’ve seriously always wanted to learn the harp

i was just lucky enough that my school had a clarsach teacher basically. it's a much more popular instrument in my country than others so there are a lot of harp teachers over here. i took lessons for around six years and then just continued to teach myself after that. once i got my grade eight in clarsach / pedal i started learning lever / orchestral and the lyre

if you want to get into playing yourself, i'd start by saying that harps are expensive. both to purchase and to maintain. they're extremely fragile and very susceptible to tiny changes in temperature and environment and changing broken strings constantly gets pretty expensive, especially if you use gut strings. that's why i recommend trying to find a teacher who will let you use their harp during lessons, and/or renting out a harp when you're still a beginner. this way you don't waste a significant amount of money on a new hobby that you might not stick with in the long run

if you can't do that and you have to actually buy your own harp, then bear in mind that prices vary a lot depending on the type, brand and model. either way, though, i reiterate: harps are very expensive. you don't need one of those huge golden classical ones to become a decent harpist but even the cheapest ones will set you back a fair bit. the one i own now was the cheapest model my favourite brand sold at the time and it cost nearly three thousand pounds. what i'd recommend doing is first deciding if you'd like to start by learning lever harp or pedal harp, and then finding the cheapest model of your preferred type first. clarsachs for example tend to be a lot less expensive than full sized orchestral harps. they're also just way easier to transport and shit like that

in terms of how hard it is to learn the harp, i wouldn't say it's hard at all. there's nothing about the harp that makes it inherently any more difficult than learning other instruments. personally i actually found it far easier than learning piano but maybe that's just me. as long as you can read both treble and bass clef (if you plan on learning from sheet music) and you take the time to develop and maintain a good technique in terms of hand placement etc. then you should be all good

i'm sorry that was wordy but i wanted to be thorough. i hope it helped and just tell me if you want to know anything else :3 i do know like. a Lot about harps

[devilbrakers]

🖊️🎶💘🧐 for venus and 🎻🚫🖤🤓 for mars <33

THANK YOUUUU RENA <3 they are my silly rabbits

Details about ocs!

Venus:

🖊️ BALLPOINT PEN — does your oc have any tattoos? do they want any (more) tattoos?

They do! I just have yet to actually like.. map/draw them out and probably won't bc I have soup for brains. But, yeah, she has plenty all over her body but she's especially fond of the snake on her chest/shoulder and the planets she got to commemorate her mom since she was an astronomer! She'd probably have a tattoo for Shogo (her father) as well but I haven't thought of what it'd be yet...

🎶 MUSICAL NOTES — what type of music does your oc like? do they listen to music very often?

She mainly likes rap, hip hop, and rock so she's listening to The Dirge more often than not (my fave station) or Johnny's making her listen to Samurai or older rock (so probably current stuff or a bit older).

Answered here! But it's Mars :')

🧐 FACE WITH MONOCLE — is your oc more logical or emotional?

Venus likes to think she's more logical but in reality, she's quite emotional and just doesn't like to admit that about herself fdjskl. They tend to mistake their feelings on things for facts so it's hard to them to look at things objectively sometimes especially if they're personally involved in the matter. But they can be logical when it really matters.

Mars:

🎻 VIOLIN — does your oc play any instruments? what is their skill level (beginner/intermediate/advanced/virtuoso/etc)?

He does not! But he would like playing the drums if he were to ever pick up an instrument!

🚫 PROHIBITED — does your oc drink/smoke? do they do it regularly, or is it more on occasion or for special events?

He does but generally only socially! He drinks more than he smokes though, he might have the occasional cigarette but loves to get wasted with his friends sometimes and wreak havoc around the city.

🖤 BLACK HEART — has your oc killed or seriously wounded anyone before? have they broken someone's heart and/or broken someone's trust?

He's killed and injured a few people when he was trying to be a mercenary before Venus shut that down 💀. But these days as a mechanic, his life is much more peaceful though he does know how to defend himself if needed. As for breaking hearts/trust, never intentionally! He's rejected a few people who were interested in him but that's about it! But you could argue he broke his father's heart by not meeting expectations :/.

🤓 SMILING FACE WITH GLASSES — is your oc chatty or quiet? are they at ease in social situations, or are they more shy?

A little more on the chatty side but he tries not to be obnoxious/annoying, if he likes you anyway. If not, he's happy to talk their ear off and piss them off. He likes being around people even if he doesn't know them very well and generally gets along with most personalities so he's usually pretty at ease! The only people he tends to be more tense around are personalities like Venus and Johnny, but he gets more comfortable with Venus again over time. He never quite warms up to Johnny but tolerates him JFDKSL their dynamic is so funny to me, they're so bitchy.

[angelofthemornings]

Lemme add, if you're seeking higher education: I dropped out of school when I was thirteen and by the time I was ready for community college in my twenties I had never heard of things like "term papers." If you don't have good internet skills, know that you can Google stuff like "what is a term paper" or "English essay example" or "how to take notes math class."

(Learning how to take notes for math classes was... fun. A Mind for Numbers by Dr. Barbara Oakley is an excellent resource. IIRC her backstory was she sucked at math her entire life, to the extent that I think they even stuck her with a dyscalculia diagnosis, and then she had to take a dreaded math class for her job. So she put her mind to it and figured out how to effectively learn math, after which she decided she loved it and got a doctorate in engineering. Goddamn!)

If you want to educate yourself for entertainment and personal growth, you can buy textbooks that are a few editions out of date for pennies. I will explain.

If you don't know, college textbooks tend to get new editions every year with maybe one sentence of new content or with the practice problems in a different order. This is so they can screw students over by making them buy the newest and most expensive editions. (There are a few fields like aviation mechanics where you DO want the latest textbook every year, but they are the exception and not the rule.) So it's common practice to go back an edition or two and buy used unless the professor says in the syllabus that you can't. Once you go back three or four editions these textbooks are basically useless for students - not for being out of date, but because they revamped too many of the homework problems or moved too many chapters around while looking for stuff to change. But if the textbook is useless as a classroom tool, then you're not paying more than like five US bucks for a copy most of the time.

You'll want to pick up books called Intro to Physics or Agricultural Ethics for Beginners, or whatever, those are for freshmen. ("Topics in" or "concepts of" are also code for "this is for beginners.") The textbooks usually give you clear explanations that you can reread and revisit until comprehension, and they usually have exercises and problem sets to help you make up homework for yourself. I really cannot emphasize enough the importance of exercises and drilling.

You can also find books aimed towards kids who aren't in college yet. Not textbooks, but stuff called like High School Algebra for Dummies or whatever that are meant to help struggling students.

If you would like to learn a language, here is a guide I made (specific to Russian, but its principles are applicable everywhere). The one thing I left out and should put in there is that if you're taking a language class, during classtime they're generally going to have you memorize phrases and vocabulary and use them in mock conversations with your classmates. MEMORIZE THAT WEEK'S PHRASES AND VOCABULARY *BEFORE* CLASS, DON'T WAIT TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE MATERIAL DURING CLASS TIME. That way you can use your mock conversation time to practice recall, pronunciation, and fluency. If you wait until class, you're just going to be reciting sentences you've never heard before off a sheet. Total waste of time.

DEAR EDUCATIONALLY NEGLECTED HOMESCHOOLERS

I’ve gathered some resources and tips and tricks on self-educating after educational neglect. This is only what I did and what I know helped me. I’m about to graduate college with honors after having no education past the age of 9. I wouldn’t be here without the following. Everything is free, and at/well above the standard for education in the US.

The holy grail: Khan Academy. Nearly every course you could take is available here, in order and by grade level. Their open-source free courses rival some of the college classes I’ve taken. This is your most solid resource.

For inattentive types: Crash Course offers a variety of courses that are snappy, entertaining, and extremely rewarding. They work for my ADHD brain. They also have college prep advice, which is essential if you’re looking to go to higher education with no classroom experience.

To catch up on your reading: There are certain books that you may have read had you gone to school that you’ve missed out on. This list is the most well-rounded and can fill you in on both children’s books and classic novels that are essential or at least extremely helpful to be familiar with. You can find a majority of these easily at a local library (and some for free in PDF form online low key). There are a few higher level classics in here that I’d highly recommend. If it doesn’t work for you, I’d always recommend asking your local librarian.

*BE AWARE* The book list I recommend suggests you read Harry Potter books, and given their transphobic author you may or may not want to read them. If you choose to, I’d highly recommend buying the books secondhand or borrowing from a library to avoid financially supporting a living author with dangerous and damaging views.

TEST, TEST, TEST: Again, Khan Academy is your go-to for this. I don’t personally like standardized testing, but going through SAT and ACT courses was the best way I found to really reveal my gaps so that I could supplement.

Finally: As much as you can, enjoy the process. Education can be thrilling and teach you so much about yourself, and help shape your view of the world. It can get frustrating, but I’d like to encourage you that everyone can learn. No pace is the perfect pace, and your learning style is the right learning style for you. In teaching yourself, be patient, be kind, and indulge in the subjects you really enjoy without neglecting others. You are your teacher. Give yourself what others chose not to.

[gardeninglovy]

9 Ultimate Square Foot Gardening Layout Tips + Planning

Learn about the square foot gardening layout. Where and how you plant your plants is just as important as water, light, and other factors impacting a plant’s growth. Are your plants taking up all the space and crowding the garden, not leaving room for other plants? Try square-foot gardening. This technique maximizes small spaces and minimizes effort while producing a rich harvest. This blog will cover everything you need to know about creating your own square-foot garden layout, from choosing the right location to harvesting your homegrown produce. Benefits of Square Foot Gardening Square foot gardening has become increasingly popular due to its numerous benefits. - One of the biggest advantages is that it allows you to maximize small spaces and grow more produce in a smaller area. It is ideal for people with limited yard space. - Another benefit is that square-foot gardening requires less maintenance than traditional row gardening methods. - With this technique, you only need to plant what you need, eliminating excessive weeding and watering. - The square-foot gardening method also reduces waste by requiring fewer resources, such as water and fertilizers. -  In addition, because everything is planted in a grid pattern, it's easier to keep track of what needs attention and where pests may be hiding. - Square foot gardens are ideal for beginners or those with physical limitations since they require less bending over or kneeling on the ground. Square foot gardening provides an efficient way to grow your own fresh produce while minimizing effort and maximizing results. Planning Your Square Foot Gardening Layout When it comes to planning your square-foot gardening layout, there are a few things to consider. How much space you have is the first thing to keep in mind. This determines the size of your garden and what plants you can grow. Some plants may need trellises or cages for support, while others can be planted closer together. Once you have an idea of what plants you want to grow and how much space they require, it's time to create a rough sketch of your garden layout. When designing your layout, keep in mind that certain crops tend to do better when planted next to each other. For example, tomatoes benefit from being planted near basil, while onions repel pests when planted next to carrots. Don't forget about access pathways! Make sure there is enough room between rows for easy maintenance and harvesting without trampling on your precious veggies. By planning your square-foot garden layout before planting season arrives, you'll set yourself up for a successful harvest with minimal headaches along the way. Choosing the Right Location for Your Square Foot Garden Choosing the right spot for your garden is crucial. - Find a place that allows the plants to get a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily. - The second most important factor is drainage. You want to avoid areas with poor drainage, as this can lead to waterlogged soil and root rot in your plants. - Look for an area that has good drainage, or work on improving the drainage by adding compost or sand. - When deciding where to put your square-foot garden, it's also important to think about how easy it will be to get there. - You want it to be easy to get to so that you can take care of it regularly without much trouble. Think about putting it near a hose or rain barrel so it will be easy to water your plants. Think about any environmental factors that may impact your square foot garden's success, such as wind exposure and nearby trees or buildings casting shade. It's best to choose a sheltered spot away from strong winds where there are no obstructions blocking out sunlight. Considering these factors when choosing the right location for your square foot garden, you'll set yourself up for success and enjoy rich harvests all season long! Preparing the Soil for Your Square Foot Garden Before starting your square-foot garden, properly preparing the soil is important. Here are some tips on preparing the soil: - If you notice any weeds or grass, remove them by hand or with a shovel. - Loosen up the soil using a garden fork. This will allow air and water to circulate and provide space for roots to grow. - Add compost or other organic matter, such as aged manure, shredded leaves, or grass clippings, to enrich the soil with nutrients. - Mix these materials thoroughly so that they're evenly distributed throughout the top six inches of soil. - Consider testing your soil's pH level before planting anything since this influences nutrient availability for plants. - Rake out any large rocks or debris from the bed area before planting starts so there won't be any interference once seeds have been sown in place. Following these steps when preparing your square foot garden's soil foundation ensures healthy growth and yield potential for all future crops! Creating Your Square Foot Garden Grid After choosing the right location and preparing your soil, it's time to create your square-foot garden grid. This is an essential step in ensuring that each plant has enough space for growth and avoids overcrowding. The grid can be created using a variety of materials, such as string, wooden stakes, or even chalk. Make sure the squares are evenly spaced out and measured accurately. Each square will represent a specific crop, so make sure you plan accordingly based on the size of each plant. For example, larger plants like tomatoes may need four squares, while smaller ones like lettuce only require one. Once you have marked out your grid, it's time to start planting! Simply follow your designed layout and place each seedling in its designated square. Remember to label each crop so that you can keep track of what's growing where throughout the season. This will also help with maintenance tasks such as watering and fertilizing specific crops. Planting Your Square Foot Garden After preparing the soil and creating your grid, it's time to start planting in your square-foot garden. - The versatility of this kind of gardening is undoubtedly one of its many compelling features. - Even in an area as small as one square foot, you may grow many different kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. - When choosing what to plant, consider factors such as the amount of sunlight your garden will receive and your climate. - Some popular options for small gardens include tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, carrots, and herbs like basil or cilantro. - It's important to read up on each plant's specific care instructions before planting so that you know how much water they need and when they should be fertilized. - Another thing to consider is succession planting—staggering planting times so that you have a continuous harvest throughout the season rather than everything being ready at once. With proper planning and care during planting season (and beyond), anyone can enjoy fresh produce from their own backyard! Maintaining Your Square Foot Garden Maintaining your square-foot garden: - Watering: Watering is crucial daily, especially in the summer. Before watering the plant, check the soil’s moisture level to avoid overwatering. - Weeding: Keep an eye out for weeds in your garden, as they can quickly take over and compete with your plants for nutrients, sunlight, and water. - Fertilizing: Use fertilizers or compost that are organic rather than overbought to provide essential nutrients for your plants. - Pest Control: Regular inspection is required for pests such as aphids, spider mites, or caterpillars. Consider natural remedies like neem oil or insecticidal soap instead of harmful chemicals. - Pruning: Trim off any dead leaves or branches from plants to promote growth and prevent disease. - Crop Rotation: Rotate crops every season to avoid depleting soil nutrients and reduce pest infestations. By following these maintenance tips, you can ensure a rich harvest from your square-foot garden! Harvesting Your Square Foot Garden Harvesting your square-foot garden is the most rewarding part of all your hard work and effort. Remember that some plants continue producing throughout the season, so staggered harvesting might be necessary. When it comes to harvesting leafy greens like lettuce or spinach, cut off the outer leaves as needed and leave the inner leaves intact for continued growth. For root vegetables like carrots or radishes, pull them gently from the soil when they reach maturity. Be sure not to damage any neighboring plants while doing so. For fruiting plants like tomatoes or cucumbers, harvest regularly once they are ripe but still firm. Leaving overripe fruits on the vine can lead to a decrease in production overall. It's important to keep track of what you're harvesting and when so you can plan accordingly for future seasons. If you end up with an abundance of produce, consider preserving your excess through freezing or canning for later use. Harvesting your square-foot garden is a satisfying experience that allows you to enjoy fresh produce straight from your backyard! Related Articles - Square Foot Gardening Kale For Maximum Yield - Square Foot Gardening Carrots For Max Yield - Strawberries Square Foot Gardening For Max Yield - Watermelon Square Foot Gardening Conclusion Square foot gardening is a practical and efficient way to grow vegetables and herbs in a small space. Gardeners can maximize their harvest by using raised beds and dividing the space into square-foot sections while minimizing the time and effort spent on maintenance. With careful planning, preparation, and maintenance, anyone can create a successful square-foot garden and enjoy fresh, homegrown produce throughout the growing season. Read the full article

[thebbqfoodhub]

A Beginner's Guide to Using a Portable BBQ

Summer is here, which means it is time to fire up the grill and enjoy some delicious, barbecued food. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, a partner, or a massive group of friends and family, now is the perfect time to host a BBQ cookout. Now, some of you may be lucky enough to have a built-in barbecue in your garden, but what about those who don’t? The answer is portable BBQs! Not only can a portable BBQ be used within your garden, but you can take it wherever you wish, whether you’re cooking at a friend's house or are taking part in a food event. In this blog post, I am going to cover everything you need to know about portable barbecues, including their benefits, types, features, and how to choose the perfect one for your needs!

I have been on the hunt for a high-quality portable BBQ for a while now, so I understand the challenge that it is! There are hundreds, even thousands of grill brands out there and it can be hard to know which one is best, but luckily for you, I am here to help. Cinders Barbecues is a barbecue equipment manufacturer in the UK, and they are known for their trustworthy and reliable grills. You can buy their products from a range of distributors, but if you would like to see what they have on offer, have a browse on their website here. If you are looking for a high-quality grill, Cinders is a company you will want to check out.

Benefits of a Portable Grill

Portable grills are a great choice for people who love to BBQ, especially for those who only host a BBQ occasionally or who move around a lot! There are a number of benefits that portable barbecues offer:

Portability – the most obvious benefit of portable BBQs is that they are mobile. They are generally lightweight and compact, making them easy to whip out wherever you go.

Convenience – with a portable grill, you can set up a BBQ anywhere at any time, whether you’re camping, going to a catering event, or even enjoying a day at the park.

Versatility – depending on how you want to use the grill, portable BBQs are available in a variety of sizes and styles, so you can find one that matches perfectly with your needs.

Cost-effective – due to their low maintenance and ease of set-up, portable grills are less expensive than built-in or stationary BBQs, making them a great option for those on a budget. Also, if you tend to move house often, there is no point wasting money on building a BBQ station within your garden – simply purchase a portable one!

Types of Portable BBQs

There are 3 main types of portable BBQs: charcoal, gas, and electric. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to know and choose the one that is right for you.

Charcoal BBQ

Charcoal BBQs are the most traditional type of BBQ, like if you were to picture a BBQ, this is one that you will likely envision (well I do anyway). These BBQs use charcoal as a type of fuel and generally require more time and effort than other types of BBQs to set up and use. Having said that, due to the charcoal and raw flames, they offer a unique flavour that is hard to replicate with other types of portable grills.

Gas BBQ

Gas BBQs use propane or natural gas to produce heat. They are one of the most convenient types of portable grills, with an incredibly quick set-up. Additionally, unlike charcoal which needs monitoring, gas BBQs provide consistent heat and temperature control.

Electric BBQ

Electric BBQs are one of the most modern types of grills, using electricity as their power source. Especially for apartments or rental places, these are an ideal choice when gas and charcoal grilling is not allowed.

Features to Look for in a Portable BBQ

When choosing a portable BBQ, there are several features to consider:

Size and weight

Portable BBQs come in a variety of sizes and weights, so you should consider how many people you’ll be cooking for and how much space you have in your vehicle for transport.

Cooking surface

The size of the cooking surface is an important factor to consider. If you're cooking for a large group, you'll need a larger cooking surface.

Fuel Efficiency

Some portable BBQs are more fuel-efficient than others. Look for models that use less fuel or have a longer burn time.

Temperature Control

Temperature control is important for achieving the perfect cook, so make sure you know how to handle the grill you choose.

Durability and Quality

A portable BBQ should be durable and made with quality materials to ensure it lasts for many grilling seasons to come. Look for models with sturdy frames, high-quality grates, and durable construction.

How to Choose the Perfect Portable Barbecue

Consider Your Needs

Think about how often you'll be using your portable BBQ, how many people you'll be cooking for, and where you'll be using it. This will help you determine the size, type, and features you need.

Think About Your Budget

Portable barbecues come in a range of prices, from budget-friendly options to high-end models. Set a budget and choose a model that fits within your price range.

Read Reviews

Before purchasing a portable BBQ, read reviews from other customers to learn about their experiences with different models. This can help you make an informed decision and avoid potential issues.

My Top Tips

Choose the Right Fuel

Make sure you're using the right type of fuel for your portable BBQ. Charcoal BBQs require charcoal, gas BBQs require propane or natural gas, and electric BBQs require electricity.

Preheat Your BBQ

Preheat your BBQ for at least 10 minutes before cooking to ensure it reaches the desired temperature.

Clean Your BBQ Regularly

Clean your grill after each use to ensure it lasts for many grilling seasons. Use a wire brush to clean the grates and wipe down the exterior with a damp cloth.

Use the Right Tools

Make sure you're using the right tools when grilling on your portable BBQ. Use long-handled tongs, a spatula, and a meat thermometer for safe and efficient cooking.

Hopefully, with all this information in mind, you can find the perfect portable BBQ for your next grilling adventure!

[rigelmejo]

A big reason I tend to suggest 1-2 hours a day if you're studying a language (on average - so you could study 2 hours for a few days then skip some days, or 1.5 hours and skip some days), is because it's a good goal to aim for in order to see significant progress in skills every 3-6 months. And if you don't see significant progess after several months, you may fear you're not making any progress (even though you are - it's just too small to see a difference yet), and may become demotivated and give up.

For example: for learning a language similar to your own, like an english speaker studying spanish, they can make Great progress every 3 months or so if they study 1 hour a day (on average). Such as going from beginner material, to lower intermediate, to perhaps middle intermediate or easier native speaker materials (like kids cartoons) within a year. If they study 2 hours, they can make Excellent progress, seeing a noticeable ability to start studying more difficult things every 1-2 months.

And with a language very unlike one you know, like an english speaker studying japanese, 1 hour of study a day (on average) could get them from beginner material to upper beginner or lower intermediate material after a year. So they could go from no ability, to reading graded readers (Tadoku Graded Readers perhaps) and listening to beginner learner podcasts (like Nihongo Con Teppei) and perhaps Comprehensible Japanese low intermediate youtube videos. That's great progress for japanese, if you speak english and knew no cognates no kanji no hiragana or katakana and no grammar initially. If you study 2 hours a day, you could perhaps get to upper beginner or lower intermediate in 6 months or 6-10 months (such as those people who do anki 1 hour and then childrens cartoons or Comprehensible Japanese youtube or Nihongo Con Teppei 1 hour/.5 hour and study grammar .5 hour a day). The people cram studying a bunch of anki and immersing (or using learner content with a lot of word density) are probably studying at least 2 hours a day on average. The ones seeing noticeable progress of reading graded readers in 3-6 months, and manga with word lookups in 1 year, probably are.

Now as you can see... a language very unlike one you kniw will take longer... but at least with 1-2 hours a day of study you'll see some progress you can Clearly Notice by the end of the year, or halfway through. You'll see enough progress to know if your study methods and study plan is working for you, or not, and how much study hours per day equals progress in the amount of months you want to see progress by.

If you've already studied a language, 1-2 hours of study a day can create quite excellent progress. You already know your study plan, what approaches work best for you, what your short and long term goals are and what to look for to indicate progress made (you notice when graded reading ability goes up by 200 words known, or when listening you get to a point of less-exhaustion or main-idea grasping or some-detail catching or isolated words versus phrases versus full sentences comprehended, when one domain like conversations about hobbies increases in how much you can say or understand even if another domain like shopping hasnt yet) or progress stalling (such as noticing you stopped learning new words for 4 months, or noticing you're avoiding studying completely if you do X activity). So you already avoid doing a lot of activities that waste your study time, you quickly notice when you havent studied anything new in X days or when you've avoided practicing a skill for X days. So you can minimize time spent doing less productive things, and you dont spend much time "learning how to study" or "learning what to study."

You can make potentially up to twice as much progress as the person who's never self studied a language. I made great progress in Chinese in 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and was making progress in as many days as French - in French I studied 1 hour daily, and in Chinese I studied 2 hours daily (on average). Despite Japanese taking 4 times longer than French when I studied Japanese 1 hour daily (like French), and still 2 times longer when I studied japanese for 2 hours daily (so if French studying 1 hour daily then graded readers took 3+ months to begin reading, then in Japanese studying 2 hours daily then graded readers took 6+ months). I think I saw Chinese skills improve faster because I knew How I studied best, and knew what to start studying next for X skills. It still took longer than French per day to hit the progress milestones, and without prior study in languages it would've taken perhaps 6 months to a year to start Mandarin Companion graded readers. But at LEAST 1-2 hours would've gotten me to the point of starting graded readers by the end of the year - noticeable clear progress. That I could measure (based on ability to read graded reader on day 10 of study versus day 365).

I just feel like... when study time gets low like 30 minutes per day (on average) or less, progress you can clearly check (like ability to understand a graded reader, or a learner podcast in only the target language, or an episode of a show, or ability to talk for 5 minutes about X topic without rehearsing) may not show Significant changes for a year or more. (With a language like your own... like english to French or Spanish, you may see noticeable progress in a year after 30 minutes daily study but... it'll be so much slower than if you'd just put in more daily study time). And for languages less like ones you know, I think a LOT of learners put in 15-30 minutes a day (duolingo japanese learners, or pimsleur 1 lesson every few days learners, or 15 minute anki learners) and then after a year get really frustrated they cannot see if they've learned much of anything!

(I should know, I was that learner spending 15-30 minutes on japanese for a year lol... in reality of course I'd made SOME progress... in a year I learned hiragana and katakana, a few dozen kanji, masu basic conjugations like masu masen demashita demasen, but I couldn't have a full unrehearsed conversation about my hobbies or read a easy graded reader and I still didh't understand N5 level questions or any questions in general if written in japanese... it took me 2 years studying like that at 30 minutes a day, THEN cram studying 2-3 hours a day for 6 months, to finally be able to read key words in an instagram post or manga title or a beginner graded reader. 2 years of 30 minutes a day did make Some improvements, I'm sure, probably mostly in comfort with seeing hiragana katakana and some verb and adjective endings... but it was too little time spent studying to see Noticeable improvement in any skills. I also wasted a ton of those daily 30 minutes not knowing what to study or restudying old material.)

[ren-shonen]

I ended up typing up so much in the tags that I decided to put my thoughts in the post body instead (under the cut)

Future driving headcanons (i.e., when Izuku and Katsuki are each in their mid-20s)

Katsuki:

the more technically skilled and efficient driver; took to the mechanics of driving very naturally and chafed at his "beginner's leaf" sticker

went to an official driving school at his earliest opportunity and otherwise practiced with his father, for hopefully-obvious reasons; got his provisional driver's license ASAP after the war and graduated to a full license first try

always prefers to be the one driving, if possible

surprisingly compliant with traffic laws, etc. — but only when it makes sense to do so (stop sign at 3AM at an empty intersection? waste of time. look all ways and roll through.) Did not learn this from his father.

shockingly, has never even been pulled over, which he dryly chalks up to his skill and good judgment (but he knows it is at least partially luck and probably a bit of privilege)

drives a customized performance car with an embarrassingly obvious aesthetic, including one of those loud, buzzy mufflers (which he says is to help other drivers know he's approaching, in addition to improving engine performance)

likes to do much of the maintenance for himself; keeps a tight schedule for oil changes, tire inspections, etc.

leans his seat back so he can drive in a nonchalant-looking slouch, but doesn't play his music as loud as most expect (for situational awareness reasons)

originally, was a quite aggressive driver and expected others on the road to 'read' him and get out of the way; was often angry/frustrated because he felt other drivers were being deliberately obstructive, overtaking him/not letting him change lanes/cutting him off on purpose

later came to realize (partially by observing Izuku) that most drivers were just oblivious or unskilled, not malicious; cooled off considerably after that and took lessons in driving defensively, which he "crushed" (his words; not inaccurate)

now adapts his driving style (mostly) to context, what is needed, and current traffic conditions, but will drive obnoxiously if he wants to annoy his passengers (petty!)

there is a widespread assumption that he rides a racing motorcycle. He refuses to get one. He insists these facts are not related.

Izuku:

is probably now mostly equal to Katsuki in terms of technical skill, but it took him a long time to get there, and it requires more conscious effort from him

didn't pick up the mechanics of driving very gracefully, partly because of having little experience as a passenger and not having a feel for the road

always wanted to learn (inspired in part by David Shield), but got a late start: his mother didn't own a car and was a little nervous about it (and he could presumably get by fine with public transport)

All Might tried to teach him earlier on (probably too early, like Dagoba Beach early), but Izuku got so nervous about driving All Might's car (please imagine the fanboy steam-coming-out-ears) that he couldn't absorb anything very well. The fact that All Might was himself a very intuitive driver (and also kept getting Japanese and American driving rules mixed up when he tried to convey them verbally) meant that he was really not the best teacher, either....

picked up most of the basics piecemeal from his peers in the postwar chaos, and therefore developed some very bad habits/had large gaps in his practical knowledge of how to drive safely; did study the traffic laws forwards and backwards on his own, so at least he's got those down (in theory....)

does his best to be "a good driver" and doesn't WANT to cause anyone trouble; just had a hard time at first figuring out how to do that when it tends to come so naturally to "everyone else" (All Might, Katsuki) and when there were simply more pressing things to consider (he could get around fine, couldn't he?)

end result: tended to be an oblivious, reckless driver, despite intending to be law-abiding and careful. Not because he was thrill-seeking, exactly, but because he would simply miss information — because he hadn't learned how to adjust his mirrors or check them consistently, for instance; or because he would misjudge things, causing him to pull out in front of other people; or he would take unnecessary risks because he felt pressured or nervous, and so would put "performing to standards" over his own comfort/safety. This drove Katsuki UP THE WALL, because he couldn't understand why. (I think he figured Izuku was being careless on purpose.)

eventually, after much exasperation, Katsuki finally pinned Izuku down and made him lay out his side of things, which clarified that it was a "never taught properly" problem. Seeking specific training from someone Izuku could be calm with went a long way toward addressing this (I like the idea of Iida Tensei teaching him!)

still tends to get distracted or lost in his own head; prone to highway hypnosis

sits straight in his seat and tends to grip the wheel with both hands unless he's actively shifting gears

has difficulty staying on top of routine maintenance without external reminders; knows enough that he feels like he "should" do it himself, but his hands give him trouble, so he lets the mechanic handle it

enjoys driving now, but doesn't insist on it when he feels the other person is better at it than he is (and he feels that way most of the time, whether fairly or not)

in emergencies, tends to prioritize speed over precision, and all traffic laws go straight out the window (will drive right over a median if he has to!) Fortunately, he's mostly got the hard-won skill to back this up.

under normal circumstances is a considerate, accommodating driver, but in an emergency or under tension he readily dips into coarse language

despite being a much more graceful driver now, he is still TERRIBLE at braking softly — but that's not entirely his fault (blame the nerve damage)

has gotten, like. five traffic tickets — mostly from silly things like missing the light changing and blowing through a red at an empty intersection. (The count would probably be higher if he hadn't been recognized as Deku several times.) Is incredibly embarrassed about this.

drives the most bog-standard-looking mid-sized sedan you ever did see, but it's secretly very souped-up and has many additional safety features, like ballistic glass (though the comfort/luxury-related features like the sound system and interior details are all basic — except for the heated seats he opted for at Katsuki's insistence, because they help keep Izuku's joints from getting stiff on longer trips, and Katsuki was "tired of seeing him hobbling around like an old man" — and never mind the fact that Katsuki also gets stiff....)

[see-fee]

Hiii do you have any domestic headcanons for your au cfe fic

Olaaa~ I’d love to hear if anyone else does! I didn’t think of that much before, because I’d worry about the details of what domestic life was like in the Caves of Steel…

Here are some ideas I’ve just had:

Daneel gifts Elijah a lovely little bonsai for his birthday, a rare but resilient cultivar, good for beginners. Elijah says, “I name it Bush.” “Bush? But it is a tree, albeit in miniature.” “Vannevar Bush,” Elijah explains. It flourishes under his care and flowers around the time of his birthday. One day, Elijah is meticulously pruning it and murmurs, “My dear Bush, another one that will outlive me many times over.” Daneel, sitting within earshot, is duly mortified. “Partner Elijah, I did not mean to—” Elijah forestalls his apology with a wave. “It’s not a bad thing. It’s quite a nice thought, actually.” Daneel says nothing, so they silently look at the bonsai for a contemplative moment. “You’ll take good care of Vannevar for me.” “I shall.”

Elijah finds out Daneel’s “birthday” as well. It falls on a day when they are training Outside. Afterwards, Elijah and a few recruits surprise Daneel with a small and private celebration, with the humans picnicking. It suddenly starts to rain lightly so they have to gather their things and run into the training dome. Once the others leave, Elijah pulls out a Spacer wine that he has gone to great lengths to procure, kept hidden for the occasion. Daneel takes a few appreciative sips but then refuses more, saying it is wasted on him and that Elijah ought to enjoy it on his behalf. So Elijah does—a little too much—while the rain falls harder, pattering on the dome’s surface. He asks what else Daneel might’ve wanted. “Just this, Partner Elijah.” “Justice? For whom?” “This. Just this.”

Whenever Elijah struggles to recall a forgotten detail that Daneel knows about, he absolutely refuses to let Daneel tell him. Sometimes, hours later, Elijah triumphantly blurts out the forgotten word/phrase, and Daneel gives him a small smile. Sometimes he does not manage to recall it, so Daneel asks, “Do you give up yet?” To which the answer is always a spirited “No!” and shushing and a hand clapped over Daneel’s mouth. Then, days later, they are going about their routine, Daneel abruptly whispers the answer in his ear, and Elijah pauses in confusion then exclaims “Argh!” and bangs a fist on whatever surface is handy. They do this every time.

They watch old Earth films and view old book-films together. Daneel likes to make Elijah quote lines in bad accents. Elijah tends to refuse at first but eventually caves in.

Elijah was humming to the radio, and then Daneel joined in, humming softly. “Hang on! Daneel, you’re humming? Can you sing?” Daneel replies thoughtfully, “I am not programmed to do so, only to record audio. However, singing is but another form of speaking, in principle. I can already perform vocal inflections and pitch changes—otherwise I would sound distastefully monotonous—so perhaps I could mimic what I hear. Would you like me to try?” Elijah nods. “Try!” Thus Elijah discovered Daneel’s beautiful singing voice—he’s a tenor. Pitch perfect, obviously. Elijah says, “Do you know, there was a silly rumour going around a few years ago that the dancer Lyrane Millane is a robot—heard it from Vince, ex-Department kid. Now I’m not so sure…” Elijah pulls Daneel into a little impromptu waltz along to the radio. Daneel follows flawlessly. “Can you dance, too? Properly, not like this?” “I know an Auroran waltz that is customarily danced during more formal festivities.” “Teach me.” And so they danced. (Daneel isn’t good at improvising moves or dancing spontaneously, though.)

Daneel will bodily carry Elijah to bed whenever he stays up too late reading and studying. Elijah protests indignantly, of course, but Daneel knows he secretly loves it.

One day, while performing a routine physical check-up for Daneel, Elijah notices a tiny ding on his metal chest plate. “Damn it. Was this always here? Did I do that?” “Yes, Partner Elijah, it happened the previous time.” “You never told me!” “It is of no concern.” “Well, it bothers me now that I’ve noticed. Maybe I can buff it out.” “No. This gives me an idea.” Daneel hands him the laser cauterising pen, its intensity turned down low. “Perhaps you can draw or write something over it.” “Like what? I can’t draw.” “Anything you wish.” So, after a moment of thought, Elijah draws a little heart shape beside a donut ♡ ⦾ Daneel peers at the donut. “What is that symbol? I am not familiar with these double concentric rings.” “That’s us. My heart and yours.” “Oh.” Daneel takes the tool and brings it to his generator’s outer case. “What are you doing! That one was fine!” Daneel ignores him. When Daneel lifts his hand, Elijah sees what he’s done. Along the inner curve of his torus, scribed in small block letters: PARTNER ELIJAH ♡

[shoichee]

ok hear me out. aomine x f!reader who’s on the tennis team and is amazing at it. for a while the reader and her team need to share the gym on the same days as basketball practice. during the days they share the gym aomine notices the reader. somehow aomine finds out the reader is also good at basketball, practically at aomine’s level. you can decide what happens!! it can be a head cannon or a type of one shot :)

I AM HEARING YOU OUT ANON, WE HAVE ANOTHER BANGER REQUEST THIS IS FIRE look inhale, what a genius, okay so i don’t play tennis myself, but I have a lot of friends who do... and trust me.... it’s a lot more exertive and difficult than what it appears to be

Aomine x f!Reader

[Headcanons]

if Aomine was a monster on the basketball courts, you were a monster on the tennis courts

the only reason why he hasn’t heard about you until he first saw you was because tennis tends to be not as a popular and broadcasted sport as basketball // the tennis games themselves are often single-player (doubles exist too but still less people on the same court) and relatively quiet with few audience members watching too

it was a MIRACLE that Aomine was there at the gym today (thank Wakamatsu for threatening to burn his porno mag), and luckily for him, he didn’t even had to practice as hard because the tennis club had an agreement with Touou’s basketball coach to occupy the other half of the gym

enter you, putting down your duffel bag and stretching before you do a few warmup tosses and hits against the gym wall while the nets were being set up

for the first half of practice, both sides were busy with their own practices, so Aomine hasn’t really noticed you

it was until the team got a break to catch their breath that Aomine noticed that the tennis team were still doing drills and practice matches; every single eye was drawn to you

Sakurai immediately comments on how your movements were too similar to Aomine’s, and Imayoshi is equally intrigued that you might as well be the tennis-version of Aomine

at the chatter, Aomine slightly perks up and looks to where everyone was pointing at (you), and quietly watches you while still looking “bored,” until he realized how right they were

your agility is top-notch and your instincts to immediately sprint to the right direction were insane; your change of pace from 0 to 10 in acceleration were even more seamless than Aomine’s at times, especially when you stand at a ready position and suddenly burst to the other side of the court to save the ball from the corner

not to mention you have your own fair share of trickshots and unpredictability in trying various ways to tire out your opponent in chasing after the balls you hit

Sakurai loudly wonders that if you played basketball, would you even be able to defeat Aomine?? and the entire team STARTS ANALYZING AND DISCUSSING amongst themselves and doing bets LMAO

Aomine’s impressed, but he’s still somewhat “meh” about it, since “the only one who could beat me is me” is still an attitude he carries around, and you do give off a vibe similar to Kise where you could easily copy techniques easily if you do play basketball other than tennis

little did Aomine know, you also noticed his exceptional skill with the ball and how he can do trickshots and dunks with ease… you turn to your friend and ask if that’s even possible

your friend stares incredulously at you and asks, “How do you not know? He’s one of the Generation of Miracles!”

of course you didn’t know if you’ve been focused on tennis all your life, but being in the sports world, the title of “Generation of Miracles” does ring a familiar bell

your friend (who’s also your partner during doubles matches) also plays a little bit of other sports on the side, including basketball, and during breaks, your friend would often ask you to play a small game together because seeing the Touou basketball team playing got them pumped up

your athletic ability would translate very easily into basketball, since having reflexes, agility, instincts, and change of pace would all be advantageous in sports that require mobility (just like how Koganei’s instincts from tennis were very useful in Seirin)

so whether or not you played basketball didn’t matter dramatically because you had skills and abilities that would be universally beneficial in most sports anyways

you always gave your friend a run for their money when you kept stealing their ball, did fast breaks, or pulled off agile maneuverings that no beginner player would be able to do, and whenever your tennis teammates did their “ooh’s” and “ah’s,” the basketball team would peer over to see what the commotion was about

they were LOSING their shit at how naturally talented you were at basketball, and Imayoshi has a bad great idea of inviting you over after practice to do some quick one-on-ones with Aomine for his own entertainment

Aomine is kind of excited if he was being honest, and his blood is kinda pumping and he’s a bit giddy to find a potential rival other than Kagami

Momoi is a little worried for you because Aomine might be a brute and hurt you, especially since you’re a girl, but she’s just as excited to see someone potentially knocking down his ego a shit ton if he loses

Momoi and Imayoshi both walk up to you on the last day of “shared” practice at the gym and ask if you can spare some time to do some one-on-ones with Aomine, and you agree because you don’t have much to do anyways

your friend is super excited for you but a little nervous at how you’re so casual in going against a GoM, but nevertheless, both the tennis and basketball teams are in the audience watching Momoi throwing up the jump ball (Aomine is giving you an arrogant smirk and you’re just standing there more focused on the ball than him LMAO)

as expected, Aomine easily grabs the ball (since he knows the rhythm in jumping for this a lot better) and immediately starts dribbling down the court at an inhuman speed, expecting a swift victory

nope, you immediately reacted to his speed and immediately cut off his drive when you’re right in front of him… and you immediately swiped for the ball, Aomine almost didn’t react fast enough to switch handles to escape your reach

but you immediately reacted and reach for his other dribbling hand and slap the ball away, and then you bolted with the ball down your court

Aomine is right behind you, shocked out of his wits, and everyone else is in HYSTERICS in the background

“HOLY SHIT, did you see that?!”

“(y/n), kick his ass!”

“Ho? Aomine, you’re letting her beat you so easily?”

“I knew those porn mags didn’t do anything good for him.”

“U-Um, Wakamatsu-san…”

Aomine thinks it’s a fluke that you got the ball from him, but he’s shocked because you weren’t exactly a Kise, and you even had a reaction time similar to Akashi’s on top of that

he tries to steal the ball back, but you did something unpredictable: using a similar movement when you hit the tennis ball with your racket, you slapped the ball to bounce (at an unfamiliar speed/rhythm) through his legs before you sprinted to dribble the ball in a normal drive again

shooting was a different story though because Aomine is always blocking your shots or stealing it before you can even get into a shooting position; after all, shooting requires use of muscles different to when playing tennis

even so, you made it equally hard for him to score

ultimately, Aomine’s superb shooting abilities expectantly made him won the short match, but he even had to resort to some crazy trickshots, so your reflexes would kick in slower than normal to register those shots

for those who have no clue about tennis (spoiler alert: me), a tennis racket is a lot more bulkier and heavier than it appears to be (much different than a badminton racket), and it takes a lot of arm strength to play with it very fluidly without wasting energy

thus, dribbling was easy for you, and your ball handling was pretty unique but still very hard to keep track of

now Aomine won, but everyone is losing their shit at the fact that you managed to get him to sweat so much and putting in effort (cue Wakamatsu and Imayoshi trying to recruit you to join as Aomine’s practice buddy to get the Touou ace to practice for once)

now, if it was a two-on-two match, you and your friend would definitely destroy Aomine and whoever would be unfortunate enough to be his partner (cough, Sakurai), for the sole reason that your impeccable teamwork in tennis doubles carries over to basketball matches, where Aomine has always been a solo star player

you damn know well that Aomine would constantly bug you to do one-on-ones with him, but he’s secretly whipped for you and doesn’t know how else to ask you to hang out with him other than a match LMAO

you do remind him that you’re a tennis player first, and you prioritize your team above all else; that means if there’s tennis practice, you’re going to those no matter what

that just reminded him of Kuroko (nostalgia, angst, and feels enter here)

he reluctantly shows up to watch your tennis practices along with Momoi because sleeping on the roof has gotten “boring,” and Momoi finds incentive in finding any techniques she can pick up from you to use for basketball strategies

he may have secretly watched your tennis matches, both singles and doubles

you definitely have watched Aomine’s matches, noticing there’s something odd with him at times, like he wasn’t trying his best like he did with you

after a heartfelt talk with Momoi, you do feel like he needs to get out of that mindset on his own, since his stubborn personality wouldn’t listen to you and you knew that from the amount of one-on-ones you played with him

then the Winter Cup came and Seirin won in their “revenge match” against Touou, and you were captivated by Aomine going ALL OUT in that match (you also took some notes to use for your own tennis matches)

Aomine drags both you and Momoi to buy some new basketball shoes after Touou’s loss, and from that point on, both of you are technically practicing basketball together, but like… you’re not complaining because you’re getting extra cardio in

you get better at basketball, enough to even beat him once in a blue moon in one-on-ones, but then he wins the rest of the matches against you tenfold LOL

Momoi loves you because you’re one of his main motivators to practice

when Aomine himself tries to play tennis singles with you, it’s quite hilarious to see him missing the tennis ball every time when he serves because it’s so TINY but it’s so heavy?? so it falls to the ground quite literally if he’s not precise in hitting it LOL

gauging distance between the net, back of the court, the ball, and his arm positioning is a nightmare for Aomine because he’s used to grand courts and GIANT distances and TALL hoops, and him being precise and meticulous in a much smaller area feels so restricting

of course you whoop his ass in tennis, that’s a given

give him some time though, he’d be really good at it really quickly once he adapts to his surroundings

bonus: Koganei FREAKS out seeing you in the Winter Cup in the audience because you’re a literal tennis legend, and the entire Seirin team is going ???? at him // he totally fanboys a bit and asks you to meet with his Seirin teammates, and you agree because you wanted to meet the team who gave Touou and Aomine a run for their money

you do one-on-ones with Kagami because you’re curious, and when Aomine hears of this… it’d be a CHAOTIC scene once he storms over to drag you away from Seirin

extra bonus: it’s not unusual to see you use your tennis racket to thwack him in the head when he gets any funny ideas of staring at your teammates’ shorts/tennis skirts or when he’s doing anything dumb in general

[burning-fcols]

dorkydemcn: 

Jerry tended to forget just how depressing his life story could be to other demons. For him he was never particularly sad about it. Sure sometimes he wished he had truly gone for it. Done some things that were seen as sinful and forbidden. Then there was the fact that he was always an easy target. Both in the land of the living and here. Though he did have some strength now with his new demon form he didn't really use it to his advantage. Due to habit but also a distaste for violence. Which had become even stronger given his act of violence was what caused him to die and sent him to hell in the first place. "Really? You're not messing with me are you?" His first instinct was to think this was yet another demon trying to have some fun at his expense but the aura and attitude she gave off was oddly very pleasant. It honestly threw him for a loop. "Oh thank you! You have no idea what a relief that is." He says with a nervous chuckle. "You're right I know you are." He admitted with an unsteady breath. "I have been tempted to try something like alcohol and others things." Those other things being a more sexual nature. His attraction to men which in the time he came from was highly demonized and criminalized even. "It's just hard I was taught not to partake in certain things all my life." A long pause was given. “Do you have any alcoholic drinks that are sugary? Where I can’t taste the booze as much?” @burning-fcols

「 ☆ 」 Tail wags as the stranger relaxes, the nervous fog around him shifting into something far more pleasant to feel. No matter how many times it happens, Bee never gets tired of that transition. When someone goes from apprehensive to hopeful. A light, however small at first, breaking through the darkness that Hell entrapped them in. Even if it only lasts a little while— Hell’s hold is merciless and patient, always waiting outside the party’s doors —those moments are precious. It’s best not to waste them.

❝ Now, that’s what I like to hear! Don’t worry, baby. We have all sorts of sugary shit around here. ❞ She encourages when the man tentatively relents, beaming as her wings buzz. Floating a bit off the ground, she leans forward and playfully whispers in Jerry’s ear, ❝ Those drinks are actually my favorite~ ❞ Giving the demon a wink, Bee grabs his hand and starts quickly tugging him through the crowd with an excited howl, ❝ C’mon, let’s get fucked UP! ❞

Expertly weaving through the throngs of party-goers, it doesn’t take long to reach the bar. Despite the thick, drunken mess of guests, an area clears near-instantly for the esteemed Sin. Leading the other into her space, Bee calls out for two ❛ usuals ❜ from the Imp behind the counter, albeit one with ❛ less of a dick-punch to it ❜. Two insanely-colorful and sweet-smelling concoctions are slid their way, one being given a splash of what appears like thick, golden honey. Taking that one, Bee offers the other to her newfound guest. Ethereal in appearance, even the little umbrellas within the drinks shimmer under the party lights.

❝ Here, try this on for size. It’s my own personal creation and it’s to fucking DIE for. Don’t worry though, it won’t mess you up too bad. I had ‘em make you like, a beginner version of it. Less of a ❛ I’m about to fuck a stranger ❜ vibe and more of a ❛ I’m gonna dance like an idiot and I literally don’t care ❜ one. Y’know? ❞ She says, lightly swirling the enticing liquid around with an encouraging grin. 「 ☆ 」

[bitchfitch]

What's that bit about betta fish tank sizes ?

Thank you.

Basically, what size tank a fish needs is based on 2 factors

1. the amount of physical space the fish needs to not feel stressed (this is based on body size, social needs, territory needs, activity level, etc)

2.the amount of water needed to effectively disperse it's waste and keep harmful chemicals and bacteria from building up to damaging levels between water changes

starting with point 1, Beta fish specifically don't seem to need too much space to be happy. so long as the water is good a beta will be just as happy in a standard 5 g as they would a 10, 20, 40, or whatever else. You don't see signs of stress or disease from a beta in a well maintained 5g. This is because while betas are fairly smart for their size, they're still fish. A beta doesn't have a concept of a bigger tank, it doesn't know it could be somewhere bigger, it doesn't care, it's a fish, and it's too busy getting mad at it's reflection in the glass to care about such trivial things like potential. (it wouldn't mind a bigger tank but it's anthropomorphizing to say it would want one)

But. BUT. I Do Not Recommend a 5g tank unless you know Exactly what you are doing and can devote the time and resources to making it work.

5 gallons is the minimum space a beta needs to be happy, but it's Pushing it when it comes to making sure the water can stay good for any length of time. Assuming you have a good filter, a 5g tank needs careful monitoring of its temperature (bc smaller water volumes temperatures tend to fluctuate a lot more than bigger ones) and it's parameters (nitrates/nitrites/ amonia/ ph/ etc etc/) and You Can Not miss a water change and tank clean without risking the health of your fish. you can't. You need to be on top of that 1/3 water volume swap every single week with a mid week parameter check just make sure nothing is going wrong in the meantime, and that new water Has to be perfect (ideally it should already be cycled and taken from a clean, established tank used only for water treatment purposes) because there won't be enough space for it to dilute fully before your fish comes into contact with it.

now if that sounds hard and obnoxious, there's an easy solution! just get a bigger tank. A 10 g is what I recommend for beginners who might not be fully in practice with staying on top of things but who also might not have access to or the budget for anything bigger.(easy mode is a 20 long if you can find one of those, they're normally sold for reptiles, just go over the seams with another layer of caulking to make sure it's water tight and buy a solid lid to help with evaporation and light mounting)

now in a rack system though, a series of five gallons can be made easier by having them on a sump. a sump is a large tank of water that can be used as a way to hide filters and heaters* as well as increasimg the amount of water the waste can be dissolved in. it can also be used to help with flow control (a massive issue for beta fish) the oxygenation of the water, and it can give you the ability to use more aggressive filtration and oxygenation systems bc you won't need to worry about your fish getting caught in them.