RE: writing. Start taking time to write out your sentence reviews. Not all of them (that would be a lot) but some of them. I generally set Anki to a 5 minute timebox when I first start SRSing for the day and write out every sentence I get. Make sure to sound out the characters in you head as you write. This will tie the reading/word with writing the kanji.

For English I just watched lots of regular TV one summer vacation and then I could understand most things, and the rest was easier. There’s a point where the learning picks up as you’re suddenly able to see things in better perspective and it turns from “trying to understand” to “filling in the gaps” and at that point it becomes extremely exciting.

Sometimes, when I got some work to do on my computer, I’ll manage to drag myself to my desk, wake it up, and proceed to play with an elastic band sitting beside the keyboard. I blow at self-discipline – I didn’t even turn my Japanese audio on today! But you know what, that’s okay; it was on already 😛

For me, I’m at a stage where it’s actually harder for me to turn the Japanese off than it is to turn it on.

Of course, I didn’t have the audio thing going so smoothly since the get-go, I had my roadblocks. One, which you may also be experiencing, was my dislike of headphones. They get annoying after a while, fall out, not to mention (in my opinion) it’s rude to have them in when you’re with someone. So, I made the switch to speakers.

Fire up that computer of yours, turn on iTunes, put it on shuffle and leave it. Computer downstairs/far away? No problem! As you alluded to, you’ve got a portable music player of sorts, so get a dock for it. In fact, also go to the dollar store and pick up some of those cheap speakers and place a few pairs around your house.

I’m a hockey fan. Whether you are or aren’t, you were probably aware that there used to be one referee on the ice. Well, about 12 years ago, the NHL started putting two refs on the ice, one at each end of the rink. This way, the game comes to them, rather than them chasing it. Instead of having to go to your Korean, have it come to you (by having your tools – speakers/books/media – everywhere you go.)

Hope this helps 🙂

That’s pretty much my constant thought pattern for the last few years. I know Khatz doesn’t believe in self-discipline, but I know that what I have is a definite SD problem. I would GLADLY choose to listen to nothing but Korean 24/7/365, but dang it my headphones are over there and I don’t feel like getting up and getting them.

I know I can’t be the only one with this issue… anyone here have some words of advice? And no.. saying ‘just get up and turn on the d*mn Korean’ isn’t going to help >.< If I sound bitter it's because I am. 😛