• LAVA Moderator: Mysterier

What are you learning about these days?

I'm about to leave for a 2 day course called "Single Tooth Implant"

It appears to be pretty basic, but it's run by a Specialist from town who I really want to offer me a job so I plan to drag him aside at some stage and hit him up.

Plus I'm staying at the casino and plan to IV mango daiquiri's after day one and hit the blackjack tables tonight as a tax right off.....
 
I'm taking classes in Spanish and intermediate algebra. On my own I've been learning a lot about Mayan Civilization. It started as a project for Spanish, but I've gotten way more into it. Now after I finish all my Spanish studies which should be at about this time next year I want to take a trip to South America and see some of the ancient Mayan cities in person while also sort of cementing the Spanish that I've been learning.

I've also started getting into spinning poi and just learning a lot about myself in general. It scared the crap out of me to realize that I'm almost 30 and I don't really know much about myself at all and my likes and dislikes so I'm changing that! :)
 
as part of my batchelor of history and politics degree, i just started two units i'm enjoying a lot so far: an australian politics (within a global context) overview; and a sociology introduction looking at the australian social structure.

my brainz is just absorbing this stuff.

still learning mandarin too.
and seldomly learning to play guitar
 
After years of working as a lawyer and a specialist in the finance industry I'm studying towards a Masters degree in Finance.

I'm burnt out and I need a change
 
Heh, nice to see this old thread again :).

These days I am learning about (in order of "intensity")

- Soapmaking, the properties of oils, natural skin cures...etc. Last night I finished my 3rd batch. I am trying to perfect what seems to be an art in using heat to speed up the transformation (of oil into soap) rather than leaving it to transform itself over many weeks). Very curious hobby I developed... perhaps out of my hypochondria for skin.... When I feel comfortable with making soap, I will probably move on to making Biodiesel, which is surprisingly similar.

- History: I am mostly focusing on 11th - 15th century of the Islamic Empire (the so-called "middle period"). Also of interest is the history of the Balkans up to the present (while at the same time going slowly through Ivo Anderic's "The Bridge on the Drina"... fascinating.

- Mircea Eliade: a scholar worthy of mention all by himself due to the sheer weight of every page of his work (currently reading "The Myth of Eternal Return".

My language learning has sadly dropped for a bit, but I intend to revive it soon!
 
I got my open water dive card two weeks ago. Been down twice since.I plan on getting under a lot over the next twelve months. I want to do my Rescue Dive, Advanced Diver, Deep water cards and (If finances allow) Dive Master over the coming ten/twelve months.

It's inexpensive here, so now is the time to do this shit, or never do it.
 
^ Where is "here" if I may ask? I'm pretty sure I remember you're Irish, but somehow don't think that's where you're referring to ;).
 
For work, I'm learning a lot of random business and tax info.


Personally, I've been doing a lot of research on CBT and DBT techniques.
 
I've just started my degree in Psychology, as of 4 weeks ago. I'm studying at Macquarie Uni which has one of the best psych departments in the country :)

It's so awesome to be studying again, and particularly in a field that interests me so much! My brain is like a sponge and I stay up late studying most nights because I want to 8o

Perhaps the novelty of study and uni life will wear off in a few more weeks but for now I'm super passionate about it.
 
Well, I find learning something new keeps me from falling in a rut.

Not too long ago, I decided that I wanted to learn the Guitar. Bought myself a cheap guitar and a few books and was trying to self teach myself to play. Was pretty tough going.

In the meantime, I also joined the local martial arts gym and starting doing Muay Thai Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
If you ever tried it, you'll know that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu doesn't come easily, so for the first 3 months, it was all I was thinking about, formulating fight plans in my head! ;o)

I bought 3 detailed Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guides and also, an in depth DVD, plus hours reading about it and watching videos on the web. The art has been likened to playing chess, only a more physical form and it really is. I have never fallen so head over heels for an activity, but in the 6 months I have trained, it has become ingrained into my Psyche and I have what some people would call an Obsession with the art. I hope I'll be doing Jitsu until the day I die! :eek:)
 
In the meantime, I also joined the local martial arts gym and starting doing Muay Thai Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
If you ever tried it, you'll know that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu doesn't come easily, so for the first 3 months, it was all I was thinking about, formulating fight plans in my head! ;o)
My buddy teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, he's a fucking beast....
 
It is such a hard sport to explain - If you've never fought on the ground before (I was always a stand up fighter) it is unbelievable how easily you get dominated once you hit the ground. I had no idea what to do when I started.

I'm starting to build up a repertoire of defensive techniques, chokes and armbars. Watching the fight you realise that it is a game of chess - every technique has a reversal - at one point you can be in a superior position and then one technique can have you back at square one, battling to try and stay in the game.

There really is nothing more exhilirating than catching your opponent and forcing them to tap before they fall unconscious to a choke or end up with a snapped arm.
My friends think I'm crazy, but I truly f***in love it! =D

The comeradie is awesome as well. There is a lot of respect - guess you have to trust the guy you're fighing to let go when you tap! Lol!
 
^ Sihanoukeville, I presume? Oh, how I miss it.

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Add to my list:

Manichaeism - long overdue. Also some elements of Jainism, also long-overdue. I guess it is a tying of loose ends of my on-going study of religion.

As well, I am currently reading a brilliant book on the history of Central Asia, which fits nicely with the above.

Naturally follows is a renewed interest in Syriac language.

Also, just for fun, I've been looking at grammar manuals of (Middle) Ancient Egyptian Language - yes, the hieroglyphs! So sensationalized have these been, that studying them seriously as a language seems almost comical. Yet, still fascinating.
 
School - Economics, although my class is ending friday.
People - Reading people's intentions and emotions
Recreation - Anything about opiates
Personal - Controlling my emotions and innocent eyes
 
For the last couple months every article I read, book I glanced through, interviews I read, and a number of conversations I had, synchronicity and Carl Jung came up. So I went to the library and checked out Carl Jung's biography.
Besides Jung, I'm learning more about Astrology (recently skipped through a book I have had for years and never read on the History of Astrology).
I am one of those people that really skims through books.
I'll read for hours but might go through a few books or 50 wikipedia pages:)
 
^^ That is awesome!! I love sailing <3
My mum is an adept sailor(ess?), she's taught me a thing or two whenever the opportunity has arisen.
 
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