Phoenix's Log - Learning Anniversary Edition in Two Months

[phoenix]

This log is to track my progress on (re)learning shorthand (Anniversary Edition) in two months (or possibly a little longer due to other time commitments).  Feel free to comment.

I learned Series 90 in high school a long time ago, and have not used it since.  Every few years I have attempted to relearn, but have not carried through.  

[phoenix]

Day 1: COMPLETED. Read introductory sections of the book: Preface, About Gregg Shorthand, and A Talk with the Beginner. Review: The Alphabet of Gregg Shorthand.

The alphabet is a little more complex from Series 90, which had only a circle for "A", "E", and "OO". The Anniversary Edition has dots and slashes to represent the different sounds - which will take some time to learn.

[Deb]

Wonderful competing day 1!

The dots and dashes don't need to be memorized too much, they're there to help the leaner and you can use them if needed. Here's a discussion on them: greggshorthand.proboards.com/thread/537/

[phoenix]

Thanks for the information on the dots and dashes - it is good that this tool is defined, but nothing to stress out over.

[phoenix]

Day 2: COMPLETED Unit 1 - read and transcribed unit 1. I also made flashcards for the brief forms. There are a lot of brief forms to learn, so I might need a little extra time for memorization - but it is okay if it takes more than two months - at least progress is being made.

[phoenix]

Day 3: COMPLETED Unit 1 = re-read unit; wrote brief forms, phrases, and the reading and dictation section (although some words I am not sure I transcribed correctly).

I am having a problem knowing when to use the right motion, or the left motion when writing "th", "the", "there", and/or "their". Does anyone have any suggestions as to when to use which motion? It seems that I am going the wrong direction each time. Thanks!

[Deb]

Whichever is easiest. Usually the top, left "the" is used most often. The under, right, motion is used with other words to combine you make words.

If you'd like you can see the drill here with a lot of "th" drills. Don't worry about when to use which motion, you'll learn that.
greggshorthand.proboards.com/thread/1279/

[phoenix]

Thanks, Deb. I will take a look at the "th" drills.

Day 4: COMPLETED Unit 2 - read and transcribed unit 2. Still need to create the flashcards for the brief forms in this Unit...

[phoenix]

Things heated up at work so I had to step away from this for a few days.

Day 5: COMPLETED - Unit 2 - read unit; wrote brief forms, phrases, and the reading and dictation section. Prepared flashcards.

[phoenix]

Day 6: COMPLETED - read and wrote entire unit. Prepared flashcards. Whew - there are a lot of brief forms to learn/memorize.

[Deb]

It is wonderful you are sticking with this!

[phoenix]

I have had to stop my studying for a while (cannot believe it has been over a month already). Lots of projects going on at work that are consuming large amounts of my time. I plan to get back to this soon. Hope everyone else is able to keep up with their studies.

[phoenix]

I now have a break at work - although only a short one - so I am getting back into this. I did find a few occasions where I was able to insert shorthand outlines in my longhand notes. That saved some time but it was only for a few words.

[phoenix]

Okay - I have decided to get back into this. Will be using the Series 90 book that I originally learned from. Did Lessons 1 and 2 today, which had no writing practice, so it went a little quicker. There are 60 lessons, so my goal is to complete them all in 60 days.

[phoenix]

Keeping at it. I have completed lessons 3-6. Lesson 6 was the first one with a writing assignment in the book I am using. Hope that my posting will help motivate others; and keep me motivated.