Tag Archives: life long learner

Fun Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

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Having a broad vocabulary can be useful for a lot of things. It can help you to read, watch and listen to a wider range of materials and have a better understanding of the content. It can give you the tools that you need to speak and write more eloquently and get your point across in more creative and profound ways. It can also just be a lot of fun to know more words and how to use them!

You probably pick up a new word every now and then, but if you want to actively improve your vocabulary, try these tips–

Play Word Games

Playing word games is a good way to learn new words and start expanding your vocabulary. Many word games rely on you knowing the definitions of words, being able to rearrange letters to make words, or perhaps being able to find hidden words. There are some fun word game apps that you might find you enjoy even more than scrolling through Instragam. You can even use tools like Wordscapes answers that helps you unscramble letters. The more you use something like this, the less that you will find you need to “cheat” as your vocabulary grows.

Read More

Reading is always a great activity if you want to improve your vocabulary, and the more broadly you read, the more diverse the vocabulary you encounter will be. You might like reading novels, but you should also read non-fiction, news articles, opinion pieces, essays or anything else that you find enjoyable. As well as reading physical books, listening to audio-books will help you know how to pronounce new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary will grow, especially if you commit to a diverse range of materials. A little bit of reading every day can make a big difference in your vocabulary.

Watch and Listen, too

Along with reading, you can benefit from watching and listening to diverse materials as well. Whether you watch TV dramas and movies, consume documentaries, or listen to the radio, podcasts or even music, you can learn new words. Just like with books and reading materials, you can explore lots of different media and find things that you enjoy. You can find plenty to watch and listen to for free online, by searching for videos on YouTube, from TED talks to comedy or informative how-tos.

Expand Your Circle

Finally, surrounding yourself with people from diverse backgrounds — both in upbringing and physical location — is a way to ensure you aren’t constantly hearing from people who look and sound like you. This will not only improve and build your vocabulary, but your ideas and views of the world as well.

You can improve your vocabulary in lots of different ways. Keep exploring the world around you to learn new words all the time!

P.S. How to put NEW language skills into practice. 

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A Peek at My Podcast Subscriptions

Hey friends! It’s been a little while since I’ve shared my current podcast subscription list. (Here’s a look at the list from Nov ’17.) Wanna see what’s been in my earholes lately?

Culpable

Culpable  explores unsettled cases where the people who seem deserving of blame somehow eluded justice. On February 26, 2014, Christian Andreacchio was found dead in the upstairs bathroom of his apartment from a single gunshot wound to the head. After a mere 45-minute investigation, local police ruled his death a suicide, despite substantial evidence that points to Christian’s death not only being a homicide, but premeditated murder.

Who? Weekly

A podcast dedicated to deciphering and celebrating pop culture’s greatest (and not-so-greatest) Whos and Thems. Everything you need to know about celebrities you don’t. Hosted by Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber.

 

Who the Hell is Hamish

He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney – but he could morph into whatever you wanted him to be. Hamish is due to be sentenced to jail for swindling a handful of victims out of more than $7 million. But these crimes are just the final pages in a resume too think to staple; for decades he’s duped victims in the US, Canada, Britain, Hong Kong and Australia.

Building a StoryBrand with Donald Miller

If you’re frustrated because you struggle to get the word out about your product or service, the Building a StoryBrand podcast will help. Fans of the podcast are ecstatic about the fun and entertaining way Donald Miller brings you practical advice about clarifying your message so customers will listen. Don and the StoryBrand team are the world’s leading experts in harnessing the 2,000 year-old proven power of story formulas to get people talking about your brand.

The Rewatchables

The Rewatchables, a film podcast from the Ringer Podcast network, features HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and a roundtable of people from The Ringer universe discussing movies they can’t seem to stop watching.

Royally Obsessed

Royally Obsessed is the podcast for all things Royals! Kaitlin Menza and Lisa Ryan both write about The Royals for everyone from Cosmo to NY Mag, and each week they discuss the highs and lows in Buckingham Palace, and everything you need to know for high tea.

Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

A weekly exploration of all the things Jonathan Van Ness is curious about. Go on a journey with Jonathan and experts in their respective fields as they get curious about anything and everything under the sun.

 

The Freelance Friday Podcast

The Freelance Friday Podcast is all about… you guessed it: freelancing. An inside look at the world of freelancing, featuring tips, tricks, and interviews with people who are doing it right.

 

Call Your Girlfriend

Call Your Girlfriend is a podcast for long-distance besties everywhere co-hosted by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, and produced by Gina Delvac. Every week, Aminatou and Ann call each other to discuss the intricacies of pop culture and the latest in politics.

Household  Name

Surprising stories about how the biggest, household name brands affect our lives and culture — for better or worse. Host Dan Bobkoff finds tales of tragedy, love, strange histories, unintended consequences, and accidental success.

Britney’s Gram

Each week, comedians Tess Barker and Barbara Gray discuss and dissect Britney Spears’s Instagram posts.

 

Reply All

Reply All is hosted by PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman, who launched the show in 2014. “A podcast about the internet’ that is actually an unfailingly original exploration of modern life and how to survive it.” – The Guardian

 

And before you ask, NO — I am not able to keep up with all of these. There are some that I’m still listening to episodes that came out years ago…but these are all the shows that are in my current rotation and that I would whole-heartedly recommend. 😉

P.S. I asked 9 friends, “What’s your favorite podcast?” and here’s what they had to say.

What’s your favorite podcast?

listening to lately

Lately, I’ve found myself in a pretty comfortable podcast rotation. However, I’m always interested to hear what others are listening to. So I asked a few folk, “What’s your favorite podcast?” Here’s how they answered. If you’re looking for some great recommendations, look no further…

The Black Tapes. Super creepy audio drama, well worth a listen.

The Way I Heard It. 5 minute episodes containing random but compelling anecdotes.

Thinking Sideways. Funny but thorough looks at mysteries at least 5 years old. The hosts have awesome chemistry.”

Lauren 

“Our whole office was waaaay into Serial. Debates about the innocence of Adnan Syed… and if he didn’t do it – who did?”

-Drew

Wigsnatchers (comedy), 2 Dope Queens (comedy), Limetown (terrifying drama), You Must Remember This (Hollywood history- amazing series on the Manson family), Stuff Mom Never Told You (A+ feminism), The Uncertain Hour (amazing breakdown of poverty/sociology), Tanis (similar to Black Tapes), RuPaul: What’s the Tee? (duh), Gravy (food culture/sociology).”

-Betsy

“I am so hooked on The Black Tapes and Tanis. I also like The Bright Sessions (fiction)–a therapist has patients with special powers and helps them cope with them, and then requisite conspiracy drama ensues.

Really into Lore now, too. Each episode looks at freaky historical events and folk tales.”

-Vince

“Thumbs up for Whistlestop, neat podcast, well-written, researched, and performed by journalist John Dickerson about US Presidential campaign histories.”

-Lydia

The Read — Kid Fury and Crissle are HILARIOUS. They cover entertainment news, Black excellence, and at the end of each episode they “read” someone or something for FILTH.”

-Ashley

“Please don’t judge me but: Bitch Sesh: a Real Housewives Breakdown by Casey Wilson and Danielle Schnieder (of Happy Endings).”

-Adam

Keepin’ it 1600 for all your elections needs.

Greatest Generation if you love Star Trek and/or sophomoric humor.”

-Jon

“Nicole Antoinette’s podcast Real Talk Radio. It’s all about building better habits, making tough transformations, success stories and failures and how to make change happen. She’s very honest and raw and has lots of different guests on each season.”

Laskmy 

Other popular favorites included;

Invisibilia, 99% Invisible, More Perfect, RadioLab, Tolkien Talk, Welcome to Night Vale, Alice Isn’t Dead, The Moth, Judge John Hodgman, Science Friday, Small Town Horror, Archive 81Chapo Trap House, Revisionist History, Embedded,  WTF with Marc Maron, Fresh Air, This American Life, All Songs Considered, Celebration Rock, The Nerdist, Strangers, Not By Accident, Savage LovecastStuff You Missed in History Class, Code Switch, Citizen Radio, Selected Shorts, The Longest Shortest TimeMy Dad Wrote a Porno, Snap Judgement, Reply All, Mystery Show, Extra Pack of Peanuts, Song Exploder, Death Sex and Money, How Did This Get Made, and Note to Self.

(Is it just me or are podcasts KILLING IT lately?!?)

Oh, and in case you’re curious, this is what MY current subscription* list looks like:

Plus, I just listened to an episode of Real Talk Radio per Laskmy’s recommendation and LOVED it and I can’t wait to check out The Box, a new podcast created by my friend Lauren (her favorites are featured up top).

*These subscriptions are definitely more of my “every day” podcasts, like for working out or chores. For long road-trips I prefer stuff like You Must Remember This, Mystery Show, and Serial.

Ok guys, I know this was a pretty exhaustive list…but what’s been left off? What have YOU been listening to lately?

Huge Book Haul!

book haul2

Between a library book sale, Christmas gifts and impulse shopping with an internal monologue of “I mean is it REALLY spending money if I’m gaining KNOWLEDGE?!”– I’ve acquired quite a few books in the last couple of months.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

The Selected Letters of Lewis Carroll Ed. by Morton Cohen

My Notorious Life by Kate Manning

The Million Dollar Mermaid by Esther Williams

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Lost Girls by Robert Kolker –currently reading

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

Starting Out in the Evening by Brian Morton

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

God’ll Cut You Down by John Safran

Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead

Kitty Genovese by Kevin Cook

Lost Girls is proving riveting and the perfect follow up “case” after the completion of Serial. It tells the tale of a true-life search for a serial killer still at large on Long Island. I thought the motley cast of shady characters in Serial was difficult to keep up with at times, but let me tell you the cold-case web gets even more tangled as the body counts go up.

book haul with feet

I wonder what I’ll choose next!

Have you read any of these books? Thoughts? Can you tell I’m having a true-crime moment? What are you reading these days?