I'm learning Spanish

Okay I'm not really learning Spanish, but it sures feels like it. I remember in the 9th grade, taking Spanish classes for the first time, and watching in awe as student after student got it. Of course, I never did. I learned a few words here and there, but I never got a real command of the language.

Back in the 80's, I was living and working in Central California and decided I should take another stab at things. So I took a HILT class. HILT stands for High Intensity Language Training. http://www.icls.com/ESL/ESLHILT.htm It meant hours of being immersed in a classroom learning the language. I watched as student after student had that "AH HA' moment. The teacher kept looking at me with anticipation. She would lean forward with this knowing glance like "He's going to get it, I know he's going to get it. Get it, why don't you?" I never did.

So this week for all intents and purposes, it's back to the Spanish classroom for me. It began on Tuesday, and continued on Wednesday. I was in a classroom for four hours each day for Avid training. It took about 5 to 10 minutes for me to realize my instructor was speaking a different language.

In Spanish, I learned words like Aqui, and Leche. In this class, I learned words like interplay environment, frame chase editing, and meta data. I even learned what E.D.L. is. Like my days in the HILT classroom, I never had that "AH HA" moment.

Fortunately...there were others in the class who made things interesting. While I approached this training session like a class, fellow classmates Topper Shutt and Gary Reals approached it like it was a news conference. The poor guy teaching the class was treated like he was a crooked politician, as he was peppered with questions. One exchange went something like this.

Topper: "How will this help?"

Instructor: "Meta Data, Frame chase editing, 80 Terra bits of storage, collaborative environment, (additional gobble de-goop I didn't understand.)"

Topper: "Well it sounds good in theory, but I don't see how it's going to benefit us."

Instructor: (Now he's irritated) For 20 years avid has been providing editing equipment. (Major chest thumping here.) I think we've learned a few things along the way! As a meteorologist, how many stories do you do anyway?"

At this point the voice of God emerged as our intrepid Executive Producer Jay Mishkin chimed in. "The reality is, this is the system that we have. We have to learn it."

My reaction to all of this..."Duh!" Of course we have to learn it. I'm sure, once all this stuff is installed and up and running, I can start messing around with it, and I will get the hang of it. I can do that. But don't ask me to explain it, because I can't. To me it's Spanish!