Challenging Beginnings

I've recently decided to learn Japanese. Now, even though I speak two languages, I think I am somewhat linguistically challenged. I find it very difficult to remember accents and syntax. The only reason I am now fluent in both languages is that I started learning them from a very young age. Also, most research on the brain and learning patterns shows that children find it easier to learn languages than adults. You have more capacity in that region of the brain for learning until a certain age, and then it starts declining.

With that said, I do have motivation to learn. Hopefully that will take me through this colossal task. Setting a goal should be helpful, right?

I think 1 hour every Saturday and Sunday is realistic and should at least get me started until I can take regular classes in Japanese, with an instructor and everything.

I also think I should use some sort of a progress scale (defined by me, of course) to keep me on my toes. [I put recognition of alphabet after speaking some words because I learn well by imitation. I can learn how to say a few words by hearing them easier than I can recognize the alphabet.]

So, my progess is 0 right now. When I can say some words, we'll move to 1. Being able to recognize and say common sentences like "Hello, how are you?" and such would be 2 and 3. Recognizing the alphabet, 4. Understanding grammer, 5. Understanding spoken Japanese 7, understanding anime (other Japanese media) without assistance and speaking conversationally, 8. Reading Japanese, 9. Talking in Japanese, 10.

Suggestions? Ideas?

Oh yeah, that bar is probably going to stay at 0 for a while. But just curse away and chip away at it!