Learning as a Lifelong Skill

This week I want to present you with a challenge: push yourself to learn something new.

Early in my career as a software developer I read “The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master” by . It is made up of numerous “tips” with the goal of filling in the gaps in knowledge a new software developer may have. One of these tips I took to heart was number eight: “Invest regularly in your knowledge portfolio”. The goal behind this tip was to remind the reader that learning is a lifelong skill. Now, with a number of years under my belt, I believe it is a skill that everyone should have.

Reading was the main avenue for learning when t

he book was released, but over time new technologies allowed for new means of learning. Podcasts, websites, YouTube, and online training (like Pluralsight); I use all of these when there is a topic I want to learn study.

Let me share a recent example:

Though I earn my living in the virtual world, writing code, I find great enjoyment in cooking. My wife used to a work at a kitchen supply store, so she loves kitchen gear and gadgets. Recently an Instant Pot arrived at my house (my wife swears it was nefarious individuals with reverse thievery in mind). I had no idea what to do with this thing, let alone how it works. In fact, a pressure cooker was not something I had wanted to use because they are scary. How many cooking challenge shows were lost to a faulty and potentially explosive pressure cooker? Now I had one and that made me uncomfortable.

Scary, isn’t it?

Discomfort is actually something I stay on the lookout for in my life, I have learned that it usually is an opportunity to grow through learning. I responded to this unease with a plan to learn. Starting with how to videos on YouTube I learned the basics of how the Instant Pot worked. After that I started using the Instant Pot to make various meals. These went from simple Mac and Cheese to pot roasts, to soups. With each success and each failure I learned more about how the Instant Pot worked. Now I no longer fear the Instant Pot but recognize it for what it is, another tool in my kitchen.

This is the experience I want to share with you. Take something you are curious about, or want to learn more about. Watch a video, listen to a podcast, practice. In a little time you will be comfortable where you weren’t previously, and you will have grown in the process.

2/23/2018 Recap

Updates

This week was spent getting my feet back under me with exercising and getting some first drafts for future posts on here.

Then I found time to play around with Progressive Web Apps (PWA). Microsoft is betting big on this and Google is working with them in implementing it. There is a great start up and explanation here if you are interested in where Apps are going .

In addition, here are some interesting articles I read this week.

Podcasts

• The video game site Rock Paper Shotgun’s podcast, The Electronic Wireless Show, tackled morality in games – Wherein comedy ensued.

Articles

• How crazy expensive is NASA’a new Space Launch System (SLS)? Well Ars Technica estimates that NASA could buy 86 Space X Falcon Heavy Launches!
• Stratechery discussed how Google is quickly beginning to be the defacto online publishing framework. And discussion on where site ad revenue is heading.
• Never make your dreams wait
• Ars Technica also reports on a Farmer that found a mysterious camera on his property, so he took it down and got in hot water with the Fed’s.

Things Tried

• I attempted this Tom Kha Soup Instant Pot recipe and it was quite successful for a first effort (and, as a bonus, I finally had an excuse to go to the local Asian market.)
• I just set up a 3 node Google WiFi mesh network and I’m very impressed so far. I’ll write more about it after I’ve had it for awhile.

2/16/2018 Week in Review

A Week in Review

It has been a busy week here. Besides setting up this website and blog posts I’ve been spending a good amount of time learning and growing my technical skills, specifically in regards to Data Science and playing with a little Machine Learning this week.

I’ve been enjoying the Olympics. Big fan of the sledding events (bobsled, luge, and the terrifying skeleton) and… curling. I can’t explain it. But I find it fun to watch. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Lastly, here are some interesting articles I’ve read, podcasts I’ve heard, and things I’ve tried out.

Interesting Reads of the Week:

• The Verge: These built-in dongle headphones are the horrifying end to removing the headphone jack – Again we see the falacy of removing a universally used connection port. I wonder what Android Phones will follow Apple off this cliff.
• Thurrott.com: “How I Write” – A great article on Just sitting down and writing (and a main motivator to getting this blog off the ground)
• Gizmodo: “10 Actually Cool Uses for a USB Drive” – I’ve done several of these, but I’m always interested in more.
• Lifehacker: “Stop Asking Your Kid About Their Day” – I started doing this and the conversations have been much better with my son. A simple “I’m happy to see you.” brings a smile to his face and conversation.
• Business Insider: “Living in Tiny Homes was much harder than these people realized” – I admit that I’ve thought about running away to a small house for a material good reduced living. This post talks about several reasons why people left their Tiny Homes.

Podcasts

• Hanselminutes: Machine Learning 101 with Paige Bailey – Paige Bailey gives a great intro to the basics of Machine Learning.
• Planet Money ep 576: When Women Stopped Coding – A really interesting piece about what may have caused a steep drop in women in software development in the 1980’s.
• Planet Money #508: A Bet On The Future Of Humanity – A report on a famous scientific bet on if humanity was heading towards its doom, or if things would be fine.

Things I’ve tried/Learned

• Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin – This was good, but the times were WAY off. I think this would be fine if the cook time was either 3-4 hours or the temp was brought WAY up. But after those adjustments. It was really good.
• Cocktail: The Bees Knees – I’m a Bluecoat Gin fan, but this recipe left me wishing it was a little sweeter.
• Pluralsight – I’ve been using Pluralsight to learn more about Data Science and the programming language R. I’ve been enjoying it so far and think I may spring for the subscription.