Oh my. I hardly know where to start or what to cover today. I have the same problem with all the books I have to read and online courses that I’ve signed up for or need to take, and all the projects I’ve set for myself. There is so much that I sometimes end up stuck trying to decide where to dive in. It turns out that bit about the artist that I shared the last time seems to be helping. It really doesn’t matter, which one I start, I’m going to read them all, I’m going to learn them all, and I’m going to do most of if not all the projects, or completely different ones. The key is to just start. And that’s what I’ve been doing. Some days more successfully that others.
There are a few things on my plate that are related to the day job and some of those things seem to be expanding. I’m still studying for one more SQL certification test. This one has been a little more of a challenge than I expected because of the nature of what it covers. That’s ok. Though I did have to find a different way to study for it. I think I’ve got a better system down now and I am making a bit more progress. It involves and old study technique that I only ever used in the classroom. However, I’m now also using it for the online courses I’m taking. I’m taking notes.
Really. Super simple solution right? Well it depends on how good or bad your handwriting is. Oh, that’s the key. I’m taking notes by hand. I’m not typing them into the computer or a tablet. I’m writing them on dead trees and with ink. I’ve read the book once and did the highlighter thing. Now, I sit down with the book and take notes from it as I’m reading it for a second time.
Interestingly, it is essentially the same idea recommended for learning to code in the Web Development Bootcamp course that I’ve signed up for. In the first section, there’s a little bit on a recommendation for how to use the videos for learning to code. Apparently, a lot of people, besides myself, try to learn and do at the same time as watching the video through the first time. The recommendation is to not do this. Instead, watch the video, take notes and try to understand what material is being covered, then try to do that lesson. A simple solution again. And, yes, when I think about it now, my response is, “well, duh”.
It made good pesto.
I haven’t made it very far into the Web Development course, yet. However, I have taken that bit of information and started using it for the Blender Donuts tutorial. It might be working. It sure makes more sense. And it gives me more uninterrupted time when trying to do that part. I watch the video, take notes, and then try to do the steps. If I haven’t taken good enough notes, instead of going back and watching the video again, I try to figure it out and make sense of what I wrote. Sometimes I watch a couple of the videos before I try to actually do what they are showing me how to do. It seems to be working. I’ll know better once I get all the way through the course and then go back and try to do it again but a little different.
And that is the item that is going to be the thing I ‘draw for a year’. Or maybe my Blender thing that I’m going to draw for the rest of the year. Blender Donuts. Brace yourself for dozens of Blender donuts.
There are a few other courses that I have signed up for, or as I discovered today need to sign up for. Some, like the one I learned of today, are for the day job and some, like Blender, are for personal projects. And some may have some overlap. One of things for the day job is an off-shoot of a course I took for the day job.
It is harder than it looks.
I have the assignment and opportunity to learn some of the scripting and automation that my company uses for a variety of things from patching to server deployment and configuration. I completed the initial course they wanted me to take which caused me to realize that I probably needed to learn Ruby. I had a meeting with one of the principle people involved in it to get a better understanding and overview of our environment and setup. One of the initial things that came out of that was that my instinct on Ruby was correct. The other thing that has come out of it, as of today, is that there is some other training I need to complete before I can get access to the scripting environment. And this type of situation always makes me think of the song by The Fixx, “One Thing Leads to Another”.
Right now, for the day job, the studying and courses I am working on, or need to work on, cover, MS-SQL, Chef, Ruby, Linux, and now AWS (though I don’t know yet the extent of this training). In addition to that some of the courses I’ve signed up out of personal interest or need cover Data Science, Web Development, Machine Learning, Blender, Unreal Engine, Programming in C++, Python, and Javascript, and even a course or two for Guitar. As you can imagine it can cause significant brain congestion trying to figure out what to start doing most days. I want to do it all. But I won’t be doing myself any favors if I work on one for a little time here and then another over here, and try to start all the courses at once. And yet. I need to start. And then continue.
From Katz Coffee in Houston, TX
What I find interesting is that it is a daily decision to work on something. Right now, with all the crazy in the world staying motivated and focused isn’t always easy. It would be very easy to default to staring endlessly at new sites or even scrolling through social media. And yet I know that is not at all satisfying or healthy for me. When I find myself starting to fall into that behavior, I make a conscious decision to do something. And by doing that I can continue to start and then continue. So this week, so far, I have started the Ruby course, and I am continuing the SQL study, Chef, and the Blender Donuts, and I must not forget Taekwondo. Which I have been continuing and I find it a huge help in creating a bit of order for me.
Even with all that going on, I am still playing guitar. Though I’m not getting in quite the same amount of practice as I was. I do have a couple of interesting guitar courses that I’ve signed up for and as a fun and relaxing item, that may be the next ‘start’. I have managed a couple of new things with the guitar and gear. I’ll try to remember to share that next time. For now, here are a few pictures of things.