What Are You Currently Learning?

 

Being in education, I constantly hear the term “life-long learners.”  I don’t exactly know what bureaucrats mean by that, since they appear to only get credits to become more powerful through credentialization.  In fact, when you know something outside the scope of your degree or job description, they tend to act confused and even skeptical.  “How could you know that? you didn’t go to school for that!”

However, I’m a big advocate of “You can always learn new things,, and that you should when time, hopefully, permits.  Last year, I taught myself C++ with the help of a few books and YouTube.  Currently, I’m teaching myself Unity, the development software, which requires a healthy dose of C#.  Very fun, but very challenging. 

So my question is, what are you learning?  Anything?  What discipline are you discovering on your own, with others, or in a class for pleasure or profit?

Image Credit: Flickr user Lidyanne Aquino.

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  1. user_352043 Coolidge
    user_352043
    @AmySchley

    Well, as a crocheter, I’m often learning new techniques and working with new equipment, though I haven’t tried anything new for the last few projects.

    The big thing I’m about to teach myself is how to restain and refinish furniture, as I just bought this bedroom set off of Craigslist.  I love the construction, but I wanted something in a mahogany color. So this will be an adventure for me …

    http://kansascity.craigslist.org/fuo/4590354216.html

    • #1
  2. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Good question. Most of what I have learned over the last few years has been related to corporate law, history, older technologies, and other things related to the books I am writing. Some of my previous learning projects have involved poetic form, improved writing skills, the publishing business, and many other areas depending on my madcap projects of the day.

    • #2
  3. Julia PA Inactive
    Julia PA
    @JulesPA

    As a musician/teacher, I always learn more about instruments, musical styles, etc. I spent a good amount of time in the past 10 years studying guitar. While I am still terrible at it, I enjoy it, and my learning increases my sensitivity to frustrations my students face as they learn about music.
    I’ve had to learn specific software, and subsequent new versions, that often helps me in my work/personal life.
    I’ve learned to fix my dryer, install shelving, plant a garden, and other home stuff. I learn to cook new things. I explore history.
    While the “life long learner” has become a hackneyed edu-speak term, the concept is true. Most people continue to learn new things throughout their lives, as part of their job, avocation or hobby. Good teachers seek to teach their students to value curiosity, how to learn on their own, to use and evaluate resources, and how to perfect specific skills. Learning in one discipline transfers to many others, but don’t ask me about calculus.

    • #3
  4. Dudley Inactive
    Dudley
    @Dudley

    Presently I’m getting up to speed on iOS development which is fun.  I make my living developing on the MicroSoft stack (.NET framework, C#, SQL Server, WPF, XAML, ASP.net, Linq etc) so it’s a bit of a change.  Xcode is is ok.  A bit primitive right now compared to Visual Studio but it serves the purpose.

    Question for Von: I assume you’re referring to the IoC container Unity.  If so, is there a reason you’re using it? It is a pretty heavy container. If you just need it for dependency injection check out TinyIoC or SimpleInjector.  They’re both dead simple and they run really fast.

    • #4
  5. Mike H Inactive
    Mike H
    @MikeH

    I’m about to teach myself SAS and maybe Python as I try to make myself hireable with a measly Physics PhD.

    • #5
  6. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Speaking of music, I have also been teaching myself the ukulele after I acquired a rather nice one unintentionally.

    • #6
  7. Julia PA Inactive
    Julia PA
    @JulesPA

    Arahant:

    Speaking of music, I have also been teaching myself the ukulele after I acquired a rather nice one unintentionally.

     ha ha, soon you’ll be “Tiny Arahant” tiptoeing through the tulips. with only 4 strings, it is a little easier to manage than a guitar. With a little more practice you will be playing like this guy, Jake Shimabukuro, http://youtu.be/puSkP3uym5k
    [sorry hyperlinks don’t work]

    • #7
  8. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Better Jake than old Herbert (Tiny Tim).

    • #8
  9. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Youtube hyperlinks should work if you don’t crowd them

    • #9
  10. JimGoneWild Coolidge
    JimGoneWild
    @JimGoneWild

    I’ve been golf for 30 years but never really had a good swing.  This year I worked on a few swing fundamentals indoors. When I got those right, I took a set of lessons and went to the range a few times a week. My swing is pretty solid right now, about 90% of where I want it to be. My golf handicap index is now 7.2 and by the end of September it should be 6 or 5 if I continue playing regularly. Golf is more fun and not so frustrating anymore.

    • #10
  11. Belt Inactive
    Belt
    @Belt

    Well, I worked at the local college (which I attended and graduated from in ’92) in the IT department for about a decade.  One of the perks of working there was that employees could take classes for free.  So I took one class each semester.  Along the way, I picked up a BA in Religion, and I was partway towards a BA in Chemistry, with a side of Physics.  A couple more classes and I could have upgraded my original minor in Math to a BA as well.  (I was about to take differential equations when I got laid off.)  Last I checked I have something like 200 credits on my transcript.  As a former student, I can audit classes for free.  Last year I took the two beginning accounting classes.  This year I might take Greek if I feel up to it (I’m still recovering from an injury).

    As an alternative, I’ve considered taking classes in electrical code or welding certification, because they sound like useful skills to have.  I mean, I did rewire my garage, but it’d be nice to know if I made any mistakes…

    • #11
  12. user_1029039 Inactive
    user_1029039
    @JasonRudert

    Learned sewing a few years ago. Thinking of taking up cake decorating–SiS tells me that’s where the ladies are.

    • #12
  13. user_1029039 Inactive
    user_1029039
    @JasonRudert

    Belt:

    Well, I worked at the local college (which I attended and graduated from in ’92) in the IT department for about a decade. One of the perks of working there was that employees could take classes for free. So I took one class each semester. Along the way, I picked up a BA in Religion, and I was partway towards a BA in Chemistry, with a side of Physics. A couple more classes and I could have upgraded my original minor in Math to a BA as well. (I was about to take differential equations when I got laid off.) Last I checked I have something l[..]

    As an alternative, I’ve considered taking classes in electrical code or welding certification, because they sound like useful skills to have. I mean, I did rewire my garage, but it’d be nice to know if I made any mistakes…

     Every man should do at least a little welding. It’s far too tedious for a lifetime job as far as I’m concerned, but it’s a cool skill to have.

    • #13
  14. user_1029039 Inactive
    user_1029039
    @JasonRudert

    Also, geology.

    • #14
  15. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Jason Rudert:

    Also, geology.

    I’ve had that one covered since 1983, or so.

    • #15
  16. user_1029039 Inactive
    user_1029039
    @JasonRudert

    Arahant:

    Jason Rudert:

    Also, geology.

    I’ve had that one covered since 1983, or so.

     Are you trying to start a fight?

    • #16
  17. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Jason Rudert: Are you trying to start a fight?

    I thought you had that handled on your geology thread?

    • #17
  18. Carey J. Inactive
    Carey J.
    @CareyJ

    A little over two and a half years ago,  I took up the violin. I started about 50 years too late in life to ever be really good, but I’ve made some progress. I’m currently working on the Dvorak Humoresque (Suzuki Book 3 arrangement). 

    I am firmly convinced that there’s never been a musical instrument more difficult to learn to play than the violin. Just playing the [CoC] thing in tune is a challenge for the beginner. Most violin instruction series don’t even try to teach shifting the left hand out of first position (first finger one whole step above the open string) until the third book.

    • #18
  19. Julia PA Inactive
    Julia PA
    @JulesPA

    Carey J.:

    I am firmly convinced that there’s never been a musical instrument more difficult to learn to play than the violin. Just playing the [CoC] thing in tune is a challenge for the beginner. 

    Really? I learned  violin as a child. The piano near killed me in college and I still can’t play it. That is not to say that I don’t wonder how I even partially mastered the violin. It is a mystery to me as to how/why I am a better player than the average 8-year-old!
    I think that adult learning of any instrument is difficult because of the self-criticism and awareness of how far from the mark we are in our progress. Young students are pliable, and keep working and doing, and repeating under the guidance of a teacher. Adults will do the working, doing and repetition, and even work with a teacher, but add in the negative self-defeating commentary that makes them doubt their work. 
    Congratulations on your progress. If you enjoy playing, keep at it.  The process of doing it, learning it, and working through musical challenges is as valuable as the final product. (imho)

    • #19
  20. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    This brought me up short, because I couldn’t answer the question. Most work these days consists of refinement, not a new field of endeavor. Fixing the final sticking points on the novel so I can get it out by summer’s end to Amazon; starting the annual redesign of my website, and reworking old pages. And so on.

    I’d like to find something new, but I am impatient with the failure required to master something. It’s a horrible personal flaw. Then again, if there was something else I really wanted to do, I’d be doing it. Never wake up and look around and say “Today’s the day I pick up that Sousaphone.”

    • #20
  21. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Ricochet Orchestra, here we come!  Ryan M and I both also play the violin.  After last night’s session (all-comers orchestra), I have a nice blister on my pizzicato finger-the First Violin part of Pizzicato Polka is all on the E string!  I haven’t taken a lesson in many years, so I taught myself vibrato, which I use sometimes but not always.
    At work, I learn something new every day without trying, mostly about electronics and optics.  I can spot BOM errors to point out to the engineers to fix.  And we just hired a new Quality Engineer, who played with me in the Everett Symphony almost 20 years ago.

    • #21
  22. Julia PA Inactive
    Julia PA
    @JulesPA

    James Lileks: Never wake up and look around and say “Today’s the day I pick up that Sousaphone.”

     well, if you throw some sandbags in it, picking up a sousaphone would be a personal fitness tool. :)

    • #22
  23. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Carey J.: A little over two and a half years ago, I took up the violin. I started about 50 years too late in life to ever be really good, but I’ve made some progress. I’m currently working on the Dvorak Humoresque (Suzuki Book 3 arrangement).

    I recently found out that Russell Crowe actually learned to play violin for his role of Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: Far Side of the World.

    • #23
  24. Julia PA Inactive
    Julia PA
    @JulesPA

    Arahant:

    Carey J.: A little over two and a half years ago, I took up the violin. I started about 50 years too late in life to ever be really good, but I’ve made some progress. I’m currently working on the Dvorak Humoresque (Suzuki Book 3 arrangement).

    I recently found out that Russell Crowe actually learned to play violin for his role of Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: Far Side of the World.

     Or maybe he was a skilled stand in for an audio recording?
    I hope he really played. I’m not familiar with the movie, but there is nothing more annoying than to see an actor poorly faking playing an instrument, especially one of the violin family.

    • #24
  25. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Julia PA: Or maybe he was a skilled stand in for an audio recording?

    In the parts in the movie, he was “acting” with a professional violinist being heard, but in the extras, you find that the pro was very much impressed that not only did Crowe pick it up so well, but that he could then do it perfectly in synch with the recording.

    Bettany did the same with the ‘cello, but it sounds as if Crowe impressed the serious musicians.

    • #25
  26. user_521942 Member
    user_521942
    @ChrisWilliamson

    I’m in Toastmasters, a public speaking club. Toastmasters provides manuals to go through to practice different speaking techniques. Right now I’m going through ‘Interpretive Reading’: reading a short story or a poem or a play to an audience to the greatest effect.

    I also like to re-learn subjects. Right now I’m re-reading a Lisp programming book that we used in an artificial intelligence course when ‘AI’ was hot in the 80s. I have GNU’s Clisp on my machine for practice.

    • #26
  27. Old Whig Inactive
    Old Whig
    @user_81407

    I’m a huge fan of the audio courses from The Great Courses, which I listen to during my daily commute.  We’ve talked about them on other threads (this one for example), but they’re always worth another plug.

    I’ve probably completed about 25 of them, and nearly every one has been excellent.  (That sounds like a lot of courses, but it’s not nearly as many as I’ve purchased.)

    Right now, I’m working through “The Story of Human Language” (by John McWhorter), “The Music of Richard Wagner” (by Robert Greenberg), and “The Story of Medieval England” (by Jennifer Paxton).

    I recommend them all.

    • #27
  28. Owen Findy Inactive
    Owen Findy
    @OwenFindy

    Objective-C for iOS.
    Mining and visualization of data.
    Truth (http://ricochet.com/what-is-truth/).  ;)
    How to adjust and refine the notions rattling around in my belfry (H/T everyone at Ricochet).

    • #28
  29. Fredösphere Inactive
    Fredösphere
    @Fredosphere

    Carey J.:

    Just playing the [CoC] thing in tune is a challenge for the beginner.

     Love that use of “CoC” as a swear word. Handy!

    I’m reading lots of bios as research for the alt-history novel I’m writing. Learned Hand, Tip O’Neill, Richard Nixon, Dan Flood: a cavalcade of geniuses-slash-knuckleheads. If you’ve never heard of Congressman Dan Flood, take a moment to google him; he was a first-class kook, and the prototype for the Democratic Party’s inherently medieval approach to appropriations and governance in general.

    • #29
  30. Fricosis Guy Listener
    Fricosis Guy
    @FricosisGuy

    A lot of my learning is by helping my son to do things with tech. For example, we’ve started to mod his Minecraft implementation extensively. He could build and host his own server, but I’d like to hold off until he’s a bit more security conscious.

    Our current effort: My son learned Scratch over the summer and built a simple Minecraft-inspired game. We’ve tinkered with a bit since and are looking to move on to something more interesting.

    Found it: a robot kit by Makeblock. Then, rather than code solely in Arduino, we’ll mod it so we can program it in Scratch. That gives him a bit of exposure to editing “real” code, while allowing him to do the robot’s programming in a language that’s easier to manipulate.

    • #30
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