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General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: Vindicated on February 13, 2017, 01:44:59 PM

Title: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: Vindicated on February 13, 2017, 01:44:59 PM
I've been considering a career change, but the jobs that seem interesting all require skills that I don't yet have!  Specifically, I'm interested in Augmented Reality, but the field is so new, I think it's ripe for development.

My interest hasn't yet let me to take the necessary steps of actually trying to teach myself anything, but I'm hoping this post can motivate me to make some progress.

So, whether you're interested in learning about:
 - Trying to get into writing, and hope to publish a novel.
 - Framing out & finishing your basement
 - Restoring a classic car
 - Learning how to code
 - Or anything else!

Join me in a movement of self-education to better ourselves!

This is my goal:
 - Learn to develop in Augmented Reality and/or Virtual Reality
 - Eventually find a career using those skills.

Steps to attain this goal:
 - Learn Unity Basic
  -  Create Basic Environments to learn the program. (No AR/VR Hardware required)
  - Learn Blender for Modeling
  -  Create simple 3D Models
 - Buy AR/VR Hardware (Hololens, Other)
 - Learn Unity AR/VR Development Kit
  -  Create an AR/VR Environment
 - Import models into an AR or VR Environment
 - Build a Portfolio of AR/VR Animations
 - Get Into One of the Following Careers:
    -  AR/VR Construction Design
    -  AR/VR Educational
    -  AR/VR Game Developers
    -  Other / Unknown at this time
    -  Start my Own Business (Stretch Goal)

How to track something like this?  I'm going to make it a goal of spending 5-10 hrs per week working in Unity to start.  We'll go from there!
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: CanuckExpat on June 25, 2017, 07:14:50 PM
How is your progress coming?!
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: jaysee on April 18, 2019, 04:59:17 PM
Not sure if it counts as a "skill", but I'm slowly learning bits and pieces of mathematics that I either forgot about or never learned for whatever reason.

Starting off with algebra and pre-calculus. Maybe I'll try some statistics later.

Finding it pretty fun! Khan Academy is great for this stuff!
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: eightyeighttoone on April 20, 2019, 12:05:33 AM
I like this! I'm going to limit myself to one oriented toward my career, and one for a hobby. My problem with this kind of stuff is I always have too many goals.

Career Goal: Coding. I learned enough VBA last year to automate some document drafting I do for work. I need to learn something else this year to 'put it all together' so more of the process is automated. Not sure exactly which language I need. I think I will study up on Python first, so we'll see!   

Hobby Goal: Get better at jazz piano. I want to learn some Bud Powell solos this year! Keep y'all posted.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: DadJokes on April 20, 2019, 09:10:23 AM
I like this! I'm going to limit myself to one oriented toward my career, and one for a hobby. My problem with this kind of stuff is I always have too many goals.

Career Goal: Coding. I learned enough VBA last year to automate some document drafting I do for work. I need to learn something else this year to 'put it all together' so more of the process is automated. Not sure exactly which language I need. I think I will study up on Python first, so we'll see!   

Hobby Goal: Get better at jazz piano. I want to learn some Bud Powell solos this year! Keep y'all posted.

I am in the same boat as you. I've been writing Excel macros for my current job, so I had to learn a little bit about VBA. However, I'm looking to move from auditing into FP&A, so I've decided to learn both SQL & Python.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: Poundwise on April 26, 2019, 10:22:02 AM
Two weekends ago I taught myself to sweat copper pipe. I already know how to solder electronics, so it really wasn't hard at all. Why did I wait so long???

I would like to learn Javascript. It's a huge hole in my web dev skills... though I'm fine with HTML, PHP, and SQL, I've been cutting and pasting and overall kludging JS. Before I start to pick up work again, I'm going to be better prepared. 
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: WorkingStiffABC on May 05, 2019, 09:29:45 AM
I'm in! Like the OP, I am contemplating a career change into a tech related field. I am looking at IT--at this point with a focus on networking. With that said, I am newer and exploring, so I am leaving the door open to shift area of focus as there are so many and the field is evolving!

Desired goals for 2019--obtain A+, Network+ (N+), and CCENT certifications.

Plan of attack: take applicable course work at the local community colleges, read books through Safari Online (for a student subscription it is $20 annually), take Udemy classes (looking for sales), follow LinkedInLearning video paths (free with library subscription), Youtube video tracks (Professor Messer!!!) and lab through Packet Tracer (free virtualization tool, just need labs).

I am thankful for the support of this community as I learn something new--and if there are folks already in IT that can provide any guidance, I'd be eternally grateful!
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: SwordGuy on May 05, 2019, 12:35:30 PM
Two weekends ago I taught myself to sweat copper pipe. I already know how to solder electronics, so it really wasn't hard at all. Why did I wait so long???

I would like to learn Javascript. It's a huge hole in my web dev skills... though I'm fine with HTML, PHP, and SQL, I've been cutting and pasting and overall kludging JS. Before I start to pick up work again, I'm going to be better prepared.

I bought a lot of books on JavaScript and they were all crap.   Covered some basic syntax and functions but they didn't explain how the language really worked and how to think in that language correctly.

I finally found some that were really good.

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan is what I would recommend first.

After that, there are a series of small books by Kyle Simpson whose titles all start with "You don't know JS".     Flanagan gives you a solid grounding and Simpson really covers some areas where lots of people get it wrong.

Hope that helps.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: SwordGuy on May 05, 2019, 12:36:52 PM
I'm learning to draw and also color theory (so I don't have to depend upon blind luck to pick colors that are right for one another in my artwork).
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: Poundwise on May 07, 2019, 05:06:37 AM
I would like to learn Javascript. It's a huge hole in my web dev skills... though I'm fine with HTML, PHP, and SQL, I've been cutting and pasting and overall kludging JS. Before I start to pick up work again, I'm going to be better prepared.

I bought a lot of books on JavaScript and they were all crap.   Covered some basic syntax and functions but they didn't explain how the language really worked and how to think in that language correctly.

I finally found some that were really good.

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan is what I would recommend first.

After that, there are a series of small books by Kyle Simpson whose titles all start with "You don't know JS".     Flanagan gives you a solid grounding and Simpson really covers some areas where lots of people get it wrong.

Hope that helps.

Thanks @SwordGuy , that is really helpful!  I will check it out.  I already just got recruited for a job (I wasn't looking yet but a friend called me up out of the blue) so this may come in handy very soon.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: Raenia on May 07, 2019, 08:07:39 AM
I'm learning to draw and also color theory (so I don't have to depend upon blind luck to pick colors that are right for one another in my artwork).

I've also been learning about color theory, though in the context of interior decoration rather than artwork.  It's an interesting topic!
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: Linea_Norway on May 20, 2019, 04:19:58 AM
I am in the process of learning to recognize edible plants and learning how to use them. Last year in May, I did a beginners course that got me started. Learned a lot there. This season I have spent a lot of time outside picking edible stuff. I have learned a few new species since last year. I am feeling confident about a good number of species now, but still haven't found/recognized all of them. So I have a way to go. Last year I bought a pocket flora (book with all plants) to bring along on trips. I also use a facebook group where I post pictures when I am unsure about a species. I received good help there from some people I trust.

My next step is to get a university book (from the library) about botanics on starter level. I would like to learn more about plants and plant families in general, because I think that will help recognizing the edible plants. There was also a course in botanics available, but I found it quite expensive and a bit inconveniently situated. So I will try with self study first.

Since last year, I also try to learn to recognize trees. I am still not good at that. But now that the trees are getting leaves, it starts being easier, but I need to learn to study the whole tree, instead of only looking at the leaves. I have learned a couple of the trees now, but I still have a long way to go before I know all and become good at it. Some trees I only see in abroadistan at around Christmas times, when they don't have leaves, which makes it more difficult.

I am already pretty good at mushrooms and passed an exam on that. But I still haven't seen all species in real life. So I need to make an effort to find those. I am going on an organized trip soon where we will specifically look for one. I did another such trip last vinter and found a specie there.

Goals:
Learn all the edible plants that grow wild in Norway.
Learn all the trees that grow wild in Norway.
Learn more about botanics in general.
Become more certain about all mushrooms that I am supposed to recognize.

Steps:
Continue to go on many trips outside and look for edible species that I know in theory from my books.
Eat all the species that I have picked to long and get some impression of how they taste.
Study trees more often and look them up on the app on my phone.
Pick other plants that I wander about and look them up in my flora. I don't have capacity to do this with all plants, but can take a few each time.
Get a library book on botanics and read it.
Go on the organized mushroom trip (tuesday next week) and find Calocybe gambosa.
Study all mushroom species that I find during my trips outside. Try to name them.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: eightyeighttoone on June 07, 2019, 12:40:25 PM

I am in the same boat as you. I've been writing Excel macros for my current job, so I had to learn a little bit about VBA. However, I'm looking to move from auditing into FP&A, so I've decided to learn both SQL & Python.

@DadJokes, nice! please keep me posted if you find any good Python resources. After my first post I learned I could pretty much take care of my needs with Microsoft's teamsites application. My project involves a Word document that is customized based on responses to a questionnaire. Super simple for real coders, but challenging and fun for me! Still interested in Python though.

@Linea_Norway, what a cool skill to have! please post updates.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: diapasoun on July 23, 2019, 04:53:04 PM
Linea_Norway, that is SUPER cool. How is it coming along?

I'd like to join in, if folks are still doing some of this. :) I have a few things I want to work on, but due to an impending move some will be on hold (especially everything relating to gardening). However, I'm definitely set up to continue work on my knitting skills:

1. Basic garment construction (short rows, darts, Kitchener stitch, picking up stitches)
-owls sweater (short rows, Kitchener stitch, darts)
-Flax sweater (picking up stitches)
-Rye socks (short rows, Kitchener stitch, picking up stitches)

2. Cables practice
-owls sweater

3. Stranded colorwork practice
-ombre hat
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: Linea_Norway on July 24, 2019, 12:43:26 PM
Since I wrote my last post I have learned a couple of new plant species. I have visited some different habitats, like beaches and there grow new species.

I have learned a few new trees, but that is going slowly. If I drive past a tree,  I cannot just stop and study it. But when I have the time, I do.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: diapasoun on July 24, 2019, 12:45:56 PM
Do you have any favorite new trees that you've learned, Linea?
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: Linea_Norway on July 24, 2019, 12:59:50 PM
Do you have any favorite new trees that you've learned, Linea?

Norway has a maple like tree, but with more pointy leaves than the Canadian maple. I like that tree. It is very light bright green in the spring and catches your eye from a distance. The flowers when still in a bulb, can be eaten.

I grew up in the NL with a certain type of willows that were cut short. Recently I learned that willows can grow very far north, almost at the arctic circle and become much higher than what I remember from childhood. I was on a campsite and had time to investigate the tree.

I also like elms. They also grow far north, but need places that are warm, for instance a fjordarm with high, steep mountain sides facing the south.
Title: Re: Teach Yourself a New Skill!
Post by: ketchup on July 24, 2019, 02:02:05 PM
This weekend I'm going to put a replacement button on a pair of pants!  Never sewn a thing in my life so that should be interesting.

I'm also ripping apart my iPhone 7 to replace the charging port since it refuses to work, but somehow that's the less daunting project.