Day 13

Launch School Pre-curriculum

I continued to read the book Introduction to the Command Line Interface today. The section I read discussed the components of the CLI: Prompt, cursor, input and outpout. 

The prompt has a few pieces of information usually that show the context of what you are doing. A typical prompt might have the following: username@hostname:current directory$, so for me on my ubuntu system when I first log into the terminal it reads trevor@balzac:~$, where trevors is my user name, balzac is my hostname and the current directory is the home directory or ~.

After the prompt is the cursor, and that's where you put in text of course. Whatever instructions your giving are the input and the output is the result printed after.

Secondary Resources

I'm working on a JavaScript project on Khan Academy where I'm creating my own function to draw fish in a fish tank and calling that function to draw the fish where I specify. I should be ready to share that in a couple of days.

Math Review

Today's math review is pretty easy. You just make sure to convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions and multiply by the reciprocal, making sure to not forget negatives signs if you have them, and then simplify. I'm through 84% of 7th grade math.

Dividing mixed numbers: Dividing Mixed Numbers

Study Habits

Continuing the third chapter of Barbara Oakley's book A Mind for Numbers, the biggest distinction in the reading today is between working and long term memory. Working memory is the part of your memory that deals with what you are immediately and consciously thinking about or doing. Researchers believe working memory can only hold four items at a time.

By contrast, long term memory is like a vast warehouse. There's plenty of space, but finding where that piece of information is is the challenge. 

*Tip* Spaced repetition - Repeat the information or skill you are trying to maintain, but extend your practice over the course of a number of days.

Information sticks much better when it is repeated at spaced intervals rather than many times in a row without space. Dr. Oakley uses the metaphor of building a brick wall. The information or skill you are trying to learn is the bricks and the mortar is the spacing, in which time you're ideally using techniques to bring about the diffuse mode of thought.

Exercise, Sleep and Nutrition

Exercise - I did a core workout and walked 17018 steps (8.7 miles) today
Sleep - Sleep is a bit challenging right now because I am switching to a 4AM work schedule and I'm adjusting to getting up at 2:30 in the morning. It's hard to go to bed as early as I need to. My aim is for an 8PM bedtime, which I made last night, but I don't think I'm going to make tonight.
Nutrition - I ate chocolate cake for breakfast and had frosted shredded wheat for dinner. There's definitely room for improvement here. I'll need to put in the planning and preparation to have nutritious meals that are easy to make or reheat for one.  I also need to drink lots more water.

Languages

French - Reviewed a little Duolingo. Still keeping the tree gold!

German - Occupations 1 on Duolingo

Italian - Basic 1 and Common Phrases 1 on Duolingo

Spanish - First half of Places 1 on Duolingo