My Learning Log

Author: SK

  • flowers and gardening

    I learned a little bit about spring bulbs yesterday. It’s recommended that they are planted more in a back, or not in front as that allows for other plants to take over as the spring blooming is done. What a good idea! Except that I planted mine at the front border! Well, I have to do something about it. Perhaps I can take out the bulbs and replant them somewhere? I think that’s what I need to do.

    How about tomatoes this year? Exactly this day last year I started tomatoes from seed. This year I want to wait another week or so. Probably around the middle of the month I will start them. Other than that, I think I am mostly going to try big boy and july 4th, with a few heirloom. Looks to be a fun project!

  • learning to test

    I have a lot of things to do at work. Things are sort of high-pressure, need to deliver type of a situation. That’s good. But I have to remember that there always multiple ways of doing things. It’s important that I do things the right way. I want to do it in a way that I can learn.

    TDD is a goal for all of us. It’s a goal that nobody seems to be doing. It’s a good goal nonetheles. I want to learn no how to do it well. I want to be a leader of TDD. And that’s why, even under pressure, I want to keep learning effective ways I can do testing.

    Learning how to test well is a good technique to have. I want to master it!

  • learning uml

    Learning on the train is a great way to increase my knowledge. I get half an hour that I can dedicate to learning. That’s not bad. 

    I’m learning UML now. I want to master it by the end of march. The book I have is great. It’s written in simple language with good explanations. Can’t beat that. But I don’t want to just read. I want to read, practice, and show. Reading in my case is not good enough. I need to practice. I need to take it into my long-term memory! 

  • a1 learning

    I need to be more decisive and don’t second guess myself as much. I’ve been through this before, where I can’t make up a decision in fear that somebody might not like it. But when that happens, we’re in the state of indecision. I think it’s much better that a decision is made soon, even if that means that somebody will not like it. Can’t please everybody. When you try to please everybody, you please nobody.

    Learning in the A1 team is going really well. I’m enjoying it. 

    At the end of our learning session, I should summarize what I like and don’t like about the presentations. I should use a sandwich approach. I think I’m going to try that next time.

  • managing

    I don’t think I hide. When need to, I can raise my voice, show my opinion. I think I’ve been doing that better lately. I’ve been more empowered to do so since I became a lead.

    One of my teammates needs to step it up a bit. I let him know yesterday. I said I thought we could do better.

    Being a leader is not just sugar. I think expectations should be set high. And people will need to be accountable. 

    On the other hand, I do want to push people by praising them, by staying positive. Sometimes it’s hard, but too much negativity kills morale. I need to be aware of that. I also need to keep a distance from people, not to micro manage. I don’t want to be a micro manager. No, not me!

  • need to make others better

    The junior guy I have on my a1 team needs some help, needs some guidence. I left him alone in the dark and he doesn’t complaign, he nods that progress has been made. But when push comes to shovel, given ample time to complete the task, is not done. And that is a bit frustrating.

    I guess I have to take it slow with him. Stay on top of things. More or less micromanage him. His tasks take forever. He’s not screaming that he will not be able to complete the task. He’s just looking, and looking, and looking… not really getting anywhere. That can’t happen for long. 

    I need to talk to him. I need to let him know that this needs to improve. I should figure out what the problem is. Perhaps he needs to be shown how to do things more effectively. Perhaps. Perhaps I need to check more on him. Perhaps.

  • doing different things

    I’ve learned an important life lesson yesterday. Searing a steak is quite easy. And all it takes is some high-heat. But that’s not the point. The point is that being active… is what I am missing! I need to do that more often. That’s the beaty of it!

    I focus a lot of doing my things and my things only. I need to change it up a bit. I need to focus on others’ first. I need to make that a priority.

    There is a lot I can do. Smoothies. Iced coffee. Burgers. Lots more! All I need to have is a bit more creativity and effort.

    I have a presentation today at work. My first lunch and learn. Am I scared? Not really. It’s a crowd I know. It’s a subject I learned about. Then what else? Just practice a bit and I should be good. 

  • getting back to basics

    I am back to goal writing every night. I think that’s going to help me both in my career as well as in my life. I have new goals. I have new desires. I have new things that I want to learn. I will utilize the goal-setting technique to make sure I get better results. Right after I wash myself, I will spend a few mins to write my goals. Simple. Low resistance.

    I should also start reading my journal. Things I have learned.

    Yesterday’s meeting went well. I had a presentation about even pacing and uncle bob. I did a board drawing about even pacing. It worked well. I think I still need to improve my uml drawings, but it’s getting better.

  • takeaways from mgmt training

    We had our mgmt training yesterday.

    Is there anything that I learned from it?

    Few things. I am an introvert, for sure. Or ISTP. Sensing. Thinking. Perceiving.

    This is a good one: ISTPs are typically logical, analytical, and objectively critical. They are likely to be convinced only by reasoning based on solid facts. They judge the realities of the situation and how much effort they need to expend to get the job done. They enjoy finding shortcuts.

    ISTPs may be quiet and reserved unless they are talking about a subject on which they have a storehouse of information.

  • learning is a great thing

    I thought my son does not like math. It turns out that I am wrong. That’s a good thing to know. He is starting to like it. And he is starting to get good at it. This is great to see. I love seeing that. Hoping that he continues. Sometimes I think he’s slow, but sometimes he surprises me. Pehaps it’s my expectation. Perhaps. But yesterday, he surprised me and that’s good.

    Learning under pressure is a good think. I get to research thing. I get to review stuff I have not reviewed in a long time.

    One of the things that our team is doing is having a team lunch every week. One of us, on a rotational basis, gets to present. It’s more like teaching, but still…

    I thought that an old dog like me will have a lot to talk about. Not so easy! I am required to think ahead of time. I am required to prepare ahead of time. I am required to review material.

    And that’s a good thing. Learning, whether it is forced or motivated by the desire to learn something new, is a good thing. I think the outcome is better when you have some pressure on it. Focus is there more often.