Thursday, February 23, 2012

Learn As If You Will Live Forever

Just learned about that quote. Once upon a time I had a fantasy about reading every book in a library. What I am saying, I still have that fantasy. Being open to new things and concepts is essential for me. I try not to let a day go by without learning something.

Anyway, I'm taking an on-line class on how to create a search engine. It is a basic introduction to a computer programing class. The students come from all over the world.

 So why would a 50+ something woman with a checkered arithmetic and math background take this class?

I'm brain starved. Learning helps keep me healthier. My day job doesn't do it for me and until I transition into something that does I need to diversify my skills.

I don't necessarily want to be a programmer but I do want to learn how to create different types of stuff that isn't being address by this current group of programmers.

I can't encourage women to take up tech if I won't step up and learn a bit for myself. I took a introductory class in the 1980s that was designed to weed out those of us that couldn't make heads or tails of the acronyms coming out of instructors mouth.

I wanted to learn but there was a techno - lingo barrier that the instructor felt we should have traverse from osmosis. Most of us got mercy C's in the class and my interest ended until the personal computer revolution.

So I take my fears and my curiosity and walk it down the hall to the frontier. I feel good about week 1 but who knows what I'll feel like in week 4.

Gotta try.

3 comments:

  1. I admire your resolve. I try to learn all the time. Reading is my method. Working my way through the library, too.

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    1. For the record, this sucker is kicking my booty big time. I was okay until we got to strings and variables. This translates into English as Hmwmwmwmwmwmzzzzahhammmmmuble.

      I'm holding on for dear life but great googly moogly it is like learning another language on speed.

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  2. Keep up the good work. Over coming fear is the key. Thank you for sharing! Your post was inspiring.

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