Deliberate Practice in Programming
The easiest way to improve your working habits and skillset is by deliberately practicing. For example, according to The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance (1993, Psychological Review) what separates elite players from average players is…
KernCUE
This past weekend, I made the trip up to Bakersfield. It took far longer than necessary to drive there because, even at midnight, the 5 is clogged with traffic. I went to attend the KernCue conference. Although, it focused exclusively…
Documentation for Progress
I’ve noticed in my work recently that documenting my work is one of the most reliable ways of making steady progress. I likely gathered the idea from the internet somewhere, or perhaps from the generous amounts of advice spewed forth…
Education Includes Personal Growth
I think there is a trend among the students who perform poorly in class, but fail to show up to office hours to get assistance: I believe they might be suffering from poor study skills. Now, because they don’t show…
Teaching Techniques
I’ve been reading this book, Standards for Our Schools, that I picked up at the UCI bookstore. In it, the authors have a section where they compare American educational systems with that of the Japanese. Here, we argue for smaller…
How Compiler Construction Remains Relevant (part 1)
Many students struggle with the compiler construction class here at UCI. I’d like to change that. Let me first lay down some groundwork, by giving some observations that I’ve made about the general lack of software engineering skills. Our students…
Mormon Resignation
Today, I met with the Bishop of my local ward. He’s a really nice guy, and has some personal reasons for disagreeing with some of the teachings of official church leadership (he’s got a gay family member). This made my…
Minds from Agents
Recently, I came across this SEED article, Divide Midns, Specious Souls; which has this deliciously anti-religious, pro-science quote: Within the wide range of works arranged along the axis of soulism, from Life After Death: The Evidence, by Dinesh D’Souza, to…
Trip to Austria
Recently, I made a trip to Austria, visiting my good friend and partner in crimelab, Christoph. On my first day, I walked around Graz. I saw the alien, though I wasn’t impressed with the art inside. I saw the Armory,…
My coming out.
I usually don’t post too much personal stuff on my blog, but I thought this was important enough that I should make an exception. It has been one month now since I came out to my family. So I thought…