Wow, that's incredibly reductive. Asia has approx 4.7 billion people!

I moved to the US (Bay Area) about 10 years ago after having spent much of my youth elsewhere, and to this day, I haven't been able adjust to the lack of informal social interactions compared to where I'm from. I really tried as well to see if it's me who is not able to fit in. However, after a while I realized it's just a cultural difference. It's a way of life that has existed for several decades, which has its own benefits.

To me, US seems like an amazing place when you're in the apprentice/work phase of your life (20 - 45?). However, as I grow older, there are other things I have begun to value more, and one of the top ones is authentic human connection. I hope as US becomes more and more diverse, people from other cultures can add the good things they bring, instead of just trying to fit in to the default cultural model.

Looking for recommendations on a beginner friendly book on Neuroscience (including Neuroanatomy). I don't have a medical/biology background (have an engineering background) and my goal is just to satisfy my curiosity and develop some understanding on the brain and nervous system. Would love to hear your recommendations.

Thanks!

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32861718

Points: 4

# Comments: 2

However, I still believe it can be fixed. As an example, my consumption of news related information has moved significantly to Twitter. Why not do a better job there, in trying to provide a kick-ass way for content creators/consumers, and charge them for it.

Observe your emotions - there may be a completely different solution to your problems.

You could for example pick something as simple as a HashTable, and implement it from scratch. Then, you could add more complexity to it, like HTs that won't fit in memory, expanding and shrinking HTs efficiently etc.

Or, you could use one of the several practice websites like LeetCode to practice Algorithms/DS problems.

Once you start building a habit, you will also become better at organizing your practice routine and finding out more about what to work on, and where to look for study/practice materials. But mind you, this is a slow process, which you want to build as a habit. There is no end goal here (like cracking Google interview or such), this is a process to get better at the fundamental skills in your field.

1. Not being afraid to look at the code of the libraries that my main project depends on. It's a slow, deliberate process to develop this habit and skill. But more importantly, as you keep doing this, you will develop your own tactics of understanding a library's code and design, in a short amount of time.

2. Not worrying about deadlines all the time. Not a programming technique as such, but in a world of standups and agile, sometimes, you tend to work for the standup status. Avoiding that has been a big win.

3. (Something new I've been trying) Practicing fundamentals. I know the popular opinion is to find a project that you can learn a lot from, but that may not always happen. Good athletes work on their fundamentals all the time - Steph Curry shoots like > 100 3 point shots everyday. I'm trying to use that as an inspiration to find some time every week to work on fundamentals.

4. Writing: essays, notes. In general, I've noticed I gain more clarity and confidence when I spend some time writing about a subject. Over time, I've noticed, I've become more efficient in the process.

Seeking your advise on something I've been thinking of trying for a while now. I am a mid-career engineer, and while life is great, I was thinking of working with some one on going to the next level (not in terms of corporate hierarchy, but in broader sense) in professional life, and in general as a person. I do have some specific goals I want to work towards, and I've tried creating my own plan towards working on those. But often, life takes over (I am a parent as well), and I lose several months before I make progress. Unfortunately, I cannot take a break from work due to visa situation, otherwise it would have been ideal to take time off and spend on some of the things I wish to try.

I was wondering if working with someone would help me make faster and more meaningful progress. Kind of like how athletes keep working with their coaches to get to the next level. Would you have any advise on that (from your own experience, or someone you know), or anyone you would recommend working with?

Thanks a lot, and look forward to gathering all the awesome advise!

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22096696

Points: 2

# Comments: 0

I am starting a new job soon (software engineer, distributed systems/ML infra). I wanted to try out setting clear intentions for myself, and track those at a very broad level during my tenure. I have never done it before, but read a few articles which recommended doing this. At a high level, I wanted to work on innovation, and depth of knowledge (about my area of work, and the field in general).

I was curious if any of you have tried this before, either in work, or in general. Are there any small everyday habits that you would recommend to help with this (e.g like writing frequent essays)?

Thanks a lot, and excited to read your responses!

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20881815

Points: 3

# Comments: 2