Focus vs effort

http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2012/10/15/focus-not-effort/

Humans could just be a chemical mixture with conditioned responses, while responding to outside stimuli of each of our unique environment (and circumstances). To self-condition, never juggle habits. Always--almost--perfect each in turn.

HabitRPG--stop being in denial about W or other hobbies when the primary focus is courses....................................

How to Focus

scotthyoung.com/blog/2013/04/12/how-to-focus/
Everything below is my picks from the article by Scott Young above.

• Focus matters more than time spent.
• Yet, downtime should not crowd out the time which you want to be about most.
• Focus matters more than raw effort.
• Focus vs effort
• In meditation, usual restlessness ignored not suppressed. As in studying, ignore.

Ways to Read

"One cannot read a book: one can only reread it."--Vladimir Nabokov

• "Speed reading is a collection of methods for increasing reading speed without an unacceptable reduction in comprehension or retention."

• Structure-Proposition-Evaluation (SPE) (Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book) 
• Read
• (1) for the structure or outline; 
• (2) for the logical propositions made, organized into chains of inference; and 
• (3) for evaluation of the merits of arguments/conclusions. Suspend judgment until the work is fully understood.

• Survey-Question-Read-Recite-Review (SQ3R) reading toward being able to teach what is read

Source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_(process)

LLL

Often others who are not, never were, lifelong learners stereotype the few who are into two polar opposites. The nervous bookworm who does too much research. They are afraid or maybe just overcomplicate things by thinking too much about how their time is supposedly best utilized with more background. Then there's the impulsive decision-taker who goes with that gut feeling. They experiment and get out there, but at the cost of making sketchy half-assed leaps.
"But there’s a middle road between paralysis and bravado. That’s the road where you avoid a lot of the fear, self-doubt and uncertainty by making carefully chosen actions to gain more information before moving onto bigger decisions."--Scott Young

• Preempt pet projects with pilot projects.

• Master the general, before the specific (for certain things).

Flow

Flow learning is impeded by watching the clock, such as the time needed to go to work or class.
Utilize Task Timer on your computer to remind you to go. Loose track of time; kind of.

http://www.howtogeek.com/120566/how-to-create-a-repeating-alarm-in-windows-7-without-extra-software/

Use it for more in depth applications, such as locking the workstation:

 To do this, select Start a program from the Action drop-down list. Enter the following line in the Program/script edit box.

c:\windows\system32\rundll32.exe

Then, enter the following line in the Add arguments edit box.

user32.dll, LockWorkStation

Click OK.

Course search

From all the different learning sites, how's bout' finding the course for you?
There are two solutions: Redhoop.com is the best for sifting through courses; skilledup.com is better geared for supplements, such as TED talks.

Advanced Anki - Cloze deletion

big long cloze deletion Anki flashcards

aeroIntro

otherIntro

Making effective flashcards (supplement) 

Examples of many cloze deletions per card (maximum of six per card is optimal ~ 

The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two)

1. Crawler style

A Mom {{c1::visits her son for dinner}}

who {{c1::lives with a girl roommate}}.

{{c6::During}} the {{c2::course of the meal}}, 

{{c3::his mother couldn't help but notice 

how pretty his roommate was}}. 

{{c4::She had long been suspicious

of a relationship between the two}},

{{c5::and this had only made her more curious}}.

{{c6::Over}} the {{c2::course of the evening}}, 

{{c3::while watching the two interact, 

she started to wonder}}

{{c4::if there was more 

between him and his roommate 

than met the eye}}.

{{c6::Reading his mom's thoughts}}, the {{c2::son volunteered}}, {{c3::“I know what you must be thinking}}, {{c4::but I assure you}}, {{c3::we are just roommates}}."

{{c6::About a week later}}, 

his {{c2::roommate came 

to him saying}}, “{{c2::Ever since 

your mother came to dinner}}, 

{{c3::I've been unable to find the silver plate.}} 

{{c4::You don't suppose 

she took it, do you?"}}

{{c6::He said}},{{c3::"Well, I doubt it, 

but I'll email her,}} just to be sure."

{{c6::He sat down}} {{c2::and typed:}}

{{c3::I'm not saying that you 'did' take the silver plate}} {{c4::from my place}}, {{c3::I'm not saying that you 'did not' take the silver plate}}...{{c5::But the fact remains that it has been missing ever since you were here for dinner.}}

{{c6::Several days later}}, {{c2::he received an email from his Mother which read}}:

Dear Son:

{{c3::I'm not saying that you 'do' sleep with your roommate}}, and {{c4::I'm not saying that you 'do not' sleep with her}}. {{c3::But the fact remains that}} if she {{c5::was sleeping in her OWN bed, she would have found the silver plate by now, under the pillow}}

• There is no hard and fast rule for the crawler style. For this particular example, c5 may be the least effective deletion, if not for the amount it's used, then for the inherent difficulty memorizing the punchline (to be smooth, and done with no lag when exclaimed to others).  

     2.[next] style










Unrelated tidbit, after downloading a deck, strange names may appear as new notes:
https://anki.tenderapp.com/kb/anki-ecosystem/note-types-with-strange-names
(Ya, they're poorly written directions. Just go in the areas mentioned. You'll get there eventually.)

textbook reading mnemonic

http://www.ict4us.com/r.kuijt/en_masteringtextbook.htm


I Saw Harry Quack. Quackers Remind Us. Read, Read
I've Sat Hunting Quail. Quails Run Usually. Round, Round
I Saw Heavy Quarterbacks Quiver Reading Under Rainy Rafters

Anki

Fun quotes to memorize

Hot Rod (2007)

• I needed to think last night. So I galloped into a wooded glen, and after punch dancing out my rage and suffering an extremely long and very painful fall, I realized what has to be done.
• I'm freakin pumped! I've been drinking green tea all goddamn day!
• That just shatters my entire universe.
• Souls of the Animal Kingdom! Eagle, Fox, Bottlenose Dolphin, Octopus, House Cat! Okay, let's jump this jump!
• it's totally serendipitous
• We don't talk much, do we? Kathy, was it? My name's Rod. I do awesome stunts all the time with my friends. You probably didn't know that. And you probably have lots of cool stuff about you that I don't know. Point is, if you don't sit down with someone and really talk and get to know them you'll never find those things out. So what do you say? Wanna make this thing official?
• Dave: [Quietly] Pools are perfect for holding water man.
  Rico: [Filling the pool with the water hose] Man, I don't really know about having a girl on the team, man.
  Dave: Alright Rico listen. Um, there's an ancient Italian maxim uh, that roughly translates to, uh "He who is resistant to change is destined to perish". So, why don't you try to open up that mind of yours? You know? It's like, look at Kevin, I mean, he... [Rico sprays him in the face with the hose] Real mature, man.

Airplane! (1980)

• We have clearance, Clarence. Capt. Oveur: Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

• Guard: Who goes there?
  King Arthur: It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, from the castle of Camelot. King of the Britons, defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of all England!
• Stop. Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see. 
• What... is your name? 
• What... is your quest? 
• What... is your favourite color? 
• What... is the capital of Assyria? 
• What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?