Wrote my first program today. Instructions for converting Fahrenheit to Celsius. Simple, but more challenging than I expected .. considering I can do the conversion in my head with ease (TCel = TFahr-32 x 5/9).
Here it be » (define (TFahr>TCel f) (* 5 (/ (- f 32) 9))). [We all have to start somewhere.]
Kinda glad they password-protect the solutions page. Forced me to figure it out on my own. (Cuz if they hadn't, I definitely would've peeked.)
I am enjoying learning Programming .. something that was missing from my repertoire of techno-skills (digital bag of tricks). I mean, how many geeks do you know who can't program? I just never had a compelling reason to learn.
My only frustration comes from not being able to assimilate the info faster. There's a scene in the Matrix .. where Neo & Trinity are stranded on a rooftop. Spying a chopper, Neo asks, "Can you fly that thing?"
"Not yet,"
she replies before whipping out her cell and calling Tank (who's sitting back at the Control Panel). "Tank, I need a program for a V-212 helicopter. Hurry!"
Her eyelids flicker for a moment before popping open. "Let's go!"
she says, running toward the chopper with her newly upgraded skill-set.
••• today's entry continues here below •••
That's what I want. I want somebody to press a button and upload everything there is to know about Programming into my brain. Unfortunately, they tell me it doesn't work that way.
I've read a few books on how we learn .. how our brains store information. When we learn something long-term, that information is encoded chemically (into our brains).
Conversely, short-term memory (lasting less than 30 secs) is purely electrical. Short-term memory can be extended by repeating it over and over (such as saying a phone number to yourself), but you will quickly forget if it isn't chemically encoded.
We sometimes remember things we'd rather forget, such as with great traumas. This is because high emotional states tend to facilitate powerful chemical encoding.
Regarding this chemical encoding, acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter predominantly associated with learning. Fish (especially sardines) have lots of choline, which our bodies convert into the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (the basis behind supplements such as Choline Cocktail). Better living thru chemistry.
