13 April 2014

When I grow up.

[Puts on her best wise auntie look.]

Growing up is also about choices.

[Wise auntie look comes crashing down.]

No, I'm not that good at following my own wisdom. I want to do everything, at once.

But you should also find out which way is your way. Start with your strength first, feel great, then challenge yoursef out of your comfort zone later.

For instance, let's say that you want to move your Python knowledge to yet another level.

But the further you go, the more the roads you see in front of you.

So now it's time for a test. You know, like those "Which Star Wars Character Are You?" tests. But simpler.

And let's hope that this time I don't come out as Greedo.

Q1: Where did you sit when you were in school?

  1. First row. Hand up.
  2. Last row. Under the radar.
  3. School?

Q2: Pick one light reading.

  1. War and Peace. And without skipping the philosophical digressions.
  2. Harry Potter.
  3. The Evil Genius Guide to Taking Over the World.

Q3: Are you still here?

  1. Of course. I don't leave what I'm reading behind.
  2. Uh... yeah?
  3. [Silence. Somewhere someone's smashing something to see how it works.]

Results! Majority of...

  1. Have a cookie. Yes, you can have it. Go to Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist. You will be thorough, as usual, and patient. You will come out of the book with a methodic understanding of concepts with some theoretical background (you're allowed to peek into appendices before the end and see what the big-Oh notation is), the satisfaction of overcoming the tricks of many nice exercises, and a beautiful vocabulary (courtesy of the glossary at the end of each chapter).
  2. Have a cookie. Yes, you can take a cookie for each one of your friends. Bring them all here, while we're at it. No, I'm not sending you to the principal's office. I'm sending you to the intermediate projects of the Python Workshops that you can find via those great guys at OpenHatch. Some projects of the Boston Python Workshop are here; but you can find more, and they're always growing. If you're lucky (and, mostly, US-based) you can go and play with your friends live! at one of these workshops. But I guess that just the idea of making your own game of Snakes beats that tic-tac-toe that you were playing with over there.
  3. Have a cookie. Come on, come here. Please. I'll be quick. Have a cookie, yes. I know you're thinking about how to steal the jar. But I have something better for you: go to newcoder.io and see if you can get those tasty cookies. They're not easy to get. You have to deal with the world out there. You'll have to get your hands dirty, I'm afraid. I bet you... Hey! Where are you?

No majority?

You got me. Have all the cookies, you deserve them. Now throw a dice with a number of faces that is a multiple of three to choose between the options above.

Anyway.

Now have fun. Whoever you are, Python's got something for you.

And after you had fun your way, explore the rest. Challenge and surprise yourself.

Let's learn Python and grow up.

My poster at PyCon 2014 will be tomorrow (today, in EST) at 10:00am. Come and say hello.

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