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Twelve reasons why...

Right... so... this New Year Skills plan. I've done the easy part (making the list), and it's just dawned on me that if I'm aiming for one-a-month then I should already be doing one. Because it is, like, the first month of the new year.

However, first we should assess failure levels on last year's resolutions. What were they again ?

1. Spend five minutes (minimum) writing every day.

This (as resolutions so often do) started well, then tailed off. As some of you will know, my life has been extraordinarily chaotic in the last six months, leading to all kinds of organisational problems and literally no free time.

All in all, I don't feel I did too badly, and am getting myself back into the writing habit again. Over the course of the year I produced a few short stories and a sizeable chunk of a (probably very bad) novel. I've entered a couple of short story competitions, which I'm prepared to count as a kind of success.

2. Get up when my alarm goes off every morning, and spend the spare 15-30 minutes I would thereby gain doing bits and pieces of tidying.

Again this started well, but see life turmoil mentioned above[*]. I've not been in my own house for most of the last few months, so it's not really been relevant. As soon as my life develops some kind of routine again, I intend to get back to this.

So... not an outrageous success, but not an outrageous failure on either count. I intend to carry on doing both of these, but hopefully in an it's-now-part-of-my-life sort of way rather than as new year resolutions. .

And so onto the next year, in which I shall attempt to acquire the following twelve skills:

Skill	Objective	Notes
Basic baby care	Be competent to change a nappy and feed a baby, feel that I could safely be left in sole charge of an infant.	Both bopeepsheep and cuthbertcross have kindly offered instruction and use of babies.
Learn a few guitar chords	Go to the Big Busk if there is one this year. If there isn't, or I can't get there, at least be at a level where I feel I could have done.	I own a guitar. I'm now armed with the Guardian's teach-yourself guitar guide, unearthed by ChrisC in a tidying fit recently.
Refresh basic first aid	Feel confident that, in a crises, I could provide the correct basic care. Earn a certificate which says as much.	Any recommendations on courses willingly accepted.
Learn basic plumbing	Be able to tackle minor household matters like dripping taps, etc.	I'm hoping for some advice from Will on how to take this on.
Bread-making	Be able to make a good loaf of bread reliably, without a recipe.	Just practise, I think. At present I make "alright" bread, with a recipe.
Roasts	Be able to make a good roast dinner, without having to look up cookings times and such.	Again, I think I do "alright" roasts. It's mostly a familiarity thing, I need to practise and get more comfortable with all the stages.
~~Improve~~ Acquire drawing skills	Produce a recoginsable drawing which I need not be ashamed to display in public!	bateleur has offered to provide some form of instruction which I hope to be able to take him up on.
Master basics of horse-riding	Sole charge rising trot	ebee has offered to show me how to go about learning this. She also supplied the objective, which I don't understand (I assume it's something like rising damp).
Learn Python (a computer scripting language)	Not sure yet	I bought a book on Python years ago, but it turns out you have to read it to learn stuff. Python is good for solving a particular kind of problem, once I have one I'll make solving it my objective.
Learn to apply make-up	Be able to achieve the effects I see others achieving	I don't do make-up well. Not least because I do it rarely. I should practise, and possibly take myself off for a lesson or two.
Sewing	Make from scratch something I'd like to wear	I have made clothes before, and I have a sewing machine. I just... need the practise. See a theme here? Also I need to be a lot less slapdash if dressmaking is ever going to work.
Learn Braille	Be able to correspond with AB	I used to be able to read/write level 1 Braille, but I'm now very shaky. To achieve the object, I also need to locate a means of producing Braille; must find out whether the RNIB have facilities in London. Or try eBay...

So, yes, that'll keep me busy. Expect updates at the end of each month ;) Many thanks to all who suggested things to go on my list, or offered assistance with them.

[*] I'm not being deliberately cryptic in not explaining this, it just comes under the heading of Something I Don't Write About On The Internet. Many of you know what's been going on; anyone who doesn't, file it under Bad Work Shit.

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http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/training-courses/courses-for-the-general-public.aspx

Other than SJA being a generally reputable body, are you recommending them for any specific reason ?

Well I seem to remember they are

a) reputable
b) a charity, so your fees go towards providing first aid cover
c) you can take an exam and get a certificate for it.

I did a first aid course with them back when I was in the cadet force, and ended up going to a swanky ceremony at Mansion House to collect my certificate from the Lord Mayor of London.

I've done courses with OU First Aid Unit, and with the St. John's Ambulance in Kidlington. I found the St. John's one better, if only because they had their own training room which has carpet (useful for when you're the 'victim') as opposed to some random college room. St. John's in Kidlington also have parking :)
(Caveat: I did the OUFAU course several years ago and it might well have changed)

Oh the other thing is if you have employment issues it may be worth looking at becoming a qualified first aider from a work point of view.

Health and safety insist that there must be a certain number of qualified first aiders in a company.

Ooh, I hadn't thought of that, thanks.

I hope I no longer have employment issues, but these things are never certain!

Edited 2009-01-05 11:28 (UTC)

In which case talk to your employers about becoming a first aider, as (if they need one) they will either pay for or organise a course, depending on how big an employer they are.

I could possibly get you on a course at work ;-) but I vote SJA because they are WONDERFUL ppl- also, the uni often have cancellations for courses or clubs.

Good list! St John's Ambulance run first aid courses, although it may be you need to volunteer with them to benefit.

Hurrah! Drawing!

I assume from the twelve-item-ness of your list that you'll be trying to acquire one skill each month rather than all 12 in parallel?

This being the case, when would suit you for drawing? I can currently do any month except January, but also have a slight preference for not April.

Yes, one at a time was the plan!

What would be your preferred method of imparting drawing advice ? Obviously (I think :) requires us to be in the same place, and it makes sense that the place should be your house[*]. Would you like Saturdays, or Sundays, or evenings, or something else I haven't thought of ?

[*]... since I think this would be more convenient for you, but it feels dreadfully rude to be inviting myself round!

We'll need to meet up face to face for some things and not for others.

Probably the best thing to do is if we start the month by meeting up at your place since I might want to take you shopping for art materials (unless you already have everything you need).

Then once we've spent a day on all the basics I probably don't need to be there all the time while you practice. We can then arrange to meet up again for later technique sessions, spaced out to let you practice in between. Session two at my place, then we'll see how many we can usefully fit in after that?

Hmm. OK. I had been going to suggest meeting here on the first of Februrary, but of course that's a Sunday so the nice art shop on Broad Street will probably maliciously be closed. Skipping on to find the first month which has a Saturday reasonably early in it, we find May 2nd. Although that might be bad if you had plans for May bank holiday :( June 6th ? July 4th ? Getting a bit of a long way into the future now...

Basically, tell me what's most convenient for you and I'll attempt to fit round it.

I had been going to suggest meeting here on the first of Februrary, but of course that's a Sunday so the nice art shop on Broad Street will probably maliciously be closed.

That doesn't have to be a showstopper - I could email you a shopping list and some suitable instructions.

Skipping on to find the first month which has a Saturday reasonably early in it, we find May 2nd.

That would also be fine.

Er... ok. In that case, if it's convenient, February ~~2nd~~ 1st ? I'd like to feel that I'm getting on with something rather than arranging nebulous dates for ages away.

Offer includes suitable meals while you're here, of course, and possibly a guitar solo if this month goes to plan (don't bank on it).

Edited 2009-01-05 12:08 (UTC)

If you are planning on doing one per month, I'd suggest you consider the fact that babies age, so baby availability and nature will change with time. Equally, we live pretty close to

bateleur so you could perhaps pop over and see us the same weekend you're visiting him? Or whenever we're in Oxford.

In that case, if it's convenient, February 1st ?

Provisionally agreed, provided that

lathany's free to keep an eye on the twins.

Yep.

Thanks! I'll tell the Bea not to mess you around too much. ;-)

Obviously if there were any Oxford-based activity which would be appropriate for the duo, you'd all be welcome to join in for the eating here part. Obviously you'd be welcome to hang about here while we draw too, but I suspect that's much less of an appealing offer :)

:-)

Thanks - however Bea and car journeys don't really mix. It'd be nice to catch up with you at some point though.

Don't they ? Oh, that is a shame. (Not because you don't get to see me draw, but because in general it limits options rather.)

Yes, it'd be nice to see you, too. I believe I offered you afternoon tea in my tame cakeshop at some point :) Got any upcoming weekend days free when you fancy a jaunt out to eat cake (there or somewhere else?)

I want to do cakeshop - but January's looking v full (Somerset,

bateleur's mum's birthday and an RPG).

bateleur has said there may be more drawing in February - do you want to come here and do cake in the house with the drawing? Alternatively, I could suggest some weekend days then (I mean February) for me to come to the cakeshop?

Well... I'm hoping there might be more drawing in Febrauary, so I'll make sure I bring cake with me. Then maybe when we're in the same place it'll be easier to negotiate free afternoons :)

And I'll make cake and, yes, an excellent time to plan!

...oh, forgot to mention: Saturdays or Sundays are fine. Evenings are fine too except that it would have to be at my place and I'd turn into a pumpkin at 10pm

I bought a book... years ago, but it turns out you have to read it to learn stuff.

I've always been vaguely appalled that simply owning a book doesn't automatically instill one with the knowledge contained therein.

Someone should fix that.

I was recently amazed to be sitting next to someone on the Tube who was reading a self-help book and then getting out an notebook and doing the exercises. I always assumed self-help books were bought just as talismans, hence why there are so many on the market with interchangeable titles and nonsensical ideas. I didn't know people actually read them!

Good lord. That is truly remarkable. I bet she's the sort of person who actually read the comprehension passage before beginning the questions in English exams.

On a side note, a friend of mine who bought a self-help tome (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Feel-Fear-Anyway-Indecision-Confidence/dp/0091907071) while dithering about whether to leave her long-term partner commented that even though she didn't really read it it was helpful. Apparently she bought the book while still unsure what to do, then realised the fact that she'd actually bought it made various things clear to her and she wasn't actually unsure any more.

It's that old thing about tossing a coin to make a decision - you don't actually do what the coin tells you, you do what your gut reaction is when you see the result.

I'm perpetually amazed by the number of people who have difficulty understanding that one (which I actually find quite useful).

I've never found it useful, because the occasions where I can't choose between A and B arise because both A and B are unappealing. Thus regardless of the way the coin lands, I think "urgh, wrong choice".

I don't understand (I assume it's something like rising damp)

If you can feel the charge rising in your soles, you're doing it right.

I will help with the sewing if you'd like, once you get to that part :)

Thanks! My basic sewing-machine-wrangling skills are reasonably OK - what I might like advice on is actually getting things to fit properly. Since that's the main reason for making your own clothes, not really being able to do it is a bit useless :)

I'll shout for help when it gets to the sewing-month! Some of the above things need to be done when there are courses or horses available, so I'll sort those out first then fit the rest round them.

Oh yes, that can be done. I have a book with a really useful couple of pages that has pictures of the ways things can not fit and what you need to change written next to them. Best £4 I ever spent!

Until you find which basic things which suit your faceshape and which emphatically don't.

Rising trot is something as a bloke i started to learn very early as its a damn sight more comfy....Trot has a bounciness (the type is somewhat horse dependant) and you let the bounce raise you out of the saddle slightly.

BTW i did horse riding roughly once a week, plus a few hacks, a week long course and while i wouldn't say i was a beginner, i sure as heck have not 'mastered' it !!!

Oh and if you need a sunday roast tester =;-)

BTW i did horse riding roughly once a week, plus a few hacks, a week long course and while i wouldn't say i was a beginner, i sure as heck have not 'mastered' it !!!

You have no idea how 'basic' I meant when I said 'mastered the basics'!

(It may turn out to be too ambitious, I dunno. Someone who knows about horses reckoned it possible. We'll see ;)

what a brilliant idea.

I had the same problem with learning Perl. Bought the book and *still* it hasn't magickally gone into mi brane.

Trouble is, I figured I'd learn Python because it's useful. Which it is. But as yet I either don't have, or haven't identified, specific instances of it being useful for something I want to do.

I'm hoping that by making it one of my monthly projects, I'll learn enough to find out what it is I suddenly urgently need it for :)

If you still use WinAmp for music, there's scope for a 1-2 hour first project doing some numpty processing of playlists. Like, "what are the five most common words in the titles of my whole music collection?". Stuff that you could do with sed and sort, but which you instead do by writing a Python class to represent a track, and work from there. Then assuming you can find Python bindings for examining/modifying mp3 tags, you could theoretically go on to write something useful.

CGI scripting is another significant use of Python, either with or without a web app framework. Django is all the rage. A month of spare time is probably a bit short for an all-dancing webapp, but plenty of time to understand the inevitable tedious shopping cart tutorial example, and write a few pages that do *something* vaguely useful, assuming your web host supports it. But if you're not careful, you will spend time mucking about with databases and web servers, which while useful basic knowledge is not to the point of learning Python itself.

Oh yes, and if all you want is to learn the language, rather than to produce anything productive, then some of the problems from www.projecteuler.net might be entertaining. Most of them are of the form, "here is a question - it's obvious how to solve it with a huge brute-force calculation, but that might be too slow for your machine". The guideline is that runtime should be under a minute, although the easy ones are trivially solvable much faster.

Don't set out to do all of them, though, because the returns learning your language will rapidly diminish. In terms of the actual programming they can get repetitive, and the hard ones are usually cases where it's difficult to see how to reduce the problem to a manageable size, rather than where it's difficult to see how to code the solutions you do think of. But picking a few problems and solving them will force you to figure out (a) how to deal with strings and arithmetic, (b) roughly what performance you can expect out of your language on your machine, and (c) some optimisation tricks to improve speed or memory use when your first solution *almost* fits.

I managed a Django project, which never saw the light of day. While I'm reasonably sure there were many things wrong with the project, I don't believe any of them were to do with the framework.

I'd be surprised if the tutorial example is a shopping cart though. Django was built for publishing stuff, it's much more likely to be a simple CMS.

assuming you can find Python bindings for examining/modifying mp3 tags

Mutagen (debian package python-mutagen).

*nodnod* See, I have a feeling that something that I do at work would be *much* easier if I could rustle up a script to do it, I just need to work out what it is first.

hi, btw.

As others have said St John's (I'm a St Andrew's First Aider and they run general public courses which teach you all you need to know about basic first aid. They all run similar courses so look for one that's close and convenient.

If you need more plumbing guidance- try lionshaman- he is fully trained and always happy to help. Horsey things TBC.

Ah, thanks. He really is a handy chap to have around :)

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Make-up very reliant on trying things out and removing

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