Author Topic: 5000th post with good news!  (Read 4847 times)

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Offline tookiTopic starter

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5000th post with good news!
« on: July 06, 2020, 10:10:19 am »
It's very fitting that for my 5000th post (woohoo!), I have good news, and to an appreciable extent, EEVBlog is to thank!

I was out of work for several years due to RSI problems (and pretty significant depression) and struggling to find a new career direction (leaving IT, needing to find something brainy enough for me, yet not totally computer-based like almost everything these days). During that time, I got back into my childhood hobby of electronics, which had mostly gone by the wayside when I got into computers as a teen. I read stuff, I watched Dave's (and others') videos, built up my home lab little by little, experimented and tinkered, and read and wrote on the forums. I learned a lot.

Well, after several years of getting nowhere with the disability office, from whom I wanted assistance finding a new career and getting any necessary retraining, I finally got my legal insurance involved, and suddenly, things were able to happen. (Things I'd been told weren't available. Uh huh.) Once my file landed on the right desk, with a guy who knows technical jobs, I was quickly invited to do a 4-week assessment at a technical training center, to look at the two candidate fields I was interested in: industrial automation and electronics. It went well, and the result is that I've been offered, and have accepted, a 3-year apprenticeship at the training center as an electronics technician, starting in August. In the meantime, I've been working there as the assistant to the electronics instructor, working on some internal projects and helping teach/monitor the “regular” (i.e. teenage) apprentices. (The disability office will pay my wages for all of it.)

So to everyone here, I say thank you! Thanks for the information, the insightful discussions, the food for thought, and for putting up with my bullheadedness. Rekindling my joy and fascination with electronics has finally given me a path forward, which in turn has also really helped me climb out of the dark hole I was in. And I don't think it would have happened if I hadn't had the videos and forum to learn from.

So thanks again to everyone, I really appreciate it, and want you to know that you made a difference.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 04:09:13 pm by tooki »
 

Offline BravoV

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2020, 10:16:37 am »
Congratz ... g'luck and stay healthy.  :-+
 
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Offline 2N3055

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2020, 10:18:55 am »
I wish you good luck and hope it all works out for you!!
"Just hard work is not enough - it must be applied sensibly."
Dr. Richard W. Hamming
 
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Offline tggzzz

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2020, 10:42:40 am »
Good news indeed; the first step on a long journey.

I'm sure you realise this, but just as in computing knowledge can be divided into two categories: fundamental and ephemeral. The challenge is to recognise which is which, and act accordingly.

The fundamentals, which can be theoretical and practical, will last you a lifetime. I'm still relying and using stuff I learned 30/40 years ago, applying it to new areas.

The ephemerals, which can also be theoretical and practical, have a half life of 6 months to 3 years. It is worth avoiding learning those except where there is an immediate need.

Classic fundamentals: what a compiler does and what the emitted code looks like, limits (e.g. Byzantine Generals problem, Lamport's temporal logic), the eight fallacies of distributed computing, time-frequency domain equivalence, stability criteria, metastability, schematic/PCB layout, FSMs, different design concepts and when to use/avoid them, how to design so something can be incrementally implemented and tested, and many more.

Classic ephemerals: this year's favourite procedural language, yet another schematic capture and layout package, yet another opamp.

Having said that, I've been very grateful that in my spare time I made sure I kept ahead of at least one strategic change. That's been invaluable when looking for my next job.
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 
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Offline Halcyon

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2020, 10:49:26 am »
 :-+
 
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Offline GlennSprigg

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2020, 01:09:08 pm »
Not to mention 'Language' training here, for the un-initiated !!   ;D 8) :-+
Diagonal of 1x1 square = Root-2. Ok.
Diagonal of 1x1x1 cube = Root-3 !!!  Beautiful !!
 
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Offline NivagSwerdna

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2020, 01:15:40 pm »
 :-+
 
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Offline Shock

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2020, 02:11:58 pm »
Congrats tooki that's excellent news, your a great guy and it sounds like a life changing opportunity ahead of you.
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Offline jmelson

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2020, 03:39:45 pm »
Wow, that sounds like a real change of fortunes, and may turn out to be an incredible adventure, where you will make great networking connections and work on interesting projects!

Jon
 
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Offline Rick Law

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2020, 07:50:19 pm »
Congratulations and best wishes.

 
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Offline MrMetthew

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2020, 07:53:31 pm »
Good luck man, we make our own luck in life. And that is exactly what you are doing!! Keep going!
 
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Offline Nominal Animal

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2020, 08:53:29 pm »
Excellent to hear!  :-+

I know firsthand how hard that situation is, and it really brightens my day to hear how someone has overcome the biggest hurdle – getting "back on the horse", so to speak.  Thank you!
 
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Online Alex Eisenhut

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2020, 09:28:56 pm »
That is great news, it's a rough world out there!
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Offline MosherIV

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2020, 12:59:22 pm »
Congratulation.

Hope your training and new career does not stop you contributing to the forum.  :-+
 
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Offline newbrain

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #14 on: July 08, 2020, 01:28:28 pm »
Glad to hear this!
Congratulazioni!
Grattis!
Nandemo wa shiranai wa yo, shitteru koto dake.
 
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Offline Dave

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #15 on: July 08, 2020, 08:39:35 pm »
Glad to hear you managed to turn your life around for the better. Best of luck in your new job! :-+
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Offline HobGoblyn

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #16 on: July 08, 2020, 11:11:29 pm »
Congratulations. I’ve appreciated the help you gave me when I was setting up my lab and I’m sure you will do very well
 
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Online basinstreetdesign

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #17 on: July 09, 2020, 03:30:13 am »
Congratulations and best wishes.

 :-+
STAND BACK!  I'm going to try SCIENCE!
 
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Offline tookiTopic starter

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #18 on: July 09, 2020, 05:27:16 am »
Thank you for the kind words, everyone! <3

Not to mention 'Language' training here, for the un-initiated !!   ;D 8) :-+
Cada loco con su tema, as my mom likes to say!  :horse:

(And in this instance, it’s an interest I can blame her for: she’s a career language teacher. As little kids, she bought me and my sister books in English, Spanish, Italian, and French, and she’d read us any of the books in any of those languages, translating on the fly!)

Good news indeed; the first step on a long journey.

I'm sure you realise this, but just as in computing knowledge can be divided into two categories: fundamental and ephemeral. The challenge is to recognise which is which, and act accordingly.

The fundamentals, which can be theoretical and practical, will last you a lifetime. I'm still relying and using stuff I learned 30/40 years ago, applying it to new areas.

The ephemerals, which can also be theoretical and practical, have a half life of 6 months to 3 years. It is worth avoiding learning those except where there is an immediate need.

Classic fundamentals: what a compiler does and what the emitted code looks like, limits (e.g. Byzantine Generals problem, Lamport's temporal logic), the eight fallacies of distributed computing, time-frequency domain equivalence, stability criteria, metastability, schematic/PCB layout, FSMs, different design concepts and when to use/avoid them, how to design so something can be incrementally implemented and tested, and many more.

Classic ephemerals: this year's favourite procedural language, yet another schematic capture and layout package, yet another opamp.

Having said that, I've been very grateful that in my spare time I made sure I kept ahead of at least one strategic change. That's been invaluable when looking for my next job.
Oh, I know exactly what you are talking about. I’ve often referred to that distinction when discussing how one should (or shouldn’t) hire software developers: HR drones often want checklists of languages and technologies, but a talented developer can pick up new languages in no time. The skills of how to actually architect and write good software are unrelated to the languages used.

Or how having expensive art supplies won’t make you any better an artist than you were before. (As someone who isn’t artistic in the traditional sense, I’m always amazed at how gifted artists can make great art out of anything that inspires them.)

Congratulation.

Hope your training and new career does not stop you contributing to the forum.  :-+
Definitely not. I’ve actually been working there almost full-time since January, and I’m still finding time to participate. :)

Congratulations. I’ve appreciated the help you gave me when I was setting up my lab and I’m sure you will do very well
Glad to be of help! Has it been working out for you??
 

Online Bud

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #19 on: July 09, 2020, 07:13:11 am »
Cada loco con su tema 

Hakuna matata !  :box:
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Offline tggzzz

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #20 on: July 09, 2020, 07:44:57 am »
Oh, I know exactly what you are talking about. I’ve often referred to that distinction when discussing how one should (or shouldn’t) hire software developers: HR drones often want checklists of languages and technologies, but a talented developer can pick up new languages in no time. The skills of how to actually architect and write good software are unrelated to the languages used.

I will make a distinction between different programming paradigms, to use a word I dislike. From one procedural (or OOP or funtional) language to another is easy. From procedural to OOP or FSM or HDL is more difficult, and some people never manage it.

Quote
Or how having expensive art supplies won’t make you any better an artist than you were before. (As someone who isn’t artistic in the traditional sense, I’m always amazed at how gifted artists can make great art out of anything that inspires them.)

Just so.

My favourite example is the Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, who can make music with anything.

I once saw him in a double-bill with another well-respected percussionist (Evelyn Glennie), and her jaw literally dropped at one point in his performance.  His instrument was a pair of hands, or rather a thousand pairs of hands. All he did was to simulate the sound of a passing rain shower in the Amazon rain forest, by getting the audience to randomly clap their hands, infrequently at first, then more rapidly, then more infrequently again.
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 
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Offline Fred Basset

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #21 on: July 09, 2020, 08:24:53 am »
It is nice to have good news these days, well done and the very best of luck Tooki!
 
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Offline capt bullshot

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #22 on: July 09, 2020, 11:22:04 am »
Simply adding to the plentyness of wishing well: Congratulations, and good luck with your new career!
Safety devices hinder evolution
 
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Offline tom66

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #23 on: July 09, 2020, 11:40:21 am »
Great news!  Stay well
 

Offline Zero999

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Re: 5000th post with good news!
« Reply #24 on: July 09, 2020, 01:04:48 pm »
Oh, I know exactly what you are talking about. I’ve often referred to that distinction when discussing how one should (or shouldn’t) hire software developers: HR drones often want checklists of languages and technologies, but a talented developer can pick up new languages in no time. The skills of how to actually architect and write good software are unrelated to the languages used.

I will make a distinction between different programming paradigms, to use a word I dislike. From one procedural (or OOP or funtional) language to another is easy. From procedural to OOP or FSM or HDL is more difficult, and some people never manage it.
When you get into instrumentation and automation, some of the programming lanagues are graphical such as LabVIEW and ladder logic, which can take time to adjust to.
 
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