Winter Plans

Firstly, thank you to all who have followed this blog.  I will be using the winter semester to think how I can more effectively improve my science communication abilities.  What would be most helpful would be feedback from readers.  If you have questions, comments, concerns, criticisms, etc.  Please post them in the comments section below.

Your normal post will be continued momentarily....

As the semester wraps up and finals come and go we look to take a rest and recharge as we prepare for the next spring semester.  We all do this in different ways.  Above is how I plan to spend my winter break.  Below is a little info as to why I made these choices.

• Infinite Powers by Steven Strogatz
• Before this current semester started I read Strogatz's the Joy of X.  I found that he provided a concise and enlightening description of the problems that have advanced mathematics and how the solutions to those problems can be applied in a variety of situations.  Next semester I will be taking calculus and thought that this would be a great way to prep myself.
• Principles: Life & Work by Ray Dalio
• I have read parts of this book already and would like to finish it this winter.  I was thinking of how to describe it, but I found a summary of the book that answers this question quite well.  If this summary piques your interest, I recommend a read.
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• There There by Tommy Orange
• Each have been recommended by people I trust, and as mentioned in a previous post, I find fiction incredibly valuable to my learning.
• Core Java Fundamentals Volume I by Cay S. Horstmann
• Learning Python by Mark Lutz
• I will be working with both language next semester and have very little programming experience so I will take some time each day to get familiar with the and comfortable with the syntax and semantics.  Additionally, I hope to learn enough to craft an interesting research project for next semester.

One last important note!  If you are thinking of grabbing some books for yourself over the winter do so quickly, the PC library closes soon and does not open until the beginning of next semester.