Digressions

I've been in a Software Development Frameworks class for the past two days learning about unified process, watefall (boo hiss, don't do it), and agile. Pretty dry stuff, even if it's extremely relevant to my current day-to-day work. However, the stand and deliver format was killing me. I absolutely cannot sit and absorb information via lecture -- that's not the sort of learner I am.

I think the instructor saw that he was losing the class, so after our second break he shifted tactics. He asked each of us how we were feeling...stressed, tired, cold...and he started sharing new-age healing techniques to take care of our conditions.

I now know how to release the energy from the meridian that controls basal body temperature and how to use the "cross crawl" technique to engage left brain/right brain. Believe me, I was unconvinced until the headache that I'd had for two weeks melted away. I am a fan of the triple thump.

He continued with the stand and deliver format, but on each break we learned something about how to "use our body's keyboard to reset our system" (his words). I think the digressions actually improved my ability to remember the material that was covered in the course. Maybe teaching an interesting subject with a dry subject provides ways for one to hook onto the other and stick with the learner? I need to do some research.

Incidentally, I'm also reading The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable. The main thrust of the book is to demonstrate why humans are so bad at predicting. I'm taking copious notes as I read, but mostly I'm laughing. Here I am taking classes to become an expert in project mangement & at the same time learning why humanity will never be good at dealing with the unexpected. It's too funny. More to come on this book -- I'm only half-way through it.