Thu Oct 12 18:14:33 UTC 2017
Time-block time
| Time (PDT) | Intention | Revision 1 | Revision 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0000 | TV: We Bare Bears | ||
| 0030 | TV: We Bare Bears | ||
| 0100 | Winding down | ||
| 0130 | SLEEP | ||
| 0200 | SLEEP | ||
| 0230 | SLEEP | ||
| 0300 | SLEEP | ||
| 0330 | SLEEP | ||
| 0400 | SLEEP | ||
| 0430 | SLEEP | ||
| 0500 | SLEEP | ||
| 0530 | SLEEP | ||
| 0600 | SLEEP | ||
| 0630 | SLEEP | ||
| 0700 | SLEEP | ||
| 0730 | SLEEP | ||
| 0800 | SLEEP | ||
| 0830 | SLEEP | ||
| 0900 | SLEEP | ||
| 0930 | SLEEP | ||
| 1000 | Waking up | ||
| 1030 | Walk to work | ||
| 1100 | PLANNING | ||
| 1130 | Zendesk Jade/JS | Pike Place Market | |
| 1200 | Lunch | ||
| 1230 | Lunch | ||
| 1300 | Zendesk Jade/JS | Zendesk OAuth Stuff | |
| 1330 | 1:1 with David | ||
| 1400 | Zendesk Jade/JS | Zendesk OAuth Stuff | |
| 1430 | Zendesk Jade/JS | Zendesk OAuth Stuff | |
| 1500 | Zendesk Jade/JS | SST Demo Stuff | |
| 1530 | 1:1 with Noj | Zendesk OAuth Stuff | |
| 1600 | Social buffer | Zendesk OAuth Stuff | |
| 1630 | Social buffer | End of day review | |
| 1700 | Seattle Event | ||
| 1730 | Seattle Event | ||
| 1800 | Seattle Event | ||
| 1830 | Seattle Event | Seattle Public Library | |
| 1900 | Walk to Sizzle Pie | ||
| 1930 | Hanging out | ||
| 2000 | Hanging out | ||
| 2030 | Hanging out | ||
| 2100 | Hanging out | ||
| 2130 | Buffer | Walk home | |
| 2200 | Buffer | Hanging out | |
| 2230 | Buffer | Reading "Basic Econ." | |
| 2300 | Walk home | Gaming: Overwatch | |
| 2330 | Buffer | Gaming: Overwatch |
Fri Oct 13 05:52:23 UTC 2017
I have gotten a library card and checked out my first book: "Basic Economics" by Thomas Sowell. I anticipate that I will be very critical of it. Someone who expresses opinions I disagree with, but in a manner that shows he has put thought into those opinions thinks highly of this book. From what I understand of the author, and the book, it will not be a book whose main priority is a well-rounded introduction to economics, but a book about economics with a libertarian agenda.
I'm keeping that bias in mind as I head into the book. It will paint my opinion of the book, and unfairly so, unless I keep the bias in check and properly balance it out. It can be an exercise in managing first impressions, as "Hire with Your Head" recommends.
This book is due back at the library on November 2nd. This gives me 22 days (counting today) to 634 pages. So I gots about 30 pages to read per day. I just read 13 pages in about 15 minutes, so I have a little over a half-hour of reading to do on average per day.
Totally doable.
Though, I must say, I'm already noticing the libertarian slant the book has. Consider this rather mundane quote: "In a market economy coordinated by prices, there is no one at the top to issue orders to control or coordinate activities throughout the economy."
I think, already, I'm noticing a lack of consideration of who controls the wealth, and the role that leverage plays in economies. Though right on the cover there is a note about this edition of the book: "See Especially the Newly Added Chapter on International Wealth Disparities".
So, perhaps I will be happily proven wrong here.
In any case, I'd like to keep a running commentary on this book whilst I read it. I think it'd prove valuable as a means of keeping track of my reactions to the book, and whether or not those reactions are fair, or more-importantly if those reactions are true.
So far, the book started off strong, but has already started implying libertarianism to be the one true economic strategy. I've liked the definition of economics, and the statement that: "regardless of our policies, practices, or institutions [...] there is simply not enough to go around to satisfy all our desires to the fullest. [...] These various kinds of economies [socialist, capitalist, feudal, etc.] are just different institutional ways of making trade-offs that are inescapable in any economy."
I'm thinking that I will gain some good vocabulary, concepts, and valid economic lenses even if this book ends up painting pure capitalism as the best economic strategy in every case.
It will be like learning a game from a particularly good player, but that player only believes in one methodology of playing. As long as I learn good fundamentals and keep potential flaws in mind, I should still be better off than starting from scratch, and maybe even better off than reading the opinions of an expert whose conclusions I agree with or trying to navigate the labyrinth of blatant and nuanced disagreement amongst experts at once.
In any case, for the two of you who might follow me on this journey, if I manage to keep posting my thoughts, know that they are a work-in-progress whilst I read this book, and hopefully I'll come back to these notes after I finish the book and then consolidate everything into a well-constructed opinion.
Having already written a lot today, I'll stop reading for the day. I should still finish the book if I manage to do a proper 30 pages per day starting tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll attempt to stop by the library on my way home everyday for a solid hour of a reading per day. We'll see, though, as I also want to try running home from work, and carrying a rather large book while running makes me think that these are mutually exclusive ideas.
I have some thoughts about fixing this exclusivity, but they have pros and cons themselves. We'll see what I decide to do.