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Author: Subject: Been a while....
Sigerson
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[*] posted on 9-9-2014 at 10:14
Been a while....


I joined the forum some time back when I first started teaching myself chemistry at home. It started with Thompson's Illustrated Guide to home Chemistry. Many of my past posts dealt with concerns over the legality of practicing home chemistry living in Texas but I'm posting now simply to reintroduce myself to the forum. I have also been working on learning electronics n my spare time. I realized one day, as I was plugging in my phone charger, that I didn't know much about electronics. That didn't sit well with me given how pervasive a field it is. I also didn't want to spend another day wasting time working a job I don't intend on keeping as a career (currently working for the American Cancer Society).

So since my last post, however many months ago that was, I've enrolled back in school. I wanted to take my education in these areas seriously and so just a few weeks ago, at 36 years old, I began working on a second degree, my first being a BA in Philosophy and two years of Grad school in Anthropology but that was over a decade ago. Now I'm in a Nanoelectronics Program at Austin Community College and I'm considering moving past my associates and actually getting a B.S. I have to tell myself that it's never too late to start. I'm taking Chemistry (of course) DC Circuits and Fundamentals of Programming while still working full time. I have my work cut out for me

All this to say, from time to time, I hope I can pick all your brilliant brains when dealing with a challenging Chemistry problem. It's good to be back.




"Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life." - Marcus Aurelius
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Amos
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[*] posted on 9-9-2014 at 10:19


Congrats on the decision to go back to school! Also your mood right now is just about perfect.



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Brain&Force
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[*] posted on 9-9-2014 at 12:29


I'm in TX now and it's the only place I've been able to experiment for the past three months!



At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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aga
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[*] posted on 9-9-2014 at 13:14


Hard choice to make. Respek !

We got electronics bods and programmers here too.

SM is just the Best there is.




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Texium
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[*] posted on 9-9-2014 at 14:10


Hi, I remember replying to your thread about chemistry in Texas months ago when I was still quite new to the forum. It's good to see you back here again.



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Sigerson
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[*] posted on 9-9-2014 at 15:43


Thank you all for the replies. It's good to be back. I've loved learning, thoroughly enjoyed being a student some decade and a half ago and have tried my best to learn what I can whenever I can. Lately, as indicated in my OP I've been increasing that focus. But another large part of my learning has been focused on social issues, politics, elections etc. After I first joined SM, I ended up writing a letter to the President, various out of state congressmen/women and to the congressmen for Texas about problems in education and specifically addressing chemophobia.

Honestly, much of what I've learned from paying attention more to politics left me feeling hopeless, pessimistic and flat out concerned for what our future might look like. I mention this because SM is my one stop shop for optimism and hope. A community of like minded people devoted to learning, science, inquisitiveness and education, well I couldn't think of a better cure to sociopolitical blues. Hats off to all of you.

[Edited on 9-9-2014 by Sigerson]




"Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life." - Marcus Aurelius
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Bert
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[*] posted on 9-9-2014 at 17:09


In my own experience, the only jobs worth doing are the ones you care about... Unless there are children to feed or other over riding circumstances, follow your passion.



Rapopart’s Rules for critical commentary:

1. Attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly and fairly that your target says: “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.”
2. List any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of general or widespread agreement).
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4. Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.

Anatol Rapoport was a Russian-born American mathematical psychologist (1911-2007).

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