Tag: nick milo

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Writing

Final Exam

I’m currently participating in the Writing Original Works class led by Nick Milo. One of the exercises in the class is for each of us to submit a short piece (less than 750 words, ideally 300 words or less) of original work each week.

As I was thinking about this assignment and what to write about, I reviewed some of my notes based on recent Kindle book reading highlights resurfaced to me in my daily email from Readwise. There were a few interesting ideas but nothing really grabbed me.

Meanwhile I was also in the midst of doing my daily reading sweep of some of my favorite online publications and came across “Tabula Rosa, Volume Four“, a recent essay by John McPhee, one of my all-time favorite writers. His latest piece is part of a series he’s written with snippets of scenes and moments that he’s collected over the years. They make for some delightful reading – especially in bed at night while preparing to get to sleep.

His latest essay included “Final Exam” – a story that triggered me to flip his story around and to write a brief piece of my own as viewed from being a student in his Princeton writing class. McPhee’s story takes place at a picnic which is the finale of his class. He writes:

“Passing out pencils and sheets of paper, I informed the picnicking class that the time had come for their final exam (an event of which they had not previously been aware). O.K., I would say, hoping and failing to shake them up, this is your final exam. Everything rides on it, including the honor system.”

That was my trigger. My mind started to work. What if I was one of his students and he sprung that final exam on me?

Here’s what I wrote:

The final exam was a surprise. He sprang it on us at the most unexpected moment. We had all anticipated getting A’s in the course. But now, he informed us that this final exam he was about to administer (on the picturesque lawn beside the library, basking in the warm afternoon sun) would determine our entire grade. What audacity!

He caught us off guard when we were at our most vulnerable state. We had been savoring the completion of a semester-long writing workshop, eagerly anticipating a much-needed break after weeks of relentless writing, editing, re-editing, and submitting assignments, followed by anxiously awaiting his feedback, those red pencil marks in the margins commanding our undivided attention.

Surprise strikes when it is least expected, emerging from the shadows to startle us to our very core. For a fleeting moment, we freeze, our minds racing to find an escape route. Fight or flight? How unfair is this? Why me, for heaven’s sake? Memories begin to intrude.

What exactly is the nature of this dreaded final exam?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Good fun!

Categories
AI AI: Large Language Models Claude

Projects vs Efforts

a person typing on a laptop
Photo by Daniel Thomas on Pexels.com

As part of his introduction of the new Ideaverse sample vault for Obsidian, Nick Milo has focused on the difference between projects versus efforts – and has settled on using the Efforts name for one of the folders in his new ACE folder structure. Efforts are different from projects and Nick believes that name is better suited to be part of a PKM system. In his fourth video introducing Ideaverse Nick Milo noted: “Why do some projects get done, and other projects get stuck? It might be because projects don’t work well with ideas.”

Of late I’ve enjoyed bouncing ideas around with Claude, the chatbot from Anthropic. I asked Claude to help me understand the differences between projects and efforts by writing a musing on that. I found Claude’s response quite useful:

Projects and efforts both require time, energy, and focus to accomplish something, but they have some key differences. 

Projects are more defined, with a specific scope, timeline, and set of objectives. They have a clear beginning and a desired end result. Efforts are more open-ended, without rigid parameters. An effort may continue indefinitely as part of an ongoing process.

Projects follow a linear progression, with planning, execution, and completion phases. Efforts evolve organically, with starts and stops, detours, and gradual refinements. Projects aim to produce a deliverable, while efforts may have less tangible outcomes.

Projects can be handled individually or by teams. Efforts often involve loose collections of people contributing in diverse ways over time. Projects have project managers overseeing them. Efforts lack that formal hierarchical structure.

When projects finish, they are done. Efforts may pause or change direction, but they often persist in some form. We celebrate project launches and project completions. Efforts reflect continuous investment without fanfare.

Both projects and efforts require diligence and group coordination. But projects allow for more top-down control to keep work narrowly defined. Efforts rely more on bottom-up participation, following passion and drawing in a wide base of support.

In essence, projects impose structure on objectives, while efforts supply energy to ambitions. Both are vital and mutually reinforcing. A singular project can advance an expansive effort, just as an ongoing effort can spawn many delimited projects over time. By balancing closed-ended projects and open-ended efforts, we can direct our limited resources toward achievements with lasting impact.

Categories
AI AI: Large Language Models ChatGPT Link-based note-making Linking Your Thinking Note-making Obsidian

Link-based Note-making

Update: see my more comprehensive review of the Linking Your Thinking workshop.

I’m currently immersed in Nick Milo’s 11th cohort of his Linking Your Thinking workshop, and I must say, it’s been an enjoyable experience so far. This workshop has proven to be an excellent opportunity for me to refine my skills using Obsidian as my primary tool for capturing notes and thoughts. Moreover, it has provided me with ample time to engage in deep thinking and establish connections between various concepts through note linking.

This week in the workshop is dedicated to “AI Week,” where we delve into the realm of artificial intelligence to enhance our thinking processes. One fascinating aspect has been our exploration of generative AI chatbots such as Google Bard and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Yesterday, we had the privilege of an expert session with Jeremy Nguyen, who has honed his expertise in leveraging multi-step prompts with ChatGPT to engage in interactive conversations with selected “mentors.” The intricacies of his process were truly captivating!

I was up early this morning and playing a bit with ChatGPT. I had come across someone else who had put together a prompt like the following to generate some pithy one-liners that he could use on Twitter to stimulate interest:

Create 35 one-line statements that sound motivational and inspirational but are really just platitudes that have very little intellectual value. They must be original and not quotes.

I modified a version of that prompt as follows:

Create 15 one-line statements about the power of link-based note making that are very motivational and inspirational. They must be original and not quotes.

Here’s what ChatGPT generated in response – these one-liners are all pretty good!:

  1. Unlock the limitless potential of link-based note making and watch your ideas soar to new heights of creativity.
  2. Embrace the interconnected web of knowledge through link-based note making and witness the power of ideas intertwining.
  3. Harness the transformative power of link-based note making to create a symphony of ideas that harmonize and inspire.
  4. Let link-based note making be the key that unlocks the door to boundless inspiration and innovation.
  5. Dive into the world of link-based note making and witness how the threads of knowledge weave a tapestry of enlightenment.
  6. Embrace the empowering nature of link-based note making and discover the magic that happens when ideas collide.
  7. Unlock the door to accelerated learning and creative breakthroughs with the dynamic tool of link-based note making.
  8. Let link-based note making be the catalyst that ignites your imagination and fuels your pursuit of greatness.
  9. Embrace the transformative power of link-based note making and watch as your ideas bloom and flourish.
  10. Dive into the ocean of possibilities with link-based note making and witness the ripple effect of inspired thinking.
  11. Unlock the untapped reservoirs of inspiration with link-based note making, where connections illuminate the path to brilliance.
  12. Embrace the synergistic dance of ideas with link-based note making, where each link becomes a stepping stone to greatness.
  13. Harness the creative energy of link-based note making and unleash a tidal wave of inspiration that propels you forward.
  14. Let link-based note making be the compass that guides your intellectual journey, leading you to new frontiers of discovery.
  15. Dive into the realm of boundless inspiration with link-based note making and witness the alchemy that happens when ideas collide and synthesize.

I then remembered having fun weeks ago using ChatGPT to generate poetry – so I tried the following:

Write a poem about the joy of link-based note making.

I got the following lovely response:

In the realm where thoughts do flow,
A joyous dance, a rhythmic glow,
Link-based notes, they intertwine,
A tapestry of knowledge divine.

Each word a vessel, meaning true,
Threads connecting what’s old and new,
Ideas woven, seamlessly bound,
A symphony of thoughts profound.

Hyperlinks, the bridges strong,
Guide us where our hearts belong,
From concept’s core to distant shores,
Exploration, forevermore.

With every click, a path unfolds,
A gateway to stories yet untold,
A web of wonders, vast and wide,
Linking worlds, side by side.

No longer bound by linear thought,
Unleashed, the mind’s expansion sought,
A fluid canvas, limitless and free,
Mapping ideas, effortlessly.

Inspiration sparks, creativity soars,
As we navigate these digital shores,
Link by link, we venture through,
An endless maze of knowledge accrue.

So let us revel, embrace this bliss,
In link-based notes, we find our kiss,
For in the web we’re all entwined,
A testament to the human mind.

My explorations continue!