Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#121

Post by greenie_beans » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 1:22 AM UTC

suyula wrote: post #18

heelix wrote: post #15

Learn a handful of knots. You don't need to know the entire boy scout manual, but solid understanding of 4-5 knots - be it a trucker's hitch (adjustable), improved clinch (fishing/permanent), half hitch, etc - will be the right tool for the moment. When we go camping, we end up bringing a handful of tarps and paracord. Always fun to see the monstrosities people come up with as we try to string up a sun/rain shelter.

Learning the bowline, trucker's hitch, and double half-hitches will get you the most value for your time in my opinion. They're all I've ever needed for moving or camping.

Figure eight! Learned it recently to tow a canoe. I was always towing them with a two half-hitch and trucker’s hitch. I think I like the double figure eighth to attach to the car better than two half hitch.

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#122

Post by kryogen1c » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 1:30 AM UTC

born_on_sega wrote: post #86

kryogen1c wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> learning to cook and prepare your own food. > learn to budget money and manage expenses. if you've never done this before, i very, very strongly suggest you look at how much eating out is costing you. my wife and i are saving literally thousands of dollars a month.

How do you managed budget and food?

this is a very un-HN answer, and i wish i had something sexier for you, but: Excel.

we look at statements from our various accounts, enter into a data tab, then group expenses into categories: house (elec, water, cable, etc), food, vehicles (gas, tolls, oil, loan, etc) fun (spotify, netflix, etc).

as the saying goes, you cant manage what you dont measure.

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#123

Post by cweagans » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 1:46 AM UTC

diehunde wrote: post #113

oftenwrong wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a bit bewildering how many people (mostly men) there are around that cannot cook properly. They have lived their entire life depending on others to eat something decent. Learning to cook is often cited as a way to impress and woo others, but the primary beneficiary is oneself. Being able to cook well is freeing. It's easy to practice because you have to eat anyway. When you end up with leftover ingredients, come…

I disagree. Some people cut their own hair or build their own furniture and would say everyone needs to know how to do that stuff instead of depending on and paying someone else. There's a reason cooking is also a profession, and there's nothing wrong with depending on them. People who like to cook don't seem to understand that others (like me) just hate cooking and have zero interest in learning since it wouldn't br…

People don't _require_ furniture or a haircut (i.e. you can survive without them). Everyone _needs_ to eat. Opting out of knowing how to take care of your own basic needs just because you can currently pay someone else to do it seems very shortsighted.

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#124

Post by Shared404 » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 2:09 AM UTC

86J8oyZv wrote: post #91

Shared404 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> - Learn confidence and humility by mastering a common physical skill like an instrument, singing, or performing monologues, etc. Not stupid tricks, but something where other people are objectively way better than you are and plan to be embarrassingly bad at it for at least a decade. I would personally recommend martial arts for this. You get a useful skill (eventually), there is no skill ceiling, and there are alwa…

I mean, whatever floats your boat really, but when exactly are martial arts useful? The average person might use them once in a lifetime. A year's worth of voice lessons and pretty much any non-trained person will love hearing you sing along to any song, and you will make them want to sing. It's a way to relate to people and make friends in nearly any social situation. Even if you're just more into the kinesthetic wo…

> The average person might use them once in a lifetime.

Depends on your perspective. On the one hand, I haven't had to fight anyone, and would like to keep it that way. On the other, I'd like to be able to if necessary.

Martial arts is the only activity other then programming in which I have reached flow state. I suspect dancing/yoga/etc also reach this state, but I don't know because I've never done any of these seriously enough to get to that point.

Aside from these, like borroka said, it has an affect on your demeanour and world view, which is honestly the biggest benefit.

> very rarely a useful thing to have learned.

Also, it makes good resume filler if you're just barely getting your career started. Not quite as good as being an Eagle Scout, but non negligible.

I've just made a lot of personal improvement through martial arts, and figured I'd bring it up in case someone else would enjoy it.

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#125

Post by memexy » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 2:13 AM UTC

Shared404 wrote: post #124

86J8oyZv wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, whatever floats your boat really, but when exactly are martial arts useful? The average person might use them once in a lifetime. A year's worth of voice lessons and pretty much any non-trained person will love hearing you sing along to any song, and you will make them want to sing. It's a way to relate to people and make friends in nearly any social situation. Even if you're just more into the kinesthetic wo…

> The average person might use them once in a lifetime. Depends on your perspective. On the one hand, I haven't had to fight anyone, and would like to keep it that way. On the other, I'd like to be able to if necessary. Martial arts is the only activity other then programming in which I have reached flow state. I suspect dancing/yoga/etc also reach this state, but I don't know because I've never done any of these ser…

Good explanation of the benefits of practicing a martial art. I think any type of activity that involves both coordinated motion and cardio is a good candidate for achieving flow states.

Re: martial arts. What type do you recommend?

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#126

Post by guidoism » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 2:36 AM UTC

diehunde wrote: post #113

oftenwrong wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a bit bewildering how many people (mostly men) there are around that cannot cook properly. They have lived their entire life depending on others to eat something decent. Learning to cook is often cited as a way to impress and woo others, but the primary beneficiary is oneself. Being able to cook well is freeing. It's easy to practice because you have to eat anyway. When you end up with leftover ingredients, come…

I disagree. Some people cut their own hair or build their own furniture and would say everyone needs to know how to do that stuff instead of depending on and paying someone else. There's a reason cooking is also a profession, and there's nothing wrong with depending on them. People who like to cook don't seem to understand that others (like me) just hate cooking and have zero interest in learning since it wouldn't br…

I don’t think that those are good analogies. Cooking for yourself is more akin to bathing yourself or wiping your own butt. It’s super easy if you grow up assuming that you should be doing those things yourself and unbelievably expensive if you pay others to do it for you.

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#127

Post by abnercoimbre » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 2:39 AM UTC

joshstrange wrote: post #93

born_on_sega wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you managed budget and food?

Not who you are replying to but I recently (2.5 months ago) started using YNAB again and have fallen in love with it. The last time I tried it was when it was desktop software but their newer web-based version with transaction import/sync is a game changer for me. As for food I can't really help there. I ended up writing my own app to manage/track expiration dates for what I have but that's barely the tip of the ice-…

Used YNAB a lot to develop discipline, then switched to Lunch Money [0]. It's being worked on by a solopreneur; she's awesome.

The app is, I think, a natural evolution for the YNABer who got the discipline and now doesn't need to track every single dollar all the time.

[0] https://lunchmoney.app

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#128

Post by xelxebar » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 2:48 AM UTC

majewsky wrote: post #72

gitgud wrote: post #37

-> Logical fallacies, being able to name the reasons why an argument has problems is a great skill to have and it's kind of interesting. -> Linux terminal, amazing how much more fun using a computer is with just the terminal (also a browser to Google the commands) -> Wood working, it's fun to cut timber and build things, especially if you have an office job like myself.

> also a browser to Google the commands man man # :-P

Also

    $ info info
    $ help help

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#129

Post by jonnycoder » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 2:56 AM UTC

MarxOk wrote: post #35

sethammons wrote: post #4

I'm reminded of: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” ~…

All useful except butchering a hog - a human being does not need to eat hogs to survive and thrive.

That's the type of mentality that holds people back. Butchering a hog is just like processing a deer or elk. I've done all three and there is something about the experience that brings a greater feeling of respect and authenticity of where meat comes from and how certain cuts can be cooked.

Re: Ask HN: What are some skills you have that are worth learning?

#130

Post by jonnycoder » Thu, Jul 09, 2020, 3:09 AM UTC

Learn golf. On the surface, it just seems like a game but it has plenty to teach about competing against yourself. Just as in life, the goal is to get a tiny bit better as compared against yourself yesterday. Most of it is a mental game. Patience and frustration will be the first things you will experience, but unlike learning skiing you won't have to worry about hurting yourself. It's an incredibly complex game simply because of the variety of skill involved. Full swing shots, pitching and chipping, sand shots, uneven lies and putting. Course management is also a strategic aspect that requires experience and skill.

Most of the time you will be paired up to form a group of four, so you will probably experience the feeling of being out of place and uncertain of how to act (rules, etiquette). This will help with practicing dealing with uncomfortable situations if you are more introverted. The reason why golf is addicting for many of us is that once you get ok at the game, you start to enjoy the improvement or just the addiction of hitting a great shot where you had planned to hit it. The outdoor aspect is also a big bonus, especially if you start walking 18 holes.