Posts

Rubik's, Solved!

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I tried my hands on a Rubik's Cube in elementary school, only to be met with frustration.  I remembered thinking this was a game only for geniuses.  A second chance came late last year when my 9-5 ordered hundreds of cubes as souvenirs for local marketing events.  After 2 hours of practice over the weekend and with the help of some YouTube hacks, I finally did it! Not Max Park yet, but it made my day.   -PTS

Book Review: The First 20 Hours - How to Learn Anything Fast

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Continuous learning has been a cornerstone of my life.   Being an efficient learner is therefore important to me.  I often wonder about the best way to learn and end up "learning about learning" every so often.  No wonder I was naturally drawn to this book by best selling author, Josh Kaufman, given its catchy title. Kaufman first clears the air that devoting 20 hours of your life to something does not make your an expert in the field.  However, it allows you to become good enough and be confident in applying the skill being acquired.  He then distils his learning process into 10 steps: Identify a skill(s) that matters to you If multiple skills are desired, focus your energy on one skill at a time  Define a target level on "what is good enough" Deconstruct the skill into sub-skills  Ensure the right tools are available for learning Remove barriers to practice Make time to practice for at least 20 hours, preferably in regular intervals   Create fast feedback loops Pr

Happy 2022!

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Happy New Year! With the arrival of 2022, it is time to put my resolutions to work:  Improve my golf game with a sub-30 handicap (yes, I am that bad) Remaster my butterfly stroke in the pool  Become an advanced chess player by scoring 1500+ on  Chess.com   Write more blog posts by finding a focus topic(s).   No world peace this time, but each goal carries with it a deeper meaning for me -- hence the excitement.  Let's get started! - PTS

139, a Very Sweet Number!

Many people may have taken IQ tests online and achieved flying colors.  I also did a few tests for fun in the past, scoring 150+.  The real deal in intelligence tests however, is  Stanford-Binet  or WAIS-IV.   After taking the  WAIS-IV  test last week with a qualified psychologist, my full scale IQ test score was revealed today.  I have an FSIQ of 139, ranking me in the top 0.5% of the population (1 in 200) and placing in the top category of Very Superior !   My IQ score confirms a long-held suspicion on my intellectual giftedness.  Many of my friends have suggested I take the test for some time.  It was long coming, but I finally took the plunge this year.  And now, it is official.  This result certainly gives my already high self-belief a boost.  I look to overcome more challenges when the going gets tough and open up a world of possibilities by thinking even bigger.  What's next?  Perhaps I should consider applying to Mensa and meet fellow intellectuals for more personal growth.

My Next Career in the Making

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Great day spent at the course.  First time in a long time and already wanting back!  This could really be a next career after retirement from the day job.  An imminent challenge is participation in a charity golf event mid-month.  My performance there will be very telling on whether PGA is in the cards.  Joking aside, I am indeed closer to retirement this year.  Getting a taste of university level courses and a retirement hobby is a step in the right direction.  More good to come!   - PTS

My First Masters Course Essay

Time flies as my first course back in university has come to an end!  The final exam was completed yesterday and I am happy to share with you my first A in 19 years.  Still got it after all! The course taken is a Masters Psych course in Nurturing the Gifted and Talented .  This is the only course of its kind in Hong Kong and I thoroughly enjoyed all my learnings from it.   My essay is hereby attached for those who are interested.  It is not yet graded I must say so read at your own peril. - PTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Education for Exceptionally and Profoundly Gifted Primary and Secondary Students in Hong Kong Gifted students are often seen by society as the lucky few who have won the genetic lottery.  Finding generally gifted students is not difficult as they are often the top ranking students within a school.  The exceptionally and profoundly gifted however, are on a completely different level as they are much more laborious to iden

Back to School, Part-time!

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Finally! After all these years, I have resumed school starting with a Masters psychology course on nurturing the gifted and talented.  This rare subject is close to my heart and I can only find it in one tertiary institution in all of Hong Kong.  As this is my first university experience in my hometown, it means so much more.  COVID-19 and resorting to online classes however have taken some of the shine off, but I am still ecstatic!  Ready to rock the semester.  Bring it on! - PTS