Good tip. As someone who doesn't do well with coffee -- it makes me twitchy -- I find green tea helpful. I drink it several days a weak, in part for the general anti-oxidant health benefits, in part for the caffeine boost. But I feel like it sharpens my brain to use my available energy better, more effectively, so perhaps unlike most caffeine-consumers I tend to drink it only when I already feel fully rested. It doesn't seem to provide extra energy when my brain is already tired. In fact I fear in those cases it just prevents me from taking a quick nap which helps much much more to recover my brain energy. That's my experience with green tea so far -- I definitely want to explore it more.
If you into it you will find tea is popular with monks for sustaining meditation. Tea has more than caffeine, there are other useful compounds as well. Much better for focus than coffee.
If you are good at power naps (i.e. can drift off in under 10 minutes in the right conditions) you can try a tea rebound nap; make a strong cup of tea and drink it quickly just before you lay down for a snooze. You'll drift off before it hits and by the time your 20-25 minute timer finishes your brain is doubly refreshed.
I find the 'hard-reset' aspect of a nap to be essential some days, and it is completely different in nature than the 'energy' aspect. More to do with unresolved problems to solve than actual energy.
Interesting. I'm going to try that. Yes, the hard-reset of a power nap can be hugely efficient. I almost feel like I get two days in one thanks to the fresh energy I have afterwards.
Very nice re: the search alias. Thanks for sharing that -- it was the next thing I was going to try to figure out. I just wish there was a way to get a Gmail search result without the sidebar with the number of unread emails in your inbox... To look or not to look... :-)
I think you can turn off that that unread number somewhere in the options. It still shows up in bold if there are unread emails, but it's a partial solution at least.
Fun. Would be nice to have a way to attribute the quotes, so you show quotes from notable people. Sometimes a quote is inspiring for who says it as much as for what it says.
I can't say how "amateurs" maps to MIT freshmen, but I wanted to point out that back in the day SICP was used, in its entirety, in 6.001, the one-semester entry-level computer science course at MIT.
Grasshopper NYC is hiring a full-time C# game programmer based in our new studio at digital/physical media cooperative Collab in Soho, New York. Come join the team creating game lounges for grown-ups -- the "arcade" of the 21st century. You will program games for multitouch tables, tablets, walls and floors -- all meant to to foster meaningful face-to-face social interaction.
Experience with Unity 3D and multitouch interfaces are big pluses, but most important is serious fundamental game programming skills; strong software design and architecture; pride in code quality; understanding of practical software engineering, testing, and deployment processes; good communication skills; an eagerness to dive in and work hard to get things done correctly and quickly; and above all a love for programming as a creative craft.
For the right candidate, there will also be many opportunities to contribute to game design and overall design of the Grasshopper space and experience. Compensation is based on experience and expertise.
For more information or to apply, check out some videos at GrasshopperNYC.com and send questions and/or resume and cover letter (including where applicable links to user profiles on programming-related sites like Hacker News, Stack Overflow, github, and Unity Answers) to Ien Cheng at ien@grasshoppernyc.com.
Note: Grasshopper is also hiring game programmer interns and freelancers.
I used to do this. I had the same suspicion. About two months ago, in an effort to improve my sleep quality, I banned the iPad (and all other devices, except a first generation books-only non-backlit Kindle) from the bed when sleeping. My sleep is indeed better, in part because I no longer spent "just a few more minutes" randomly browsing before going to bed, in part because if I wake up early or in the middle of the night, I can't just reach for a device and start checking email.
New York -- PART-TIME CONSULTANT, INTERN, REMOTE WELCOME
Project Grasshopper, created by a former media executive and Google product director, is looking for game designers and developers to build games for a novel interactive tabletop platform based on Unity 3D, among other opportunities.
The goal of the project is to use games and innovative digital and physical media to foster meaningful social interaction and genuine local community in cities everywhere.
We're looking for:
1. Game developers, especially with experience in multitouch interfaces and Unity 3D;
2. Game designers, especially with an interest in face-to-face (as opposed to online multiplayer) play;
3. Microelectronics hardware engineers, to work with world-class architects (i.e. the kind who design interiors and build physical spaces) on embedded systems for enhancing social face-to-face play in a physical setting;
4. A multitouch engineer, to work with a leading MIT Media Lab researcher, on multitouch platforms, including a round interactive table that comfortable seats 4-6 people based on computer vision technology;
5. An event project manager (New York only), to help organize and run an ongoing series of successful game-night-like test events at various locations in New York City.
Intrigued? Get in touch with your CV or a bit about you and why you are interested and I'll send you more about the project, including specifics about the games development/design projects and videos about the the project overall and the interactive tabletop platform we've built.
Happy Dogs NYC (happydogsnyc.com), a local dog daycare business, is looking for a programmer to maintain and enhance a Django/Javascript web app used for internal task workflow, scheduling, billing, and customer management.
Features to be added including exposing parts of the app to end-customers for self-service tasks, enhancing Facebook and other third-party login, adding automated credit card processing, optimizing mobile web access, supporting multiple store locations, and streamlining input forms.
This small, interesting project would be ideal for a capable freelancer or part-time intern looking to improve his or her Python, Django, and JavaScript skills in a real-world application -- and who wants exposure to agile and/or test-driven development methodologies -- with training provided as needed by a former Google product director (and co-owner of the business), who wrote the existing web app.
New York City. SUMMER INTERNSHIPS in software (including Unity 3D), hardware, and game design at Project Grasshopper.
Project Grasshopper: game lounges for grown-ups. Starting in New York City and involving interactive tabletops and innovative physical and digital media in actual locations, with the goal of using games to foster meaningful face-to-face social interaction and in-person community. Founded by former Google PM director.
Participants in test events have basically said: we love it, we want it more, and we don't know where else to get it.
If this piques your interest, email info@projectgrasshopper.com and I can send you a concept test video that gives a brief overview of the project and includes footage from a recent test event.
