Python Class: Week 1

Last night was the first session of my Python class for the community. We had 14 people show up.

Despite the somewhat rustic location (underfunded community center) and lack of projector* it went quite well. I over-prepare for workshops, so I had handouts with every bit of code already typed up on them, so I didn't need a board or a projector.

We'll see how many people come back for Week 2. Anastasia was not able to join us.

Meanwhile, I will non sequitorly mention that many of the "I am the 99%" people come across badly and remind me of contestants on Top Model who blame everyone else for their poor performance. I find it challenging to muster sympathy for someone who finds themselves indebted and unemployed after dropping out of an expensive private college midway through a degree program that provides no marketable skills. It's not a big secret that we live in a time when learning as a leisure activity is reserved for the deMedicis. I studied art and literature in college, but I didn't major in them (and I've managed to pick up some marketable skills in the meantime).

[overly snarky sign redacted]

My class last night included several unemployed and underemployed people who were learning a new skill instead of making signs to share their tales of woe.


*I have my own pico-projector, but there wasn't a good place to put it to project an image that would be visible with the amount of ambient light in the room.