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[Red Fortune]

I have no skills in comic illustration or producing simplified drawings that are faster to do... So that offer is extremely daunting.... Auughhh....

And I have a tendency to exaggerate scenes no matter what they are... The first drawing for this story that came to mind was Amerlyn and Roxanne sneaking after that gang (the one that tried to kill the acolytes), with the ground being wet cobblestones and the scene being backlit by the moon and softly lit by a lantern....

And I'll have exams this term...

I have a tendency to wing them and get 80+%, although I dunno how hard these will be... Science exams should be no worry... As with English etc... But maths bothers me, I suck at it and make large amounts of counting errors.

[Vector]

I have a tendency to wing them and get 80+%, although I dunno how hard these will be... Science exams should be no worry... As with English etc... But maths bothers me, I suck at it and make large amounts of counting errors.

>_>

Do a lot of practice problems, and get used to double/triple/quadruple-checking your answers.  This is how you train your intuition, so that eventually you don't really need to check.  You just know if you're wrong or right--somehow.  Seriously, this will save your ass on math tests.  Just train your brain a little in your spare time to be paranoid and good with numbers, and things will get a lot easier.


Also, as far as the comics goes... what if you separated the strip into sections, and Red Fortune did a sort of "cover" for each section, as well as concept art/whatever?  I think that might be a nice compromise for everybody.

[Red Fortune]

Aha. I know it may sound stupid, but do you know any places (other than textbooks, preferably online) where I could get a lot of these practice problems?

And seems interesting...

Basically we're talking about an illustrated novelette?

[Vector]

Aha. I know it may sound stupid, but do you know any places (other than textbooks, preferably online) where I could get a lot of these practice problems?

And seems interesting...

Basically we're talking about an illustrated novelette?

Whuh?  Why do you want non-textbook practice problems?

I remember when I was taking multivariable calculus and just did every single problem in the textbook 2-3 times.  It was really good practice (though I still despise line integrals).  Otherwise, though, the best place to get practice problems is to invent them!  The real keys to mathematics are curiosity, patience, determination, and a little bit of cleverness.  So think up problems and solve them, and when you're confused learn how to answer your own questions.  That is the most important thing when studying mathematics: be curious and persistent.

Other than that, though, I don't know what your level is... so it's very hard to tell you where to find practice problems.  There are different places depending on what you're looking for, and I'm not entirely certain I even know of good sites.



I didn't mean like an illustrated novella, by the way.  Comics are usually written in issues, with a cover artist who is different from the graphic artist.  I was thinking that the webcomic could be split up into sections or issues, and you might be able to function as a "cover artist" of sorts.

[Red Fortune]

Whuh?  Why do you want non-textbook practice problems?

I.... Honestly don't know.

I remember when I was taking multivariable calculus and just did every single problem in the textbook 2-3 times.  It was really good practice (though I still despise line integrals).  Otherwise, though, the best place to get practice problems is to invent them!  The real keys to mathematics are curiosity, patience, determination, and a little bit of cleverness.  So think up problems and solve them, and when you're confused learn how to answer your own questions.  That is the most important thing when studying mathematics: be curious and persistent.

Hmm, making up math problems... I guess... But I have a feeling I'd just end up making problems in which the values can't logically exist... I tend to do that.

Other than that, though, I don't know what your level is... so it's very hard to tell you where to find practice problems.  There are different places depending on what you're looking for, and I'm not entirely certain I even know of good sites.

My level is... Fuck, I dunno.
I just remember everything from reading over the book summaries and what I'm told in class and apply it as best as I can in tests... Often with bad results. I don't really.... KNOW anything about maths, I just apply logic to the formula I think works and forget it after the test until I need it again and I skim over the book again.

Really, REALLY bad habit and it's hard to describe, SHOOT ME!

I didn't mean like an illustrated novella, by the way.  Comics are usually written in issues, with a cover artist who is different from the graphic artist.  I was thinking that the webcomic could be split up into sections or issues, and you might be able to function as a "cover artist" of sorts.

Oooh, didn't know you meant panels would be drawn too, sorry for the misunderstanding.

And thanks.

[Vector]

Haha, I bet you're like me and you're afraid of the textbook.  Don't worry, that's okay.... I used to be afraid of the white paper they used on tests, too    I tended to do better if I did the problems on binder paper while being tested.  Just try hard and give yourself plenty of time to work problems and think about what's going on.

My level is... Fuck, I dunno.
I just remember everything from reading over the book summaries and what I'm told in class and apply it as best as I can in tests... Often with bad results. I don't really.... KNOW anything about maths, I just apply logic to the formula I think works and forget it after the test until I need it again and I skim over the book again.

Really, REALLY bad habit and it's hard to describe, SHOOT ME!

Don't worry, I understand.  I know I went all "Hey I'm insanely good at math" earlier, but I've been through my share of these moments.  The thing about mathematics is that it isn't like other disciplines, even at the lower levels.  If you want to improve, you need to adopt diligence and learn the material carefully--and that's difficult, and it will certainly take time.  But as one of my professors likes to say, mathematics will be your most faithful friend and constant companion.

The choice is up to you.

[Red Fortune]

Haha, I bet you're like me and you're afraid of the textbook.  Don't worry, that's okay....

I usually just think "Daunting... Daunting... Oh what does that mean-OH GOD I GIVE UP!" But it doesn't help that the textbook is notorious for not explaining how it gets to things in the worked examples...

I used to be afraid of the white paper they used on tests, too    I tended to do better if I did the problems on binder paper while being tested.  Just try hard and give yourself plenty of time to work problems and think about what's going on.

You're right, there.

Don't worry, I understand.  I know I went all "Hey I'm insanely good at math" earlier, but I've been through my share of these moments.  The thing about mathematics is that it isn't like other disciplines, even at the lower levels.  If you want to improve, you need to adopt diligence and learn the material carefully--and that's difficult, and it will certainly take time.  But as one of my professors likes to say, mathematics will be your most faithful friend and constant companion.

Well I guess that's what makes it different and/or more difficult for me... I work everything through memory (I swear, if somebody asks me something about science and I'll have 50 facts about it I don't even remember committing to memory  ) and abstract logic... My mental processing skills are actually slightly below average according to this mental assessment I have in front of me from a few years ago... (Also, strangely enough, my perceptual recognition is in the 99.7th percentile, and my motor coordination is below average).

Bleh, explaining the way my mind works is damn hard, and I have a tendency to go on tangents...

Once again, SHOOT ME AGHH MY BRAIN NO WORKY.

[Vector]

Well I guess that's what makes it different and/or more difficult for me... I work everything through memory (I swear, if somebody asks me something about science and I'll have 50 facts about it I don't even remember committing to memory  ) and abstract logic... My mental processing skills are actually slightly below average according to this mental assessment I have in front of me from a few years ago... (Also, strangely enough, my perceptual recognition is in the 99.7th percentile, and my motor coordination is below average).

Bleh, explaining the way my mind works is damn hard, and I have a tendency to go on tangents...

Once again, SHOOT ME AGHH MY BRAIN NO WORKY.

... That's not so good.  Still: you can probably improve those mental processing skills.  I used to be more like you, but you have to train yourself to think.  Even though I constantly get lost because I have a very poor spatial sense, I trained myself to do elaborate 3-d modeling for things like graphs and so on so that I can rotate pictures in my mind, etc.  It's just a matter of finding the things that plague you--since everyone has troubles with something, after all--and working at them until you're satisfied.

Try hard!  Improve your life!  Believe in yourself!

[Red Fortune]

Yeah... My mental skills are very varying, thus people sometimes say I'm very smart, or sometimes they say I'm very dumb, but whatever.

Yeah, I guess I'll just have to work through my textbooks.

[Supermikhail]

And now, when we've almost signed a job agreement... the applicant is sniffed away by a math research lab.
 
Well, I don't know anything about math, at least about deliberately learning school stuff, but seeing as Vector says "... That's not so good", and you seem to agree, you're probably not going to make maths your goal in life. From your drawings, your motor coordination and perceptional recognition seem just fine. At the start of maths discussion you say that you make a lot of counting errors. Maybe, it's not exclusively the maths problem, but it's more of... attention deficiency (not clinical, mind you). And attention deficiency may be connected with unbalanced diet... Oh, what am I going on about? Excuse the rambling, due to constantly consulting various points in the discussion.
Anyway, returning to my area, I have thought it over, and I feel that I don't like the idea of turning that script into a novelette with illustrations, I like the idea of comic that you've come to here. However, as much as I'd like it to have a devoted front page artist, I must point out that making simplified drawings is a core skill for any artist. Maybe you'd consider it as a part of training?

[Red Fortune]

Hooray for MSN effectively letting me know when someone replies to my subscribed threads!

Well, what I was saying in the other post before is that my motor skills aren't so great (believe me, you'd notice it if you saw me do anything ) but my perceptual skills are in the 99.7th percentile (i.e. I score higher within assessments in that category than 99.7% of the world's population)

Maybe, it's not exclusively the maths problem, but it's more of... attention deficiency (not clinical, mind you).

Yes, somebody suggested that to me before a while ago, though I didn't give much thought to it.
When I feel compelled or happy to do something I'm unable to be separated from it if I'm applying myself... But tests are usually not this type of activity..

And attention deficiency may be connected with unbalanced diet... Oh, what am I going on about? Excuse the rambling, due to constantly consulting various points in the discussion.

No, you could be onto something.

Anyway, returning to my area, I have thought it over, and I feel that I don't like the idea of turning that script into a novelette with illustrations, I like the idea of comic that you've come to here. However, as much as I'd like it to have a devoted front page artist, I must point out that making simplified drawings is a core skill for any artist. Maybe you'd consider it as a part of training?

I would like to improve in that area, but it would be for myself in my own time preferably... I don't want to apply a fundamental I know so little about to someone else's creation... I would feel guilty of not being good enough.


I need coffee....

[Supermikhail]

No, you could be onto something.



I need coffee....

... I see what you did there (I think)... Green tea all the way!

I would like to improve in that area, but it would be for myself in my own time preferably... I don't want to apply a fundamental I know so little about to someone else's creation... I would feel guilty of not being good enough.

Well, it's your choice, and really, if you plan on participating as a front-page artist, I expect you're going to improve in the sketching area anyway.
So, my plan B is, that you would draw your monumental pieces , so I - being a humble art enthusiast - could base panels on them, because for me it's easier. Or I even could cunningly lure someone else into doing it, because I'm going to be occupied with writing.

[Rooster]

I have a problem with procrastination and myself.
For a long period of time I was doing basically nothing.
The last time I got stuff done, when my mother was yelling at me to do homework. Now she doesn't and I don't do homework anymore.
Then I realised that I was no one. Captain Nemo. A fly on the front window of life. And I've seen a lot of people challenging life to a deadly duel every single day. Can you explain why one of my friends studies 5 hours a day, and doodles pictures pretty much the rest of the day? I can't.
Then I had a mental breakdown that involved a lot of wangst.
I decided to get to work. It's actually harder than I thought. It could kinda work if computer didn't exist, and I had a longer attention span.
I can't sit for a minute to read a page of a textbook. That's bad.
It looks like this:
I read a quarter of the page, and then something compells me to go to youtube. I can't read a page of biology textbook without feeling uncomfortable. I can't complete a homework without thinking, that in the end nobody will check if I did it, or not.
I honestly need someone to shout at me. Currently that person is me.
And when I don't to even a half of the work I wanted, I feel awful.
Even going as far as thinking about stupid ideas like putting my life minute-to-minute schedule, and when I can't complete the tasks I somehow punish myself. It's currently in the concept territory, but I just might put it to use.

So how can I control my attention span? Honestly this morning I thought "No computer for entertainment purposes today!"
Guess what? I played DF for a couple of hours. Somebody slap me.

[Supermikhail]

Same story here. Well, kind of. Eventually I simply cursed my unloved university and started doing my stuff, while paying minimum attention to assignments.
Well, short attention span is what procrastination is about. Fighting it straight often leads to frustration and more procrastination.
Maybe it's from some site I've read about procrastination on, or it's my own serendipity... what if you didn't force yourself to do what you're doing for more than you could bear, but went with the flow and switched to something else, like a completely different piece of homework. Of course, it would require having all your assignments lying around, but maybe it could work... And of course I'm not going to try it out, because the Internet is just too interesting!

[Vector]

Counting errors may just mean that you're absent-minded--seriously, people.  Most mathematicians are terrible at arithmetic and happen to have insane powers of concentration. 

So how can I control my attention span? Honestly this morning I thought "No computer for entertainment purposes today!"
Guess what? I played DF for a couple of hours. Somebody slap me.

You have to train it, gently.  Like a dog.  Seriously, unplug your computer and put it somewhere else or something (or put yourself in a room without the computer).  Then work for 15 minutes, rest for 15 minutes, work, rest.  Slowly increase the time that you work.  Make sure that you don't have any distractions: loud music, flashing lights, whatever.

The key is that gentleness.  Don't punish yourself, just keep on walking forward step by step.

The thing is, though, it's not about whether or not anyone will check the homework.  It's about the beauty of pure information.  I don't know, maybe you don't feel like this.  Maybe you're not all that interested in knowledge.  But if you can just see the elegance of the structures about which you are learning, rather than the difficulty of the work, I think you will have a much easier time of it.