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Blog GaH 04 July 2020

Grow a Hand

I feel I am very close to my sub goal already, which is being able to modify existing machine learning program. Now it is time to think where should I go next. 

Today I followed several tutorials and successfully ran OpenAI GPT2 on my laptop. It is a natural language generator, generates plausible text according to your input. It took me a whole afternoon to make it running. At first I was overwhelmed by excitement, but after few tried I realized the program’s ability is very limited. The dataset used to train the model is pre-selected by the developer, which means the text it generates is limited to its dataset trainning input. So I found another tutorial teaching you how to train the model using your own dataset, but today I don’t have the time to do it.

Once I learn how to code with python, I don’t expect it would be difficult to make a few tweaks on these existing pre-trained models, I can even make APIs to make it easier to use. 

But the things is, using pre-trained dataset makes very limited usages, if that is my “hands”, then they are crippled. So next sub goal become clearer: I must learn how to train model using my own datasets. But for now, let’s focus on learning Python.

Edit: AyWizard just gave me an idea, he told me I could link GPT2 output to Google translate’s API, so that I can translate the English output into other language. This could be realized using Python. I just love this idea, now I have a aim.

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Blog LaW GaH 30 June 2020

Life as Whole

I always feel salty and uncomfortable when I see same-sex peer is doing better than me in any aspect, and vice versa, possibly I have been showing off in the same way as I feel good doing so.

Yang has been doing the exact same business idea I had at later 2019, which is connecting local UK university student to Chinese English learners. And today I saw he posted his first 公众号 post of his English school and it looks legit, I then fell into the feeling I described above.

This is another aspect of me lacking empathy. It is very silly as it shows that I unconciously take every same-sex peer as a potential rival by default (and this is possibly why I feel more comfortable cooperating with female peers), where I could cooperate or learn from them and benefit both of us. As a rational adult, I should feeling glad when your friend is successful, not holding the stupid idea that no one should be better than you. You should appreciate the fact that you are not special and everyone has their own strength. Please keep this in mind future self.

OK here let me analyse a bit of his business. His team include Henry and Harry both were from our class, and another Chinese girl who has teaching experience in English school. The Chinese girl taught Henry and Harry how to teach IELTS speaking, and since then they have done some free trial lessons, now they are up and running with paid formal classes. 

Good thing is, his team consists of every basic element to run a English school, native English Speaker and experienced English teacher. And himself is a actional figure (行动派) who put thing up and running within a month, which is surprsingly fast. But to success there are more things he would need.

First, his current product is not competitive in the market and need to find his unique marketing point. His current price is 249 rmb per class (40 mins), and according to my research, paying that price can get you a native pre IELTS examer to on TaoBao, which is way more competitive than native UK uni students. Forseeably he will drop his price very soon once he found he priced too high. The product also need a unique marketing point to make it standing out in such a crowded field.

Second, he needs enough exposure to bring attention and then costumers to start the business. But I don’t know how will he be advertising, so can’t make much a prediction.

I will keep in touch with him and keep a track of this thing, and probably help him in a way I could.

Grow a Hand

I barely understand a word of lecture 5, too many math equations I have no clue about, maybe I should quickly skim through the class so I can move on.

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Blog GaM GaH 29 June 2020

Grow a Hand

This morning I happened to open a old video of Two Minute Paper that introducing ML learning materials (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h0uC9FPVMQ). The first article on its recommendation list, two posts from Wait but Why hooked me immediately (https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-1.html). So I basically spent the whole day reading it.

The articles introduce many daunting and sci-fi-like concepts about AI that give me the same pleasance that good sci-fi novels give me, but instead the author is trying to warn us the real upcoming life-changing event that would happen in decades matter. It doesn’t touch any application level of machine learning.

By reading it, I could not believe it is trying to anticipate humanity’s future as its concepts are no different to whatever we see in sci-fi novel, and I would not take it seriously if I wasn’t recommended by Two Minute Paper. The creator of Two Minute Paper is a professor study in Machine Learning that explain many cutting-edge AI papers very well showing that he understands AI very well. In that sense, the articles are trusted by a person who study AI, then how could I doubting it reliability?

But put it on another aspective, I think as facing such a huge question, no human being would be able to give a reliable judgement on it, so the accuracy of my judgement wouldn’t be too far away than an AI expert’s if we are talking about the ultimate end of humanity.

So this kind of article is very fun to read as, but it’s unlikely to help me anyway to study application-level of Machine Learning. (It most likely to help me in a way that bring me closer to like-minded people who also interested in machine learning, as it is good resource of 谈资)

Grow a Mouth

Once I started reading the article, I instantly felt: ‘this is the type of content I want to create’, but I’m not sure what do I mean by thinking that. I will figure it out by reading more of it.

And as I was reading it, it reminds me that I could write easy-to-do instruction for people to get their hand on those pre-trained machine learning applications I found. This could be one valuable content for me to create.

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Blog Relationship 28 June 2020

Relationship

Today I invited three friends came over for a hotpot dinner. I went normal, we played some switch coop games the had hotpot. While one of the friends was talking about his story most time, I listened patiently. I do feel that I observed more closer to other, unlike in the past I wouldn’t pass anything about other into my mind.

Wish l could keep longer relationship and dig deeper about people around me. I do like the change and I wish I could do casual talk like this at least once a week.

Tomorrow I’ll do machine learning since I missed it this week.

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Blog GaM 26/27 June 2020

Grow a Mouth

It might because of the weather, or might be the lockdown finally killed my motivation, I had zero motivation to do anything, even gaming. Friday and Saturday I spent the majority of time lying on sofa and watching YouTube video. 

Starting from last week my pace has been getting looser and looser, until these two days I’m feeling completely off the track. So I’ll adjust myself back to working mode. A little subgoal would be publish at least two articles on my 公众号 by the end of August, but the more the better.

At this stage I still do not know what medium, topic or mode fit me the best, current plan is figuring them out as I am doing them and disscus with friends.

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Blog GaM LaW 25 June 2020

Grow a Mouth

Didn’t write anything today, but I did pretty well at Smash, back to 6 millions

Life as Whole

Since I finished job hunting at mid June, my life has kind of slowed down, I don’t feel I work as hard as early June. A bunch of shitstorm is coming soon (when I go back China) and I will be facing lots of challenge and chores which I should be prepared for it, at least mentally. 

One thing needs to be done later is to estimate how much it will cost going back China, fly ticket, quarantine fee and flat rent etc. I now roughly have 20,000 RMB which isn’t much considering how expensive is the flight and quarantine fee. 

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Blog GaM 23/24 June 2020

Grow a Month

I have been playing Smash Bros as much as possible these two days, but I was beaten up badly, which frustrated me a lot. Getting into Elite Smash is just a side quest of GaM, and it shouldn’t be taken as serious as the main quest. It matters not if I’m not in elite smash, creating a social media account is the priority. But I have decided this is a Smash week so for the rest of the week I will still play a lot Smash Bros. (it’s a fantastic game). 

I will start writing something else, and two article could progress in tandem. And also I will play Smash first in the morning, if I am not doing well, I will just stop and go writing.

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Blog GaM 22 June 2020

Grow a Mouth

This morning I reviewed what I’ve written 3 days ago, I found it extremely boring. Even though my starting point is writing whatever I want to say, but it would be pointless if even myself find it boring, at least it has to entertain my future self.

So I immediately thought I should combine another subject to the article, adding two things togather always sparks some new things. And thinking of another subject, I immediately thought of psychology, then I trying to psychologically  explain “muscle memory”, “attention” and “punish and reward” in Smash. If I’m following this path, I should go back to the text book and reminds myself about these knowledge. But while I’m writing this, I thought why it must be psychology, maybe it could be something else. So I’ll just put writing down for today and do a bit more research see if I could get new inspiration or not.

And my Smash performance is so unstable.

This week I want put the majority of time on mastering Smash, and secondly continue writing. By the end ot the month I aim to perform consistanly around 6.8m GSP and finish my first article draft.

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Blog LaW GaM GaH 19/20/21 June 2020

Life as Whole

A recent accident reminded me that one of the biggest negative character I inheritted from my dad is “talking overconfidently without any soild knowledge in the aera”. I can be strongly believe in my own theory and reject any other possibility even though I actually know nothing or very little about what I am talking. This void confidence seems very soild to myself until days later when I look back I realize I was actually being ignorant in front of people. I must get rid of this character as well. 

I intellectually believe professionalism, only long-time and focused study bring accurate picture to a thing. A statement made without prior study and research is not about right or wrong, but meaningless by nature. It adds nothing to the conversation. So please keep professionalism in mind all the times future self.

Grow a Mouth

As I always trying to tell others about what I think, I feel this is really the right way to express my thoughts as writing it out not only fulfill my desire of speaking out but correct my thoughts as well.

So now I plan to write 2 or 3 articles and put them on 公众号, then let a few friends review them asking for feedback.

Grow a Hand

As I’m watching the UCL x deepmind open classes, I barely understood 20% of the contents, as I know nothing about coding or complex math. I imagine I will need to learn basic coding in the future, but for now I should finish the open classes first and then learn what is Tensorflow.

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Blog Career GaM 16 June 2020

Career 

The start of this week has been direction-less, I don’t really know what should I be working on these two days. Monday Tuesday I spent most of my time just chilling and thinking loosely. So I want this week to be a adjustive week, finishing up the chores left in ‘career’ section and start ‘GaM’ project.

Two updates: 1) I messaged the BlueFocus manager telling him that I can’t be back in a few months because of the fly ticket price, and they told me contact him once I’m back in China and see if there is any position for me. 2) I’ve got another interview invitation from 苏宁. Well, it means my profile is indeed competitive hahahahhah. I thought I should tell him the fact that I’m still in London and can’t be back shortly, but I deleted what I typed, because I don’t want give up the opportunity to impress the HR and also it’s a good opportunity to practice my job interview skills.

I thought I should be making some money during this period of time, but for now I don’t see any opportunity that allow me making money safely. So just keep this idea in mind for now, it might show up later.

Grow a Mouth

When I was thinking about this section, two ideas came to my mind, one being focus on thinking what type of content I’m creating; another being how to do image management through different platforms. I was thinking hard on chosing one, but then I gave up thinking about it because I remember I did so many similar hard thoughts with no fruits at all in the past. For me, I need more practice and actions rather than philosophical thinking. So I started gathering some social media influencers profile and see how do they do it. Next I’ll do some further research on them.

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Blog LaW Relationship 14 June 2020

Life as a whole

Why should I care for others? Because they will return favour to me, that benefits me in the future. That is the education I had from my father, consciously or unconsciously, learned. Selfish, but looks nice from outside. I hate this, I hate the character I have.

Relationship

The more I look, the more perfect she is to me. Or maybe too perfect.

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Blog Trading GaH Career 12/13 June 2020

Trading

Stock price reflects how well a company perform, therefore good knowledge on those promising companies and big environment would bring profits for your investment. Think about investing some game companies and AI, auto-factories in the future. But not now because there isn’t room for me to risk any of my money at this moment. (Nintendo, Tencent, Fuyao glasses)

GaH

I’ve been following a DL tutorial on FloydHub, it can turn B&W picture into colour. But there’re too many terms, website and tools I know nothing about. In terms of coding, pip, git, I barely know what they’re for; in terms of ML, library, Jupyter Notebook and tensorboard, I don’t even know what they are for. So I temporarily put it aside, maybe come back after I finish UCL’s open classes.

I’ve been watching UCL open classes at a pace of one class a week at the moment. Slow but progressing.

Career

Today (12th) they called me up again, ask me if I want to take a AE position, I think they’ve already taken me as a potential candidates. But they want someone to fill the position as soon as possible, I promise I will do some research and tell them when I can go back the soonest. 

A ticket back to China now can cost up to 30,000 - 40,000 RMB, and I have to do a 14 days mandetory quarantine, it will at least take a month and a half for me to go back at a reasonable price plus mandetory quarantine, and it’s very likely they will turn me down because of this so I’m not holding a high expectation now. Next I will do more research on flight ticket and give them a date.

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Blog Career Relationship 11 June 2020

Career

Interview done, I’ve recorded the interview and I looked very nervous. It’s more tiring than I expected, basically done nothing after that. I slept so heavy that night.

Should thinking about building up a consistent image of me across CN/EN social platforms.

Relationship

When I was working at JGOO, Tianyu once told me, my first impression gave her a”little brother’s vibe”. And indeed, that is the image I’ve been unconciously giving people around me, I often unconsiously play a inferior role in relationship in exchange of other’s sympathy and pity. That’s why I often attract those female who has a “big sister’s vibe”. I’ve been protected too well by my parents and family so that I hardly ever stepped out of the position of being a baby. Once I gain my financial independent, and “quaratine” myself from my family (including Yu). This character should be gone fast.

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Blog Relationship Career 10 June 2020

Relationship

Her name is 黎 and Doris in English. Her existence describes the perfect female in my mind. She’s beautiful from inside to outside. Her appearance is beautiful in a natural and confident way, but more importantly, she has a independent, thinkful and sympathetic soul (I don’t believe in the existence of inmaterial soul, in this context I mean her characters).

She carefully observes people and things around her, and keep them in mind. She cares and feels about others. She thinks, biased and radical opinions cannot move her. And that’s exactly the direction I want push myself to in the future.

I admire her, and she knows it. A year ago she once confessed to me that she “has no feelings towards me.” I didn’t feel surprised and sad that day, because I knew I wasn’t good enough for her, it’s not hard to accept something that you have accepted before. Since then we talk less and less but we still remind friends.

Today we talked again, and every time talking to her always inspires me to think.

I thought about what’s my take on relationships in the future before, but now I think that’s a wrong approach to that question, the right way is asking myself “How do I treat people, everyone, in the future?”

I’ve already given myself a fundamental answer, that I would open my eyes, observe and feel others and the world (as the 朋友圈 post I made 2nd Feb 2020). But in practice, there’s still way to go. This post it’s the start of a new section, about relationships, not just about relationship relationship, but about everyone relationships. Here I’ll keep a track of my beheviour to others, and in return how others respon to me.

Edit: I should treat Doris as a independent individual and listen to her. Please keep that in mind future self.

Career

Productive but not focused enough. Made applications to all marketing positions I found today. Tomorrow is the BlueFoucus interview, I did some basic preparation for that. Well good luck to me!

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Blog Career 09 June 2020

Today I collected all marketing positions from the campus recruitment websites of each company, then summed up its requirements, and made a new CV accordingly. I don’t wanna apply with rush, so tomorrow morning I will check my CV again and if there’s no mistake I’ll then apply. I’ve also found quite a lot content creation position, but I didn’t have the time for it today, will go through it later.

The job alert I’ll be creating should gives me the kind of job that would fit my CV, creating a cost-efficient job apply system.

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Blog Career 8 June 2020

Career Today is a good day, I’ve got online interview invitations this morning from BlueFocus. The interview is at this Thursday 10am. I’ve been preparing for it this morning, but I still need more research and preparations. I also talked to a internship agency, they reminded me the campus recruitment each year. So I spent the whole morning searching for possible positions open to fresh graduates, and I made a entire markers folder of them. Tomorrow I’ll look into their details, and apply a few if time allows. I didn’t get my hands on making job alerts because I’ve been busy on searching campus recruit. So tomorrow if there’s still time I’ll get it done. Also I want to add some text description to all my project in my portfolio websites as well as a “About Me” page. Shall be doing this tomorrow.

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Blog GaH Review 6/7 June 2020

Grow a hand

Spent the weekend watching the ML open classes by deepmind x UCL, fantastic resources, it will help me gain a overview of ML. The second class is about mathematic base of neuron network, I was competely lost. But it doesn’t really matter for now, I’ll just keep going. When one day it’s needed, I’ll then go back and learn the missed part.

I’ve also played DeepFake demo today. Amazing but limited.

24 days review 14 May - 7 June

So thanks to Toggle’s time tracking info, I know I spent the majority of my time on gaming in the past 24 days (and yet I haven’t got into Elite Smash :| ), twice as much as job hunting. 

Overall it has been productive. I have done a overview research on possible jobs, finished the exit dossier, made proer CV and portfolio websites in Chinese, made a few job applications and started learning machine learning. But surely this could be done much faster. I’ll next work highly focused 7am to 12pm, and spend less fragment time on social media scrolling (reduce “unintended” and “maintaining” “chilling” time)

Career Review

In the past 24 days, I’ve done some inital research on my future career, both primary and secondary. Then I applied some jobs with my CV. One HR replied and rejected me because they need a intern immediately and don’t accept remote working, which I didn’t really think about before. Then I turned to search UK marketing internship, but I felt I don’t t fit the decriptions. I should talk to Tam about this, she knows a lot about job hunting in the UK. 

I also applied many online English home teacher’s jobs on 58同城, I thought it would be a easy meal with a self introduction video but so far no one has replied yet. Maybe I should go do delivery or some physical job if I want instant earning but it doesnt worth the risk these days. So, I don’t know.

The main goal here reamins the same: become financially and mentally independent, so find a job and make constant income. As time progress, a subgoal became clear in my mind: use next three months to boost my employablity. I see two ways of doing it: 1) taking a internship, which was what I all have been doing this week. I felt a bit lost right now because I can’t go back China immediately, and being not competitive enough for UK internship. So next I will set up a job alert system and regularly checking potention jobs and keep applying, also talk to Tam. Then maybe things may change. 2) another way being making a social media account myself and building up some contents, which I also have to talk to Tam about this.

Grow a mouth (idea initiated from 5th May)

Talking about social media. I’ve been thinking about this for month. Social media become inseparable to human’s day to day life, it becomes news source, class room and fragemental entertainment and more. This trend of social media taking more and more attention would not stop but only evolve even more. Everyone can project their voice on social media and I must take advantage of this tool as well, so that my voice would be heard.

I’ve came up with many ideas, but haven’t decided which one to go for, maybe I should start first.